Patent Application
20240183570
The present subject matter relates generally to window air conditioners.
Window air conditioning units (WAC) are generally secured at windows with fasteners, such as screws or bolts. A curtain may generally extend and fix in place by a fastener. Such structures may keep conditioned air in the room. However, fixed curtains keep light out and prevent outside air ventilation when the WAC is not in use but still installed into the window. An improved window air conditioning unit and curtain assembly allowing for ventilation and light is desired in the art.
Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to an air conditioner assembly for installation at a window assembly. The window assembly includes a window frame moveable along a first axis and a windowsill extending along a second axis. The air conditioner assembly includes an air conditioning unit fixable to the window assembly. The air conditioning unit includes a housing having a sidewall. The housing includes a conditioned air exhaust opening, a room air intake opening, and a control panel. A curtain assembly includes a curtain frame having a first member extending along the first axis and a second member extending along the second axis. The curtain frame houses a panel moveable along the second axis between the sidewall of the air conditioning unit and the second member of the curtain frame. The panel includes a magnet coupled to the panel proximate to the sidewall of the air conditioning unit.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
As used herein, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to signify location or importance of the individual components. The terms “includes” and “including” are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” Similarly, the term “or” is generally intended to be inclusive (i.e., “A or B” is intended to mean “A or B or both”). In addition, here and throughout the specification and claims, range limitations may be combined or interchanged. Such ranges are identified and include all the sub-ranges contained therein unless context or language indicates otherwise. For example, all ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the endpoints, and the endpoints are independently combinable with each other. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification and claims, may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms, such as “generally,” “about,” “approximately,” and “substantially,” are not to be limited to the precise value specified. In at least some instances, the approximating language may correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring the value, or the precision of the methods or machines for constructing or manufacturing the components or systems. For example, the approximating language may refer to being within a 10 percent margin (i.e., including values within ten percent greater or less than the stated value). In this regard, for example, when used in the context of an angle or direction, such terms include within ten degrees greater or less than the stated angle or direction (e.g., “generally vertical” includes forming an angle of up to ten degrees in any direction, such as, clockwise or counterclockwise, with the vertical direction V).
The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” In addition, references to “an embodiment” or “one embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may. Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “an embodiment” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. Moreover, each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Embodiments of an improved window air conditioning unit and curtain assembly allowing for ventilation and light are provided. Embodiments provided herein include a curtain assembly providing a seal between to mitigate fluid flow between an interior at which conditioned air is provided and an exterior or outside. The curtain assembly may include an accordion-type curtain including one or more magnets positionable to contact and seal the curtain to the air conditioning unit. Other fasteners connecting the curtain to the air conditioning unit may include buttons, zippers, or other quick-connect/quick disconnect devices.
Embodiments provided herein may provide a window air conditioning unit and curtain assembly in which fresh outside air and light may be selectively provided without necessitating removal of the air conditioning unit from the window, or opening or adjustment of the window after installing the air conditioning unit, or saddle n-shaped air conditioning units. Embodiments provided herein may allow for increased ventilation and light in contrast to ventilation hole openings in an air duct, such as to allow for a relatively larger cross sectional area of air or light by selectively closing and opening the curtain assembly. Embodiments provided herein may furthermore provide lower cost, decreased weight, or decreased complexity systems over known WAC configurations.
Referring now to the drawings,
The air conditioner assembly 100 includes an air conditioning unit 110 selectively fixable to the window assembly 10. The air conditioning unit 110 includes any appropriate type of air conditioner apparatus, such as a window-mounted unit. The air conditioning unit 110 includes a housing 112 having a sidewall 114. When installed into the window assembly 10, the air conditioning unit 110 may rest, at least in part, on the windowsill 16.
In various embodiments, the housing 112 forms a conditioned air exhaust opening 118 through which cooled air is provided to the interior side 18 from the air conditioning unit 110. The housing 112 may form a room air intake opening 116 configured to draw air from the room into the air conditioning unit 110. The drawn air is cooled, such as via a heat exchanger (not depicted), and exhausted into the room as cooled air through the air exhaust opening 118. Various embodiments of the air conditioning unit 110 may include opening 116, 118 positioned through sidewall 114 and/or an interior face or upper face of the housing 112.
