Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The invention relates to an apparatus for the ionization of the
air in closed spaces, having a blower and an ion generator which are disposed
in an air duct through whose discharge orifice a substantially unipolar air
stream having preferably negative ions is delivered into the room.
It has been found that a person dwelling in an atmosphere enriched
with unipolar ions experiences a positive influence on his well-being, on
his capacity for work and on his health. Especially the breathing of air
containing negative ions arouses the activity of numerous functions of the
body. It is therefore known to aspirate the air in a living room by means
lo of a blower, ionize it, and then reintroduce the ionized air stream into the
room.
~ For many reasons it is not possible to remain throughout the day
in rooms ionized in this manner. The invention is therefore addressed to
the task of making it possible for virtually any person to be supplied with
a sufficient number of ions in a manner that will be found to be pleasant.
This objective is accomplished by the invention through the
association of an apparatus of the kind described above with a television
receiver such that the discharge orifice disposed adjacent the picture screen
will face in approximately the same direction as the picture screen.
The inventor set out from the consideration that even a brief
exposure to ionized air produces the known positive effects if the inhalation
of ions is intensive and ~miform. As it is known, most people sit daily for
30 minutes to 3 hours or longer before a television receiver. Each person,
be he alone or in a group, has a more or less established position. If
ionized air is blown into the room from the direction of the picture screen,
a high concentration of ions is assured in the area of the seats. Further-
more, the television viewer has his head turned to face the screen. The
air the viewer breathes is aspirated, therefore, directly from the ionized
air stream, and by and large he will absorb a large amount of ions.
1C)6~4~4
For the intended effect it matters little whether the ionizing
apparatus is built into a television receiver so that the air discharge
orifice is in the housing of the receiver, or whether two separate units are
involved whose housings are placed adjacent one another. In particular, the
possibility exists of equipping an available television receiver with an
ionizing apparatus.
An apparatus which can be purchased separately from the television
receiver in this manner is distinguished especially by the fact that one
wall of the housing of the ionizing apparatus, which is disposed perpendicul-
arly to the discharge orifice is matched to a wall of the television receiver
which is perpendicular to the picture screen. In particular, this housing
can form a base or a cap for the television receiver. In this method of
combination the discharge orifice is above or below the picture screen, and
therefore the distribution of the air can be symmetrical to both sides like
the picture viewing angle, to serve a single viewer or a group of viewers.
Even so, the housing can be shallow, and it can have a horizontal
width that is great in comparison to its height. Consequently, the space
occupied by the ionizing apparatus is very small. Nevertheless, the
apparatus can produce a very good distribution of the air.
The air duct can advantageously have a constriction in which the
ion generator is disposed. This makes it possible for most of the blown
air to pass through the active ionization zone which, as a rule, is not so
very large. Since the air duct broadens again after the constriction, all
of the air that emerges will have an approximately uniform degree of
ionization.
The constriction can be followed by baffles for the lateral
deflection of the emerging air stream? so as to distribute the ionized air
among a plurality of persons seated together.
To special advantage, the ion generator has a small glow discharge
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lamp having a wire carrying high voltage direct current adjacent its glass
wall. Such an ion generator, which is known from German Patent 2,260,521,
has the advantage that neither o~one nor nitrogen oxide is formed, and that
furthermore it requires little space in spite of its high ion yield. It can
therefore be contained in even very shallow housings.
Television picture tubes operate at a relatively high anode
voltage of, for example, 25 kV in the case of a color television tube. As
a rule, therefore, an electric field previals directly in front of the
picture screen, through which negative ions in the air are very intensely
attracted. Normally, therefore, rooms in which a television receiver is
operating are decidedly poor in ions. An additional advantage of the
invention lies not only in the fact that its production of ions will increase
the total ion content of the room, but also in the fact that, since the
ionized air is flowing away from the picture tube, the ions are under the
influence of a force which is opposed to the attractive force of the picture
tube field, so that the ions actually do reach the viewer. If the force of
this flow should be insufficient, air baffles can be provided to block the
flow of air from the viewing screen, or shielding means can be provided to
shield the negative ions emerging from the orifice from the picture tube
field.
For example, the discharge orifice can be provided, on the side
nearest the picture screen, with a baffle or shielding plate. It has been
found that, when the discharge orifice is in the same plane as the picture
screen, the baffle or shield plate must have a length of at least 20 cm, and
preferably a length of 30 to 40 cm, to achieve optimum results. Also, the
baffle or shield can be made retractable, so that it will not have to
protrude beyond the plane of the picture screen when it is not in use.
A similar effect can be achieved by making the discharge orifice
,
protrude beyond the plane of the picture screen. This can especially be
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achieved by constructing the orifice such that it can be retracted telescope-
wise within the housing. In this case it is desirable that the ion
generator be located in the projecting or extensible part of the duct, so
as to be at a fixed but not too remote distance from the discharge orifice,
so that the emerging air will be intensively ionized.
