Abstract:
A system and method are disclosed for compressor units in HVAC systems. A slide plate and slide rail assembly is described that can allow compressors to be slidably removed or adjusted to allow for easy repair or servicing. Instead of disassembling an entire compressor unit when repairs are needed on it or on neighboring components, the compressor unit can be quickly moved. Dual slide rail and slide plate configurations are described as well.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED INFORMATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/002,562, filed May 23, 2014, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure is directed to HVAC systems and components and in particular to a slide rail that allows for dual compressor configurations. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    HVAC systems contain numerous components such as compressors, heating coils, cooling coils, fans, heat sinks, and more. At times, these various components must be made to fit into small footprints or oddly shaped footprints. A difficulty can arise in how to arrange and fit all the necessary components into the allowable space. Once an HVAC system is installed another difficulty arises when servicing and repair is needed. If many components have been squeezed into a small area, then accessing a broken part can be difficult. Numerous components may need to be removed so that a repairman can access all the areas that need servicing. 
         [0004]    Many HVAC systems utilize a tandem compressor arrangement. Tandem compressors can provide advantages by compressing more fluid than a single compressor. Often a single line carries fluid to the compressors, the line splits and carries fluid to both compressors, and then after the compressors the lines converge back into one line. Tandem compressors can be placed in close proximity and the inlets/outlets for each compressor can be connected to the entry/exit lines by brazing joints or other connections. When servicing is required on the compressors or behind the compressors, the joints under and above the compressors connecting the fluid lines are detached and the compressors are removed. However, removing the compressors can be cumbersome. There is often an oil connection between the tandem compressors. Because the compressors share oil they can be difficult to move separately. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    One embodiment of the present teachings is an HVAC system comprising: a slide rail mounted to the HVAC system; a plurality of compressors fluidly coupled to at least one other component within the HVAC system; and a slide plate, the slide plate comprising attachments to the plurality of compressors and comprising a slidable attachment to the slide rail, the slide plate further comprising a locking attachment operable to lock the slide plate in position with respect to the slide rail. 
         [0006]    Another embodiment of the present disclosure comprises an HVAC slide rail system comprising: a slide rail; and a slide plate, the slide plate slidably attached to the slide rail, the slide plate comprising a plurality of attachment mechanisms operable to attach to a plurality of compressors, the plurality of compressors operable to compress fluid in an HVAC system. 
         [0007]    Another embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a method of constructing an HVAC system comprising: connecting a suction line to a plurality of compressors; attaching each of the plurality of compressors to a slide plate; slidably attaching the slide plate to a slide rail; and providing a discharge line from the plurality of compressors. 
         [0008]    The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a tandem compressor configuration. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a diagram of a prior art tandem compressor configuration. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a diagram of an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a diagram of a side view of an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a diagram of a dual slide rail embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a diagram of a dual slide plate embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a diagram of a dual slide rail/dual slide plate embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a flow chart diagram of a method of practicing the present disclosure. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a diagram of an embodiment of an HVAC system implementing a compressor slide rail. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    Some heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems utilize a tandem compressor arrangement. Compressors configured for tandem operation are shown in  FIG. 1 . Tandem compressors may share common refrigerant piping. Specifically, the suction line for each compressor forks off from a single, common suction line and the discharge lines coming off each compressor are merged into a single, common discharge line. 
         [0020]    The compressor section of an HVAC system  100  utilizing a tandem compressor arrangement is shown in  FIG. 1 . HVAC system  100  may include compressors  104 A and  104 B. The compressors may be connected to common suction line  108  via suction ports  114 A and  114 B, respectively, which may be brazed to legs  116 A and  116 B of the split suction line  108 . The compressors may also be connected to common discharge line  106  via discharge ports  112 A and  112 B, respectively, which may be brazed to legs  110 A and  110 B of common discharge line  106 . 
