Centrifugal Air Purifier with Enhanced Air Flow Arrangement

Abstract

An air purifier includes a main housing, a driving motor, a centrifugal fan, and an enhanced air flow arrangement. The main housing has an air inlet, an air outlet, an air duct inner wall, and an air duct outer wall to define an air flow channel communicating between the air inlet and the air outlet, the air duct outer wall having a curved extension portion and a vertical extension portion. The enhanced air flow arrangement includes a plurality of air guiding panels inclinedly and spacedly extending from the vertical extension portion of the air duct outer wall toward the air flow channel, an angle of inclination of each of the air guiding panels is an acute angle with respect to horizontal.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a non-provisional application which claims priority to a Chinese patent application having an application number of CN202320622769.1, and a filing date of Mar. 21, 2023, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to an air purifier, and more particularly to an air purifier comprising an enhanced air flow arrangement which is capable of increasing an air pressure around an air flow outlet so as to enhance the overall performance of the air purifier.

Description of Related Arts

Conventional air purifiers have widely been utilized in domestic and business environments. Air purifiers may filter dust and particles from air so as to enhance the air quality in the area in which it is operated. Among all air purifiers, those purifiers using a centrifugal fan may have an air guiding channel which diverts and guide air to flow from an air inlet to an air outlet. A major disadvantage of conventional centrifugal air purifiers is that air pressure around the air outlet is relatively low so that the overall performance of the centrifugal air purifier is adversely affected.

As a result, there is a need to develop a centrifugal air purifier which has improved air pressure at an air outlet.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Certain variations of the present invention provide a centrifugal air purifier comprising an enhanced air flow arrangement which is capable of increasing an air pressure around an air flow outlet so as to enhance the overall performance of the air purifier.

Certain variations of the present invention provide a centrifugal air purifier which comprises a plurality of air guiding panels inclinedly and spacedly extending from a vertical extension portion of an air duct outer wall toward an flow channel for increasing an air pressure around the air outlet of the centrifugal air purifier.

In one aspect of the present invention, it provides a centrifugal air purifier, comprising:

• • a main housing having an air inlet, an air outlet, an air duct inner wall, and an air duct outer wall to define an air flow channel communicating between the air inlet and the air outlet, the air duct outer wall having a curved extension portion and a vertical extension portion;
  • a driving motor mounted in the main housing;
  • a centrifugal fan; and
  • an enhanced air flow arrangement, which comprises a plurality of air guiding panels inclinedly and spacedly extending from the vertical extension portion of the air duct outer wall toward the air flow channel, an angle of inclination of each of the air guiding panels is an acute angle with respect to horizontal.

This summary presented above is provided merely to introduce certain concepts and not to identify any key or essential features of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air purifier according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is another perspective of the air purifier according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a wire safety arrangement of the air circulation apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the air purifier according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 a schematic diagram of the air purifier according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the details of an air inlet structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following detailed description of the preferred embodiment is the preferred mode of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in any limiting sense. It is presented for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the present invention.

It should be appreciated that the terms “length”, “width”, “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, vertical”, “horizontal”, “upper”, “lower”, “exterior”, and “interior” in the following description refer to the orientation or positioning relationship in the accompanying drawings for easy understanding of the present invention without limiting the actual location or orientation of the present invention. Therefore, the above terms should not be an actual location limitation of the elements of the present invention.

It should be appreciated that the terms “first”, “second”, “one”, “a”, and “an” in the following description refer to “at least one” or “one or more” in the embodiment. In particular, the term “a” in one embodiment may refer to “one” while in another embodiment may refer to “more than one”. Therefore, the above terms should not be an actual numerical limitation of the elements of the present invention.

It should be appreciated that the terms “install”, “connect”, “couple”, and “mount” in the following description refer to the connecting relationship in the accompanying drawings for easy understanding of the present invention. For example, the connection can refer to permanent connection or detachable connection. Therefore, the above terms should not be an actual connection limitation of the elements of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 of the drawings, a centrifugal air purifier according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The centrifugal air purifier may be defined as a purifier which utilizes a centrifugal fan for driving air flow. Broadly, the centrifugal air purifier may comprise a main housing 10, a driving motor 200 mounted in the main housing 10, a centrifugal fan 300 mounted in the main housing 10, and an enhanced air flow arrangement 3.

