Abstract:
A duct connection comprising a collar having a first tab extending radially for lockable engagement with a first duct, a flexible body having an inner surface, the flexible body extendably disposed on the outside of the collar whereby the flexible body is axially coextensive with the collar when the collar is engaged with the duct, and whereby the duct is disposed between the collar and the flexible body when the flexible body is in the axially extended position, and the flexible body sealingly engageable with the duct.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a flexible duct seal, and more particularly, to a flexible body having an inner surface, the flexible body extendably disposed on the outside of the collar whereby the flexible body is axially coextensive with the collar when the collar is engaged with the duct, and whereby the duct is disposed between the collar and the flexible body when the flexible body is in the axially extended position, and the flexible body sealingly engageable with the duct. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Duct connectors are known which generally comprise metal collars. The collars are sized according to the size of duct. The collars are not flexible and do not readily accommodate misaligned duct. 
         [0003]    Representative of the art is U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,510 B1 which discloses a swivel connection for a flexible dryer duct. The swivel connection is comprised of two sleeves, one of which can slide within the other. Each of the sleeves can be connected to a section of duct. The inner sleeve has an outwardly projecting flange that can engage an inwardly projecting flange on the outer sleeve, preventing the sleeves from being pulled apart, but allowing relative rotational movement between the sleeves. 
         [0004]    What is needed is a flexible body having an inner surface, the flexible body extendably disposed on the outside of the collar whereby the flexible body is axially coextensive with the collar when the collar is engaged with the duct, and whereby the duct is disposed between the collar and the flexible body when the flexible body is in the axially extended position, and the flexible body sealingly engageable with the duct. The present invention meets these needs. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The primary aspect of the invention is to provide a a flexible body having an inner surface, the flexible body extendably disposed on the outside of the collar whereby the flexible body is axially coextensive with the collar when the collar is engaged with the duct, and whereby the duct is disposed between the collar and the flexible body when the flexible body is in the axially extended position, and the flexible body sealingly engageable with the duct. 
         [0006]    Other aspects of the invention will be pointed out or made obvious by the following description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. 
         [0007]    The invention comprises a duct connection comprising a collar having a first tab extending radially for lockable engagement with a first duct, a flexible body having an inner surface, the flexible body extendably disposed on the outside of the collar whereby the flexible body is axially coextensive with the collar when the collar is engaged with the duct, and whereby the duct is disposed between the collar and the flexible body when the flexible body is in the axially extended position, and the flexible body sealingly engageable with the duct. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and together with a description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a collar connection. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a collar connection. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side exploded view of a boot connection. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a boot connection. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a boot connection. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the flexible duct seal. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the flexible duct seal. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a front view of the flexible duct seal. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a section through  FIG. 7 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the flexible duct seal installed on a duct. 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the flexible duct seal installed on a duct. 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  is a side view of an alternate embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a collar connection. The duct connections described in this specification are used to connect pieces of HVAC duct. The connections can be between duct runs as well as diffusers and dampers and any other HVAC component. 
         [0022]    In this embodiment, collar  200  is attached to diffuser  202 . Collar  200  comprises lanced tabs  201 . Lanced tabs  201  are punched out from the collar and extend radially outward from collar  200 . Lanced tabs  201  are disposed about the outer surface of collar  200 . Lanced tabs  201  frictionally engage or penetrate an inner duct surface of a duct D 1  as duct D 1  is pressed over collar  200 . 
         [0023]    Collar  200  typically comprises sheet metal known in the art. 
         [0024]    A flexible duct seal  100  is rolled up on collar  200 . This would be an example of a transport mode for the invention. The flexible duct seal is more completely described in  FIGS. 6 ,  7 ,  8  and  9 . 
         [0025]    A piece of duct D 1  is shown in position to engage collar  200 . Duct piece D 1  may be un-insulated or may be covered with insulation (I) known in the art. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a collar connection. Duct D 1  is shown fully engaged with collar  200 . Lanced tabs  201  may frictionally engage, or, project through duct D 1 , thereby locking duct D 1  into fixed connection to collar  200 . Flexible duct seal  100  is then unrolled from collar  200  over the outer surface of duct D 1 , thereby creating an air tight seal at the joint between diffuser  202  and duct D 1 . Insulation (I) is then extended or pushed over the outside of flexible duct seal  100 . A flexible strap  203  is used to secure the insulation about the joint and flexible duct seal  100 . Flexible strap  203  is in the nature of what is commonly referred to as a rubber band. Duct D 1  may be flexible or rigid duct known in the art. 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is a side exploded view of a boot connection. Collar  200  comprises radially extending lanced tabs  201 . Both ends of flexible duct seal  100  are rolled up and placed on the outside of collar  200 . Collar  200  connected duct D 1  to diffuser  205 . Sleeve  206  engages inside collar  200 . Collar  200  engages inside duct D 1 . Lanced tabs  201  engage duct D 1 . Diffuser  205  is known in the art. 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a boot connection. Collar  200  is shown inserted into duct D 1 . One end of the flexible duct seal  100  is unrolled over duct D 1 . A fastener  207  can be used to secure the flexible duct seal  100  to the outside of collar  200 .  FIG. 4  shows the duct D 1  prior to connection to diffuser  205 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a boot connection. Collar  200  connects duct D 1  to diffuser  205 . The other end of flexible duct seal  100  is unrolled, thereby extending over the outside of duct D 1  and over the outside of sleeve  206 . Flexible strap  203  is used to secure the insulation about the flexible duct seal  100 . The insulation may comprise fiberglass, mineral wool, or any other suitable insulation known in the art. 
         [0030]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the flexible duct seal. The flexible duct seal  100  comprises a body  10 . Body  10  is substantially cylindrical. Body  10  comprises rubber or rubber-like material. Body  10  comprises an inner surface  11 . Tabs  20  extend from body  10  in a substantially coplanar manner with reference to inner surface  11 . Tabs  20  can be used to pull the seal  100  over a duct joint. 
         [0031]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the flexible duct seal. Tabs  20  are used by a user to grip the seal  100 . A user pulls on tabs  20  in unroll seal  100  across a duct joint, see  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 7  is a front view of the flexible duct seal. Body  10  is substantially cylindrical to facilitate installation on a round duct. The duct is typically the sort used for HVAC systems. HVAC systems generally move and distribute air or other gases. 
         [0033]      FIG. 8  is a section through  FIG. 7 . Inner surface  11  comprises ridges  12  which extend about a circumference of surface  11 . Ridges  12  create a gas tight seal between the seal  100  and the outer surface of a duct, see  FIG. 5 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the flexible duct seal installed on a duct. Duct pieces D 1 , D 2 , and D 3  are jointed by seals  100 . Seals  100  are shown spanning joints between each piece of duct. Insulation I is shown on duct D 3 . Seal  100  may be used to join various styles of duct, including sheet metal and PVC. Insulation is omitted from duct D 1  and D 2  for clarity. 
         [0035]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the flexible duct seal installed on a duct. The duct is round in this  FIG. 11 . To begin, seal  100  is rolled back on itself creating a roll. Seal  100  is shown unrolled across the joint between ducts D 1 , D 2  and D 3 . Tabs  20  are used to pull the seal in order to unroll it or place it across the joint. The flexible nature of seal  100  allows it to accommodate and correct significant amounts of duct misalignment while still achieving a gas tight fit between the duct pieces being joined. The seal can also accommodate some amount of mismatch in the diameter of the duct pieces being joined. 
         [0036]      FIG. 12  is a side view of an alternate embodiment. Collar  2000  comprises lanced tabs  201 . Collar  200  typically comprises sheet metal known in the art. The collar  2000  is used to join two pieces of duct, such as duct D 1  in  FIG. 3 . The installation is the same as described for  FIG. 3 , with exception that each end of collar  2000  is connected into a duct piece. Each end of seal  100  is shown rolled up and substantially centered on the collar. Once the collar is inserted into both duct pieces, see  FIG. 11 , each end of seal  100  is unrolled over each respective duct piece to complete the sealed connection as described elsewhere in this specification. 
         [0037]    Straps  2001  and  2002  are used to retain seal  100  in place on collar  2000 . A single strap  2001  may be used as well with equal effectiveness. 
         [0038]    Although forms of the invention have been described herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variations may be made in the construction and relation of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described herein.