Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~13650Z
WINDOW-MOUNTED SO~AR HEATING
AND HUMIDIFYING DEVICE
BACKGRO~D OF T~E INVENTION
In view of the recent rise in energy prices for con-
ventional sources, there has arisen a need for the provision of
alternate energy sources for various purposes. Solar power has
been ~een viewed as one answer to this problem in that there is
no fuel cost associated with operation.
There has developed a need for a way in which out-
10 buildings of various sorts may be heated at a minimum of opera-
ting expense. Such buildings are often not provided with heat or
even power.
In particular, various devices have been proposed for
heating and insulating a building by way of windows pre-existing
therein. Such prior art devices range from simple plastic bub-
bles over the windows to a number of more complicated devices.
In particular, devices such as those shown in U. S. Patent Nos.
4,023,306, 3,946,522, 3,319,378 and 3,148,479 disclose plastic
window greenhouses which have some heating effect but do not
20 appear to be designed particularly for that purpose. Various
solar heaters such as those proposed in U. S. Patents 246,626
and 3,964,678 have been proposed ~ut are not well suited for use
in conjunction with windows since they bloc~ the view. Such
devices are also unduly complicated and expensive to manufacture.
The aforementioned devices also do not provide the desired degree
of efficiency or controlability of result obtainable with the
instant device. Further, none of the aforementioned devices
include provision for humidifying the incoming heated air.
113650Z
SUMM~RY OF THE INVENTION
The device of the instant invention is particularly suited for heating
outbuildings or the like which oft do not have energy sources of their own yet
may benefit by a nominal degree of heating in conjunction with an insulating
effect and humidification.
The present invention provides a solar heating and humidifying device
for receiving outside air and heating a building through a window on a wal] of
the building, the device comprising:
a transparent housing have an open back and open bottom for said
10 housing being attachable to a building wall having a window therein such thatsaid housing covers and encloses a portion of the wall including the window
and covers and encloses a portion of the ground adjacent the building,
means carried by said housing and adjacent the bottom for regulating
and restricting intake of outside air into the housing, the means comprising,
an automotive type cylindrical air filter having an outer circumference, a
portion of said circumference being exposed to the outside air, and the intake
regulating means comprises an arcuate door located adjacent the circumference
and circumferentially slidable thereover between a first position uncovering
the portion and allowing air flow through the filter and a second position
covering the portion thereby preventing flow through the filter,
a heat-storing framework substantially conforming in shape to the
housing and located within the housing to accommodate heat transfer from said
framework to air within said housing adjacent said framework,
a heat and moisture absorbing material located on the framework in
heat-transferring relation thereto,
means adjacent the upper end of the housing and above said heat-
storing framework for regulating the outlet flow of heated and moisturi~ed
113~502
air out of the housing and through the window.
In a preferred embodiment a thermo-formed outer housing having several
spaced layers is provided with an open back and bottom for attachment to the wall
of a building having a window therein. The bottom of the housing is buried in
the ground adjacent the building wall to provide an enclosed heating chamber.
An air intake near the bottom of the outer housing is provided with a filter
therein having an ad~ustable damper thereover for regulating the incoming flow
of air through the filter and into the heating chamber, as already described.
The heating chamber is defined by a space beneath the window and located therein
is an energy storing framework of tubing having located thereon a solar energy
absorbing material such as black canvas or the like. Located above the framework
and beneath the opening of the window is an ad~ustable baffle to regulate the flow
of air out of the heating chamber through the window and into the area to be
heated. The baffle is formed by two sliding plates having perforations which
are in one position coextensive with each other so that air may flow through the
perforations and such that the plates may be moved relative to each other so as
to shut off the flow of air therethrough. The air filter at the inlet has the
desirecl effect, even when the damper is fully open, of essentially preventing
outward flow of air from the heating chamber due to the fact that any pressure
build-up inside the chamber will cause the heat to rise out the upper baffle and
into the area to be heated. Thus the restriction placed in the air intake is
desirable from a standpoint of efficiency.
