ROTARY PARTICLE SENSOR ASSEMBLY AND AN AIR CLEANER HAVING IT

• US 20110120211A1
• Filed: 08/07/2008
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Woongjin Coway Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Woongjin Coway Company Limited
• Inventors: Bae, Jun Hyung
• Granted Patent: US 8,365,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/28.04
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0086 Filter condition indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/442 by measuring the concentration of particles
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/80 Self-contained air purifiers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2247 Sampling from a flowing stream of gas

Abstract

A rotary particle sensor assembly and an air cleaner having the rotary particle sensor assembly are disclosed. Particularly, in the present invention, regardless of the orientation of the air cleaner, the rotary particle sensor assembly can always be oriented in the direction of gravity. The rotary particle sensor assembly includes a particle sensor, which measures the pollution level of air drawn into the air cleaner. The particle sensor is supported in the air cleaner so as to be rotatable using a rotating shaft and has a weight at a predetermined position. Thus, the particle sensor can always be oriented in the direction of gravity by the weight regardless of the orientation of the air cleaner. Therefore, the present invention ensures the accuracy of measurement of the pollution level of air.

Claims

1. A rotary particle sensor assembly, installed in an air cleaner to measure a pollution level of air drawn into the air cleaner, the rotary particle sensor assembly comprising:

a particle sensor to measure the pollution level of the air drawn into the air cleaner, wherein the particle sensor is supported in the air cleaner so as to be rotatable using a rotating shaft and has a weight at a predetermined position thereon, so that the particle sensor is oriented in a direction of gravity by the weight regardless of an orientation of the air cleaner.

3. The rotary particle sensor assembly according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

a particle sensor cover guide installed at a predetermined position in the air cleaner, the particle sensor cover guide supporting the particle sensor or the particle sensor cover therein so as to be rotatable.

4. The rotary particle sensor assembly according to claim 3, wherein a hollow support shaft protrudes from the particle sensor cover guide, the hollow support shaft being fastened at a predetermined position to an inner surface of the air cleaner, and

the rotating shaft of the particle sensor or the particle sensor cover is rotatably inserted into the support shaft.

5. The rotary particle sensor assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the particle sensor has an inlet, into which air is drawn, a detection chamber provided to measure a pollution level of the drawn air, and an outlet, through which the air that is measured in pollution level is discharged outside the particle sensor, wherein

the inlet, the detection chamber and the outlet are arranged in a straight line, on which the weight is provided, so that the straight line is oriented in the direction of gravity by the weight.

6. The rotary particle sensor assembly according to claim 4, wherein a mounting bracket is provided on the particle sensor cover guide, so that the particle sensor cover guide is fastened to the inner surface of the air cleaner using the mounting bracket.

2. A rotary particle sensor assembly, installed in an air cleaner to measure a pollution level of air drawn into the air cleaner, the rotary particle sensor assembly comprising:

a particle sensor to measure the pollution level of the air drawn into the air cleaner; and

a particle sensor cover, to which the particle sensor is fastened, with a rotating shaft provided at a predetermined position on an outer surface of the particle sensor cover, the particle sensor cover being mounted in the air cleaner so as to be rotatable, wherein

a weight is provided at a predetermined position on the particle sensor or the particle sensor cover, so that the particle sensor cover having the particle sensor is oriented in a direction of gravity by the weight regardless of an orientation of the air cleaner.

7. An air cleaner, having a rotary particle sensor assembly to measure a pollution level of air,

the rotary particle sensor assembly, comprising a particle sensor to measure the pollution level of the air drawn into the air cleaner, wherein

the particle sensor is supported in the air cleaner so as to be rotatable using a rotating shaft,

a guide protrusion is provided on the particle sensor at a position spaced apart from an inlet of the particle sensor by a predetermined distance,

a guide slot is formed in one surface of the air cleaner, having the particle sensor therein, such that the guide protrusion protrudes through the guide slot to an outside of the air cleaner and is movable along the guide slot, and

a weight is provided at a predetermined position on the particle sensor, so that the particle sensor assembly is oriented in a direction of gravity by the weight regardless of an orientation of the air cleaner.

9. The air cleaner having the rotary particle sensor assembly according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising:

a particle sensor cover guide installed at a predetermined position in the air cleaner, the particle sensor cover guide supporting the particle sensor or the particle sensor cover therein so as to be rotatable.

10. The air cleaner having the rotary particle sensor assembly according to claim 9, wherein a hollow support shaft protrudes from the particle sensor cover guide, the hollow support shaft being fastened at a predetermined position to an inner surface of the air cleaner, and

the rotating shaft of the particle sensor or the particle sensor cover is rotatably inserted into the support shaft.

11. The air cleaner having the rotary particle sensor assembly according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the particle sensor has an inlet, into which air is drawn, a detection chamber to measure a pollution level of the drawn air, and an outlet, through which the air that is measured in pollution level is discharged outside the particle sensor, wherein

the inlet, the detection chamber and the outlet are arranged in a straight line, on which the weight is provided, so that the straight line is oriented in the direction of gravity by the weight.

12. The air cleaner having the rotary particle sensor assembly according to claim 10, wherein a mounting bracket is provided on the particle sensor cover guide, so that the particle sensor cover guide is fastened to the inner surface of the air cleaner using the mounting bracket.

13. The air cleaner having the rotary particle sensor assembly according to claim 7 or 8, wherein an inlet port and an outlet port are formed through one outer surface of a housing of the air cleaner at respective positions corresponding to the inlet and the outlet of the particle sensor, and

the inlet port and the outlet port comprise a plurality of inlet ports and a plurality of outlet ports corresponding to positions of the inlet and the outlet of the particle sensor which change depending on rotation of the particle sensor.

8. An air cleaner, having a rotary particle sensor assembly to measure a pollution level of air,

the rotary particle sensor assembly, comprising:

a particle sensor to measure the pollution level of the air drawn into the air cleaner; and

a particle sensor cover, to which the particle sensor is fastened, with a rotating shaft provided at a predetermined position on an outer surface of the particle sensor cover, the particle sensor cover being mounted in the air cleaner so as to be rotatable, wherein

a guide protrusion is provided on the particle sensor cover at a position spaced apart from an inlet of the particle sensor by a predetermined distance,

a guide slot is formed in one surface of the air cleaner, having the particle sensor assembly therein, such that the guide protrusion protrudes through the guide slot to an outside of the air cleaner and is movable along the guide slot, and

a weight is provided at a predetermined position on the particle sensor or the particle sensor cover, so that the particle sensor assembly is oriented in a direction of gravity by the weight regardless of an orientation of the air cleaner.