Connection structure and method of installing a fresh air and exhaust air pipe system to a window

Abstract

The present invention relates to a connection structure for a fresh air and exhaust air duct system of a cooling unit to a window, which consists of an outer and inner surface connected to each other via a frame element comprising a top, bottom, left and right sides, an opening for the insertion of the fresh air and exhaust air duct system and an adapter ring for the fresh air and exhaust air duct system, characterized in that the connection structure is made of a lightweight material. The invention also relates to a method for installing such a connection structure.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connection structure for the installation of fresh air and exhaust air pipe systems, such as those used, for example, in cooling units for living or storage rooms, according to the preamble of claim 1, and to a method for installing such a connection structure in a window.

[0002] In permanently installed air conditioning systems, the ductwork is typically a central component of the planned construction. The use of portable cooling units, as well as the temporary cooling of an existing space, such as a room in a house during the summer, requires a flexible, reversible installation of a fresh air intake and exhaust duct system—that is, the flexible, reversible creation of a closed connection between indoor and outdoor air. The common option for cooling a single room is to use a window as the connection between indoor and outdoor air. Typically, cooling the interior is achieved by extracting indoor air and supplying cooled outdoor air.

[0003] An efficient technical implementation requires a localized, insulated connection between the indoor and outdoor air to prevent unwanted air or heat exchange. Therefore, a connection of a pipe system through a window should, on the one hand, allow air exchange via the pipe system, but on the other hand, isolate the outdoor air from the indoor air with regard to both mass and heat exchange. Furthermore, it is desirable that the connection to a window be designed to be airtight, stable, reversible, and adaptable to different window sizes and frame shapes. However, these requirements are only partially met by existing connection solutions. State of the art

[0004] German patent application JP-H-8270976A discloses a cooling unit adapted to a window with a regulated airflow along the ceiling. The adaptation of the unit to a given window opening is not further specified. Furthermore, EP 726427 B1 discloses an air outlet element that presents a novel airflow routing along the ceiling and could also be readily associated with an open window. The precise connection to the window is not further specified. German patent application DE 2412930 A1 addresses the heating and cooling of a single room, with the air inlets and outlets located away from the window opening. This document also focuses on permanently installed units, and an exhaust air routing to the outside is not disclosed.

[0005] Publication WO 2006 / 042550 A1 discloses an integrated ventilation system in a window. It is complex to install and is permanently fixed in the window. Furthermore, DE 2358884 A discloses an air conditioning system for conditioning the air in rooms of a building by means of ceiling airflow. The exact ceiling air connection, for example to a window, is not further specified, and the system is permanently installed.

[0006] German patent application DE 10 2019 212 949 A1 discloses a modular air conditioning system for recreational vehicles, which includes a mounting frame for a cooling unit on a car roof window. A flexible adaptation of the frame to different windows is not disclosed; the cooling unit extends across the entire window opening.

[0007] For the invention disclosed here, German publication DE 1454629 A is particularly relevant. It discloses a single-room cooling system using a mobile air conditioner with exhaust air ducting to the outside via a flanged exhaust air duct, which leads through a window insert in the form of an outer and an inner cover plate (cf. Fig. 2 , Junction 28, Fig. 3 The cover plates shown here are integrated directly into the window. Their installation is complex, partly irreversible, and not flexibly adaptable to different window sizes or window connections.

[0008] As a well-established product, plastic panels represent the next best state of the art for connecting air conditioning units to windows (see, for example, the offer at https: / / www.amazon.de / - / en / Conditioning-Shutter-Exhaust-Adapter-Replacement / dp / B0CB5M7XFR / ref=pd_ci_mcx_ pspc_dp_d_2_i_0?pd_rd_w=aHftE&content-id=amzn1.sym.dfd01cf6-0f98-4000-a541-0d253c79534b&pf_rd_p=dfd01cf6-0f98-4000-a541-0d253c79534b& pf_rd_r=P874J6YK1KKFCHGW4YA0&pd_rd_wg=yxB0K&pd_rd_r=765ab69e-d35e-4345-a71b-a6b156dc3b32. The plastic panels themselves do not provide efficient thermal insulation. Furthermore, plastic is not easily shaped or cut, and therefore cannot be adapted to the existing frame profile of a window. The product is thus primarily suited for vertical sliding windows with smooth bottom and side frame profiles and is not efficiently usable beyond that. Problem, solution, advantages of the invention

[0009] Against this background, the present invention aims to provide an air supply to a cooling unit through a window, efficiently separating outside air and inside air thermally and circulatorily, independent of the fresh air and exhaust air duct system, and enabling simple, reversible, and flexible installation in a given window. The duct system connection to the window is designed to prevent unwanted air exchange beyond the duct connection, ensuring a flush and stable fit within the window opening.

