NL2035371B1 - Prefab roof built-in assembly for inner and outer units of air treatment devices with a floor frame carrying the inner unit hanging underneath a housing carrying the outer unit. - Google Patents

Abstract

A prefab roof built-in assembly for placement via a roof recess in a slanted building roof comprises an outer unit installation component having a housing delimiting an installation 5 space for holding an outer unit of an air treatment device, an outwardly projecting flange configured to rest upon the slanted building roof. An inner unit installation component is provided having a floor frame (20) for resting upon a building floor underneath the roof recess, one or more connectors between the floor frame and the housing for carrying the housing, and a secondary holder (26) for holding an inner unit of the air treatment device. The 10 housing and the floor frame have smaller largest dimensions than the flange, such that the housing and floor frame are insertable through the roof recess until the flange comes to rest upon the slanted building roof at the location around the roof recess. + Fig. 2b 18

Description

P36296NLOO/RR

Title: Prefab roof built-in assembly for inner and outer units of air treatment devices with a floor frame carrying the inner unit hanging underneath a housing carrying the outer unit.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to prefab roof built-in assemblies for installation of units of air treatment devices, which assemblies are configured for placement into "dead end" cornering sections between slanted roofs and upper floors of buildings via complementary recesses in such slanted roofs.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

For example US-2006/0191278 discloses a roof-built-in evaporative cooler assembly that has a housing mounted within a roof space of a slanted roof of a building. The housing is configured with a complementary slanted upper end such that after insertion into a roof recess in the slanted roof, there is no substantial projection beyond an external surface of the pitched roof. The housing delimits an installation space. Evaporative pads are placed inside this installation space for defining air-permeable cooling means. A pump is provided for supplying water to the pads from out of a water reservoir. Excess water that drips of from the pads shall fall down onto a bottom wall of the housing. The pump and water reservoir have also been provided in the installation space. A fan is provided for drawing external air into the installation space via the evaporative pads. An array of spaced inclined vanes is provided in an opening in a back wall of the housing. This opening is in flow connection with the space inside the building. The vanes cause diversion of the air flow direction at least to an extent sufficient to cause a major amount of suspended water droplets to settle out onto the surface of the vanes during passage of the cooled moisturized air. Water dripping from these vanes also falls down onto the bottom wall of the housing. The bottom wall is slightly inclined towards a roof-side end of the housing, where the water reservoir is positioned at a lower level than the inclined bottom wall. Thus all water that drips of from the pads and vanes automatically shall drain into the water reservoir.

To facilitate adaptation of the cooler assembly to suit a wide range of roof pitch angles, an upper part of the housing is made adjustable in inclination relative to a lower part of the housing. This can be done by a pivotal telescoping overlapping relation between the upper and lower housing parts, but also by means of using a bellow of flexible sheet material between them.

Removable inspection panels are provided in side walls of the housing to permit access for maintenance to the cooler assembly from within the roof space inside the building .

The housing carries a grid structure cap that lies above the pads and fan of the cooler assembly. Since this cap is of an open grid structure, rain water may also freely enter into the housing. This rain water shall also automatically drain into the water reservoir.

This known roof built-in evaporative cooler leaves to be improved. During placement the entire weight of the cooler assembly, including all its components, like the two-part housing, pads, pump, fan, vanes and water reservoir, comes to rest upon the pitched roof.

This places high demands on the constructional features of the pitched roof itself and on the position where a roof recess can be made into the pitched roof. It may even be necessary to first strengthen the roof construction around the roof recess before the cooler assembly can be reliably carried by it. Furthermore, the housing has a complex, vulnerable and expensive structure with its pivotal telescoping overlapping relation between the upper and lower housing parts, or intermediate connection therebetween formed by the bellow of flexible sheet material.

Furthermore, the assembly is rather voluminous, requiring the roof recess to be made at a position high enough above an upper floor of the building, because otherwise the water reservoir cannot remain lying spaced above that upper floor of the building.

Another disadvantage is that additional measures need to be taken for preventing an internal flooding of the housing.

NL-2023739 discloses a prefab roof built-in assembly for installation of an outer unit of a heat pump or air conditioning system. It comprises a blow-moulded elongate plastic housing that delimits an upwardly open receiving space. At its upper end the plastic housing is circumvented by an outwardly projecting circumferential rim that serves as attachment arrangement. The circumferential rim lies in a virtual plane that extends perpendicular to a central axis of the plastic housing. An outer unit of a heat pump or air conditioning system is placed on a positioning arrangement that is provided inside the receiving space. This outer unit can be placed inside the plastic housing via a hinged door that is provided in a lower part of the plastic housing.

During placement of the plastic housing, firstly a roof recess is made in a slanted roof of a building. Subsequently the plastic housing is lowered into the roof recess until the outwardly projecting circumferential rim of the plastic housing has come to rest upon the slanted roof. Since the angle of the slanted roof may differ per building, this also means that the angle at which the central axis of the plastic housing comes to extend after placement may differ per building. The more steep the roof, the flatter the central axis orientation of the 2 housing comes to lie. The less steep the roof, the more upright the central axis orientation of the housing comes to lie.

This known prefab roof built-in assembly leaves to be improved in terms of user- friendliness during placement. After placement the entire weight of the assembly rests upon the slanted roof. This places high demands on the constructional features of the slanted roof itself and on the exact position where the roof recess may be made into the slanted roof. It may even be necessary to first strengthen the roof construction around the roof recess before the assembly can be reliably carried by it.

Furthermore, the elongate plastic housing after placement takes in a lot of space inside the building. In case of steep slanted roofs it requires relative deep horizontal free space inside the building. The roof recess then needs to be made relative close above an upper floor of the building. In case of less steep slanted roofs it requires relative deep vertical space inside the building. The roof recess then needs to be made relative high above an upper floor of the building.

Another disadvantage is that additional measures need to be taken for preventing an internal flooding of the housing. At a lower part of the plastic housing a drain must be provided via which accumulated fluids originating from the outer unit must be drained to outside the plastic housing. This drain lies inside the building and must either be connected internally to the sewer or externally to the rainwater drainage.

Yet another disadvantage is that after placement of the housing with the outer unit through the roof recess, an inner unit of the heat pump or air conditioning system still needs to be installed distinctively inside the building, for example against an inner wall, and that all kinds of connections then must be made between this inner unit outside the housing and the outer unit inside the housing by certified installers. This makes the placement time-consuming and expensive, and increases a risk for mistakes to be made leading to improper placement.

This known prefab roof built-in assembly also leaves to be improved in terms of performance and efficiency during use. This is caused by the fact that in order to close of the housing against rain, snow and the like, an upwardly closed cap is provided on top of the housing. This cap only at its side and lower walls is provided with a raster of air inlet and outlet openings. The total surface area of those air inlet and outlet openings however is rather small. This results in a high resistance against intake of environmental air by the outer unit of the heat pump or air conditioning system as well as in a high resistance against discharge of used air by the outer unit of the heat pump or air conditioning system. Part of already used air may even get suck into the heat pump or air conditioning system again. All this makes it necessary for the heat pump or air conditioning system to operate at a high speed in order to able to cope with user demands. This however not only increases the energy consumption by 3 the heat pump or air conditioning system, but also strongly increases the amount of noise and vibrations made by it.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to overcome those disadvantages at least partly or to provide a usable alternative. In particular the present invention aims to provide a compact and economic prefab roof built-in assembly that can be placed and installed in a short period of time and that makes it possible for the air treatment device to operate highly efficient and silent.

According to the present invention this aim is achieved by a prefab roof built-in assembly that is configured for placement into a cornering building section between a slanted building roof and an upper building floor via a roof recess in the slanted building roof, according to claim 1. The assembly comprises: - an air treatment device, like a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and/or refrigeration system (HVAC-R), with an outer unit and an inner unit; - an outer unit installation component, having: e a housing with bottom, back and side walls that together delimit an installation space with an upper edge defining an access opening; e an outwardly projecting flange circumventing the access opening, that is configured to rest upon the slanted building roof at a location around the roof recess while the housing extends through the roof-recess underneath it; and es a primary holder for holding the outer unit of the air treatment device in a pre-defined orientation inside the housing.

According to the inventive thought the assembly further comprises: - an inner unit installation component, having: o a floor frame that is configured to rest upon the upper building floor at a location underneath the roof recess; o One or more connectors that extend between the floor frame and the housing and that are configured to carry the housing above the floor frame; and o a secondary holder for holding the inner unit of the air treatment device in a pre- defined orientation on the floor frame, wherein the housing and the floor frame have smaller largest dimensions than the flange such that the housing and floor frame are insertable through the roof recess until the flange comes to rest upon the slanted building roof at the location around the roof recess. 4

Thus advantageously a roof built-in assembly is provided that can play an important role in making new and old buildings more energy efficient and sustainable, being one of the main challenges regarding the energy transition that now needs to be made.

