WO2005116530A1

WO2005116530A1 - Portable air conditioner

Info

Publication number: WO2005116530A1
Application number: PCT/IB2005/051653
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giorgio Daolio
Original assignee: Omas S.R.L.
Priority date: 2004-05-28
Filing date: 2005-05-20
Publication date: 2005-12-08
Also published as: ES2267422T3; EP1754006A1; DE602005011431D1; ATE416347T1; ES2267422T1; ITBO20040343A1; EP1754006B1

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for treating the air in an environment, in particular in a living or working environment. The present apparatus is in the form of an air conditioner, in particular the type which is mobile on wheels. The apparatus comprises supporting means and suitable means for treating the air in the environment. These means for treating the air in the environment comprise means for emitting a flow of treated air, which supply, in particular, a flow of treated air (S, S) directed sideways and in a substantially horizontal direction.

Description

An apparatus for treating the air in an environment, in particular in the form of an air conditioner

Technical Field The present invention relates to an apparatus for treating the air in an environment, in particular a living or working environment . The present invention also, in particular, relates to an air conditioner.

Background Art Mobile apparatuses for treating the air in a living or working environment are known, which are designed to be transferred along the floor which supports them and which, briefly, comprise means for treating the air in the environment, having suitable means for the emission of a single flow of treated air which is, moreover, directed upwards. However, in these known air conditioners, the cool air which is directed upwards and which falls due to the fact that it is denser than the warm air in the environment to be cooled, does not succeed in conditioning the temperature of the environment in which it operates in times which provide rapid relief for the user moving or operating on the floor of the room or environment to be cooled.

Disclosure of the Invention Therefore, an apparatus has been provided for treating the air in an environment, in particular a living or working environment, preferably in the form of an air conditioner, particularly in the form of a mobile apparatus. The apparatus comprises supporting means and means for treating the air in the environment, the latter comprising means which emit a flow of treated air; the apparatus is characterised in that the emission means emit at least one flow of treated air, which is directed in a substantially horizontal direction. In this way, the ambient temperature in the zone in which the user is located can be more rapidly adjusted to the desired temperature . According to another aspect, an apparatus has been provided for treating the air in an environment, in particular a living or working environment, preferably in the form of an air conditioner, particularly in the form of a mobile apparatus; the apparatus comprises supporting means and means for treating the air in the environment, the latter comprising means which emit a flow of treated air; the apparatus is characterised in that the emission means emit at least a first and a second flow of air, directed in different flow directions. In this way, the environment to be treated can be conditioned more rapidly. According to yet another aspect, an apparatus has been provided for treating the air in an environment, in particular a living or working environment, preferably in the form of an air conditioner, particularly in the form of a mobile apparatus. The apparatus comprises supporting means and means for treating the air in the environment, the latter comprising means which emit a flow of treated air; the apparatus is characterised in that the emission means emit at least one flow of treated air, which is directed sideways. This prevents anyone standing in front of the apparatus from being struck directly by the flow of treated air emitted by the apparatus . According to a further aspect, an apparatus was provided for treating the air in an environment, in particular a living or working environment, preferably in the form of an air conditioner, particularly in the form of a mobile apparatus. The apparatus comprises supporting means and means for treating the air in the environment, the latter comprising means which emit a flow of treated air. The apparatus is characterised in that the emission means emit at least a first, a second and a third flow of treated air. This gives more efficient treatment of the air in the environment . Other advantageous aspects of the treatment apparatus are described in the other claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings The technical characteristics and advantageous aspects of the invention are apparent from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention provided merely by way of example without restricting the scope of the inventive concept, and in which: Figure 1 is a schematic front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention; - Figure 2 is a schematic rear perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a schematic top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention; - Figure 4 is a schematic side view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 5 is a schematic perspective cutaway view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention; - Figure 6 is a schematic front perspective view of an internal detail of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of the rear internal part of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 8 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the treated air emission section of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention In accordance with the present invention, the accompanying drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of an apparatus 10 for treating the air in an environment, in particular a living or working environment . The present apparatus is, in particular, in the form of an air conditioner, particularly in the form of an apparatus mobile on wheels or the like - not illustrated in the accompanying drawings - on a floor or supporting surface F, which usually extends in a horizontal plane, of the environment to be conditioned. However, it should be understood that, although the present apparatus is particularly preferred when it operates to cool an environment, the same apparatus could be used to heat, or simply to dehumidify, or perform other operations on the air in the environment in which it operates. The present apparatus may also be in the form of an apparatus without wheels and equipped with special feet which rest on the floor, or it may be in the form of a wall-mounted apparatus. By way of example only, two reference axes, longitudinal and transversal, labelled L and T are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which the letter N is used to denote a reference axis perpendicular to the previous axes and to the floor or horizontal surface on which the apparatus rests . The present apparatus comprises supporting means in the form of a supporting frame, forming an upper part 12 and a lower part 13', and in particular has a shaped lower base 11, illustrated in Figure 6, with a plurality of seats housing elements of the apparatus 10. The accompanying drawings show only the spiral casing of the cooling fan of the cooling circuit and the condenser 18 for heat exchange with the coolant fluid, which are inserted in the relative seat in the base 11. As indicated in particular in Figure 5, the bottom of the upper wall of the apparatus is delimited and supported by a supporting frame intermediate wall or partition 111, with suitable engagement and connecting stops for the components of the environment air cooling unit, which are, as better described below, housed in the upper part of the apparatus. The present apparatus also comprises suitable apparatus covering means. These covering means are, in particular, in the form of a covering shell or body 14, made of a suitable thin material, with a plurality of openings for the passage of air to be treated or treated air, described in more detail below. The body 14 is preferably made up of a plurality of parts or components which are suitably mounted on the supporting frame. The covering body 14 comprises, in particular, a front wall

