Furniture having air control functions

• US 5,904,755 A
• Filed: 09/13/1996
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tornex, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tornex, Inc.
• Inventors: Kanazashi, Tadashi, Yonedo, Kazumasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiesa, Richard L.
• Application Number:
  US08/713,786
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 55/337, 55/385.8, 55/385.1, 55/459.1, 55/460, 131/202, 131/209, 131/336, 131/339, 131/341, 131/238, 454/284, 96/55, 96/57, 96/61, 96/58
• US Class Current: 96/55
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/10 combined with, or integrated in, furniture
• 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 8/183 by centrifugal separation, e.g. using vortices
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/80 Self-contained air purifiers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/97 for removing tobacco smoke
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 9/00 Use of air currents for screening, e.g. air curtains

Abstract

A body furniture is provided having one or more air exhaust ports and a built-in air fan. A top plate having one or more air suction port is positioned on the furniture body, and a tornado-based suction unit is removably placed on the one or more of the air suction ports. The tornado-based suction unit includes a cylinder having a window formed through a peripheral wall thereof, and a suction hole formed through at least one of end surfaces of the cylinder connected to a suction side of the air fan. An artificial tornado is generated within the cylinder and collects contaminated air such as the smoke of cigarettes. The collected contaminated air is cleaned. Minus ions or fragrance may be supplied to air sucked from the suction hole to fill a space around the body.

Claims

1. A furniture having air control functions, comprising:

a) a furniture body having an air inlet opening, an air outlet opening, a bottom, and a side wall with a bottom;

b) an air fan disposed in said furniture body for sucking air through said inlet opening in said furniture body and for exhausting the air through said outlet opening in said furniture body; and

c) tornado generating means comprising a cylinder having a window formed through a peripheral wall thereof and having in at least one end surface an intake port for receiving ambient air and an outlet port communicating with said air inlet opening in said furniture body, so that said air fan within said furniture body causes the air within said cylinder of said tornado generating means to create a tornado, said air being continuously sucked out of and exhausted through said outlet opening in said furniture body.

2. A furniture having air control functions according to claim 1, wherein said body is open at the top and further comprising:

air cleaning means arranged in said furniture body between the outlet opening and the tornado generating means;

a top plate placed on said furniture body; and

said inlet opening being formed through said top plate, said tornado generating means being removably placed on said top plate overlaying said inlet opening.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an air suction opening in said cylinder is formed adjacent said window.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said outlet opening in said furniture body is positioned at said bottom of said furniture body;

said inlet and outlet ports of said tornado generating means are openings positioned higher than said outlet opening in said furniture body to prevent entry of large particles into said furniture body;

said furniture body further has at least one bypass exhaust outlet opening placed proximate said bottom of said side wall of said furniture body for exhausting a portion of the air such that the amount of the air exhausted from said outlet opening in said furniture body is reduced in order to prevent causing a chill to a user of said furniture at his feet;

said tornado generating means further comprises two cylinders that are spaced from each other, so that said windows do not face each other;

a top cover placed over said two cylinders such that a gap is formed between said two cylinders and said top cover said gap comprises said suction opening;

side covers that cover said end surfaces of said two cylinders such that suction holes are covered in order to improve reception of the air from said suction opening;

said air cleaning means further comprises a prefilter and an electrical precipitator for the air to pass through sequentially and further comprises deodorizing filters that cover said outlet opening and said bypass exhaust outlet opening;

said electrical precipitator has a built-in program to turn off its power supply for a predetermined time period when its electrodes are short circuited, and if short circuiting occurs, generates an alarm a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time period.

5. A furniture having air control functions, comprising:

a) a furniture body having an air inlet opening, an air outlet opening, a bottom, a top, and a side wall with a bottom;

said furniture body being open at said top of said furniture body;

b) an air fan disposed in said furniture body for sucking air through said inlet opening in said furniture body and for exhausting the air through said outlet opening in said furniture body;

c) tornado generating means comprising a cylinder having end surfaces, an intake port for receiving ambient air and an outlet port communicating with said air inlet opening in said furniture body, so that said air fan within said furniture body causes the air with said cylinder of said tornado generating means to create a tornado, being continuously sucked out of, and exhausted through, said outlet opening in said furniture body;

said cylinder of said tornado generating means includes a window formed through a peripheral wall thereof;

said intake port in said cylinder of said tornado generating means being formed through at least one of said end surfaces of said cylinder of said tornado generating means;

d) air cleaning means arranged is said furniture body between said outlet opening in said furniture body and said tornado generating means; and

e) a top plate placed on said furniture body;

said inlet opening in said furniture body being formed through said top plate;

said tornado generating means being removably placed on said top plate overlying said inlet opening in said furniture body.