SHIELD FOR AIR CONDITIONER
A radiant-reflective shield for an air conditioner condenser unit has slatted or louvered sidewalls and a partial top cover. The partial top cover shades sunlight from impinging on all or most of the top surface of the condenser unit without obstructing exhaust air exiting from the unit.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a shield for a condensing coil unit of a central air conditioner to improve operating efficiency and minimize the amount of radiant energy striking said unit. Many outdoor central air conditioner condensing coil units are exposed to intense heat from direct sunlight. Such radiant heating causes the unit to consume more electrical energy to power a fan to effect desired cooling of the condensing coil.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,264 shows a portable shelter for an air conditioner unit that has an inclined roof and three side walls. The shelter is mounted to a frame with wheels. It may be rolled into position to surround the metal housing of an outside air conditioner unit. The inclined roof extends over the entire top of the air conditioner unit to preclude debris from contracting the unit. The shelter also reflects sunlight to prevent radiant heat from building up on the air conditioner unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,181 illustrates a cover for an air conditioner with louvers on the top and sidewalls. The cover may be three-sided. The slats or louvers across the top may be adjusted at an angle to better reflect sunlight away from the air conditioner. The slats extend over the entire top of the air conditioner unit. This patent also proposes dripping water onto the slats on the sidewalls to help cool the intake air.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,328 shows yet another cover for an air conditioning compressor unit with slats or louvers. The '328 patent refers to pivotal shutters over each of the sidewalls and top ceiling, where each shutter is selectively movable between open and closed positions. The top ceiling extends to cover the entire air conditioning condenser unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,011,424 shows a louvered air conditioner cover intended for a window air conditioning unit. The cover has a solid upper roof and louvered sides, and can be installed over a window-mounted air conditioner unit.
Other radiant shields and covers for air conditioning condenser units are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,158,175, 6,430,954; 6,595,017; 4,730,423; and 6,138,993.
The background art shields generally cover the entire roof of the air conditioner condenser unit, either with a solid roof section or with a screen or shuttered section. In all of these prior designs, the air exhaust from the air conditioner condenser unit is hampered to some degree. This limits cooling efficiency by holding hot air from the exhaust close to the condenser unit, rather than expelling it away. Accordingly, a shield for an air conditioner condenser coil unit that reflects radiant energy without adversely impacting air flow to and out of the condenser coil unit is still sought.
SUMMARY OF INVENTIONA radiant-reflective shield for an air conditioner condenser unit has sidewalls with slatted openings to permit air flow therethrough so that air may reach the air condenser unit and a top cover to shield at least a portion of radiant energy from impinging upon the air conditioner condenser unit without obstructing exhaust air from exiting the air conditioner condenser unit. In one embodiment, the top cover extends over ¼ to ⅓ of the top surface of the air conditioner condenser unit. The shield deflect radiant energy sufficiently to reduce monthly household or building energy costs, preferably reducing such costs by at least 10% from costs incurred in a comparable calendar month without such shield.
The top cover may be fixedly mounted to the top frame. Alternatively, the top cover may be movably mounted to the top frame, such that the top cover may be moved from a first position to a second position to shield the air conditioner condenser unit from impingement by radiant energy. In yet another embodiment, the top cover may have a slanted top surface.
Referring first to
The louvers 22, may be formed to have a predetermined or set opening angle. Alternatively, the slats of the louvers 22 may be rotatable or adjustable to permit varying the extent of the slatted openings in the side panels 16, 18, 20. Such openings may vary from 180° (parallel and fully open) to 45° (as shown in
The side panels 16, 18, 20 form three sidewalls of the shield 10. Top and bottom portions of the side panels are fastened to a frame formed with frame members 12, 14. Fastening may be with screws or bolts or other customary fasteners 28. As shown In
In the embodiment shown in
In some cases, it would also be possible to configure top cover 26 such that it does not cover any portion of the top surface of the air conditioner condenser unit, yet still reflects away all or a major portion of radiant heat from sunlight. For example, top cover 26 could be slanted at an angle or could have an angular or wedge shape.
In some cases, it would also be possible to configure top cover 26 such that it covers more than one-third of the top surface of air conditioner condenser unit 30. Preferably, the top cover 26 does not unduly obstruct exhaust air from exiting from the air conditioner condenser unit 30.
Referring to
Referring next to
The side panels and the top cover may be formed from various weather- and heat-durable materials, such as, but not limited to, aluminum, coated aluminum, other coated metal, certain durable plastics such as polypropylene, polycarbonate, vinyl, and vinyl coated fiberglass or from a solar screen.
Installing the radiant-reflective shield according to the invention over an air conditioner condenser unit results in energy cost savings of at least about 10% and up to about 30% per month. In some cases where the air conditioner condenser unit is in direct sunlight in a generally western or southern exposed side of a home, energy cost savings may reach about 50% per month. For example, a home residence in a middle Atlantic state in the United States that had an air conditioner condenser coil unit mounted on a slab outside the home had the following energy consumption:
In July 2006, a shield according to the invention was installed over the air conditioner condenser unit. Between 2005 and 2006, there were no changes in the number of occupants or the energy consumption appliances within the home. The shield reduced energy consumed during when compared with the same month the prior year, wherein the average daily temperature was the same or nearly the same.
The invention has been illustrated by detailed description and examples of the preferred embodiments. Various changes in form and detail will be within the skill of persons skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention must be measured by the claims and not by the description of the examples or the preferred embodiments.
Claims
1. A radiant-reflective shield for an air conditioner condenser unit, comprising:
- a plurality of sidewalls, with each sidewall having slatted openings to permit air flow therethrough so that air may reach the air condenser unit; and
- a top cover to shield at least a portion of radiant energy from impinging upon the air conditioner condenser unit without obstructing exhaust air from exiting the air conditioner condenser unit.
2. The shield of claim 1, wherein the air conditioner condenser unit has a top surface and the top cover extends over ¼ to ⅓ of the top surface of the air conditioner condenser unit.
3. The shield of claim 1, wherein the top cover does not extend directly over any portion of the top surface of the air conditioner condenser unit.
4. The shield of claim 1, wherein the sidewalls are mounted to a top frame.
5. The shield of claim 4, wherein the top cover is fixedly mounted to the top frame.
6. The shield of claim 4, wherein the top cover is movably mounted to the top frame, such that the top cover may be moved from a first position to a second position to shield the air conditioner condenser unit from impingement by radiant energy.
7. The shield of claim 1, wherein the slatted openings comprise a series of adjustable louvers.
8. The shield of claim 1, wherein the air conditioner condenser unit has a top surface and from 66% to 100% of the top surface is not covered by the top cover of the shield.
9. The shield of claim 1, wherein the sidewalls and top cover are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of: aluminum, coated aluminum, polypropylene, polycarbonate, vinyl, vinyl coated fiberglass and solar screen material.
10. The shield of claim 1, wherein the top cover has a slanted top surface.
11. The shield of claim 1, wherein radiant energy is deflected sufficiently to reduce monthly household or building energy costs by at least 10% from costs incurred in a comparable calendar month without such shield.
12. A method of reducing energy costs associated with central air conditioning comprising installing the radiant reflective shield of claim 1 to shield or substantially shield an air conditioner condenser unit.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 30, 2007
Publication Date: Jul 31, 2008
Inventor: David B. Zedney (Newark, DE)
Application Number: 11/668,866
International Classification: F25D 23/12 (20060101);