Patent Publication Number: US-2023144273-A1

Title: Room air purification unit

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of and priority to co-pending U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/238,528, filed Aug. 30, 2021, and entitled “ROOM AIR PURIFICATION UNIT,” which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     In indoor settings like offices, circulated air can include dust, airborne pathogens, and other airborne particles that can have a negative effect on health. Thus, steps can be taken to ensure that the air is clean and safe. Unfortunately, filtration systems installed in indoor settings are often ineffectual because they operate at low efficiencies, if any filtration systems are installed at all. High-efficiency filtration is rarely present in indoor settings and adding high-efficiency filtration to those settings may not be feasible. In addition, filtration systems may only filter air without purifying and clearing that air. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the embodiments and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description, in conjunction with the accompanying figures briefly described as follows: 
         FIGS.  1 A-C  illustrate examples of perspective views of the room air purification unit, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS.  2 A-C  illustrate examples of top views of the room air purification unit, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS.  3 A-B  illustrate examples of bottom views of the room air purification unit, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS.  4 A-C  illustrate examples of first side views of the room air purification unit, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS.  5 A-B  illustrate examples of second side views of the room air purification unit, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  6    illustrates an example of an isolated perspective view of a control module of the room air purification unit, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  7    illustrates an example of an isolated perspective view of an ultraviolet module of the room air purification unit, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  8    illustrates an example of a flow diagram of a process for filtering and purifying air using the room air purification unit, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     The drawings illustrate only example embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the scope described herein, as other equally effective embodiments are within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The elements and features shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Additionally, certain dimensions may be exaggerated to help visually convey certain principles. In the drawings, similar reference numerals between figures designate like or corresponding, but not necessarily the same, elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following paragraphs, the embodiments are described in further detail by way of example with reference to the attached drawings. In the description, well known components, methods, and/or processing techniques are omitted or briefly described so as not to obscure the embodiments. As used herein, the “present disclosure” refers to any one of the embodiments described herein and any equivalents. Furthermore, reference to various feature(s) of the “present embodiment” is not to suggest that all embodiments must include the referenced feature(s). 
     Disclosed herein is a room air purification unit that can efficiently filter and purify air in a room or other setting. The room air purification unit can filter air at a higher efficiency than filtration solutions in typical settings. For example, the room air purification unit can use a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to continually clean the air. As another example, the room air purification unit can a use lower-efficiency filter in addition to HEPA filter to filter larger particles from air before the air enters the HEPA filter, thereby increasing a usable life of the HPEA filter. The room air purification unit can substantially increase the quantity of air changes in a setting relative to typical settings. The room air purification unit can even surpass the standards set by The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) for number of HEPA-filtered air changes per hour. 
     In addition, the room air purification can further treat the filtered air using, for example, ultraviolet radiation and bipolar ionization. Conventional systems, though, are often unable to incorporate filtration, ultraviolet radiation, and bipolar ionization in a single unit. This is due in part to the risks posed by ultraviolet radiation. For example, if a conventional filtration unit incorporated ultraviolet radiation, components in the conventional filtration unit could be damaged by the ultraviolet radiation. Examples of the disclosure can separate the ultraviolet radiation from other components of the room air purification unit to prevent these components from becoming damaged. Additionally, people who are near a conventional filtration unit could be harmed by ultraviolet radiation that escaped the unit at the point through which air flows from the unit. In contrast, the room air purification unit can separate the ultraviolet radiation from the point at which air flows out of the room air purification unit to prevent harm to any persons located proximate to this point. Thus, the room air purification unit can mitigate the risks posed by ultraviolet radiation while still allowing air to flow through the room air purification unit and be filtered and purified. The room air purification unit can likewise be constructed in a way that optimizes the filtration and treatment using ultraviolet radiation and bipolar ionization, which can allow substantially all of the air that flows through the room air purification unit to be exposed to the ultraviolet radiation and bipolar ionization after that air has been filtered. 
     The room air purification unit can be a standalone unit that does not need to be connected to a building&#39;s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) ductwork. Likewise, the room air purification unit can be self-contained in a package that can be easily incorporated into existing indoor settings. The room air purification unit can also be mobile, which can allow the room air purification unit to be located and re-located to rooms or areas where air purification is desired. This allows the flexibility to select settings in which to use the room air purification unit based on each setting&#39;s respective air quality requirements, as well as to move the room air purification unit to different settings if those air quality requirements change. The room air purification unit can provide access to internal components on multiple sides for maintenance and service. In some examples, maintenance can be performed on the room air purification unit without using tools. 
