Thermal break air-conditioner tank

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thermal bridge break air-conditioner tank, comprising a framework and a wall panel, wherein the framework is assembled from three-ways connectors, rims, and a middle beam assembly, the three-ways connectors and the rims being plastically integrally formed structures; a thermal bridge break structure made of a PVC material is connected to outer sides of the three-ways connectors and the rims; the framework is formed as a cubic structure; the wall panel is assembled from a panel and a plurality of external sheet metal parts, and the wall panel is disposed in the framework by shape-fitting. The air-conditioner tank according to the present invention has a good thermal bridge break performance, and meanwhile simplifies the assembling and connecting between component.

1 . A thermal break system for a heating, ventilation, and/or air-conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 a first thermal break structure configured to couple to a three-way connector that defines a vertex of a housing framework, wherein the first thermal break structure includes a first retainer configured to snap-fit with a first receiver defined along a connector outer surface of the three-way connector; and   a second thermal break structure configured to couple to a beam that defines an edge of the housing framework, wherein the second thermal break structure includes a second retainer configured to snap-fit with a second receiver defined along a beam outer surface of the beam.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal break system of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermal break structure and the second thermal break structure are configured to be raised relative to the connector outer surface and the beam outer surface, respectively, to enable the thermal break system to contact a surface and to block the three-way connector and the beam from contacting the surface. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal break system of  claim 1 , wherein the first receiver is a receptacle, and wherein the first retainer is a dovetail protrusion or a hook-shaped protrusion configured to engage with the receptacle. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal break system of  claim 1 , wherein the first receiver is a hook-shaped protrusion, and wherein the first retainer is a recessed groove configured to retain the hook-shaped protrusion therein. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal break system of  claim 1 , wherein the second receiver is either a receptacle or a hook-shaped protrusion, and wherein the second retainer is either a protrusion configured to mate with the receptacle or a recessed groove configured to retain the hook-shaped protrusion therein. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal break system of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermal break structure includes:
 an L-shaped profile configured to contact the connector outer surface and an additional connector outer surface of the three-way connector; and   an additional first retainer configured to snap-fit with an additional first receiver defined along the additional connector outer surface.   
     
     
         7 . The thermal break system of  claim 1 , wherein the second thermal break structure includes:
 an L-shaped profile configured to contact the beam outer surface and an additional beam outer surface of the beam; and   an additional second retainer configured to snap-fit with an additional second receiver defined along the additional beam outer surface.   
     
     
         8 . The thermal break system of  claim 1 , wherein a first outer surface of the first thermal break structure is configured to protrude from the three-way connector by a first distance, and wherein a second outer surface of the second thermal break structure is configured to protrude from the beam by a second distance that is substantially equal to the first distance. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal break system of  claim 8 , wherein the first outer surface of the first thermal break structure and the second outer surface of the second thermal break structure collectively define a stepped receiving ledge configured to receive an insulated panel of the housing framework. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal break system of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermal break structure and the second thermal break structure each define a respective hollow channel therein. 
     
     
         11 . An air-conditioner unit housing, comprising:
 a housing framework including a plurality of beams extending between a plurality of three-way connectors, wherein the plurality of three-way connectors defines vertices of the housing framework, the plurality of beams defines edges of the housing framework, each beam of the plurality of beams includes a beam receiver defined along a beam outer surface, and each three-way connector of the plurality of three-way connectors includes a connector receiver defined along a connector outer surface;   a plurality of connector thermal break structures coupled to the plurality of three-way connectors, wherein each connector thermal break structure includes a connector retainer snap-fit with the connector receiver of a respective three-way connector of the plurality of three-way connectors; and   a plurality of beam thermal break structures coupled to the plurality of beams, wherein each beam thermal break structure includes a beam retainer snap-fit with the beam receiver of a respective beam of the plurality of beams.   
     
     
         12 . The air-conditioner unit housing of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of connector thermal break structures and the plurality of beam thermal break structures are raised relative to the connector outer surfaces and the beam outer surfaces, respectively, to separate the housing framework from a surface on which the air-conditioner unit housing is disposed. 
     
