Tower ionizer air cleaner

• US 20060130657A1
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Oreck Holdings LLC (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Bohlen, John R., Paterson, Christopher M., Kiern, Bruce, Reynolds, Charles W., Oreck, Thomas A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,713,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 96/58
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/09 characterised by presence of stationary flat electrodes arranged with their flat surfaces at right angles to the gas stream
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/32 Transportable units, e.g. for cleaning room air
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/36 Controlling flow of gases or vapour
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/68 Control systems therefor electricity supply or control systems for cleaning the electrodes B03C3/746, B03C3/763

Abstract

A tower ionizer air cleaner is provided. The tower ionizer air cleaner includes a tower chassis, with a base of the tower chassis including a small footprint, one or more airflow inlet openings in the tower chassis, one or more airflow outlet openings in the tower chassis and substantially opposite to the one or more airflow inlet openings, and an ionizer element positioned within the tower chassis. The tower ionizer air cleaner further includes one or more fan units substantially vertically located within the tower ionizer air cleaner and affixed to the tower chassis. The one or more fan units are configured to provide an airflow between the one or more airflow inlet openings and the one or more airflow outlet openings and through the ionizer element.

Claims

1. A tower ionizer air cleaner, comprising:

a tower chassis, with a base of the tower chassis including a small footprint;

one or more airflow inlet openings in the tower chassis;

one or more airflow outlet openings in the tower chassis and substantially opposite to the one or more airflow inlet openings;

an ionizer element positioned within the tower chassis; and

two or more fan units located within the tower ionizer air cleaner and affixed to the tower chassis, with the two or more fan units configured to provide an airflow between the one or more airflow inlet openings and the one or more airflow outlet openings and through the ionizer element.

2. The air cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller coupled to the two or more fan units and to the ionizer element, with the controller being configured to store current operational settings and recall and resume operation of the air cleaner at the current operational settings upon an electrical power interruption.

3. The air cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

a control interface adapted to receive user inputs; and

a controller coupled to the two or more fan units, to the ionizer element, and to the control interface, with the controller being configured to receive the user inputs from the control interface, operate the two or more fan units and the ionizer element according to the user inputs, and store current operational settings and resume operation of the air cleaner at the current operational settings upon an electrical power interruption.

4. The air cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller coupled to the two or more fan units and to the ionizer element, with the controller being configured to store current operational settings, operate the two or more fan units at a predetermined kickstart airflow level for a predetermined startup time period after an electrical power interruption, and operate the air cleaner at the stored current operational settings after the predetermined startup time period.

5. The air cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller coupled to the two or more fan units and to the ionizer element, with the controller being configured to operate the two or more fan units at a predetermined kickstart airflow level for a predetermined startup time period after an electrical power interruption and before recalling the current operation settings if the two or more fan units were operating at a low airflow setting before the electrical power interruption.

6. The air cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a dirty indicator that is actuated upon expiration of a predetermined time period.

7. The air cleaner of claim 1, with the controller being further configured to operate the two or more fan units according to low, medium, and high airflow levels.

8. The air cleaner of claim 1, with the two or more fan units comprising three fan units and with the controller being further configured to operate the three fan units with zero, one, two, or three fan units active.

9. The air cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a filter located in the airflow.

10. The air cleaner of claim 1, with the wherein the two or more fan units are substantially vertically located in the tower chassis.

11. The air cleaner of claim 1, with the airflow comprising a substantially horizontal airflow.

12. The air cleaner of claim 1, with the ionizer element comprising an electrostatic precipitator.

13. The air cleaner of claim 1, with the ionizer element including a width and a height that is greater than the width.

14. A method of operating a tower ionizer air cleaner, comprising:

receiving user inputs through a control interface;

operating an ionizer element and two or more fan units according to the user inputs, wherein the two or more fan units provide airflow through the ionizer element;

storing current operational settings for the air cleaner; and

recalling the current operational settings and resuming operation of the air cleaner at the current operational settings upon an electrical power interruption.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

operating the two or more fan units at a predetermined kickstart airflow level for a predetermined startup time period after the electrical power interruption and before recalling the current operation settings.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

operating the two or more fan units at a predetermined kickstart airflow level for a predetermined startup time period after the electrical power interruption and before recalling the current operation settings if the two or more fan units were operating at a low airflow setting before the electrical power interruption.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising actuating a dirty indicator upon expiration of a predetermined time period.