       FIGS.  1 A-C  illustrate examples of perspective views of the room air purification unit  100 .  FIG.  1 A  shows an outside of the room air purification unit  100 , while  FIGS.  1 B and  1 C  show internal components of the room air purification unit  100 . The room air purification unit can include an outer housing  103 , a top cover  106 , a filtration apparatus  109 , a lower chamber  112 , a separator deck  114 , a purification chamber  115 , and an upper chamber  118 . 
     The outer housing  103  can enclose internal components of the room air purification unit  100 . In some examples, the outer housing  103  can be made from galvanized steel that can resist corrosion and damage. And in some examples, the outer housing  103  can be coated with a powder coat finish that can withstand corrosive cleaning agents. 
     The outer housing  103  can include an intake grille  121  and access panels  124 . The intake grille  121  can be a grating, screen, register, or other group of openings through which air can enter the room air purification unit  100 . The access panels  124  can be removed to provide access to internal components of the room air purification unit  100  for maintenance. Casters  127  can be attached to a bottom surface of the outer housing  103  to provide greater mobility of the room air purification unit  100 . In some examples, the casters  127  can be lockable to allow the room air purification unit  100  to remain stationary and prevent accidental or unauthorized movement of the room air purification unit  100 . 
     The top cover  106  can be a cover placed over an upper portion of the room air purification unit  100  on top of the outer housing  103 . In some examples, the top cover  106  can be made from galvanized steel that can resist corrosion and damage. And in some examples, the top cover  106  can be coated with a powder coat finish that can withstand corrosive cleaning agents. In some examples, the top cover  106  can be removable to provide access to internal components of the room air purification unit  100  for maintenance. 
     The top cover  106  can include a discharge grille  130 . The discharge grille  130  can be a grating, screen, register, or other group of openings through which air can exit the room air purification unit  100 . Air can exit the room air purification unit  100  through the discharge grille  130  at an upward angle relative to an angle at which air enters the room air purification unit  100 . That way, air that has been purified by the room air purification unit  100  does not immediately re-enter the room air purification unit  100  through the intake grille  121 . 
     In some examples, the top cover  106  can be sloped relative to the outer housing  103  to deter storage of items on top of the room air purification unit  100 . Items stored on top of the room air purification unit  100  could otherwise block the discharge grille  130 . This can prevent the flow of air out of the room air purification unit  100  from being inhibited. 
     The filtration apparatus  109  can include one or more filters, combination of filters, or other filtration means by which air that enters the room air purification unit  100  can be filtered. The filtration apparatus  109  can include, for example, a pre-filter  133  and a filter  136 . The pre-filter  133  and the filter  136  can be any devices designed to remove airborne particulate matter from air or other gasses that flow through them. The filtration apparatus  109  can be positioned proximate to the intake grille  121  so that air is filtered before entering the lower chamber  112 . For example, the pre-filter  133  can be positioned between the intake grille  121  and the filter  136 , and the filter  136  can be positioned between the pre-filter  133  and the lower chamber  112 . The pre-filter  133  can be secured by brackets attached to a bottom surface of the outer housing  103  and to the separator deck  114 . The filter  136  can be secured within a frame that is attached to a bottom surface of the outer housing  103  and to the separator deck  114 . The pre-filter  133  can rest against an outer surface of this frame. The pre-filter  133  and the filter  136  can be accessed for removal and replacement by removing one of the access panels  124 . 
     In some examples, the pre-filter  133  can be a lower-efficiency filter while the filter  136  can be a higher-efficiency filter. The pre-filter  133  can collect larger airborne particles so that only smaller airborne particles pass into the filter  136 . This can reduce damage to the filter  136  caused by larger particles and allow the filter  136  to be changed less frequently. The pre-filter  133  can be, for example, a low- or medium-efficiency filter, an electrostatic filter, a washable filter, a fiberglass filter, a pleated filter, or any other suitable air filter. A pre-filter  133  can be chosen based on a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating sufficient to filter particles large enough to damage the filter  136 . The filter  136  can be, for example, a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, an electrostatic filter, a washable filter, a fiberglass filter, a pleated filter, or any other suitable air filter. A filter  136  can be chosen based on a MERV rating needed in the setting in which the room air purification unit  100  will be used. The pre-filter  133  and the filter  136  can also be shaped specially to fit within the room air purification unit  100 . 
