Drain pan removable without the use of tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11073324-B2
Application number	US-201816185937-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2018
Priority date	Jul 5, 2016
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

A drainage system comprising a first bracket having a horizontal structure and one or more vertical structures, a second bracket having a horizontal structure and one or more vertical structures and a drain pan having a plurality of locking mechanisms, each configured to interlock with one of the vertical structures of the first bracket or the second bracket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drainage system, comprising:
a first bracket having a first horizontal structure and first vertical structures, wherein the first vertical structures include a first plurality of locking mechanisms;
a second bracket having a second horizontal structure and second vertical structures, wherein the second vertical structures include a second plurality of locking mechanisms; and
a drain pan having a plurality of corresponding locking mechanisms, wherein each corresponding locking mechanism of the plurality of corresponding locking mechanisms is configured to interlock with one locking mechanism of the first plurality of locking mechanisms or with one locking mechanism of the second plurality of locking mechanisms to create an incline in a bottom surface of the drain pan, and wherein the drain pan is configured to direct condensate captured within the drain pan to flow toward a condensate drain.

2. The drainage system of claim 1 , wherein a locking mechanism of the first plurality of locking mechanisms is a notch, and wherein a corresponding locking mechanism of the plurality of corresponding locking mechanisms is a corresponding notch configured to interlock with the notch.

3. The drainage system of claim 2 , wherein the notch is a first rectangular notch and the corresponding notch is a second rectangular notch.

4. The drainage system of claim 1 , wherein a first locking mechanism of the first plurality of locking mechanisms is spaced a first distance along the first vertical structures from the first horizontal structure, wherein a second locking mechanism of the second plurality of locking mechanisms is spaced a second distance along the second vertical structures from the second horizontal structure, and wherein the first distance is different than the second distance.

5. The drainage system of claim 1 , wherein each locking mechanism of the first plurality of locking mechanisms is spaced a respective distance from the first horizontal structure.

6. The drainage system of claim 1 , wherein the incline includes a first slope in a first plane and a second slope in a second plane, and wherein the second plane intersects the first plane.

7. The drainage system of claim 6 , comprising the condensate drain, wherein the condensate drain is formed in a corner portion of the drain pan.

8. The drainage system of claim 1 , wherein the drain pan is configured to have the incline in the bottom surface after installation of the drainage system within a cooling system to create a gravity feed to direct the captured condensate toward the condensate drain.

9. The drainage system of claim 1 , wherein the drainage system is configured to be installed below an evaporator coil.

10. The drainage system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of corresponding locking mechanisms is configured to be unlocked from the first plurality of locking mechanisms or the second plurality of locking mechanisms without use of a service tool.

11. A drainage system, comprising:
a first bracket having a first horizontal structure and first vertical structures, wherein the first vertical structures include a plurality of first notches;
a second bracket having a second horizontal structure and second vertical structures, wherein the second vertical structures include a plurality of second notches; and
a drain pan having a plurality of locking mechanisms, each locking mechanism of the plurality of locking mechanisms being configured to interlock with one first notch of the plurality of first notches or with one second notch of the plurality of second notches, wherein the plurality of first notches and the plurality of second notches are configured to create an incline in a bottom surface of the drain pan in an installed configuration, and wherein the drain pan is configured to direct a flow of collected condensate toward a condensate drain formed in the drain pan.

12. The drainage system of claim 11 , wherein the incline is angled in both a first plane and a second plane, wherein the first plane intersects the second plane.

13. The drainage system of claim 11 , wherein the condensate drain is formed in a first side of the drain pan, and wherein the first vertical structures and the second vertical structures are longer on the first side of the drain pan than on a second side of the drain pan, opposite the first side.

14. The drainage system of claim 11 , wherein the condensate drain is formed in a first side of the drain pan, and wherein the drain pan has a greater depth along the first side than on a second side of the drain pan, opposite the first side.

15. The drainage system of claim 11 , wherein the drain pan includes:
a plurality of walls extending from a perimeter of the bottom surface of the drain pan; and
a lip extending from an edge of the plurality of walls opposite from the bottom surface, wherein the plurality of locking mechanisms is a plurality of third notches formed in the lip.

16. The drainage system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of locking mechanisms include:
a first notch on a first side of the drain pan; and
a second notch on a second side of the drain pan, opposite the first side.

17. A drainage system, comprising:
a first bracket having a first horizontal structure and one or more first vertical structures, each first vertical structure having a first locking mechanism;
a second bracket having a second horizontal structure and one or more second vertical structures, each second vertical structure having a second locking mechanism; and
a drain pan having a plurality of third locking mechanisms, each third locking mechanism configured to interlock with the first locking mechanism or with the second locking mechanism, wherein the first locking mechanism and the second locking mechanism are configured to create an incline in a bottom surface of the drain pan after installation of the drainage system, and wherein the drain pan is configured to direct condensate captured within the drain pan to flow toward a condensate drain.

18. The drainage system of claim 17 , wherein the first locking mechanism and the second locking mechanisms each comprise a notch.

19. The drainage system of claim 17 , wherein the first locking mechanism is a complementary slot locking mechanism corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of third locking mechanisms of the drain pan.

20. The drainage system of claim 17 , wherein each of the first locking mechanism and the second locking mechanism is a latch, a plug, a snap joint, a clap, a clip, or a slide.

21. The drainage system of claim 17 , wherein the drain pan includes a first wall extending from a first edge of the bottom surface and a second wall extending from a second edge of the bottom surface, and wherein the bottom surface extends substantially linearly between the first wall and the second wall.

22. The drainage system of claim 17 , wherein the bottom surface is configured to have the incline relative to the first horizontal structure.

23. The drainage system of claim 17 , wherein the first horizontal structure is a flat surface having a plurality of mounting holes.

24. The drainage system of claim 23 , comprising:
a support structure; and
a plurality of mechanical connectors configured to couple the support structure to the first horizontal structure through the plurality of mounting holes.

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co
• Air Distribution Tech Ip Llc

Inventors

• Booz Neil D
• Latham Angus B
• Brooks Beau G

Classifications

• F16N31/006

  Drip trays · CPC title

• F25D21/14 Primary

  Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays · CPC title

• F25D2321/143

  characterised by means to fix, clamp, or connect water pipes or evaporation trays · CPC title

• F24F13/222

  for evacuating condensate · CPC title

• F16N31/002

  Drain pans · CPC title