Supports: cabinet structure – With heating – cooling or heat exchange means
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-16
2002-12-24
Wilkens, Janet M. (Department: 3637)
Supports: cabinet structure
With heating, cooling or heat exchange means
C312S265500, C062S262000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06497463
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an air conditioning unit and, in particular, to a removable front cover for an air conditioning unit.
This invention more specifically related to a removable front cover for a package terminal air conditioning (PTAC) unit. Typically, this type of unit is housed within a rectangular shaped sleeve that is mounted within an outside wall of a building containing the room or comfort area being serviced by the air conditioning unit. The unit is generally separated into an outdoor section and an indoor section by a dividing wall. Each section contains a heat exchanger and a fan for moving air over the heat exchanger. The outdoor fan and a heat exchanger are housed within the sleeve and the indoor fan and heat exchanger are housed within a front cover that closes against the sleeve.
The front covers heretofore generally employed by PTAC units have been joined to the unit by threaded fasteners or snap-in fasteners. Threaded fasteners tend to get easily lost and are seldom replaced once they are lost. Snap-in fasteners, on the other hand, are generally weak and thus easily broken. Missing or broken fasteners cause the cover to become misaligned on the unit and allow unwanted access to the interior of the unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve air conditioning units and, in particular, packaged terminal air conditioner units.
It is a further object of the present invention to improve front covers used on packaged terminal air conditioner units.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a front cover for an air conditioning unit that does not require threaded fasteners or snap-in fasteners to provide for secure closure of the cover.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a front cover for an air conditioning unit that can be easily installed upon the unit and securely latched in a closed position.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained by apparatus for removably securing the front cover of an air conditioning unit in a tightly closed condition. The cover includes a top wall and a bottom wall that are separated by a given distance as measured over the rear opening of the cover. The top wall of the cover is equipped with a series of hangers located along its outer edge for rotatably mounting the cover upon a support member that is part of the dividing wall that separates the indoor and outdoor sections of the unit. The bottom wall of the cover is arranged to close snugly over a rib mounted upon the base pan of the unit. Magnetic stops are used to latch the cover against the base pan when the cover is brought to a closed position.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3663990 (1972-05-01), Shane
patent: 3766749 (1973-10-01), Livesay
patent: 4555983 (1985-12-01), Bolton et al.
patent: 4607500 (1986-08-01), Bolton et al.
patent: 5193355 (1993-03-01), Matsumi
patent: 5203400 (1993-04-01), Tsunekawa et al.
patent: 5315842 (1994-05-01), Bolton et al.
patent: 5621387 (1997-04-01), Phillips et al.
patent: 6394563 (2002-05-01), Sugamura
Carrier Corporation
Wall Marjama & Bilinski LLP
Wilkens Janet M.
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