Illuminated fabric air duct

Abstract

To provide a room with a soft lighting effect and to enhance the appearance of an exposed air duct, a fabric duct is provided with a light-transmitting fabric wall that is illuminated, such that light from inside the duct travels outward into the room. In some embodiments, various colored lights and/or blinking patterns create special lighting effects that simulate the temperature or flow rate of the air being conveyed through the duct. In some cases, ultraviolet light is used to help kill microorganisms inside the air duct.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An air duct assembly adapted to convey forced air, comprising: 
 a light source; and    a fabric air duct coupled to the light source and being adapted to convey the forced air through an interior of the fabric air duct.    
     
     
         2 . The air duct assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a hanger adapted to suspend both the fabric air duct and the light source.  
     
     
         3 . The air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the light source shines away from the fabric air duct to provide indirect lighting underneath the fabric air duct.  
     
     
         4 . The air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric air duct is translucent.  
     
     
         5 . The air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric air duct is air-permeable.  
     
     
         6 . The air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric air duct is inflatable.  
     
     
         7 . The air duct assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the fabric air duct changes from being inflated to deflated, with the fabric air duct being more illuminated when inflated than when deflated state.  
     
     
         8 . The air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the light source is disposed within the interior of the fabric air duct.  
     
     
         9 . The air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the light source includes a fluorescent bulb that illuminates the interior.  
     
     
         10 . The air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the interior is illuminated by ultraviolet light.  
     
     
         11 . The air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the light source includes a plurality of discrete light sources disposed within the interior of the fabric air duct.  
     
     
         12 . The air duct assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of discrete light sources includes lights of different colors.  
     
     
         13 . The air duct assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of discrete light sources blink on and off.  
     
     
         14 . The air duct assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of discrete light sources blink on and off to create a traveling-light effect.  
     
     
         15 . The air duct assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of discrete light sources blink on and off at a blinking rate that increases with an increase in a rate of airflow of forced air through the fabric air duct.  
     
     
         16 . The air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric air duct is adapted to selectively convey warm air and cool air with the light source projecting at least one color of light when the fabric air duct conveys the warm air and with the light source projecting at least another color of light when the fabric air duct conveys the cool air.  
     
     
         17 . The air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the light source is disposed outside the interior of the fabric air duct yet illuminates the interior.  
     
     
         18 . The air duct assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the light source illuminates the interior by projecting light substantially parallel to a direction along which the forced air travels through the fabric air duct.  
     
     
         19 . An air duct assembly adapted to convey force air and being mountable underneath a ceiling, comprising: 
 an inflatable fabric air duct;    a light source; and    a hanger coupled to the inflatable fabric air duct and the light source, wherein the hanger is adapted to suspend both the inflatable fabric air duct and the light source underneath the ceiling.    
     
     
         20 . The air duct assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the light source projects most of its light away from the inflatable fabric air duct to provide indirect lighting underneath the inflatable fabric air duct.  
     
     
         21 . The air duct assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the light source projects most of its light at the inflatable fabric air duct.  
     
     
         22 . The air duct assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the inflatable fabric air duct is translucent.  
     
     
         23 . The air duct assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the inflatable fabric air duct includes an air-permeable fabric wall.  
     
     
         24 . The air duct assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the light source is disposed inside the inflatable fabric air duct.  
     
     
         25 . The air duct assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the light source includes a fluorescent bulb.  
     
     
         26 . The air duct assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the light source projects ultraviolet light.  
     
     
         27 . The air duct assembly of  claim 19 , further comprising a plurality of light sources disposed inside the inflatable fabric air duct.  
     
     
         28 . The air duct assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the plurality of light sources includes lights of different colors.  
     
     
         29 . The air duct assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the plurality of light sources blink on and off.  
     
     
         30 . The air duct assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the plurality of light sources blink on and off to create a traveling-light effect.  
     
     
         31 . The air duct assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the light source directs light substantially parallel to a direction along which forced air travels through the inflatable fabric air duct.  
     
     
         32 . A method of mounting a fabric air duct and a light source, comprising: 
 suspending the fabric air duct from an elongated hanger; and    suspending the light source from the same elongated hanger.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising projecting light from the light source such that most of the light is directed away from the fabric air duct.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising projecting light from the light source such that most of the light is directed toward the fabric air duct.