AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/558,007, titled “Concealed Air Conditioning Wall Cassette,” filed on Feb. 26, 2024, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

This disclosure relates to heating and cooling of structures.

2. Description of Related Art

Air conditioning systems can be used to cool habitable structures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the disclosure have other advantages and features which will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims, when taken in conjunction with the examples in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A-1G are diagrams that illustrate various views of an example air conditioning system and wall, according to one or more embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The figures and the following description relate to preferred embodiments by way of illustration only. It should be noted that from the following discussion, alternative embodiments of the structures and methods disclosed herein will be readily recognized as viable alternatives that may be employed without departing from the principles of what is claimed.

As used herein, a “wall unit” may refer to components of an air conditioning system that are contained within or coupled to a wall. Example components of a wall unit include a fan coil, a plenum, a return register, and a supply register. An air conditioning system may include multiple wall units (e.g., coupled to a single heat pump). A fan coil may refer to a heat transfer coil and a fan (also referred to as a blower).

Configuration Overview

The present disclosure describes a system that may provide zoned, quiet, and comfortable cooling for a room without buffeting people with cold air and stratification. The system may include a fan coil that increases (e.g., maximizes) output from the space between two wall studs and wall panels in a (e.g., conventional) light framed construction structure. The components of the fan coil may be concealed in the wall. A fan coil may be controlled via a wall mounted thermostat.

A system may provide precise, room by room (zoned) control of ambient temperature. It does so in an aesthetically pleasing manner because many components are positioned between two studs of a (e.g., conventionally) framed structure and substantially or entirely concealed behind the wall panels (e.g., typical gypsum board wall finish of a given room).

The system includes a supply register (also referred to as an output grille) near the ceiling and a return register (also referred to as an intake grille) near the floor. The return register may also be an access cover plate that can be used to service one or more components of the system by removing the return register. The return register can be quite small because it, for example, is only used to access a filter, condensate drain, and the fan which may be comparatively small (e.g., the filter, the condensate drain, and/or the fan are in a space behind the return register). The system may produce little noise because the compressor/condenser is mounted entirely outside the structure (e.g., home) thereby reducing or eliminating noise from the compressor/condenser from being heard within the interior of the structure.

In some embodiments, noise generation by the system is reduced because there is no other noise generating equipment inside the stud bay (also referred to as a cavity) beyond the fan concealed behind the wall panels (e.g., gypsum board). Furthermore, because the chilled air is directed vertically though an insulated plenum (also referred to as a duct), the noise may be further attenuated. The duct has a feature at its upper termination that turns the flow of the air 90° so that it exits the duct horizontally at the supply register. The air flow may be directed to stay near the ceiling, (e.g., above the occupant's ears) due to the Coanda effect, which can further attenuate noise. The result is that the chilled air flows across the room well above the occupant's head, thus avoiding the buffeting effect. Eventually, the Coanda effect is diminished to zero due to the loss of velocity and the higher density of the chilled air causes it to drift downward, evenly across the room, through the warmer layers of air, causing mixing of the two air temperatures resulting in the occupant(s) experiencing comfort to due to the general evenness of temperature and resulting in the reduction of stratification. Eventually, any remaining air that may have a temperature somewhat below the general ambient temperature of the room reaches the floor where it may be drawn into the return register positioned near the floor, to be recirculated through the blower, cooling coil, vertical plenum and supply register, causing more mixing of temperature layers, further reducing stratification.

The result may be a reduced stratification, quiet, non-buffeting, nearly invisible, zoned air conditioning system. One or more wall units of the system may be controlled by the same wall mounted thermostats as the heating system rather than handheld remote controls that are frequently misplaced. Because the system can include an integrated, self-contained wall unit that fits into (e.g., conventional) framing, it may have similar low installation costs of in room mini-splits with none of their drawbacks.

