Patent Publication Number: US-2011048036-A1

Title: Apparatus and method for individual to maintenance air conditioning unit

Description:
This invention relates to air conditioning units. 
     More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus to maintenance an air conditioning unit. 
     Those of skill in the art have for many years attempted to improve procedures for maintenancing an air conditioning unit. 
     Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to provide an improved method and apparatus to maintenance an air conditioning unit. 
     Therefore, it is a principal object of the instant invention to provide an improved system to assemble equipment at remote site to maintenance an air conditioning unit at the remote site. 
    
    
     
       This and other, further and more specific objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description thereof, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view illustrating an air conditioning unit maintenancing system constructed in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of a portion of the system of  FIG. 1  illustrating additional construction details thereof; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 2  illustrating additional construction details thereof; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the portion of the apparatus of  FIG. 2  illustrating additional construction details thereof; and, 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the portion of the apparatus of  FIG. 2  illustrating the mode of operation thereof. 
     
    
    
     Briefly, in accordance with the invention, provided is an improved method for an individual to maintenance at a remote site an air conditioning unit which includes a compressor. The improved method includes the step of providing at a first location a lifting unit for use in conjunction with a horizontally oriented elongate orthogonal wood plank having an upper surface, a bottom surface, and a pair of parallel spaced apart edges. The lifting unit includes a hollow generally orthogonal housing. The housing includes a top; a bottom opposed to and spaced apart from the top; a first side interconnecting the top and the bottom; a second side interconnecting the top and the bottom and spaced apart and opposed to the first side and pivotally connected to the bottom; a first open end; and, a second open end spaced apart from and opposed to the first open end. The top, bottom, and sides circumscribe a hollow inner area. At least a first pair of wheels is rotatably mounted on the first side in the hollow inner area a first selected distance above the bottom. At least a second pair of wheels is rotatably mounted on the second side in the hollow inner area a second selected distance above the bottom and opposed to and spaced apart from the first pair of wheels. A winch is mounted on and extending outwardly away from the bottom and the hollow inner area. The lifting unit is shaped and dimensioned to mount on the orthogonal wood plank such that the plank extends from and through the first open end to and through the second open end, and intermediate the wheels and the bottom such that the wheels freely roll along the upper surface. The first side and top are pivotally adjustable between two operative positions, a first open operative position which permits said lifting unit to be laterally slid onto the plank, and a second closed operative position. The improved method also includes the steps of mounting the lifting unit on a transport vehicle at a first location separate from the remote work site to maintenance the air conditioning unit; driving the vehicle from the first location to the remote work site; obtaining at the remote work site the orthogonal wooden plank; obtaining at the remote work site a pair of free standing A-frame ladders each including a plurality of steps for climbing the ladder; positioning the free standing ladders on either side of the air conditioning unit; positioning the plank to rest on a step in each ladder and to extend horizontally over the air conditioning unit from one of the ladders to the other of the ladders; pivoting the first side and top to the first open operative position; mounting the lifting unit on the plank such that the plank extends intermediate the wheels and the upper surface of the lifting unit such that said wheels freely roll along said upper surface; pivoting the first side and top to the second closed operative position; manually pushing the lifting unit along the plank to a position above the compressor in the air conditioning unit; utilizing the winch to lift the compressor upwardly out of the air conditioning unit; manually pushing the lifting unit along the plank to a position to remove the compressor from the winch; removing the compressor from the winch; removing the lifting unit from the plank and placing the lifting unit on the transport vehicle; storing the ladders and the plank at the remote site; and, driving the transport vehicle from the remote work site to the first location. Each of the foregoing steps is carried out by the same individual. 
