INSTALLATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SELF-CONTAINED HEAT PUMP ROOM CONDITIONING UNITS

Abstract

A room conditioning unit including a deflatably inflatable cushion located underneath the bridge portion for installing and uninstalling the room conditioning unit. A crane cart can be used to raise and lower the room conditioning unit via a lifting apparatus configured to attach to the anchor points such that a lift attachment point of the lifting apparatus is located above the center of mass of the room conditioning unit. Telescopic closeout panels can seal gaps between the room conditioning unit and the sides of the corresponding window. A mounting pad system having a mounting pad and an actuator can extend and retract to contact a wall and secure the room conditioning unit in place.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present disclosure claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/320,466, filed Mar. 16, 2022, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to room conditioning (e.g., heating and cooling) units and more particularly to self-contained heat pump room conditioning units, such as saddle window heat pump conditioning units.

BACKGROUND

Self-contained room conditioning units can be employed to heat or cool a specific room or other area within a building. Typically, such units are positioned in an opening of a building envelope, such as in a window. In some instances, self-contained room conditioning units can include a heat pump and can straddle the envelope opening such that a first heat exchanger of the heat pump system is located on an indoor side of the building envelope and a second heat exchanger of the heat pump system is located on an outdoor side of the building envelope. Such systems can be particularly useful in older buildings that do not have a central heating and/or cooling system or buildings that have a central heating and/or cooling system that is unable to sufficiently meet the heating and/or cooling demand of a given room or other area within the building.

In some units, the bridge portion that connects the indoor portion of the room condition unit to the outdoor portion of the room condition unit, and the bottom of the bridge portion rest on a window sill (or the bottom surface of another opening of a building envelope), resulting in a general saddle-like configuration of the room conditioning unit. Further, to help decrease the noise associated with the room conditioning unit and to minimize the size of the indoor portion (e.g., to minimize any encroachment of the room conditioning unit in the conditioned space), the heat pump's compressor and many other components of the heat pump and the overall room conditioning unit typically are located in the outdoor portion of the room conditioning unit. The outdoor portion therefore typically is substantially heavier than the indoor portion. Furthermore, the intermediate bridge portion may be relatively light in weight compared to the weight of the indoor and outdoor portions, often including only refrigerant tubing, power cables, and perhaps some insulation. The resulting units are typically quite heavy and have a center of mass that substantially offset from center of the room condition units and biased strongly in favor of the outdoor portion. Because of this imbalance, installation of such units in windows can be difficult and/or dangerous (e.g., falling out of the window) and typically requires at least two people to lift and position the units in the window.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a solution, e.g., new and improved systems and methods, that enables easy and/or safe installation of a self-contained room conditioning unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter and serve to explain the principles of the presently disclosed subject matter. The drawings are not intended to limit the scope of the presently disclosed subject matter in any manner.

FIG. 1A illustrates a first perspective view of a room conditioning unit in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1B illustrates a second perspective view of a room conditioning unit in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1C illustrates an elevation view from an indoor portion perspective of a room conditioning unit in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1D illustrates an elevation view from an outdoor portion perspective of a room conditioning in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1E illustrates a top view of a room conditioning unit in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1F illustrates a bottom view of a room conditioning unit in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1G illustrates a first side view of a room conditioning unit in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1H illustrates a second side view of a room conditioning unit in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1I illustrates a cross-sectional view of a room conditioning unit in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate an elevation view and a side view, respectively, of a room conditioning unit installed in a window in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3A illustrates a room conditioning unit having a cushion in an inflated state, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3B illustrates a room conditioning unit having a cushion in a deflated state, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a room conditioning unit and an installation cart crane, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5A illustrates a perspective view of a room conditioning unit including telescopic closeout panels, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5B illustrates a front elevation view of a room conditioning unit including telescopic closeout panels and installed in a window frame, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5C illustrates a first portion and a second portion of a telescopic closeout panel, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5D illustrates a second portion inserting into a first portion of a telescopic closeout panel, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5E illustrates a second portion inserted into a first portion of a telescopic closeout panel, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6A illustrates a room conditioning unit having a gap between the room conditioning unit and a window.

