Installation Bracket and System for Attaching a Ptac Chassis into a Wall Sleeve

This application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 63/573,326, filed Apr. 2, 2024, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

The present invention relates generally to packaged terminal air conditioners (PTACs), and, more particularly, relates to attachment of a PTAC chassis into a wall sleeve.

A common bracket used for attaching a PTAC chassis to a wall sleeve, into which the PTAC chassis is being installed, is an elongated ninety-degree angle bracket having a first wall section that is configured to mount to the PTAC chassis, and a second wall that extends from a vertical edge of the first wall section at a ninety-degree angle. The first wall section will have two or three holes that are intended to line up with corresponding holes in the side of the PTAC chassis. At each hole a screw is screwed into both openings; the threads of the screw thread into the holes, creating a mechanical interfere with the edge of the opening in the PTAC chassis to fasten the bracket to the PTAC chassis. On the second wall section there are two or three vertical slots that are intended to line up over corresponding holes in the front side edge of the wall sleeve. The front side edge is a narrow vertically elongated portion of the sheet metal of the wall sleeve that extends in the plane of the front opening of the wall sleeve. The slots in the second wall section of the bracket allow for variance in the vertical positioning of the PTAC chassis within the wall sleeve, and again machine screws are used to fasten the second wall section of the bracket to the front side edge of the wall sleeve, and thus attach the PTAC chassis to the wall sleeve. A cover is then placed over the front of the chassis, which protrudes out from the front of the wall sleeve, to cover the chassis and front side edge of the wall sleeve.

Accordingly, when the PTAC chassis is installed into a wall sleeve, the chassis is typically screwed or bolted to the wall sleeve at the front of the wall sleeve using a bracket that attaches to the side of the chassis and the front of the wall sleeve, and is typically installed on site during installation of the PTAC. There are numerous problems with this method of installation. For one, the screws used to attach the bracket to the chassis and the wall sleeve can easily get stripped. This can occur when the screw is either too large for the bracket, the bracket is not properly aligned with the screw hole, or excessive force is used. Another problem is that screws can easily get lost at the point of attempting to screw them into the bracket and wall sleeve. If the screw falls, it can fall into the chassis, or roll under the wall sleeve and take time to retrieve. This slows down the installation process. A further problem is that it can be difficult to get the holes in the bracket, which is attached to the chassis, to line up with corresponding holes in the wall sleeve. Thus, in general, installing a PTAC unit can be time consuming, which can be aggravated by the chassis to wall sleeve connection.

Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.

In accordance with some embodiments of the inventive disclosure, there is provided a bracket for installing a packaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC) chassis into a wall sleeve that includes a first wall section configured to mount at a side of the PTAC chassis. The first wall section being elongated and vertically oriented and having at least two L or inverted T shaped slots positioned along the vertical wall section. There is further includes a second vertical wall section which extends from a front edge of the first wall section in a perpendicular direction. The second wall section having at least two tab sections which extend forward and perpendicular to the second wall section, each of the at least two tab section configured to fit into a respective corresponding slot at a front side edge of the wall sleeve, each of the at least two tab sections having an attached portion that is attached to the second wall, and a free hanging portion that extends downward from the attached portion, wherein the free hanging portion is configured to create an interference with an inside side of the front side edge of the wall sleeve.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a bracket and installation system for a PTAC chassis and wall sleeve, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention.

Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting; but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention. While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. The figures of the drawings are not drawn to scale.

Before the present invention is disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. The terms “a” or “an,” as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term “plurality,” as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term “another,” as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having,” as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term “coupled,” as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The term “providing” is defined herein in its broadest sense, e.g., bringing/coming into physical existence, making available, and/or supplying to someone or something, in whole or in multiple parts at once or over a period of time.

