Forced Air Apparatus for Conditioning a Volume of Air

Abstract

An apparatus for conditioning a volume of air is provided. The apparatus includes a housing having an electric heating element; a high-pressure variable-speed centrifugal blower for providing constant velocity air flow. The apparatus also includes a controller adaptable to control the electric heating element and the high pressure variable speed blower to raise the temperature within the zone by substantially 15 degrees, or more, in substantially 7 minutes or less. The apparatus also includes an air output flange for disposition between the zone and an air duct disposed between the housing and the air output flange.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is related to, claims the earliest available effective filing date(s) from (e.g., claims earliest available priority dates for other than provisional patent applications; claims benefits under 35 USC §119(e) for provisional patent applications), and incorporates by reference in its entirety all subject matter of the following listed application(s) (the “Related Applications”) to the extent such subject matter is not inconsistent herewith; the present application also claims the earliest available effective filing date(s) from, and also incorporates by reference in its entirety all subject matter of any and all parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, etc. applications of the Related Application(s) to the extent such subject matter is not inconsistent herewith:[0002]1. U.S. provisional patent application 61 / 966,042, entitled “Forced air thermal device for a bed with integrated wireless RF remote controls and optional...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is a high pressure blower that delivers air in a specific range of flow rate and static pressure to evenly heat a bed. This blower can be adjusted for different bed sizes and bedding types. The air flows in a turbulent layer between the bedding and mattress, allowing the heat to be distributed throughout the bedbing. The invention also includes a system for conditioning air using a centrifugal blower and an air output flange to create a fast mixing of air, with acoustic noise absorbing material to reduce intake and exhaust noise.

Problems solved by technology

In such instances a person will often throw off the covering while asleep, which will then result in chilling.

In warm weather when the room temperature is above 70 F., a lighter covering is usually employed but the moisture which results from perspiration is still retained about the body by the insulating covering, causing personal discomfort and results in poor rest.

The obese and the bedridden are particularly troubled by these conditions of the air environment about the body.

Room air conditioners which have heretofore been provided for regulating the room air temperature and humidity conditions have the disadvantages of handling large volumes of air, requiring special electrical power, and are relatively expensive for installation, operation and maintenance costs.

Even with room air conditioners, the person usually employs some form of covering which insulates the body from the surrounding air so there remains no suitable means of exchanging the air between the body and the covering of the occupant's bed.

Of these causes the physical comfort of the person attempting to sleep or rest is paramount, for if a person's ambient surroundings are not conducive to their personal comfort, sleep can become extremely difficult to achieve, if at all.

If the temperature of the surroundings of a person is either too hot or too cold, restful sleep may be impossible.

Of particular concern is the case where the surroundings are too hot, because in such cases the body's ability to control its internal temperature may be effected to the point where the body begins to sweat, and it is nearly impossible to achieve restful sleep while sweating.

While air conditioners are highly effective at coarsely controlling the temperature in a room, the customary preference for persons to sleep beneath one or more bed sheets, covers, blankets, etc. coupled with the body's tendency to liberate heat during its normal operation translates to the well-known situation in which the person resting beneath the sheets cannot get comfortable because they are too hot, which is compounded by the proposition that if they remove the covers or sheets from themselves then they become too cold.

In spite of these efforts, however, perfect control of the temperature of ambient surroundings of persons desiring to sleep has been fleeting.

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