Ventilation – Hollow partition – Having blower
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-05
2001-11-20
Joyce, Harold (Department: 3749)
Ventilation
Hollow partition
Having blower
C165S210000, C165S909000, C454S239000, C454S253000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06319115
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to air cycle houses with a highly airtight and heat-insulating structure which applies either the natural ventilation system dependent on natural convection or the heat-exchange ventilation system using a heat exchanger, as selected according to the weather, and a house ventilation system for such houses.
As an energy-saving measure for so-called new-generation houses intended to provide a more comfortable indoor environment and reduce energy consumption, there are demands for improving air-tightness and heat-insulating property of a house and also achieving planned ventilation through a definite air entrance and exit.
Known ventilation methods for a house with a highly airtight and heat-insulating structure include the natural ventilation system and the heat-exchange ventilation system. The former allows fresh air to enter the house, to circulate therein and to exit out of the house by natural air convection. The latter intends to minimize the indoor heat loss by performing ventilation together with forced heat exchange between the incoming outdoor air and the outgoing indoor air.
The inventor of the present invention has diligently investigated the use of the natural ventilation system, as recently disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-144957. This technology proposes an air cycle house
8
for practical use, as shown in
FIG. 7
of the present application. The air cycle house
8
comprises an exterior wall
81
, an interior wall
82
and a wall ventilation layer
83
defined in-between. The wall ventilation layer
83
establishes communication between outdoor air and an underroof space (attic)
84
for ventilation of the inner side of the exterior wall
81
. Besides, the entire indoor space enjoys an enhanced heat insulation property from the outdoor air by disposing a wall insulating layer
87
between the interior wall
82
and the wall ventilation layer
83
, an underfloor insulating layer
88
below a downstairs floor panel
85
and a ceiling insulating layer
89
above an upstairs ceiling
86
. Further, an intermediate ventilation layer
90
allows communication between the downstairs indoor space and the upstairs indoor space. There is also provided an air intake
91
for introducing outdoor air into the downstairs indoor space. In this structure, the introduced air flows out from the downstairs indoor space through a downstairs ceiling
92
, passes the intermediate ventilation layer
90
and the upstairs indoor space and reaches the underroof space
84
. Thus, warm indoor air naturally rises from the downstairs towards the underroof space
84
. In summer, rise of the indoor temperature is suppressed by actively releasing hot air in the underroof space
84
out of the house by a ventilation fan
93
. In winter, indoor heat loss is prevented by returning warm air in the underroof space
84
to the downstairs indoor space by a reflux fan
94
.
A house relying on the heat-exchange ventilation system is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. H10-30283 (1998-30283) and H10-245903 (1998-245903). The house comprises a ventilation layer provided around the indoor space and a heat-insulating layer surrounding the ventilation layer externally, wherein a heat exchange ventilator disposed in the ventilation layer enforces heat exchange between outdoor air to be supplied into the house and indoor air to be discharged therefrom.
As far as these conventional technologies are concerned, the natural ventilation system is capable of ensuring a sufficient amount of ventilation rather easily. However, when the inside of the house is air-conditioned, a greater amount of heat is lost in proportion to the ventilation amount. Thus, in regions of intense summer heat or severe winter cold, it is difficult to carry out satisfactory ventilation on a constant basis. An attempt to secure a sufficient amount of ventilation inevitably results in increase of energy load for air conditioning.
On the other hand, the heat-exchange ventilation system is capable of decreasing heat loss inside an air-conditioned house owing to heat exchange between the outdoor air to be taken in (incoming air) and the indoor air to be vented out (outgoing air) However, it cannot provide a sufficient amount of ventilation without a considerably large ventilator. Lack of ventilation not only causes pollution of indoor air and deterioration of interior comfort, but also sacrifices the durability of the house due to incidence of dew condensation, growth of mold and ticks, etc.
In order to improve the interior comfort and the durability of a house, it is desirable to ventilate the house as constantly as possible, throughout a day and a year. From a security point of view, however, it is not recommended to leave windows, etc. open during daily or long-term absence. In terms of energy cost, continuous operation of a ventilator costs too much. In addition, some people, particularly aged persons, find it annoying to conduct appropriate ventilation (e.g. to open and close windows, to change over the ventilator operation) in accordance with the season or the weather.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of such circumstances, the present invention intends to provide a novel air cycle house which comprises air circulation routes which can be properly selected for either the natural ventilation or the heat-exchange ventilation according to weather conditions, the structure of the air circulation routes being not only rational and efficient but also economical.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a house ventilation system which effects an automatic change-over of the ventilation systems, so as to reduce the resident's burden and the annual energy cost.
In order to achieve the above objects, this invention discloses an air cycle house which comprises: an indoor space enclosed by a floor, an interior wall and a ceiling; an underfloor insulating layer, a wall insulating layer and a ceiling insulating layer laid externally of the floor, the interior wall and the ceiling, respectively; an exterior wall disposed externally of the wall insulating layer; an underroof space locating above the ceiling insulating layer; an underfloor ventilation layer defined between the floor and the underfloor insulating layer; a ceiling ventilation layer defined between the ceiling and the ceiling insulating layer; an air intake which can be opened and shut and which is formed through the exterior wall, the wall insulating layer and the interior wall to provide communication with the indoor space and the underfloor ventilation layer; at least one floor vent which opens through the floor to provide communication between the underfloor ventilation layer and the indoor space; at least one ceiling vent which opens through the ceiling to provide communication between the indoor space and the ceiling ventilation layer; at least one shuttered ventilation fan projecting through the ceiling insulating layer to discharge air in the ceiling ventilation layer up to the underroof space; at least one underroof outlet for discharging air in the underroof space out of the house; a heat exchange ventilator installed in the ceiling ventilation layer and communicable with outdoor air, which ventilator discharges air in the ceiling ventilation layer out of the house and takes in outdoor air, with allowing heat exchange between incoming air and outgoing air; and a vertical duct equipped with an air distribution fan, joined to an intake part of the heat exchange ventilator and extending vertically through the indoor space, thereby to deliver the incoming air to the underfloor ventilation layer after the heat exchange.
This constitution is applicable to a one-story house, or any one story in a multi-story house which is completely sectioned off from the upper and lower stories with no interfloor air communication. Defined by the floor, the interior wall and the ceiling, the indoor space is externally enclosed by insulating layers which are composed of th
Arent Fox Kintner & Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC
Joyce Harold
Shinyo Co., Ltd.
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