Indoor Coil Adapter
An adapter for controlling airflow between a first element and a second element in an air conditioning system is provided including a frame having a first frame piece and a second frame piece. A portion of the second frame piece overlaps the first frame piece. The second frame piece slides relative to the first frame piece making a dimension of the frame adjustable. An upper portion of the frame attaches about an end of the first element and a lower portion of the frame attaches about an end of the second element.
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This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/647,618 filed May 16, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates generally to heating and cooling systems and, more particularly, to a connection of an indoor coil within such heating and cooling systems.
Air conditioning and heat pump systems include two major components, an outdoor unit and an indoor coil. Within the system, the indoor coil is typically positioned directly downstream from an outlet of a furnace, such as a gas furnace for example. In some air conditioning and heat pump systems, the outlet of the furnace outlet is not the same size as the inlet of the adjacent indoor coil. Most commonly, the width of the indoor coil inlet is larger than the width of the furnace outlet, thereby allowing air to escape at the junction between the two. This difference in size results in an undesirable airflow through the indoor coil because the airflow is concentrated in areas across the coil.
During installation of such a system, a mechanic must develop a means for mating the furnace outlet with the indoor coil inlet at the installation site. One solution is to create “block-off” or filler plates from sheet metal to prevent air escaping from the system. Though installation of “block off” plates may prevent a leak in the airflow, this on-site process is time consuming, and customers find this solution aesthetically displeasing because the “block-off” plates do not match the look of the adjacent system components. In addition, the use of block off plates often exacerbates the size difference problems resulting in an undesirable airflow through the indoor coil because the airflow is concentrated in areas across the coil.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONAccording to an embodiment of the invention, an adapter for controlling airflow between a first element and a second element in an air conditioning system is provided including a frame having a first frame piece and a second frame piece. A portion of the second frame piece overlaps the first frame piece. The second frame piece slides relative to the first frame piece making a dimension of the frame adjustable. An upper portion of the frame attaches about an end of the first element and a lower portion of the frame attaches about an end of the second element.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, a system is provided including a furnace and an indoor coil located directly downstream from the furnace. An adapter includes a first frame piece and a second frame piece. A portion of the second frame piece overlaps the first frame piece. The second frame piece slides relative to the first frame piece making a dimension of the frame adjustable. An upper portion of the frame attaches about an end of the first element and a lower portion of the frame attaches about an end of the second element.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method for installing an adapter between a first component and a second component in a system is provided including adjusting the adapter to a size of an end of a first component. A fastener is then inserted through a plurality of aligned holes of the adapter. The adapter is connected about an end of the second component. Additional fasteners are then inserted through the remainder of the plurality of aligned holes of the adapter. The adapter is then connected about an end of the first component.
These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring now to
With reference to
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The second frame piece 140 includes a second wall 142. A third arm 144 and a fourth arm 146 extend generally perpendicularly from opposing sides of first wall 142 in a general C-shape. In one embodiment, the third arm 144 and the fourth arm 146 are the same length. In one embodiment the third arm 144 has a length equal to or shorter than the length of the first arm 106, and the fourth arm 146 has a length equal to or shorter than the length of the second arm 108. Similar to the first frame piece 102, a flange 145 extends along the top edge of the second frame piece 140 and a second flange 150 extends along the bottom edge of the second frame piece 140, opposite the top edge. A plurality of holes 155 and 160 are disposed across the length and height of the third arm 144 and fourth arm 146 respectively.
When assembled, a portion of the top flange 145 is adjacent top flange 110 and a portion of the bottom flange 150 is adjacent bottom flange 115 such that movement of the second frame piece 140 is limited by the top and bottom flanges 110, 115 of the first frame piece 102. The third arm 144 is located adjacent the first arm 106 and the fourth arm 146 is disposed adjacent the second arm 108. Assembled, at least a portion of the first arm 106 and the third arm 144 overlap and at least a portion of the second arm 108 and the fourth arm 146 overlap. The second frame piece 140 is slidable relative to the first frame piece 102 to vary the overlap between the sets of arms. By sliding the second frame piece 140 relative to the first frame piece 102, the length of the generally rectangular adapter 100 is varied for each application. When the second frame piece 140 is in the correct position relative to the first frame piece 102 for an application, a fastener 175 is inserted through aligned holes 120 and 155, and similarly aligned holes 125 and 160. In one embodiment, screws are used to connect the first frame piece 102 and the second frame piece 140. Flanges 110, 145 create an upper lip around the adapter 100 for engagement with an end of the indoor coil 40. A portion of flanges 110, 145 extend in the direction of the indoor coil 40 to limit the movement of the adapter 100 relative to the indoor coil 40 when being attached. Similarly, flanges 115, 150 create a lower lip around the adapter 100 for engagement with an end of the furnace 45. A portion of flanges 115, 150 extend in the direction of the furnace 45 to properly locate the adapter 100 relative to the furnace 45 when installing the adapter 100.
Referring now to
In an alternate embodiment, illustrated in
Referring now to
Because at least one dimension of the adapter 100, 200 is adjustable, each adapter 100, 200 is compatible for use with a plurality of standard size furnaces, such as furnaces having a width of 14 3/16 inches, 17½ inches, and 24½ inches for example. The adapter 100 may be used in retrofit and modernization applications, such as when a new shorter furnace is installed in the system. The adapter 100 additionally improves the effectiveness of the system by causing the air to spread more evenly from the furnace to the indoor coil 40. Using adapter 100 reduces the installation time of the system because the installer of the air conditioning system will no longer need to fabricate “block-off” plates or custom sheet metal transition at the job site. Also, the overall system will have a more professional look once the adapter 100 is installed because the adapter is manufactured using steel pre-painted the same color as the other system components.
While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. An adapter for controlling airflow between a first element and a second element in an air conditioning system comprising:
- a frame including a first frame piece and a second frame piece, wherein a portion of the second frame piece overlaps a portion of the first frame piece, the second frame piece being slidable relative to the first frame piece, such that a dimension of the frame is adjustable;
- wherein an upper portion of the frame attaches about an end of the first element and a lower portion of the frame attaches about an end of the second element.
2. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the frame is adjustable to a plurality of sizes of either the first or second element.
3. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the first element is an indoor coil and the second element is a furnace.
4. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein, when an inlet of the first element is equal to an outlet of the second element, a cross-section of the frame is generally rectangular.
5. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein when an inlet of the first element is larger than an outlet of the second element, a cross-section of the frame is generally trapezoidal.
6. The adapter according to claim 3, where the first element if offset from the second element, the cross-section of the frame is a right angle trapezoid.
7. The adapter according to claim 3, wherein the first element is centrally aligned with the second element, the cross-section of the frame is an isosceles trapezoid.
8. A system comprising:
- a furnace;
- an indoor coil positioned directly downstream from the furnace; and
- an adapter for connecting the furnace to the indoor coil, the adapter having a first frame piece and a second frame piece; wherein a portion of the second frame piece overlaps a portion of the first frame piece, the second frame piece being slidable relative to the first frame piece, such that a dimension of the frame is adjustable;
- wherein an upper portion of the adapter attaches about an end of the first element and a lower portion of the adapter attaches about an end of the second element.
9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the frame is adjustable to a plurality of sizes of a second element.
10. The adapter according to claim 8, wherein when an inlet of the indoor coil is equal to an outlet of the furnace, a cross-section of the frame is generally rectangular.
11. The adapter according to claim 8, wherein when an inlet of the indoor coil is larger than an outlet of the furnace, a cross-section of the frame is generally trapezoidal.
12. The adapter according to claim 11, wherein when the indoor coil is offset from the furnace, the cross-section of the frame is a right angle trapezoid.
13. The adapter according to claim 12, wherein when the indoor coil is centrally aligned with the furnace, the cross-section of the frame is an isosceles trapezoid.
14. A method for installing an adapter between a first component and a second component in a system:
- adjusting the adapter to match an end of the first component
- inserting a fastener through a plurality of aligned holes of the adapter;
- connecting the adapter about an end of the second component;
- inserting additional fasteners through the plurality of aligned holes of the adapter; and
- connecting the adapter about an end of the first component.
15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the adapter is adjusted by sliding an overlapping second frame piece relative to a first frame piece.
16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the fastener is inserted through aligned holes of a first frame piece and a second frame piece adjacent a bottom portion of the adapter.
17. The method according to claim 14, wherein an upper portion of the adapter connects to about end of the second component.
18. The method according to claim 14, wherein a lower portion of the adapter connects about an end of the first component.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 14, 2013
Publication Date: Nov 21, 2013
Applicant: CARRIER CORPORATION (Farmington, CT)
Inventors: Gary E. Georgette (Avon, IN), Robert W. Peitz, JR. (Fishers, IN), Lisa L. Colton (Carmel, IN), Stephen R. Carlisle (Indianapolis, IN)
Application Number: 13/804,995
International Classification: F24F 13/08 (20060101);