Mounting Kits for Portable Air Conditioners

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved mounting device (10), which is particularly useful for sealing hinged windows. The mounting device is configured to provide sealed exhaust via a hinged window (1). The mounting device according to the invention comprises a rectangular portion (6), the rectangular portion comprising a hole (7) and at least one connector (15), the at least one connector being configured to fix the rectangular portion to a frame (5) of a window glass (4) of the hinged window in a position in which the rectangular portion covers a rectangular gap opposite to the hinge of the hinged window formed when the hinged window is in a partially open position. By providing one or more connectors to fix the rectangular portion to the frame of the window glass, a seal is provided that efficiently covers the rectangular gap of the hinged window. The seal can be adapted to different types of windows and is easy to install. The connectors can advantageously be formed by a clamp.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly to a device for installing a portable air conditioner. Background Art

[0002] Air conditioning is a common expression for conditioning the air to a desired state. It can heat the air in cold periods, cool it in warmer periods, or be used to purify the air if it contains unwanted particles. However, the expression air conditioning is most often used when the emphasis is on cooling. As a product, air conditioners can appear in various forms and be used in various ways, but they all share the same basic technology. An air conditioner includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and typically an expansion device.

[0003] There are different types of air conditioners. One type of air conditioner may be referred to as a split air-conditioner. In a split air-conditioner, the condenser and the evaporator are located in two different separate units that are interconnected via pipes to circulate the refrigerant from one unit to the other.

[0004] Another type of air conditioner can be called a packaged air conditioner. A packaged air conditioner (AC) can be described as a self-contained type of system in which all cooling cycle components such as the compressor, condenser, expansion device, evaporator, and control system are enclosed in a single package. Among the packaged systems, the most commonly used for residential applications are window ACs, packaged terminal ACs (PTACs), and also portable AC (PAC) units.

[0005] The packaged air conditioner has the advantages of easy installation, relatively small footprint, flexibility in heating / cooling of individual rooms, and low cost.

[0006] When installing an air conditioner where all of the components of the air conditioner are contained in a single housing, the evaporator fan circulates the air in the room through the evaporator, thereby reducing the indoor temperature. For the thermodynamic cycle to work, a condenser fan is required to cool the condenser by passing air through the condenser. This air becomes very hot, so in order to prevent it from heating the room that the evaporator is cooling, it is necessary to exhaust this air out of the room. This is typically done by using a flexible conduit / hose, one end of which is connected to the outlet of the condenser fan, and the conduit / hose can be placed so that the warm air is directed out of the room, usually through a window.

[0007] To prevent outdoor air from entering this opening, a mounting kit is usually provided with the portable air conditioner. The mounting kit is also called a window kit and is typically used to prevent warm air from entering the room. The window kit therefore requires a suitable seal when connecting the duct to the window. One window kit provides such a seal described in US 8,578,728.

[0008] Improvements in air conditioners are always desired. Therefore, there is a need for an improved air conditioner, and in particular an improved mounting device for mounting a portable air conditioner. Summary of the invention

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide an improved portable air conditioner and, in particular, an improved apparatus for mounting an air conditioner.

[0010] This object is achieved by the device set out in the appended claims.

[0011] As the inventors have appreciated, window kits for portable air conditioners are well suited for windows that slide open. However, existing window kits are not suitable for use with hinged windows. When a hinged window is opened to allow warm air from the portable air conditioner to vent via a hose or the like, the opening is difficult to seal to prevent air from re-entering the space conditioned by the portable air conditioner. When existing window kits are used to seal hinged windows, the result is typically that air is allowed to re-enter the air conditioned space.

[0012] In order to solve this problem, an improved mounting device is provided, in particular for sealing hinged windows. The mounting device is configured to provide sealed exhaust via the hinged window. The mounting device according to the present invention comprises a rectangular portion, the rectangular portion comprising a hole and at least one connector, the at least one connector being configured to fix the rectangular portion to a frame of the window glass of the hinged window in a position in which the rectangular portion covers a rectangular gap opposite to the hinge of the hinged window formed when the hinged window is in a partially open position. A seal that efficiently covers the rectangular gap of the hinged window is provided by providing one or more connectors to fix the rectangular portion to the frame of the window glass. The seal can be adapted to different types of windows and is easy to install. The connector can advantageously be formed by a clamp.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the first connector is arranged at the top section of the rectangular portion and the second connector is arranged at the bottom section of the rectangular portion. This facilitates installation and improves the connection between the mounting device and the window glass frame.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the rectangular portion comprises a main portion and a slidable portion, the slidable portion being configured to slide in the main portion so that the rectangular portion has a variable length, thereby making the installation more versatile and better adaptable to a wide range of window sizes.

[0015] According to one embodiment, an extension part is provided, which can be connected to the main part, making the main part longer.Thereby a window mounting kit can be achieved which can be adapted to many different window sizes, and different mounting kits for different window sizes do not need to be provided.

