Patent Application
20230266021
The present invention generally relates to a casing structure for HVAC systems, and More particularly relates to housing or enclosures or protective installations in which outdoor air conditioning equipment or heat pump unit is placed at unconventional positions.
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems include Air conditioners, generally referred to as AC, a cooling system or heating pumps used for keeping the houses warm. ACs are popularly used to cool down the temperature in an inside space by removing the existing heat and moisture from the room. This is primarily done by taking warm air into the system and dispersing cold air. There are different types of ACs available in the market, which includes split system ACs, packaged ACs and central air conditioning systems. The split system AC consists of both indoor and outdoor units. The outdoor unit is fixed on or near the exterior wall of the desired room and the indoor unit is installed of the wall of the room and thereafter, both units are connected with wires and tubing. The packaged AC system, having higher cooling capacity, works by installing the single component and connecting the ducts laid throughout various rooms. Central air conditioning systems are generally used to cool large homes or buildings such as gyms or offices. This system works with the help of a cooling compressor, which is located outside.
A heat pump, on the other hand, is a system which can be used either for heating or cooling an enclosed space or domestic water by transfer thermal energy from a cooler environ ent to a warmer environment using the refrigeration cycle, i.e. by moving heat in the opposite direction in which heat transfer would take place without the application of external power. When used for cooling a building, a heat pump works like an air conditioner by transferring heat from inside the building to the outdoors and when used for heating a building, the heat pump operates in reverse, i.e. heat is transferred into the building from the outdoor environment. Heat pumps are generally placed outside the building, mostly in open spaces either in the roof, garden or balcony.
As either the AC system or the heat pump units have parts which are installed outside the building, these parts require protection from environmental as well as man-made artificial damages like theft etc. The conventional protection units for these external or outdoor parts were wooden coverings, metal coverings and to an extent cloth coverings have been used. Moreover, conventional casings may not be able to secure the units if they are placed at a distance from the wall unlike standard installations.
Outdoor units of HVAC systems are critical components that are responsible for exchanging heat with the environment, thereby enabling the system to regulate indoor temperature and maintain comfortable living conditions. However, these outdoor units are often exposed to various environmental factors, such as rain, snow, dust, and other debris, which can cause significant damage and affect their performance.
The problems with unprotected outdoor units of HVAC systems include corrosion of metal components, clogging of air filters, damage to fan blades, and electrical components, among other issues. These problems not only compromise the efficiency of the system but can also lead to complete breakdowns and costly repairs or replacements.
Moreover, unprotected outdoor units also create safety hazards, as the exposure of electrical components to water or moisture can lead to electrocution or fire hazards. Additionally, outdoor units that are exposed to the elements can produce excessive noise and create an eyesore that can be an inconvenience to neighbours and diminish the curb appeal of a property.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,328,862B2 discloses a multifunctional stand including a main rod; an adapting platform arranged at the upper end of the main rod and adapted to fix photographic or video shooting equipment; and a supporting seat arranged at the lower end of the main rod and used for supporting the main rod; at the lower end of the main rod is provided a first connecting structure, and at the upper end of the supporting seat is provided a second connecting structure; the first connecting structure and the second connecting structure are detachably connected with each other; and the second connecting structure is adapted to mount the adapting platform.
