Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02453882 2007-06-07
. =
TRANSITIONAL TELESCOPING PLENUM APPARATUS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a plenum apparatus for
interconnecting
heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment or connecting HVAC
equipment to ductwork. More particularly, the present invention relates to a
transitional
telescoping plenum apparatus that is able to expand in length, width and
height dimensions
to fit virtually any particular application that may be encountered in a given
installation.
Over the past decade or so, many products have been developed to help
contractors
in time-savings efforts, and to provide them with quick-connect applications
for
installations of HVAC equipment. Products such as corrugated stainless steel
tubing,
electrical "whips," pre-charged refrigeration lines, and many other devices
have been
developed to help reduce instillation time on the job.
Sheet metal products have been the only types ofproducts that have not
followed
in this push for labor savings. Although there are currently many types of pre-
fabricated
return airdrops and fixed size plenums, a general problem exists for
wholesales in that they
have to carry numerous sizes to accommodate the various equipment with which
they are
to be installed. This often translates into inventory problems for wholesalers
and
availability problems for contractors. Additionally, field technicians must
cut and bend
and fold, by hand, an incredible amount of variations to fit these pre-
fabricated plenums
to a given application.
The transitional telescoping plenum apparatus of the present invention
addresses
these problems by providing a"one size fits all" plenum apparatus for HVAC
equipment
installations.
CA 02453882 2003-12-18
BM1VI.P.0001 - 2 -
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general, the present invention provides a transitional telescoping plenum
apparatus having a first tier including at least first, second, third, and
fourth corner sections
interleaved to provide the first tier with an at least four-sided
configuration that is
adjustable in width and length dimensions, the first tier providing a mounting
flange at a
first edge thereof and a tier-connecting flange at a second edge thereof; and
a second tier
including at least first, second, third, and fourth corner sections
interleaved to provide the
second tier with an at least four-sided configuration complimentary to the at
least four-
sided configuration of the first tier and adjustable in width and length
dimensions, the
second tier providing a tier-connecting flange at a first edge thereof
communicating with
the tier-connecting flange of the first tier to connect the first and second
tiers, wherein the
height of the transitional telescoping plenum apparatus is adjustable
according to the
distance maintained between the tier-connecting flanges of the first tier and
the second tier.
As will be show below, in other embodiments, three or more tiers are employed,
with each additional tier providing a structure that is complimentary to the
tier or tiers to
which it is to be attached, so as to create a complete transitional
telescoping plenum
apparatus comprised of multiple modular tiers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWLNGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a transitional telescoping plenum apparatus
according to this invention, shown expanded in the height dimension;
Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the perspective line 2--2 of Fig.
1;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a disassembled transitional telescoping plenum
apparatus, indicating the interrelation of the four corner sections that make
up each tier as
well as the interrelation between the var-lous tiers;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of two corner sections of a top modular tier of a
preferred plenum apparatus;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of two corner sections that are complementary to
the
corner sections of Fig. 4, and interleave therewith to provide a completed top
tier;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of two conxer sections of a bottom niodular tier
of a
preferred plenum apparatus;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of two corner sections that are complementary to
the
CA 02453882 2003-12-18
BMM.P.0001 - 3 -
comer sections of Fig. 4, and interleave therewith to provide a completed
bottom tier;
Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of a furnace and duetwork, showing the
first step
of removing the furnace;
Fig. 9 is a front plan view, as in Fig. 8, with the furnace removed from Fig.
