Sensor mounting panel for an energy recovery ventilator unit

Abstract

An energy recovery ventilator unit. The unit comprises a sensor mounting panel removably coupled to an outer surface of a cabinet, wherein the sensor mounting panel is configured to hold a plurality of sensors configured to measure the atmospheric environment inside of one or more of an intake zone, a supply zone, or a return zone housed inside of the cabinet.

1 . An energy recovery ventilator unit, comprising:
 a sensor mounting panel removably coupled to an outer surface of a cabinet, wherein the sensor mounting panel is configured to hold a plurality of sensors configured to measure the atmospheric environment inside of one or more of an intake zone, a supply zone, or a return zone housed inside of the cabinet.   
     
     
         2 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein each of the sensors are connected to the sensor mounting panel by quick connect/disconnect plugs. 
     
     
         3 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors held to the sensor mounting panel includes one or more temperature sensor, pressure sensor and humidity sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the sensors are each configured to be extended into a forced air stream in one of the zones. 
     
     
         5 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor mounting panel includes a pressure conduit configured to hold a tube that is connected to a pressure transducer, wherein an end of the tube is located remotely from the sensor mounting panel. 
     
     
         6 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor mounting panel is configured to hold one or more pressure switches thereon, the pressure switch coupled to a pressure sensor configured detect a pressure in the vicinity of an air filter located inside of the cabinet. 
     
     
         7 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor mounting panel is configured to hold one or more pressure switches thereon, the pressure switch coupled to a pressure sensor configured detect a pressure in the vicinity of an enthalpy wheel located inside of the cabinet. 
     
     
         8 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor mounting panel includes a bracket mounted thereto, the bracket configured to hold a humidity sensor thereon and thereby extend the humidity sensor into the cabinet. 
     
     
         9 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor mounting panel includes sensors configured to measure the atmospheric environment inside the intake zone which is located adjacent to an exhaust zone inside of the cabinet, the intake zone and the exhaust zone both located on a same side of an enthalpy exchange zone of the cabinet. 
     
     
         10 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor mounting panel includes sensors configured to measure the atmospheric environment inside the supply zone and the return zone, the supply zone and the return zone both located on a same side of an enthalpy exchange zone of the cabinet. 
     
     
         11 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the cabinet that the sensor mounting panel is coupled to is part of an exterior side wall of the cabinet. 
     
     
         12 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor mounting panel is coupled to a control panel which is mounted to the exterior surface of an exterior sidewall of the cabinet, wherein the control panel is configured to include one or more control modules for the unit. 
     
     
         13 . The unit of  claim 1 , further including second and third sensor mounting panels, wherein the sensor mounting panel includes the sensors mounted thereto that are configured to measure the atmospheric environment inside of one of the intake zone, the supply zone and the return zone, and the second and third sensor mounting panels each include different sensors mounted thereto that are each configured to measure the atmospheric environment inside of one of the others of the intake air zone, the supply zone and the return zone. 
     
     
         14 . The unit of  claim 1 , further including:
 a first control panel located on a side wall of the cabinet, wherein the sensor mounting panel is coupled to the first control panel and the sensors mounted thereto are configured to measure the atmospheric environment inside the intake zone; and   second control panel mounted to the same side wall, wherein a second sensor mounting panel is coupled to second control panel and the sensors mounted thereto are configured to record the atmospheric environment inside of the one of the supply zone or the return zone; and   a third sensor mounting panel is coupled to the second control panel and the sensors mounted thereto are configured to record the atmospheric environment inside of the other one of the supply zone or the return zone.   
     
     
         15 . The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor mounting panel is configured to cover an opening in an exterior side wall or in a control panel of the cabinet that is large enough to permit the passage of an air blower there-through when the sensor mounting panel is removed from the opening. 
     
     
         16 . A method of using an energy recovery ventilator unit, comprising:
 coupling a removable sensor mounting panel to an outer surface of a cabinet, wherein the sensor mounting panel is configured to hold a plurality of sensors configured to measure the atmospheric environment inside of one or more of an intake zone, a supply zone, or a return zone housed inside of the cabinet.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further including attaching the sensors to the sensor mounting panel, including attaching one or more temperature sensor, pressure sensor or humidity sensor so as to be located in a forced air stream traveling through one of the zones. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , detaching one or more of the sensors from the sensor mounting panel while a forced air stream is traveling through one of the zones. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , replacing one or more of the sensors from the sensor mounting panel with a different sensor while a forced air stream is traveling through one of the zones. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , accessing components of the energy recovery ventilator unit through an opening in the outer surface of the cabinet, the opening being exposed by removing the sensor mounting panel from the opening.