Patent Abstract:
A modular unit forming a part of an air handling system unit being arranged to support a heat exchanger coil therein. The unit contains a three dimensional framework that includes one longitudinally extended beam that is removably connected at each end to opposed corners of spaced end frames. The framework contains spaces between adjacent beams that are closed by removable panels. Removing the beam and the adjacent panels allows ease of access to the coil as well as installation and removal of the coil from the modular unit.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/305,288 filed on Jul. 13, 2001. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to an air handling system and, in particular, to an air handling system having modular sections. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     More specifically, this invention relates to a modular section for an air handling system for housing an air conditioning component such as a heat exchanger coil for heating or cooling air that is being conducted through the air handling system. Some air handling systems are designed to allow the air conditioning coil to be removed from either the left or right side of the unit. This, however, places certain, oftentimes unwanted, limitations on the design of the system. 
     Due to installation limitations, this type of side access to the equipment is oftentimes denied and the coil must be removed through the top of the unit. This, in turn, requires the dismantling of a number of the air handling unit components to provide the necessary access to disconnect the coil from the air conditioning unit and raise the coil through the top opening. Current designs require the dismantling of the structure retainer of the modular unit that houses the coil as well as some of the related structural members. This procedure is not only time consuming but also poses a danger to the coil. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     is an object of the present invention to improve air handling systems, and, in particular, modular units of the system in which air handling equipment is housed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a modular section for an air handling unit that is capable of housing a heat exchanger coil and which can be easily accessed for installing and removing of the coil. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide ease of access to an air conditioner coil housed within an air handling unit. 
     Another object of the present invention is to reduce the amount of time needed to install or remove a piece of air handling equipment from a modular section of an air handling system. 
     These and other objects of the present invention are attained by a rectangular shaped three-dimensional modular section of an air handling system that is arranged to house related air handling equipment such as a heat exchanger coil. The modular section includes a structural framework having a pair of rectangular spaced-apart end frames that are cojoined by longitudinally extended beams that are attached at either end to the opposing corners of the spaced apart frames. The openings in the framework between the beams are closed by heat insulated removable panels. The two ends of each beam are equipped with an end cap that mates with a corner piece that joins a vertical leg of a frame to a horizontal leg. The end caps each have a hole with a recessed entrance that aligns with a threaded member carried in the mating corner piece. A threaded fastener is passed through the hole and threaded into the member thus securing both ends of the beam in the opposed end frames. Removal of the one longitudinally extended beam and the adjacent side wall panels provides extensive access to the coil housed within the module section. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     For a better understanding of these and other objects of the present invention, reference shall be made to the detailed description of the invention which is to be read in association with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a portion of an air handling unit containing a modular section that houses a heat exchanger coil and which embodies the teachings of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the modular section with one of the longitudinal beams and adjacent side panels exploded away from the unit; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view showing one corner of the modular section framework wherein a vertical rail and a horizontal rail of an end frame are conjoined by a corner piece along with one end of a longitudinally extended beam of the modular section framework; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 3 showing the longitudinally extended beam removed from the corner piece; and 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing further details of the corner piece. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a portion of an air handling system, generally referenced  10 , that contains a series of three dimensional rectangularly shaped modular sections. The sections are assembled end to end to establish a system for conducting air along a desired path of travel. One of the modular sections  12  is arranged to house a heat exchanger coil  13  for conditioning the air as it moves through the system to either heat or cool the air. Each of the modular units includes two opposed similarly constructed end frames such as end frames  15  and  16  illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Each end frame includes top and bottom rails  17  and  18 , respectively, and a pair of side rails  19  and  20 . The end frames, in turn, are interconnected at the four corners by longitudinally extended beams that include two upper beams  23 — 23  and two lower beams  24 — 24 . The beams and the rails are all joined together where they meet at the corners by corner pieces  25 — 25 . The corner pieces in each modular section are molded of a plastic material and contain three tubular receptors for slidably receiving the beams and rails therein. The beams and rails are held within the receptor by screws that pass through the receptor walls. Each beam and corner rail is fabricated from a square piece of hollow stock so that the rails and the beams have the same cross-sectional dimensions. The flat outside surfaces of the beams and rails in assembly, are placed in alignment with the sidewalls of the modular unit. 
     As can be seen, the end frames and beams come together to form a high strength skeletal framework having openings located between adjacent longitudinal beams. The openings are closed in assembly by insulated panels  27 — 27  that are arranged to minimize the passage of heat into or out of the modular units. 