US20040263032A1 discloses a stand including a stand body of a predetermined height having an opening in one side, a drawer for pushing in or pulling out through the opening in the stand body to open/close the opening, a guide device for smooth pushing in/pulling out of the drawer, and a self locking device for automatic locking of the drawer when the drawer is inserted in the stand more than a certain depth, and preventing slipping out of the drawer even if the stand is tilted.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,669,814B2 discloses a stand with at least three stand legs (2, 3, 4), which is embodied to fasten a leveling, plumbing, or angular calibration device (5), is provided, with the stand legs (2, 3, 4) being embodied rotational around a common axis (6) at their ends facing each other. Each stand leg (2, 3, 4) is bent by the same angle (α) at a distance from the axis (6), with a freely projecting section (14) of one leg being provided with a threaded bolt (15) freely protruding transversely thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,007,498B2 discloses a cabinet for air handling equipment includes two similarly sized covers that are each non-symmetrical about their vertical centre-line. Each cover has an original supply or return air duct opening plus space for an alternate opening. The original and alternate openings are of different shapes to accommodate round or rectangular ducts. The two covers can be interchanged with each other and inverted to provide various supply and return air duct configurations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,418A discloses an outside coil unit for a heat pump which includes a refrigerant coil with a protective grille, the vertical edges of the grille being held by posts which are tilted outwardly at the bottom to accordingly tilt the grille outwardly at the bottom so that ice and frost build-up on the coil is not impeded in falling off the coil during defrost cycles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,969A discloses a cabinet structure representatively comprises a coil housing positioned atop a return housing. Each housing is formed from initially flat inner and outer sheet metal panels having rectangular configurations and various transverse projections thereon which permit the panels to be nested in a spaced apart, laterally facing relationship. Opposite end portions of the nested panels are then transversely bent in the same direction to form from the nested panels three interconnected sides of the housing, and the outer ends of the bent panel structure are secured together by elongated metal joining members extended across the resulting open fourth side of the housing. The transverse projections on the bent panel members automatically cooperate to hold them together and to maintain the insulating air space therebetween. To complete each housing a hollow, double-walled metal access panel is removably secured to the outer ends of the bent panels and extends across the open fourth side of the housing.
While a number of prior art documents disclose the protection installations of the HVAC equipment, they do not address the issues of installations which will adapt to units placed at unconventional positions owing to infrastructural limitations. Therefore, it will be advantageous to provide a solution that is compact in nature and may be adapted to different environmental conditions as well as infrastructural limitations. The current solutions available for protecting outdoor units are often inadequate, expensive, or aesthetically unpleasing. Therefore, the present invention aims to address the issues faced by unprotected outdoor units of HVAC systems by providing a new and improved solution that is effective, cost-efficient, and visually appealing.
In light of the disadvantages mentioned in the previous section, the following summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the present invention and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the invention can be gained by taking the entire specification and drawings as a whole. Embodiments described herein discloses a casing structure that allows users to use the same casing structure for various sizes of the concrete pad which is used for placing the HVAC equipment.
Embodiments of the present disclosure proposes a HVAC unit protector comprising a front panel, a left sidewall, a right sidewall, and a top panel. The left sidewall maybe connected to a left side of the front panel such that the left sidewall folds into the front panel. Further, the right sidewall maybe connected to a right side of the front panel such that the right sidewall folds into the front panel. The top panel maybe connected to a top side of the front panel such that the top panel folds into the front portion. The left sidewall, the right sidewall, and the top panel are connected to the front portion via a plurality of hinges. Furthermore, the apparatus may comprise extendable arms that maybe disposed at a top end and a bottom end of the left sidewall and the right sidewall. The arms may be extended and retracted to allow installation of the unit over HVAC units installed at a fixed distance from supporting structures.
This summary is provided merely for purposes of summarizing some example embodiments, so as to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the subject matter described herein. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the above-described features are merely examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope or spirit of the subject matter described herein in any way. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the following detailed description and figures. The abovementioned embodiments and further variations of the proposed invention are discussed in further in the detailed description.
In the following description of the embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limited sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.
The specification may refer to “an”, “one” or “some” embodiment(s) in several locations. This does not necessarily imply that each such reference is to the same embodiment(s), or that the feature only applies to a single embodiment. Single feature of different embodiments may also be combined to provide other embodiments.
As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes”. “comprises”, “including” and/or “comprising” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations and arrangements of one or more of the associated listed items.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, a casing structure is disclosed that allows users to encase outdoor HVAC units, wherein the casing structure is foldable in nature.
