US3722580A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Modular heating and cooling apparatus
Assignee: INT AIR CONDITIONING
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Filing: 1971-04-29
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Granted: 1973-03-27
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Expires: 1991-04-29
Abstract
Abstract A heating and cooling apparatus for installation in a multiplestory building structure comprising a plurality of vertically stacked heating and cooling units forming a vertical tier extending upwardly through the building structure with one heating and cooling unit located at each floor level for heating or cooling two horizontally adjacent room areas separated by a common vertical partition within which partition the heating and cooling unit is installed. Each heating and cooling unit includes an independent room unit for heating and cooling a respective room area adjacent thereto, the room units being separated from one another within the housing by a riser duct carried by the housing and extending the full height thereof. Each independent room unit comprises a discharge air vent and a return air vent communicating between the room unit and the room area to be heated and cooled, a heat exchanger coil for heating or cooling air passing thereover carried within the unit intermediate the return air vent and the discharge air vent, and a motor-driven blower for drawing air from the room area through the return air vent and blowing the air over the heat exchanger coil and discharging the heated or cooled air through the discharge air vent back into the room area. The riser duct carries a supply riser pipe, a return pipe and a condensate drain riser pipe each of which is sized and positioned in the riser duct such that the upper end of each riser pipe may be connected to the lower end of the respective riser pipe in the heating and cooling unit installed next above to form continuous riser pipes extending upwardly through the entire vertical tier. The heat exchanger coil of each room unit is connected at one end thereof to the supply riser pipe adjacent thereto and is connected at the opposite end thereof to the return riser pipe adjacent thereto whereby heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium may flow through the coil from the supply riser pipe and back to the return riser pipe. Means are disclosed for collecting and returning moisture which condenses on the heat exchanger coils to the condensate drain riser pipe.
Inventors
- 👤 A Braver
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 03:05
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24F; F24F1/00; F24F1/0007; F24F1/0043; F24F1/005; F24F1/0059; F24F1/0063; F24F1/0071; F24F1/0073
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
625 words
A heating and cooling unit of the type requiring connection to a source of heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium for providing simultaneous heating or cooling to a first room area and a second room area, said first and second room areas being horizontally adjacent and separated by common vertical partition means having an opening formed therein sized and shaped to receive said heating and cooling unit therein to form a portion of the common vertical partition means, comprising: housing means for housing said heating and cooling unit, said housing means being adapted for installation within the opening formed in the common vertical partition means separating the first and second room areas thereby forming a portion of the common vertical partition means; a first room unit carried within said housing means; a second room unit carried within said housing means; riser duct means carried within said housing means for separating said first and second room units within said housing means; first discharge air vent means formed in said housing means for communicating between the first room area and said first room unit; second discharge air vent means formed in said housing means for communicating between the second room area and said second room unit; first return air vent means formed in said housing means for communicating between the first room area and said first room unit; second return air vent means formed in said housing means for communicating between the second room area and said second room unit; a first heat exchanger coil carried within said first room unit; means carried by said first room unit for drawing air from the first room area through said first return air vent means, blowing air over said first heat exchanger coil and discharging the air through said first discharge air vent means back into the first room area; a second heat exchanger coil carried within said second room unit; means carried by said second room unit for drawing air from the second room area through said second return air vent means, blowing the air over said second heat exchanger coil and discharging the air through said second discharge air vent means back into the second room area; supply riser pipe means carried within said riser duct means for connecting with a source of heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium for supplying heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium to said heating and cooling unit; return riser pipe means carried within said riser duct means for connecting with a source of heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium for returning the fluid heat transfer medium from said heating and cooling unit to the source of heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium; first supply tube means for connecting said supply riser pipe means to one end of said first heat exchanger coil through which tube meAns the fluid heat transfer medium is supplied to said first heat exchanger coil from said supply riser pipe means; first return tube means for connecting the opposite end of said first heat exchanger coil to said return riser pipe means through which tube means the fluid heat transfer medium is returned from said heat exchanger coil to said return riser pipe means; second supply tube means for connecting said supply riser pipe means to one end of said second heat exchanger coil through which tube means the fluid heat transfer medium is supplied to said second heat exchanger coil from said supply riser pipe means; and second return tube means for connecting the opposite end of said second heat exchanger coil to said return riser pipe means through which tube means the fluid heat transfer medium is returned from said second heat exchanger coil to said return riser pipe means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
