Damper control system
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsDavid Kucera, Shanna Lorraine Leeland, Peter Anderson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A damper control system having energy efficient mechanisms. The system may use a heat-to-electric power converter such as a thermopile. Heat may come from a pilot light used for igniting a flame for an appliance. The system may store electric energy in a storage module which could be a sufficiently large capacitor. The system may monitor the position of a damper in a vent or the like and provide start and stop movements of the damper using minimal energy. One way that the system may control electrical energy to a damper motor or another electrical mover of the damper is to use pulse width modulated signals.
Claims20
A damper control system for a fuel burning appliance, comprising:
- a power source;
- a power management module connected to the power source;
- an energy storage module connected to the power management module;
- a damper control module connected to the energy storage module;
- and
- a controller connected to the power management module and the damper control module;
- and
- wherein:
- the power source comprises a heat-to-electric power converter;
- the energy storage module is for storing electric energy from the power source;
- and
- a source of heat for the heat-to-electric power converter comprises a pilot light for igniting a flame for a fuel burning appliance.
A damper control device comprising:
- a heat-to-electric power converter;
- a power management module connected to the heat-to-electric power converter;
- an electric energy storage module connected to the power management module;
- a damper control module connected to the electric energy storage module;
- and
- a controller connected to the power management module and the damper control module;
- and
- wherein:
- the damper control module is for controlling a damper for a fuel burning appliance;
- and
- the energy storage module comprises a capacitor capable of storing electric energy sufficient to operate the damper control module to control the damper.
A control system for a damper comprising:
- a heat-to-electric power converter;
- a power management module connected to the heat-to-electric power converter;
- an energy storage module connected to the power management module;
- a damper control module connected to the energy storage module;
- and
- a controller connected to the power management module and the damper control module;
- and
- wherein:
- the damper control module is for providing a control signal to a damper assembly to control a position of a damper of the assembly;
- a pulse width modulation component of the control signal is generated by the controller for the management control module in accordance with a damper position signal from a position indicating mechanism proximate to a damper;
- and
- the pulse width modulation component has a duty cycle which is adjustable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.