Air filter monitoring system

Abstract

An air flow monitoring unit is designed to monitor air flow within HVAC ductwork to determine when an air filter is clogged, and to provide notification to a user that one or more air filters should be replaced. In one embodiment, the air flow monitoring unit is integrated into an air intake vent grill that fits into an air intake vent, which is designed to fit and be removably secured into any standard air intake vent opening, and may include an integrated circuit, and various sensors for monitoring a number of metrics, such as air flow, temperature, humidity, air quality, energy usage of the HVAC units, and the like.

1 . An air intake vent grill comprising:
 a main body member having a front side and a rear side, said main body member including a series of openings to allow air to pass therethrough;   said main body member also having a perimeter structure on a rear side thereof for seating an air filter therein;   an air flow monitoring unit operatively connected to said main body member, said air flow monitoring unit including a first sensor, an integrated circuit and a notification means;   wherein said first sensor and said notification means are operatively connected to said integrated circuit;   said first sensor being adapted to collect data to determine when said air filter should be replaced, so that said data is communicated to said integrated circuit, said integrated circuit determines whether said data falls within normal operating parameters; and   wherein said integrated circuit causes said notification means to provide a notification when said data falls outside of said normal operating parameters.   
     
     
         2 . The air intake vent grill set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said notification means is selected from the group consisting of a light, a speaker and a transmitter for transmitting said notification to a remote computing device. 
     
     
         3 . The air intake vent grill set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said first sensor is selected from the group consisting of an air flow sensor, an air pressure sensor, an air quality sensor and a particulate matter sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The air intake vent grill set forth in  claim 3 , further including a second sensor positioned on a front side of said main body member, said second sensor being operatively connected to said integrated circuit. 
     
     
         5 . The air intake vent grill set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said second sensor is selected from the group consisting of a sensor for detecting the presence of smoke, a sensor for detecting the presence of carbon monoxide, a sensor for detecting the presence of radon, and an air pressure sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The air intake vent grill set forth in  claim 1 , further including a temperature sensor that is operatively connected to said integrated circuit. 
     
     
         7 . The air intake vent grill set forth in  claim 1 , further including a humidity sensor that is operatively connected to said integrated circuit. 
     
     
         8 . The air intake vent grill set forth in  claim 1 , further including a battery for powering said air flow monitoring unit. 
     
     
         9 . The air intake vent grill set forth in  claim 8 , further including a mini wind turbine that is operatively connected to said integrated circuit and said battery, wherein said mini wind turbine measures air flow and provides an electrical charge to recharge said battery. 
     
     
         10 . The air intake vent grill set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said air flow monitoring unit includes a transmitter/receiver for wirelessly communicating with an HVAC system to monitor energy usage of said HVAC system, so that when said energy usage exceeds a predetermined level, a user notification is provided. 
     
     
         11 . An air flow monitoring unit comprising:
 an integrated circuit;   a first sensor operatively connected to said integrated circuit;   a notification means operatively connected to said integrated circuit;   wherein said first sensor collects data relating to metrics selected from the group consisting of air flow, air pressure and air quality within ductwork of a structure to determine when an air filter should be replaced, so that said data is communicated to said integrated circuit, and wherein said integrated circuit determines whether said data falls within normal operating parameters;   wherein said integrated circuit activates said notification means when said data falls outside of normal operating parameters.   
     
     
         12 . The air flow monitoring unit set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said notification means comprises a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting a notification to a remote computing device. 
     
     
         13 . The air flow monitoring unit set forth in  claim 11 , further including a second sensor for detecting smoke, wherein said second sensor is operatively connected to said integrated circuit. 
     
     
         14 . The air flow monitoring unit set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said notification means comprises a speaker that is operatively connected to said integrated circuit. 
     
     
         15 . The air flow monitoring unit set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said notification means comprises at least one light that is operatively connected to said integrated circuit. 
     
     
         16 . The air flow monitoring unit set forth in  claim 11 , further including a battery for powering said air flow monitoring unit, and a mini wind turbine for measuring air flow rate and which generates electricity to charge said battery. 
     
     
         17 . The air flow monitoring unit set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said air flow monitoring unit includes a transmitter/receiver for wirelessly communicating with an HVAC system to monitor energy usage of said HVAC system, so that when said energy usage exceeds a predetermined level, a user notification is executed. 
     
     
         18 . The air flow monitoring unit set forth in  claim 11 , further comprising a second sensor operatively connected to said integrated circuit, wherein said sensor collects data relating to metrics selected from the group consisting of air flow, air pressure and air quality, humidity, carbon monoxide levels and radon levels.