         [0021]    The tandem compressor arrangement allows for efficient HVAC system operation by providing greater ability to match partial load demands on the HVAC system while still allowing for high overall system capacity during full load operation. One disadvantage of the tandem compressor arrangement is that the shared piping among the tandem compressors may make removing or accessing the compressors for maintenance exceedingly difficult. A slide rail apparatus is presented for ease of access to, and removal of, compressors configured to operate as tandem compressors. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  shows a prior art tandem compressor embodiment. Compressors  150  are connected by suction line  160  which can provide fluid to the compressors  150 . Discharge line  180  can draw fluid away. Compressors  150  are typically hard mounted to a common plate  175 , and then attached to the HVAC unit on rubber grommets  162 . Attachment mechanisms can include screws, bolts or other means. As seen in  FIG. 2 , if compressors  150  must be serviced, or moved in order to service another HVAC component located behind the compressors  150 , the process can be quite difficult. Plate  175  may be bolted or otherwise connected to the ground or base of an HVAC system. But detaching the plate only means a user has to pull the whole contraption out of the system. The compressors can be detached separately, but that will take a lot of time and adjustment/cutting of suction and discharge lines  160 ,  180 . Oil connection  190  may need to be cut, causing loss of oil. 
         [0023]    Embodiments of the teachings of the present disclosure are shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The slide rail assembly  200  may include slide rail  201 , a slide plate  202 , a plurality of fasteners  203  and  209 , and a plurality of grommets  204  and  208 . The fasteners  203  and the fasteners  209  may be screws, bolts, or other similar types of fasteners. The fasteners  203  may be used to secure the compressors to the slide plate  202  and to secure the slide rail  201  to the HVAC unit. The fasteners  209  may secure the slide plate  202  to the slide rail  201  when the slide plate is in the fully recessed position. 
         [0024]    The grommets  204  and  208  may be annular shaped and made of rubber, metal, or other material. Grommets  204  and  208  may each have a hole for allowing a fastener  203  to pass through it. In an embodiment, a grommet  204  may be used with each fastener  203  used to secure the compressor, or compressors, to the slide plate  202 . The fastener  203  may pass through each grommet  204 . Additionally, in an embodiment, a grommet  208  may be used with each fastener  203  used to secure the slide rail  201  to the HVAC unit. In this arrangement, the tandem compressors  104  are not rigidly secured to the HVAC unit and are vibrationally isolated from the rest of the HVAC unit. Further, in this arrangement, the tandem compressors are rigidly attached to one another. 
         [0025]    As shown in both  FIGS. 3 and 4 , slide rail  201  may be secured to the base of an HVAC unit using fasteners  203 . Slide rail  201  may provide support for slide plate  202 . Slide rail  201  may have a perimeter of rectangular shape. Slide rail  201  may include two raised portions  205  located on each of the longer sides (or the shorter sides in other embodiments) that make up its rectangular perimeter. Each raised portion  205  may be formed through making two approximately ninety degree upward breaks in the slide rail  201 . The raised portions  205  form two small surfaces that are parallel to the flat base of slide rail  201 . Each raised portion may have a plurality of holes  210  for securing the slide plate  202  to the slide rail  201  when the slide plate  202  is in the fully recessed position. 
         [0026]    When fully recessed, slide plate  202  may be secured to slide rail  201  using a plurality of fasteners  209 . Tandem compressors  104  may be secured to slide plate  202  using a plurality of fasteners  203  and grommets  204  placed between the bottom of the compressor and the top surface of the slide plate  202 . 
         [0027]    Slide plate  202  may have a rectangular perimeter with two flanges  206  located on each of the longer sides (or the shorter sides in other embodiments) that make up its rectangular perimeter. Each flange  206  may be formed by making two approximately ninety degree downward breaks along the long sides of the perimeter of slide plate  202 . The slide plate  202  may be configured so that the flanges  206  fit outside and over the raised portions  205  of slide rail  201 , as shown in the profile view of  FIG. 3 . The bottom surface of slide plate  202  may mate with the top side of the two small surfaces of raised portions  205  of the slide rail  201  allowing for sliding of the slide plate  202  over the slide rail  201 . 
