BACKGROUND

[0001] Various dual purpose air conditioning systems that are controllable to cool or heat a room are known. To provide air conditioning for a limited portion of a room, generally the portion may be physically bounded, at least in part, by a construction that operates to confine airflow from and to an air conditioning unit to within the limited portion. For example, to provide air conditioning for a limited portion of a bedroom surrounding a bed, the bed may be at least partially canopied by a suitable fabric or plastic sheet to keep air conditioned air provided by an air conditioning unit near to the bed.

SUMMARY

[0002] An aspect of an embodiment of the disclosure relates to providing a dual purpose "personal space" air-conditioning (AC) system that is configured to air condition a partial volume, also referred to as a "personal space", of a room in which a person occupying the room may be located and selectively flow cooled or heated air through the personal space. The personal space AC system comprises a dual purpose air conditioning unit, also referred to as a cooling-heating (C/H) unit, selectively operable to generate airflow of cooled or heated air, and optionally at least one elongate flow tube. The at least one flow tube operates to configure the flow of cooled or heated air provided by the C/H unit through the personal space.

[0003] When the personal space AC system is selected to flow cooled air through the personal space, the C/H unit generates a flow of cooled air that flows out of the C/H unit through at least one C/H unit flow aperture. After passing through the personal space, air from the cooled airflow enters the at least one flow tube through an elongate flow aperture formed in the at least one flow tube to flow through the at least one flow tube back to the C/H unit. When the personal space AC system is selected to flow heated air through the personal space, the C/H unit generates a flow of heated air that flows though the at least one flow tube and out of the C/H flow aperture into the personal space. After passing through the personal space, air from the heated airflow enters the at least one C/H unit flow aperture flows back into to the C/H unit. In an embodiment, cooled and heated airflow, flows through the C/H unit in opposite directions. And whereas the C/H unit may comprise any arrangement of a controller and at least one impeller and/or fan to generate airflow selectively in opposite directions, in an embodiment C/H unit comprises an array having at least one fan that may be rotated in opposite directions to generate the cooled and heated airflow selectively in opposite directions.

[0004] To facilitate airflow through the personal space the at least one C/H unit flow aperture is located above the at least one flow tube. Optionally height of the C/H unit above the at least one flow tube is adjustable. In an embodiment the at least one flow tube comprises two optionally parallel flow tubes. A flow tube of the at least one flow tube may be rotatable about an axis of the flow tube to adjust a direction in which the flow tube flow aperture faces.

[0005] A personal space AC in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure may be used and/or configured for air conditioning any of a variety of different personal spaces. For example, in an embodiment the personal space is a portion of a volume of a bedroom that surrounds a bed in the bedroom. The personal space surrounding the bed may be referred to as a "bed-space". Optionally, the at least one C/H unit flow aperture is located above the bed in a region of a head board, and the at least one flow tube is located below the bed and extends along a side of the bed. In an embodiment of the disclosure the at least one flow tube comprises at least two flow tubes each of which extends along a different side of the bed. By way of another example, a personal space may be a portion of a room containing a work area such as a desk or table. At least one flow tube may be located below the desk or table top and the at least one flow aperture located above the table top.

[0006] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0007] Non-limiting examples of embodiments of the disclosure are described below with reference to figures attached hereto that are listed following this paragraph. Identical features that appear in more than one figure are generally labeled with a same label in all the figures in which they appear. A label labeling an icon representing a given feature of an embodiment of the disclosure in a figure may be used to reference the given feature. Dimensions of features shown in the figures are chosen for convenience and clarity of presentation and are not necessarily shown to scale.

[0008] Fig. 1A schematically shows a dual purpose personal space AC system, flowing cooled air through a bed-space, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure; [0009] Fig. IB schematically shows a dual purpose personal space AC system, flowing heated air through a bed-space, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0010] Fig. 2A and 2B schematically show C/H units in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure; and

[0011] Figs. 3A and 3B schematically show a C/H unit flow aperture having an adjustable position, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] In the description below, operation and patterns of airflow generated by a personal space AC when configured to provide cooled and heated air respectively to a bed-space in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure are discussed with reference to Figs. 1A and IB. Figs. 2A and 2B schematically show internal structural features of a C/H unit comprised in a personal space AC in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. Structural features of a C/H unit flow aperture optionally comprised in the C/H unit shown in Figs. 1A-2B having an adjustable position are discussed with reference to Figs. 3 A and 3B.