     The lower chamber  112  can be a chamber into which air flows after being filtered through the filtration apparatus  109  and before flowing into the purification chamber  115 . The lower chamber  112  can be located in a lower portion of the room air purification unit  100  below the purification chamber  115  and the upper chamber  118 . An upper boundary of the lower chamber  112  can be defined by a separator deck  114 , and a lower boundary of the lower chamber  112  can be defined by a bottom surface of the outer housing  103 . Lateral boundaries of the lower chamber  112  can be defined by the filtration apparatus  109  and lateral surfaces of the outer housing  103 , including the access panels  124 . The lower chamber  112  can include a blower  139 , a bipolar ionization unit  142 , a control module  145 , a power switch  158 , and an air flow controller  151 . 
     The blower  139  can create pressure that pulls air through the filtration apparatus  109  and into the lower chamber  112 . The blower  139  can be located in the lower chamber  112  proximate to the filtration apparatus  109  and the bipolar ionization unit  142 . A motor can cause an impeller within the blower  139  to spin and pull air into one or more inlets on the sides of the blower  139 . The impeller can then expel the air from an outlet at a top of the blower and into the purification chamber  115 . The blower  139  can be accessed for maintenance by removing one of the access panels  124 . 
     While in  FIGS.  1 B,  1 C,  2 C,  3 B,  4 B,  4 C, and  5 B  the blower  139  is a centrifugal blower, the blower  139  can be any system designed to push and pull air. For example, the blower  139  can be a centrifugal blower, a high-speed blower, an axial fan, a backwards inclined fan, a plug fan, or any other suitable type of blower. The blower used can depend on the components used in the filtration apparatus  109 . For example, if the filter  136  used in the filtration apparatus  109  is a HEPA filter, a blower  139  can be used that is designed to intake air at a velocity suitable for moving that air through the filter  136 . 
     The bipolar ionization unit  142  can treat the air that has been filtered through the filtration apparatus  109 . The bipolar ionization unit  142  can be any device designed to produce ions that can cluster around airborne pathogens and cause other airborne particles to clump together. As an example, the bipolar ionization unit  142  can do so by creating and emitting positive and negative oxygen ions without also creating ozone. In some examples, a bipolar ionization unit  142  can be used that requires little-to-no servicing or maintenance. 
     The bipolar ionization unit  142  can be located in the lower chamber  112  and secured to the blower  139  or other surface in the lower chamber  112 . The bipolar ionization unit  142  can be secured using, for example, a mounting bracket. The bipolar ionization unit  142  can be located proximate to the blower  139  so that ions produced by the bipolar ionization unit  142  are immediately taken into the blower  139  at a high velocity. This can minimize collisions between ions and ensure a high concentration of ions in the air, as well as preventing ions from being caught in the filtration apparatus  109 . In some examples, however, the bipolar ionization unit  142  may be omitted, or another component for treating the air may be used in its place. 
     The control module  145  can include various components used to control operation of the room air purification unit  100 . The control module  145  can be secured to an inner surface of the outer housing  103  within the lower chamber  112 . In some examples, however, the control module  145  may be located outside of the lower chamber  112  and secured to an outer surface of the outer housing  103 . 
     The power switch  148  can be any electrical device designed to activate and deactivate the room air purification unit  100 . The air flow controller  151  can be any device used to control a speed of airflow in and out of the room air purification unit  100  once the room air purification unit  100  has been activated using the power switch  148 . The air flow controller  151  can control a speed at which the motor of the blower  139  operates. In some examples, the air flow controller  151  can allow for selection of one or more set speeds. In other examples, the air flow controller  151  can allow for selection of a variable speed. The air flow controller  151  can in some examples be controlled by a computing device such that the computing device can control the airflow speed of the room air purification unit  100 . The air flow controller  151  can in some examples be automated to set an airflow speed of the room air purification unit  100  based on conditions like a size of the setting in which the room air purification unit  100  is located. 
     The power switch  148  and the air flow controller  151  can each be secured within the lower chamber  112  to an inner surface of the outer housing  103 . The power switch  148  and the air flow controller  151  can be secured proximate to an aperture in the outer housing  103  to provide access to the power switch  148  and the air flow controller  151  from outside of the room air purification unit  100 . In some examples, the power switch  148  and the air flow controller can be connected to the control module  145 . 
