Device for the targeted removal of droplets and / or particles, in particular in the interior of a motor vehicle, motor vehicle and method for operating such a device

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) for removing droplets and / or particles in a targeted manner, comprising at least one outflow opening (28) and at least one fan (32) capable of conveying air through the outflow opening (28), whereby the device (10) can provide an air curtain (40) formed by the air conveyed by the fan (32) in front of the oral and nasal region (22) of a person (16) and oriented in a targeted manner for removing droplets and / or particles, wherein the device (10) has at least one concentrator (42) with at least one collecting opening (44) opposite the outflow opening (28), by means of which at least a part of the air curtain (40) extending in a plane defined by a vehicle transverse direction of the motor vehicle and a vehicle vertical direction of the motor vehicle and thus at least a part of the droplets and / or particles removed by the air curtain (40) and directed in a targeted manner to the collecting opening (44) can be collected in a targeted manner.

Description

Background Art

[0001] WO 03 / 086125A1 discloses a device for generating an air curtain over the entire face of a person. Here, the device is a headgear that can be mounted on a person's head. DE 92 09 893 U1 discloses a system for controlling the introduction or removal of breathing air. In addition, DE 600 35 042 T2 discloses a mask.

[0002] JP 2020-99 580A provides a device that is placed in a vehicle having a plurality of seats oriented in the front-to-back direction and the left-to-right direction to suppress infection between a plurality of passengers. The device includes an air barrier forming unit, which includes an air inlet for sucking air from the back side, an air purification mechanism for purifying the air sucked from the air inlet to obtain clean air, and an exhaust port, the clean air is blown from the exhaust port to the front side, and the air barrier forming unit is capable of blowing clean air from the exhaust port in a layered state perpendicular to the left-to-right direction. The air barrier forming units are respectively arranged at the side ends of the corresponding backrests of these seats, and are arranged so that they are opposite in the front-to-back direction. The air inlet of the air barrier forming unit can suck air including clean air on the front side, which is blown out from the exhaust port of the air barrier forming unit on the front side. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a device for the targeted removal of droplets and / or particles, in particular in the interior of a motor vehicle, a motor vehicle and a method, which allow the droplets or particles to be removed in a particularly advantageous manner.

[0004] This object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1, a motor vehicle having the features of claim 9 and a method having the features of claim 10. Advantageous embodiments with suitable inventive developments are described in the dependent claims.

[0005] The first aspect of the present invention relates to a device for purposefully discharging droplets and / or microparticles. In particular, droplets or microparticles may refer to droplets or microparticles having a diameter greater than 5 microns. In addition, microparticles or droplets may refer to microparticles or droplets having a diameter less than 5 microns and therefore, for example, used in aerosols. As already known, aerosols are heterogeneous mixtures containing solid suspended particles and / or liquid suspended particles and gases, wherein suspended particles are particularly dispersedly accommodated or arranged. Therefore, droplets or microparticles are, for example, liquid or solid suspended particles. The device has at least one flow outlet and at least one preferably electrically driven blower. With the aid of a blower, air can be conveyed through the flow outlet, thereby providing, with the aid of the device, an air curtain formed in front of the mouth and nose area of ​​a person by the air conveyed by the blower and particularly conveyed through the flow outlet, and directed, for particularly discharging droplets from the mouth and nose area and / or from the area arranged in front of the mouth and nose area of ​​a person. In other words, when conveying air, an air curtain formed by the air conveyed by the blower can be provided in a targeted manner by the device and thus conveyed through the outflow opening by means of the blower of the device so that the air curtain is directed / targetedly aimed or directed toward the oral-nasal region and / or oriented relative to the oral-nasal region so that the air curtain flows in front of the oral-nasal region and thus in front of the mouth and nose, in particular in such a way that the air forming the air curtain touches the oral-nasal region or, on the contrary, is spaced apart from the oral-nasal region. Thus, the air curtain can remove droplets and / or particles from the oral-nasal region and / or the aforementioned region arranged in front of the oral-nasal region, so that, for example, the air curtain can prevent droplets and / or particles from approaching, reaching or entering the oral-nasal region and thus reaching and entering the oral-nasal region.

