Patent Application
20120174792
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a portable air treatment apparatus, and more particularly to a portable air treatment apparatus including an anion generator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Taiwan Patent Publication Number 251687 discloses a conventional air-conditioner that lacks additional functionality. As a result, a user of the conventional air-conditioner may be unable to perform other air treatment functions that may provide benefits to a user's health or comfort.
An object of the present invention is to provide a portable air treatment apparatus with an anion generator.
Accordingly, a portable air treatment apparatus of the present invention includes a housing formed with an air intake, a cool air vent, a warm air vent, and a compartment. The compartment is separated into a temperature modification chamber and a containment chamber for containing ionized water. The portable air treatment apparatus further includes a temperature modification device for heating and cooling. The temperature modification device is disposed in the temperature modification chamber, and includes a cool air duct in fluid communication with the cool air vent, and a warm air duct in fluid communication with the warm air vent. The portable air treatment apparatus also includes an anion generator that includes a fogger disposed in the containment chamber. The fogger has a motor, an agitator driven by the motor for agitating the water to generate anion-containing vapor, and an impeller driven by the motor. The anion generator further includes a venting pipe in fluid communication with the cool air duct and the warm air duct. The impeller drives the anion-containing vapor out through one of the cool air vent and the warm air vent.
An advantage of this invention includes the inclusion of an anion generating function in the portable air treatment apparatus to improve user comfort.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Referring to
The case 10 includes a housing 110, a first partition wall 101 and a second partition wall 102. The housing 110 has a front side formed with an air intake 911, a cool air vent 912 and a warm air vent 913. The first partition wall 101 and the second partition wall 102 partition the inner space confined by the housing 110 into a temperature modification chamber 111, a containment chamber 112, and a pipe chamber 113. The containment chamber 112 is adapted for receiving ionized water 3 containing anions.
The heating and cooling apparatus 9 is disposed in the temperature modification chamber 111, and includes a thermoelectric chip 92, a cool air output component 93 and a warm air output component 94. The thermoelectric chip 92 is a thin-foil type thermoelectric component that includes a cooling interface 921 and a heating interface 922. The thermoelectric chip 92 is mounted fixedly in the housing 110.
The cool air output component 93 is mounted in the housing 110 adjacent to a first side of the thermoelectric chip 92, and has a cool air duct 931. The cool air duct 931 is disposed to abut against the cooling interface 921 of the thermoelectric chip 92, and includes a first end connected to the cool air vent 912 of the housing 110, a second end, and a first fan 932 that is mounted at the second end of the cool air duct 931. The first fan 932 has an intake end in fluid communication with the air intake 911 of the housing 110 for guiding air to flow through the cool air duct 931 to generate cool air that is output from the housing 110 via the cool air vent 912.
The warm air output component 94 is mounted in the housing 110 adjacent to a second side of the thermoelectric chip 92 opposite the first side, and has a warm air duct 941. The warm air duct 941 is disposed to abut against the heating interface 922 of the thermoelectric chip 92, and includes a first end connected to the warm air vent 913 of the housing 110, a second end, and a second fan 942 that is mounted at the second end of the warm air duct 941. The second fan 942 has an intake end in fluid communication with the air intake 911 of the housing 110 for guiding air to flow through the warm air duct 941 to generate warm air that is output from the housing 110 via the warm air vent 913.
The heating and cooling apparatus 9 further includes an insulating material 923 that surrounds the thermoelectric chip 92. The heating interface 922 is provided with a first heat conducting material formed as a heat-collecting plate (not shown) to abut against the warm air duct 941. The cooling interface 921 is provided with a second heat conducting material 925 to abut against the cool air duct 931. Accordingly, the heat conducting effect for heating and cooling may be enhanced.
Referring to
Referring to
As shown in
Preferably, the impeller 123 is disposed above the motor 121, and the agitator 122 includes a shaft with a spirally extending flange and is disposed below the motor 121. The case 10 includes a cover 16 disposed above the containment chamber 112, and a plurality of fasteners 161 for fixing the impeller 123 to the bottom side of the cover 16. The motor 121, the agitator 122, and the impeller 123 are fixed together to allow the ionized water 3 to be added to the containment chamber 112 when the cover 16 is removed. The housing 110 includes a water discharge hole 160 formed in a lateral side proximate to the containment chamber 112. Excess ionized water 3 is discharged when the liquid level reaches the water discharge hole 160 to prevent the motor 121 and the control module 120 from being damaged and to prevent ionized water 3 from flowing through the pipe hole 130 into the venting pipe 13.
Referring to
Preferably, the venting pipe 13 includes a first duct 131 connected to and in fluid communication with the cool air duct 931 and a second duct 132 connected to and in fluid communication with the warm air duct 941. The anion generator 1 further includes a first electromagnetic valve 41 coupled to and controlled by the control module 120 to control fluid flow through the first duct 131, and a second electromagnetic valve 42 coupled to and controlled by the control module 120 to control fluid flow through the second duct 132.
Referring to
Referring to
At the same time, the anion-containing vapor may be heated or cooled. For the cooling function, the first electromagnetic valve 41 is activated to permit fluid flow through the first duct 131, and the second electromagnetic valve 42 is deactivated to block fluid flow through the second duct 132. For the heating function, the second electromagnetic valve 42 is activated to permit fluid flow through the second duct 132, and the first electromagnetic valve 41 is deactivated to block fluid flow through the first duct 131. In this way, the anion generating effect can be provided with both heating and cooling.
Preferably, the portable air treatment apparatus 100 further includes a battery seat (not shown) mounted in the case 10. The battery seat includes a battery lid that may be lifted to permit insertion of a battery in the battery seat. The battery provides power for the anion generator 1, the thermoelectric chip 92, the first fan 932 and the second fan 942. The case 10 may also be mounted with or connected externally to a solar cell (not shown) for providing power. The case 10 may also include a power cord (not shown) for connecting the heating and cooling apparatus 9 to an external power source in a vehicle or a building for providing power for the anion generator 1, the thermoelectric chip 92, the first fan 932 and the second fan 942.
In summary, by adding the anion generator 1 to the portable air treatment apparatus 100, a function of anion generation is provided to make the portable air treatment apparatus 100 more comfortable for users.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
