CN212870103U

CN212870103U - Air purifier

Info

Publication number: CN212870103U
Application number: CN202022357322.5U
Authority: CN
Inventors: J·冈内弗
Original assignee: Blueair AB
Current assignee: Blueair AB
Priority date: 2019-10-21
Filing date: 2020-10-21
Publication date: 2021-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 2030-10-21
Also published as: CN112696768A

Abstract

An air purifier comprising at least one removable particulate filter, a fan or impeller, a top and opposite thereto a base and means for lifting the base from the ground, at least one side surface connecting the top and base, a top air inlet on the top and facing away from the ground in an operating condition, and an air outlet on the side surface, and wherein the air inlet comprises an ionizer for ionizing particles entrained in ambient air.

Description

Air purifier

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an improved air purifier.

Background

EP 0646416 (Trion Inc) discloses a bipolar electrostatic filtration system comprising a negative high voltage source (4), a positive high voltage source (5), a filter (2) arranged at the downstream end of the system and an ionizer (1) arranged upstream of the filter. The ionizer includes a first set of ionizing wires connected to a negative high voltage source, a second set of ionizing wires connected to a positive high voltage source, and a cycle time relay (cycle time relay) to alternately activate the first set of ionizing wires with the negative high voltage source and the second set of ionizing wires with the positive high voltage source. The filtering method further includes passing the fluid to be filtered through the ionizer and the filter in order by disposing a media filter downstream of the ionizer, negatively charging the particulate matter passing through the ionizer with a negative high voltage, positively charging the particulate matter passing through the ionizer by activating the ionizer with a positive high voltage during the second period, and repeatedly cycling between the first period and the second period.

EP 1433514 (Samsung Electronics) discloses an air cleaning device with a blower unit and a filter unit that are easy to remove and install from a cabinet, so that the air cleaning device is easy to clean. The cabinet included in the air cleaning apparatus may be used as a table. The cabinet has a top panel of a predetermined area, is open at a bottom thereof, and is provided with an air outlet port on at least one side wall thereof. The blower housing is mounted in the cabinet to be drawn out of the cabinet in a horizontal direction. A blower is mounted within the blower housing to move air to the air outlet port. The filter housing is installed below the blower housing to be drawn out from the cabinet in a horizontal direction, and at least one filter is installed in the filter housing.

US 2005/160907(Zhang Zhiqun) discloses a filter system for filtering particles in air. A plurality of point ionization sources are located near a periphery of the airflow channel and oriented to generate ions near the airflow channel in a direction substantially upstream of each respective ionization source of the plurality of point ionization sources. A particle collection surface is located within the airflow passageway in a downstream direction from the plurality of point ionization sources. The particle collection surface is electrostatically charged in the opposite direction relative to ground, which is different from the charge of the ions. An ion trap is positioned within the gas flow channel between the plurality of ionization sources and the particle collection surface. The ion trap is relatively electrically neutral compared to the particle collection surface and the ions.

Despite the above prior art, there is still a need for improved air purifiers, in particular air purifiers that improve the circulation of ambient air, not only increasing the fan speed and thus the energy consumption.

Disclosure of Invention

Household dust is a common problem and presents a different challenge than other forms of particulate contamination. Household dust is mainly composed of human skin and hair, and it is heavy enough to settle when there is no or little air flow. Thus, household dust is one of the few contaminants that are large enough to be visible, especially when it settles on a surface. When the settled dust is disturbed, it accumulates and forms a more significant problem.

Air purifiers designed specifically for dust collection are therefore particularly attractive to consumers.

Accordingly, there is provided an air cleaner comprising at least one removable particulate filter, a fan or impeller and a motor for driving the fan or impeller, a roof and an opposite base and means for lifting the base from the ground, at least one side surface connecting the roof and base, a roof air inlet located at the roof and facing away from the ground in an operating condition, and an air outlet located on the side surface, and wherein the air inlet comprises an ionizer that ionizes particles entrained in ambient air.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 shows a cross-section of an air purifier having a side wall (1), a top surface (2) and a bottom surface (3).

Fig. 2 is a schematic and shows how an embodiment of the invention circulates air.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention.

Fig. 4 shows the same device of fig. 3, but viewed from the front.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the device and shows the legs (10) and the circular air inlet (4b) protected by the pre-filter or anti-poke device.

Fig. 6 is a top view of the same device without the table top item (21) to show the configuration of the air inlet on the top (2).

Fig. 7 is a schematic side view of a similar embodiment, where the air outlet (8) can be seen, which is rectangular and protected by the anti-poke device.