A major advantage of the inventive roof built-in assembly is the time-saving that now can be obtained during placement and subsequent installation process, owing to the fact that the assembly can be pre-manufactured with both the outer and inner units of the air treatment device, including all required connections between them. Specialist and especially scarce hours of installation technicians can thus be saved. It is estimated that the number of installations per day can be increased up to 4 times. Critical actions during installation, like for example making leak-free high-pressure fittings for specific types of liquids that are used for operation of the air treatment device, can now advantageously take place in a factory, where there is more time, space and testing facilities, and where special tools are readily available.

The positioning underneath the slanted building roof close to the lower roof edge allows otherwise lost space (being the relative small cornering building section between the slanted building roof and the upper building floor) to efficiently be used, both by the floor frame and the housing.

After placement, during use, part of the weight of the assembly gets to rest upon the upper building floor via the floor frame, and part of the weight of the assembly gets to rest upon the slanted building roof via the flange. This makes it possible to use the assembly for all kinds and types of roofs, without first having to strengthen the roof construction around the roof recess. Also the exact position where the roof recess may be made into the slanted building roof is less critical.

The built-in positioning in the cornering section between the slanted building roof and the upper building floor ensures that regulations regarding maximum noise levels that the air treatment device may produce for the environment during use can optimally be dealt with.

This is important because those regulations get more stringent over time.

In a preferred embodiment the one or more connectors that extend between the floor frame and the housing can be adjustable in height, preferably of a manually operable type.

The one or more height-adjustable connectors provide a number of important advantages.

They make it possible to provide for a transportation position in which the floor frame is brought as close as possible towards the housing, thus making the assembly compact and solid during transportation towards the building and during insertion through the roof recess.

The one or more height-adjustable connectors also make it possible to quickly and accurately adjust the floor frame towards its pre-defined position/orientation underneath the housing such that the floor frame comes to firmly stand on the upper building floor while the flange of the housing rests upon the slanted building roof. The one or more height-adjustable 5 connectors also make it possible to quickly and easily adapt the position/orientation of the floor frame underneath the housing to varying angles of the slanted building roofs at stake and/or to variations in the locations where the roof recess has been made in the slanted building roof. Due to its versatility, the assembly can be pre-manufactured as a standard product.

The one or more height-adjustable connectors preferably are made such adjustable in height that for roof angles of between 30° to 55°, the floor frame can always quickly and easily be lowered to stand upon the upper building floor.

Preferably, at least a left and right height-adjustable connector are provided between the floor frame and the housing. This increases stability and makes it possible to deal with unevenness or irregularities of the upper building floor surface.

In addition thereto the one or more height-adjustable connectors may comprise a lifting jack mechanism. Thus advantageously an adjustable amount of lifting force can be exerted upon the housing as soon as the floor frame has come to rest upon the upper building floor. This makes it possible for an installer to operate the lifting jack mechanism(s) such that the floor frame gets to carry a desired amount of the weight of the outer installation component, thus releasing the slanted building roof construction from having to carry that amount of weight. The operation of the one or more lifting jack mechanisms preferable may take place manually without requiring a lot of effort from the installer.

All kinds of lifting jack mechanisms are possible, but preferably a scissor jack is used, because that can be folded-in entirely to take in a minimum height in the transportation position and can be folded-out entirely to take in a maximum lifted height in order to deal with a steepest roof angle and/or highest position of the roof recess above the upper building floor.

In a preferred further embodiment upper ends of the one or more height-adjustable connectors can be hingedly connected to the housing, and lower ends of the one or more height-adjustable connectors can be hingediy connected to the floor frame. In addition thereto, one or more articulated arm mechanisms may then be provided that also extend between the floor frame and the housing at positions spaced from the height-adjustable connectors. Upper ends of the one or more articulated arm mechanisms connectors can be hingedly connected to the housing, and lower ends of the one or more articulated arm mechanisms can be hingedly connected to the floor frame. Together, the one or more hinged articulated arm mechanisms in combination with the height-adjustable hinged connectors, bring an additional advantage that they give the floor frame freedom to be displaced forward or backward underneath the housing. Thus advantageously account can be taken of obstacles in the cornering building section that otherwise would stand in the way of proper placement of the assembly. 6

In a preferred further or alternative embodiment the one or more connectors may comprise vibration dampers, for example at one or more of its hinge locations. Thus advantageously vibrations and noise coming from the outer unit during use may get dampened before being able to reach the floor frame.

