Technical field of the invention

The present invention concerns a device for conveying and directing the airflow produced by an air treatment unit constrained to a fixed wall.

Known prior art

According to known art, each air treatment unit present in an environment is constrained to a fixed wall of the room and provided with at least one outlet section of the treated air, generally provided with airflow diverters which allow to route the treated air to various heights.

Such air treatment units however have the major drawback of not allowing air to be channeled according to the user’s needs. In fact, it can sometimes happen that the flow of the treated air directly strikes people present in the room although its direction was adjusted in advance by the user, thus causing discomfort or suffering such as to bring the user to turn the air treatment unit off. Such occurs, for example, when the bed in a room is positioned such as the jet of air coming out of the treatment unit is always directed towards the bed itself. Some solutions are known to overcome such drawback.

For example, document EP1611398A shows a system for distributing conditioned air in closed environments. The system comprises a fan unit which produces a flow of conditioned air, a delivery system which sends the air supplied by the fan unit to the breathing area of a person and a duct which connects the fan unit to the delivery system. The delivery system is positioned such as to send conditioned air around the head of an individual and in the individual's personal breathing area.

Document US3779150A shows a constructive system for conveying conditioned air into an existing environment. The constructive system provides a substantially boxshaped structure defined by two panels and a ceiling portion. The box-shaped structure is able to intercept the flow of conditioned air produced by the treatment unit by means of a duct and direct the flow along “secondary” directions through holes fluidically connected to the environment.

Moreover, document CH696673 shows equipment for installing a ventilation system. The equipment comprises a substantially box-shaped supporting structure defined by an upper delimiting plane for its mounting on a wall (for example on the ceiling), by a lower limiting surface for the fastening of a cover and by side perimeter planes. An air distribution box with an air supply section is mounted on the supporting structure. Distribution ducts leading to openings formed on the side surfaces are in turn connected to the air distribution box.

However, such solutions of known art are not free of drawbacks. In fact, all solutions set forth above require that the box-shaped structure covering both the air-conditioner and the ducts for conveying and/or distributing air to be fixed, thus it is necessary to at least disassemble it or even remove it in a destructive way to be able to bring the air conditioner back in sight or to change any air routing outside of the box-shaped structure. This makes the use of the air conditioner itself not very flexible. In fact, as stated, once the box-shaped structure is positioned at the air conditioner, it is necessary to remove the box-shaped structure, sometimes even in a destructive way and to then rebuild it, whenever there is a need to change the routing of the treated air inside the room.

The same goes whenever maintenance or even the replacement of the air treatment unit hidden inside the box-shaped structure should be required. Also in this case, it is necessary to remove the box-shaped structure and to then restore it once the work on the treatment unit has been performed.

Document FR2331754, in the name of Strulik Wilhelm, describes an air distributor which has the function of soundproofing a building and providing smoke exhaust in case of a fire. Its walls are made of a rigid mineral fiber material formed into panels. The distributor further comprises a fan which is suspended inside the distributor itself by means of its upper flange, which is bolted to the top of the distributor. The panels are equipped with joint assemblies for accommodating distribution tubes of various sizes. Such panels are enclosed in an outer metal wall made of aluminum sheet. The distributor is equipped with a series of inner compartments divided by vertical and horizontal dividers.

Document US2021/302057, in the name of Lozano Michael, describes a portable heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit (HVAC) which comprises a housing, a plate and a duct assembly. The housing defines a first airflow outlet and a second airflow outlet. The first airflow outlet is separated from the second airflow outlet by a portion of the housing. The plate is configured to cover the first airflow outlet. The duct assembly is configured to cover the second airflow outlet. The plate is configured for being disassembled from the housing and reassembled to cover the second airflow outlet, and the duct assembly is configured for being disassembled from the housing and reassembled to cover the first airflow outlet.

In view of the foregoing, object of the present invention is to make a device for conveying and directing the airflow produced by an air treatment unit constrained to a fixed wall that is capable of enabling maintenance of the treatment unit without having to disassemble or remove the box-shaped structure covering the air treatment unit itself in a destructive way.

Further object of the present invention is to allow a technician to be able to maintain or replace the treatment unit in a simple and quick way, without having to perform further works on the box-shaped structure containing the treatment unit.

Finally, object of the present invention is to implement a method which solves the problems of the known art set forth above.

Summary of the invention

Such problem is solved by a device according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 10.

