Smoke and fume removal assembly with dual suction modes
AssigneeHakko Corporation
InventorToshinobu Ishihara
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fan assembly is adjustable between two suction modes by alternating the position of the fan assembly on a flat surface, such as a table top. The fan assembly has two separate suction openings, one smaller than the other, which are selectively sealed by the flat surface. The suction openings are bounded by planar edges of an air guide that protrudes outward from a fan casing of the assembly. In one position, a first suction opening is unobstructed by the flat surface while the second suction opening is either partially obstructed or substantially sealed by the flat surface. In another position, the second suction opening is unobstructed by the flat surface while the first suction opening is substantially sealed by the flat surface.
Claims17
A fan assembly for removing smoke and fumes, the assembly comprising:
- a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet;
- and
- a fan inside the housing, the fan covered by the housing, the housing having a first suction aperture and a second suction aperture, the first and second suction apertures in communication with an internal space of the housing, the first and second suction apertures having different suction characteristics,
- wherein the fan and housing are configured to provide suction from at least one of the first suction aperture and the second suction aperture,
- wherein the housing comprises a casing and an air guide, the air inlet and the air outlet formed in the casing, the air inlet being on an inlet side of the casing, the casing covers the fan, the air guide connected to a peripheral edge of the inlet side, the first suction aperture and the second suction aperture formed in the air guide, the internal space disposed in the air guide,
- wherein the air guide includes a bottom wall partially separating the first suction aperture and the second suction aperture, the bottom wall has a constriction aperture that constricts an air flow path from the second suction aperture to the air inlet.
A method of removing smoke or fumes, the method comprising:
- placing a fan assembly in an area with smoke or fumes in the air;
- adjusting the fan assembly to draw air entirely or predominantly through a first air flow through area between first and second walls of an air guide of the fan assembly;
- followed by adjusting the fan assembly to draw air entirely or predominantly through a second air flow through area between the first and second walls of the air guide of the fan assembly, the second air flow through area being different in area than the first air flow through area,
- adjusting the fan assembly to draw air entirely or predominantly through the first air flow through area is performed by placing a boundary edge of the second air flow through area in contact with or in close proximity to a flat environment surface, and
- adjusting the fan assembly to draw air entirely or predominantly through the second air flow through area is performed by placing a boundary edge of the first air flow through area in contact with or in close proximity to the flat environment surface,
- wherein the fan assembly includes a casing encasing a fan, an air inlet is formed through the casing, the first wall of the air guide is a first L-shaped wall, the second wall of the air guide is a second L-shaped wall, the first and second L-shaped walls being on opposite sides of the air inlet, the first air flow-through area and the second air flow-through are both between the first and second L-shaped walls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.