8 being
replaced with a new fu?-nace and evaporator coil, and showing the installation
of the
transitional telescoping plenum apparatus of this invention; and
Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of the completed installation of the new
furnace,
evaporator coil, and transitional telescoping plenum apparatus of Fig. 9; and
Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view, similar to the view of Fig. 2, showing only
two
tiers, and, more particularly, depicting the use of clips to set the degree to
which associated
modular tiers are telescoped in relation to each other.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
With reference to Fig. 1, it can be seen that a transitional telescoping
plenum
apparatus according to this invention is designated generally by the numeral
10. Plenum
apparatus 10 includes, in this particularly preferred embodiment, a first tier
100, a second
tier 200, and a third tier 300. Tiers 100, 200, 300 are interconnected with
one another in
such a manner as to allow for plenum apparatus 10 to be adjustable in its
height dimension,
which, in the orientation of Fig. 1, is the vertical dimension. More
particularly, first tier
100 communicates with second tier 200 so as to be capable of telescoping
vertically in
relation thereto. Likewise, second tier 200 communicates with first tier 100
and third tier
300 so as to be capable of telescoping vertically with respect to those two
tiers 100, 300.
Similarly, third tier 300 communicates with second tier 200 so as to be
capable of
telescoping vertically in relation thereto. The specifics of this telescoping
relationship
between first, second and third tiers 100, 200 and 300 will be described more
fully herein
below, but, first, the configuration of an individual tier section is
disclosed.
Referring now to Figs. 2-5, first tier 100 is considered; however, it should
be
appreciated that the general strcicture of first tier 100 is repeated for
subsequent modular
tiers, such as second tier 200, making up transitional telescoping plemlm
apparatus 10, and
therefore, like parts in tier 200 have received like nun7erals, but increased
by 100. Before
proceeding, it should also be appreciated that the present invention focuses
particularly
upon providing a plenum apparatus 10 having at least two tiers, such as first
tier 100 and
CA 02453882 2003-12-18
BMM.P.0001 - 4 -
second tier 200, and may encompass a plenum apparatus 10 having any number of
tiers
interconnected according to this invention. The three tier plenum apparatus
shown in the
Figs. is a preferred embodiment that should be useful for most installation
applications.
Additionally, the last or bottom-most tier, here tier 300, preferably has a
slightly modified
configuration, as shown in the drawings, and tier 300 will therefore be
individually
disclosed, although an attempt is made to employ like numerals to those
employed in
disclosing tier 100, this time increased by 200. The "bottorn-most tier" is
designated as
such simply due to the orientation of the apparatus 10 in the Figs., and the
designation as
such is to be non-limiting. Finally, the bottom-most tier (e.g., tier 300) may
have a
configuration substantially identical to the other modular tiers (e.g., tiers
100, 200)
although, for ease of installation, the configuration shown is particularly
preferred. This
will be more ftilly understood as the disclosure continues.
In Figs. 2-5, first tier 100 is shown as including first corner section 102,
second
corner section 104, third corner section 106, and fourth corner section 108.
As perhaps
best appreciated in Figs. 1 and 3, these corner sections 102, 104, 106 and 108
are
interleaved to provide first tier 100 with a four-sided configuration.
Generally, this four-
sided configuration will be rectangular with each corner section 102, 104,
106, 108
including a bend 109 fortning a right angle A, although the invention is not
to be limited
to such an embodiment. It will be appreciated that the four-sided
configuration of each
tier, here first tier 100, can take on virtually any four--sided shape by
adjusting angle A
accordingly for each corner section 102, 104, 106 and 108. It should also be
appreciated
that, while the four-sided, generally rectangular configuration is
particularlypreferred and
believed to be of the greatest utility, the concept of the present invention
may be expanded
to provide tiers of other polygonal shapes. For example, five "corner
sections" could be
employed to provide a pentagonal shape, and six corner sections could be
employed to
provide an hexagonal shape. The more corner sections employed, the larger the
angle
(such as angle A) of each bend in each eorner section. Ultimately, with a
great number of
corner sections, the completed tier might take on a substantially circular
appearance. Thus,
the present invention is broadly disclosed as having tiers of "at least"
first, second, third,
and fourth corner sections. Still, the generally rectangular shape of the
embodiment of the
Figs. is believed to be the best and most useful mode for practicing this
invention.
