COIL GUARD FOR AN HVAC SYSTEM

BACKGROUND

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system may be used in residential, commercial, and industrial environments to control environmental properties, such as temperature and humidity, for occupants of the respective environments. An HVAC system may control the environmental properties through control of a supply air flow delivered to the environment. For example, the HVAC system may place the supply air flow in a heat exchange relationship with a heat transfer fluid of a vapor compression circuit to condition the supply air flow. The vapor compression circuit of the HVAC system generally includes one or more heat exchangers configured to circulate the heat transfer fluid therethrough. In many applications, the HVAC system includes a housing or other structure configured to contain and/or shield the heat exchanger from a surrounding environment, such as an ambient environment. In some instances, the housing may also be implemented to enable air flow into the housing and across the heat exchanger. Unfortunately, existing housings may be susceptible to various drawbacks, such as complicated installation and/or improper assembly.

SUMMARY

A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is set forth below. It should be noted that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of these certain embodiments and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, this disclosure may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below.

In an embodiment, an enclosure for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit includes an enclosure panel. The enclosure panel includes a panel body, a plurality of vent holes formed through the panel body, a plurality of holes formed through the panel body adjacent an edge of the panel body, and a flange extending from the edge of the panel body. The flange includes a lateral portion extending crosswise from the edge of the panel body. The flange also includes a guard portion extending crosswise from an end of the lateral portion, opposite the panel body. The guard portion overlaps with a respective central axis of each hole of the plurality of holes.

In an embodiment, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit includes an enclosure having a plurality of panels. The plurality of panels includes a top panel and a side panel, and the plurality of panels is coupled to one another to define an interior volume of the enclosure. The HVAC unit also includes a heat exchanger coil disposed within the interior volume of the enclosure. The side panel includes a main body defining a lateral side of the enclosure. The side panel also includes a plurality of air flow passages formed in the main body and configured to direct an air flow into the interior volume. The side panel also includes a fastener aperture formed through the main body between the plurality of air flow passages and an edge of the main body. The side panel also includes a flange extending from the edge of the main body. The flange includes a lateral portion extending from the edge and toward the interior volume. The flange also includes a guard portion extending from the lateral portion, wherein the guard portion intersects with a central axis of the fastener aperture.

In an embodiment, an enclosure panel of an enclosure for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit includes a panel body having an outer edge, a plurality of vent passages formed through the panel body, a plurality of fastener apertures formed through the panel body between the plurality of vent passages and the outer edge, and a flange extending from the outer edge. Each fastener aperture of the plurality of fastener apertures is configured to receive a corresponding mechanical fastener. The flange includes a lateral portion extending from the outer edge along a second axis. The second axis is crosswise to the first axis. The flange also includes a guard portion extending from an end of the lateral portion. The guard portion extends at least partially along the first axis. The guard portion overlaps with a respective central axis of each fastener aperture of the plurality of fastener apertures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various aspects of this disclosure may be better understood upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system for environmental management including an HVAC unit, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a packaged HVAC unit that may be used in an HVAC system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a cutaway perspective view of an embodiment of a residential, split HVAC system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic of an embodiment of a vapor compression system of an HVAC system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of an HVAC unit having an enclosure, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an HVAC unit having an enclosure, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a coil guard of an enclosure of an HVAC unit, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a coil guard of an enclosure of an HVAC unit, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a coil guard assembled with an enclosure of an HVAC unit, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a coil guard assembled with an enclosure of an HVAC unit, illustrating an angled flange of the coil guard, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a coil guard assembled with an enclosure of an HVAC unit, illustrating an angled flange and a bent portion of the coil guard, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 12 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a coil guard assembled with an enclosure of an HVAC unit, illustrating a bent portion of the coil guard, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. These described embodiments are examples of the presently disclosed techniques. Additionally, in an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, it should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.

As used herein, the terms “approximately,” “generally,” and “substantially,” and so forth, are intended to convey that the property value being described may be within a relatively small range of the property value, as those of ordinary skill would understand. For example, when a property value is described as being “approximately” equal to (or, for example, “substantially similar” to) a given value, this is intended to mean that the property value may be within +/−5%, within +/−4%, within +/−3%, within +/−2%, within +/−1%, or even closer, of the given value. Similarly, when a given feature is described as being “substantially parallel” to another feature, “generally perpendicular” to another feature, and so forth, this is intended to mean that the given feature is within +/−5%, within +/−4%, within +/−3%, within +/−2%, within +/−1%, or even closer, to having the described nature, such as being parallel to another feature, being perpendicular to another feature, and so forth. Further, it should be understood that mathematical terms, such as “planar,” “slope,” “perpendicular,” “parallel,” and so forth are intended to encompass features of surfaces or elements as understood to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art, and should not be rigidly interpreted as might be understood in the mathematical arts. For example, a “planar” surface is intended to encompass a surface that is machined, molded, or otherwise formed to be substantially flat or smooth (within related tolerances) using techniques and tools available to one of ordinary skill in the art. Similarly, a surface having a “slope” is intended to encompass a surface that is machined, molded, or otherwise formed to be oriented at an angle (e.g., incline) with respect to a point of reference using techniques and tools available to one of ordinary skill in the art.

The present disclosure is generally directed to a panel for an enclosure of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) unit. For example, the panel may be a coil guard configured to at least partially enclosure or shield a heat exchanger disposed within the enclosure of the HVAC unit (e.g., outdoor unit, packaged unit). In many applications, one or more panels of the enclosure may be assembled to one another and/or to other components to form the enclosure. For example, mechanical fasteners (e.g., screws) may be utilized to extend through the panel and another component of the enclosure to secure the panel to the other component. Unfortunately, existing enclosures that are assembled with mechanical fasteners may be susceptible to undesired or improper assembly, installation, and so forth. In some instances, improper assembly of existing enclosures of HVAC units may result in unintended interactions (e.g., contact) between components of the enclosure and other components of the HVAC unit. For example, mechanical fasteners utilized to assemble components of the enclosure may extend to contact a heat exchanger disposed within the enclosure, which may cause degradation to the heat exchanger, such as during assembly, installation, and/or transportation of the HVAC unit.

