APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING A VENTILATION MECHANISM

• US 20150345819A1
• Filed: 05/28/2014
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: OSTROVSKY, Michael, LOMBARDI, Alfred, GALLO, Marc, SOCCOLI, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,976,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0001 for ventilation F24F11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0008 for air-humidification F24F11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/17 mounted in a wall
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

The present disclosure generally provides controls, apparatus, systems and methods for controlling a ventilation mechanism to efficiently manage the relative humidity of an area. The controls, apparatus, systems and methods utilize sensed relative humidity information and one or more inputs to provide for efficient automatic and/or manual control a ventilation mechanism in response to high humidity events within the area. The controls, apparatus, systems and methods provided herein efficiently automatically activate a ventilation mechanism through the use of sensed relative humidity information and user input. The controls, apparatus, systems and methods provided herein efficiently automatically deactivate a ventilation mechanism through the use of sensed relative humidity information and user input.

Claims

1. A user-configurable control for a ventilation mechanism having a plurality of differing user selected operational modes, the control comprising:

a first user selectable input mechanism;

a second user selectable input mechanism;

a third user selectable input mechanism;

an atmospheric sensor; and

a controllably conductive switch in electrical connection with the ventilation mechanism,

wherein the first user selectable input mechanism is operable to provide a first input, the second user selectable input mechanism is operable to provide a second input, and the third user selectable input mechanism is operable to provide a third input, and

wherein the first, second and third inputs allow the user to configure the control to alter operation of the ventilation mechanism according to one of the differing user selected operational modes.

2. The user-configurable control according to claim 1, wherein the control is operable to receive a sensed humidity level from the atmospheric sensor and selectively control the controllably conductive switch to alter operation of the ventilation mechanism according to each of the differing operational modes.

3. The user-configurable control of claim 2, wherein the first input is a time setting, the second input is a humidity setting, and the third input is a humidity sensitivity setting.

4. The user-configurable control of claim 3, wherein:

the time setting includes one of a first, a second, a third and a fourth time value setting;

the humidity setting includes one of an off setting, a cycle setting and a humidity value setting;

the humidity sensitivity setting includes one of an off setting, a low humidity sensitivity value setting, a medium humidity sensitivity value setting, and a high humidity sensitivity value setting.

5. The user-configurable control of claim 4, wherein the differing user selected operational modes include a first user-selected operational mode when the humidity setting is a humidity value setting and the sensitivity setting is a setting other than the off setting, and

wherein the control is configured in the first user-selected operational mode to turn off the ventilation mechanism after it was turned on at an activation time when:

a) a period of time extending from the activation time corresponds to about the time value setting;

b) the sensed humidity level is about or less than a first threshold humidity level; and

c) the sensed humidity level is either;

i) about or less than a second threshold humidity level different from the first threshold humidity level;

or

ii) between about the first threshold humidity level and the second threshold humidity level.

6. The user-configurable control of claim 5, wherein the first threshold humidity level has a predetermined relationship to a sensed humidity level that is sensed about or before the activation time and a maximum sensed humidity level that is sensed after the activation time.

7. The user-configurable control of claim 6, wherein the first threshold humidity level is a midpoint between a sensed humidity level sensed about or before the activation time and a maximum sensed humidity level that is sensed after the activation time.

8. The user-configurable control of claim 5, wherein the second threshold humidity level has a predetermined relationship to a sensed humidity level that is sensed about or before the activation time or a maximum sensed humidity level that is sensed after the activation time.

9. The user-configurable control of claim 8, wherein the second threshold humidity level is about 10 percent greater than a sensed humidity level that is about or before the activation time.

10. The user-configurable control of claim 5, wherein the control is configured in the first user-selected operational mode to turn off the ventilation mechanism after it was turned on at an activation time when the sensed humidity level is between about the first threshold humidity level and the second threshold humidity level after a predetermined period of time in addition to the time setting.

11. The user-configurable control of claim 5, wherein the control is further configured in the first user-selected operational mode to turn on the ventilation mechanism based on the humidity sensitivity setting and the sensed humidity level.

12. The user-configurable control of claim 11, wherein the control further comprises a manual command mechanism, and wherein the control is further configured to, upon activation of the manual command mechanism, turn on the ventilation mechanism for a time corresponding to the time setting or to turn off the ventilation mechanism for a time corresponding to the time setting, and thereafter return operation of the ventilation mechanism according to the to the first user-selected operational mode.

13. The user-configurable control of claim 4, wherein the controller is operable in a mode of operation to dynamically set a humidity sensitivity setting regarding a rate of change of humidity, and operable in a mode of operation to automatically turn on the ventilation mechanism based on the dynamically set humidity sensitivity level.

14. A method for automatically turning off a ventilation mechanism that was turned on at an activation time to manage humidity in an area, the method comprising:

receiving humidity information sensed in the area;

receiving run time input; and

utilizing the sensed humidity information and the run time input to automatically turn off the ventilation mechanism when;

a) a period of time after the activation time corresponds to about the run time input;

b) a sensed humidity level in the area is about or less than a first threshold humidity level; and

c) the sensed humidity level is either;

i) about or less than a second threshold humidity level different from the first threshold humidity level;

or

ii) between about the first threshold humidity level and a second threshold humidity level.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first threshold humidity level has a predetermined relationship to a humidity level sensed in the area about or before the activation time and a maximum humidity level sensed in the area after the activation time.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first threshold humidity level is the midpoint between a humidity level sensed in the area about or before the activation time and the maximum humidity level sensed in the area after the activation time.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second threshold humidity level has a predetermined relationship to a sensed humidity level in the area about or before the activation time or a maximum humidity level in the area after the activation time.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second threshold humidity level is about 10 percent greater than a humidity level sensed in the area about or before the activation time.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the control turns off the ventilation mechanism when the sensed humidity level is between about the first threshold humidity level and the second threshold humidity level after a predetermined period of time in addition to the period of time after the activation time corresponding to about the run time input.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising installing a control in an electrical box remote from the ventilation mechanism, the control operable to perform the method.