In order that first, second, third, and fourth comer sections 102, 104, 106
and 108
CA 02453882 2003-12-18
BMM.P.0001 - 5 -
may be interleaved to provide a complete first tier 100, first and second
corner sections
102, 104 include outwardly extending mail slides 110 at their respective top
edges 112,
and include inwardly extending female guides 114 at their respective bottom
edges 116.
In a complimentary fashion, third and forth comer sections 106, 108 include
outwardly
extending fem.ale guides 118 at their respective top edges 120, and include
inwardly
extending male slides 122 at their respective bottom edges 124. Comer sections
102, 104,
106, and 108 are preferably constructed from a uratary piece of sheet metal,
more
preferably, 26 gauge galvanized sheet metal, although the present invention is
not limited
thereto or thereby. Indeed, it will be appreciated that corner sections 102,
104, 106, 108
need not be of unitary construction inasmuch as they might be fabricated from
separate
pieces of material suitably joined together, for example, through spot
wielding at their
corners (bend 109). Regardless of whether such elements of this invention
might be of
single or multiple piece construction, the terminology used herein,
designating such
elements as "comer sections" should be understood to cover such alternate
designs. When
constructed in the preferred, unitary construction manner, corner sections
102, 104, 106
and 108 are generally made by bending the sheet metal to create angle A, with
a portion
of the sheet metal being split at respective corners 126, both at respective
top edges 112,
120 and bottom edges 116, 124, in order to allow male slides 110, 122 and
female guides
114, 118 to be bent and formed.
It will be appreciated from Fig. 3 that corner section 102 is interleaved with
corner
sections 106 and 108; that corner section 104 is interleaved with corner
sections 106 and
108; that corner section 106 is interleaved with corner sections 102 and 104;
and that
corner section 108 is interleaved with conier sections 102 and 104. With
reference to Fig.
2, it can be seen that male slides 110 of corner sections 102, 104 fit within
female guides
118 of corner sections 106, 108, and, likewise, male slides 122 of corner
sections 106, 108
fit within female guides 114 of corner sections 1.02, 104. With this
configuration, it will
be appreciated that top tier 100 can be expanded or contracted independently,
in length and
width directions, because male slides 110 can telescope within female guides
118 and male
slides 122 can telescope within female guides 114. With this telescoping
configuration,
overlap 130 is provided between corner section 102 and 106, overlap 132 is
provided
between corner sections 104 and 106, overlap 134 is provided between corner
sections 102
and 108, and a similar overlap (not shown due to the cross-sectional view) is
provided
CA 02453882 2003-12-18
BMM.P.0001 - 6 -
between comer sections 104, 108. Overlaps 132, 134 allow top tier 100 to be
adjustable
in the width direction, while overlap 130 and the overlap not shown allow the
top tier 100
to be adjustable in the length direction. Appropriate fasteners 138 are
employed to connect
these overlapping areas once the desired size of plenum apparatus 10 is known
and
achieved through telescoping of the individual tiers of the device. Generally,
fasteners 138
would be screws, but other fastening means such as rivets and spot welding may
be used,
and the present invention is not limited to any type of fastener 138.
As mentioned, the configuration of second tier 200 is substantially identical
to the
configuration of tier 100, and like parts have received like numerals in the
Figs. although
increased by 100. Additionally tier 200, as shown, is telescoped in length and
width
dimensions in order that tier 200 can telescope within tier 100 in the height
dimension.
Comer sections 202, 204, 206, and 208 are preferably constructed from a
unitary piece of
sheet metal, although the present invention is not limited thereto or thereby.
When
constructed in this preferred manner, corner sections 202, 204, 206 and 208
are generally
made by bending the sheet metal to create angle A, with a portion of the sheet
metal being
split at respective comers 226, both at respective top edges 212, 220 and
bottom edge 216,
224, in order to allow male slides 210, 222 and female guides 214, 218 to be
bent and
formed. As disclosed with respect to tier 100, tier 200 might include corner
sections of
multiple piece consti-uction, and, when appropriate, might be formed of more
than four
"corner sections" (i.e., be pentagonal or hexagonal, etc.).
