AU779989B2 - Door for furnace cabinet - Google Patents

Description

tJ. P/00/011 28/5/91 Regulation 32(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: DOOR FOR FURNACE CABINET The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us p.

2 DOOR FOR FURNACE

CABINET

This invention relates to the field of furnaces, and in particular, to a door for a furnace cabinet that permits side and front access to internal furnace components.

The design of hot air furnaces has changed over the years. One type of furnace is designed as a multipoise furnace, that is, a furnace that can be installed in any orientation depending on whether a downdraft or updraft furnace is desired, or even on its side if required by space constraints. Accessing internal furnace components for maintenance and service can be a problem. Traditionally, all furnaces in the residential market in the United States are 28" deep with the front access door being about 3/4" or less deep.

There has been a trend in the market over the last several years to reduce the total furnace cabinet height from 40" or more to the 34" range in order to improve installation flexibility and reduce costs. Unfortunately, serviceability and accessibility to components within the furnace is degraded as the cabinet becomes smaller.

Briefly stated, a door for a furnace cabinet has three main sides instead of only a front side. The right and left sides of the door are shaped so that access is provided to internal furnace components when the door is removed. Cutouts/knockouts in the right and left sides permit entry of a power cable and gas pipe from either side. A partial cutout/knockout in one side, along with a corresponding partial cutout/knockout in the cabinet, permits entry of a vent pipe when the partial cutouts/knockouts are removed. The right and left sides are sufficiently deep so that when the door is S" 30 removed from the furnace cabinet, internal components of the furnace are easily accessible for maintenance or repair.

SoAccording to one aspect the present invention provides, a furnace cabinet door including a front portion and right and left side portions connected to the front portion, wherein the right and left side portions are sized so that access to internal furnace components is gained from both front and *sides of the cabinet when the door is removed from the cabinet.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a furnace cabinet with a 40 doo according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a furnace cabinet with a door according to an embodiment of the present invention Fig. 3 shbws a perspective view of a door to a furnace cabinet according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig 4 shows a perspective view of the furnace cabinet and internal furnace components with the door of Fig. 3 removed.

The present invention is described herein relating to a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

Throughout the course of discussion, such terms as "front", "back", "side", "lateral", "top", "horizontal", "vertical" and "bottom" are used. These terms are meant to serve as a frame of reference for the accompanying drawings, and are not intended to be limiting with respect to the invention, except as indicated. Referring to Figs. 1- 2, a furnace cabinet door 10 fits onto a furnace cabinet 15. Furnace cabinet 15 is optionally of the multipoise type, capable of being installed in more than one direction. A plurality of vent holes 20 in a front portion 18 of door 10 permit normal air circulation within cabinet 15. Door 10 includes right and left side portions 22, 23 that are preferably one-piece with front portion 18.

Front edges 32, 33 of right and left side portions 22, 23 are substantially parallel to rear edges 42, 43 of right and left side portions 22, 23. All the edges of right side portion 22 form a trapezoid, as do all the edges of left side portion 23. The shape of the edges can be wedge shaped, curved, or rectangular, so long as removing door 10 permits access to internal furnace components from the side as well as from the front.

Each side portion 22, 23 preferably includes at least one cutout therein, such as gas cutouts 46, 47 and power cable cutouts 48, 49. Right side portion 22 preferably includes a partially cut 25 section 50 that, together with a partially cut section 51 of cabinet S* 15, describes a circular partially cut section which is removable to permit entry of a vent pipe. The term "cutout" as used in the specification and claims refers to a cutout, knockout, and/or plug as those terms are known to those skilled in the art.

A distance between front and rear edges 32, 42 of right side portion 22 is within a range of 3-6 inches, preferably about 4 inches, as is a distance between front and rear edges 33, 43 of left side portion 23. By incorporating right and left side portions 22, 23 with front portion 18 permits greater accessability to internal components within cabinet 15 when door 10 is removed. This enhanced :..accessability greatly aids a servicer when furnace repairs or °o maintenance are required.

gReferring to Figs. 3-4, door 10 is shown with rectangular right and left side portions 22, 23. The distance between front edge 32 and rear edge 42 is sufficient to permit access to internal furnace components when door 10 is removed as shown in Fig. 4. When used with a multipoise furnace, additional partially cut portions 52 and 53 allow door 10 to accommodate vent 54 (Fig. 4) oriented in a plurality of different directions.

Claims (1)

16. A door substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 17th day of December 2004 CARRIER CORPORATION WATERMARK PATENT TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 AUSTRALIA P20326AUOO SKP/AJS/DMP