“In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, azimuth or positional relationships indicated by terms such as “up”, “down”, “left”, “right”, “inside”, “outside”, “front”, “back”, “head”, “tail” and so on, are azimuth or positional relationships based on the drawings, which are only to facilitate description of the embodiments of the present invention and simplify the description, but not to indicate or imply that the devices or components must have a specific azimuth, or be constructed or operated in the specific azimuth, which thus cannot be understood as a limitation to the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, terms such as “first”, “second”, “third” and so on are only used for descriptive purposes, and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, terms such as “installed”, “coupled”, “connected” should be broadly interpreted, for example, it may be fixedly connected, or may be detachably connected, or integrally connected; it may be mechanically connected, or may be electrically connected; it may be directly connected, or may be indirectly connected via an intermediate medium. As used herein, the terms “about” or “approximately” apply to all numeric values, whether or not explicitly indicated. These terms generally refer to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited values (i.e., having the same function or result). In many instances these terms may include numbers that are rounded to the nearest significant figure. Terms such as “vertical” and “horizontal,” as well as “top” and “bottom,” are meant to be understood as relating to the ordinary position of the article being referenced when in its intended usage. Thus, while an article can be turned upside down, rolled on its side, and so on, a feature that is referenced as having a vertical orientation will mean a vertical orientation when the article is in its intended usage orientation. Reference to an article being “elongated,” or having an “elongated direction,” shall be understood to refer to a direction in which the article is longer than it is wide; a direction of maximal length of the article.

Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above-mentioned terms in the embodiments of the present invention according to the specific circumstances.

While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. It is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms.

is a front elevational view of a wall sleevefor a PTAC, in accordance with some embodiments. The wall sleevefits through an opening of an exterior wall of a structure and facilitates the sealing of the opening around the wall sleeveto prevent unwanted water and debris intrusion. The wall sleevealso typically holds a drain pan, or the floorof the wall sleeveacts as a drain pan, to drain water out of the PTAC unit. The PTAC chassis is inserted and installed into the wall sleeve, allowing the compressor coil access to the outside ambient air, and the chiller coil and heating unit access to the air inside the structure. The wall sleeveis also shown in.

The wall sleevehas a topthat is typically a rectangular surface. Likewise, there is a first sideand a second sideat opposite ends of the top. Thus, sides,oppose each other. The top, and sides,can be formed of sheet metal which is stamped and bent into the form shown, or an equivalent. At the front of the top, first side, and second side, there are front edge sides,,. The front edge sides,,are flat areas that extend from the top and sides along a front plane that defines an opening. At the front side edges,along the first and second sides,, there are vertically elongated slots-. These slots-are configured to receive an engagement tab from an installation bracket, as will be shown. The PTAC chassis fits into openingand slides into the wall sleeveto be installed into the wall sleeve. Installation brackets on each side of the chassis then engage the slots-with tabs that hook over the bottom of the slots-and create an interference to hold the chassis in the wall sleeve.

is a side elevational view of a PTAC systemin which a chassisis being installed into a wall sleeve, in accordance with some embodiments. Similarly,shows a top view of the same systemand installation of the chassisinto the wall sleeve. For the purposes of illustration, the wall in which the wall sleeveis mounted is not shown, however, it will be understood that the wall sleeveis intended to be mounted through an exterior wall of a structure. The structure can be, for example, a hotel room, dormitory, or other similar dwelling structure. PTAC systems are particularly in common use in hotels and motels in North America.

The PTAC chassisincludes a main portionand the front control portion, which has sides. The sidesare one opposing sides of the PTAC chassis, and are, in general, made of sheet metal which has several screw holes for installation of a bracket. The main portionincludes various pumps, valves, tubing, motors, fans, and coils, including the compressor coilwhich is positioned at the rear or exterior side of the chassisso that it will be adjacent to the outside of the structure, and a chiller coilthrough which interior air is cycled to chill the interior air. It will be appreciated that the main portionis shown as a block here, but includes all of those common air conditioning and heating components commonly found in a PTAC chassis.

