WO2002053975A1

WO2002053975A1 - Enclosure for an air conditioner outdoor unit

Info

Publication number: WO2002053975A1
Application number: PCT/BR2000/000148
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luciano Da Luz Moraes; Juan Carlos Carne Correa; José Alfredo SILVA
Original assignee: Carrier Corporation; Springer-Carrier S.A.
Priority date: 2000-12-28
Filing date: 2000-12-28
Publication date: 2002-07-11

Abstract

A box shaped enclosure for an air conditioner outdoor unit (10) of the type having a heat exchange coil, a compressor, a fan, a fan motor, and associated electrical components mounted therein. The enclosure includes a bottom section (12) a front top section (14) and a rear top section (16). These are configured such that they may be assembled together in a manner wherein they cooperate with one another, with the lower edges of the front top section (14) and the lower edges of the rear top section (16) in engagement with the upper edge of the bottom section (12). At the same time, the rear edge of the front top section (14) is in engagement with the front edge of the rear top section (16) to thereby form the box shaped enclosure.

Description

ENCLOSURE FOR AN AIR CONDITIONER OUTDOOR UNIT

Technical Field

The invention relates to an enclosure for an air conditioner outdoor unit.

Background Art

A well known 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, a fan and motor assembly and associated electrical control components. The indoor unit includes a heat exchanger and a fan. In operation, the indoor fan draws air into the indoor unit, through an inlet thereof and forces the air over the indoor heat exchanger and then out of the indoor unit, through an outlet opening therein.

The outdoor fan draws air into the outdoor unit, through an. inlet, forces that air over the outdoor heat exchanger and then forces that air out of the outdoor unit through an outlet therein. A compressor located in the outdoor unit 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, cooling that air. At the same time, at the outdoor heat exchanger, the air passing over the heat exchanger absorbs heat from the refrigerant passing therethrough. The outdoor units of such systems are quite often installed in locations which limit access to the units for both installation and subsequent service of the units. In prior art designs gaining access to the interior of the outdoor unit to service components such as the compressor, fan motor, electrical components and the wiring and tubing installed therein has required extensive disassembling of the enclosure of the unit. In order to facilitate such servicing it is considered desirable that a service person have easy access to the commonly serviced components of the unit with a minimum disassembly of the unit's enclosure. Further, in close quarters where the unit is installed closely adjacent to a vertical wall or is installed under an overlying horizontal wall access to the interior components may require connecting the entire unit from the refrigerant circuit and moving it to a location where the enclosure may be disassembled to obtained the needed access.

It is accordingly deemed desirable to provide an enclosure for an air conditioner outdoor unit which provides access to the internal components thereof with a minimal disassembly of the unit's enclosure. It is further deemed desirable to be able to remove a portion of the enclosure in installations where the unit is installed adjacent to a vertical or horizontal wall which otherwise may limit access.

Disclosure Of The Invention

A box shaped enclosure for an air conditioner unit of the type having a heat exchange coil, a compressor, a fan, a fan motor, and associated electrical components mounted therein. The enclosure includes a bottom section having a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, and two side walls. Each of the front wall, rear wall and the two side walls of the bottom section define an upper edge. The enclosure further includes a front top section including a top wall, a front wall and two side walls. Each of the front and two side walls of the front top section define a lower edge, and each of the top wall and the two side walls define a rear edge. The enclosure further includes a rear top section including a top wall, a rear wall and two sides walls. Each of the rear wall and the two side walls of the rear top section define a lower edge, and each of the top wall and the two side walls define a front edge. The bottom section, the front top section and the rear top section are configured such that they may be assembled together in a manner wherein they cooperate with one another, with the lower edges of the front top section and the lower edges of the rear top section in engagement with the upper edge of the bottom section. At the same time, the rear edge of the front top section is in engagement with the front edge of the rear top section to thereby form the box shaped enclosure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention may be better understood and its objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the enclosure for an air conditioner outdoor unit which embodies the features of the present invention:

Figure 2 is a perspective exploded view of the air conditioning unit of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is perspective view similar to Figure 1 illustrating the rear top section of the enclosure horizontally removed from the unit;

Figure 4 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 showing the rear top section vertically removed from the unit;

Figure 5 is a side view of the unit illustrated in Figure 1 installed adjacent to a vertical wall illustrating vertical removal from the enclosure of the rear top section; and

Figure 6 is a side view of the unit illustrated in Figure 1 installed underlying a horizontal wall illustrating horizontal removal of the rear top section therefrom.