[0016] According to one embodiment, an elastic triangular fabric is provided, which is configured to cover the triangular gap formed between the top side or the bottom side of the window glass and the window frame of the partially opened hinged window. Thus, the triangular gap can also be effectively covered for windows of different sizes.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, an elastic triangular fabric configured to cover a triangular gap formed between the top side or the bottom side of a window glass and a window frame of a partially opened hinged window is provided as a separate product, or provided in an installation device having another mechanism for sealing the rectangular gap different from the above-mentioned mechanism. For example, such an elastic triangular fabric can be provided together with the rectangular portion without a connector.

[0018] According to some embodiments, the triangular fabric itself is elastic, or the triangular fabric is provided with elastic bands along the longer sides of the triangular fabric, thereby providing an elastic triangular fabric that is easy to manufacture.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the ends of the elastic triangular fabric are provided with fasteners, thereby facilitating the installation of the triangular fabric. For example, the fasteners may be hooks.

[0020] According to one embodiment, a strip is provided for locking the window glass in a position in which the width of the rectangular gap of the partially opened window corresponds to the width of the rectangular portion. In this way, when operating the portable air conditioner, the window can be kept in the proper partially opened position while maintaining the window seal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 Hinged windows are shown.

[0023] Figure 2 Shows an overall view of AC installation through a window opening,

[0024] Figure 3 A mounting device for hinged windows is shown.

[0025] Figure 4 A mounting device for a hinged window with a covering for a triangular opening is shown.

[0026] Figure 5 Shown in top view Figure 4 The layout,

[0027] Figure 6 Shown Figure 5 Details,

[0028] Figure 7 Shown Figure 2 details, and

[0029] Figure 8 A view of the interior of a mounting device with strips is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The present invention will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of the present invention are shown. However, the present invention may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will become comprehensive and complete and will fully represent the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. For example, the same or similar components of different embodiments may be exchanged between different embodiments. For example, an air conditioner may be described herein as a cooling system, but if the system is operated in a heating mode or in some other mode (such as a filtering mode), the cooler may also be a heater. Some components may be omitted in different embodiments. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements.

[0031] Hinged windows have a window pane that pivots on a hinge on one side of the window. Figure 1 Hinged windows 1 with window panes 4 are shown. When these windows are partially opened, the gap that opens can be divided into three parts: a rectangular gap 21 on the side opposite to the side on which the window pivots and two triangular gaps 22 on each side adjacent to the pivoting side. When providing a mounting device to seal the gap of a partially opened hinged window, the mounting device should preferably be mountable in all types or at least a wide range of hinged windows so that the mounting device can be used in many types of hinged windows. This would eliminate the need to provide a dedicated mounting device for each hinged window of a specific size. However, it is difficult to provide such a mounting device that can effectively cover these gaps.

[0032] exist Figure 21 shows a mounting device 10 for sealing a hinged window 1. The window has a window glass 4. The window glass 4 is placed in a window glass frame 5. The window glass frame 5 is hinged in the window 1.

[0033] In order to provide an efficient seal for the window 1 when the window 1 is opened to allow air to escape from the space being conditioned by the portable air conditioner, the gap 21 and preferably also the gap 22 (see FIG. Figure 1 ) should be sealed efficiently and securely by the mounting device 10.

[0034] A rectangular portion 6 with a hole 7 (for an exhaust duct) is provided in order to cover the rectangular gap 21 that appears on the right side (the side opposite the hinge) when the hinged window 1 is partially opened. According to some embodiments, the rectangular portion 6 is formed by a body 16, into which a slidable portion 17 can enter to form a telescopic rectangular assembly. In this way, a telescopic assembly of rectangular shape is provided, which can be adjusted to the length of the gap in the open window to be covered. In some embodiments, additional parts can also be provided to increase the range of lengths that the rectangular portion can cover. Therefore, one or more additional parts 18 (extension parts) can be used to give the rectangular portion 6 a desired length. The additional part 18 can be a fixed length or can also be made slidable like the slidable part 17.

[0035] exist Figure 3 , an exemplary embodiment of a mounting device 10 including such a rectangular portion 6 is shown. According to some embodiments, the slidable portion 17 is designed so that there is a certain amount of friction when it slides in the body 16. In particular, this design can be such that the slidable portion 17 will not be able to move freely, thereby requiring a force above a threshold that the user needs to use to move the slidable portion in the body 16 (or the extension 17 of the body 16). This ensures that the telescopic assembly formed by the rectangular portion 6 and the telescopic portion 17 is maintained at the length adjusted by the user.

[0036] In order to fix the rectangular portion 6 to the window, at least one window glass frame connector 15 is provided on the rectangular portion 6. The connector 15 can advantageously be provided on the top and bottom sections of the rectangular portion 6, but it is also envisaged that one or more window glass frame connectors 15 are provided on the side of the rectangular portion 6. According to some embodiments, a clamp is used as the window glass frame connector 15. For example, one clamp can be attached to the telescopic portion 17 and another clamp is attached to the main body 16. These clamps fix the rectangular portion to the top and bottom of the window glass and these clamps can be adjusted to adapt to the thickness of different window glass frames. In one embodiment, the clamp uses an elastic member or a spring to generate a force that presses the clamp to the window glass frame. In another embodiment, the clamp can be manually adjusted to press the window glass frame and then fixed in place by using screws or bolts.

