Portable air conditioner condensate handling assembly

Abstract

A condensate overflow handling apparatus having a condensate drain reservoir housing positioned at a first elevation. The reservoir housing has an inlet that is adapted to be fluidly connected to at least one drain pan of an air cooling appliance positioned at a second elevation above the reservoir housing. A fluid level sensor is mounted to the reservoir housing for sensing a fluid level within the reservoir housing which activates a pump to pump fluid from the reservoir housing through an exit conduit into a discharge assembly. The discharge assembly comprises at least one discharge hose and a stepped expansion fitting mounted to the at least one discharge hose.

What I claim is: 
     
         1 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus for air conditioning appliances having at least one drain pan comprising a condensate drain reservoir housing horizontally positioned at a first elevation;
 said reservoir housing having an inlet means that is adapted to be fluidly connected by conduit means to at least one drain pan of said air conditioning appliance positioned at a second elevation, positioned above said reservoir housing;   a fluid level sensor mounted to said reservoir housing within said reservoir housing, said sensor sensing a predetermined fluid level within said reservoir housing;   a pump connected to said reservoir housing which is activated by said fluid level sensor to pump fluid from said reservoir housing when said fluid level sensor senses that fluid has reached a predetermined level within said reservoir housing into an exit conduit fluidly connected to said reservoir housing;   means to selectively drive said pump in response to the activation of said fluid level sensor; and   a discharge assembly fluidly connected to said exit conduit, said discharge assembly comprising a discharge hose and a stepped expansion fitting mounted to said discharge hose.   
     
     
         2 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said pump is a diaphragm pump which is electrically driven. 
     
     
         3 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said reservoir housing has a planar bottom and defines a mounting structure for said pump. 
     
     
         4 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said discharge assembly includes an insulated cover member and a protective cover surrounding said insulated cover member. 
     
     
         5 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said exit conduit has a one way check valve mounted therein. 
     
     
         6 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said discharge assembly comprises a connector mechanism mounted to said discharge hose, a stepped expansion fitting mounted to said discharge hose and insulation means covering said discharge hose and expansion fitting. 
     
     
         7 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said insulation means comprises an inner cylindrical hollow insulation member and a cylindrical protective cover engaging and positioned around said cylindrical hollow insulated member. 
     
     
         8 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  including a second conduit mounted to said reservoir housing and said connector mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said condensate overflow handling apparatus includes a window mounting assembly for said discharge assembly. 
     
     
         10 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said stepped expansion fitting is a stepped pipe having a larger diameter step chamber downstream from at least one smaller diameter step chamber. 
     
     
         11 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said window mounting assembly comprises a plurality of flexible strips, a plurality of rigid blocks, at least two of said blocks having a flexible insert portion which holds an exit mechanism, and means to hold said flexible strips, rigid blocks and exit mechanism together. 
     
     
         12 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said exit mechanism comprises a frame defining an opening and a slidable door mounted on said frame over said opening. 
     
     
         13 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said rigid blocks are slotted on an exterior surface to present a uniform channel across a window opening and a linear adjustment bar is mounted in said channel with the ends of said linear adjustment bar being mounted to a window frame. 
     
     
         14 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus for an air cooling apparatus comprising a condensate drain reservoir housing positioned at a first elevation;
 said reservoir housing having an inlet that is adapted to be fluidly connected to at least one drain pan of said air cooling apparatus positioned at a second elevation, positioned above said reservoir housing;   a fluid level sensor mounted to said reservoir housing for sensing a fluid level within said reservoir housing;   a pump connected to said reservoir housing which is activated by said fluid level sensor to pump fluid from said reservoir housing when said fluid level sensor senses that fluid has reached a predetermined level within said reservoir container into a discharge conduit;   means to selectively drive said pump; and   a discharge assembly mounted to said discharge conduit comprising at least one discharge hose and a stepped expansion fitting with a throughgoing bore defining a plurality of central chambers of different diameter sizes mounted to said at least one discharge hose.   
     
     
         15 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus as claimed in  claim 14  including a window mounting assembly, said window mounting assembly comprising a plurality of rigid blocks, a plurality of said blocks having a flexible portion for holding an exit mechanism and a plurality of flexible strips; said blocks, said exit mechanism and said flexible strips being capable of being assembled together to close an open window space. 
     
     
         16 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus as claimed in  claim 14  including a tee connector member mounted to said discharge conduit with said discharge assembly being mounted to tee connector member opposite said discharge conduit, said discharge assembly comprising a hose member mounted to said tee connector member, insulation means covering said discharge assembly. 
     
     
         17 . A condensate overflow handling apparatus as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said stepped expansion fitting is a stepped pipe having larger diameter step downstream from at least one smaller diameter step. 
     
     
         18 . A kit for discharging condensate fluid from an air treatment device comprising a condensate drain reservoir housing horizontally positioned at a first elevation;
 said reservoir housing having an inlet that is adapted to be fluidly connected to at least one drain pan of said air treatment devices positioned at a second elevation, positioned above said reservoir housing;   a fluid level sensor mounted to said reservoir housing within said reservoir housing, said sensor sensing a fluid level within said reservoir housing;   a pump connected to said reservoir housing which is activated by said fluid level sensor to pump fluid from said reservoir housing when said fluid level sensor senses that fluid has reached a predetermined level within said reservoir housing;   same pump being fluidly connected to an exit conduit;   a distal end of said exit conduit being mounted to a fluid discharge assembly   said discharge assembly comprising at least one discharge hose and a stepped expansion fitting having larger diameter chamber downstream from at least one smaller diameter chamber and a window mounting assembly, said window mounting assembly comprising a plurality of rigid blocks, at least two of said blocks being provided with a flexible portion holding an exit mechanism and a plurality of flexible strips, said window mounting assembly being adapted to fit into an open window space of a window frame and hold said discharge assembly.   
     
     
         19 . A kit as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said discharge assembly comprises an exit discharge hose assembly mounted to a tee connector opposite said exit conduit which is mounted to said tee connector, said exit discharge hose assembly comprising a stepped expansion fitting mounted to said exit discharge hose and insulation means covering said exit discharge assembly. 
     
     
         20 . A kit as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said rigid blocks are slotted on an exterior surface to present a uniform channel across on opening of a window frame and an adjustment bar is mounted in said channel and engages opposite sides of said window frame.