Evaporator shroud and assembly for a direct current air conditioning system

Abstract

An evaporator shroud for a direct current (DC) powered variable capacity air conditioning system having an evaporator assembly and a condenser assembly. The system further includes an air intake opening for intaking air from an enclosed environment into the evaporator assembly and an air output opening for outputting air from the evaporator assembly into the enclosed environment. The evaporator shroud includes a single seamless structure positioned adjacent the air intake opening and the air output opening and defining an air passage between the air intake opening and the air output opening.

1 . An evaporator shroud for a direct current (DC) powered variable capacity air conditioning system having an evaporator assembly, a condenser assembly, an air intake opening for intaking air from an enclosed environment into the evaporator assembly, and an air output opening for outputting air from the evaporator assembly into the enclosed environment, the evaporator shroud comprising: 
 a single piece seamless structure positioned adjacent the air intake opening and the air output opening and defining an air passage between the air intake opening and the air output opening.    
   
   
       2 . The evaporator shroud of  claim 1  wherein the evaporator shroud includes mounts for supporting an evaporator heat exchanger.  
   
   
       3 . The evaporator shroud of  claim 1  wherein the evaporator shroud includes mounts for supporting an evaporator air mover.  
   
   
       4 . The evaporator shroud of  claim 1  wherein the evaporator shroud includes mounts for supporting a circuit board.  
   
   
       5 . The evaporator shroud of  claim 4  wherein the mounts are configured for supporting the circuit board in the air passage.  
   
   
       6 . The evaporator shroud of  claim 1  wherein the evaporator shroud includes mounts for supporting an evaporator air mover positioned adjacent the air intake opening, mounts for supporting an evaporator heat exchanger positioned adjacent the air output opening, and mounts for supporting a circuit board positioned between the mounts supporting the evaporator air mover and the mounts supporting the evaporator heat exchanger.  
   
   
       7 . The evaporator shroud of  claim 1  wherein the evaporator shroud has an evaporator air mover section positioned adjacent the air intake opening and an evaporator heat exchanger section positioned adjacent the air output opening, the evaporator air mover section configured for channeling air from the air intake opening to the evaporator heat exchanger section, and the evaporator heat exchanger section configured for channeling the air substantially uniformly to the air output opening.  
   
   
       8 . The evaporator shroud of  claim 7  wherein the evaporator heat exchanger section defines at least one curved surface for channeling the air substantially uniformly to the air output opening.  
   
   
       9 . The evaporator shroud of  claim 7  wherein the evaporator heat exchanger section defines a plurality of curved surfaces for channeling the air substantially uniformly to the air output opening.  
   
   
       10 . The evaporator shroud of  claim 1  wherein the evaporator shroud has at least one condensation collector for collecting condensation produced by an evaporator.  
   
   
       11 . The evaporator shroud of  claim 10  wherein the at least one condensation collector is a depression formed in the evaporator shroud.  
   
   
       12 . The evaporator shroud of  claim 10  wherein the at least one condensation collector defines an opening for removing condensation from the condensation collector.  
   
   
       13 . The evaporator shroud of  claim 1  wherein the evaporator shroud comprises a plurality of condensation collectors.  
   
   
       14 . The evaporator shroud of  claim 1  wherein the single piece seamless structure is a molded piece of plastic.  
   
   
       15 . A direct current (DC) powered variable capacity air conditioning system having an evaporator assembly, a condenser assembly, an air intake opening for intaking air from an enclosed environment into the evaporator assembly, and an air output opening for outputting air from the evaporator assembly into the enclosed environment, the system comprising: 
 a housing defining the air intake opening and the air output opening,    an evaporator shroud secured in the housing and positioned adjacent the air intake opening and the air output opening and defining an air passage between the air intake opening and the air output opening, the evaporator shroud comprising a single piece seamless structure.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  further comprising an evaporator heat exchanger, wherein the evaporator shroud includes mounts for supporting the evaporator heat exchanger.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 15  further comprising an evaporator air mover wherein the evaporator shroud includes mounts for supporting the evaporator air mover.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 15  further comprising a circuit board, wherein the evaporator shroud has mounts for supporting the circuit board.  
   
   
       19 . The evaporator shroud of  claim 18  wherein the mounts are configured for supporting the circuit board in the air passage.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the evaporator includes mounts supporting an evaporator air mover positioned adjacent the air intake opening, mounts for supporting an evaporator heat exchanger positioned adjacent the air output opening, and mounts for supporting the circuit board positioned between the mounts supporting the evaporator air mover and the mounts supporting the evaporator.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the evaporator shroud has an evaporator air mover section positioned adjacent the air intake opening and an evaporator heat exchanger section positioned adjacent the air output opening, the evaporator air mover section configured for channeling air from the air intake opening to the evaporator heat exchanger section, and the evaporator heat exchanger section configured for channeling the air substantially uniformly to the air output opening.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the evaporator heat exchanger section has at least one curved surface for channeling the air substantially uniformly to the air output opening.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the evaporator heat exchanger section has a plurality of curved surfaces for channeling the air substantially uniformly to the air output opening.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23  further comprising an evaporator heat exchanger positioned adjacent the evaporator heat exchanger section and the air output opening such that the plurality of curved surfaces channels air substantially uniformly across the evaporator to the air output opening.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24  further comprising an evaporator air mover positioned adjacent the evaporator air mover section and the air intake opening.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the evaporator shroud has at least one condensation collector for collecting condensation produced by an evaporator heat exchanger.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the at least one condensation collector is a depression formed in the evaporator shroud.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the at least one condensation collector defines an opening for releasing condensation from the collector.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the evaporator shroud comprises a plurality of condensation collectors.  
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the single piece seamless structure is a molded piece of plastic.  
   
   
       31 . A direct current (DC) powered variable capacity air conditioning system having an evaporator assembly, a condenser assembly, an air intake opening for intaking air from an enclosed environment into the evaporator assembly, and an air output opening for outputting air from the evaporator assembly into the enclosed environment, the system comprising: 
 a housing defining the air intake opening and the air output opening,    an evaporator heat exchanger,    an evaporator air mover,    an evaporator shroud having an evaporator heat exchanger section positioned adjacent the evaporator heat exchanger and an evaporator air mover section positioned adjacent the evaporator air mover,    the evaporator air mover section configured for channeling air from the air intake opening to the evaporator heat exchanger section, and the evaporator heat exchanger section configured for channeling the air substantially uniformly across the evaporator to the air output opening.    
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the evaporator heat exchanger section has at least one curved surface for channeling the air substantially uniformly across the evaporator heat exchanger.  
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the evaporator heat exchanger section has a plurality of curved surfaces for channeling the air substantially uniformly across the evaporator heat exchanger.  
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the evaporator shroud defines an air passage between the air intake opening and the air output opening, the evaporator shroud including mounts for positioning a circuit board in the air passage.  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 34  wherein the circuit board is a controller for the system.  
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 34  wherein the board is positioned downstream of the evaporator air mover.  
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the evaporator shroud includes at least one condensation collector formed integrally with the evaporator shroud and configured for collecting condensation produced by an evaporator.  
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 37  wherein the at least one condensation collector is a depression formed in the evaporator shroud.  
   
   
       39 . The system of  claim 37  wherein the at least one condensation collector defines an opening for releasing condensation from the collector.  
   
   
       40 . The system of  claim 37  wherein the evaporator shroud comprises a plurality of condensation collectors.