US 5,484,472 A · Miniature air purifier

Abstract

A small, battery-powered air purifier can be clipped to a wearer's front shirt pocket or worn suspended from a cord about the wearer's neck. The device includes a housing containing a compact circuit that transforms direct current provided by the battery into a negative high voltage pulsating current which is connected to a sharp metal point contained within a chamber inside the hollow housing. A corona discharge forms on the sharp point, ionizing air molecules and any particulates, and generating ozone. An opening into the chamber is covered by a noncorrosive metal grid connected to the positive terminal of the battery. The negative ions are attracted to this grid, thereby completing an electrical circuit. Movement of the ions to the grid results in mass movement of air which causes a stream of air to emerge through the grid. As the air passes the grid, negatively charged particulates are deposited on the grid. The cleansed air stream, containing traces of ozone and negative ions, can be directed to flow across the face of the user, thereby limiting the contact of contaminated ambient air with the eyes and nasal passages of the user. An activated charcoal filter pad can be attached to the device to interact with the cleansed air stream to reduce the ozone level.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A portable air purifier comprising:

a housing sized to be readily carried on the person of a user,
a battery, disposed within the housing, for supplying a low voltage;
circuit means connected to the battery for transforming the low voltage into a sufficiently high voltage to support a corona discharge;
an ionization chamber within the housing and having an opening to the outside of the housing;
a needle point emitter for creating a corona discharge, the needle point emitter disposed within the ionization chamber and electrically connected to the circuit means;
and
an electrically conductive grid over the opening between the ionization chamber and the outside of the housing, said grid connected to the battery so that when the corona discharge occurs at the needle point emitter, negatively charged ions produced by the corona discharge are attracted to said grid, completing an electrical circuit and thereby causing a mass flow of air which produces an emerging air current flowing through said grid and out of the ionization chamber.

4 more elements

A portable air purifier comprising:

a housing sized to be readily carried on the person of a user;
a battery for supplying a low voltage disposed within the housing;
an electrical circuit connected to the battery for transforming the low voltage into a sufficiently high voltage for providing a corona discharge voltage supply;
an ionization chamber within the housing and having an opening to the outside of the housing;
a metal needle point emitter for creating a corona discharge, the metal needle point emitter disposed within the ionization chamber and electrically connected to the corona discharge voltage supply;
a neon gas-discharge lamp and a capacitor connected in parallel, and a current limiting resistor connected between the needle point emitter and the corona discharge voltage supply to form a relaxation oscillator, whereby operation of the corona discharge is signified by visible pulsations of said neon lamp, said pulsations being proportional to ion flow;
and
an electrically conductive grid over the opening between the ionization chamber and the outside of the housing, said grid connected to the positive terminal battery so that when the corona discharge occurs at the needle point emitter, negatively charged ions produced by the corona discharge are attracted to said grid completing an electrical circuit and thereby causing a mass flow of air which produces an emerging air current flowing through the grid and out of the ionization chamber.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Miniature air purifier

Life of this patent

Miniature air purifier

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21