Patent ID: 12188680

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Following are more detailed descriptions of various related concepts related to, and embodiments of, methods and apparatus according to the present disclosure. It should be appreciated that various aspects of the subject matter introduced above and discussed in greater detail below may be implemented in any of numerous ways, as the subject matter is not limited to any particular manner of implementation. Examples of specific implementations and applications are provided primarily for illustrative purposes.

Referring to the Figures,FIGS.1-9illustrate a system10for filtering contaminants from ambient air that has a housing assembly100including at least one air inlet portion or vent101and at least one air exit or outlet portion109and power cable104connectable to a power source. In this example embodiment, housing assembly100is substantially cuboid and has the at least one air inlet portion101disposed on an upper front portion of the housing assembly107and the at least one air exit portion109disposed on an upper back portion of the housing assembly103. Further included is an intake fan assembly (or pump or blower)120that is operationally coupled to the air inlet portion101designed to draw ambient air from outside the housing assembly100and propel the air through the tube assembly130leading to the bottom portion149of the removable aqueous solution tank member140holding substantially water or another aqueous solution148. The at least one tube assembly130is L-shaped and the entire assembly130can be elevated or raised substantially vertically from the aqueous solution tank member140. The removable aqueous solution tank member140is removable slidably and horizontally from a lower door member192of the housing assembly100.

FIGS.8and9illustrate more specifically the internal workings of the filtering system10which further includes tube assembly130having a plurality of hole members135disposed substantially on an upper surface139of a submerged portion138of the at least one tube assembly130. Hole members135are designed to release ambient air bubbles22from the at least one tube assembly130into the aqueous solution148after which the bubbles22travel upward through an aqueous solution148in the aqueous solution tank member140to a condensing chamber assembly150. At least one cooling condenser coil assembly154is disposed in a first duct portion151designed to cool the air released from the bubbles22, removing humidity and contaminants from the air. The humidity and contaminants are then gravitationally drawn toward the aqueous solution tank member140with the air traveling to a second duct portion152.

Referring more specifically toFIGS.8-9there is further illustrated at least one heating coil assembly156that is at least partially heated by heat generated from the cooling mechanism155. In this example embodiment heating coil assembly156is disposed in a second duct portion152designed to heat air traveling through the second duct portion152. A dry filtration system160is operationally coupled to the second duct portion152and overlays the at least one air exit portion109such that the partially filtered/cleansed air passes through at least one removable filter screen assembly162before passing through the air exit portion or vent109.

In this example embodiment, at least one electric motor assembly170and control assembly172is operationally coupled to the intake fan assembly120, the cooling condenser coil assembly154, and the heating coil assembly156.

FIGS.1-9further illustrate one embodiment of the system for filtering contaminants from air wherein the control assembly172is substantially an LED touch panel interface185displaying at least a timer181, fan control member183, water quality monitor184, carbon filter screen monitor182, and power button actuator180. In one embodiment, the control assembly172is disposed on a top surface of the housing assembly108.

FIGS.1-9further illustrate one embodiment of the system for filtering contaminants from air wherein a door192at a base portion of the housing assembly190provides access to remove the removable aqueous solution tank member140.

FIGS.1-9further illustrate one embodiment of the system for filtering contaminants from air wherein an outwardly slidable air filter tray195is designed to hold the at least one removable carbon filter screen assembly162.

FIGS.1-9further illustrate one embodiment of the system for filtering contaminants wherein the intake fan assembly120has three selectable fan speeds.

FIGS.1-9further illustrate one embodiment of the system for filtering contaminants wherein the water tank member140is removable.

FIGS.1-9further illustrate one embodiment of the system for filtering contaminants wherein at least one water sensor member is designed to detect water contaminants.

FIGS.1-9further illustrate one embodiment of the system for filtering contaminants wherein the at least one tube assembly130is L-shaped and may be raised substantially vertically from the aqueous solution tank member140.

Referring now more specifically toFIGS.1,5and7there is included in this example embodiment at least one water quality monitor184is designed to detect water contaminants from aqueous solution148. The plurality of hole members135is disposed substantially on the upper surface139of the submerged portion138of the L-shaped tube assembly130, the hole members135designed to release air bubbles22from the tube assembly130such that the bubbles22travel upward through the aqueous solution148to the condensing chamber assembly150. In other related embodiments, plurality of hole members135are located at other parts of the submerged portion138of the tube assembly. The dry filtration system160is operationally coupled to the second duct portion152and overlays the at least one air exit portion109wherein the partially filtered air must pass through the at least one removable carbon filter screen assembly162within at least one substantially porous sleeve member to pass through the air exit portion109. The control unit system is disposed on the top portion of the housing assembly108, the control unit system having at least one or more from the group of: the power control actuator180, the timer181, the carbon filter screen monitor182, the fan control member183, and the water quality monitor184. At least one electric motor assembly170and control assembly172is operationally coupled to the intake fan assembly120, the cooling condenser coil assembly154, and the heating coil assembly156.

FIGS.1-9further illustrate an embodiment of the system for filtering contaminants wherein the control unit system172has at least one or more from the group of: the power control actuator180, the timer181, the carbon filter screen monitor182, the fan control member183, and the water quality sensor member184, all lit by an LED light of the LED touch panel interface185.

