US2003085023A1PendingUtilityA1

Bracket for heat exchange ventilation device

22
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Nov 6, 2001Filed: Mar 14, 2002Published: May 8, 2003
Est. expiryNov 6, 2021(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Charles Viso
F24F 13/30F28F 9/002
22
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
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References
0
Claims

Abstract

A heat exchanger device includes an air duct, a thermal transfer unit disposed within the air duct, and at least one bracket fixed to the exterior of the air duct for mounting fluid lines coupled to the thermal transfer unit to the outside of the duct. The bracket includes a base and a plurality of arms. The arms extend obliquely from the base, and each of the plurality of arms has an aperture for receiving a fluid line. A method for mounting a plurality of fluid supply lines to a duct is also disclosed, and includes the steps of providing a bracket with a base and a plurality of arms, fixing the base of the bracket to the exterior of the duct, and engaging each of the fluid supply lines in a receiving portion of one of the plurality of arms of the bracket.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
I claim:  
     
         1 . A heat exchange device, comprising: 
 at least a portion of an air duct;    a thermal transfer unit disposed within said air duct, said thermal transfer unit including a plurality of fluid supply lines passing through a wall of said air duct; and    at least one bracket including a base fixed to the exterior of said air duct, and a plurality of arms extending from said base, each of said plurality of arms including a receiving portion for accepting one of said plurality of fluid supply lines.    
     
     
         2 . A heat exchange device according to  claim 1 , wherein said bracket consists essentially of a single piece of material.  
     
     
         3 . A heat exchange device according to  claim 2 , wherein said receiving portion of each of said plurality of arms comprises an aperture formed in each of said plurality of arms.  
     
     
         4 . A heat exchange device according to  claim 3 , wherein said bracket comprises a flat piece of metal having a bend formed therein to form said base and said plurality of arms.  
     
     
         5 . A heat exchange device according to  claim 1 , wherein said receiving portion of each of said plurality of arms comprises an aperture formed in said each of said plurality of arms of said bracket.  
     
     
         6 . A heat exchange device according to  claim 5 , further including a grommet disposed in said aperture of each of said plurality of arms of said bracket.  
     
     
         7 . A heat exchange device according to  claim 6 , wherein said grommet is heat resistant.  
     
     
         8 . A heat exchange device according to  claim 6 , further including a plurality of interchangeable grommets, said plurality of grommets having the same outer diameters and different inner diameters.  
     
     
         9 . A heat exchange device according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said base of said bracket lies in a first plane; and    each of said plurality of arms lies in a second plane perpendicular to said first plane.    
     
     
         10 . A heat exchange device according to  claim 9 , wherein at least one of said plurality of arms of said bracket extends in a direction oblique to said first plane.  
     
     
         11 . A heat exchange device according to  claim 9 , wherein each of said plurality of arms of said bracket extend from said base a distance sufficient to engage one of said plurality of fluid supply lines a spaced distance from the exterior of said air duct.  
     
     
         12 . A heat exchange device according to  claim 1 , wherein said receiving portion of each of said plurality of arms is adapted to selectively engage or disengage a respective one of said fluid supply lines.  
     
     
         13 . A heat exchange device according to  claim 12 , wherein said receiving portion of at least one of said plurality of arms comprises a hinged aperture.  
     
     
         14 . A heat exchange device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of arms of said bracket extend from a lateral edge of said base of said bracket.  
     
     
         15 . A method for mounting a plurality of fluid supply lines to an air duct, said method comprising: 
 providing a bracket having a base and a plurality of arms extending from said base, each of said plurality of arms including a receiving portion;    fixing said base of said bracket to the exterior of said air duct; and    engaging each of said plurality of fluid supply lines in said receiving portion of a respective one of said plurality of arms.    
     
     
         16 . A method for mounting a plurality of fluid supply lines to an air duct according to  claim 15 , wherein: 
 said receiving portion of each of said plurality of arms includes an aperture formed therein; and    said step of engaging each of said plurality of fluid supply lines in said receiving portion of a respective one of said plurality of arms includes routing said each of said fluid supply lines through said aperture of said respective one of said plurality of arms.    
     
     
         17 . A method for mounting a plurality of fluid supply lines to an air duct according to  claim 16 , wherein: 
 said step of providing said bracket further includes providing a grommet in said aperture of each of said plurality of arms; and    step of routing each of said plurality of fluid supply lines through said aperture of said respective one of said plurality of arms further includes routing said fluid supply line through said grommet of said respective one of said plurality of arms.    
     
