Refrigeration – With separator-clarifier for cooled fluid or ice-melt
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-30
2001-11-20
Doerrler, William C. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
With separator-clarifier for cooled fluid or ice-melt
C062S244000, C062S298000, C062S419000, C062S426000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318109
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to an improved evaporator unit for use in a confined space, such as the passenger compartment of a small bus wherein the unit can be damaged accidentally or maliciously by individuals occupying the confined space.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/393,562, there is disclosed a ceiling mounted evaporator cabinet that is ideally suited for use in the passenger compartment of a small bus. The housing contains an air inlet located in the floor of the cabinet through which return air from the compartment is drawn into the housing by a tangential blower wheel. The wheel is mounted directly over the air inlet opening and is arranged to direct the incoming air flow over an evaporator coil to condition the air. The conditioned air is then directed out of the front wall of the cabinet back into the passenger compartment.
Because the passenger compartment of a small mini-bus is relatively confined, the passengers can have ready access to the evaporator cabinet and, in particular, to the floor mounted air inlet grill. Foreign objects can be inserted upwardly through the grill into the blower wheel causing damage to the unit and potentially to the person inserting the foreign object into the blower. Most inlet grill to evaporator units are also easily removable so that an air filter, which is typically mounted between the inlet grill, can be periodically replaced when it has become contaminated with dust and dirt. Here again, an easily removable grill can be accidentally or maliciously displaced exposing the blower wheel and other internal components of the housing to potential damage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve evaporator housings and, in particular, evaporator housings mounted upon the ceiling of the passenger compartment of a small bus.
It is a further object of the present invention to prevent an evaporator cabinet that is mounted in a confined space such as the passenger compartment of a small bus from being accidentally or maliciously damaged by one or more of the occupants.
A still further object of the present invention is to prevent easy access to the interior of an evaporator cabinet.
Another object of the present invention is to restrict access to the interior of an evaporator cabinet through a floor mounted air inlet grill.
Still another object of the present invention is to allow insertion and removal of an air filter over the air inlet grill of a low profile evaporator cabinet without having to detach the grill from the cabinet.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained in a low profile evaporator unit of the type generally mounted on the ceiling of the passenger compartment of a small bus. The unit is contained in a cabinet that houses an evaporator coil and has a floor containing an air inlet opening. A transverse blower wheel is mounted in the cabinet over the air inlet opening for drawing compartment air into the cabinet and directing the air over the evaporator coil to condition the air. The conditioned air is then returned to the passenger compartment through an outlet duct generally located in a front or side wall of the cabinet. A non-removable air inlet grill is mounted in the air inlet opening of the cabinet which denies ready access to the interior of the cabinet. The cabinet contains a small access opening through which an air filter can be passed into or out of a receiving tray located over the grill. The grill is arranged to form the floor of the receiving tray and contains elongated narrow slits which prevents small objects from passing upwardly through the grill into the blower region.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4607497 (1986-08-01), Ferdows et al.
patent: 4888959 (1989-12-01), Brown
patent: 4898003 (1990-02-01), Ichikawa et al.
patent: 4926655 (1990-05-01), King
patent: 4958504 (1990-09-01), Ichikawa et al.
patent: 5579649 (1996-12-01), Kim
patent: 5588305 (1996-12-01), Sim
patent: 5860288 (1999-01-01), Morimoto et al.
patent: 6105383 (2000-08-01), Reimann et al.
Reimann Robert C.
Sloat David
Carrier Corporation
Doerrler William C.
Shulman Mark S.
Wall Marjama & Bilinski
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