Controlling a heater assembly for an air conditioner unit utilizing temperature sensors

Abstract

An air conditioner unit may include a bulkhead that may define an indoor portion and an outdoor portion. The air conditioner unit may also include an indoor fan that may be positioned within the indoor portion for selectively urging a flow of air through an indoor heat exchanger. The air conditioner unit may further include one or more heater banks for selectively heating the flow of air. The air conditioner unit may also include a heater control assembly that may include a thermal cutoff switch mounted adjacent the one or more heater banks for cutting off power to the one or more heater banks when a predetermined temperature is reached. The heater control assembly may also include a first temperature sensor positioned upstream of the thermal cutoff switch. The heater control assembly may further include a second temperature sensor positioned downstream of the thermal cutoff switch.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner unit defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the air conditioner unit comprising:
 a cabinet;   a bulkhead positioned within the cabinet and defining an indoor portion and an outdoor portion;   a refrigeration loop comprising an outdoor heat exchanger positioned within the outdoor portion and an indoor heat exchanger positioned within the indoor portion;   an indoor fan positioned within the indoor portion for selectively urging a flow of air through the indoor heat exchanger;   one or more heater banks for selectively heating the flow of air; and   a heater control assembly mounted to the bulkhead, the heater control assembly comprising a first temperature sensor positioned downstream of the indoor heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermal cutoff switch mounted adjacent the one or more heater banks, the thermal cutoff switch configured for cutting off power to the one or more heater banks when a predetermined temperature is reached. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 2 , wherein the first temperature sensor is positioned upstream of the thermal cutoff switch. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 2 , wherein the heater control assembly further comprises a second temperature sensor positioned downstream of the thermal cutoff switch. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 4 , wherein the first temperature sensor is positioned upstream of the thermal cutoff switch, whereby the first temperature sensor is positioned and configured provided to obtain a first temperature reading of the flow of air upstream of the thermal cutoff switch and wherein the second temperature sensor is positioned downstream of the thermal cutoff switch, whereby the second temperature sensor is positioned and configured provided to obtain a second temperature reading of the flow of air downstream of the thermal cutoff switch. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 5 , further comprising a controller in operative communication with the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the one or more heater banks, wherein the controller is configured for adjusting an output of the one or more heater banks based on the first temperature reading, the second temperature reading, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 4 , wherein the second temperature sensor is positioned above the one or more heater banks approximately along the vertical direction. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more heater banks define a front and a back spaced apart approximately along the transverse direction and wherein the second temperature sensor is positioned proximate the back of the one or more heater banks. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the first temperature sensor is positioned above the one or more heater banks approximately along the vertical direction. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more heater banks define a front and a back spaced apart approximately along the transverse direction and wherein the first temperature sensor is positioned proximate to the front of the one or more heater banks approximately along the transverse direction. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the first temperature sensor is provided to obtain a temperature reading of the flow of air immediately downstream of the indoor heat exchanger. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the heater control assembly is mounted to a bracket extended from the bulkhead. 
     
     
         13 . A method of operating an air conditioner unit, the method comprising:
 obtaining, with a first temperature sensor positioned upstream of a thermal cutoff switch, a first temperature reading of a flow of air upstream of the thermal cutoff switch; and   adjusting, based on the obtained first temperature reading, an output of one or more heater banks.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising comparing the first temperature reading to a first temperature threshold, wherein adjusting the output of one or more heater banks comprises adjusting the output of the one or more heater banks based on the comparison of the first temperature reading to the first temperature threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first temperature threshold is less than a cutoff temperature of the thermal cutoff switch, whereby adjusting the output of the one or more heater banks based on the comparison of the first temperature reading to the first temperature threshold prevents the thermal cutoff switch being tripped. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising obtaining, with a second temperature sensor positioned downstream of the thermal cutoff switch, a second temperature reading of the flow of air downstream of the thermal cutoff switch. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the output of the one or more heater banks is adjusted based on the obtained first temperature reading, the obtained second temperature reading, or a combination thereof.