Fabric diffuser with programmed airflow

Abstract

An air diffuser includes a porous fabric panel having areas of different flow coefficients. The areas' positions and their relative flow coefficients provide a means for not only diffusing the air but also for strategically directing the airflow in a deliberate pattern that promotes intermixing of the air while avoiding adverse air currents. Consequently, the porous fabric itself provides air dispersion and airflow direction without the need for louvers or guide vanes. In some embodiments, the fabric's porosity is programmed by laser cutting small slits into the fabric.

1 . An air diffuser, comprising:
 a back pan defining an air inlet and a rim; and   a fabric panel coupled to the back pan to help define a plenum therebetween, the fabric panel includes a first region and a second region that together comprise substantially all of the fabric panel, wherein:   a) the first region is of a first area, the second region is of a second area, and an area ratio of the first region to the second region is between one and ten, and   b) the first region has a first average flow coefficient and the second region has a second average flow coefficient such that a coefficient ratio of the first average flow coefficient to the second average flow coefficient is between 0.3 and 0.9.   
   
   
       2 . The air diffuser of  claim 1 , wherein the first average flow coefficient is between 80 and 320 cubic feet per minute per square foot of area at a pressure drop of 0.5 inches of water. 
   
   
       3 . The air diffuser of  claim 1 , wherein the second average flow coefficient is between 130 and 500 cubic feet per minute per square foot of area at a pressure drop of 0.5 inches of water. 
   
   
       4 . The air diffuser of  claim 1 , wherein the first area plus the second area have a combined area of between 3 and 20 square feet. 
   
   
       5 . The air diffuser of  claim 1 , wherein the second area is between 1 and 5 square feet. 
   
   
       6 . The air diffuser of  claim 1 , wherein the second region includes a plurality of slits, each slit of the plurality of slits has a length and a width, wherein the length is at least three times greater than the width. 
   
   
       7 . The air diffuser of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of slits are substantially parallel to each other. 
   
   
       8 . The air diffuser of  claim 1 , wherein the second region is one of a plurality of second regions, and the plurality of second regions are spaced apart from each other. 
   
   
       9 . The air diffuser of  claim 1 , wherein the rim includes a first pair of opposite edges and a second pair of opposite edges that make the rim generally rectangular, the fabric panel is suspended between the first pair of opposite edges, the air diffuser further comprises a first end panel and a second end panel that couple the fabric panel to the second pair of opposite edges. 
   
   
       10 . The air diffuser of  claim 9 , wherein the first end panel and the second end panel are made of a fabric. 
   
   
       11 . The air diffuser of  claim 10 , wherein the fabric is porous. 
   
   
       12 . The air diffuser of  claim 1 , further comprising a screen disposed within the plenum. 
   
   
       13 . An air diffuser, comprising:
 a back pan defining an air inlet and a rim; and   a fabric panel having a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge coupled to the rim to help define plenum between the back pan and the fabric panel, wherein:
 a) the fabric panel includes a first upper region, a second upper region, and a central lower region, 
 b) the first upper region lies along the first lateral edge, the second upper region lies along the second lateral edge, and the central lower region is interposed between and adjacent to the first upper region and the second upper region, 
 c) the first upper region is of a first area, the second upper region is of a second area, and the central lower region is of a third area, 
 d) the first upper region has a relatively high average flow coefficient, and the central lower region has a relatively low average flow coefficient, whereby the relatively high average flow coefficient is greater than the relatively low average flow coefficient. 
   
   
   
       14 . The air diffuser of  claim 13 , wherein the first area, the second area, and the third area have a combined area of between 3 and 20 square feet. 
   
   
       15 . The air diffuser of  claim 13 , wherein the first upper region and the second upper region include a plurality of slits, each slit of the plurality of slits has a length and a width, wherein the length is at least three times greater than the width. 
   
   
       16 . The air diffuser of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of slits are substantially parallel to each other. 
   
   
       17 . The air diffuser of  claim 13 , wherein the rim includes a first pair of opposite edges and a second pair of opposite edges that make the rim generally rectangular, the fabric panel is suspended between the first pair of opposite edges, the air diffuser further comprises a first end panel and a second end panel that couple the fabric panel to the second pair of opposite edges. 
   
   
       18 . The air diffuser of  claim 17 , wherein the first end panel and the second end panel are made of a fabric. 
   
   
       19 . The air diffuser of  claim 18 , wherein the fabric is porous. 
   
   
       20 . The air diffuser of  claim 13 , further comprising a screen disposed within the plenum. 
   
   
       21 . A method of creating an air diffuser, the method comprising:
 providing a fabric having a first region that is porous, wherein the first region has a first average flow coefficient;   treating the fabric to create a second region having a second average flow coefficient that is greater than the first average flow coefficient; and   coupling the fabric to a back pan, wherein the back pan defines an air inlet and the fabric and the back pan help define a plenum therebetween providing air flow to the plenum so that air passing through the fabric is diffused while being separated and directed by the first and second regions of different porosity.   
   
   
       22 . The air diffuser of  claim 21 , wherein the first average flow coefficient is between 80 and 320 cubic feet per minute per square foot at a pressure drop of 0.5 inches of water. 
   
   
       23 . The air diffuser of  claim 21 , wherein the second average flow coefficient is between 130 and 500 cubic feet per minute per square foot at a pressure drop of 0.5 inches of water. 
   
   
       24 . The air diffuser of  claim 21 , wherein the first region plus the second region have a combined area of between 3 and 20 square feet. 
   
   
       25 . The air diffuser of  claim 21 , wherein the second region is created by laser cutting a plurality of slits in the fabric, where each slit of the plurality of slits has a length and a width, wherein the length is at least three times greater than the width. 
   
   
       26 . The air diffuser of  claim 25 , wherein the plurality of slits are substantially parallel to each other.