Patent Publication Number: US-6708514-B1

Title: Air conditioner cover

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to air conditioners, and in particular to a cover for an outdoor air conditioner unit. 
     Split system air conditioners are widely used in which an outdoor unit houses the compressor, condenser, fan, and control components. The outdoor unit is installed near the exterior of the building in which the evaporator is located. 
     Split system air conditioners are usually made with an open-grill construction to eliminate moisture build-up within the unit. However, the open-grill construction exposes the unit&#39;s motor and other operative parts to debris such as leaves. Protective covers for outdoor units are known in which a shroud of flexible, weather resistant material envelops the outdoor unit to protect against the weather, moisture, dirt, leaf particles, and other debris when the unit is not in use. However, these protective covers are moisture impervious and permit humidity to develop under the cover within the unit thereby corroding the structure and operative parts of the unit. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention&#39;s general purpose is to overcome the difficulties with prior art outdoor air conditioning units by providing a mesh-type air conditioner cover adapted to cover an entire outdoor unit. The mesh-type construction of the invention cover keeps a substantial amount of debris out of the air conditioner while eliminating humidity build-up. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly broken away, of the exterior condenser unit of a split system air conditioner whose air inlet grill and finned coil are partially broken away to show its operative components. 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of the unit of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the protective cover of the present invention, secured onto the compressor unit such as that of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the cover shown in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a diagrammic view of the cover shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. 
     FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a second embodiment of the protective cover of the present invention, secured onto the compressor unit such as that of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 7 is a top view of the cover shown in FIG.  6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like elements are indicated by like numerals, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a conventional top discharge exterior condenser unit  10  of a split system air conditioner resting on a concrete base pad  15 . The condenser has a top with a outlet grill  12  centrally positioned therein a nearly circumferential vertical finned heat exchanger coil  17  sheathed by a protective air inlet grill  11 , conventional sealed operating components  20  substantially centered at the base of the condenser  10  within the heat exchanger coil  17 , and a control unit  18  housing conventional refrigerant valves  19 . The top outlet grill  12  has a horizontal outer surface  13  and a horizontal under surface  14 . A compressor fan motor  21  is centrally mounted on a central plate  16  attached to the undersurface  14  of the top outlet grill  12 . A motor shaft  22  extends vertically downward from the fan motor  21  and terminates in a hub  23  bearing a plurality of horizontal fan blades  24 . When the unit  10  is in operation, air flows unrestrictedly into the air inlet grill  11  and out through the open outlet grill  12 . 
     One embodiment of the cover  30  of the present invention is shown in diagram in FIG.  5  and illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 covering the condenser unit  10  described above. The cover  30  is comprised of a mesh top panel  31 , an attachment skirt  40  and a mesh extended skirt  50 . The top panel  31  is comprised of a relatively fine mesh  32 , and is adapted to lay horizontally flat upon and extending to but not beyond the top outlet grill  12 , thereby shielding the horizontal outer surface  13  of the outlet grill  12  from debris. Particles finer than the top panel mesh  32  will fall through the condenser unit  10  to the base pad  15 . The mesh structure of the top panel  31  permits air and moisture within the condenser unit  10  to freely pass up and through the top outlet grill  12 , out of the condenser unit  10 , and through the cover top panel  31 . The cover top panel  31  may be constructed from a durable, weather impervious material. The top panel  31  has an outer perimeter edge  33  to which is joined an attachment skirt  40  which extends perpendicularly downward from said top panel perimeter edge  33 . The top panel outer perimeter edge  33  may be fixedly joined to the attachment skirt  40  or may be removably joined such as by means of a weather resistant zipper. 
     The attachment skirt  40  is an elongated, flexible element having an elongated upper edge  41 , an elongated lower edge  42  and two side ends  43 ,  44  with attachment means  45 ,  46  at each end. The two side ends  43 ,  44  define the elongated central axis of the attachment skirt  40 . The attachment means  45 ,  46  may be comprised of hook and pile fasteners, sold under the Velcro trademark. A Velcro strip  45  may be affixed to one skirt side end  43  and a matching Velcro strip  46  attached to the other skirt side end  44 , said strips adapted to engage each other in a fastener relationship. The attachment skirt  40  is adapted to snugly and radially fit about the condenser unit  10  adjacent to the top outlet grill  12 . The skirt attachment means  45 ,  46  provide adjustment means for condenser units of varying diameters as well as shapes. The attachment skirt  40  may be constructed from a durable, weather resistant heavy grade vinyl or vinyl impregnated cloth. The attachment skirt upper edge  41  is fixedly attached to said top panel outer perimeter edge  33 . The attachment skirt lower edge  42  is fixedly joined to said mesh extended skirt  50  which extends downwardly from said attachment skirt  40  about the condenser unit  10 . 
     The mesh extended skirt  50  has a generally rectangular shape and is comprised of a relatively fine mesh  51  and is adapted to lay vertically about the condenser unit  10 . The mesh extended skirt  50  has two long edges  52 ,  53  and two short edges  54 ,  55 . One long edge  52  is fixedly joined to the attachment skirt lower edge  42 . The opposite long edge  53  forms a cover bottom. The short edges  54 ,  55  may have attachment means  56 ,  57  along each edge. The attachment means  56 ,  57  may be comprised of hook and pile fasteners, sold under the Velcro trademark. A Velcro strip  56  may be affixed along one short edge  54  and a matching Velcro strip  57  attached to the other short edge  55 , said strips adapted to engage each other in a fastener relationship. The mesh structure of the mesh extended skirt  50  permits air to freely pass into and through the condenser unit  10 , through the top outlet grill  12 , out of the condenser unit  10 , and through the cover top panel  31 . The mesh extended skirt attachment means  56 ,  57  provide adjustment means for condenser units of varying diameters as well as shapes. The mesh extended skirt  50  may be constructed from a durable, weather impervious material. 
     In another embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the top panel  31 , attachment skirt  40  and extended skirt  50  of the cover  30  are comprised of a continuous, stretchable mesh weave. The attachment skirt of the first embodiment is replaced with an elasticized portion  40  about the outer perimeter edge  33  of the cover top panel  31  joining with and extending through the extended skirt  50 . The extended skirt bottom edge  53  has an opening  58  formed therein allowing condenser refrigerant piping to pass through the cover  30 . The opening  58  is approximately two inches by two inches and is sealable with a hook and pile type fastener  59 . In this embodiment of the invention, the mesh is made from a breathable elastomeric material. The mesh cover  30  may have various shapes such as round, rectangular, square, etc., and can be either tall, squat or cube shaped. 
     It is understood that the above-described embodiment is merely illustrative of the application. Other embodiments may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.