Patent Publication Number: US-2015059731-A1

Title: Hood system having built-in rotor

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The following description relates to a hood system with a built-in rotor, which rapidly draws in contaminated gas generated while cooking and removes the gas to the outside. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     A range hood system is generally a device that is installed to prevent contamination of indoor air by timely releasing air pollutants, such as heat and odors caused while cooking various foods, smoke caused by combustion, exhaust gas, waste gas, steam, and the like. Such range hood is being widely used as users&#39; awareness about health is increasing. 
     However, a conventional range hood system includes only a cross-flow fan in a range hood housing that simply absorbs air, such that the system may not rapidly remove air to the outside, failing to eliminate oil containing steam caused while cooking foods, and gases mixed with exhaust gas from combustion materials. 
     Further, a limited installation height of the range hood causes some of contaminated gases to diffuse before being suctioned by a fan, thereby doing harm to the health of users, and creating unpleasant living environment, which makes some users reluctant to use the system while cooking. 
     DISCLOSURE 
     Technical Problem 
     An object of the present disclosure is to provide a hood system with a built-in rotor, in which the rotor installed in the hood system may rapidly absorb contaminated gas generated while cooking and discharge the contaminated gas to the outside. 
     Technical Solution 
     In one general aspect, there is disclosed a hood system with a built-in rotor that prevents indoor air contamination by timely discharging contaminated gas generated by a pollution generating device, the system including: a housing that is disposed at an upper end of a pollution generating device, and that includes an inlet at a lower side through which contaminated gas is drawn in; an exhaust fan that is installed inside the housing, and rotates by a rotational drive device to forcibly discharge contaminated gas; a rotor that rotates with the exhaust fan to prevent the contaminated gas from being spread; and a discharge portion that is installed on an upper surface of the housing, and that discharges the contaminated gas suctioned by the exhaust fan. 
     Effect of the Invention 
     According to the present disclosure, the hood system with a built-in rotor has an extended axis of a rotational drive device, and a rotor is installed in the extended axis, such that the hood system may rapidly absorb contaminated gas generated by a pollution generating device, and may produce a curtain effect to prevent contaminated gas to diffuse to the outside. 
     Further, by forming a plurality of holes in a body portion of the rotor, contaminated gas flowing into the rotor may be forcibly discharged through the holes, enabling a more efficient curtain effect. 
     In addition, as a rotor may be additionally installed to a conventional range hood system, there is no need to change the whole system, and installation costs may be reduced. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a view illustrating an example of a hood system with a built-in rotor according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a view illustrating an exhaust fan extracted from  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a view illustrating a rotor extracted from  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIGS. 5 to 7  are views illustrating another example of a second blade in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 8  is a view illustrating pressure distribution in  FIG. 1  in a case where there is no rotor. 
         FIG. 9  is a view illustrating pressure distribution in  FIG. 1  that is changed by rotation of a rotor. 
         FIG. 10  is a view illustrating an exhaust velocity of contaminated gas discharged by a hood system in  FIG. 8  in a space between an exhaust fan and a pollution generating device. 
         FIG. 11  is a view illustrating an exhaust velocity of contaminated gas discharged by a hood system in  FIG. 9  in a space between an exhaust fan and a device of contamination sources. 
         FIG. 12  is a view illustrating another example of holes in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 13  is a view illustrating another example of a first and a second blades in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. 
       FIG. 1  is a view illustrating an example of a hood system with a built-in rotor according to an exemplary embodiment. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the hood system  100  with a built-in rotor is a device that timely releases contaminated gas generated by a pollution generating device  10  to the outside to prevent contamination of indoor air. 
     The hood system  100  with a built-in rotor includes a housing  110 , an exhaust fan  120 , a rotor  130 , and a discharge portion  140 . 
     The housing  110  is disposed on an upper side of the pollution generating device  10 , and has an inlet  111 , through which contaminated gas generated by the pollution generating device  10  flows in, is formed at a lower side of the housing  110 . 
     The housing  110  may be made of a stainless steel material, which is a special steel with lower carbon and excellent corrosion resistance compared to other metals, and has good mechanical properties with high electrical resistance, low heat conductivity, and the same strength as aluminum, although a thickness of stainless steel is only a third of aluminum. Further, for its hardness, the stainless steel has good processability, and soldering may be performed, thereby enabling a rapid process. 
     Materials of the housing  110  may vary depending on structures and purposes of usage of the hood system  100  with a built-in rotor. 
