Drain pan with integrated riser
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current secondary drain pans for air handling units require additional, often imprecisely dimensioned support structures, which wastes time and effort during installation as they lack an integrated riser to adequately support the units.
Innovation Solution
A drain pan with an integrated riser affixed to its base, which can be preformed as a unibody structure, featuring various configurations such as X-shaped, rectangular, or triangular legs, and optionally hollow with ribs for added support, allowing for precise positioning and stacking for easier handling and installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If additional support structures (bricks, cinder blocks, wood) are placed in the drain pan, then the air handling unit can be supported above the base, but the installer wastes time and effort locating and positioning these structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the drain pan and support structure (riser) into a single integrated unit. The riser is pre-formed and affixed to the base of the drain pan, eliminating the need for separate support structures like bricks or blocks. This merging of functions allows the installer to simply place the integrated unit in position without additional steps of locating and positioning separate support elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The riser support structure is pre-formed and pre-positioned on the drain pan base during manufacturing. This preliminary action of creating the integrated unit beforehand eliminates the need for the installer to perform support structure placement during installation, thereby reducing installation time and effort.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate support structures are used, then the air handling unit can be supported, but the dimensions are imprecise and positioning is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the riser and drain pan into a single manufactured unit, the patent ensures precise dimensional relationships between the support structure and the pan base. The riser is affixed to specific locations on the base with controlled dimensions, providing precise support height and positioning without the variability associated with separate support structures.
3Strength
If the riser is solid, then it provides strong support, but it increases the weight and reduces stackability for storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a hollow riser structure with wall thickness sufficient to provide the required support strength. This thin-walled hollow construction reduces the weight compared to a solid riser while maintaining adequate structural integrity for supporting the air handling unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow riser structure effectively creates a porous or cellular configuration that reduces material usage and weight while maintaining structural strength through the geometric configuration of the hollow form.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components are used, then versatility is achieved, but handling and installation become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of the riser and drain pan into a single unit simplifies handling and installation to a single placement action, while the design maintains versatility through optional configurations such as different riser shapes (X-shaped, rectangular, triangular) and the possibility of multiple risers on a single pan.
Data Source
AI summary
A drain pan for an air handling unit including a base, a lip attached to the base wherein the lip extends substantially vertically from the base, and a riser affixed to the base wherein the riser extends substantially vertically from the base to support the air handling unit. The drain pan may further include a riser that is preformed with the base to form a unibody drain pan.