It is now recognized that improved enclosures for HVAC units are desired to mitigate undesired or unintended interactions (e.g., contact) between components of the enclosure (e.g., mechanical fasteners) and components disposed within the enclosure (e.g., a heat exchanger). To this end, the present disclosure is directed to an enclosure, such as a panel or a coil guard of the enclosure that includes an aperture configured to receive a mechanical fastener and a flange that overlaps with a central axis of the aperture. In particular, the flange may be offset from the aperture and may be disposed inward from the aperture, relative to an internal volume of the enclosure. Thus, the aperture may receive a mechanical fastener to enable coupling of the panel or coil guard to the enclosure, while the flange is configured to block (e.g., intercept) the mechanical fastener from contacting other components disposed within the enclosure, such as a heat exchanger. In this way, the panel or coil guard is configured to protect components within the enclosure from unintended contact with mechanical fasteners utilized to assemble the enclosure.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system for environmental management that may employ one or more HVAC units. As used herein, an HVAC system includes any number of components configured to enable regulation of parameters related to climate characteristics, such as temperature, humidity, air flow, pressure, air quality, and so forth. For example, an “HVAC system” as used herein is defined as conventionally understood and as further described herein. Components or parts of an “HVAC system” may include, but are not limited to, all, some of, or individual parts such as a heat exchanger, a heater, an air flow control device, such as a fan, a sensor configured to detect a climate characteristic or operating parameter, a filter, a control device configured to regulate operation of an HVAC system component, a component configured to enable regulation of climate characteristics, or a combination thereof. An “HVAC system” is a system configured to provide such functions as heating, cooling, ventilation, dehumidification, pressurization, refrigeration, filtration, or any combination thereof. The embodiments described herein may be utilized in a variety of applications to control climate characteristics, such as residential, commercial, industrial, transportation, or other applications where climate control is desired.

In the illustrated embodiment, a building 10 is air conditioned by a system that includes an HVAC unit 12. The building 10 may be a commercial structure or a residential structure. As shown, the HVAC unit 12 is disposed on the roof of the building 10; however, the HVAC unit 12 may be located in other equipment rooms or areas adjacent the building 10. The HVAC unit 12 may be a single package unit containing other equipment, such as a blower, integrated air handler, and/or auxiliary heating unit. In other embodiments, the HVAC unit 12 may be part of a split HVAC system, such as the system shown in FIG. 3, which includes an outdoor unit 58 and an indoor unit 56.

The HVAC unit 12 is an air-cooled device that implements a vapor compression cycle to provide conditioned air to the building 10. Specifically, the HVAC unit 12 may include one or more heat exchangers across which an air flow is passed to condition the air flow before the air flow is supplied to the building 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the HVAC unit 12 is a rooftop unit (RTU) that conditions a supply air stream, such as environmental air and/or a return air flow from the building 10. After the HVAC unit 12 conditions the air, the air is supplied to the building 10 via ductwork 14 extending throughout the building 10 from the HVAC unit 12. For example, the ductwork 14 may extend to various individual floors or other sections of the building 10. In certain embodiments, the HVAC unit 12 may be a heat pump that provides both heating and cooling to the building 10 with one working fluid circuit configured to operate in different modes. In other embodiments, the HVAC unit 12 may include one or more working fluid circuits for cooling an air stream and a furnace for heating the air stream.

A control device 16, one type of which may be a thermostat, may be used to designate the temperature of the conditioned air. The control device 16 also may be used to control the flow of air through the ductwork 14. For example, the control device 16 may be used to regulate operation of one or more components of the HVAC unit 12 or other components, such as dampers and fans, within the building 10 that may control flow of air through and/or from the ductwork 14. In some embodiments, other devices may be included in the system, such as pressure and/or temperature transducers or switches that sense the temperatures and pressures of the supply air, return air, and so forth. Moreover, the control device 16 may include computer systems that are integrated with or separate from other building 10 control or monitoring systems, and even systems that are remote from the building 10.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the HVAC unit 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the HVAC unit 12 is a single package unit that may include one or more independent working fluid circuits and components that are tested, charged, wired, piped, and ready for installation. The HVAC unit 12 may provide a variety of heating and/or cooling functions, such as cooling only, heating only, cooling with electric heat, cooling with dehumidification, cooling with gas heat, or cooling with a heat pump. As described above, the HVAC unit 12 may directly cool and/or heat an air stream provided to the building 10 to condition a space in the building 10.

As shown in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2, a cabinet 24 encloses the HVAC unit 12 and provides structural support and protection to the internal components from environmental and other contaminants. In some embodiments, the cabinet 24 may be constructed of galvanized steel and insulated with aluminum foil faced insulation. Rails 26 may be joined to the bottom perimeter of the cabinet 24 and provide a foundation for the HVAC unit 12. In certain embodiments, the rails 26 may provide access for a forklift and/or overhead rigging to facilitate installation and/or removal of the HVAC unit 12. In some embodiments, the rails 26 may fit into “curbs” on the roof to enable the HVAC unit 12 to provide air to the ductwork 14 from the bottom of the HVAC unit 12 while blocking elements such as rain from leaking into the building 10.

The HVAC unit 12 includes heat exchangers 28 and 30 in fluid communication with one or more working fluid circuits. Tubes within the heat exchangers 28 and 30 may circulate a working fluid (e.g., refrigerant), such as R-410A, through the heat exchangers 28 and 30. The tubes may be of various types, such as multichannel tubes, conventional copper or aluminum tubing, and so forth. Together, the heat exchangers 28 and 30 may implement a thermal cycle in which the working fluid undergoes phase changes and/or temperature changes as it flows through the heat exchangers 28 and 30 to produce heated and/or cooled air. For example, the heat exchanger 28 may function as a condenser where heat is released from the working fluid to ambient air, and the heat exchanger 30 may function as an evaporator where the working fluid absorbs heat to cool an air stream. In other embodiments, the HVAC unit 12 may operate in a heat pump mode where the roles of the heat exchangers 28 and 30 may be reversed. That is, the heat exchanger 28 may function as an evaporator and the heat exchanger 30 may function as a condenser. In further embodiments, the HVAC unit 12 may include a furnace for heating the air stream that is supplied to the building 10. While the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2 shows the HVAC unit 12 having two of the heat exchangers 28 and 30, in other embodiments, the HVAC unit 12 may include one heat exchanger or more than two heat exchangers.

The heat exchanger 30 is located within a compartment 31 that separates the heat exchanger 30 from the heat exchanger 28. Fans 32 draw air from the environment through the heat exchanger 28. Air may be heated and/or cooled as the air flows through the heat exchanger 28 before being released back to the environment surrounding the HVAC unit 12. A blower assembly 34, powered by a motor 36, draws air through the heat exchanger 30 to heat or cool the air. The heated or cooled air may be directed to the building 10 by the ductwork 14, which may be connected to the HVAC unit 12. Before flowing through the heat exchanger 30, the conditioned air flows through one or more filters 38 that may remove particulates and contaminants from the air. In certain embodiments, the filters 38 may be disposed on the air intake side of the heat exchanger 30 to prevent contaminants from contacting the heat exchanger 30.

