Patent · US Expired

Energy and peak-load conserving thermostat and method with controlled deadband

US5326026A · kind A · utility

12Cited by
7References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 27, 1993
Grant dateJul 5, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 27, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05D23/1909
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A thermostat is disclosed for controlling a heating system, particularly a forced hot-air furnace, so as to improve fuel efficiency and decrease peak fuel load. The thermostat controls the length of fuel-on cycles, so that the heat exchanger of the furnace is not saturated. A wide deadband (approximately 3.degree. F.) for the thermostat further aids in lessening fuel usage. Forced air operation continues for a secondary-delivery period immediately after the thermostat turns the furnace off, thereby extracting additional heat from the heat exchanger and ductwork, but the length of the secondary-delivery period is limited so that the heat exchanger does not cool off beyond a predetermined amount.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.