Polymer duct for air conditioner unit

Abstract

An air conditioner unit including a cabinet having a bulkhead mounted within the cabinet to define an indoor portion and an outdoor portion. A refrigeration loop includes an outdoor heat exchanger positioned within the outdoor portion and an indoor heat exchanger positioned within the indoor portion. A compressor is operably coupled to the refrigeration loop and is configured for urging a flow of refrigerant through the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger. A makeup air duct extends in fluid communication to the indoor portion of the cabinet. The makeup air duct includes a body and a transition portion in which the body and the transition portion are formed of a polymer foam material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner unit defining a vertical, a lateral, and a transverse direction, the air conditioner unit comprising:
 a cabinet, wherein a bulkhead is mounted within the cabinet to define an indoor portion and an outdoor portion;   a refrigeration loop comprising an outdoor heat exchanger positioned within the outdoor portion and an indoor heat exchanger positioned within the indoor portion;   a compressor operably coupled to the refrigeration loop and being configured for urging a flow of refrigerant through the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger; and   a makeup air duct extending in fluid communication to the indoor portion of the cabinet, the makeup air duct comprising a body and a transition portion, wherein the body and the transition portion comprise a polymer foam material.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer foam material is expanded polypropylene foam or expanded polystyrene foam. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 2 , wherein the makeup air duct comprises the body and the transition portion together as a unitary, monolithic component. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the makeup aid duct extends along the transverse direction along the cabinet, and wherein the transition portion is coupled to a front opening at the cabinet. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the makeup air duct comprises a single substrate, the single substrate comprising an expanded polypropylene foam material. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the body of the makeup air duct consists of an expanded polypropylene material. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the transition portion of the makeup air duct consists of an expanded polypropylene material. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , the air conditioner unit comprising a package terminal air conditioner unit or a single-package vertical unit. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , the makeup air duct consisting of the transition portion and the body forming a unitary, monolithic component. 
     
     
         10 . A single-package vertical air conditioner unit defining a vertical, a lateral, and a transverse direction, the air conditioner unit comprising:
 a cabinet, wherein a bulkhead is mounted within the cabinet to define an indoor portion and an outdoor portion;   a refrigeration loop comprising an outdoor heat exchanger positioned within the outdoor portion and an indoor heat exchanger positioned within the indoor portion;   a compressor operably coupled to the refrigeration loop and being configured for urging a flow of refrigerant through the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger; and   a makeup air duct extending in fluid communication to the indoor portion of the cabinet, the makeup air duct comprising a body and a transition portion, wherein the body and the transition portion comprise a polymer foam material.   
     
     
         11 . The single-package vertical air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein the polymer foam material is expanded polypropylene foam or expanded polystyrene foam. 
     
     
         12 . The single-package vertical air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein the makeup air duct comprises the body and the transition portion together as a unitary, monolithic component. 
     
     
         13 . The single-package vertical air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein the makeup aid duct extends along the transverse direction along the cabinet, and wherein the transition portion is coupled to a front opening at the cabinet. 
     
     
         14 . The single-package vertical air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein the makeup air duct comprises a single substrate, the single substrate comprising an expanded polypropylene foam material. 
     
     
         15 . The single-package vertical air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein the body of the makeup air duct consists of an expanded polypropylene material. 
     
     
         16 . The single-package vertical air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein the transition portion of the makeup air duct consists of an expanded polypropylene material. 
     
     
         17 . The single-package vertical air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , the single-package vertical air conditioner unit comprising a package terminal air conditioner unit or a single-package vertical unit. 
     
     
         18 . The single-package vertical air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , the makeup air duct consisting of the transition portion and the body forming a unitary, monolithic component. 
     
     
         19 . The single-package vertical air condition unit of  claim 18 , the makeup air duct consisting of the polymer foam material. 
     
     
         20 . The single-package vertical air conditioner unit of  claim 19 , wherein the polymer foam material is expanded polypropylene foam.