Condensation Collection Pan

Abstract

An improved condensate collection pan with a side exit has a bottom portion with one or more surfaces sloping downwardly towards a drain orifice, with one or more vertical walls around the periphery of the bottom portion, defining an open-top liquid-tight pan. The drain orifice in a wall is horizontally facing to receive a fitting for a horizontally-oriented drain pipe or elbow.

Description

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/965,862, filed on Oct. 14, 2022, by David L. Coker is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, including figures.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to condensation drip pans for air conditioning systems, refrigeration systems, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Air conditioning systems and refrigeration systems which utilize compressors and evaporators are know to create condensation from the atmosphere surrounding the evaporator coil. This condensation fluid runs downward towards earth and, if not properly drained away, can accumulate and cause system damage, growth of harmful biological organisms, and property damage. Nearly all air conditioning systems and refrigeration systems in production today provide either a condensation drain outlet (which is connected to an internal drip pan), or they are configured to be mounted over an external condensation drip pan.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed is an improved condensate collection pan in which a bottom portion has one or more surfaces sloping downwardly towards a drain orifice, with one or more vertical walls around the periphery of the bottom portion, defining an open-top liquid-tight pan. The drain orifice in a wall is horizontally facing to receive a fitting for a horizonally-oriented drain pipe or elbow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The figures presented herein, when considered in light of this description, form a complete disclosure of one or more embodiments of the invention, wherein like reference numbers in the figures represent similar or same elements or steps.

FIG. 1 depicts an example embodiment according to the related invention from a perspective viewpoint.

FIG. 2 shows an example embodiment according to the related invention from a cross sectional view point from the front.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example embodiment according to the related invention from a cross sectional view point from the left side.

FIG. 4 shows a top-down view point of an example embodiment according to the related invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example installation of an example embodiment according to the related invention.

FIG. 6 depicts an example embodiment according to the present invention from a perspective viewpoint.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example embodiment according to the present invention from a cross sectional view point from the left side.

FIG. 8 shows a top-down view point of an example embodiment according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE OR MORE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present inventor(s) have recognized that the current technologies for collecting and draining away condensate from air conditioners and refrigeration systems have several remaining problems, despite the great number of drip pan designs, including but not limited to:

• • a. many drip pans are flat-bottomed which, under the weight of accumulating fluid if the drain is slow or blocked, begins to sag and prevent further draining, leading to biological growth, rust, or overflow and property damage;
  • b. many drip pans have side-exiting drain fittings which, due to the thickness of the attachment hardware on the inside of the pan, prevent the pan from fully emptying, such that a shallow depth of collected fluid is always present in the pan, also leading to the aforementioned unresolved problems; and
  • c. many drip pans are shallow and cannot contain very much fluid when the drain becomes clogged or slow, leading to premature overflow from the pan and potential property damage, mold growth, etc.

Having realized these long-standing but unresolved problems in the art, the present inventors set about designing a new condensation drip pan that solves one or more of the foregoing needs and other needs, as will become apparent in the following paragraphs.

A Bottom Exit Improvement of the Related Patent Application.

Whereas the present invention is an improvement with regard to an invention disclosed and illustrated in the related patent application, we first will turn the one or more embodiments disclosed in the related patent application. Turning now to FIG. 1, an isometric view of an embodiment of the related invention is shown 100. This particular embodiment has a generally rectangular configuration, although other embodiments may have other configurations and shapes to properly mate with specific air conditioning systems or refrigeration systems. Specific dimensions for this example embodiment will be provided in the following paragraphs, and the reader will readily recognize that other dimensions and shapes are available in other embodiments within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

For reference, the following paragraphs will refer to top, bottom, front, back (or rear), right, vertical and horizontal with respect to the provided figures. It will be understood by the reader that these orientation references are merely for clear disclosure of the one or more example embodiments, and that other terms with similar relationships in the three dimensions of the device's configuration would not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1, the example embodiment of the related invention has a substantially horizontal bottom portion 106 with four side walls including a left wall 101, a rear wall 102, a right wall 103, and a front wall 104 formed essentially vertical in relationships to the bottom, thereby defining a generally open top 105 for receiving gravity-directed condensate fluid. The naming convention for this diagram assumes “front” as being the direction of the pan from which an installer or servicer will typically approach it for access, such as the exposed side of the pan when it is installed in a closet under an air conditioner or refrigeration unit.

