Gas fired modular blower control and associated methodology
First Claim
1. A heat pump system comprising:
- a reversible refrigerant circuit heat pump operable in heating and cooling modes to selectively heat or cool air being delivered to a conditioned space;
a fuel-fired modular blower selectively operable to generate combustion heat; and
a control system associated with said heat pump and said modular blower and having a heat pump thermostat electrically connected to a modular blower control,said heat pump thermostat being operative to transmit to said modular blower control (1) a first signal indicative of heating operation of said heat pump, and (2) a second signal indicative of a need for alternative heat during a heating demand cycle, andsaid modular blower control being operative, in response to receipt of both of said first and second signals, to cause said fuel-fired modular blower to generate combustion heat in place of refrigerant-based air heating of said heat pump;
wherein said modular blower control, in response to receipt of both of said first and second signals, is operative to cause said fuel-fired modular blower to generate said combustion heat to replace refrigerant-based air heating of said heat pump during heating operation thereof, unless the outside ambient temperature is not less than a predetermined temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An air heating and cooling system includes (1) a heat pump, illustratively devoid of auxiliary electric resistance type air heating structure, operative to provide refrigerant-based heating or cooling of air being delivered to a conditioned space, (2) a fuel-fired modular blower selectively operable to generate combustion heat, and (3) a control system associated with the heat pump and the modular blower. The control system has a heat pump thermostat electrically connected to a modular blower control and operative to transmit to the modular blower a first signal indicative of heating operation of the heat pump, and a second signal indicative of a need for alternative heat during a heating demand cycle. The modular blower is operative, in response to receiving both signals, to provide combustion-based air heating in place of refrigerant-based heat pump air heating.
34 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A heat pump system comprising:
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a reversible refrigerant circuit heat pump operable in heating and cooling modes to selectively heat or cool air being delivered to a conditioned space; a fuel-fired modular blower selectively operable to generate combustion heat; and a control system associated with said heat pump and said modular blower and having a heat pump thermostat electrically connected to a modular blower control, said heat pump thermostat being operative to transmit to said modular blower control (1) a first signal indicative of heating operation of said heat pump, and (2) a second signal indicative of a need for alternative heat during a heating demand cycle, and said modular blower control being operative, in response to receipt of both of said first and second signals, to cause said fuel-fired modular blower to generate combustion heat in place of refrigerant-based air heating of said heat pump;
wherein said modular blower control, in response to receipt of both of said first and second signals, is operative to cause said fuel-fired modular blower to generate said combustion heat to replace refrigerant-based air heating of said heat pump during heating operation thereof, unless the outside ambient temperature is not less than a predetermined temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A heating method comprising the steps of:
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providing a reversible refrigerant circuit heat pump having a heat pump thermostat operatively associated therewith; providing a fuel-fired modular blower having a modular blower control associated therewith; transmitting to said modular blower control from said heat pump thermostat first and second signals respectively indicative of heating operation of said heat pump, and a need of said heat pump for supplemental heating during said heating operation thereof; and
,in response to said modular blower control receiving both of said first and second signals, and only during heating operation of said heat pump, causing said modular blower control to operate said fuel-fired modular blower in a manner replacing refrigerant heat created by said heat pump with combustion heat created by said fuel-fired modular blower;
wherein said causing step is performed unless the outdoor ambient temperature is not less than a predetermined temperature. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A system for selectively heating or cooling air being delivered to a conditioned space, comprising;
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a heat pump having a reversible refrigerant circuit and being devoid of electrical resistance type air heating structure; a heat pump control associated with the heat pump and providing control signals to the heat pump; a fuel-fired supplemental heating source selectively operable to generate combustion heat; a modular supplemental heating source control associated with the fuel fired supplemental heating source and providing control signals to the fuel fired supplemental heating source; and a control system including both the heat pump control and the modular supplemental heating source control for automatically terminating refrigerant-based heat pump air heating, and replacing it with combustion-based air heating by said fuel-fired supplemental heating source, in response to the modular supplemental heating source control receiving signals indicative of both (1) heating operation of said heat pump, and (2) an inability of said refrigerant-based air heating of said heat pump to sufficiently heat air being delivered to the conditioned space;
wherein said control system is operative to replace refrigerant-based air heating by said heat pump with combustion-based air heating by said fuel-fired supplemental heating source only if the outside ambient temperature is at or above a predetermined temperature. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An air heating method comprising the steps of:
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providing a reversible refrigerant circuit heat pump devoid of electrical resistance type air heating structure and operative to utilize refrigerant-based heat to heat air operatively flowing through said heat pump, the heat pump including a heat pump control; providing a fuel-fired supplemental heating source operative to generate combustion heat, the supplemental heating source including a modular supplemental heating source control;
receiving at the modular supplemental heating source control signals indicative of both (1) heating operation of said heat pump, and (2) an inability of said refrigerant-based air heating of said heat pump to sufficiently heat air being delivered to the conditioned space; andterminating refrigerant-based heat pump air heating, and replacing it with combustion-based air heating by said fuel-fired supplemental heating source, in response to a sensed inability of said refrigerant-based heat of said heat pump to sufficiently heat air operatively flowing through said heat pump during a heating demand cycle thereof;
wherein said terminating step is performable only during periods when the outdoor ambient temperature is not less than a predetermined temperature. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification