Patent Publication Number: US-11035606-B2

Title: Fan mounting assembly, evaporator coil cover and air tower of refrigerator

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/497,220, filed on Sep. 25, 2014. This application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This application relates generally to refrigeration appliances, particularly to a fan mounting assembly mountable to a liner of a refrigeration appliance cabinet, an evaporator coil cover coupled to the fan mounting assembly, and a air tower coupled to the fan mounting assembly through the evaporator coil cover. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Refrigeration appliances, such as domestic refrigerators, typically have both a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment or section. The fresh food compartment is where food items such as fruits, vegetables, and beverages are stored and the freezer compartment is where food items that are to be kept in a frozen condition are stored. The refrigerators are provided with a refrigeration system that maintains the fresh food compartment at temperatures above 0° C. and the freezer compartments at temperatures below 0° C. 
     Such refrigerators are often provided with an evaporator fan motor powering a fan for urging air over the evaporator coil. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one aspect, the subject application involves a refrigeration appliance having a fan mounting assembly mounted to a liner of the freezer compartment. The fan mounting assembly comprises a bracket enclosing a fan and a fan motor, and an opening for fan blades. At least one mounting flange extends from the bracket for mounting the fan mounting assembly to the liner of the refrigeration appliance cabinet. A snap lock having a first member and a second member is provided at the flange. In one embodiment, the first member of the snap lock is a molded female dovetail feature having a snap tongue extending from one end of the female dovetail, and the corresponding second member of the snap lock is a male dovetail projecting from the liner into the refrigeration appliance cabinet. When snapped together, the female dovetail is captured by the male dovetail projection on three sides. 
     A first snap coupling having a first member and a second member is provided on a base panel of the mounting bracket. The first snap coupling includes corresponding structures on the base panel and the evaporator coil cover. In one embodiment, the first member of the first snap coupling is a notched tab on the base panel that extends into the freezer compartment, and the corresponding second member of the snap coupling on the evaporator coil cover is a snap hole. The first snap coupling serves to snap the evaporator coil cover to the mounting assembly. 
     A second snap coupling having a first member and a second member is provided on the base panel of the mounting bracket. The second snap coupling includes corresponding structures on the base panel and on an air tower assembly. In one embodiment, the first member of the second snap coupling is a snap hole provided on the base panel of the mounting assembly, and the second member of the second snap coupling is mounting hook on the air tower. The second snap coupling serves to fasten the air tower assembly to the mounting assembly through additional slots provided in the evaporator coil cover. 
     A third snap coupling having a first member and a second member is provided on the base panel of the mounting bracket. The third snap coupling includes corresponding structures on the base panel and the air tower assembly. In one embodiment, the first member of the third snap coupling is a snap clip provided on the upper side of the fan mounting assembly, and the corresponding second member of the third snap coupling is a snap hole on the upper side of the air tower assembly. The third snap coupling also serves to fasten the air tower assembly to the mounting assembly through additional slots provided in the evaporator coil cover. 
     According to another aspect, the subject application involves a refrigeration appliance that includes an evaporator coil cover for a freezer compartment of a refrigerator. A first snap coupling having a first member and a second member is provided on the evaporator coil cover. The first snap coupling includes corresponding structures on the base panel and the evaporator coil cover. In one embodiment, the first member of the first snap coupling is a notched tab on the base panel that extends into the freezer compartment, and the corresponding second member of the snap coupling on the evaporator coil cover is a snap hole. The first snap coupling serves to snap the evaporator coil cover to the mounting assembly. 
     A first slot is provided in the evaporator coil cover to enable the engagement of the respective members of the second snap couplings on the fan mounting assembly and the air tower. In one embodiment, a second slot is also provided in the evaporator coil cover to enable the engagement of the respective members of the third snap couplings on the fan mounting assembly and the air tower. The evaporator coil cover has an opening for fan blades that is at least partially overlapping the opening of the fan mounting assembly for the fan blades. In one embodiment, the opening on the evaporator coil cover is coaxial with the opening of the fan mounting assembly. 
     In one embodiment, the evaporator coil cover further comprises a flange extending downwards from the evaporator coil cover that is insertable into a recess in the bottom of the refrigeration appliance cabinet at a tilt. 
