Claims
- 1. A dryer duct assembly for directing exhaust air flow from a clothes dryer to a desired outlet area, the clothes dryer being of the type having a clothes drying chamber within a cabinet in communication with an inlet vent and an outlet vent, wherein heated air enters the clothes drying chamber through the inlet vent and exits through the outlet vent to be directed to the outlet area, the dryer duct assembly comprising:
- a rigid duct with a first end and a second end and having a predetermined length;
- a first connector on the rigid duct first end, adapted to connect the first end of the rigid duct to a dryer outlet vent;
- a second connector on the rigid duct second end; and
- an exhaust duct having a first end and a second end, the exhaust duct first end being adapted to connect with the second connector, and the exhaust duct second end being adapted to communicate with an outlet area;
- wherein the length of the rigid duct is dimensioned such that the exhaust duct first end can be connected to the rigid duct second end by a person standing in the front of a clothes dryer cabinet when the rigid duct first end is connected to the clothes dryer outlet vent.
- 2. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 1 wherein the rigid duct is made from sheet metal.
- 3. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 1 wherein the rigid duct is substantially straight.
- 4. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 1 wherein the rigid duct is adapted to extend upwardly along the back of a clothes dryer cabinet.
- 5. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 4 wherein the length dimension is such that the rigid duct second end does not extend beyond the top of the clothes dryer cabinet when the rigid duct first end is connected to the clothes dryer outlet vent.
- 6. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 5 wherein the length dimension is such that the second connector does not extend beyond the top of the clothes dryer cabinet when the rigid duct first end is connected to the clothes dryer outlet vent.
- 7. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first connector and second connector is selected from a group consisting of an elbow, a swivel connection, an articulated elbow, a swivel elbow, a swivel sleeve, and a flexible duct.
- 8. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 1 wherein the exhaust duct is a flexible duct.
- 9. A clothes dryer assembly comprising:
- a cabinet having a front wall and a back wall connected by a top wall and defining a clothes drying chamber having an inlet vent and an outlet vent, wherein heated air enters the clothes drying chamber through the inlet vent and exits through the outlet vent;
- a rigid duct with a first end and a second end and having a predetermined length;
- a first connector connecting the first end of the rigid duct to the dryer outlet vent; and
- an exhaust duct having a first end and a second end and the second end is adapted to be connected to an outlet area;
- a second connector connecting the second end of the rigid duct to the first end of the second duct; and
- wherein the predetermined length of the rigid duct is such that the second connector can be connected to the second end of the rigid duct by a person standing adjacent the front of the cabinet.
- 10. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 9 wherein the rigid duct is substantially straight.
- 11. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 9 wherein the rigid duct extends upwardly along the back wall of the cabinet.
- 12. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 11 wherein the predetermined length is such that the second end of the rigid duct does not extend beyond the top of the cabinet.
- 13. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 12 wherein the predetermnined length is such that the second connector does not extend beyond the top of the cabinet.
- 14. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 9 wherein the first connector and second connector is selected from a group consisting of an elbow, a swivel connection, an articulated elbow, a swivel elbow, a swivel sleeve, a coupler, and a flexible duct.
- 15. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 9 wherein the exhaust duct is a flexible duct.
- 16. A clothes dryer installation for connecting the clothes dryer to an exterior outlet, comprising:
- a clothes dryer having a cabinet with a front wall and a back wall connected by a top wall and defining a clothes drying chamber having an inlet vent and an outlet vent, wherein heated air enters the clothes drying chamber through the inlet vent and exits through the outlet vent;
- a rigid duct with a first end and a second end and having a predetermined length;
- a first connector connecting the first end of the rigid duct to the dryer outlet vent;
- an exhaust duct having a first end and a second end and the second end;
- a second connector connecting the second end of the rigid duct to the first end of the second duct;
- an exterior outlet connected to the second end of the second duct; and
- wherein the predetermined length of the rigid duct is such that the second connector can be connected to the second end of the rigid duct by a person standing adjacent the front of the cabinet.
- 17. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 16 wherein the rigid duct is substantially straight.
- 18. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 16 wherein the first connector and second connector are selected from a group consisting of an elbow, a swivel connection, an articulated elbow, a swivel elbow, a swivel sleeve, a coupler, and a flexible duct.
- 19. The dryer duct assembly according to claim 16 wherein the exhaust duct is a flexible duct.
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/045,450, filed May 2, 1997.
US Referenced Citations (9)