[0013] In the discussion, unless otherwise stated, adjectives such as "substantially" and "about" modifying a condition or relationship characteristic of a feature or features of an embodiment of the disclosure, are understood to mean that the condition or characteristic is defined to within tolerances that are acceptable for operation of the embodiment for an application for which it is intended. Wherever a general term in the disclosure is illustrated by reference to an example instance or a list of example instances, the instance or instances referred to, are by way of non-limiting example instances of the general term, and the general term is not intended to be limited to the specific example instance or instances referred to. Unless otherwise indicated, the word "or" in the description and claims is considered to be the inclusive "or" rather than the exclusive or, and indicates at least one of, or any combination of more than one of items it conjoins.

[0014] Fig. 1A schematically shows a personal space AC 20 comprising a C/H unit 30 and optionally two airflow tubes 60, operating to provide a bed-space 90 surrounding a bed 92 with air conditioning, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. A controller 22 controls C/H unit 30 and airflow tubes 60. Optionally, a user (not shown) controls controller 22 to set features of personal space AC 20, such as airflow rate and temperature of air conditioned air provided by the personal space AC. In Fig. 1A personal space AC is shown operating to provide cooled air to bed-space 90 and in Fig. IB personal space AC 20 is shown operating to provide heated air to bed-space 90.

[0015] C/H unit 30 optionally comprises a housing 32 having an internal volume 33, and a heat exchange system 40, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. Heat exchange system 40 is filled with a refrigerant fluid (not shown) and may comprise an internal heat exchanger 42 and an external heat exchanger 44 connected by a two way compressor 46 and a two way expansion valve 48. Internal heat exchanger 42 is housed in housing 32 along with an array 50 having, optionally as schematically shown in Figs. 1A and IB, a plurality of four fans comprising fans 51 and 52. Fans 51 and 52 are controllable to flow air to pass through internal heat exchanger 42 selectively, substantially in an upwards or substantially in a downwards direction. Optionally, fan array 50 is positioned relative to internal heat exchanger 42 so that fans 51 and 52 are controllable to flow air substantially upwards in a direction from array 50 towards the internal heat exchanger or in a substantially downwards direction from array 50 away from the internal heat exchanger. Upwards refers to a direction in which gravitational potential energy increases and downwards refers to a direction in which gravitational potentially energy decreases. The housing is formed having a C/H unit flow aperture 34, optionally having direction vanes 35, through which airflow generated by fan array 50 in an upward or downward direction may respectively exit or enter housing 32. External heat exchanger 44 is located outside of housing 32 and bed-space 90, optionally in a space where it is exposed to air at ambient temperature. For example, external heat exchanger 44 may be located outside a window (not shown) of a bedroom in which bed 92 is located.

[0016] In an embodiment of the disclosure, fans 51 and 52 comprise fan blades 53 and 54 respectively that have fixed pitches. Pitch and shape of fan blades 54 are configured to be more efficient at generating airflow when fans 52 are rotating to generate airflow upwards. Pitch and shape of fan blades 53 are configured to be more efficient at generating airflow when fans 51 are rotating to generate airflow downwards. In Figs. 1A and IB direction of block arrows 55 and 56 associated with fans 51 and 52 indicate direction of airflow generated by the fans. Relative sizes of the block arrows schematically indicate relative magnitudes of the airflow. Optionally, in an embodiment of the disclosure, fan array 50 is configured so that fans 51 and 52 rotate in a same direction with a same rotational velocity when generating airflow upwards and in a same opposite direction with a same rotational velocity when generating airflow downwards. Fan rotational velocities when generating airflow upwards, may be different from fan rotational velocities when generating airflow downwards. Additional details of features of fan array 50, fans 51 and 52, and airflow that they may be controlled to generate are discussed below. It is noted that whereas C/H unit 30 comprises fans 51 and 52 to generate airflow, a C/H unit in accordance with an embodiment may have any of various arrangement of fans and/or impellers and types of fans and/or impellers to generate airflow.

[0017] Each flow tube 60 has a lumen 62 which is in communication with internal volume 33 of housing 32 and is formed having at least one, optionally, elongate airflow aperture 64 through which air may enter or exit the lumen when fan array 50 flows air by internal heat exchanger 42 upwards or downwards respectively. Each flow tube 60 is optionally rotatably supported under bed 92 along a different side of the bed by an external bearing 66 mounted to a bearing support 67 and an internal bearing 68, optionally mounted to a back wall 36 of housing 32. A motor 69 is, optionally, coupled to each flow tube 60 and is controllable to rotate the flow tube to control a direction in which the flow tube's elongate flow aperture 64 faces. Motor 69 may be any motor coupled by a suitable transmission to flow tube 60 so that the motor can be controlled to rotate the flow tube. An inset 201 schematically shows an enlarged image of internal bearing 68 and motor 69, in which the motor is shown by way of example as a piezoelectric motor friction coupled to flow tube 60. Airflow tubes 60 may extend along the sides of the bed for substantially the length of the bed, as schematically shown in Figs. 1A and IB. Optionally, airflow tubes 60 extend from housing 32 along their respective sides of the beds for a length less than the length of the beds. For example, in an embodiment, flow tubes may extend from housing 32 for about 75% of the bed length. In an embodiment they extend for about 50% of the bed length from housing 32.

