# US 11,112,142 B2 · Cover assembly for an opening in a bulkhead of an air conditioner unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,112,142 B2 - Document ID: US11112142B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/154,863 - Filed: 2018-10-09 - Published: 2020-04-09 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-09 - Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Applicants: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Inventors: Wilbur Carl Bewley, Jr.; Robert William Jewell; Stephen D. Hatcher - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11112142B2 ## CPC - F24F 13/20: Casings or covers - F24F 1/027: mounted in wall openings, e.g. in windows - F24F 1/029: characterised by the layout or mutual arrangement of components, e.g. of compressors or fans - F24F 13/24: Means for preventing or suppressing noise - 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) ## Abstract An air conditioner unit and cover assembly therefore are provided. In one exemplary aspect, the air conditioner unit includes a bulkhead that defines an indoor portion and an outdoor portion of the unit. A wall of the bulkhead defines an opening that is accessible from the outdoor portion of the unit and is sized to allow various components to be accessed, serviced, and assembled through the opening. The unit includes a removable cover assembly that includes a cover and a gasket. The cover assembly and the wall of the bulkhead include various features for sealing the perimeter of the opening and for guiding one or more wires into the opening. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An air conditioner unit defining a vertical direction, the air conditioner unit comprising: a bulkhead defining an indoor portion and an outdoor portion, the bulkhead having a wall defining an opening and having an indoor surface facing the indoor portion and an outdoor surface facing the outdoor portion, the wall defining a bulkhead bead projecting outward from the outdoor surface and extending at least partially around the opening, the bulkhead bead being formed by a first angled surface and a second angled surface meeting at a ridge; and a cover assembly for covering the opening, the cover assembly comprising: a cover; and a gasket disposed between the cover and the outdoor surface of the wall and in sealing engagement with the bulkhead bead, the gasket having a sealing portion defining a gasket bead projecting outward therefrom and extending at least partially around the sealing portion such that the gasket bead is in sealing engagement with the cover, and wherein the gasket bead is formed by a first angled surface and a second angled surface that together define a depression, and wherein the bulkhead bead extends into and substantially fills the depression such that the first and second angled surfaces of the bulkhead bead engage the first and second angled surfaces of the gasket bead, respectively. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The air conditioner unit of claim 1, wherein the gasket bead projecting outward from the sealing portion of the gasket is axially aligned with the bulkhead bead projecting outward from the wall of the bulkhead. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The air conditioner unit of claim 1, wherein the sealing portion of the gasket defines a gasket opening and has an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the inner surface of the sealing portion is in sealing engagement with the outdoor surface of the wall and the outer surface of the sealing portion is in sealing engagement with the cover. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The air conditioner unit of claim 1, wherein the sealing portion of the gasket defines an outer flange extending at least partially around the sealing portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The air conditioner unit of claim 4, wherein the cover has a flange extending along an outer periphery of the cover, and wherein the flange of the cover is in sealing engagement with the outer flange of the gasket. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The air conditioner unit of claim 5, wherein a drain is defined by the cover and the gasket between the outer flange of the gasket and the gasket bead projecting outward from the sealing portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The air conditioner unit of claim 1, wherein the gasket extends between a top end and a bottom end, and wherein the gasket has a wire guide extending from the sealing portion at the bottom end, and wherein the wire guide defines one or more wire passages. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The air conditioner unit of claim 7, wherein the one or more wire passages each extend between an exterior end and an interior end, and wherein the exterior ends of the one or more wire passages are defined by the wire guide at or proximate the bottom end of the gasket and the interior ends of the one or more wire passages are defined by the wire guide at or proximate a gasket opening defined by the sealing portion of the gasket. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The air conditioner unit of claim 1, wherein the cover extends between a top end and a bottom end, and wherein the cover has a ramp portion that has one or more angled surfaces that are angled with respect to the vertical direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The air conditioner unit of claim 9, wherein the one or more angled surfaces of the ramp portion include a top ramp surface angled with respect to the vertical direction, a middle ramp surface angled with respect to the vertical direction, and a bottom ramp surface extending substantially parallel with the vertical direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The air conditioner unit of claim 1, wherein the bulkhead bead projecting outward from the outdoor surface of the wall extends entirely around the opening. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The air conditioner unit of claim 1, wherein the bulkhead bead has a triangular cross section. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The air conditioner unit of claim 1, wherein the wall of the bulkhead has an angled portion that is angled with respect to the vertical direction, and wherein the angled portion of the wall defines the opening. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The air conditioner unit of claim 13, wherein the angled portion of the wall is angled with respect to the vertical direction by at least thirty degrees (30°). ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The air conditioner unit of claim 1, further comprising: a removable panel mounted to the bulkhead such that the removable panel and the wall define an enclosure, and wherein the opening defined by the wall provides access to the enclosure from the outdoor portion of the air conditioner unit. ### Claim 16 An air conditioner unit defining a vertical direction, the air conditioner unit comprising: a bulkhead defining an indoor portion and an outdoor portion, the bulkhead having a wall defining an opening and having an indoor surface facing the indoor portion and an outdoor surface facing the outdoor portion, the outdoor surface of the wall defining a bulkhead bead projecting outward therefrom and extending around the opening, the bulkhead bead being formed by a first angled surface and a second angled surface meeting at a ridge; and a cover assembly for covering the opening, the cover assembly comprising: a cover; and a gasket disposed between the cover and the outdoor surface of the wall, the gasket having a sealing portion defining a gasket bead projecting outward therefrom and extending around the sealing portion, wherein the gasket bead is in sealing engagement with the cover and the bulkhead bead is in sealing engagement with the sealing portion of the gasket, and wherein the ridge of the bulkhead bead and a ridge of the gasket bead are substantially aligned, and wherein the gasket bead is formed by a first angled surface and a second angled surface that together define a depression, and wherein the bulkhead bead extends into and substantially fills the depression such that the first and second angled surfaces of the bulkhead bead engage the first and second angled surfaces of the gasket bead, respectively. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The air conditioner unit of claim 16, wherein a drain is defined by the cover and the gasket between an outer flange of the gasket and the gasket bead projecting outward from the sealing portion, and wherein the gasket extends between a top end and a bottom end, and wherein the gasket has a wire guide extending from the sealing portion at the bottom end, and wherein the wire guide defines one or more wire passages and one or more drain passages in fluid communication with the drain and configured for draining liquid therefrom. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The air conditioner unit of claim 17, wherein the gasket extends between a first side and a second side, and wherein the wire guide has a top portion having a first angled surface that is sloped downward from a middle of the wire guide toward the first side along the vertical direction and a second angled surface that is sloped downward from the middle of the wire guide toward the second side along the vertical direction such that the first and second angled surfaces form a ridge at the middle of the wire guide at the top portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The air conditioner unit of claim 16, wherein the wall of the bulkhead defines one or more alignment openings, and wherein the sealing portion of the gasket defines one or more alignment posts projecting inward therefrom that are each insertable into an associated one of the one or more alignment openings. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The air conditioner unit of claim 16, wherein the depression defined by the gasket bead has a triangular cross section and the bulkhead bead has a triangular cross section shaped complementary to the triangular cross section of the depression.