It is especially advantageous for the shielding means, such as a
shielding plate or prolongation of the duct, to be made at least in part of
an electrically insulating material. A variety of plastics have proven
suitable, such as, for example, phenol plastics in the form of fiberboard,
or polyacrylic esters. If electrically conductive shielding means are
used, they should be connected to a potential that is selected such that the
negative ions will not be attracted to them.
If ion generators are used in which a high negative direct-current
voltage is used, the emerging negative ions will be attracted by the ground
potential; consequently, after they have left the discharge orifice they
follow a slightly downwardly curved path. In order nevertheless to enable
the ions to reach the level of the viewer's head, it is desirable that a
field electrode be provided in the room in front of the television receiver
and above same, and that this field electrode be connected to a high direct-
current voltage that is positive with respect to ground. This direct-current
field prevailing in front of the television receiver will exert an upwardly
directed component of force on the negative ions.
Also, if provision is made to keep the television viewer himself
at ground potential- for example by providing the seats in front of the
television receiver with conductive coverings that are grounded--the
downwardly directed portion of the ground field can be partially compensated.
It is also desirable for the air stream to be warmable by means of
a heating system. The heating should be such that ~he air stream will not
be felt as an unpleasant draft. As a rule, a temperature increase of 1 to
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3C will suffice. Parts of the television receiver that
develop heat can serve, for example, as the air heating means.
This can be accomplished in a simple manner by constructing the
air ionizing housing for installation on top of the television
receiver and locating the air intake orifice above the back
part of the television receiver.
In a further development, provision is made for the
housing of the ion generator to extend downwardly in the area
at the rear of the television receiver to provide space for
the accommodation of the blower. If the housing is too shallow
to accommodate the blower, the free space which is as a rule
available in television receivers in this rear area can be
utilized for the purpose of providing the housing with sufficient
space to accommodate the blower.
The rotatory speed of the blower can furthermore be
adjustable so as to provide control over the delivery of ions
to the room.
The housing can also contain a background lighting
source, such as is recommended for television viewing; a
separate light source can then be eliminated. If the blower
motor and the background light source are connected in parallel,
the light source can serve as an indicator of the blower speed.
The ion generator and blower are controlled remotely
to special advantage, for example by ultrasonic pulses. The
hand control device for the remote control can also contain an
ion detector. A television viewer will then be able without
leaving his chair not only to turn the ionizing apparatus on
and off, but also to adjust it such that the ion detector will
indicate sufficient ionization.
Thus, in accordance with the invention, there is
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provided apparatus for ionizing air in closed spaces, comprising
a blower and ion generator which are disposed in an air duct
through whose discharge orifice a substantially unipolar air
stream having preferably negative ions is delivered into the
room, in association with a television receiver, wherein the
discharge orifice is disposed in the vicinity of the viewing
screen of the television receiver and faces approximately in
the same direction as the viewing screen.
The invention will now be explained with the aid of
the embodiments represented in the drawing, wherein
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a room
containing an ionization apparatus in accordance with the
invention, which is associated
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with a television receiver.
Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the ionization apparatus
with television receiver,
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the ionization apparatus with its
top cover partially cut away,
Figure 4 is an electrical diagram of the ionization apparatus in
accordance with the invention, and
Figure 5 is a side elevational view of another embodiment.
In a closed space 1 there is provided on a table 2 a television
receiver 3 with a viewing screen 4. At a distance of 2.5 to 5 meters in
fro~t of the viewing screen 4 there are provided seats 5 for one or more
television viewers 6. Such an arrangement is found in virtually all homes.
In the television receiver 3 an ionization apparatus 7 is arranged
such that a discharge orifice 8 for the ionized air is adjacent the viewing
screen 4 and faces in the same direction as the viewing screen. In the
embodiment represented in Figure 1, the housing 9 of the ionization apparatus
is constructed as a bottom rest for the television receiver 3, its top
side 10 being fitted to the bottom side of the television receiver 3, in the
sense especially that it is of sufficient size, but it can also be fitted
as regards its shape. For example, a step-like thickening 11 is provided
in the rear portion of the television receiver, where adequate space exists
for it. The housing 9 is shallow. The discharge orifice 8 has a great
horizontal width in respect to its height. Between the discharge orifice 8
and the viewing screen 4 there is a shielding or baffle plate 12 which can
be extended out of the housing 9 to a distance of 40 cm.
The internal construction of the ionization apparatus 7 can be
seen diagrammatically in Figure 3. Within the housing 9 there are side walls
13 and 14 which define an air duct 15. In this air duct the following are
arranged successively between the intake orifice 16 and the discharge
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orifice 8: a blower 17 with its corresponding motor 18, a heater 19 and,
in a constricted portion 20, an ion generator 21. me ion generator has a
small glow discharge lamp 22 on whose circumference a fine wire 23 lies
which is supplied by a high-voltage source 24 with a negative high voltage
-Ul of, for example, -3 kV. Furthermore, baffles 25 can additionally be
provided between the constriction 20 and the discharge orifice 8 to spread
out the air being discharged.