     
         13 . The air-conditioner unit housing of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of connector thermal break structures includes four connector thermal break structures coupled to selected three-way connectors of the plurality of three-way connectors that are disposed within a common plane of the housing framework, and wherein the plurality of beam thermal break structures includes four beam thermal break structures coupled to selected beams of the plurality of beams that extend between the selected three-way connectors of the plurality of three-way connectors. 
     
     
         14 . The air-conditioner unit housing of  claim 11 , wherein each three-way connector of the plurality of three-way connectors includes a unitary connector structure having a center portion and three protrusion parts, each protrusion part extending along a respective axial direction from the center portion, wherein each protrusion part is interference fitted within an end of a respective beam of the plurality of beams. 
     
     
         15 . The air-conditioner unit housing of  claim 11 , wherein the connector retainer of each connector thermal break structure is a linear hook, an L-shaped hook, or a dovetail shaped hook. 
     
     
         16 . The air-conditioner unit housing of  claim 11 , wherein the connector retainer of each connector thermal break structure is one of a hook or a groove, wherein the connector receiver of the respective three-way connector is the other one of the hook or the groove. 
     
     
         17 . The air-conditioner unit housing of  claim 11 , comprising a wall panel interference fitted into the housing framework, wherein the wall panel includes insulation disposed therein. 
     
     
         18 . The air-conditioner unit housing of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of connector thermal break structures and the plurality of beam thermal break structures each define a plurality of insulating hollow channels therein. 
     
     
         19 . The air-conditioner unit housing of  claim 11 , comprising a middle beam assembly extending between two opposing beams of the plurality of beams, wherein the middle beam assembly includes:
 a first middle beam connector coupled to a first opposing beam of the two opposing beams via a first fastener extending between a first receptacle of the first middle beam connector and the first opposing beam;   a second middle beam connector coupled to a second opposing beam of the two opposing beams via a second fastener extending between a second receptacle of the second middle beam connector and the second opposing beam; and   a middle beam interference fitted between the first middle beam connector and the second middle beam connector.   
     
     
         20 . A thermal break air-conditioner unit housing, comprising:
 a housing framework including a plurality of beams extending between a plurality of three-way connectors;   a plurality of first thermal break structures configured to couple to the plurality of three-way connectors, wherein each first thermal break structure includes a connector retainer configured to snap-fit with a connector outer surface of a respective three-way connector of the plurality of three-way connectors; and   a plurality of second thermal break structures configured to couple to the plurality of beams, wherein each second thermal break structure comprises a beam retainer configured to snap-fit with a beam outer surface of a respective beam of the plurality of beams;   wherein the plurality of first thermal break structures and the plurality of second thermal break structures are each configured to be raised relative to the connector outer surface of the plurality of three-way connectors and the beam outer surface of the plurality of beams, respectively, to separate the plurality of three-way connectors and the plurality of beams from a surface on which the thermal break air-conditioning unit housing is positioned.   
     
     
         21 . The thermal break air-conditioner unit housing of  claim 20 , wherein the connector retainer of each first thermal break structure is a linear hook, an L-shaped hook, or a dovetail-shaped hook configured to mate with the connector outer surface of the respective three-way connector. 
     
     
         22 . The thermal break air-conditioner unit housing of  claim 20 , wherein the beam retainer of each second thermal break structure is a linear hook, an L-shaped hook, or a dovetail-shaped hook configured to mate with the beam outer surface of the respective beam. 
     
     
         23 . The thermal break air-conditioner unit housing of  claim 20 , wherein each three-way connector of the plurality of three-way connectors is a unitary structure constructed via injection molding. 
     
     
         24 . The thermal break air-conditioner unit housing of  claim 20 , wherein each beam of the plurality of beams is configured to be interference-fitted over an axial protrusion of the respective three-way connector. 
     
     
         25 . The thermal break air-conditioner unit housing of  claim 20 , wherein each beam of the plurality of beams includes a panel-receiving recess having a beam geometry defined along a respective length of each beam of the plurality of beams, and wherein the thermal break air-conditioning unit housing includes a wall panel having panel edges with a panel geometry configured to mate with the beam geometry of the panel-receiving recess. 
     
     
         26 . The thermal break air-conditioner unit housing of  claim 25 , wherein the wall panel includes an insulating portion at a center portion of the wall panel and a quadrangular ring at a periphery of the wall panel, wherein the quadrangular ring includes the panel geometry.