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US 10,208,981 B2Granted
Externally tensioned pliable air ducts
AssigneeRite-Hite Holding Corporation
InventorsCary Pinkalla, Jeff Logic, Kevin J. Gebke, Nicholas L. Kaufmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
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.
Claims19
An air duct assembly comprising:
- an air duct having a pliable sidewall, the air duct being elongate in a longitudinal direction, the sidewall defining an interior of the air duct and an external area outside the air duct;
- and
- a dual-hoop structure including a first hoop rigidly connected to a second hoop via a strut extending therebetween, the first hoop defining a first plane and the second hoop defining a second plane spaced apart from the first plane, the strut having a first end located within the first plane and a second end located within the second plane, the dual-hoop structure disposable within the air duct while supported from an overhead support member, the overhead support member being in the external area outside of the air duct, the dual-hoop structure to provide the sidewall with support in a radial direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
An air duct assembly, comprising:
- an air duct elongate in a longitudinal direction, the air duct including a tubular sidewall that is pliable;
- and
- a dual-hoop structure including a first hoop, a second hoop spaced apart from the first hoop, and a strut extending between the first and second hoops, the first hoop, the second hoop, and the strut rigidly connected as a unit, the strut having a first end located within a first plane defined by the first hoop and a second end located within a second plane defined by the second hoop, the dual-hoop structure supportable within the air duct with the first and second hoops substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
An air duct assembly, comprising:
- an air duct elongate in a longitudinal direction, the air duct including a tubular sidewall that is pliable;
- and
- a first dual-hoop structure disposable within the air duct;
- and
- a second dual-hoop structure disposable within the air duct, the first dual-hoop structure spaced apart from the second dual-hoop structure within the air duct without a rigid object extending therebetween within the air duct.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.