Split Fabric Air Duct Assembly for Easier Cleaning Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fabric air ducts face challenges in installation and removal due to limited accessibility, and they often have rigid components unsuitable for conventional washing machines, as well as a need for varying air permeability which is difficult to achieve through sewing different materials.
Innovation Solution
The use of pliable sheets supported by tracks with separable joints and pliable fasteners, such as zippers or hook-and-loop fasteners, allows for easier installation and removal, and the inclusion of airflow modifiers like filters or vanes, with sheets made of different materials to provide varying air permeability.
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 installation complexity increases due to limited accessibility at attachment locations
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric duct is divided into modular sections with connecting elements that can be independently assembled and disassembled. This segmentation allows the duct to be installed in manageable sections and facilitates removal for cleaning without requiring complete disassembly of the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
Connecting elements serve as intermediaries between fabric duct sections and main supply air ducts. These intermediaries simplify the attachment process by providing standardized connection interfaces that reduce installation complexity while maintaining ease of removal for maintenance.
2Stability of the object's composition
If rigid pieces are added to fabric ducts for structural support, then structural stability is improved, but cleanability deteriorates as rigid components cannot be removed for washing machine cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rigid structural pieces, the invention uses flexible connecting elements and reinforcement ribs made from flexible materials that maintain structural stability while remaining compatible with fabric duct cleaning processes. These flexible components can be removed or cleaned alongside the fabric duct material.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural support approach transitions from rigid materials to flexible materials with appropriate mechanical properties. This parameter change in material rigidity allows the structural elements to maintain stability during operation while being removable and cleanable like the fabric duct itself.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fabrics of different permeability are sewn together to achieve variable airflow, then airflow control is improved, but manufacturing quality deteriorates due to sewing difficulties with different materials
Solution Approach 1:
The invention integrates variable permeability features directly into single fabric pieces through manufacturing processes such as heat bonding, ultrasonic welding, or varying the knit/twine structure during fabrication. This merging of functionality into unified components eliminates the need to sew together different materials, maintaining manufacturing quality while achieving airflow control.
Solution Approach 2:
The permeability characteristics are varied by changing parameters during the fabrication of uniform fabric pieces, such as modifying thread density, knit structure, or applying heat-activated bonding patterns in specific zones. This approach achieves different airflow characteristics without requiring assembly of different materials, avoiding sewing quality issues.
Data Source
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.