In particular, the device for conveying and directing the airflow produced by an air treatment unit constrained to a fixed wall and provided with at least one outlet section for said treated air comprises a substantially box-shaped structure provided with a front wall and one or more side walls for covering said treatment unit on its inner side, one or more ducts for distributing the air treated by said treatment unit to the outside of said box-shaped structure, wherein said one or more ducts are integrally constrained to the inner side of said box-shaped structure, and one or more air outflow sections formed on said one or more side walls, or on said front wall, and fluidically connected to said one or more distribution ducts, said device being characterized by further comprising a treated-air conveying box constrained to the inner side of said box-shaped structure and fluidically connected to said one or more ducts for the treated air, and in that said boxshaped structure is movable between a first combining position for being combined with said fixed wall, in which said conveying box is combined with said at least one outlet section of said treatment unit for transferring the treated air from said treatment unit to the outside of said box-shaped structure through said one or more distribution ducts and said one or more outflow sections for the treated air, and a second releasing position for being released from said fixed wall, in which said conveying box is separated from said at least one outlet section of said treatment unit.

This way, since the box-shaped structure is movable with respect to the wall, it will be possible to simply and quickly change, whenever desired, the treated-air outflow direction, for example by simply replacing the side or central walls of the box-shaped structure with others having outflow sections positioned in different points.

This leads to significant advantages in terms of rapidity and cost-effectiveness of the intervention whenever the user desires to adapt or redirect the airflow produced by one or more air treatment units already present.

Moreover, thanks to the fact that the box-shaped structure is movable, the operator/maintenance technician can intervene directly on the treatment unit without having to disassemble or remove the box-shaped structure in a destructive way, whenever the box-shaped structure is in its second position. This occurs quickly and simply and does not require any works by the maintenance operator.

Moreover, thanks to the fact that the box-shaped structure is movable, it is possible to displace such box-shaped structure such as to also use it on other air treatment units.

Moreover, the objects are also achieved by a method of conveying and directing the airflow produced by an air treatment unit by means of a device according to one or more of claims 1 to 9, comprising the steps of: a) displacing said box-shaped structure from said second releasing position for being released from said fixed wall, in which said conveying box separated from said at least one outlet section of said treatment unit, to said first combining position for being combined with said fixed wall, in which said conveying box is combined with said at least one outlet section of said treatment unit for transferring the air treated by said treatment unit to the environment outside of said box-shaped structure through said one or more distribution ducts and said one or more outflow sections; and preferably b) activating said air treatment unit.

Steps a) and b) can also occur at distinct times, i.e. step b) could also occur before step a).

Other advantages, characteristics and ways of using the present invention will be evident from the following detailed description of some embodiments proposed for illustrative and non-limiting purpose.

Brief description of the figures Reference will be made to the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is an axonometric view of the device for conveying and directing the airflow produced by an air treatment unit constrained to a fixed wall according to the invention, in which the box-shaped structure is in its first position;

- Figure 2 shows a top view of the device of figure 1;

- Figure 3 shows a front view of the device of figure 1 in which the walls of the boxshaped structure were removed;

- Figure 4 shows a side view of the device of figure 1;

- Figure 5 A is an axonometric view of the device of figure 1, in which the box-shaped structure is in its second position;

- Figure 5B is a side view of the device of figure 5A;

- Figure 5C shows an axonometric view of the device of figure 5A in which the boxshaped structure is devoid of walls;

- Figure 5D is a top view of the device of figure 5A.

The thicknesses and curvatures depicted in the figures set forth above should be understood as exemplary only and not necessarily shown to scale.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

Various embodiments and variants of the invention will be described in the following, and this is with reference to the figures set forth above.

With particular reference to such figures, the device according to the invention was denoted by 1.

The device 1 is used for conveying and directing the airflow produced by an air treatment unit 100, such as for example an air conditioner, wherein such treatment unit 1 is constrained to a fixed wall 200 and provided with an outlet section 101 for the treated air. Such outlet section 101 can in turn comprise air outlets or flaps.

Such device 1 comprises a substantially box-shaped structure 2 provided with a front wall 3 and two side walls 4, 5 for covering the treatment unit 100 on its inner side 2a and two ducts 6a, 6b for distributing the air treated by the treatment unit 100 to the outside of the box-shaped structure 2. It should be observed that inner side 2a of the box-shaped structure 2 means the side of the box-shaped structure 2 facing the air treatment unit 100. The outer side 2b of the box-shaped structure 2 will thus be the one facing the outer environment. Such distribution ducts 6a, 6b of the treated air are integrally constrained to the inner side 2a of the box-shaped structure 2. The device 1 further comprises two outflow sections 7a, 7b for the treated air, which are formed on the two side walls 4 and 5 and fluidically connected to the distribution ducts 6a, 6b. It should be observed that in other embodiment such outflow sections could be different in number, as they could be formed at the central wall 3 without thereby departing from the protection scope of the present invention.

