Abstract:
A moisture removal system for removal system for treating water-damaged structures is provided. The system includes a base that attaches to a variety of air movers and multiple ports that attach to duct and direct flows of air to different areas, as well as an adapter allowing attachment to additional air movers.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of co-pending U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/642,825, attorney docket number INJS-1-1005, filed on Jan. 10, 2005, titled, “UNIVERSAL ADAPTER FOR MOISTURE REMOVAL,” under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e). This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/605,267 filed Sep. 18, 2003, which is a divisional of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/516,827 filed Mar. 1, 2000, and claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/123,401 filed Mar. 8, 1999. This application also claims priority to 10/997,211 filed on Nov. 24, 2004. This application also claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/785,383 filed on Feb. 24, 2004. Each of the above applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates generally to remediation of water-damaged structures and, more specifically, to increasing the productivity and efficiency of air movers used to remove moisture from water-damaged structures.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Buildings suffer water damage, from floods, sprinkler systems, storms, and other acts of nature. After all standing water is removed from a building, the building—floors, carpets, walls—must be dried. This drying is accomplished with air movers, or fans. The fans are placed in or near the room to be dried and positioned so that the fan blows air through the area. The air absorbs moisture as it moves through the area and the moist air continues out of the area.  
         [0004]     Fans may only produce a flow of air in one direction. They are often used inefficiently, as in a situation where a damp area is small such that the fan produces much more air flow than is needed to dry the area in a timely manner. In this case, any excess capacity of the fan may be wasted. In cases where there are many damp areas in different locations, a user may have too few fans to finish the job in a timely manner. A user may have to acquire more fans, thereby increasing the cost of remediation.  
         [0005]     A need exists for a device which may increase the productivity and efficiency of fans, and to reduce the number of fans needed for any particular job.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     A system and method of utilizing fan capacity more efficiently is provided.  
         [0007]     One embodiment comprises a system for directing an air flow from a fan more efficiently and productively. The system may comprise a flow diverter that a user may connect to a fan, such that the diverter may direct multiple flows of air in multiple directions.  
         [0008]     In accordance with further aspects of the invention, the diverter may comprise one or more ports capable of attachment to air ducts or hoses. The diverter may direct a flow of air to each hose, and each hose may direct a flow of air to a different area. In accordance with still further aspects of the invention, the diverter may additionally comprise one or more port covers which may be attached to the ports to block a flow of air.  
         [0009]     In accordance with other aspects of the invention, the diverter may be configured to connect to a variety of fans, and may be used on the intake or exhaust of the fans.  
         [0010]     In accordance with still further aspects of the invention, a ventilation system is provided, comprising a fan which may produce a flow of air, and a flow diverter which may be attached to the fan to produce multiple flows of air through multiple diverter ports.  
         [0011]     In accordance with yet other aspects of the invention, hoses are also provided, which may be attached to the diverter ports to direct the multiple flows of air to multiple locations.  
         [0012]     In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, the system may additionally comprise an adapter which, when attached to the diverter, may allow the diverter to connect to a wider variety of fans.  
         [0013]     In accordance with still further aspects of the invention, a method of using a ventilation system of the present invention is provided.  
         [0014]     As will be readily appreciated from the foregoing summary, the invention provides a system and method of increasing the productivity and efficiency of air movers. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]     Preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.  
         [0016]      FIG. 1A  is a cross-section of a flow diverter of an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIGS. 1B and 1C  show diverter embodiments with pyramidal and cone-shaped bases, respectively.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a top view of a port of the diverter of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of an adapter of an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a diverter showing a cap and a plurality of ports;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a view of a diverter showing tiered rings of a base of the diverter;  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  shows an adapter of an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  shows the adapter of  FIG. 6  attached to a flow diverter;  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  shows an Abatement Technologies air mover;  
         [0025]      FIG. 9  shows the air mover of  FIG. 8  attached to a diverter;  
         [0026]      FIG. 10  shows a conventional air mover;  
         [0027]      FIG. 11  shows the air mover of  FIG. 10  attached to a diverter;  
         [0028]      FIG. 12  shows a fan attached to a diverter assembly. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0029]     In accordance with the several principles of the present invention, a flow diverter embodiment is generally indicated at reference numeral  100  of  FIG. 1  and the other various figures of the drawings. The flow diverter  100  is generally hemispherical in shape and includes a rounded cap  110  and a circular base  120 . While the preferred embodiment of most of the components of the described system are preferably constructed of plastic, those components may be made of other suitable materials known to those of ordinary skill in the art.  