[0018] Two way compressor 46 is controllable by controller 22 to compress the refrigerant fluid in heat exchange system 40 and pump the compressed and resultant relatively high pressure and high temperature refrigerant, selectively into external heat exchanger 44 or internal heat exchanger 42. When two way compressor 46 pumps compressed refrigerant into external heat exchanger 44, expansion valve 48 operates to limit flow of refrigerant from external heat exchanger 44 into internal heat exchanger 42. As a result, external heat exchanger 44 operates as a condenser in which the compressed refrigerant from compressor 46 condenses and gives off heat to the environment, and internal heat exchanger acts as an evaporator in which compressed refrigerant evaporates and absorbs heat from the environment. On the other hand, when two way compressor 46 pumps compressed refrigerant into internal heat exchanger 42, expansion valve 48 operates to limit flow of refrigerant from internal heat exchanger 42 into external heat exchanger 44. As a result, internal heat exchanger operates as a condenser in which the compressed refrigerant from compressor 46 condenses and gives off heat to the environment, and external heat exchanger 44 acts as an evaporator in which compressed refrigerant evaporates and absorbs heat from the environment.

[0019] When operating to provide cool air to bed-space 90 as schematically shown in Fig. 1A, controller 22 controls two-way compressor 46 to pump compressed refrigerant in a direction indicated by a block arrow 47 into external heat exchanger 44 so that the external heat exchanger acts as a condenser to cool the refrigerant. The cooled refrigerant exits external heat exchanger 44 in a direction indicated by a block arrow 49 to flow through expansion valve 48 into internal heat exchanger 42, which acts as an evaporator in which the refrigerant expands and absorbs heat from the environment. Controller 22 controls fans 51 and 52 in fan array 50 to flow air upwards in directions indicated by block arrows 55 and 56 to pass through internal heat exchanger 42 so that the heat exchanger absorbs heat from, and cools, the flowing air. Block arrows 56 are larger than block arrows 55 to schematically indicate, that as noted above, for a same fan rotational velocity, fans 52 are more efficient at generating airflow upwards than fans 51.

[0020] After passing through internal heat exchanger 42 the upward flowing air exits C/H unit via airflow aperture 34 as indicated by flow arrows 301. The cooled air is heavier than the ambient air in bed-space 90 and flows downwards after exiting C/H unit airflow aperture 34 towards bed 92 in directions indicated by flow arrows 302. As the cooled air flows downwards it tends to spread laterally as indicated by flow arrows 303. However, the lateral flow of the cooled air tends to be limited because by flowing air upwards in housing 32 to pass through internal heat exchanger 42, fan array 50 draws air into inner volume 33 of housing 32 via airflow tubes 60, and the cooled air is drawn into flow tube apertures 64 as indicated by flow arrows 305. As a result, flow of cooled air provided by personal space AC 20 tends to remain within bed- space 90 and close to bed 92 providing relatively efficient cooling of the bed- space.

[0021] When operating to provide heated air to bed-space 90 as schematically shown in Fig. IB controller 22 controls two-way compressor 46 to pump compressed refrigerant in a direction indicated by block arrow 47 into internal heat exchanger 42 so that the internal heat exchanger 42 acts as a condenser and heats the environment. And external heat exchanger 44 acts as an evaporator to cool refrigerant flowing in heat exchange system 40. Controller 22 controls fans 51 and 52 in fan array 50 to flow air downwards in directions indicated by block arrows 55 and 56 to pass through internal heat exchanger 42 so that the internal heat exchanger heats the flowing air. Block arrows 55 are larger than block arrows 56 to indicate, that as noted above, for a same fan rotational velocity fans 51 are more efficient at generating airflow downwards than fans 52.

