Wire guide for use with a heat exchange unit

A wire guide assembly for use in an air conditioning system having a heat exchange unit. A wire guide assembly acts to provide a secure cavity through which wires emanating from the control area and flowing to a separately located electrical component may pass. The wire guide assembly serves to protect the wires from engagement with either a rotating fan or a heat exchanger. The wire guide assembly includes a control area member having a T-shaped opening, a retainer and a cover slidably engaged to the retainer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to heat exchange units for use in an air 
conditioning system. Particularly, this invention relates to a wire guide 
utilized in combination with a fan orifice defining a controls area for 
directing and protecting electrical wires passing from the control area 
over and around the heat exchanger and fan of the unit. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Air conditioning systems for conditioning residences and other interior 
spaces frequently utilize a combination of components such that the 
condenser unit of an air conditioning system is located outside of the 
residence and the evaporator unit of the system is located in 
communication with the interior space to be cooled. In a heat pump 
application the system might have an outdoor heat exchanger located about 
the enclosure and an interior heat exchange unit in communication with the 
interior space to be conditioned. These systems further utilize a 
compressor and appropriate expansion valves and piping such that heat 
energy may be transferred either to the region to be heated or from the 
region to be cooled. Each outdoor unit has an electric motor and fan 
associated therewith such that the outdoor air may be drawn through the 
heat exchanger of the unit. This air typically flows through a grille upon 
either entering the unit or being discharged from the unit. A conventional 
heat exchange unit includes a controls area wherein various electrical 
components may be mounted. To conform with Underwriters Laboratories 
safety requirements, this controls area is usually a segregated contained 
area defined by various sheet metal members. Electrical components such as 
relays, wiring terminals, transformers, printed circuit boards, capacitors 
and other electrical components are located within such an area. From this 
area electrical wires extend to components of the heat exchange unit which 
are located remote therefrom and which require electrical power for 
operation, condition sensing or performing some other function. In many 
outdoor heat exchange units a compressor and fan motor both require 
electrical connections to the control box area. 
The present invention relates to a heat exchange unit wherein the heat 
exchanger extends circumferentially about the unit and the compressor is 
located with the heat exchanger at the bottom of the unit. The controls 
area of the unit is mounted at the top of the unit between the fan orifice 
and the exterior of the unit. For power wiring to the compressor or for 
other wiring to other components located within the unit such as a 
reversing valve in a heat pump, a pressure sensor or other valve or 
sensing device it is necessary that electrical wire extend from the 
controls area across and around the heat exchanger and between the heat 
exchanger and the fan. To protect the wiring from wear against a rough 
heat exchange surface or from contact with a rotating fan as well as to 
secure the integrity and prevent electrical shock this wire guide has been 
developed. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide a wire guide. 
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a wire guide 
to be utilized in an air conditioning unit for conducting electrical wires 
between the heat exchanger and a rotating fan. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a wire guide 
capable of meeting various safety requirements without being unduly 
expensive or burdensome to assemble. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wire guide which is 
easy to manufacture, economical and easy to assemble and simple to 
maintain. 
Other objects will be apparent from the description to follow and from the 
appended claims. 
The foregoing objects are achieved according to a preferred embodiment of 
the invention by providing an outdoor heat exchange unit having a controls 
area located above the heat exchanger and outboard of the fan and 
compressor. The controls area has a T-shaped opening located at the bottom 
thereof. A retainer having a retainer back wall, two retainer side walls 
and two retainer rails formed generally in the shape of a U-shaped channel 
with outwardly extending rails may be slidably engaged into the narrower 
portion of the T-shaped opening. The retainer may additionally have 
flanges for securing it to the member defining the opening. A cover having 
a cover top surface for providing a wire securing cavity between the cover 
and the retainer and additionally having cover hook flanges located on 
each side thereof for engaging the retainer rails to provide slidable 
fastening therebetween is disclosed. The cover may be engaged to the 
retainer by sliding same through the wider portion of the T-shaped opening 
to engage the retainer. This combination of retainer, cover and opening 
through the controls area defining member provides a secure wire carrying 
cavity such that contact with either the heat exchanger of the heat 
exchange unit or a rotating fan is prevented.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The embodiment of the invention described below will be in reference to an 
outdoor heat exchanger unit which includes an enclosure for a heat 
exchanger, a circumferentially extending heat exchanger mounted to a base 
pan and other various components. It is to be understood that this device 
finds like applicability to other types of heat exchange units and in 
general to other applications where it is necessary to guide wires between 
potential obstacles. The specific details as to fastening and engagement 
are enumerated herein and it is to be understood that equivalent fastening 
methods may be utilized. 