     The exhaust fan  120  is installed in the housing  110 , and is connected to a rotational drive device  121 . Accordingly, if the rotational drive device  121  rotates, the exhaust fan  120  also rotates with the rotational drive device  121  to forcibly remove contaminated gas. The rotational drive device  121  may be a motor. 
     The rotor  130  is installed on an identical axis of the exhaust fan  120 , and rotates with the exhaust fan  120  by the rotational drive device  121  to absorb contaminated gas, thereby preventing contaminated gas to spread to the inside. The rotor  103  may be installed in an axis extended from the rotational drive device  121 . The rotor  130  may be installed in addition to a conventional range hood system, such that the whole range hood system may not be changed, reducing installation costs. 
     The discharge portion  140  is installed on an upper surface of the housing  110 , and guides contaminated gas to the outside. For example, once contaminated gas generated by the pollution generating device  10  flows in the inlet  111  by the rotor  130 , the exhaust fan  120  discharges the flowing contaminated gas through the discharge portion  140  to the outside. 
     As described above, the hood system  100  with a built-in rotor has an extended axis of the rotational drive device  121 , and the rotor  130  is installed on the extended axis, such that contaminated gas generated by the pollution generating device  100  may be absorbed rapidly. Further, the rotor  130  may be additionally installed to a conventional range hood system, such that the whole system is not needed to be changed, reducing installation costs. 
     The housing  110  may be formed in a cone shape with a narrower top and a wider bottom, so that exhaust efficiency may be improved by using wind blowing in a circular shape when the rotor  130  rotates. If the inlet  111  of the housing  110  is formed in a rectangular shape, wind generated when the rotor  130  rotates collides against square edges of the housing, thereby causing flow hindrance, such as a vortex flow, which hinders movement of contaminated gas by the rotor  130 . 
     Accordingly, by forming the housing  110  in a cone shape with a narrower top and a wider bottom, the flow of the contaminated gas by the rotor  130  may be readily moved, such that exhaust efficiency may be improved. 
       FIG. 2  is a view illustrating an exhaust fan extracted from  FIG. 1 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the exhaust fan  120  may be a sirocco fan. The sirocco fan is a centrifugal fan that allows air to circulate by rotation of multiple forward blades, and may be used in wide applications from the home to industrial environments for purposes of air purification or ventilation, as it causes little noise. 
       FIG. 3  is a view illustrating a rotor extracted from  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 4  is a perspective view of  FIG. 3 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the rotor  130  includes an axial core portion  131 , a first blade  132 , a body portion  133 , a second blade  134 , and holes  135 . 
     The axial core portion  131  is a portion that is extended from the rotational drive device  121 , and is connected to the exhaust fan  130  by the same axis. 
     The first blade  132  is connected to the axial core portion  131  to suction contaminated gas generated by the pollution generating device  10 . For example, once the first blade  132  rotates to push contaminated gas toward the exhaust fan  120 , contaminated gas at the bottom is introduced to an empty space, such that the contaminated gas generated by the pollution generating device  10  is suctioned into the inlet  111  of the housing  110 . 
     The first blade  132  may be of any form, as long as the first blade  132  may function to force contaminated gas at the bottom to the top. The first blade  132  may be a twisted right triangle in a truncated cone shape connected to the axial core portion  131 , or may be of a propeller shape attached to a support that connects the axial core portion  131  and the body portion  133 . Further, the first blade  132  may be of a blade shape attached to an inner side of the body portion  133 . That is, the shape of the first blade  132  may vary depending on structures and purposes of usage of the hood system  100  with a built-in rotor. 
     The body portion  133  may be connected to an upper and lower support of the axial core portion  131 , and is formed to surround the first blade  132 . 
     The second blade  134  may be attached to an outer surface of the body portion  133 . Accordingly, as the body portion  133  rotates, contaminated gas discharged toward an upper portion of the exhaust fan  120  is prevented from diffusing to the outside by centrifugal force. 
     The body portion  133  may be of a cylindrical shape with an upper portion and a lower portion opened. Through the opened upper portion and lower portion, contaminated gas flows in, and a collecting range of contaminated gas may be narrowed or widened by changing the size of the opening. 
     The second blade  134  is formed on an outer surface of the body portion  133 , and generates wind at the bottom by rotation. The generated wind collides with an inclined surface in the housing  110  to be collected in an inner side, thereby forming a flow fence to generate vortex and produce a curtain effect. 
     In a conventional hood system, only the exhaust fan  120  is installed in the housing  110  to simply suction air, thereby preventing contaminated gas generated by the pollution generating device  10  from being spread to the outside. Such vortex and curtain effects keep contaminated gas inside a flow fence, preventing contaminated gas from being spread to the outside. 