The HVAC unit 12 also may include other equipment for implementing the thermal cycle. Compressors 42 increase the pressure and temperature of the working fluid before the working fluid enters the heat exchanger 28. The compressors 42 may be any suitable type of compressors, such as scroll compressors, rotary compressors, screw compressors, or reciprocating compressors. In some embodiments, the compressors 42 may include a pair of hermetic direct drive compressors arranged in a dual stage configuration 44. However, in other embodiments, any number of the compressors 42 may be provided to achieve various stages of heating and/or cooling. As may be appreciated, additional equipment and devices may be included in the HVAC unit 12, such as a solid-core filter drier, a drain pan, a disconnect switch, an economizer, pressure switches, phase monitors, and humidity sensors, among other things.

The HVAC unit 12 may receive power through a terminal block 46. For example, a high voltage power source may be connected to the terminal block 46 to power the equipment. The operation of the HVAC unit 12 may be governed or regulated by a control board 48. The control board 48 may include control circuitry connected to a thermostat, sensors, and alarms. One or more of these components may be referred to herein separately or collectively as the control device 16. The control circuitry may be configured to control operation of the equipment, provide alarms, and monitor safety switches. Wiring 49 may connect the control board 48 and the terminal block 46 to the equipment of the HVAC unit 12.

FIG. 3 illustrates a residential heating and cooling system 50, also in accordance with present techniques. The residential heating and cooling system 50 may provide heated and cooled air to a residential structure, as well as provide outside air for ventilation and provide improved indoor air quality (IAQ) through devices such as ultraviolet lights and air filters. In the illustrated embodiment, the residential heating and cooling system 50 is a split HVAC system. In general, a residence 52 conditioned by a split HVAC system may include working fluid conduits 54 that operatively couple the indoor unit 56 to the outdoor unit 58. The indoor unit 56 may be positioned in a utility room, an attic, a basement, and so forth. The outdoor unit 58 is typically situated adjacent to a side of residence 52 and is covered by a shroud to protect the system components and to prevent leaves and other debris or contaminants from entering the unit. The working fluid conduits 54 transfer working fluid between the indoor unit 56 and the outdoor unit 58, typically transferring primarily liquid working fluid in one direction and primarily vaporized working fluid in an opposite direction.

When the system shown in FIG. 3 is operating as an air conditioner, a heat exchanger 60 in the outdoor unit 58 serves as a condenser for re-condensing vaporized working fluid flowing from the indoor unit 56 to the outdoor unit 58 via one of the working fluid conduits 54. In these applications, a heat exchanger 62 of the indoor unit functions as an evaporator. Specifically, the heat exchanger 62 receives liquid working fluid, which may be expanded by an expansion device, and evaporates the working fluid before returning it to the outdoor unit 58.

The outdoor unit 58 draws environmental air through the heat exchanger 60 using a fan 64 and expels the air above the outdoor unit 58. When operating as an air conditioner, the air is heated by the heat exchanger 60 within the outdoor unit 58 and exits the unit at a temperature higher than it entered. The indoor unit 56 includes a blower or fan 66 that directs air through or across the indoor heat exchanger 62, where the air is cooled when the system is operating in air conditioning mode. Thereafter, the air is passed through ductwork 68 that directs the air to the residence 52. The overall system operates to maintain a desired temperature as set by a system controller. When the temperature sensed inside the residence 52 is higher than the set point on the thermostat, or the set point plus a small amount, the residential heating and cooling system 50 may become operative to cool additional air for circulation through the residence 52. When the temperature reaches the set point, or the set point minus a small amount, the residential heating and cooling system 50 may stop the vapor compression cycle temporarily.

The residential heating and cooling system 50 may also operate as a heat pump. When operating as a heat pump, the roles of heat exchangers 60 and 62 are reversed. That is, the heat exchanger 60 of the outdoor unit 58 will serve as an evaporator to evaporate working fluid and thereby cool air entering the outdoor unit 58 as the air passes over the outdoor heat exchanger 60. The indoor heat exchanger 62 will receive a stream of air blown over it and will heat the air by condensing the working fluid.

In some embodiments, the indoor unit 56 may include a furnace system 70. For example, the indoor unit 56 may include the furnace system 70 when the residential heating and cooling system 50 is not configured to operate as a heat pump. The furnace system 70 may include a burner assembly and heat exchanger, among other components, inside the indoor unit 56. Fuel is provided to the burner assembly of the furnace 70 where it is mixed with air and combusted to form combustion products. The combustion products may pass through tubes or piping in a heat exchanger, separate from heat exchanger 62, such that air directed by the blower 66 passes over the tubes or pipes and extracts heat from the combustion products. The heated air may then be routed from the furnace system 70 to the ductwork 68 for heating the residence 52.

FIG. 4 is an embodiment of a vapor compression system 72 that can be used in any of the systems described above. The vapor compression system 72 may circulate a working fluid through a circuit starting with a compressor 74. The circuit may also include a condenser 76, an expansion valve(s) or device(s) 78, and an evaporator 80. The vapor compression system 72 may further include a control panel 82 that has an analog to digital (A/D) converter 84, a microprocessor 86, a non-volatile memory 88, and/or an interface board 90. The control panel 82 and its components may function to regulate operation of the vapor compression system 72 based on feedback from an operator, from sensors of the vapor compression system 72 that detect operating conditions, and so forth.

In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 72 may use one or more of a variable speed drive (VSDs) 92, a motor 94, the compressor 74, the condenser 76, the expansion valve or device 78, and/or the evaporator 80. The motor 94 may drive the compressor 74 and may be powered by the variable speed drive (VSD) 92. The VSD 92 receives alternating current (AC) power having a particular fixed line voltage and fixed line frequency from an AC power source and provides power having a variable voltage and frequency to the motor 94. In other embodiments, the motor 94 may be powered directly from an AC or direct current (DC) power source. The motor 94 may include any type of electric motor that can be powered by a VSD 92 or directly from an AC or DC power source, such as a switched reluctance motor, an induction motor, an electronically commutated permanent magnet motor, or another suitable motor.

The compressor 74 compresses a working fluid vapor and delivers the vapor to the condenser 76 through a discharge passage. In some embodiments, the compressor 74 may be a centrifugal compressor. The working fluid vapor delivered by the compressor 74 to the condenser 76 may transfer heat to a fluid passing across the condenser 76, such as ambient or environmental air 96. The working fluid vapor may condense to a working fluid liquid in the condenser 76 as a result of thermal heat transfer with the environmental air 96. The liquid working fluid from the condenser 76 may flow through the expansion device 78 to the evaporator 80.