In one embodiment, the HVAC unit protector comprises a front panel, a left sidewall, a right sidewall, and a top panel. The left sidewall maybe connected to a left side of the front panel such that the left sidewall folds into the front panel. Further, the right sidewall maybe connected to a right side of the front panel such that the right sidewall folds into the front panel. The top panel maybe connected to a top side of the front panel such that the top panel folds into the front portion. The left sidewall, the right sidewall, and the top panel are connected to the front portion via a plurality of hinges. Furthermore, the apparatus may comprise extendable arms that maybe disposed at a top end and a bottom end of the left sidewall and the right sidewall. The arms may be extended and retracted to allow installation of the unit over HVAC units installed at a fixed distance from supporting structures.
The proposed solution promotes a strong, sturdy and stable covering over the outdoor HVAC unit thus protecting it from all natural and man-made damages. The casing can be adjusted as per the size of the concrete pad on which the HVAC unit is placed. The presence of slots in the panels continues to provide air circulation. Further, the proposed solution can be used for any HVAC unit, such as an air conditioner or a heat pump. Further, the panels are portable and easily attachable/detachable as well.
In the present disclosure, the term “encasing”, “casing”, “casing structure”, “covering”, and “protection installation” may be used interchangeably to refer to the invention. The terms used herein do not restrict the scope of the present invention. The terms used herein cover all possible technical solutions as understood by a person skilled in the art.
According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the casing structure on the HVAC unit comprises of foldable panels with curved edges on the top side of the front panel. The unit may comprise four panels, one left panel, one right panel, one front panel and one top panel. The left and right panel are almost of the same size. The front panel is a rectangular shaped panel with curved edges on its top side. The top panel is a flat rectangular structure with or without horizontal slots. The casing structure may have hinges on its edges to allow folding of the panel thereby making it compact in nature. The foldable form factor of the apparatus makes it portable and further makes it easy to store and transport.
The front panel and top panel may be connected via a pair of hinges that allow them to fold into each other. The sidewalk and the front panel has hinges on its sides again allowing them to fold into each other. The hinges allow easy and convenient folding and unfolding of the panels onto each other. Furthermore, fasteners may be used to secure the panels disallowing them to swivel when they are placed in an open configuration.
In one example, the edges of the side panels are curved accordingly to match with the curvature of the top side of the front panel as depicted in the figures. It may be noted that the present disclosure covers panels that are not curved in nature as well.
Angle bars or any other fastening means maybe used to strengthen the connection between the front panel and the left and right sidewalls when the left and right sidewalls are in an unfolded configuration. By using angle bars to reinforce the HVAC protector units, the structural integrity of the apparatus maybe improved. The angle bars maybe attached to the unit's frame or casing to provide additional support and resistance against external forces. They may also be used to create a protective barrier around the unit, shielding it from direct exposure to the elements. In addition to providing added strength and protection, angle bars may also be used to improve the overall appearance of the HVAC unit. They can be painted or coated to match the color of the unit, creating a more seamless and aesthetically pleasing look. Overall, the use of angle bars in HVAC units can help to extend the lifespan of the equipment, reduce maintenance costs, and ensure that the units continue to function properly, even in harsh weather conditions.
There are several advantages to using angle bars to connect the panels of the HVAC protector unit apparatus including:
Improved Strength: Angle bars are designed to provide structural support and are capable of withstanding significant amounts of weight and pressure. By using angle bars to connect the frames of a HVAC unit protector apparatus, the overall strength and durability of the apparatus can be improved, making it more resistant to damage and wear over time.
Versatility: Angle bars can be cut and shaped to fit specific dimensions and angles, allowing them to be easily customized to meet the specific needs of a HVAC unit protector apparatus. This versatility can make it easier to design and construct the apparatus to fit the unique requirements of the HVAC unit.
Ease of Installation: Angle bars can be easily bolted or welded together, making them a quick and efficient option for connecting the frames of a HVAC unit protector apparatus. This ease of installation can save time and reduce labor costs during the construction process.
Reduced Maintenance: By using angle bars to connect the frames of a HVAC unit protector apparatus, the overall structure can be made more rigid and stable, reducing the likelihood of the apparatus shifting or becoming misaligned over time. This can help to reduce the need for ongoing maintenance and adjustments to the apparatus.