         [0030]     A perimeter of the base  120  varies in diameter in a stepwise fashion such that it may operably connect to a variety of air movers having flow outlets or inlets of differing diameters. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the base  120  has a three-tiered circular perimeter. The radii of the tiers from smallest to largest are twelve inches, fourteen inches, and sixteen inches, respectively, in this embodiment. Other embodiments may include a cone-shaped perimeter (as in  FIG. 1B ) or a pyramidal perimeter ( FIG. 1C ). The cone-shaped base may allow attachment to a variety of air movers with circular exhausts, and the pyramidal base allows attachment to a variety of air movers with square exhausts. In each case, the base  120   b ,  120   c  may be attached to a variety of air movers with clips (not shown) to form an operable seal between the base  120   b ,  120   c  and the air movers.  
         [0031]     The cap  110  is hemispherical and includes a plurality of cylindrical ports  130 . Each port  130  may include means for attaching a hose or duct. In this embodiment, the ports  130  include flanges  140  as shown in  FIG. 2  (and  FIG. 4 ), while alternate embodiments may include clips, screw threads, or other means of attachment. Embodiments may include one or more port covers (not shown) which may be attached to unused ports  130  to prevent a flow of air through the ports  130 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 3  shows a further aspect of the present invention, an adapter generally indicated at reference numeral  300  that may be operably connected to the base  120  of the diverter  100  of  FIG. 1 . The adapter  300  includes a circular aperture  310  to which the diverter  100  is attached. The diverter  100  may be attached with clips, threads, or other means; in the embodiment shown, the adapter  300  is configured to slide into the diverter  100  and be held in place by friction. The adapter  300  also includes a square or rectangular aperture  320  that may be configured to attach to an air mover with a square or rectangular exhaust. In this way, the diverter  100  may be operably connected to a variety of air movers with a variety of exhaust sizes and shapes.  
         [0033]      FIG. 4  shows a second embodiment of a flow diverter generally indicated at reference numeral  400 . The cap  410  includes a plurality of ports  430  with flanges  440  for hose attachment. The base  420  is circular, does not include tiers, and is attached to an air mover with clips (not shown).  FIG. 5  shows the base  520  of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . The base  520  includes, in this embodiment, three tiered rings  450   a ,  450   b ,  450   c  of different radii for attachment to air movers with circular exhausts or intakes of different radii. The cap  510  includes ports  530  with flanges  540 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 6  shows an adapter generally indicated at reference numeral  600 . The adapter  600  includes a circular aperture  610  for attaching to the diverter  400 , and a rectangular aperture  620  for attaching to an air mover with a rectangular exhaust.  FIG. 7  shows the adapter  600  of  FIG. 6  attached to a diverter  610 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 8  shows a conventional air mover generally indicated at reference numeral  800  which is useable with embodiments of the present invention, and  FIG. 9  shows the air mover  800  operably attached to a diverter  810 . Similarly,  FIG. 10  shows a conventional air mover  1000 , and  FIG. 11  shows the air mover  1000  operably attached to a diverter  1010 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 12  shows an embodiment of the device generally indicated at reference numeral  1200  with a fan  1210 . The base  1220  is attached to the fan  1210  so that the base  1220  does not interfere with the fan blades and the output of the fan  1210  is directed to through the base  1220  to the cap  1230 . The cap  130  includes several ports  1240  with hoses  1250  and port covers  1260  attached.  
         [0037]     While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, other embodiments are contemplated which can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and which will be apparent to those of ordinary skill upon reviewing this disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.