The liquid working fluid delivered to the evaporator 80 may absorb heat from another air stream, such as a supply air stream 98 provided to the building 10 or the residence 52. For example, the supply air stream 98 may include ambient or environmental air, return air from a building 10, or a combination of the two. The liquid working fluid in the evaporator 80 may undergo a phase change from the liquid working fluid to a working fluid vapor. In this manner, the evaporator 80 may reduce the temperature of the supply air stream 98 via thermal heat transfer with the working fluid. Thereafter, the vapor working fluid exits the evaporator 80 and returns to the compressor 74 by a suction line to complete the cycle.

In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 72 may further include a reheat coil. In the illustrated embodiment, the reheat coil is represented as part of the evaporator 80. The reheat coil is positioned downstream of the evaporator 80 relative to the supply air stream 98 and may reheat the supply air stream 98 when the supply air stream 98 is overcooled to remove humidity from the supply air stream 98 before the supply air stream 98 is directed to the building 10 or the residence 52.

It should be appreciated that any of the features described herein may be incorporated with the HVAC unit 12, the residential heating and cooling system 50, or other HVAC systems. Additionally, while the features disclosed herein are described in the context of embodiments that directly heat and cool a supply air stream provided to the building 10 or other load, embodiments of the present disclosure may be applicable to other HVAC systems as well. For example, the features described herein may be applied to mechanical cooling systems, free cooling systems, chiller systems, or other heat pump or refrigeration applications.

As briefly discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an enclosure (e.g., housing) for an HVAC unit that is configured to provide improved protection of components within the enclosure. In particular, present embodiments include a panel or other enclosure component, such as a coil guard, configured to block undesired contact between components of the enclosure and components (e.g., HVAC equipment) disposed within the enclosure. For example, the coil guard may be configured to block interaction (e.g., physical contact) between a mechanical fastener utilized to assemble the enclosure and a heat exchanger disposed within the enclosure. To this end, as described in more detail herein, the coil guard may include a flange which overlaps (e.g., intersects, vertically intersects) a central axis of a hole or aperture configured to receive and engage with a mechanical fastener (e.g., screw) that secures the coil guard to another component of the enclosure. That is, the flange is configured to provide a barrier between a path of the mechanical fastener and the component within the enclosure (e.g., a heat exchanger).

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of an HVAC unit 100 (e.g., packaged HVAC unit, outdoor unit), in accordance with present techniques. For example, the HVAC unit 100 may be an embodiment of the outdoor unit 58. However, it should be appreciated that the present techniques may be incorporated with any suitable type of HVAC unit having an enclosure and one or more components (e.g., HVAC equipment) disposed within the enclosure. Throughout the following discussion, the HVAC unit 100 and/or one or more components of the HVAC unit 100 may be described with reference to a lateral axis or direction 104, a longitudinal axis or direction 106, and/or a vertical axis or direction 108 (e.g., oriented relative to gravity). As shown, the HVAC unit 100 includes a top wall 110 (e.g., top panel, fan deck, enclosure panel), a heat exchanger 112 (e.g., heat exchanger coil 114, heat exchanger coil 116), a bottom wall 118 (e.g., base panel, enclosure panel), corner braces 120 (e.g., corner braces 122, 124, 126, and 128, corner supports), and coil guards 130 (e.g., coil guards 132, 134, 136, and 138, enclosure panels, housing panels, side panels, lateral panels). While the illustrated embodiment shows the top wall 110, the bottom wall 118, and the coil guards 130 as having generally rectangular and/or planar shapes, it should be recognized that the top wall 110 and the bottom wall 118 may have other shapes, configurations, and/or geometries. For example, one or more of the top wall 110 and the bottom wall 118 may have a curved (e.g., arcuate) shape, and/or the coil guards 130 may have curved shapes. In the illustrated embodiment, the top wall 110 includes an opening 139 formed therein and includes a central axis 140. In certain embodiments, the opening 139 of the top wall 110 may include another shape or geometry and/or may be offset from the central axis 140 of the top wall 110. The opening 139 may accommodate a fan or other air moving device configured to force an air flow through the HVAC unit 100 and across the heat exchanger 112 to enable heat transfer between the air flow and a working fluid circulated through the heat exchanger 112. In an assembled configuration, the top wall 110, the bottom wall 118, and the coil guards 130 may define an interior volume within which the heat exchanger 112 may be disposed. To this end, a vertical dimension 142 (e.g., height) of the corner braces 120 may exceed a vertical dimension 144 of the heat exchanger 112 (e.g., heat exchanger coil 114, heat exchanger coil 116). In some embodiments, the coil guards 130 may also include respective vertical dimensions that are greater than the vertical dimension 144 of the heat exchanger 112.

In the illustrated embodiment, the heat exchanger coils 114 and 116 each have a longitudinal coil portion 146 (e.g., first linear portion) extending along the longitudinal axis 106 and a lateral coil portion 148 (e.g., second linear portion) extending along the lateral axis 104. The longitudinal coil portion 146 and the lateral coil portion 148 of each heat exchanger coil 114, 116 may be coupled (e.g., fluidly coupled) to one another via a respective curved or bent portion of the heat exchanger coil 114, 116. In some embodiments, the heat exchanger coils 114 and 116 may have one or more additional or alternative geometries or configurations (e.g., linear portions, curved portions, etc.). It should be recognized that, although the illustrated embodiment shows the HVAC unit 100 as including heat exchanger coils 114 and 116 (e.g., a first heat exchanger coil and a second heat exchanger coil), other embodiments of the HVAC unit 100 may include other numbers of heat exchanger coils (e.g., one heat exchanger coil, three heat exchanger coils, etc.). In an assembled configuration of the HVAC unit 100, the heat exchanger coils 114 and 116 are disposed above the bottom wall 118 relative to the vertical axis 108. Further, as similarly described above, the heat exchanger 112 may be a component of a vapor compression system (e.g., vapor compression system 72). For example, the heat exchanger coils 114 and 116 may be disposed along a common working fluid circuit (e.g., a single working fluid circuit), or the heat exchanger coils 114 and 116 may be disposed along different (e.g., separate) working fluid circuits. To this end, each heat exchanger coil 114 and 116 may include one or more tubes (e.g., microchannel tubes, heat exchange tubes) configured to circulate a working fluid therethrough. In some embodiments, the heat exchanger coils 114 and 116 each include one or more sets of fins extending between corresponding (e.g., adjacent) tubes. In this way, the heat exchanger coils 114 and 116 are configured to facilitate heat transfer between the working fluid circulated therethrough and an air flow directed across the heat exchanger coils 114 and 116.