     The separator deck  114  can separate the lower chamber  112  from the purification chamber  115  and the upper chamber  118 . The blower  139  can expel air from the lower chamber  112  and into the purification chamber  115  through an aperture in the separator deck  114 . The separator deck  114  can be secured to lateral surfaces of the outer housing  103 . 
     The purification chamber  115  can be a chamber in which air that has been filtered can be purified. The purification chamber  115  can include a purification chamber housing  154 , baffles  157 , an ultraviolet lamp  160 , and an ultraviolet module  163 . The purification chamber  115  can be located in an upper portion of the room air purification unit  100  above the lower chamber  112 . Boundaries of the purification chamber  115  can be defined by the separator deck  114  the purification chamber housing  154 , and one or more of the baffles  166 . 
     The purification chamber housing  154  can enclose the ultraviolet lamp  160  and contain air within a space sufficient to allow substantially all of the air to be treated by the ultraviolet lamp  160 . The purification chamber housing  154  can be positioned over the aperture in the separator deck  114  so that air expelled from the blower is contained within the purification chamber  115  and treated by the ultraviolet lamp  160  before the air leaves the purification chamber  115 . This design also prevents items dropped into the room air purification unit  100  through the discharge grille  130  from falling into the blower  139  and causing damage. In some examples, the purification chamber housing  154  can be made from, for instance, galvanized steel. 
     The baffles  157  can be any panels or other devices that can obstruct and direct the flow of the air. The baffles  157  can be connected to or located proximate to the purification chamber housing  154  and angled in a way that directs air out of the purification chamber  115  while containing the air withing the purification chamber  115  for sufficient time to allow the air to be treated by the ultraviolet lamp  160 . In some examples, the baffles  157  can be made from, for instance, galvanized steel. 
     In some examples, inner surfaces of the purification chamber housing  154  and the baffles  157  can be reflective. This reflectivity can increase the intensity of ultraviolet radiation within the purification chamber  115 . The increased intensity of the ultraviolet radiation can allow the air to be sufficiently treated by the ultraviolet lamp  160  during the time that the air is within the purification chamber  115 . The purification chamber housing  154  and the baffles  157  can be made from a reflective material, or a reflective material can be applied to the inner surfaces of the purification chamber housing  154  and the baffles  157 . 
     The purification chamber housing  154 , the baffles  157 , and the separator deck  114  can together prevent ultraviolet radiation from escaping the purification chamber  115 . This can prevent the ultraviolet radiation from harming any persons present in the setting in which the room air purification unit  100  is located. This can also prevent the ultraviolet radiation from harming other components of the room air purification unit  100  like, for example, the pre-filter  133 , the filter  136 , or bipolar ionization unit  142 . The purification chamber housing  154  can prevent ultraviolet radiation from escaping the purification chamber  115  into a setting in which the room air purification unit  100  is located. The baffles  157  can be angled to allow air to flow out of the purification chamber  115  while also preventing ultraviolet radiation from escaping the purification chamber  115  into the setting. The separator deck  114  can prevent ultraviolet radiation from escaping into the lower chamber  112 . 
     The ultraviolet lamp  160  can treat the air that has been filtered through the filtration apparatus  109  and expelled by the blower  139  into the purification chamber  115 . The ultraviolet lamp  160  can be any device designed to emit ultraviolet radiation capable of inactivating airborne pathogens. For example, the ultraviolet lamp  160  can be a UV-C lamp. The ultraviolet lamp  160  can be secured to an inner surface of the purification chamber housing  154  or to the separator deck  114 . The ultraviolet lamp  160  can be accessed for removal and replacement by removing either of the access panels  124 . In some examples, however, the ultraviolet lamp  160  may be omitted, or another purification component may be used in its place. 
     The ultraviolet module  163  can facilitate operation of the ultraviolet lamp  160 . For example, the ultraviolet module  163  can include one or more components that allow the ultraviolet lamp  160  to function. The ultraviolet module  163  can be secured to an outer surface of the purification chamber housing  154  proximate to the ultraviolet lamp  160 . 
     The upper chamber  118  can be a chamber into which air flows from the purification chamber  115  after being purified. The upper chamber  118  can be located in an upper portion of the room air purification unit  100  above the lower chamber  112 . An upper boundary of the upper chamber  118  can be defined by the top cover  106 , and a lower boundary of the upper chamber  118  can be defined by the separator deck  114  and the purification chamber housing  154 . Lateral boundaries of the upper chamber  118  can be defined by lateral surface of the outer housing  103 , including the access panels  124 . Air can pass through the upper chamber  118  and be expelled from the upper chamber  118  through the discharge grille  130 . 
