Patent Abstract:
An informational label for a component of a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit includes a sheet including a plurality of panels foldable from an opened configuration into a closed configuration. The sheet exhibits at least one of resistance to heat or resistance to moisture of an operating environment. A closure is utilized to secure the plurality of panels in the closed configuration, and a layer of adhesive is applied to a panel of the plurality of panels to secure the informational label to an HVAC component.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application, 61/605,257, filed Mar. 1, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The subject matter disclosed herein relates to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units. More specifically, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to informational labels applied to HVAC components. 
         [0003]    Residential HVAC components, for example, furnaces must comply with regulatory requirements, which include the inclusion of installation, operation and safety information printed on labels and affixed to various components of the furnace. Such labels are required to stay with the furnace and may not be removed. As they are often affixed to various components of the furnace, the information may be difficult to find when needed. Further, as requirements for label information have increased, requiring larger labels to be affixed to the furnace, the desire for energy efficiency of furnaces has driven down furnace size, resulting in fewer and/or smaller locations to affix the required labels. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In one embodiment, an informational label for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) component includes a sheet including a plurality of panels foldable from an opened configuration into a closed configuration. The sheet exhibits at least one of resistance to heat or resistance to moisture of an operating environment. A closure is utilized to secure the plurality of panels in the closed configuration, and a layer of adhesive is applied to a panel of the plurality of panels to secure the informational label to an HVAC component. 
         [0005]    In another embodiment, a furnace includes a housing and one or more furnace components located in the housing. The housing includes a door removable from the housing and an informational label affixed to the door. The informational label includes a sheet including a plurality of panels foldable from an opened configuration into a closed configuration. The sheet exhibits at least one of resistance to heat or resistance to moisture of an operating environment. A closure is utilized to secure the plurality of panels in the closed configuration, and a layer of adhesive is applied to a panel of the plurality of panels to secure the informational label to the door. 
         [0006]    These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an embodiment of a furnace; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an embodiment of a blower door for a furnace; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an embodiment of an informational booklet for a furnace. 
       
    
    
       [0011]    The detailed description explains embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    Shown in  FIG. 1  is an embodiment of a furnace  10 , in this embodiment a gas-powered furnace  10 . Even though the invention herein is described as applied to a furnace  10 , other components of a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit, such as an air conditioner or a heat pump, would benefit from the present disclosure. The furnace  10  comprises a housing  12 . The housing  12  includes three primary chambers, a blower chamber  14  containing a blower  16 , a heat exchange chamber  18  containing a heat exchanger  20  and a burner assembly  22 , and a control chamber  24  or vestibule chamber, containing an inducer  21  and the burner assembly  22 . The burner assembly  22  heats the heat exchanger  20 , and the inducer  21  draws flue gas through the heat exchanger  20 . The blower  16  blows an air flow  26  across the heat exchanger  20 , thermal energy is transferred from the heat exchanger  20  to the air flow  26 . 
         [0013]    The housing  12  includes a number of removable doors, for example, blower door  29  to provide access to the blower  16  for service and/or repair and control door  28  to provide access to the burner assembly  22 , the inducer  21  and other components of the furnace  10  for initial set up and adjustment, service and/or repair. The other components may include, for example, gas valves, 115V electrical connections, vent connection, drain connection, or the like. The control door  28  is removed by opening one or more control door latches  30 , which secure the control door  28  to the housing  12 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , an information booklet  32  is affixed to an interior side  34  of the control door  28 . The booklet  32  is a single sheet having multiple panels  36  folded at seams  38  to form booklet  32 . It is to be appreciated that while a single-sheet booklet is illustrated and described herein, that multiple-sheet booklets  32  are within the scope of the present disclosure. As an example, the booklet  32  shown in  FIG. 3  includes four panels  36  and three seams  38  folded to form booklet  32 . One panel  36  of the panels  36  is secured to the control door  28  with, for example, a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive  40 . In one embodiment the adhesive  40  is a 300 LSE adhesive transfer tape commercially available from 3M™. In one embodiment, the pressure sensitive adhesive  40  adheres the booklet  32  to the control door  28  to withstand about a 25 pound pull force on the booklet  32  to prevent removal of the booklet  32  from the control door  28 . Further, the adhesive  40  is able to withstand the high temperature of the blower chamber  14 . Securing a single panel  36  to the control door  28  allows the booklet  32  to be folded into a relatively small size, as shown in  FIG. 2 , enabling the booklet  32  to fit into a smaller space than a single unfolded sheet of labels. Further, as lighting is often poor in areas where furnaces  10  are installed, with the booklet  32  secured to the blower door  28 , the control door  28  can be removed from the furnace  10  and the control door  28  together with the booklet  32  may be carried to a location with adequate lighting for easier reading of information printed in the booklet  32 . 
         [0014]    The booklet  32  is secured in a closed configuration by one or more hook and loop closures  42 . The embodiment shown includes two hook and loop closures  42 , but it is to be appreciated that other quantities of closures  42  may be utilized. In one embodiment, the hook and loop closure is a Hook 88 and Loop 1000 closure commercially available from Velcro®. Further, other types of closures  42 , for example, magnetic closures, may be utilized. Securing the booklet  32  with the closures  42  allows for easier handling of the booklet  32  and prevents the booklet  32  from contacting internal components of the furnace  10 , for example, the inducer  21  or the burner assembly  22 . 
         [0015]    Referring again to  FIG. 3 , panels  36  are printed with necessary and/or selected information related to the furnace  10 . In some embodiments, this information includes safety information, operating instructions, service instructions, electrical connection diagrams, schematic diagrams, and/or installation instructions. The panels  36  may be printed with such information on either or both sides  44  of the panels  36 . Printing on two sides  44 , however, allows for more information to be printed on a booklet  32  of a given size, or stated another way, allows for the same information to be printed on a smaller booklet  32 . The booklet  32  material and printing thereon is capable of withstanding chemical exposure to those typically encountered in the furnace  10  environment, is resistant to prolonged heat exposure such as about 2 weeks and 250 degrees Fahrenheit, and immersion in water. In some embodiments, the booklet  32  is formed from a PRO-Print® Synthetic Paper or Igneous™ Paper. 
         [0016]    While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1