Patent ID: 6223547
Filing Date: 2001-05-01
Classification: F24F

Abstract:
An air conditioner of the type having an indoor section which includes a housing having an evaporator coil, having fins, mounted therein in a substantially vertical orientation, and an indoor grill adapted to be mounted to the housing in spaced relation to the evaporator coil, the grill including a front wall having a return air opening therein to admit return air to be conditioned into the evaporator coil, the front wall having an elongated opening adjacent to an edge thereof adapted to receive a filter for insertion and removal of the filter into the space between the indoor grill and the evaporator coil, the filter including a rectangular frame having a leading edge and a trailing edge, and laterally spaced edges interconnecting said leading and trailing edges, wherein the improvement comprises:a filter guide structure for receiving said laterally spaced edges of said filter after said leading edge of said filter has passed through elongated opening for slideably guiding said filter along a path, the path preventing contact of said filter with said filter of said evaporator coil, said filter guide structure comprising:a pair of elongated guide channels mounted, for pivotal movement about an end thereof, to pivot points located on the back side of said front wall at opposite ends of said elongated opening, said guide channels extending along opposite sides of said return air opening;each of said guide channels having a rear guide at least coextensive with said pivotally mounted end and a front guide spaced from said rear guide and originating at a point spaced from said elongated opening;whereby when said filter is inserted into said elongated slot, said leading edge engages said rear guide and the insertion force exerted on said filter results in pivotal movement of said guide channels away from the back side of said front wall to facilitate movement of said side edges of said filter into the space between said front and rear guides, and wherein complete insertion of said filter into said guide channels results in pivotal movement of said guide channels toward the back side of said front wall to thereby position said filter in the desired spaced relationship from said evaporator coil.