FIG. 6B illustrates a first portion and a second portion of a telescopic window receiver closeout panel, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6C illustrates a second portion inserting into a first portion of a telescopic window receiver closeout panel, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6D illustrates a second portion inserted into a first portion of an example telescopic window receiver closeout panel, in accordance with the disclosed technology.

FIG. 6E illustrates a partial perspective view of a telescopic window receiver closeout panel installed in a window, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6F illustrates a cross-sectional view of a telescopic window receiver closeout panel installed in a window, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6G illustrates a telescopic window receiver closeout panel installed in a window and having insulative foam installed on top of the telescopic window receiver closeout panel, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 6H and 61 illustrate a room conditioning unit positioned atop a telescopic window receiver closeout panel, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7A illustrates a first portion and a second portion of a telescopic window frame closeout panel, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7B illustrates a second portion inserting into a first portion of a telescopic window frame closeout panel, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7C illustrates a second portion inserted into a first portion of a telescopic window frame closeout panel, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7D illustrates a partial perspective view of a telescopic window frame closeout panel installed in a window, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7E illustrates a cross-sectional view of a telescopic window frame closeout panel installed in a window, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8A illustrates a room conditioning unit having an actuable mounting pad system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8B illustrates an actuable mounting pad system in a retracted position, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8C illustrates an actuable mounting pad system in an extended position, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Methods, systems, and apparatus are disclosed for installing self-contained heat pump room conditioning units (referenced herein as “room conditioning unit” or “unit”), particularly saddle-type units, in a window, or other envelope, of a building. The room conditioning unit can include an indoor portion having an indoor heat exchanger coil, an outdoor portion having an outdoor heat exchanger coil, and a bridge portion connecting the indoor and outdoor portions being configured to extend across the opening of the building envelope (e.g., across a window sill). As described more fully herein, the room conditioning unit can include one or more elements or features that help facilitate simple and easy installation as compared to existing room conditioning units.

In some embodiments, the room conditioning unit includes a deflatably inflatable cushion located underneath the bridge portion of the room conditioning unit, wherein the cushion is configured to deflate to install the room conditioning unit and to inflate to uninstall the room conditioning unit.

In some embodiments, a crane cart is provided for easily raising and lowering the room conditioning unit. The room conditioning unit can include strategically positioned anchor points, and a lifting apparatus can be configured to attach to the anchor points. The lifting apparatus can be designed such that a lift attachment point of the lifting apparatus is located above or approximately above the center of mass of the room conditioning unit.

In some embodiments, telescopic closeout panels are provided which are configured to seal gaps between the room conditioning unit and the sides of the window or other opening in which the room conditioning unit is installed.

In some embodiments, a mounting pad system is provided that includes a mounting pad and an actuator configured to extend and retract the mounting pad to contact a wall and secure the room conditioning unit in place, in a desired, e.g., level, orientation.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1A-1I, in certain embodiments, a self-contained heat pump room conditioning unit 100 can include an indoor portion 102, an outdoor portion 104, and a bridge portion 106 connecting the indoor portion 102 and the outdoor portion 104. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1I, the indoor portion 102 may include an outer facing side 116, lateral sides 110 and 112, a top side 114, and an inner facing side 108. The outdoor portion 104 includes lateral sides 138 and 139, which have louvres 170.

As shown in FIG. 1I, the self-contained heat pump room conditioning unit 100 can house and/or include an indoor heat exchanger coil 118 (also referenced as indoor coil 118) and a blower 120. In some instances, the outdoor portion 104 can include an outdoor heat exchanger coil 122 (also references as outdoor coil 122), a compressor, an expansion valve, a fan 124, and a drain valve 148. The indoor coil 118, the outdoor coil 122, the compressor (not shown), and the expansion valve (among other components) can be fluidly connected via tubing configured to pass a refrigerant therethrough, thereby forming the self-contained heat pump room conditioning unit 100 which functions as a vapor compression cycle system. While the compressor and/or the expansion valve can be located within the indoor portion 102 or even the bridge portion 106, the self-contained heat pump room conditioning unit 100 is illustrated as having the compressor and the expansion valve located in the outdoor portion 104, which can help reduce noise (and heat output during cooling mode) into the indoor space. The self-contained heat pump room conditioning unit 100 can further include a reversing valve (e.g., a four-way valve, not shown) configured to reverse the flow direction of the refrigerant through the self-contained heat pump room conditioning unit 100, thereby transitioning the self-contained heat pump room conditioning unit 100 between a heating mode, a cooling mode, and/or a defrosting mode.