[0010] These and other tasks are solved by a connection structure according to claim 1 and an assembly method for a connection structure according to claim 12.

[0011] The invention, according to claim 1, discloses a connection structure for the fresh air and exhaust air duct system of a cooling unit to a window, which consists of an outer and inner surface, and a frame element comprising a top, bottom, left and right sides, and an opening for the insertion of the fresh air and exhaust air duct system. The connection of the fresh air and exhaust air duct system of the air conditioner to the opening can be effected by means of an adapter ring. According to the invention, the connection structure includes an insulating element made of a lightweight material with good thermal insulation, which may, but need not, be identical to the frame element; that is, the invention includes both one-piece solutions with an insulating frame element made of lightweight material, also referred to as an insulating frame element, and two-piece solutions consisting of a frame element and a separate insulating element.In the two-part embodiments according to the invention, the frame element itself can also be made of the same or, in general, of a different lightweight material, or can be designed in a known manner as a plate-shaped plastic or metal element.

[0012] The invention discloses, as a suitable lightweight construction material, stiffened foam such as expanded or extruded polystyrene or polyurethane foam. This material possesses advantageous properties for solving the problem because it is heat-insulating, stable, and malleable. Alternatively to or in combination with such a foam, a lightweight wood such as balsa, paulownia, or poplar can also be used. The different materials can alternate in layers, or a core-shell construction or a honeycomb structure can be chosen, wherein the shell or honeycomb structure consists of the stronger and tougher, but typically heavier (i.e., denser) material, which is equipped with a stabilizing core or filling made of a lighter (i.e., less dense) material, which primarily increases the element's strength under compressive loads.In addition to the aforementioned foams, cork is also suitable as a filling or core material, while lightweight metals such as aluminum, magnesium, or titanium, or glass or carbon fiber composites (GFRP, CFRP) can be used as structural or sheathing materials. However, due to their more economical manufacturing and easier processing and adaptation during installation of the connecting structure, solutions made of foam and / or lightweight wood are preferred in this case.

[0013] According to claim 12, the invention discloses a method for mounting a connection structure for a fresh air and exhaust air duct system with an insulating element or a combined insulating frame element made of foam, for example expanded polystyrene, to a window, wherein the foam element is adapted to the dimensions of the window by cutting and gluing. Here, too, the advantageous material properties of stiffened foam come into play, which can be easily processed by cutting and bonded with foam adhesive in a form-fitting manner while preserving the material properties.

[0014] Advantageous further training opportunities, which can be implemented individually or in combination, provided they do not exclude each other, are included in the dependent entitlements and will be described below.

[0015] The insulating element and / or frame element of the connection structure can preferably be made of expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam). This material is particularly lightweight and enhances the advantageous installation properties of the disclosed connection structure. Extruded polystyrene is an alternative if the focus is on improved thermal insulation of the connection structure. The preferred application area of ​​the invention relates to high outside temperatures (25–45 degrees Celsius) combined with the objective of achieving a reduced inside temperature (20–25 degrees Celsius) by means of a cooling device. In this case, the improved processability of expanded polystyrene outweighs the better thermal insulation of extruded polystyrene.

[0016] Alternatively or additionally, the insulating or insulating frame element according to the invention can be made of or comprise a lightweight wood or cork. Suitable lightweight woods include, in particular, balsa wood (150-200 kg / m³), which is widely used in model, aircraft, and boat construction due to its ease of processing and sufficient stability; poplar wood (300-400 kg / m³), which is somewhat heavier and stronger but still very easy to work with and is also used in model making, as well as in furniture and interior design; and paulownia wood, which is similarly easy to shape as balsa wood, but somewhat stronger and only slightly heavier (250-300 kg / m³).

[0017] The insulating or insulating frame element according to the invention preferably has a thickness of between 1 and 15 cm, in particular between 5 and 10 cm, which on the one hand makes it sufficiently stable for the forces acting on it during installation and in its installed position and also ensures good thermal insulation, but on the other hand does not make it too heavy and material-intensive.

