Microprocessor controlled fan

• US 5,847,526 A
• Filed: 04/24/1996
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lasko Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lasko Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Canfield, Eric L., Lasko, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US08/638,997
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 318/471, 318/472, 318/792, 318/254, 318/439, 388/903, 388/934, 361/23, 361/25, 361/27
• US Class Current: 318/471
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/76 by means responsive to temperature, e.g. bimetal springs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 23/24 Controlling the direction, e.g. clockwise or counterclockwise
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 25/04 Single phase motors, e.g. capacitor motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/16 using ac to ac converters without intermediate conversion to dc H02P27/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 388/934 Thermal condition

Abstract

A system includes a microcontroller for controlling a fan particularly suited to be mounted in a window. The microcontroller monitors and responds at relatively high sampling rates to the actual and desired temperatures of the room associated with the fan. The microcontroller senses a predetermined difference between the desired and actual temperatures to generate the speed, forward-reverse drive and/or on-off controls of the fan and so that the operation of the fan closely tracks the temperature conditions of the room being serviced by the fan.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a fan particularly suited for being mounted in a window, said fan comprising a motor responsive to a control signal and excited by a power source with first and second terminals and having a predetermined frequency, said system comprising:

(a) means for selecting a desired temperature and providing a first electrical signal representative thereof;

(b) means for sensing an actual temperature and providing a second electrical signal representative thereof;

(c) means for receiving, sampling and interpreting said first and second electrical signals, said interpreting including determining the difference between said first and second electrical signals and generating said control signal to said motor when said difference therebetween exceeds a predetermined value;

wherein said means for selecting a desired temperature and said means for sensing an actual temperature each include means for converting said respective electrical signals into a corresponding pulse count.

2. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 1, wherein said means for receiving, sampling and interpreting compares said pulse count of said first and second electrical signals against each other to determine said difference therebetween.

3. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 1, wherein said means for converting said first signal comprises a serial arranged capacitor and negative temperature coefficient device with a node therebetween and having opposite ends respectively connected to opposite voltage potentials and said node therebetween being connected to said means for receiving, sampling and interpreting.

4. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 3, wherein said negative temperature coefficient device is a thermistor, and/or thermocouple.

5. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 1, wherein said means for converting said first signal comprises a serial arranged capacitor and a thermocouple device with a node therebetween and having opposite ends respectively connected to opposite voltage potentials and said node therebetween being connected to said means for receiving, sampling and interpreting.

6. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 1, wherein said means for converting said second signal comprises a serial arrangement of a capacitor, at least one resistor, and a thermostat with a node between the at least one resistor and the capacitor and having opposite ends respectively connected to opposite voltage potentials and said node therebetween being connected to said means for receiving, sampling and interpreting.

7. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 6 further comprising an adjustable resistor interposed between said at least one resistor and said thermostat.

8. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 1, wherein said means for selecting a desired temperature and said means for sensing an actual temperature comprises;

(a) a divider network comprised of a plurality of stages of a predetermined number with each stage including a resistor and the first stage thereof also including a thermostat, said divider network having opposite ends connected to opposite voltage potentials;

(b) a serial arrangement of a negative temperature coefficient device and a resistor having a node therebetween and opposite ends connected to opposite voltage potential;

(c) a plurality of comparator devices with positive and negative inputs and of a number which is less than said predetermined number of said divider network, each of said comparator devices having an output stage having one end of a resistor connected thereto and with the other end of said resistor connected to one of said opposite voltage potentials of said divider network, each of said output stages further having a resistive network comprising at least one resistor having a first end connected to said output stage and its second end connected to one of said positive and negative inputs, said other positive and negative inputs respectively connected to one of the output stages of said divider network, said node between serial arrangement of said negative temperature coefficient and said resistor having means for being connected to said first end of said resistor of said resistive network, said output stages of each of said comparator devices connected to said means for receiving, sampling and interpreting.

9. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 8, wherein said negative temperature coefficient device is a thermistor, and/or thermocouple.

10. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 8 further comprising a capacitor arranged across said resistor of said serial arrangement of the negative temperature coefficient device.

13. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 1, wherein said first and second electrical signals are sampled at a sampling rate of about 50 milliseconds.

14. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 1 further comprising a power supply having said power source applied thereto, said power supply having input and output stages and arranged as a half-wave converter, said input stage having means for limiting inrush current, limiting transients and providing over-current protection, said output stage having energy storage means that stores a charge for a predetermined duration after loss of said applied power source and a regulator that provides a constant voltage in spite of any variations in said power source and those in a load connected to the output stage;

said power supply producing and delivering the power needed to operate said means for selecting a desired temperature, said means for sensing an actual temperature and said means for receiving, sampling and interpreting.

15. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 1, wherein said interpreting means for generating said control signal for said motor comprises first, second and third triac means, and wherein said motor has first and second windings each having first and second ends, said second winding controlling the speed of said motor and having one of its ends connected to a first end of a capacitor having its other end connected to one of said terminals of said power source, said second winding further having first and second connections, said first, second and third triac means being respectively connected to said first and second connection of said second winding and said other end of said second winding.

16. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 15 further comprising first, second and third serial arrangements each comprising a resistor and a light emitting diode respectively interposed between first, second and third transistors and said interpreting means.

17. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 1, wherein said interpreting means for generating said control signal comprises a transistor-bridge arrangement and wherein said motor has a first winding with first and second ends, said first winding controlling the speed of said motor and having its first end connected to one of said terminals of said power source and its second end connected to an output of said transistor-bridge arrangement, said transistor-bridge arrangement comprising:

(a) a first transistor having first, second and third terminals with the second terminal connected to the gate thereof and having means for being connected to said interpreting means, said first and third terminals connected to the emitter and collector thereof; and

(b) first, second, third and fourth diodes connected together to form four sequential nodes and arranged into a full-wave bridge, said first and third node being connected to said first and third terminals, said second node being connected to the second end of said first winding of said motor and said fourth node connected to the other terminal of said power source.

18. The system according to claim 17 further comprising a resistor serving as said connecting means of said second terminal and interposed between said second terminal and said interpreting means.

19. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 15 further comprising a reversing switch device having means responsive to an external signal for reversing the direction of rotation of said motor, said reversing switch having first, second, third and fourth terminals, wherein said connection between said first transistor means and said first connection of said second winding is connected to said first terminal of said reversing switch and said first and second ends of said first winding are respectively connected to second and third terminals of said reversing switch, said fourth terminal of said reversing switch being connected to one of said terminals of said power source.

20. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 15 further comprising a manually controlled reversing switch device for reversing the direction of rotation of said motor, said reversing switch having first, second, third and fourth terminals, wherein said connection between said first transistor means and said first connection of said second winding is connected to said first terminal of said reversing switch and second first and second ends of said first winding are respectively connected to the second and third terminals of said reversing switch, said fourth terminal of said reversing switch being connected to one of said terminals of said power source.

21. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 17 further comprising a reversing switch device having means responsive to an external signal for reversing the direction of rotation of said motor, said reversing switch having first, second and third terminals, wherein said second end of said first windings is connected to said first terminal of said reversing switch and said first end of said first winding is connected to the second terminal of said reversing switch, said third terminal of said reversing switch being connected to one of said terminals of said power source.

22. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 17 further comprising a manually controlled reversing switch device for reversing the direction of rotation of said motor, said reversing switch having first, second and third terminals, wherein said second end of said first winding is connected to said first terminals of said reversing switch and said first end of said first winding is connected to the second terminal of said reversing switch, said third terminal of said reversing switch being connected to one of said terminals of said power source.

23. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 15 further comprising fourth, fifth and sixth serial arrangements each comprising a resistor and a light emitting diode and each having one end separately connected to said interpreting means and its other end joined together and connected to an output of said power supply.

24. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 15 further comprising an annunciator comprising a piezoelectric device having one end connected to said interpreting means and its other end connected to an output of said power supply.

25. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 17 further comprising an annunciator comprising a piezoelectric device having one end connected to said interpreting means and its other end connected to an output of said power supply.

26. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 1, wherein said means for selecting a desired temperature, said means for sensing an actual temperature, and said means for receiving, sampling and interpreting are all arranged within a housing having an operational vertical orientation with a top and bottom end, said housing having an inlet and outlet respectively to allow air to enter into and exit from said housing, said inlet located on said bottom end of said housing, said means for sensing an actual temperature located near said inlet and said means for selecting a desired temperature and said means for receiving, sampling and interpreting located above said means for sensing an actual temperature.

27. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 26, wherein said fan has a draft duct and said inlet of said housing is located at an angle of about 90°

relative to said draft duct.

11. A system for controlling a fan particularly suited for being mounted in a window, said fan comprising a motor responsive to a control signal and excited by a power source with first and second terminals and having a predetermined frequency, said system comprising:

(a) means for selecting a desired temperature and providing a first electrical signal representative thereof;

(b) means for sensing an actual temperature and providing a second electrical signal representative thereof;

(c) means for receiving, sampling and interpreting said first and second electrical signals, said interpreting including determining the difference between said first and second electrical signals and generating said control signal to said motor when said difference therebetween exceeds a predetermined value;

wherein said means for selecting a desired temperature and said means for sensing an actual temperature comprises;

(a) a divider network comprised of a plurality of stages of a predetermined number with each stage including a resistor and the first stage thereof also including a thermostat, said divider network having opposite ends connected to opposite voltage potentials;

(b) a serial arrangement of a thermocouple device and a resistor having a node therebetween;

(c) a plurality of comparator devices with positive and negative inputs and of being a number which is less than said predetermined number of said divider network, each of said comparator devices having an output stage having one end of a resistor connected thereto and with the other end of said resistor connected to one of said opposite voltage potentials of said divider network, each of said output stages further having a resistive network comprising at least one resistor having a first end connected to said output stage and its second end connected to one of said positive and negative inputs, said other positive and negative inputs respectively connected to one of the output stages of said divider network, said node between serial arrangement of said thermocouple device and said resistor having means for being connected to said first end of said resistor of said resistive network, said output stage of each of said comparator devices connected to said means for receiving, sampling and interpreting.

12. The system for controlling a fan according to claim 11 further comprising a capacitor arranged across said resistor of said serial arrangement of said thermocouple device.