Heat Recovery Device

Abstract

A heat recovery device for use on a clothes dryer includes a body having a main passageway. The body has a first end and a second end and a dryer exhaust coupling proximate to the first end. The first end has a main flow inlet and the second end has a main flow outlet. The heat recovery device also includes a return air conduit coupled to the body. The return air conduit has a return air inlet and a return air outlet. The return air inlet is disposed within the main passageway and facing the main flow inlet. The dryer exhaust coupling is configured to be removably coupled to a dryer exhaust outlet of a clothes dryer. The return air inlet is configured to receive a portion of the exhaust air discharged from the clothes dryer and discharge that portion through the return air outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat recovery device for use on a clothes dryer, comprising:
 a body having a main passageway with a central axis, the body having a first end and a second end and a dryer exhaust coupling proximate to the first end, the first end having a main flow inlet and the second end having a main flow outlet; and   a return air conduit coupled to the body, the return air conduit having a return air inlet and a return air outlet, the return air inlet disposed within the main passageway and facing the main flow inlet;   wherein the dryer exhaust coupling is configured to be removably coupled to a dryer exhaust outlet of a clothes dryer such that the exhaust air discharged from the clothes dryer flows into the main flow inlet, and   wherein the return air inlet is configured to receive a portion of the exhaust air discharged from the clothes dryer and discharge that portion through the return air outlet and a remainder of the exhaust air being discharged through the main flow outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The heat recovery device of  claim 1 , wherein when the heat recovery device is coupled to the dryer exhaust outlet, the central axis is substantially horizontal. 
     
     
         3 . The heat recovery device of  claim 2 , wherein the return air outlet is configured to discharge the portion of the exhaust air from the clothes dryer in a direction substantially perpendicular to the central axis. 
     
     
         4 . The heat recovery device of  claim 1 , wherein the return air inlet has a cross-section that is one of circular, semi-circular, elliptical, rectangular, square, or triangular. 
     
     
         5 . The heat recovery device of  claim 1  wherein the return air inlet is disposed in an upper half of the main passageway. 
     
     
         6 . The heat recovery device of  claim 1 , wherein the return air conduit includes a cover with openings, the cover coupled to the return air outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The heat recovery device of  claim 6 , wherein the cover is slideably removable from the return air outlet and the openings are elongated slots. 
     
     
         8 . The heat recovery device of  claim 6 , wherein the return air conduit includes openings on at least one side of the return air conduit. 
     
     
         9 . A heat recovery device for use on a clothes dryer, comprising:
 a body having a main passageway with a central axis, the body having a first end and a second end and a dryer exhaust coupling proximate to the first end, the first end having a main flow inlet and the second end having a main flow outlet; and   a return air conduit integrally formed to the body, the return air conduit having a return air inlet and a return air outlet, the return air inlet disposed within the main passageway and facing the main flow inlet, the return air outlet disposed outside the main passageway;   wherein the body and the return air conduit are comprised of a first half and a second half separable from each other along a plane extending through the central axis,   wherein the dryer exhaust coupling is configured to be removably coupled to a dryer exhaust outlet of a clothes dryer such that the exhaust air discharged from the clothes dryer flows into the main flow inlet, and   wherein the return air inlet is configured to receive a portion of the exhaust air discharged from the clothes dryer and discharge that portion through the return air outlet and a remainder of the exhaust air being discharged through the main flow outlet.   
     
     
         10 . The heat recovery device of  claim 9 , further comprising one connector affixed to the body and one connector affixed to the return air conduit, each connector configured to couple together the first half and the second half. 
     
     
         11 . The heat recovery device of  claim 9 , wherein a portion of the return air conduit external to the body has a T-shaped profile. 
     
     
         12 . The heat recovery device of  claim 9 , wherein the return air conduit includes a cover with openings, the cover coupled to the return air outlet. 
     
     
         13 . The heat recovery device of  claim 12 , wherein the cover is slideably removable from the return air outlet and the openings are elongated slots. 
     
     
         14 . The heat recovery device of  claim 12 , wherein the return air conduit includes openings on at least one side of the return air conduit. 
     
     
         15 . The heat recovery device of  claim 9 , wherein the dryer exhaust coupling is formed from a plurality of flexible tabs configured to be removably coupled to the dryer exhaust outlet of the clothes dryer. 
     
     
         16 . The heat recovery device of  claim 9 , wherein the return air inlet has a semi-circular cross-section and the return air inlet is disposed in an upper half of the main passageway. 
     
     
         17 . The heat recovery device of  claim 9 , wherein when the heat recovery device is coupled to the dryer exhaust outlet, the central axis is substantially horizontal. 
     
     
         18 . The heat recovery device of  claim 17 , wherein the return air outlet is configured to discharge the portion of the exhaust air from the clothes dryer in a direction substantially perpendicular to the central axis.