Preferably those vibration dampers may even be made adjustable such that they can be adapted to damping characteristics that are able to deal with most frequent occurring vibrations coming from the outer installation component at a specific location.

In a preferred further or alternative embodiment the bottom wall of the housing may be configured to always slope down towards and connect to a lower portion of the circumferential upper edge of the housing in order to there drain out onto the slanted building roof. Thus advantageously a flooding of the installation space is automatically prevented without a pump or distinctive drainage connections being needed. All water that may arrive inside the housing either coming from the outside like rainfall, either coming from the inside due to condensation or the like, automatically get drained onto the slanted building roof. With this it is also guaranteed that in case of leakage of any operating liquids out of the outer unit, it is guaranteed that those liquids do not enter into the building itself, thus being unable to cause harm for people inside the building.

In addition thereto the downwardly sloping bottom wall may extend under an angle of at most 29° relative to a slanted virtual face in which the upper circumferential edge of the housing lies. Thus it can be guaranteed that, for slanted building roofs having a minimum angle relative to the horizontal of at least 30°, there is always an angle of at least 1° between the bottom wall and the horizontal.

In a preferred further or alternative embodiment the installation space can be kept largely open upwardly at the position of its access opening for weather conditions, like wind and rainfall. This advantageously makes it possible to further maximise performance and efficiency of the air treatment device during use. By leaving the access opening at the upper side of the housing substantially open, a low resistance against intake of environmental air by the outer unit as well as a low resistance against discharge of used air towards the environment by the outer unit can be obtained. Lots of new energy-rich environmental air may easily be pulled into the installation space, and the energy-low used air may easily be blown out of the installation space into the environment. This also helps to prevent that the energy- low already used air may get suck back into the outer unit for a second time. All this makes it possible for the outer unit to operate at relative low speed while already being able to cope with user demands. This decreases the energy consumption of the air treatment device, 7 which may help to save the environment and money, and for most consumers and their neighbours as important, which may help to reduce the amount of noise and vibrations during use. The largely left open access opening during use is no problem here, because in combination with the inventive thought that the bottom wall of the housing may be configured to always slope down towards and connect to a lower portion of the upper circumferential edge of the housing, all rain that gets to enter into the installation space, can quickly and automatically drain away towards the slanted building roof.

In addition thereto the largely left open access opening may be covered by one or more grid structure hatches or doors that comprise a large number of ventilation holes at their upper side. This keeps the access opening of the housing as open as possible for large amounts of air to flow in and out of the installation space. On the other hand, the one or more grid structure hatches or doors prevent large objects to enter the installation space and protect the outer unit against vandalism or theft. Another advantage is that the outer unit now can be serviced from the outside by service technicians without residents of the building needing to stay at home. No internal hinged door or the like needs to be provided in one of the walls of the housing itself for offering entrance to the installation space from within the building. This makes the housing more economic to make, and makes it easier to make the housing sound- and waterproof towards the inside of the building.

In a preferred further or alternative embodiment the floor frame may comprises a base part and a telescopingly extendable part that carries the secondary holder. Thus advantageously the telescopingly extendable part together with the secondary holder and the inner unit of the air treatment device held by it can now be shifted towards a most optimum position in the available free space that is left between the housing hanging underneath the slanted building roof and the upper building floor upon which the base part of the floor frame stands. Due to this adjustability of the floor frame a loss of surface area within the building can be minimised. The telescoping extendibility furthermore makes it possible to make the assembly compact and solid during transportation towards the building and during insertion through the roof recess, and makes it possible to always be able to create some free space between the back wall of the housing and the secondary holder holding the inner unit of the air treatment device.

In a preferred further or alternative embodiment the secondary holder may comprise a vertically extending mounting plate, preferably one that projects upwardly from the floor frame at an innermost end of the floor frame, that is to say opposite a roof side end of the floor frame. Thus advantageously not only the inner unit can be hung thereto, but also other components like an expansion vessel. 8

In a preferred further or alternative embodiment the floor frame may comprise upwardly projecting support columns configured for the housing to rest upon during transportation. This advantageously provides a compact and solid transportation position wherein the one or more connectors can be released from having to carry the housing.