Introduction

Heat can be transferred from the outside of a habitable structure to the inside, or alternatively from the inside of a structure to the outside by use of a heat pump. Many heat pumps work on essentially the same principle: harnessing the thermodynamics of the phase state change of a refrigerant from liquid to gas or from gas to liquid.

When a refrigerant in a gaseous state is compressed, it becomes hotter thereby causing a first heat transfer coil to become hotter. When a fan forces air through a heated coil it generates warm air which can then heat a habitable structure. When that same refrigerant in a liquid state is allowed to expand to a gaseous state in a second heat transfer coil it becomes colder. When a fan forces air through this chilled coil, it can cool a habitable structure. In between these two coils are mechanical components utilizing electrical power to cause the compression or expansion of this refrigerant. This gas to liquid and liquid to gas cycle may be used for the air conditioning of homes (or other structures). However, the flow between the two coils may be reversed to alternatively heat habitable structures as well (e.g., during the winter months). Some embodiments described herein focus on a heat pump used to cool (air-condition) the interior of a habitable structure. But the same equipment installed for cooling can be utilized for heating as described above by reversing the flow of refrigerant. Furthermore, although the description herein refers to habitable structures (e.g., a home), the disclosure is not limited to habitable structures. Embodiments described herein may be used for inhabitable structures as well.

Air-conditioning to lower the ambient temperature in a habitable structure by use of a heat pump may be provided by a number of different system types. One type of air conditioner includes all of the heat pump components in a single enclosure mounted in a window opening. When air is forced through a heated fan coil located just outside of the window, it easily exhausts that heat to the outdoors. Conversely, when air is forced by fan through the interior chilled fan coil located just inside the structure, this chilled air cools the interior of the structure. The additional mechanical components are also located inside the single enclosure. These self-contained units are easy to install in a window opening and cool just one room. Similar self-contained versions containing all the components but mounted through an exterior wall rather than a window are commonly found in hotels because they do not impact the use of the window. Both of these self-contained air conditioning systems are unattractive, buffet the occupants with cold air (which reduces comfort) and tend to be noisy because all of the mechanical components transmit their noise of operation directly into the room being conditioned.

Another type of air conditioning system includes a similar all-in-one heat pump which like the types noted above must always be installed in an exterior wall because of the need for the outside fan coil to exhaust heat or cold to the outdoors. This exterior wall limitation may prevent its use in a given room if the exterior wall has extensive fenestration. This type of system is also severely limited in output because it must accommodate two sets of ducts, two fans, two heat transfer coils and the other mechanical components into the limited space between two studs in light framed construction. Because of the need to accommodate so many components, the cartridge for the system is necessarily large and therefore prominently visible within a room, compromising architectural aesthetics. Because the compressor/condenser components are housed in this cartridge, their noise of operation is easily transmitted to the interior of the structure.

In a “central air conditioning system,” the system is an added feature to a forced hot air heating system. Chilled air is generated by a cooling coil positioned in the supply plenum above the forced hot air furnace. The same blower in the furnace that forces air returned to the furnace by return air duct(s) through the heating plenum is also used to force the return air through the cooling coil during the season where the furnace is inactive and air conditioning is required. This chilled air is then forced though the same duct system and registers, used during the heating season, which delivers this chilled air to various rooms in a structure.

