WINDOW AIR CONDITIONING UNIT WITH OUTLET NOZZLE AND GRILL FRAME HAVING SEALED INTERFACE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This application relates to a window air conditioning unit wherein an outlet nozzle for delivering conditioned air into an environment to be conditioned sits against a front grill frame at an interface. The interface is sealed to prevent air leakage laterally outwardly along the interface.

Window air conditioning units are known, and include all of the components of an air conditioning system mounted within a single housing, and such that it can be mounted within a window. Generally, a compressor compresses a refrigerant and delivers it to an outdoor heat exchanger known as a condenser. The refrigerant moves from the condenser through an expansion device, and to an evaporator, which is an indoor heat exchanger. Air is driven over the condenser to cool the refrigerant. Air is driven over the evaporator to cool and condition the air, which is then delivered into the environment to be conditioned.

In designing window air conditioning units, it becomes very important to prevent leakage of the conditioned air. In one known flow arrangement, the evaporator sits behind a front grill. A blower for pulling air over the evaporator sits behind the evaporator. The blower pulls air through the front grill and over the evaporator, where it is cooled and conditioned. Air is then delivered laterally outwardly by the blower into a discharge duct. The air from the discharge duct moves into an outlet nozzle. The outlet nozzle is mounted in abutment with a portion of the grill. Thus, air moves into one portion of the front grill, and is conditioned on the

evaporator. The conditioned air is then delivered outwardly through another portion of the front grill and into an environment to be conditioned.

A problem exists in the prior art in that the interface between the outlet nozzle and the grill has been at flat planar surfaces. Air has been able to leak laterally between the surfaces, causing efficiency losses, and a concern known as "sweating." This is the collection of air on portions of the grill due to the conditioned air lowering the grill temperature. The cooled grill, in contact with the indoor ambient air, starts sweating when the grill temperature drops below the dew point of the indoor ambient air.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the disclosed embodiment, the interface between the outlet nozzle and the front grill is provided with a sealed interface. In particular, a structure moves outwardly from one of the outlet nozzle and the front grill and is received within an opening in the other to provide a sealed interface. In the disclosed embodiment, this structure is a bead which surrounds an inner opening of the outlet nozzle, and which is received within an inner opening in the front grill. This bead provides a seal preventing cooled air from leaking laterally outwardly along the interface.

These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 schematically shows a window air conditioning unit.

Figure 2 shows a portion of the inventive window air conditioning unit.

Figure 3 is another view of the structure shown in Figure 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows a window air conditioning unit 20 including a compressor 22 which compresses a refrigerant and delivers it to a condenser 24. Air is driven over the condenser 24 by a fan 26. A motor 28 drives the fan 26. The motor 28 also drives a blower 30 which pulls air through a front grill 34, and across an evaporator 32. Refrigerant passes from the condenser 24 through an expansion device (not shown) and to evaporator 32. From evaporator 32, the refrigerant returns to the compressor 22. While fluid connections are not shown in this figure, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize how the components would be fluidly connected. Further, while this application discloses an air conditioning system, it should be understood that the invention would extend to heat pumps. For purposes of this application, the term "air conditioning unit" is intended to also extend to heat pumps, which can operate in an air conditioning mode or in a heating mode.

As shown, the front grill 34 has a first section 38 through which air passes when drawn by the blower 30 over evaporator 32. This air is then directed into a discharge passage 100 when it exits blower 30. From discharge area 100, air passes into an outlet nozzle 42. Louvers 44 are placed in the outlet nozzle 42, and can be adjusted to control the direction

of the conditioned air stream passing into an environment to be conditioned. A grill portion 36 communicates with the outlet nozzle 42. The conditioned air passes through grill portion 36 and into the environment to be conditioned.

Figure 2 shows the grill portion 36, and the outlet nozzle 42. As shown, a planar forward surface 50 of the outlet nozzle includes a seal bead 52 which surrounds an inner opening 53. This bead 52 is received within an opening 55 in the front grill frame 36.

As shown in Figure 3, the bead 52 sits within walls 64 which define the inner opening 55. By providing sealing bead 52, air is prevented from leaking outwardly to surfaces 66 on each lateral side of the front grill portion 36. In the prior art, air has leaked along the planar interface. This has caused "sweating" at the laterally spaced locations 66. Sweating occurs on the outer surface of the grill 66 when the cooled air leaks to the space (compartment) between the front grill and the outlet nozzle. The temperature of the outer surface of the grill 66 can drop below the dew point of the indoor ambient air, causing sweating, By preventing this leakage, losses which have occurred in the prior art are also prevented.

Although one embodiment has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications will come within the scope of this invention. For that reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.