     
         18 . A method for mounting a plurality of fluid supply lines to an air duct according to  claim 17 , wherein said step of providing a grommet in said aperture of each of said plurality of arms further includes selecting a grommet having an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of said one of said plurality of fluid supply lines.  
     
     
         19 . A method for mounting a plurality of fluid supply lines to a duct according to  claim 15 , wherein: 
 said base of said bracket lies in a first plane; and    each of said plurality of arms of said bracket lies in a second plane perpendicular to said first plane.    
     
     
         20 . A method for mounting a plurality of fluid supply lines to a duct according to  claim 19 , wherein at least one of said plurality of arms of said bracket extends in a direction oblique to said first plane.  
     
     
         21 . A method for mounting a plurality of fluid supply lines to a duct according to  claim 15 , wherein said step of engaging each of said plurality of fluid supply lines in said receiving portion of said bracket, includes fastening at least one of said fluid supply lines to said receiving portion of a respective one of said plurality of arms.  
     
     
         22 . A method for mounting a plurality of fluid supply lines to a duct according to  claim 21 , wherein: 
 said receiving portion of at least one of said plurality of arms of said bracket comprises a hinged aperture; and    said step of engaging said plurality of fluid supply lines in said receiving portion of respective ones of said plurality of arms further includes clamping at least one of said fluid supply lines in said hinged aperture of said respective one of said plurality of arms.    
     
     
         23 . A bracket for mounting a plurality of fluid supply lines to the exterior of a duct, comprising: 
 a base for coupling said bracket to said duct; and    a plurality of arms each having a receiving portion formed therein for coupling a respective one of said plurality of fluid supply lines to said bracket.    
     
     
         24 . A bracket according to  claim 23 , wherein said bracket consists essentially of a single piece of material.  
     
     
         25 . A bracket according to  claim 24 , wherein said receiving portion of each of said plurality of arms comprises an aperture formed in each of said plurality of arms.  
     
     
         26 . A bracket according to  claim 25 , wherein said bracket comprises a flat piece of metal having a bend formed therein defining said base and each of said plurality of arms.  
     
     
         27 . A bracket according to  claim 23 , wherein said receiving portion of each of said plurality of arms comprises an aperture formed in each of said plurality of arms of said bracket.  
     
     
         28 . A bracket according to  claim 27 , further comprising a grommet disposed in said aperture of each of said plurality of arms of said bracket.  
     
     
         29 . A bracket according to  claim 28 , wherein said grommet is heat resistant.  
     
     
         30 . A bracket according to  claim 28 , wherein at least one of said plurality of arms further includes a plurality of grommets, each of said grommets having the same outer diameter and a different inner diameter.  
     
     
         31 . A bracket according to  claim 23 , wherein said base lies in a first plane, said plurality of arms lie in a second plane perpendicular to said first plane.  
     
     
         32 . A bracket according to  claim 31 , wherein at least one of said plurality of arms extends in a direction oblique to said first plane.  
     
     
         33 . A bracket according to  claim 31 , wherein each of said plurality of arms extends from said base a distance sufficient to engage one of said plurality of fluid supply lines a spaced distance from said duct.  
     
     
         34 . A bracket according to  claim 23 , wherein each of said plurality of arms extends from a lateral edge of said base.  
     
     
         35 . A heat exchange device, comprising: 
 at least a portion of an air duct;    a thermal transfer unit disposed within said air duct, said thermal transfer unit including a plurality of fluid supply lines passing through a wall of said air duct; and    a bracket for coupling said plurality of fluid supply lines to the exterior of said air duct, said bracket including securing means for securing said bracket to said air duct and a plurality of coupling means for coupling each of said fluid supply lines to said bracket a spaced distance from said securing means.    
     
     
         36 . A heat exchanger box according to  claim 35 , wherein each of said plurality of coupling means further includes an insulating means for reducing thermal transfer between a respective one of said plurality of fluid supply lines and said bracket.  
     
     
         37 . A heat exchanger box according to  claim 35 , wherein: 
 said securing means lies in a first plane; and    each of said coupling means lies in a second plane perpendicular to said first plane.    
     
     
         38 . A heat exchanger box according to  claim 37 , wherein at least one of said coupling means extends in a direction oblique to said first plane.

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