In the assembled diagram of Fig. 1, it will be appreciated that tier 100
provides
mounting flange 140, which is defined, at various sections, by either male
slides 110 or
female guides 118 or both (i.e., at overlaps 130, 132). Mounting flange 140
allows top
tier 100 to be connected to ductwork or another HVAC installation, with
appropriate
fasteners (not shown). Similarly, tier 100 provides tier-connecting flange
142, which is
defined, at various sections, by either male slides 122 or female guides 114
or both. Tier-
connecting flange 142 communicates with tier-connecting flange 240 of second
tier 200,
as perhaps best seen in Fig. 2. Although. flange 140 of first tier 100 is
designated as a "tier-
mounting flange" and flange 240 of second tier 200 is designated as a "tier-
connecting
flange" it should be appreciated that the configuration is substantiaily
identical. Tier-
connecting flange 240 is so named because it functions to help "connect" tier
200 to tier
100, more particularly, it limits the ultimate movement of tier 200 so that it
can rest within
CA 02453882 2003-12-18
BMM.P.0001 - 7 -
tier 100 as shown in the orientation in the Figs. In Fig. 2, it can be seen
that second tier
200 can telescope vertically within first tier 100, although the extent to
which it may
telescope is limited by contact between tier-connecting flanges 142, 240.
Also, it should
be appreciated that, given the structure of second tier 200, second tier 200
can be fully
removed from first tier 100 simply by pulling second tier 200 upwardly. 'This
is a simple
configuration for interconnecting first tier 100 and sec,ond tier 200 in that
mounting flange
140 extends outwardly and tier-connecting flange 142 extends inwardly.
R.eferring now to Fig. 11, it should be appreciated that clips 400 might be
employed
to connect modular tiers, such as tiers 100 and 200, especially, when a space
402 is
required between tier-connecting flanges 142, 240, in order to make the
composite plenum
apparatus fit within a given application. Clip 400 siniply includes two
vertical sections
404, 406 ("vertical" according to the orientation in Fig. 11) that are offset
by a horizontal
section 408, which is sized according to t1ie size of the tier-connecting
flange (in this case
flange 142) over which it must extend to bring vertical sections 404, 406 into
contact with
respective tiers 100, 200. Screws 410 (or other suitable fasteners) are
inserted through
vertical section 404, 406 to fix clip 400 and the relative degree of
telescoping between
associated tiers (here tiers 100, 200). Notably, clips 400 can also be seen in
Fig. 1. Clips
400 are preferred, and will generally be employed on two opposing sides of the
completed
plenum apparatus 10, near the corners of two associated modular tiers.
Continuing regarding the flanges, it should 'be appreciated that tier-
connecting
flange 142 can extend outwardly in the direction opposite that shown in the
drawings,
although second tier 200 would be required to take a complementary structure
(i.e. have
an inwardly extending tier-coniiecting flange 240) to interconnect with tier
100.
Additionally, this alternative configuration would be more difficult to
assemble into a
completed transitional telescoping plenum apparatus l. 0. Likewise, mounting
flange 140
may extend inwardly, although this is believed to be a more difficult
configuration with
which to work. In preferred modes, ifmiddle tiers (such as second tier 200)
are employed,
they are configured to interconnect and telescope with associated tiers (such
as tier 100 and
tier 300) as shown in the drawings and described above. Additionally, in
preferred modes,
the top-most tier (here tier 100) and the bottom-most tier (here tier 300)
both preferably
provide outwardly extending mounting flanges. (i.e., mounting flanges 140,
342), because
it is believed that outward:y extending mounting flanges are simply easier to
access during
CA 02453882 2003-12-18
BMM.P.0001 - 8 -
an installation.
Notably, and as mentioned above, in preferred embodiments, the bottom-most
tier
(here tier 300) is configured differently than other modular tiers (here tiers
100, 200).