     Turning now to the drawings, which describe the presently preferred embodiments of the invention for the purpose of illustrating the practice thereof and not by way of limitation of the scope of the invention, and in which like characters refer to corresponding elements throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  illustrates an air conditioning maintenance system in accordance with the invention and including an orthogonal lifting unit  15 , orthogonal plank  22 , and a pair of free standing A-frame ladders  20  and  21 . Ladders  20  and  21  each include, in conventional fashion, a series of spaced apart horizontally oriented steps that an individual uses to climb the ladder. Orthogonal plank  22  includes a planar upper surface, a planar bottom surface that is spaced apart from and parallel to the planar upper surface, and includes a pair of spaced apart parallel sides which extend between and interconnect the upper and bottom surfaces. The upper and bottom surfaces have a width equal to something less than twelve inches. The side surfaces have a width equal to something less than two inches. In  FIG. 4 , wheels  23  and  25  set on the upper surface of plank  22 . 
     Lifting unit  15  includes planar top  27 , and planar bottom  28  that is generally parallel to top  27 . Planar side  29  extends between and is normal to top  27  and bottom  28 . Planar side  30  extends between and is normal to top  27  and bottom  28 . Side  30  is also spaced apart from and parallel to planar side  29 . Top  27 , bottom  28 , and sides  29  and  30  circumscribe hollow inner area  31 . Unit  15  includes a pair of spaced apart open ends. In  FIG. 3 , one of the open ends is on the left hand side of unit  15  while the other of the open ends is on the right hand side of unit  15 . Plank  22  extends into the open end on the left hand side of unit  15 , extends through unit  15 , and extends out through the open end on the right hand side of unit  15 . 
     At least one pair of wheels  23  and  24  is rotatably mounted on side  30  in hollow area  31  a first selected distance above bottom  28 . At least one pair of wheels  25  and  26  is rotatably mounted on side  29  in hollow area  31  a second selected distance above bottom  28 . The first and second selected distances are sufficient to permit plank  22  to extend intermediate bottom  28  and wheels  23  to  26  in the manner illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The distance of one wheel  23  above bottom  28  can vary from that of the remaining wheels  24  to  26 , and, the size of one wheel  23  with respect to that of the remaining wheels  24  to  26  can vary. However, it is presently preferred that each wheel  23  to  26  have a size equivalent to the other wheels  23  to  26  and that the distance of each wheel above bottom  28  be equivalent. 
     When unit  15  is properly oriented on plank  22 , only the wheels  23  to  26  contact plank  22 . The top  27 , bottom  28 , and sides  29 ,  30  are spaced apart from plank  22  such that the wheels  23  to  26  of unit  15  can freely roll along the upper surface of plank  22  without any other part of unit  15  contacting plank  22 . Sides  29  and  30  are, however, preferably spaced only a short distance apart from the sides of plank  22 . The distance of a side  29 ,  30  from a side of plank  22  is in the range of 1/16 of an inch to one inch, preferably in the range of 1/16 of an inch to one-half inch. The short distance between the sides of plank  22  and sides  29  and  30  means that if unit  15  begins to move off line and is not moving in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of plank  22 , the sides  29  and  30  will contact the sides of plank  22 , requiring a user to reorient unit  15  such that it is moving straight along plank  22  in a direction of travel parallel to the longitudinal axis of plank  22 . 
     Winch unit  14  is attached to and extends outwardly from bottom  28 . Unit  14  includes a spindle or axle which is rotated by manually turning and operating handle  13  to deploy cable  12  from the spindle or, alternatively, to draw in and coil cable  12  about the spindle. As would be appreciated by those of skill in the art, a drill or other mechanism can, instead of handle, be utilized to rotate the spindle to dispense or draw in cable  12 . 
     While the maintenancing operation set forth in the following example can be carried out collectively by two or more individuals, a particular advantage of the invention is that the process can be performed by a single individual. Accordingly, in the example, reference is made to only a single technician. 
     EXAMPLE 
     An air conditioning unit  10  at a remote site is identified for maintenancing. A technician provides a lifting unit  15  at a starting location. He loads unit  15  onto a transport vehicle at a starting location. The transport vehicle is driven by the technician from the starting location to the remote site. The technician prepares compressor  11  for removal from air conditioning unit  10 . He removes the lifting unit  15  from the transport vehicle. He locates a plank  22  at the remote site, and locates a pair of free-standing A frame ladders at the remote site. He places each ladder  20 ,  21  on an opposite side of air conditioning unit  10  in the manner illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The ladders (along with plank  22 ) are located at the remote site by unloading them from the transport vehicle, by obtaining them from other source before the transport vehicle reaches the remote site or after the transport vehicle reaches the site. Each ladder  20 ,  21  includes a plurality of