IL157035A - Modular support bracket - Google Patents

Description

MODULAR SUPPORT BRACKET Eitan, Pearl, Latzer & Cohen-Zedek P-6040-IL The present invention relates to the installation of split air conditioners.

More particularly, the invention provides a modular support bracket for the external compressor unit of a split air conditioner.

As is known, split air conditioners have come into extensive use due to the advantages offered by this type of device, primarily because of the elimination of objectionable noise inside buildings. This is achieved by separating the compressor and evaporator of an air conditioning unit, as opposed to the integrated type typically installed in wall, window or door openings. Air conditioners of the split type are assembled with the evaporator unit inside the area to be air-conditioned, and the compressor unit, including one of the electric motors and one of the fans being outside thereof - on a ground-level base, or more often suspended on a platform attached to an external wall of the building or of a balcony wall.

The outer dimensions of the compressor unit, even of those of the same power rating, have not been standardized. Various manufacturers each produce a range of split air conditioners, and contractors installing air conditioners are faced with the need to have available a support platform for each size compressor unit. The manufacture and stocking of some twenty different brackets is expensive, time-wasting and can even lead to situations where the technician travelling to install an air conditioning system arrives on site with the a platform not correctly sized for the compressor unit bought by the customer.

Support brackets in use today include brackets of the type described in Israel Patent no. 101 458. While the present inventors have marketed such brackets with considerable commercial success, the need to reduce the number of sizes to be manufactured has become increasingly evident.

A universal support bracket for air conditioning units of the integrated (window) type has been disclosed by Burton et al. in US Patent no. 5,636,816. The design is based on the existence of a window or wall opening corresponding to the unit being supported. However such design is not readily applied to the split type of air conditioner which is installed at a wall location where such opening neither exists nor is desirable.

An air compressor bracket which is intended for use in combination with a split air-conditioner system is disclosed by Prawl in US Des. 267,699. By the addition of extra mounting holes and/or slots it would be possible to accommodate a plurality of different size compressor units in a design of this type. However the Prawl design is dependent on two large thick plates, the cost and weight of such plates leading to a commercially impossible construction.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to obviate the disadvantages of prior art compressor brackets and to provide a bracket which can be adjusted to suit any compressor size within its range.

The present invention achieves the above object by providing a modular bracket for an air conditioner compressor, said bracket comprising a substantially rectangular frame composed of at least two portions being "U" or "L" shaped, provided with surplus holes allowing adjustment to suit the thickness of an air-conditioning compressor to be seated thereon, at least one further structure being attachable to said rectangular frame to provide support thereto.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a modular bracket wherein said substantially rectangular frame is composed of four portions, at least two of which are provided with surplus holes allowing adjustment to suit both the thickness and the length of an air-conditioning compressor to be seated thereon. In the most preferred embodiment the frame is composed of four parts connected at the four corners of the frame.

Yet further embodiments of the invention will be described hereinafter.

It will thus be realized that the design of the present bracket leads to the manufacture of large numbers of similar components which can be later assembled, as compared to small numbers of large welded structures as in the prior art. The economic advantages of manufacturing the bracket of the present invention thus require no further elaboration.

With regard to storage after manufacture, instead of storing many different welded large structures, the manufacturer of the bracket according to the invention will store fewer different components in dismantled form and assemble the bracket on an needed basis, thus saving much storage space and making manufacture possible in locations where extra space is expensive or unavailable.

While the bracket sub-assemblies are best stored before final assembly, the choice of using welding or fasteners for final assembly to meet specific demand yet remains, and each method has advantages. Where there is some doubt regarding the dimensions of the compressor unit(s) to be installed the use of fasteners is preferable, transport is more convenient and final assembly is effected on site. If possible it is better to avoid the need for on-site welding because the paintwork will need repair, welding facilities may be unavailable and the location may be a fire hazard. Thus if the compressor dimensions are known in advance, final assembly of the bracket by welding in the manufacturing plant is the best option.

It will also be realized that stnall diameter fasteners can be used for initial assembly in the factory during size checking, the fasteners also serving as a welding fixture where it is decided to finalize the assembly by welding to provide added security.

The invention will now be described further with reference to the accompanying drawings, which represent by example preferred embodiments of the invention. Structural details are shown only as far as necessary for a fundamental understanding thereof. The described examples, together with the drawings, will make apparent to those skilled in the art how further forms of the invention may be realized.

In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the bracket according to the invention and before assembly of the two portions making up the rectangle; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same embodiment after assembly of the rectangle; FIG. 3 is a side view of an embodiment assembled by means of fasteners; FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment wherein the supporting structure is under the platform; and FIG. 5 is a plan view of an embodiment allowing platform size adjustments to suit both the thickness and the length of a compressor to be seated thereon.

FIG. 6 is a cross section along line A-A of FIG. 5.