14a, the front wall 14a having a general arced shape in the transversal direction T, with the convex side towards the front of the apparatus. The front wall 14a is, in particular, angled as illustrated in Figure 4, converging upwards, that is to say, forming an acute angle with the perpendicular reference axis N. As illustrated, the front wall 14a is angled in such a way that its virtual extension converges upwards with the virtual extension of the rear wall 14d of the apparatus. The covering body 14 also has an upper wall 14b, which, starting at its front part, extends upwards at an angle. As illustrated in particular in Figure 4, the upper wall 14b is substantially flat and is such that it forms an obtuse angle with the front wall 14a. In a substantially central position, the upper wall 14b has an opening 13, on which a protective grille 13a extends. Moreover, as illustrated in particular in Figure 1, on the upper wall 14b there is also a push-button panel 15 or the like, for controlling the apparatus, which is positioned, for convenient operation and to give an attractive appearance, in front of the upper opening 13 from which the treated air 13 is emitted in an upward direction. The covering body 14 also comprises a lower rear wall 14c and an upper rear wall 14d, the latter being above said rear wall 14c and recessed relative to it. In practice, the upper rear wall 14d delimits the back of the upper zone which houses the means for treating the air in the environment. It may be deduced that, with the layout of the treatment means specifically for the air in the environment described, the apparatus has a particularly compact configuration and is very easy to maintain and assemble at least as regards these parts. As illustrated, the rear wall 14d extends in an arc with the convex side facing away from that of the front wall 14a. As indicated in particular in Figure 2, the covering body 14 also comprises a wall 14e joining the lower rear wall 14c and the upper rear wall 14d. The joining wall 14e comprises, in particular, a first portion 14f connected to the upper rear wall 14d and a second portion 14g connected to the lower rear wall 14c. The first and second connecting walls 14f, 14g of the joining wall 14e are connected to one another to form an obtuse angle, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in particular in Figure 2. There also first and second side walls 14i, 141. The side walls 14i, 141 comprise, at their lower position, an opening 17a, 17b, on which a protective grille 19a, 19b extends, made in the side wall 14i, 141. The front wall 14a has, from a lateral end 141, 143, a short recessed wall 142, 144 forming a surface which conveys the treated air emitted sideways from the apparatus 10. The short recessed walls 142, 144 form an acute angle with the front face 14a of the front wall, as is clearly shown in Figure 3. As illustrated in particular in Figure 3, each side wall

