Portable air conditioning system

• US 9,182,164 B1
• Filed: 11/06/2012
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles E. Henderson Jr
• Original Assignee: Charles E. Henderson Jr
• Inventors: Henderson, Charles E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tyler, Cheryl J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vazquez, Ana
• Application Number:
  US13/670,054
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 624/25, 622/37
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/022 comprising a compressor cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/04 Arrangements for portability
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 1/005 of the single unit type F25B1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/071 Compressor mounted in a housing in which a condenser is integrated
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/00 Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/003 Transport containers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 15/00 Devices not covered by group F25D11/00 or F25D13/00, e.g. non-self-contained movable devices

Abstract

A portable air conditioning system has a wheeled base and an insulated housing in a shape of a cube. A louver is located on a housing front panel. A louver and a pair of handles are located on a housing back panel. An insulated dividing panel divides an upper housing compartment and a lower housing compartment. A compressor coupled to a motor, a condenser, and a receiver are located in the lower housing compartment. An evaporator is located in the upper housing compartment. A suction line connects the accumulator to the compressor. An expansion tank is connected to the accumulator. A condensation pan is located above the dividing panel. An evaporator fan is located in the upper housing compartment and a condenser fan is located in the lower housing compartment. A thermostatic expansion valve is located on an inlet to the evaporator.

Claims

1. A portable air conditioning system (100) for easy introduction to and removal from a room, wherein said system (100) comprises:

(a) a planar base (200) having a base top surface (210),

a base bottom surface (220), a base front edge (230), a base back edge (240), a base first edge (250), and a base second edge (260), wherein the base bottom surface (220) comprises a plurality of wheels (270) disposed thereon, wherein at least one of the wheels (270) is disposed on a swivel (280), wherein the plurality of wheels (270) is adapted to traverse a threshold of a doorway;

(b) a unitary removable housing (300) having a planar housing top (310), a planar housing front (320), a planar housing back (330), a planar housing first side (340), a planar housing second side (350), a housing bottom (360) having a housing bottom aperture (362), and a hollow cavity (380) disposed therein fluidly connected to the housing bottom aperture (362), wherein the housing (300) comprises a rectangle, wherein the housing top (310) is insulated, wherein the housing first side (340) is insulated, wherein the housing second side (350) is insulated, wherein the housing front (320) comprises a louver (380) disposed on a housing front top half (322) proximal to the housing top (310), wherein the housing front (320) is insulated on a housing front bottom half (324) proximal to the housing bottom (360), wherein the housing back (330) is insulated on a housing back top half (332) proximal to the housing top (310), wherein the housing back (330) comprises a louver (380) disposed on a housing back bottom half (334) proximal to the housing bottom (360), wherein the housing (300) is installed on the base (200), wherein the housing (300) is connected to the base (200) proximal to the housing bottom (360) via a plurality of fasteners (390) disposed thereon;

(c) a first handle receiving tube (400) disposed on the housing back (330), wherein the first handle receiving tube (400) is disposed proximal to the housing top (310) and proximal to an intersecting edge of the housing first side (340) and the housing back (330), wherein the first handle receiving tube (400) is longitudinally oriented parallel with respect to the intersecting edge of the housing first side (340) and the housing back (330), wherein the first handle receiving tube (400) comprises a plurality of first tube apertures (410) disposed on a first handle receiving tube side wall (420), wherein one first tube aperture (410) is disposed proximal to a first handle receiving tube top (402) on a first handle receiving tube side wall most posterior point (422), wherein one first tube aperture (410) is disposed proximal to a first handle receiving tube bottom (404) on the first handle receiving tube side wall most posterior point (422);

(d) a first handle (430) having a shape of an “

L”

, wherein a first handle first leg (440) is inserted into the first handle receiving tube (400), wherein the first handle first leg (440) comprises a first spring biased locking pin (460) disposed thereon, wherein the first spring biased locking pin (460) is adapted to securely engage the first tube aperture (410), wherein a first handle second leg (450) is perpendicularly disposed on the first handle first leg (440), wherein the first handle second leg (450) is adapted to project perpendicularly out and away from the housing back (330), wherein the first handle (430) is telescopically adjustable within the first handle receiving tube (400), wherein the first handle (430) is removable from the first handle receiving tube (400);

(e) a second handle receiving tube (500) disposed on the housing back (330), wherein the second receiving tube is disposed proximal to the housing top (310) and proximal to an intersecting edge of the housing second side (350) and the housing back (330), wherein the second handle receiving tube (500) is longitudinally oriented parallel with respect to the intersecting edge of the housing second side (350) and the housing back (330), wherein the second handle receiving tube (500) comprises a plurality of second tube apertures (510) disposed on a second handle receiving tube side wall (520), wherein one second tube aperture (510) is disposed proximal to a second handle receiving tube top (502) on a second handle receiving tube side wall most posterior point (522), wherein one second tube aperture (510) is disposed proximal to a second handle receiving tube bottom (504) on the second handle receiving tube side wall most posterior point (522);

(f) a second handle (530) having a shape of an “

L”

