Modular drain pans for HVAC systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10871306-B2
Application number	US-201916249408-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2019
Priority date	Jan 2, 2019
Publication date	Dec 22, 2020
Grant date	Dec 22, 2020

Abstract

A drain pan for a HVAC system includes a middle section defining a cavity extending from a first end of the middle section to a second end of the middle section, a first end section configured to partially extend into the cavity via the first end of the middle section, and a second end section configured to partially extend into the cavity via the second end of the middle section. The second end section includes a drain port. In some embodiments, the drain pan is modular, enabling different middle sections of various lengths to be coupled between the end sections. The cavity of some embodiments is formed by double walls, which insulate the middle section to reduce condensate formation on a bottom surface of the middle section. By forming one or multiple sections from plastic with an anti-microbial additive, the drain pan further reduces corrosion, microbial growth, and/or condensate generation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drain pan for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a middle section defining a cavity extending from a first end of the middle section to a second end of the middle section, wherein the middle section includes a first wall and a second wall that define the cavity;
a first end section configured to partially extend into the cavity via the first end of the middle section, wherein the first end section includes a first guide extension configured to extend into the cavity via the first end of the middle section; and
a second end section configured to partially extend into the cavity via the second end of the middle section and having a drain port configured to direct fluid out of the drain pan, wherein the second end section includes a second guide extension configured to extend into the cavity via the second end of the middle section,
wherein the first guide extension and the second guide extension each include a plurality of wedges configured to engage with the first wall and the second wall to prevent convergence of the first wall and the second wall,
wherein the second guide extension includes a first side and a second side, wherein the plurality of wedges of the second guide extension are formed on the first side of the second guide extension, and wherein the second end section includes a plurality of ribs formed on the second side of the second guide extension to facilitate coupling of the second end section to the middle section.

2. The drain pan of claim 1 , wherein the middle section, the first end section, and the second end section are each made of a plastic having an anti-microbial additive.

3. The drain pan of claim 1 , wherein the middle section, the first end section, and the second end section are each a single-piece element.

4. The drain pan of claim 1 , wherein the second end section includes an integral float switch retention bracket.

5. The drain pan of claim 1 , wherein the middle section includes an integral retention groove configured to couple to a support bracket that is mounted underneath a heat exchanger of the HVAC system to enable the drain pan to capture the fluid from the heat exchanger.

6. The drain pan of claim 1 , wherein the middle section includes rim walls having tapered lips, and wherein the tapered lips are angled toward an upper surface of the middle section configured to direct the fluid toward the drain port.

7. The drain pan of claim 1 , wherein the drain port is integrally formed with the second end section, and wherein the second end section includes a plurality of radial vanes extending between an outer surface of the drain port and an outer surface of the second end section.

8. The drain pan of claim 1 , wherein the drain port is a main drain port formed in a wall of the second end section, and wherein the second end section includes an auxiliary drain port integrally formed in the wall of the second end section.

9. The drain pan of claim 1 , wherein the second end section includes a first lateral side, a second lateral side, and a channel, wherein the drain port is formed in the first lateral side, and wherein the channel extends from the second lateral side to the drain port.

10. The drain pan of claim 1 , wherein the second end section and the middle section each include a condensate-collecting surface, and wherein adjacent ends of the respective condensate-collecting surfaces are flush with one another.

11. A drain pan assembly for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a drain pan including:
a first end section including a first guide extension;
a second end section including an integral drain port configured to direct fluid out of the drain pan and a second guide extension; and
a middle section including a first wall and a second wall defining a cavity therebetween, wherein the cavity extends from a first end of the middle section to a second end of the middle section, and wherein the first end is configured to receive the first guide extension and the second end is configured to receive the second guide extension;

a first support bracket having a first flat portion, a first leg, and a second leg, wherein the first leg and the second leg each extend from the first flat portion; and
a second support bracket having a second flat portion, a third leg, and a fourth leg, wherein the third leg and the fourth leg each extend from the second flat portion, and wherein a distal end of each of the first leg, the second leg, the third leg, and the fourth leg is configured to engage an integral retention groove of the middle section.

12. The drain pan assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first guide extension and the second guide extension each include a wedge configured to engage with the first wall and the second wall to prevent convergence of the first wall and the second wall.

13. The drain pan assembly of claim 11 , wherein a condensate-collecting surface of the second end section is sloped toward the integral drain port in a longitudinal direction and in a lateral direction, and wherein the longitudinal direction is crosswise to the lateral direction.

14. The drain pan assembly of claim 11 , wherein the middle portion is plastic.

15. The drain pan assembly of claim 11 , wherein each of the first leg and the second leg are shorter than each of the third leg and the fourth leg to cause the middle section of the drain pan to be angled toward the integral drain port after installation of the drain pan, the first support bracket, and the second support bracket in the HVAC system.

16. The drain pan assembly of claim 11 , wherein the middle section includes the integral retention groove, and wherein the first support bracket and the second support bracket are configured to be mounted underneath a heat exchanger of the HVAC system to enable the drain pan to capture fluid from the heat exchanger.

17. The drain pan assembly of claim 16 , wherein the first support bracket is configured to be mounted underneath the heat exchanger via the first flat portion, wherein the first leg includes a first retention flange, wherein the second leg includes a second retention flange, wherein the first retention flange is configured to engage with the integral retention groove on a first side of the middle section, and wherein the second retention flange is configured to engage with the integral retention groove on a second side of the middle section.

18. The drain pan assembly of claim 17 , wherein the first support bracket is a locking bracket, wherein the locking bracket includes a locking arm extending from the first flat portion, and wherein the locking arm is configured to couple to a wall of the first end section after installation of the drain pan on the locking bracket.

19. A drain pan assembly for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a drain pan comprising:
a first end section including a first guide extension;
a second end section including a second guide extension and an integral drain port configured to direct fluid out of the drain pan; and
a middle section including a first wall and a second wall defining a cavity therebetween, wherein the cavity extends from a first end of the middle section to a second end of the middle section, wherein the first end is configured to receive the first guide extension and the second end is configured to receive the second guide extension, and wherein the middle section includes an integral retention groove configured to couple to a

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Lanning Michael S
• Herbeck Christian C
• Morris Jeremy S
• Yagy Joshua J

Classifications

• F24F2140/30

  Condensation of water from cooled air · CPC title

• F24F13/222 Primary

  for evacuating condensate · CPC title

• F24F2013/228

  Treatment of condensate, e.g. sterilising · CPC title