Flying air purifier

• US 8,920,537 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Seike, Aya
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, MINH CHAU THI
• Application Number:
  US13/148,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20120255439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 553/851, 553/852, 244/128, 244/30, 244/125, 244/32, 244/33, 244/58, 244/59, 244/60, 244/96, 244/116, 244/126, 244/127, 446/33, 446/225, 136/292, 320/DIG.33, 602/02, 602/04, 313/359.1, 313/362.1
• US Class Current: 95/3
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/24 for measuring or calculating of parameters, e.g. efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/017 Combinations of electrostatic separation with other processes, not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A flying air purifier includes a flying unit configured to fly within a space at a first elevation. The flying unit is also configured to fly within the space at a second elevation. The flying air purifier also includes an air purifier mounted to the flying unit and configured to remove particles from air within the space at the first elevation and at the second elevation. The air purifier includes an air inlet having a first charge and an air outlet having a second charge, wherein the second charge is opposite of the first charge.

Claims

1. A flying air purifier comprising:

a flying unit configured to;

fly within a space at a first elevation; and

fly within the space at a second elevation; and

an air purifier mounted to the flying unit and configured to remove particles from air within the space at the first elevation and at the second elevation, wherein the air purifier includes;

an air inlet having a first charge;

an air outlet having a second charge, wherein the second charge is opposite of the first charge; and

a detector configured to detect an air quality value, wherein the flying unit is further configured to move to the second elevation in response to detection by the air purifier that the air quality value of the first elevation is above a threshold value.

2. The flying air purifier of claim 1, wherein the flying unit is further configured to receive a signal, and wherein the signal instructs the flying unit to change from the first elevation to the second elevation.

3. The flying air purifier of claim 2, wherein the signal comprises a wireless signal that is received from a base station of the flying air purifier.

4. The flying air purifier of claim 1, wherein the first charge comprises a positive charge and the second charge comprises a negative charge.

5. The flying air purifier of claim 1, wherein the flying unit includes a balloon configured to contain a gas.

6. The flying air purifier of claim 5, wherein the gas includes helium.

7. The flying air purifier of claim 5, wherein the first elevation is higher than the second elevation, and wherein the flying unit is configured to move to the second elevation by discharge of an amount of the gas.

8. The flying air purifier of claim 1, further comprising a grid configured to cover the air outlet, wherein the grid has the second charge.

9. A method comprising:

flying a flying unit at a first elevation;

removing particles from air at the first elevation using an air purifier mounted to the flying unit, wherein the air purifier has an air inlet having a first charge and an air outlet having a second charge, and wherein the second charge is opposite of the first charge;

detecting an air quality value at the first elevation;

causing the flying unit to move from the first elevation to a second elevation in response to the detected air quality value of the first elevation being above a threshold value;

flying the flying unit at the second elevation; and

removing particles from air at the second elevation using the air purifier.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the flying unit includes a balloon filled with a gas, and wherein causing the flying unit to move to the second elevation comprises discharging an amount of the gas from the balloon.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first elevation is higher than the second elevation.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving a signal from a base station, wherein the signal instructs the flying unit to change from the first elevation to the second elevation.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

docking the flying unit at a base station; and

discharging collected particles at the base station.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein discharging the collected particles comprises applying a reverse bias to the air inlet and the air outlet of the air purifier.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

refilling the flying unit with a gas at the base station;

releasing the flying unit from the base station; and

flying the flying unit at the first elevation to collect additional particles from the air at the first elevation.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein removing particles from air at the first and second elevations include using the air inlet to collect particles having the second charge and using the air outlet to collect particles having the first charge.

17. A system comprising:

a flying unit configured to;

operate at a plurality of elevations within a space, including a first elevation and a second elevation; and

adapt an elevation level in response to detecting an air quality value is above a threshold value, wherein the flying unit includes;

a balloon configured to contain a gas such that the flying unit is able to fly;

a first side wing and a second side wing mounted to opposite sides of the balloon; and

a tail wing mounted to the balloon;

an air purifier mounted to the flying unit and comprising;

an air inlet having a first charge, wherein the air inlet is configured to collect particles having a second charge;

an air outlet having the second charge, wherein the air outlet is configured to collect particles having the first charge; and

a detector configured to detect the air quality value, wherein the flying unit is further configured to move to a second elevation in response to detection by the air purifier that the air quality value of a first elevation is above a threshold value; and

a base station configured to dock the flying unit.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising an actuator configured to control the first side wing and the second side wing for adjustment of an elevation of the flying unit.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the base station includes a recharge unit that is configured to charge a battery of the flying unit through contact with at least a portion of the air inlet and at least a portion of the air outlet.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the base station includes a gas supply configured to provide the gas to the balloon when the flying unit is docked at the base station.