Filter air cleaner

• US 5,753,000 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 05/19/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Helen of Troy Limited
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Consumer Products, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Chiu, Bernard, Gatchell, Stephen, Wang, Jui-Shang
• Primary Examiner(s): BUSHEY, CHARLES S
• Application Number:
  US08/485,656
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 55/337, 55/356, 55/357, 55/359, 55/385.2, 55/385.4, 55/467, 55/471, 55/472, 55/498, 55/500, 55/503, 55/510, 55/521, 55/DIG. 3
• US Class Current: 55/357
• 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 46/24 Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using rigid hollow filter bodies
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0071 with means for purifying supplied air perfuming or deodorising means F24F1/008
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/12 transportable
• 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 8/80 Self-contained air purifiers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters

Abstract

A portable air cleaner having a cylindrical filter element mounted on a circular base and encased by a cylindrical cover. A centrifugal fan mounted within the cover draws unpurified air into inlet openings disposed in the base and the side wall of the cover, and through the filter element. The resulting purified air is drawn into the centrifugal fan and forced radially outward therefrom. An air deflector dish redirects the purified air through the exhaust openings disposed on the top surface of the cylindrical cover. Such an exhaust flow which is perpendicular to and spaced from the inlet flow results in an improved efficiency in purifying the entire volume of air within a room.

Claims

1. A portable air cleaner comprising:

a circular base having a centrally disposed upwardly extending conical portion with a centrally disposed opening;

a cylindrical cover having a top and a side wall, said cylindrical cover having a plurality of air inlet openings formed in said side wall and a plurality of air exhaust openings formed in said top adjacent the periphery of said top so that inlet openings are oriented perpendicular to said air exhaust openings;

a hollow cylindrical filter element mounted on said base about said conical portion and encased by said cylindrical cover;

an annular supporting plate disposed within said cylindrical cover and formed integral with said cylindrical cover;

a hub disposed within said cylindrical cover, said hub having a threaded opening;

a supporting member affixing said hub to said annular supporting plate;

an electrical motor disposed within said cylindrical cover and carried by said hub;

electric supply means for supplying electrical power to said electrical motor;

a centrifugal fan disposed within said cylindrical cover, said centrifugal fan having a plurality of fan blades;

a drive shaft operatively connecting said electric motor and said centrifugal fan so that operation of said electrical motor causes said centrifugal fan to draw air into said air inlet openings, through said cylindrical filter element, into said centrifugal fan and to disperse air radially outward from said centrifugal fan; and

an air deflector dish disposed in said cylindrical cover and affixed to said annular supporting plate, said air deflector dish having an opening formed therein to permit air flow to said centrifugal fan, said air deflector dish further encasing said centrifugal fan so that said air dispersed radially outward from said centrifugal fan is redirected through said air exhaust openings; and

a handle having a thread portion extending through said opening in said base and engageable with said threaded opening in said hub so that said cover may be secured to said base.

2. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 1 wherein said base is devoid of electrical components and electrical circuitry so that said base is washable.

3. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 2 wherein said base further comprises an upwardly extending flange extending around the circumference of said circular base so that said flange and said conical portion maintain said filter element in position on said base.

4. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 3 wherein said base further comprises a plurality of upwardly extending supporting tabs disposed along said flange and a supporting shoulder outwardly extending from each of said supporting tabs so that the bottom edge of said side wall of said cylindrical cover will engage said supporting shoulders.

5. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 4 wherein each of said supporting tabs has a guiding member upwardly extending beyond said supporting shoulder so as to guide the engagement of the bottom edge of said side wall of said cylindrical cover and said supporting shoulders.

6. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 5 wherein said cylindrical filter element is a HEPA filter element.

7. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 6 wherein said HEPA filter element comprises HEPA pleated paper and two annular disks formed from an elastomeric material.

8. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 6 wherein said annular supporting plate and said electrical motor are supported by said HEPA filter element.

9. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 8 wherein said cylindrical cover has a top portion and a bottom portion, and said centrifugal fan is disposed in said top portion of said cylindrical cover.

10. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 9 wherein said air inlet openings formed in said side wall of said cylindrical cover are disposed about mid-height of said cylindrical cover.

11. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 10 wherein further inlet openings are formed in a peripheral portion defined by said circular base and said cylindrical cover.