Dryer Vent Coupling With Guided Seal for Tight-Space Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of a conventional household clothes dryer exhaust system is challenging due to limited space, leading to issues with flexible vent tubing being crushed or kinked, and rigid tubing is difficult to connect to external vents without precise alignment.
Innovation Solution
A clothes dryer vent coupling system featuring a rectangular housing secured to the wall with a conical inlet and outlet coupling system that allows for easy connection and disconnection of rigid or flexible tubing to the exhaust pipe, ensuring a secure and airtight seal regardless of the vent's location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If flexible vent tubing is used for dryer exhaust, then ease of installation is improved, but airflow efficiency deteriorates due to crushing and kinking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the vent tubing from flexible to rigid, transforming it into a structurally stable component that maintains its shape and prevents kinking while still allowing for practical installation through the coupling mechanism
2Reliability
If rigid tubing is used for dryer exhaust, then airflow efficiency is improved, but ease of installation deteriorates due to positioning and alignment difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a coupling device as an intermediary component that connects the rigid vent tubing to the dryer exhaust. This coupling serves as a mediator that absorbs positioning tolerances and alignment variations, allowing the rigid tubing to be installed easily while maintaining its structural integrity and airflow efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The vent system is divided into separate modular components: the dryer exhaust outlet, the coupling device, and the rigid tubing. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the coupling handles alignment and connection while the tubing maintains rigid structural stability
3Volume of moving object
If dryer is positioned close to wall for space efficiency, then space utilization is improved, but vent connection quality deteriorates due to tubing deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the flexibility parameter of the vent tubing from flexible to rigid, enabling the dryer to be positioned close to the wall without causing tubing deformation. The rigid structure maintains its shape even under compression, preserving connection quality while maximizing space utilization
4Adaptability or versatility
If universal dryer connection is designed for compatibility with any dryer, then adaptability is improved, but connection reliability deteriorates due to alignment variations
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device serves as a universal intermediary component that accommodates variations in dryer exhaust outlet positions and orientations. It provides a standardized connection interface that absorbs alignment variations, ensuring reliable sealing and connection regardless of the specific dryer model or exhaust outlet location
Data Source
AI summary
A clothes dryer vent coupling system for connecting the vent outlet of a clothes dryer to an exhaust pipe in a room wall includes a rectangular housing secured to the wall and includes sides and a front wall. An outlet coupling on one side of the housing is connected to the exhaust pipe through rigid or flexible tubing. The front wall of the housing includes a round inlet opening facing forward. A connector coupling connected to the vent outlet at the back of the clothes dryer has a conical end but with openings therein. When the dryer is moved toward the room wall, the connector coupling is guided into and enters the inlet opening. Once in place, a rubber gasket around the connector coupling seals the coupling to the housing.