Patent Application
20180258693
This disclosure relates to window blinds, specifically window blinds which filter dust particles from the air.
Standard window blinds regularly get dirty and need to be cleaned. This process can be tedious and time consuming. Dust particles in a room can pose health challenges for individuals with respiratory problems, such as asthma.
Dust particles in a house can acquire a net positive or net negative charge. These particles can be attracted to materials with an opposite net charge through electrostatic forces. The electrostatic forces may be sufficient for a charged material to remove dust particles from the air and hold them until the charged material can be cleaned.
It is desirable to have a window blind with slats that are easily cleaned to remove dust. It is also desirable to have devices in a room which remove dust particles from the room for the health and comfort of the inhabitants of the room. Consequently, a window blind is needed which filters dust particles using only the electrostatic force of materials attached directly to the window blind slats, which can then be removed and cleaned periodically.
We disclose a window blind that may filter dust particles from air by attracting dust particles that have a net charge to a material of opposite charge on the slats of the window blinds. Dust particles in air may be either positively charged or negatively charged. They are attracted to materials that comprise an opposite net charge. The disclosed window blind includes multiple slats. The top side of each of the slats may include either a strip of positively charged material, a strip of negatively charged material, or both a strip of positively charged material and a strip of negatively charged material. In some embodiments, the strips of positively charged material and the strips of negatively charged material are attached to alternating slats. In embodiments which include a strip of positively charged material adjacent to a strip of negatively charged material on the top of each slat, a strip of insulating material may separate the strip of positively charged material from the strip of negatively charged material so as to prevent a circuit from forming.
In order to direct the dust particles towards the slats so that they may be attracted to the charged materials on the slats through electrostatic forces, the disclosed window blind may include an air-moving device, which may be a fan or a vacuum. In some embodiments, the air-moving device is disposed within the headrail of the window blind. In other embodiments, the air-moving device is disposed within or attached to the bottom rail of the window blind. In some embodiments, air-moving device may be actuated by a remote device. In some embodiments, the remote device may be a mobile device.
To facilitate cleaning slats of the disclosed window blind, the positively and negatively charged materials may be easily removed from the slats. Both the positively and negatively charged materials may be machine washable. This may allow a user to periodically remove the positively and/or negatively charged materials from the slats, clean them, and then reattach them to the slats of the window blind.
Window blinds, as used herein, means a blind that covers an opening in a building, including a window or door.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings, which will herein be described in detail, several specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principals of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the illustrated embodiments.
We disclose a window blind that may filter dust particles from air using electrostatic forces, similar to an electrostatic air purifier. Dust particles in air may acquire a net positive charge or a net negative charge. The charged dust particles are attracted to materials that comprise an opposite net charge. The disclosed window blind includes multiple slats, each of which includes a top and a bottom side as well as two longitudinal sides and two transverse sides. The top side of each of the slats may include either a strip of positively charged material, a strip of negatively charged material, or both a strip of positively charged material and a strip of negatively charged material. In some embodiments, the strips of positively charged material and the strips of negatively charged material are attached to alternating slats. For example, odd numbered slats may have positively charged material attached to them and even numbered slats may have negatively charged material attached to them, or visa-versa. In embodiments which include a strip of positively charged material adjacent to a strip of negatively charged material on each slat, a strip of insulating material may separate the strip of positively charged material from the strip of negatively charged material so as to prevent a circuit from forming. In embodiments in which the slats are made of a material which may conduct electricity and where the charged materials are adjacent to each other on each slat, a slat may include a strip of insulating material between the charged material and the slat. The strips of positively charged material may be constructed of one or more of the following materials: nylon, wool, silk, hair, fur, and microfiber. Other positively charged material known in the art may be included in the strips of positively charged material on the slats. The negatively charged material may be constructed from one or more of the following materials: polyester, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride, polyvinylidene chloride, and Teflon. Other negatively charged material known in the art may be included in the strips of negatively charged material on the slats. In embodiments that include a strip of insulating material between the positively charged material and the negatively charged material, the insulating material may include one or more of the following materials: porcelain, plastic, rubber, and immobilized sand. Other material known in the art to insulate electrostatic charge may be included in the insulating material.
Standard house dust includes both positively charged particles and negatively charged particles. Each particle is attracted to a material of the opposite charge. However, the net positive or negative charge of each dust particle may be small. Therefore, it may be helpful to direct the dust particles to pass more closely to the slats so that they may be attracted to the charged materials on the slats by electrostatic forces. Accordingly, the disclosed window blind may include an air-moving device. In some embodiments, the air-moving device may be a fan or a vacuum. In some embodiments, the air-moving device is disposed within the headrail of the window blind. In other embodiments, the air-moving device is disposed within or attached to the bottom rail of the window blind. Whether the air-moving device is in the headrail or bottom rail of the window blind, the air-moving device moves air past the slats so that the slats may extract dust particles from the air. In some embodiments, air-moving device may be actuated by a remote device. In some embodiments, the remote device may be a mobile device. This may allow the user to select when and how often the air-moving device is turned on.
The positively and negatively charged materials may be removably attached to each of the plurality of slats by one or more of the following methods: hook and loop fasteners, snaps, clamps, clips, hook and eye fasteners, nuts and bolts, and adhesive. In any embodiment, both the positively and negatively charged materials may be machine washable. This may allow a user to periodically remove the positively and/or negatively charged materials from the plurality of slats, clean them, then reattach them to the slats of the window blind.
Referring now to the drawings,
Like
While specific embodiments have been illustrated and described above, it is to be understood that the disclosure provided is not limited to the precise configuration, steps, and components disclosed. Various modifications, changes, and variations apparent to those of skill in the art may be made in the arrangement, operation, and details of the methods and systems disclosed, with the aid of the present disclosure.
Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can use the preceding description to utilize the present disclosure to its fullest extent. The examples and embodiments disclosed herein are to be construed as merely illustrative and exemplary and not a limitation of the scope of the present disclosure in any way. It will be apparent to those having skill in the art that changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the disclosure herein.