         [0028]    Slide plate  202  may also have handles  207  along the shorter sides that make up its rectangular perimeter. Each handle  207  may be formed by making one approximately ninety degree upward break along the shorter sides of the perimeter of slide plate  202 . Each handle  207  may further consist of a rectangular cutout allowing for the remaining material making up handle  207  to be gripped by the HVAC system maintenance person. 
         [0029]    The slide rail assembly  200  may allow for sliding of the tandem compressors into, and out of, the HVAC unit for access by maintenance personnel. The slide rail assembly design provides for low friction sliding as the material surfaces which slide over one-another are smooth surfaces that may be made of formed sheet metal. Additionally, the placement of grommets  208  between the slide rail  201  and the HVAC unit maintain vibrational isolation of the rigidly connected tandem compressors  104  from the remainder of the HVAC unit. 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  shows a dual rail embodiment of the present teachings. In this embodiment dual slide plates  302  are able to slide on dual slide rails  301 . Grommets  304  and bolts  303  secure compressors  305  to slide plates  302 . Fasteners  309  can attach to holes  310  when compressors  305  are slid onto slide rails  301  and in position for use within an HVAC system. 
         [0031]      FIG. 6  shows an embodiment of a dual slide plate embodiment of the present disclosure. In the dual slide plate system  400  each compressor  405  attaches to a separate slide plate  402 . Each slide plate  402  is slidably attached to a slide rail  401  such that each slide plate  402  can move independently of the other. Compressors  405  are attached to slide plates  402  by an attachment mechanism, in the preferred embodiment a hard metal grommet  404  and bolt  403 . Rubber grommets may be used to attach  401  to the HVAC system. Various attachment mechanisms and materials can be used for grommets and bolts and other parts. When servicing or repairs are performed and the slide plates  402  are used to move compressors  405 , suction pipe  411  and discharge pipe  412  may need to be detached from one or both of compressors  405 , especially if compressors  405  are moved in different directions along slide rail  401 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 7  shows a dual-rail/bi-directional embodiment of the present teachings. In this embodiment compressors  505  can slide independently of each other by means of slide plates  502 ,  506  on slide rails  501 . Other connections and fasteners such as grommets  504  and bolts or screws  503  can be implemented as in other embodiments discussed elsewhere herein. 
         [0033]      FIG. 8  shows a method for constructing a tandem compressor system according to the present disclosure. The method comprises the steps of connecting a suction line to a plurality of suction portion lines connecting to a plurality of compressors  710 . Each of the plurality of compressors is attached to the slide plate  720 . The slide plate is slidably attached to the slide rail  730 . Discharge lines are also provided from each of the compressors  740 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 9  shows an embodiment of a tandem compressor slide rail in the context of an HVAC system. As shown, HVAC system  800  comprises spaces  805 ,  810 ,  815  for HVAC machinery such as heat exchangers or recovery units. Tandem compressors  840 , attached to slide plate  850 , can connect to other HVAC components by means of piping  860  such as suction or discharge lines. Tandem compressors  840  and slide plate  850  allow easier access and repairs to be made within HVAC system  800 . 
         [0035]    Other embodiments can comprise three, four or more compressors in a slide rail configuration. The compressors used can be of a variety of sizes. Alternate sizes can be used within the same configuration in some embodiments. 
         [0036]    The connections, pipes, grommets, bolts, and other fasteners used in the teachings of the present disclosure can take a variety of forms. Pipes of various materials such as aluminum, copper, or other materials can be used. Rubber grommets and bolts can attach the compressors to the slide rails, or any appropriate attachment means can be used. 
         [0037]    Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments. 
         [0038]    Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.