The present disclosure generally relates to heating, venting, and air conditioning (HVAC) units and, more specifically, to an adjustable door frame for an HVAC air handler.
HVAC air handling units (also referred to as HVAC air handlers) are devices used to regulate and circulate air. Typically, an HVAC air handling unit includes a cabinet, components housed within the cabinet, and air ducts (e.g., a return duct and a supply duct) extending from the cabinet. Example components housed within the cabinet of an HVAC air handling unit include a blower motor, heating and/or cooling element(s) (e.g., coils), and an air filter. Oftentimes, a larger HVAC air handling unit includes a door to provide service and maintenance workers with access to components of the HVAC air handling unit.
Doors and door frames for HVAC air handling units have different characteristics. For instance, a door of an HVAC air handling unit is either an inswing door or an outswing door. Further, a door has a thickness to fit that of a corresponding door frame, which may vary from model to model. As a result, those who service and maintain various HVAC air handling units may need to stock a large number of different types of doors and door frames for HVAC air handling units.
The appended claims define this application. The present disclosure summarizes aspects of the embodiments and should not be used to limit the claims. Other implementations are contemplated in accordance with the techniques described herein, as will be apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description, and these implementations are intended to be within the scope of this application.
Example embodiments are shown for an adjustable door frame for an HVAC air handler. An example disclosed adjustable door for access to an HVAC air handler includes a door panel and a door frame. The door frame includes a hinge-side frame, a hingeless-side frame, and a modular coupler configured to be positioned between and couple to the hinge-side frame and the hingeless-side frame. The example disclosed adjustable door also includes a hinge configured to couple the door panel to the door frame.
In some examples, the door panel and the door frame are expandable. In some examples, the door panel, the door frame, and the hinge are adjustable between an outswing orientation and an inswing orientation. Some such examples further include a handle configured to couple to the door panel in both the outswing orientation and the inswing orientation.
In some examples, the door panel includes a hinge-side shell, a hingeless-side shell configured to couple to the hinge-side shell to define a door cavity, and an insulation panel configured to be positioned within the door cavity. In some such examples, the hinge is configured to couple to the hinge-side shell and the hinge-side frame to hingedly couple the door panel to the door frame. In some such examples, the hingeless-side shell and the hinge-side shell are configured to adjustably set a depth of the door cavity. Some such examples further include a compression gasket configured to be positioned between the hingeless-side frame of the door frame and hingeless-side shell of the door panel. Some such examples further include a flipper gasket configured to be positioned between the hinge-side frame of the door frame and hinge-side shell of the door panel.
In some examples, the door frame includes one or more extensions configured to adjust a depth of the door. In some such examples, to set the door frame in an expanded position, the one or more extensions are configured to be positioned between and couple to the modular coupler and one of the hinge-side frame or the hingeless-side frame.
An example disclosed adjustable door frame for access to an HVAC air handler includes a hinge-side frame configured to couple to a hinge of a door for access to the HVAC air handler, a hingeless-side frame opposite the hinge-side frame, and one or more extensions configured to be positioned between the hinge-side frame and the hingeless-side frame to adjustably expand a depth of the door frame.
In some examples, the door panel is adjustable between an outswing orientation and an inswing orientation. In some examples, the hinge-side frame, the hingeless-side frame, and the one or more extensions at least partially form a top wall, a bottom wall, and opposing side walls of the door frame.
In some examples, the hinge-side frame includes a first arm configured to couple to a hinge and a second arm configured to partially define the depth of the door frame. In some such examples, the second arm of the hinge-side frame is configured to couple to a first extension of the one or more extensions.
In some examples, the hingeless-side frame includes a first arm and a second arm that is configured to partially define the depth of the door frame. In some such examples, the second arm of the hingeless-side frame is configured to couple to a first extension of the one or more extensions.
In some examples, the hinge-side frame, the hingeless-side frame, and each of the one or more extensions are modular to facilitate adjustment of the depth of the door frame. In some examples, each of the hinge-side frame and the hingeless-side frame is configured to couple to each of the one or more extensions via snap fit.
