EP1910761A1

EP1910761A1 - Grill and filter assembly for an evaporator unit

Info

Publication number: EP1910761A1
Application number: EP05764582A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luciano Da Luz Moraes; Volmir Sortica Packeiser
Original assignee: Carrier Corp
Current assignee: Carrier Corp
Priority date: 2005-07-29
Filing date: 2005-07-29
Publication date: 2008-04-16
Also published as: KR20080015944A; EP1910761A4; KR100954047B1; CN101268317B; WO2007012159A1; BRPI0520444A2; CN101268317A

Abstract

An evaporator unit having a front cover with a grill therein includes a pair of slots formed in the grill structure for removably receiving a pair of filter elements therein. The filters are inserted into an opening in the upper edge of the grill structure, with one being adjacent to the grill and the other being downstream thereof. The one filter extends the entire length of the grill, while the other filter extends over only a portion of the air inlet opening. Provision is made to secure the one filter to the grill structure with a portion of the grill acting to cover the fasteners that connect the grill structure to the housing. The other filter is comprised of two sections interconnected by a flexible connector such that the two sections can be folded together for storage.

Description

"Grill and Filter Assembly for an Evaporator Unit"

Technical Field

This invention relates generally to evaporator units for air conditioning systems and, more particularly, to a front grill assembly for removably receiving filter elements therein.

Background Art

In many commercial air conditioning, heating and ventilating systems, conditioned air is discharged into an internal space through an air distribution or conditioning unit. For example, one general type of air conditioning system, often referred to as a split system, includes separate indoor and outdoor units. The outdoor unit includes a compressor, a heat exchanger and a fan. The indoor unit includes a heat exchanger and a fan and is referred to as an evaporator unit. In operation, the indoor fan draws air into the evaporator unit, through an inlet thereof, and forces the air over the heat exchanger and then out of the evaporator unit, through an outlet opening therein.

The outdoor fan draws outdoor air into the outdoor unit, and circulates it over the outdoor heat exchanger and then back out to ambient. At the same time, a compressor causes a refrigeration fluid to circulate through and between the indoor/outdoor heat exchangers. At the indoor heat exchanger, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the air passing over that heat exchanger to cool the air. At the same time, at the outdoor heat exchanger, the air passing over the heat exchanger absorbs heat from the refrigerant passing therethrough. Split type air conditioning units of this type are typically manufactured in a wide range of cooling capacities. In manufacturing such units, particularly as the units become larger, the fabrication and assembly of the various components becomes onerous and cumbersome. Typically, the larger the unit the more components are required and the more fasteners are required in order to assemble all of the components. It is considered extremely desirable to minimize the number of components and fasteners required in the fabrication and assembly process.

The housing for a evaporator unit normally includes a front cover with a grill covering the inlet opening and it is also generally desirable to provide some type of particulate filter on a downstream side of the grill. Because of the need to periodically remove the filter for purposes of cleaning or replacement, it is necessary to include features which will allow the easy removal and replacement of the filter.

It may also be desirable to provide other types of filters, such as a chemically active filter which will react with the incoming flow of air to remove certain undesirable chemicals from the airflow. Again, such a filter is preferable installed in such a way as to allow for easy removal and replacement.

Disclosure of the Invention

An evaporator unit for an air conditioning system includes a housing having a back panel and a front section with an air inlet and an air outlet. The housing includes an evaporator fan and evaporator coil, and the fan causes the air to flow into the inlet, through the evaporator coil to be conditioned, and then out of the outlet. The grill structure has an opening in its top edge, with the opening leading to two slots in each side of the grill structure. The slots closest to the grill extend the length of the grill and are adapted to cooperatively receive the opposite edge of a standard filter therein. The more downstream slots extend over only a portion of the length of the grill and are adapted to removably receive the respective edges of the special filter therein. The standard filter has a pair of hooks at its top edge for registering with openings in the top edge of the grill to lock it into place. The top edge of the standard filter also extends upwardly a sufficient distance so as to cover the fasteners that secure the grill upper edge to the unit.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the evaporator unit, with a portion being broken away, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a partial perspective view thereof as seen from below.

Fig. 3 is a partial front view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a partial front view thereof with the filter being removed from its installed position.

Fig. 4A is a top view of the filter as seen along lines 4a-4a of Fig. 4. Fig. 5 is a sectional view thereof as seen along lines 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view as seen in Fig. 5, but with the primary filter being removed and the secondary filter being installed.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view as seen in Fig. 5 but with the secondary filter installed. Fig. 8 is a sectional view as seen in Fig. 5 with both the primary and secondary filters being removed. Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional views as seen in Fig. 5, with the primary filter fully installed and partially removed, respectively.

