AIR PURIFIER

Abstract

An air purifier comprising a fan or impeller, an air inlet and an air outlet and a removable particulate filter, the purifier comprising a front panel and a back panel, a first and second opposing side panel between said front and back panels, a base and a top panel, said outlet being disposed along a portion of an edge formed between the top and side panels and also along an edge formed between a portion of said side panels and a portion of said front panel.

Claims

1. An air purifier comprising a fan or impeller, an air inlet and an air outlet and a removable particulate filter, the purifier comprising a front panel and a back panel, a first and second opposing side panel between said front and back panels, a base and a top panel, said outlet being disposed along a portion of an edge formed between the top and side panels and also along an edge formed between a portion of said side panels and a portion of said front panel.

2. An air purifier according to claim 1 wherein the outlet is additionally disposed along a portion of the edge between the top panel and the back panel.

3. An air purifier according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the outlet runs along the entire length of the edge between the top and back panels.

4. An air purifier according to any preceding claim wherein the outlet runs along the entire length of each of the edges between the side and top panels.

5. An air purifier according to any preceding claim wherein the inlet is disposed on at least one of said first and second opposing side panels.

6. An air purifier according to any preceding claim wherein the fan or impeller displaces air by way of a volute in a substantially vertical direction.

7. An air purifier according to any preceding claim wherein said front and top panels are formed from a single component.

8. An air purifier according to any preceding claim wherein said side and back panels are formed from a single component.

9. An air purifier according to any preceding claim wherein the removable particulate filter is disposed at an angle of from 5 to 30 degrees from the vertical when the purifier is in a working disposition.

10. An air purifier according to any preceding claim comprising a pair of removable particulate filters having a general filter plane and which are disposed such that the general filter plane is substantially orthogonal to the front panel.

11. An air purifier according to any preceding claim comprising a user interface on said top panel. panel, said outlet being disposed along a portion of an edge formed between the top and side panels and also along an edge formed between a portion of said side panels and a portion of said front panel and wherein the outlet is additionally disposed along a portion of the edge between the top panel and the back panel.

12. The air purifier according to claim 10 wherein the outlet runs along the entire length of the edge between the top and back panels.

13. The air purifier according to claim 10 wherein the outlet runs along the entire length of each of the edges between the side and top panels.

14. The air purifier according to claim 10 wherein the inlet is disposed on at least one of said first and second opposing side panels.

15. The air purifier according to claim 10 wherein the fan or impeller displaces air by way of a volute in a substantially vertical direction.

16. The air purifier according to claim 10 wherein said front and top panels are formed from a single component.

17. The air purifier according to claim 10 wherein said side and back panels are formed from a single component.

18. The air purifier according to claim 10 wherein the removable particulate filter is disposed at an angle of from 5 to 30 degrees from the vertical when the purifier is in a working disposition.

19. The air purifier according to claim 10 comprising a pair of removable particulate filters having a general filter plane and which are disposed such that the general filter plane is substantially orthogonal to the front panel.

20. The air purifier according to claim 10 comprising a user interface on said top panel.

Description

[0043] Embodiments of the device will now be described with reference to the following figures.

[0044] FIGS. 1 to 6 show an air purifier according to one embodiment of the invention while FIGS. 7-10 are of a similar but different embodiment.

[0045] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the top, front and left-hand side of an embodiment of the invention.

[0046] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the top, back and right-hand side of an embodiment of the invention.

[0047] FIG. 3 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention.

[0048] FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the right-hand side of an embodiment of the invention.

[0049] FIG. 5 is a front elevation of an embodiment of the invention.

[0050] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the base, back and right-hand side of an embodiment of the invention.

[0051] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment;

[0052] FIG. 8 is a front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7;

[0053] FIG. 9 is a rear view of the same embodiment; and

[0054] FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the same embodiment.