The main housing 10 may have an air inlet 201, an air outlet 202, an air duct wall 2 comprising an air duct inner wall 22, and an air duct outer wall 21 to define an air flow channel 20 communicating between the air inlet 201 and the air outlet 202. The air duct outer wall 21 may have a curved extension portion 211 and a vertical extension portion 212.

The enhanced air flow arrangement 3 may comprise a plurality of air guiding panels 32 inclinedly and spacedly extending from the vertical extension portion 212 of the air duct outer wall 21 toward the air flow channel 20, wherein an angle of inclination of each of the air guiding panels 32 may form an acute angle with respect to horizontal. This arrangement serves to increase the air pressure flowing through the air outlet 202 so as to tackle the problems of conventional centrifugal air purifiers.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the main housing 10 may have a receiving cavity 101 for accommodating the driving motor 200, the centrifugal fan 300, and the enhanced air flow arrangement 3. The air inlet 201 may be formed on the main housing 10, wherein air may be arranged to enter the air purifier through the air inlet 201.

The main housing 10 may further comprise an air inlet structure 1 formed in the vicinity of the air inlet 201. Referring to FIG. 4 to FIG. 5 of the drawings, the air inlet structure 1 may comprise a plurality of first extension panels 11 radially extending from the driving motor 200, and a plurality of circumferential extension panels 13 circumferentially extending along a circumferential direction of the driving motor 200 so as to form a plurality of through slots 2011 between each two corresponding first extension panel 11 and the circumferential extension panel 13 as the air inlet 201 of the main housing 10. Each of the first extension panels 11 and the circumferential extension panels 13 may have an elongated structure.

Note that the number of the first extension panels 11 and the circumferential extension panels 13 and thus the number of through slots 2011 may be varied depending on the circumstances in which the present invention is utilized.

Moreover, the air inlet structure 1 may further comprise a plurality of second extension panels 12 each of which radially extending at a space between each two first extension panels 11 and the corresponding circumferential extension panels 13 for further reduce the size of the through slots 2011.

A width of each of the first extension panels 11 is larger than that of the circumferential extension panels 12 so that the first extension panels 11 may provide enhanced structure integrity and structural reinforcement to the air inlet structure. Moreover, the provision of the circumferential extension panels 12 may make each of the through slots smaller in size so as to prevent external objects from contacting the centrifugal fan 30. In particular, the division of the air inlet 201 into many through slots 2011 may prevent users such as children from accidentally putting their fingers to come into contact with the centrifugal fan 30.

In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, a number of the first extension panels 11 may be less than that of the second extension panels 12. Moreover, a width of each of the first extension panels 11 may be between 7.5 mm and 9 mm. A width of the circumferential extension panels 12 may be between 4 mm and 5 mm. As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 5 of the drawings, the first extension panels 11, the second extension panels 13 and the circumferential extension panels 13 may form a substantially mesh structure for the air inlet structure 1.

The air flow channel 20 may communicate with the air inlet structure 1. The air duct wall 2 may comprise an air duct inner wall 22, and an air duct outer wall 21 to define the air flow channel 20. The air flow channel 20 may communicate with the air inlet 201. As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the air duct outer wall 21 may have a curved extension portion 211 and a vertical extension portion 212. On the other hand, the air duct inner wall 22 may have a substantially circular cross section when viewed from the front. The air flow channel 20 may be formed between the air duct inner wall 22 and the air duct outer wall 21.

In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, a width between the air duct outer wall 21 and the air duct inner wall 22 may gradually increase from the air inlet 201 toward the air outlet 202.

Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings, the curved extension portion 211 of the air duct outer wall 21 may extend from the air inlet 201 while the vertical extension portion 212 of the air duct outer wall 21 may extend from the curved extension portion 211 toward the air outlet 202. In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least part of the curved extension portion 211 may be opposite to the vertical extension portion 212. Air may be driven to travel from the air inlet 201, and sequentially pass through the curved extension portion 211, the vertical extension portion 212, and eventually pass through the air outlet 202.

It is worth mentioning that a radius of curvature of the curved extension portion 211 may be substantially the same as that of the air duct inner wall 22 so as to form a smooth curved channel as part of the air flow channel 20. This arrangement may minimize energy loss on the part of the air flowing through the air flow channel 20. Moreover, an intersection 213 between the curved extension portion 211 and the vertical extension portion 212 may be arranged to be smooth for minimizing energy loss.

The purpose and contour of the air duct inner wall 22 may be to increase the pressure flowing therethrough and to divert the flow of air toward the air outlet 202. The provision of the vertical extension portion 212 of the air flow channel 20 may maximize air flow in the vicinity of the air outlet 202 and to minimize resistance in the air flow channel 20 around the air outlet 202.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the air duct inner wall 22 may be concentrically arranged with respect to the driving motor 200 and the centrifugal fan 300 (i.e. with respect to point “P” in FIG. 2 of the drawings). Thus, the curved extension portion 211 may also be concentrically arranged with respect to the driving motor 200 and the centrifugal fan 300.

In addition, main housing 10 may have a first sidewall 15, an opposed second sidewall 16, a bottom wall 17 extending between the first sidewall 15 and the second sidewall 16, and a top wall 18. The air outlet 202 may be formed on the top wall 18. The curved extension portion 211 may extend along the first sidewall 15, the bottom wall 17 and the second sidewall 16, wherein the intersection 213 between the curved extension portion 211 and the vertical extension portion 212 may be positioned adjacent to the second sidewall 16.

Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings, the intersection 213 between the vertical extension portion 212 and the curved extension portion 211 may be positioned above a center of radius of the curved extension portion 211. In this preferred embodiment, a vertical distance between the intersection 213 between the vertical extension portion 212 and the curved extension portion 211 may be set as 0 mm to 20 mm. It is worth mentioning that when the intersection 213 between the vertical extension portion 212 and the curved extension portion 211 is too high or too low with respect to the center of radius of the curved extension portion 211, a width of the air outlet 202 may be affected so as to affect the flow rate or flow volume of the air coming out from the air outlet 202.

Thus, when the vertical distance between the intersection 213 between the vertical extension portion 212 and the curved extension portion 211 may greater than 20 mm, a width variation of the air outlet may be greater than 0.3 mm and this may adversely affect the flow rate and flow volume of the air coming out from the air outlet 202.

As shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the air flow channel 20 may be configured such that air coming from the air inlet 201 may be diverted along a substantially curved air flowing path as dictated by the curvature of the curved extension portion 211. Afterwards, the air may be guided to flow substantially vertically along the vertical extension portion 212 and eventually be discharged out of the main housing 10 through the air outlet 202.

The air guiding panels 32 of the enhanced air flow arrangement 3 may be spacedly arranged along the direction of air flow around the air outlet 202. More specifically, the air guiding panels 32 may extend from the vertical extension portion 212 in the vicinity of the air outlet 202 toward the air flow channel 20. Each of the air guiding panels 32 may form an acute angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal. In this preferred embodiment each of the guiding panels 32 may also form an acute angle of inclination with respect to the vertical extension portion 212 of the air duct outer wall 21. Thus, each of the air guiding panels 32 may have a first end 321 connected to the vertical extension portion 212, and a second end 322 extending from the first end 321 toward the air flow channel 20.

With these arrangements, a cross sectional area of the air outlet 202 may be optimally reduced so as to optimally increase the pressure of the air flowing through the air outlet 202. Since the dimension of the air outlet 202 is fixed, by suitably adjusting or selecting the length and the angle of inclination of the air guiding panels, the pressure of the air flowing through the air outlet 202 can be desirably and flexibly adjusted or achieved.

