US 11,231,189 B2Granted

Under-floor pliable air duct/dispersion systems

AssigneeRite-Hite Holding Corporation

InventorsJeffrey Klopfenstein, Kevin J. Gebke, Nicolas B. Paschke

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Abstract

An under-floor HVAC system for a building includes a pliable air duct lying upon a subfloor. A matrix of pedestals resting upon and extending upward from the subfloor supports a set of floor panels, which thus creates a plenum between the subfloor and the set of floor panels. The air duct extends through the plenum to convey conditioned air from a supply air duct to a series of registers in the floor panels. The registers disperse the conditioned air to a room or area just above the panels. To help keep the air duct from repeatedly extending, retracting, and otherwise sliding freely along the subfloor in response to changes in air duct pressure, the air duct is held taut by anchoring a distal downstream end of the duct to one or more of the floor-supporting pedestals. Various air duct configurations can be assembled from a predefined assortment of duct components.

Claims21

Dependent claims

An air duct system for conveying air to a comfort zone of a building, wherein the building includes a subfloor, a plurality of pedestals on the subfloor, a plurality of floor panels supported by the plurality of pedestals such that the plurality of floor panels is above the subfloor to define a plenum there between, a supply air duct below the plurality of floor panels, and a supply air register at the plurality of floor panels, the air duct system comprising:

a distribution air duct installable within the plenum underneath the plurality of floor panels, the distribution air duct defined by a circumferentially enclosed tubular wall formed of a unitary pliable material such that the distribution air duct is inflatable and collapsible, a bottom portion of an outer surface of the tubular wall to rest upon the subfloor when the air duct is installed within the plenum, the distribution air duct including a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being connectable to the supply air duct such that air from the supply air duct can pass in series through the proximal end, toward the distal end, out from within the distribution air duct, into the plenum, up through the supply air register, and into the comfort zone;
a connector attached to the distribution air duct at the distal end;
and
a fastener to connect to first and second pedestals of the plurality of pedestals supporting the plurality of floor panels, a first point on the fastener to connect to the first pedestal and a second point on the fastener to connect to the second pedestal, the fastener to extend through the connector at a third point on the fastener when the first and second points are connected to the first and second pedestals, the third point between the first and second points on the fastener such that the fastener is to form a V-shape when connected to the first and second pedestals, the fastener to extend continuously from the first point to the second point, the fastener to be taut, when connected to the first and second pedestals, to tension the distribution air duct in a horizontal direction along a longitudinal axis of the distribution air duct.

1 more element

An air duct system for conveying air to a comfort zone, the air duct system comprising:

a distribution air duct including an elongate duct segment having an entire length extending from a first end to a second end along a straight longitudinal axis, the duct segment including a circumferentially enclosed tubular wall to be disposed within a plenum between a plurality of floor panels and a subfloor below the plurality of floor panels, an outer surface of the tubular wall to be in contact with the subfloor, the tubular wall of the duct segment being made of a pliable material such that the distribution air duct is to be inflatable and collapsible, the distribution air duct including a proximal end and a distal end, the first end of the duct segment to be proximate the proximal end of the distribution air duct, the second end of the duct segment to be proximate the distal end of the distribution air duct, the proximal end to be coupled to a supply air duct within the plenum such that air from the supply air duct passes in series through the proximal end, toward the distal end, out from within the distribution air duct, into the plenum, up through a supply air register, and into the comfort zone;
a connector on the duct segment at the second end to facilitate support of the duct segment, the duct segment devoid of other connectors for supporting the duct segment along the length of the duct segment between the connector and the first end;
and
a fastener to connect the distal end, via the connector, to a first pedestal of a plurality of pedestals underneath and supporting the plurality of floor panels, the fastener to be taut between the connector and the first pedestal to place the entire length of the duct segment in tension along the longitudinal axis.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/397,692Filed 29 Apr 2019 · continuation
Priority: 22 Aug 2008
Published: US 2019/0249890 A115 Aug 2019
Granted: 25 Jan 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

F24F 7/10
With forced air circulation, e.g. by fan positioning of a ventilator in or against a conduit: with air supply, or exhaust, through perforated…
F24F 13/0218
Ducting arrangements: flexible soft ducts, e.g. ducts made of permeable textiles
F24F 13/0227
Ducting arrangements: using parts of the building, e.g. air ducts inside the floor, walls or ceiling of a building
F24F 13/0254
Ducting arrangements: characterised by their mounting means, e.g. supports

Family

Application12/196,999Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Aug 2008
US 2019/0249890 A1Pre-grant publication · published 15 Aug 2019
US 10,274,216 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2010/0048121 A1Published application
US 11,231,189 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.