14i, 141 in turn has, at a front end 145, 147, a portion 146, 148, recessed in a substantially transversal direction, inside which there is an opening through which the treated air is emitted. Figure 1 illustrates a single opening, labelled 150. As illustrated, the recessed walls 142, 146 and 144, 148 converge with one another, in such a way as to form a generally wedge-shaped recess in the side wall of the apparatus. As illustrated, a flow of cooled air is emitted from these openings in the upper part of the short transversal recessed walls 146, 148, already substantially directed in a respective and suitable lateral direction. The accompanying drawings illustrate only the opening 150 for emission of the sideways flow on the wall 148. Said sideways flow is further directed by the respective oblique conveyor surface 142, 144 in front of the outlet for the cool horizontal flow, giving respective sideways flows S, S. As already indicated, there are means for treating the air in the environment, said means located at the upper part 12 of the apparatus. These means for treating the air in the environment comprise heat exchange means, in particular in the form of means for cooling the air in the environment. As illustrated in Figure 5, the means for cooling the air comprise a cooling evaporator 16, means for sucking in the air in the environment to be treated, and means for emitting treated or cooled air, described in more detail below. As shown in Figure 4, a suitable and large rear opening 9, with a protective grille 9a, which extends over almost the entire upper rear wall 14d, allows the flow of untreated air A to enter the upper part of the apparatus and pass over the evaporator 16, then the air, now cool, enters the radial fan 22 so that it can advantageously be conveyed out in at least two and in particular three flows S, S and V, preferably angled in different directions to one another, as described in further detail below. In this way, the air in the environment in which the apparatus is located can be treated uniformly and very rapidly. The untreated air A is drawn into the apparatus by the suction action of the radial flow fan 22, illustrated in Figure 6. There are also means which supply a heat exchange fluid to the heat exchange means 16. Said means for supplying a heat exchange fluid to the heat exchange means 16 comprise a heat exchange fluid or gas supply circuit, not illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings. Said circuit forms, or is connected to, a heat exchange grille 16, forming the evaporator, and comprises a second heat exchange grille 18, forming a condenser, which performs heat exchange with air from outside the environment to be treated thanks to a fan, housed in a casing 20, bringing in relatively cool air C from outside (for example, preferably drawn from outside the building in which the apparatus is located) and expelling rather warm air H, with a decidedly high temperature, into the atmosphere or environment outside the building, as illustrated in Figure 7. For this purpose, the relatively cool air C from outside is sucked into the lower part of the apparatus 10 through an opening 19 in the covering means, in the horizontal joining wall 14e. The warm air H, after passing over the condenser 18, is expelled from the apparatus 10 through an opening 21 in the covering means, in the horizontal joining wall 14e, next to the opening 19. The air C is drawn from outside over the condenser thanks to suction created by the fan 20 located downstream of the condenser. The cooling circuit also comprises a tank and a compressor for the coolant fluid or gas, housed in the lower part 13' of the apparatus and not illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings . The means for treating the air in the environment comprise advantageous means for emitting a flow of treated air V, S, S. The emission means supply, in particular, a flow of treated air V, which is directed upwards. Advantageously, said air flow V, in particular emitted from the upper opening 13, comprises a vertical flow component Vn and a longitudinal or front flow component VI, as schematically illustrated in Figure 4. This air flow which rises towards the ceiling of the room in which the apparatus is located, as well as allowing substantially uniform cooling of the environment to be treated, supplies a flow of cool air which falls down with a delayed action, and so does not immediately cool the user. Moreover, the emission means supply a first and a second air flow S, S, substantially directed horizontally or parallel with the surface F on which the user is positioned or moves. In practice, there is a first and a second flow of treated air S, S, which are directed sideways, in directions that are substantially opposite to one another. These flows of treated air emitted horizontally by an apparatus whose lower part lOi is resting on the floor F on which the apparatus user operates, allow more rapid adjustment of the temperature in the zone in which the user operates to the temperature desired there. Moreover, when, as occurs with the present embodiment, the treated air is cool air, which tends to remain in the low zones of the room in which the conditioner is placed to cool users operating on the floor, thanks to the present conditioner, there is no need to wait for the relatively long times taken for the cool air emitted to descend, as is the case with conditioners known until now, in which the cool air is only emitted upwards. However, if the user wants to switch off emission V of the cool air upwards, a layering of cool air below and warm air above may be created in the room or environment to be cooled. The warm air above would be outside the area in which the user works and so would not significantly affect the user. This would avoid the need to cool all of the air in the environment to be treated, consequently saving energy. In particular, each sideways or substantially horizontal flow S has, as illustrated in Figure 3, a longitudinal or front flow component SI and a transversal or side component St.