The bracketsare positioned on the opposing sides of the control portionand are vertically elongated articles. There are at least two slotsthat have a horizontal segment and a vertical segment. Thus, the slotscan have either an “L” shape, or an upside-down “T” shape. That is, there is a vertical portion of the slot, and a horizontal portion at the bottom of the vertical portion of the slot. The slotsshown here have the inverted “T” configuration. A fastener such as a bolt or screw, or a shoulder bolt, can pass through the slot and into a opening in the sideof the chassis. The slotis wider that the diameter of the fastener, but not the head of the fastener. Thus, the bracket is floating and can be moved, limited to the dimensions of the slots. The bracketincludes a first wall portion in which the slotsare located. The first wall portion is vertically oriented and has a plane that will be parallel to the side, and a second wall portion extends from one side of the first wall portion (out of the page, as shown here) at substantially a right angle. Then extending from the second wall portion are at least two tab sections. The tab sections fit into the slots-and hook into the wall sleeveat the slots-. The tabsextend forward and then turn downward. In, and referencing, it can be seen that the tab sectionson each of the bracketson each side of the chassisline up with the slotsat the front side edges,of the wall sleeve. The thickness of the tab sectionsinis exaggerated for purposes of illustration here.

is a first side elevational view of a bracketfor installing a PTAC chassisinto a wall sleeve, in accordance with some embodiments. In this view, the viewpoint is looking in a direction perpendicular to that ofand from the front of the chassis, and if the bracketwere lined up with a wall sleeve, this view would then be in the same orientation as that of. The bracketincludes a first wall sectionthat will be placed against the sideof the chassis. There are slotsin the first wall sectionthat are not visible from the viewpoint of, but are seen in. Fastenerspass through these slots and engage openings in the sideof chassis. In some embodiments the fastenerscan be shoulder bolts that have an unthreaded shoulder. A shoulder bolt can be threaded into the chassisuntil the unthreaded shoulderreaches the opening, and since the shoulder bolts pass through the slots, the bracket can move around the shoulders of the shoulder bolts via the slots. Because the head of the shoulder bolt has a larger diameter than the width of the slots, the bracketswill be captured at the sidesof the chassis. The first wall sectionand the second wall sectionboth are elongated in the vertical direction. Arrowindicates the direction of the side of the chassis on which the bracketis to be mounted. A mirror image version of the bracketshown here is used on the opposite side of the chassis.

The second wall sectionextends from an edge of the first wall section, forming a corner, at about a ninety-degree angle. Tabs,are formed in the second wall section which extend forward of the second wall section, as can be seen in. The tabs,are configured to fit into the slotsat the front side edges,of the wall sleevewhen the chassisis inserted into the openingof the wall sleeve. A top taband a bottom tabcan be provided as grip locations so that a person can grasp the bracket at either or both the top and bottom tabs,to move or otherwise adjust the position of the bracketonce it is captured at the sideof the chassis, as the chassisis being inserted and installed in the wall sleeve. By lifting the bracket, the engagement tabscan be positioned to pass through slotsin the wall sleeve. Then, once the tabsare inserted into the slots, by pushing down on either the top or bottom tab,, or both, the engagement tabscan be moved into engagement with the wall sleeve, meaning the lower portion of the tabs is captured behind the front side edges,. The top and bottom tabs,can extend from either the first wall sectionas shown here, or equivalently from the second wall section. In general, the top and bottom tabs,can be extensions of either of the wall sections,that are bent over at a ninety-degree angle to the wall section. The entire bracketcan be made of sheet metal and stamped and then folded to produce the two wall sections,, engagement tabs,, and the top and bottom grip tabs,.

show a series of second side elevational views of the bracket of, taken at a ninety-degree viewpoint from that of, in various installation positions, in accordance with some embodiments.shows a bracketbeing moved into position at the sideof the chassis, where slotswill be aligned with holesinto which fasteners will be threaded through slots, thereby capturing the bracketat the side, in a floating arrangement. The view in each ofis the same as that of, however, the chassisand wall sleevehave been removed. In each ofthe slotshave the inverted or upside-down “T” shape with a horizontal portionat the bottom and vertical portionextending upward from the horizontal portion. The slotsare openings that pass entirely through the first wall section. The engagement tabscan be seen extending forward from the second wall section.

