US 4,456,169 AGranted

Electro-mechanical steady state thermostat

OwnerClifford M. Martininventor

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Abstract

A steady state thermostat is disclosed which employs a magnetic flux coupling technique to obtain a greater stability in its operation, resulting in a significant reduction in fuel costs. The thermostat includes a temperature sensor operated arm and a temperature setting arm pivotally mounted on a common base pivot. A first magnetic field source is mounted on the first end of the sensor arm coincident with a first axis and a second magnetic field source is mounted on the second end of the sensor arm coincident with a second axis. A first magnetic field sensor is mounted on the first end of the setting arm coincident with the first axis and adapted for proximate positioning with respect to the first magnetic field source when the selected orientation of the setting arm corresponds to the desired ambient temperature being higher in magnitude than the existing ambient temperature. The strength of the magnetic field which couples the magnetic sensor and the magnetic field source varies with the separation distance between them, allowing a gradual and continuous control signal to be generated by the magnetic sensor for controlling an ambient temperature increasing mechanism in a smooth and stable manner. Similarly, a second magnetic field sensor is mounted on the second end of the setting arm coincident with the second axis and adapted for proximate positioning with respect to the second magnetic field source when the selected orientation of the setting arm corresponds to the desired ambient temperature being lower than the existing ambient temperature.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A steady state thermostat, comprising:

a temperature sensor operated arm pivotally mounted on a base pivot, operatively connected to a thermo-mechanical transducer, and having first and second ends, for undergoing pivotal motion with respect to said base pivot in response to said thermomechanical transducer sensing a change in the existing ambient temperature;
a temperature setting arm pivotally mounted on said base pivot and having first and second ends, for receiving a selected orientation setting corresponding to a desired ambient temperature to be achieved;
a first magnetic field source mounted on said first end of said sensor arm coincident with a first axis and a second magnetic field source mounted on said second end of said sensor arm coincident with a second axis;
a first magnetic field sensor mounted on said first end of said setting arm coincident with said first axis and adapted for proximate positioning with respect to said first magnetic field source when said selected orientation of said setting arm corresponds to said desired ambient temperature being higher in magnitude than said existing ambient temperature;
a second magnetic field sensor mounted on said second end of said setting arm coincident with said second axis and adapted for proximate positioning with respect to said second magnetic field source when said selected orientation of said setting arm corresponds to said desired ambient temperature being lower than said existing ambient temperature;
said first magnetic field sensor being operatively connected to a first means for increasing said existing ambient temperature and said second magnetic field sensor being operatively connected to a second means for decreasing said existing ambient temperature;
said first means operatively increasing said existing ambient temperature in response to said proximate positioning of said first magnetic field sensor with respect to said first magnetic field source;
said second means operatively decreasing said existing ambient temperature in response to said proximate positioning of said second magnetic field sensor with respect to said second magnetic field source;
whereby steady state control of said ambient temperature is achieved.

6 more elements

A steady state thermostat, comprising:

a temperature sensor operated arm pivotally mounted on a base pivot, operatively connected to a thermo-mechanical transducer, and having first and second ends, for undergoing pivotal motion with respect to said base pivot in response to said thermomechanical transducer sensing a change in the existing ambient temperature;
a temperature setting arm pivotally mounted on said base pivot and having first and second ends, for receiving a selected orientation setting corresponding to a desired ambient temperature to be achieved;
a first magnetic field source mounted on said first end of said setting arm coincident with a first axis and a second magnetic field source mounted on said second end of said setting arm coincident with a second axis;
a first magnetic field sensor mounted on said first end of said sensor arm coincident with said first axis and adapted for proximate positioning with respect to said first magnetic field source when said selected orientation of said setting arm corresponds to said desired ambient temperature being higher in magnitude than said existing ambient temperature;
a second magnetic field sensor mounted on said second end of said sensor arm coincident with said second axis and adapted for proximate positioning with respect to said second magnetic field source when said selected orientation of said setting arm corresponds to said desired ambient temperature being lower than said existing ambient temperature;
said first magnetic field sensor being operatively connected to a first means for increasing said existing ambient temperature and said second magnetic field sensor being operatively connected to a second means for decreasing said existing ambient temperature;
said first means operatively increasing said existing ambient temperature in response to said proximate positioning of said first magnetic field sensor with respect to said first magnetic field source;
said second means operatively decreasing said existing ambient temperature in response to said proximate positioning of said second magnetic field sensor with respect to said second magnetic field source;
whereby steady state control of said ambient temperature is achieved.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.