The indoor portion 102 includes an indoor base pan 126. Referring to FIG. 1I in particular, at least a portion of the inner-facing side 108 and/or the lateral sides 110 of the indoor portion 102 include an air inlet 128 configured to intake air and an air outlet 130 configured to discharge air. The blower 120 is configured to pull air into the indoor portion 102 via the air inlet 128 and move the air across the indoor coil 118 to effect heat transfer between the refrigerant flowing through the indoor coil 118 and the passing air. The blower 120 subsequently discharges air into the indoor space via the air outlet 130. The indoor base pan 126 may be sloped to bias the flow of condensate to a desired location for subsequent discharge or removal from the indoor base pan 126.

The outdoor portion 104 includes an outdoor base pan 132, an outer-facing side 134, an inner-facing side 136, opposing lateral sides 138, and a top 140. The inner-facing side 136 includes louvers 172. The outer-facing side 134 of the outdoor portion 104 includes louvers 142. During operation, the fan 124 is configured to pull air into the outdoor portion 104 via the louvers (or other air inlet(s)), pass the air across the outdoor coil 122 to effect heat transfer between the refrigerant flowing through the outdoor coil 122 and the passing air, and discharge the air via the outer-facing side 134. The outdoor base pan 132 may be sloped to bias the flow of condensate to one or more desired locations for subsequent discharge or removal from the indoor base pan 126. The outdoor coil 122 and/or all or part of the fan 124 (e.g., the fan blades) may be located in an outdoor coil housing 144 as shown in FIG. 1I.

The bridge portion 106 may include insulation to prevent unwanted heat transfer between outdoor and the indoor space. The insulation may also dampen noise and vibration associated with the self-contained heat pump room conditioning unit 100, particularly from the indoor side. The bridge portion 106 includes a pathway for refrigerant tubing, power cables, and/or water pump tubing. The bridge portion 106 generally is located at or near the top of the indoor portion 102 and the outdoor portion 104 such that the self-contained heat pump room conditioning unit 100 has a generally saddle shape. The room conditioning unit 100 may be any suitable size, shape, or configuration. Accordingly, the self-contained heat pump room conditioning unit 100 can be configured to straddle a window sill or another opening in a building envelope, such as is illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

In certain embodiments, the width of the outdoor portion 104 and/or the bridge portion 106 can be less than a width of the indoor portion 102. For example, the width of the outdoor portion 104 and/or the bridge portion 106 can be less than the width of a standard window opening, whereas the width of the indoor portion 102 can be greater than or approximately equal to the width of a standard window opening. As specific examples, the outdoor portion 104 and/or the bridge portion 106 can have a width of approximately 20 inches, and the indoor portion 102 can have a width of approximately 26 inches. The bridge portion 106 can have a length sufficiently long to extend across a standard window sill. In one specific example, the bridge portion 106 has a length of approximately 12 inches. The length of the bridge portion 106 can also serve to separate the inner-facing side 116 of the indoor portion 102 from the wall of the building envelope and/or to separate the inner-facing side 136 of the outdoor portion 104 from the building. The indoor portion 102, the bridge portion 106, and the outdoor portion 104 may be any suitable size, shape, or configuration.

The self-contained heat pump room conditioning unit 100 can include a controller, which can include one or more processors and memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to perform certain methods. For example, the controller can be configured to receive data inputs from a user interface and/or one or more sensors (e.g., temperature sensor(s), humidity sensor(s)) and can be configured to output instructions for certain components to operate. For example, the controller can be configured to output instructions for the compressor, the reversing valve, the fan 124, and/or the blower 120 to operate based at least in part on a current operating mode of the self-contained heat pump room conditioning unit 100 (e.g., heating mode, cooling mode, defrosting mode) and/or received sensor data from one or more of the sensors.

Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the room conditioning unit 300 can include an inflatably deflatable cushion 350. The cushion includes a bag or balloon suitable for containing variable amounts of gas (air) therein. The cushion 350 can extend from and/or be attached to the bottom surface of the bridge portion 306. The cushion 350 can include a valve configured to interface with a pump (e.g., manual, motorized) such that the cushion 350 can be inflated. Alternatively or in addition, the room conditioning unit 300 can include a pump (e.g., manual, motorized) that is permanently integrated into the room conditioning unit 300. For example, a motorized pump can be included in the bridge portion 306 (or the indoor portion 302 or the outdoor portion 304), and the pump can be in electronic communication with the controller, enabling a user to inflate or deflate the cushion 350 via a user interface of the room conditioning unit 300. The cushion 350 can be configured to selectively release air to deflate (e.g., via the valve). That is to say, the cushion 350 can be configured to selectively transition between an inflated state and deflated state, to raise or lower, respectively, the room conditioning unit 300 relative to the window sill.

The cushion 350 can be made from and/or include any useful material that can both retain a sufficient amount of air pressure corresponding the cushion 350 supporting at least the weight of the room conditioning unit 300 when the cushion 350 is in the inflated state and be sufficiently flexible to fold into a small volume when the cushion is in the deflated state. For example, the cushion 350 can be made from or include a suitable gas-impermeable polymeric material, e.g., polyurethane, silicone, rubber, as known in the art. Alternatively or in addition, the cushion 350 may formed of a composite material, such as a fiber-reinforced elastomeric material. To help reduce the volume of the cushion 350 when it is in the deflated state, the cushion 350 may include one or more pleats (e.g., horizontal pleats) to encourage space-saving folding of the cushion 350 as it becomes increasingly deflated.

In the inflated state, the cushion 350 can substantially fill the void defined underneath the bridge portion 306 and between the indoor portion 302 and the outdoor portion 304. The cushion 350 in its inflated state may have a height approximately equal to the distance between the bottom of the outdoor portion 304 (and/or indoor portion 302) and the bottom of the bridge portion 306. The cushion 350 may also have a width that is approximately equal to the width of the outdoor portion 304 and/or the indoor portion 302. The depth of the cushion 350 can be approximately equal to the distance between the indoor portion 302 and the outdoor portion 304.

The cushion 350 may be inflated after manufacturing and/or during shipping, which can help protect the room conditioning unit 300 from bending or incurring other damage without requiring additional shipping materials. The inflated cushion 350 can cause the room conditioning device 300 to have an overall shape that is substantially a rectangular prism, thereby temporarily removing the generally saddle-like configuration of the room conditioning device 300. This configuration may aid handling and manual positioning of the room conditioning unit 300 on a window sill or other foundational support for the room conditioning unit 300. For example, instead of having to awkwardly lift and position the void of the saddle-like configuration onto the window sill, a user (installer) can simply slide bottom of the room conditioning unit 300 across the window sill until the outer portion 304 is positioned outside and the cushion 350 is positioned atop the window sill. The cushion 350 can then be deflated in a controlled manner, which can help reduce the risk of injury to user and/or damage to the window, surrounding objects, or the room conditioning device 300 itself. As mentioned above, the cushion 350 may be configured to fold into a small volume as it deflates. Additionally, the cushion can server as a thermal insulator and/or sound dampener when it is deflated and the room conditioning device 300 is installed, which can help reduce the need for additional sealing components.

Referring now to FIG. 4, in certain embodiments, the room conditioning unit 400 can include three, four, or more anchor points 402. The room condition unit 400 optionally may include an inflatable/deflatable cushion as described with reference to room condition unit 300. Each anchor point 402 can be strategically positioned such that a corresponding strap 412 of a lifting apparatus 410 can be detachably attached to the anchor point 402. The length of each strap 412 of the lifting apparatus 410 can be such that a lift attachment point 414 of the lifting apparatus 410 is positioned directly or approximately above the center of mass of the room conditioning unit 400. The anchor points 402 may include suitable hooks, tabs, D-rings, or other aperture structures for releasably connecting the strap 412 (which may any suitable flexible member, such as a woven strap, rope, cable, or the like). In preferred embodiments, one or both ends of each strap includes a clamp, clip, carabineer, hook, loop, or other fastener, designed to connect with the anchor point and/or the lift attachment point. The anchor points may be fabricated as part of the exterior structure of the room conditioning unit 400. In some embodiments, the installation system includes a crane cart 420, which can be used to lift and position the room conditioning unit 400 in a given window or other location. The crane cart 420 typically include wheels or is otherwise easily moveable. To ensure that the crane cart 420 does not move or tip during lifting of the room conditioning unit 400, the crane cart 420 may include a brake and/or outrigger 422. As illustrated, the crane cart 420 includes a crane 424, which includes a cable 426 and a crank 428 (e.g., a manual crank) configured to shorten and lengthen the length of the cable 426 extending from the crane 424. Alternatively or in addition, the crane cart 420 may include a motorized winch or the like configured to shorten and lengthen the length of the cable 426 extending from the crane 424. Thus, when the cable 426 is attached to attachment point 414 of the lifting apparatus, the room conditioning unit 400 can be raised and/or lowered. The mast of the crane 424 can be telescopic such that the height of the crane 424 be adjusted, and/or the mast of the crane 424 can be rotatable relative the crane cart 420.

