Duct system for mobile home

Claim 2

A heating and air conditioning system for a mobile home or the like comprising a system of air ducts extending about the mobile home and communicating with the mobile home interior, a furnace in the mobile home and including a hot air exhaust, an air conditioning unit including a cold air exhaust, a plenum chamber defining a hot air inlet opening in one wall portion in communication with the hot air exhaust of said furnace, a cold air inlet opening in another wall portion in communication with the cold air exhaust of said air conditioning unit, and at least one outlet opening in another wall portion in communication with said system of air ducts, and valve means including a movable valve plate constructed and arranged to move toward and close the hot air inlet opening in response to the flow of air from the cold air exhaust of said air conditioning unit against said valve plate and to divert the air from its direction flowing from the cold air exhaust toward said outlet opening or to move toward and close the cold air inlet opening of said plenum chamber in response to the flow of air from the hot air exhaust of said furnace against said valve plate and to divert the air from its direction flowing from the hot air exhaust toward said outlet opening, so that air flowing from the cold air exhaust of the air conditioning unit will not flow through the furnace and air flowing from the hot air exhaust of the furnace will not flow through the air conditioning unit.

Claim 3

In a heating and air conditioning system for a mobile home or the like including a system of air ducts extending about the mobile home and communicating with the mobile home interior, a furnace in the mobile home and including a hot air exhaust, an air conditioning unit including a cold air exhaust, the improvement comprising a plenum chamber defining a hot air inlet opening in a first wall portion for communication with the hot air exhaust of the furnace, a cold air inlet opening in a wall portion opposite to said first wall portion for communication with the cold air exhaust of the air conditioning unit, outlet openings in opposite side wall portions for communication with the system of air ducts, and butterfly valve means including a pair of valve plates hingedly mounted on a hinge member centrally of said plenum chamber and arranged to move in response to the flow of cold air from the air conditioner through the cold air inlet opening to positions extending away from said cold air inlet opening to close the hot air inlet opening and to divert the flow of cold air from the air conditioner in opposite lateral directions through the outlet openings, and arranged to move in response to the flow of hot air from the furnace through the hot air inlet opening to positions extending away from said hot air inlet opening to close the cold air inlet opening and divert the flow of hot air from the furnace in opposite lateral directions through the outlet openings, so that the cold air will not flow from the plenum chamber through the furnace and the hot air will not flow from the plenum chamber through the air conditioner.

Claim 4

In a heating and air conditioning system for a mobile home or the like including a system of air ducts extending about the mobile home and communicating with the mobile home interior, a furnace in the mobile home and including a hot air exhaust, an air conditioning unit including a cold air exhaust, the improvement comprising a plenum chamber defining a hot air inlet opening in a first wall portion for communication with the hot air exhaust of the furnace, a cold air inlet opening in a wall portion opposite to said first wall portion for communication with the cold air exhaust of the air conditioning unit, outlet openings in opposite side wall portions for communication with the system of air ducts, and butterfly valve means including a pair of valve plates hingedly mounted on a hinge member centrally of said plenum chamber and arranged to move in response to the flow of cold air from the air conditioner through the cold air inlet opening to positions extending away from said cold air inlet opening to close the hot air inlet opening and to divert the flow of cold air from the air conditioner in opposite lateral directions through the outlet openings, and arranged to move in response to the flow of hot air from the furnace through the hot air inlet opening to positions extending away from said hot air inlet opening to close the cold air inlet opening and divert the flow of hot air from the furnace in opposite lateral directions through the outlet openings, so that the cold air will not flow from the plenum chamber through the furnace and the hot air will not flow from the plenum chamber through the air conditioner.

