The invention relates to cleaning of air-filters. In particular the present invention also relates to a filter cleaner process and a controller for an air purifier.
Air purifiers are used to clean air from undesired particles such as pollen, germs, virus, allergens, micro particles, dust etc. Typically, the air purification is performed by letting air flow through an air-filter.
Different types of air-purifiers exist. For example, so-called tower air purifiers can be used. In a tower air purifier, air can be passed from the sides of the tower air purifier, made to pass a filter and let out in the top of the tower air purifier. Other types of air purifiers exist.
The filter in the air purifier needs to be changed or cleaned from time to time to be efficient. Different methods for and devices for cleaning the filter of an air purifier are used. For tower air-purifiers, the filter is typically exchanged when the filter is no longer efficient.
There is a constant desire to improve air purifier. Hence, there exists a need for an improved air purifier and an improved mechanism for keeping the air-filters of air purifiers clean an efficient.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved air filter cleaning mechanism. In particular, it is an object to improve the filter cleaning in an air purifier.
These objects and or others are obtained by a filter cleaner, an air purifier, and a filter cleaning method as set out in the appended claims.
As has been realized by the inventor, existing air-purifiers are associated with problems relating to keeping the filter of the air-purifier clean. As a result, filters typically need to be exchanged or at least be removed for cleaning the filter. Also, automatic cleaning mechanisms are not very efficient.
Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, filter cleaning that can provide a cleaning of the filter without a need to remove the filter is obtained. The filter cleaning can be made automatic and cleaned particles can be collected in a safe manner.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention a filter cleaner for cleaning and sterilizing an air-filter is provided. The air filter can advantageously be placed in its operational position during the cleaning. The filter cleaner is configured to perform mechanical cleaning of the air-filter by making a cleaning member contact the surface of the air-filter for a first period of time, and to perform sterilization of the air-filter by applying UV light on the air-filter for a second period of time. Hereby an efficient cleaning of an air-filter can be achieved that removes dust and kills bacteria on the air-filter. The air-filter does not need to be removed during the cleaning and sterilization process.
In accordance with one embodiment, the cleaning member is located in a filter cleaning module. Hereby all parts used for cleaning the filter can be located in a single module that is easy to assemble or replace. Also, in accordance with one embodiment, at least one UV source can be located in the filter cleaning module.
In accordance with one embodiment, the filter cleaner is configured to activate a fan during air-filter cleaning. Hereby cleaning and also sterilization can be improved when cleaning the air-filter.
In accordance with one embodiment, the second period of time is longer than the first period of time. Hereby an efficient timing for the mechanical cleaning and sterilization procedure is obtained and the combined cleaning procedure is optimized to be efficient and at the same time require a small amount of time to perform.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention an air purifier is provided. The air purifier can be provided with a filter cleaner as set out above.
In accordance with a third aspect of the invention a method of cleaning and sterilizing an air-filter is provided. The method comprises to perform mechanical cleaning of the air-filter by making a cleaning member contact the surface of the air-filter for a first period of time, and to perform sterilization of the air-filter by applying UV light on the air-filter for a second period of time. Hereby an efficient cleaning of an air-filter can be achieved that removes dust and kills bacteria on the air-filter. The air-filter does not need to be removed during the cleaning and sterilization process.
In accordance with one embodiment, the method comprises to run a fan to blow air on the air-filter during the mechanical cleaning. Hereby cleaning and also sterilization can be improved when cleaning the air-filter.
In accordance with one embodiment, the second period of time is longer than the first period of time. Hereby an efficient timing for the mechanical cleaning and sterilization procedure is obtained and the combined cleaning procedure is optimized to be efficient and at the same time require a small amount of time to perform.
The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. For example, like or similar components of different embodiments can be exchanged between different embodiments. For example, the filter unit as described herein is shown in a tower type air-purifier, but the filter unit could equally be mounted on any type of air purifier. Also, the filter cleaner is described to comprise a cleaning member that is configured to clean a rotating cylindrical filter located inside the air-purifier. However, other types of filters could also be used. Some components can be omitted from different embodiments. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description.
As has been realized existing air purifiers suffer from the drawback that the filter of the air purifier needs to be removed for efficient cleaning or replacement.
