Patent Publication Number: US-2020282352-A1

Title: Filter mount

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/814,506, filed Mar. 6, 2019, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to air conditioning filters and, more particularly, to a filter mount to mount additional filters to portable air conditioners. 
     Current commercial portable air conditioners (spot coolers) use basic filtration or use filtration mechanisms that are built internally into the product. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are currently not used with portable air conditioners. Without HEPA filtration, the air quality is substandard and not acceptable to many customers that use commercial portable air conditioners. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for a filter mount to mount additional filters to portable air conditionings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a filter mount comprises: a base comprising a vent grille; a sidewall perpendicular to and upstanding from a periphery of the base and comprising an upper edge defining an opening, the sidewall and the base defining a filter receptacle, wherein a slot is defined through the sidewall and leads into the filter receptacle; an internal filter support coupled within the filter receptacle and defining a channel configured to guide and retain a pre-filter placed through the slot and into the filter receptacle, wherein a high-efficiency particulate air receptacle is defined within the filter receptacle in between the internal filter support and the upper edge of the sidewall; and a connector configured to couple the filter mount to a portable air conditioner in front of an air intake evaporator. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a method of attaching additional filters to a portable air conditioner comprises: providing a filter mount comprising: a base comprising a vent grille; a sidewall upstanding from the base and comprising an upper edge defining an opening, the sidewall and the base defining a filter receptacle; inserting a pre filter into the filter receptacle against the vent grille; inserting a high-efficiency particulate air filter into the filter receptacle against the pre filter; and coupling the filter mount to a portable air conditioner so that the filter mount covers an air intake evaporator of the portable air conditioner. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating insertion of a high-efficiency particulate air filter. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     The present invention includes a filter mount that secures a HEPA filter to a commercial portable air conditioner, such as a spot cooler. The filter mount of the present invention mounts a HEPA filter quickly and easily to the evaporator section of a commercial portable air conditioner with couplers. The present invention provides premium HEPA filtration of 99.97% at 0.3 micron. 
     The filter mount incorporates a pre-filter and a HEPA filter. The filter mount incorporates the pre-filter by sliding the pre-filter through the side of the filter mount. The HEPA filter is set into the filter mount before attaching the filter mount to the commercial portable air conditioner. The present invention is easily installed over the evaporator section and provides HEPA filtration across the evaporator section of the unit. These commercial portable air conditioners are commonly used by Hospitals, Medical Facilities, clean rooms, restoration and many other types of applications needing high levels of filtration beyond what is currently available. The present invention improves Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) dramatically. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , the present invention includes a filter mount  10 . The filter mount  10  includes a base  20 , which is a flat plate that has a vent grille  21  to allow airflow to pass through. A sidewall  22  is perpendicular to and upstands from a periphery of the base  20 . The sidewall  22  includes an upper edge defining an opening leading into a filter receptacle defined by the sidewall  22  and the base  20 . The sidewall  22  further includes a slot  24  leading into the filter receptacle. An internal filter support  26  is coupled within the filter receptacle and defines a channel configured to guide and retain a pre-filter  12  placed through the slot  24  and into the filter receptacle. A high-efficiency particulate air receptacle is defined within the filter receptacle in between the internal filter support  26  and the upper edge of the sidewall  22 . A connector  28 ,  36  is configured to couple the filter mount  10  to a portable air conditioner  14  in front of an air intake evaporator  30 . 
     The sidewall  22  may have a rectangular shape that includes a first side, a second side, a top side and a bottom side. In such embodiments, the slot  16  may be defined through the first side or the top side. The connector  28 ,  36  may include a plurality of tabs  28  extending from the top side and the bottom side. A pair of tabs  28  extending from the bottom side may each include openings. Bolts  36  may run through the openings of the tabs  28  and couple the filter mount  10  to the portable air conditioner  14 . 
     A method of attaching additional filters to a portable air conditioner  14  may include the following. A portable air conditioner  14  includes an air intake evaporator  30 , an output  32 , and an exhaust  34 . Provide the filter mount  10  described above. The filter mount  10  includes the base  20  with the vent grille  21  and the sidewall  22  upstanding from the base  20  and having the upper edge defining the opening. The sidewall  22  and the base  20  define a filter receptacle. The slot  24  is defined through the sidewall  22  and leads into the filter receptacle. The internal filter support  26  is coupled within the filter receptacle and defines the channel aligned with the slot  24 . Insert a pre-filter  12  into the filter receptacle by sliding the pre-filter  12  through the slot  24  and into the channel. Insert a high-efficiency particulate air filter  18  into the filter receptacle, sandwiching the pre-filter  12  in between the high-efficiency particulate air filter  18  and the vent grille  21 . Couple the filter mount  10  to a portable air conditioner  14  by driving bolts  36  through the openings of the tabs  28  and into the portable air conditioner  14  so that the filter mount  10  covers the air intake evaporator  30  of the portable air conditioner  14 . 
     A method of making the present invention may include the following. The filter mount  10  may be made by specific dimensions of fabrication in a factory. The filter mount  10  may be punched and welded to specific specifications. Furthermore, the pre-filter  12  and HEPA filter  18  that fit into filter mount  10  may also be designed with specific dimensions and tolerances to fit into the filter mount  10 . Furthermore, the filter mount  10  may be manufactured and engineered to both filter at 99.97% at 0.3 micron or greater and fit the panel securely to make an airtight seal on the evaporator section of the commercial portable air conditioner  14 . 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.