Referring now to the drawings it can be seen in FIG. 1 that heat exchange 
unit 10 has base pan 14 upon which the remainder of the components are 
assembled. Mounted to the base pan 14 is compressor 16 having compressor 
terminal block 17 extending from the side thereof. Additionally mounted to 
base pan 14 is heat exchanger 22 which is cylindrical in configuration 
extending about the circumference of the unit. Wrapper 12 is mounted to 
cover the heat exchanger for protecting the heat exchanger and to provide 
a neat appearance for the unit. Other components having electrical 
connection requirements such as reversing valves and sensors may also be 
located within the center void defined by heat exchanger 22. 
Mounted above the heat exchanger 22 is fan orifice 20 and top cover 18. Fan 
orifice 20 acts to define an air flow path out the top of the unit such 
that air circulated by fan 24 is drawn into the unit through wrapper 12, 
passes through heat exchanger 22 and is discharged out the top of the 
unit. The fan orifice in combination with the top cover defines a controls 
area 30 into which control components 32 are mounted. Wire guide 40, 
including retainer 50 and cover 60, is shown extending through wire guide 
opening 21 in the bottom of the fan orifice such that wire 34 connecting 
one of the control components 32 to compressor terminal 17 or other 
electrical devices is secured therein. It can be seen that the wire guide 
extends around and across a portion of heat exchanger 22 and to a point 
below fan 24 such that contact with either the fan or the heat exchanger 
by the wire is prevented. 
In FIG. 2, the details of the wire guide are more specifically shown. Fan 
orifice 20 is shown cut away with fan wire guide opening 21 shown therein. 
Wire guide opening 21 is shown in a T-shaped configuration having narrow 
portion 72 and wide portion 70. Retainer 50 is shown in the general form 
of a U-shaped channel having rails extending therefrom. Retainer 50 has 
retainer back wall 53 and secured one to each edge of the retainer back 
wall are retainer side walls 52 extending upwardly therefrom. At the outer 
edges of retainer side wall 52 are retainer rails 54 extending outwardly 
from the retainer side walls in a plane generally parallel to the plane of 
retainer back wall 53. Additionally, the retainer has retainer side 
flanges 56 extending outwardly at the top of the retainer to engage the 
fan orifice 20 and retainer back flange 55 likewise extending to engage 
fan orifice 20 for securing the retainer thereto. Additionally, screw 
opening 57 is shown through the retainer back flange, said screw opening 
mating with fan orifice screw hole 23 such that a screw may secure the two 
components together. 
Cover 60 shown being a generally planar member adapted to cover the opening 
between the retainer side walls 52 and retainer back wall 53 to form the 
wire securing cavity between the cover and retainer. Cover 60 has hook 
flanges 66 on each edge thereof. These flanges are U-shaped portions 
adapted to have the retainer rail 54 contained within the hook flange such 
that a slidable engagement between them is created. The cover additionally 
has a cover top flange 64 for engaging the fan orifice to hold the cover 
in position. 
Upon assembly of the unit, the retainer may be slid into the narrow portion 
of the T-shaped opening such that the side flange and back flange engage 
the fan orifice. The retainer rails extend into the wide portion of 
opening 70 since they are flared outwardly extending a greater width than 
the retainer side walls 52. 
After insertion of the retainer through the wire guide opening 21, cover 60 
may be placed in position such that the hook flanges engage the retainer 
rails and thereafter is slid along the rails as it is inserted into the 
opening. The hook flanges engage the side rails to secure the cover to the 
container and upon being fully inserted cover top flange 64 engages the 
fan orifice 20 to limit further motion therebetween. A fully enclosed wire 
retaining cavity is formed such that any wires therein may be protected 
against contact from the heat exchanger or the fan. Wires may be inserted 
into the opening prior to the final assembly of the cover or thereafter. A 
screw may be inserted through screw opening 57 into the fan orifice to 
secure the retainer to the fan orifice. 
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a 
preferred embodiment thereof but it will be understood thar variations and 
modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention 
.