Pliable air duct with dust and condensation repellency
First Claim
1. An air duct comprising a pliable sheet configured to convey air, wherein the pliable sheet has a porosity formed by an emorizing or sueding process, wherein the pliable sheet includes a plurality of discharge openings that each provide a first area and wherein the porosity of the pliable sheet provides a plurality of second areas, with the first area being greater than the second open area.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fabric air duct with main discharge openings includes additional, much smaller openings that help ventilate the surface of the duct. Ventilating the surface of the duct with a slight yet even amount of airflow helps inhibit the accumulation of condensate and dust on the surface of the duct. In some embodiments, the duct includes a pliable sheet consisting of a rather porous fabric base material. To achieve an appropriately low level of airflow, a plastic coating on the fabric reduces, but does not eliminate the fabric'"'"'s porosity. A calendering process then reduces the porosity even further. In some embodiments, the calendering process occurs before the plastic coating process. In other embodiments, the pliable sheet is substantially air impermeable, except for its main discharge openings. The sheet is then perforated with numerous smaller openings to achieve the desired amount of surface ventilation. In yet other embodiments, an emorizing or sueding process is used to abrade or nap the surface of a porous or non-porous base material to create a pliable sheet having a desired amount of porosity. From any of these processes, air ducts of various shapes may be formed, including air ducts that are circular, ½ round, and ¼ round in shape, as well as air ducts having a non-uniform cross-sectional shape across their lengths.
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Citations
28 Claims
- 1. An air duct comprising a pliable sheet configured to convey air, wherein the pliable sheet has a porosity formed by an emorizing or sueding process, wherein the pliable sheet includes a plurality of discharge openings that each provide a first area and wherein the porosity of the pliable sheet provides a plurality of second areas, with the first area being greater than the second open area.
- 9. An air duct, comprising a pliable sheet configured to convey air, wherein the pliable sheet includes a fabric base material that is porous and a plastic coating on the fabric base material that reduces the porosity of the fabric base material yet leaves the pliable sheet porous, wherein the pliable sheet includes a plurality of discharge openings that provide a first open area and the porosity of the pliable sheet provides a second open area with the first open area being greater than the second open area.
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11. A method of creating an air duct comprising:
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applying pressure to a pliable sheet having a porosity below a desired porosity to increase the porosity of the pliable sheet to the desired porosity; and
configuring the pliable sheet to convey air. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28)
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25. A method of creating an air duct comprising:
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applying pressure to a pliable sheet to decrease a porosity of the pliable sheet;
after the application of the pressure, applying a plastic coating to the pliable sheet; and
configuring the pliable sheet to convey air.
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Specification