MXPA99007970A - Condensate collection system for a room air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the present invention, an air conditioning unit (2) is provided which indludes an indoor section (4) and an outdoor section (6), which are supported by a basepan and which are separated by a partition forming part of the basepan. The indoor section (4), includes an indoor fan (24) and an evaporator coil (22). During operation, the cold evaporator condenses water from the air being cooled and the condensate flows downwardly to the lower end of the evaporator (22) where it is collected and a flow path is provided from the indoor section (4) through the partition to the outdoor section (6). The lower end of the evaporator is supported by a substantially horizontal support surface. A condensate collection channel (108, 136) has a first portion located adjacent to, substantially parallel to and in fluid communication with the horizontal support surface. The first portion of the condensate collection channel (108) is inclined from a high point at one end thereof to a low point at the other end thereof. The condensate collection channel has a second portion in fluid flow communication with the other end of the first portion. The second portion is inclined from a high point where it is in flow communication with the first portion to a low point in the outdoor section (6) of the air conditioner (2).

Description

CONDENSATE COLLECTION SYSTEM FOR AN AIR CONDITIONER DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention is generally related to air conditioning systems and, more particularly, relates to air conditioners wherein the moisture removed from the internal air is conducted to the external section. of the unit. Hot air is often humid, that is, it contains water vapor that is retained. During the operation of an air conditioner system in a cooling mode, the evaporator of the system reduces the temperature of the air passing through it to below the spray point. In that condition, the water vapor condenses in the evaporator. Means must be provided to get rid of the condensate itself. In the small unit air conditioner, such as air conditioners, a common means of achieving condensate disposal is to provide condensate collection and a drain path that communicates between the inner section and the outer section of the air conditioner . According to the present invention, there is provided an air conditioner unit which includes an internal section and an external section, which are supported by a base tray and which are separated by a partition forming part of the tray of base. The interior section includes an indoor fan and an evaporator coil. During operation, the cold evaporator condenses the water from the air when it is cooled and the condensate flows down to the lower end of the evaporator where it is collected and a flow path is provided from the inner section through the division of the section Exterior. The lower end of the evaporator is supported by a substantially horizontal support surface. A condensate collection channel has a first portion located adjacent to, substantially parallel to and in fluid communication with the horizontal support surface. The first portion of the condensate collection channel is inclined from a high point at one end thereof to a lower point at the other end thereof. The condensate collection channel has a second portion in fluid communication with the other end of the first portion. The second portion is inclined from a high point where it is "in communication of flow with the first portion to a low point in the outer section of the air conditioner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood and its objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an air conditioner which contains the characteristics of this invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the air conditioner of Figure 1 with the top cover, the front grid portions and other selected components removed therefrom; Figure 3 is a top elevation view of the air conditioner of Figure 1 with the upper housing and other components removed therefrom; Figure 3A is an enlarged view of the left front section of Figure 3; Figure 3B is an enlarged view of the right front section of Figure 3; Figure 4 is a partially exploded perspective view of the air conditioner of the Figure 1 with certain components removed from it; Figure 5 is a top plan view of the lower housing and the base tray of the air conditioner of Figure 1 with many of the components removed; and Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5. Referring initially to Figure 1, an air conditioner 2 generally includes an interior section 4 and an exterior section 6. air conditioner unit 2, includes a substantially rectangular housing 12 which includes a lower housing section 14, an upper housing section 16, and an interior grating section 18. The inner housing section 14 is mounted on a metal support tray 20, and the entire air conditioner is adapted to be placed in a rectangular opening in a wall outside or in the frame of a window of a room where cooling is desired, with the interior grille section 18 facing towards the inside of the room as is conventional. The housing section 12 and 14 and the grid 18 are preferably made of a molded plastic material. As best seen in Figures 2 to 6, the entire air conditioner unit 2 is supported on a base tray 8 integrally molded with and forming the bottom of the lower housing 14. Extending upwards from the base tray, and integrally formed with the left and right side walls 10 and 11 respectively, there is the vertically extended partition 13 which separates the inner 4 and outer 6 sections. Figure 2 illustrates the unit 2 with the upper housing section 16 and the housing section. interior grid 18 removed. Again, as is conventional, the unit comprises an internal coolant to the air exchanger 22 (hereinafter "evaporator coil") and an evaporator fan or internal fan 24. The air in the space has been conditioned by the system , it is sucked by the action of the evaporator fan 24, through internal ventilation grids 26 formed in the section of the inner grille 18 and directed through the evaporator coil 22 where the air is cooled. The cooled air is then directed back into space to be cooled by a spiral assembly 28, which, in turn directs the air through an interior air conditioner discharge assembly 30 forming part of the grid 18. it should be noted that the spiral assembly 28 is shown only in Figure 4. In a fully assembled unit, the evaporator fan 24 is located within the spiral to cause the air flow described above. The spiral has been removed from the other Figures drawn to clearly show the details of the condensate collection system of the present invention.

Still referring to Figure 2, the unit also includes, as is conventional, an exterior coolant to the air heat exchanger or air conditioner 32 (hereinafter "cooling coil 32"), a condenser fan 34 and a compressor 36. During operation, ambient air enters the housing 12 through a number of air inlets of vents 38 located at the top and sides of the housing sections 14 and 16. The air entering by the inlets 38 then it is sucked through the external fan 34 and is directed through the cooling coil 32 before exiting through the discharge openings 40 in the rear part of the housing 12. As best seen in the Figure 2, both the evaporator fan 24 and the condenser fan 34 are activated from the opposite ends of a single drive shaft of a common driver motor 42 mounted on the external section 6 of the housing 12. Now looking at Figures 3, 3A, and 3B, there is illustrated a top view of the evaporator coil 22, supported on the front end 44 of the base tray 8 of the lower housing section 14. The evaporator coil 22 it includes a left pipe sheet 46 and a right pipe sheet 48. As is conventional, two rows of heat exchanger tubes 50 interconnected by intersecting ends 52 extend between the pipe sheets to define a continuous flow path to pass through. the refrigerant through it. A plurality of vertically extending heat exchanger fins 54 are transported by the tubes and extend substantially vertically and parallel to the pipe sheets 46 and 48. The evaporator coil 22 will now be described in relation to Figure 2 to 6. Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the unit with the evaporator coil 22 and many other components removed in order to illustrate the support structure, the condensate collection system, and the condensate drain path. Each of the pipe sheets 46 and 48 has an elongated U-shaped cross section with short ends 56 and 58, respectively, extending to the left as seen in the Figure shown. Viewing first the support for the left pipe sheet 46 and with particular reference to Figure 3A, a vertically extended support channel 60 is integrally molded into the base tray and the inside part of the left wall 10 of the base section. lower housing 14. The channel 60 comprises a first section 64 integrally formed with the wall 10 and extending substantially parallel to the evaporator coil 22. A second section 66 extends perpendicular to and forward of the first section 64 and a third shorter section 68 extends to the right and substantially parallel to the evaporator coil 22. Extending from the right of the lower end of the second section 76 is a short wall section 70 which is separated from the third wall section 68 by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the rear end 58 of the pipe sheet 48. Consequently e, the rear end 58 of the pipe sheet 48 is adapted to engage the backward facing surface 72 of the third channel section 68 and to be received within the space defined between that surface and the short wall section 70. Now looking at Figure 3B, the extremity 58 of the right pipe sheet 48 is adapted to engage a backward facing surface 74 defined by a vertically extended channel 76 having an identical cross section of the channel 60 described in FIG. detail for the support of the sheet for left pipe 46. The channel 76 has a right side which is molded inside the base tray of the lower housing section 14. As with the sheet for left pipe, the rear end 58 of the right pipe sheet is adapted to engage the rear surface 72 of the channel 60. In contrast to the right pipe sheet, however, the support of the right pipe sheet is provided in a lateral position of facing backward by a substantially transverse and vertically extended section 78, which is adapted to engage both the back facing surface of the rear end 58 as well as the flat surface facing the right of the sheet for right pipe 48. In addition the placement of the evaporator coil 22 is provided by engaging the front end 56 of the left pipe sheet 46 with a wall facing right 86 molded into the front portion of the inner housing section 14. Similarly, a wall that is facing left molded into the front of the lower housing section 14 is adapted to couple the wall that is facing to the right of the pipe sheet 48. As best seen in Figure 2, the lower ends of the pipe sheets 46 and 48 of the evaporator coil 22 are supported by a condensed drain pan 92 formed at the front end of the base pan 8 of the lower housing section 14. The condensate drain pan 92 is defined by a lower horizontal surface 94 which serves to support the