[0006] In order to be able to advantageously drain droplets or particles from the mouth and nose area and / or the area arranged in front of it and thereby, for example, particularly effectively and efficiently keep them away from or prevent them from approaching the mouth and nose of a person, the present invention provides that the device has at least one concentrator with at least one collecting port opposite to the outflow port, by means of which at least a portion of the air curtain extending in a plane defined by the vehicle transverse direction of the motor vehicle and the vehicle vertical direction of the motor vehicle can be specifically intercepted and at least a portion of the droplets and / or particles drained by the air curtain and directed / targeted to the collecting port can be specifically intercepted. This means in particular that at least part of the air curtain and thus at least part of the droplets or particles can flow through the collecting port and thus flow into the concentrator via the collecting port. Thus, the particles or droplets are not left in the interior uncontrolled and therefore cannot be transferred back to the person or other persons, but the droplets or particles can be specifically drained and thus, for example, away from one person and other persons. Thus, the risk of infection can be kept very low. The present invention is based in particular on the following recognition: many diseases can be transmitted by breathing in the form of droplet transmission, such as the newly emerging new coronavirus. Pathogens carried by droplets may not only exist in droplets with a diameter greater than 5 microns, but also in aerosol droplets whose droplet diameter is generally less than 5 microns. According to the latest cognition, droplets with a diameter greater than 5 microns and aerosol droplets with a diameter less than 5 microns have approximately the same infectivity as each other. Below, droplets and microparticles are also collectively referred to as particles, wherein large particles refer in particular to droplets or microparticles with a diameter greater than 5 microns, and small particles refer in particular to droplets or microparticles with a diameter less than 5 microns. Large particles fall vertically relatively quickly due to their own weight and therefore settle downward relatively quickly, while small particles remain in the air for a long time. Small particles have a significantly smaller mass than large particles and can move with the air flow present in a space, such as in the interior of a motor vehicle, in a space. In particular, in the interior of a motor vehicle, the air flow flows at a significantly higher air speed than in a closed room in a building, so that the particles may be quickly distributed throughout the interior.

[0007] Motor vehicles usually have at least one blower also called a wind nozzle, whereby the inner room is supplied with air to ventilate the inner room. In this case, the blower is flowed by air (it forms an air flow also called a free air jet). The free air jet has a high speed or flow rate in the blower area, which may cause, for example, particles ejected with the breathing air of a person and the significant acceleration of pathogens. The current filter system of motor vehicles, especially motor vehicle air conditioning equipment, can filter particles in the air sucked or delivered, especially fresh air or circulating air, wherein the filter system usually only has the following separation rate, that is, fine particles or the aforementioned small particles cannot or only insufficiently be filtered out from the air, that is, can be separated from the air. No matter how much the separation rate for small particles or fine particles can be obtained, it is disadvantageous that the particles ejected with the breathing air only leave the inner room by exhaust air after staying in the inner room for a long time, or are sucked out of the inner room with the circulating air and sent to the filter. Against this background, the invention now allows particles to be guided to a collecting opening by a forced air flow at the point where they occur or are released, i.e. in the nose and mouth region of a person, for example a passenger, who is present in the interior of a motor vehicle, and to be discharged through the collecting opening. The aforementioned forced air flow is here an air curtain or air forming an air curtain and thus in particular flowing from the outflow opening to the collecting opening, which removes particles from the nose and mouth region and / or from the region arranged in front thereof, guides them to the receiving opening and in particular guides them through the collecting opening and thus conveys them into a collecting element, also referred to as a collecting element.

[0008] The outflow port is, for example, arranged in the outflow surface or also referred to as the outflow surface, and the device can provide air transported by a fan on or through the outflow surface. The collecting port is, for example, also referred to as the concentrating port and is placed at or in the concentrating surface, through which the concentrating member (collecting member) can intercept and especially receive at least part of the air curtain and thus at least part of the particles. The concentrating surface or the collecting port can, for example, be part of the vehicle interior frame, that is, for example, formed in the vehicle interior frame. The vehicle interior frame refers in particular to an interior trim, whereby at least partly, especially directly defines or frames the interior of a motor vehicle preferably designed as a car, especially a sedan. The forced airflow causes the particles to be transported to the concentrating surface or the collecting port and sent away there and, for example, separated. The trapped particles will not be transmitted back to the person, nor to other people who may be left in the interior, so that the risk of infection, especially during the driving of the motor vehicle, can be kept in a very low range.

