Fan scroll assembly for the indoor unit of an air conditioner

• US 6,257,012 B1
• Filed: 02/15/2000
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Correa, Juan Carlos Carne, Tesche, Carlos Alfonso
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael Powell
• Assistant Examiner(s): JIANG, CHEN WEN
• Application Number:
  US09/485,752
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 622/58, 622/98, 415/203, 415/204, 415/206, 415/214.1, 454/355, 248/672
• US Class Current: 62/298
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/4226 Fan casings
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/20 Casings or covers

Abstract

A scroll housing (40) is provided for enclosing a centrifugal fan of an air distribution unit. The housing (40) is of the type configured for mounting to a panel (22) dividing the air distribution unit into inlet and outlet regions. The scroll housing (40) is formed from two sections (50, 52). A rear section (50) includes a curved wall (56) having a first edge (58) at one end thereof, which defines one side of the rectangular opening (39), and a second edge (60) at the other end of the wall (56). A front section (52) of the scroll housing also includes a curved wall (96) having a first edge (98) at one end thereof, which defines the fourth side of the rectangular opening (39) and a second edge (100) of the other end thereof. The second edge (60) of the curved wall (56) of the back section (50) is provided with a first hinge element (70) thereon. The second edge (100) of the curved wall (96) of the front section (52) is provided with a second hinge element (110) thereon. The side walls (62, 64) of the back section (50) have latching conformations (88) formed thereon at a location underlying the first edge thereof and above the semi-circular opening therein. The side walls (102) of the front section (52) have a latching conformation formed thereon in the first edge, which are adapted to positively engage the latching conformations on the back section (50) when the sections are pivoted toward one another about the hinge engagement.

Claims

1. A scroll housing for enclosing a centrifugal fan of an air distribution unit, said housing being of the type configured for mounting to a panel dividing the air distribution unit into an inlet and outlet region, the panel having a rectangular opening therein, said scroll housing defining an irregular cylinder having end walls with circular inlet openings therein and a rectangular opening configured to be in air flow communication with said rectangular opening in said panel, wherein the improvement comprises:

said scroll housing being formed from two sections;

said first section including a curved wall having a first edge at one end thereof defining a side of said rectangular opening, and a second edge at the other end thereof, said first and second edges being substantially parallel to one another;

said first section further including planar end walls on opposite sides of said curved wall, each of said end walls having a first edge intersecting with and substantially perpendicular to said first edge of said curved wall to thereby define lateral sides of said rectangular opening, and a second edge intersecting with said second edge of said curved wall; and

a semi-circular opening forming half of said circular inlet opening;

said second section including a curved wall having a first edge, at one end thereof, defining the fourth side of said rectangular opening and a second edge at the other end thereof;

said second section further including planar end walls on opposite sides of said curved wall, each of said end walls having a first edge intersecting with and perpendicular to said first edge of said curved wall, and a second edge intersecting with and substantially perpendicular to said second edge of said curved wall; and

a semi-circular opening forming half of said circular inlet opening;

said second edge of said curved wall of said first section having a first hinge element formed thereon;

said second edge of said curved wall of said second section having a second hinge element formed thereon, said first and second hinge elements being configured to be engaged with one another to interconnect said second edges of said first and second sections and allow pivotal movement of said first and second sections with said sections moving toward one another;

said side walls of said first section having a latching conformation formed thereon at a location underlying said first edge thereof and above said semi-circular opening therein;

said side walls of said second section having a latching conformation formed thereon in said first edge thereof which are adapted to positively engage said latching conformations on said first section when said sections are pivoted toward one another about said hinged engagement.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said one end of said curved wall of said first section includes a section thereof which is not connected to said planar end walls and wherein said section is configured so that it may flex with respect to said curved wall;

and

wherein said first edge of said flexible section comprises a longitudinally extending rearwardly facing flange; and

wherein each of said planar end walls further include an outwardly extending, substantially perpendicular flange adjacent to and underlying said flange formed on said first edge by a predetermined dimension;

each of said flanges of said planar wall sections having an L-shaped latch formed thereon at the end opposite said first edge of said curved wall, said latch is facing in a direction opposite that of said flange formed on said first edge of said curved wall and extending above said flanges on which they are formed by said predetermined distance; and

wherein said predetermined distance is substantially equal to the thickness of said air distribution unit panel, and wherein each of said rectangular openings in said panel comprises a first edge substantially equal in length to said first edge of said curved wall of said first section and includes lateral sides extending perpendicular thereto, said panel including openings therein adjacent each of said lateral sides which are spaced from the first side of said opening by a distance equal to the distance from said one end of said curved wall to the location of said latch elements;

whereby said first section may be assembled to said panel by engaging said flange on said first edge of said curved wall with said first side of said opening in said panel and imparting a force on said first section to flex said free wall portion of said curved wall to thereby cause said latching elements to move into engagement with said openings in said panel to thereby positively attach said first section to said panel when the installation force is removed therefrom.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said latching conformation of said side wall of said first section and said latching conformation of said side walls of said second section are all configured to lie under the panel to which the scroll is attached whereby said second section of said scroll housing may be attached to said first section following installation of said first section to said panel.