There are a number of drawbacks to furnace based air conditioning systems described above. First, heated air rises but cooled air falls. These facts mean that a duct/register system optimized for heating is necessarily upside down for cooling. The ducts direct the air flow to registers either in the ceiling or the floor. When in the ceiling, the hot air registers have vanes that direct the heated air flow more or less vertically downward in the direction of the floor with as much velocity as may be needed to reach the floor before the lower density of the heated air causes that same heated air to rise back to the ceiling. This causes stratification of the air temperatures, with the ceiling hotter than the floor, reducing comfort for the occupants. The occupants also experience a loss of comfort as they are buffeted by the strong vertical air flow attempting to force the heated air to the floor, further decreasing occupant comfort. When the same duct work and ceiling registers are utilized during the cooling season a steady stream of cooled air is directed to the floor where it tends to stay because it is denser than the surrounding air. The result is even more stratification, and more buffeting, resulting in even lower occupant comfort. Additionally, the increased velocity needed for this forcing of air downward increases the noise of such systems which is perceived negatively by occupants. The alternative is a duct system that directs air flow to floor registers. When this is the case, the floor registers have vanes that direct the flow laterally in an attempt to have the heated air linger near the floor before the convective forces due to the lower density of the heated air, cause the heated air to again rise to the ceiling, causing reduced occupant comfort. The same ducts and floor registers direct cooled air laterally causing it to stay near the floor resulting in extreme stratification reducing occupant comfort.

A “furnace-based cooling system” has a heat pump positioned outside of a structure for a variety of reasons. Most heat pumps are quite large because they contain a compressor, condenser, refrigerant, heat transfer coils, fans, controls, and other components to provide a source of chilled refrigerant. A furnace-based air conditioning system has one cooling coil mounted above a plenum of the furnace producing a single output temperature. This means all rooms in a structure receive the same supply air temperature even though the cooling load varies quite a bit from room to room. This is known as a single zone system which means only the one room that contains a thermostat is controlled to the desired temperature with other rooms frequently less comfortable because of lower or higher temperatures than the designated room with the thermostat. With a single source for all supplied cool air, the ducts are quite large and difficult to accommodate in a conventionally framed structure.

“Mini-split” systems are advantageous because of the above flaws in furnace-based systems. Mini-split systems include a comparatively large outdoor heat pump with a compressor, condenser, and other components as is necessary to supply chilled liquid refrigerant. In most cases there is a single outdoor unit which can supply refrigerant to multiple indoor units. These indoor units each have a fan coil. These indoor fan coils recirculate supply air and return air through a pair of registers that are positioned within inches of each other because they are integrated into a single enclosure mounted proud on a wall. Since there may be one of these units in each room, they naturally lend themselves to room-by-room control, also referred to as “zoning.”

Because each mini-split is independent of others installed throughout a structure, they can be controlled independently e.g., by a hand-held wireless remote control. These are easily misplaced and require batteries, as opposed to the wall mounted thermostats of furnace-based systems. The supply and return registers are close together and therefore not in close proximity to the floor or ceiling. Therefore, they are not particularly good at reducing stratification near the floor or ceiling. Perhaps one of their least attractive features is that they're clearly visible in a room, which may lead to consumers avoiding them because they detract from architectural aesthetics. They are also disadvantageous because they are noisy, and they can buffet occupants with air at a velocity that is uncomfortable.

Improved Air Conditioning Systems

FIGS. 1A-1G (“FIG. 1” collectively) are diagrams that illustrate various views of an example air conditioning system 100 and wall 101, according to one or more embodiments. FIGS. 1A-1G are described collectively herein. In FIG. 1, wall unit 138 includes components of air conditioning system 100 that are contained within and/or coupled to wall 101. FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional side view of wall unit 138 in wall 101. FIG. 1B is a perspective view of wall unit 138 outside of wall 101. FIG. 1C is a front perspective view of wall 101 with wall unit 138 in wall 101, where inner panel 102 is not illustrated. FIG. 1D is similar to FIG. 1C, except inner panel 102 is illustrated. FIG. 1E is similar to FIG. 1D, except inner panel portion 114 of inner panel 102 is labeled. FIG. 1F is a rear perspective view of wall 101 (with wall unit 138 in wall 101), illustrating the outer surface of outer panel 113. FIG. 1G is a diagram of wall unit 138 coupled to an outdoor heat pump 126.

Wall 101 is part of a room of a habitable structure. Wall 101 may be an interior wall (e.g., outer surfaces of the panels face the interior of the structure) or an exterior wall (e.g., outer surface of outer panel 113 faces an environment external to the structure. Wall 101 includes studs 107, top plate 108, bottom sill 110, inner panel 102, and outer panel 113.