[0009] Preferably, the outflow port at least partially, in particular at least mostly or completely overlaps with the collecting port in the flow direction of the air curtain toward the concentrator or the collecting port, so that the particles can be well retained or collected.

[0010] In order to be able to discharge particles particularly effectively and efficiently, it is provided in an advantageous design of the present invention that the concentrating piece is provided with another fan in addition to the fan, wherein the above and below descriptions of the first fan can also be easily transferred to the other fan, and vice versa. If the fan is mentioned below, this refers to the first fan, unless otherwise specified. With the help of another fan, at least part of the air curtain and thus at least part of the droplets and / or particles (particles) discharged with the help of the air curtain and directed to the collecting port in a targeted manner can be sucked into the receiving port. In other words, air can be sucked in and thus transported with the help of another fan. In particular, air can be sucked in from the surroundings of the concentrating piece with the help of another fan and thus transported through the collecting port and then sucked into the concentrating piece (collecting piece), so that at least part of the air curtain and thus at least part of the particles are sucked into the collecting port from the surroundings of the collecting port with the help of another fan and can thus be sucked through the collecting port.

[0011] Another embodiment is characterized in that the concentrator has a filter element for filtering at least a portion of the air curtain collected using the collection port. Hereinafter, this portion of the air curtain is referred to as the air curtain portion. Thus, at least "the portion of the air curtain that flows through the collection port and thus flows into the concentrator and is thus collected" can flow through the filter element and be filtered by means of the filter element, whereby the particles can be advantageously kept away from people.

[0012] It is particularly advantageous here if the filter element is designed to intercept droplets and / or particles with a diameter of less than 5 micrometers and thus filter them out of the intercepted air curtain section. This makes it possible to safely and effectively prevent, for example, the transmission of potentially infectious particles to the person or other persons, so that the risk of infection can be kept to a minimum.

[0013] It is particularly advantageous here if the filter element is arranged downstream of the further fan, in particular in the flow direction of the air curtain portion which is sucked into the concentrator via the collecting opening by means of the further fan and conveyed thereby, so that safe filtering of the air curtain portion or the air formed by the air curtain portion can be ensured.

[0014] In order to be able to discharge particles very specifically and reliably, in other designs of the present invention, it is stipulated that this collecting port is formed or limited by being designed to a particularly rigid pipeline member. It is particularly advantageous that the device has at least one or more air guides. The air guide is movable, particularly pivotable relative to the pipeline member, and can change, i.e. adjust the flow direction of the air that flows through the outflow, i.e., forms the air curtain by means of the air guide thus. Preferably, the air guide is designed to be self rigid or shape-stable. For example, the air guide can be designed to be a particularly self rigid or shape-stable plate, which has a longitudinal extension direction. For example, the longitudinal extension direction of the plate extends perpendicular to the flow direction of the air delivered by the first fan.

[0015] Another embodiment is characterized in that the outflow opening and the collecting opening are arranged in the interior of a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle can therefore be a component of the device. This embodiment is based in particular on the following recognition: compared to large spaces in buildings, the interior of a motor vehicle, in particular a car, can be a small and in particular closed space in itself, in which potentially infectious particles (without taking corresponding countermeasures) can spread quickly. This smooth and rapid spread of particles that may be infectious and are sprayed by people, for example, can now be effectively and efficiently avoided by the present invention, so that the risk of infection in the interior of a motor vehicle, preferably designed as a car, in particular a sedan, can be kept within a very low range.

[0016] In order to be able to arrange the outflow and / or collecting opening very close to the human mouth and nose area and thus discharge the particles in a targeted manner, it is provided in other designs of the present invention that the outflow and / or collecting opening, in particular the channel member directly defining the outflow or collecting opening, is arranged on a seat device arranged in the interior of the motor vehicle or on a motor vehicle interior part that in particular directly defines the interior, in particular on the inner roof that in particular directly defines the interior vertically upward at least partially. The aforementioned channel member that in particular directly defines the outflow can be, for example, the aforementioned pipeline member.

