Air cleaner

• US 10,518,205 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2016
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Mun, Yeongcheol, Ha, Hyunpil, Jung, Soonki, Park, Jaekyun, Bae, Soohyun
• Primary Examiner(s): McKenzie, T. Bennett
• Application Number:
  US15/363,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20170246579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 55467, 55318-337, 553851-3858
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/111 Sensor means, e.g. motion, brightness, scent, contaminant sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/14 Filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/22 Ionisation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2273/30 Means for generating a circulation of a fluid in a filtration system, e.g. using a pump or a fan
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0005 Mounting of filtering elements within casings, housings or frames B01D46/2422 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0008 Two or more filter elements not fluidly connected positioned in the same housing
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0047 for discharging the filtered gas
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/24 Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using rigid hollow filter bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/2403 characterised by the physical shape or structure of the filtering element
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/442 by measuring the concentration of particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/58 connected in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/79 for controlling the direction of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/20 Casings or covers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/28 Arrangement or mounting of filters
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/205 Mounting a ventilator fan therein
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/207 with control knobs; Mounting controlling members or control units therein
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/12 transportable
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/108 using dry filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/80 Self-contained air purifiers

Abstract

An air cleaner is provided that may include a case including a first suction inlet, the case having a cylindrical or cone shape; a fan housing provided inside of the case, the fan housing accommodating a fan therein; a filter provided at a suction side of the fan, the filter filtering foreign materials in air which is suctioned through the first suction inlet; and a housing suction flow path formed between an outer surface of the fan housing and an inner surface of the case, the housing suction flow path allowing air which is suctioned through the first suction inlet to flow toward and through the filter. The housing suction flow path may include a first flow path inlet having a predetermined first width, and a second flow path inlet through which air having passed through the first flow path inlet flows, the second flow path inlet having a second width greater than the first width.

Claims

1. An air cleaner, comprising:

a case including a first suction inlet, the first suction inlet including a lower suction inlet and an upper suction inlet;

a fan housing provided inside of the upper suction inlet, the fan housing accommodating a fan therein;

a filter provided at a suction side of the fan, the filter filtering foreign materials in air which is suctioned through the first suction inlet, the filter being provided inside of the lower suction inlet and having an upper end portion located below a lower end portion of the fan housing; and

a housing suction flow path formed between an outer surface of the fan housing and the upper suction inlet, the housing suction flow path allowing air which is suctioned through the upper suction inlet to flow toward and through the filter, wherein the housing suction flow path includes;

a first flow path inlet having a predetermined first width; and

a second flow path inlet through which air having passed through the first flow path inlet flows, the second flow path inlet having a second width greater than the first width, and wherein an uppermost suction portion of the upper suction inlet is located above the upper end portion of the filter such that air suctioned through the uppermost suction portion of the upper suction inlet flows downward and passes through the filter.

2. The air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the fan housing includes:

a first main body having a first inner width; and

a second main body having a second inner width smaller than the first inner width.

3. The air cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the fan housing includes a third main body that extends at an incline such that an inner width of the third main body decreases toward the second main body from the first main body.

4. The air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the housing suction flow path communicates with the upper suction inlet.

5. The air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the fan housing is provided at an upper side of the filter, and wherein air which is suctioned through the first suction inlet passes through the filter in the radial direction, and flows in an upward direction toward the fan housing.

6. The air cleaner according to claim 5, further including a filter frame that supports the filter, the filter frame being coupled to a lower side of the fan housing.

7. The air cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the filter has a cylindrical shape, and is slidably coupled in the radial direction to the filter frame.

8. The air cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the fan housing includes a first cut-out portion that supports the filter frame.

9. The air cleaner according to claim 8, further including:

a sensor mounting portion provided on the filter frame, and in which a sensor device is mounted; and

a second cut-out portion provided in the fan housing, the second cut-out portion supporting the sensor mounting portion.

10. The air cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the filter frame includes:

a frame inner wall;

a frame outer wall that surrounds the frame inner wall; and

a housing insertion portion formed between an inner circumferential surface of the frame outer wall and an outer circumferential surface of the frame inner wall, wherein at least a portion of the fan housing is inserted into the housing insertion portion.

11. The air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the first suction inlet is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the case, along a circumferential direction, to guide suction of air in 360-degree directions, with respect to a center line in a vertical direction that passes by an inside center of the case.

12. The air cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the filter frame includes:

a first frame that forms a lower portion of the filter frame;

a second frame that forms an upper portion of the filter frame; and

a first filter support that extends in an upward direction toward the second frame from the first frame, wherein a mounting space of the filter is defined by the first and second frames and the first filter support.

13. The air cleaner according to claim 12, further including:

a locking projection that protrudes in a radial direction from an inner circumferential surface of the case; and

a locking portion formed on the first frame, the locking portion being coupled to the locking projection.

14. The air cleaner according to claim 13, wherein the case includes:

a first case having the first suction inlet; and

a second case provided at an upper side of the first case, the second case having a second suction inlet.

15. The air cleaner according to claim 14, wherein the fan housing includes:

a first fan housing provided inside of the first case; and

a second fan housing provided inside of the second case, wherein the housing suction flow path is formed inside of each of the first case and the second case.

16. The air cleaner according to claim 1, further including:

a base configured to be located on a ground; and

a suction grill coupled to an upper side of the base, the suction grill supporting a lower portion of the case.

17. The air cleaner according to claim 16, further including:

a suction hole provided in the suction grill, the suction hole guiding suction of air to an inside of the case; and

a base suction inlet formed in a space between the base and the suction grill, the base suction inlet guiding air to the suction hole.

18. The air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the case has a cylindrical or cone shape.

19. The air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the lower suction inlet and the upper suction inlet are arranged in a circumferential direction of the case.

20. The air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the first flow path inlet is located above the second flow path inlet such that air passing through first flow path flows downward and passes through the second flow path.

21. The air cleaner according to claim 20, wherein the first second flow path inlet is located above the upper end portion of the filter such that air flowing through second flow path flows downward and passes through the filter.