There is seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 a modular bracket 10 for an air conditioner compressor 12 seen in FIG. 3. The bracket platform comprising a substantially rectangular frame 14, as seen in the pre-assembly state in FIG. 1 and after assembly in FIG. 2. The frame 14 is composed of two portions, 16, 18, said portions are either "U" or "L" shaped. Both portions are provided with surplus multiple holes 20 allowing passage to fasteners 22, which are inserted at any location where holes in the two frame portions coincide. The holes 20 thus allow adjustment to suit the thickness of the air-conditioning compressor 12 to be seated thereon. Portion 16 which is placed within portion 18, could also be a flat bar not U shaped.

To complete the bracket 10 a pair of leg units 24, seen only in FIG. 1 , are attached under the rectangular frame 14 to provide support thereto. The pair of leg units 24 provide support over a horizontal surface, such as a flat roof, or a concrete pad typically used for ground-floor air-conditioning installations.

With reference to the rest of the figures, similar reference numerals have been used to identify similar parts.

FIG. 3 illustrates a further embodiment 26 of the modular bracket. The further structure comprises a pair of vertical posts 36 disposed above the rectangular frame 30 for attachment to a wall surface 32. The design is such that the complete bracket 26 can be assembled using fasteners 34 only, while avoiding welding during assembly. The struts 28a, 28b supporting the frame 30, as well as the two portions 38, 40 of the platform frame 30, are discrete components easily manufactured, stored and transported. Vertical posts 36 are attached to wall 33 by fasteners 35.

Seen in FIG. 4 is a welded embodiment 42 of the modular bracket suitable for use where the dimensions of the compressor 12, are known and a ready-to-use bracket is to be factory assembled from stock components. The further structure includes a pair of vertical posts 44 disposed below the rectangular frame 46 for attachment to a wall surface 48. This type of construction is less usual but is sometimes preferred for architectural reasons.

The struts 50 are attached by welding at both ends. A first portion 52 of the rectangular frame 46 is welded to the horizontal arm 56 of the wall brackets. The second portion 58 of the rectangular frame 46 is seen attached to the first portion 52 by fasteners 60. However this connection could also be effected by welding.

The above embodiment could also be used in the same manner as the embodiment described regarding FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is depicted a modular bracket 62 which can be adjusted to suit both the thickness and the length of an air-conditioning compressor 12, seen in FIG. 3, to be seated thereon.

The substantially rectangular frame 64 is composed of four L-shaped portions 66, all provided with surplus holes 68 allowing adjustment. The portions 66 each has a long arm 66a and a short arm 66b. As the rows of holes 68 are at right angles to each other, it can be seen that any combination of thickness and length - within the range of the components- can be set up. Each of the two adjustable dimensions can be readily varied without any disturbance to the remaining dimension.

The L-shaped portions 66 are made to be useable either face upwards, so all 4 components of the rectangle can be made identical thereby to lower manufacturing and storage costs.

FIG. 6 is a cross section of the bracket 62 along line A-A as seen in FIG. 5.

In the above text holes are referred to as the apertures through which fasteners, either screws or rivets, are to be inserted. Holes are drilled or punched at low cost, and weaken the component in which they appear only moderately. It is however recognized that slots are often more convenient for adjustment purposes, but in addition to cost and structural disadvantages, slots are likely to be attacked by corrosion and for these reasons the diagrams show holes being used for the passage of fasteners.

The scope of the described invention is intended to include all embodiments coming within the meaning of the following claims. The foregoing examples illustrate useful forms of the invention, but are not to be considered as limiting its scope, as those skilled in the art will readily be aware that additional variants and modifications of the invention can be formulated without departing from the meaning of the following claims.

Claims (7)

1. WE CLAIM: V. A modular bracket for an air conditioner compressor, said bracket comprising a 1 substantially rectangular frame composed of at least two portions, being "U" or "L" shaped provided with surplus holes allowing adjustment to suit the thickness of an air-conditioning compressor to be seated thereon, at least one further structure being attachable to said k rectangular frame to provide support thereto.

2. The modular bracket as chimed in claim 1, wherein said further structure comprises a pair of leg units for providing support over a horizontal surface.

3. The modular bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein said further structure comprises a pair of vertical posts disposed above said rectangular frame for attachment to a wall surface.

4. The modular bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein said further structure comprises a pair of vertical posts disposed below said rectangular frame for attachment to a wall surface.

5. The modular bracket as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said substantially rectangular frame is composed of four portions, at least two of which are provided with surplus holes allowing adjustment to suit both the thickness and the length of an air-conditioning compressor to be seated thereon.

6. The modular bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein said further structure is attached to said rectangular frame by means of fasteners.

7. A modular bracket for an air conditioner compressor, substantially as described hereinbefore and with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the Applicant