The Best Mode For Carrying Out The Invention and Industrial Applicability

Each of Figures 1-6 illustrate an outdoor unit 10 of a split system air conditioning system which has an enclosure according to the present invention. Briefly, the enclosure includes a bottom section 12, a front top section 14 and a rear top section 16. As will be appreciated the three sections 12, 14 and 16 may be assembled to one another to form a box shaped enclosure for the unit 10.

As best seen in Figure 2, the bottom section 12 includes a bottom wall 18, a front wall 20, a rear wall 22 and side walls 24. The walls 18, 20, 22 and 24 cooperate to define the open topped substantially rectangular bottom section 12. Further, each of the front, rear and side walls 20, 22 and 24, respectively, define an upper edge generally bearing the reference numeral 26.

Integrally molded into the bottom section 12 is the lower half of a dividing wall 28. The dividing wall includes solid wall sections 30 and the lower half of an arcuate shaped opening 32 which as will be seen defines a part of the condenser fan orifice. The region between the front wall 20 and the dividing wall 28 is configured to receive and support the lower portion of the outdoor unit heat exchanger 34.

The region of the bottom section 12 rearwardly of the dividing wall 28 is referred to as the service region 35 of the outdoor unit 10 and is provided with various structural supports for mounting of the unit's compressor 36, fan motor 38, control box 40 and other components of the unit's refrigeration and electrical system. All of the above components are illustrated in their operable positions installed within the service region 35 of the bottom section 12 in Figures 3 and 4. The manner in which these components are mounted in the bottom section is not apart of the present invention and will not be described in any further detail herein. It will be noted that underlying the bottom wall 18 of the bottom section are a pair of longitudinally extending metal plates 42 which are attached to the bottom and function to provide structural rigidity to the bottom section 12 as well as providing structure facilitating mounting of the unit 10.

As best seen in Figures 2, 3 and 4 the front top section 14 of the enclosure includes a top wall 44, a front wall 46 and two substantially identical end walls 48. The front 46 and the two end walls 48 each define a lower edge 50 which is configured to be received by mating portions of the upper edges 26 of the front wall 20 and the side walls 24 of the bottom section 12. Attachment of the front top section 14 is by way of threaded fasteners 52 which extend through mating openings 51 provided in the lower edge 50 of the side walls 48 and axially aligned openings 54 in the side walls 24 of the bottom section. As is best seen in Figures 3 and 4, the front top section 14 has integrally molded therein the upper half of the dividing wall 28. This wall section includes the top half of the opening 32 defining the condenser fan orifice.

Looking now at Figure 3, it will be noted that with front top section 14 installed to the bottom section 12, the top wall 44 and the end walls 48 each define a planar rearwardly facing surface, generally 56. Further, the upper edges 26 of the rear wall 22 and the side walls 24 of the bottom section 12 also define substantially planar surfaces. As will be seen, these surfaces (56, 26) facilitate the installation and removal of the rear top section 16 to/from the assembly of the bottom section 12 and the front top section 14.

With reference to all of the drawing Figures, the rear top section 16 includes a top wall 58, a rear wall 60 and two side walls 62. The rear wall 60 and the two side walls 62 each have a lower edge 64 defining a downwardly facing planar surface. In a like manner, the top wall 58 and the two side walls 62 each have a front edge 66 defining a substantially planar surface.