Each of the guiding panels 32 may have a flat contour and may make an angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal and the vertical extension portion 212 in the manner mentioned above. As shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, as an exemplary embodiment, the enhanced air flow arrangement 3 may comprise two air guiding panels 32 spacedly provided on the vertical extension portion 212, wherein the angle of inclination between these two air guiding panel 32 with respect to the horizontal may be designated as A1 and A2 respectively. In this particular embodiment of the present invention, A1 may be greater than A2.

In other words, the air guiding panels 32 may extend from the vertical extension portion 212 and arranged in a vertical array having a lowest air guiding panel 32 and an uppermost air guiding panel 32 along the vertical extension portion 212, wherein an angle of inclination between each air guiding panel 32 with respect to the horizontal may gradually increase from the lowest air guiding panel 32 to the uppermost air guiding panel 32. The difference between A1 and A2 may be greater than 0° and less than 10°, such as 3°, 5° or 7°. This range may be the optimal range of values of the difference between A1 and A2. Note that the number of air guiding panels 32 may be varied depending on the circumstances in which the present invention is manufactured or operated.

It is worth mentioning that an image projection of each of the air guiding panels 32 on the vertical extension portion 212 may be interconnected so as to ensure a vertical distance between the first ends of two adjacent air guiding panels 32 may be within a predetermined distance for ensuring each of the air guiding panels 32 may gradually increase the air pressure as air flowing toward the air outlet 202.

Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 of the drawings, the enhanced air flow arrangement 3 may further comprise a volute 30 comprising a volute tongue 31 provided in the main housing 10 and extended from the air duct outer wall 21 towards the air outlet 202. More specifically, the volute tongue 31 may and upwardly inclinedly extend from a top end portion 2111 of the curved extension portion 211 of the air duct outer wall 21, wherein the volute tongue 31 may extend in a direction away from the air guiding panels 32. The volute tongue 31 may be configured in the form of a panel.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 of the drawings, the volute tongue 31 and the air guiding panels 32 may be provided on two opposite sides of the air outlet 202 respectively. The volute tongue 31 may inclinedly and upwardly extend from the top end portion 2111 of the curved extension portion 211, while the air guiding panels 32 may extend from the vertical extension portion 212 in a manner as described above. The volute tongue 31 may make an angle of inclination B1 with respect to the vertical direction as designated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The volute tongue 31 may upwardly and inclinedly extend to meet the top wall 18 of the main housing 10.

The volute tongue 30 may further comprise a volute center 311 connected to the volute tongue 31, wherein an angle of inclination between an imaginary vertical line passing through the volute center 311 and an imaginary tangent line extending from the air duct inner wall 22 may be designated as B2, as illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, for optimal performance of the present invention, a sum of A1 and B1 may be in a range between 90° and 120°, such as 100°, 110°, 113°, and 1150 etc. Moreover, a difference between B1 and B2 may be in the range of 5° and 10°, such as 6°, 7°, 8° etc., wherein B1 may be greater than or equal to B2. These arrangements may ensure the air purifier of the present invention operates in the most optimal fashion.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the second end 322 of the uppermost air guiding panel 32 may extend to the top wall 18. On the other hand, the first end 321 of the lowest air guiding panel 32 may have identical or similar altitude of the volute center 311. Thus, a vertical distance between the first end 321 of the lowest air guiding panel 32 and the volute center 311 may be approximately zero.

As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 of the drawings, the air inlet structure 1 may be slightly and outwardly protruded from the main housing 10 for reducing air resistance when air is drawn to enter the air flow channel 20 through the air inlet 201. In one embodiment, the air purifier may further comprise an air filter mounted between the air inlet structure 1 and the air flow channel 20 for filtering unwanted particles from entering the air flow channel 20. A distance between the air inlet structure 1 and the air filter may be in the range between 2 mm and 5 mm, such as 2.3 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm etc.

The present invention, while illustrated and described in terms of a preferred embodiment and several alternatives, is not limited to the particular description contained in this specification. Additional alternative or equivalent components could also be used to practice the present invention.

Claims

1. A centrifugal air purifier, comprising:

a main housing having an air inlet, an air outlet, an air duct inner wall, and an air duct outer wall to define an air flow channel communicating between the air inlet and the air outlet, the air duct outer wall having a curved extension portion and a vertical extension portion;

a driving motor mounted in the main housing;

a centrifugal fan; and

an enhanced air flow arrangement, which comprises a plurality of air guiding panels inclinedly and spacedly extending from the vertical extension portion of the air duct outer wall toward the air flow channel, an angle of inclination of each of the air guiding panels is an acute angle with respect to horizontal.

2. The centrifugal air purifier, as recited in claim 1, wherein the curved extension portion of the air duct outer wall extends from the air inlet while the vertical extension portion of the air duct outer wall extends from the curved extension portion toward the air outlet, at least a portion of the curved extension portion being opposite to the vertical extension portion, air being arranged to be driven to travel from the air inlet, and sequentially pass through the curved extension portion, the vertical extension portion, and the air outlet.

3. The centrifugal air purifier, as recited in claim 1, wherein the air duct inner wall and the curved extension portion of the air duct outer wall is concentrically arranged with respect to the driving motor and the centrifugal fan.

4. The centrifugal air purifier, as recited in claim 1, wherein the intersection between the vertical extension portion and the curved extension portion is positioned above a center of radius of the curved extension portion.

5. The centrifugal air purifier, as recited in claim 4, wherein a vertical distance between the intersection between the vertical extension portion and the curved extension portion is 0 mm to 20 mm.

6. The centrifugal air purifier, as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the air guiding panels has a first end connected to the vertical extension portion, and a second end extending from the first end toward the air flow channel so as to optimally reduce a cross sectional area of the air outlet for increasing a pressure of the air flowing through the air outlet.

7. The centrifugal air purifier, as recited in claim 1, wherein an angle of inclination between each air guiding panel with respect to the horizontal gradually increases from the lowest air guiding panel to the uppermost air guiding panel along the vertical extension portion.

8. The centrifugal air purifier, as recited in claim 1, wherein a difference of the angle of inclination with respect to horizontal for each two adjacent air guiding panels is greater than 0 degree and less than 10 degrees.

9. The centrifugal air purifier, as recited in claim 1, wherein an image projection of each of the air guiding panels on the vertical extension portion are interconnected so as to ensure a vertical distance between the first ends of two adjacent air guiding panels is within a predetermined distance for ensuring each of the air guiding panels gradually increases the air pressure as air flowing toward the air outlet.

10. The centrifugal air purifier, as recited in claim 6, wherein the second end of the uppermost air guiding panel extends to the top wall at the top of the air outlet.

11. The centrifugal air purifier, as recited in claim 1, wherein the enhanced air flow arrangement further comprises a volute which comprises a volute tongue provided in the main housing and extended from the air duct outer wall towards the air outlet, the volute tongue being upwardly inclinedly extend from a top end of the curved extension portion of the air duct outer wall in a direction away from the air guiding panels, the volute tongue and the air guiding panels being provided on two opposite sides of the air outlet respectively.

12. The centrifugal air purifier, as recited in claim 11, wherein a sum of angle of inclination of the volute tongue with respect to vertical and the angle of inclination of the uppermost air guiding panel with respect to horizontal is in a range between 90 degrees and 120 degrees.

13. The centrifugal air purifier, as recited in claim 12, wherein the volute further comprises a volute center connected to the volute tongue, wherein the angle of inclination of the volute tongue with respect to horizontal is greater than an angle of inclination between an imaginary vertical line passing through the volute center and an imaginary tangent line extending from the air duct inner wall by 5 degrees to 10 degrees.

14. The centrifugal air purifier, as recited in claim 13, wherein a vertical distance between the first end of the lowest air guiding panel and the volute center is approximately zero.

15. A centrifugal air duct, comprising:

an air inlet;

an air outlet;

an air duct inner wall and an air duct outer wall to define an air flow channel communicating between the air inlet and the air outlet, the air duct outer wall having a curved extension portion and a vertical extension portion; and

an enhanced air flow arrangement, which comprises a plurality of air guiding panels inclinedly and spacedly extending from the vertical extension portion of the air duct outer wall toward the air flow channel, an angle of inclination of each of the air guiding panels is an acute angle with respect to horizontal.