# US 10,767,893 B2 · Embedded heat exchanger with support mechanism

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,767,893 B2
- Document ID: US10767893B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/493,777
- Filed: 2017-04-21
- Published: 2017-08-10
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2002-03-06
- Applicants: John Chris Karamanos
- Inventors: John Chris Karamanos
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767893B2

## CPC

- F24F 13/0272: {Modules for easy installation or transport}
- B23P 15/26: heat exchangers {or the like (making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02)}
- F16L 3/08: substantially surrounding the pipe, cable or protective tubing
- F24F 1/0063: by the mounting or arrangement of the heat exchangers
- F24F 1/26: Refrigerant piping
- F24F 5/0003: {Exclusively-fluid systems}
- F24F 13/0245: {Manufacturing or assembly of air ducts; Methods therefor}
- F28F 9/002: {with fastening means for other structures}
- F28F 9/0246: {Arrangements for connecting header boxes with flow lines}
- F28F 27/02: for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels ({static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026}; arrangements of guide plates or guide vanes F28F9/22, F28F25/12)
- B23P 2700/09: Heat pipes
- F24F 2221/12: transportable
- F24F 2221/36: Modules, e.g. for an easy mounting or transport
- Y10T 29/4935: Heat exchanger or boiler making
- Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining
- F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02)
- B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q)
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A zone-control unit for use in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the zone-control unit includes a heat exchanger, an inlet piping assembly coupled with the heat exchanger for supplying fluid to the heat exchanger, an outlet piping assembly coupled with the heat exchanger for receiving fluid from the heat exchanger, a bracket that maintains the inlet piping assembly and the outlet piping assembly in positional relationship, and an ancillary component coupled with the heat exchanger.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A portable system, comprising:
a first shipping bracket that operatively connects an inlet pipe of a thermal transfer unit and an outlet pipe of the thermal transfer unit to a mechanical terminal unit, duct or the thermal transfer unit;
a second shipping bracket that operatively connects the inlet pipe of the thermal transfer unit and the outlet pipe of the thermal transfer unit to the mechanical terminal unit, the duct or the thermal transfer unit; and
a control valve located between the first shipping bracket and the second shipping bracket,
wherein the first shipping bracket comprises a first opening that structurally supports the inlet pipe and a second opening that structurally supports the outlet pipe, wherein first shipping bracket and the second shipping bracket support the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe during movement and operation of the portable system, and wherein the first opening and the second opening of the first shipping bracket are associated with a rubber grommet that isolates the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe from the first shipping bracket.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The portable system of claim 1, wherein the second shipping bracket comprises a third opening that structurally supports the inlet pipe and a fourth opening that structurally supports the outlet pipe.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The portable system of claim 1, wherein the first shipping bracket retains a defined space distance between a first central longitudinal axis defined by the inlet pipe and a second longitudinal axis defined by the outlet pipe.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The portable system of claim 1, wherein the first shipping bracket maintains a relative position between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The portable system of claim 1, wherein the rubber grommet associated with the first opening and the second opening of the first shipping bracket comprises a nitrile rubber material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The portable system of claim 2, wherein the third opening and the fourth opening of the second shipping bracket are associated with a rubber grommet that isolates the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe from the second shipping bracket.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The portable system of claim 1, wherein the control valve assembly is associated with the outlet pipe.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The portable system of claim 7, wherein a first handle is formed with the first shipping bracket and a second handle is formed with the second shipping bracket.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The portable system of claim 1, wherein the first shipping bracket and the second shipping bracket are connected to at least one of a duct, a coil/thermal transfer casing, a plenum, and a chilled beam.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The portable system of claim 1, wherein the first shipping bracket comprises a first clamp secured around the inlet pipe, wherein the first clamp operatively connects the inlet pipe to a first fastener, wherein the first shipping bracket comprises a second clamp secured around the outlet pipe, and wherein the second clamp operatively connects the outlet pipe to the second fastener.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The portable system of claim 10, wherein the first fastener and the second fastener are round rods, and wherein the first clamp and the second clamp are round clamps.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The portable system of claim 1, wherein the portable system is a pre-assembled heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit that circulates water through the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The portable system of claim 1, wherein the inlet pipe is operatively connected to an input of the thermal transfer unit and the outlet pipe is operatively connected to an output of the thermal transfer unit.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The portable system of claim 1, wherein the first opening comprises a material that reduces galvanic corrosion between the first shipping bracket and the inlet pipe, and wherein the second opening comprises the material that reduces the galvanic corrosion between the second shipping bracket and the outlet pipe.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The portable system of claim 1, further comprising a box enclosure that provides enclosure of at least a portion of the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe.

### Claim 16

A system, comprising:
a shipping bracket package comprising at least one shipping bracket, a thermal transfer unit having pipes, a valve coupled to at least one of the pipes, and at least one of: a mechanical terminal unit, a coil, or a duct, wherein the at least one shipping bracket is configured to mitigate damage to the system during transportation from a fabrication site, and wherein the at least one shipping bracket is:
configured to couple to an inlet pipe of the thermal transfer unit prior to the transportation or configured to couple to an outlet pipe of the thermal transfer unit prior to the transportation; and
configured to couple the inlet pipe or the outlet pipe to at least one of the mechanical terminal unit, the coil, or the duct prior to the transportation, wherein the at least one shipping bracket comprises a surface with a first opening that securely engages the inlet pipe or a second opening that securely engages the outlet pipe.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, the shipping bracket package further comprising an external object, and wherein the at least one shipping bracket comprises a third opening configured to securely engage to the external object during the transportation to the installation site.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one shipping bracket is further configured according to a positional relationship protocol that is determined to maintain the inlet pipe in a positional relationship with the outlet pipe during the transportation to the installation site.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one shipping bracket is further configured according to a distance protocol that is determined to retain a defined spatial distance between a first central longitudinal axis defined by the inlet pipe and a second longitudinal axis defined by the outlet pipe.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one shipping bracket is further configured according to a relative position protocol that is determined to maintain a relative position between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe.

