Hoop Support Structure for Pliable Air Ducts to Reduce Cable Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pliable air ducts face accelerated wear due to imperfectly installed or non-parallel supporting structures, which can cause damage and interference with the duct's sidewall during inflation and deflation cycles.
Innovation Solution
The use of hoops with tabs and clamps that extend outward from the hoop to space cables away from the duct's sidewall, preventing direct contact and reducing wear by maintaining the duct's shape and tension without damaging the pliable material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pliable air ducts are suspended from cables or tracks by connectors, then the duct can be easily installed and removed for cleaning, but the supporting structures may cause accelerated wear and damage to the duct's sidewall during inflation and deflation cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (the hoop with integrated connectors) that mediates between the cable support structure and the pliable duct sidewall. The hoop acts as a buffer that distributes forces and prevents direct contact between the rigid cable connectors and the flexible duct material, thereby reducing wear while maintaining ease of installation and removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The duct is pre-inflated to a semi-rigid state before being attached to the support cables. This preliminary inflation gives the duct enough structural integrity to withstand the attachment process and subsequent operational forces without damage, while still allowing easy installation and removal.
2Productivity
If the duct is inflated to convey air, then air flow is enabled, but the duct expands radially and longitudinally which may cause interference with supporting structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the duct into multiple segmented sections, each capable of independent inflation and deflation. This segmentation allows the duct to expand radially for air flow while the segments can move independently to accommodate supporting structures, reducing interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The duct is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to adapt its shape during operation. The pliable material and flexible construction enable the duct to expand when inflated and contract when deflated, dynamically adjusting to clear supporting structures while maintaining air flow capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to support externally tensioned pliable air ducts comprising a hoop disposable within an air duct, the air duct having a tubular sidewall made of a pliable material; a first tab protruding from a first point on the hoop, the first tab including a first opening to engage a first support structure located on a first side of the air duct; and a second tab protruding from a second point on the hoop, the second tab including a second opening to engage a second support structure located on a second side of the air duct opposite the first side.