Ventilated air ducts

Abstract

An air duct system, such as for indoor farming, includes a ventilated air duct assembly coupled to a fan, typically via an air housing. The air duct assembly has a pair of duct sections with upper and lower panels and a pair of side panels. The panels are hinged together at respective edges to form a generally rectangular shape when expanded to a use configuration. The duct sections can be collapsed to a flat storage configuration in which the upper panel and one side panel lie atop the lower panel and the other side panel. A duct junction with rectangular cross section has opposite open ends that engage respective open ends of the duct sections to secure the duct sections in fluid communication with one another in an end-to-end arrangement. One or more of the duct section panels have air outlet openings formed in them.

1 . A ventilated air duct assembly comprising:
 first and second duct sections, each of said duct sections comprising:
 an upper panel having opposite side edges; 
 a lower panel having opposite side edges; and 
 a pair of opposite side panels having upper and lower edges; 
 wherein said upper edges of said side panels are hingedly coupled to respective ones of said opposite side edges of said upper panel, and said lower edges of said side panels are hingedly coupled to respective ones of said opposite side edges of said lower panel; 
 wherein at least one of said panels defines a plurality of air outlet openings; 
 wherein said first and second duct sections are configurable between an expanded use configuration having a generally rectangular cross section and a generally flat storage configuration in which a first of said opposite side panels and a portion of said upper panel lie against said lower panel, and another portion of said upper panel lies against a second of said opposite side panels; 
   a duct junction having a generally rectangular cross section corresponding to said generally rectangular cross sections of said first and second duct sections in said expanded use configuration;   wherein said duct junction comprises opposite open ends that are configured to engage respective open ends of said first and second duct sections in said expanded use configuration, to secure said first duct section to said second duct section in fluid communication with one another.   
     
     
         2 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said duct junction comprises a diffuser plate disposed between said opposite open ends. 
     
     
         3 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of said duct junction comprises a ridge projecting outwardly therefrom, said ridge arranged between and generally parallel to said opposite open ends, wherein said opposite open ends of said duct junction are insertable into said open ends of said first and second duct sections so that said first and second duct sections each abut an opposite side of said ridge. 
     
     
         4 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said ridge comprises a rectangular ridge projecting outwardly around the entire periphery of said duct junction. 
     
     
         5 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said duct junction comprises a unitarily-formed injection-molded resinous plastic. 
     
     
         6 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said duct junction comprises:
 an upper panel having opposite side edges;   a lower panel having opposite side edges; and   a pair of opposite side panels having upper and lower edges;   wherein said upper edges of said duct junction side panels are hingedly coupled to respective ones of said duct junction opposite side edges of said duct junction upper panel, and said duct junction lower edges of said duct junction side panels are hingedly coupled to respective ones of said duct junction opposite side edges of said duct junction lower panel.   
     
     
         7 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 6 , wherein said duct junction comprises interior dimensions corresponding to exterior dimensions of said first and second duct sections, and wherein said duct junction in said expanded use configuration is sized and shaped to sleeve over said respective open ends of said first and second duct sections in their expanded use configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 6 , wherein said duct junction is configurable between an expanded use configuration having a generally rectangular cross section and a generally flat storage configuration in which a first of said opposite duct junction side panels and a portion of said duct junction upper panel lie against said duct junction lower panel, and another portion of said duct junction upper panel lies against a second of said opposite duct junction side panels. 
     
     
         9 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said duct junction comprises corrugated plastic sheet material. 
     
     
         10 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said duct junction comprises a metal reinforcement wire disposed inside of said corrugated plastic sheet material. 
     
     
         11 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said duct junction comprises a single sheet of said corrugated plastic material having opposite edge regions secured together. 
     
     
         12 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said opposite edge regions are secured together with at least one chosen from push-fasteners, threaded fasteners, adhesive bonding, heat welding, ultrasonic welding, staples, rivets, and magnets. 
     
     
         13 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 12 , wherein said opposite side edge regions overlap one another. 
     
     
         14 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said panels of said first and second duct sections comprise corrugated plastic sheet material. 
     
     
         15 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said first and second duct sections each comprise a single sheet of said corrugated plastic material having opposite edge regions secured together. 
     
     
         16 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said opposite edge regions overlap one another and are secured together with at least one chosen from push-fasteners, threaded fasteners, adhesive bonding, heat welding, ultrasonic welding, staples, rivets, and magnets. 
     
     
         17 . The ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said hinged couplings comprise living hinges of resinous plastic. 
     
     
         18 . A ventilated air duct system comprising:
 said ventilated air duct assembly of  claim 1 ;   an air housing having an inlet and an outlet;   a fan fluidly coupled to said inlet; and   an end cap coupled to an end of said second duct section opposite said duct junction;   wherein said first duct section is fluidly coupled to said outlet of said air housing.   
     
     
         19 . The ventilated air duct system of  claim 18 , further in combination with a grow rack system having at least one shelf supported by a plurality of uprights. 
     
     
         20 . The ventilated air duct system of  claim 19 , wherein said ventilated air duct assembly is supported along said grow rack system and extends from one pair of said uprights to an opposite pair of said uprights.