Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electronic device with an ionic wind generator assembly that provides flow of air stream inside the housing of the device. The ionic wind generator assembly with a cover assembly and a catalyst provide a mechanism for cooling heated components embedded on a PCB of the electronic device. The cover assembly is configured depending on the orientation of the ionic wind generators to increase cooling when there is a narrow gap between the PCB and the ionic wind generator assembly through which the airstream flows for cooling of the internal components.

Abstract: The present invention is a directed to an integrated ionic air mover that provides air flow rates through an opening within the a printed circuit board (PCB), or other similar insulating surface, to create the structure of the air mover, so that high heat generating components mounted on the PCB can be cooled. The ionic air mover has sharp and blunt electrodes with a corona discharge taking place in the air gap in between the electrodes. A directional emission of the ions creates an ionic wind the moves air through the PCB. The invention provides a low-cost structure, while achieving high electro-air flow power conversion efficiency and air-flow performance integrated into the PCB that the heat generating components are mounted on. The ionic air mover may also be surface mounted to a PCB and include a transmittal coil for wireless charging.

Abstract: A charging device includes a charging assembly for imparting a charge on a mobile device, a housing for receiving the mobile device to be charged, and for defining a cavity therein for housing the charging assembly. There is at least one air intake port in the housing for allowing air to be drawn into the cavity and at least one air exhaust port in the housing for allowing air to be exhausted from the cavity. There is an ionic wind generator, for generating an airstream to draw air into the housing through the at least one air intake port, through the cavity, and push air out of the housing through the at least one air exhaust port. The ionic wind generator comprises an emitter and a collector, such that when a voltage is applied to the emitter, air ionizes around the emitter and is drawn toward the collector, thereby creating the airstream.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooling a portable electronic device during use includes a first cavity having an intake port for drawing air into the first cavity and a second cavity proximate the first cavity having an output port, wherein upon installation of a portable electronic device, a surface of the portable electronic device defines a portion the second cavity. An ionic wind generator separates the first cavity and the second cavity, and generates an airstream to draw air into the intake port, wherein the airstream passes between the first cavity and the second cavity to be directed upon the surface of the electronic device, and exhausted through the output port thereby dissipating heat generated by the portable electronic device.

Abstract: Higher power light emitting diode (LED) modules are thermally managed by thermal coupling to a heat sink. An ion wind fan can be used to provide forced convection for the heat sink. In such a light device, in one embodiment the present invention includes electrically connecting the heat sink to the low voltage terminal of the LED driver, thereby controlling the potential of the heat sink.

Abstract: Ion wind fans can charge up or spark to the walls of an enclosure. In one embodiment, a heat source can be thermally managed using an ion wind fan by coupling the heat source to a heat spreader that also functions as a wall of an enclosure that contains the ion wind fan. A portion of the heat spreader is then electrically isolated from the ion wind fan, the portion being less than a minimum predetermined distance from the one or more emitter electrodes of the ion wind fan, to avid sparking between the emitters and the enclosure.

Abstract: An ion wind fan can be made more resistant to electrical arcing by designing a supporting dielectric further from an emitter electrode. In one embodiment, such an ion wind fan according to one embodiment of the present invention has an emitter electrode and a collector electrode, and an isolator comprising a dielectric to provide electrical isolation for one or both of the emitter electrode and the collector electrode. In one embodiment, the isolator has a tapered sidewall so that the sidewall becomes thinner in the upstream direction over at least a portion of the sidewall. In one embodiment, the taper is a linear taper.

Abstract: An ion wind fan can be manufactured efficiently using insert molding. In one embodiment, the present invention includes an ion wind fan having an isolator with an emitter bus plate and an emitter attachment plate insert molded into isolator. A collector electrode is further insert molded into the isolator. The collector electrode is supported in part by two collector supports. One or more wire emitter electrodes are welded to the emitter bus plate at a first end of the emitter wires and to the emitter attachment plate at a second end of the emitter wires.

Abstract: A consumer electronics device can be thermally managed using forced convection. In one embodiment, the present invention includes such a consumer electronics device having a heat sink thermally coupled to a heat source. The device also includes a power supply configured to power an ion wind fan, and an ion wind fan electrically coupled to the power supply. In one embodiment, the electric coupling is temporary using a non-permanent electrical connector, and electrical contact occurs when the ion wind fan is removably retained by a retention mechanism.

Abstract: An ion wind fan can be incorporated into a solid-state lighting device to thermally manage the lighting device. In one embodiment, the lighting device has the approximate shape of an A-series light bulb and an A-series light bulb and includes a bulb body, a bulb cover coupled to the bulb body defining a bulb cavity and one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) located inside the bulb cavity. The lighting device further includes a heat pipe to transfer heat from the one or more LEDs to one or more heat sinks, and an ion wind fan to generate an airflow in impinging on the one or more heat sinks.

Abstract: An ion wind fan can have a collector electrode that mitigates the risk of sparking. In one embodiment, an ion wind can include a wire emitter electrode held in tension in a first direction, and a collector electrode having an elongated opening having an upstream edge and a downstream edge, the elongated opening being elongated in the first direction and positioned downstream of the wire emitter electrode so that the wire emitter electrode is substantially centered along the length of the elongated opening. The downstream edge of the elongated opening includes a chamfered portion.

Abstract: A solid-state light bulb using an ion wind fan and a heat sink for thermal management can electrically isolate the heat sink to make it touch-safe. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a bulb housing, at least a portion of which is made of a dielectric material and a lens made of a dielectric material, wherein the lens and the bulb together define the inside and outside of the bulb. A heat sink and an ion wind fan providing forced convection for the heat sink thermally manage the solid-state light devices in the bulb. In one embodiment, the outside of the bulb is electrically isolated from the heat sink located inside of the bulb by at least the portion of the bulb housing that is made of the dielectric material.

Abstract: The tendency of an ion wind fan to spark can be reduced by locating the emitter support portions of an isolator away from the active portions of the emitter and collector electrodes. In one embodiment, the present invention includes an ion wind fan having a first end, and a second end. The ion wind fan, in one embodiment, has a collector electrode, an emitter electrode, and an isolator supporting the collector electrode and the emitter electrode, the emitter electrode being supported by the isolator at an emitter support having an internal edge, where the distance from the internal edge of the emitter support end of the ion wind fan is less than the distance from the edge of the collector electrode end of the ion wind fan.

Abstract: Ion wind fans generate ozone. To more effectively catalyze ozone, in one embodiment, the present invention includes a heat sink having contoured heat sink fins that are coated with an ozone catalyst.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an ion wind fan includes a wire emitter electrode held in tension and a collector electrode having a row of openings oriented along the direction of the row of openings, the openings having an elongated oval shape having a straight portion and a rounded portion. In one embodiment, the wire emitter electrode and the collector electrode are attached to an isolator so that the row of openings is substantially centered above the wire emitter electrode.

Abstract: Emitter electrodes of ion wind fans can operate at high voltages in ionized environments. This can lead to degradation of the emitter electrodes over time. In one embodiment, the present invention provides an ion wind fan having a primary emitter electrode, and a redundant emitter electrode. The primary emitter electrode and the redundant emitter electrode are never simultaneously operational.

Abstract: Ion wind fans are susceptible to sparks occurring across an emitter electrode and a collector electrode of an ion wind fan. According to one embodiment, the present invention includes mitigating a spark event by providing a resistor in series between an ion wind fan power supply and an ion wind fan. In one embodiment, the resistance of the resistor is at least one order of magnitude lower than the resistance across the ion wind fan during normal operation.

Abstract: One or more emitter electrodes of an ion wind fan can be held in tension by using a slider mechanism in contact with a compression spring. In one embodiment, an ion wind fan has an isolator with a cavity, and the slider movably located in the cavity. The fan further includes a spring located in the cavity, so that the slider compresses the spring when the slider moves in the cavity. An emitter wire is then attached to the isolator and to the slider so that the emitter is in tension.

Abstract: Ion wind fans produce ozone. In one embodiment, a heat sink used in conjunction with an ion wind fan includes at least one ozone catalyst fin coated with an ozone catalyst, to destroy at least some of the ozone produced by the ion wind fan. In one embodiment, the ozone catalyst fan protrudes from the downstream side of the heat sink towards the ion wind fan.

Abstract: An ion wind fan can be incorporated into a solid-state lighting device to thermally manage the lighting device. In one embodiment, the lighting device includes a bulb body having air intake and exhaust openings, and an ion wind fan to generate airflow between the openings. The lighting device can further include an upstream heat sink disposed upstream of the ion wind fan with respect to the airflow, the upstream heat sink having a shape that provides no direct line of sight from the air intake openings to the ion wind fan.