In the illustrated embodiment, the corner braces 120 are configured to be disposed at corners 150 of the bottom wall 118. For example, each corner brace 120 may be coupled (e.g., attached, secured, mounted) to one of the corners 150 of the bottom wall 118. In an assembled configuration of the HVAC unit 100, each corner brace 120 extends along the vertical axis 108. The heat exchanger 112 is configured to be disposed within an interior volume 152 of the HVAC unit 100 (e.g., enclosure of the HVAC unit 100) defined by the top wall 110, the bottom wall 118, and the coil guards 130. Thus, the heat exchanger 112 may be positioned within a perimeter 154 (e.g., outer perimeter) of the bottom wall 118. In certain embodiments, each heat exchanger coil 114 and 116 may be coupled to the corner braces 124 and 128 via connector features 156 (e.g., mounting brackets, braces). It should be recognized that, while the illustrated embodiment shows the heat exchanger coils 114 and 116 having connector features 156 corresponding to corner braces 124 and 128, in certain embodiments the heat exchanger coils 114 and 116 may include connector features 156 corresponding to more or fewer corner braces 120. In an assembled configuration of the HVAC unit 100, the coil guards 130 may generally align with (e.g., extend along) one or more lateral edges 158 and/or one or more longitudinal edges 160 of the bottom wall 118. Additionally, in the assembled configuration, the coil guards 132 and 136 may be disposed external to the heat exchanger 112 (e.g., offset along the lateral axis 104, relative to the interior volume 152), and the coil guards 134 and 138 may be disposed external to the heat exchanger 112 (e.g., offset along the longitudinal axis 106, relative to the interior volume 152). Further, in the assembled configuration, the top wall 110 is disposed above the heat exchanger 112, the corner braces 120, and the coil guards 130 relative to the vertical axis 108. The assembled configuration of the HVAC unit 100, as well as the coil guards 130 and the top wall 110, are described in further detail below with reference to FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the HVAC unit 100, illustrating an assembled configuration of the HVAC unit 100. Specifically, the top wall 110, the bottom wall 118, the coil guards 130, and the corner braces 120 are coupled to one another to form an enclosure 168 of the HVAC unit 100 that includes the heat exchanger 112 disposed within the interior volume 152 of the enclosure 168. In the illustrated embodiment, the top wall 110 is disposed above the heat exchanger 112 (e.g., relative to vertical axis 108) and is coupled to the corner braces 120. As shown, a perimeter 170 of the top wall 110 extends outward from the heat exchanger 112 (e.g., along lateral axis 104, along longitudinal axis 106, relative to the interior volume 152). The perimeter 170 of the top wall 110 may also substantially align with the perimeter 154 of the bottom wall 118, in some embodiments.

In the illustrated embodiment, corners 171 of the top wall 110 are configured to align with (e.g., engage with, mate with, laterally and/or longitudinally align with) the corner braces 120. The top wall 110 may also be configured to couple to the corner braces 120. For example, the top wall 110 may include holes 172 (e.g., openings, apertures, additional holes) formed in side flanges 173 of the top wall 110. One or more of the holes 172 may align with corresponding holes formed in the corner braces 120, and mechanical fasteners may extend through the holes 172 of the top wall 110 and the holes of the corner braces 120 to secure the top wall 110 to the corner braces 120. As shown, the top wall 110 is disposed above the heat exchanger 112 in the vertical direction 108, for example, due to the vertical dimension 142 of the corner braces 120 exceeding the vertical dimension 144 of the heat exchanger 112, as discussed above.

In the illustrated embodiment, the coil guards 130 are also configured to couple (e.g., directly couple, mechanically couple) to the top wall 110. Additionally or alternatively, the coil guards 130 may couple (e.g., directly couple, mechanically couple) to one or more of the corner braces 120. For example, the coil guards 132 and 136 may be secured to adjacent corner braces 120 via holes 174 (e.g., openings, apertures) formed in and/or near (e.g., adjacent) respective edges 176 (e.g., side portions, side flanges) of the coil guards 132 and 136, such that the holes 174 may be disposed within a distance of less than 6 centimeters from the respective edges 176. That is, mechanical fasteners may extend through holes 174 of the coil guards 132 and 136 and also extend through corresponding holes formed in the corner braces 120 to secure the coil guards 132 and 136 to adjacent corner braces 120. Similarly, the coil guards 134 and 138 may be secured to adjacent corner braces 120 via holes 174 formed in and/or near respective edges 178 (e.g., side portions, side flanges) of the coil guards 134 and 138. The coil guards 130, in combination with the top wall 110 and the bottom wall 118, form a prismatic frame (e.g., the enclosure 168) around the heat exchanger 112 to enclose the heat exchanger 112 within the HVAC unit 100. Thus, the coil guards 130, the top wall 110, and the bottom wall 118 may shield the heat exchanger 112 from various external elements, such as debris or other interfering matter that may otherwise impact (e.g., contact) the heat exchanger 112. In the illustrated embodiment, each coil guard 130 also includes vent holes 180 (e.g., slots, louvers, openings, air flow passages, venting passages, etc.) configured to fluidly connect an ambient environment 182 surrounding the HVAC unit 100 to the interior volume 152 of the HVAC unit 100. In this way, a fan of the HVAC unit 100 may draw an air flow from the ambient environment 182, through the coil guard 130 (e.g., via the vent holes 180), and across the heat exchanger 112 to enable heat transfer between the air flow and the working fluid circulated within the heat exchanger 112. In some embodiments, the fan may discharge the air flow from the HVAC unit 100 via the opening 139. Details and features of the coil guard 130 are described in more detail below.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the coil guard 130 (e.g., housing panel, enclosure panel, enclosure side panel, side panel) that may be incorporated with an embodiment of the HVAC unit 100 (e.g., enclosure 168). In the illustrated embodiment, the coil guard 130 includes a wall 198 (e.g., main body, main panel, panel portion, panel body, body portion) having a thickness 200 that is substantially smaller than a longitudinal dimension 202 of the coil guard 130 and a vertical dimension 204 of the coil guard 130. It is to be recognized that the wall 198 may be composed of any suitable material, such as a metallic material (e.g., sheet metal, aluminum alloy, steel, etc.), a composite material (e.g., a polymer, a reinforced polymer, plastic, etc.), another suitable material, or any combination thereof. As shown, the wall 198 includes the vent holes 180 formed therein. The vent holes 180 each extend from an outer surface 206 of the wall 198 to an inner surface 208 of the wall 198. In an assembled configuration of the coil guard 130 with the HVAC unit 100, the outer surface 206 may face the ambient environment 182 surrounding the HVAC unit 100, and the inner surface 208 may face the interior volume 152 of the HVAC unit 100 that is defined by the enclosure 168 of the HVAC unit 100. Thus, the inner surface 208 may face the heat exchanger 112 disposed within the HVAC unit 100 and/or the enclosure 168. In the illustrated embodiment, the vent holes 180 are aligned in columns 210 along the vertical axis 108 and are also aligned in rows 212 along the longitudinal axis 106. However, it should be recognized that the vent holes 180 may be arranged in other configurations.