Advantageously, the device 1 comprises a treated-air conveying box 10 constrained to the inner side 2a of the box-shaped structure 2 and fluidically connected to the distribution ducts 6a, 6b for the treated air. Moreover, the box-shaped structure 2 is movable between a first combining position Pl for being combined with said fixed wall 200 (see figures 1,2,3 and 4), i.e. in contact with the fixed wall 200, in which the conveying box 10 is combined with the outlet section 101 of the treatment unit 100 for transferring the treated air from the treatment unit 100 until reaching the outside of the box-shaped structure 2, through the distribution ducts 6a, 6b and two outflow sections 7a, 7b for the treated air, and a second releasing position P2 for being released from said fixed wall 200 (see figures 5A-5D), in which the conveying box 10 is separated from the outlet section 101 of the treatment unit 100.

The conveying box 10 has a substantially parallelepiped shape complementary to the outer shell of the air treatment unit 100. Such box 10 has at least one open face facing the outlet section 101 of the treatment unit 100 such as the flow of treated air coming out of the outlet section 101 of the treatment unit 100 can be forcefully channeled towards the at least one distribution duct or, as in the specific case, towards the distribution ducts 6a, 6b. The distribution duct or ducts is/are fluidically connected to the box 10 which thus has at least one hole for each distribution duct to allow such fluidic connection. The flow of treated air is thus not dispersed within the inner volume of the box-shaped structure 2 but is forcefully conveyed by the box 2 such as to allow it to reach the outflow section or outflow sections 7a, 7b, when the box-shaped structure is in its first position Pl.

In order to accomplish the transfer of the treated air from the outlet section 101 of the unit 100 to the conveying box 10, the conveying box 10 itself comprises a neoprene gasket (not shown herein) arranged along the perimeter inside the conveying box 10, such as a high level of sealing is ensured when the latter is combined with the outlet section 101 of the treatment unit 2.

Thus, in this second position P2, not only is the conveying box 10 separated from the air treatment unit 100 but the box-shaped structure 2 itself is also away from the wall 200, thus leaving an entire access area to the wall 200 uncovered. In particular, the wall 200 has an access door 201 hidden behind the box-shaped structure 2, for example a room not intended to be immediately accessible. In a further embodiment not shown herein, the seat for a safe could be formed on the wall 200.

Moreover, in such second position P2, an operator is allowed to access the space between the fixed wall 200 and the inner side 2a of the box-shaped structure 2 in order to be able to change, for example, the arrangement of the distribution ducts 6a, 6b and outflow sections 7a, 7b, such as to change the direction of the treated air within the room or carry out the maintenance of the treatment unit 100 or even replace it, or to simply carry out maintenance of the box-shaped structure 2 itself. All this is done without having to completely remove/break the box-shaped structure 2 and then having to reconstruct it to hide the treatment unit 100 therein.

As visible in the accompanying figures, each distribution duct 6a, 6b is symmetric with respect to a transversal vertical plane passing through the center of the central wall 3. Each of such distribution ducts 6a, 6b departs from the treated-air conveying box 10 and runs a first horizontal length and a vertical one such as to allow the treated air to reach the outflow sections 7a, 7b arranged on the side walls 4 and 5 of the box-shaped structure 2.

Essentially, the box-shaped structure 2 partially replaces the fixed wall 200 and can become, for example, a part of the headboard of a bed (as visible in the example depicted in the figures), or an equipped wall on which to install a television, or the like without thereby departing from the protection scope of the present invention. The central wall 3, as the side ones, can anyhow be replaced as desired by the user in order to change their aesthetic or even functional aspect. For example, the box-shaped structure 2 can also be used as a bookcase or shelving unit or the like without thereby departing from the protection scope of the present invention.

According to an embodiment described herein, the box-shaped structure 2 comprises a plurality of wheels 20 which, in the specific case, are four in number and arranged below the structure 2 for its displacement from the first position Pl to the second position P2. Two wheels 20 are arranged below the side wall 4 and two more wheels 20 are arranged below the side wall 5. It should be mentioned that the number of wheels 20 can be greater than those present in the embodiment described herein, without thereby departing from the protection scope of the present invention.

Moreover, the box-shaped structure 2 comprises means 30 for limiting the displacement of the structure 2 between the first position Pl and the second position P2, and vice- versa. This allows to move the structure 2 in complete safety and prevents the device 1 from being displaced too far away from the fixed wall 200 on which the air treatment unit is installed 100.