     In another embodiment, the evaporator cover further comprises a screw hole corresponding in position to a tapped hole on a kidney area of the liner of the refrigeration appliance cabinet for securing the evaporator cover to the liner. 
     According to yet another aspect, the subject application involves an air tower assembly of a refrigerator that serves to distribute cool air discharged from an evaporator fan throughout a freezer and fresh food compartment of the refrigerator. A second snap coupling having a first member and a second member is provided on the air tower. The second snap coupling includes corresponding structures on the base panel and on an air tower assembly. In one embodiment, the first member of the second snap coupling is a snap hole provided on the base panel of the mounting assembly, and the second member of the second snap coupling is mounting hook on the air tower. The second snap coupling serves to fasten the air tower assembly to the mounting assembly through additional slots provided in the evaporator coil cover. 
     In another embodiment, the air tower assembly further comprises a third snap coupling having a first member and a second member. The third snap coupling includes corresponding structures on the base panel and the air tower assembly. In one embodiment, the first member of the third snap coupling is a snap clip provided on the upper side of the fan mounting assembly, and the corresponding second member of the third snap coupling is a snap hole on the upper side of the air tower assembly. The third snap coupling also serves to fasten the air tower assembly to the mounting assembly through additional slots provided in the evaporator coil cover. 
     In another embodiment, the snap clip extends upwardly from the fan mounting assembly. In yet another embodiment, the mounting hook extends perpendicularly from the air tower assembly towards a base panel of the fan mounting assembly. 
     In another embodiment, the air tower assembly further comprises a flange that is insertable into an opening in an air duct of the refrigeration appliance that is in fluid communication with a second refrigeration appliance cabinet, to thereby permit air flow from the refrigeration appliance cabinet to the second refrigeration appliance cabinet. 
     In another embodiment, the air tower assembly is made out of polyethylene material. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, embodiments of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a top mount refrigerator; 
         FIG. 2  shows a front view looking into a freezer compartment in which a fan mounting assembly is attached to a rear liner; 
         FIG. 3 a    is a front, detail view of an illustrative embodiment of the fan mounting assembly, when the female dovetail on the mounting flange is about to engage with the male dovetail on the liner; 
         FIG. 3 b    is a front, detail view of an illustrative embodiment of the fan mounting assembly, wherein the female dovetail are cooperating with the male dovetail of the snap lock; 
         FIG. 3 c    is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of an illustrative embodiment of the fan mounting assembly showing the relative positions of the female dovetail, particularly the snap tongue, and the male dovetail when the female dovetail are cooperating with the male dovetail of the snap lock, and taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 2   b;    
         FIG. 4  shows a side view of an illustrative embodiment of the fan mounting assembly, wherein the female dovetail are cooperating with the male dovetail of the snap lock; 
         FIG. 5  shows a front view looking into a freezer compartment in which a evaporator coil cover is coupled to the fan mounting assembly; 
         FIG. 6  shows a front, detail view of a portion of an illustrative embodiment of the evaporator coil cover after the evaporator coil cover is coupled to the fan mounting assembly; 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective cross-sectional view of an illustrative embodiment of the evaporator coil cover prior to mounting the evaporator coil cover to the fan mounting assembly; 
         FIG. 8  shows a back view of the evaporator coil cover; 
         FIG. 9 a    shows a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of an air tower assembly, when the air tower assembly is about to be mounted to the fan mounting assembly through the evaporator coil cover; 
         FIG. 9 b    shows a perspective, detail view of a portion of an illustrative embodiment of the air tower assembly, when a second snap coupling and a third snap coupling are both about to engage; 
         FIG. 10 a    shows a detail view of a portion of an illustrative embodiment of the air tower assembly, after both two members of the second snap coupling and two members of the third snap coupling are respectively engaged, and thereby the air tower assembly is coupled to the fan mounting assembly; and 
         FIG. 10 b    shows a detail, rear view of a portion of an illustrative embodiment of the fan mounting assembly, after both the evaporator coil cover and the air tower are coupled to the fan mounting assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the present invention. Relative language used herein is best understood with reference to the drawings, in which like numerals are used to identify like or similar items. Further, in the drawings, certain features may be shown in somewhat schematic form. 
