Packaged terminal air conditioner unit

Abstract

A packaged terminal air conditioner unit (PTAC) and methods for operating the same are provided. The PTAC includes a bulkhead defining a vent aperture providing fluid communication between an indoor portion and an outdoor portion. A vent door or a make-up air module is positioned proximate the vent aperture for controlling a flow of make-up air passing through the vent aperture. A communication module communicates with a remote source for obtaining outdoor environmental conditions and a controller selectively operates the vent door or the make-up air module based at least in part on the outdoor environmental conditions obtained from the remote source.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaged terminal air conditioner unit comprising:
 a bulkhead defining an indoor portion and an outdoor portion;   a vent aperture defined in the bulkhead and providing fluid communication between the indoor portion and the outdoor portion;   a vent door positioned proximate the vent aperture, the vent door being pivotable between an open position for allowing a flow of make-up air through the vent aperture and a closed position for blocking the flow of make-up air through the vent aperture;   a communication module for communicating with a remote source for obtaining outdoor environmental conditions; and   a controller operably coupled to the communication module and the vent door, the controller being configured for selectively pivoting the vent door between the open position and the closed position based at least in part on the outdoor environmental conditions obtained from the remote source.   
     
     
         2 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sealed system comprising an outdoor heat exchanger disposed in the outdoor portion, an indoor heat exchanger disposed in the indoor portion, a compressor, and an expansion device, the sealed system being configured for urging the flow of make-up air from the outdoor portion through the vent aperture to the indoor portion based at least in part on the outdoor environmental conditions obtained from the remote source.   
     
     
         3 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a make-up air module positioned proximate the vent aperture and being configured for urging the flow of make-up air from the outdoor portion through the vent aperture to the indoor portion based at least in part on the outdoor environmental conditions obtained from the remote source.   
     
     
         4 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the packaged terminal air conditioner unit is a first unit of a plurality of packaged terminal air conditioner units located within a single facility, and wherein the remote source for obtaining the outdoor environmental conditions is a second unit of the plurality of packaged terminal air conditioner units. 
     
     
         5 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the remote source for obtaining the outdoor environmental conditions is a remote server. 
     
     
         6 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 5 , wherein the remote server is in communication with the Internet to obtain the outdoor environmental conditions from a weather service. 
     
     
         7 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 5 , wherein the packaged terminal air conditioner unit is a first unit of a plurality of packaged terminal air conditioner units located within a single facility, and wherein the remote server obtains the outdoor environmental conditions from a second unit of the plurality of packaged terminal air conditioner units. 
     
     
         8 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the packaged terminal air conditioner unit is located at a facility including a plurality of packaged terminal air conditioner units and the remote source is a dedicated weather station remote from the plurality of packaged terminal air conditioner units but located at the facility. 
     
     
         9 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the communication module is a wireless communication module in wireless communication with the remote source. 
     
     
         10 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the outdoor environmental conditions comprise at least one of an outdoor humidity and an outdoor temperature. 
     
     
         11 . A method for operating a packaged terminal air conditioner unit, the packaged terminal air conditioner unit comprising a bulkhead defining a vent aperture and a vent door pivotally mounted over the vent aperture, the method comprising:
 obtaining outdoor environmental conditions from a remote source; and   selectively pivoting the vent door between an open position and a closed position based at least in part on the outdoor environmental conditions obtained from the remote source.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the remote source for obtaining the outdoor environmental conditions is a remote server. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the packaged terminal air conditioner unit is a first unit of a plurality of packaged terminal air conditioner units located within a single facility, and wherein obtaining the outdoor environmental conditions from the remote source comprises:
 obtaining the outdoor environmental conditions directly from a second unit of the plurality of packaged terminal air conditioner units.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the packaged terminal air conditioner unit comprises a make-up air module positioned proximate the vent aperture, the method further comprising:
 operating the make-up air module to urge a flow of make-up air through the vent aperture based at least in part on the outdoor environmental conditions obtained from the remote source.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the packaged terminal air conditioner unit is located at a facility including a plurality of packaged terminal air conditioner units and the remote source is a dedicated weather station remote from the plurality of packaged terminal air conditioner units but located at the facility. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the packaged terminal air conditioner unit comprises a wireless communication module that is in wireless communication with the remote source. 
     
     
         17 . A packaged terminal air conditioner unit comprising:
 a bulkhead defining an indoor portion and an outdoor portion;   a vent aperture defined in the bulkhead and providing fluid communication between the indoor portion and the outdoor portion;   a make-up air module positioned proximate the vent aperture and being configured for urging a flow of make-up air from the outdoor portion through the vent aperture to the indoor portion;   a communication module for communicating with a remote source for obtaining outdoor environmental conditions; and   a controller operably coupled to the communication module and the make-up air module, the controller being configured for operating the make-up air module based at least in part on the outdoor environmental conditions obtained from the remote source.   
     
     
         18 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 17 , wherein the packaged terminal air conditioner unit is a first unit of a plurality of packaged terminal air conditioner units located within a single facility, and wherein the remote source for obtaining the outdoor environmental conditions is a second unit of the plurality of packaged terminal air conditioner units. 
     
     
         19 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 17 , wherein the remote source for obtaining the outdoor environmental conditions is a remote server. 
     
     
         20 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 17 , wherein the packaged terminal air conditioner unit is located at a facility including a plurality of packaged terminal air conditioner units and the remote source is a dedicated weather station remote from the plurality of packaged terminal air conditioner units but located at the facility.