Aesthetics: Angle bars can be painted or coated to match the color of the HVAC unit protector apparatus, creating a more uniform and aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Furthermore, supporting legs maybe connected to bottom corners of the HVAC unit when the left and right sidewalls are in an unfolded configuration. The supporting legs may allow the unit to be installed upon HVAC units that are installed at a height from the ground. The extendable arms extend out and retract in to/from the HVAC unit. The arms allow the unit to be installed with HVAC units that are installed at a distance from the supporting walls. The extendable arms are capable of being locked at a plurality of length configurations using a locking mechanism provided within the left and right sidewalls.
The sidewalk of the apparatus may be provided with a fixed connector as well as an extendable connector. The fixed connectors cannot be displaced or moved and will be provided near the rear portion of the side panels. The fixed connectors may have slots into which screws may be fastened to fix the casing onto the supporting structure (for example, a wall). The fixed connectors may be used as a locking mechanism to mounting the apparatus and locking them at a fixed position. The fixed connectors may further be provided with slots into which fasteners may be used to the fix the apparatus onto the supporting structure such as a wall. Fasteners such as screws, nuts, bolts, and the like, may be used as the locking mechanism.
Additionally, the extendable connectors provided on the side panels may be extendable unto a fixed length thereby allowing the casing to be installed onto outdoor units that are installed at a distance from the supporting structure such as a wall. The extendable connectors may further be provided with slots into which fasteners may be used to the fix the apparatus onto the supporting structure such as a wall. Fasteners such as screws, nuts, bolts, and the like, may be used as the locking mechanism for the extendable connectors as well.
One of the key advantages of wall mounted casing structures is their ability to provide a secure and stable base for HVAC units. By mounting the units on the walls of the building, the need for separate support structures, such as concrete pads, can be eliminated. This can help to save space and reduce installation costs.
The apparatus encloses the units from all sides thereby protecting the unit from physical wear and tear, environmental factors, and the like. At the same time, the apparatus does not block the ventilation required for the outdoor units. While conventional apparatuses provide ventilated frames on one or more side portions, the proposed apparatus provides ventilated frames on sides as well as top side of the apparatus. In conventional casing apparatuses, the top side portion of the apparatus may generally be enclosed thereby blocking airflow that is generated from within the outdoor units. Ideally, air is taken in from the side portions and is blown out from the top portion in most outdoor units of air-conditioners. The all-round ventilation system provided by the proposed apparatus allows easy air-flow into the outdoor unit from all its sides and further allows gentle outflow of exhaust air from the top side of the apparatus via the louvers provided on the top panel. Complementing louvers may be provided on the side portions and top portions of the apparatus so as the allow easy inflow and outflow of air to and from the units disposed within the proposed apparatus.
It may be noted that the above-described examples of the present solution are for the purpose of illustration only. Although the solution has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment thereof, numerous modifications may be possible without materially departing from the teachings and advantages of the subject matter described herein. Other substitutions, modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the present solution. All the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.
The terms “include,” “have,” and variations thereof, as used herein, have the same meaning as the term “comprise” or appropriate variation thereof. Furthermore, the term “based on”, as used herein, means “based at least in part on.” Thus, a feature that is described as based on some stimulus can be based on the stimulus or a combination of stimuli including the stimulus.
The present description has been shown and described with reference to the foregoing examples. It is understood, however, that other forms, details, and examples can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter.
This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/312,846 entitled “Casing Structure for Hvac Systems with Efficient Ventilation”, filed Feb. 23, 2022, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/345,163 entitled “Foldable Casing Structure with Hinges for Outdoor Units of HVAC Systems”, filed May 24, 2022, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/391,866 entitled “Casing Structure for HVAC Systems with Supporting Legs”, filed Jul. 25, 2022, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/418,485 entitled “FOLDABLE CASING Structure for HVAC Systems with Curved Edges”, filed Oct. 22, 2022, which are incorporated herein in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63418485 | Oct 2022 | US | |
| 63391866 | Jul 2022 | US | |
| 63345163 | May 2022 | US | |
| 63312846 | Feb 2022 | US |