     The phrase “at least one of”, if used herein followed by a plurality of members, means one of the members or a combination of more than one of the members. For example, the phrase “at least one of a first snap coupling and a second snap coupling” means in the present application: the first snap coupling, the second snap coupling, or the first snap coupling and the second snap coupling. Likewise, “at least one of a first snap coupling, a second snap coupling and a third snap coupling” means in the present application: the first snap coupling, the second snap coupling, the third snap coupling, the first snap coupling and the second snap coupling, the first snap coupling and the third snap coupling, the second snap coupling and the third snap coupling, or the first snap coupling and the second snap coupling and the third snap coupling. 
     Turning to the shown example of  FIG. 1 , a refrigeration appliance in the form of a refrigerator  2  is illustrated as a top-mount refrigerator with freezer and fresh food compartments. While the present application is described herein by way of attaching a fan mounting assembly, a coil cover and a fan tower to the liner of an example refrigeration appliance, it is contemplated that various other appliances could also be used, such as stoves, microwaves, stand-alone refrigerators, or freezers, as well as other configurations of combined refrigerator/freezers. 
     The arrangement of the fresh food and freezer compartments with respect to one another in such refrigerators vary. For example, in some cases, the freezer compartment is located above the fresh food compartment (i.e., a top mount refrigerator), and in other cases the freezer compartment is located below the fresh food compartment (i.e. a bottom mount refrigerator). Additionally, many modern refrigerators have their freezer compartments and fresh food compartments arranged in a side-by-side relationship. Whatever arrangement of the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment is employed, typically, separate access doors are provided for the refrigerated compartments so that either compartment may be accessed without exposing the other compartment to the ambient air. For example, a door provides access to the freezer compartment, and a door provides access to the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator. While the present application is described herein by way of an example top mount refrigerator configuration, it is contemplated that any refrigerator configuration can be used, such as bottom-mount refrigerators having at least one door. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an insulated cabinet constructed in accordance with the present invention is generally indicated at  2 . Cabinet  2  includes a cabinet shell  4  defined, at least in part, by first and second upstanding side panels  6  and  8  that are interconnected and laterally spaced by a top panel  10 . Although not shown in this figure, cabinet shell  4  would also include a rear panel and internal reinforcing structure. A liner  3  inside the shell can define spaces. Foam insulation may be used between the cabinet shell  4  and the liner  3 . Since refrigerator cabinet  2  represents a top mount-type refrigerator, a divider portion  5  is provided which extends laterally across shell  4  and divides refrigerator cabinet  2  into an upper space that can be used as a freezer compartment  11 , and a lower space that can be used as a fresh food compartment  7 . Alternatively, the divider portion  5  can divide the refrigerator cabinet  2  into an upper fresh food compartment, and a lower freezer compartment. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , there again is illustrated a refrigeration appliance in the form of a top-mount refrigerator appliance  2  having a freezer compartment  11  disposed vertically above a fresh-food compartment  7 . Although an embodiment is described in detail below, and shown in the figures as a top-mount configuration of a refrigerator having a freezer compartment  11 , the refrigerator can have any desired configuration including at least one cabinet  11 , a fan  16  and evaporator coil disposed adjacent to the fan  16 , without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     An interior  12  of the freezer compartment  11  shown in  FIG. 2  is defined by a freezer liner having a rear liner  14 . The rear liner  14  has a recess  9  and a mounting assembly  15  is mounted to the rear liner  14  in the recess  9 . The mounting assembly  15  comprises a bracket  17  enclosing a housing portion  13  for receiving the fan  16  and a fan motor  31  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). The bracket  17  has an opening  19  on a base panel  18  for receiving fan blades. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the mounting assembly  15  has mounting flanges  22  on both sides of the bracket  17 . A snap lock  38  having a first member and a second member is provided at each mounting flange  22 . The snap lock includes corresponding structures on the bracket and liner that secure the bracket to the liner by pressing or sliding or rotating the bracket or part of the bracket relative to the liner. For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 a   , the first member can be provided on the mounting flange  22  as a molded female dovetail  44  feature, for receiving the corresponding second member of the snap lock, such as a male dovetail  24  mounted on or molded into the rear liner  14 . The male dovetail  24  projects into the interior of the freezer compartment  12 . The female dovetail  44  has a snap tongue  23  extending from one end of the female dovetail. As shown in  FIG. 3 c   , the snap tongue has a ramp  51  and a nose  20 . The bracket  17  can be securely snapped to male dovetail  24  by first positioning the male dovetail  24  inside the molded female dovetail slots, and then sliding the bracket  17  downwards till a narrow upper portion  39  of the female dovetail  44  slides behind the male dovetail  24 . The nose  20  rides over the male dovetail  24  till nose  20  of the snap tongue  23  engages the bottom of the male dovetail  24  to inhibit vertical movement of the flange  22 . In comparing to  FIG. 3 a   ,  FIG. 3 b    and  FIG. 3 c    illustrates the relative positions of the female dovetail  44 , particularly the snap tongue  23 , and the male dovetail  24  when the male dovetail is locked inside the female dovetail. It can be seen in  FIG. 2 c    that when snapped together, the female dovetail  44  of the bracket is captured by the male dovetail  24  projection on three sides. The snap tongue  23  further ensures the bracket  17  is locked to the male dovetail  24  in a vertical direction. 
     Once the bracket  17  is secured to the rear liner  14 , a screw  50  (shown in  FIG. 3 b   ) can be inserted into a hole  27  in the bracket  17  and further into a corresponding tapped hole on the rear liner  14  to further secure the bracket  17  to the rear liner  14 . The hole  27  in the bracket  17  is provided on a flange extending vertically from the base panel  18  of the bracket  17  (shown in  FIG. 3 a   ). 
     The male dovetail  24  can be mounted to the rear liner  14  by an toggle lock  26  attached to the male dovetail  24 , as shown in  FIG. 3 c   . To mount the male dovetail  24  to the rear liner  14 , the following st can be taken: step one, align four corners  40  of the male dovetail  24  with four corners  42  of a diamond-shaped opening  30  on the rear liner  14 ; step two, insert the toggle lock  26  into the opening  30 ; step three, rotate the male dovetail  24  for 90 degrees either clockwise or counterclockwise till the four corners  40  rest immediately on top of the four edges  43  of the opening  30 ; step four, inject a controlled amount of insulation material  21  into the space between the rear liner  14  and the cabinet shell  4  till the insulation material fill out the entire space, including the area surrounding the toggle lock  26 . When hardened, the insulation material  21  secures the toggle lock  26  and the male dovetail  24  in place. The edges  43  further provides a support to the male dovetail  24 , ensures the male dovetail  24  stays in a vertical direction and prevents the male dovetail  24  from rotating. 
     It is contemplated that there can be another embodiment where the first member of the snap lock provided on the mounting flanges  22  is a male dovetail, whereas the corresponding second member of the snap lock is a female dovetail feature mounted on the rear liner  14  by a toggle lock  26 . 