Inthere is shown shoulder boltspassing through each of the slots. These shoulder bolts will be threaded into holesat the sideof the chassis. The head of the shoulder boltshas a diameter that is larger than the width of the slots, and the shoulderof the shoulder boltshas a diameter that is narrower than the width of the slots. As a result, assuming the boltsare threaded into the chassis, the bracketis captured on the boltsin a floating arrangement. The boltsare fixed, being threaded into the chassis, and the bracket is positioned as far back as it can be moved, resulting in the boltsbeing in the front of the horizontal portionof the slot.results when the bracket is then moved forward, in the direction of arrow. In, the boltsare in the back of the horizontal portionof the slot. If the slotswere “L” shaped slots, then the bolts would be centered at the bottom of the vertical portionof the slots. Inthe bracketis moved horizontally backward, or the chassis is moved forward, and then the bracketis moved down so that the boltsare then at the top of the vertical portionof the slots. Thus, the ability of the bracketto be moved forward, backward, up, and down facilitates easier alignment of the engagement tabswith the slotson the wall sleeve. Once the engagement tabs are passed into, and through the slots, the bracketis moved downward, such as by pressing downward on grip tabs,, thereby moving the free portion of the engagement tab downward, on the rear side of the front side edgeor. Accordingly, the vertical height of the engagement tabhas to be smaller than the vertical length of the slots.

show a series of side views of an engagement tabof an installation bracketbeing inserted into a corresponding slotat the front side edgeof the wall sleeve, in accordance with some embodiments. The engagement tabhas an attached portionthat is attached directly to the second wall sectionof the bracket. The attached portionextends forward from the second wall section. At the bottom of the attached portionis a free portion, which has a back edge. The back edgecan be angled such that the bottom tip of the free portionat the back edgeis farther forward (away from the second wall section) than the top of the back edgewhere the back edgemeets the attached portion. The angle can be slight, such as on the order of five to ten degrees. The back edgeis intended to make contact with the inner surfaceof the front side edge. The inner or rear surfaceis opposite the outer or front surfaceseen in. Inthe engagement tabis in an elevated position relative to the slotin the front side edgeof the wall sleeve. This means that the bracketis raised such that the boltsare in the horizontal portionof the slots, and likely at the front of the horizontal portionof the slots. Inthe bracketis pushed forward, or the chassis is moved forward, so that the engagement tabis mostly through the slot. The attached portiontransitions through the slotbut is attached to the second wall sectionwhich will be against, or nearly against the outer surface of the front side edge. The free portionof the engagement tab is entirely through the slot. In, the bracketis pushed downward. To do that, the bracketmust be moved so that the boltsline up, vertically, with the vertical portionof the slots, then the operator/installer can, for example, press down on the top tabto push the bracketdownward. In doing so, the back edgeof the free portionof the engagement tabmay bear against the insideof the front side edge. If the back edgeis angled, then pushing the bracketdownward will have the result of pulling the chassis forward into the wall sleeve a small amount of distance. In this position the bracketwill be as shown in, with the boltsin the top of the vertical portionof the slots, and at that point the chassisis installed in the wall sleeve. No screws are needed to secure the chassisto the wall sleeve, rather, the interference between the insideof the wall sleeve's front side edge(andon the other side) prevents the chassisfrom backing out of the wall sleeve. In addition, to remove the chassis, the process ofis simply reversed, and the user removing the chassis does not have to unscrew any screws.

Since the chassis can be shipped from the manufacturer with the bracketsin place on the chassis, the installer at the site location where the PTAC chassis is being installed does not have to screw the chassis to the wall sleeve, either, making installation, as well as removing of the chassis, much easier, while allowing for the chassis to be secured in the wall sleeve.