Air conditioning line flashing panel

• US 7,730,681 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2008
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WJG, LLC
• Original Assignee: William J Gilleran
• Inventors: Gilleran, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Jr.; Richard E
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAUX, JESSICA L
• Application Number:
  US12/045,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20080148654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 52/58, 52/60, 52/62, 52/63, 522/19, 522/201, 52/27, 52/364, 52/365, 522/208, 174/50, 174/60, 174/480, 174/481, 174/58
• US Class Current: 52/220.8
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0869 having conduits for fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0003 characterised by a split arrangement, wherein parts of the air-conditioning system, e.g. evaporator and condenser, are in separately located units
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/26 Refrigerant piping
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/32 for connecting the separate outdoor units to indoor units
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/34 Protection means thereof, e.g. covers for refrigerant pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/20 Casings or covers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/222 for evacuating condensate
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/227 Condensate pipe for drainage of condensate from the evaporator

Abstract

A flashing panel mount for a plurality of air-conditioning lines of an air-conditioning unit located about an exterior of a building is provided. The plurality of air-conditioning lines defines an outer periphery. The panel mount may comprise a hood member and a cover. The hood member may be attachable to the building and may have a hood member aperture sized and configured to accommodate at least two of the plurality of air-conditioning lines so as to extend the air-conditioning lines from within the building to the air-conditioning unit located about the building exterior. The cover may be attached to the hood member aperture and may be sized and configured to accommodate the air-conditioning lines therethrough. The cover may be conformable to the outer periphery of the air-conditioning lines once the air conditioning lines are fed through the hood member aperture to prevent entrance of undesirable material from a building outside to a building inside.

Claims

1. A flashing panel mount for routing a plurality of refrigerant lines of an air conditioning unit located about an exterior of a building through a hole in a side wall of the building wherein the hole is formed above grade, the plurality of refrigerant lines defining an outer periphery, the panel mount comprising:

a hood member attachable to the side wall of the building, the hood member having a hood member aperture sized and configured to accommodate the plurality of refrigerant lines and aligned to the side wall hole so as to permit extension of the refrigerant lines from within the building through the building side wall above grade to the air conditioning unit located about the building exterior; and

a cover attached to the hood member and is disposed under the hood member, the cover having an aperture, the cover aperture defining an inner periphery smaller than the outer periphery of the plurality of refrigerant lines, the cover being fabricated from elastic material such that the inner periphery of the cover aperture enlarges and conforms to the outer periphery of the plurality of refrigerant lines when the plurality of refrigerant lines are inserted through the cover aperture to generally seal the cover aperture against the outer periphery of the plurality of refrigerant lines and prevent entrance of undesirable material from the building exterior to a building interior through the hole of the building wall;

wherein the cover and the hood member are sized and configured to route the plurality of refrigerant lines through the flashing panel mount in a generally downward direction to the ground.

2. The flashing panel mount of claim 1 wherein the cover aperture conforms to a portion of the outer periphery of the plurality of refrigerant lines when the plurality of refrigerant lines are inserted through the cover aperture.

3. The flashing panel mount of claim 1 wherein the cover is fabricated of rubber.

4. The flashing panel mount of claim 1 wherein the cover is disposed within a recess of the hood member such that falling rain bypasses the cover, cascades off of the hood member and falls on the ground.

5. The flashing panel mount of claim 1 wherein the cover is positioned in the recess of the hood member such that the cover is generally in shade during the day.

6. The flashing panel mount of claim 1 wherein the cover is positioned in the recess of the hood member such that the entire cover is generally in shade during the day.

7. The flashing panel mount of claim 1 wherein the cover is disposed underneath the hood member for protecting the cover from degradation due to rays of sun and oriented for routing the plurality of refrigerant lines downward.

8. A flashing panel mount for routing a plurality of refrigerant lines of an air conditioning unit located about an exterior of a building through a hole in a side wall of the building, the plurality of refrigerant lines defining an outer periphery, the flashing panel mount comprising:

a hood member alignable to the side wall hole and attachable to the side wall of the building, the hood member having a hood member recess sized and configured to accommodate the plurality of refrigerant lines to permit extension of the plurality of refrigerant lines from within the building through the building side wall to the air conditioning unit located about the building exterior; and

an elastic cover attached to the hood member and positioned within the recess to protect the cover from degradation due to UV rays from a sun during day time.