     In one embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the mounting flanges  22  are provided at a bottom rear of the bracket  17  and are connected to the base panel  18  of the bracket by connection flanges  32  that are provided essentially perpendicular to the mounting flanges  22  and the base panel  18  of the bracket  17 . The fan motor  31  is secured inside the bracket between a rear plate  33  that can be secured close to or flush against the rear liner  14  by the connections of the bracket  17  to the freezer liner  14 , a middle plate  34  that is provided at a horizontal middle of the bracket  17  between the mounting flanges  22  and the base panel  18 , a first set of arms  35  extending from the middle plate  34  toward the rear plate  33  and ending at a distance between the rear plate  33  and the middle plate  34 , and a second set of arms  36  extending from the middle plate  34  to the rear plate  33  and serving to connect the middle plate  34  to the rear plate  33 . The middle plate  34  is also connected to the base panel  18  of the bracket through a third set of arms  37 . There is a hole in the middle plate to accommodate a shaft  53  from the motor. The shaft  53  is connected to fan blades that are located within the opening of the base panel  18 . Therefore, the fan mounting assembly secures the fan motor at a position between a middle plate and a rear plate, to thereby inhibit the fan motor from contacting the evaporator coil cover. One objective of this configuration is to reduce noise in the freezer compartment and to improve airflow throughout the refrigerator appliance. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a first snap coupling having a first member and a second member is provided on the base panel  18 . The snap coupling includes corresponding structures on the base panel  18  of the mounting bracket  17  and the evaporator coil cover  41 , by pressing or sliding or rotating the evaporator coil cover relative to the mounting bracket  17 . For example, the first member can be provided on the mounting bracket  17  as notched tabs  25  extend outwardly into the freezer compartment, for receiving the corresponding second member of the first snap coupling, such as snap holes  45  on an evaporator coil cover  41  as seen in  FIG. 5 . The first snap coupling serves to fasten the evaporator coil cover  41  to the bracket  17  and, subsequently, the rear liner  14 . It is contemplated that there can be another embodiment where the first member of the first snap coupling on the base panel  18  are snap holes whereas the corresponding second member of the first snap coupling on the evaporator coil cover  41  are notched tabs. One objective of the first snap coupling is to reduce the reliance on the screws used to mount the coil cover directly to the rear liner and therefore lessen the thermoforming process of the liner. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the evaporator coil cover  41  has an opening  47  for fan blades that is located in an upper center of the evaporator coil cover that is surrounded by various slots. The opening on the evaporator coil cover is at least partially overlapping the opening  19  of the fan mounting assembly for the fan blades. In one embodiment, the opening  47  on the evaporator coil cover is coaxial with the opening  19  of the fan mounting assembly. One objective of this configuration is to make the service of evaporator fan blade and air tower easier as one may access the fan blade and fan motor without removing the coil cover. 
     In a lower portion of the evaporator coil cover  41 , vents  54  are provided that allow a circulation of air pulled by the fan through the evaporator. 
     As seen in  FIG. 6 , the evaporator coil cover  41  has a first set of slots  48 , wherein through slots  48 , mounting hooks  84  of the air tower assembly  71  (as shown in  FIG. 9 a   ) may hook into snap holes  28  on the fan mounting assembly  15  (as shown in  FIG. 3 b   ). The evaporator coil cover  41  also has a second set of slots  49 , wherein through the slots  49 , the snap clips  29  of the fan mounting assembly  15  (as shown in  FIG. 3 b   ) may snap into the snap holes  86  of the air tower assembly  71  (as shown in  FIG. 9 a   ). 
     As seen in  FIG. 7 , to install the evaporator coil cover  41 , a bottom flange  62  of the evaporator coil cover is inserted into a recess in the bottom of the freezer compartment at a tilt. The evaporator coil cover  41  is then rotated toward the mounting assembly till the snap holes  45  are snapped to the notched tabs  25  of the mounting assembly  15 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . Once the evaporator coil cover  41  is mounted to the mounting assembly  15 , screws can be inserted into holes  52  in the evaporator coil cover  41  and further into corresponding tapped holes on the bracket  17 , to further secure the evaporator coil cover to the mounting assembly  15 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 5 , screw holes  46  can be provided at locations spaced away from the mounting assembly at opposite sides of the evaporator coil cover  41 . These holes correspond with tapped holes  66  provided in “kidney” portions of the real liner  14  of the freezer compartment, as seen in  FIG. 7 . In one embodiment, anchor nuts are provided and secured by the foam insulation  21  behind the tapped holes  66  in the freezer compartment. Screws can be inserted through the evaporator coil cover into the anchor nuts to secure the evaporator coil cover  41  to the rear liner  14 . In the shown example in  FIG. 8 , evaporator coil  55  can be provided below the bracket  17 , and between the evaporator coil cover  41  and the rear liner  14 . The mounting assembly prevents the evaporator coil  55  from in direct contact with the fan motor  31 . This improves energy efficiency. The evaporator coil  55  is further separated from the air tower assembly  71  by the coil cover  41  to reduce frost build up on the air tower assembly  71 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 9 , the air tower assembly  71  is mounted to the mounting assembly  15  through the evaporator coil cover  41 . 
