Patent Abstract:
A quick connect system for vent hose hook-up is provided. In an implementation, a quick-connect member can be quickly attached to a source of airflow without using tools. The quick-connect member has a built-in clamp that attaches to the airflow source, and can be secured to the source of airflow by finger-tightening. A quick-connect lock on the other end of the quick-connect member enables a vent hose to be quickly connected to the member, also without using tools. The quick-connect lock also allows unhooking of the set-up without tools in order to clean inside ducts, vents, and hoses, and then fast reattachment without tools. The quick connect system alleviates the difficulty of connecting exit hoses to the airflow vent of a clothes dryer, in the limited and confined space behind the clothes dryer.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This patent application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/179,278 to Johnson, filed May 4, 2015, entitled, “Clothes Dryer Hook Up Extension Kit,” and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Hooking-up a clothes dryer includes providing safe passage of hot airflow away from the exhaust vent of the dryer. The hook-up usually includes holding a galvanized steel duct elbow or a vent hose onto the dryer&#39;s exhaust vent, removing the duct elbow or the vent hose to add a forgotten hose clamp around the duct elbow or the vent hose, reattaching the duct elbow or the vent hose to the dryer&#39;s exhaust vent, and tightening the hose clamp with a screwdriver while holding the duct elbow or the vent hose, before the duct elbow or the vent hose works its way off the dryer&#39;s exhaust vent. The hook-up is often performed in a confined or limited space behind the clothes dryer, with insufficient room to get proper positioning to hold the duct elbow and vent hose while tightening the hose clamp with the screwdriver. Often, the screwdriver itself will not fit in the limited space in the needed orientation to tighten the hose clamp. When a duct elbow is used, then the procedure must be repeated again up higher on the elbow or hose within the limited space behind the dryer. Periodic maintenance consisting of cleaning lint inside the duct elbow, the vent hose, and the dryer&#39;s exhaust vent is usually avoided for fear of disturbing the hose clamps and fear of the effort needed to successfully reattach and retighten the hose clamps in the limited space behind the dryer. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    This disclosure describes a quick connect system for vent hose hook-up. In an implementation, a quick-connect member can be quickly attached to a source of airflow without using tools. The quick-connect member has a built-in clamp that attaches to the airflow source, and can be secured to the source of airflow by finger-tightening. A quick-connect lock on the other end of the quick-connect member enables a vent hose to be quickly connected to the member, also without using tools. The quick-connect lock also allows unhooking of the set-up without tools in order to clean inside ducts, vents, and hoses, and then fast reattachment without tools. The quick connect system alleviates the difficulty of connecting exit hoses to the airflow vent of a clothes dryer, in the limited and confined space behind the clothes dryer. 
         [0004]    This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Certain embodiments of the disclosure will hereafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements. It should be understood, however, that the accompanying figures illustrate the various implementations described herein and are not meant to limit the scope of various technologies described herein. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of an example vent hook-up scenario, for example, for a clothes dryer. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a diagram of the example quick-connect member of  FIG. 1 , in greater detail. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a diagram of another implementation of the example quick-connect member, with a different embodiment of the example quick-connect clamp. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a diagram of an example quick-connect lock for securing an end of the quick-connect member, such as an elbow member, to a vent hose. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a diagram of example additional implementations of the example quick-connect lock. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    Overview 
         [0012]    This disclosure describes quick connect systems for vent hose hook-ups. An example system enables quick hook-up of ductwork and vent hoses for safely conveying airflow from the output vent of a clothes dryer, for example. The example system can be quickly connected without tools, and without having to work or use tools in the limited and confined space behind a clothes dryer, for example. The example system also allows quick disconnection of ducts and vent hoses for purposes of cleaning inside the ducts and vent hoses and for periodic maintenance. The ducts and vent hoses may then be reconnected quickly, without tools. 
         [0013]    Example Systems 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  shows an example vent hook-up scenario  100 , for example, for a clothes dryer  102 . The dryer  102  has an output vent  104 , for airflow exiting the dryer  102 . A quick-connect member  106  of the example system  100 , such as an elbow member, has two openings, for example, for passing airflow. The quick-connect member  106  may be a linear tube, for example, with two openings at 90 degrees with respect to each other. In an implementation, the two openings are within a cross-sectional profile of the linear tube, in order to fit the quick-connect member  106  in a limited space behind a dryer  102 . 
         [0015]    One of the openings has a quick-connect clamp  108  built into or onto the opening of the quick-connect member  106 . The quick-connect clamp  108  enables the quick-connect member  106  to mate with the dryer&#39;s output vent  104  and to be securely attached to the dryer&#39;s output vent  104  via finger-tightening of the quick-connect clamp  108 , without the use of tools. 
         [0016]    At the other opening of the quick-connect member  106 , a quick-connect lock  110  enables a vent hose  112  to be quickly connected to the quick-connect member  106 , without the use of tools. Thus, in the cramped, limited, or confined space behind a clothes dryer  102 , for example, the example system  100  enables quick hook-up of the dryer venting, without use of tools. 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  shows the example quick-connect member  106  in greater detail. The example quick-connect member  106  may be an elbow member  106 , or other conduit, for venting airflow from a dryer  102 . A quick-connect clamp  108  allows instant tightening of the quick-connect member  106  around the dryer&#39;s output vent  104  with one or more simple finger movements of the user. The quick-connect clamp  108  may have a bail-type clamping mechanism  202  for tightening around the dryer&#39;s output vent  104 . The bail-type clamping mechanism  202  has a bail  204 , which is a lever that can be flipped by the user&#39;s finger from one position to another to tighten the quick-connect clamp  108  around the dryer&#39;s output vent  104 . This embodiment of the example quick-connect clamp  108  may have some built-in “give” or tolerance, to compensate or provide compliance for slightly different diameters or conditions of the dryer&#39;s output vent  104 . However, most dryer&#39;s output vents  104  are of a standard diameter, so the quick-connect clamp  108  can provide a very reliable seal without having to accommodate much variation in the geometry and scale of the dryer&#39;s output vent  104 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 3  shows another implementation of the example quick-connect member  106 , with a different embodiment of the example quick-connect clamp  108 . In this example, the quick-connect clamp  108  is a thumb screw clamp  302 , which has a finger-operated turning handle  304 , thumb screw, wing-nut, or key large enough to be turned sufficiently tight by a user&#39;s thumb and forefinger, for example. The various embodiments of a quick-connect clamp  108  allow the user to toollessly secure the quick-connect member  106  to the elbow member to dryer&#39;s output vent  104 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 4  shows an example quick-connect lock  110  for securing a second end of the quick-connect member  106 , such as an elbow member  106 , to a vent hose  112 . A first part  402  of the quick-connect lock  110  may be attached to the second end of the elbow member  106 . A second part  404  of the quick-connect lock  110  may be attached to a first end of the vent hose  112 . The first part  402  of the quick-connect lock  110  and the second part  404  of the quick-connect lock  110  are capable of toollessly locking to each other to secure the vent hose  112  to the elbow member  106 . The quick-connect lock  110  is capable of quick disconnection and reconnection for cleaning the inside of the elbow member  106 , the vent hose  112 , and/or the dryer&#39;s output vent  104 . The quick-connect lock  110  may be a two-part turn and lock system, as shown in  FIG. 4 , with a cam or stud  406  on the second part  404  of the quick-connect lock  110 , for instance, and a slot  408  in the first part  402  of the quick-connect lock  110  for securing the quick-connect lock  110  together via the cam or stud  406 , for example, without tools. 
         [0020]      FIG. 5  shows additional implementations of the example quick-connect lock  110 . For example, the quick-connect lock  110  may be a two-part magnetic lock system  500 , in which an end of the quick-connect member  106  having the first part of the quick-connect lock  110  fits in a groove  502  of the second part of the quick-connect lock  110  attached to the vent hose  112 . Magnets  504  in both parts of the quick-connect lock  110  can be engaged or disengaged to lock or unlock the quick-connect lock  110  by rotating the joint so that the magnets  504  either align or misalign with each other. 
         [0021]    In a clip version  520  of the example quick-connect lock  110 , clips  522  and raised bumps or ridges, or alternatively, indentations, enable the clip system  520  to lock the example quick-connect member  106  to the vent hose  112 . 
         [0022]    In an implementation, an additional quick-connect clamp  108  is disposed on a second end of the vent hose  112  for toollessly securing the vent hose  112  to an outlet fixture of a wall, a ceiling, or a floor. 
         [0023]    The quick-connect member  106 , or elbow member, may be composed of formed sheet metal or a molded plastic, or even firm rubber. In another example, the first part  402  of the quick-connect lock  110  attached to the second end of the elbow member  106  is composed of a metal, while the complementary second part  404  of the quick-connect lock  110  attached to a length of the vent hose  112  is composed of a plastic, such as ABS plastic or a polybutylene or polypropylene plastic. 
         [0024]    An example quick-connect system  100  may be packaged as a dryer hook-up kit, including an elbow member, a vent hose, a quick-connect clamp built into a first end of the elbow member for securing the elbow member to a dryer exhaust vent without tools, a first part of a quick-connect lock built into a second end of the elbow member, a second part of the quick-connect lock attachable to a length of the vent hose without tools, and the first part of the quick-connect lock and the second part of the quick-connect lock capable of locking to each other without tools to secure the vent hose to the elbow member while communicating an airflow from the dryer exhaust vent, for example. The dryer hook-up kit may include an additional quick-connect clamp attachable to the length of the vent hose for securing the vent hose to an outlet fixture of a wall, a ceiling, or a floor without tools. Likewise, the dryer hook-up kit may include an extender piece to vary a distance between the elbow member and the dryer exhaust vent, the extender piece being quick-connectable to the quick-connect clamp of the elbow piece and having a quick-connect clamp built into one end of the extender piece for quick-connecting to the dryer exhaust vent. 
         [0025]    The example system  100  is not limited to clothes dryers, but may include a quick-connect member capable of connecting to a generic airflow vent without tools and capable of redirecting an airflow from the airflow vent, and a quick-connect lock capable of locking the quick-connect member to a vent hose without tools while communicating an airflow through the quick-connect lock. A first part of quick-connect lock can be built into the quick-connect member, and a second part of the quick-connect lock is capable of being attached to the vent hose without tools. The example system  100  is unlockable without tools to allow cleaning of an inside of the quick-connect member, the vent hose, and the source of the airflow. 
         [0026]    In the specification and appended claims: the terms “connect,” “connection,” “connected,” “in connection with,” and “connecting,” are used to mean “in direct connection with” or “in connection with via one or more elements.” The terms “couple,” “coupling,” “coupled,” “coupled together,” and “coupled with,” are used to mean “directly coupled together” or “coupled together via one or more elements.” 
         [0027]    While the present disclosure has been disclosed with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having the benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate numerous modifications and variations possible given the description. It is intended that the appended claims cover such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the disclosure.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3