Air Conditioner Drain Pan With Adjustable Condensate Drainage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioning systems for nautical vehicles face challenges in installation due to limited space and obstructed areas, requiring features that facilitate easy installation and efficient drainage of condensate water.
Innovation Solution
A drain pan with an integral base portion, vertical wall, and multiple drainage areas, including a perforated receptacle for adjustable drainage fittings, allowing for flexible orientation and efficient water disposal, is designed to accommodate the air conditioning components and facilitate installation in confined spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional drain pan with a single fixed drainage opening is used, then the structure is simple, but the installation flexibility and adaptability to different orientations are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The drain pan is segmented into multiple functional areas: a base portion with mounting surface, vertical wall portions, and multiple drainage areas with separate receptacles. This segmentation allows each area to serve specific purposes and enables flexible configuration depending on installation orientation and drainage requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain pan is designed with multiple drainage areas and receptacles that can accommodate different drainage fittings and orientations. The same drain pan structure can be installed in various orientations (horizontal, vertical, angled) and connected to different drainage locations, making it a universal solution for diverse installation scenarios.
2Adaptability or versatility
If drainage fittings are permanently fixed in the drain pan, then the drainage path is fixed, but the ability to adjust drainage location and orientation is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage system is made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. Receptacles are provided in multiple locations on the vertical wall portions, allowing drainage fittings to be installed at different positions and orientations. This dynamic configuration capability enables the system to adapt to varying drainage requirements without changing the fundamental drain pan structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the drain pan accommodates multiple drainage areas, then drainage flexibility is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple drainage areas and receptacles are merged into a single integrated drain pan component formed by molding. Rather than creating separate parts for each drainage area, the invention combines all drainage functionality into one monolithic structure, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining drainage flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The molded drain pan serves multiple drainage functions simultaneously through its integrated design. A single molding process creates a structure that can handle multiple drainage streams, accommodate various orientations, and provide flexible configuration options, eliminating the need for multiple specialized components.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A drain pan for an air conditioning system, including: an integral base portion with a mounting surface defining a first elevation; an integral wall portion encircling the base portion peripherally; and a drainage area including a dimple and a receptacle. The dimple being located peripherally on the base portion and defining a second elevation, the receptacle located externally on the wall portion near the dimple, the receptacle adapted to be perforated by a drain fitting thereby allowing access to the dimple. Note that the first elevation is above the second elevation.