Fabric silencers for air ducts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9784469-B2
Application number	US-201514717400-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2015
Priority date	May 20, 2015
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

Fabric silencers for air ducts are disclosed. An example air duct silencer system includes an inner tube being of a first pliable material, the inner tube defining an airway extending along the inner tube. The example air duct silencer system further includes an outer tube being of a second pliable material, the outer tube to encircle the inner tube to define an annular space between the outer tube and the inner tube. The example air duct silencer system also includes a sound absorbing material to be disposed within the annular space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air duct silencer system comprising:
an inner tube being of a first pliable sheet material, the inner tube defining an airway extending along the inner tube;
an outer tube being of a second pliable sheet material, the outer tube to encircle the inner tube to define an annular space between the outer tube and the inner tube; and
a sound absorbing material to be disposed within the annular space.

2. The air duct silencer system of claim 1 , wherein the first pliable sheet material and the second pliable sheet material are identical.

3. The air duct silencer system of claim 1 , wherein the sound absorbing material is less dense than the first pliable sheet material and less dense than the second pliable sheet material.

4. The air duct silencer system of claim 1 , wherein the sound absorbing material is more porous than the first pliable sheet material and more porous than the second pliable sheet material.

5. The air duct silencer system of claim 1 , wherein most of the second pliable sheet material is polymeric.

6. The air duct silencer system of claim 1 , further including a blower discharging a current of air through the airway.

7. The air duct silencer system of claim 1 , wherein the inner tube is to be coupled to a blower that discharges a current of air through the inner tube, wherein a metal air duct is downstream of the inner tube with respect to the current of air.

8. The air duct silencer system of claim 1 , wherein the inner tube includes a tubular wall that is air permeable.

9. The air duct silencer system of claim 1 , wherein the sound absorbing material provides structural support to hold the outer tube in a radially expanded shape.

10. The air duct silencer system of claim 1 , further including an internal frame to be attached to at least one of the inner tube and the outer tube, the internal frame to exert a tensile force to the at least one of the inner tube and the outer tube, the tensile force placing the at least one of the inner tube and the outer tube in tension along a length of the at least one of the inner tube and the outer tube.

11. The air duct silencer system of claim 10 , wherein the internal frame includes a plurality of hoops to radially engage the at least one of the inner tube and the outer tube, the plurality of hoops to hold the at least one of the inner tube and the outer tube in a radially expanded shape.

12. The air duct silencer system of claim 11 , further including an overhead support structure above the inner tube and attached to the plurality of hoops.

13. The air duct silencer system of claim 1 , further including:
a central tube being of a third pliable material, the central tube to be disposed within the inner tube, the airway to surround the central tube and to be radially interposed between the central tube and the inner tube; and
a second sound absorbing material disposed within the central tube.

14. An air duct silencer system comprising:
a first pliable tube defining an airway, the first pliable tube to convey a current of air from a blower between an inlet air duct and an outlet air duct;
an internal frame attached to the first pliable tube, the internal frame to exert a tensile force that subjects the first pliable tube to tension in a direction substantially parallel to a centerline of the first pliable tube, wherein the internal frame includes metal and is spaced apart from both the inlet air duct and the outlet air duct; and
a first baffle made of a pliable sheet, the first baffle to be coupled to the internal frame within the airway, the first baffle defining an unobstructed flow path within the first pliable tube along a substantially straight length of the first pliable tube between the inlet air duct and the outlet air duct, the unobstructed flow path being tortuous such that there is not a straight line-of-sight within the substantially straight length of the first pliable tube.

15. The air duct silencer system of claim 14 , wherein a gap between the internal frame and at least one of the inlet air duct or the outlet air duct is to be spanned solely by at least one pliable tube.

16. The air duct silencer system of claim 14 , wherein the internal frame includes a plurality of hoops radially engaging the first pliable tube, the plurality of hoops holding the first pliable tube in a radially expanded shape.

17. The air duct silencer system of claim 16 , further including an overhead support structure attached to the plurality of hoops to support the first pliable tube.

18. The air duct silencer system of claim 14 , wherein the pliable sheet has a substantially helical surface.

19. The air duct silencer system of claim 14 , wherein the first baffle is substantially conical.

20. The air duct silencer system of claim 19 , further including a second baffle that is substantially conical, the first baffle being larger than the second baffle.

21. The air duct silencer system of claim 19 , further including a second baffle that is substantially conical, the first baffle and the second baffle pointing in opposite directions.

22. The air duct silencer system of claim 14 , wherein the first baffle has a non-developable surface.

23. The air duct system of claim 14 , wherein the first baffle has a non-developable surface extending from an inner diameter of the first pliable tube toward the centerline of the first pliable tube.

24. An air duct system, comprising:
a first pliable tube to extend between a rigid inlet air duct and a rigid outlet air duct;
a frame disposed within the first pliable tube and spaced apart from the inlet and outlet air ducts, the frame to support the first pliable tube in a radially expanded shape; and
a plurality of baffles to be coupled to the frame to define an unobstructed flow path through a substantially straight length of the first pliable tube between the inlet and outlet air ducts, the plurality of baffles to prevent a straight line-of-sight through the substantially straight length of the first pliable tube.

25. The air duct system of claim 24 , wherein the first pliable tube extends in a substantially straight line between the inlet and outlet air ducts.

Assignees

• Ramos Jake
• Partain James
• Gebke Kevin J
• Jacobson Michael A
• Kaufmann Nicholas L
• Niehaus William A
• Rite Hite Holding Corp

Inventors

• Ramos Jake
• Partain James
• Gebke Kevin J
• Jacobson Michael A
• Kaufmann Nicholas L
• Niehaus William A

Classifications

• F24F2013/242

  Sound-absorbing material · CPC title

• F24F13/0254

  characterised by their mounting means, e.g. supports · CPC title

• F24F13/0263

  Insulation for air ducts · CPC title

• F24F13/24 Primary

  Means for preventing or suppressing noise · CPC title

• F24F13/0281

  Multilayer duct · CPC title