     The second blade  134  may be a right-angled triangle in a cone shape, but depending on structures or purposes of usage of the hood system  100  with a built-in rotor, the second blade  134  may be a shape with angles, or may be a rectangle, a circular arc, or the like, as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 to 7 . 
     A plurality of holes  135 , which are spaced apart, may be formed in the body portion  133  of the rotor  130 . As the holes  135  are formed in the body portion  133  of the rotor  130 , contaminated gas flowing into the rotor  130  may be forcibly discharged to the outside, thereby enabling a more efficient curtain effect produced by rotation of the second blade  134 . 
       FIG. 8  is a view illustrating pressure distribution in  FIG. 1  in a case where there is no rotor.  FIG. 9  is a view illustrating pressure distribution in  FIG. 1  that is changed by rotation of a rotor.  FIG. 10  is a view illustrating an exhaust velocity of contaminated gas discharged by a hood system in  FIG. 8  in a space between an exhaust fan and a pollution generating device.  FIG. 11  is a view illustrating an exhaust velocity of contaminated gas discharged by a hood system in  FIG. 9  in a space between an exhaust fan and a pollution generating device. Exhaust efficiency in a case where there is a rotor and in a case where there is no rotation boy will be described with reference to  FIGS. 8 to 11 . 
     First, as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , in a hood system with no rotor, low pressure is formed at the bottom of the exhaust fan  120  by rotation of the exhaust fan  120 , and high pressure is formed in the discharge portion  140 , such that contaminated gas generated by the pollution generating device  10  may be discharged. However, if the hood system is installed far from the pollution generating device  10 , or if there is a large amount of contaminated gas, a weak suction force makes contaminated gas difficult to be discharged. 
     In order to solve the problem, by mounting the rotor  130  in the hood system as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , low pressure is formed at the bottom of the body portion  133  by rotation of the first blade  132  of the rotor  130 , and a little high pressure is formed at the inlet  111 , thereby facilitating exhaust action. Accordingly, rotation of the first blade  132  widens a suction range in a downward direction, forcing contaminated gas to the exhaust fan  120 , thereby producing an effect that contaminated gas may be collected before being spread to the inside the home. 
     Further, a flow generated by rotation of the second blade  134  attached to an outer surface of the body portion  133  forms a curtain flow that collides with the housing  110  and goes downward. The curtain flow helps pollutants at the bottom to go up to the inlet  111 , thereby enabling most contaminants to be discharged through the discharge portion  140 . 
     By forming a lower support in a propeller shape that supports the body portion  133 , contaminated gas at the bottom may be more readily lead to the discharge portion  140 . 
       FIG. 10  is a view illustrating an exhaust velocity of contaminated gas discharged by a hood system in  FIG. 8  in a space between an exhaust fan and a pollution generating device. Upon comparison of  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 , if the exhaust fan  120  is operated in a hood system with no rotor  130 , almost no exhaust velocity for contaminated gas in a lower region is seen. That is, contaminated gas in a lower region may not be collected by only the movement of the exhaust fan  120 . Further, an exhaust velocity in a middle region is also weak, and an exhaust velocity only in an upper region may be measured as a value. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , however, in a hood system with the rotor  130 , vortex, a curtain flow, and a suction flow generated by movement of the rotor  130  maintain an exhaust velocity of contaminated gas at more than a certain level, and an exhaust velocity in a middle region may be twice or more an exhaust velocity of a hood system with no rotor  130 , with an excellent exhaust velocity in an upper region. 
       FIG. 12  is a view illustrating another example of holes in  FIG. 4 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 12 , the holes  235  may be formed in a quadrangle shape, and may be positioned at a lower end of the body portion  133 . The holes  235  are not limited to the illustrated example, and its shapes and positions may vary depending on structures and usage purposes of the hood system  100  with a built-in rotor. 
       FIG. 13  is a view illustrating another example of a first and a second blade in  FIG. 4 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 13 , the first and second blades  232  and  234  of the rotor  130  may be formed in a trapezoidal cone shape. Further, the first blades  232  may be formed inside the body portion  133  to be space apart from each other. The first blades  232  and the second blades  234  are positioned not to face each other, such that contaminated gas may be suctioned more efficiently. 
     A number of examples have been described above. Nevertheless, it should be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order and/or if components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. Further, the above-described examples are for illustrative explanation of the present invention, and thus, the present invention is not limited thereto.