Stud 107 is a vertical framing member used to support wall 101. Typically made of wood or steel, studs 107 are positioned between top plate 108 and bottom sill 110 of wall 101 and spaced at regular intervals (typically 16 or 24 inches on center) to provide structural integrity and create space e.g., for insulation, wiring, and plumbing. Top plate 108 is a horizontal structural member that runs along the top of wall 101. It may serve as a connection point for various structural elements, such as studs, beams, and rafters, and it may help distribute loads evenly across wall 101. Bottom sill 110 may be the lowest horizontal framing member in wall 101. It may serve as the base for vertical studs 107 and secures the wall structure to the foundation or subfloor, providing stability and alignment.

Inner panel 102 has an outer surface that faces the room and an inner surface that faces the wall studs 107 (and components of wall unit 138). Inner panel 102 conceals one or more components of wall unit 138 from the room. Inner panel 102 may provide a finished surface for the interior of the room, and it may conceal the wall's structural elements, insulation, and utilities, e.g., to offer a smooth and aesthetically pleasing surface. Inner panel portion 114 refers to a portion of inner panel 102 directly in front of wall unit 138. Inner panel portion 114 may be made of the same material as other portions of inner panel 102. Additionally, or alternatively, inner panel portion 114 may be flush with adjacent portions of inner panel 102.

Outer panel 113 has an inner surface that faces the studs 107 (and components of wall unit 138) and has an outer surface that faces away from wall unit 138, such as another room or an environment external to the habitable structure. Outer panel 113 conceals one or more components of wall unit 138 from the space behind wall 101, such as another room or an environment external to the habitable structure. Outer panel portion 116 refers to a portion of outer panel 113 directly behind wall unit 138. Outer panel portion 116 may be made of the same material as other portions of outer panel 113. Additionally, or alternatively, outer panel portion 116 may be flush with adjacent portions of outer panel 113.

Inner panel 102 and/or outer panel 113 may include or may be a gypsum board (e.g., a drywall board). A gypsum board may have gypsum wall surface finish. If wall 101 is an exterior wall (said differently, if outer panel 113 directly faces (or is directly exposed to) an environment external to the habitable structure), outer panel 113 may include or may be sheathing. Sheathing is a layer of material, such as plywood or oriented strand board (OSB), attached to the exterior side of the studs (e.g., 107) to provide structural stability and a base for exterior finishes.

Wall unit 138 of air conditioning system 100 is mounted inside cavity 136 of wall 101. Cavity 136 is formed by two vertical studs 107, a portion 114 of inner panel 102 (also referred to as inner panel portion 114), and a portion of outer panel 113 (also referred to as outer panel portion 116). For a standard light framed construction structure, cavity 136 may be fourteen and one-half inches wide or twenty-two and one-half inches wide (the width is the space between studs). The height of the cavity may be based on the distance between bottom sill 110 and top plate 108 (e.g., ninety-two and one-half inches in a typical eight foot one inch ceiling height, but which may be greater or less depending on the ceiling height). The typical depth of the cavity is either three and one-half inches or five and one-half inches.

In the example of FIG. 1, air conditioning system 100 includes wall unit 138, heat pump 126, and lines 128. Wall unit 138 includes supply register 106, plenum 105 (also referred to as duct), heat transfer coil 104 (e.g., a cooling coil), blower 103 (also referred to as a fan), return register 109, and network controller 111 (e.g., a wired or wireless controller).

Plenum 105 is a vertical plenum or duct. Plenum includes a 90° air flow turning feature at its upward terminus that directs air horizontally toward supply register 106.

Network controller 111 controls the operation of wall unit 138, one or more other wall units (e.g., in the structure), or air conditioning system 100. For example, responsive to a signal that the room is too hot, network controller 111 may turn on blower 103 to begin circulating air through wall unit 138, vary the speed of the blower, and/or vary the operating temperature of the heat transfer coil. Network controller 111 may be communicatively coupled to a (e.g., wall mounted) thermostat.