625 words
A heating and cooling unit of the type requiring connection to a source of heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium for providing simultaneous heating or cooling to a first room area and a second room area, said first and second room areas being horizontally adjacent and separated by common vertical partition means having an opening formed therein sized and shaped to receive said heating and cooling unit therein to form a portion of the common vertical partition means, comprising: housing means for housing said heating and cooling unit, said housing means being adapted for installation within the opening formed in the common vertical partition means separating the first and second room areas thereby forming a portion of the common vertical partition means; a first room unit carried within said housing means; a second room unit carried within said housing means; riser duct means carried within said housing means for separating said first and second room units within said housing means; first discharge air vent means formed in said housing means for communicating between the first room area and said first room unit; second discharge air vent means formed in said housing means for communicating between the second room area and said second room unit; first return air vent means formed in said housing means for communicating between the first room area and said first room unit; second return air vent means formed in said housing means for communicating between the second room area and said second room unit; a first heat exchanger coil carried within said first room unit; means carried by said first room unit for drawing air from the first room area through said first return air vent means, blowing air over said first heat exchanger coil and discharging the air through said first discharge air vent means back into the first room area; a second heat exchanger coil carried within said second room unit; means carried by said second room unit for drawing air from the second room area through said second return air vent means, blowing the air over said second heat exchanger coil and discharging the air through said second discharge air vent means back into the second room area; supply riser pipe means carried within said riser duct means for connecting with a source of heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium for supplying heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium to said heating and cooling unit; return riser pipe means carried within said riser duct means for connecting with a source of heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium for returning the fluid heat transfer medium from said heating and cooling unit to the source of heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium; first supply tube means for connecting said supply riser pipe means to one end of said first heat exchanger coil through which tube meAns the fluid heat transfer medium is supplied to said first heat exchanger coil from said supply riser pipe means; first return tube means for connecting the opposite end of said first heat exchanger coil to said return riser pipe means through which tube means the fluid heat transfer medium is returned from said heat exchanger coil to said return riser pipe means; second supply tube means for connecting said supply riser pipe means to one end of said second heat exchanger coil through which tube means the fluid heat transfer medium is supplied to said second heat exchanger coil from said supply riser pipe means; and second return tube means for connecting the opposite end of said second heat exchanger coil to said return riser pipe means through which tube means the fluid heat transfer medium is returned from said second heat exchanger coil to said return riser pipe means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A heating and cooling unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing means extends substantially the full height of the common vertical partition means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A heating and cooling unit as defined in claim 2 wherein said first and second room units and said riser duct means extend substantially the full height of said housing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
113 words
A heating and cooling unit as defined in claim 3 wherein said first and second discharge air vent means are formed in the upper portion of said housing means and communicate respectively between the first room area and the upper portion of said first room unit, and between the second room area and the upper portion of said second room unit; and wherein said first and second return air vent means are formed in the lower portion of said housing means and communicate respectively between the first room area and the lower portion of said first room unit, and between the second room area and the lower portion of said second room unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
A heating and cooling unit as defined in claim 4 wherein said first heat exchanger coil is carried within said first room unit intermediate said first return air vent means and said first discharge air vent means; and wherein said second heat exchanger coil is carried within said second room unit intermediate said second return air vent means and said second discharge air vent means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
128 words