In this example embodiment of the related invention, the bottom portion 106 is formed of four substantially planar panels 1061, 1062, 1063 and 1064, which cooperate to direct the collected fluid downwards towards a drain orifice 107 to which a drain line or drain pipe is to be connected. Around the side walls are preferably provided a plurality of mounting fittings 108 to receive mounting fasteners, such as mounting holes through the walls and/or barrels with passageways formed in them. Further, in this example embodiment, one or more fillets 109 in the corners and/or joints between panels to reinforce and strengthen the device, or to seal the device, or to both reinforce and seal the device. The fillets 109 may be provided by thickening of the materials of the adjacent components, such as thickening of plastic walls, as well as by added material such as depositing a bead of caulk, glue, or sealant into the corners as illustrated.

It is also contemplated that, in at least one embodiment, the drain orifice 107 is provided with a flat region surrounding the drain orifice to provide a water-tight seal with a gasket, if used, or a mounting nut for an installed drain pipe using conventional low pressure drain fittings and components. In at least one other embodiment, such as a molded plastic embodiment, a threaded collar may be provided to connect directly to a drain pipe without the need of additional rings or nuts.

It is contemplated that such an improved drip pan of the related invention can be made from any suitable water-proof material, including but not limited to plastics, metal and organic materials, using processes such as but not limited to molding, forming, machining, stamping or assembling and combinations thereof. It may be of a single piece of material, such as a single molded plastic pan, or it may be of several joined pieces, such as but not limited to glued, sonic welded, soldered, riveted, seamed, crimped, snapped or interlocked pieces and combinations thereof. The following details of an example embodiment contemplate a material thickness of about ¼ inch, such as molded of formed plastic. Other thicknesses for other materials are possible in other embodiments, of course, and the present invention is not limited to this particular example embodiment. Those ordinarily skilled in the arts will recognize that embodiments fabricated from metal must address the possibility of rust and corrosion, such as by using a non-rusting metal (e.g., aluminum) or by applying a rust-preventing coating or treatment to the metal (e.g., galvanization, anodization, paint, sealant, liner, etc.).

Turning now to FIG. 2, a cross-sectional view 200 taken from the front side of the device of the related invention is shown. From this perspective, it can be seen that the drain orifice 107 is essentially centered between the left wall 101 and the right wall 103, between which is formed a collection volume 201 for receiving the dripping condensate in the essentially open top 105 of the device. While the walls may form a right angle to the bottom portion 106 in some embodiments, the example embodiment provides for a slight taper from top to bottom of the walls to allow for nesting of uninstalled units into a stack for storing and shipping. This view shows the slope of the bottom panels 1062 and 1064 from the left and right side walls towards the drain, accomplishing a side-to-drain vertical drop D_s-d to direct the downward flow of the collected condensate into the drain.

In at least this example embodiment of the related invention, the drain orifice 107 is centered horizontally between the side walls 103 and 101. In at least one embodiment, the side-to-side width W_t-s-s (not designated on FIG. 2 but designated on FIG. 4) of the pan measured across the top edges of the right and left side walls 101 and 103 is 30 inches, placing the drain orifice a distance of W_d-s 15 inches from each of the left and right walls. With the taper shown in this embodiment, the distance W_b-s-s between the edges (periphery) of the bottom portion is a distance of 29 inches. The height of the sides Hside is 3.5 inches, and the vertical drop from the side to the drain D_s-d is 0.5 inches, making the entire height of the example device 4 inches, more or less.

Considering the drop of 0.5 inches over a horizontal run length of 14.5 inches, this example embodiment of the related invention provides a slope of about −3.4 degrees from level from the sides downwards to the drain. Also, in this example embodiment, the width of the drain orifice Wdrain is contemplated to be about 0.75 inches to receive drain pipe fittings that are already commonly used in air conditioning and refrigeration system installations. In this example, the mounting holes are approximately ⅛″ in diameter, placed about offsettop 0.5 inches from the top edge of the side walls, the corner mounting holes are placed about offsetcorner 1.0 inches from the corners, and the middle mounting holes are place approximately halfway (centered) between the side walls, when provided. Other dimensions are possible in other embodiments within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a cross-sectional view 300 from the left of the device of the related invention is shown 300, such that between front wall 104 and back wall 102 the collection volume 201 is defined into which dripping condensate is received via the essentially open top 105 of the device. From this perspective, it can be seen that the drain orifice 107 is asymetrically located closer to the front wall 104 than to the back wall 102 to provide improved access to the drain connection at the orifice 107 for the installer and the servicing technician.

