US-20260124879-A1 - AIR CONDITIONING ASSEMBLY FOR AN ENCLOSURE

US20260124879A1US 20260124879 A1US20260124879 A1US 20260124879A1US-20260124879-A1

Abstract

An air conditioning assembly for an enclosure includes a lower vent housing having a pair of side panels that define airflow plenums to improve the ambient airflow through the unit so that the unit is more effectively cooled, and the efficiency of the unit is heightened. The unit draws ambient air into its side vents via the plenums, and further increases ambient airflow by drawing ambient air into its upper vents via an upper vent housing of the assembly. The unit is supported by a platform extending between the side panels and defining a trough for effectively collecting and removing liquids in the assembly. The platform and side panels are unitary to more readily manufacture and install the air conditioning assembly, and are installed within the enclosure such that the unit is also in the enclosure and not extending into the outside environment.

Inventors

Marcus Niemela

Assignees

NB4 BRAND L.L.C., D/B/A THE KINGSTAR COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251031

Claims (20)

1 . An air conditioning support assembly for an enclosure, said air conditioning support assembly comprising: a lower housing including: a pair of side panels defining respective side airflow plenums, said side panels configured to guide ambient air through said side airflow plenums and laterally into an air conditioner unit disposed between said side panels, and a platform coupled to and extending between said side panels, said platform configured to support the air conditioner unit laterally inboard of a wall panel of the enclosure; and an upper housing separate from said lower housing, said upper housing defining an upper air inlet and configured to guide ambient air through said upper air inlet and downwardly into the air conditioner unit, said upper housing configured to be above the air conditioner unit.
2 . The air conditioning support assembly of claim 1 , wherein said platform is unitary with said side panels.
3 . The air conditioning support assembly of claim 2 , wherein said lower housing is configured to be in a recessed mounted position with respect to the wall panel, and said upper housing is configured to be in a recessed mounted position with respect to a roof panel of the enclosure.
4 . The air conditioning support assembly of claim 1 , wherein said platform defines a trough configured to collect liquids entering said upper air inlet and condensate liquids from the air conditioner unit.
5 . The air conditioning support assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a frame coupled to said side panels and said platform, wherein said frame defines frame plenums fluidly coupled to said trough and respective ones of said side airflow plenums, and said frame is configured to guide ambient air entering said frame plenums into respective ones of said side airflow plenums, and to guide liquids entering said frame plenums into said trough.
6 . The air conditioning support assembly of claim 5 , wherein said frame comprises opposing upper and lower plates, and a divider panel between said frame plenums, wherein a clearance is defined between said divider panel and said lower plate, and said frame is configured to guide liquids entering said frame plenums into said trough via said clearance.
7 . The air conditioning support assembly of claim 4 , wherein said upper air inlet is configured to be fluidly coupled to said trough via the air conditioner unit.
8 . The air conditioning support assembly of claim 1 , wherein said platform comprises opposing side edge portions and a rear edge portion, wherein a first of said side panels comprises a first wall including a first side portion extending from a first of said side edge portions, and a first rear portion extending from a first portion of said rear edge portion, wherein a second of said side panels comprises a second wall including a second side portion extending from a second of said side edge portions, and a second rear portion extending from a second portion of said rear edge portion, wherein said first and second rear portions of said first and second walls are configured to extend toward the air conditioner unit.
9 . The air conditioning support assembly of claim 8 , wherein said side panels comprise respective upper panel portions extending from said first and second walls to respective inner edges that define indentations.
10 . The air conditioning support assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a frame coupled to said side portions of said first and second walls, said frame defining a pair of frame plenums fluidly coupled to respective ones of said side airflow plenums, wherein said frame is configured to guide ambient air through said frame plenums and into said side airflow plenums.
11 . The air conditioning support assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first of said side panels is configured to guide ambient air through a first of said side airflow plenums such that ambient air enters laterally into said first side airflow plenum in a first direction and enters laterally into the air conditioner unit in a second direction, wherein a second of said side panels is configured to guide ambient air through a second of said side airflow plenums such that ambient air enters laterally into said second side airflow plenum in the first direction and enters laterally into the air conditioner unit in a third direction opposite to the second direction.
12 . The air conditioning support assembly of claim 11 , wherein said lower housing is configured to be coupled to the wall panel of the enclosure, and said upper housing is configured to be coupled to a roof panel of the enclosure.
13 . An air conditioning support assembly for an enclosure, said air conditioning support assembly comprising: a pair of side panels defining respective side airflow plenums, said side panels configured to guide ambient air through said side airflow plenums and into an air conditioner unit disposed between said side panels; and a platform coupled to and extending between said side panels, said platform configured to support the air conditioner unit laterally inboard of a wall panel of the enclosure, wherein said platform defines a trough configured to collect liquids entering said air conditioning support assembly and condensate liquids from the air conditioner unit.
14 . The air conditioning support assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a frame coupled to said side panels and said platform, wherein said frame defines frame plenums fluidly coupled to said trough and respective ones of said side airflow plenums, and said frame is configured to guide ambient air entering said frame plenums into respective ones of said side airflow plenums, and to guide liquids entering said frame plenums into said trough.
15 . The air conditioning support assembly of claim 13 , wherein said trough defines a liquid outlet fluidly coupled to a passageway of the enclosure for liquids to exit the enclosure.
