Refrigeration – With means preventing or handling atmospheric condensate... – Retainer or flow director for atmospheric condensate
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-09
2001-09-18
Doerrler, William (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
With means preventing or handling atmospheric condensate...
Retainer or flow director for atmospheric condensate
C062S288000, C062S298000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289688
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a room air conditioner and is more specifically directed to the configuration of a one-piece plastic condensate drain insert for the basepan of such an air conditioner.
BACKGROUND ART
Warm air is frequently hurnid, i.e. it contains entrained water vapor. During operation of an air conditioning system in a cooling mode, the evaporator reduces the temperature of the air passing though it to a temperature below the dew point. In that condition, water vapor condenses on the evaporator. Means are provided to collect the condensed water and to direct it to the outdoor section of the air conditioner where at least a portion thereof is quite often directed upon the system′s condenser heat exchanger to improve the operating efficiency of the system. Excess condensate, and rain water that may pass into the outdoor unit through openings in the housing of the air conditioning unit, collect in the basepan and it is common practice to provide a drain outlet for conducting such excess to an appropriate disposal location. In small room air conditioners, quite often the basepan of the unit is made from a molded plastic material and a condensate drain may be readily molded into the plastic basepan.
In units having metal basepans the rear of the basepan may be configured to provide an open channel for disposal of condensate. Such arrangements, however, do not facilitate the attachment of a drain hose or the like to collect and direct the condensate to a desired location rather, they just allow dripping of the condensate through the channel from which it falls, under the influence of gravity, to the ground or whatever happens to lie under the unit.
In larger air conditioners having metal basepans, an optional drain opening is sometimes provided in the bottom of the basepan. A separate component is provided which may be assembled to the basepan upon punching out the opening, which will allow drainage of the condensate therethrough and which will provide a fitting on the lower side of the basepan for installation of a drain hose or the like. Such components are usually shipped separately and must be installed by the end user during installation or following installation in order to avoid damage to the drain fitting extending below the basepan. It being understood that, during installation, the lower part of the basepan quite often is slid horizontally across the support surface for the air conditioner, whether it be a window or a rectangular opening in a wall of the room to be cooled.
It is accordingly desirable to have a simple condensate drain arrangement for an air conditioner having a metal basepan, which will facilitate drainage of the excess condensate from the rear thereof and facilitate attachment of a disposal hose thereto for direction of the condensate to a desired collection location.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
A condensate drain outlet for a room conditioner of the type which includes a sheet metal basepan having a horizontally extending bottom wall and a rear wall joined to and extending upwardly from the bottom wall in a perpendicular relationship. The rear wall has a substantially U-shaped opening formed therein. A one-piece molded plastic condensate drain insert for insertion into the U-shaped opening includes a mounting plate having a size configured to overly the U-shaped opening in the rear wall and having an opening extending therethrough. A tubular section, having an axial opening extending therethrough, extends from one side of the mounting plate. A U-shaped section extends a distance greater than the thickness of the rear wall from the other side of the mounting plate. The U-shaped section has an open back, and an inner surface which is in fluid communication with the opening in the plate and the opening in the tubular section. The U-shaped section includes an outer surface which is configured to be received in a close tolerance fit with the U-shaped opening in the rear wall. The U-shaped section also includes a peripheral U-shaped retaining flange extending outwardly from the outer surface. The flange has a retaining surface formed thereon, which is spaced from the other side of the mounting plate by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the rear wall. Accordingly, installation of the drain insert is accomplished by inserting the U-shaped section into the U-shaped opening in the rear wall with the mounting plate in confronting relation and overlying the U-shaped opening. At the same time, the retaining surface of the retaining flange engages the other side of the rear wall.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5284027 (1994-02-01), Martin, Sr.
patent: 5437164 (1995-08-01), Consiglio
patent: 5511386 (1996-04-01), Russ
patent: 5697227 (1997-12-01), Bruce et al.
patent: 5987909 (1999-11-01), Martin, Sr.
patent: 2275330 (1994-08-01), None
patent: 2280495 (1995-02-01), None
patent: 61122429 (1986-06-01), None
Barros Daniel Alessandro Oliveira de
da Luz Moraes Luciano
Carrier Corporation
Doerrler William
Shulman Mark
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