, wherein a second handle first leg (540) is inserted into the second handle receiving tube (500), wherein the second handle first leg (540) comprises a second spring biased locking pin (560) disposed thereon, wherein the second spring biased locking pin (560) is adapted to securely engage the second tube aperture (510), wherein a second handle second leg (550) is perpendicularly disposed on the second handle first leg (540), wherein the second handle second leg (550) is adapted to project perpendicularly out and away from the housing back (330), wherein the second handle (530) is telescopically adjustable within the second handle receiving tube (500), wherein the second handle (530) is removable from the second handle receiving tube (500);

(g) an insulated dividing panel (600) slidably disposed in the housing (300), wherein the insulated dividing panel (600) is disposed on the base (200) via extension brackets (610), wherein the insulated dividing panel (600) is disposed parallel to the base (200), wherein the housing (300) is divided into an upper housing compartment (620) and a lower housing compartment (630) via the insulated dividing panel (600), wherein an insulated dividing panel first edge (602) engages with a housing first side (340) interior surface, wherein an insulated dividing panel second edge (604) engages with a housing second side (350) interior surface, wherein an insulated dividing panel front edge (606) engages with a housing front (320) interior surface, wherein an insulated dividing panel back edge (608) engages with a housing back (330) interior surface;

(h) a compressor (700) coupled to a motor (710), wherein the motor (710) is operatively connected to a power supply (720), wherein the compressor (700) and the motor (710) are disposed on the base top surface (210), wherein the compressor (700) and the motor (710) are disposed midway between the base first edge (250) and the base second edge (260), wherein the compressor (700) and the motor (710) are disposed proximal to the base back edge (240), wherein the compressor (700) and the motor (710) are disposed in the lower housing compartment (630);

(i) a condenser (730) fluidly connected to the compressor (700), wherein the condenser (730) is disposed in the lower housing compartment (630);

(j) a receiver (740) fluidly connected to the condenser (730);

wherein the receiver (740) is disposed in the lower housing compartment (630);

(k) an evaporator (750) fluidly connected to the condenser (730), wherein the evaporator (750) is disposed in the upper housing compartment (620);

(l) an accumulator (760) fluidly connected to the evaporator (750), wherein the accumulator (760) is disposed proximal to the evaporator (750);

(m) a suction line (770) fluidly connected to the accumulator (760), wherein the suction line (770) is fluidly connected to the compressor (700);

(n) an expansion tank (780) fluidly connected to the accumulator (760);

(o) a drain port (790) disposed proximal to and fluidly connected to the evaporator (750) or the accumulator (760), wherein the drain port (790) is adapted to drain moisture and waste, wherein the drain port (790) is adapted to transfer pressurized refrigerant;

(p) a condensation pan (800) slidably disposed on an insulated dividing panel top surface (810), wherein the condensation pan (800) comprises a open pan top (802), a pan bottom (804), and a plurality of pan sides (806) with a pan back (808) disposed on the pan bottom (804), wherein the condensation pan (800) is adapted to collect condensation falling from the evaporator (750), wherein the condensation pan (800) comprises a splash guard (820) disposed on the pan top (802), wherein the splash guard (820) is planar and parallel with respect to the pan bottom (804), wherein the splash guard (820) extends from a top rim of the pan back (808) away from the pan back (808), wherein the splash guard (820) traverses an entire width of the pan back (808) and contacts a top rim of each pan side (806) such that the splash guard is connected to the top rim of each pan side (806) and the top rim of the pan back (808), wherein the splash guard comprises a splash guard terminating edge (822) that extends toward the top rim of each pan side (806), wherein the surface area of the splash guard (820) is less than one half of the surface area of the pan bottom (804), wherein the splash guard (820) extends over the pan top (802), wherein the splash guard (820) is adapted to prevent spillage when the system (100) is tilted in a backward direction during transport up to a specific angle, wherein the backward direction is from the planar housing front (320) to the planar housing back (330), wherein the condensation pan (800) is adapted to collect moisture and waste received from the drain port (790);

(q) an evaporator fan (830) disposed in the upper housing compartment (620), wherein the evaporator fan (830) is operatively connected to the power supply (720), wherein the evaporator fan (830) is for circulating air across the evaporator (750) for cooling, wherein the cooled air is expelled through the louver (380) disposed on the housing front top half (322) into the room;

(r) a condenser fan (840) disposed in the lower housing compartment (630), wherein the condenser fan (840) is operatively connected to the power supply (720), wherein the condenser fan (840) is for circulating air across the condenser (730) for heat removal from the system (100), wherein the heated air is expelled through the louver (380) disposed on the housing back bottom half (334); and

(s) a thermostatic expansion valve (850) fluidly disposed on an inlet to the evaporator (750);

wherein the system (100) is pushed on the wheels (270) for transport via the first handle (430) and the second handle (530), wherein the system (100) is adapted to be tilted backward and pushed on the wheels (270) for transport via the first handle (430) and the second handle (530), wherein the system (100) is adapted to be tilted backward and pushed on the wheels (270) for transport whereby the splash guard (820) disposed on the condensation pan (800) prevents spillage.

2. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein a vent connection (860) is disposed on the housing back (330) for attaching a vent tube over the louver (380).

3. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein a pressure relief valve (880) is disposed on and fluidly connected to the receiver (740).

4. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein a shut-off valve (890) is disposed between and fluidly connected to the condenser (730) and the evaporator (750).