AIR FILTRATION APPARATUS AND AROMATIZER

DISPOSITIF DE FILTRATION ET D'AROMATISATION DE L'AIR

English Abstract

An air filtration and aromatizer apparatus which includes a housing (10), a
motor (16) in the housing with a fan for drawing air through an inlet toward
an outlet through a pollution-collecting chamber (32) and an elongated hollow
tubular perforated member (22) having an upper end connected to the motor
output shaft and a lower end disposed in a bath of water (30). The hollow
tubular member is formed in such a manner that as it is rotated by the motor,
it draws water from the container under the influence of centrifugal force,
and then forces the water through the perforations to form a mist or rain-like
atmosphere in the path of motion of the air passing from the housing inlet
toward the housing outlet.

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un dispositif de filtration et d'aromatisation de l'air, comprenant un récipient (10) et un moteur (16) situé dans le récipient et équipé d'une hélice permettant d'aspirer l'air par une ouverture et de l'acheminer vers une sortie par l'intermédiaire d'une chambre d'épuration (32) et d'un élément perforé tubulaire creux, allongé (22), dont l'extrémité supérieure est reliée à l'arbre de sortie du moteur et l'extrémité inférieure est disposée dans un bain d'eau (30). L'élément tubulaire creux est conçu pour tourner avec le moteur et permet d'aspirer de l'eau du récipient sous l'effet de la force centrifuge et de l'injecter à travers les perforations pour former une atmosphère semblable à de la pluie ou à de la brume dans le circuit d'écoulement de l'air, entre l'entrée et la sortie du récipient.

Claims

CLAIMS
1. Air filtration apparatus comprising:
a housing having a pollution-collecting chamber, an air
inlet for receiving air into the pollution-collecting chamber, and an air
outlet
for passing filtered air from the pollution collecting chamber
a container for holding water adjacent the pollution-
collecting chamber;
a motor disposed on the housing and having an output
shaft rotatable about an axis of rotation, and fan means for passing air from
the air inlet toward the air outlet along a path of motion;
an elongated hollow member connected to the output
shaft for rotation about said axis, said hollow member having a lower inlet
opening disposable in the water in the container, and perforations for passing
water from the hollow member into the pollution-collecting chamber to form a
pollution-collecting spray in said path of motion of the air passing from the
air
inlet to the air outlet; and
the hollow member being formed to draw water from the
container of water into the hollow member through the perforations and into
the pollution-collecting chamber as a spray under centrifugal force as the
hollow member is being rotated.
2. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1, in which the housing inlet
comprises a tube having an outlet in the pollution-collecting chamber for
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passing air from the air inlet, to impact the water surface to remove
pollutants
from air passing through the pollution-collecting chamber.
3. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1, in which the motor is a squirrel
cage motor having fan means for moving air from the air inlet through the
pollution-collecting chamber and out the air outlet.
4. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 in which the hollow member
scoops water from the container of water, and discharges the water issuing
from the hollow member perforations to create a mist of water in the path of
motion of the air passing through the pollution-collecting chamber.
5. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 in which the hollow member is
an elongated curved tube having an upper end connected to the output shaft,
and a lower portion disposed in the water in the container.
6. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1, including a H.E.P.A. and
charcoal filter disposed in the path of the air passing from the pollution
collecting chamber to the air outlet.
7. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1, including aromatic means for
aromatizing air passing through the air outlet.
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8. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1, in which the motor is a
brushless motor.
9. A method for removing pollutants from air containing pollutants,
comprising the steps of:
providing a housing having a pollution collecting
chamber, an air inlet for receiving air into the pollution collecting chamber
and
an air outlet for passing filtered air from the pollution collecting chamber
providing a container of water adjacent the pollution
collecting chamber;
providing a motor having an output shaft rotatable about
an axis of rotation, and fan means for passing air from the air inlet toward
the
air outlet;
connecting an elongated tubular member to the output
shaft for rotation about said axis rotating the tubular member such that a
lower
inlet opening in the water draws water into the tubular member, and then
discharges the water through perforation in the tubular member into the
pollutant-collecting chamber to form a rain-like mist in the path of matter of
the
air passing therethrough.
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Description

CA 02593285 2007-07-06
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AIR FILTRATION APPARATUS AND AROMATIZER
Cross-Reference to Related Application
This application claims priority of Provisional Patent Application filed
December 6, 2002, Serial No. 60/431,104 for RAIN STORM.
Background and Summary of the Invention
This invention relates to an air cleaning apparatus having a pollution-
collecting chamber, a container of water, and a rotatable elongated perforated
tubular member having a lower and disposed in the water such that as the
tubular member is rotated, the water is drawn up into the tube and out through
the perforations to form a rain-like spray in the path of motion of air in the
chamber.
Many air filtration devices, such as vacuum cleaners and the like, have
a housing with a motor for passing air through the housing and one or more
filters. In some cases the prior art devices use a water bath filter in which
the
unfiltered air is passed through the water to remove pollutants from the air.
The broad purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved
air filtration apparatus and aromatizer having relatively few components, as
well as a novel way for forming a water mist for collecting pollutants from
the
air.
The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a frusto-conical
housing having a motor at its upper, narrow end and a container of water at
its
base. A pollution-collecting chamber is disposed between the motor and the
container of water. The unfiltered air is passed drawn into the chamber
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through a pair of tubes to impact on the surface of water, which functions as
an initial filter.
The motor is connected to the upper end of an elongated tube. The
tube has a lower end disposed in the water. The curvature of the tube is such
that as the tube is rotated by the motor, the lower tube end draws water up
into the mid-section of the tube where it then issues through perforations in
the tube into the pollution-collecting chamber as a mist. The mist is disposed
in the path of motion of air in the pollution-collecting chamber.. The mist
removes further pollutants from the water and passes the filtered air upwardly
where it then passes through a H. E. P.A. and charcoal filter. A lazy susan
support carries aromatic products to aromatize the filtered air.
Still further objects and advantages of the invention will become readily
apparent to those skilled in the art to which. the invention pertains upon
reference to the following detailed description.
Description of the Drawings
The description refers to the accompanying drawings in which like
reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views and in
which:
FIGURE 1 is sectional view through an air filtration apparatus and
aromatizer illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, but removed
from the housing for clarity;
FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the preferred apparatus;
FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the preferred apparatus;
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Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring to the drawings, Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a preferred air
filtration apparatus which includes a transparent housing 10 having a frusto-
conical configuration with a wide base 12 and a narrow opening 14 at the
upper end of the housing. A squirrel cage motor 16 is suspended by support
18 adjacent opening 14.
Motor 16 is a brushless motor, either a high impedance or switch
reluctant, able to run 24 hours a day. The motor has a downwardly directed
output shaft 20 which carries an elongated curved rain tube 22. Tube 22 has
a plurality of small openings 24 extending along a major portion of the tube
length down to an inlet opening 26.
Referring to Figure 1, a container 28 is disposed adjacent the base of
the housing, beneath the motor. The container is intended to hold a bath of
water 30. The lower inlet end of tube 22 extends below the water surface.
The tube is formed in such a manner that as it is rotated about an axis 33,
portions of the tube, spaced from the axis of rotation, draw water through
lower end 26 into the tube under the influence of centrifugal force which then
causes the water to issue through opening 24 into a pollution-collecting
chamber 32.
A pair of tubes 34 and 36 each have an upper end disposed adjacent
the upper narrow end of the housing, and a lower end directed toward the
surface of the water, as indicated by arrow 37. The air is drawn into the
housing, then enters the pollution-collecting chamber by impacting on the
surface of the water which removes some of the pollutants in the air.
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Tubes 34 and 36 are attached to the inside surface of housing 10.
Motor 16 has a squirrel cage 38 with a plurality of fan blades 40 which
draw the air from the inlet opening toward opening 14. As the air passes
through chamber 32, rotating tube 22 creates a rain-like mist in the pollution-
collecting chamber which removes wetable pollutants from the air. The air
then passes upwardly in the direction of arrows 42 and passes through a
H.E.P.A. and charcoal filter 44, and then through a lazy susan filter rotator
46
which contains aromatic materials. Rotator 46 adds a fragrance to the filtered
air. The H.E.P.A. and charcoal filter or other media filters non-wetable
particulates out of the air. The motor is sealed to protect the motor from
water
or from any moisture. A power cord 48 supplies electrical power to the motor.
Thus it is to be understood that I have described an improved air
filtration and aromatizer apparatus which draws water from a container of
water, and creates a water mist in the path of motion of the air to remove
pollutants from the air. The air then passes upwardly through a H.E.P.A. and
charcoal filter and then becomes fragrant by the lazy susan apparatus.
The lazy susan apparatus allows the clean filtered air to escape with
aromatized air after being cleaned by the H.E.P.A. and charcoal filters. The
motor support is sealed in such a manner that all the incoming air being
discharged from the pollutant collecting chamber passes through the squirrel
cage.
A cyclonic rain tube 22 scoops up water and spins it in a cyclonic
action creating a rain storm, through which the incoming air must pass to be
water washed.
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Having described my invention, I claim:

Representative Drawing