[0018] Further embodiments of the invention relate to different forms of the frame element, on the one hand as an outwardly tapering trapezoid and on the other hand with a fold step.

[0019] A universal design, which ensures a naturally high degree of locking in the window opening and seals tightly on the inside, is achieved by designing the frame element and / or insulating element with a trapezoidal longitudinal section. The polystyrene experiences stabilizing tension forces directed towards the window edge through slight pressure pressed into the window opening; these forces are sufficient to securely install the connecting structure.

[0020] Another way to secure the frame and / or insulating element of the connecting structure is by providing it with a rebate. This allows the connecting structure to be attached to the window opening either from the outside or the inside, with the forward-facing rebate surface abutting the window frame and / or roller shutter tracks. Both the configurations with a combined insulating frame element and the two-part configurations of the invention, consisting of a separate frame and an insulating element positioned beneath it, can be secured solely by the clamping action of a window roller shutter placed on top. Optionally, planar hook-and-loop fasteners between the covered window frame surface and the rebate step enable efficient, reversible securing of the connecting structure.

[0021] The embodiments of the invention described above preferably aim at realizing the connection structure in which the window opening as a whole, or, for example in the case of a vertical sliding window, a portion thereof, of the remaining connection between outside and inside air made possible by the window's open state, is completely filled by the connection structure. In some embodiments, it is proposed to provide the frame element with a notch line along its upper surface. This is particularly useful in a configuration where the window has roller shutters and the entire opened window area is partially covered by the roller shutter and, at the upper connection to the window opening floor, by the connection structure. Here, the vertical contact pressure of the roller shutter itself already stabilizes the position of the connection structure.The notch line serves to frame the roller shutter and thus further improve the stability of the installation through the vertical contact pressure.

[0022] In some embodiments of the connection structure according to the invention, the frame element has an opening that tapers from the outside to the inside. This results in a parametric area between the outer opening radius and the inner opening radius, within which the pipe system can be connected flush and securely to the outside air via the opening. Furthermore, an adapter ring can be provided, which is attached to the pipe system. This makes it possible to connect smaller-diameter pipes flush with the outside air for a given larger opening of the connection structure. Examples of implementation

[0023] Further advantages, features, and properties of the present invention will become apparent from the exemplary embodiments described below with reference to the figures. These are intended merely to illustrate the invention and in no way to limit its generality.

[0024] They show: Fig. 1A-C : Variable views of a connection construction made of black polystyrene with an opening and an inwardly tapered frame element. Fig. 2 : Oblique perspective of an insulating element of a connection construction according to the invention made of black polystyrene with a fold step. Fig. 3A , B: Exterior and interior view of a two-part embodiment of the connection construction according to the invention, inserted into a window. Fig. 4 : Perspective view of a frame element of a connection construction according to the invention made of black expanded polystyrene with a fold step. Fig. 5A: Exterior view of another preferred embodiment of a connection construction according to the invention using the polystyrene frame element of the Figure 4 . Fig. 5B : Interior view of a connection structure according to Fig. 1A connected to a fresh air and exhaust air duct system of a mobile cooling unit

[0025] The Figures 1A - 1C Figure 1 shows a combined insulating frame element of a connection construction according to the invention, formed from black polystyrene, with a trapezoidal frame connection element in side view and a conically widening opening. The trapezoidal cross-section allows for a tight seal when inserted into a window frame or the guide rails of a window roller shutter, even with relatively loose tolerances, such as those that can occur due to an inaccurate measurement of the relevant width by a customer ordering the frame element.

[0026] Figure 2shows an insulating element made of black expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam®) with a folded edge. The frame element of the Figure 1 It can be made of this material. Both embodiments are lightweight and rigid. In both versions, the vertical pressure exerted by a blind or roller shutter is sufficient to lock the connecting structure. According to claim 9, both embodiments can be easily adjusted in width to fit a window. A vertical cutout of the excess width, combined with subsequent gluing using polystyrene adhesive, allows for simple width adjustment.