Claim 5

In a mobile home or the like including a system of air ducts extending about the mobile home and communicating with the mobile home interior, a furnace including a hot air exhaust arranged to exhaust hot air in a downward direction, and an air conditioning unit including a cold air exhaust, the improvement therein comprising a plenum chamber positioned beneath said furnace and defining a hot air inlet opening in its upper portion in communication with the hot air exhaust of said furnace, a cold air inlet opening in its lower portion in communication with the cold air exhaust of said air conditioning unit, and air outlet openings in its opposite side walls in communication with said system of air ducts, and a butterfly valve including valve plates mounted on a common laterally extending hinge member and arranged to move downwardly about opposite sides of said hinge member to downwardly inclined positions to close the cold air inlet opening of said plenum chamber and divert the downward flow of hot air from the furnace in opposite lateral directions through the air outlet openings, and arranged to move upwardly about opposite sides of said hinge member to upwardly inclined positions to close the hot air opening of said plenum chamber and divert the flow of cold air from the air conditioning unit in opposite lateral directions through the air outlet openings.

Claim 6

In a mobile home or the like including a system of air ducts extending about the mobile home and communicating with the mobile home interior, a furnace including a hot air exhaust arranged to exhaust hot air in a downward direction, and an air conditioning unit including a cold air exhaust, the improvement therein comprising a plenum chamber positioned beneath said furnace and defining a hot air inlet opening in its upper portion in communication with the hot air exhaust of said furnace, a cold air inlet opening in its lower portion in communication with the cold air exhaust of said air conditioning unit, and air outlet openings in its opposite side walls in communication with said system of air ducts, and a butterfly valve including valve plates mounted on a common laterally extending hinge member and arranged to move downwardly about opposite sides of said hinge member to downwardly inclined positions to close the cold air inlet opening of said plenum chamber and divert the downward flow of hot air from the furnace in opposite lateral directions through the air outlet openings, and arranged to move upwardly about opposite sides of said hinge member to upwardly inclined positions to close the hot air opening of said plenum chamber and divert the flow of cold air from the air conditioning unit in opposite lateral directions through the air outlet openings.

Claim 7

The mobile home of claim 2 and further including a basement chamber extending along the length of the mobile home and substantially closed from the atmosphere, a furnace closet in the interior of the mobile home surrounding the furnace and substantially hemetrically sealing the furnace from the interior of the mobile home, said furnace closet and said basement chamber being in open communication with each other, and air return vents extending between the interior of the mobile home and said basement chamber so that air passes from the interior of the mobile home through the air vents and basement chamber to the furnace.

Claim 8

In a mobile home or the like including an air flow system with air ducts communicating with the interior of the mobile home, a furnace in the mobile home and including a hot air exhaust arranged to pass hot air from the furnace in a downward direction, a plenum chamber beneath said furnace and defining a hot air inlet opening in its upper portion in communication with said furnace hot air exhaust and air outlet openings on opposite sides thereof in communication with said air ducts and a cold air inlet opening in its lower portion, an air conditioning unit including a cold air exhaust arranged to pass cold air from said air conditioning unit in an upward direction to said cold air inlet opening of said plenum chamber, and butterfly valve means in said plenum chamber including valve plates hingedly mounted on a hinge member, said valve plates normally closing the cold air inlet opening in said plenum chamber and being responsive to the flow of cold air from said air conditioning unit in an upward direction against said valve plates to shift said valve plates upwardly about said hinge member to open the cold air inlet opening and to close the hot air inlet opening.

Claim 9

In a mobile home or the like including an air flow system with air ducts communicating with the interior of the mobile home, a furnace in the mobile home and including a hot air exhaust arranged to pass hot air from the furnace in a downward direction, a plenum chamber beneath said furnace and defining a hot air inlet opening in its upper portion in communication with said furnace hot air exhaust and air outlet openings on opposite sides thereof in communication with said air ducts and a cold air inlet opening in its lower portion, an air conditioning unit including a cold air exhaust arranged to pass cold air from said air conditioning unit in an upward direction to said cold air inlet opening of said plenum chamber, and butterfly valve means in said plenum chamber including valve plates hingedly mounted on a hinge member, said valve plates normally closing the cold air inlet opening in said plenum chamber and being responsive to the flow of cold air from said air conditioning unit in an upward direction against said valve plates to shift said valve plates upwardly about said hinge member to open the cold air inlet opening and to close the hot air inlet opening.