In a preferred further or alternative embodiment the bottom wall may comprise throughgoing openings for hoisting bands to extend through during placement. Thus advantageously the hoisting bands can be guided through the housing and underneath the floor frame, in order to act hoisting forces on the floor frame instead of on the housing. Also the floor frame then automatically gets pulled upwardly against the housing during hoisting and placement into the building via the roof recess.

The invention also relates to a method for placing the assembly according to claim 14 or 15.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention are stated in the dependent subclaims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention shall now be explained in more detail below by means of describing some exemplary embodiments in a non-limiting way with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Fig. 1a, b show an embodiment of the prefab roof built-in assembly according to the invention in a transportation position before placement; - Fig. 2a, b, c show the assembly of fig. 1 in three different angular positions of the housing relative to the floor frame; - Fig. 3a, b show a roof section of a building with a roof recess therein ready for placement of the assembly of fig. 1; - Fig. 4a, b, c show the assembly of fig. 1 being hoisted in place through the roof recess of fig. 3 - Fig. 5a, b show the scissor jacks between the floor frame and the housing adjusted in height; - Fig. 6 shows the subsequent screw fixation of the housing to the roof ; - Fig. 7 shows the subsequent placement of roof tiles around the assembly; and - Fig. 8a, b shows a hinged open position for the grid structure hatch during servicing. 9

In fig. 1a, b the entire prefab-roof built-in assembly 1 is shown after manufacturing in a factory and ready for transportation. The assembly 1 comprises a tub-like housing 2 with left and right side walls 3 connected to each other via a bottom wall 4 and a back wall 5. A convexly curved wall 6 extends between the bottom wall 4 and the back wall 5. Upper circumferential edges of the walls, 3, 4, 5 lie in a virtual slanted face, here at an angle of 30° relative to the horizontal, and together define a rectangular access opening 7. The walls 3, 4, 5 together delimit an installation space 9 that is covered at its upper side by an open grid structure hatch 10. The grid structure delimits a large number of ventilation openings such that air is substantially free to flow unhindered in and out of the installation space 9. An outwardly projecting circumferential flange 12 circumvents the access opening 7 and is provided with a number of attachment portions 13 divided around its circumference in which screw holes are provided.

In the shown transportation position, the bottom wall 4 slopes down away from the back wall 5 under an angle of 1°. At its lowermost end the bottom wall 4 connects to a lowermost slanted downwardly projecting portion of the circumferential flange 12. This slanted downwardly projecting portion of the circumferential flange 12 transits into a slanted downwardly projecting slab 14 that here is profiled in a shape of roof tiles.

A primary holder 16 is provided inside the installation space 9 and accurately holds an outer unit 17 of a heat pump in an upright orientation.

A curved pipe end 18 projects upwardly out of the bottom wall 4 into the installation space 9. Ducts, cables and the like, for example for feeding the outer unit 17 with electricity, can easily be guided through this curved pipe end 18 to outside the tub-like housing 2.

In the back wall 5 of the tub-like housing 2, an outlet 19 is provided that is configured for connection to a ventilation system of a building.

According to the inventive thought the assembly 1 further comprises a floor frame 20.

The floor frame 20 comprises a base part 20a with left and right side beams 20a’ connected to each other via cross beams 20a". The side beams 20a’ at their outwardly directed roof-side ends, here closely underneath the lowermost end of the bottom wall 4 of the tub-like housing 2, are equipped with downwardly extending support feet 21a, and at their inwardly directed opposing ends, here closely underneath the upwardly projecting back wall 5 of the tub-like housing 2, are equipped with downwardly extending support feet 21b. The side beams 20a’ comprise upwardly projecting support columns 22. In the shown transportation position, the tub-like housing 2 rests with its bottom wall 4 upon those support columns 22.

Guiding rails 24 are provided that extend parallel to the side beams 20a' along inwardly directed faces of the support columns 22. The floor frame 20 further comprises a 10 telescopingly extendable part 20b with left and right guided rails 20b' that are telescopingly slidable in and out of the guiding rails 24 of the base part 20a of the floor frame 20.

At their free outer ends the guided rails 20b' carry a secondary holder 28, here formed by a vertically extending mounting plate. The secondary holder 26 thus lies outside the installation space 9 in front of the back wall 5 of the tub-like housing 2 and accurately holds an inner unit 27 of the heat pump in an upright orientation. The guided rails 20b' at their free outer ends, here closely underneath the secondary holder 26, are equipped with downwardly extending support feet 21c.