### Claim 21 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one shipping bracket comprises a first rubber grommet that isolates the inlet pipe from the at least one shipping bracket, and a second rubber grommet that isolates the outlet pipe from the at least one shipping bracket.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the third opening is a rectangularly-shaped hole.

### Claim 23 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the shipping bracket is configured as a box enclosure that provides at least partial enclosure of at least a portion of the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, wherein the box enclosure comprises the first opening that structurally supports the inlet pipe and the second opening that structurally supports the outlet pipe on a first side of the box enclosure, and wherein the box enclosure comprises a third opening that structurally supports the inlet pipe and a fourth opening that structurally supports the outlet pipe on a second side of the box enclosure.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The system of claim 24, wherein the first opening and the third opening comprise a material that reduces galvanic corrosion between the box enclosure and the inlet pipe, and wherein the second opening and the fourth opening comprise the material that reduces the galvanic corrosion between the box enclosure and the outlet pipe.

### Claim 26 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the first opening comprises a material that reduces galvanic corrosion between the shipping bracket and the inlet pipe, and wherein the second opening comprises the material that reduces the galvanic corrosion between the shipping bracket and the outlet pipe.

### Claim 27 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one shipping bracket comprises a corrosion mitigation element that mitigates galvanic corrosion at an interface between the inlet pipe and the at least one shipping bracket or between the outlet pipe and the at least one shipping bracket.

### Claim 28 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one shipping bracket is a fastener or a rod that couples to the inlet pipe or the outlet pipe.

### Claim 29 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one shipping bracket that is configured to mitigate damage during the transportation mitigates damage to a piping structure comprising at least one of the inlet pipe or the outlet pipe during the transportation.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The system of claim 29, wherein the at least one shipping bracket that is configured to mitigate damage during the transportation mitigates damage or leaks to the piping structure during the transportation.

### Claim 31

A method comprising:
coupling a shipping bracket package, comprising a first bracket and a second bracket, to a heating, ventilation, and air condition (HVAC) device comprising a valve, wherein the coupling the shipping bracket package is in response to a determination that the HVAC device is to be transported to a site where the HVAC device is to be installed, wherein the coupling the shipping bracket package is determined to mitigate damage to the HVAC device during transportation, and wherein the coupling the shipping bracket package comprises:
prior to the transportation, coupling the first bracket between a first pipe assembly of a thermal transfer unit of the HVAC device and a mechanical terminal unit or a duct of the HVAC device; and
prior to the transportation, coupling the second bracket between a second pipe assembly of the thermal transfer unit and the mechanical terminal unit or the duct, wherein the first pipe assembly or the second pipe assembly comprises the valve.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, further comprising:
forming a first opening in the first bracket;
forming a second opening in the second bracket; and
positioning the first opening of the first bracket at a defined space distance from the second opening of the second bracket, wherein the defined space distance is a distance between a first central longitudinal axis defined by the first pipe assembly and a second longitudinal axis defined by the second pipe assembly.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32, further comprising:
inserting a first rubber grommet in the first opening, wherein the first rubber grommet is configured to secure the first pipe assembly during the transportation; and
inserting a second rubber grommet in the second opening, wherein the second rubber grommet is configured to secure the second pipe assembly during the transportation.

### Claim 34 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein the coupling the first bracket comprises coupling a first fastener or a first rod between the first pipe assembly of the thermal transfer unit and the mechanical terminal unit, and wherein the coupling the second bracket comprises coupling a second fastener or a second rod between the second pipe assembly of the thermal transfer unit and the mechanical terminal unit.

### Claim 35 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein a union between the first bracket and the first pipe assembly comprises a material that reduces galvanic corrosion between the first bracket and the first pipe assembly, and wherein a union between the second bracket and the second pipe assembly comprises the material that reduces galvanic corrosion between the second bracket and the second pipe assembly.

### Claim 36 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein the coupling the shipping bracket package further comprises enclosing at least a portion of the first pipe assembly and the second pipe assembly via a box enclosure.

### Claim 37 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, further comprising, in response to the coupling the shipping bracket package, determining that the HVAC device is in condition for the transportation to the site and to install at the site as a completed product.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The method of claim 37, further comprising, prior to the transportation, determining that the completed product passes seismic certification standards.

### Claim 39

A system, comprising:
a thermal transfer unit;
an inlet pipe of the thermal transfer unit;
an outlet pipe of the thermal transfer unit;
a valve coupled to at least one of the inlet pipe or the outlet pipe; and
a shipping bracket that mitigates damage to the system during transportation of the system, wherein the shipping bracket, prior to the transportation, operatively couples the inlet pipe or the outlet pipe to a mechanical terminal unit of the system or a duct of the system, wherein the shipping bracket structurally supports the inlet pipe or the outlet pipe in a manner that is determined to mitigate harm to the system during the transportation to a site in which the system is to be installed, and wherein the shipping bracket is located between the valve and the thermal transfer unit.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

The system of claim 39, wherein the shipping bracket comprises:
a first opening comprising a material that reduces galvanic corrosion between the shipping bracket and the inlet pipe; or a second opening comprising the material that reduces the galvanic corrosion between the shipping bracket and the outlet pipe.

### Claim 41 (depends on 39)

The system of claim 39, further comprising a box enclosure that provides enclosure of at least a portion of the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe.