Room air cleaner

• US 5,837,020 A
• Filed: 06/20/1997
• Issued: 11/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HMI Industries, Inc. (1670255 Ontario, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: HMI Industries, Inc. (1670255 Ontario, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cartellone, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Jay H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, MINH CHAU THI
• Application Number:
  US08/879,883
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 55/276, 55/331, 55/333, 55/437, 55/459.3, 55/523
• US Class Current: 55/459.3
• 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: B01D 46/42 Auxiliary equipment or operation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/4236 Reducing noise or vibration emissions
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/444 Bladed diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/663 Sound attenuation
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/121 related to the leading edge of a stator vane
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/52 Outlet
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/70 Shape

Abstract

A portable air cleaner designed to remove particles and unwanted gases from a room to provide for a healthier and cleaner environment. The portable air cleaner includes a high air volume circulating design and operates quietly and efficiently. The air exhaust of the air cleaner includes a plurality of arcuate vanes radiating outwardly from the interior of the air cleaner. The vanes are disposed in the air exhaust to reduce pressure drop and to minimize operation noise.

Claims

1. A portable air cleaner comprising a housing having an outer peripheral edge and an inner chamber, an air intake, air exhaust means for providing a passageway for the expulsion of air from said inner chamber, a blower to draw air into said inner chamber through said air intake and to expel air from said inner chamber through said air exhaust means, a filter disposed in said inner chamber between said air intake and air exhaust means, the improvement comprising said exhaust means having a plurality of arcuate vanes radiating outwardly from said blower, said arcuate vanes directing said air in a substantially unobstructed manner to said outer peripheral sides of said housing.

2. An air cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said arcuate vanes having a length and having a varying radius of curvature over at least a section of said length of said vane.

3. An air cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said vanes has two ends, said first end positioned closer to said blower than said second end, said second end defining at least a portion of said outer peripheral edge of said housing.

4. An air cleaner as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said vanes has two ends, said first end positioned closer to said blower than said second end, said second end defining at least a portion of said outer peripheral edge of said housing.

5. An air cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said vanes overlaps at least a portion of an adjacently positioned vane.

6. An air cleaner as defined in claim 2, wherein at least one of said vanes overlaps at least a portion of an adjacently positioned vane.

7. An air cleaner as defined in claim 4, wherein at least one of said vanes overlaps at least a portion of an adjacently positioned vane.

8. An air cleaner as defined in claim 3, wherein said blower includes an axis of rotation and said first vane end including a front face having a sloped surface along at least a portion of said first vanes end, said sloped surface being nonparallel to said axis of rotation of said blower.

9. An air cleaner as defined in claim 4, wherein said blower includes an axis of rotation and said first vane end including a front face having a sloped surface alone at least a portion of said first vanes end, said sloped surface being nonparallel to said axis of rotation of said blower.

10. An air cleaner as defined in claim 7, wherein said blower includes an axis of rotation and said first vane end including a front face having a sloped surface along at least a portion of said first vane end, said sloped surface being nonparallel to said axis of rotation of said blower.

11. An air cleaner as defined in claim 8, wherein said slope surface being substantially linear.

12. An air cleaner as defined in claim 11, wherein said slope surface has a slope angle of about 20 to about 40 degrees.

13. An air cleaner as defined in claim 10, wherein said slope surface being substantially linear.

14. An air cleaner as defined in claim 13, wherein said slope surface has a slope angle of about 20 to about 40 degrees.

15. An air cleaner as defined in claim 3, wherein said first vane end being tapered.

16. An air cleaner as defined in claim 4, wherein said first vane end being tapered.

17. An air cleaner as defined in claim 9, wherein said first vane end being tapered.

18. An air cleaner as defined in claim 14, wherein said first vane end being tapered.

19. An air cleaner as defined in claim 1, including at least one air flow distributor positioned between two of said vanes.

20. An air cleaner as defined in claim 2, including at least one air flow distributor positioned between two of said vanes.

21. An air cleaner as defined in claim 10, including at least one air flow distributor positioned between two of said vanes.

22. An air cleaner as defined in claim 18, including at least one air flow distributor positioned between two of said vanes.

23. An air cleaner as defined in claim 3, wherein said first vane end being positioned about 0.05 to about 0.5 inch from said blower.

24. An air cleaner as defined in claim 22, wherein said first vane end being positioned about 0.05 to about 0.5 inch from said blower.

25. An air cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said air intake and said exhaust means positioned substantially about the periphery of said housing.

26. An air cleaner as defined in claim 24, wherein said air intake and said exhaust means positioned substantially about the periphery of said housing.

27. An air cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a lower section and an upper section, said air intake proving an air passageway through said lower section and into said inner chamber, said exhaust means proving an air passageway through said upper section for expelling air from said inner chamber.

28. An air cleaner as defined in claim 26, wherein said housing includes a lower section and an upper section, said air intake proving an air passageway through said lower section and into said inner chamber, said exhaust means proving an air passageway through said upper section for expelling air from said inner chamber.

35. An air cleaner as defined in claim 3, wherein said slope surface has a slope angle of about 20 to about 40 degrees.

29. An air cleaner for removing air particles comprising a generally cylindrical housing divided into an upper cavity, a lower cavity, an air intake, a filter, an air exhaust, a cavity passageway and a blower;

said upper cavity having an exterior surface, a bottom edge and an interior compartment;

said lower cavity having a base, a top edge, an outer surface, an inner surface and an inner compartment;

said lower and upper cavity sealed together by a sealing arrangement which sealably connects said upper cavity bottom edge to said lower cavity top edge;

said air intake positioned circumferentially about said lower cavity outer surface to provide a passageway for said air to be drawn into said lower cavity inner compartment;

said filter positioned in said lower cavity inner compartment and closely adjacent to said inner surface to filter said air drawn into said lower cavity inner compartment;

said air exhaust means positioned circumferentially about said upper cavity exterior surface for providing a passageway for said air to be expelled from said upper cavity interior compartment;

said cavity passageway positioned in said housing to form a passageway between said lower cavity inner compartment and said upper cavity interior compartment;

said blower mounted in said upper cavity to draw air through said air intake through said filter into said lower cavity inner compartment, through said cavity passageway means, into said upper cavity interior compartment and expelling air out said air exhaust means;

said air exhaust means including a plurality of arcuate vanes radiating outwardly from said blower, each of said vanes having a length and two ends, each of said vanes having a varying radius of curvature over at least a section of said length of said vane, said first end of said vane positioned closer to said blower than said second end of said vane, said second end defining at least a portion of said exterior surface of said upper cavity said arcuate vanes directing said air in a substantially unobstructed manner to said exterior surface of said upper cavity.

30. An air cleaner as defined in claim 29, wherein said lower cavity base includes a damper for reducing noise during operation of said motor, said damper including a material selected from the group consisting of rubber, plastic, foam and mixtures thereof.

31. An air cleaner as defined in claim 29, wherein said blower includes a centrifugal fan.

32. An air cleaner as defined in claim 29, wherein at least one of said vanes overlaps at least a portion of an adjacently positioned vane.

33. An air cleaner as defined in claim 29, wherein said blower includes an axis of rotation and said the first vane end including a front face has a sloped surface along at least a portion of said first vane end, said sloped surface being nonparallel to said axis of rotation of said blower.

34. An air cleaner as defined in claim 32, wherein said blower includes an axis of rotation and said the first vane end including a front face has a sloped surface along at least a portion of said first vane end, said sloped surface being nonparallel to said axis of rotation.

36. An air cleaner as defined in claim 34, wherein said slope surface has a slope angle of about 20 to about 40 degrees.

37. An air cleaner as defined in claim 29, wherein said first vane end being tapered.

38. An air cleaner as defined in claim 36, wherein said first vane end being tapered.

39. An air cleaner as defined in claim 29, including at least one air flow distributor positioned between two of said vanes.

40. An air cleaner as defined in claim 38, including at least one air flow distributor positioned between two of said vanes.

41. An air cleaner as defined in claim 29, wherein said first vane end being positioned about 0.05 to about 0.5 inch from said blower.

42. An air cleaner as defined in claim 40, wherein said first vane end being positioned about 0.05 to about 0.5 inch from said blower.

43. An air exhaust arrangement for a blower comprising an outer peripheral edge, a blower housing, a fan, and blower exhaust means providing an air passageway for the expulsion of air from said blower housing, said blower housing including a fan cavity, said fan mounted for rotational movement about a blower axis to said blower housing, said blower exhaust means including a plurality of arcuate vanes radiating outwardly from said fan, each of said vanes having a length and two ends, each of said vanes having a varying radius of curvature over at least a section of said length of said vane, said first end of said vane positioned closer to said fan than said second end of said vane, said arcuate vanes directing said air in a substantially unobstructed manner to said outer peripheral edge.

44. An air exhaust arrangement as defined in claim 43, wherein at least one of said vanes overlaps at least a portion of an adjacently positioned vane.

45. An air exhaust arrangement as defined in claim 43, wherein said first end of said vane including a front face having a sloped surface along at least a portion of said first vane end, said sloped surface being nonparallel to said blower axis.

46. An air exhaust arrangement as defined in claim 44, wherein said first end of said vane including a front face having a sloped surface along at least a portion of said first vane end, said sloped surface being nonparallel to said blower axis.

47. An air exhaust arrangement as defined in claim 44, wherein said sloped surface being substantially linear and having a slope angle of about 20 to about 40 degrees.

48. An air exhaust arrangement as defined in claim 46, wherein said first end of said vane being a sloped surface.

49. An air exhaust arrangement as defined in claim 43, wherein said first end of said vane being tapered.

50. An air exhaust arrangement as defined in claim 46, wherein said first end of said vane being tapered.

51. An air exhaust arrangement as defined in claim 48, wherein said first end of said vane being tapered.

52. An air exhaust arrangement as defined in claim 43, wherein said first end of said vane being positioned about 0.05 to about 0.5 inch from said fan.

53. An air exhaust arrangement as defined in claim 51, wherein said first end of said vane being positioned about 0.05 to about 0.5 inch from said fan.

54. An air exhaust arrangement as defined in claim 43, including at least one air flow distributor positioned between two of said vanes.

55. An air exhaust arrangement as defined in claim 46, including at least one air flow distributor positioned between two of said vanes.

56. An air exhaust arrangement as defined in claim 51, including at least one air flow distributor positioned between two of said vanes.

57. An air exhaust arrangement as defined in claim 43, wherein said second end of said vane defining at least a portion of said outer peripheral edge.

58. An air exhaust arrangement as defined in claim 56, wherein said second end of said vane defining at least a portion of said outer peripheral edge.