lower ends of the sheets for pipe and a wall section of per vertically extended index 96. Perimeter wall 96 includes outwardly extending sections 98 and 100 on the left and right sides thereof and an elongated section 102 which interconnects short sections 98 and 100. It will be noted that the supporting walls of the pipe sheet 86 and 88 described above are formed in the elongate wall section 102. As best seen in Figures 4 and 5, the horizontal surface 94 of the condensate drain pan 92 is provided with a plurality of small vertical support dampers 104 both at the left and right ends thereof immediately underlying the lower ends of the right and left pipe sheets 46 and 48. When the evaporator coil is installed as described above, the ends lower of the pipe sheets 46 and 48 couple the dampers 104. As a result, the sheets for pipe and accordingly, the lower ends of the heat exchanging fins 54 of the coil are fastened in such a way that they are spaced from the horizontal surface 94. ll The horizontal surface 94 terminates at a trailing edge 106, which provides a transition to a condensate collection channel 108. The condensate collection channel 108 is defined at its right end in, part by the channel support channel for pipe vertically extended 76, rearwardly by a vertically extended wall 110 molded into the base tray 8, at its left end partly by the vertically extending pipe support channel 60. As best seen in Figures 2, 3, and 5, the base tray 8 is further provided with a confined condensate collection region 112 which is located to the right of and back of the right end of the evaporator coil 22. The condensate collection region 112 is defined on its back side by an angularly positioned section 114 of division 13 and on its right and left sides by vertical wall sections ext. endidas 116 and 118, respectively. The lower surface 120 of the condensate collection region 112 is substantially at the same elevation as the horizontal surface 94 of the condensate drain tray at the front end thereof and rises to a higher elevation at its intersection with the section 114. As shown diagrammatically in Figure 2, the refrigerant tubes 122 extend from the right side of the evaporator coil through an opening 124 in the partition wall 13 to the compressor and the cooling coil in the section Exterior. The tubes 122 directly are underlying the condensate collection region 112 described above. During the operation of the air conditioner unit, particularly during high humidity conditions, condensate can be formed in the refrigerant tubes 122. Said condensate will drip from the tubes and will be captured in the condensate collection region 112 from where it will flow to. the horizontal surface 94 of the condensate drainage tray 92 and thereafter within the collected condensate channel 108. These channels promote the flow of condensate from the surface 94 and the collection region 112 within the channel 108. Accordingly, during operation of the air conditioner unit, the condensate from the condensate collection region 112 as well as the condensate running downward from the evaporator conditioner 22 will be conducted through the tapered channels 126 to the collector channel condensate 108. The condensate collection channel 108 in turn tilts from a higher elevation at its right end 132 to a lower elevation at its left end 134. This results in the flow of the condensate by gravity from right to left. as can be seen in Figure 2 to 5. The left end of the condensate collector channel 108 communicates with a second condensate collection channel 136 at the left end thereof, as best seen in Figures 3, 4, and 5. The second condensate collecting channel 136 is defined by a pair of substantially parallel vertical walls 138 formed in the base tray 8. The channel 136 it passes through an opening 138 in the dividing wall and extends into the outer section 6 along the path as indicated by the arrows 142. As best seen in Figures 3 and 5, the channel 136 extends to the left of a vertical wall 144 which forms a portion of the outer fan cover to a horizontally extended region 146 at the rear of the lower housing section 14, which supports the condenser conditioner 32 of the conditioner unit of air. A vertically extending wall section 148 defines the front portion of the support surface of the condenser 146 and extends across the full width of the base tray 8 except for the opening 145 where the second condensate collection 136 passes in communication from fluid with the condensate support surface 146.

