Transition member for heat pump appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016109154-A1
Application number	US-201414518286-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 20, 2014
Priority date	Oct 20, 2014
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A heat pump water heater appliance is provided including a tank defining an interior volume, a sealed system configured for heating water within the interior volume, and a casing. The casing defines an airflow inlet and an airflow exhaust, and the tank and an evaporator of the sealed system are disposed within the casing. A transition member is also provided, including a first end attached to the casing over the airflow inlet and a second end. A passage is defined between the first and second ends. Additionally, a filter tray is removably positioned in the passage of the transition member, allowing, e.g., a user or operator to easily remove and/or replace filter medium supported by the filter tray without disassembling the transition member or any ductwork attached thereto.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A heat pump water heater, comprising:
a tank defining an interior volume; a sealed system configured for heating water within the interior volume of the tank, the sealed system having an evaporator; a casing defining an airflow inlet and an airflow exhaust, the tank and the evaporator of the sealed system disposed within the casing; a transition member including a first end attached to the casing over the airflow inlet and a second end, the transition member defining a passage between the first end and the second end; and a filter tray removably positioned in the passage of the transition member, the filter tray configured to support a filter medium such that the filter medium is positioned in an airflow provided to the airflow inlet of the casing through the passage of the transition member.

2 . The heat pump water heater of claim 1 , wherein the transition member defines a slot, and wherein the filter tray is slidably received into the slot.

3 . The heat pump water heater of claim 2 , wherein the heat pump water heater defines a vertical direction and a lateral direction, and wherein the filter tray is slidable along the lateral direction into and out of the slot.

4 . The heat pump water heater of claim 2 , wherein the transition member comprises of a lower piece including the first end and an upper piece including the second end, wherein the lower piece and the upper piece together define the slot.

5 . The heat pump water heater of claim 1 , wherein the heat pump water heater defines a vertical direction, and wherein the airflow inlet is defined in the casing at a top end of the heat pump water heater along the vertical direction.

6 . The heat pump water heater of claim 1 , wherein the evaporator of the sealed system is positioned within the casing adjacent to the airflow exhaust defined by the casing.

7 . The heat pump water heater of claim 1 , further comprising a fan positioned within the casing, the fan configured to provide an airflow from the airflow inlet to the airflow outlet.

8 . The heat pump water heater of claim 1 , wherein the filter tray is configured to support a disposable filter medium.

9 . The heat pump water heater of claim 1 , further comprising a permanent filter medium attached to and supported by to the filter tray.

10 . The heat pump water heater of claim 1 , further comprising an exhaust transition member positioned over the airflow exhaust defined by the casing.

11 . The heat pump water heater of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the transition member generally defines a semicircular shape, and wherein the second end of the transition member generally defines a circular shape.

12 . The heat pump water heater of claim 1 , wherein the filter tray includes a handle.

13 . A transition member for a heat pump appliance, comprising:
a first end defining a generally semicircular shape and configured to be attached to an airflow inlet defined by a casing of the heat pump appliance; a second end defining a generally circular shape and configured to be attached to airflow ductwork, the transition member defining a passage extending between the first end and the second end; and a filter tray removably positioned in the passage of the transition member, the filter tray configured to support a filter medium such that the filter medium is positioned in an airflow provided to the airflow inlet of the casing through the passage of the transition member.

14 . The transition member of claim 13 , wherein the filter tray is removably positioned in the passage of the transition member between the first end and the second end.

15 . The transition member of claim 13 , wherein the transition member defines a slot, and wherein the filter tray is slidably received into the slot.

16 . The transition member of claim 15 , further comprising
a lower piece including first end; and an upper piece including the second end, wherein the lower piece and the upper piece together define the slot.

17 . The transition member of claim 13 , wherein the filter tray is configured to support a disposable filter medium.

18 . The transition member of claim 13 , further comprising a permanent filter medium attached to the filter tray.

19 . The transition member of claim 13 , wherein the filter tray is a disposable filter cartridge.

20 . The transition member of claim 13 , wherein the heat pump appliance is a heat pump water heater appliance.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Shaffer Timothy Scott
• Alsip Michael Lee

Classifications

• F24H1/181

  Construction of the tank · CPC title

• F24H4/04 Primary

  Storage heaters · CPC title