[0055] FIG. 11 is a schematic of the internal arrangement of an embodiment

[0056] In detail, FIG. 1 shows a purifier (1) having a front (2), a top (3) and a base (7) on which the purifier is supported. The base (7), front (2) and top (3) are formed from one single item of panelling so that the panel curves from the base (7) around to form the front (2) and then once more to form the top (3). The side panel (4) is also unitary with the back and opposing side which is not shown. Between the top and right-hand side is an aperture (11) which also functions as an air outlet and through which air passes from inside the device to the exterior. There is also an aperture (10) formed between the side panel and the front panel and towards the base (7) this will function as an air inlet and towards the top (3) this will function as an air outlet.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows the same embodiment but from the rear and side. Shown are the top (3), the right-hand side (5) and the back (6). As before, the base (7) is indicated but unseen. The gap (11) this time is between the top (3) and side (5) as well as between the top (3) and back (6) so that it extends all the way around the top (3) from side, along the back and along the opposing side. It does not, however, extend along the edge between the top (3) and the front (2).

[0058] The side (5) is openable along a hinge (8) running down the back but otherwise the opposing sides and the back are contiguous.

[0059] FIG. 3 shows the top (3) of the same embodiment. The edge (11) runs between the two parts forming the top (3), front (2) and base (7); and the sides (4, 5) and back (6) such that it runs along the sides and back only.

[0060] FIG. 4 shows the same embodiment but from the right-hand side. Shown on the base (7) are one of the feet (20) and one of the wheels (21) for maintaining the purifier (1) in position and also for facilitating movement to a new position. The gap between the side (4) and back (6) is an air outlet (10) formed between the components making the front, top and bottom; and the sides and back and through which air is expelled after being cleaned. Within the air outlet (10) is a series of air deflectors for deflecting the air in a manner which improves air circulation during operation.

[0061] FIG. 5 shows a front view of the same embodiment. The two feet (20) are shown at the bottom of the base (7). Also shown is the relationship between the front (2) and side panels (4, 5).

[0062] FIG. 6 shows the base (7), back (6) and right-hand side (5) of the same embodiment showing the arrangement of feet (20) and wheels (21).

[0063] FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment in which the gaps between the two panels are filled with deflectors to deflect the expelled air in a manner which is more appreciable by the consumer and less invasive.

[0064] The top (33), front (32) and base (not shown) are formed from a single component curved to form a base which is substantially parallel to the top (33). The right-hand side panel features an air inlet at the lower part towards the base through which air passes into the purifier (31). As the air passes through the purifier (31) it is cleaned by particulate filters (not shown) and expelled through the air outlets in the gap (39) between the top/front panel component and the side/back panel component.

[0065] FIG. 8 shows the same embodiment as in FIG. 7 showing the spatial relationship between the side panels (34 and 35) and the front panel (32).

[0066] FIG. 9 is another view of the same embodiment as in FIGS. 7 and 8 but from the rear. Shown is the back panel (36) contiguous with the side panels (34 and 35). The gap between the top panel (33) and the back panel (36) forms part of the air outlet.

[0067] FIG. 10 shows the same embodiment as in FIGS. 7-9. The side panel (35) has an air inlet (40) in the form of an array of apertures at a lower end of the side panel (35). Air is drawn into these apertures by a fan (not shown) and through particulate filters (not shown) and which filter the air. The air is expelled through the space formed between the two panel components as described above.

[0068] The gap between the two components also contains a deflector apparatus for deflecting the air as it passes out of the purifier (31). The deflector apparatus is composed of individual slots (41) which are angled such that air is directed more easily away from the purifier in use.

[0069] Also shown are sensor intakes (44) which draw air from ambient into an internal chamber separated from the air flow such that air quality measurements can be made by an internally housed sensor (not shown) of the air in the ambient environment. Such measurements may influence performance of the device or be purely for consumer information.

[0070] FIG. 11 is schematic showing the internal relationship of the fans and the filters. Shown are a pair of fans (52) coaxially arranged with respect to one another and which draw air (A) in through the side air intakes as described in the previous two embodiments. The fans are powered by motor (53) which sits between the fans (52). The fans drive air up through the two filters (50) and which constitute a pair of filters attached by way of a hinge (51) such that they are angled with respect to one another. The filters (50) have a cassette (54) which holds the filter media (55). As air passes through the filters (50) it is channelled towards the air outlets as described above.

[0071] The spatial arrangement of the embodiment described in this schematic is such that the axis of rotation in the fans is aligned with the air intakes such as those described in FIGS. 7-10 and so the plane of the filters is substantially orthogonal to the front panel (not shown). In such an arrangement the air is channelled towards the edges more easily without any consequential impact on air flow dynamics or pressure drop usually associated with channelling air flow.