Patent Application
20160223117
The present disclosure relates generally to conduits, such as pipe sections, which may be utilized for flowing fluids therethrough. In particular, the present disclosure is directed to conduits which include integral and monolithic flow regulation features therein.
Conduits for flowing fluids therethrough, such as in appliances, plumbing applications, etc., are generally known. A plurality of conduits may be connected together by suitable connector components to form a flow path for the fluid. In appliance environments, conduits may be utilized for example as air ducts in refrigerators, or as drain lines in refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, etc.
In many cases, it is desirable for fluid flow through an appliance to be restricted in one direction, such that fluid cannot “backflow” through the conduits and flowpath defined thereby. Presently known solutions for facilitating such one-way flow are to couple one-way flow valves between adjacent conduits. These valves restrict the flow of fluid between the adjacent conduits in one direction, while allowing the flow of fluid between the adjacent conduits in an opposite direction.
However, this approach to facilitating one-way flow has a number of disadvantages. In particular, the number of separate components which are coupled together to provide one-way flow introduces a number of weak points in the assembly where leakage or assembly failure can occur. Additionally, because known one-way flow valves are separate components which must be coupled between adjacent conduits, the positioning of the valves relative to the conduits is limited.
Accordingly, improved apparatus for facilitating flow regulation through conduits is desired. In particular, flow regulation apparatus that allow for stronger resulting conduit assemblies and which allow increased positioning options would be advantageous.
Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In one embodiment, a conduit is provided. The conduit includes a body having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining an interior. The conduit further includes a flow regulation assembly disposed within the interior. The flow regulation assembly includes an integral component that is monolithic with the body. The flow regulation assembly is configured to permit fluid flow through the interior past the flow regulation assembly in a first direction and restrict fluid flow through the interior past the flow regulation assembly in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
In another embodiment, an appliance is provided. The appliance includes a housing, and a duct assembly for flowing a fluid therethrough. The duct assembly includes a plurality of conduits connected together to define a flowpath for fluid therethrough. At least one of the plurality of conduits includes a body having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining an interior. The at least one of the plurality of conduits further includes a flow regulation assembly disposed within the interior. The flow regulation assembly includes an integral component that is monolithic with the body. The flow regulation assembly is configured to permit fluid flow through the interior past the flow regulation assembly in a first direction and restrict fluid flow through the interior past the flow regulation assembly in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Duct assembly 14 may include a plurality of conduits 16 which may be connected together to define a flowpath 18 for fluid therethrough. The conduits 16 may be directly connected, such as for example via male and female features of the neighboring ends of the conduits 16. Conduits in accordance with the present disclosure include, for example, pipe sections (as shown) as well as connector components such as elbows (as shown), flanges, traps, couplings, etc.
As discussed further in detail herein, at least one of the plurality of conduits 16 may include one or more flow regulation assemblies. Each flow regulation assembly may permit flow in one direction through the conduit and past the flow regulation assembly, and restrict flow in an opposite direction through the conduit and past the flow regulation assembly. Accordingly, flow regulation within the conduits 16 and duct assemblies 14 generally may advantageously be provided.
Further, flow regulation assemblies in accordance with the present disclosure are wholly or partially integral and monolithic with the body of the associated conduit 16, and disposed entirely within the interior of the associated conduit 16. The monolithic construction of a conduit such that the body and one or more components of an associated flow regulation assembly are formed as a single component advantageously increases the strength of the resulting conduit relative to previously known conduit assemblies having separate valves for flow regulation, because weak spots at the valve-conduit joints are eliminated. Further, the positioning of the flow regulation assemblies entirely within the interiors of the conduits advantageously increases potential options for positioning of the flow regulation assemblies, in particular in complex conduit structures such as for example, the structure illustrated in
The construction of conduits 16 in accordance with the present disclosure, having flow regulation assemblies with components which are integral and monolithic with the associated bodies, has previously not been possible due to manufacturing restraints. However, the present inventors have advantageously utilized current advances in additive manufacturing techniques to develop exemplary embodiments of such conduits 16 in accordance with the present disclosure. While the present disclosure is not limited to the use of additive manufacturing to form such conduits 16, additive manufacturing does provide a variety of manufacturing advantages, including ease of manufacturing, reduced cost, greater accuracy, etc.
As used herein, the terms “additively manufactured” or “additive manufacturing techniques or processes” refer generally to manufacturing processes wherein successive layers of material(s) are provided on each other to “build-up”, layer-by-layer, a three-dimensional component. The successive layers generally fuse together such as that a monolithic component is formed which may have a variety of integral sub-components. Suitable additive manufacturing techniques in accordance with the present disclosure include, for example, Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), 3D printing such as by inkjets and laserjets, Sterolithography (SLA), Direct Selective Laser Sintering (DSLS), Electron Beam Sintering (EBS), Electron Beam Melting (EBM), Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS), Laser Net Shape Manufacturing (LNSM) and Direct Metal Deposition (DMD).
