Air distribution unit for environmentally conditioned furniture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Environmentally conditioned furniture generates undesired noise, which negatively impacts sleep quality.
Innovation Solution
An air distribution unit for environmentally controlled furniture that incorporates a sound-absorbing fan enclosure, a heating unit with sound-absorbing materials, and optional UV treatment, along with a control unit for managing airflow and noise reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a motor-driven fan and heating unit are used to generate controlled airflow for environmental conditioning, then the furniture can provide temperature and humidity control for user comfort, but undesired noise is generated that negatively impacts sleep quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the noise-generating components (fan and heating unit) into a separate enclosed housing structure. This isolation compartmentates the harmful noise source from the user space, allowing the beneficial thermal conditioning function to continue while the harmful acoustic effect is contained and directed away from the occupant.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces air-flow guidance members as intermediary elements between the noise-generating components and the user environment. These guidance members serve dual functions: directing the conditioned airflow toward the user while also acting as acoustic barriers that absorb and redirect noise away from the sleeping area.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If sound-absorbing materials are added to the fan enclosure and air-flow guidance members, then noise transmission is reduced, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the air-flow guidance members multi-functional by giving them both aerodynamic and acoustic roles. These members simultaneously direct airflow and absorb noise, eliminating the need for separate acoustic treatment components and reducing overall device complexity despite adding sound-absorbing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the sound-absorbing function with the existing structural components (enclosure walls and air-flow guidance members) rather than adding separate acoustic treatment layers. This integration combines thermal management and noise control functions into unified structures, simplifying the overall system architecture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively mitigates noise generated by the fan and heating unit, ensuring a quieter operation that enhances sleep quality by reducing sound transmission to the user.
Implementation Method 1
An air-flow inner surface of the air-flow guidance member, adjacent to which the air-flow moves, is at least partially sound-absorbing
Implementation Method 2
The air distribution unit further comprises a heating unit configured to heat an air-flow passing along the air-flow path
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2C
AI summary
Air handling unit for environmentally conditioned furniture, and associated systems and methods An air distribution unit (130) for environmentally controlled furniture, such as a bed (100). The air distribution unit includes a fan enclosure (180) for accommodating a fan, with a fan enclosure inlet (192) upstream of the fan and a fan enclosure outlet (136) downstream of the fan, the fan enclosure (130) including an air-flow guidance member (186) positioned in the fan enclosure (130), which defines at least in part, an air-flow path between the fan enclosure inlet (192) and the fan enclosure outlet (136), wherein an inner surface of the air-flow guidance member (186), adjacent to the air-flow path, is at least partially sound-absorbing.