Furthermore, in the housing 9, within the step-like thicker
portion 11, there is provided a light source 26. Also, a receiver 27 is
provided which has a receiving aperture 28 which responds to an ultrasonic
remote control pulse. An ultrasonic remote controller 29 operates
similarly to a television receiver remote control device. It has transmitting
devices with corresponding keys for turning on and off the blower 17, the
heater 19 and the ion generator 21, and also, if desired, for changing the
blower speed and the heater output. Also provided in this remote controller
29 is an ion detector 30 which indicates when a sufficient amount of ions
is present in the vicinity of the viewer 6.
In the circuit given in Figure 4 it can be seen that the ionizing
device can be turned on by means of a main switch S. This also activates
the receiver 27, with which three switches 27a, 27b and 27c are associated,
which can be actuated by various ultrasonic pulses. By means of switch 27a,
the glow discharge lamp 22 and simultaneously the high voltage power supply
24 are connected to the mains voltage which lights the glow discharge lamp.
The high voltage power supply 24, which has, for example, a cascade rectifier
circuit, produces a negative voltage -Ul of such a magnitude-~ - 3kV for
example -that on a fine wire 23 a field strength will prevail which is not
quite sufficient to produce a brush discharge. Under the influence of the
ultraviolet radiation of the glow discharge lamp, however, the energy level
at the fine wire is raised to such an extent that ions are produced.
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Virtually naught but negative ions are produced in this manner, since
positive ions are hardly able to escape the strongly negative potential of
the wire 23. By means of switch 27b, the blower motor 18, and parallel
thereto the background light 26, are energized. By means of input
resistances 31a and 31b, different speeds of the blower 17 can be set, which
simultaneously results in different levels of brightness of the background
light. Switch 27c selectively energizes one or two heating resistances l9a
and l9b.
The peripheral surfaces 32 of the room 1 are grounded. me chair
5 has a covering 33 which is also grounded. In front of and above the
television receiver 3 there is provided a ceiling electrode 34 which is
mounted on the ceiling by means of an insulator 35. This electrode is
maintained at a positive voltage +U2, amounting for example to 8 kV.
mis results in the following manner of operation. Air is aspirat-
ed from the room by the blower 17 through the air intake orifice 16, and it
is heated by the heater 19 and charged with negative ions in the ion
generator 21. A variety of forces act upon the ions. Mechanical driving
forces act on them in the horizontal direction due to the air stream.
Insofar as the field between the ground and the wire 23 charged with
negative high voltage reaches, the ions are attracted downwardly by the floor
of the room, which is at ground potential, and horizontally toward the
viewers 6 who are also maintained at ground potential due to the grounded
covering 33. The influence of the field prevailing between the ceiling
electrode 34 and the grounded walls 32 defining the room gives the negative
ions an upward attraction. The shield plate 12 prevents the field at the
picture tube 4 from exerting an undesirable influence on the negative ions.
The overall effect, therefore, will be an area of maximum ion concentration
.
as indicated approximately by the broken line 36. W~hereas normally virtually
no negative ions at all are to be found at a distance of 5 meters from the
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viewing screen, ion concentrations of at least 10,000 ions per cubic centi-
meter have been determined at a conventional distance of the viewer 6 from
the television receiver 3 when the apparatus of the invention was in use.
In the embodiment represented in Figure 5, the ionization
apparatus 37 is in the form of a top-mounted attachment for the television
receiver 3. In this case the bottom 38 of housing 39 is matched to the
television receiver~ A duct portion 40 in which the ion generator 21 is
located at a fixed distance from the discharge orifice 8 is adapted for
extension from the housing 39. The air intake orifice 41 is provided on the
underside of a step-like thickened portion 43 such that the air, as indicated
by the broken lines, is aspirated from the interior of the television
receiver 3. In this manner a special heating means is unnecessary. The
air is blown not by an axial fan as in Figure 3 but by a tangential blower
43. The high voltage is fed to the ion generator 21 from the tap 44 of a
voltage divider consisting of the high-ohmic resistors 45 and 46, which is
connected between the output of an alien high-voltage power supply, e.g., one
which is present for other reasons, but which is not shown in detail, and
the ground. The telescoping duct portion 40 consists, like the baffle or
shielding plate 12, of an electrically insulating material. Preferably, the
housings 9 and 39 are also made of such a material.
Instead of the blower represented in the drawing, a radial blower
can be used, which is advantageous especially in conjunction with the
constriction 20, because the output is affected to a lesser extent by
resistances in the air duct.
It will be understood that the specification and examples are
illustrative but not limitative of the present invention and that other
embodiments within the spirit and scope of the invention will suggest
themselves to those skilled in the art.