A heating and cooling unit as defined in claim 5 wherein said means carried by said first room unit for drawing air from the first room area through said first return air vent means, blowing the air over said first heat exchanger coil and discharging the air through said first discharge air vent means is characterized further to include a first motor-driven blower carried within said first room unit; and wherein said means carried by said second room unit for drawing air from the second room area through said second return air vent means, blowing air over said second heat exchanger coil and discharging the air through said second discharge air vent means is characterized further to include a second motor-driven blower carried within said second room unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
215 words
A heating and cooling unit as defined in claim 6 characterized further to include: condensate drain riser pipe means carried within said riser duct means for draining off moisture condensed from the air passing over said first and second heat exchanger coils; first condensate tray means carried within said first room unit beneath said first heat exchanger coil for collecting moisture which condenses on and falls downwardly from said first heat exchanger coil; first condensate drain tube means connected at one end thereof to said first condensate tray means and extending slightly downwardly therefrom to connect at the opposite end thereof to said condensate drain riser pipe means for draining moisture collected in said first condensate tray means by gravity therethrough to said condensate drain riser pipe means; second condensate tray means carried within said second room unit beneath said second heat exchanger coil for collecting moisture which coNdenses on and falls downwardly from said second heat exchanger coil; and second condensate drain tube means connected at one end thereof to said second condensate tray means and extending slightly downwardly therefrom to connect at the opposite end thereof the said condensate drain riser pipe means for draining moisture collected in said second condensate tray means by gravity therethrough to said condensate drain riser pipe means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
193 words
A heating and cooling unit as defined in claim 6 characterized further to include: first supply shut-off valve means positioned in said first supply tube means intermediate said supply riser pipe means and said first heat exchanger coil for alternately opening and closing said first supply tube means to the flow of fluid heat transfer medium through said first supply tube means; second supply shut-off valve means positioned in said second supply tube means intermediate said supply riser pipe means and said second heat exchanger coil for alternately opening and closing said second supply tube means to the flow of fluid heat transfer medium through said second supply tube means; first combination shut-off and balancing valve means positioned in said first return tube means intermediate said first heat exchanger coil and said return riser pipe means for controlling the flow of fluid heat transfer medium through said first return tube means; and second combination shut-off and balancing valve means positioned in said second return tube means intermediate said second heat exchanger coil and said return riser pipe means for controlling the flow of fluid heat transfer medium through said second return tube means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
152 words
A heating and cooling unit as defined in claim 7 wherein said housing means, riser duct means, supply riser pipe means, return riser pipe means and condensate drain riser pipe means are sized and positioned relative to one another such that a plurality of said heating and cooling units may be vertically positioned one on top of the other in a building structure of multiple story design thereby forming a vertical tier through said building structure, said supply riser pipe means, return riser pipe means and condensate drain riser pipe means of each of said heating and cooling units being connected to the respective supply riser pipe means, return riser pipe means and condensate drain riser pipe means of the heating and cooling unit next above thereby forming respectively a continuous supply riser pipe, a continuous return riser pipe and a continuous condensate drain riser pipe extending vertically through said vertical tier.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A heating and cooling unit as defined in claim 9 wherein the fluid heat transfer medium is water.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
606 words
An apparatus for heating or cooling an area at each floor level in a multiple-story building structure, the apparatus being of the type requiring connection to a source of heating or chilled fluid heat transfer medium, comprising: a plurality of vertically oriented housing means assembled in superposed relation for extending upwardly through the multiple-story building structure and forming a vertical tier of housing means with one of the housing means being positioned at each floor level of the multiple-story building structure within a respective vertical partition means located at the respective floor level, and forming a portion of the respective vertical partition means; discharge air vent means formed in each housing means for communicating between the interior of the respective housing means and the area to be heated or cooled at the respective floor level; return air vent means formed in each housing means for communicating between the interior of the respective housing means and the area to be heated or cooled at the respective floor level; a heat exchanger coil carried within each housing means intermediate the respective discharge air vent means and the respective return air vent means formed therein; means carried by each housing means for drawing air from the reSpective area to be heated or cooled through the respective return air vent means, blowing the air over the respective heat exchanger coil and discharging the air through the respective discharge air vent means into the respective area to be heated or cooled; supply riser pipe means carried by each housing means for receiving heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium from the source thereof, the lower end of the supply riser