Wall-drying system

• US 5,893,216 A
• Filed: 07/09/1997
• Issued: 04/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Injectidry Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ernest J. Storrer Jr, Terry C. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Terry C., Storrer, Ernest J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRAVINI, STEPHEN MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US08/890,141
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 34/383, 34/413, 34/417, 34/437, 34/439, 34/447, 34/487, 34/507, 34/103, 34/104, 34/181, 454/271, 454/305, 239/71, 239/556, 239/565, 239/587.5
• US Class Current: 34/103
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/7092 Temporary mechanical ventilation of damp layers, e.g. insulation of a floating floor
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/001 Drying-air generating units, e.g. movable, independent of drying enclosure

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.

Claims

1. 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.

2. 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

a plurality of parallel ribs with respective distal ends toward the nozzle distal end and proximal ends toward the nozzle proximal end, the ribs disposed longitudinally on the nozzle and spaced apart around the nozzle circumference.

3. The needle nozzle of claim 2 in which the ribs terminate in respective blunt ends intermediate the nozzle, the ribs being of length to fully pass through the wall, the nozzle then rotatable with the ribs through the wall becoming a nozzle stop against the wall to prevent self extraction from exhaust of air flow in the passageway.

4. The needle nozzle of claim 2 in which the ribs terminate in a taper to the nozzle outer surface near the nozzle distal end to facilitate insertion through the wall.

5. 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 pressures,

at least one additional nozzle adapted to be spaced apart in the wall from the first plurality of air nozzles wherein the means for moving air through the plurality of nozzles maintains pressure in said first plurality of nozzles different from the at least one additional nozzle to produce a controlled air flow between the first plurality of nozzles and the at least one additional nozzle.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the prime air mover means includes a positive-pressure air blower.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the prime air mover means includes a vacuum drawing device.

8. The system of claim 5 in which at least one of the nozzles comprises

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.

9. 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.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said conduit and said nozzles attached on conduit distal ends have fluid passageways therethrough of different cross-sections, respectively, suitable for alignment of nozzles with larger cross-section passageways more distant from the plenum such that pressure to the plurality of nozzles is approximately the same.

19. The system of claim 9 further comprising

a continuous air supple ring conduit for air distribution to said nozzles,

a plurality of manifolds spaced apart about the ring each having at least one distribution port disposed to distribute air within the ring to at least one nozzle through a conduit connected therebetween such that pressure to the plurality of nozzles is approximately the same.

20. The system of claim 9 wherein the wall comprises

a planar sheet having an insertion hole and a sealing means about the sheet perimeter adapted to seal the sheet around a moisture-laden area of the wall with the sheet spaced apart therefrom, and

the nozzles comprise at least one relief hole in the sheet for removing air from between the sheet and the moisture-laden area of the wall, and at least one insertion hole in the sheet through which air passes to within the sheet and the moisture-laden area of the wall.

21. The system of claim 9 further comprising

a noise reduction filter on the air blower comprising a cylinder with a tubular passageway within and having a plurality of elongated slots on the cylinder circumference communicating with the passageway.

11. 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,

a continuous air supply ring conduit for air distribution to said nozzles,

a plurality of manifolds spaced apart about the ring each having at least one distribution port disposed to distribute air within the ring to at least one nozzle through a conduit connected therebetween such that pressure to the plurality of nozzles is approximately the same.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising a plurality of positive-pressure air supply means spaced about the ring such that air pressure at each manifold is approximately the same.

13. The system of claim 12 in which the plurality of positive-pressure air supply means comprises

a central positive-pressure air supply means,

a plurality of air supply conduits with first ends connected to said air supply means and with second ends connected to input ports spaced about the ring such that air pressure at each manifold is approximately the same, said air supply conduits adapted to deliver approximately the same pressure to each input port.

14. 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,

wherein the wall comprises a planar sheet having an insertion hole and a sealing means about the sheet perimeter adapted to seal the sheet around a moisture-laden area of the wall with the sheet spaced apart therefrom, and

the nozzles comprise at least one relief hole in the sheet for removing air from between the sheet and the moisture-laden area of the wall, and at least one insertion hole in the sheet through which air passes to within the sheet and the moisture-laden area of the wall.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the "wall" further comprises a textured surface on a sheet inside face disposed to mount opposite the moisture-laden area and adapted such that air moving from the insertion hole is dispersed throughout the sheet inside face by the textured surface.

16. 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,

a noise reduction filter on the air blower comprising a cylinder with a tubular passageway within and having a plurality of elongated slots on the cylinder circumference communicating with the passageway.

17. The system of claim 16 in which the slots are disposed longitudinally on the nozzle and spaced apart circumferencially.

18. The system of claim 16 in which the slots are staggered longitudinally on the cylinder circumference.