PORTABLE DEVICE FOR REMOVING GASEOUS POLLUTANTS FROM THE SURROUNDING AIR

Abstract

A portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air includes: a portable enclosure having a boundary that encloses an interior region with an opening that provides for access to the interior region, a fan situated in the interior region, a screening element that has a defined porosity and is configured to adjustably and temporarily enclose a confined space and also cover the opening, a plurality of activated carbon granules of a specified size that are situated in the confined space, wherein the screening element porosity is selected so as to generally prevent the activated carbon granules from passing through the screening element, and wherein the screening element's adjustability enables temporary access to the confined space in order to remove and replenish the activated carbon granules.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to gas separation and air filtration. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a portable, screening device for removing odors, noxious vapors and volatile organic compounds (i.e., gaseous pollutants) that pass through it.

2. Description of the Related Art

Replaceable air filters for cleaning the air that passes through them are well known in the art. Examples include: U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,526 to Mead (bracket structure mounted on fan for receiving a filter in sliding fashion); U.S. Pat. No. 7,393,272 to Sundet (adhesive-attached hooks mounted on the sides of the fan, with elastic straps extending through the hooks to hold a filter to the face of the fan); U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,838 to Volo et al. (stick-on right-angled brackets mounted on the fan with adjustable clearance to snugly hold filters against the faces of a fan); U.S. Pat. No. 8,137,426 to Whittemore (filter frame removably mounted against the face of a box fan with straps or cords to receive a filter), and U.S. Pat. No. 8,979,965 to Minaeeghainipour (magnetically mounting filter to fan).

Other examples include those that use the known ability of activated carbon granules to clean odors, noxious vapors and volatile organic compounds (i.e., gaseous pollutants) from the air that passes over these granules. When this technology is incorporated into the typical design for replaceable air filters (i.e., a flat, fibrous mat of a specified thickness), it usually involves spraying a liquid form of activated carbon onto these filters. The disadvantages of this spraying are the increasing of such sprayed air filters' resistance to air flow through them, and a reduction in the duration of their useful lives before they need to be replaced. Additionally, the effectiveness of such sprayed, air filters in cleaning odors, noxious vapors and volatile organic compounds (i.e., gaseous pollutants) from the air that passes through them is reported greatly reduced compared to that of passing air through beds of activated carbon granules that have the same thickness as such a sprayed air filter.

U.S. Pat. No. 11,703,074 to Coomes (the present inventor) discloses an air cleaning device or screen assembly that uses replaceable, activated carbon granules to remove gaseous pollutants from air that passes through the device. An accessible, confined space between a set of screens is used to hold the carbon granules in place. A key advantage of this invention is that it is reusable by periodically replacing its carbon granules.

Despite these previous attempts at cleaning gaseous pollutants from air using the known cleaning attributes of activated carbon, there continues to exist the need for a device that can clean gaseous pollutants from air in a convenient, safe, economical and aesthetically acceptable manner. The present invention seeks to provide such a device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top, perspective view of the screening element of the present invention when its two frames have been separated to show the confined space that exists between them when top frame is placed over the bottom frame.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the top frame taken along the sight line A-A shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the bottom frame taken along the sight line B-B shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the inside portion of a part of the perimeter edge of the top frame of the screening element of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view from beneath the bottom frame and at the location where a hole has been made in the bottom frame to allow the free end of an attachment device to protrude through and have a locking device attached to it.

FIG. 6 is a top, perspective view of the screening element of the present invention when its two frames have been separated and bamboo has been used to make the bottom frame and the course screen that is used in both frames.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the screening element of the present invention in use with a “Gladbreath Box”.

FIG. 8A is a front, perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 8B is a front, perspective view of the present invention after its screening element has been removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Recognizing the need for a device that can clean odors, noxious vapors, and volatile organic compounds (i.e., gaseous pollutants) from air in a convenient, safe, economical and aesthetically acceptable manner, the present invention seeks to provide such a device.

