Air treatment apparatus with a circuit operable to sense arcing

• US 7,959,869 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharper Image Acquisition, LLC (ThreeSixty Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharper Image Acquisition, LLC (ThreeSixty Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Snyder, Gregory S., Christianson, Tristan M., McKinney, Edward C. Jr., Parker, Andrew J., Taylor, Charles E., Lau, Shek Fai
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayekar; Kishor
• Application Number:
  US10/435,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20030209420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,958 Days
• Field of Search: 422/186.04, 422/121, 422/186.3, 96/26
• US Class Current: 422/186.04
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/015 using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone A61L9/20 takes precedence ; evaporation in general B01B1/005
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/20 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/22 Ionisation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/32 by electrical effects other than those provided for in group B01D61/00
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/14 the gas being moved electro-kinetically
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/12 characterised by separation of ionising and collecting stations
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/743 by using friction, e.g. by brushes or sliding elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 3/0071 Electrically conditioning the air, e.g. by ionizing
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/11 by electric discharge
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/115 characterised by the electrical circuits producing the electrical discharge
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2201/12 Plate-type dischargers
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2201/20 Electrodes used for obtaining electrical discharge
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2201/22 Constructional details of the electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/22 using UV light
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/30 by ionisation
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/40 by ozonisation for sterilisation F24F8/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01T 23/00 Apparatus for generating ions to be introduced into non-enclosed gases, e.g. into the atmosphere

Abstract

An air-transporter conditioner device includes a housing defining an inlet and an outlet. An electro-kinetic system is disposed in the housing to create an airflow moving from the inlet to the outlet. A timer measures a time period corresponding to the electro-kinetic system and causes an indicator light to illuminate when the measured period reaches a threshold. An arc sensing circuit detects arcing between the first and second electrode arrays of the electro-kinetic system. The electro-kinetic system is turned off in response to arcing being detected by the arc sensing circuit. An indicator light can also specify that arcing has been detected.

Claims

1. An air treatment apparatus, comprising:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet;

a plurality of electrodes supported by the housing, where the plurality of electrodes include an array of wire-shaped emitter electrodes and an array of U-shaped collector electrodes, wherein each U-shaped collector electrode includes two trailing surfaces that facilitate outflow of ionized air and ozone toward the outlet and wherein each trailing surface includes a plurality of pointed protrusions for outputting negative ions;

a voltage generator operatively coupled to the plurality of electrodes, the voltage generator being operable to provide a voltage difference between the emitter electrodes and collector electrodes;

a germicidal lamp located within the housing for eradiating the airflow with ultraviolet (UV) light, wherein the germicidal lamp is disposed within a shell that blocks the portion of the UV light emitted directly toward the inlet and the outlet of the housing;

an output device supported by the housing; and

a timer operatively coupled to the output device, the timer

(a) measuring a time period during operation of the voltage generator, and

(b) when the time period has been reached, generating a control signal to the output device indicating that the collector electrodes require cleaning; and

a sensing circuit operatively coupled to the voltage generator, the sensing circuit having logic associated with;

(a) receiving an input signal corresponding to an occurrence of arcing between the emitter electrodes and the collector electrodes, and

(b) sending an output signal which causes the voltage generator to shut off after the input signal is received.

2. The air treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing circuit has logic associated with sending the output signal which causes the air treatment apparatus to shut off after the input signal is received.

3. The air treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a main body with a base and a top, the output device being located on the top.

4. The air treatment apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second output device, the second output device indicating whether the sensing circuit has detected arcing between the electrodes.

5. The air treatment apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second output device is a light source.

6. The air treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output device includes a light source, the light source operable to produce a first color and a second color, the first color indicating that the time period has been reached, and the second color indicating that the sensing circuit has detected arcing between the electrodes.

7. The air treatment apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second output device, the second output device operable to indicate whether the shut off has occurred.

8. The air treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output device includes a light source, the light source operable to produce a first color and a second color, the first color indicating that the time period has been reached, and the second color indicating whether the shut off has occurred.

9. The air treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrodes is removably mounted in said housing and the voltage generator restoring the voltage difference between the electrodes after a detection that the at least one removably mounted electrode has been removed from and returned to the housing.

10. An air treatment apparatus, comprising:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet;

a plurality of electrodes supported by the housing, where the plurality of electrodes include an array of wire-shaped emitter electrodes and an array of U-shaped collector electrodes, the collector electrodes being removable from the housing, wherein each U-shaped collector electrode includes two trailing surfaces that facilitate outflow of ionized air and ozone toward the outlet and wherein each trailing surface includes a plurality of pointed protrusions for outputting negative ions;

a voltage generator operatively coupled to the electrodes, the voltage generator being operable to provide a voltage difference between the emitter electrodes and the collector electrodes;

a germicidal lamp located within the housing for eradiating the airflow with ultraviolet (UV) light, wherein the germicidal lamp is disposed within a shell that blocks the portion of the UV light emitted directly toward the inlet and the outlet of the housing;

a timer operatively coupled to the voltage generator, the timer being operable to;

(a) measure a time period during operation of the voltage generator, and

(b) when the time period has been reached, generate a control signal indicating that the collector electrodes require cleaning; and

a sensing circuit operatively coupled to the voltage generator, the sensing circuit having logic associated with;

(a) receiving an input signal corresponding to an occurrence of arcing between the emitter electrodes and the collector electrodes, and

(b) sending an output signal corresponding to a modification which causes the voltage generator to shut off after the input signal is received; and

(c) a restoration of the voltage difference between the electrodes in response to the collector electrodes being removed from the housing and then returned to the housing.

11. The air treatment apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a second output device, the second output device indicating whether the sensing circuit has detected arcing between the electrodes.

12. The air treatment apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second output device is an indicator light.

13. The air treatment apparatus of claim 10 further including:

an output device including a light source, the light source operable to visually indicate;

(i) whether a time period has been reached, and (ii) whether arcing between the electrodes has been detected.

14. An air treatment apparatus, comprising:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet;

a plurality of electrodes supported by the housing, where the plurality of electrodes include an array of wire-shaped emitter electrodes and an array of U-shaped collector electrodes, wherein each U-shaped collector electrode includes two trailing surfaces that facilitate outflow of ionized air and ozone toward the outlet and wherein each trailing surface includes a plurality of pointed protrusions for outputting negative ions;

a voltage generator operatively coupled to the electrodes, the voltage generator being operable to provide a voltage difference between the emitter electrodes and the collector electrodes;

a germicidal lamp located within the housing for eradiating the airflow with ultraviolet (UV) light, wherein the germicidal lamp is disposed within a shell that blocks the portion of the UV light emitted directly toward the inlet and the outlet of the housing;

a timer operatively coupled to the voltage generator, the timer being operable to;

(a) measure a time period during operation of the voltage generator, and

(b) when the time period has been reached, generate a control signal indicating that the collector electrodes require cleaning; and

a sensing circuit operatively coupled to the voltage generator, the sensing circuit having a logic associated with;

(a) receiving an input signal corresponding to an occurrence of arcing between the emitter electrodes and collector electrodes, and

(b) sending an output signal which causes the voltage generator to turn off after the input signal is received.

15. The air treatment apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

an indicator light source, the indicator light source operable to produce a light after the input signal is received.

16. The air treatment apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

an indicator light source, the indicator light source operable to produce a light indicating that the turn off has occurred.

17. The air treatment apparatus of claim 14, wherein at least one of the array of collector electrodes is removable from the housing and the sensing circuit having a logic associated with a restoration of the voltage difference in response to the array of collector electrodes being removed from the housing and then returned to the housing.

18. The air treatment apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

an indicator light source, the indicator light source operable to produce a light indicating that whether arcing between the electrodes has been detected.

19. An air treatment apparatus, comprising:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet;

a plurality of electrodes supported by the housing, where the plurality of electrodes include an array of wire-shaped emitter electrodes and an array of U-shaped collector electrodes, wherein each U-shaped collector electrode includes two trailing surfaces that facilitate outflow of ionized air and ozone toward the outlet and wherein each trailing surface includes a plurality of pointed protrusions for outputting negative ions;

a germicidal lamp located within the housing for eradiating the airflow with ultraviolet (UV) light, wherein the germicidal lamp is disposed within a shell that blocks the portion of the UV light emitted directly toward the inlet and the outlet of the housing;

a timer being operable to

(a) measure a time period during operation of the air treatment apparatus, and

(b) when the time period has been reached, generate a control signal indicating that the collector electrodes require cleaning; and

a sensing circuit operatively coupled to the emitter electrodes and collector electrodes, the sensing circuit having logic associated with;

(i) receiving an input signal corresponding to a detection of arcing between the electrodes; and

(ii) sending an output signal which causes the air treatment apparatus to turn off in response to arcing being detected; and

an output device including a light source, the light source operable to visually indicate;

(i) whether the time period has been reached; and

(ii) whether arcing between the electrodes has been detected.

20. The air treatment apparatus of claim 19, wherein the housing includes a main body with a base and a top, and wherein the output device is located on the top.

21. The air treatment apparatus of claim 19, wherein said light source is operable to produce a first colored light if the time period has been reached.

22. The air treatment apparatus of claim 21, wherein said light source is operable to produce second colored light if arcing between the electrodes has been detected.

23. The air treatment apparatus of claim 19, which includes logic associated with shutting off the voltage generator if arcing is detected between the electrodes.