[0027] The Figures 3A and 3BFigures 1 and 2 show an exterior and an interior view of a first preferred embodiment of the connection structure according to the invention, which is installed in a window. The insulating element 2 is inserted into the guide rails 31 of the roller shutter 34 of the window 3 below the separate frame element 1. The partially lowered roller shutter rests with its weight on an upper end surface of the frame element 1, which is designed in a known manner as a plastic plate with an H-shaped cross-section. The frame element 1, in turn, rests on the insulating element 2, which in turn rests on the crossbar 33 of the window 3. This clamping arrangement advantageously secures the connection structure according to the invention in the two-part embodiment shown here.

[0028] As especially in the Figure 3BAs can be seen, the insulating element 2 is significantly thicker than the frame element and therefore offers considerably higher thermal insulation. In practice, its function of supporting the frame element 1 is even more important because otherwise the frame element would fall down to the lower end of the roller shutter tracks 31, making the opening 10 inaccessible.

[0029] In the Figure 4 Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a combined insulating frame element of a connection construction according to the invention, which is similar to the pure insulating element of the Figure 2 It has a rebate on three outer sides (top, left and right sides each) with which it can be supported against a window frame or the guide rails of a roller shutter or blind.

[0030] The Figures 5A and 5B Each shows the exterior or interior view of an installation of a connection structure accordingly. Fig. 4. This is a window 3 with roller shutter 34, in which the opened window area is partly covered by the lowered roller shutter 34 and partly by the insulating frame element 1,2 connection construction. In the The insulating frame element 1,2 is fixed in its position in the guide rails 31 of the roller shutter 34 by the partially lowered roller shutter 34 at the upper part of the window 3. The exhaust hose 51 of a mobile air conditioner 5 is connected to the opening 10 of the insulating frame element 1,2. Ideally, this installation is carried out on a window in a room where a lower window 32 allows additional light to enter or where there are other windows in the room. Reference symbol list

[0031] 1 Frame element 10 Opening 11 Bottom 12 Right side 13 Back / Inside 17 Front / Outside 18 Left side 19 Top 2 Insulation element 21 Rebate step 3 Window 31 Roller shutter tracks 32 Sub-window 33 Crossbeam 34 Roller shutter 5 Air conditioning unit 51 Exhaust hose

Claims

1. Connection structure for a fresh air and exhaust air duct system of a cooling appliance to a window, wherein the connection structure comprises a one-piece, cuboid frame element (1) that can be inserted into guide elements of the window and has a top (19), bottom (11), left side (18), right side (12), front (17) and back (13) and an opening (10) for introducing the fresh air and exhaust air duct system, characterized by the fact that The connection structure comprises an insulating element (2) made of a lightweight material.

2. Connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the lightweight material is • expanded or extruded polystyrene, • polyurethane foam, • balsa wood, • poplar wood, • paulownia wood, • cork, • a wood-comprising composite material such as ∘ honeycomb plywood, ∘ sandwich wood panels, ∘ plastic or light metal honeycomb panels with wood facings, ∘ wood-foam combination, • or a composite of the aforementioned materials, in particular in a plastic-encased wood core construction.

3. Connection construction according to claims 1 - 2, wherein the insulating element (2) has a thickness of between 1 and 15 cm, in particular between 5 and 10 cm.

4. Connection construction according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame element (1) and / or the insulating element (2) tapers towards the outside in its width and length dimensions and assumes a trapezoidal shape in the side projection.

5. Connection construction according to one of claims 1 - 3, wherein the frame element (1) and / or the insulating element (2) comprises a fold step (21) on at least one side, in particular on at least three sides, preferably on the top (19), the left side (18) and the right side (12).

6. Connection construction according to the preceding claim, wherein the fold step (21) has a hook and loop fastener surface along a fold step surface.

7. Connection construction according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the top of the frame element (1) and / or the insulating element (2) comprises a notch line.

8. Connection construction according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the radius of the opening (10) increases from the inside (13) to the outside (17).

9. Connection construction according to claims 1 - 7, wherein the connection construction has an adapter ring fixed to the frame element (1) which is flush with the radius of the opening on the outside for the fresh air and exhaust air pipe system.

10. Connection construction according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the insulating element (2) is identical to the frame element (2).

11. Connection construction according to one of claims 1 - 9, comprising an insulating element (2) separate from the frame element (1).

12. Method for mounting a connection structure for a fresh air and exhaust air duct system on a window (3), the connection structure comprising a frame and / or insulating element (1, 2) made of expanded polystyrene, wherein the frame and / or insulating element (1, 2) is adapted to the dimensions of the window (3) by cutting out and gluing an intermediate piece.

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