Advantageously, this prevents a user positioned in front of the apparatus from being struck directly by cool air. The transversal components St of the two sideways flows S and S, are, as illustrated, directed in directions which are opposite to one another. Advantageously, the means for emitting treated air comprise a single radial flow fan 22. As illustrated in Figure 8, the radial flow fan 22 comprises a supporting frame 22a, in the form of a flange or flanged body, from which a tube 22c extends longitudinally, for insertion of a motor shaft 28, and a plurality of vanes 22b. As illustrated, the vanes 22b extend from the supporting flange 22a towards the inner part of the apparatus and radially from the outer surface of the central tube 22c. In particular, the vanes 22b have a profile arced in the radial direction, which allows the emission of a plurality of radial flows. Advantageously, there are also means which convey the air flow at outfeed. Said means for conveying the air flow at outfeed comprise means for diverting the flow forwards and upwards. As illustrated in Figure 8, said means for diverting the flow forwards and upwards comprise a deflector 24a, having a diverting surface 124a which extends forwards at an angle, forming an acute angle with the normal axis N. The means for conveying the air flow at outfeed also comprise means for diverting the flow forwards and sideways. The means for diverting the flow forwards and sideways comprise a first and a second deflector 24b and 24c, having a respective diverting surface 124b, 124c which extends at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis L. Means 24 forming an opening 24' for the infeed of the air into the air emission means are also present. For this purpose, the infeed means 24 comprise a substantially flat panel, having a central opening 24' for the passage of the air, and from whose lateral and upper ends the deflectors 24b, 24c and 24a extend. There is also a front panel 26, with stiffening ribs and forming a central insertion and supporting opening 26' for a motor 28 which powers the fan 22 which treats the air in the environment . The means for diverting the flow forwards and upwards comprise an upper deflector 26a with a diverting surface 126a. The means for diverting the flow forwards and sideways also comprise a first and a second deflector 26b and 26c, having a respective diverting surface 126b, 126c which extends at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis L. The diverting surfaces 126a, 126b, 126c are opposite the diverting surfaces 124a, 124b, 124c to form corresponding channels for conveying the flow at the outfeed of the chamber housing the fan. The channels for conveying the flows at outfeed are respectively directed upwards and horizontally and sideways, angled towards the front of the apparatus, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings . The panel means 26 also comprise, at the lateral ends of the upper deflector 26a, a first and a second short wall 27a, 27b, substantially vertical, forming, together with the deflector 26a and the deflector 24a of the rear panel 24, a substantially vertical treated air conveyor channel 245. The panel means 26 also comprise, at an upper and a lower lateral end of the side deflector 26b, 26c, a first and a second wall 28a, 28b, 29a, 29b, substantially horizontal, forming, together with the deflector 26b, 26c and the opposite deflector 24b, 24c of the rear panel 24, a substantially horizontal treated air conveyor channel 246, 247. As illustrated in Figure 6, once assembled, the panels 24 and 26 (the latter illustrated with a dashed line in Figure 6) also form an inner chamber 29 housing the fan 22. The inner chamber gives onto the infeed opening 24' upstream, in the direction of flow, and gives onto the inlets of the conveyor channels 245, 246, 247 downstream. When assembled, the vanes 22b have a free outer edge 22 'b which extends close to the inner surface or face 24" of the rear panel 24 for infeed and diversion of the flows. Figure 6 also illustrates, labelled 13', 150' and 152', the outlets of the vertical and lateral conveyor channels formed by the panels 24 and 26, forming the chamber which houses the fan for emission of the treated air. These outlets, at the ends of the channels which conveyor the treated air at outfeed, are placed under the corresponding openings or outlets in the body, of which only the openings 13 and 150 are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. As illustrated in Figure 8, each channel 245, 246, 247 has a protective grille 345, 346, 347 at the inlet of the channel 245, 246, 247. The grilles 345, 346, 347 are, in particular, made in a single piece 344 with an inverted U shape, as illustrated in Figure 8. However, it should be understood that, although the embodiment described above is particularly preferred and advantageous, according to other embodiments of the present apparatus, not illustrated in the accompanying drawings, there may also be an apparatus for treating the temperature of an environment, in which the opening for the emission of treated air upwards could be closed or completely absent. According to another apparatus for treating the temperature of an environment, there may also be only one horizontal emission opening, not necessarily for sideways emission of the flow of treated air, which may be combined with a flow of air directed upwards. Moreover, according to another aspect, it is considered that an advantage may be gained in terms of efficient conditioning of the temperature of an environment using jets or flows of treated air emitted in at least two different directions, since in this way the treated air is more rapidly distributed in the environment in question. In the present apparatus, the horizontal and sideways jets S and S are directed in directions which are separated from one another by an angle of less than 180°, as illustrated in Figure 3. Each horizontal jet S and S is separated from the vertical direction of flow V by an angle substantially less than 90°, as indicated in Figure 4. The invention described can be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover, all the details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements.

