Air conditioning evaporator retaining apparatus

• US 7,472,561 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2007
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Distributor Products LLC (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Distributor Products LLC (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pickle, James W., Biggers, Charles David
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez; Ramon O
• Application Number:
  US11/687,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20080224015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 248/300, 248/301, 248/316.7, 248/229.16, 248/229.26, 248/316.2, 248/228.7, 248/231.81, 248/220.21, 248/221.11, 248/230.7, 622/85, 622/91
• US Class Current: 62/285
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 37/02 made of thin sheet material fastening to surfaces F16B37/04 ; used as lock-nuts F16B39/14

Abstract

The present invention provides a retaining clip for securing an air conditioning evaporator coil to a drain pan. The retaining clip has a U-shaped body formed from a single piece of material, wherein parallel panels for the sides of the U. One side of the U is longer than the other. A tab is formed from the end of the side panel that constitutes the longer side of the U, wherein the tab points toward the center of the U and is approximately perpendicular to the sides of the U. The retaining clip is mounted over a side wall of the drain pan, with the tab securing the clip in place by fitting underneath a section of the drain pan wall that projects outward from the general plane of the wall.

Claims

1. An air conditioning evaporator retaining apparatus comprising:

(a) an evaporator coil;

(b) a drain pan that has at least one outcropping that projects outward from the general plane of a side wall of the pan; and

(c) at least one retaining clip with an approximately U-shaped body, wherein the sides of the U are formed from approximately parallel panels, wherein one side of the U is longer than the other and has a tab formed at its end which points toward the center of the U and is approximately perpendicular to the sides of the U

(d) wherein the retaining clip secures said evaporator coil to said drain pan and is mounted over a side wall of the drain pan, wherein said tab secures the retaining clip in place by fitting underneath said outcropping of the drain pan wall, wherein static mechanical load on the retaining clip is transferred to the wall of the drain pain.

2. The retaining clip according to claim 1, wherein the clip is formed from a single piece of material.

3. The retaining clip according to claim 1, wherein both panels have a hole for accommodating a tightening screw.

4. The retaining clip according to claim 1, wherein the retaining clip secures the evaporator coil in a horizontal position, wherein the base of the evaporator coil is secured to the drain pan in the vertical plane, and wherein a second drain pan is placed under the evaporator coil in the horizontal plane.