[0022] After passing through internal heat exchanger 42 the downward flowing air exits C/H unit via airflow tubes 60 and their respective elongate airflow apertures as indicated by flow arrows 321. The heated air is lighter than the ambient air in bed-space 90 and flows upwards around bed 92 after exiting airflow apertures 64 in directions indicated by flow arrows 321. As the heated air flows upwards it tends to spread laterally. However, the lateral flow of the heated air tends to be limited because by flowing air downwards in housing 32 to pass through internal heat exchanger 42, fan array 50 draws air into inner volume 33 via C/H unit airflow aperture 34, and the heated air is drawn into C/H unit airflow aperture 34, as indicated by flow arrows 322. As a result, flow of heated air provided by personal space AC 20 tends to remain within bed- space 90 and close to bed 92 providing relatively efficient heating of the bed- space.

[0023] Fig. 2A schematically shows personal space AC 20 with bed 92 shown in Figs. 1A and IB removed for convenience of presentation of features of fan array 50 in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. Each fan 51 and 52 is optionally coupled by an axis 57 and "power" sheave 58 to a same transmission belt 59. Sheave 58 may be any of various types of sheaves know in the art and may for example be formed having a smooth or toothed groove. Transmission belt 59 may be any of various transmission belts, such as a V-belt or a toothed belt that matches sheave 54. A motor 150 is coupled to transmission belt 59 and is controllable by controller 22 to rotate selectively clockwise or counterclockwise to thereby control fans 51 and 52 to generate airflow in different directions. Optionally, fan array 50 comprises guide rollers 151 that function to keep transmission belt 59 properly seated in grooves of sheaves 58.

[0024] Whereas Figs. 1A-2A schematically show personal space AC 20 having a particular configuration of a C/H unit airflow aperture 34 and two airflow tubes 60, a personal space AC in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure may have a configuration of airflow apertures different from that shown in Figs 1A-2A. For example, a personal space AC may comprise at least one airflow aperture in addition to C/H unit airflow aperture 34 in place of, or in addition to, airflow tubes 60. By way of example, Fig. 2B schematically shows a personal space AC 24 similar to personal space AC 20 that has in addition to C/H unit airflow aperture 34 a second C/H unit airflow aperture 37. And whereas personal space AC 24 has airflow apertures 34 and 37 and also airflow tubes 60, a personal space AC 20 may have at least one airflow aperture 34 and at least one airflow aperture such as airflow aperture 37 and no airflow tubes 60. It is noted also that a personal space AC such as personal space AC 20 is shown having only one airflow aperture 34 it may have more than one airflow aperture above bed 92 that is optionally similar to airflow aperture 34. By way of yet another example, a personal space AC in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure may have more or less than two airflow tubes 60. A personal space AC similar to personal space AC 20 may have a pair of flow tubes that are substantially mirror images of airflow tubes 60. When airflow generated by a C/H unit to which the airflow tubes are coupled exits airflow tubes 60 the airflow enters the mirror image airflow tubes. And when airflow generated by the C/H unit to which the airflow tubes are coupled exits the mirror image airflow tubes the airflow enters image airflow tubes 60. In an embodiment of the disclosure, a personal space AC may have a C/H unit, such as C/H unit similar to C/H unit 30, configured having a C/H airflow aperture that may be adjusted to change a location of the C/H airflow aperture. By way of example, Figs. 3A and 3B schematically shows a C/H unit 130 having a "height adjustable" C/H unit airflow aperture 134.

[0025] C/H unit 130 comprises a housing 132 optionally having a window 133 and two motion slots 135 formed in a front panel 136 of the housing. C/H unit airflow aperture 134 may be mounted to or formed in a back plate 137 shown in dashed lines that seats behind window 133 and has a dimension perpendicular to motion slots 135 greater than a distance between the motion slots. The back plate is optionally attached to housing 132 by two motion rivets or bolts 138 that protrude through each motion slot 135 and hold back plate 137 to front panel 136 of housing 132 but allow the back panel to slide up and down, optionally by a distance equal to about a distance between the motion rivets in a same motion slot 135. Fig. 3A schematically shows C/H unit airflow aperture 134 at a maximum height in window 133 and Fig. 3B schematically shows the C/H unit airflow aperture after motor 150 has been controlled to move the C/H unit airflow aperture to its lowest position window 133. Optionally, a motor 170 coupled by a rack and pinion transmission 172 to back plate 137, is controllable by a controller 122 to move back plate 137 up and down to position airflow aperture 134 at a desired location in window 133. A lower C/H unit airflow aperture, such as airflow aperture 37 shown in Fig. 2B, may also be configured to have an adjustable height, optionally employing a mechanism similar to that shown in Figs. 3A and 3B for airflow aperture 134.

