Fabric diffuser with programmed airflow
AssigneeRite-Hite Holding Corporation
InventorsKevin J. Gebke, Frank Heim, Nicholas L. Kaufmann, Nicolas B. Paschke, Cary Pinkalla
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An air diffuser includes a porous fabric panel having areas of different flow coefficients. The areas' positions and their relative flow coefficients provide a means for not only diffusing the air but also for strategically directing the airflow in a deliberate pattern that promotes intermixing of the air while avoiding adverse air currents. Consequently, the porous fabric itself provides air dispersion and airflow direction without the need for louvers or guide vanes. In some embodiments, the fabric's porosity is programmed by laser cutting small slits into the fabric.
Claims26
An air diffuser, comprising:
- a back pan defining an air inlet and a rim;
- and
- a fabric panel coupled to the back pan to help define a plenum therebetween, the fabric panel includes a first region and a second region that together comprise substantially all of the fabric panel, wherein:
- a) the first region is of a first area, the second region is of a second area, and an area ratio of the first region to the second region is between one and ten, and
- b) the first region has a first average flow coefficient and the second region has a second average flow coefficient such that a coefficient ratio of the first average flow coefficient to the second average flow coefficient is between 0.3 and 0.9.
An air diffuser, comprising:
- a back pan defining an air inlet and a rim;
- and
- a fabric panel having a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge coupled to the rim to help define plenum between the back pan and the fabric panel, wherein:
- a) the fabric panel includes a first upper region, a second upper region, and a central lower region,
- b) the first upper region lies along the first lateral edge, the second upper region lies along the second lateral edge, and the central lower region is interposed between and adjacent to the first upper region and the second upper region,
- c) the first upper region is of a first area, the second upper region is of a second area, and the central lower region is of a third area,
- d) the first upper region has a relatively high average flow coefficient, and the central lower region has a relatively low average flow coefficient, whereby the relatively high average flow coefficient is greater than the relatively low average flow coefficient.
A method of creating an air diffuser, the method comprising:
- providing a fabric having a first region that is porous, wherein the first region has a first average flow coefficient;
- treating the fabric to create a second region having a second average flow coefficient that is greater than the first average flow coefficient;
- and
- coupling the fabric to a back pan, wherein the back pan defines an air inlet and the fabric and the back pan help define a plenum therebetween providing air flow to the plenum so that air passing through the fabric is diffused while being separated and directed by the first and second regions of different porosity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.