16 . An air conditioning assembly for an enclosure, said air conditioning assembly comprising: a lower housing configured to be coupled to a wall panel of the enclosure, said lower housing including: a platform, and a side panel extending from said platform and defining a side airflow plenum, said side panel configured to guide ambient air through said side airflow plenum; an upper housing separate from said lower housing, said upper housing configured to be coupled to a roof panel of the enclosure, said upper housing defining an upper air inlet and configured to guide ambient air through said upper air inlet; and an air conditioner unit supported by said platform and including a side vent and an upper vent, said air conditioner unit configured to be disposed entirely within the enclosure, draw ambient air into said side vent via said side airflow plenum, and draw ambient air into said upper vent via said upper air inlet.
17 . The air conditioning assembly of claim 16 , wherein said platform is unitary with said side panel, and said platform defines a trough configured to collect liquids entering said upper air inlet and condensate liquids from said air conditioner unit.
18 . The air conditioning assembly of claim 17 , wherein said lower housing is configured to be in a recessed mounted position with respect to an outer surface of the wall panel, and said upper housing is configured to be in a recessed mounted position with respect to an outer surface of the roof panel.
19 . The air conditioning assembly of claim 16 , wherein said side vent, said side panel, and said side airflow plenum are a first side vent, a first side panel, and a first side airflow plenum, respectively, said air conditioning assembly comprising a second side panel extending from said platform and defining a second side airflow plenum, said second side panel configured to guide ambient air through said second side airflow plenum, and wherein said air conditioner unit comprises a second side vent and is configured to draw ambient air into said second side vent via said second side airflow plenum.
20 . The air conditioning assembly of claim 16 , in combination with said enclosure, wherein said enclosure comprises a camper or a recreational vehicle or a boat.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/715,835 filed Nov. 4, 2024, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to air conditioning systems, and, more particularly, to an air conditioning assembly for an enclosure. BACKGROUND Air conditioning systems are installed to regulate temperatures of enclosures including, but not limited to, recreational vehicles, residential buildings, and commercial buildings. The type of air conditioning system installed in an enclosure varies based on its application. In some cases, compact air conditioning systems are installed in smaller enclosures such as, for example, a recreational vehicle or a mobile home. A window air conditioner unit may be used to regulate the temperature of a smaller room or enclosure. Common components of a window air conditioner unit include a fan that draws air from the enclosure into the unit and directs such air over evaporator coils having refrigerant that absorbs heat from the air. The fan then circulates the cooled air back into the enclosure. The refrigerant moves from the evaporator coils to condenser coils that dissipate the heat previously absorbed by the refrigerant into ambient air. This is accomplished by another fan in the unit drawing ambient air into the unit and directing such ambient air over condenser coils and to the environment outside of the enclosure for removing the heat dissipated by the condenser coils. SUMMARY An air conditioning assembly for an enclosure includes upper and lower vent housings that define airflow plenums, and an air conditioner unit that draws in ambient air from the plenums to improve ambient airflow through the unit, thereby more effectively cooling the unit such that the efficiency of the unit is increased. The lower vent housing includes side panels that define plenums fluidly coupled to the environment outside of the enclosure and the unit. As such, the unit draws ambient air into the plenums and then into side vents of the unit. The ambient airflow through the unit is further improved by the unit drawing ambient air into upper vents of the unit via the upper vent housing. The air conditioning assembly is particularly well adapted for installation in recreational vehicle (RV) applications, including self-powered RV's, camper trailers, truck campers, boats, and the like, in which protruding components may be problematic for vertical and/or horizontal clearance, for meeting vehicle width restrictions on roadways, and for aesthetics. The unit is supported by a platform defining a trough that effectively collects and removes liquids in the air conditioning assembly. The platform and the pair of side panels are unitary to more readily manufacture and install the air conditioning assembly, and are installed within the enclosure such that the unit is also in the enclosure and not extending into the outside environment. In one form of the present disclosure, an air conditioning assembly for an enclosure has a platform to support a unit and a pair of side panels coupled to the platform. The side panels define respective side airflow plenums that extend along opposing surfaces of the unit. The unit is disposed between the side panels and configured to draw ambient air into the side airflow plenums in a first direction, and into the unit in a second direction. In one aspect, a lower vent housing has the platform and the side panels, and an upper vent housing defines an upper air inlet for ambient air to enter the unit in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions. In another aspect, the platform, the pair of side panels and the unit are disposed inboard of the enclosure. In yet another aspect, the platform defines a trough that collects liquids in the assembly and the unit. In yet another aspect, the platform and the side panels are unitary. In yet another aspect, the platform has opposing side edge portions and a rear edge portion. A first of the side panels have a first wall extending from a first of the side edge portions, and extending from a first portion of the rear edge portion towards the air conditioner unit. A second of the side panels have a second wall extending from a second of the side edge portions, and extending from a second portion of the rear edge portion towards the unit. In yet another aspect, the side panels further have respective upper panel portions extending from the first and second walls to respective inner edges that define indentations. In yet another aspect, the assembly has a frame coupled to the side panels and aligned with the upper panel portions and portions of the walls extending along the side edges of the platform. The frame defines a pair of frame plenums fluidly coupled to the respective side airflow plenums. The unit draws ambient air into the frame plenums in the first direction. In anot