     In one embodiment, a first member of a second snap coupling, shown as snap holes  28  are provided on the base panel  18  (see  FIG. 3 b   ). These snap holes  28  serve to fasten an air tower assembly  71  to the bracket  17 . The snap holes  28  ( FIG. 3 b   ) are constructed to receive a corresponding second member of the second snap coupling, shown as mounting hooks ( FIG. 10 b   )  84  on both upper sides of the air tower assembly  71 . The mounting hooks  84  extend from the air tower assembly  71  towards a base panel  18  of the fan mounting assembly. It is contemplated that there can be another embodiment where the first member of the second snap coupling on the base panel  18  are mounting hooks whereas the corresponding second member of the second snap coupling on the air tower assembly  71  are snap holes. 
     Referring further to  FIG. 10 a   , a first member of a third snap coupling, shown as snap clips  29  are provided on both upper sides of the fan mounting assembly  15  and extend upwardly (see  FIG. 3 b   ). In one embodiment, these snap clips  29  serve to fasten an air tower assembly  71  to the bracket  17 . These snap clips  29  are constructed to receive a corresponding second member of the third snap coupling, shown as snap hole  86  on both upper sides of the air tower assembly  71 . When inserted into the corresponding snap, the snap clips  29  lock the air tower assembly  71  to the fan mounting assembly through the evaporator coil cover. It is contemplated that there can be another embodiment where the first member of the third snap coupling on the fan mounting assembly  15  are snap holes whereas the corresponding second member of the third snap coupling on the air tower assembly  71  are snap clips. 
     As seen in  FIG. 9 a   , the air tower assembly  71  serves to distribute cool air discharged from the evaporator fan  16  throughout the freezer compartment  11  and fresh food compartment of the refrigerator. Specifically, vents  81  are disposed on top and upper sides of the air tower assembly  71  to distribute cool air to the freezer compartment  11 . Vents  83  are disposed on lower sides of the air tower assembly  71  to return air from the freezer compartment  11  to the air tower assembly  71  for recirculation. Bottom edge  82  of the air tower assembly  71  is insertable into a foamed-in air duct  88  to permit the air tower assembly  71  to provide cool air discharged from the evaporator fan  16  to the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator. Even though this embodiment illustrates the configuration in a top mount refrigerator appliance having the foamed-in air duct  88  below the freezer compartment  11 , it is contemplated that the air duct may be located at either side of the freezer compartment (for side-by-side refrigerator) or at the top of the freezer compartment (for bottom-mount refrigerator) without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     In one embodiment, to install the air tower assembly, first make sure the snap clips  29  of the fan mounting assembly  15  are previously installed through the corresponding slots  49  of the evaporator coil cover  41 . Then, insert the bottom edge  82  of the air tower assembly  71  into the foamed-in air duct leading to the fresh food compartment. Further, rotate the assembly upward toward the evaporator coil cover  41  to align the mounting hooks  84  with the corresponding slots  48  of the evaporator coil cover  41  and snap holes  28  on the fan mounting assembly  15 , as shown in  FIG. 9 a   . Once the mounting hooks  84  are inserted into both the slots  48  and snap holes  28 , the snap clips  29  would be automatically aligned to the snap holes  86 . The air tower assembly  71  can then be pushed down to hook the air tower assembly  71  to the fan mounting assembly  15 , as seen in  FIG. 9 b   . When the air tower assembly  71  is pushed down to hook the air tower assembly  71  to the fan mounting assembly  15 , the snap clips  29  enter the corresponding snap holes  86  of the air tower assembly  71  and lock the air tower assembly  71  to the fan mounting assembly trough the evaporator coil cover  41 . This attachment of the air tower assembly  71  to the fan mounting assembly  15  through the evaporator coil cover  41  serves to retain the air tower assembly  71  in an upright position and seal the air tower to the evaporator coil cover  41 , subsequently not allowing any air flow to bypass the air tower, as shown in  FIG. 10   a.    
     There is a slot provided on the air tower assembly  71  for a flat head screwdriver to depress the snap clips  29  on the fan mounting assembly in order to release the snap clips  29  and begin the removal of the air tower assembly  71  from the evaporator coil cover  41  and the fan mounting assembly  15 . 
     In one embodiment, the air tower assembly  71  is made out of polyethylene material to reduce frost build up.