Hvac housing to reduce noise and vibrations

Abstract

A housing for an HVAC system. The housing includes a wall that supports and encloses a fan within an internal volume therein, the wall defines an inlet aperture that directs air into a suction inlet of the fan such that rotation of the fan urges air into the internal volume through the inlet aperture. The inlet aperture is defined by an outer boundary, the outer boundary formed within the wall and includes an outer extension that extends upwardly from the wall around the entire circumference of the wall that forms the inlet aperture. A grill that extends across the inlet aperture.

1 . A housing for an HVAC system, comprising:
 a wall that supports and encloses a fan within an internal volume therein, the wall defines an inlet aperture that directs air into a suction inlet of the fan such that rotation of the fan urges air into the internal volume through the inlet aperture;   the inlet aperture is defined by an outer boundary, the outer boundary formed within the wall and includes an outer extension;   the outer extension upwardly from the wall around the entire circumference of the wall that forms the inlet aperture;   further comprising a grill that extends across the inlet aperture, the grill comprises a plurality of legs that are arranged thereon to establish a plurality of openings therein to allow air flow therethrough, wherein a shape of the grill is established by a collective shape of the plurality of legs and the openings established by the plurality of legs.   
     
     
         2 . The housing for the HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the outer extension comprises a inner side wall, a top portion, and an outer side wall, wherein the inner side wall is proximate to the inlet aperture and the outer side wall is away from the inlet aperture and transitions to the wall. 
     
     
         3 . The housing for the HVAC system of  claim 2 , wherein the outer extension has a consistent cross-section as the outer extension extends along an entire circumference of the inlet aperture. 
     
     
         4 . The housing for the HVAC system of  claim 2 , wherein a width of the cross-section of the outer extension is at least 10 mm between the inner side wall and the outer side wall at a largest distance therebetween. 
     
     
         5 . The housing for the HVAC system of  claim 2 , wherein a height of the cross-section of the outer boundary is at least 10 mm vertically above a position where the wall transitions into the outer side wall. 
     
     
         6 . The housing for the HVAC system of  claim 2 , wherein a first continuous portion of the outer boundary extends to a height that is at least 5 mm above a position where the wall transitions into the outer side wall and a second continuous portion of the outer boundary extends to a height that is at least 10 mm above the position where the wall transitions into the outer side wall. 
     
     
         7 . The housing for the HVAC system of  claim 6 , further comprising first and second transition portions between the first and second continuous portions disposed at respective ends of the first and second continuous portions, wherein the height of the outer boundary along the first and second transition portions includes a slope between the respective heights of the first and second continuous portions. 
     
     
         8 . The housing for the HVAC system of  claim 6 , wherein the first continuous portion extends for greater than half of the circumference of the inlet aperture and the second continuous portion extends for a remaining portion of the circumference of the inlet aperture. 
     
     
         9 . The housing for the HVAC system of  claim 5 , wherein the inlet aperture is round and has a diameter of at least about 107 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The housing of  claim 2 , wherein the shape of the grill is curved across the inlet aperture, wherein the grill is in substantially the shape of a portion of an outer surface of a sphere that extends from a plane that extends through the sphere parallel to and spaced from a line that extends through a center of the sphere, wherein a center portion of the grill is at a height vertically above the outer circumference of the inlet aperture, wherein the height of the grill is greater than a height of the top portion above the outer circumference of the inlet aperture. 
     
     
         11 . The housing of  claim 2 , wherein the top wall transitions from the inner side wall and the outer side wall, wherein the top wall includes a curved portion. 
     
     
         12 . The housing of  claim 11 , wherein a center of the top wall is planar, wherein the top wall further comprises curved portions that connect the top wall to the inner side wall and the top wall to the outer side wall. 
     
     
         13 . The housing for an HVAC system of  claim 2 , wherein a first portion of the inner side wall that borders the inlet aperture is straight, wherein the first portion transitions to a second portion with a different profile, wherein the second portion transitions to the top portion. 
     
     
         14 . The housing for an HVAC system of  claim 13 , wherein the first portion is at an angle of about 40 degrees from a vertical axis. 
     
     
         15 . The housing for an HVAC system of  claim 14 , wherein the second portion is straight and is at an angle of about 10 degrees from a vertical axis. 
     
     
         16 . The housing for an HVAC system of  claim 15 , wherein the first portion extends around an entire circumference of the inlet aperture. 
     
     
         17 . The housing of an HVAC system of  claim 13 , wherein the outer side wall includes a first portion that transitions from the wall, wherein the first portion is straight for at least a majority of its length. 
     
     
         18 . The housing for an HVAC system of  claim 14 , wherein the first portion of the outer side wall extends from the wall at an angle that is within a range of about 90 degrees to about 92 degrees with respect to a portion of the wall that extends toward the outer side wall. 
     
     
         19 . The HVAC system of  claim 2 , wherein a width of the cross-section of the outer extension is at least 10 mm between the inner side wall and the outer side wall at a largest distance therebetween,
 wherein a first continuous portion of the outer boundary extends to a height that is at least 5 mm above a position where the wall transitions into the outer side wall and a second continuous portion of the outer boundary extends to a height that is at least 10 mm above the position where the wall transitions into the outer side wall, wherein the inlet aperture is round and has a diameter of at least about 107 mm.   
     
     
         20 . The HVAC system of  claim 2 , wherein a width of the cross-section of the outer extension is at least 10 mm between the inner side wall and the outer side wall at a largest distance therebetween,
 wherein a height of the cross-section of the outer boundary is at least 10 mm vertically above a position where the wall transitions into the outer side wall, and wherein the inlet aperture is round and has a diameter of at least about 107 mm.