Filter air cleaner

• US 6,156,085 A
• Filed: 04/03/1998
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• 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, C. Scott
• Application Number:
  US09/054,823
• Time in Patent Office: 977 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 comprising 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 base having a centrally disposed opening;

a top cover portion having a threaded opening;

a filter element disposed between said base and said top cover portion;

a side wall portion disposed between said base and said top cover portion, said side wall portion surrounding said filter element, and said side wall portion defining an air inlet opening therein;

an air exhaust opening disposed above said air inlet opening relative to said base;

a fan disposed between said base and said top cover portion;

a motor disposed between said base and said top cover portion, and engagable with said fan so that said fan draws air into said air inlet opening, through said filter element, and exhausts said air through said air exhaust opening; and

a locking member having a threaded portion extending through said opening in said base and engagable with said threaded opening in said top cover portion for disengageably securing said base to said top cover portion.

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

3. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 2 wherein said filter element is cylindrical.

4. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 3 wherein said filter element is a cylindrical HEPA filter element.

5. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 4 where said top cover portion is round and said side wall portion is cylindrical.

6. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 5 wherein said side wall portion is integral with said top cover portion.

7. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 6 wherein said air exhaust opening is defined in said top cover portion and oriented perpendicular to said air inlet opening.

8. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 7 wherein said top cover portion defines said air exhaust opening adjacent to the periphery of said top cover portion.

9. A portable air cleaner comprising:

a base;

a top cover portion, said top cover portion defining a plurality of exhaust openings therein, and said plurality of air exhaust openings arranged in a substantially circular ring;

a filter element disposed between said base and said top cover portion;

a side wall portion disposed between said base and said top cover portion, said side wall portion surrounding said filter element, and said side wall portion defining an air inlet opening therein perpendicular to said air exhaust openings;

a centrifugal fan disposed between said base and said top cover portion;

a drive mechanism disposed between said base and said top cover portion adapted to drive said centrifugal fan so that said centrifugal fan draws air into said air inlet opening, through said filter element, and disperses said air radially outward from said centrifugal fan; and

an air deflector disposed between said base and said top cover portion for redirecting said air dispersed radially outward from said centrifugal fan to a direction generally perpendicular to said centrifugal fan and through said air exhaust openings.

10. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 9 wherein the drive mechanism comprises an electric motor and drive shaft.

11. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 10 wherein said base is devoid of electrical components and electric circuitry.

12. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 11 wherein said filter element is cylindrical.

13. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 12 wherein said filter element is a cylindrical HEPA filter element.

14. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 13 wherein said top cover portion is round and said side wall portion is cylindrical.

15. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 14 wherein said plurality of air exhaust openings are arranged in a substantially circular ring having an outer diameter disposed at about the outer edge of said round top cover portion.

16. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 15 wherein said plurality of air exhaust openings are arranged in a substantially circular ring having an inner diameter disposed at about the outer edge of said centrifugal fan.

17. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 16 wherein said side wall portion is integral with said top cover portion.

18. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 17 wherein said plurality of exhaust openings are arranged in a substantially circular ring disposed in a plane substantially parallel to said base.

19. A portable air cleaner comprising:

a circular base having a centrally disposed opening;

a cover housing disposed over said base, said cover housing defining an air inlet opening and an air exhaust opening therein, and said air exhaust opening disposed above said air inlet opening;

a cylindrical HEPA filter element mounted on said base, and said cylindrical HEPA filter element encased by said cover housing;

a centrifugal fan disposed within said cover housing;

a motor disposed within said cover housing and affixed to said cover housing by a supporting assembly having a threaded opening, said motor engageable with said centrifugal fan so that said centrifugal fan draws air into said air inlet opening through said cylindrical HEPA filter element, and exhausts said air radially outward from said centrifugal fan;

an air deflector disposed in said cover housing, said air deflector having an opening formed therein to permit air flow to said centrifugal fan, said air deflector further encasing said centrifugal fan so that said air dispersed radially outward from said centrifugal fan is redirected through said air exhaust opening; and

a locking member having a threaded portion extending through said opening in said base and engageable with said threaded opening in said supporting assembly for disengageably securing said base to said cover housing.

20. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 19 wherein said cylindrical HEPA filter element comprises HEPA pleated paper and two annular disks formed from an elastomeric material.

21. The portable air cleaner defined in claim 19 wherein said locking member has a a handle affixed to said threaded portion.

22. A portable air cleaner comprising:

a base having a centrally disposed opening;

a top cover portion;

a filter element disposed between said base and said top cover portion;

a side wall portion disposed between said base and said top cover portion, said side wall portion formed unitary with said top cover portion and surrounding said filter element, and said side wall portion defining an air inlet opening therein;

an air exhaust opening disposed above said air inlet opening relative to said base;

a fan disposed between said base and said top cover portion;

a motor disposed between said base and said top cover portion and affixed to said side wall portion by a supporting assembly having a threaded opening, said motor engagable with said fan so that said fan draws air into said air inlet opening, through said filter element, and exhausts said air through said air exhaust opening; and

a locking member comprising a threaded portion which extends through said opening in said base and is engagable with said threaded opening in said supporting assembly for disengageably securing said base to said top cover portion, and a handle affixed to said threaded portion.