Surface dryers producing uniform exit velocity profiles, and associated systems and methods
AssigneeDri-Eaz Products, Inc.
InventorsRichard A. Black, Brett Bartholmey, Ryan Kulp, Larry White, William Bruders
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Abstract
Surface dryers having uniform exit velocity profiles, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. Surface dryers in accordance with certain embodiments include a housing, a gas driver positioned in the housing, an inlet aperture formed in the housing and positioned upstream of the gas driver, and a nozzle carried by the housing and positioned downstream of the gas driver. The nozzle can have an indentation forming a convergent portion positioned to accelerate the flow of air and a divergent portion positioned to decelerate the flow of air.
Claims20
An air dryer mover for producing uniform air velocity profiles, comprising:
- a dryer housing at least partially enclosing an interior chamber;
- an impeller positioned within the interior chamber to drive a flow of air along an airflow path;
- an inlet having an inlet aperture;
- and
- a nozzle having an outlet aperture having an asymmetric pinched the nozzle further having:
- a convergent portion positioned to accelerate the flow of air;
- and
- a divergent portion positioned to decelerate the flow of air;
- wherein the airflow path includes a first segment located at the inlet aperture, a second segment located at the convergent portion, a third segment located at the divergent portion, and a fourth segment located at the outlet aperture.
A surface dryer for removing moisture from a target surface, comprising:
- a dryer housing;
- a gas driver positioned in the housing to drive a flow of air along an airflow path;
- an inlet aperture formed in the housing and positioned to receive the flow of air;
- and
- a nozzle carried by the housing, the nozzle having:
- an indentation forming a convergent portion positioned to accelerate the flow of air and a divergent portion positioned to decelerate the flow of air;
- and an outlet aperture positioned downstream of the indentation and having an asymmetric pinched region.
A method of drying surfaces, comprising:
- positioning a surface dryer proximate to a surface, wherein the surface dryer has a housing and a support device coupled to the housing, and wherein the support device contacts the surface;
- directing a flow of air through an inlet aperture and into the housing via an impeller carried by the housing;
- accelerating the flow of air at a convergent portion of the housing;
- decelerating the flow of air at a divergent portion of the housing;
- discharging the flow of air through an outlet aperture of the housing;
- and
- locally adjusting a portion of the flow of air at an asymmetric pinched region of the outlet aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.