US20030230197A1 - Air cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

An air cleaning apparatus that includes a housing, a fan, an ultraviolet lamp, and a cylindrical filter. The housing has a separation plate that defines an air inlet region and an air outlet region inside the housing. The separation plate has a vent. An air inlet is formed through an outer surface of the air inlet region. An air outlet is formed through an outer surface of the air outlet region. A holder is located in the longitudinal direction of the housing. A fan is mounted in the air inlet region proximate to the vent of the separation plate. An ultraviolet lamp is mounted inside the holder. A cylindrical filter has a rotating part at one end thereof. The holder is arranged inside the cylindrical filter, and the rotating part is rotatably engaged with the opening.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention[0001]
• The invention relates to an improved air cleaning apparatus. More specifically, the invention relates to an improved air cleaning apparatus that provides superior performance in disinfecting and impurity removal.[0002]
• 2. Description of the Prior Art[0003]
• In daily life, many impurities, usually harmful substances such as smoke, soot and suspended particles contained in the atmospheric air are dangerous to people. In order to improve the air quality, an air cleaning apparatus is needed to remove the harmful substances. Most of the traditional air cleaning apparatuses have a single function and can be divided into two categories: a window type air cleaning apparatus and a floor type air cleaning apparatus.[0004]
• However, the conventional air cleaning apparatus has single function that is not satisfied for more requirement. Furthermore, the conventional air cleaning apparatus is large in size and therefore cannot be suitable for desktop use.[0005]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• It is therefore one object of the invention to provide an air cleaning apparatus that can provide superior performance in disinfecting and impurity removal.[0006]
• It is another object of the invention to provide an air cleaning apparatus that has a simple configuration, is portable for desktop use and facilitates the maintenance.[0007]
• In order to achieve the above and other objectives, an air cleaning apparatus is provided. The air cleaning apparatus includes a housing, a fan, an ultraviolet lamp and a cylindrical filter. The housing has a separation plate that defines an air inlet region and an air outlet region inside the housing. The separation plate has a vent. An air inlet is located on an outer surface of the air inlet region. An air outlet is formed through an outer surface of the air outlet region. A holder is located in the longitudinal direction of the housing. A fan is mounted in the air inlet region proximate to the vent of the separation plate. An ultraviolet lamp is mounted inside the holder. A cylindrical filter has a rotating part at one end thereof. The holder is arranged inside the cylindrical filter, and the rotating part is rotatably engaged with the opening.[0008]
• To provide a further understanding of the invention, the following detailed description illustrates embodiments and examples of the invention, this detailed description being provided only for illustration of the invention.[0009]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The drawings included herein provide a further understanding of the invention. A brief introduction of the drawings is as follows:[0010]
• FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an air cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention;[0011]
• FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an air cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention; and[0012]
• FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an air cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention.[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
• Wherever possible in the following description, like reference numerals will refer to like elements and parts unless otherwise illustrated.[0014]
• With reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 3, the present invention provides an improved air cleaning apparatus that includes a[0015]housing1, afan2, anultraviolet lamp3, and acylindrical filter4.
• The[0016]housing1 has a hemi-cylindrical body, aseparation plate14 and a pair of opposite sides. Theseparation plate14 is arranged parallel to the pair of opposite sides in a manner that an air inlet region and an air outlet region are defined inside thehousing1. The hemi-cylindrical body of thehousing1 is detachably assembled onto abase13 in a manner that thebase13 is in the longitudinal direction of the hemi-cylindrical body. Anair inlet11 is formed through the outer surface of the inlet region of thehousing1. Anair outlet12 is formed through an outer surface of the outlet region of thehousing1. The external air outside thehousing1 enters the inlet region of thehousing1 through theair inlet11. Theair outlet12 exhausts the cleaned air from the outlet region of thehousing1 after the external air entering through theair inlet11 is subject to disinfecting and purification. Anopening17 is formed through a side of the air outlet region. The opening17 can has a circular cross section. Aholder15, having a shape of coil or cylindrical network, is mounted in the air inlet region proximate to theopening17. Avent16 is formed through theseparation plate14 proximate to theholder15.
• The[0017]fan2 can be a centrifugal fan. Thefan2 is located in the air inlet region and proximate to thevent16. When thefan2 rotates, the air flows through theair inlet11 of thehousing1 and passes through thevent16 to form an air flow in the longitudinal direction of thehousing1.
• The[0018]ultraviolet lamp3 is mounted inside theholder15. The air exhausted from thevent16 is subject to disinfecting by means of the ultraviolet light irradiated from theultraviolet lamp3.
• The[0019]cylindrical filter4 filters out particles suspended in the air flow. A rotatingpart41 is arranged at one end of thecylindrical filter4. Theholder15 is placed inside thecylindrical filter4, and the rotatingpart41 is rotatably engaged with theopening17, the air flow in thehousing1 is thereby discharged only through theair outlet12.
• The air cleaning apparatus configured as above can therefore provide superior performances in disinfecting and removing suspended particles. When the air cleaning apparatus is in operation, the rotating[0020]fan2 creates a flow of the outer air that enters thehousing1 through theair inlet11. Then, the air flow travels through thecylindrical filter4 where the air is disinfected by means of the UV light irradiated from theultraviolet lamp3. Meanwhile, the suspended particles contained in the air can be filtered off and adsorbed by thecylindrical filter4. The air cleaned after disinfecting and filtering then is discharged through theair outlet12.
• The[0021]cylindrical filter4 needs to be either cleaned or replaced after a prolonged operation time. It is easy to clean up thecylindrical filter4 only by rotatably loosening the rotatingpart41 off theopening17, then taking thecylindrical filter4 out of thehousing1 and washing it.
• In view of the foregoing, the air cleaning apparatus according to the present invention includes at least the following advantages:[0022]
• (1) the ultraviolet lamp and the cylindrical filter are mounted inside the housing to provide superior performance in disinfecting and impurity removing.[0023]
• (2) the configuration of the air cleaning apparatus is simple and portable, which is suitable for desktop use.[0024]
• It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above description is only illustrative of specific embodiments and examples of the invention. The invention should therefore cover various modifications and variations made to the herein-described structure and operations of the invention, provided they fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the following appended claims.[0025]

Claims (4)

What is claimed is:

1. An air cleaning apparatus comprising:

a housing having a pair of sides;

a separation plate, having a vent, wherein the separation plate is mounted parallel between the pair of sides of the housing and inside the housing to define an air inlet region and an air outlet region, the side that defines the air outlet having an opening;

an air inlet, formed through an outer surface of the air inlet region; and

an air outlet, formed through an outer surface of the air outlet region;

a holder, mounted in the longitudinal direction of the housing, wherein the holder is placed proximate to the opening and the vent;

a fan, mounted in the air inlet region proximate to the vent of the separation plate;

an ultraviolet lamp, mounted in the holder; and

a cylindrical filter, having a rotating part at one end thereof, wherein the holder is arranged inside the cylindrical filter and the rotating part is rotatably engaged with the opening.

2. The air cleaning apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the holder has a shape of coil or cylindrical network.

3. The air cleaning apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the opening has a circular cross section.

4. The air cleaning apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan.

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