More particularly, tier 300 (or the bottom-most tier) preferably provides two
outwardly
extending flanges. Thus, with reference to Figs. 2, 3, 6 and 7, it can be seen
that third tier
300 includes first comer section 302, second corner section 304, third corner
section 306
and forth comer section 308. These corner sections 302, 304, 306 and 308 are
interleaved
to provide third tier 300 with a four-sided configuration. To provide a
complete third tier
300, first and second corner sections 302, 304 include outwardly extending
male slides 310
at their respective top edges 312, and include outwardly extending male slides
314 at their
respective bottom edges 316. In a complementary fashion, third and fourth
corner sections
306, 308 include outwardly extending female guides 318 at their respective top
edges 320,
and include outwardly extending female guides 322 at their respective bottom
edges 324.
With reference to Fig. 3, it can be seen that male slides 310 and 314 of
corner sections 302,
304 respectively fit within female guides 318 and 322 of corner sections 306,
308 to create
a completed tier 300 that may telescope in length and width directions. As
with other
modular tiers (i.e., tier 100 and 200), overlap areas 330, 332, 334 are fixed
with
appropriate fasteners 338, once the desired size of plenum apparatus 10 is
known and
achieved through telescoping of the individual tiers ofthe device.
This bottom-most third tier 300 provides two outwardly extending flanges 340
and
342. Flange 340 is substantially similar to flanges 140 and 240, and functions
substantially
identically to tier-connecting flange 240. Thus, flange 340 is considered a
tier-connecting
flange. Flange 342, however, is somewhat different from tl'er-connecting
flanges 142,242
in that it extends outwardly. As mentioned above, thi.s is merely preferred
inasmuch as
flange 342, in the preferred embodiment, is provided to mount tier 300, and is
thus
considered a tier-mounting flange, as is flange 140 of tier 100.
As shown, tier 300 is telescoped in length and width dimensions in order that
tier
300 can telescope within tier 200 in the height dinnension. More particularly,
tier
connecting flange 340 functions to connect tier 300 to tier 200 by limiting
the movement
of tier 300 so that it can rest within tier 200 as shown in the orientation in
the figures. In
Fig. 2, it can be seen that third tier 300 can telescope vertically within
second tier 200,
although the extent to which it may telescope is limited by contact between
tier-connecting
CA 02453882 2003-12-18
BMM.P.0001 - 9 -
flanges 242, 340. Also, it should be appreciated that, given the structure of
third tier 300,
third tier 300 can be fully removed from second tier 200 (and first tier 100)
simply by
pulling third tier 300 upwardly. This is a simple configuration for
interconnecting third
tier 300 and second tier 200 in that mounting flange 240 extends outwardly and
tier
connecting flange 242 extends inwardly. However, as mentioned with respect to
other
modular tiers, various flanges can extend in different directions from that
shown in the
preferred embodiment, with the understanding that the structure of
communicating tiers
would be required to take a complimentary structure. Additionally, it will be
appreciated
that clips 400 might be employed to fix the degree of telescoping between tier
300 and tier
200.
