Fan mounting assembly systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11906196-B2
Application number	US-202117387885-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2021
Priority date	Jul 28, 2021
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

A mounting assembly for a fan of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a frame configured to couple to the HVAC system. The frame includes a support rail having a flange. The mounting assembly includes a first guide rail coupled to the frame and having a first lip extending at an oblique angle relative to the flange. The mounting assembly also includes a second guide rail coupled to the frame and having a second lip extending at the oblique angle relative to the flange. The first and second lips are configured to support and guide translation of a chassis of the fan toward the support rail such that the chassis of the fan engages with the flange. The flange is configured to support the fan offset from the first and second lips in an installed configuration of the fan with the mounting assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mounting assembly for a fan of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a frame configured to couple to the HVAC system and comprising a support rail, wherein the support rail comprises a flange and a tongue extending obliquely from the flange;
a first guide rail coupled to the frame and comprising a first lip extending at an oblique angle relative to the flange; and
a second guide rail coupled to the frame and comprising a second lip extending at the oblique angle relative to the flange,
wherein the first lip and the second lip are configured to support and guide translation of a chassis of the fan toward the support rail, wherein the tongue is configured to engage the chassis and guide translation of the chassis atop the flange, with respect to a direction of gravity, and wherein the flange is configured to support a weight of the fan to suspend the fan offset from the first lip and the second lip in an installed configuration of the fan with the mounting assembly.

2. The mounting assembly of claim 1 , comprising a pivoting assembly coupled to the frame and configured to engage with the chassis, wherein the pivoting assembly is configured to pivot the chassis relative to the first lip and the second lip to transition the fan from a resting configuration on the first guide rail and the second guide rail to the installed configuration.

3. The mounting assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first guide rail and the second guide rail are configured to orient the fan at the oblique angle in the resting configuration of the fan.

4. The mounting assembly of claim 2 , wherein the pivoting assembly comprises a threaded rod configured to engage with corresponding threads of a component of the chassis.

5. The mounting assembly of claim 2 , comprising an actuator configured to drive operation of the pivoting assembly to transition the fan from the resting configuration to the installed configuration.

6. The mounting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first guide rail and the second guide rail are configured to suspend the fan above a surface of the HVAC system, with respect to the direction of gravity.

7. The mounting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tongue extends from the flange at an additional oblique angle relative to the flange, wherein the additional oblique angle is different from the oblique angle.

8. The mounting assembly of claim 7 , wherein the flange comprises a receiving surface configured to engage the chassis, and wherein the receiving surface is positioned vertically above the first lip and the second lip with respect to the direction of gravity.

9. The mounting assembly of claim 1 , comprising an abutment rail coupled to the frame and extending between the first guide rail and the second guide rail, wherein the abutment rail includes an additional tongue extending therefrom, and wherein the additional tongue is configured to engage with the chassis and guide translation of the chassis toward the support rail.

10. The mounting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first lip extends toward the second guide rail and the second lip extends toward the first guide rail to form a channel between the first guide rail and the second guide rail, wherein the channel is configured to receive a shroud of the chassis.

11. A mounting assembly for a fan of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a frame defining an interior volume and comprising a first end configured to receive the fan and a second end opposite the first end;
a support rail coupled to the frame, wherein the support rail comprises a flange and a tongue extending obliquely from the flange;
a plurality of guide rails coupled to the frame, wherein each guide rail of the plurality of guide rails comprises a guide surface configured to guide translation of the fan through the first end of the frame, into the interior volume toward the second end of the frame, and into engagement with the tongue, wherein the tongue is configured to guide translation of the fan atop the flange, with respect to a direction of gravity, such that the fan is positioned in a first orientation; and
a retention system configured to engage the fan to secure the fan in a second orientation within the interior volume, wherein the fan is disposed at an angle relative to the guide surfaces in the second orientation, and wherein the retention system and the flange are configured to support a weight of the fan in the second orientation.

12. The mounting assembly of claim 11 , wherein the retention system is configured to engage with and enable translation of the fan between the first orientation and the second orientation.

13. The mounting assembly of claim 11 , wherein the frame and the retention system are configured to cooperatively support the fan in the second orientation such that at least a portion of the fan is offset from the guide surfaces.

14. The mounting assembly of claim 11 , wherein the support rail comprises a receiving surface configured to support the fan in the second orientation, wherein the guide surfaces extend at an oblique angle relative to the receiving surface.

15. The mounting assembly of claim 14 , wherein the tongue extends at an additional oblique angle relative to the receiving surface that is different than the oblique angle.

16. The mounting assembly of claim 14 , wherein the receiving surface is positioned vertically above the guide surfaces with respect to the direction of gravity.

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP

Inventors

• Diehl April Mae Eberly
• Stein Kevin Lee
• Ronald Jeffrey Joseph
• Lauver Iii John Russel
• Adams Craig Eric

Classifications

• F24F13/20 Primary

  Casings or covers · CPC title

• F24F7/06

  with forced air circulation, e.g. by fan {positioning of a ventilator in or against a conduit} · CPC title

• F04D29/626

  Mounting or removal of fans · CPC title

• F24F2013/205

  Mounting a ventilator fan therein · CPC title

• F04D29/601 Primary

  specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title