1. Field of the Invention The invention relates generally to air conditioning units, and more particularly to adapting window air conditioner units to sliding glass window sills. 2. Description of the Prior Art Residential window-type air conditioning (AC) units, with rare exceptions, come equipped for mounting in window sills that have moving window panes that slide up and down ("hung" windows typically comprised of wood). These kinds of windows are very common in the Eastern United States and in the Mid-West, but houses built in California, and no doubt elsewhere in the last twenty years have sliding glass windows. A few of the window mounting AC units that are the exception to the rule, are intended to mount in "casement" windows. Casement windows have cranks and cranking the window causes a pane of glass to swing out on an axis along the side edge of the window unit. Since the above window-type AC units are, as a rule, intended to mount in hung-window openings, sliding or pleated panels are included to close the gaps that exist between the AC unit and the sides of the window opening.

The hung window is lowered to contact the AC unit and to form a seal. FIG. 1 is a prior art hung-window AC unit installation, referred to by the general reference numeral 10. Installation 10 is comprised of a window case 12, a fixed window pane 14, a movable window pane 16, and an AC unit 18 having a left panel 20, a right panel 22, a top channel 24, and a bottom channel 26. uv lights for ac- do they workTo install AC unit 18 in window case 12, movable window pane 16 is lifted up to form an opening tall enough to accept panels 20 and 22 and channels 24 and 26. car ac service in bangaloreChannel 26 is installed to support AC unit 18 and to retain the bottom of panels 20 and 22. ac units for horizontal windowsChannel 24 is mounted to the top of AC unit 18 and makes a weather proof seal between AC unit 18 and the bottom of movable window pane 16.

Channel 24 also retains the tops of panels 20 and 22. Panels 20 and 22 are extended to either side to form weather proof seals with the sides of window case 12. Commercially available AC units 18 are typically sold with channels 24 and 26, together with panels 20 and 22. Instructions are included on how to accomplish an installation similar to installation 10. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an adapter for a window-type AC unit that fits the unit to a horizontally sliding glass window, such as those used in modern home construction in California. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adapter that is easy to install. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adapter that locks to a sliding glass window and its sill unit in a manner similar to the original manner of locking the sliding glass window to its sill unit. Briefly, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a channel that mounts to the topside of an AC unit and a glass panel having a pair of spring latches.

An advantage of the present invention is that installation is simple and quick. Another advantage of the present invention is that the home security is maintained because the sliding glass window is locked in place to the adaptor. Another advantage of the present invention is that the sliding glass window can be unlatched from the adapter to allow fresh air in and to clean the outside surface of the adaptor. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments which are illustrated in the various drawing figures. FIG. 1 is an elevational view from the inside of a house of a prior art window-type air conditioning unit mounted in a hung-window type window sill; FIG. 2 is an elevational view from the inside of a house of an AC unit window adapter system built in accordance with the present invention which is shown installed in a sliding glass window case.

FIG. 2 is a sliding glass window AC unit installation, referred to by the general reference numeral 30. Installation 30 is an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and is comprised of a window case 32, a fixed pane 34, a sliding window pane 36 having a spring latch 38, an adaptor pane 40 having a pair of spring latches 42 and 44, an adaptor channel 46, and an AC unit 48. AC unit 48 is fastened to window case 32 at the bottom and right to keep it from falling out of window case 32 when sliding window pane 36 is opened. Latch 38 normally mates with a lip 50 on the right inside edge of window case 32 to securely close sliding window pane 36. Lip 50 has an adjacent channel that is sized to receive the leading edge of the right side of sliding window pane 36. A lip 52, which is substantially the equivalent of lip 50, is provided on the left side edge of adaptor pane 40. Lip 52 also has an adjacent channel, located in the left side of adaptor pane 40, that is sized to receive the leading edge of the right side of sliding window pane 36.

Latch 38 is slid up in an extruded aluminum track at the right side of sliding window pane 36 to engage lip 52. Sliding window pane 36 can be moved to the left after operating latch 38 in the conventional manner. Sliding window pane 36 slides in a guide channel 54 that is inside the bottom length of window case 32. A similar guide channel 56 is provided along the top inside length of window case 32 for the same purpose. Adaptor pane 40 is a smaller copy of sliding window pane 36. The top edge of adaptor pane 40 fits into channel 56 and will slide in it in the same manner as does sliding window pane 36. Adaptor pane 40 has the two latches 42 and 44 that mate with lip 50 in the same way that latch 38 does. The right side leading edge of adaptor pane 40 inserts into the channel associated with lip 50 in substantially the same way as the leading edge of sliding window pane 36 does. The bottom edge of adaptor pane 40 slides horizontally in a guide channel within channel 46 that mimics guide channel 54.

If latch 38 were not opened and latches 42 and 44 were, then sliding window pane 36 and adaptor pane 40 would be able to slide together as a unit to the left and right in their respective channels 54, 56, and 46. Preferably, adaptor pane 40 is constructed of the same materials as is sliding window pane 36. Typically, sliding window pane 36 will be comprised of a glass window pane surrounded by extruded aluminum pieces joined together at the corners by screws. For extra thermal insulation, the above window panes should preferably be at least two pieces of glass with air trapped in between. The construction is conventional and allows the assembly to be built of parts cut to the proper lengths and heights to fit a particular window case opening. However, window case 32 is available from several commercial sources in a variety of standard sizes. It would be feasible for an AC unit manufacturer, seller, or hardware store to stock adaptor panes 40 pre-assembled in sizes compatible with standard openings.