[0037] For example, after the rectangular gap 21 is covered with the rectangular portion 6, a triangular gap 22 is left at the top and bottom of the window. The two triangular openings are typically of the same size, and the length of one side of the triangular gap is the same as the width of the rectangular portion 6. The lengths of the other two sides of the triangular gap 22 are determined by the width of the window 1.

[0038] According to one aspect of the invention, the triangular gaps 22 are covered by fabric triangles 35. This Figure 4 . Thus, a fabric triangle 35 is provided to cover the triangular gap 22 of the hinged window to avoid / reduce air recirculation into the air conditioned space, and wherein the air exits the space via the hinged window 1. The elastic fabric forming the fabric triangle 35 may, for example, be a fabric which is elastic in itself, or may be a fabric having elastic bands along its sides, or some other mechanism which can stretch the length of the elastic fabric to accommodate a variety of different window sizes. According to one embodiment, one side of the triangle (typically the shortest side) is the same length as the width of the rectangular portion, and the other two sides are provided with elastic members so that they can extend to cover a range of window widths. The fabric triangle 35 is then secured to the hinged side of the window. This is shown in . Figure 5 As shown at B in FIG.

[0039] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A magnified view of region B in FIG. Figure 6In one embodiment, a hook 37 is attached to the end of the fabric triangle 35 and is used as a fastener to secure the end of the fabric triangle 35 to the hinged side of the window 1. In other embodiments, other means for securing the fabric triangle 35 to the hinged side of the window may be used as a fastener, such as a loop formed in the fabric triangle 35 and extending over the corner of the window glass frame 5. In one embodiment, different triangle fabric sizes are used to cover different window size ranges. In one embodiment, the hook is connected to the end of the triangle by a strap that has an adjustable length that can accommodate different window sizes.

[0040] Further, by providing elastic members only on the edges of the fabric triangle 35, the triangular shape can be maintained as the elastic members are tightened. In one embodiment, elastic members are also provided on the short sides of the triangle (facing the rectangular portion 6), which are used to provide a compression force for a connector (such as a clamp). According to some embodiments, the fabric triangle 35 is made of waterproof fabric.

[0041] In use, the window can then be closed until the rectangular portion 6 is pressed between the frame 5 of the window glass and the window frame. The window glass 4 can be connected to the strip 39 (such as Figure 2 A magnified view of area A Figure 7 The hook (shown) is fixed in this position.

[0042] Hook 41 connected to the strap (eg Figure 8 According to some embodiments, the strip 39 is connected to one of the connectors 15. The window is fixed in place by pulling the strip. Figure 7 and Figure 8 The strip in the embodiment is pulled from the window side towards the window opening side, however, in another embodiment, the strip can be arranged to be pulled from the other side of the window 1.

[0043] In this way, the rectangular portion 6 can cover rectangular gaps in the window with various heights and various thicknesses. The rectangular portion 6 can be firmly attached by means of the connector 15. Moreover, additionally or alternatively, the triangular gaps can be covered by triangular fabrics having elastic properties.

[0044] The invention provides for easy installation and removal. No modifications to the window that might leave permanent marks are required. A single mounting device can also be provided that can be made to fit a variety of window sizes.

Claims

1. A mounting device (10) configured to provide sealed venting via a hinged window (1), the device comprising a rectangular portion (6) comprising a hole (7) and at least one connector (15) configured to secure the rectangular portion (6) to a frame (5) of a window pane (4) of the hinged window (1) in a position in which the rectangular portion covers a rectangular gap opposite to a hinge of the hinged window formed when the hinged window is in a partially open position, wherein A first connector is disposed at a top section of the rectangular portion, and a second connector is disposed at a bottom section of the rectangular portion, and The mounting device (10) further comprises an elastic triangular fabric (35) configured to cover a triangular gap formed between a top side or a bottom side of the window glass and the window frame of the partially opened hinged window.

2. The mounting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein: These connectors are formed by clamps.

3. The mounting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The rectangular portion includes a main portion (16) and a slidable portion (17) configured to slide in the main portion so that the rectangular portion (6) has a variable length.

4. The mounting device (10) according to claim 3, further comprising an extension portion (18) which can be connected to the main portion to make the main portion longer.

5. The mounting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The triangular fabric itself is elastic.

6. The mounting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The triangular fabric is provided with elastic bands along the longer sides of the triangular fabric.

7. The mounting device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The ends of the elastic triangular fabric (35) are provided with fasteners (37).

8. The mounting device (10) according to claim 7, wherein: The fastener is a hook.

9. The mounting device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 further comprises a strip (39) for locking the window glass in a position in which the width of the rectangular gap of the partially opened window corresponds to the width of the rectangular portion.

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