WO1999054615A2

WO1999054615A2 - Air cleaner

Info

Publication number: WO1999054615A2
Application number: PCT/AU1999/000300
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerald Marceau; Tushar Bose
Original assignee: Aironic Pty. Ltd.
Priority date: 1998-04-21
Filing date: 1999-04-21
Publication date: 1999-10-28
Also published as: WO1999054615A3

Abstract

An air cleaner (1) adapted to be fitted to or installed into a cabinet (2) such as a gaming machine, whereby an air intake (8) is located at the front of the cabinet, and air is drawn through the air cleaner (1) and filtered and exposed to negative ions and discharged to provide a canopy or an envelope of treated air around the user of the gaming machine (1).

Description

Air Cleaner

The present invention relates to an air cleaner suitable for fitting to or

associated with equipment, so as to provide a point source removal of

pollutants and the maintenance of cleaned air around the equipment. Further

the present invention also provides a method providing a enhanced

environment around an equipment, by means of a point source removal of

pollutants and the maintenance of cleaned air around the equipment.

Because of smoking and the odour of foods and the like, in

entertainment areas such as clubs and particularly in the area of gaming

machines, such as poker machines, the air becomes stale and contaminated

despite the normal air conditioning. The present invention provides an individual

cleaner which can be attached to or incorporated with such machines to clean

the air adjacent the machines, and then to return the treated air directly around

the machine.

In one broad form the present invention comprises an air cleaner

adapted to be fitted into or positioned in relation to a cabinet, said cleaner

comprising: an intake which, in use, is adapted to draw air, external of the cabinet,

into the cleaner,

a filter section connected to said intake;

an air pump adapted to suck air from said intake and through said filter

section to an outlet;

an ionising outlet section, to impart negative ions to the air exiting from

said outlet, and

said outlet being so positioned that the treated air is directed to provide a

canopy or an envelope around the cabinet or a part of the cabinet.

Preferably the air cleaner is associated with a gaming machine and the

air outlet is directed to expel treated air to the front of the gaming machine to

provide a canopy or an envelope of treated air around the user of the machine.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the

accompanying figures, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates schematically an exploded view of the components of

an air cleaner according to one embodiment of the present invention in relation

to the upper body of a poker machine; Figure 2 illustrates schematically, with a cut away view, the assembled

cleaner, as shown in figure 1 ;

Figure 3 illustrates schematically a front view of the air cleaner as shown

in figure 1 as positioned in the upper body of a poker machine;

Figure 4 illustrates schematically a side view of the air cleaner of figure

1 as positioned in the upper body of a poker machine;

Figure 5 illustrates schematically the air flow around a gaming machine

fitted with an air cleaner according to one embodiment of the present invention

Figure 6 illustrates schematically the air flow around a gaming machine

fitted with an air cleaner according to another embodiment of the present

invention

Figure 7 illustrates schematically the air flow around a gaming machine

fitted with an air cleaner according to yet another embodiment of the present

invention; and Figure 8 illustrates schematically the air flow around a gaming machine

fitted with an air cleaner according to yet another embodiment of the present

invention.

In clubs and other premises where gaming machines are used a large

number of people are concentrated in a small area; usually there is smoking

and the odour of food & alcohol etc. Whilst air conditioning units are used to

regulate the temperature of the air flow in large areas, they do not provide an

efficient cleaning of the air immediately around the gaming machines.

Travelling smoke spreads and diffuses into areas around the actual

smoker, permeates into adjoining areas and adheres to objects such as hair,

clothing and furnishings.

In existing methods, the air conditioning units, apart from cooling or

heating the air, are thereby required to clean and remove the pollutants of

smoking and food odours etc. Thus, as the pollutants are some what diffused

when they are finally drawn into the air conditioning unit, additional expensive

equipment in the air conditioners is needed to try to filter the pollutants. Further

as this requires a large air throughput, the size of the motors and the filters are

larger than those simply necessary to air condition the air. Further because the smoke and odours adhere to furnishings such as carpets, curtains and other

interior decor, these require additional cleaning and deodorising.

The present invention provides individual air cleaners, which uses a

"point source" cleaning technique, in which the smoke, is drawn into the

individual air cleaner adjacent the user, as shown in figure 5, before it has a

chance of diffusing into adjacent areas. This decreases the cost of cleaning

and increases the comfort of the patrons.

The upper body of some poker machines simply comprise a relative

empty cabinet, with an illuminated front panel, which lists the winning

combinations and advertising material. The actual operating mechanism and

the "gaming wheels" display is located below, in the middle section of the poker

machine. The present invention, in one embodiment, provides an air cleaner

which is adapted to be fitted into the upper body of a poker machine, to clean

and ionise the air around the poker machine, and to direct an envelope or

canopy of treated air forward of the machine, to provide a personal "clean air"

area for the user of the gaming machine. Thus preventing ingress of smoke and

odours into the environment around the machine.

As shown in figures 1 to 5, an embodiment of the present invention

comprises an air cleaner (1) which is adapted to fit within the upper body (2) of a gaming or poker machine. The air cleaner (1 ) comprises an intake cone and

carbon filter assembly (3), connected to a filter housing assembly (4). The

Intake (19) is located, preferably, at a height adjacent to the head of a user,

when he is sitting or standing, as shown in figure 5. A fan motor assembly (5)

is connected to the filter housing assembly (4), and sucks air through the filter

assemblies (3 & 4) and out through the exit cone and ioniser module (6). The

exit (18) is directed upwardly and forwardly of the gaming machine body (2),

such that the user is enveloped in the treated air and/or a canopy of treated air

separates the user from adjacent machines, as shown in figure 5.

The elongated rectangular intake (8) extends along the bottom edge of

the display panel (9) as shown in figure 4. This intake (8) is therefore at an ideal

position, being around head height for the users of the poker machines. The

intake cone (3), preferably, contains an activated carbon filter, to remove

odours.

The air is then drawn through the filter housing body (4), which contains

a further filter, to trap particulate material. Any suitable filter material can be

used, to suit different conditions and requirements. The air is drawn through the

fan motor (10) which could be of any suitable design. The air then exits the air cleaner (1 ) through the exit cone. Any suitable

number of negative ion discharge pins (not shown) are located in the exit cone

(3) to restore the treated air to the correct negative ion balance. Thus the air

drawn through the air cleaner is both filtered and treated with negative ions to

clean and purify the air.

The electronic circuitry for the negative ion generation is located in the

housing (11 ) located on the exit cone (6) and the negative ion discharge pins

(12) are preferably located on the outlet grille (13). which sit substantially flush

with the top (14) of the upper body of the poker machine, in the cut out (15)

The fan motor assembly 5 is affixed to the rear wall (16) of the upper

body (2) of the poker machine, by means of the bracket (17) to ensure stability,

and can run off any suitable power supply, such as mains either direct or

stepped down, or batteries.

The housings could be constructed out of any suitable material, such as

plastics or metal and the specific shape and dimensions altered as required.

In other forms of the invention, as shown in figures 6, 7 & 8, the air

cleaner is not built into the gaming machine, but either is located on the gaming

machine or associated with the gaming machine, whereby the inlet is again located adjacent the head of the user, with the outlet or outlets positioned to

discharge the treated air forwardly and/or upwardly such that the user is

enveloped in the treated air and/or a canopy of treated air, which separates the

user from adjacent machines, thereby providing an individual treated clean air

area around an individual gaming machine.

As shown in figure 6, the air cleaner (19) is adapted to be affixed onto

the top of the gaming machine (21 ) such that the inlet (20) is located adjacent

the top edge of the machine (21 ). The air cleaner (19) is constructed generally

in a similar manner to the previously described embodiment, except that the

outlets (18) are located on outriggers (22), which extend on each side of the

machines (21 ), such that the treated air is directed around the user.

The embodiment shown in figure 7, operates in a similar manner to the

previous embodiment except that the outlets (24) are located on the side edges

of the top and are directed to blow the treated air both above and to the sides of

the user of the machine (21 ).

In figure 8, a further embodiment is shown in which the air cleaner (25)

is cantilevered from the top of the gaming machine (21 ) and which has an inlet

(26) located centrally thereof, with outlets (24) located around the periphery,

such that the treated air is directed around the user. Because the air, immediately around the gaming machine, is filtered and

the ion balance restored, the user is more comfortable and, further, the actual

cost of the room's air conditioning is reduced, as more recycled air can be used

than in rooms where no individual air cleaners, for each machine, are used.

It should be obvious to people skilled in the art that modifications and

alterations could be made to the air cleaner as described above, without

departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are:

1. An air cleaner adapted to be fitted into or positioned in relation to

a cabinet, said cleaner comprising:

an intake which, in use, is adapted to draw air, external of the cabinet,

into the cleaner,

a filter section connected to said intake;

an air pump adapted to suck air from said intake and through said filter

section to an outlet;

an ionising outlet section, to impart negative ions to the air exiting from

said outlet, and

said outlet being so positioned that the treated air is directed to provide a

canopy or an envelope around the cabinet or a part of the cabinet.

2. An air cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the treated air outlet

comprises two outriggers which are adapted to be positioned in use on the

sides of the cabinet.

3. An air cleaner and gaming machine combination, wherein the

gaming machine comprises an upper body with the air cleaner being located therein, with the intake being located facing the user of the gaming machine

and the outlet being located at the top of the gaming machine.

4. A method of cleaning the air in an area containing gaming

machines by providing each machine with an air cleaner, according to any one

of the preceding claims, such that air is drawn into the air cleaner from the front

of the machine and treated air is discharged from the air cleaner to form a

canopy or an envelope around the user of the gaming machine.

5 An air cleaner substantially as hereinbefore described with

reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. An air cleaner and gaming machine combination substantially as

hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A method of cleaning the air in an area containing gaming

machines substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the

accompanying drawings.