Air Barrier

Abstract

A heat transfer inhibitor system to minimize the heat transfer through the structural opening closures with an interior and an exterior panel such as windows, doors and skylights that are the weak links in interior insulation. By moving a stream of constant temperature air through a space between the external panel and the interior panel, the temperature differential between the exterior surface of the internal panel and the interior is minimized thus reducing the load and maintenance costs on heater/AC systems. It also reduces the required size and costs of installations. Minimizing the resistance to flow of air through the system with butted tubing joints secured with plastic straps and molded deflectors at a specific angle enhance the cost effectiveness of the system.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A heat transfer inhibitor for a structural opening closure, comprised of:
 a spacer frame that fits in said structural opening closure with a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls, an interior side and an exterior side;   an exterior panel;   an interior panel, where said exterior panel and said interior panel are separated in said spacer frame forming a gap between said interior and exterior panels;   a top port that penetrates through said side wall of said spacer frame toward said top wall that opens into said gap;   a bottom port that penetrates through said bottom wall of said spacer frame into said gap;   a constant temperature air source;   a larger diameter tube connects said constant temperature air source to the proximal end of first deflector and is then terminated with a cap;   said deflectors are molded as a larger diameter tube of matching diameter to the said larger diameter tube with a smaller diameter tube at a 22½ degree angle to said larger diameter axis;   said smaller diameter tube section of said first deflector connects through said smaller diameter tubing and fittings to said top port;   smaller diameter tubing and fittings connect said bottom port to 22 ½ degree section of second deflector where said second deflector is terminated on its proximal end with second cap and is connected back to said constant temperature air source with said larger diameter tubing and fittings;   joints between said tubing, fittings and deflectors are all butted tightly against matching diameter and are secured with plastic straps; and   said constant temperature air source and return have a flow reversing means that blows said constant temperature air into said top port when heating is required and draws return air through said bottom port, returning it to said constant temperature air source and reversing the direction of flow for cooling, blows constant temperature air into said bottom port and draws its return air from said top port.   
     
     
         2 . A heat transfer inhibitor for a structural opening closure as in  claim 1  where said constant temperature air source utilizes a water well source of constant temperature fluid to cycle through a water-to-air heat exchanger keeping the air that cycles through said structural opening closure at a constant temperature, approximately 55 degrees Fahrenheit, year round. 
     
     
         3 . A heat transfer inhibitor for a structural opening closure as in  claim 1  where said constant temperature air source utilizes a buried thermally conductive tube at sufficient depth and of a sufficient length to allow air blown through it to attain ground temperature and act as the constant temperature gas to cycle through an air-to-air heat exchanger keeping the air that cycles through said structural opening closure at a constant temperature, approximately 55 degrees Fahrenheit, year round. 
     
     
         4 . A heat transfer inhibitor for a structural opening closure as in  claim 1  where said constant temperature air source utilizes a water heater for constant temperature fluid to cycle through a water-to-air heat exchanger keeping the air that cycles through said structural opening closure at a constant temperature, approximately 55 degrees Fahrenheit, year round. 
     
     
         5 . A heat transfer inhibitor for a plurality of structural opening closures, comprised of:
 a plurality of spacer frames that fit in said structural openings with top walls, bottom walls, side walls, interior sides and exterior sides;   exterior panels;   interior panels, where said exterior panels and said interior panels are separated in said spacer frames forming gaps between said interior and exterior panels;   top ports that penetrate through said side walls of said spacer frames toward said top walls into said gaps;   bottom ports that penetrate through bottom walls of said spacer frames into said gaps;   a constant temperature air source;
 a larger diameter tube connects said constant temperature air source to the proximal end of first deflector and to a deflector for each closure treated and after distal deflector is terminated with a cap; 
   said deflectors are molded as a larger diameter tube of matching diameter to the said larger diameter tube with a smaller diameter tube at a 22½ degree angle to said larger diameter axis;   said smaller diameter tube sections of said deflectors connect through said smaller diameter tubing and fittings to said top ports;   smaller diameter tubing and fittings connect said bottom ports to 22 ½ degree section of return line deflectors where said proximal deflector is terminated on its proximal end with second cap and is connected back to said constant temperature air source with said larger diameter tubing and fittings;   joints between said tubing, fittings and deflectors are all butted tightly against matching diameters and are secured with plastic straps; and   said constant temperature air source and return has a flow reversing means that blows said constant temperature air into said top ports when heating is required, drawing return air through said bottom ports and returning it to said constant temperature air source and reversing the direction of flow for cooling, blows constant temperature air into said bottom ports and draws its return air from said top ports.   
     
     
         6 . A heat transfer inhibitor for a plurality of structural opening closures as in  claim 5  where said constant temperature air source utilizes a water well source of constant temperature fluid to cycle through a water-to-air heat exchanger keeping the air that cycles through said plurality of structural opening closures at a constant temperature, approximately 55 degrees Fahrenheit, year round. 
     
     
         7 . A heat transfer inhibitor for a plurality of structural opening closures as in  claim 5  where said constant temperature air source utilizes a buried thermally conductive tube at sufficient depth and of a sufficient length to allow air blown through it to attain ground temperature and act as the constant temperature gas to cycle through an air-to-air heat exchanger keeping the air that cycles through said plurality of structural opening closures at a constant temperature, approximately 55 degrees Fahrenheit, year round. 
     
     
         8 . A heat transfer inhibitor for a plurality of structural opening closures as in  claim 5  where said constant temperature air source utilizes a hot water heater for constant temperature fluid to cycle through a water-to-air heat exchanger keeping the air that cycles through said plurality of structural opening closures at a constant temperature, approximately 55 degrees Fahrenheit, year round.