Return register 109 is an air inlet for air to enter wall unit 138. Return air enters wall unit 138 through return register 109. Return register 109 is positioned below supply register 106 and is near floor 120. For example, the upper edge of the vanes of return register 109 is two feet or less above floor 120. Return register 109 may be an access cover plate that, after return register 109 is removed, enables a person to service one or more internal components of wall unit 138. For example, after return register 109 is removed, wall unit 138 includes a service space 124 that enables a person to service one or more internal components. In some embodiments, wall unit 138 does not include any access cover plates except for return register 109 and/or return register 109 is the only access cover plate that enables a person to access one or more internal components of wall unit 138.

Supply register 106 is an air outlet for air conditioning system 100 that delivers conditioned air into the room. Supply register 106 is positioned above return register 109 and is near ceiling 118. For example, the upper edge of supply register is no greater than six inches from ceiling 118. Supply register 106 may include adjustable vanes 140 to control the direction and flow of the air. In some embodiments, vanes 140 direct the air upward and along the ceiling to induce the Coanda effect such that the air propagates along a surface of the ceiling.

Blower 103 is a fan that rotates to move air through wall unit 138. For example, blower 103 is positioned such that when it rotates, it draws air into return register 109, moves air through heat transfer coil 104, moves air through plenum 105, and pushes air into the room through supply register 106. Heat transfer coil 104 is a coil that receives chilled or heated liquid (e.g., water or refrigerant) from heat pump 126. Heat transfer coil 104 is positioned downstream of blower 103 in wall unit 138 so that air passing through heat transfer coil 104 will change temperature before propagating into plenum 105. Blower 103 and heat transfer coil 104 may be contained in housing 122, which fits within cavity 136.

Wall unit 138 may include an air filter behind return register 109 that filters air flowing into wall unit 138. Wall unit 138 may include a condensate drain configured to collect liquid moisture inside wall unit 138. Components of wall unit 138 may include one or more structures (e.g., a groove or pipe) that direct the liquid moisture to the condensate drain.

In some aspects, the blower 103, a condensate drain, and/or a filter is configured to be serviceable through return register 109. For example, the blower, condensate drain, and/or filter are positioned close enough to the return register that, after the return register is removed, a human (e.g., a service technician or homeowner) can reach in, remove the component, and install a new component (or clean or service the current component). In a more specific example, the blower, condensate drain, and/or filter are each positioned less than eighteen inches from the return register.

In some embodiments, wall unit 138 increases (e.g., maximizes) the distance between return register 109 and supply register 106. Doing so is helpful to reduce stratification. It may accomplish this by making (e.g., full) use of a conventionally framed stud bay volume (e.g., cavity 136), which, for example, is the horizontal distance between two studs 107, the vertical distance between bottom sill 110 and double top plate 108, and the distance between inner panel 102 and outer panel 113. Because these are all typically standardized dimensions in conventional light framed construction structures, these can be the basis for a consistently easy to install and (e.g., fully) integrated wall unit 138. Wall unit 138 may be standardized so that installers need not be trained in a variety of models. When ceiling heights vary, they can be accommodated by shortening or lengthening the plenum 105.

Visible components of wall unit 138 may be the (e.g., comparatively small) supply register 106 near the ceiling and the (e.g., comparatively small) return register 109. Many components in wall 101 need little or no service and are concealed behind the wall panels (e.g., with typical gypsum board wall finish) and/or the registers.

In most cases the cooling output from a single wall unit 138 is sufficient for moderate-sized rooms. In a larger room, multiples of these units 138 may be used. One of the major advantages of the present disclosure is the evenness of the distribution of cooling. Having a single unit in a large room might cause uneven cooling because the air stream would be focused on only one part of the room. By (e.g., evenly) spacing multiple units across a larger room increased even cooling may be accomplished. This is in part made possible by the wireless network controller 111. This allows one or more units to be controlled by a single wall mounted thermostat in the room.