In this particular example embodiment of the related invention, the center of the drain orifice 107 is positioned a distance L_t-f-d about 5.5 inches from the top edge of the front wall 104, and at a distance L_t-b-d from the top of the back wall 102 of about 19.5 inches, giving a total length L_t-f-b (not designated in FIG. 3 but designated in FIG. 4) from the top of the front wall 104 to top of the back wall 102 of about 25 inches, and a total length between the bottom corners of the front and back walls L_b-f-b of about 24 inches, more or less. In this example embodiment of the related invention, the heights H_side of the back wall 102 and the front wall 104 are about 3.5 inches, and the drop D_t-d from the front wall 104 to the drain orifice is 0.5 inches, and the drop D_b-d from the back wall 102 to the drain orifice is 0.5 inches. Similar to the configuration of FIG. 2, the front and back walls of the example embodiment of the related invention are tapered towards the bottom to provide for nesting and stacking of units. In this particular example, the back bottom panel 1061 descends from the bottom of the back wall 102 towards the drain orifice 107 at an angle of about 2.6 degrees (a drop of 0.5 inches over a run of about 19 inches), and the front bottom panel 1063 descends from the bottom of the front wall 104 towards the drain orifice 107 at an angle of about −10 degrees (drop of 0.5 inches over a run of about 5 inches).

FIG. 4 provides a top-down view 400 of the example embodiment of the related invention, including the designation of a total width side-to-side W_t-s-s between the tops of the left wall 101 and the right wall 103, and a total front-to-back length L_t-f-b between the tops of the front wall 104 and the back wall 102. The example embodiment of the related invention illustrates a L_t-f-b=25″ long by W_t-s-s=30″ wide unit. Other embodiments of the related invention for common air conditioners include 18″×22″ and 15″×22″, width by length. Other embodiment shapes of the related invention may include square, round, oval, and customized peripheral shapes, each providing similar vertical drops between the bottoms of the side walls to the drain orifice(s), with the drain orifice being located significantly closer to a front of the pan than to the back of the pan.

Simulations using Computer-aided Design (CAD) using the forgoing 25″×30″ dimensions with ¼″ thick plastic materials and illustrated mounting holes indicate that such a condensate collection pan could successfully hold the weight and volume of at least 7 gallons of condensed water without mechanical failure if the connect drain were to become completely clogged.

FIG. 5 illustrates 500 an example manner of using an improved drip pan as disclosed in the foregoing paragraphs. In this configuration, the improved pan 501 is installed in the same position relative to an evaporator coil using similar fastening means 503, such as plumbers tape and screws or wing nuts, with a typical PVC drain line 502, as conventional drain pan with one important difference: the drain fitting from the improved pan exits from the pan in a downward direction rather than exiting in a horizontal direction from a conventional pan. Due to this downward drain exiting configuration and the sloped approach to the drain fitting, the amount of water which remains in the pan (blocked from draining by the fitting hardware) is minimized or even eliminated. By eliminating or significantly reducing the amount of condensate fluid which stays in the pan, the aforementioned problems in the existing pan and drain designs are overcome or are greatly reduced in severity.

A Side Exit Improvement of the Present Invention. Having fabricated and tested a number of the foregoing embodiments, shapes and dimensions of the improved condensation collection pan, the present inventors realized a still unmet need in the art for a side-exit pan. Whereas the sloped-bottom, bottom-exit pan embodiments of the foregoing paragraphs and the related patent application was a significant improvement to the art and was well-received by manufacturers, distributors and installers of air conditioning systems, there remain some installation scenarios in which a bottom exit configuration is not desireable, such as scenarios in which sufficient vertical clearance below the pan for the drain pipe and an optional elbow does not exist.

Applicant therefore proceeded to develop an improved side exit drain pan using and extending from the acquired know-how of the embodiments of the related invention, for which one or more embodiments of the improved condensation collection pan of the present invention are disclosed in the following paragraphs.