Referring now to
As further illustrated in
Further, a flow regulation assembly 40 in accordance with the present disclosure includes one or more integral components which are monolithic with the body 30. Accordingly, these components are connected to the body 16, and the body 30 and these components are formed as a single, unitary component such as via additive manufacturing. In some embodiments as illustrated in
Referring now to
For example, as shown, a portion of the tube 50 including the second end 54 may be divided into a plurality of tube sections 56 which may be pivotable relative to each other and the remainder of the tube 50. When fluid is flowing in the first direction, the force of the fluid on the tube sections 56 may cause them to pivot apart, such that an aperture 58 is defined in the second end 54 for fluid flow therethrough. When fluid is flowing in the second direction, the force of the fluid on the tube sections 56 may cause them to pivot together, generally eliminating the aperture 58 such that fluid flow through the second end 54 is restricted.
Referring now to
In some embodiments, flow regulation assembly 40 may further include a tab 62 that is integral and monolithic with the body 30. Tab 62 may extend from the inner surface 34. The tab 62 may in some embodiments extend perimetrically about the entire inner surface 34, as partially illustrated in
The plate 60 may be pivotable between an open position (see
Referring now to
In these embodiments, flow regulation assembly 40 may further include a disk 80, which may be disposed between the first tab 70 and second tab 72. While disk 80 may be formed with conduit 16 such as through additive manufacturing, disk 80 is not integral and monolithic with body 30. Rather, disk 80 may be translatable within interior 32, such as between the first tab 70 and second tab 72. Disk 80 may be configured to permit fluid flow therepast when in contact with and seated against the second tab 72, such that the fluid flows through the larger second bore 76, and further configured to restrict fluid flow therepast when in contact with and seated against the first tab 70, such that fluid flow through the smaller first bore 74 is generally prevented. Accordingly, and further, disk 80 may thus be translatable between an open position (as illustrated in
For example, disk 80 may include an inner plate 82, an outer ring 84, and a plurality of arms 86 extending between the inner plate 82 and outer ring 84. Apertures 88 may be defined between the arms 86 through which fluid may flow. As illustrated, disk 80 may have a maximum width 81 (which may for example be a diameter) that is greater than the maximum width 75 and less than the maximum width 77. Further, disk 80 may have a surface area that is greater than the surface area of bore 74 and less than the surface area of bore 76, and may have a shape that corresponds to the shapes of the bores 74, 76. Accordingly, when the disk 80 is in the open position, the size differential between the larger bore 76 and smaller plate 82 may allow flow past the plate 82, through the apertures 88 and through the bore 76. When the disk 80 is in the closed position, the size differential between the smaller bore 74 and larger plate 82 may allow the plate 82 to generally block flow through the bore 74.
Additionally, in some embodiments, a maximum length 85 of the outer ring 84 may be greater than the maximum length 83 of the inner plate 82. This excess length 85 may be positioned such that, when the disk 80 is in the open position as illustrated in
As discussed, the body 30 and integral components of the flow regulation assembly 40 may be additively manufactured or otherwise manufactured such that they are monolithic. The body 30 and flow regulation assembly 40 (including the integral components thereof) may in exemplary embodiments be formed from a single material. Alternatively, however different materials may be utilized to form the body 30 and flow regulation assembly 40 (including the integral components thereof). In exemplary embodiments, the body 30 and flow regulation assembly 40 (including the integral components thereof) may be formed from suitable polymers, which may be identical or different. For example, body 30 may be formed from a rigid polymer, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polypropylene, polycarbonate. Components of the flow regulation assembly 40, such as the integral components thereof, may be formed from a flexible polymer, such as a thermoplastic elastomer. In other embodiment, the body 30 and flow regulation assembly 40 (including the integral components thereof) may be formed from suitable metals or any other suitable materials, which may be identical or different.
Still further, in some embodiments, the hardness (which may for example be measured as a durometer or using any other suitable hardness scale) of material utilized for the integral components of the flow regulation assembly 40 may be different from the hardness of the body 30. For example, in exemplary embodiments, the hardness of the integral components may be less than the hardness of the body 30. In alternative embodiments, the hardness of the integral components may be greater than the hardness of the body 30. Of course, in still further alternative embodiments, the hardness of the integral components may be equal to the hardness of the body 30.
In exemplary embodiments, the difference in materials and hardness may provide the required rigidity to the body 30 while allowing various integral components of the flow regulation assembly 40 to, while being monolithic with the body 30, be flexible and thus adjustable, pivotable, etc. within the body 30. This may advantageously facilitate the improved flow modification features as discussed herein.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