Various aspects, advantages, features and embodiments of the present invention are included in the following description of exemplary examples thereof, which description should be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. All patents, patent applications, articles, other publications, and things referenced herein are hereby incorporated herein by this reference in their entirety for all purposes. To the extent of any inconsistency or conflict in the definition or use of terms between any of the incorporated publications, documents or things and the present application, those of the present application shall prevail.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

In its simplest terms, the present invention is a portable device 1 for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air. It includes: a portable enclosure 100 having a boundary 101 that encloses an interior region 102 with an opening 103 that provides for access to the interior region, a fan 110 situated in the interior region, a screening element 4 that has a defined porosity and is configured to adjustably and temporarily enclose a confined space 60 and also cover the opening, a plurality of activated carbon granules 90 of a specified size that are situated in the confined space, wherein the screening element porosity is selected so as to generally prevent the activated carbon granules from passing through the screening element 4, and wherein the screening element's adjustability enables temporary access to the confined space in order to remove and replenish the activated carbon granules 90.

FIG. 1 is a top, perspective view of the screening element 4 of the present invention in the form of two frames that have been separated to show the confined space that exists between them. This screening element 4 is seen to include: (a) a top frame 10 having a top perimeter edge 12 that encloses a top surface area 14, (b) a plurality of top screens 20, which for the embodiment shown has three top screens 20A, 20B, 20C, each with a top bounding edge 22 and configured to cover the surface area of the top frame, (c) a bottom frame 30 having a bottom perimeter edge 32 that encloses a bottom surface area 34, (d) a plurality of bottom screens, which for the embodiment shown has three bottom screens 40A, 40B, 40C, each with a bottom bounding edge 42 and configured to cover the surface area of the bottom frame, (e) an attachment device 50 configured to temporarily hold the frames together so that the top frame lies above the bottom frame to create a confined space 60 between the screens, (f) a locking device 70 configured to temporarily lock the frames together, (g) one or more braces 80 that attach between distal points on the bottom frame's perimeter edge 32 and are configured to provide rigidity to the bottom frame, and (h) activated carbon granules (preferably made from coconut shells) 90 that are distributed on the plurality of bottom screens, and wherein this plurality of screens is configured to have a combination of sizes that prevent the activated carbon granules from passing through these screens.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the top frame taken along the sight line A-A shown in FIG. 1. In this preferred embodiment, the perimeter edge 12 of the top frame is seen to be made of angled members that are joined at their ends. The top bounding edges 22A, 22B, 22C of the three overlapping top screens 20A, 20B, 20C are seen to extend to the frame's perimeter edge where they are attached to it with a and an attaching anchor (e.g., a rivet). For this preferred embodiment, the shape defined by the top frame's perimeter edge is that of a square; however, it could just as easily have been that of any other rectangle.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the top frame taken along the sight line B-B shown in FIG. 1. In this preferred embodiment, the perimeter edge 32 of the bottom frame is seen to be made of angled members that are joined at their ends. The bottom bounding edges 42A, 42B, 42C of the three overlapping bottom screens 40A, 40B, 40C are seen to extend to the frame's perimeter edge where they are attached to it with a strip of framing material 36 and an attaching anchor (e.g., a rivet). To create the bottom frame's confined space 60 and provide this frame with rigidity, a brace 80 in the form a channel beam is extended between opposite points on its perimeter edge 32.

Also shown in FIG. 3 are granules 90 of the activated carbon granules that are spread on the bottom screens 40. From experimentation it was found that a commercially available, 4×8 mesh size of activated carbon granules, when stacked to a layer height in the range of 0.25-0.75 inches, were highly effective in cleaning gaseous pollutants from the air that passed through such a layer of granules. For completeness, it can be noted that such a 4×8 mesh size container of activated carbon granules is noted by its manufacturer as characterized by having various shapes or sizes such that approximately 90% (87%-93%) by weight of these granules will pass through a #4 sieve and approximately 90% (87%-93%) by weight will be captured by a #8 sieve.

For the purposes of the screening element 4 of the present invention, we specify the sizes of the activated carbon granules 90 that are suitable for use with it as being characterized by having a size such that approximately 90% by weight of these granules pass through a sieve in the range of a #3-#5 sieve, and approximately 90% by weight are captured by a sieve in the range of a #7-#9 sieve.