[0026] There is therefore provided in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure a personal space air conditioner comprising: a heat exchange system comprising an internal heat exchanger operable to cool the internal heat exchanger and generate airflow through the internal heat exchanger so that the internal heat exchanger cools the airflow; a housing having an internal volume that houses the internal heat exchanger and has formed therein a housing airflow aperture through which the cooled airflow exits the housing to provide cooled air that flows through a region of space; and at least one elongate flow tube that extends away from the housing having a lumen that communicates with the internal volume of the housing and a flow tube airflow aperture through which cooled air after exiting the housing airflow aperture and flowing through the region of space enters the flow tube lumen to flow into the internal volume of the housing.

[0027] Optionally, the heat exchange system is operable to heat the internal heat exchanger and generate airflow that passes through and absorbs heat from the internal heat exchanger and exits the housing via the at least one flow tube to provide heated air that flows through the region of space and enters the housing via the housing airflow aperture. Additionally or alternatively, the personal space air conditioner may comprise at least one fan operable to generate the airflow selectively from the at least one fan to the internal heat exchanger and from the heat exchanger to the at least one fan. Optionally, the at least one fan comprises an array having a plurality of fans. Optionally, at least one fan of the plurality of fans has fan blades configured to generate airflow in a first direction more efficiently than in a second opposite direction and at least one of fan of the plurality of fans has fan blades configured to generate airflow more efficiently in the second direction than in the first direction. Additionally or alternatively, the plurality of fans may be driven by a motor so that all the fans rotate simultaneously in a same direction.

[0028] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the at least one flow tube airflow aperture is an elongate aperture that extends along the length of the flow tube. Optionally, a width of the aperture substantially perpendicular to a direction substantially parallel to the length of the flow tube increases with distance from the housing. In an embodiment of the disclosure, the at least one flow tube is rotatable to change a direction in which the flow tube airflow aperture faces.

[0029] Optionally, the at least one flow tube is mounted to a bearing that allows the flow tube to be rotated.

[0030] The personal space air conditioner optionally, comprises a motor coupled to each of the at least one flow tube and controllable to rotate the flow tube. Optionally the motor comprises a piezoelectric motor friction coupled to the flow tube. [0031] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the at least one flow tube comprises two parallel flow tubes. Optionally, the two parallel flow tubes are positioned relative to each other so that they may extend along opposite sides of a bed having a sleeping mattress. The two flow tubes and the housing airflow aperture may be located relative to each other so that the flow tubes may be positioned on either side of the bed below the mattress with the housing airflow aperture located above the mattress. Optionally, the housing airflow aperture is movable towards or away from a plane defined by the two parallel flow tubes. The personal space air conditioner may comprise a motor coupled to the housing airflow aperture and controllable to move the housing airflow aperture selectively towards or away from the plane.

[0032] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the personal space air conditioner comprises at least one airflow tube additional to the two parallel airflow tubes. Optionally, the at least one additional airflow tube is located above a plane defined by the two parallel airflow tubes. Optionally, the at least one additional airflow tube comprises two additional, parallel airflow tubes. Optionally, the two additional airflow tubes are substantially mirror images of the two parallel airflow tubes.

[0033] There is further provided in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, a personal space air conditioner comprising: a heat exchange system comprising an internal heat exchanger operable to cool the internal heat exchanger and generate airflow through the internal heat exchanger so that the internal heat exchanger cools the airflow; and a housing having an internal volume that houses the internal heat exchanger and has formed therein at least one first housing airflow aperture through which the cooled airflow exits the housing to provide cooled air that flows through a region of space and at least one second housing airflow aperture through which the cooled airflow enters the housing after passing through the region of space. Optionally, the personal space air conditioner comprises at least one elongate flow tube that extends away from the housing having a lumen that communicates with the internal volume of the housing and a flow tube airflow aperture through which cooled air after exiting the housing airflow aperture and flowing through the region of space enters the flow tube lumen to flow into the internal volume of the housing.

[0034] In the description and claims of the present application, each of the verbs, "comprise" "include" and "have", and conjugates thereof, are used to indicate that the object or objects of the verb are not necessarily a complete listing of components, elements or parts of the subject or subjects of the verb. 5] Descriptions of embodiments of the disclosure in the present application are provided by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. The described embodiments comprise different features, not all of which are required in all embodiments. Some embodiments utilize only some of the features or possible combinations of the features. Variations of embodiments of the disclosure that are described, and embodiments comprising different combinations of features noted in the described embodiments, will occur to persons of the art. The scope of the invention is limited only by the claims.