It should be observed that, although an embodiment in which wheels 20 are comprised for the displacement of the box-shaped structure 2 is described herein, an embodiment in which such box-shaped structure 2 is suspended relative to the floor, and thus devoid of wheels and displaced thanks to the aforementioned means for limiting the displacement of the structure itself, would anyhow fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

According to an embodiment described herein, the limiting means 30 comprise four hinges 40 each having a first arm 41 having a first free end 41a constrained rotatably to the box-shaped structure 2 and a second arm 42 having a second free end 42a constrained rotatably to the wall 200, wherein the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 are rotatable with respect to each other at a respective third end 41b and fourth end 42b. The hinges are arranged two by two at distinct heights along the side walls 4 and 5 of the structure 2. In particular, in the first combining position Pl for combining the boxshaped structure 2 to the fixed wall 200, the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 form an angle substantially equal to 0°, while in the second releasing position P2 for releasing the box-shaped structure 2 from the fixed wall 200, the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 form an angle substantially equal to 170°. In further embodiments not shown herein, such an angle formed between the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 upon reaching the second position P2 can also be different, for example between 80° and 180°, without thereby departing from the protection scope of the present invention. Anyway, in the second position P2, such angle will essentially depend on the distance desired between the fixed wall and the box-shaped structure and can never be greater than 180°.

Always according to the embodiment described herein, the two air outflow sections 7a, 7b comprise diffusers with nozzles or of the net type. In further embodiments, such outflow sections can also comprise grids.

Moreover, the limiting means 30 are hidden within the box-shaped structure 2 when the latter is in its second position P2. Moreover, in further embodiments, such limiting means 30 can also be motorized without thereby departing from the protection scope of the present invention.

Furthermore, as visible in the accompanying figures, the device 1 further comprises two air inflow sections 50a, 50b for the treatment unit 100. Such inflow sections 50a, 50b are formed on the side walls 4,5. In a further embodiment, such inflow sections 50a, 50b can also be made on the front wall without thereby departing from the protection scope of the present invention.

Specifically, the inflow sections 50a, 50b are arranged above the two air outflow sections 7a, 7b. In particular, such inflow sections 50a, 50b are substantially arranged at the same height as the air conditioning unit 100.

Moreover, the front wall 2 can comprise one or more Plexiglas windows (not shown herein) in order to allow a user to be able to control the air treatment unit 100 by means of an infrared remote control.

It should be observed that such Plexiglas windows can alternatively be made also at the two side walls 4, 5 or on only one wall of the two walls, or can be made both on the two side walls 4,5 and on the front one 3.

Such device 1 comprises a substantially box-shaped structure 2 provided with a front wall 3 and two side walls 4,5 for covering its inner side 2a.

In particular, in the embodiment described herein, the structure 2 is U-shaped, in which the two side walls 4,5 are orthogonal to the front wall 3. In this embodiment, in the first position Pl, the free end 4a, 5a of the side walls 4,5 of the box-shaped structure 2 is in contact with the fixed wall 200 and, in the second position P2, the free end 4a, 5a of the side walls 4,5 of the box-shaped structure 2 is away from the fixed wall 200.

It should be observed that, in further embodiments, the box-shaped structure 2 can also be “L-” or “V-” shaped, without thereby departing from the protection scope of the present invention.

Moreover, in a particular embodiment of the invention, the free ends 4a, 5a of the side walls 4,5 of the box-shaped structure can also have metal cover strip profiles that can cover the edges themselves and increase the finish level of the device.

The method for conveying and directing the airflow produced by an air treatment unit 100 by means of the device 1 described above and anyhow according to one or more of claims 1 to 9 is described hereunder. Such method comprises the steps of: a) displacing the box-shaped structure 2 from the second releasing position P2 for being released from the fixed wall 200, in which said conveying box 10 is separated from the outlet section 101 of the treatment unit 100, to the first combining position Pl for being combined with the fixed wall 200, in which the conveying box 10 is combined with the outlet section 101 of the treatment unit 100 for transferring the air treated by the treatment unit to the environment outside of the box-shaped structure 10 through the distribution ducts 6a, 6b and the outflow sections 7a, 7b; and preferably the step b) of activating the air treatment unit 100.

Successively, the method comprises the step c) of displacing the box-shaped structure 2 from the first combining position Pl for being combined with the fixed wall 200, in which the conveying box 10 is combined with the outlet section 101 of the treatment unit 100 for transferring the treated air from the treatment unit to the environment outside of the box-shaped structure 10 through the distribution ducts 6a, 6b and the outflow sections 7a, 7b, to the second releasing position P2 for being released from the fixed wall 200, in which the conveying box 10 is separated from the outlet section 101 of the treatment unit 100. Once the air treatment unit 100 has been deactivated, in such position, an operator can also access the region between the inside 2a of the box-shaped structure 2 and the fixed wall 200 to carry out maintenance of the treatment unit 100, or replace it, or to change the position of the distribution ducts 6a, 6b and respective outflow sections 7a, 7b, or to carry out maintenance of the box-shaped structure 2 itself.