In some examples, the one or more extensions includes a first extension configured to expand the depth of the door frame by a first distance. In some such examples, the one or more extensions includes a second extension configured to couple to the first extension to further expand the depth of the door frame by a second distance. Further, in some such examples, the first distance equals the second distance.
In some examples, each of the one or more extensions includes a first end defining a socket and an opposing second end defining a plug. In some such examples, the socket is configured to couple to a plug of the hinge-side frame or the hingeless-side frame. Further, some such examples include a coupler defining a first socket and an opposing second socket. In such examples, each of the first socket and the second socket is configured to couple to the respective plugs of the hinge-side frame, the hingeless-side, and each of the one or more extensions. Moreover, in some such examples, to couple a first extension of the one or more extensions to the hinge-side frame or the hingeless-side frame, the first socket is configured to receive the plug of the hinge-side frame or the hingeless-side frame and the second socket is configured to receive the plug of the first extension. Moreover, in some such examples, to couple the hinge-side frame to the hingeless-side frame, the first socket is configured to receive the plug of the hinge-side frame and the second socket is configured to receive the plug of the hingeless-side frame. In such examples, the coupler enables the hinge-side frame to the hingeless-side frame without the one or more extensions to contract the depth of the door frame.
For a better understanding of the instant disclosure, reference may be made to embodiments shown in the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale and related elements may be omitted, or in some instances proportions may have been exaggerated, so as to emphasize and clearly illustrate the novel features described herein. In addition, system components can be variously arranged, as known in the art. Further, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
While the invention may be embodied in various forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will hereinafter be described, some exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.
Example door assemblies for HVAC air handlers disclosed herein include modular components that snap together in order to reduce the number of components needed to be stocked for servicing HVAC air handlers of different sizes and configurations. For example, an adjustable door frame assembly disclosed herein includes one or more extensions that are added or removed in order to extend or contract, respectively, the thickness of the door frame in order to accommodate door panels of different thicknesses. Further, components of example frame and panel assemblies disclosed herein are reversible such the door frame and door are capable of being selectively arranged to operate in an outswing configuration or an inswing configuration.
Turning to the figures, an example door assembly 100 is disclosed in accordance with the teachings herein. As shown in
The panel assembly 305 of the illustrated example includes a hinge-side shell 310, a hingeless-side shell 320, an insulation panel 340, and fasteners 350. The hinge-side shell 310 includes an outer wall 312 that defines an outer surface of the door panel 300 to which the hinges 400 is configured to couple. The hinge-side shell 310 also includes side walls 314 that extend perpendicularly from outer edges of the outer wall 312. The hingeless-side shell 320 includes an outer wall 322 defining an outer surface of the door panel 300 that is configured to be opposite the hinges 400. The hingeless-side shell 320 also includes side walls 324 that extend perpendicularly from outer edges of the outer wall 322. As illustrated in
When the hinge-side shell 310 and the hingeless-side shell 320 are coupled together via the fasteners 350, the hinge-side shell 310 and the hingeless-side shell 320 define a cavity 330 that is configured to house the insulation panel 340. The insulation panel 340 provides a built-in thermal break to the door panel 300 when positioned within the cavity 330. The hinge-side shell 310 and the hingeless-side shell 320 are sized and configured to securely and snugly house the insulation panel 340 in a close-fitting manner. For example, the expanded depth of the cavity 330 formed by the hinge-side shell 310 and the hingeless-side shell 320 is substantially similar to that of the insulation panel 340 (e.g., about 3 inches).
The frame assembly 205 is configured to enable the door panel 300 to securely couple to the door frame 200 via the hinges 400 when the door panel 300 is assembled to have the expanded depth. As illustrated in
In
Components of the frame assembly 205 are modular to enable the depth of the door frame 200 to be adjusted based on the depth of the door panel 300. For example, the hinge-side frame 210, the hingeless-side frame 220, the coupler 230, and the extension 240 include modular gendered and/or genderless connectors to enable the components of the frame assembly 205 to be rearranged, added, and/or removed in order to adjust the depth of the door frame 200. Further, each of the connectors are snap-fit connectors to enable the components of the frame assembly 205 to quickly and securely couple together.