Detailed Description

We have surprisingly found that combining an air inlet at the top of the air purifier with an air outlet at the side helps the air circulation in a way that is beneficial to the overall air purification performance of the purifier. This is particularly enhanced by the provision of an ionizer at the air inlet at the top, since the ambient air is ionized in a manner that promotes greater circulation. In particular, it allows an improved dust collection and circulation around the purifier, which has the additional benefit of allowing an improved filtration, not just an increase in fan speed and therefore an increase in energy consumption.

The ionizer is disposed outside the purifier to improve the filtering of the household dust particles from the ambient air.

This is particularly the case where the purifier also includes an air inlet at the base, as in this air circulation mode the air becomes a vortex around the device.

Preferably, the ionizer includes a corona discharge tip and a receiving electrode. When the corona discharge tip is subjected to an appropriate voltage, it creates an ion field between the tip and the receiving or ground electrode.

Preferably, the air purifier comprises a plate elevated above the purifier. Preferably, the plate is raised above the top surface of the purifier and held above the top surface by at least one bar or bracket so that air can flow into the air inlet at the top of the purifier or, if there is an air outlet in the top surface instead of the air inlet, can flow out through the air outlet.

More preferably, the device comprises a plate sized to substantially overlie the top of the purifier. This overlap assists the flow of the collected household dust particles in the air surrounding the device. It also provides a convenient means for the consumer to provide a desktop.

Preferably, an external ionizer is disposed below the plate. More preferably, the ionizer is disposed at the top of the purifier (but below any existing plates). Placing the external ionizer on top of the device means that the household dust particles ionize when falling through the air towards the ground and are therefore more likely to collect as they become charged. As they become more and more concentrated, they are more easily captured in the air circulation patterns created by the device and are therefore more easily filtered.

External means that the ionizer is disposed outside rather than inside the device. In this manner, the ionizer can ionize the ambient air in the vicinity of the purifier, rather than the air that physically passes through the purifier. We have surprisingly found that ionizing ambient air improves the collection of household dust particles in a manner that helps them enter the air purifier. Once these collected household dust particles enter the purifier, they are also easier to remove because they are much larger than conventional non-collected dust particles. This means that the removable particulate filter may be less dense and therefore exhibit a lower pressure drop during use. This also means that the airflow velocity can be reduced and therefore the device uses less energy.

Preferably, the device comprises an internal ionizer and an external ionizer. The external ionizer aids in the collection of household dust particles, while the internal ionizer aids in the capture of the collected dust particles by the removable particle filter. In both cases, ionization allows for less dense filter media and low air (fan) speeds.

Where the device includes an internal ionizer, it is preferably located before the removable particulate filter in the direction of air flow. This means that the dust particles may undergo two ionisation events, once as individual household dust particles and once as aggregated dust particles.

It is believed that providing the air inlet on the base in a manner such that the inlet faces the ground when in the operating condition results in a pressure build-up between the base and the ground when air is drawn into the device by the fan or impeller. This creates a degree of turbulence between the base and the floor on which the cleaner is located and thereby increases the collection of household dust particles. This means that the removal of household dust is more efficient and the speed of the fan or impeller can be reduced to achieve the same cleaning performance using less energy.

Preferably, the base is defined by a perimeter interrupted only by any leg or stand of the holding means present which leaves the ground in the operating condition. In such embodiments, the device may draw air from around the base and is not limited to any one particular direction. The ability to circumferentially draw air is important to achieving the desired air flow circulation characteristics. Preferably, the air inlet of the bottom is substantially circular, so as to draw air evenly from all directions. Similarly, it is preferred that the air inlet on the top surface is substantially circular for the same reason.

Preferably, the air outlet is substantially square or rectangular to provide a directed air flow from the device. More preferably, the side wall on which the air outlet is provided is also substantially planar to promote uniform air flow and reduce dispersed air flow from the device. Preferably, the air outlets on the side walls are square or rectangular in shape and extend on either side of an imaginary line between the top and bottom surfaces. This means that air exits the device substantially from the center of the device rather than from the top or base. Similar devices with side air outlets towards the top or bottom do not operate in the same manner as the air vortex created is not substantially uniform and therefore the air turbulence is not optimised.

Preferably, the air outlet extends above and below an imaginary line intermediate the top and the base and extends on the side surface up to 30% of the average distance between the top and the base, more preferably up to 50%, in particular up to 60%, and most preferably up to 76% of the length of the side surface between the top and the base.

Similarly, it is preferred that the air outlet extends on the side surface on either side of an imaginary line midway between the front and rear portions up to 30% of the average distance between the front and rear portions, more preferably up to 50%, in particular up to 60%, and most preferably up to 76% of the average distance between the front and rear portions on the side surface.

In the most preferred embodiment, the device includes an air inlet on the top and bottom of the device and a pair of opposing air outlets on the sides. The air inlet is substantially circular and planar and the air outlet is substantially planar and substantially rectangular or square in shape.

Preferably, the air purifier comprises at least one removable particulate filter, a fan or impeller and a motor for driving the fan or impeller, a top portion and a base portion opposite thereto and an air inlet and an air outlet, wherein the ionizer is substantially disposed above the top portion when in an operating state. This has the additional advantage that even the accumulation of household dust particles in the ambient air above the cleaner means that the accumulated particles are more easily sucked into the cleaner, since they are influenced not only by the air flow but also by gravity. Since the aggregated household dust particles are much more likely to be drawn into the cleaner than the non-aggregated particles. Thus, designers have designed an air purifier that is much more efficient at filtering household dust.

Preferably, the air cleaner comprises means for lifting the base from the ground, at least one side surface connecting the top and base, an air inlet and an air outlet, wherein the air inlet is located on the base and faces the ground in the operating condition.

Furthermore, the air circulation created by this design aids in the collection of household dust particles and makes it easier to entrain (entrain) the collected particles, especially at lower fan speed settings and when using less dense particulate filter media.

Air to be cleaned enters the purifier from the environment through at least one air inlet. Preferably, the at least one air inlet is partially occupied by a pre-filter.

The pre-filter is a filter having low air resistance and also serving as a poke guard, thereby preventing a user from contacting the scroll or impeller assembly. The pre-filter is not intended to play any significant role in air purification. They do not have the air resistance or particle entrainment capability of a dedicated particulate filter. Preferably, the pre-filter is not a HEPA filter. In the case where the pre-filter is provided at or near the air outlet, it is referred to as a tamperproof device, but is substantially the same as the pre-filter.

In the case where the air cleaner includes a pair of air inlets, preferably the cleaner further includes an airflow chamber for each inlet. Each airflow inlet also preferably includes its own removable HEPA particulate filter. In such a design, the purifier may also include a fan or impeller for each chamber, but it is also possible that the purifier contains only one fan, and this is after a HEPA filter that is removable in the direction of air flow.

The purifier of the invention also comprises a fan or an impeller. The fan may be an axial fan, but preferably the fan is a radial fan.

Where the purifier includes a pair of airflow chambers, preferably the "fans" comprise a pair of oppositely directed fans, more preferably radial fans, such that they are powered as a unit but function to draw air in and expel air from opposite directions. This is a more efficient fan architecture when more than one airflow chamber is required.

In the case where the device comprises a pair of air outlets on opposite side surfaces, it is preferred that the fans or impellers are arranged such that their axes of rotation are directed substantially towards the respective air outlets, so that air flows from the fan to the outlets without any change in direction.

Preferably the means for lifting the base comprises legs or brackets and there may be a required number to support the base off the ground in the operating condition. Preferably the means for lifting the base supports the base off the ground for at least 20% of the average width of the entrance when viewed from the front. More preferably, the legs are spaced from the air inlet along the periphery of the base and around the air inlet. If the purifier remains too high above the ground during use, there is no corresponding turbulence between the ground and the air inlet in use. Furthermore, if the device is kept too close to the ground, the pressure required to draw air into the device is too great and the turbulence becomes too great and eliminates any advantage gained by this design.

In a preferred embodiment, the top also includes an air inlet. This further improves the air circulation throughout the room in which the purifier is present. In such embodiments, ambient air is drawn in from the top and bottom of the air purifier, cleaned, and then exhausted from the sides. This creates a special air circulation pattern that greatly increases air circulation in a manner that uses less energy and produces less fan/impeller noise. In effect, a synergy is created between the top and base air streams, as each air stream draws air in from opposite sides of the device, but expels it in the same direction. This swirl greatly assists in the circulation of air within the room in which the device is located. This also means that the air purifier also functions as a ventilation aid without any increase in fan speed and power.

Preferably, the air outlet is located on the side surface. Preferably, the outlet is disposed in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the inlet on the base and, when present, also perpendicular to the plane of the air inlet on the top surface. This greatly helps the air to circulate more efficiently throughout the room in which the purifier is present.