The output of a wall unit 138 may be limited by the cubic feet per minute (CFM) of airflow from blower 103 as well as the operating temperature of the heat transfer coil 104 and its surface area. As illustrated in the example of FIG. 1, the cross-sectional volume between two studs 107 and the wall panels 102, 113 is utilized to accommodate a large (e.g., the largest possible) heat transfer coil 104. The coil surface area may be increased by stacking another coil above the first one. The cross-sectional volume between studs and wall panels 102, 113 may be used to accommodate a large (e.g., the largest possible blower) within that volume. The CFM of the blower 103 may also be increased by stacking another blower below the blower 103 indicated in FIG. 1.

As illustrated in the example of FIG. 1G, a heat pump 126 can provide, in some embodiments, a chilled refrigerant and in other embodiments, chilled water, to the heat transfer coil 104. The structure in FIG. 1G that contains the heat pump 126 may also include other components used to operate the heat pump 126, such as a compressor and an expansion tank. The heat pump 126 is external to the structure. This externally mounted heat pump 126 has supply and return lines 128 that carry heated or cooled water, refrigerant, or another heat transfer fluid through the external envelope 130 of the structure to wall unit 138. Note that if the structure includes multiple wall units, heat pump 126 may be coupled to those wall units as well (e.g., via additional supply and return lines) and be capable of supplying chilled (or heated) liquid to each of those wall units. Because the heat pump 126 is located outside 132 of the structure (e.g., outside of and, in some embodiments, at some distance from the structure), noise generated by the heat pump 126 is isolated from the inside environment 134 of the structure. By mounting the heat pump 126 outside of the structure (as opposed to inside the structure (e.g., in a wall or window)), there is little restriction of the overall size of the heat pump 126. This allows for design freedom to increase (e.g., maximize) performance, capacity, energy efficiency, serviceability, or any combination thereof. Additionally, by placing heat pump 126 not inside wall 101, this provides additional space in the cavity for other components or to increase the size of other components. For example, blower 103 and/or heat transfer coil 104 may be larger compared to a system that includes a heat pump in the cavity of the wall, which may increase the cooling (or heating) capacity (e.g., a larger heat transfer coil 104 may provide more cooling) and/or reduce noise (e.g., a larger fan may be quieter than a smaller fan (because a smaller fan may rotate faster than a larger fan to achieve a similar CFM)).

If heat pump 126 provides water to heat transfer coil 104 instead of refrigerant, the system 100 may have several advantages. Firstly, lines carrying water can be run comparatively long distances from the heat pump 126 compared to lines carrying refrigerant. This may enable heat pump 126 to be positioned farther from wall 101, which may further reduce noise (e.g., heard in the room). Additionally, lines carrying water can be handled by conventional plumbers instead of the specialized trades that handle refrigerant lines, thus reducing potential service and repair costs.

Heat pumps (e.g., 126) are capable of being bi-directional. This means that (e.g., in the summer) they can pump heat out of a structure (e.g., a home) to the ambient outside air, and by reversing the flow within the heat pump, heat can be extracted (pumped) from the ambient outside air, making it possible for the heat transfer coil to be a heating coil instead of a cooling coil. Therefore, another embodiment of the present disclosure is the ability to change from a cooling system (e.g., in the warmer months) to a heating system (e.g., in the colder months).

