Automatic room occupancy controlled fuel savings system for air conditioning/heater units

• US 5,538,181 A
• Filed: 05/02/1995
• Issued: 07/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Energy VENT Incorporated, Luther Foshee
• Original Assignee: Michael L. Simmons, Robert J. Goldsborough
• Inventors: Simmons, Michael L., Goldsborough, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US08/433,873
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 236/47, 236/51, 236/1 R, 165/11.1
• US Class Current: 236/51
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time

Abstract

This invention relates to a simplified, substantially self contained fuel savings control system for in-room air conditioner/heater units, which automatically turns off the power when the room is unoccupied. The system is typically contained in a single housing unit that may be plugged in between an in-room power line outlet and a power cord to the heater-cooler unit. The system is universal in scope, being adaptable to different kinds of thermostatically controlled systems powered from a local power line. That is achieved, in part, by letting the temperature controls built into in-room thermostatically controlled units establish the temperature and controlling the power to the in-room units by sensing room occupancy and removing power when the room is unoccupied. This invention therefore represents an advance in the art, which affords a simplified low cost power control unit for automatically turning off power to the in-room heater-cooler unit when a room is unoccupied, and which constitutes a power control unit configured to minimize installation cost and rewiring of different kinds of in-room temperature control systems.

Claims

1. An automatic electrically powered thermostatless occupancy controlled power savings system for retrofit with a temperature controlled room system having an in-room thermostatic control unit for automatic control of room temperature, wherein said temperature controlled room systems are operated from a power line source within a room being temperature controlled, comprising in combination:

an electrically powered wide angle motion detector adapted to detect motion of an occupant within a substantial portion of a room in which one of said room systems is installed,

time delay means responsive to said motion detector for producing a signal representative of lack of room occupancy for a predetermined time period, and

switching means for controlling power from said power line source to said temperature controlled room system in response to the time delay means signal,

said power savings system thereby constituting in combination a substantially self contained unit for retrofit installation by connection between said power line and said room system to supply power to the room system wherein said time delay means further comprises an auxiliary timing system for providing a standby mode of operation with the unit connected to the power line for controlling said switching means to produce a predetermined off-on duty cycle time for the temperature control room system during unoccupancy of the room.

2. The power savings system defined in claim 1 further comprising direct current power supply means for said motion detector operable from said power line source.

3. The power savings system defined in claim 1, wherein said switching means further comprises a relay with movable electrical contacts connected to open and close an electrical line conveying power to said temperature control room system.

4. The power savings system defined in claim 1, wherein said switching means is a solid state device for controlling power from said power line source to said temperature control room system.

5. The power savings system defined in claim 1 further comprising a feedback signal producing connection from the room system thermostat controls constituting an off-on control for the power savings system corresponding to an off-on switching condition status in the room system thermostat controls.

6. An automatic electrically powered thermostatless occupancy controlled power savings system for retrofit with a temperature controlled room system having an in-room thermostatic control unit for automatic control of room temperature, wherein said temperature controlled room systems are operated from a power line source within a room being temperature controlled, comprising in combination:

an electrically powered wide angle motion detector adapted to detect motion of an occupant within a substantial portion of a room in which one of said room systems is installed,

time delay means responsive to said motion detector for producing a signal representative of lack of room occupancy for a predetermined time period, and

switching means for controlling power from said power line source to said temperature controlled room system in response to the time delay means signal,

said power savings system thereby constituting in combination a substantially self contained unit for retrofit installation by connection between said power line and said room system to supply power to the room system further comprising a single housing member substantially encompassing and supporting the power savings system adapted to be plugged into a power receptacle within a temperature controlled room, which housing member further has a self contained electrical outlet adapted for plugging in of a room system power cord for supplying power for operation of the room system.

7. The thermostatless method of automatically reducing power consumed by an electrically powered temperature control system with a thermostatically controlled system for producing a predetermined temperature and having an electrical power line feed for supplying operating power, comprising the steps of:

producing an occupancy control signal by sensing motion of an occupant in a room temperature controlled by said temperature control system,

producing a power control signal from said occupancy control signal following a predetermined time delay of the sensed motion of an occupant in said room,

disconnecting the electrical power line feed for said in-room temperature control system in response to the power control signal, thereby saving power for operation of the temperature control system during periods when the room is unoccupied, and

alternately connecting and disconnecting the power line feed with a predetermined on-off duty cycle during a period of time when the motion sensing step indicates that the room is unoccupied.