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1~3~S02
BRIEF ~ESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention as
applied to the wall of a building.
Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2-2
of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3
of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4-4
of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a view showing attachment of the
optional housing extension.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings and in particular
Figure 1, ~le solar heating humidifying device, generally 10,
is comprised of an outer transparent housing 12 having a front
wall 14, side walls 16 and a curved top wall 18. Housing 12
is desirably thermally formed of a clear plastic, but of
course other constructions may be used. The device 10 is
designed to be attached to a wall such as that shown at 26
2~ having a window 2$ therein which is spaced above the ground
30. E~ousing 12 is formed with a peripheral flange 20 there-
abouts on three sides which may be mounted to building wall
26 by means of bolts 32.
113~i50Z
Ideally housing 12 is comprised of a plurality of
layers such as those shown in Figure 2 at 12A, 12B and 12C.
The multiple layers provide an insulating effect while retaining
the effectiveness of the device for heating. The layers are
spaced apart by spacers 22, which may either be molded in-
tegrally with the various aforementioned layers or provided as
separate pieces.
The bottom 34 of housing 12 is buried several inches
in the ground 30 to prevent air leal~age thereunder which has the
10 further advantage of requiring no separately molded bottom which
would otherwise require extra material and expense. A pair of
semicircular lips 36 and 38 are molded into the front wall 14
near the bottom of housing 12. These lips project perpendicular
to front wall 14 and bound an opening 40 in which is placed a
Standard automotive type cartridge air filter 41. A pair of
tracks 42 are molded in arcuate segments 36 and 38 and face in-
wardly towards opening 40 to therein retain an arcuate shaped
closure and damper member 44 therebetween. Damper member 44
may be moved as shown particularly in Figure 3 from its open to
20 close position by means of a tab or handle 46 and may be rotated
as shown in Figure 3 from an open to closed position.
An upper baffle 48 shown particularly in Figure 4 is
form~d of two pieces. A ~ottom baffle member 50 is formed in-
tegrally with ox attached to housing 12 and is situated in a
horizontal plane. Two parallel opposing tracks 52 are provided
on the upper surface of bottom plate 50 for slidably retaining
and locating upper baffle plate 54 having rear handle lip 56
thereon to aid in the movement of the upper baffle plate. A
plurality of apextures 50A are loca~ed in lower baffle plate 50.
30 A corresponding number, size and location of apertures 54A are
provided in upper baffle plate 54 such that when upper plate 54
is positioned relative to lower plate 50 as shown in Figure 2
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113~iS02
particularly, air will be free to pass through apertures 50A and
54A to enter window 28. The location and size of the apertures
is such that when upper plate 54 is slid toward wall 26 as shown
in Figure 2, the apertures will become non-coextensive thereby
restricting the flow of air therethrough until at the limit pro-
vided by lip 56 against lip 58 of lower baffle panel 50 the
apertures are completely non-coextensive thereby completely
shutting off the flow of air therethrough.
An energy absorbing frame 60 is preferably formed
10 of tubing and may comprise two vertical members 62 attached by
welding, bolting or other conventional means to a plurality of
horizontal members 64, the frame confonming to the shape shown
in Figure l, that being generally the shape of the outer housing
only smaller such that the front of framework 60 is spaced
slightly inwardly from the housing 12. Framework 60 may be
bolted to the wall by means of bolt~s) 61 or alternatively
may merely be leaned against the wall if so desired. A piece
of energy and moisture absorbing material 66 is fastened to
framework 60 and material 66 is preferably made of black canvas
20 or the like. Such material then will absorb solar energy
radiant thereon and transfer the heat into the energy storing
framework 60. The top of energy absorbing material 66 is spaced
from the wall 26 thereby forming an aperture 68 through which
heated air from behind the material may rise for passage through
baffle 48. Also the bottom of material 66 is spaced from the
ground 30 as shown particularly in Figure 2 formin~ a further
aperture 70 through which air to be heated may flow as shown
~y the arro~s in Figure 2.
