Configurable pliable air ducts

Abstract

In some example pliable air duct systems, inflatable ducts of various diameters and lengths are created by selectively assembling pre-existing stock pieces in different combinations. In some examples, the stock pieces include disconnectable longitudinal joints and disconnectable circumferential joints, wherein the longitudinal joints enable interconnecting multiple stock pieces to achieve a desired tube diameter, and the circumferential joints allow connecting multiple tube segments end-to-end to produce an air duct assembly of a desired length. To control the volume and/or the direction of air discharged from the duct, the duct assembly, in some examples, includes an adjustable register comprising a movable pliable sheet that overlies a discharge opening in a pliable sidewall of the duct. In some examples, the inflatable duct includes one or more cutout patterns on the duct's sidewall to provide guidance in creating a sidewall discharge opening of a proper size and location.

1 . An inflatable air duct assembly comprising:
 a tube having a pliable sidewall, the pliable sidewall defining a first opening therethrough; and   a pliable sheet to extend circumferentially at least partially around the tube to overlie the pliable sidewall, the pliable sheet relative to the first opening being selectively positionable between an obstructed position and an at least partially open position, the pliable sheet providing more resistance to airflow through the first opening when the pliable sheet is in the obstructed position than when the pliable sheet is in the at least partially open position.   
     
     
         2 . The inflatable air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pliable sheet defines a second opening that is in adjustable registry with the first opening by virtue of the pliable sheet being movable between the obstructed position and the at least partially open position. 
     
     
         3 . The inflatable air duct assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the pliable sheet defines a plurality of second openings that includes the second opening, the plurality of second openings being of various sizes. 
     
     
         4 . The inflatable air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pliable sidewall defines a plurality of first openings that includes the first opening, the plurality of first openings being of various sizes. 
     
     
         5 . The inflatable air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pliable sheet is adjustably movable circumferentially at least partially around the tube. 
     
     
         6 . The inflatable air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pliable sheet is to extend fully circumferentially around the tube. 
     
     
         7 . The inflatable air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pliable sheet is a band joined at opposite ends thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The inflatable air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pliable sheet is to be inside the tube adjacent an inner surface of the tube. 
     
     
         9 . The inflatable air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pliable sheet is to be adjacent an exterior surface of the tube. 
     
     
         10 . The inflatable air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pliable sheet is a patch defining a second opening that is smaller than the first opening in the pliable sidewall, and further including a touch-and-hold fastener to connect the patch to the pliable sidewall of the tube. 
     
     
         11 . The inflatable air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pliable sidewall includes a pair of lips extending circumferentially around the tube, the pair of lips being spaced apart axially from each other, the pliable sheet to be interposed between the pair of lips such that the pair of lips helps hold the pliable sheet to the tube. 
     
     
         12 . The inflatable air duct assembly of  claim 1 , further including an elongate member to be attached to the pliable sheet, the elongate member to serve as an actuator to move the pliable sheet between the obstructed position and the at least partially open position. 
     
     
         13 . The inflatable air duct assembly of  claim 1 , further including a flexible flap disposed on the pliable sheet and extending at least partially across the first opening, the flexible flap to deflect in reaction to air pressure within the tube. 
     
     
         14 . The inflatable air duct assembly of  claim 1 , further including:
 a flexible flap to be disposed on the pliable sheet and to extend at least partially across the first opening; and   an elongate member to be coupled to the flexible flap, the elongate member to serve as an actuator that deflects the flexible flap to adjustably direct airflow through the first opening.   
     
     
         15 . The inflatable air duct assembly of  claim 1 , further including:
 a plurality of flexible flaps to be disposed on the pliable sheet and to extend at least partially across the first opening; and   an elongate member to be coupled to the plurality of flexible flaps, the elongate member to serve as an actuator that deflects the plurality of flexible flaps to adjustably direct airflow through the first opening.   
     
     
         16 . The inflatable air duct assembly of  claim 1 , further including a plurality of flexible flaps to be disposed on the pliable sheet, the plurality of flexible flaps to extend at least partially across the first opening, the plurality of flexible flaps to point in different directions to direct airflow through the first opening in different directions. 
     
     
         17 . An inflatable air duct comprising:
 a pliable sidewall defining a discharge opening therethrough; and   a flexible flap to extend at least partially across the discharge opening, the flexible flap to deflect in reaction to air pressure within the inflatable air duct; and   an elongate member to be coupled to the flexible flap, the elongate member to serve as an actuator that further deflects the flexible flap to adjustably direct airflow through the discharge opening.   
     
     
         18 . The inflatable air duct of  claim 17 , wherein the flexible flap is a seamless integral extension of the pliable sidewall. 
     
     
         19 . The inflatable air duct of  claim 17 , further including a plurality of flexible flaps to be disposed on the pliable sidewall and to extend at least partially across the discharge opening, the plurality of flexible flaps including the flexible flap, the elongate member to be coupled to the plurality of flexible flaps. 
     
     
         20 . The inflatable air duct of  claim 19 , wherein different ones of the plurality of flexible flaps are to extend across the discharge opening parallel to one another. 
     
     
         21 . An inflatable air duct assembly comprising:
 a tube having a pliable sidewall, the tube to be selectively in an inflated state or a deflated state, the pliable sidewall defining a first opening therethrough; and   a pliable sheet to obstruct the first opening a first extent when in a first position and to obstruct the first opening a second extent different than the first extent when in a second position, the pliable sheet to be held against the pliable sidewall of the tube regardless of whether the tube is in the inflated state or the deflated state.