Referring now to FIG. 6, an isometric view of an embodiment of the present invention is shown 600. This particular embodiment has a generally rectangular configuration, although other embodiments may have other configurations and shapes to properly mate with specific air conditioning systems or refrigeration systems. Specific dimensions for this example embodiment will be provided in the following paragraphs, and the reader will readily recognize that other dimensions and shapes are available in other embodiments within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

As previously referenced, the following paragraphs will continue to refer to top, bottom, front, back (or rear), right, vertical and horizontal with respect to the provided figures. It will be understood by the reader that these orientation references are merely for clear disclosure of the one or more example embodiments, and that other terms with similar relationships in the three dimensions of the device's configuration would not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 6, the example embodiment of the present invention has a substantially horizontal bottom portion 606 with four side walls including a left wall 601, a rear wall 602, a right wall 603, and a front wall 604 formed essentially vertical in relationships to the bottom, thereby defining a generally open top 105 for receiving gravity-directed condensate fluid. The naming convention for this diagram assumes “front” as being the direction of the pan from which an installer or servicer will typically approach it for access, such as the exposed side of the pan when it is installed in a closet under an air conditioner or refrigeration unit.

In this example embodiment of the present invention, the bottom portion 606 is formed of three substantially planar panels 6061, 6062, 6063 and 6064, which cooperate to direct the collected fluid downwards towards a spoutless drain orifice 607 to which a drain line or drain pipe is to be connected. While at least one embodiment does not require fasteners, and some embodiments may be fabricated of a plastic or metal sheet material that allows for self-drilling screws to be used for fastening, and while some other embodiments may allow for securing the improved condensate collection pan using plumber's tape, in at least one available embodiment a plurality of mounting fittings 608 to receive mounting fasteners, such as mounting holes through the walls and/or barrels with passageways formed in them, may be provided. Further, as in the previous example embodiments, one or more fillets may be provided in the corners and/or joints between panels to reinforce and strengthen the device, or to seal the device, or to both reinforce and seal the device. The fillets may be provided by thickening of the materials of the adjacent components, such as thickening of plastic walls, as well as by added material such as depositing a bead of caulk, glue, or sealant into the corners as illustrated.

It is also contemplated that, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, the drain orifice 607 is provided with a flat region surrounding the drain orifice to provide a water-tight seal with a gasket, if used, or a mounting nut for an installed drain pipe using conventional low pressure drain fittings and components. In at least one other embodiment, such as a molded plastic embodiment, a threaded collar may be provided to connect directly to a drain pipe without the need of additional rings or nuts.

It is contemplated that such an improved drip pan of the present invention can be made from any suitable water-proof material, including but not limited to plastics, metal and organic materials, using processes such as but not limited to molding, forming, machining, stamping or assembling and combinations thereof. It may be of a single piece of material, such as a single molded plastic pan, or it may be of several joined pieces, such as but not limited to glued, sonic welded, soldered, riveted, seamed, crimped, snapped or interlocked pieces and combinations thereof. The following details of an example embodiment contemplate a material thickness of about ¼ inch, such as molded of formed plastic. Other thicknesses for other materials are possible in other embodiments, of course, and the present invention is not limited to this particular example embodiment. Those ordinarily skilled in the arts will recognize that embodiments fabricated from metal must address the possibility of rust and corrosion, such as by using a non-rusting metal (e.g., aluminum) or by applying a rust-preventing coating or treatment to the metal (e.g., galvanization, anodization, paint, sealant, liner, etc.).

Referring now to FIG. 7, a cross-sectional view from the left of the device of the present invention is shown 700, such that between front wall 604 and back wall 602 the collection volume is defined into which dripping condensate is received via the essentially open top 105 of the device. From this perspective, it can be seen that the drain orifice 607 is located at the lowest point of the front wall 104, and according to at least one embodiment, entirely below the bottom edge of the back wall 602 to provide ample drop to encourage running of condensate liquid towards the drain orifice. For example, in one embodiment which is 31″ along the sides of the pan, and in which the side walls 601, 603 and back wall 602 are 2.5″ tall each (slightly sloped as in the related invention to promote stacking), the tallest point 704 on the front wall 604 is 3.5″, thereby providing a 1″ drop 701 from back to front. In this example embodiment, a drain orifice 607 of 1″ is provided for receiving a drain pipe, gaskets, seals, and retention nut.

FIG. 8 provides a top-down view 800 of the example embodiment of the present invention. One such embodiment of the present invention is 36″ wide (left to right) and 31″ deep (front to back). In this particular view, the downward direction of condensate fluid flow 801 is shown on each of the three essentially planar panels 6064, 6061, 6062 towards the drain orifice 607. While this example embodiment shows a distinct fold or crease line between the bottom panels 6064, 6061, 6062, other embodiments may achieve similar downward flow using a smoother or curved bottom portion.

Simulations using Computer-aided Design (CAD) using the forgoing 25″×30″ dimensions with ¼″ thick plastic materials and illustrated mounting holes indicate that such a condensate collection pan could successfully hold the weight and volume of at least 7 gallons of condensed water without mechanical failure if the connect drain were to become completely clogged.

