US20200064013A1

US20200064013A1 - Funnel System for Window Mounted A/C Units

Info

Publication number: US20200064013A1
Application number: US16/112,731
Authority: US
Inventors: Wilver Franco
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-08-26
Filing date: 2018-08-26
Publication date: 2020-02-27

Abstract

A funnel system for redirecting cool air from a window-mounted, air conditioner helps to cool another room effectively without requiring a second a/c unit in the other room. The funnel system is telescopingly adjustable to mount to different sized a/c units from different makers. The system utilizes a unique rail without damaging or modifying the a/c window unit.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The funnel system pertains to air conditioning so that one can redirect cool air to a different room than where the a/c unit is window mounted. This facilates conmform given that temperatures are rising due to inclimate weather.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is customary to have a central a/c unit in many houses or big buildings. Usually, ducts are branched out from the central a/c unit and directed to separate rooms or separate sections of a room. In many apartments or lofts, a window a/c unit is utilized but sometimes that cool air doesn't not reach other sections of a room or a room where people for instance sleep or gather as the cool air is much stronger near the a/c unit, which is closest to the window.
Normally, people usually purchase a portable a/c unit but the hassle of draining collected dew or moisture is greater as compared to a window-mounted unit where the dew is automatically drained from the back of the a/c unit to outside the building.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a funnel system that is mountable to a window mounted, a/c unit. The system allows for cool air to be redirected to another room than where the window a/c unit is located. The funnel system is adjustable to compensate for different sized a/c units. The funnel system incorporates border seals to reduce air leakage once the funnel system is against the a/c unit. The funnel system slides on support rails that are bonded to the face of a/c unit, which acts a primary connection. To substantiate the primary connection, a set of J-threaded fasteners retain the funnel system against a grill on the a/c unit.
A key element is that one can use the funnel system to redirect some of the cold air to a specific room, while providing comfort while people sleep or gather in a different room than where the a/c unit is located, normally farther away from the room wanted to be cooled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a scenario application of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the funnel system mounted to an a/c unit.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows cross-sectional view 4-4 as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 shows cross-sectional view 5-5 shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the funnel system shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 shows detail view 7-7 in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows air-conditioned system 1. A building 1 a includes at least one room 1 c. An a/c window unit 2 is, as customary, mounted to a window opening 1 b to cool the room in which the a/c unit is located. For simplicity, windows in the window opening 1 b are not shown. A funnel system 20 is incorporated to the a/c unit to redirect cold air from the a/c unit to the one room 1 c through a conduit 6 snaked through a door opening 1 d into the one room 1 c. The conduit 6 is held in place using two straps 6 a, 6 b. Of course while only two are shown, more than two straps can be use to suspend the conduit 6. For purposes of simplicity, the conduit has been drawn as a simple pipe but the intent of the invention is to use a collapsible and expandable conduit used in ordinary dryers. The conduit can be from any diameter, preferably 3 to 4 inches.
FIG. 2 shows a front view of the funnel system 20 mounted to the a/c unit 2. The conduit 6 is clamped down using an ordinary clamp 17. As shown in FIG. 3, the funnel system 20 is shown in an exploded view. The funnel system 20 comprises an outer compartment 22 and an inner compartment 24, which telescope relative to each other. The two compartments 22 and 24 form a funnel that is adjustable to fit different sized a/c units. These compartments 22 and 24 ride on channel rails 10 that are adhesively bonded to a front face 2 b of the a/c unit 2 using double sticky tape 8.
As shown in FIG. 4, it shows the relative components to allow for telescoping and riding on the channel rails 10. The outer compartment 22 comprises a back wall 22 a and two parallel walls 22 b, 22 c that extend from the back wall 22 a. The two parallel walls 22 b, 22 c each include a riding tab 22 e that is extending at 90 degrees relative to the parallel walls 22 b, 22 c and extending in opposite directions relative to each riding tab 22 e. The outer compartment 22 terminates with an end wall 22 d that extends between the two parallel walls 22 b, 22 c and the back wall 22 a. The end wall 22 d includes an opening 22 f to redirect cold air into the conduit 6 that is affixed to the end wall 22 d via a pipe connector 16 and the ordinary clamp 17 as shown in FIG. 2. The inner compartment 24 comprises a back wall 24 a and two parallel walls 24 b, 24 c that also extend from the back wall 24 a. The two parallel walls 24 b, 24 c also each include a riding tab 24 e extending at 90 degrees relative to the parallel walls 24 b, 24 c, extending towards each riding tab 24 e, and extending opposite to the riding tabs 22 e of the outer compartment 22. The inner compartment 24 also terminates with an end wall 24 d that extends between the two parallel walls 24 b, 24 c and the back wall 24 a. When the two compartments 22, 24 are fitted telescopingly to each other will form an adjustable funnel.
Engagement of the riding tabs 22 e, 24 e of both compartments 22, 24 will be described. As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the channel rails 10 each comprise a base wall 10 a. Opposite sides of the base wall 10 a include bridge walls 10 b extending perpendicular to the base wall 10 a. At the end of the bridge walls 10 b perpendicularly extends retaining tabs 10 b that face each other and are parallel to the base walls. The base wall 10 a in conjunction with both the bridge wall 10 b and retaining tabs 10 b form pockets 10 c for the riding tabs 22 e, 24 e to fit and slide therein, best shown in FIG. 7.
As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the funnel system 20 is best applied to an a/c unit 2 in a location where the a/c unit 2 normally has a rotatable and adjustable grill 2 a. One of the rails 10 is adhesively bonded adjacent to an upper location of the grill 2 a on the front face 2 b. Another rail 10 is also adhesively bonded adjacent to a lower location of the grill 2 a on the front face 2 b. The double sticky tape 8 is affixed to the base wall 10 a of the rail 10 and to the front face 2 b of the a/c unit 2. The double sticky tape 8 serves as the primary connection.
FIGS. 3-5 shows a secondary connection to optionally substantiate the primary connection. The secondary connection comprises a set of J-threaded hooks 7 that pass through holes 12 in both the outer compartment 22 and the inner compartment 24 and are fastened with wing nuts 14 and a soft washer 12. The J-threaded hooks 7 engage portions of the grill 2 a as best shown in FIG. 5. It is envisioned that the washer 12 is made from an elastomeric material or spongy material.
It is envisioned that while the conduit 6 could be a flexible vent duct, the conduit 6 can be non-flexible and placed permanent. The funnel system 20 is removable from the a/c unit 2 and can be stored for the winter months. It is envisioned that the invention can be sold as a kit to include the conduit 6 or bought separately from a hardware store. The conduit 6 is slipped over a pipe connector 16, which comprises a base 16 a and a cylindrical wall 16 b extending from the base 16 a and the clamped down with an ordinary clamp 17. The pipe connector 16 is affixed to the outer compartment using fasteners 18. It is envisioned that the pipe connector 16 can be homogenously integrated to the outer compartment 22 by merely projecting the cylindrical wall 16 b from the end wall 22 d instead of being a separate piece affixed with the fasteners 18. It is envisioned that the compartments 22, 24, the pipe connector 16, and the rails 10 can be formed from metal or plastic. The straps 6 a, 6 b can be made from plastic or metal as well.

