Air treatment apparatus having an electrode extending along an axis which is substantially perpendicular to an air flow path

• US 7,318,856 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharper Image Acquisition, LLC (ThreeSixty Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharper Image Corporation (ThreeSixty Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Parker, Andrew J., Taylor, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiesa; Richard L.
• Application Number:
  US11/003,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20050183576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 96 60- 65, 96/96, 96/97, 96/16, 962/24, 96/39, 96/94, 96 80- 82, 55D/IG.38, 95/78, 422/186.04, 422/186.3
• US Class Current: 96/16
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/14 the gas being moved electro-kinetically
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/28 Parts being easily removable for cleaning purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/32 Transportable units, e.g. for cleaning room air
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/363 located before the filter
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/365 located after the filter
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/366 located in the filter, e.g. special shape of the electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/68 Control systems therefor electricity supply or control systems for cleaning the electrodes B03C3/746, B03C3/763

Abstract

An air transporter-conditioner device is disclosed that can include an elongated housing having a bottom, a top and an elongated side wall. The housing can have an inlet located adjacent to the bottom and an outlet located adjacent to the elongated side wall, an emitter electrode and a collector electrode and a high voltage generator operably connected to both electrodes. An impeller can be used to draw air into the housing through the inlet and direct the air toward the outlet. The housing can also include a second elongated side wall and a baffle which can include a plurality of deflectors positioned along the second elongated side wall. The baffle can include a plurality of elongated columns of varying lengths and each column can include a deflector. The device can further include a second inlet located adjacent to the elongated side wall and a germicidal lamp located inside the elongated housing.

Claims

1. An air treatment apparatus, comprising:

housing having a bottom, a top, first side wall and a second side wall, the housing having;

(a) an axis extending between the bottom and the top;

(b) an inlet located adjacent to the first side wall; and

(c) an outlet located adjacent to the second side wall;

an elongated emitter electrode supportable by the housing so as to extend substantially parallel to the axis;

an elongated collector electrode supportable by the housing so as to extend substantially parallel to the axis, the collector electrode being movable between a first position and a second position relative to the housing;

a voltage generator operably coupled to the emitter electrode and the collector electrode, the voltage generator being operable to produce an electric field, the electric field being operable to cause a germicidal effect; and

at least one air movement mechanism supported by the housing, the air movement mechanism configured to cause air to move from the inlet through the outlet along a path which is substantially perpendicular to the axis.

2. The air treatment apparatus of claim 1, further including at least one airflow director, the airflow director being operable to direct air along the path.

3. The treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air movement mechanism includes a fan.

4. The air treatment apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second inlet located adjacent to the bottom of the housing.

5. The air treatment apparatus of claim 1, further including a germicidal light source operable to cause a germicidal effect other than the germicidal effect caused by the electric field.

6. The air treatment apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a base secured to the bottom of the housing.

7. The air treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the emitter electrode and the collector electrode at least partially create an ion and particle flow in a first direction toward the outlet, wherein the air movement mechanism directs a portion of the flow along the path.

8. An air treatment apparatus, comprising:

a housing having;

(a) a bottom and a top;

(b) an axis extending between the bottom and the top;

(c) an inlet; and

(d) an outlet;

an ion generator having;

i. an elongated first electrode supportable by the housing so as to extend substantially parallel to the axis;

ii. an elongated second electrode supportable by the housing so as to extend substantially parallel to the axis, the second electrode being movable between a first position and a second position relative to the housing; and

iii. a voltage generator operatively coupled to the first and second electrodes, the voltage generator being operable to produce an electric field, the electric field being operable to cause a germicidal effect; and

at least one air movement mechanism supported by the housing, the air movement mechanism configured to cause air to move from the inlet through the outlet along a path which is substantially perpendicular to the axis.

9. The air treatment apparatus of claim 8, further comprising at least one airflow director configured to direct at least a portion of the air moved through the outlet along the path.

10. The air treatment apparatus of claim 8, wherein the air movement mechanism includes a fan.

11. The air treatment apparatus of claim 8 further comprising, a germicidal light source supported by the housing, the germicidal light source being operable to cause a germicidal effect in addition to the germicidal effect of the electric field.

12. The air treatment apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first electrode includes at least one electrode with a characteristic selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a tapered pin-shaped electrode that terminates in a pointed tip, (ii) a tapered pin-shaped electrode that terminates in a plurality of individual fibers, (iii) a plurality of concentric circles, (iv) a cylindrical shape, and (v) a wire.

13. The air treatment apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second electrode includes at least one electrode with a characteristic selected from the group consisting of:

i. an elongated cylindrical tube;

ii. a plurality of concentric circles; and

iii. an elongated plate shape.