spaced apart steps (not visible) utilized by an individual to climb the ladder. Plank  22  is mounted by the technician in a horizontal orientation on ladders  20  and  21  such that one end of plank  22  is supported by a step on ladder  20  and the other end of plank  22  is supported by a step on ladder  21 . Plank  22  is positioned on ladders  20  and  21  at a sufficient height above air conditioning unit  10  to permit compressor  11  to be raised clear of unit  10  so that the compressor  11  and unit  15  can be rolled along plank  22  in the direction of arrow B ( FIG. 1 ) to a position in which compressor  11  is no longer over air conditioning unit  10 . Lifting unit  15  is mounted by the technician on plank  22  and is manually pushed so that wheels  23  to  26  roll along the top surface of plank  22  to a desired position with winch unit  14  positioned over a compressor  11  in air conditioning unit  10 . The technician operates winch unit  14  to extend cable  12  down to compressor  11 . He connects cable  12  to compressor  11  and operates winch unit  14  to draw cable  12  about the spindle in unit  14  to lift compressor  11  upwardly out and clear of air conditioning unit  10 . Lifting unit  15  is manually pushed by the technician such that wheels  23  to  26  roll over the upper surface of plank  22  and unit  15  moves in the direction of arrow B in  FIG. 1  to the position indicated by dashed lines  15 A and  11 A in  FIG. 1 . He then removes the compressor  11 A from cable  12 . If desired, before compressor  11 A is removed from cable  12 , winch unit  14  can be operated such that cable  12  is extended and compressor  11 A drops to a position on the ground or on some other surface below compressor  11 A. The lifting unit  15  is placed by the technician in the transport vehicle and he drives the vehicle back to the starting location or to some other location. The ladders  20  and  21  and plank  22  can be stored at the remote location by loading them on the transport vehicle, or by storing them at some other selected location. The ladders  20  and  21  and plank  22  can be returned to the starting location or can be transported to some other location. As would be appreciated by those of skill in the art, a new compressor can be installed in air conditioning unit  10  by simply reversing the sequence of steps described in this paragraph in order to remove the compressor  11  from unit  10 . 
     Unit  15  can be mounted on plank  22  utilizing any desired procedure. In one procedure, unit  15  is rolled onto one end of plank  22  before plank  22  is mounted on ladders  20  and  21 . In another procedure, one side  29  is temporarily removed from unit  15  and the remaining portions of unit  15  are laterally moved onto plank  22 , after which side  29  is reattached to unit  15 . A further procedure for mounting unit  15  on plank  22  is illustrated in  FIG. 5  and can be readily achieved by an individual, as can setting up ladders  20  and  21 , and mounting plank  22  in the ladders. The lower end of side  29  is pivotally attached to bottom  28  by a piano hinge  50  extending along one edge of bottom  28 . Latch  51  detachably secures top  27  to lip  52 . When latch  51  is opened, top  27  and side  29  are pivoted about hinge  50  in the direction of arrow C to an open position which permits bottom  28 , side  30 , and wheels  23  and  24  to be laterally slid in the direction of arrow onto plank  22  to the position illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Once bottom  28 , side  30 , and wheels  23  and  24  are in the position depicted in  FIG. 5 , top  27  and side  29  are pivoted about hinge  50  in the direction of arrow D back to the position illustrated in  FIG. 4  and latch  51  is manipulated to secure top  27  to lip  52 . 
     One advantage of the invention is that specialized support structures are not, as is the case in the prior art, required to utilize lifting unit  15 . Another advantage of the invention is the lifting unit  15  is utilized with common construction equipment that can readily be found in many different locations. A further advantage of the invention is that the common construction equipment that is utilized in combination with lifting unit  15  can, after being utilized with lifting unit  15 , be utilized in a variety of other construction projects. Still another advantage of the invention is that when lifting unit  15  is transported to a work site, specialized support structures need not be transported with unit  15 . Still a further advantage of the maintenance system of the invention is that it can be operated by a single individual. Yet still another advantage of the invention is that plank  22  and ladders  20  and  21  can readily be carried on pickup trucks that often are utilized by individual maintenancing air conditioning units. Yet still a further advantage of the invention is that plank  22  and ladders  20  and  21  can, instead of be located at the remote site at which an air conditioning unit is being maintenance, be loaded onto a vehicle with a lifting unit  15  before the vehicle departs for the remote site, or, at some intermediate location at which the vehicle stops on the way to the remote site. 
     Having set forth the presently preferred embodiments of our invention in such terms as to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention.