Electro-kinetic air transporter-conditioner

• US 6,176,977 B1
• Filed: 11/05/1998
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tessera, Inc. (Adeia Inc.), ThreeSixty Brands Group LLC (ThreeSixty Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharper Image Corporation (ThreeSixty Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Taylor, Charles E., Lau, Shek Fai
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorgos, Kathryn
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THAO T
• Application Number:
  US09/186,471
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 204/176, 422/186.07, 361/230, 361/226, 361/232, 123/539, 123/272
• US Class Current: 204/176
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/104 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/32 by electrical effects other than those provided for in group B01D61/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/323 by electrostatic effects or by high-voltage electric fields
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/08 Ionising electrode being a rod
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/14 the gas being moved electro-kinetically
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/08 characterised by presence of stationary flat electrodes arranged with their flat surfaces parallel to the gas stream
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/12 characterised by separation of ionising and collecting stations
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/32 Transportable units, e.g. for cleaning room air
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/47 flat, e.g. plates, discs, gratings
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/68 Control systems therefor electricity supply or control systems for cleaning the electrodes B03C3/746, B03C3/763
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/743 by using friction, e.g. by brushes or sliding elements
• 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: C01B 2201/62 Air
• 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 electro-kinetic electro-static air conditioner includes a self-contained ion generator that provides electro-kinetically moved air with ions and safe amounts of ozone. The ion generator includes a high voltage pulse generator whose output pulses are coupled between first and second electrode arrays. Preferably the first array comprises one or more wire electrodes spaced staggeringly apart from a second array comprising hollow “U”-shaped electrodes. Preferably a ratio between effective area of an electrode in the second array compared to effective area of an electrode in the first array exceeds about 15:1 and preferably is about 20:1. An electric field produced by the high voltage pulses between the arrays produces an electrostatic flow of ionized air containing safe amounts of ozone. A bias electrode, electrically coupled to the second array electrodes, affects net polarity of ions generated. The outflow of ionized air and ozone is thus conditioned.

Claims

1. An electro-kinetic air transporter-conditioner, comprising:

a housing; and

a self-contained ion generator, disposed within said housing, including;

a high voltage generator having first and second output ports, one of which ports may be at a same potential as ambient air, that outputs a signal whose duty cycle can be about 10% to about 100%; and

;

an electrode assembly, effectively coupled between said output ports, comprising a first electrode array that includes at least one electrically-conductive rod-shaped electrode, and a second electrode array that includes at least first and second electrically-conductive hollow electrodes disposed parallel to and equidistant from said rod-shaped electrode, the first electrically-conductive hollow electrode including an electrode surface parallel to a closest electrode surface of the second electrically-conductive electrode;

wherein said ion generator outputs an electrostatic flow in a downstream direction toward said second electrode array, said electrostatic flow including at least one of ionized air and ozone;

wherein the electrode surfaces of said first and second electrically-conductive hollow electrodes are sized to collect at least some particulate matter entrained in said flow.

2. The transporter-conditioner of claim 1, further including:

a bias electrode, disposed within said housing, to determine net polarity of ions generated by said transporter-conditioner.

3. The transporter-conditioner of claim 1, wherein said high voltage generator has a characteristic selected from a group consisting of (a) said high voltage generator provides a first potential measurable relative to ground to said first electrode array and provides a second potential measurable relative to ground to said second electrode array, and (b) said high voltage generator provides a first positive potential measurable relative to ground to said first electrode array and provides a second negative potential measurable relative to ground to said second electrode array.

4. The transporter-conditioner of claim 1, wherein:

said rod-shaped electrode is a wire electrode; and

a ratio of effective radius of an electrode in said second electrode array to effective radius of said rod-shaped electrode exceeds about 15;

1.

5. The transporter-conditioner of claim 1, wherein said electrode surfaces of said first and second electrically conductive hollow electrodes are at least 8 mm in length.

6. The transporter-conditioner of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrode array includes at least one wire electrode; and

said second electrode array includes at least two electrically conductive electrodes that in cross-section each define a “

U”

-shape having a bulbous nose region and parallel first and second trailing edge regions;

the “

U”

-shaped electrodes being disposed such that said bulbous nose regions face said wire electrode and are equidistant therefrom.

7. The transporter-conditioner of claim 6, wherein an electrode in said second electrode array has at least one characteristic selected from a group consisting of (i) a portion of one trailing edge region is longer than a remaining trailing edge region on said electrode, (ii) said trailing edge region defines at least one pointed projection facing downstream, (iii) at least one trailing edge has a length of at least 8 mm, (iv) at least one trailing edge has a length of about 20 mm, and (v) a ratio of effective radius of an electrode in said second electrode array to effective radius of said metal wire electrode exceeds about 15:

1.

8. The transporter-conditioner of claim 1, wherein:

said first electrode array includes at least one wire electrode; and

said second electrode array includes at least two electrically conductive electrodes that in cross-section each define an “

L”

-shape having a curved nose region;

the “

L”

-shaped electrodes being disposed such that said curved nose regions face said wire electrode and are equidistant therefrom.

9. The transporter-conditioner of claim 1, wherein:

said housing defines a second electrode array opening; and

said second electrode array is removable from said housing via said second electrode array opening.

10. The transporter-conditioner of claim 1, wherein said first and second electrically-conductive hollow electrodes include a surface region facing said rod-shaped electrode, and a rounded surface region that transitions therefrom into said electrode surface parallel to a closest electrode surface.

11. The transporter-conditioner of claim 1, wherein said first and second electrically-conductive hollow electrodes are shaped from a sheet of metal.

12. An electro-kinetic air transporter-conditioner, comprising:

a housing; and

a self-contained ion generator, disposed within said housing, including;

a high voltage generator having first and second output ports, one of which ports may be at a same potential as ambient air, that outputs a signal whose duty cycle can be about 10% to about 100%; and

an electrode assembly, effectively coupled between said output ports, comprising;

a first electrode array that includes at least one electrode having a pointed tip aimed generally in a downstream direction; and

a second electrode array that includes at least one electrically conductive member through which there is defined at least one substantially circular opening disposed generally coaxial with and in a downstream direction from said pointed tip of said first electrode, said electrically conductive member having a surface that faces said first electrode array and transitions smoothly and continuously to form a skirt-shaped region that surrounds a periphery of said substantially circular opening;

wherein said ion generator outputs an electrostatic flow in a downstream direction toward said second electrode array, said electrostatic flow including at least one of ionized air and ozone;

wherein at least some particulate matter entrained in said flow collects on said skirt-like region of said electrically conductive member.

13. The electro-kinetic air transporter-conditioner of claim 12, further including a bias electrode, disposed within said housing, to determine net polarity of ions generated by said transporter-conditioner.

14. The electro-kinetic air transporter-conditioner of claim 12, wherein:

said first electrode array includes at least one electrode selected from a group consisting of (i) an electrically conductive pin-shaped electrode, (ii) an electrically conductive tapered electrode, and (iii) a portion of conductive material having an end defining a plurality of projecting conductive fibers.

15. The electro-kinetic air transporter-conditioner of claim 12, wherein said second electrode array is a loop of electrically conductive material.

16. The electro-kinetic air transporter-conditioner of claim 12, wherein a ratio of effective radius of an electrode in said second electrode array to effective radius of an electrode in said first electrode array exceeds about 15:

1.

17. The electro-kinetic air transporter-conditioner of claim 12, wherein

said first electrode array includes at least two electrodes that each have a pointed tip aimed generally toward said opening;

and

said second electrode array is a single ring of conductive material encircling said opening.

18. The electro-kinetic air transporter-conditioner of claim 12, wherein:

said first electrode array includes at least two electrodes that each have a pointed tip; and

said second electrode array includes at least two electrically conductive members that each define a substantially circular opening disposed generally coaxial with and in a downstream direction from a pointed tip of an electrode in said first electrode array.

19. The electro-kinetic air transporter-conditioner of claim 12, wherein:

said high voltage generator provides a first potential measurable relative to ground to said first electrode array and provides a second potential measurable relative to ground to said second electrode array, wherein at least one of said first potential and said second potential has an absolute magnitude of at least about 1 kV.

20. The electro-kinetic air transporter-conditioner of claim 12, wherein said electrode in said first electrode array has at least one characteristic selected from a group consisting of (a) said electrode includes tungsten, (b) said electrode includes stainless steel, and (c) said electrode includes projecting fibers of carbon.