[0017] Another embodiment is characterized in that the device is an assembled unit which can be reversibly detachably fixed to the head of a person. The person can thus carry and hold the device in the state in which the device is mounted on the person's head, so that particles can be removed not only when the person is in the interior of the motor vehicle, but also when the person is outside the interior of the motor vehicle and, for example, walking around. This makes it possible to keep the risk of infection low even in other rooms besides the interior of the motor vehicle.

[0018] A second aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle, preferably designed as a car, in particular a sedan, having at least one seat arranged in the interior of the motor vehicle for a person, referred to as a motor vehicle passenger. This means that a person can sit on the seat and thus remain in the interior, in particular while the motor vehicle is in motion. The seat is formed, for example, by a seat arrangement arranged in the interior, which can be a row of seats or also a single seat.

[0019] In order to be able to effectively and efficiently drain droplets and / or particles and thus keep the risk of infection in the interior of a motor vehicle very low, it is provided in a second aspect of the present invention that a motor vehicle includes at least one device for draining droplets and / or particles (particles) in a targeted manner. The device has at least one outlet disposed in the interior of the motor vehicle, i.e., an outlet leading to the interior, and at least one blower that can convey air through the outlet. Thus, the device can provide an air curtain in the interior that is formed by air conveyed by the blower, oriented in a targeted manner, and formed in front of the mouth and nose area of ​​a person sitting on a seat, by means of which droplets and / or particles can be drained in particular from the mouth and nose area and / or from the area arranged in front of the mouth and nose area. Thus, particles and / or droplets, which are also collectively referred to as particles, can be kept away from the mouth and nose of a person or are drained in a targeted manner therefrom, so that, for example, perhaps other people who remain in the interior will not be infected by the particles sprayed by the first person. The advantages and advantageous designs of the first aspect of the present invention should be regarded as the advantages and advantageous designs of the second aspect of the present invention, or vice versa.

[0020] A third aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating a device according to the first aspect of the invention and / or for operating a motor vehicle according to the second aspect of the invention. The method therefore comprises in particular: air is conveyed through the outflow opening by means of a blower, so that the device provides an air curtain formed by the air conveyed by the blower, which is oriented in a targeted manner and formed in front of the oral and nasal area for removing droplets and / or particles. The air curtain or its flow direction extends, for example, in a plane defined by the vehicle transverse direction and the vehicle vertical direction. For example, the air curtain or its flow direction extends in the vehicle transverse direction, obliquely relative to the vehicle transverse direction or in the vehicle vertical direction, in particular from bottom to top. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Further advantages, features and details of the invention are obtained from the following description of preferred embodiments and in conjunction with the drawings. The features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description and the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the drawings and / or shown individually in the drawings can be used not only in the respectively indicated combination, but also in other combinations or individually without departing from the scope of the invention, as shown in the drawings:

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of the device according to the invention for the targeted removal of droplets and / or particles;

[0023] Figure 2 is a perspective schematic diagram of a device according to a second embodiment, wherein the pipeline member of the device is in a use position;

[0024] Figure 3 is a perspective schematic diagram of the device according to the second embodiment, wherein the pipe member is in the stowed position;

[0025] Figure 4 is a perspective schematic diagram of a device according to a third embodiment, wherein the pipeline member of the device is in a use position;

[0026] Figure 5 is a perspective schematic diagram of the device according to the third embodiment, wherein the pipe member is in the stowed position;

[0027] Figure 6 is a perspective schematic diagram of a fourth embodiment of the device;

[0028] Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a device according to a fifth embodiment;

[0029] Figure 8 The device according to the fifth embodiment is Figure 7 A schematic cross-sectional view of the cutting line AA shown;

[0030] Fig. 9 A schematic cross-sectional side view of a portion of a device according to a sixth embodiment is shown.

[0031] In the figures, identical or functionally identical components are provided with the same reference symbols. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Figure 1 A first embodiment of a device 10 for the targeted removal of droplets and / or particles is shown in a perspective schematic diagram. In the following, droplets and particles are also collectively referred to as particles, so that when particles are mentioned below, droplets and / or particles are meant. Figure 1 A portion of the interior 12 of a motor vehicle, preferably designed as a car, in particular a passenger car, can be seen in the drawing, wherein the device 10 can include the motor vehicle or vice versa, so that at least a part of the device 10 can be arranged in the motor vehicle interior. Figure 1 As can be seen in the figure, a seat device 14, which is designed as a single seat here, is arranged in the interior 12 of the motor vehicle and provides at least or exactly one seat for a person 16, also referred to as a passenger. The person 16 sits on the seat and thus on the seat device 14. The seat device 14 has a backrest 18, on which the back of the person 16 rests. In addition, the seat device 14 includes a headrest 20, on which the head 21 of the person 16 rests. It is also possible to Figure 1 The mouth-nose region 22 of the person 16 is seen, in which the mouth 24 and the nose 26 of the person 16 are located.

[0033] The person 16 can breathe, in particular inhale and exhale, through his nose 26 and his mouth 24, so that the person 16 can exhale and thus spray droplets and / or particles, i.e. particles, through his nose 26 and his mouth 24. The droplets and particles can, for example, form an aerosol together with the air in the interior 12, i.e., the particles are dispersed in the air. As will be explained in detail below, it is possible to avoid that the particles can be dispersed too quickly in the entire interior 12 by means of the device 10. For this purpose, the device 10 includes at least one outflow opening 28, which is, for example, arranged or formed at or in the outflow surface 30. In addition, the device 10 includes a fan 32, also referred to as an auxiliary fan, which is especially provided as an auxiliary to the main fan of a ventilation device of a motor vehicle, in particular an air conditioner, which is provided for ventilation of the interior 12. The fan 32 includes a fan impeller 34, which can, for example, rotate relative to a housing 36 of the fan 32. By rotating the fan impeller 34, air is conveyed by means of the fan 32 and in particular conveyed through the outflow opening 28. Preferably, the fan 32 can be electrically driven. This means in particular that the fan 32 has Figure 1 An electric motor (not visible) is used to drive the fan impeller 34 and thereby rotate it relative to the housing 36 using electrical energy. By rotating the fan impeller 34, the fan 32 draws air from the interior 12, which Figure 1 The air first sucked in by the blower 32 and thus conveyed is conveyed through the outflow opening 28 and conveyed away from the blower 32 in such a way that the device 10 provides or can provide a targeted, directed airflow formed by the air conveyed by the blower 32 and formed in front of the oral and nasal region 22 of the person 16. Figure 1 The air curtain indicated by arrow 40 in the figure serves to remove droplets and / or particles, in particular from the nose and mouth area 22 and / or from an area arranged in front of the nose and mouth area 22. In particular, arrow 40 indicates the flow direction in which the air curtain or the air forming the air curtain flows. In particular, it is possible to remove droplets and / or particles from the nose and mouth area 22 and / or from an area arranged in front of the nose and mouth area 22. Figure 1 , it can be seen that the air curtain or its flow direction is in a plane formed by the vehicle transverse direction (y direction) and the vehicle vertical direction (z direction) and therefore extends, for example, parallel or obliquely relative to the vehicle transverse direction. In particular, it is provided that the outflow opening 28 is arranged in the vehicle vertical direction in such a way that the outflow opening 28 is arranged at least substantially at the height of the mouth 24 and / or the nose 26. In addition, the outflow opening 28 is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the mouth-nose region 22 and is therefore not far from the nose 26 and the mouth 24. For example, the outflow opening 28 or the outflow surface 30 can be arranged in the roof region of the motor vehicle, wherein the interior 12 in the vehicle vertical direction is bounded upward at least partially, in particular at least for the most part or completely, by the roof.

