Snap fit filter for an air conditioner
First Claim
1. The combination of a filter and an indoor grille of an air conditioner configured to receive the filter, the grille having a planar front section in spaced relation with the evaporator coil of the air conditioner, the planar front section having a horizontally extending slot adjacent the top or bottom thereof, wherein the improvement comprises:
- said filter having a rectangular filter frame having a leading edge and a trailing edge, and laterally spaced edges interconnecting said leading and trailing edges;
said trailing edge including an elongated wall section of substantially the same dimension as said horizontal slot, said trailing edge further including at least one deformable latching conformation formed thereon; and
latch engaging structure formed on said planar front section adjacent to said slot, said latch engaging structure being adapted to be latchingly engaged by said deformable latch structure of said trailing edge when said rectangular filter frame is fully inserted into said slot.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An indoor grille for an air conditioning unit is provided with a horizontal slot through which a substantially rectangular filter element is adapted to be installed. The filter receiving slot is provided with latching structure thereon which is adapted to latchingly engage mating structure on a horizontally extending structural portion of the filter to thereby latch and retain the filter in its desired position when installed in the grille assembly. The latching structure is manually releasable to facilitate easy withdrawal of the filter from the grille. The latching structure also serves to protect the filter from falling out of the slot under the influence of gravity when the grille is oriented upside down.
39 Citations
4 Claims
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1. The combination of a filter and an indoor grille of an air conditioner configured to receive the filter, the grille having a planar front section in spaced relation with the evaporator coil of the air conditioner, the planar front section having a horizontally extending slot adjacent the top or bottom thereof, wherein the improvement comprises:
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said filter having a rectangular filter frame having a leading edge and a trailing edge, and laterally spaced edges interconnecting said leading and trailing edges; said trailing edge including an elongated wall section of substantially the same dimension as said horizontal slot, said trailing edge further including at least one deformable latching conformation formed thereon; and latch engaging structure formed on said planar front section adjacent to said slot, said latch engaging structure being adapted to be latchingly engaged by said deformable latch structure of said trailing edge when said rectangular filter frame is fully inserted into said slot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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Specification