The cart 420 may be dimensioned to transport the room conditioning unit 400 thereon until the cart is positioned next to the window or other building envelope in which the room conditioning unit is to be installed.

It is also important to ensure a strong seal is made between the bridge portion 106, 306 and the window or other opening in which the room conditioning unit 100, 300 is positioned. To that end, and referring now to FIGS. 5A-5E, the bridge portion 106, 306 can include telescopic closeout panels 510 extending outwardly in the width direction. Because the closeout panels 510 are telescopic, they can ensure a good seal across a variety of window widths. The closeout panels 510 may be made from any suitable materials. Examples include polymeric materials, composites, and the like. The closeout panels 510 can include foam end caps 515, which can help facilitate a complete or substantially complete seal between the ends of the close panels 510 and the sides of the window.

The closeout panels 510 can include a first portion 512 that is configured to slideably receive a second portion 514. A first end of the first portion can be attached to the bridge portion 105, and the second, opposite end of the first portion 512 can be configured to at least partially receive the second portion 514. The second portion 514 can form the end cap. That is, a first end of the second portion 514 can extend outwardly from the first portion 512, and the second end of the second portion 514 can be configured to at least partially insert into the first portion 512. Moreover, the second end of the second portion, which can slideably insert into the first portion 512, can include a foam end cap and/or a gasket, which can help provide resistance between the first and second portions 512, 514, thereby ensuring a snug fit between the closeout panels 510 and the window is maintained after installation.

When installing the room conditioning unit 100, a foam strip can first be positioned and/or adhered across the window sill or other foundational surface. The room conditioning unit 100 can then be positioned on the window sill (e.g., in accordance with one of the various systems or methods described herein) such that the bridge portion 106 is positioned atop the foam strip. The closeout panels 510 can be positioned on either side of the bridge portion, and a second foam strip can then be positioned and/or adhered to the top of the bridge portion and/or the closeout panels 510. Accordingly, a seal can be provided around the entire perimeter of the room conditioning unit 100 that is extending through the window.

In some situations, however, a gap can still exist below the closeout panels 510, as shown in FIG. 6A. To remedy this, the room conditioning unit 100 can include a telescopic window receiver closeout panel 610, as illustrated in FIGS. 6B-6F. The telescopic window receiver closeout panels 610 can each include a first portion 612 that is configured to slideably receive a second portion 614. The first and second portions 612, 614 can have a substantially U-shape, and the void of the U-shape can be configured to accommodate the window receiver portion of the window frame. A first end of the first portion 612 can form a first end cap, and the second, opposite end of the first portion 612 can be configured to at least partially receive the second portion 614. The second portion 614 can form the end cap. That is, a first end of the second portion 614 can extend outwardly from the first portion 612, and the second end of the second portion 614 can be configured to at least partially insert into the first portion 612. Moreover, the second end of the second portion 614, which can slideably insert into the first portion 612, can include a foam end cap and/or a gasket, which can help provide resistance between the first and second portions 612, 614, thereby ensuring a snug fit between the closeout panels 510 and the window is maintained after installation. In addition, the outer ends of the first portion 612 and the second portion 614 can include adjustable endplates 616 that can sandwich the window frame, which can help prevent rotation of the telescopic window receiver closeout panel 610 out of the window. As shown in FIG. 6F, the telescopic window receiver closeout panel 610 can be configured to provide a tilt angle that is angled downwardly in the outdoor direction to help facilitate drainage away from the window. FIGS. 6G, 6H and 61 illustrate perspective views of the room conditioning unit 100 installed atop the window receiver closeout panel 610.

