Method, apparatus and system for safely and efficiently controlling a ventilation hood
AssigneeVent-A-Hood, Ltd.
InventorsMiles Woodall, III, Tom Kuhnke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a method, apparatus and system for safely and efficiently controlling a ventilation hood having at least one blower unit disposed within a hood. The blower unit operates at a first speed which is substantially below a threshold speed when a speed controller is in a first setting and a sensor does not detect a trigger condition. The blower unit also operates at or above the threshold speed when the speed controller is in a first setting and the sensor detects the trigger condition. In addition, the blower unit operates at or above the threshold speed when the speed controller is in a second setting, and deactivates when the speed controller is in a third setting.
Claims45
A method for controlling a ventilation hood apparatus having at least one blower unit disposed within a hood, the method comprising the steps of:
- operating the blower unit at a first speed which is substantially below a threshold speed when a speed controller is in a first setting and a sensor does not detect a trigger condition;
- operating the blower unit at or above the threshold speed when the speed controller is in the first setting and the sensor detects a trigger condition;
- operating the blower unit at or above the threshold speed when the speed controller is in a second setting;
- and
- deactivating the blower unit when the speed controller is in a third setting.
A control apparatus for a ventilation hood system having at least one blower unit disposed within a hood, the apparatus comprising:
- a speed controller having a first, second and third settings;
- a sensor capable of detecting a trigger condition;
- the speed controller is coupled to the sensor and the blower unit such that the blower unit operates at a first speed which is substantially below a threshold speed when the speed controller is in the first setting and the sensor does not detect the trigger condition, and the blower unit operates at or above the threshold speed when the speed controller is in the first setting and the sensor detects the trigger condition, and the blower unit operates at or above the threshold speed when the speed controller is in the second setting, and the blower unit is deactivated when the speed controller is in the third setting.
A ventilation hood system for exhausting air containing cooking by-products from a cooking station to an external environment through an exhaust duct, said ventilation hood system comprising:
- a hood;
- a blower unit disposed within the hood and capable of removing the cooking by-products from within the hood and liquefying and containing grease;
- a control circuit comprising a speed controller having a first, second and third settings and a sensor capable of detecting a trigger condition;
- and
- the speed controller is coupled to the sensor and the blower unit such that the blower unit operates at a first speed which is substantially below a threshold speed when the speed controller is in the first setting and the sensor does not detect the trigger condition, and the blower unit operates at or above the threshold speed when the speed controller is in the first setting and the sensor detects the trigger condition, and the blower unit operates at or above the threshold speed when the speed controller is in the second setting, and the blower unit is deactivated when the speed controller is in the third setting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.