14. The air treatment apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second electrode is downstream of the first electrode.

15. The air treatment apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a moisture-retaining element to place into the airflow at least one of the following characteristics selected from the group consisting of:

(i) humidity, (ii) scent, and (iii) medicinal content.

16. An air treatment apparatus, comprising:

a housing including;

(a) a top and a bottom;

(b) an axis extending between the top and the bottom;

(c) an inlet; and

(d) an outlet;

an ion generator supportable by the housing, the ion generator further comprising;

i. a voltage generator, the voltage generator being operable to produce an electric field, the electric field being operable to cause a germicidal effect;

ii. an elongated first electrode electrically coupled to a first output port of the voltage generator, the first electrode being supportable by the housing so as to extend substantially parallel to the axis; and

iii. an elongated second electrode electrically coupled to a second output port of the generator, the second electrode supportable by the housing so as to extend substantially parallel to the axis, the second electrode being movable between a first position and a second position relative to the housing;

and

at least one air movement mechanism supported by the housing, the air movement mechanism configured to cause air to move from the inlet through the outlet along a path which is substantially perpendicular to the axis.

17. The air treatment apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a moisture-retaining material configured to increase humidity of the air flow.

18. The air treatment apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a germicidal light source operable to produce a light, the light having a germicidal effect in addition to that caused by the electric field.

19. An air treatment apparatus, comprising:

a housing having a bottom, a top, a first side wall and a second side wall, the housing having;

(a) an axis extending between the bottom and the top;

(b) an inlet located adjacent to the first side wall; and

(c) an outlet located adjacent to the second side wall;

at least one emitter electrode supportable by the housing so as to extend substantially parallel to the axis;

at least one collector electrode supportable by the housing so as to extend substantially parallel to the axis, the collector electrode being movable between a first position and a second position relative to the housing;

a voltage generator operatively coupled to the emitter electrode and the collector electrode, the voltage generator being operable to produce an electric field, the electric field being operable to cause a germicidal effect;

a germicidal light source supported by the housing and operable to cause a germicidal effect in addition to the germicidal effect caused by the electric field; and

at least one air movement mechanism supported by the housing, the air movement mechanism configured to cause air to move from the inlet through the outlet along a path which is substantially perpendicular to the axis.

20. An air treatment apparatus, comprising:

a housing having a bottom and a top, the housing having;

(a) an axis extending between the bottom and the top;

(b) an inlet; and

(c) an outlet;

a wire first electrode supportable by the housing so as to extend substantially parallel to the axis;

a removable second electrode supportable by the housing so as to extend substantially parallel to the axis, the second electrode being movable between a first position and a second position relative to the housing;

a voltage generator operatively coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode, the voltage generator being operable to produce an electric field;

at least one air movement mechanism, the air movement mechanism being configured to cause air to move from the inlet through the outlet along a path substantially perpendicular to the axis; and

a germicidal area defined by the housing where a germicidal effect is producible, the effect being producible by an apparatus selected from the group consisting of;

(i) a germicidal device;

(ii) the electric field produced by the voltage generator;

(iii) a germicidal light source supported by the housing; and

(iv) a combination of the electric field and the germicidal light source.

21. The air treatment apparatus of claim 20, wherein the air movement mechanism includes a fan.

22. The air treatment apparatus of claim 20, including

at least one air flow director, the air flow director being operable to direct air along the path.

23. The air treatment apparatus of claim 20, further including a moisture-retaining material configured to increase humidity of the air flow.

24. An air treatment apparatus, comprising:

at least one electrical power line operable to carry electrical current;

a housing having;

(a) a bottom and a top;

(b) an axis extending between the bottom and the top;

(c) an inlet; and

(d) an outlet;

an emitter electrode supportable by the housing so as to extend substantially parallel to the axis;

a collector electrode supportable by the housing so as to extend substantially parallel to the axis, the collector electrode being movable between a first position and a second position relative to the housing;

a voltage generator operatively coupled to;

(i) the at least one electrical power line;

(ii) the emitter electrode; and

(iii) the collector electrode, the voltage generator operable to produce an electric field, the electric field being operable to cause a germicidal effect; and

an air movement mechanism supported by the housing, the air movement mechanism being operable to cause air to move from the inlet through the outlet along a path substantially perpendicular to the axis.

25. The air treatment apparatus of claim 24, wherein the air movement mechanism includes a fan.

26. The air treatment apparatus of claim 24, further including a germicidal light source operable to cause a germicidal effect in addition to the germicidal effect caused by the electric field.

27. The air treatment apparatus of claim 24, further including a moisture-retaining element to place into the airflow at least one of the following characteristics selected from the group consisting of:

(i) humidity, (ii) scent, and (iii) medicinal content.