Preferably, the top and base are of rectangular or square form and comprise four side surfaces connecting the top and base, and wherein the air outlet is provided on at least one side surface. When the outlet is provided on more than one side surface, preferably the outlet is provided on the opposite surface.

Preferably, the removable particulate filter is a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. It should be understood that while the filter portion of the air purifier is a critical part of its function, the air purifier is typically not manufactured in-situ (in place) with the filter. They are in fact always manufactured separately and most importantly are usually manufactured by a commercial enterprise other than the manufacturer of the air purifier itself. Filter manufacturers typically make filters for different air purifier models produced by different manufacturers. The particulate filter is in contrast to the pre-filter or any dust filter present. Pre-filters and dust filters are not considered HEPA filters because they do not have the particle capture capability exhibited by HEPA filters.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the following non-limiting drawings, in which:

fig. 1 shows a cross-section of an air purifier having a side wall (1), a top surface (2) and a bottom surface (3). The bottom surface (3) has holes (4), the holes (4) serving as air inlets when the fan (6) draws ambient air into the device. The aperture air inlet (4) is protected by a tamper proof filter (5). The device also has an air inlet on the top surface (2) and an associated ionizing assembly (40) to ionize air outside the purifier.

The apparatus also includes a replaceable particulate HEPA filter (7) through which the air must pass as it is moved by the fan towards the outlet aperture (8). These outlets (8) are filled with further anti-poke means (9) to prevent the user from easily entering the interior of the device and causing damage to the device or itself.

This configuration does not impede air flow because air can pass by the foot and into the air inlet. The device is held off the ground in use by the legs (10).

Fig. 2 is a schematic and shows how an embodiment of the invention circulates air. The device is held off the ground by legs (10). Air is drawn into the device through holes in the top and base by a fan (not shown). Air is drawn in through an ion cloud (32, shown schematically) created between an ion emitter (30) and an ion receiver (31). It is discharged through a lateral outlet (8). In this embodiment, air is also drawn through the holes in the top of the device, creating a coordinated air flow between the air drawn through the base and the air drawn through the top.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention. The figure shows a cleaner on the leg (10) to keep the device off the ground and to allow air to be drawn in from under the device during use.

There is an air inlet (4a) at the top through which air is drawn by the fan. There is also an inlet, not shown, on the base (3) which draws in air from below the device. The side wall (1) has no air outlet, while the side wall (20) has an air inlet (8) and is protected by the anti-stab means.

The device also has a table top (21) that the consumer can use to place household decorative or functional items. The bracket also agitates the air drawn into the device, thereby improving the collection of dust particles in the ambient air.

In fig. 4 we see the same device, but from the front. Thus, the air outlets on the side wall (20) are not visible. The base (3) is kept above the ground in an amount commensurate with optimal agitation of the air flow and thus of the dust particles in the ambient air.

Fig. 6 is a top view of the same device without the table top item (21) to show the configuration of the air inlet on the top (2). The air inlet is circular in design to facilitate uniform intake of air from all directions.

Fig. 7 is a schematic side view of a similar embodiment, where the air outlet (8) can be seen, which is rectangular and protected by the anti-poke device. The air outlet has a substantially similar shape in side profile to the device.

Claims

1. An air cleaner comprising at least one removable particulate filter, a fan or impeller, a motor for driving the fan or impeller, a roof and an opposite base and means for lifting the base from the ground, at least one side surface connecting the roof and base, a roof air inlet on the roof and facing away from the ground in an operating condition, and an air outlet on the side surface, and wherein the air inlet comprises an ionizer for ionizing particles entrained in the ambient air.

2. The air cleaner of claim 1, further comprising an internal ionizer.

3. The air purifier of claim 1 including a pre-filter, the pre-filter not being a HEPA filter.

4. The air cleaner of claim 1, wherein the particulate filter is a HEPA filter.

5. The air cleaner of claim 1, comprising a base air inlet disposed on the base and facing the ground in the operating state.

6. The air cleaner of claim 1, wherein the means for lifting the base comprises a leg.

7. The air cleaner of claim 1, wherein the top and base are rectangular in form and include four side surfaces connecting the top and base, and wherein the air outlet is disposed on one side surface.

8. The air cleaner of claim 1, wherein the top and base are square in form and include four side surfaces connecting the top and base, and wherein the air outlet is disposed on one side surface.

9. An air cleaner according to claim 7 or 8, comprising a pair of opposed air outlets on respective side surfaces through which air is driven by a pair of opposed fans or impellers.

10. The air purifier of claim 1 including a flat plate elevated above the remainder of the purifier.