Air treatment system

• US 5,578,113 A
• Filed: 07/19/1994
• Issued: 11/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Holmes Products Corporation (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Holmes Products Corporation (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Glenn, Neville R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiesa, Richard L.
• Application Number:
  US08/277,441
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 55/233, 55/234, 55/422, 55/DIG. 39, 96/52, 96/97, 96/57, 261/99, 261/104, 261/107, 261/DIG. 17
• US Class Current: 96/52
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/155 Filtration
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/16 wet type
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 6/00 Air-humidification , e.g. cooling by humidification
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/10 by separation, e.g. by filtering
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/108 using dry filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/125 using wet filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/158 using active carbon
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/30 by ionisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/39 Electrets separator

Abstract

An air treatment system includes a housing having a from cylindrical chamber and a rear rectangular chamber, the front and rear chambers being separated by an internal wall. The front chamber is provided with a series of outlet vents, the rear chamber is provided with a series of inlet vents, and the internal wall is provided with a series of interchamber vents. A pair of electrically-powered cylindrical fan blades are disposed within the front chamber and are used to draw air into the rear chamber through the inlet vents, to move the air from the rear chamber to the front chamber through the interchamber vents and to exhaust the air from the front chamber through the outlet vents. A plurality of ionizer needles are also disposed within the front chamber. The rear chamber is shaped to include a generally rectangular reservoir. The air treatment system also includes a water tank removably mounted within the rear chamber for use in supplying water to the reservoir. The air treatment system additionally includes a pair of alternative filter assemblies which are positionable in the reservoir. The first filter assembly, which is intended to be used when the reservoir is filled with water so as to provide both air purification and humidification, includes a purification component and a humidification component. The purification component includes an electric filter and an activated charcoal filter, both of which are housed within a metal frame. The humidification component includes a honeycomb-shaped wicking filter and a pair of aluminum frames, the frames being mounted on the front and back sides of the wicking filter. The second filter assembly, which is intended to be used when water is not present in the reservoir so as to provide only air purification, includes a HEPA filter and an activated charcoal filter, both of which are housed within a cardboard frame.

Claims

1. An air treatment system comprising:

a) a housing, said housing including a reservoir, air inlet means and air outlet means;

b) a fan mounted within said housing for drawing air into said housing through said air inlet means and for exhausting air from said housing through said air outlet means;

c) a water supply mounted within said housing and in fluid communication with said reservoir for supplying water to said reservoir;

d) a first filter assembly, said first assembly including a first air filter and a wicking filter, said first air filter and said wicking filter being independent of one another; and

e) a second filter assembly, said second filter assembly comprising a second air filter, said first filter assembly and said second filter assembly being alternatively removably positionable in said reservoir.

2. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first filter assembly further includes a third air filter.

3. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first air filter of said first filter assembly is an electric filter and wherein said third air filter of said first filter assembly is an activated charcoal filter.

4. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first filter assembly further includes means for reinforcing said wicking filter.

5. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said wicking filter is honeycomb-shaped and wherein said reinforcing means comprises a pair of honeycomb-shaped aluminum frames.

6. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for positioning said first and second filter assemblies in said reservoir.

7. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said housing is shaped to define a front cylindrical chamber and a rear rectangular chamber.

8. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said front cylindrical chamber and said rear rectangular chamber are separated by an internal wall, said internal wall being provided with a plurality of air vents.

9. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second filter assembly further includes a fourth air filter.

10. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said second air filter of said second filter assembly is a HEPA filter and wherein said fourth air filter of said second filter assembly is an activated charcoal filter.

11. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for ionizing air drawn into said housing.

12. An air treatment system comprising:

a) a housing, said housing including a reservoir, air inlet means and air outlet means;

b) a fan mounted within said housing for drawing air into said housing through said air inlet means and for exhausting air from said housing through said air outlet means;

c) a water supply mounted within said housing and in fluid communication with said reservoir for supplying water to said reservoir;

d) a first filter assembly, said first assembly including an electric filter, an activated charcoal filter and a wicking filter;

e) a second filter assembly, said second filter assembly comprising a second air filter, said first filter assembly and said second filter assembly being alternatively removably positionable in said reservoir; and

f) means for ionizing air drawn into said housing.