Claims

1. A funnel system comprising a first compartment, a second compartment, at least one channel rail, and at least one, double-sided sticky tape;

wherein the first compartment and the second compartment are telescopingly fitted to each other and each contain an end wall;

wherein the end wall of the first compartment includes an opening and a pipe connector extending from the end wall; and,

wherein the first compartment and the second compartment are slidingly fitted to the at least one channel rail.

2. The funnel system of claim 1 further including a conduit and at least one strap; and,

wherein the conduit being attached to the pipe connector.

3. The funnel system of claim 1, wherein the first compartment and the second compartment each include a back wall, two parallel walls extending perpendicular from the back wall, and the end wall connected to both the back wall and the two parallel walls.

4. The funnel system of claim 3, wherein the parallel walls of the first compartment include a riding tab extending perpendicular to the parallel walls and in opposite directions to the riding tabs; and,

wherein one of the riding tabs engaging the at least one channel rail.

5. The funnel system of claim 4, wherein the parallel walls of the second compartment include a riding tab extending perpendicular to the parallel walls and facing each other;

wherein one of the riding tabs of the second compartment engaging the at least one rail; and,

wherein the riding tabs of the first compartment being in the same plane as the riding tabs of the second compartment.

6. The funnel system of claim 5, wherein the channel rail comprising a base wall, bridge walls extending perpendicular from the base wall, and a retaining wall extending perpendicular from the bride wall;

wherein the base wall, the bridge walls, and the retaining walls forming two pockets; and,

wherein the riding tab of the first compartment and the second compartment slidingly fitted in one of the pockets.

7. The funnel system of claim 1, further including a clamp connecting the conduit to the pipe connector.

8. The funnel system of claim 1, wherein the pipe connector comprising a base and a cylindrical wall in axial flow with the opening of the first compartment.

9. The funnel system of claim 1, further including a pair of J-threaded hooks, a pair of wing nuts, and elastomeric washers; and,

wherein the hooks passing through an opening in the first compartment and the second compartment to connect the hooks to a grill of an a/c window mounted unit.

10. A funnel system comprising a first compartment, a second compartment, two channel rails, and at two, double-sided sticky tapes;

wherein the first compartment and the second compartment are slidingly fitted to the both channel rails.

11. The funnel system of claim 10 further including a flexible conduit and at least one strap; and,

wherein the conduit being attached to the pipe connector.

12. The funnel system of claim 10, wherein the first compartment and the second compartment each include a back wall, two parallel walls extending perpendicular from the back wall, and the end wall connected to both the back wall and the two parallel walls.

13. The funnel system of claim 12, wherein the parallel walls of the first compartment include a riding tab extending perpendicular to the parallel walls and in opposite directions to the riding tabs; and,

wherein one of the riding tabs engaging at least one of the rails.

14. The funnel system of claim 13, wherein the parallel walls of the second compartment include a riding tab extending perpendicular to the parallel walls and facing each other;

wherein the riding tabs of the second compartment engaging the rails; and,

15. The funnel system of claim 14, wherein each of the rails comprising a base wall, bridge walls extending perpendicular from the base wall, and a retaining wall extending perpendicular from the bride wall;

wherein the riding tabs of both the first compartment and the second compartment slidingly fitted in the pockets.

16. The funnel system of claim 15, wherein each of the rails comprising a base wall, bridge walls extending perpendicular from the base wall, and a retaining wall extending perpendicular from the bride wall;

wherein the riding tab of both the first compartment and the second compartment slidingly fitted in the pockets.

17. The funnel system of claim 10, further including a clamp connecting the conduit to the pipe connector.

18. The funnel system of claim 10, wherein the pipe connector comprising a base and a cylindrical wall in axial flow with the opening of the first compartment.

19. The funnel system of claim 10, further including a pair of J-threaded hooks, a pair of wing nuts, and elastomeric washers; and,

20. The funnel system of claim 10, wherein the pipe connector being homogenously integral with the first compartment.