Foam core duct system protected by metal sleeves with integral flanges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional foam-based duct systems for HVAC applications suffer from durability issues, such as ease of damage, high manufacturing costs, and thermal inefficiencies due to penetrative coupling structures that increase heat transfer and moisture intrusion.
Innovation Solution
The use of robust, cost-effective cladding materials for integral flanges that project outward from the protective shell, eliminating the need for penetrative connections between duct sections and enhancing thermal insulation, while maintaining strength and light weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional foam-based duct systems use separate coupling structures attached to duct sections, then the duct sections can be joined together, but the coupling structures penetrate deeply into the juncture between duct sections allowing thermal or cooling losses and increase manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is merged with the protective shell to form an integral structure. The flange is formed by folding back at least a portion of the protective shell at the end of the duct section, eliminating the need for separate coupling structures and reducing thermal losses through penetrations.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful penetrating coupling structures are extracted and replaced by an integral flange design where the flange is formed from the protective shell itself, removing the source of thermal loss pathways while maintaining structural integrity.
2Reliability
If conventional foam-based duct systems use separate coupling structures with numerous screws, then the duct sections can be assembled, but the assembly requires substantial labor and numerous penetrations increase the risk of moisture intrusion
Solution Approach 1:
The flange and protective shell are merged into an integral structure, eliminating separate coupling components and fasteners. This reduces assembly labor to simple joining operations while removing penetration points that could allow moisture intrusion.
3Weight of moving object
If conventional foam-based duct systems use heavy coupling structures, then the duct sections can be joined, but the heavy coupling structures undermine the light weight advantage of foam-based products
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is merged with the protective shell forming an integral lightweight structure. The flange is formed by folding back portions of the protective shell, maintaining the light weight advantage of foam-based ducts while providing sufficient coupling strength through the integral design.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional foam-based duct systems use penetrative coupling structures, then the duct sections can be connected, but the penetrations increase the risk of moisture intrusion and thermal losses
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is merged with the protective shell to form an integral structure that eliminates penetrations. The folding back of the protective shell creates the flange without requiring holes or openings, thereby preventing moisture intrusion and thermal loss pathways while maintaining ease of manufacture.
Data Source
AI summary
This application relates to a duct system, including a duct section that includes a foam body having a first end face and a second end face, where the foam body defines a duct passage extending from the first end face to the second end face, and a sleeve that directly or indirectly covers the foam body, the first sleeve including a plurality of side walls, where at least one side wall has an integral end portion that is folded back to define at least a portion of an integral, peripheral coupling flange around an end face of the foam body.