US 12,698,920 B2Granted

Electrical relay switch for a blower of a climate control system

AssigneeTrane International Inc.

InventorsJohn R. Edens, Mark Hudgins, Daren Lee Epperson

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Abstract

An embodiment of an indoor unit of a climate control system includes a blower to generate an airflow, a heat exchanger to transfer heat between a refrigerant and the airflow, and a motor to drive the blower. The motor includes first and second taps, the first tap to be electrically coupled to a first thermostat terminal. The motor configured such that: energizing the first tap and not the second tap operates the motor at a first blower speed; and energizing the first and second tap operates the motor at a second blower speed. The indoor unit also includes an electrical relay switch coupled to the second tap and configured to electrically couple to a second thermostat terminal such that energization of the second thermostat terminal is to actuate the switch from a first position to electrically de-energize the second tap to a second position to electrically energize the second tap.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An indoor unit of a climate control system, the indoor unit comprising:

a blower configured to generate an airflow;
a heat exchanger that is configured to transfer heat between a refrigerant and the airflow;
a constant torque motor that is configured to drive the blower, the constant torque motor including a first tap and a second tap, the first tap being configured to be electrically coupled to a first terminal of a thermostat, and the constant torque motor being configured such that:
energization of the first tap and not the second tap is associated with operating the constant torque motor at a first blower speed;
and
energization of the first tap and the second tap is associated with operating the constant torque motor at a second blower speed that is greater than the first blower speed;
and
an electrical relay switch that is electrically coupled to the second tap, the electrical relay switch being configured to be electrically coupled to a second terminal of the thermostat such that energization of the second terminal is configured to actuate the electrical relay switch from (i) a first position to electrically de-energize the second tap to operate the constant torque motor at the first blower speed to (ii) a second position to electrically energize the second tap to operate the constant torque motor at the second blower speed.

5 more elements

A method of operating a climate control system including a blower that is driven by a constant torque motor to generate an airflow for an indoor space, the method comprising:

(a) energizing a first tap on the constant torque motor with a first terminal on a thermostat to operate the constant torque motor at a first blower speed;
and
(b) energizing an electrical relay switch with a second terminal on the thermostat, during (a), to actuate the electrical relay switch from a first position to a second position to electrically energize a second tap on the constant torque motor and thereby operate the constant torque motor at a second blower speed that is greater than the first blower speed, the electrical relay switch comprising a single throw double pole relay.

A climate control system to condition an indoor space, the climate control system comprising:

a blower configured to generate an airflow for the indoor space;
a constant torque motor that is configured to drive the blower, the constant torque motor including a first tap and a second tap and configured such that:
energization of the first tap and not the second tap is associated with operating the constant torque motor at a first blower speed;
and
energization of the first tap and the second tap is associated with operating the constant torque motor at a second blower speed that is greater than the first blower speed;
an evaporator that is configured to transfer heat from the airflow to a refrigerant, the evaporator operable at a first cooling stage to deliver a first cooling capacity to the airflow and a second cooling stage to deliver a second cooling capacity that is greater than the first cooling capacity;
a thermostat including a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal being associated with operation of the evaporator in the first cooling stage and the second terminal being associated with operation of the evaporator in the second cooling stage, and the first terminal being electrically coupled to the first tap on the constant torque motor;
and
an electrical relay switch that is electrically coupled to the second terminal such that energization of the second terminal is configured to actuate the electrical relay switch from (i) a first position to electrically de-energize the second tap to operate the constant torque motor at the first blower speed to (ii) a second position to electrically energize the second tap to operate the constant torque motor at the second blower speed.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/748,445Filed 20 Jun 2024
Published: US 2025/0389449 A125 Dec 2025
Granted: 4 Aug 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

F24F 11/88
Control or safety arrangements: electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
F24F 11/48
For purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring: prior to normal operation, e.g. pre-heating or pre-cooling
F24F 11/81
For controlling the temperature of the supplied air: by controlling the air supply to heat-exchangers or bypass channels
F25B 49/00
Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices