# US 2014/0150284 A1 · Acoustic drying system with interspersed exhaust channels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150284 A1 - Document ID: US20140150284A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/693,344 - Filed: 2012-12-04 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-04 - Inventors: Andrew Ciaschi; James Douglas Shifley; Rodney Ray Bucks; Thomas Nathaniel Tombs - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150284A1 ## CPC - F26B 21/50: Ducting arrangements from the source of air or other gases to the materials or objects being dried - F26B 21/55: Outlets for directing or distributing the air or other gases - B41J 11/0022: {using convection means, e.g. by using a fan for blowing or sucking air} - F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27) - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract An acoustic air impingement drying system is provided for drying a material. An inlet chamber receives air from an airflow source provides air at a supply flow rate. A plurality of acoustic resonant chambers are provided, each having an inlet slot that receives air from the inlet chamber and an outlet slot that directs air onto the material, wherein the acoustic resonant chambers impart acoustic energy to the transiting air, the outlet slots being oriented at an oblique angle relative to the width dimension of the pneumatic transducer unit. A plurality of exhaust air channels interspersed between the outlet slots remove the air directed onto the material by the acoustic resonant chambers. A blower pulls air through the exhaust air channels at an exhaust flow rate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An acoustic air impingement drying system for drying a material, comprising: an airflow source providing air at a supply flow rate; a pneumatic transducer unit having a width dimension that spans a width of the material including: an inlet chamber that receives air from the airflow source a plurality of acoustic resonant chambers, each having an inlet slot that receives air from the inlet chamber and an outlet slot that directs air onto the material, wherein the acoustic resonant chambers impart acoustic energy to the transiting air, the outlet slots being oriented at an oblique angle relative to the width dimension of the pneumatic transducer unit; and a plurality of exhaust air channels interspersed between at least some of the outlet slots for removing the air directed onto the material by the acoustic resonant chambers; and a blower for pulling air through the exhaust air channels at an exhaust flow rate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The acoustic air impingement drying system of claim 1, wherein exhaust air channels are interspersed between all of the outlet slots ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The acoustic air impingement drying system of claim 1 further including one or more air barriers arranged around the outer boundary of the peripheral exhaust air channels that block air from passing out of the drying zone. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The acoustic air impingement drying system of claim 1, further including a blower controller that controls the exhaust flow rate, wherein the exhaust flow rate is controlled to match the supply flow rate to within 1%, or to exceed the supply flow rate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The acoustic air impingement drying system of claim 4 wherein the exhaust flow rate is controlled by sensing the supply flow rate and the exhaust flow rate, and adjusting the exhaust flow rate when a difference between the sensed supply flow rate and the sensed exhaust flow rate exceeds a predefined threshold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The acoustic air impingement drying system of claim 5 wherein the acoustic air impingement drying system is a component of an inkjet printing system including one or more inkjet printheads, and wherein the exhaust flow rate is controlled by sensing an airflow rate at a position intermediate to the acoustic air impingement drying system and one of the inkjet printheads. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The acoustic air impingement drying system of claim 1 further including a blower controller that controls the supply flow rate and the exhaust flow rate, wherein the supply flow rate is controlled by sensing the supply flow rate and adjusting the supply flow rate when a difference between the sensed supply flow rate and a predefined aim supply flow rate exceeds a predefined threshold, and the exhaust flow rate is controlled by sensing the exhaust flow rate, and adjusting the exhaust flow rate when a difference between the sensed exhaust flow rate and a predefined aim exhaust flow rate exceeds a predefined threshold, the aim exhaust flow rate being greater than or equal to the aim supply flow rate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The acoustic air impingement drying system of claim 1 further including one or more peripheral exhaust air channels arranged around the outer boundary of the drying zone for removing the air directed onto the material by the acoustic resonant chambers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The acoustic air impingement drying system of claim 1 wherein the material is moved past the pneumatic transducer unit in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the width dimension of the pneumatic transducer unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The acoustic air impingement drying system of claim 9 wherein the each point on the material is moved past the outlet slots for at least two acoustic resonant chambers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The acoustic air impingement drying system of claim 1 wherein the material is an inkjet receiver medium that has been moistened by applying ink using one or more inkjet printheads. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The acoustic air impingement drying system of claim 1 wherein individual acoustic resonant chambers are controlled so that air is only provided by a subset of the acoustic resonant chambers in accordance with a width of the material.