Similarly, a telescopic window frame closeout panel 710 can have first and second portions 712, 714 that are the same or similar to the first and second portions 612, 614 of the window receiver closeout panel 610, except that the void of the U-shape of the first and second portions 712, 714 of the window frame closeout panel 710 is configured to accommodate the bottom of the window frame (rather than just the window receiver as is accommodated by the U-shape of the first and second portions 612, 614 of the window receiver closeout panel 610). The window frame closeout panel 710 is illustrated in FIG. 7A-7E.

Referring now to FIG. 8A, the room conditioning unit 100 can include one or more actuable mounting pad systems 800. Each mounting pad system 800 can include a mounting pad 802. The mounting pad 802 can be a tiltable bumper stop configured to secure the room conditioning unit 100 against a wall (e.g., an outer surface of a wall). The mounting pad system(s) 800 are illustrated as being located on the outdoor portion of the room conditioning unit 100, but one or more mounting pad systems 800 can be located on the inner portion, alternatively or in addition. The mounting pad 802 is attached to an actuator 804 or other motor. The actuator 804 is configured to transition the mounting pad 802 between a retracted position, as shown in FIG. 8B, and an extended position, as shown in FIG. 8C. The actuator 804 can be in electric communication with the controller, and as such, the controller can be configured to output instructions for the actuator to extend or retract the mounting pad 802. For example, once the room conditioning unit 100 is positioned on a window sill or other foundational support, the user (or installer) can press an install button on a user interface of the room conditioning unit 100, which can cause the controller to output instructions to extend the mounting pad 802. The controller can cause the actuator 804 to extend the mounting pad 802 until a predetermined amount of resistance is met by the actuator 804, at which point the controller can determine that the room conditioning unit 100 is secured.

Alternatively or in addition, the actuable mooting pad system 800 can include a tilt sensor, which can be located in the indoor portion 110, the outdoor portion 130, or the bridge portion 105. The tilt sensor can be configured to measure an angle of the room conditioning unit 100 relative horizontal, and can send corresponding tilt data to the controller. When the room conditioning unit 100 is placed into install mode, the controller can output instructions for the actuator 804 to extend the mounting pad 802 until a predetermined tilt angle of the room conditioning unit 100 is achieved (which the controller can determined based at least in part on the tilt data received from the tilt sensor), at which point, the controller can output instructions for the actuator 804 to stop.

To uninstall the room conditioning unit 100, the user can press an uninstall button to place the room conditioning unit 100 in uninstall mode, and the controller can output instructions for the actuator 804 to retract the mounting pad 802 until the mounting pad 802 reaches a retracted position.

The room conditioning unit 100 can include one, two, three, or more mounting pad systems 800 on a given side (e.g., indoor portion 102, outdoor portion 104) or in total.

Additional Embodiments

Embodiment 1. A system for installing a room conditioning unit, the system comprising: a room conditioning unit comprising a plurality of anchor points; a lifting assembly which comprises a lift attachment point, a plurality of straps, each configured to be releasably securable to one of the plurality of attachment points of the room conditioning unit; and a cart which comprises a crane having a cable configured to be releasably attachable to the lift attachment point of the lifting assembly, wherein the cart and crane are operable to lift and position the room conditioning unit into an installation position in a window or other building envelope.

Embodiment 2. The system of Embodiment 1, wherein the cart comprises wheels and a brake and/or an outrigger configured to hold the cart stationary during lifting of the room conditioning unit.

Embodiment 3. The system of Embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the crane further comprises a mast and a manual crank or motorized winch operable to shorten and lengthen the length of the cable extending from the mast of the crane, and/or wherein the mast is telescopically adjustable and is configured to be selectively rotatable relative the cart.