The condensate support surface 146 is provided with a plurality of raised support dampers 150 at the left and right ends thereof, which serve to support the condenser conditioner 32 at an elevation slightly above the condenser support surface. 146. A centrally located opening 152 is provided in the rear wall of the lower housing section 14 to provide a drainage path for excess condensate which can be collected on the condenser support surface as is conventional. In a manner similar to the first condensate collection channel 108, the second condensate collection channel 136 makes a transition from a common elevation with the left side of the first condensate collection channel to a lower elevation at the rear of the housing 14 where it communicates with the surface of this condenser post. As best seen in Figure 6, the channel 136 has a downward step 154 formed therein at a position just behind the covering wall of a fan 144. The step 154 serves to prevent flow in the channel 136. of condensate or any rainwater that can be collected in the outer section. As a result, it should be appreciated that the condensate collection path, which starts in the condensate region 112 at its highest elevation, is continuously tilted downwardly through the first condensate collection channel 108 in the second collection channel. of condensate 136 to the condenser support surface 146 thereby ensuring the flow of condensate collected from the front of the air conditioner unit towards the rear of the unit for disposal. The free flow of condensate from the evaporator coil to the rear of the unit and the disposal thereof is further facilitated by the assembly of the evaporator coil and the cooling coil in the raised dampers 104 and 150, respectively, described above. This coupling as well as the linked channels 126 serve to break up any surface tension in the water and promote the free flow of the condensate.

Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS 1. An air conditioner of the type having an inner section and an outer section, which are supported by a base tray and are separated in parts by a division, the inner section includes an indoor fan and an evaporator coil, The cold evaporator condenses water from the air when it is cooled, the condensate flows down to the lower end of the evaporator where it is collected and a flow path is provided from the inner section through, from the division to the outer section; characterized in that the improvement comprises: a substantially horizontal surface to support the lower end of the evaporator; a condensate collecting channel having a first portion thereof located adjacent to, substantially parallel to, and in fluid communication with the horizontal surface, the first portion of the condensate collection channel is inclined from a high point to an extreme same to a low point at one end of it; the condensate collection channel has a second portion in fluid flow communication with the other end of the first portion, the second portion is inclined from a high point where it is in flow communication with the first portion to a low point in the outer section.
2. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that "it also includes: refrigerant tubes that extend from the evaporator coil, through the division to the outer section, and the housing further includes an underlying condensate collection region. to the refrigerant tubes, the condensate collection region is in fluid communication with one end of the first portion of the condensate collection channel, the condensate collection is inclined from a high point adjacent to the division to a low point where it is in fluid communication with the first portion of the condensate collection channel
3. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the substantially horizontal surface is provided with a plurality of tapered channels therein, each of the channels they extend from a high point on the horizontal surface to a lower point It is in fluid communication with the first portion of the condensate collection channel. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the second portion of the condensate channel has a step inside it that provides a transition from a high point closer to the inner section to a low backward point of the section Exterior . The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the left and right end of the substantially horizontal surface each are provided with at least one vertical protrusion thereon adapted to couple the lower end of the evaporator coil and support it in a Separate relationship of the horizontal surface. SUMMARY In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an air conditioner unit (2) which includes a lower section (4) and an outer section (6), which are supported by a base tray and which are separated by a division that is part of the base tray. The inner section (4), includes an indoor fan (24) and an evaporator coil (22). During operation, the cold evaporator condenses the water from the air when it is cooled and the condensate flows down towards the lower end of the evaporator (22) where it is collected and a flow path that is provided from the inner section (4) to through the division towards the outer section (6). The lower end of the evaporator is supported by a substantially horizontal support surface. A condensate collection channel (108,136) has a first portion located adjacent to, substantially parallel to and in fluid communication with the horizontal support surface. The first portion of the condensed collection channel (108) is inclined from a raised point at one end thereof or at a lower point at the other end thereof. The condensed collection channel has a second portion in the communication of the fluid flow with the other end of the first portion. The second portion is inclined from a raised point where it is in flow communication with the first portion to a lower point in the outer section (6) of the air conditioner (2).