The side beams 20a’ are connected by means of a left and right height-adjustable connector 30 to the bottom wall 4. For that, underneath the downwardly sloping bottom wall 4 at corner positions close to its uppermost end, connecting brackets 31 are mounted.

Furthermore for that, on the side beams 20a’, connecting brackets 32 are mounted.

The left and right height-adjustable connectors 30 here each are formed by a scissor jack. Each scissor jack comprises four hinged arms 33 that delimit a diamond shape. Each scissor jack at its upper end 34 is freely hingedly connected to the tub-like housing 2 via the bracket 31, and at its lower end 35 is freely hingedly connected via the bracket 32 to an outer face of the side beams 20a’ of the floor frame 3. Each scissor jack is operable by a threaded bar 36 acting on threaded portions that are provided at the locations of intermediate hinges 37 between the arms 33 . Upon manual rotation of this threaded bar 38, the intermediate hinges 37 can be forced to move towards each other, while simultaneously forcing the upper and lower ends 34, 35 to move away from each other, thus increasing a height between the tub-like housing 2 and the floor frame 20, and vice versa.

Vibration dampers 39 are provided between the upper hinges 34 and the angled connecting brackets 31. Those vibration dampers 39 here are formed by elastically deformable elements, for example made as thick rubber bodies.

The lower ends of the connectors 30 are equipped with downwardly extending support feet 21d. The support feet 21a-d comprise threaded connections such that they can be adjusted in height relative to the base and telescopingly extendable parts 20a, 20b of the floor frame 20.

The side beams 20a’ further are connected by means of a left and right freshly hingable articulated arm mechanism 40 to the bottom wall 4. For that, underneath the downwardly sloping bottom wall 4 at corner positions close its lowermost end, connecting brackets 41 are mounted. Furthermore for that, on the side beams 20a’, connecting brackets 42 are mounted.

The left and right freely hingable articulated arm mechanisms 40 here each comprise two hinged arms 43. The upper and lower ends of the articulated arm mechanisms are 11 provided with sideway projecting guiding pins that are guided freely movable along curved tracks that are provided in the upper and lower connecting brackets 41, 42.

In fig. 2a-c the lower transportation position of fig. 1, an intermediate lifted position and an upper lifted position are shown. The intermediate and upper positions are obtained by manual operation of the height-adjustable connectors 30 such that they have forced the tub- like housing 2 to move upwardly away from the floor frame 20. During this, the hinged connections of the height-adjustable connectors 30 with the bottom wall 4 of the tub-like housing 2 and with the side beams 20a’ of the floor frame 20 in combination with the provision of the hinged connections of the freely moveable articulated arm mechanisms 40 with the bottom wall 4 of the tub-like housing 2 and with the side beams 20a’ of the floor frame 20, advantageously make it possible for the tub-like housing 2 to take in desired height and angular positions relative to the floor frame 20. In fig. 2b this has resulted in the tub-like housing 2 having taken in a higher position and more steep angle of somewhere between 30° and 55° relative to the horizontally standing floor frame 20. In fig. 2c this has resulted in the tub-like housing 2 having taken in an even higher position and even more steep angle of 55° relative to the horizontally standing floor frame 20.

The placement and installation of the assembly 1 shall now be explained with reference to fig. 3-7.

Fig. 3a, b show a step in which a rectangular roof recess RR has been made in a slanted building roof SBR of a building at a position above an upper building floor UBF. The roof recess RR has a width Wrr and a length Lrr. The slanted building roof SBR extends at an angle arr of 30° relative to the horizontal upper building floor UBF.

Fig. 4a-c show a step in which the prefab roof built-in assembly 1 hangs down in left and right hoisting bands HB. During this step the hatch 10 is placed in its hinged open position, such that it does not stand in the way of the hoisting bands HB. It can be seen in fig. 4b that each hoisting band HB runs through front and back openings 50 that are provided in elevated portions of the bottom wall 4 of the tub-like housing 2. Between the front and back openings 50, each hoisting band HB has been guided to run underneath at least one of the cross beams 20a" of the base part 20a of the floor frame. Thus, the hoisting bands HB advantageously pull the floor frame 20 with its support columns 22 against the bottom wall 4 of the tub-like housing 2 as long as the hoisting bands HB are kept tensioned. In this so- called transportation position the floor frame 20 carries all the weight of the tub-like housing 2.