In the illustrated embodiment, the wall 198 includes side flanges 214 (e.g., side flanges 216 and 218, lateral flanges, left and right flanges). The side flanges 214 extend crosswise from the wall 198. For example, the side flanges 214 may extend generally in an inward direction 220 (e.g., inward, relative to interior volume 152) from edges or sides 219 (e.g., edges or sides 221 and 223, first and second sides, left and right sides) of the wall 198. The side flanges 216 and 218 are configured to abut (e.g., align with, overlap with) respective corner braces 120 discussed herein. The wall 198 also includes a top flange 222 (e.g., first flange) extending from a top side or edge 224 (e.g., outer edge) of the wall 198. The top flange 222 may also extend generally in the inward direction 220 (e.g., inward, relative to interior volume 152). In certain embodiments, the side flanges 214 and the top flange 222 may be manufactured via bending of the wall 198. That is, the coil guard 130 may be formed from a single piece of material, such that the side flanges 214 and the top flange 222 are integrally formed with the wall 198. In some embodiments, the side flanges 214 and the top flange 222 may be separate pieces and may be fixed to the wall 198 via a fastening mechanism or technique (e.g., welding, brazing, mechanical fasteners, etc.).

In the illustrated embodiment, the wall 198 also includes holes 225 (e.g., apertures, openings, passages) formed therein, which may include the holes 174 disposed near the edges or sides 219 of the wall 198, and includes holes 226 (e.g., openings, apertures, passages, fastener apertures) formed therein and disposed near the top edge 224 of the wall 198. The holes 225 extend through the wall 198 from the outer surface 206 of the wall 198 to the inner surface 208 of the wall 198. Although the illustrated embodiment shows the holes 225 as being generally vertically aligned along the wall 198 (e.g., along vertical axis 108) and the holes 226 as being generally horizontally aligned along the wall 198 (e.g., along longitudinal axis 106), it should be recognized that the holes 225 and 226 may formed in the wall 198 in any other suitable arrangement. For example, it should be understood that the holes 225 may be disposed at different distances from the sides 219 and the top edge 224. Furthermore, it should be recognized that the wall 198 may include more or fewer holes 225 than shown in the illustrated embodiment. In certain embodiments, the wall 198 may include one or more holes 225 disposed at each corner 227 (e.g., side edge) of the wall 198, thereby enabling the wall 198 to be coupled to the corner braces 120 at each corner 227 of the wall 198 (e.g., via mechanical fasteners extending therethrough).

In the illustrated embodiment, the wall 198 also includes slots 228 (e.g., slots 230 and 232) formed through the wall 198 and disposed substantially near one of the sides 219 of the wall 198. Although the illustrated embodiment shows slots 230 and 232, it should be recognized that the wall 198 may include more or fewer slots 228. Additionally or alternatively, the wall 198 may include slots 228 disposed near side 221, side 223, or both.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the coil guard 130, illustrating the inner surface 208 of the wall 198 and additional features of the coil guard 130. In the illustrated embodiment, the top flange 222 includes a lateral portion 250 (e.g., top portion) that extends in the inward direction 220 (e.g., inward relative to the interior volume 152, crosswise from the wall 198) from the top edge 224 of the wall 198. The top flange 222 also includes a guard portion 252 (e.g., blocking flange, guard flange, inner flange, shield panel, shield flange) extending crosswise from an inner end 254 (e.g., inner edge) of the lateral portion 250. In some embodiments, the guard portion 252 may extend from the lateral portion 250 in a generally vertical direction 256 (e.g., downward, along vertical axis 108, at least partially in the vertical direction 256). Additionally or alternatively, the guard portion 252 and/or a portion of the guard portion 252 may extend at an angle (e.g., acute angle, oblique angle) relative to the vertical axis 108. As described in further detail below, the guard portion 252 is configured to extend at least partially along the generally vertical direction 256 to overlap with one or more of the holes 226 of the wall 198, such that the guard portion 252 may block extension of mechanical fasteners extending through the holes 226 beyond the guard potion 252 (e.g., in the inward direction 220). In this way, the guard portion 252 may block contact between the mechanical fasteners and components within the HVAC unit 100 (e.g., the heat exchanger 112).

As shown, a longitudinal dimension 258 (e.g., width) of the top flange 222 is less (e.g., slightly less) than the longitudinal dimension 202 of the coil guard 130. It should be recognized that, although the guard portion 252 is shown as extending substantially parallel to the inner surface 208 of the wall 198, in certain embodiments the guard portion 252 may be angled relative to the inner surface 208. Furthermore, it should be recognized that, although the illustrated embodiment shows the top flange 222 as extending from the top edge 224 of the wall 198, in certain embodiments the wall 198 may include the top flange 222 extending from any suitable side 260 or other portion of the wall 198.

In the illustrated, the coil guard 130 also includes a bottom flange 262 (e.g., second flange) extending in the inward direction 220 from a bottom edge 264 of the wall 198. In the illustrated embodiment, a bottom lateral dimension 266 (e.g., depth) of the bottom flange 262 is less than a side lateral dimension 268 of the side flanges 216 and 218, and less than a top lateral dimension 270 (e.g., depth) of the top flange 222. In certain embodiments, the bottom flange 262 may be omitted.

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of the coil guard 130, illustrating an assembled configuration of the coil guard 130 with an embodiment of the HVAC unit 100. In particular, the coil guard 130 is coupled to the top wall 110 of the HVAC unit 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the top wall 110 includes a clearance hole 290 (e.g., aperture, opening) formed therein. For example, the clearance hole 290 may be formed in one of the side flanges 173 of the top wall 110. The clearance hole 290 is configured to align with one of the holes 226 (e.g., engagement hole) formed in the wall 198 (e.g., first wall) of the coil guard 130. To secure the coil guard 130 and the top wall 110 (e.g., second wall) to one another, a mechanical fastener 292 (e.g., screw, rivet, bolt) may extend through both the clearance hole 290 of the top wall 110 and the hole 226 of the coil guard 130. In some embodiments, the mechanical fastener 292 may not engage with (e.g., grip, bite, interface with) the clearance hole 290. For example, the clearance hole 290 may include a diameter 285 or other dimension greater than a thread dimension or diameter 287 of the mechanical fastener 292. The mechanical fastener 292 may engage with a diameter 289 of the hole 226 (e.g., inner edge of the wall 198 defining the hole 226) to draw a head 291 of the mechanical fastener 292 toward the coil guard 130. Thus, the mechanical fastener 292 may be utilized to bias the coil guard 130 and the top wall 110 toward one another and thereby secure the components to one another.