Detailed Description of the Invention The present invention is shown generally at 10 in Fig. 1 as applied to an evaporator unit 11 which is shown as installed in a generally vertical orientation with its rear side 12 being installed against a wall 13 and its bottom side 14 being installed adjacent to the floor 16. Although the unit is also designed to be alternatively installed in a generally horizontal position with its back side 12 resting against the ceiling and its bottom side 14 resting against the side wall 13, it will be described in the context of the vertical orientation as shown. Thus, in addition to the back side 12 and the bottom side 14, the evaporator unit 11 has a front side 17, a top side 18, a left side 19, and a right side 21.

On the front side 17 of the evaporator unit 11 there is provided a front panel 22 behind which is an evaporator compartment that contains an evaporator coil 15. Below the front panel 22 is a grill structure 23, behind which is an air intake opening which clearly communicates with a blower 20 which draws air inwardly through the grill structure 23 and over the evaporator coil to be cooled. The cooled air is then discharged from a discharge opening 24 in the top side 18.

As will be seen in Fig. 1, the grill structure 23 comprises three side- by-side grill sections 26, 27 and 28, as shown. These sections are substantially identical with the grill section 26 being shown in greater detail in Figs. 2 and 3 hereof.

The grill section 26 comprises a front panel 29, top panel 31, a bottom panel 32, and side panels 33 and 34 as shown in Fig. 2. The front panel 29 comprises a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending, members 36 which allow for the incoming air to pass inwardly therethrough. To filter the incoming air, one or more filters are placed directly behind the front panel 29 in a structure and manner to be described hereinafter.

The top panel 31 is rearwardly spaced from the front panel 29 and may extend between the side panels 33 and 34. The top panel 31 has a pair of indentions 30 and 35 formed therein to interfit with the filter element as will be described hereinafter. Between the top panel 31 and the front panel 28 is an opening 37 which allows for the insertion of one or more filters placed in series behind the front panel 29 as will be more folly described hereinafter.

Both the top panel 31 and the bottom panel 32 provide for securing the grill section 26 to the evaporator unit by way of fasteners. In the top panel 31 there are fasteners 38, 39 and 41 which extend substantially normally through the top panel 31 and into the structure of the evaporator unit. It is one feature of the present invention that when the primary filter 42 has been installed into the grill section 26 as shown in Fig. 3, its upper portion 43 obstructs the view of the fasteners 38, 39 and 41. The fastener 44, and a similar fastener at the other end of the grill section but not seen in Fig. 2, is obliquely installed into the evaporator unit with its presence being hidden in a front view of the unit as shown in Fig. 3. The bottom panel 32 includes a pair of flanges 44 and 46 which engage with similar shaped openings in the housing. Thus, to install the grill section 26 the flanges 44 and 46 are first installed in their appropriate slots, and the grill section is then rotated upwardly into place with the fasteners 38, 39 and 41 and 44 being installed. A pair of fasteners 47 and 48 and also installed in the bottom panel 32 as shown.

As discussed hereinabove, Fig. 2 shows the grill section 26 with the primary filter removed, and Fig. 3 shows the grill section 26 with the primary filter 42 installed behind the front panel 29. The primary filter itself 42 is shown in Figs. 4 and 4A as removed from its installed position. As will be seen, it comprises, in addition to the upper portion 43, a lower portion 49 a lightweight framework 51 with individual filter panels 52. As discussed hereinabove, the primary filter 42 with its filter panels 52 are installed behind the front panel 29 and functions to filter out any undesirable particles, such as dust and the like, from the air flowing into the unit. The primary filter 42 is composed of materials which are durable and relatively long lasting, such that the filter, when removed, can be easily cleaned and reinstalled.

As will be seen in Fig. 4A, the primary filter 42 has attached to and extending from a rear surface of the upper portion 43 a pair of lugs 40 and 45 which, when the filter 42 is placed in an installed position, fit into the respective indentions 30 and 35 to hold the filter 42 in its installed position. To remove the filter 42, one simply needs to pull the upper portion 43 forwardly to disengage the lugs 40 and 45 from the indentions and remove the filter. Referring now to Figs. 5-10, the grill section 26 is shown in various filter installation stages, with the views being taken in section as seen along lines 5-5 of Fig. 3. In Figs. 6 and 8, the primary filter has been removed, and in Fig. 10, the primary filter is shown in a partially installed/removed condition. As will be seen, the opening 37 allows for the filter lower end a primary filter slot 54 that extends downwardly behind the front panel 29. In Figs. 5, 7 and 9, the primary filter 42 is in its installed position within the primary filter slot 54.