Modifications and variations of the methods and devices described herein will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the foregoing detailed description. Such modifications and variations are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A room conditioning unit for use in an opening of a building, the room conditioning unit comprising:

an indoor portion configured to be position on an internal portion of the building and having an indoor heat exchanging coil;

an outdoor portion configured to be position on an external portion of the building and having an outdoor heat exchanging coil;

a bridge portion connecting the indoor portion and the outdoor portion; and

an inflatable and deflatable cushion which is configured to be selectively transitioned between an inflated state and deflated state, to raise or lower the room conditioning unit relative to a support structure in the opening of the building.

2. The room conditioning unit of claim 1, wherein the cushion is mounted to a lower side of the bridge portion.

3. The room conditioning unit of claim 1, wherein the cushion comprises one or more pleats that facilitate folding of the cushion as it is deflated.

4. The room conditioning unit of claim 1, further comprising an air pump which is selectively operable to inflate the cushion.

5. The room conditioning unit of claim 4, wherein the air pump is in electronic communication with a controller for the room conditioning unit, which enables a user to inflate or deflate the cushion via a user interface of the room conditioning unit.

6. The room conditioning unit of claim 1, wherein, in the inflated state, the cushion substantially fills a space defined underneath the bridge portion and between the indoor portion and the outdoor portion.

7. A system for sealing about a bridge portion of a room conditioning unit positioned in a building opening, the system comprising:

telescopic closeout panels which comprise: a first elongate portion having a first end configured to attach to the bridge portion and an opposing second end; and a second elongate portion having a first end and an opposing second end which is configured to form a seal with a vertical side of the building opening, wherein the second end of the first elongate portion is configured to at least partially, slidably receive the first end of the second elongate portion.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second end of the second elongate portion comprises a foam end cap.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the second end of the first elongate portion comprises a foam end cap and/or a gasket, which is/are configured to provide sliding resistance between the first and second elongate portions to maintain a snug fit between the closeout panels and the building opening.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a first foam strip configured to be positioned and/or adhered across a window sill or other foundational surface of the building opening and configured to receive the bridge portion of the room conditioning unit thereon; and

a second foam strip configured to be positioned and/or adhered to a top of the bridge portion and the closeout panels.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

telescopic window receiver closeout panels which comprise: a first portion having a first end and an opposing second end; a second portion having a first end and an opposing second end,

wherein the second end of the first portion is configured to at least partially, slidably receive the first end of the second portion.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first and second portions of the telescopic window receiver closeout panels have a substantially U-shape, the interior of which is configured to accommodate (i) a window receiver portion of a window frame, or (ii) a bottom of the window frame.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first end of the first portion of the telescopic window receiver closeout panels comprises an adjustable endplate configured to sandwich a window frame to prevent rotation of the telescopic window receiver closeout panels.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein telescopic window receiver closeout panels are configured to provide a tilt angle that is angled downwardly in an outdoor direction to help facilitate drainage away from a window.

15. A room conditioning unit for use in an opening of a building, the room conditioning unit comprising:

an indoor portion configured to be position on an internal portion of the building and having an indoor heat exchanging coil;

an outdoor portion configured to be position on an external portion of the building and having an outdoor heat exchanging coil;

a bridge portion connecting the indoor portion and the outdoor portion; and

an actuable mounting pad system configured to secure the outdoor portion or the indoor portion of the room conditioning unit against a vertical exterior or interior wall, respectively.

16. The room conditioning unit of claim 15, wherein the actuable mounting pad system comprises:

at least one mounting pad;

an actuator configured to transition the at least one mounting pad between a retracted position and an extended position; and

a controller in electric communication with the actuator and configured to output instructions for the actuator to extend or retract the at least one mounting pad based on input from a user received at a user interface of the room conditioning unit.

17. The room conditioning unit of claim 16, wherein the actuable mounting pad system further comprises a tilt sensor configured to measure an angle of the room conditioning unit relative horizontal and to send corresponding tilt data to the controller.

18. The room conditioning unit of claim 15, wherein the actuable mounting pad system comprises two or more of the mounting pads and two or more actuators therefor.

19. The room conditioning unit of claim 15, further comprising an inflatable and deflatable cushion which is configured to be selectively transitioned between an inflated state and deflated state, to raise or lower the room conditioning unit relative to a support structure in the opening of the building.

20. The room conditioning unit of claim 19, further comprising an air pump in electronic communication with a controller for the room conditioning unit, which enables a user to inflate or deflate the cushion via a user interface of the room conditioning unit.