Patent ID: 7614396

Claim:
A self-cleaning kitchen exhaust system, comprising: a first filter in a path for an air flow, the first filter having a first mesh size to capture contaminants; a first spray outlet for providing a first fine spray into the air flow and directed to a front surface of the first filter to enable the first fine spray to be drawn along the path onto the front surface of the first filter; a second spray outlet for providing a second coarse spray into said air flow oath and directed to a rear surface of said first filter for providing a second cleaning spray onto the rear surface of said first filter; and a second filter in the path for the air flow downstream from the first filter, the second filter having a second filter mesh size for capturing contaminants; wherein the first spray has droplets sized to combine with droplets of a contaminant to form combined droplets in the air flow before the first filter to assist the combined droplets being captured by the first filter; and a plate mounted below the first filter for collection of the first spray such that the self-cleaning kitchen exhaust system is operative when cooking is taking place below the plate.