In addition to the primary filter 42, which is principally a particle filter, provision is made for installing a secondary filter that is designed to filter out other undesirable constituents such as chemicals and the like. For that purpose, there is a secondary filter slot 56 as shown in Figs. 5, 8, 9 and 10. The secondary filter 57, which is shown in its installed position in Figs. 6 and 7, can easily be placed in their slot 56 by way of the opening 37. The secondary filter 57 is comprised of a pair of filter elements 58 and 59 that are connected by way of a flexible connector 61 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. This allows such a secondary filter 57 to be folded at the flexible connector 61 such that one filter element 58 is folded onto the other filter element 59 for easy storage.

It should also be recognized that the secondary filter slot 56 and its associated secondary filter 57 does not extend entirely, but only partially, the length of the front panel 29 as shown. The reason is that, unlike the primary filter 42, which is designed to filter out substantially all of the incoming particles, the secondary filter 57 is designed to act on only a portion of the inflow of air. That is, in the case of a chemical filter, it is not necessary to filter out all of the undesirable chemicals in a first pass but rather to remove only the chemicals in the air passing through the secondary filter, with the undesirable chemicals then being gradually reduced as they continue to be recycled through the system.

Claims

1. An air conditioning evaporator unit of the type having a housing with an air inlet opening and an air discharge opening comprising: an evaporator coil adapted to have refrigerant flow therethrough as part of a closed circuit refrigeration system; a blower compartment disposed within said housing and having at least one blower therein for drawing air to be conditioned into said inlet opening, over said evaporator coil to be conditioned and out the air discharge opening; a grill disposed adjacent the air inlet opening and being secured to said housing, said grill having a front panel which extends over said inlet opening but allows air to flow through said front panel and into the air inlet opening; wherein said grill includes a first slot for slideably receiving a first filter therein and a second slot for receiving a second filter therein.

2. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first filter is adjacent said front panel.

3. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 2 wherein said second filter is in a downstream position with respect to said first filter.

4. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first filter entirely covers said inlet opening.

5. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second filter extends over only a portion of said inlet opening.

6. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 5 wherein said second slot is disposed in a top portion of said inlet opening.

7. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first filter has at least one tab extending from its upper edge, said tab being registerable with an opening formed near an upper edge of said front panel.

8. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said front panel includes a plurality of openings in its upper edge for receiving fasteners for connecting the front panel to the unit; and further, wherein said first filter, when in an installed position, has an upper edge which extends upwardly sufficient to cover the fasteners from sight.

9. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second filter is of a chemical type.

10. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second filter is comprised for two side-by-side sections with an interconnecting structure therebetween and further wherein said interconnecting structure is flexible so as to allow the two sections to be folded together for storage and shipping.

11. An evaporator unit for conditioning air in a space, comprising: a housing having an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening; a heat exchanger coil disposed in said housing and having a plurality of tubes for the circulation of refrigerant therethrough and the circulation of air thereover for conditioning the air; a blower for causing air from the space to be drawn into a housing inlet opening, through the heat exchanger coil and out the air outlet opening; a grill structure that includes a panel for covering said air inlet opening and allowing the flow of air to pass therethrough; a pair of slots formed in an upper portion of said grill structure with each of said slots extending downwardly behind said grille to form first and second pockets for receiving first and second filters therein.

12. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 11 wherein said first filter is adjacent said front panel.

13. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 12 wherein said second filter is in a downstream position with respect to said first filter.

14. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 11 wherein said first filter entirely covers said inlet opening.

15. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 11 wherein said second filter extends over only a portion of said inlet opening.

16. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 15 wherein said second slot is disposed in a top portion of said inlet opening.

17. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 11 wherein said first filter has at least one tab extending from its upper edge, said tab being registerable with an opening formed near an upper edge of said front panel.

18. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 11 wherein said front panel includes a plurality of openings in its upper edge for receiving fasteners for connecting the front panel to the unit; and further, wherein said first filter, when in an installed position, has an upper edge which extends upwardly sufficient to cover the fasteners from sight.

19. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 11 wherein said second filter is of a chemical type.

20. An air conditioning evaporator unit as set forth in claim 11 wherein said second filter is comprised for two side-by-side sections with an interconnecting structure therebetween and further wherein said interconnecting structure is flexible so as to allow the two sections to be folded together for storage and shipping.