The foregoing sloped-bottom spoutless improved design provides for improved stacking (nesting) functionality, whereas some flat-bottomed side-exit pans of the existing art include a spout that prevents them from being stacked efficiently. This enhanced and improved nesting function minimizes fabrication complexity and cost, improves shipping and storage costs, and thereby lowers the necessary cost to the installer or retain consumer.

Conclusion. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof, unless specifically stated otherwise.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Claims

1. A condensate collection pan comprising: a bottom portion having a periphery, having one or more surfaces all of which slope downwardly towards at least one drain orifice; andone or more essentially vertical walls disposed around the periphery of the bottom portion, wherein the disposition is liquid-tight, thereby defining an open-top condensate collection pan;wherein the drain orifice is formed in at least one wall and is horizontally facing and configured to receive a fitting for a horizontally oriented drain pipe or elbow, or to receive a drain pipe without a fitting, or to receive both a fitting and a drain pipe, and wherein the drain orifice is positioned at a lowest point in the at least one wall.

2. The condensate collection pan as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bottom portion comprises a first essentially planar portion descending from a rear side to the drain orifice, a second essentially planar portion descending from a left side to the drain orifice, and a third essentially planar portion descending from a front side to the drain orifice.

3. The condensate collection pan as set forth in claim 1 wherein the one or more essentially vertical walls are configured in a rectangular shape.

4. The condensate collection pan as set forth in claim 3 wherein the rectangular shape is approximately 36 inches side-to-side and 31 inches front-to-back.

5. The condensate collection pan as set forth in claim 1 wherein one or more of the one or more essentially vertical walls is configured in a curved shape.

6. The condensate collection pan as set forth in claim 1 wherein the downward slope of the bottom portion comprises at least a 0.5 inch vertical drop from a bottom edge of the one or more essentially vertical walls to the drain orifice.

7. The condensate collection pan as set forth in claim 6 wherein the vertical drop comprises at least 1 inch.

8. The condensate collection pan as set forth in claim 1 wherein the one or more essentially vertical walls form a slight taper from top to bottom, towards the bottom portion.

9. The condensate collection pan as set forth in claim 1 wherein dimensions and materials of the vertical walls bottom portion are configured to retain at least 7 gallons of condensate under conditions of the drain orifice being blocked.

10. The condensate collection pan as set forth in claim 9 further comprising one or more constraint points for holding the pan in place under an air conditioner or other refrigeration unit, wherein the one or more constraint mounts are configured to hold a weight of at least 7 gallons of condensate.

11. The condensate collection pan as set forth in claim 1 comprising molded plastic.

12. The condensate collection pan as set forth in claim 1 comprising formed plastic.

13. The condensate collection pan as set forth in claim 1 comprising sheet metal.

14. The condensate collection pan as set forth in claim 1 comprising one or more fillets in one or more corner junctions between one or more walls or between a wall and the bottom portion.

15. A method or manufacturing a condensate collection pan comprising the steps of: forming a bottom portion having a periphery, having one or more surfaces all of which slope downwardly towards at least one drain orifice; anddisposing one or more essentially vertical walls around the periphery of the bottom portion, wherein the disposition is liquid-tight, thereby defining an open-top condensate collection pan;wherein the drain orifice is formed in at least one wall and is horizontally facing and configured to receive a fitting for a horizontally oriented drain pipe or elbow, or to receive a drain pipe without a fitting, or to receive both a fitting and a drain pipe, and wherein the drain orifice is positioned at a lowest point in the at least one wall.

16. The method of manufacturing as set forth in claim 15 wherein the forming of the bottom portion comprises forming a first essentially planar portion descending from a rear side to the drain orifice, a second essentially planar portion descending from a left side to the drain orifice, and a third essentially planar portion descending from a front side to the drain orifice.

17. The method of manufacturing as set forth in claim 15 wherein the one or more essentially vertical walls are formed in a rectangular shape.

18. The method of manufacturing as set forth in claim 17 wherein the rectangular shape is approximately 36 inches side-to-side and 31 inches front-to-back.

19. The method of manufacturing as set forth in claim 15 wherein one or more of the one or more essentially vertical walls is formed in a curved shape.

20. The condensate collection pan as set forth in claim 1 wherein the downward slope of the bottom portion comprises at least a 0.5 inch vertical drop from a bottom edge of the one or more essentially vertical walls to the drain orifice.