System and method for mounting a fresh air exchanger to a window frame assembly

Abstract

A window-mounting and sealing system and method for manual installation of a fresh air exchanger is provided. The system features hand-adjustable, snap-fit connectors and fasteners, and accommodates any standard window size by using pre-sized snap-off features for a quick, adaptable, and manual installation. The system includes a mounting frame and two end panels, which include multiple hand-breakable (snap-off) sections for manually adjusting the width of each end panel for a proper fit to the window frame. One or more connectors associated with each end panel connect each end panel to the mounting frame. The connector(s) may be positioned on one or both of the end panel and the mounting frame. In addition, the system includes one or more fasteners to mount the assembled system to a window frame assembly. An insulating layer can be positioned within each panel. The insulating layer may also include detachable sections that can be manually detached to accommodate window of various sizes.

1 . A window-mounting and sealing system for installation of a fresh air exchanger in a window frame assembly having a moveable sash, comprising: 
 a mounting frame for receiving a fresh air exchanger, the mounting frame having a first end and a second end;    two end panels, each of the two end panels comprising a plurality of detachable sections for manually adjusting a width of each end panel;    one or more connectors for connecting each end panel to the first end and the second end of the mounting frame; and    one or more fasteners for mounting the system to a window frame assembly.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the two end panels comprise a front side, a back side, and an insulating layer positioned between the front side and the back side.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more connectors comprise a locking clip, the locking clip snapping onto a protruding edge positioned for snapping into the locking clip upon installation to manually connect the first end of the mounting frame to one of the two end panels.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of detachable sections are hand-breakable sections, the width of each end panel being adjustable by snapping off one or more of the plurality of hand-breakable sections.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more connectors comprise a channel and a tab in combination, the first end of the mounting frame comprising one of the channel and the tab, and one of the two end panels comprising the other one of the channel and the tab, the channel being sized and positioned for slidably receiving the tab and manually connecting the one of the two end panels to the first end of the mounting frame.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more fasteners comprise at least two retaining clips, each retaining clip sized to snap-fit around the front side and the back side of each end panel to compress the insulating layer and pull the front side and back side together.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting frame further comprises an interior surface forming an aperture pre-sized for receiving a fresh air exchanger, and at least one integral fastener on the interior surface for securing a fresh air exchanger from slippage.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , the mounting frame further comprising a top side and a bottom side, a layer of insulating material extending along the bottom side, and a second layer of insulating material extending along the top side of the mounting frame.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 2 , the insulating layer comprising a removable block of insulating foam, the removable block being partitioned into a plurality of hand-breakable sections for manually adjusting the removable block to the manually adjusted width of each end panel.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 6 , the back side of each end panel comprising a raised rib corresponding to each of the plurality of detachable sections, and wherein each retaining clip comprises a channel, an outermost raised rib that remains after adjusting the width of each end panel being positioned for tightly snap-fitting said retaining clip into the channel and around the front side and the back side of each end panel.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one window sill grip for securing the system to a window sill of a window sash, the at least one window sill grip being manually extendable from the mounting frame.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of detachable sections are equally spaced, and wherein each of the equally spaced detachable sections has a width of about one inch.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1 , the mounting frame further comprising a slidable clamp for manually clamping to a side of a moveable sash in a closed position.  
   
   
       14 . In combination: 
 a fresh air exchanger; and    a window-mounting and sealing system for installation of the fresh air exchanger in a window frame assembly having a moveable sash, the window-mounting and sealing system comprising: 
 a mounting frame receiving the fresh air exchanger, the mounting frame having a first end and a second end;  
 two end panels, each of the two end panels comprising a plurality of detachable sections for manually adjusting a width of each end panel;  
 one or more connectors for connecting each end panel to the first end and the second end of the mounting frame; and  
 one or more fasteners for mounting the system to a window frame assembly.  
   
   
   
       15 . The combination of  claim 14 , wherein each of the two end panels comprise a front side, a back side, and an insulating layer positioned between the front side and the back side, the insulating layer comprising a plurality of detachable sections for manually adjusting the insulating layer to the manually adjusted width of each end panel.  
   
   
       16 . A method of installing a fresh air exchanger in a window frame assembly having a moveable sash using a window-mounting system, the system comprising a mounting frame for receiving a fresh air exchanger and two end panels, each end panel comprising a plurality of detachable sections, the method comprising: 
 manually adjusting a width of one or both end panels to a selected width by detaching one or more of the plurality of detachable sections from one or both panels;    connecting each end panel to a first end and to a second end of the mounting frame;    fastening the window-mounting system to the window frame assembly; and    mounting a fresh air exchanger to said mounting frame.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , said connecting comprising snapping a locking clip on the first end of the mounting frame to a protruding edge of one of the two end panels.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , said connecting comprising sliding one or more tabs on one of the two end panels into one or more channels on the first end of the mounting frame.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , said act of manually adjusting comprising snapping off an end section of each end panel.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each end panel comprises a front side and a back side, wherein the system further comprises an insulating layer between the front side and the back side having a plurality of detachable sections, the method further comprising manually adjusting a width of the insulating layer by detaching one or more of the plurality of detachable sections of the insulating layer.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising fitting a retaining clip around an outer side of each end panel to compress the insulating layer and to lock the window-mounting system to the window frame assembly.