Although the present invention is not to be limited to any particular
recitation of
dimensions, particularly preferred dimensions for the tiers 100, 200, 300 of
the preferred
embodiment are disclosed as being believed to be the most useful sizes to
employ in the
relevant market. Corner sections 102, 104, 106, 108 of tier 100 are preferably
12 inches
in their length and width directions, and are preferably 6 inches in height
from their
respective top edges 112, 120 to their respective bottom edges 122, 124. Male
slides 110
extend outwardly from top edge 112 to a length of proximately %2 inch, while
female guide
118, which receives male slide 110, extends outwardly from top edge 120 to
approximately
5/s inch and curves back upon itself (as shown) for approximately %a inch to
create the
completed guide 118. Male slide 122 extends inwardly from bottom edge 124 to a
distance of approximately 1/4 inch, whil.e female guide 112 extends inwardly
from bottom
edge 122 to a distance of approximately 3/8 inch, and bends back upon itself
to a distance
of approximately 1/4 inch to create the completed female guide 112. As with
tier 100,
corner sections 202, 204, 206, 208 are 12 inches in lengtli and width and
approximately
6 inches in height. Male slide 210 extends outwardly from top edge 212 to a
distance of
approximately'/4 inch, while female guide 218 extends outwardly from top edge
120 to a
distance of approximately 3/8 inch, and bends back upon itself to a distance
of about 1/4
inch. Male slide 214 extends inwardly from bottom edge 216 to a distance of
approximately'/4 inch, while female guide 214 extends inwardly from bottom
edge 216 to
a distance of approximately ;/s inch, and bends back upon itself to a distance
of
approximately r/4 inch. Corner sections 302, 304, 306, 308 of tier 300 are
also preferably
12 inches in length and width, and 6 inches in height. Male slide 310
preferably extends
CA 02453882 2003-12-18
BMM.P.0001 - 10 -
outwardly from top edge 312 to a distance of approximately 1/4 incli, while
female guide
318 extends outwardly from top edge 320 to a distance of approximately 3/8
inch, and
bends back upon itself to a distance of approximately 1/4 inch. Male slide 314
extends
outwardly from bottom edge 316 to a distance of approximately 1/2 inch, while
female
guide 322 extends outwardly from bottom edge 324 to a distance of
approximately 5/s inch,
and bends back upon itself to a distance of approximately %Z inch. It will be
appreciated
that, in the preferred embodiment, slide 314 and guide 322 are sized
sufficiently large to
provide an adequately sized tier-mounting flange 342.
The transitional telescoping plenum apparatus of this invention is intended to
allow
the interconnection of HVAC equipment to duct systems. The unit expands in
three
directions--length, width and height--and can fit virfually all applications.
These
applications are particularly suited for residential and light commercial
FIVAC package
equipment and split forced-air systems, although the present invention is not
limited to or
by such applications. The dimensions noted in the above disclosure are
believed to be the
most common sizes required to fit such typical HVAC equipment. It should be
noted,
however, that different dimensions can be used to accommodate different groups
of
equipment. Without limitation, the transitional telescoping plenum apparatus
of this
invention is designed to adapt gas and electric furnaces, air-handling units,
evaporated
coils, packaged forced air units, in-line air cleaners, air filter racks and
the like to duct
systems. It is intended to be used in both supply air and return air
connections, from the
equipment to the duct sysrem.
Perhaps the largest market that exists for the transitional telescoping plenum
apparatus of this invention is in the retrofit of HVAC equipment. Referring to
Figs. 8-10,
such a typical application is depicted. Fig. 8 shown an old furnace 500 being
removed
from a facility by cutting part of the duct system 502 at a cut line 504,
leaving a remainder
of the duct system designated in Fig. 9 as 506. With reference to Figs. 9 and
10, it is seen
that a new furnace 508 is put in place, and a cased evaporator coil 510 is
also positioned
between the remaining ductwork 506 and new furnace 508. A cap 512 is inserted
into the
remaining ductwork 506, where it was cut. Finally, a transitional telescoping
plenum
apparatus 10 is expanded in length and width and height dimensions in order to
attach it
between the new furnace 508 and the old duct system 506. Clips, such as clips
400, might
be employed to set the degree of telescoping, and, as is generally known in
the art,
CA 02453882 2003-12-18
BMM.P.0001 - 11 -
joint/seam duct sealant, such as silicone or Uni-MasticTM (United McGill), is
preferably
applied to all joints and seams within and between each modular tier and
joining duct
work. This is just one particular application for the transitional telescoping
plenum
apparatus according to this invention, and it will be appreciated that there
are many other
uses and applications, both within and outside of the HVAC field.
In light of the foregoing, it should thus be evident that the process of the
present
invention, providing a transitional telescoping plenum apparatus,
substantially improves
the art. While, in accordance with the patent statutes, only the preferred
embodiments of
the present invention have been described in detail hereinabove, the present
invention is
not to be limited thereto or thereby. Rather, the scope of the invention shall
include all
modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the attached
claims.