In
The air-purifier 10 has a casing 12. The casing 12 has a polygonal cross section as seen from the top of the air-purifier. The polygonal shape can be a regular polygonal shape. In particular the polygon can have at least five sides. The casing 12 shown in
In
In
The filter cleaning module 16 has a housing 30. Inside the housing 30 a number of components can be located. In the exemplary embodiment shown in
Also, a UV light source such as at least one UV lamp 36 can be provided in the filter cleaning module 16 to clean the rotating filter from microorganisms such as bacteria and the like by killing it with the UV light. The UV light can be made to pass a lens 38 to make the light more efficient for eliminating micro-organisms. To rotate the filter in the air purifier, a motor 4o can be provided together with a gear mechanism 22. When the motor is run, the air-filter can be made to rotate via the gear mechanism being in connection with the air-filter, for example via teeth provided on the air filter. Further, a dust collection box 42 can be provided in the filter cleaning module. In accordance with one embodiment, the cleaning module is oriented in a generally vertical position with the dust collection box located at the bottom section. Thus, the cleaning members will then also be in a vertical position so that any material removed from the air filter will fall downwards. Any material removed from the filter will then be collected in the dust collection box 42 located below the cleaning members 32, 34. The components of the filter cleaning module 16 can be held in place by locking members 44, 46.
The filter cleaning module can be accessed via a door in the casing of the air-purifier. Further, for easy access of the dust collection box 42, the dust collection box can be removed backwards, radially outwards from the filter cleaning module. In this manner the dust collection box 42 can be easily pulled out from the filter cleaning module and emptied. To further facilitate emptying of the dust collection box, an indicator can be provided to indicate, for example, by a visual indication (not shown) that it is time to empty the dust collection box 42. The dust collection box 42 can be designed with a hollow mid-section for easy pulling with a finger. Also, the bottom surface of the dust collection box can have a sloping surface to collect the dust better.
In
First, in a step 401, the cleaning procedure is started. This can for example be initiated by turning the power for an air purifier on. This will in turn start the cleaning procedure of the air filter of the air purifier. Next, in a step 403, a timer is initiated. The timer can be configured to count the run time of the air-purifier or some other relevant parameter such as the time air is drawn through the air-filter. Then, in a step 405, when some predetermined condition is met the cleaning of the air-filter starts. The condition can for example be that the air-purifier has run for some pre-set time such as 12 h. Other conditions could also be used such as when some amount of air has been cleaned by the air-filter or when an air-fan has been on for some period of time. Next, in a step 407, a fan of the air-purifier can be activated. The fan can be run at a low speed. For example, the lowest speed setting of the fan of the air-purifier can be used. In another embodiment the fan speed is set to a speed below a pre-determined maximum speed. The fan is activated to improve dust collection and sterilization to be performed by blowing air on the air-filter during the mechanical cleaning and possibly also during the sterilization with UV light. Then, in a step 409, mechanical cleaning of the air-filter is activated. For example, a brush or some other cleaning member will be activated to remove dust from the surface of the filter. For example, in the air-purifier described above, the brush or lamella will be placed in a position such that when the filter is rotated passed to brush or lamella, the air-filter surface will contact the brush or lamella and dust will be scraped off from the air-filter surface and can be collected. The mechanical cleaning can be activated for a first period of time. For example, the mechanical cleaning can be activated for about 15-60 seconds or around 30 seconds.
Hereby, there is time to scrape off dust from the entire air-filter surface, and at the same time the cleaning is performed at a relatively short time without risking to damage the air-filter.
Then, in a step 411, Ultra Violet (UV) light sterilization is performed for a second period of time by activating at least one UV lamp. The UV light can be lit for a longer time than the mechanical cleaning is performed. Thus, the second period of time can be longer than the first period of time. The second period of time can be about 30-120 seconds or around 60 seconds. Then, in a step 413, the cleaning is stopped and the air purifier can return to a normal mode of operation. The cleaning process can take about 60-180 seconds to perform. This will ensure a cleaned filter and the interruption of air purification will be very short. The dust removed from the mechanical filter cleaning is preferably removed from an air-purifier or any similar device in which the air-filter cleaning procedure is employed. Thus, in a step 415, after a third period of time the dust is to be removed. This can be signaled to a user via some light signaling audio signaling or a message being send to a mobile device or in some other suitable manner. The condition for when dust is to be removed can for example be a third period of time or a dust level sensor being placed in a dust collector that indicates when the dust collector needs to be emptied. In an embodiment where a timer is used to determine when to remove the dust, the time can be set to about two-weeks of operation of the device in which the air-filter is provided. Then, in a step 417, the dust is removed from the device. For example, in the device described above, a user can open the back door of the air-purifier and take out the dust collection box. The dust collection box can be emptied and placed back in the air-purifier. A timer for emptying the dust collection box can be reset.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2018/062760 | 5/16/2018 | WO | 00 |