The present invention is directed to the assembly of large molded components and, more particularly, to guide structure molded into large plastic components to facilitate assembly of such components to other structures.
Air conditioning units such as so-called xe2x80x9cwindow room air conditionersxe2x80x9d are commonly used for residential and similar applications and, generally, include closed refrigeration circuits having an evaporator and a condenser. The unit is normally divided by a partition into an evaporator section and a condenser section, the evaporator section communicating with the room air to be conditioned and the condenser communicating with external air such as outdoor air. Refrigerant flows through the refrigerant circuit absorbing heat from the room air at the evaporator and discharging heat energy to the external air at the condenser. The conventional refrigeration circuit is completed by the addition of a compressor, an expansion device, and the appropriate connections between the components.
Such air conditioning units usually include a basepan supporting all of the components and an outer housing surrounding the entire unit. The front of the evaporator, or indoor section, includes an indoor grille, which has openings for directing warm indoor air into the evaporator and discharge openings for directing air back into the room. The outdoor section of the housing includes a plurality of openings in the sides and top thereof, which serve an inlet openings for the cooling air which flows into the outdoor section and outwardly therefrom after passing through the condenser coil, which is mounted vertically in the back of the outdoor section.
In addition to the components mentioned above, the outdoor section also typically includes an outdoor fan and fan orifice, as well as an electric motor which typically also drives an indoor fan. The indoor section also typically includes the aforementioned indoor fan, an outdoor fan orifice, a control box and a fan scroll structure for directing the air cooled by the evaporator back into the room to be cooled. Each of the aforementioned components requires means for attaching it to the basepan and/or other structure of the air conditioning unit. Numerous approaches are known for assembly of the components in a manner which will minimize the number of individual components required for assembly of the unit. The fewer components and the fewer number of attachment means results in lower material costs, less labor content and, accordingly, a less expensive unit.
PCT Application Number PCT/BR98/00074 entitled Window Room Air Conditioner filed on Sept. 16, 1998 relates to an improvement in the structure of a window room air conditioner wherein a large molded component having a top wall is configured to overlie at least a portion of both the indoor section and the outdoor section. The top wall has, integrally formed therewith, a downwardly extending partition wall section, a section which is configured to cooperate and partially define the condenser fan shroud, structure for facilitating mounting of the motor, and structure for supporting the indoor components of the air conditioning unit. Such large plastic components are configured to be attached to underlying components which they structurally compliment and/or support. Because such large components are extremely deep, openings formed therein for facilitating fastening to underlying components are typically located near the bottom thereof and vertically extending access passageways extend from the top of the component downwardly to the openings provided for the fasteners. Such arrangement has proven to provide some inconvenience during assembly in that it is not always easy to direct threaded fasteners downwardly through the fastener access passageways. As a result, it is deemed desirable to provide a means for expediting and facilitating accurate insertion of such fasteners and the tools manipulating such fasteners.
A molded component having a through opening configured to receive a fastener therethrough for attachment of the component to another structure. The through opening has a longitudinal axis. Integrally formed within the molded component is a guide structure which surrounds the through opening and extends axially outwardly and radially outwardly from the through opening. The guide structure is configured to contact a threaded fastener and/or an installation tool holding a threaded fastener to thereby guide the fastener into the through opening.