The tub-like housing 2 has a largest width W2 that is smaller than Wir of the roof recess RR, and has a largest length L2 that is smaller than Lrr of the roof recess RR. The flange 12 has a largest width W12 that is larger than Wir of the roof recess RR, and has a 12 largest length L12 that is larger than Lrr of the roof recess RR. The floor frame 20 together with the secondary holder 26, in the fully inserted position of the telescopingly extendable part 20b into the base part 20a, has a largest width W20 that is smaller than Wrr of the roof recess

RR, and has a largest length L20 that is smaller than Lrr of the roof recess RR.

This dimensioning makes it possible to lower the assembly 1 down into the roof recess

RR until the flange 12 comes to rest upon the slanted building roof SBR. By further lowering the hoisting bands HB the floor frame 20 then no longer is pulled upwards against the bottom wall 4 of the tub-like housing 2, but comes to hang underneath the tub-like housing 2.

Fig. 5a, b show that as a next step the left and right adjustable scissor jack type of connectors 30 have been manually adjusted in height until the floor frame 20 has been lowered far enough to come to stand with its support feet 21a, b on the upper building floor

UBF. During this lowering of the floor frame 20, the articulated arm mechanisms 40 prevent the roof-side ends of the floor frame 20 to drop down farther than their maximum length. At a same time the articulated arm mechanisms 40 give the entire floor frame 20 freedom to be manually shifted in its entirety towards or away from the roof-side, in order to lower it onto an aimed position on the upper building floor UBF. After the floor frame 20 thus has come to stand at its aimed proper position on the upper building floor UBF, the lifting jacks can be manually operated such further that they get to carry a certain part of the weight of the outer installation component and release the hoisting bands and/or slanted building roof SBR from having to carry that part of the weight. The hoisting bands HB then can be released and removed by pulling them back out of the openings 50.

As soon as the hoisting bands HB are removed, the openings 50 in the bottom wall 4 can be sealed by plates. This makes the tub-like housing 2 waterproof again for draining all entered liquids away towards the slanted building roof SBR.

Fig. 6 shows the step that the tub-like housing 2 has been fixated to the slanted building roof SBR by means of screwing screws through the screw holes in the attachment portions 13 around the flange 12. Fig. 6 also shows that the open grid structure hatch 10 is placed in its closed position for covering the access opening 7.

Fig. 7 shows that the slanted building roof SBR around the assembly 1 is covered with roof tiles RT. After that the heat pump only needs to be connected to the electricity and connected to a boiler and/or (central) heating system of the building, and then is ready for use.

In case maintenance needs to be performed to the outer unit 17, maintenance personnel only need to climb up a ladder, unlock and hinge open the hatch 10, and then have full access to the outer unit 17. This is shown in fig. 8a, b. 13

Besides the shown and described embodiments, numerous variants are possible. For example the dimensions and shapes of the various parts can be altered. Also it is possible to make combinations between advantageous aspects of the shown embodiments. Instead of using scissor jacks other kinds of lifting jacks can be used, or even other types of height- adjustable connectors, as long as they are easily and quickly adjustable in height and are well able to carry a large part of the weight of the outer installation component. All kinds of materials can be used for the various components. Preferably however the tub-like housing is made of waterproof isolation material, whereas the floor frame is made of metal. Instead of using the invention for a heat pump, it can also be used for other types of air treatment devices.

Further it is noted that the idea of a housing with a downwardly sloping bottom wall, that delimits an installation space for an outer unit of an air treatment device, like HVAC-R, wherein the downwardly sloping bottom wall connects to a lower portion of a circumferential upper edge of the housing in order to directly have the installation space drain out onto a roof, and with the installation space being kept largely open in the upward direction for weather conditions, like wind but also rainfall, to freely enter into the installation space, may already advantageously be used without the provision of the shown and described floor frame and its {height-adjustable) connectors. In other words, the outer unit installation component as shown and described can already be advantageously used for housing an outer unit of an air treatment device while leaving out the entire shown and described inner unit installation component. The inner unit of the air treatment device then can be supported or hung elsewhere inside the building, for example against an inner wall of the building.

