Fan assembly for a packaged terminal air conditioner unit

Abstract

A packaged terminal air conditioner unit (PTAC) includes a vent aperture defined in a bulkhead of the PTAC and a fan assembly for urging a flow of make-up air through the vent aperture. The fan assembly includes a fan duct attached to the bulkhead and defining a flow passage in fluid communication with the vent aperture and an auxiliary fan mounted to the fan duct for urging the flow of make-up air through the vent aperture. An isolation member formed from a resilient material, such as an elastomeric or rubber material, is positioned between the auxiliary fan and the fan duct to reduce vibrations generated by the auxiliary fan.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaged terminal air conditioner unit comprising:
 a bulkhead defining an indoor portion and an outdoor portion;   a vent aperture defined in the bulkhead;   a fan duct attached to the bulkhead and defining a flow passage in fluid communication with the vent aperture;   an auxiliary fan mounted to the fan duct and being configured for urging a flow of make-up air from the outdoor portion through the flow passage and the vent aperture to the indoor portion; and   an isolation member positioned between the auxiliary fan and the fan duct.   
     
     
         2 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the isolation member is formed from an elastomeric or rubber material. 
     
     
         3 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary fan defines a fan perimeter, the isolation member extending around the entire fan perimeter. 
     
     
         4 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 3 , wherein the isolation member defines an inner surface and a plurality of complementary mating features extending from the inner surface toward the auxiliary fan for securing the auxiliary fan. 
     
     
         5 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 4 , wherein the complementary mating features are arcuate for engaging the fan perimeter. 
     
     
         6 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 4 , wherein isolation member is substantially rectangular and includes four sides, and wherein the plurality of complementary mating features comprises four complementary mating features defined on the four side of the isolation member. 
     
     
         7 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 4 , wherein the auxiliary fan defines an upstream flange and a downstream flange separated along an axial direction by a flange gap, and wherein the complementary mating features are positioned within the flange gap to fix the position of the auxiliary fan along the axial direction. 
     
     
         8 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 7 , wherein the flange gap defines a gap width along the axial direction and the complementary mating features define a feature width along the axial direction, the gap width being substantially the same as the feature width. 
     
     
         9 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein fan duct comprises a lower portion defining a lower bracket and an upper portion defining an upper bracket, and wherein the isolation member defines an outer surface for contacting the fan duct and an isolation flange extending from the outer surface and being positioned between the lower bracket and the upper bracket of the fan duct. 
     
     
         10 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 9 , wherein the lower portion and the upper portion are joined by mechanical fasteners, the mechanical fasteners passing through screw holes defined in the lower bracket, the upper bracket, and the isolation flange. 
     
     
         11 . The packaged terminal air conditioner of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a fan mounting structure configured for receiving the auxiliary fan and the isolation member, the fan mounting structure being attached to the fan duct.   
     
     
         12 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the fan duct is positioned within the outdoor portion of the packaged terminal air conditioner unit. 
     
     
         13 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the fan duct defines an inlet and an outlet, the auxiliary fan being positioned at the inlet and the outlet being attached to the bulkhead. 
     
     
         14 . The packaged terminal air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary fan is an axial fan. 
     
     
         15 . A fan assembly for a packaged terminal air conditioner unit, the packaged terminal air conditioner unit comprising a bulkhead defining a vent aperture, the fan assembly comprising:
 a fan duct attached to the bulkhead and defining a flow passage in fluid communication with the vent aperture;   an auxiliary fan mounted to the fan duct and being configured for urging a flow of make-up air through the vent aperture; and   an isolation member positioned between the auxiliary fan and the fan duct.   
     
     
         16 . The fan assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the isolation member is formed from an elastomeric or rubber material. 
     
     
         17 . The fan assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the auxiliary fan defines a fan perimeter, the isolation member extending around the entire fan perimeter. 
     
     
         18 . The fan assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the isolation member defines an inner surface and a plurality of complementary mating features extending from the inner surface toward the auxiliary fan for securing the auxiliary fan. 
     
     
         19 . The fan assembly of  claim 15 , wherein fan duct comprises a lower portion defining a lower bracket and an upper portion defining an upper bracket, and wherein the isolation member defines an outer surface for contacting the fan duct and an isolation flange extending from the outer surface and being positioned between the lower bracket and the upper bracket of the fan duct. 
     
     
         20 . The fan assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the fan duct defines an inlet and an outlet, the auxiliary fan being positioned at the inlet and the outlet being attached to the bulkhead.