Example Improved Air Conditioning Systems

Some aspects relate to a means of cooling or heating a habitable structure comprised of a heat pump (e.g., 126) positioned outside (e.g., 132) of a structure which provides a heat transfer fluid that may be water, refrigerant or other suitable fluid, which is circulated to a fan coil (e.g., 104 and 103) installed within an exterior or interior light framed wall (e.g., 101) of a habitable structure within a volume in the wall (e.g., cavity 136) defined by two studs (e.g., 107) within the wall, and the gypsum board (e.g., 102 and 113) that encloses the volume between the two studs in the case of an interior wall or alternatively the volume defined by exterior wall finish (e.g., 113) and gypsum board (e.g., 102) in the case of an exterior wall, the fan coil including a heat transfer coil (e.g., 104), a fan (e.g., 103), a supply register (e.g., 106), a return register (e.g., 109) (the return register may act as an access panel as well to maintain or service components), controls, a means of directing condensate (e.g., to the exterior of the structure). The means of directing condensate may be a pipe that directs condensate water to an appropriate drain. This may be aided by a condensate pump that pumps the water to the drain. Regarding the control, one or more wall units may wirelessly communicate central controller that controls the operation of the heat pump (e.g., via an algorithm that optimizes operating temperature and pumping speeds in response to data wirelessly supplied by a thermostat in each room that has a wall unit as well as the outside environment air temperature).

Some aspects relate to an air conditioning system (e.g., 100) for a (e.g., habitable) structure, the air conditioning system including: a return register (e.g., 109) configured to intake return air from a room with a wall (e.g., 101), the return register configured to be positioned at a first panel (e.g., 102) of the wall near a floor (e.g., 120) of the room; a supply register (e.g., 106) configured to output chilled air into the room, the supply register configured to be positioned at the first panel of the wall above the return register and positioned near a ceiling (e.g., 118) of the room; a blower (e.g., 103) in a cavity (e.g., 136) of the wall formed by or between two studs (e.g., 107), a portion (e.g., 114) of the first panel, and a portion (e.g., 116) of a second panel of the wall, the blower configured to draw return air from the room through the return register; a heat transfer coil (e.g., 104) in the cavity of the wall and positioned to receive air from the blower and chill the air; and a vertical plenum (e.g., 105) in the cavity of the wall and arranged to carry chilled air from the heat transfer coil to the supply register.

In some aspects, the blower, coil, and vertical plenum are concealed in the wall (e.g., not visible from the room due to the first panel). In some aspects, the air conditioning system further includes a housing (e.g., 122) configured to contain the blower and the heat transfer coil, wherein the housing is contained within the cavity. In some aspects, the housing and the vertical plenum in the cavity of the wall are not visible by someone in the room and/or are not visible by someone outside of the room. In some aspects, the housing and the vertical plenum in the cavity of the wall are not visible by someone on either side of the wall.

In some aspects, the portion of the first panel that partly forms the cavity is flush with an adjacent portion of the first panel of the wall (e.g., the portion of the first panel is flush with the rest of the first panel), and/or the portion of the second panel that partly forms the cavity is flush with an adjacent portion of the second panel of the wall (e.g., the portion of the first panel is flush with the rest of the first panel). In some aspects, the portion of the first panel is made of the same material as the first panel and/or the portion of the second panel is made of the same material as the second panel. In some aspects, the portions of the panels do not extend into the room or away from the room relative to adjacent portions of the panels (e.g., relative to the rest of the panels). In some aspects, the first panel of the wall and/or the second panel of the wall extends (e.g., horizontally) past the two studs. For example, the first panel and/or the second panel extends to a first pair of studs on either side of the two studs, extends to a second pair of studs on either side of the first pair of studs, or extends to corners of the room.

In some aspects, the first panel and/or the second panel is a gypsum board and/or sheathing. In some aspects, the portion of the first panel that partly forms the cavity includes a gypsum board wall finish on a surface facing the room.

In some aspects, the second panel includes a (e.g., outer) surface facing an environment external to the structure or facing. In some aspects, the second panel includes a surface.

In some aspects the wall is an interior wall. For example, each wall panel has outer surfaces that face the interior of the structure.

In some aspects, the supply register includes vanes (e.g., including vane 140) configured to direct the chilled air at an upward angle toward the ceiling to induce the Coanda effect such that the chilled air propagates along the ceiling surface.