As noted previously the invention is best suited for
3~ use in heating outbuildings, basements and the like where a
great deal of energy expense is not desired but where a passive
heating system will be sufficient to raise the temperature the
desired amount. (Less than required for habitation)
113650Z
In conjunction then it is desirable that the instant
invention be adaptable toward variously located windows and
toward this end if the device is molded in one size, use with
windows placed more than a certain distance above the ground
will cause the bottom end of outer housing 12 to be spaced above
the ground. As shown in Figure 5, to solve this problem, an
extension 72 similar in construction to housing 12 may be pro-
vided and attached using curved lips 72A to interlock with by
means of adhesives, sealants or the like with the bottom edge
10 Of transparent housing 12 in order to provide the desired ex-
tension to ground 30.
In operation, solar rays will pass through outer
housing 12 and impinge upon the absorbent material 66 located
on framework 60 thereby heating the material which in turn will
transfer heat to the framework as well as the air in heating
chamber 47. When a desired heat level is reached, upon the
air becoming heated, it will tend to rise and be restrained
against exit by baffle 48. Upon temperature in the heating
cham~er 47 reaching the desired level the baffle 48 is opened
20 by grasping lip 56 as shown in Figure 2 and moving upper
baffle plate 54 toward the position shown in Figure 2. Gen-
erally the fully opened position shown in ~igure 2 will tend
to result in the air exiting the heating chamber 47 before
the desired heating effect has fully taken place. Therefore
it is necessary to modulate the escape rate of the heated air
from the heating chamber 47 by placing the baffle 48 in an
intermediate position so that air exiting will be of the proper
temperature.
Upon the sun going behind the clouds or upon night-
30 fall, the substantial heat-storage capacity of framework 60 will
tend to continue to heat the air for a substantial period of
time after solar input has halted.
113650Z
The device of the ins~ant invention is particularly
suited for humidification of the air during heating. In order
to utilize the device for humidification, all the user need do
is reach through window 28 and pour water downwardly through
open baffle 48 so as to soak the energy absorbent canvas 66.
The passage of heated air past the soaked canvas will tend to
humidiy the heated air in an efficient manner. Also, further
water poured into the device will tend to be soaked up by ground
30 inside housing 12 and will further contribute to humidifica-
10 tion by passage of the air over the moisture-la~en earth. Thus
the open bottom acts not only to conserve materials in construc-
tion but also to aid in the humidification process. The use of
canvas results in an effective energy absor~ing material which at
the same time has the ability to contribute to the humidifica-
tion process.
It is to be noted that filter 37 contributes to the
efficient operation of the device by in effect placing a flow
restriction in the path of incoming unheated air. When closure
44 is open, were filter 37 not in p3ace, heated air inside
20 heating chamber 47 would have a tendency to flow outwardly
through opening 40 thereby wasting the heat gained. By placing
a suitable restriction in opening 40, not only is the incoming
air filtered but the filter also serves to prevent outward flow
of heated air. In operation, the only pressure gradient that
will develop across filter 37 of any magnitude will be caused
by the rising of heated air through heating chamber 47 and
upwardly through baffle 48 which will in turn draw air inwardly
through filter 37 to ~e heated. On the other nand, a hi~h
pressure will not tend to develop inside the heating chamber
30 which would force the heated air outwards.
~136502
During times when the heating effect is not desired,
door 44 may be closed by moving the door to the position shown
in solid lines in Figure 3. When it is desired to use the
device, ~oor 44 is moved to the position shown in phantom in
Figure 3 by means of handle 46. Also, baffle 48 is moved to
the closed position.
Of course, it can be appreciated that if desired, the
inventive device can be utilized in conjunction with several
windows in a wall or even a whole building wall for an enhanced
yet economical heating effect.
While the preferred embodiments of the present in-
vention have been described, it should be understood that
various changes, adaptations and modifications may be made
therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and
the scope of the appended claims.
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