As is evident from the drawing Figures, the rear top section 16 is the last section assembled to form the box shaped enclosure for the air conditioner unit 10. Likewise, as will be seen, the top rear top section 16 is readily removable from the enclosure to facilitate access to the service region 35 regardless of the confines surrounding the installed unit 10. The planar surfaces defined by the front edges 66 of the top wall 58 and the side walls 62 of the rear top section are configured to engage the planar surfaces defined by the edges 56 of the top wall 44 and the side walls 48 of the front top section 14. When so engaged suitable threaded fasteners 68 extend through axially mating openings in the top wall 58 of the rear top section and the top wall 44 of the front top section to thereby removably attach the components to one another. Additional threaded fasteners 68 pass through openings in the lower edge 64 of the rear wall 60 of the rear top section and into mating axially aligned openings in the top edge 26 of the rear wall 22 of the bottom section 12.

Removal of the rear top section 16 for access to the components contained in the service region 35 is a simple matter of removing the threaded fasteners 58 and removing the rear top section to gain access. Because the rear top section is open in both the front and bottom thereof, removal of this section from the outdoor unit may be achieved by displacing the unit in either an exclusively vertical direction, an exclusively horizontal direction or in a combination of horizontal and vertical directions without experiencing interference from any of the components within the service area which extend upwardly into the region covered by the rear top section 16. Such significant benefit of the described configuration is illustrated in Figure 5 wherein the outdoor unit 10 is shown installed in close proximity to a vertical wall 70. In such an installation, in the prior art, were the top cover of the outdoor unit to require horizontal displacement it would be necessary to disconnect and move the entire unit in order to obtain access to the service region thereof. As is evident from Figure 5 in such application the rear top section 16 may be displaced vertically with the planar surfaces 56 and 66 described above allowing free vertical motion of the rear top section 16 with respect to the front top section 14 to permit easy disassembly.

Figure 6 illustrates the outdoor unit 10 installed in a limited vertical clearance situation with a horizontal wall 72 extendingthereabove. In such an installation the rear top section 16 may be removed from the outer unit 10 by displacing it exclusively in the horizontal direction, again thereby permitting access to the service region 35 without requiring movement of the entire outdoor unit or further disassembly of the outdoor enclosure.

It should of course be understood that under installations where there are no horizontal or vertical restraints the rear top section 16 may be removed from the outer unit horizontally, vertically or in any combination of those directions.

Claims

1. A box shaped enclosure for an air conditioner outdoor unit of the type having a heat exchange coil, a compressor, a fan, a fan motor, and associated electrical components mounted therein, wherein the improvement comprises: a bottom section including a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, and two side walls, each of said front wall, said rear wall and said two side walls defining an upper edge; a front top section including a top wall, a front wall and two side walls, each of said front wall and said two side walls defining a lower edge, and each of said top wall and said two side walls defining a rear edge; a rear top section including a top wall, a rear wall and two side walls, each of said rear wall and two side walls defining a lower edge, and each of said top wall and said two side walls defining a front edge; said bottom section, said front top section and said rear top section being configured such that they may be assembled together in a manner wherein they cooperate with one another with said lower edges of said front top section and said lower edges of said rear top section in engagement with said upper edge of said bottom section, and with said rear edge of said front top section in engagement with said front edge of said rear top section, to thereby form said box-shaped enclosure.

2. The box-shaped enclosure of claim 1 wherein said bottom section defines a service region therein, adjacent said rear wall, which includes structure therein for supporting the unit's compressor, fan and fan motor and associated electrical components, said bottom section further including structure therein adjacent said front wall for supporting the lower end of the unit's heat exchange coil; wherein said front top section has structure therein for supporting the upper end of the unit's heat exchange coil when said lower edge of said front top section is in engagement with a corresponding portion of said top edge or said bottom section; and means for removably interconnecting said front top section to said bottom section.

3. The box-shaped enclosure of claim 2 wherein said rear top section is further configured to overlie said service region of said bottom section when assembled to said bottom section and said front top section; and further including means for removably interconnecting said rear top section to said bottom section and said front top section.

4. The box-shaped enclosure of claim 3 wherein when said rear top section is not interconnected to said bottom section and said front top section, said rear top section may be separated from said bottom section and said front top section by moving said rear top section in either of the following directions: exclusively in a substantially vertical direction, exclusively in a substantially horizontal direction, or a combination of the horizontal and vertical directions.