In some aspects, the studs are part of a standard frame structure for walls of habitable structures. In some aspects, the studs are arranged according to a standard frame structure for walls of habitable structures. In some aspects, the two studs of the wall are spaced apart from each other according to standard dimensions of the standard frame structure for walls of habitable structures (e.g., the studs are sixteen inches apart).

In some aspects, the air conditioning system further includes: a heat pump (e.g., 126) exterior to the cavity (e.g., exterior to the room and/or to the structure); and a line (e.g., 128) carrying (e.g., chilled) water from the heat pump to the heat transfer coil. In some aspects, the heat pump is positioned exterior to the structure. In some aspects, the cavity does not contain a heat pump (said differently, the heat pump is not in the cavity). More generally, in some aspects, the wall does not contain a heat pump (said differently, the heat pump is not in the wall). Among other advantages, by having a heat pump not in the wall, the wall may be in interior wall (or an exterior wall). Since a heat pump may exhaust hot air during operation, a system with a heat pump in the wall requires the wall be an exterior wall so the hot air can be exhausted to the external environment.

In some embodiments the air conditioning system does not include a refrigerant compressor in the wall (e.g., in the cavity). In some aspects, the air conditioning system does not include a plenum in the wall (e.g., in the cavity) that is configured to carry air to or from the external environment. In some aspects, the air conditioning system does not include a register configured to transfer air (a) to the external environment from inside the wall (e.g., the cavity) or (b) from the external environment into the wall (e.g., the cavity).

In some aspects, the blower, a condensate drain, and/or a filter upstream of the blower is configured to be serviceable through the return register. For example, the blower, condensate drain, and/or filter are positioned close enough to the return register that, after the return register is removed, a human (e.g., a service technician or homeowner) can reach in, remove the blower, condensate drain, and/or filter, and install a new blower, condensate drain, and/or filter (or service or maintain the current component). In another example, the condensate drain, blower and/or filter is positioned less than eighteen inches from the return register.

Other aspects include components, devices, systems, improvements, methods, processes, applications, computer readable mediums, and other technologies related to any of the above.

Additional Considerations

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been presented for the purpose of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the patent rights to the precise forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure.

Some portions of this description describe the embodiments in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are commonly used by those skilled in the data processing arts to convey the substance of their work effectively to others skilled in the art. These operations, while described functionally, computationally, or logically, are understood to be implemented by computer programs or equivalent electrical circuits, microcode, or the like.

Furthermore, it has also proven convenient at times, to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules, without loss of generality. The described operations and their associated modules may be embodied in software, firmware, hardware, or any combinations thereof.

Throughout this specification, some embodiments have used the expression “coupled” along with its derivatives. The term “coupled” is not necessarily limited to two or more elements being in direct physical or electrical contact. Rather, the term “coupled” may also encompass two or more elements that are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still co-operate or interact with each other.

The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, “or” refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present).

Any of the steps, operations, or processes described herein may be performed or implemented with one or more hardware or software modules, alone or in combination with other devices. In one embodiment, a software module is implemented with a computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium containing computer program code, which can be executed by a computer processor for performing any or all of the steps, operations, or processes described.

Embodiments may also relate to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, and/or it may comprise a general-purpose computing device selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium, or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, which may be coupled to a computer system bus. Furthermore, any computing systems referred to in the specification may include a single processor or may be architectures employing multiple processor designs for increased computing capability. Any computing systems including multiple processors may operate the multiple processors individually or collectively.

Embodiments may also relate to a product that is produced by a computing process described herein. Such a product may comprise information resulting from a computing process, where the information is stored on a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium and may include any embodiment of a computer program product or other data combination described herein.

Finally, the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the patent rights. It is therefore intended that the scope of the patent rights be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based hereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of the embodiments is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the patent rights, which is set forth in the following claims.