In the illustrated embodiment, the guard portion 252 of the top flange 222 extends from an end 293 the lateral portion 250 of the top flange 222 in the generally vertical direction 256 (e.g., along the vertical axis 108). Specifically, the guard portion 252 of the top flange 222 extends along the generally vertical direction 256 such that a distal end 294 of the guard portion 252 is disposed vertically below a central axis 296 of the hole 226 (e.g., relative to vertical axis 108). In other words, the guard portion 252 extends linearly (e.g., along the vertical axis 108) from the lateral portion 250 to the distal end 294. In this way, the guard portion 252 overlaps (e.g., intersects) with the central axis 296 and the hole 226 (e.g., an entirety of the hole 226). Thus, the guard portion 252 also overlaps with the mechanical fastener 292 extending through the clearance hole 292 and the hole 226 (e.g., along the central axis 296). As a result, the guard portion 252 is configured and positioned to block extension of the mechanical fastener 292 in the inward direction 220 beyond the guard portion 252 (e.g., along the lateral axis 104, toward the interior volume 152), thereby blocking contact between the mechanical fastener 292 and the heat exchanger 112 and/or other components disposed within the interior volume 152 of the enclosure 168 (e.g., during assembly and/or transportation of the HVAC unit 100). Thus, the guard portion 252 may protect a structural integrity of the heat exchanger 112 that may otherwise be compromised by contact between the mechanical fastener 292 and the heat exchanger 112.

It should be recognized that, while the illustrated embodiment shows one mechanical fastener 292 and one hole 226, the guard portion 252 may also be configured to overlap with multiple holes 226 of the coil guard 130 in the manner described above. In this way, the guard portion 252 may shield the heat exchanger 112 from contact with multiple mechanical fasteners 292 extending through multiple holes 226 of the coil guard 130. Furthermore, it should be recognized that in embodiments of the coil guard 130 having holes 226 (e.g., holes 174) formed in the wall 198 that are not horizontally aligned, the guard portion 252 may extend past (e.g., at least partially in the generally vertical direction 256) the hole 226 offset furthest from the top edge 224 of the wall 198 (e.g., along the vertical axis 108). In other words, the distal end 294 of the guard portion 252 may be disposed vertically below the lowermost hole 226 that is furthest (e.g., along the vertical axis 108) from the top edge 224 of the wall 198. It should be appreciated that, by extending vertically below the central axis 296, the guard portion 252 is configured to protect the heat exchanger 112 from contact with the mechanical fastener 292. For example, the guard portion 252 may protect the heat exchanger 112 from inadvertent contact with the mechanical fasteners 292 during transportation of the HVAC unit 100. Additionally, the guard portion 252 may protect the heat exchanger 112 from contact with the mechanical fasteners 292 during instances in which the heat exchanger 112 may bow (e.g., bend) outwards (e.g., in a direction opposite the inward direction 220) toward the coil guard 130 and/or the mechanical fasteners 292.

In the illustrated embodiment, the guard portion 252 extends past (e.g., vertically below) the central axis 296, such that the distal end 294 of the guard portion 252 is disposed vertically below the central axis 296 by an overhang distance or dimension 298 (e.g., overlap dimension, along the vertical axis 108). The overhang distance 298 may be selected to enable the guard portion 252 to shield the heat exchanger 112 from contact with the mechanical fastener 292 in circumstances where the mechanical fastener 292 is installed such that a central axis 299 of the mechanical fastener 292 is angled (e.g., non-horizontal) relative to the central axis 296 of the hole 226 (e.g., askew relative to a horizontal axis and/or the lateral axis 104). In other words, the mechanical fastener 292 may be installed in a misaligned or angled manner, and the guard portion 252 of the coil guard 130 may nevertheless block inadvertent contact between the heat exchanger 112 and the mechanical fastener 292 extending along the central axis 299. A magnitude of the overhang distance 298 may also be selected so as to not undesirably obstruct air flow across the heat exchanger 112. For example, a magnitude of the overhang distance 298 may be selected such that the guard portion 252 intersects and/or overlaps with the central axis 299 of the mechanical fastener 292 when an angle 300 between the central axis 296 of the hole 226 and central axis 299 of the mechanical fastener 292 is approximately 30 degrees or less (e.g., in a circumferential or counterclockwise direction 302, in a clockwise direction opposite the direction 302). That is, the angle 300 between the central axis 296 of the hole 226 and a line (e.g., central axis 299) extending from the distal end 294 of the guard portion 252 and a center 303 of the hole 226 may be less than approximately 30 degrees, 25 degrees, 20 degrees, 15 degrees, or 10 degrees. In certain embodiments, the overhang distance 298 may be a value between approximately 0.1 centimeters (cm) and approximately 10 cm.

In the illustrated embodiment, the top lateral dimension 270 of the top flange 222 (e.g., extending along the lateral axis 104) may be selected based on a desired and/or intended size (e.g., length, depth) of the mechanical fastener 292 and/or based on a desired clearance 304 (e.g., lateral clearance, horizontal clearance, gap distance, spacing, along the lateral axis 104) from a distal end 306 of the mechanical fastener 292 to an inner surface 308 (e.g., guard surface, blocking surface, shield surface) of the guard portion 252. In certain embodiments, the top lateral dimension 270 may be selected and/or determined to accommodate various sizes (e.g., lengths) of mechanical fasteners 292, such as mechanical fasteners 292 ranging from approximately 1 cm to 3 cm in length and clearances 304 ranging from approximately 1 cm to 2 cm. Thus, it should be appreciated that the guard portion 252 enables mechanical fasteners 292 of different sizes and/or lengths to be used to secure the coil guard 130 with the HVAC unit 100 while also enabling protection of the heat exchanger 112 from undesired contact from the various mechanical fasteners 292 that may be utilized to assemble the HVAC unit 100 (e.g., enclosure 168).

In the illustrated embodiment, the heat exchanger 112 includes tubes 310 configured to circulate a working fluid through the heat exchanger 112. In some embodiments, the heat exchanger 112 may include microchannel tubes 310, where each microchannel tube includes a plurality of microchannels 310 formed therein. It should be recognized that, while the illustrated embodiment shows the heat exchanger 112 as having microchannel tubes with microchannels 310, in other embodiments the heat exchanger 112 may include other types of tubes, such as tubes defining a single channel for circulating working fluid therethrough.

FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of the coil guard 130 including the top flange 222 with the guard portion 252 assembled with the enclosure 168 of the HVAC unit 100. The illustrated embodiment includes similar elements and element numbers as those described above with reference to FIG. 9. Additionally, the guard portion 252 extends from the lateral portion 250 of the top flange 222 at an oblique angle 330. That is, the guard portion 252 (e.g., entire guard portion 252) forms the oblique angle 330 with the lateral portion 250. The guard portion 252 is therefore also angled (e.g., at an acute angle) with the vertical axis 108. The guard portion 252 of the top flange 222 also forms the oblique angle 330 with the lateral portion 250, such that the guard portion 252 is angled toward the wall 198 (e.g., away from the interior volume 152 of the enclosure 168). In this way, the guard portion 252 extends at least partially along the vertical axis 108 (e.g., at least partially along the generally vertical direction 256) and at least partially toward the wall 198 (e.g., at least partially along the lateral axis 104). It will be recognized that orienting and/or configuring the guard portion 252 to extend toward the wall 198 at the oblique angle 330 may enable the guard portion 252 to block translation of the mechanical fastener 292 (e.g., toward the interior volume 152, along the lateral axis 104) prior to the guard portion 252 becoming aligned along the vertical direction 108. That is, by angling the guard portion 252 toward the wall 198, the guard portion 252 may decrease a magnitude of the clearance 304, thereby decreasing an amount (e.g., distance) by which the mechanical fastener 292 is inserted into the wall 198 before the mechanical fastener 292 contacts the guard portion 252. Additionally, initial contact between the guard portion 252 and the mechanical fastener 292 may cause the guard portion 252 to be biased toward the interior volume 152 without the guard portion 252 pivoting beyond the vertical axis 108 and becoming angled toward the heat exchanger 112 (e.g., angled toward the interior volume 152). In other words, the guard portion 252 oriented at the oblique angle 330 toward the wall 198 may be configured to absorb initial contact with the mechanical fastener 292 and may at least partially deform or pivot toward alignment with the vertical axis 108 without pivoting beyond alignment with the vertical axis 108. In this way, the guard portion 252 of the illustrated embodiment may further block or mitigate inadvertent and/or unintentional contact between the mechanical fastener 292 and the heat exchanger 112. In certain embodiments, the oblique angle 330 may be less than approximately 90 degrees, 85 degrees, 80 degrees, 75 degrees, 70 degrees, or 65 degrees. In certain embodiments, the angle 330 may be between approximately 85 degrees and 75 degrees, between approximately 83 degrees and 77 degrees, or between approximately 81 degrees and 79 degrees.

FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional side view an embodiment of the coil guard 130 including the top flange 222 with the guard portion 252 assembled with the enclosure 168 of the HVAC unit 100. The illustrated embodiment includes similar elements and element numbers as those described above with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. Additionally, the illustrated embodiment includes the guard portion 252 having an angled portion 348 extending at the oblique angle 330 relative to the lateral portion 250 and a bent portion 350 extending from an end of the angled portion 348 opposite the lateral portion 250. In the illustrated embodiment, the bent portion 350 extends from the guard portion 252 and toward the wall 198 (e.g., along the lateral axis 104, away from the interior volume 152). In certain embodiments, the bent portion 350 may extend substantially parallel to the lateral portion 250 of the top flange 222. In certain embodiments, the bent portion 350 may extend at an angle (e.g., an oblique angle) relative to the lateral portion 250. As shown, a bent portion length 352 of the bent portion 350 is less than a gap length 354 between an end 355 of the guard portion 252 and the inner surface 208 of the wall 198. In certain embodiments, the bent portion length 352 is less than approximately 50 percent, 40 percent, 30 percent, or 20 percent of the gap length 354. In the illustrated embodiment, the central axis 296 of the hole 226 is shown as intersecting the angled portion 348 of the guard portion 252. In this way, the angled portion 348 of the guard portion 252 may absorb any initial contact with the mechanical fastener 292 extending along the central axis 296 and block contact between the mechanical fastener 292 and the heat exchanger 112 in the manner described above. Further, the bent portion 350 may further protect an engagement between the mechanical fastener 292 and the coil guard 130 from exposure to undesired contact with other components or elements.

FIG. 12 is a partial cross-sectional side view an embodiment of the coil guard 130 including the top flange 222 with the guard portion 252 in an assembled with the enclosure 168 of the HVAC unit 100. The illustrated embodiment includes similar elements and element numbers as those described above with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. In the illustrated embodiment, t. The second portion 382 extends from the first portion 380 at an angle 384 (e.g., an oblique angle) toward the wall 198. Thus, the second portion 382 is angled relative to the vertical axis 108. In the illustrated embodiment, the second portion 382 extends from the first portion 380 at a vertex 386 that is positioned above the central axis 296 of the mechanical fastener 292 (e.g., along the vertical axis 108). Thus, the second portion 382 (e.g., angled portion) of the guard portion 252 may overlap with and extend past the central axis 296 of the hole 226. In this way, the second portion 382 is configured to absorb contact with the mechanical fastener 292 and block contact between the mechanical fastener 292 and the heat exchanger 112 in the manner described above.

As shown, an angle 388 formed between the second portion 382 and the vertical axis 108 is an oblique angle. In certain embodiments, a magnitude of the angle 388 may be less than approximately 50 degrees, 40 degrees, 30 degrees, or 20 degrees. As shown, a horizontal component 390 of the bent portion length 352 of the bent portion 350 is less than a gap length 354 between the distal end 294 of the guard portion 252 and the inner surface 208 of the wall 198. In certain embodiments, the horizontal component 382 is less than 50, 40, 30, or 20 percent of the gap length 354.

While only certain features and embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described, many modifications and changes may occur to those skilled in the art (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters (e.g., temperatures, pressures, etc.), mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the disclosure.

Furthermore, in an effort to provide a concise description of the exemplary embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not have been described (i.e., those unrelated to the presently contemplated best mode of carrying out an embodiment, or those unrelated to enabling the claimed embodiments). It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation specific decisions may be made. Such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure, without undue experimentation.

The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to material objects and concrete examples of a practical nature that demonstrably improve the present technical field and, as such, are not abstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, if any claims appended to the end of this specification contain one or more elements designated as “means for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ” or “step for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ”, it is intended that such elements are to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112 (f). However, for any claims containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112 (f).

COIL GUARD FOR AN HVAC SYSTEM

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CPC

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Abstract

Description

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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Provisional Applications (1)