In-line duct supplemental heating and cooling device and method

摘要

A method of heating or cooling a room of a building includes providing supplemental warmer or cooler air to the room with an inline duct supplemental heating and cooling device mounted along an air duct that 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.

主权项

1. A method of heating and cooling a room that is primarily heated by a furnace adapted to supply heat to the room through an air duct, and that is primarily cooled by a cooling unit adapted to supply cooled air to the room through the air duct, said method comprising:
directing substantially all of the air from the air duct into a fluid passageway defined by a housing of a heating and cooling device that is positioned in-line with the air duct, the housing containing a heater and a fan disposed in the fluid passageway, whereby substantially all of the air in the fluid passageway is received from the air duct and is directed through the heater and the fan; controlling the heater and the fan of the heating and cooling device with a controller that is in communication with a thermostat positioned in the room; selecting a desired temperature in the room at the thermostat; automatically activating the heater with the controller when the temperature detected in the room by the thermostat is lower than a threshold minimum temperature corresponding to the selected desired temperature; automatically activating the fan with the controller when the temperature detected in the room is lower than the threshold minimum temperature; supplementing the cooling unit associated with the air duct by activating the fan, without activating the heater, to draw air previously cooled by the cooling unit through the air duct with the fan when a temperature in the room is higher than a desired maximum temperature, thereby supplementing the cooling unit associated with the air duct; and discharging substantially all of the air in the fluid passageway of the heating and cooling device into the room.