Abstract:
A mobile photocatalytic air cleaner is constructed to includes a metal casing mountable in one expansion slot of a PC (personal computer), ultraviolet lamps mounted in the casing, a photocatalyst-coated air filter structure provided around the ultraviolet lamps inside the casing, and fans adapted to draw outside air into the inside of the PC through the photocatalyst-coated air filter structure and the ultraviolet lamps.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to an air cleaner and, more particularly, to a mobile photocatalytic air cleaner, which is mountable in an expansion slot of a PC for drawing air through the PC and sterilizing the air.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Conventional air cleaners are independent apparatus using a draft regulating device and an air filter device to purify the air. There are known some air cleaners employing photocatalytic technology to clean the air. These conventional independent air cleaners are commonly complicated and expensive. There are also known mobile air cleaners designed for use in personal computers. These mobile air cleaners can be installed in the expansion slots of personal computers. However, because these mobile air cleaners simply use active carbon and wire gauge filters to remove solid matters from the air, they cannot sterilize the air.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a mobile photocatalytic air cleaner, which is mountable in an expansion slot of a personal computer to clean the air passing through the personal computer. It is another object of the present invention to provide a mobile photocatalytic air cleaner, which effectively sterilizes the air when removing solid matters from the air. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a mobile photocatalytic air cleaner, which is inexpensive to manufacture. To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the mobile photocatalytic air cleaner comprises a metal casing mountable in one expansion slot of a PC (personal computer), ultraviolet lamps mounted in the casing, a photocatalyst-coated air filter structure provided around the ultraviolet lamps inside the casing, and fans adapted to draw outside air into the inside of the PC through the photocatalyst-coated air filter structure and the ultraviolet lamps. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a part of a mobile photocatalytic air cleaner according to the present invention.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an open frame and an air filter material for use in the mobile photocatalytic air cleaner according to the present invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a sectional view in an enlarged scale of the air filter material shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 is another exploded view of a part of the mobile photocatalytic air cleaner according to the present invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 5 is an assembly view of FIG. 4.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a top cover for the mobile photocatalytic air cleaner according to the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 7 is an elevational view showing the outer appearance of the mobile photocatalytic air cleaner according to the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 8 is an elevational view of an alternate form of the mobile photocatalytic air cleaner according to the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 9 is an applied view of the present invention, showing the mobile photocatalytic air cleaner installed in the mainframe of a personal computer. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0015]    Referring to FIG. 7, a mobile photocatalytic air cleaner  10  in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of a metal casing  11  and a top cover  12 , and adaptable to mount in an expansion slot of the mainframe of a personal computer.  
         [0016]    Referring to FIGS.  1 ˜ 5  and FIG. 7 again, the metal casing  11  has a metal partition plate  13  transversely located on the middle. The metal partition plate  13  divides the holding space of the casing  11  into two parts, namely, the front inside space and the rear inside space. The metal partition plate  13  has two air vents  14  in communication between the front inside space and rear inside space of the holding space of the casing  11 . Two fans  20  are mounted in the rear inside space of the holding space of the casing  11  and respectively aimed at the air vents  14 . A metal lamp rack  15  is mounted inside the front inside space of the holding space of the casing  11  adjacent to the metal partition plate  13  to hold a pair of ultraviolet lamps  30 . An air filter material  50  is carried on the periphery of a metal open frame  40 , and mounted with the metal open frame  40  inside the front inside space of the holding space of the casing  11  around the lamp rack  15  and the ultraviolet lamps  30  (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The metal open frame  40  prohibits direct contact between the ultraviolet lamps  30  and the air filter material  50 . The air filter material  50  comprises two glass fiber layers  53 , a layer of plastic netting  52  sandwiched in between the glass fiber layers  53 , and an active carbon layer  51  covered on the outer surface of one glass fiber layer  53  (see FIG. 3). When the air filter material  50  mounted on the periphery of the metal open frame  40 , the active carbon layer  51  is exposed to the outside and kept away from the metal open frame  40 . Further, the air filter material  50  is peripherally coated with a layer of photocatalyst, for example, titanium dioxide.  
         [0017]    Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the top cover  12  is covered on the casing  11  to keep the internal structure of the photocatalytic air cleaner from sight. The top cover  12  is a slotted cover plate that admits air. Further, the top cover  12  has an air filter material  50 ′ vertically disposed on the inside. The structure of the air filter material  50 ′ is same as the air filter material  50  (see also FIGS. 3 and 4). When the top cover  12  covered on the casing  11 , the air filter material  50 ′ is attached to the front open side of the metal open frame  40 . Therefore, when the mobile photocatalytic air cleaner  10  assembled (see FIG. 7), the air filter materials  50  and  50 ′ surround the ultraviolet lamps  30 .  
         [0018]    Referring to FIG. 9, the mobile photocatalytic air cleaner  10  can be installed in the space for expansion slots  61  in the mainframe  60  of a personal computer. The size of the mobile photocatalytic air cleaner  10  fits two expansion slots. FIG. 8 shows a compact mobile photocatalytic air cleaner  10 ′ constructed according to the present invention. According to this alternate form, the mobile photocatalytic air cleaner  10 ′ fits one expansion slot in the mainframe of a personal computer. During the operation of the personal computer, the fans  20  draw outside fresh air into the inside of the personal computer through the air vents  14 . When air passing through the air vents  14 , the ultraviolet rays from the ultraviolet lamps  30  sterilize the flowing currents of air and, the photocatalytic effect of the photocatalyst in the air filter materials  50  and  50 ′ deodorizes the flowing currents of air (see FIG. 5). Further, the sterilized and deodorized currents of air carry heat away from the personal computer when circulating through the personal computer.  
         [0019]    As indicated above, the mobile photocatalytic air cleaner can be made in two different sizes for use subject to the condition of the room space in which the personal computer is installed.  
         [0020]    A prototype of mobile photocatalytic air cleaner has been constructed with the features of FIGS.  1 ˜ 9 . The photocatalytic air cleaner functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.  
         [0021]    Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.