System, combination and method for controlling airflow in convective treatment

Abstract

In a convective system that includes a blower to thermally treat and pressurize air, a convective device to receive and convect the thermally-treated pressurized air, and an air hose to conduct a flow of thermally-treated pressurized air from the blower to an inlet port in the convective device, an interface device is provided to control the flow of air at the interface where the inlet port and an end of the air hose operate to conduct the flow of air out of the air hose into the convective device. The interface device is received at the end of the air hose and operates to support the flow of air out of the end when the end and the inlet port are brought together. The interface device operates to stop, inhibit, or restrict the flow of air out of the end when the end and the inlet port are separated.

1 . A system for controlling airflow in convective treatment, comprising: 
 a blower;    an air hose with a first end receivable in the blower and a second end;    a convective device with an inlet port to receive pressurized air from the second end; and,    an interface device mounted to the second end and receivable by the inlet port, the interface device including a shutter slidably disposed near the second end and moveable between a first position where the shutter prevents the flow of air out of the second end and a second position where the shutter permits the flow of air out of the second end.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the interface device acts between the inlet port and the second end to keep the shutter in the first position when the interface device is received by the inlet port.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , the interface device further including: 
 a tubular end piece with two ends, a first end of the tubular end piece receivable on the second end of the air hose:    a front piece disposed on the second end of the tubular piece;    a surface on the front piece, the surface having a periphery;    a frame on the surface, with slots disposed around the periphery; and,    an opening in the surface;    the shutter being retained in the slots so as to slide on the surface, over the opening.    
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the frame is a concave rectangular frame, the surface is a concave rectangular surface, and the shutter is a flexible shutter.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the frame is a concave rectangular frame, the surface is a concave rectangular surface, and the shutter has a shape that fits the shape of the concave rectangular surface.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , the interface device further including a retainer disposed on the shutter to engage the inlet port so as to keep the shutter in the second position.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3 , the shutter including first and second portions, the first portion being unbroken, and the second portion including at least one opening, such that when the shutter is in the first position, the first portion covers the opening in the surface, and when the shutter is in the second position, the at least one opening in the shutter is aligned with the opening in the surface.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , the interface device further including: 
 a slot in the surface, disposed generally on a longitudinal axis of the surface;    a gudgeon disposed on the shutter to face the slot in the surface; and,    a spring acting between the slot in the surface and the gudgeon;    the spring being compressed by the slot and the gudgeon when the shutter is in the second position.    
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , the interface device further including: 
 a cover disposed on the frame such that the shutter is sandwiched between the surface and the cover;    an opening in the cover aligned with the opening in the surface;    a slot in the cover extending to the opening in the cover;    a retainer disposed on the shutter to move in the slot in the cover as the shutter moves between the first and second positions.    
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the retainer is positioned on the shutter to engage the inlet port, thereby to retain the shutter in the second position, with the spring compressed.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the shutter is returned to the first position by the compressed spring acting against the gudgeon when the retainer is released from the inlet port.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the shutter is returned to the first position by the compressed spring acting against the gudgeon when the interface device is removed from the inlet port.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 7 , further including means for moving the shutter to the first position when the interface device is removed from the inlet port and for retaining the shutter in the second position when the interface device is received by the inlet port.  
     
     
         14 . An interface device for controlling airflow delivered by an air hose to an inlet port of a convective thermal treatment apparatus, comprising: 
 a tubular end piece with first and second ends, the first end being receivable on the air hose;    a front piece disposed on the second end and receivable in the inlet port;    a surface on the front piece, the surface having a periphery;    a frame on the surface, with slots disposed around the periphery; and,    an opening in the surface;    the shutter being retained in the slots so as to slide on the surface, over the opening, between a first position where the shutter blocks the opening in the surface in response to the interface device being removed from the inlet port and a second position where the shutter opens the opening in the surface in response to the interface device being received in the inlet port.    
     
     
         15 . The interface device of  claim 14 , wherein the frame is a concave rectangular frame, the surface is a concave rectangular surface, and the shutter is a flexible shutter.  
     
     
         16 . The interface device of  claim 14 , wherein the frame is a concave rectangular frame, the surface is a concave rectangular surface, and the shutter has a shape that fits the shape of the concave rectangular surface.  
     
     
         17 . The interface device of  claim 14 , further including a retainer disposed on the shutter to engage the inlet port so as to keep the shutter in the second position.  
     
     
         18 . The interface device of  claim 14 , the shutter including first and second portions, the first portion being unbroken, and the second portion including at least one opening, such that when the shutter is in the first position, the first portion covers the opening in the surface, and when the shutter is in the second position, the at least one opening in the shutter is aligned with the opening in the surface.  
     
     
         19 . The interface device of  claim 18 , further including: 
 a slot in the surface, disposed generally on a longitudinal axis of the surface;    a gudgeon disposed on the shutter to face the slot in the surface; and,    a spring acting between the slot in the surface and the gudgeon;    the spring being compressed by the slot and the gudgeon when the shutter is in the second position.    
     
     
         20 . The interface device of  claim 19 , further including: 
 a cover disposed on the frame such that the shutter is sandwiched between the surface and the cover;    an opening in the cover aligned with the opening in the surface;    a slot in the cover extending to the opening in the cover;    a retainer disposed on the shutter to move in the slot in the cover as the shutter moves between the first and second positions.    
     
     
         21 . The interface device of  claim 20 , wherein the retainer is positioned on the shutter to engage the inlet port, thereby to cause the shutter to be retained in the second position and the spring to be compressed.  
     
     
         22 . The interface device of  claim 21 , wherein the shutter is returned to the first position by the compressed spring acting against the gudgeon when the retainer is released from the inlet port.  
     
     
         23 . The interface device of  claim 18 , further including means for moving the shutter to the first position when the interface device is removed from the inlet port and for retaining the shutter in the second position when the interface device is received by the inlet port.  
     
     
         24 . A method for safely operating a convective thermal treatment system, the method comprising: 
 mounting an interface device with a slidable shutter to an air hose;    mounting the interface device to an inlet port of a convective treatment device;    in response to mounting the interface device to the inlet port, sliding the shutter to an open position permitting air flow from the air hose to the inlet port;    providing a flow of heated air through the air hose to the inlet port;    separating the interface device from the inlet port; and then,    sliding the shutter to a closed position preventing air flow out of the air hose.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein sliding the shutter to the open position includes compressing a spring in the interface device, and sliding the shutter to the closed position includes the compressed spring moving the shutter to the closed position in response to separation of the interface device from the inlet port.