FIGS.1-9further illustrate one embodiment of the system for filtering contaminants wherein the air inlet portion101and the air exit portion109are protected from the outside by parallelly-oriented screening bars123.

In related embodiments, cooling/heating mechanisms implemented are not limited to the above description and can include other viable systems as condenser coils are not the only way to achieve the desired result. For example, thermoelectric heating/cooling is a known viable alternative, and potentially superior for the moderate temperature range used in this machine.

In another related example embodiment, a solid phase adsorbent material is added to or into the water. Such a material is made economically and improves the filtering capacity of the aqueous solution. In another related embodiment, additional avenues of airflow into and out of the heating assembly can be added to the system thereby allowing the user to vary the temperature of the purified air to meet cooling/heating requirements. In other words, heat can be redirected out of the room through a separate exit or additional heating elements can be used to heat the air. In yet another related embodiment, air filtering device is made portable by including a rechargeable power source (or batter) and/or the inclusion of a solar panel or cell to provide energy to the device or to charge the battery. In yet another example embodiment, the air filtering device includes a radio frequency transceiver for two-way communication and control of the filtering device. Further, the air filtering device includes a microcontroller configured to control the operations of the various components including but not limited to a power control actuator, a timer, a carbon filter screen monitor, a fan control member, and the water quality sensor member are lit by an LED of an LED touch panel interface. In yet another example embodiment, the air filtering device includes a microphone and a speaker for near field communications, control and remote or near configuration of filtering operations of the filtering device.

Referring now toFIGS.10A-10Cthere is illustrated a method200for filtering contaminants from air, the method200including the step201of activating a power control actuator180disposed on a housing assembly100, the actuator180activating at least one electric motor assembly170, the electric motor assembly170operating the at least one intake fan assembly120, the at least one cooling condenser coil assembly154, and the at least one heating coil assembly156. The method200further includes the step205of checking and setting the control members disposed on a control unit system150having at least one or more from the group of: the power control actuator180, the timer181, the filter screen monitor182, the fan control member183, and the water quality sensor member184. The method further includes the step210of permitting air to enter the at least one air inlet portion101of the housing assembly100further comprising the at least one air inlet portion101and the at least one air exit portion109.

The method200further includes the step215using the intake fan assembly120operationally coupled to the air inlet portion101for drawing air from outside the housing assembly100and propelling the air through the at least one tube assembly130leading to the bottom portion149of the aqueous solution tank member140holding the aqueous solution148. The method further includes the step220of releasing bubbles from the plurality of hole members135designed to release bubbles from the at least one tube assembly130wherein the bubbles22travel upward through the aqueous solution148to the condensing chamber assembly150, the plurality of hole members135disposed substantially on the upper surface of the submerged portion139of the at least one tube assembly130.

FIGS.10A-10C, there is illustrated a method further includes the step225of removing humidity and contaminants from the air, the humidity and contaminants gravitationally drawn toward the aqueous solution tank member140, the air traveling to the second duct portion152of the at least one cooling condenser coil assembly154disposed in the first duct portion151designed to cool the air released from the bubbles. The method further includes the step230of at least partially heating the at least one heating coil assembly156, the heating coil assembly156at least partially heated by heat generated from the cooling mechanism150, the heating coil assembly156disposed in the second duct portion152designed to heat air traveling through the second duct portion152. The method further includes the step235of passing the ambient air through dry filtration system160operationally coupled to the second duct portion152and overlaying the at least one air exit portion109such that the air passes through the at least one removable carbon filter screen assembly162to pass through the air exit portion109.

FIGS.10A-10Cillustrate that the method for filtering contaminants which may further include the step240of activating the control assembly172, lighting the LED touch panel interface185displaying at least the timer181, the fan control member183, the water quality monitor184, the carbon filter screen monitor182, and the power button actuator180.FIGS.10A-10Cillustrate that the method for filtering contaminants which may further include the step245of checking the at least one water quality monitor184designed to detect contaminants within the aqueous solution148.

FIGS.10A-10Cillustrate that the method for filtering contaminants which may further include the step250opening, when recommended by the water quality monitor184, the door192at the base portion of the housing assembly102providing access to remove the removable aqueous solution tank member140and replacing the aqueous solution148therein.FIGS.10A-10Cillustrate that the method for filtering contaminants may which further include the step255of raising the at least one tube assembly130substantially vertically from the aqueous solution tank member140.FIGS.10A-10Cillustrate that the method for filtering contaminants which may further include the step260of outwardly sliding and replacing the slidable air filter tray195designed to hold the at least one removable filter screen assembly162.FIGS.10A-10Cillustrate that the method for filtering contaminants which may further include the step265of setting the intake fan assembly120on the at least one of at least three selectable fan speeds.

The following patents are incorporated by reference in their entireties: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,616,733, 9,108,146 and 10,456,736.

While the inventive concept has been described above in terms of specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the inventive concept is not limited to these disclosed embodiments. Upon reading the teachings of this disclosure, many modifications and other embodiments of the inventive concept will come to mind of those skilled in the art to which this inventive concept pertains, and which are intended to be and are covered by both this disclosure and the appended claims. It is indeed intended that the scope of the inventive concept should be determined by proper interpretation and construction of the appended claims and their legal equivalents, as understood by those of skill in the art relying upon the disclosure in this specification and the attached drawings.