# US 8,787,738 B2 · In-line duct supplemental heating and cooling device and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,787,738 B2 - Document ID: US8787738B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/058,860 - Filed: 2013-10-21 - Published: 2014-02-13 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2007-09-05 - Assignees: TPI Corporation - Applicants: TPI Corporation - Inventors: Eric P. Mulder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8787738B2 ## CPC - F24D 5/02: operating with discharge of hot air into the space or area to be heated - F24D 13/04: using electric heating of heat-transfer fluid in separate units of the system - F24F 1/0007: Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units (self-contained units F24F1/02) - F24F 11/33: to fire, excessive heat or smoke - F24F 11/70: Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof - F24F 11/74: for controlling air flow rate or air velocity - F24F 11/76: by means responsive to temperature, e.g. bimetal springs - F24F 11/88: Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits - F24H 3/0411: {for domestic or space-heating systems} - G05D 23/1902: {characterised by the use of a variable reference value} - F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring - F24F 11/56: Remote control - F24F 2110/10: Temperature - F24D: DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR (using steam or condensate extracted or exhausted from steam engine plants for heating purposes F01K17/02) - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - F24H: FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL (steam generation F22) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract An inline duct supplemental heating and cooling device is mounted along an air duct that supplies a room of a building with supplemental warmer or cooler air to the room. The air duct also supplies the room with air from a main furnace and/or cooling unit associated with the building. A thermostat is used to set a desired temperature for the room, and a controller of the supplemental heating and cooling device is in communication with the thermostat, and activates an electric heater and/or fan as appropriate to warm or cool the room as needed. When the device is used to cool the room, the fan may be operated to draw cooled air through the duct from the main cooling unit and/or from other areas in the building that are linked via ductwork. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electric heating and cooling device adapted to supplement a furnace or cooling unit having an air duct extending therefrom for transferring air from the furnace or cooling unit to a room, said heating and cooling device comprising: a heater; a fan configured to propel air through the air duct; a housing defining a fluid passageway configured to be arranged in-line with the air duct whereby substantially all of the air passing to the room through said fluid passageway is received in said fluid passageway from an upstream portion of the air duct and is discharged from said fluid passageway to a downstream portion of the air duct, said housing further containing said heater and said fan in said fluid passageway; a control in communication with said heater and said fan, and configured to communicate with a thermostat for detecting a temperature in the room to be heated or cooled and for selecting at least a desired lower threshold temperature in the room, wherein said control is configured to activate and deactivate said heater and said fan in response to a first input from the thermostat; wherein said control is configured to automatically activate said heater and said fan together when the temperature detected in the room by the thermostat is lower than the desired lower threshold temperature; and wherein said fan is activatable, without activating said heater, in response to a second input, to draw air previously cooled, by a cooling unit connected to the air duct, through the air duct with said fan and thereby supplement the cooling unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heating and cooling device of claim 1, wherein the second input is generated by the thermostat and received by said control to activate said fan without activating said heater. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The heating and cooling device of claim 1, wherein said fluid passageway is substantially circular in cross section. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The heating and cooling device of claim 3, wherein said fan comprises a rotary fan. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The heating and cooling device of claim 4, wherein said fan has an outer diameter that is at least about 90% of an inner diameter of said fluid passageway at said fan. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The heating and cooling device of claim 1, further in combination with a thermostat. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The heating and cooling device of claim 6, wherein said thermostat is a wireless thermostat that is in wireless communication with said control. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The heating and cooling device of claim 1, further comprising a vibration insulator sleeve including a cylindrical hollow fabric member having opposite ends with an annular ring at each of said opposite ends, wherein one of said annular rings is configured for attachment to said housing and the other of said annular rings is configured for attachment to the air duct. ### Claim 9 A heating and cooling device adapted to supplement a furnace or cooling unit having an air duct extending therefrom for transferring air from the furnace or cooling unit to a room, said heating and cooling device comprising: a housing defining a fluid passageway in fluid communication with the air duct so that substantially all air discharged from said housing originates from only the air duct; a heater positioned in said fluid passageway of said housing and configured to selectively heat air received from the air duct; a fan positioned in said fluid passageway of said housing and configured to selectively propel air through the air duct; a control in communication with said heater and said fan, and configured to communicate with a thermostat for detecting a temperature in the room to be heated or cooled and for selecting a desired temperature in the room, wherein said control is configured to activate and deactivate said heater and said fan based on input from the thermostat; wherein said control is operable to automatically activate said heater and said fan together when the temperature detected in the room is lower than the desired temperature; and wherein said control is operable to activate said fan in response to a fan-activation signal received by said control, whereby the device is operable to supplement an air conditioner connected to the air duct by activating said fan to draw air previously cooled by the air conditioner through the air duct without activating said heater. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The heating and cooling device of claim 9, wherein said fluid passageway is substantially circular in cross section. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The heating and cooling device of claim 10, wherein said fan comprises a rotary fan. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The heating and cooling device of claim 9, wherein the fan-activation signal is generated by the thermostat to activate said fan without activating said heater. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The heating and cooling device of claim 9, further in combination with a thermostat. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The heating and cooling device of claim 13, wherein said thermostat is a wireless thermostat that is in wireless communication with said control. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The heating and cooling device of claim 9, further comprising a vibration insulator sleeve including a cylindrical hollow fabric member having opposite ends with an annular ring at each of said opposite ends, wherein one of said annular rings is configured for attachment to said housing and the other of said annular rings is configured for attachment to the air duct. ### Claim 16 An electric heating and cooling device adapted to supplement a furnace or cooling unit having an air duct extending therefrom for transferring air from the furnace or cooling unit to a room, said heating and cooling device comprising: a housing defining a fluid passageway in fluid communication with the air duct so that substantially all air discharged from said housing originates from only the air duct; a heater positioned in said fluid passageway of said housing and configured to selectively heat air received from the air duct; a fan positioned in said fluid passageway of said housing and configured to selectively propel air through the air duct; a control in communication with said heater and said fan, and configured to communicate with a thermostat for detecting a temperature in the room to be heated or cooled and for selecting at least a desired lower threshold temperature in the room, wherein said control is configured to activate and deactivate said heater and said fan based on input from the thermostat; wherein said control automatically activates said heater and said fan when the temperature detected in the room is lower than a desired lower threshold temperature; and wherein said control is configured to activate said fan, without activating said heater, in response to said control receiving a fan-activation signal from the thermostat, whereby the device is operable to supplement a cooling unit connected to the air duct by activating said fan to draw air previously cooled by the cooling unit through the air duct. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The heating and cooling device of claim 16, wherein said fluid passageway is substantially circular in cross section. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The heating and cooling device of claim 17, wherein said fan comprises a rotary fan. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The heating and cooling device of claim 16, further in combination with a wireless thermostat that is in wireless communication with said control. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The heating and cooling device of claim 19, wherein said wireless thermostat is operable to generate the fan-activation signal to activate said fan without activating said heater.