Having settled on the use of the above sized activated carbon granules 90, we experimented with various combinations of screening materials to identify a combination what would be effective in preventing these granules from passing through the top and bottom screens of the screening element 4 of the present invention. The following combination of three screens for both the top and bottom frames was found to be highly effective: (a) a fine screen 20A, 40A that has a plurality of openings, and with each of these openings having a surface area that is in the range of 0.0035-0.0160 inches² (e.g., as might be made by a screen having 1/16 inch by 1/16 inch square opening and made from PVC coated, nylon wire), (b) a hardware cloth, metal (e.g., galvanized steel) screen 20B, 40B that is made from 19 gauge wire and has square shaped openings with the length of the sides of these squares being in the range of ¼ inch to ¾ inch, and (c) a coarse screen (e.g., made from expanded metal [galvanized steel]) 20C, 40C that is made from 18 gauge wire and has diamond shaped openings, and with each of these having four corners where the length dimension between the closest of these corners is in the range of 0.75-1.5 inches.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the inside portion of a part of the perimeter edge 12 of the top frame of the screening element 4 of the present invention. It shows an attachment device 50 that can be used to hold the frames in alignment when the top frame is stacked on the bottom frame to create a confined space 60 between them that is filled with replaceable, activated carbon granules 90. There are many ways to form such an attachment device (e.g., guide surfaces on the edges of the frames, use of a hinge between the frames), but the one shown in FIG. 4 consists of a screw 52 that has been passed through a point on the perimeter edge of the top frame so that the bottom part or free end 54 of this screw extends beneath this edge. At a corresponding point of the perimeter edge of the bottom frame 30, a hole is made that allows the free end of this screw to pass through this hole and thus through the bottom frame when the top frame is aligned and located on top of the bottom frame.

FIG. 5 shows a view from beneath the bottom frame 30 and at the location where this hole has been made in the bottom frame at this corresponding point. It can be seen that a simple nut or wing nut 72 has been attached to the free end 54 of the protruding screw to serve as a locking device 70 to lock the top 10 and bottom 30 frames together.

It is a simple matter to use the screening element 4 of the present invention. When the gaseous pollutant extraction ability of an initial portion of granules, that have been placed in the confined spaced between the top and bottom frames, is no longer effective (i.e., the granules are expired), the wing nut 72 is removed and the top frame is moved away from the bottom frame to allow the initial portion of granules to be removed and replaced by another portion of fresh granules. The top frame 10 is then again placed over the bottom frame 30 and they are again temporarily locked together until the next time the granules need to be replaced.

Many materials of construction (e.g., wood, heavy-duty carboard) can be used to fabricate the frames of the screening element 4 of the present invention. The early prototype frames of the screening element 4 of the present invention were fabricated from aluminum in order to minimize the frames' weight while also providing them with sufficient rigidity.

Later prototypes were fabricated from bamboo for aesthetic and other reasons. These bamboo air cleaning devices all had rectangularly shaped frames. See FIG. 6. The bamboo is used to make the bottom frame and the course screen that is used in both frames and which is made from closely-packed-together, parallel, bamboo rods 20D, 40D that were stretched between the opposite ends of a frame. The irregularity of the diameters of these bamboo rods at various points between their ends is sufficient to provide adequate porosity to a bamboo screen even when the adjoining rods from which they are composed are side-by-side and effectively touching each other. The top frame has slightly smaller dimensions that the bottom frame so that it can fit into a grove that is made in the top surface of the bottom, bamboo frame. This top frame would usually be made from rectangular strips of wood. The same attachment and locking devices are used in this bamboo utilized embodiment. To remove the expired granules, one unlocks the top frame and removes it from the bottom and then empties the expired granules and replaces them with fresh granules.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the screening element 4 of the present invention 1 in use to clean smoke odors from a building that has had a small fire, and where the screening element 4 of the present invention is being used with the present inventor's “Gladbreath Box” 2 invention, see U.S. Pat. No. 11,603,865. The “Gladbreath Box” is seen to safely enable particulate, air filtering by using a pair of box fans 3 with a standard, 6″ thick, MERV 13 (MERV, Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) replaceable air filter that is placed inside the Box's back region. The screening element 4 of the present invention 1 is placed adjacent to the output side of one of the above-mentioned, box fans to force the air which has been cleaned of particles, by the MERV 13 filter, to now be cleaned of gaseous pollutants as the box fan's exhaust is forced to pass over and through the carbon screening element of the present invention.

FIG. 8A is a front, perspective view of the present invention 1. It is a portable device 1 for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air. It includes: (a) a portable enclosure 100 having a boundary 101 that encloses an interior region 102 with an opening 103 that provides for access to the interior region, a fan 110 situated in the interior region, (b) the screening element 4, that has been discussed extensively above, and is configured here to cover the boundary's opening 103, (c) a plurality of activated carbon granules 90 of a specified size that are situated in the screen's confined space, and (d) wherein access to the screening element's confined space 60 has been configured to be adjustable to enable temporary access to the confined space in order to remove and replenish the activated carbon granules 90.

To enhance the cleaning effective of the present invention, air is forced to twice flow through its screening element 4. This screening element is used in front of the air intake and exhaust portions of a two portion (a top or exhaust portion 103A and a bottom or intake portion 103B) opening 103 in the boundary 101 that encloses the interior region 102 of the portable enclosure or box 100.

A squirrel cage fan 110 is attached to the rectangular-shaped, bottom 108 portion of this box. This fan is used to draw air into the box's interior region though the bottom portion 4A of this screening element 4 and then to exhaust the air through the top portion 4B of this screening element. See FIG. 8B. This fan is seen to have an entrance and an exit which allow for air movement through the fan. Appropriate ductwork and baffles are used to divide the enclosure's interior region so that the fan's air movement is guided from the fan's entrance and exit to the opening's separate intake and exhaust portions.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8A-8B, the box has an inverted-V shape, with a back wall 104 and a front surface 105. This front surface has an opening 103 that is essentially filled with this screening element 4 and it is oriented so that it is slanted with respect to this solid back wall 104 in order to provide a space in the bottom of the box for locating the squirrel cage fan. The enclosed angle between the joined top sections of the back wall 104B and front surface 105B will usually be in the range of 10 to 30 degrees. The box also has two triangular shaped sides 106 and a rectangular bottom 108.

The device's fan 110 is attached to the bottom portion of this box. An appropriately sized duct 116 or ductwork (including any necessary baffling) is used to connects the fan's entrance and exit to the respective intake and exhaust portions of the enclosure's opening. This ductwork for the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8A-8B includes a baffle 116B which has an opening 116C into which is fitted the nozzle's exit 116A. This nozzle 116 ensures that the flow from the fan will exit the box 100 by passing through the top portion 4B of the screening element 4. A handle 120 on a top portion of the box adds to its portability.

A key advantage of the screening element of the present invention is that it is designed to be, with the replenishment of its activated carbon granules, reusable (which reduces its overall operating costs because only its granules have to be replaced).

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the present invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described herein. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention that is set forth hereafter in the claims to the invention.

Claims

1. A portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air, said device comprising: a portable enclosure having a boundary that encloses an interior region, and an opening in said boundary that provides for access to said interior region,a fan situated in said interior region,a screening element that has a defined porosity and is configured to adjustably and temporarily enclose a confined space and also cover said opening,a plurality of activated carbon granules of a specified size that are situated in said confined space,wherein said defined porosity of said screening element is selected so as to generally prevent said activated carbon granules from passing through said screening element,wherein said screening element's adjustability enables temporary access to said confined space in order to periodically, and as needed, remove and replenish said activated carbon granules.

2. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 1, wherein: said opening having an intake portion and an exhaust portion,said fan having an entrance and an exit which allow for air movement through said fan, anda duct that connects said fan entrance and exit to said respective intake and exhaust portions of said opening.

3. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 2, wherein: said portable enclosure having a flat, rectangular-shaped, back wall with a top wall end, a flat, rectangular-shaped, front surface with a top front surface end, two triangular-shaped sides and a rectangular-shaped, bottom, andwherein said top wall end and said top front surface end are joined together at an included angle that is in the range of 10 to 30 degrees.

4. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 3, wherein: said opening is located in said front surface.

5. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 1, wherein: said screening element includes: a top frame having a specified shape that includes a top perimeter edge that encloses a top area defined by said top perimeter edge,a plurality of top screens, each of which has a top bounding edge and is configured to spread across said top perimeter edge and cover said top area,a bottom frame having said specified shape that includes a bottom perimeter edge that encloses a bottom area defined by said bottom perimeter edge,a plurality of bottom screens, each of which has a bottom bounding edge and configured to spread across said bottom perimeter edge and cover said bottom area, andan attachment means that is situated between said top and bottom perimeter edges and configured to: (a) temporarily hold said frames together so that said top frame lies above said bottom frame to temporarily create said confined space between said top and bottom screens, and (b) allow said frames to be temporarily moved apart from one another to provide access to said confined space.

6. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 2, wherein: said screening element includes: a top frame having a specified shape that includes a top perimeter edge that encloses a top area defined by said top perimeter edge,a plurality of top screens, each of which has a top bounding edge and is configured to spread across said top perimeter edge and cover said top area,a bottom frame having said specified shape that includes a bottom perimeter edge that encloses a bottom area defined by said bottom perimeter edge,a plurality of bottom screens, each of which has a bottom bounding edge and is configured to spread across said bottom perimeter edge and cover said bottom area, andan attachment device that is situated between said top and bottom perimeter edges and configured to: (a) temporarily hold said frames together so that said top frame lies above said bottom frame to temporarily create said confined space between said top and bottom screens, and (b) allow said frames to be temporarily moved apart from one another to provide access to said confined space.

7. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 5, wherein said screening element further including: a locking device attached between said top and bottom perimeter edges and configured to temporarily lock said top and bottom frames together so that said top and bottom perimeter edges cannot be moved apart.

8. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 6, wherein said screening element further including: a locking device attached between said top and bottom perimeter edges and configured to temporarily lock said top and bottom frames together so that said top and bottom perimeter edges cannot be moved apart.

9. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 5, wherein: said top and bottom frames are configured so that when said top frame lies above said bottom frame said confined space is temporarily created between said top and bottom screens in which the distance between said plurality of top screens and said plurality of bottom screens is in the range of 0.25-0.75 inches.

10. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 6, wherein: said top and bottom frames are configured so that when said top frame lies above said bottom frame said confined space is temporarily created between said top and bottom screens in which the distance between said plurality of top screens and said plurality of bottom screens is in the range of 0.25-0.75 inches.

11. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 1, wherein: said plurality of activated carbon granules are characterized by having a size such that approximately 90% by weight of said granules pass through a sieve in the range of a #3-#5 sieve and approximately 90% by weight are captured by a sieve in the range of a #7-#9 sieve.

12. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 5, wherein: said plurality of both top and bottom screens includes a fine screen that has a plurality of openings, and each of said openings has a surface area that is in the range of 0.0035-0.0160 inches2.

13. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 6, wherein: said plurality of both top and bottom screens includes a fine screen that has a plurality of openings, and each of said openings has a surface area that is in the range of 0.0035-0.0160 inches2.

14. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 7, wherein: said plurality of both top and bottom screens includes a fine screen that has a plurality of openings, and each of said openings has a surface area that is in the range of 0.0035-0.0160 inches2.

15. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 5, wherein: said plurality of both top and bottom screens includes an expanded metal screen that has a plurality of diamond shaped openings, and each of said diamond shaped openings has four corners and where the length dimension between the closest of said four corners is in the range of 0.75-1.5 inches.

16. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 6, wherein: said plurality of both top and bottom screens includes an expanded metal screen that has a plurality of diamond shaped openings, and each of said diamond shaped openings has four corners and where the length dimension between the closest of said four corners is in the range of 0.75-1.5 inches.

17. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 7, wherein: said plurality of both top and bottom screens includes an expanded metal screen that has a plurality of diamond shaped openings, and each of said diamond shaped openings has four corners and where the length dimension between the closest of said four corners is in the range of 0.75-1.5 inches.

18. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 12, wherein: said plurality of both top and bottom screens includes an expanded metal screen that has a plurality of diamond shaped openings, and each of said diamond shaped openings has four corners and where the length dimension between the closest of said four corners is in the range of 0.75-1.5 inches.

19. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 13, wherein: said plurality of both top and bottom screens includes an expanded metal screen that has a plurality of diamond shaped openings, and each of said diamond shaped openings has four corners and where the length dimension between the closest of said four corners is in the range of 0.75-1.5 inches.

20. The portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air as recited in claim 14, wherein: said plurality of both top and bottom screens includes an expanded metal screen that has a plurality of diamond shaped openings, and each of said diamond shaped openings has four corners and where the length dimension between the closest of said four corners is in the range of 0.75-1.5 inches.