     As noted above, it is not uncommon to mount equipment, such as the heat exchanger coil  13 , illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, inside one of the modular units. Although the invention will be described with specific reference to a modular unit containing a heat exchanger coil, it should be evident that any type of equipment may be enclosed within the unit without departing from the teachings of the present invention. Typically, the coil will fill the entire width and height of the modular unit to best utilize the available space within the unit. Accordingly, there generally is not sufficient space available to slide the coil through the side of the framework even with the panels removed. As evidenced in FIG. 2, one of the upper longitudinal beams, which is generally reference  30 , contained in the framework of the modular unit  12  that houses the coil, is adapted for rapid and easy removal from the unit along with the top panel  32  and a side panel  33 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 1, one side of the modular unit  12  includes a hinged door  35  to provide access to the coil for routine cleaning and maintenance of the coil. The door is hinged to one of the vertical rails of the unit&#39;s end frame  37  and is arranged to close against side panel  33  to render the joint between the door and side panel air tight. The side panel is provided with holes through which refrigerant lines to the coil pass out of the modular unit. The upper panel  32  and the side panel  33  are secured to the framework of the unit by screws  39  whereby the panel can be easily removed from the framework. Any other suitable fasteners however, may be used to secure the panels to the framework. The horizontal beam  30  which separates the two panels, prevents the coil from being removed laterally from the framework. As noted above, in many installations the entire modular unit housing the coil requires separation of the unit from the air handling system in order to permit sufficient dismantling of the framework so that the coil can be removed from the unit. 
     With further reference to FIGS. 3-5, the longitudinal beam  30 , is removably secured at both ends to special corner pieces  42  that serve to conjoin a horizontal rail  43  and a vertical rail  44  of each end frame of modular unit  12 . Each corner piece  42  contains a first horizontal tubular compartment  45  and a second vertical tubular compartment that are rectangular in cross section and arranged to slidably receive the rail therein. Each compartment further contains an open front entrance and a back wall  50 . The two back walls of the vertical and horizontal compartments are integrally joined along a common edge  55  and by two side wall partitions  56 - 56 . The top edges  57  of the partitions form a 45° angle with the two back walls of the compartments. The horizontal rail  43  of each end frame is slidably contained within compartment  45  and the vertical rail  44  of each end frame is slidably contained within compartment  46 . 
     Although not shown, each rail is secured to the receiving compartment by means of threaded fasteners. A cylindrical boss  59  is mounted in the space between the two side wall partitions. The boss has a centerline  60  that bisects the 90° angle formed by the two back walls of compartments  45  and  46 . A threaded hole  61  is formed in the boss and is axially aligned along the centerline of the boss. 
     Each end of the longitudinal beam  30  is equipped with an end piece generally referenced  70  that includes a longitudinally extended compartment  71  which is open at one end so as to slidably receive one end of the beam therein. The opposite end of the compartment is closed by an end wall  72 . An end cap  73  is integrally joined to the end wall  72  of the compartment  71 . The end cap includes a cover section  75  that extends diagonally between the corners of the end wall  72  as best illustrated in FIG.  5 . The bottom wall of the cover is equipped with a triangular shaped plug  78  which is arranged to fit snugly between the two side wall partitions of the corner pieces  42 — 42  when the cover section of the end cap is closed against the side wall partitions as illustrated in FIG.  3 . 
     The cover section of the end cap contains a through hole  80  having an expanded recessed opening  81 . The hole  80  at closure is axially aligned with the threaded hole  61  formed in the boss  59 . A threaded fastener, such as bolt  82  is passed through the hole in each end piece and is threaded into the boss to draw the end pieces, and thus the longitudinal beam  30 , tightly against the partitions  56  in each of the corner pieces  42 . When the two end pieces  70  located at each end of the beam  30  are secured as explained above in the opposed corner pieces  42 , the rail  43  will extend along a Y—Y axis  91  and the beam  30  will extend along a Z—Z axis  92 , as illustrated in FIG.  3 . As should be evident from the disclosure above, each of the axes are situated perpendicular to the other two axes. 
     As can be seen, the longitudinal beam  30  can be easily removed from the framework of the modular unit  12  along with the side panel  33  and the top panel  32  by simply removing the threaded fasteners that secure the parts to the framework. Clear access is thus provided to the heat exchanger coil  13 . As a result, the coil can be readily worked upon while mounted within the modular unit or, alternatively, removed from the unit without the necessity of having to remove the modular unit housing the coil from the air handling system. 
     While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred mode as illustrated in the drawing, it will be understood by one skilled in the art that various changes in detail may be effected therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5