18. The method of claim 14, with the operating comprising operating the two or more fan units according to low, medium, and high airflow levels.

19. The method of claim 14, with the two or more fan units comprising three fan units and with the operating comprising operating the three fan units with zero, one, two, or three fan units active.

20. A tower ionizer air cleaner, comprising:

a tower chassis, with a base of the tower chassis including a small footprint;

one or more airflow inlet openings in the tower chassis;

one or more airflow outlet openings in the tower chassis and substantially opposite to the one or more airflow inlet openings;

an ionizer element positioned within the tower; and

a fan unit located within the tower ionizer air cleaner and affixed to the tower chassis, with the fan unit configured to provide a substantially horizontal airflow between the one or more airflow inlet openings and the one or more airflow outlet openings and through the ionizer element.

21. The air cleaner of claim 20, further comprising:

a controller coupled to the fan unit and to the ionizer element, with the controller being configured to store current operational settings and recall and resume operation of the air cleaner at the current operational settings upon an electrical power interruption.

22. The air cleaner of claim 20, further comprising:

a control interface adapted to receive user inputs; and

a controller coupled to the fan unit, to the ionizer element, and to the control interface, with the controller being configured to receive the user inputs from the control interface, operate the fan unit and the ionizer element according to the user inputs, and store current operational settings and resume operation of the air cleaner at the current operational settings upon an electrical power interruption.

23. The air cleaner of claim 20, further comprising:

a controller coupled to the fan unit and to the ionizer element, with the controller being configured to store current operational settings, operate the fan unit at a predetermined kickstart airflow level for a predetermined startup time period after an electrical power interruption, and operate the air cleaner at the stored current operational settings after the predetermined startup time period.

24. The air cleaner of claim 20, further comprising:

a controller coupled to the fan unit and to the ionizer element, with the controller being configured to operate the fan unit at a predetermined kickstart airflow level for a predetermined startup time period after an electrical power interruption and before recalling the current operation settings if the fan unit was operating at a low airflow setting before the electrical power interruption.

25. The air cleaner of claim 20, further comprising a dirty indicator that is actuated upon expiration of a predetermined time period.

26. The air cleaner of claim 20, with the controller being further configured to operate the fan unit according to low, medium, and high airflow levels.

27. The air cleaner of claim 20, with the fan unit comprising an elongated squirrel cage fan unit.

28. The air cleaner of claim 20, further comprising a filter located in the airflow.

29. The air cleaner of claim 20, wherein the fan unit is substantially vertically located in the tower chassis.

30. The air cleaner of claim 20, with the ionizer element comprising an electrostatic precipitator.

31. The air cleaner of claim 20, with the ionizer element including a width and a height that is greater than the width.

32. A method of operating a tower ionizer air cleaner, comprising:

receiving user inputs through a control interface;

operating an ionizer element and a fan unit according to the user inputs, wherein the fan unit provides a substantially horizontal airflow through the ionizer element;

storing current operational settings for the air cleaner; and

recalling the current operational settings and resuming operation of the air cleaner at the current operational settings upon an electrical power interruption.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

operating the fan unit at a predetermined kickstart airflow level for a predetermined startup time period after the electrical power interruption and before recalling the current operation settings.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

operating the fan unit at a predetermined kickstart airflow level for a predetermined startup time period after an electrical power interruption and before recalling the current operation settings if the fan unit was operating at a low airflow setting before the electrical power interruption.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising actuating a dirty indicator upon expiration of a predetermined time period.

36. The method of claim 32, with the operating comprising operating the fan unit according to low, medium, and high airflow levels.