In still various embodiments, the air conditioning unit 110 includes a control panel 120 having a user interface at which a temperature, air flowrate, timer, or operating mode may be selected. Various embodiments of the air conditioning unit 110 may include control panel 120 positioned at sidewall 114, an interior face, or an upper face of the housing 112. The operating mode may include a fan mode in which conditioned or unconditioned air is blown from the air exhaust opening 118. The operating mode may additionally, or alternatively, include a temperature setting mode in which conditioned air of a desired temperature is provided from the air exhaust opening 118. It should be appreciated that any one or more operating modes based on air temperature, ambient temperature, time, duration, airflow rate, etc. may be included and controlled by the control panel 120.
Referring to
The second member 136 may extend along the third axis 13 along the interior side 18, such as to form a wall or barrier. The second member 136 may additionally form a seal along the second axis 12 between the window assembly 10 and curtain assembly 130.
The air conditioner assembly 100 may include a wall 122 coupled to the air conditioning unit 110. The wall 122 may be configured substantially similarly as the second member 136 of the curtain assembly 130, such as to form a seal along the second axis 12 between the window assembly 10 and the air conditioning unit 110. The wall 122 may form a fastener opening 123 extending therethrough. The fastener opening 123 is configured to receive a fastener therethrough, such as to affix the air conditioning unit 110 to the window assembly 10.
The curtain frame 132 may include a fastener opening 124 formed through the second member 136. The fastener opening 124 is configured to receive a fastener therethrough, such as to affix or mount the curtain frame 132 to the window assembly 10. In certain embodiments, a tab 126 is extending from the curtain assembly 130 to the windowsill 16. The tab 126 connects or affixes the curtain frame 132 to the windowsill 16. The tab 126 may form a fastener opening 128 therethrough to affix to the curtain assembly 130 to the windowsill 16.
The curtain frame 132 houses or contains a panel 140 that is moveable along the second axis 12 between the sidewall 114 of the air conditioning unit 110 and the second member 136 of the curtain frame 132. The panel 140 may be fixed to the first member 134 of the curtain frame 132. In a particular embodiment, a distal end 101 of the panel 140, such as relative to the sidewall 114, is fixed to the first member 134 of the curtain frame 132. In a particular embodiment, the tab 126 connects the panel 140 to the windowsill 16. In a still particular embodiment, a distal end 101 of the panel 140, relative to the sidewall 114 of the air conditioning unit 110, is connected to the windowsill 16. A proximate end 102 of the panel 140, relative to the sidewall 114, is moveable along the second axis 12.
The panel 140 includes a magnetic fastener, such as a magnet 142, coupled to the panel 140. The magnet 142 is positioned proximate along the second axis 12 to the sidewall 114 of the air conditioning unit 110. In other embodiments, a zipper, button, or other quick-connect/quick disconnect device may be positioned at the magnet and configured to interface with the sidewall 114 of the air conditioning unit 110.
The sidewall 114 is formed of a magnetic metallic material, such as a ferromagnetic material. The ferromagnetic material may include iron, steel, nickel, cobalt, or allows thereof, of combinations thereof, or other appropriate materials configured to attract the magnet 142. The magnet 142 may particularly include a permanent magnet including any one or more materials that is magnetized or otherwise configured to generate a persistent magnetic field. The magnet 142 may particularly include any appropriate ferromagnetic material, such as provided above.
In certain embodiments, the panel 140 is an accordion panel forming a collapsible wall between the interior side 18 and the exterior side 20. In various embodiments, such as depicted in further detail in
In various embodiments, the seal 144 is extending along the first axis 11 between a pair of second members 136 of the curtain frame 132. In a particular embodiment, the seal 144 is extending along the third axis 13 greater than the panel 140 extending along the third axis 13. The seal 144 may form any appropriate mechanism for inhibiting fluid communication between the interior side 18 and the exterior side 20 when the panel 140 is in a closed position (such as depicted in
In still various embodiments, the magnet 142 is affixed to the seal 144. The magnet 142 is positioned between the seal 144 and the sidewall 114 of the air conditioning unit 110. The magnet 142 extends along the first axis 11 between the pair of second members 136 of the curtain frame 132.
In certain embodiments, the magnet 142 includes a plurality of magnets 142 in adjacent arrangement along the first axis 11. In a particular embodiment, the magnet 142, or plurality of magnets, may extend substantially entirely between the pair of second members 136 of the curtain frame 132.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2021/135056 | 12/2/2021 | WO |