pipe means carried by the lowermost housing means of the vertical tier being connected to a source of heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium, the upper end of the respective supply riser pipe means carried by each housing means being connected to the lower end of the respective supply riser pipe means carried by the housing means next above, the upper end of the respective supply riser pipe means carried by the uppermost housing means of the vertical tier being capped, thereby forming a continuous supply riser pipe extending upwardly within the entire vertical tier of housing means; a return riser pipe means carried by each housing means for returning fluid heat transfer medium to the source thereof, the lower end of the return riser pipe means carried by the lowermost housing means of the vertical tier being connected to a source of heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium, the upper end of the respective return riser pipe means carried by each housing means being connected to the lower end of the respective return riser pipe means carried by the housing means next above, the upper end of the respective return riser pipe means carried by the uppermost housing means of the vertical tier being capped, thereby forming a continuous return riser pipe extending upwardly within the entire vertical tier of housing means; supply tube means carried within each housing means for interconnecting the respective supply riser pipe means and one end of the respective heat exchanger coil carried therein, through which supply tube means the fluid heat transfer medium is supplied to the respective heat exchanger coils from the respective supply riser pipe means; and return tube means carried within each housing means for interconnecting the respective return riser pipe means and the opposite end of the respective heat exchanger coil carried therein through which return tube means the fluid heat transfer medium is returned from the respective heat exchanger coils to the respective return riser pipe means.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
606 words
An apparatus for heating or cooling an area at each floor level in a multiple-story building structure, the apparatus being of the type requiring connection to a source of heating or chilled fluid heat transfer medium, comprising: a plurality of vertically oriented housing means assembled in superposed relation for extending upwardly through the multiple-story building structure and forming a vertical tier of housing means with one of the housing means being positioned at each floor level of the multiple-story building structure within a respective vertical partition means located at the respective floor level, and forming a portion of the respective vertical partition means; discharge air vent means formed in each housing means for communicating between the interior of the respective housing means and the area to be heated or cooled at the respective floor level; return air vent means formed in each housing means for communicating between the interior of the respective housing means and the area to be heated or cooled at the respective floor level; a heat exchanger coil carried within each housing means intermediate the respective discharge air vent means and the respective return air vent means formed therein; means carried by each housing means for drawing air from the reSpective area to be heated or cooled through the respective return air vent means, blowing the air over the respective heat exchanger coil and discharging the air through the respective discharge air vent means into the respective area to be heated or cooled; supply riser pipe means carried by each housing means for receiving heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium from the source thereof, the lower end of the supply riser pipe means carried by the lowermost housing means of the vertical tier being connected to a source of heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium, the upper end of the respective supply riser pipe means carried by each housing means being connected to the lower end of the respective supply riser pipe means carried by the housing means next above, the upper end of the respective supply riser pipe means carried by the uppermost housing means of the vertical tier being capped, thereby forming a continuous supply riser pipe extending upwardly within the entire vertical tier of housing means; a return riser pipe means carried by each housing means for returning fluid heat transfer medium to the source thereof, the lower end of the return riser pipe means carried by the lowermost housing means of the vertical tier being connected to a source of heated or chilled fluid heat transfer medium, the upper end of the respective return riser pipe means carried by each housing means being connected to the lower end of the respective return riser pipe means carried by the housing means next above, the upper end of the respective return riser pipe means carried by the uppermost housing means of the vertical tier being capped, thereby forming a continuous return riser pipe extending upwardly within the entire vertical tier of housing means; supply tube means carried within each housing means for interconnecting the respective supply riser pipe means and one end of the respective heat exchanger coil carried therein, through which supply tube means the fluid heat transfer medium is supplied to the respective heat exchanger coils from the respective supply riser pipe means; and return tube means carried within each housing means for interconnecting the respective return riser pipe means and the opposite end of the respective heat exchanger coil carried therein through which return tube means the fluid heat transfer medium is returned from the respective heat exchanger coils to the respective return riser pipe means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-03-26 | 1976-09-25 | 1977-03-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-03-26 | 1980-09-25 | 1981-03-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-03-26 | 1984-09-25 | 1985-03-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |