Longitudinally split fabric air duct
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fabric air ducts face challenges in installation and removal, particularly when the main supply air duct is inaccessible, and they often have rigid components unsuitable for conventional washing machines, and achieving varying air permeability by sewing different materials can be problematic.
Innovation Solution
An air duct assembly featuring upper and lower pliable sheets supported by tracks, with a separable joint for easy attachment to a vertically extending inlet duct, and the option to include airflow modifiers, allowing for adjustable air permeability and ease of cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fabric ducts are made removable for periodic cleaning, then maintenance accessibility is improved, but attachment difficulty increases when the main supply air duct is directly above with limited accessibility
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric duct is divided into modular sections that can be independently attached and detached. The separable joint allows the fabric duct to be segmented into manageable portions, facilitating both installation and removal without requiring access to difficult-to-reach attachment points above the duct.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment mechanism transitions from fixed to dynamic/removable. The separable joint enables the fabric duct to be easily attached and detached, transforming the static attachment into a dynamic system that can be adjusted and maintained with minimal effort and accessibility requirements.
2Stability of the object's composition
If rigid pieces are added to fabric ducts to prevent sagging, then structural stability is improved, but machine-washability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rigid support structures, the invention uses flexible air permeable fabric that maintains duct shape through aerodynamic pressure differentials. The fabric itself forms a flexible shell that provides structural stability during operation while remaining completely flexible for machine washing when air pressure is equalized.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural properties of the duct change based on operating conditions. When air pressure differential exists, the fabric maintains a stable open tubular shape. When pressures are equalized, the fabric becomes completely flexible and washable. This dynamic parameter change resolves the contradiction between stability and washability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fabrics of different permeability are sewn together to achieve varying airflow, then air distribution control is improved, but manufacturing quality deteriorates due to sewing difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple fabric panels with different permeability characteristics are joined together using the separable joint mechanism. This merging of different fabric types through standardized connection systems achieves varying airflow distribution without the quality issues associated with sewing different materials together.
Data Source
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AI summary
An air duct assembly includes upper and lower pliable sheets that can be assembled in a sequence that makes the assembly easier to install and later easier to remove for periodic cleaning. To install the assembly, the upper sheet can be installed first by inserting the edges of the upper sheet within a pair of tracks and then fastening the upper sheet to a vertical supply air duct. An optional airflow modifier (e.g., filter, airflow turning vane, or noise attenuator) can be install where the supply air duct connects to the upper sheet. Once the upper sheet is suspended from the tracks and fastened to the main supply air duct, the lower sheet can be installed separately. Pliable end panels and pliable fasteners (e.g., zipper or VELCRO fastener) can make most of the air duct assembly machine washable. The upper and lower sheets can have different degrees of air permeability.