# US 12,601,522 B2 · Drain pan adapter and a drain pan

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- Number: US 12,601,522 B2
- Document ID: US12601522B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/447,954
- Filed: 2023-08-10
- Published: 2024-02-15
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2022-08-12
- Assignees: Johnson Controls Light Commercial IP GmbH
- Applicants: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
- Inventors: Lingjun Meng; Lanson D. Owen; Lester D. Sherrow
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12601522B2

## CPC

- F24F 13/222: {for evacuating condensate}
- F28F 17/005: {Means for draining condensates from heat exchangers, e.g. from evaporators (F28B9/08 takes precedence)}
- F25B 39/02: Evaporators
- F28D 1/05366: {Assemblies of conduits connected to common headers, e.g. core type radiators}
- 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)
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)
- F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general)

## Abstract

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system may include a heat exchanger to condition an air flow, and conditioning the air flow may generate condensate. The HVAC system may also include a drain pan that collects the condensate and a drain pan adapter coupled between the drain pan and the heat exchanger. The drain pan adapter may include a coil receiver for engaging a portion of the heat exchanger and a retaining arm that reduces an amount of the air flow over the portion of the heat exchanger.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a heat exchanger configured to condition an air flow, wherein conditioning the air flow generates condensate;
a drain pan configured to collect the condensate; and
a drain pan adapter coupled between the drain pan and the heat exchanger, the drain pan adapter comprising:
a coil receiver configured to engage a portion of the heat exchanger; and
a retaining arm configured to reduce an amount of the air flow over the portion of the heat exchanger; wherein the coil receiver is configured to support at least a portion of a weight of the heat exchanger.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the drain pan adapter comprises a second retaining arm comprising one or more openings configured to direct the condensate from the portion of the heat exchanger to the drain pan.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The HVAC system of claim 2, wherein the second retaining arm is disposed downstream, relative to the air flow, of the heat exchanger.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The HVAC system of claim 3, wherein the retaining arm is disposed upstream, relative to the air flow, of the heat exchanger.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The HVAC system of claim 2, wherein a base of the drain pan adapter extends from the coil receiver through the one or more openings.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The HVAC system of claim 5, comprising a riser configured to raise the base of the drain pan adapter a height above a second base of the drain pan.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The HVAC system of claim 5, wherein the base is slopped away from the heat exchanger.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the coil receiver, the retaining arm, or a combination thereof is configured to reduce a lateral movement of the heat exchanger relative to a vertical axis parallel to gravity.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The HVAC system of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a microchannel evaporator, wherein the coil receiver comprises a complementary shape to a lower portion of the microchannel evaporator.

### Claim 10

A drain pan adapter comprising:
a coil receiver configured to engage a portion of a heat exchanger;
a retaining arm disposed on a first side of the coil receiver and comprising one or more openings; and
a further retaining arm on a second side, configured to reduce an amount of the air flow over the portion of the heat exchanger, wherein the second side is located opposite to the first side, wherein the coil receiver is configured to engage a portion of a heat exchanger between the first retaining arm and the second retaining arm; and
a base extending from the coil receiver and through the one or more openings and configured to direct condensate away from the portion of the heat exchanger and through the one or more openings.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The drain pan adapter of claim 10, comprising a second retaining arm disposed on a second side of the coil receiver, opposite the first side, and configured to reduce an amount of air flow over the portion of the heat exchanger.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The drain pan adapter of claim 11, wherein the base comprises a recessed portion configured to direct condensate from the second side of the coil receiver, under the coil receiver, and through the one or more openings.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The drain pan adapter of claim 10, wherein the coil receiver comprises a curved receiver configured to contact the portion of the heat exchanger.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The drain pan adapter of claim 13, wherein the retaining arm is disposed at a flared angle beyond a tangent of the curved receiver.

### Claim 15

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit, comprising:
an evaporator configured to condition an air flow, wherein conditioning the air flow generates condensate;
a drain pan configured to collect the condensate; and
a drain pan adapter coupled between the drain pan and the evaporator, the drain pan adapter comprising:
a coil receiver configured to engage a portion of the evaporator;
a retaining arm comprising one or more openings; and
a further retaining arm on a second side, configured to reduce an amount of the air flow over the portion of the heat exchanger, wherein the second side is located opposite to the first side, wherein the coil receiver is configured to engage a portion of a heat exchanger between the first retaining arm and the second retaining arm; and
a base extending from the coil receiver and through the one or more openings and configured to direct the condensate away from the portion of the evaporator and through the one or more openings.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The HVAC unit of claim 15, wherein the base is sloped away from the coil receiver and toward the one or more openings.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The HVAC unit of claim 15, wherein retaining arm is disposed on a downstream side, relative to the air flow, of the coil receiver, and wherein the drain pan adapter comprises a second retaining arm disposed on an upstream side, relative to the air flow, of the coil receiver, wherein the second retaining arm is configured to reduce an amount of the air flow over the portion of the evaporator.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The HVAC unit of claim 17, wherein the base is recessed beneath the coil receiver and configured to direct condensate from the upstream side and the downstream side of the coil receiver.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The HVAC unit of claim 15, comprising:
a compressor;
a condenser; and
a housing comprising the evaporator, the drain pan, the drain pan adapter, the compressor, and the condenser.