     As discussed above, the access panels  124  can be removed to provide access to internal components of the room air purification unit  100  for maintenance. For example, either of the access panels  124  can be removed to provide access to the pre-filter  133  and filter  136  so that the pre-filter  133  or the filter  136  can be removed and replaced. As another example, either of the access panels  124  can be removed to provide access to components of the lower chamber  112  like the blower  139 , bipolar ionization unit  142 , control module  145 , power switch  148 , or air flow controller  151 . The blower  139 , bipolar ionization unit  142 , control module  145 , power switch  148 , or air flow controller  151  can then be individually removed for maintenance or replaced altogether. As an additional example, the access panels  124  can be removed to provide access to components of the ultraviolet chamber like the ultraviolet lamp  160  and the ultraviolet module  163  for maintenance or replacement. 
       FIGS.  2 A- 2 C  illustrate examples of top views of the room air purification unit  100 .  FIG.  2 A  illustrates an outside of the room air purification unit  100  from a top view.  FIG.  2 A  shows the top cover  106  and the discharge grille  130 .  FIGS.  2 B and  2 C  illustrate internal components of the room air purification unit  100  from top views.  FIG.  2 B  shows the internal components with the purification chamber housing  154  present, and  FIG.  2 C  shows the internal components with at least a portion of the purification chamber housing  154  removed.  FIG.  2 B  shows the separator deck  114 , the purification chamber  115 , the upper chamber  118 , the purification chamber housing  154 , the ultraviolet module  163 , and a baffle  157 .  FIG.  2 C  shows the lower chamber  112 , the separator deck  114 , the purification chamber  115 , the upper chamber  118 , the blower  139 , baffles  157 , the ultraviolet lamp  160 , and the ultraviolet module  163 . 
       FIGS.  3 A-B  illustrate examples of bottom views of the room air purification unit  100 .  FIG.  3 A  illustrates an outside of the room air purification unit  100  from a bottom view.  FIG.  3 A  shows the outer housing  103  and casters  127 .  FIG.  3 B  illustrates internal components of the room air purification unit  100  from a bottom view.  FIG.  3 B  shows the filtration apparatus  109 , the lower chamber  112 , the pre-filter  133 , the filter  136 , the blower  139 , the control module  145 , the power switch  148 , and the air flow controller  151 . 
       FIGS.  4 A-C  illustrate examples of first side views of the room air purification unit  100 .  FIG.  4 A  illustrates an outside of the room air purification unit  100  from a first side view,  FIG.  4 A  shows the outer housing  103 , the top cover  106 , an access panel  124 , and casters  127 .  FIGS.  4 B and  4 C  illustrate internal components of the room air purification unit  100  from first side views.  FIG.  4 B  shows the internal component with the purification chamber housing  154  present, and  FIG.  4 C  shows the internal components with at least a portion of the purification chamber housing  154  removed.  FIG.  4 B  shows the filtration apparatus  109 , the lower chamber  112 , the separator deck  114 , the purification chamber  115 , the upper chamber  118 , the pre-filter  133 , the filter  136 , the blower  139 , the control module  145 , the power switch  148 , the air flow controller  151 , and the purification chamber housing  154 .  FIG.  4 C  shows the filtration apparatus  109 , the lower chamber  112 , the separator deck  114 , the purification chamber  115 , the upper chamber  118 , the pre-filter  133 , the filter  136 , the blower  139 , the control module  145 , the power switch  148 , the air flow controller  151 , baffles  157 , the ultraviolet lamp  160 , and the ultraviolet module  163 . 
       FIGS.  5 A-B  illustrate examples of second side views of the room air purification unit  100 .  FIG.  5 A  illustrates an outside of the room air purification unit  100  from a second side view.  FIG.  5 A  shows the outer housing  103 , an access panel  124 , casters  127 , and the top cover  106 .  FIG.  5 B  illustrates internal components of the room air purification unit  100  from a second side view.  FIG.  5 B  shows the filtration apparatus  109 , the lower chamber  112 , the purification chamber  115 , the separator deck  114 , the upper chamber  118 , the pre-filter  133 , the filter  136 , the blower  139 , the bipolar ionization unit  142 , the control module  145 , the power switch  148 , the air flow controller  151 , the ultraviolet lamp  160 , and the ultraviolet module  163 . 
       FIG.  6    illustrates an example of an isolated perspective view of a control module  145  of the room air purification unit  100 . In the example of  FIG.  6   , the power switch  158  and the air flow controller  151  are connected to the control module  145 . In some examples, however, the power switch  158  and the air flow controller may be separate from the control module  145 . 
     In the example of  FIG.  6   , the control module  145  includes a control unit  603 , a transformer  606 , a terminal block  609 , and a fan relay  612 , but the control module  145  can include different components in other examples. The control unit  603 , transformer  606 , terminal block  609 , and fan relay  612  can be secured to an inside surface of the control module  145 . The control unit  603  can be any microcontroller, circuit board, or other electronic device configured control operation of the various functions of the room air purification unit  100 . The transformer  606  can be any electrical device designed to supply voltage used to operate the motor of the blower  139 . The terminal block  609  can be any device designed to secure wires or any other connections used to operate the motor of the blower  139 . The fan relay  612  can be any electrical device designed to relay power used to operate the motor of the blower  139 . 
       FIG.  7    illustrates an example of an isolated perspective view of an ultraviolet module  163  of the room air purification unit  100 . The ultraviolet module  163  can include an ultraviolet ballast  703 . The ultraviolet ballast  703  can be any electronic, magnetic, or electro-mechanical device designed to provide voltage sufficient to initiate the emission of ultraviolet radiation from the ultraviolet lamp  160  and to sustain the emission of the ultraviolet radiation during operation of the ultraviolet lamp  160 . 
       FIG.  8    illustrates an example of a flow diagram of a process for purifying air using the room air purification unit. For purposes of illustration, a perspective view of the room air purification unit  100  is shown, with an access panel  124  and casters  127  not shown and the purification chamber housing  154  and ultraviolet module  163  shown as transparent. 
     At step  803 , air can enter the room air purification unit  100  through the intake grille  121 . The room air purification unit  100  can be activated using the power switch  148  and the speed of the air intake can be controlled using the air flow controller  151 . When the room air purification unit  100  is activated, air can be pulled into the room air purification unit  100  by the blower  139 . The air can enter from a room or other setting in which the room air purification unit  100  is located. 
     At step  806 , the air can pass through the filtration apparatus  109 . The air can first pass through the pre-filter  133 , which can filter out larger airborne particles. The air can then pass through the filter  136 , which can filter out smaller airborne particles. The air can be pulled through the pre-filter  133  and the filter  136  by the blower  139 . 
     At step  809 , the air can enter the lower chamber  112  after passing through the filtration apparatus  109 . The air that enters the lower chamber  112  can be pulled into the blower  139  through an inlet on a side of the blower  139 . The bipolar ionization unit  142  can produce ions that can be pulled into the blower  139  with the air and thereby mix with the air. These ions can cluster around airborne pathogens and cause other airborne particles to clump together. And because the air has already been filtered and because the ions are pulled quickly into the blower  139 , these ions do not become caught in the filtration apparatus  109 , ensuring an optimal concentration of ions in the air. 
     At step  812 , the air can enter the purification chamber  115  through an aperture in the separator deck  114  after being expelled from the blower  139 . While in the purification chamber  115 , the air can be exposed to ultraviolet radiation produced by the ultraviolet lamp  160 , which is powered using the ultraviolet module  163 . The ultraviolet radiation can inactivate airborne pathogens in the air. The intensity of the ultraviolet radiation can also be increased by reflectivity of inner surfaces of the purification chamber housing  154  and the baffles  157 . Because the purification chamber  115  is enclosed by the separator deck  114 , the purification chamber housing  154 , and the baffles  157 , this ultraviolet radiation does not escape the purification chamber, preventing harm to other components of the room air purification unit and to any persons present outside of the room air purification unit. The air can then flow around the baffles  157  and out of the purification chamber  115 . 
     At step  815 , the air can enter the upper chamber  118 . By this step, the air has been treated using ions produced by the bipolar ionization unit  142  and ultraviolet radiation produced by the ultraviolet lamp. Thus, the presence of airborne pathogens and other airborne particles in the air can be significantly reduced or eliminated compared to step  803  when the air entered the room air purification unit  100 . The air can then flow out of the upper chamber  118  through the discharge grille  130 , out of the room air purification unit  100 , and into the room or other setting in which the room air purification unit  100  is located.