Externally Tensioned Air Duct Assembly for Deflation Shape Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pliable air ducts often sag when deflated, creating an unsightly appearance and may produce objectionable sounds during rapid inflation due to sudden expansion, and existing solutions do not effectively maintain a consistent shape or reduce noise effectively.
Innovation Solution
The use of a pliable tubular air duct assembly with internal hoops and hangers that maintain the duct's shape when deflated, utilizing a combination of hoops, loops, and hangers to keep the duct taut and supported, even when not in use, and employing dual-hoop structures and tensioned cables to prevent sagging and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If pliable air ducts are suspended from cable or track without internal support structures, then the duct can be readily removed for cleaning and installed easily, but the duct sags when deflated creating unsightly appearance and produces objectionable sounds during rapid inflation
Solution Approach 1:
The duct is divided into multiple sections with expandable segments that can be independently supported. Internal support structures are distributed along the duct length rather than requiring a single continuous support system, allowing the duct to maintain shape while remaining removable for cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
Internal support structures such as hoops, cables, or trusses are introduced as intermediary elements between the duct material and the external suspension system. These intermediaries maintain the duct's shape and prevent sagging without preventing the duct from being removed for cleaning.
2Productivity
If pliable air ducts are inflated rapidly to meet ventilating demand, then the duct can quickly supply conditioned air to the room, but the sudden expansion produces objectionable snapping or popping sounds
Solution Approach 1:
Internal support structures such as hoops, cables, or trusses are pre-installed within the duct to provide structural framework before inflation occurs. These pre-positioned elements cushion and guide the expansion process, preventing sudden snapping sounds while allowing rapid inflation to meet ventilating demands.
3Shape
If heavy internal support structures are added to prevent duct sagging, then the duct maintains its shape when deflated, but the device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The duct utilizes its own flexible pliable material as the primary structural element, reinforced with minimal internal support structures such as thin hoops, cables, or trusses. This approach maintains shape consistency without requiring heavy rigid support structures, keeping the overall device complexity low.
Solution Approach 2:
The internal support structures are designed to be flexible and adaptable rather than rigid and fixed. Hoops, cables, or trusses can flex and adjust with the duct's inflation and deflation cycles, maintaining shape consistency while minimizing structural complexity and weight.
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 maintains the air duct's shape and reduces noise by keeping the duct taut in both inflated and deflated states, providing a neat appearance and minimizing the objectionable sounds associated with rapid inflation.
Implementation Method 1
When a fan or blower forces air through a pliable duct to supply the room with air, the pressure of the forced air tends to inflate the duct.
Implementation Method 2
The first hanger transmits a first pulling force that subjects the sidewall to tension in the longitudinal direction when the air duct is in the deflated state.
Data Source
AI summary
Example air duct assemblies include a pliable air duct supported such that the duct is maintained in a generally expanded shape even when the duct is deflated. In some examples, a series of hangers suspend the duct from one or more cables, tracks or other type of overhead support. The hangers are spaced apart and distributed over the length of the duct, and each one contributes in pulling the duct taut in the duct's longitudinal direction.