It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, and therefore will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims. 14

Claims (15)

CONCLUSIONS 1. Prefabricated roof-installation assembly (1) designed for installation in a corner section of a building between a sloping roof of the building (SBR) and an upper floor of the building (UBF) via a roof recess (RR) in the sloping roof of the building (SBR), comprising: - an air handling unit, such as a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and/or cooling system (HVAC-R), with an outdoor unit (17) and an indoor unit (27); - an outdoor unit installation component, comprising: e a housing (2) with side, bottom and rear walls (3, 4, 5) together defining an installation space (9), a circumferential top edge defining an access opening (7); e an outwardly extending flange (12) extending around the access opening (7) adapted to bear on the building's sloping roof (SBR) at a position around the roof recess (RR) while the casing (2) extends through the roof recess (RR) thereunder; and e a primary holder (18) for holding the outdoor unit (17) of the air handling unit in a predefined orientation within the casing (2), characterised in that the assembly (1) further comprises: - an indoor unit installation component, having: o a floor frame (20) adapted to bear on the building's upper floor (UBF) at a position below the roof recess (RR); o one or more connectors (30) extending between the floor frame (20) and the casing (2) and adapted to support the casing (2) above the floor frame (20); and o a secondary holder (26) for holding the indoor unit (27) of the air handling unit in a predefined orientation on the floor frame (20), the casing (2) and the floor frame (20) having smaller largest dimensions than the flange (12), so that the casing (2) and the floor frame (20) can be inserted through the roof cut-out (RR) until the flange (12) comes to rest on the sloping roof of the building (SBR) at the position around the roof cut-out (RR). 2. Prefabricated roof installation assembly according to claim 1, wherein the one or more connectors (30) are height-adjustable. Prefabricated roof installation assembly according to claim 2, wherein the one or more adjustable connectors (30) comprise a lifting jack mechanism, in particular a scissor jack. 4. Prefabricated roof installation assembly according to any of the preceding claims 2-5, wherein upper ends (34) of the one or more connectors (30) are hingedly connected to the housing (2), wherein lower ends (35) of the one or more connectors (30) are hingedly connected to the floor frame (20), and wherein in particular one or more hinge arm mechanisms (40) are also provided which extend between the floor frame (20) and the housing (2). 5. Prefabricated roof installation assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more connectors (30) comprise vibration dampers (39). 6. Prefabricated roof installation assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom wall (4) that bounds the installation space (9) slopes down to and connects to a lower portion of the surrounding upper edge of the housing (2). 7. Prefabricated roof installation assembly according to claim 6, wherein the sloping bottom wall (4) extends at an angle of a maximum of 29° relative to the surrounding upper edge of the housing (2), such that in the case of sloping roofs of buildings (SBR) with a minimum angle relative to the horizontal of at least 30°, there is an angle of at least 1° between the bottom wall (4) and the horizontal. 8. Prefabricated roof installation assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the installation space (9) is open at the top to weather conditions, such as wind and rain. 9. Prefabricated roof installation assembly according to claim 8, wherein the access opening (7) is covered by one or more grid construction hatches or doors (10). Prefabricated roof installation assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the floor frame (20) comprises a base part (20a) and a telescopic extendable part (20b) carrying the secondary holder (26). Prefabricated roof installation assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the secondary holder (26) comprises a vertically extending mounting plate. 16 Prefabricated roof installation assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the floor frame (20) comprises upwardly projecting support columns (22) designed to rest the housing (2) in a transport position. 13. Prefabricated roof installation assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom wall (4) comprises through openings (50) which are adapted to allow elongated lifting elements, such as straps (HB), to extend through them during installation. 14. Method for installing a prefabricated roof-installation assembly (1) according to any of the preceding claims in a corner section of a building between a sloping roof of the building (SBR) and an upper floor of the building (UBF), comprising the steps of: - manufacturing the prefabricated roof-installation assembly (1) in a factory, including connecting the floor frame (20) to the housing (2) via the connectors (30), placing the indoor and outdoor units (17, 27) on their respective primary and secondary holders (18, 26); - transporting the prefabricated roof-installation assembly (1) to a construction site; - hoisting the prefabricated roof-installation assembly (1) above a roof recess (RR) in the sloping roof of the building (SBR) and then lowering the floor frame (20) with the housing (2) through the roof recess (RR) until the flange (12) on the sloping roof of the building (SBR) will rest on the position around the roof recess (RR)); and - placing the floor frame (20) under the casing (2) on the upper floor of the building (UBF). 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of: - adjusting the one or more connectors (30) in height to position the floor frame (20) in a predefined orientation beneath the housing (2) on the upper building floor (UBF) depending on a varying angle (arr) of the building roof pitch (SBR) and/or depending on a varying position of the roof recess (RR) in the building roof pitch (SBR). 17.