US 5,893,216 A · Wall-drying system

Abstract

A pressurized air distribution network of conduits terminates in small, needle-like nozzles adapted to penetrate a wall, ceiling or layers of flooring, or other moisture-laden areas, such as trapped air space beneath cabinets, through an unobtrusive, easily repaired hole. Air is dispersed by positive-pressure nozzles within the area and collected by nozzles of negative pressure relative to the air pressure within the area. To maintain equal air distribution about a large area, air pressure at the several positive-pressure nozzles is maintained approximately the same by an air supply ring disposed about the relevant room. Spaced apart about the ring are several manifolds, each feeding air to a nozzle. The ring is maintained at near constant pressure, that is, with minimum pressure gradation about the ring, by attaching several air blowers around the ring. In lieu thereof, a central blower provides air to a duct which divides at least once into multiple conduits at at least one branch location. Conduits vary in cross-section so that the conduits may be distributed along the moisture-laden area with larger conduits farther from a branch point and smaller conduits closer to maintain near-equal pressure at respective nozzles at conduit ends. Nozzles disperse air within the drying area by providing a discharge orifice at its distal end and at least one circumferential orifice at the distal end to create a Bernoulli effect. The nozzles are retained in place in the wall by longitudinal ribs along the nozzle circumference ending tapered at the insertion, distal end and ending abruptly in a radial surface that abuts the wall inner surface when the nozzle is rotated after insertion, thus preventing self-extraction when air is discharged out of the nozzle end.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A needle nozzle with a first orifice on a distal end and an opposite proximal end for connecting to a prime air mover of a reconfigurable dryer system adapted to dry moisture-laden trapped air cavities and materials, collectively referred to as a wet area, comprising

an elongate, hollow, cylindrical, small-diameter needle nozzle forming a single passageway therethrough with a first orifice on a distal end and a second orifice on a proximal end, the nozzle comprising a cylinder wall for unidirectional air flow which nozzle is adapted to penetrate a wall covering the wet area to reach the wet area through a small, unobtrusive penetration hole in the covering wall, the needle nozzle having a plurality of orifices on the nozzle circumference near the nozzle distal end and communicating with the passageway within and adapted to achieve a bernoulli effect from air flow passing past the circumferential orifices in the passageway.

A reconfigurable and transportable temporary dryer system adapted to dry a moisture-laden area covered by a wall, comprising

a prime air mover means,
a first plurality of air nozzles in fluid communication with the prime air mover means which nozzles are adapted to penetrate said wall for moving air through the area,
means for moving air through the first plurality of nozzles such that air flows through each of said nozzles under approximately the same pressure, including means for delivering positive-pressure air to the plurality of nozzles that comprises a network of flexible tubing providing forced-air communication between the air blower and the nozzles, the tubing connecting to the air blower at a first end and dividing in a branching network to a plurality of distal second ends terminating with a nozzle attached thereto therein providing configuration flexibility in relative placement of the nozzles in a wall.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Wall-drying system

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Wall-drying system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21