In the illustrated example, each of the hinge-side frame 210, the hingeless-side frame 220, the coupler 230, and the extension 240 includes one or more modular male connector(s) (e.g., a plug) and/or female connector(s) (e.g., a socket) to enable the frame assembly 205 to be adjusted. For example, the hinge-side frame 210 includes a male connector 215, and the hingeless-side frame 220 includes a male connector 229. The extension 240 includes a female connector 242 on one end and a male connector 244 on an opposing end. Further, the coupler 230 of the illustrated example is an H-shaped coupler with opposing female connectors 232, 234. In
In other examples, the components of the frame assembly 205 may include different gendered connectors than as is shown in
The hingeless-side frame 220 of the illustrated example includes a base 222, a first arm 224 extending from an end of the base 222, and a second arm 228 extending from an opposing end of the base 222. The first arm 224 includes a curved portion 225 and an end portion 226 that extends from the curved portion 225. The end portion 226 is configured to receive the compression gasket 260 to sealingly couple the hingeless-side frame 220 to the door panel 300. The second arm 228 includes a distal end that defines the male connector 229 of the hingeless-side frame 220.
The flipper gasket 270 includes a flipper 272 and opposing arms 274. A slot is defined between the arms 274, and teeth 276 extend from the arms 274 into the slot. The flipper 272 is formed of flexible material to enable the flipper 272 to sealingly engage the side wall 314 of the hinge-side shell 310 of the door panel 300. Additionally, the teeth 276 are configured to grip the protrusion 216 of the hinge-side frame 210 when the protrusion 216 is at least partially positioned within the slot defined by the arms 274.
As illustrated in
Further, the compression gasket 260 and the flipper gasket 270 are configured to compress and seal in the same manner when the door assembly 100 is arranged to form the inswing door 800 (
In
In the illustrated example, the door frame 200 is assembled by the hinge-side frame 210 coupling to the extension 240, the extension 240 coupling to the extension 250, the extension coupling 250 to the coupler 230, and the coupler 230 coupling to the hingeless-side frame 220. In other examples, the further extended depth of the door frame 200 is capable of being formed from a different arrangement of the frame assembly 205. For example, the extension 240 is capable of being coupled to the hingeless-side frame 220 and the coupler 230 is capable of being coupled to the hinge-side frame 210. Additionally, in the illustrated example, the length of the extension 250 (e.g., 1 inch) is substantially equal to that of the extension 240. In other examples, the length of the extension 250 may be different than that of the extension 240. For example, the extension 250 may be twice the length of the extension 240 such that the frame assembly 205 is capable of forming the further extended depth of the door frame 200 without utilizing the extension 240 in the assembly. Additionally, more or less of the modular extensions may be used to form different depths of the door frame 200.
Turning to
The orientation of the frame assembly 205 and the panel assembly 305 is flipped or reversed in order form the inswing door 800 from the door assembly 100. That is, the components of the frame assembly 205 and the panel assembly 305 are reversible such that the door assembly 100 is configured to form the outswing door 700 when assembled in a first orientation and form the inswing door 800 when assembled in an opposing second orientation.
In this application, the use of the disjunctive is intended to include the conjunctive. The use of definite or indefinite articles is not intended to indicate cardinality. In particular, a reference to “the” object or “a” and “an” object is intended to denote also one of a possible plurality of such objects. Further, the conjunction “or” may be used to convey features that are simultaneously present instead of mutually exclusive alternatives. In other words, the conjunction “or” should be understood to include “and/or”. The terms “includes,” “including,” and “include” are inclusive and have the same scope as “comprises,” “comprising,” and “comprise” respectively.
The above-described embodiments, and particularly any “preferred” embodiments, are possible examples of implementations and merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) without substantially departing from the spirit and principles of the techniques described herein. All modifications are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/037,896, filed on Jun. 11, 2020, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
63037896 | Jun 2020 | US |