Claims

1. An apparatus (10) for treating the air in an environment, in particular a living or working environment, preferably in the form of an air conditioner, particularly in the form of a mobile apparatus; the apparatus comprising supporting means and means for treating the air in the environment, the latter comprising means which emit a flow of treated air; the apparatus being characterised in that the emission means supply a flow of treated air (S, S) which is directed in at least one substantially horizontal direction.

2. The apparatus (10) according to claim 1 or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the emission means supply at least one flow of treated air (S, S) which is directed sideways .

3. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the emission means supply a first and a second air flow directed in directions of flow which are different to one another.

4. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the emission means supply at least a first and a second air flow (S and S) directed in directions of flow which are substantially opposite to one another.

5. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the supporting means form an upper part (12) and a lower part (13') .

6. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the supporting means comprise a lower shaped base (11) having a plurality of seats for a respective operating element of the apparatus.

7. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the supporting means comprise an intermediate shaped base (111) having a plurality of retaining seats for a respective operating element of the apparatus.

8. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that there are covering means in the form of a protective body (14) .

9. The apparatus (10) according to claim 8, characterised in that the body (14) has a front wall (14a), the front wall (14a) is generally arc-shaped with the convex side towards the front of the apparatus .

10. The apparatus (10) according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the body (14) has a front wall (14a) , the front wall (14a) being at an angle such that it converges upwards.

11. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 8 to 10, characterised in that the covering body (14) has an upper wall (14b) which is angled so that it converges upwards, at an obtuse angle to the front wall (14a) .

12. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 8 to 11, characterised in that there is an upper wall (14b) with an opening (13) through which the treated air is emitted.

13. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 8 to 12, characterised in that there is an upper wall (14b) with a push-button control panel (15) .

14. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 8 to 13, characterised in that the covering body (14) comprises a lower rear wall (14c) .

15. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 8 to 14, characterised in that the covering body (14) comprises an upper rear wall (14d) which extends above and is recessed relative to the lower rear wall (14c) .

16. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 8 to 15, characterised in that the rear wall (14d) is arc- shaped, with the convex side facing away from the front part (14a) .

17. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 8 to 16, characterised in that the covering body (14) comprises a joining wall (14e) with a first portion (14f) connecting to the upper rear wall, and a second part (14g) connecting to the lower rear wall, the first and second connecting parts being set at an angle to one another.

18. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 8 to 17, characterised in that the body has a first and a second side wall (14i, 141) .

19. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 8 to 18, characterised in that there is a recess in the side wall of the apparatus.

20. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 8 to 19, characterised in that the front wall (14a) has, starting from a lateral end (141, 143), a corresponding short recessed wall (142, 144) .

21. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 8 to 20, characterised in that there is a short recessed wall (142, 144), forming a surface for conveying the treated air emitted by the apparatus (10) .

22. The apparatus (10) according to claim 20 or 21, characterised in that the short recessed wall (142, 144) is at an acute angle to the front face of the front wall (14a) .

23. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 8 to 22, characterised in that each side wall (14i, 141) has, at a front end (145, 147) , a recessed portion (146, 148) in which there is an outlet for the treated air.

24. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 8 to 23, characterised in that each side wall (14i, 141) has, at a front end (145, 147), a transversally recessed portion (146, 148).

25. The apparatus (10) according to claim 23 or 24, characterised in that a recessed wall (141, 143) of the front wall and the recessed portion (146, 148) of the side wall (14i, 141) are opposite one another.

26. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 5 to 25, characterised in that the means for treating the air in the environment are located at the upper part of the apparatus .

27. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the means for treating the air in the environment comprise heat exchange means in the form of means for cooling the air in the environment .

28. The apparatus (10) according to claim 27, characterised in that the means for cooling the air comprise an evaporator (16) and means (22) for sucking in air from an environment to be treated, being located downstream of the evaporator (16) in the direction of flow.

29. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that there is a rear opening (9) for infeed of the air from the environment to be treated.

30. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that there is an opening (9) for infeed of the air from the environment to be treated, being immediately upstream of and aligned with the evaporator (16) .

31. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that there are means for supplying a heat exchange fluid to the heat exchange means (16) .

32. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the means for supplying a heat exchange fluid to the heat exchange means comprise a heat exchange fluid supply circuit forming a condenser (18) which performs heat exchange with air from outside the environment to be treated thanks to a fan (20) bringing in relatively cool air (C) from outside and expelling warm air (H) from the environment to be treated, the cool air (C) from outside being sucked into the lower part of the apparatus (10) .

33. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the emission means supply at least a first, a second and a third flow of treated air (S, S, V) .

34. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the emission means supply a plurality of flows of treated air, said flows of treated air being directed in directions that are different to one another.

35. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the emission means comprise a flow of treated air (V) which is directed vertically.

36. The apparatus (10) according to claim 35, characterised in that the flow of air emitted vertically (V) has at least a vertical flow component (Vn) .

37. The apparatus (10) according to claim 35 or 36, characterised in that the flow of air emitted vertically (V) has at least a longitudinal or front flow component (VI) .

38. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the emission means comprise a first and a second flow of treated air (S, S) which are directed sideways in substantially opposite directions .

39. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the sideways flow (S) of treated air has at least a longitudinal or front flow component (Si) .

40. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the sideways flow (S) of treated air has at least a side flow component (St) which is directed transversally.

41. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the treated air emission means comprise a common radial flow fan (22).

42. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that there are means for conveying the flow of air at outfeed.

43. The apparatus (10) according to claim 42, characterised in that the means for conveying the flow of air at outfeed comprise means for diverting the flow forwards and upwards.

44. The apparatus (10) according to claim 43, characterised in that the means for diverting the flow forwards and upwards comprise a deflector (24a) with a diverting surface (124a) extending at an acute angle to the vertical axis (N) .

45. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 42 to 44, characterised in that the means for conveying the flow of air at outfeed comprise means for diverting the flow forwards and sideways.

46. The apparatus (10) according to claim 45, characterised in that the means for diverting the flow forwards and sideways comprise a first and a second deflector (24b, 24c) with a respective diverting surface (124b, 124c) extending at an acute angle to the longitudinal direction (L) .

47. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that there are panel means (24) forming an opening (24') for the infeed of the air into the air emission means.

48. The apparatus (10) according to claim 46 or 47, comprising a substantially flat panel (24) from the lateral and upper ends of which the side deflectors (24b, 24c) and the upper deflector (24a) extend.

49. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that there is a front panel (26) forming a central opening (26') for insertion of and for supporting a motor (28) which drives the fan (22) for treating the air in the environment.

50. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 46 to 49, characterised in that the means for diverting the flow forwards and sideways comprise a first and a second deflector (26b, 26c) of a front panel (26) , having a respective diverting surface (126b, 126c) extending at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis (L) .

51. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 43 to 50, characterised in that the means for diverting the flow forwards and upwards comprise an emission channel pointing upwards (245) .

52. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 45 to 51, characterised in that the means for diverting the flow horizontally or sideways comprise at least one horizontal or lateral emission channel (246, 247).

53. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 50 to 52, characterised in that, at a lateral end of an upper deflector (26a) of the front panel (26) , there is a first and a second wall (27a, 27b) , substantially vertical, forming - with a deflector (24a) of the rear wall (24) and the deflector (26a) of the front panel opposite it - a channel for conveying the treated air upwards (245) .

54. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 50 to 53, characterised in that, at an upper and lower lateral end of a side deflector (26b, 26c) of the front panel (26), there is a first and a second wall (28a, 28b, 29a, 29b), substantially horizontal, forming - with the respective deflector (26b, 26c) and the respective opposite deflector (24b, 24c) of the rear panel (24) - a substantially horizontal channel (246, 247) for conveying the treated air.

55. The apparatus (10) according to any of the foregoing claims from 51 to 54, characterised in that each conveyor channel (245, 246, 247) has a protective grille (345, 346, 347) at an inlet of the channel (245, 246, 247).

56. The apparatus (10) according to claim 55, characterised in that the protective grilles (345, 346, 347) of the channels for conveying the treated air out are made in a single piece (344) .