[0034] In order to be able to effectively and efficiently remove particles (droplets and / or microparticles) and thus effectively and efficiently avoid that the particles are dispersed too quickly in the interior 12, the device 10 has at least one concentrator 42, which has at least one or more collecting openings 44 opposite the outflow opening 28, and the collecting openings are arranged, for example, at or in a concentrating surface 46. The concentrating surface 46 extends, for example, in a plane defined by the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (x direction) and the vertical direction of the vehicle (z direction). According to the arrow 40, it can be seen that the air curtain or the air forming the air curtain is a forced air flow, which moves at least substantially in the transverse direction of the vehicle, especially outwardly and in this case especially towards the collecting opening 44. The forced air flow is generated by the fan 32, which, as shown by the arrow 38, sucks in the air in the vicinity of the outflow opening 28 and conveys the air through the air duct 48, which is also referred to as a channel, and is thus conveyed to the outflow opening 28 through the air duct 48 and thus conveyed through the outflow opening 28. The air duct 48 has in particular an outflow opening 28, via which the air conveyed by means of the fan 32 and conveyed through the air duct 48 can flow out of the air duct 48. The air duct 48 and the outflow opening 28 are each formed or delimited in particular directly by a preferably inherently rigid line element of the device 10. Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, the pipeline element is, for example, a housing 36 of a fan 32 . Therefore, the air conveyed by the fan 32 can flow out of the housing 36 via the outflow opening 28 .

[0035] The concentrating element 42, also referred to as a collecting element, has a further, preferably inherently rigid, line element 49, which can be a further housing of the concentrating element 42. In this case, the collecting opening 44, also referred to as the inlet opening, is in particular directly delimited by the line element 49. By means of the collecting opening 44, at least a portion of the air curtain and at least a portion of the droplets and / or particles which are discharged by means of the air curtain and directed in a targeted manner to the collecting opening 44 can thus be collected in a targeted manner, in particular in such a way that at least a portion of the air curtain, also referred to as an air curtain portion, and thus the particles which are directed by means of the air curtain to the collecting opening 44 can flow through the collecting opening 44 and thus flow through the collecting opening 44 into the concentrating element 42 and therefore in particular into the line element 49. For this purpose, the particles are conveyed, for example, by means of the air curtain portion through the collecting opening 44 and thus into the concentrating element 42 or the line element 49. This prevents the particles from being transferred back to the person 16 or to other persons who may be in the interior 12, so that the risk of infection can be kept low.

[0036] It can be seen that the collecting port 44 is opposite to the outflow port 28 in the transverse direction of the vehicle, because the aforementioned forced airflow is Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, this is done outwardly in the vehicle transverse direction. In other words, the particles ejected with the exhaled breath are transported away from the nose and mouth area 22 or the area in front of the nose and mouth area by the forced air flow and sent to the concentrator 42, and are therefore transported through the collection opening 44.

[0037] In a first embodiment, the concentrating element 42 has a further fan 50 which is provided in addition to the fan 32 and the main fan of the motor vehicle, and the above and below descriptions of the fan 32 can be transferred to the further fan, or vice versa. Here, the fan 50 has a further fan impeller 52 which is rotatable relative to the pipe element 49, which is, for example, a further housing of the fan 50. By rotating the fan impeller 52 relative to the pipe element 49, the fan 50 sucks air from the environment of the collecting opening 44 in particular. Here, the fan 50 can be designed as an electric fan and thus has a further electric motor which can drive the fan impeller 52 and thus rotate relative to the pipe element 49. By means of the further fan 50, in particular by means of the further fan impeller 52, at least the aforementioned air curtain part and at least the particles transported by means of the air curtain part can thus be sucked into the collecting opening 44 and thus transported through the collecting opening 44 and thus can be sucked into the concentrating element 42 via the collecting opening 44 or can be transported into the concentrating element. For example, the air curtain portion and thus the particles sucked into the concentrator 42 via the collecting opening 44 can be conveyed through the concentrator 42 (collecting piece) and thus in particular through the line piece 49 by means of a further fan 50. In other words, the fan 50 can suck in the particles that have reached the concentrator 42 along with the forced air flow designed as a transverse flow and suck them in via the collecting opening 44 and convey them out of the interior 12, for example.

[0038] In the first embodiment, the concentrator 42 has a filter element 54, by means of which the air flowing into the concentrator 42 via the collecting opening 44 and, for example, flowing through the air curtain portion or the air curtain portion forming the concentrator 42 can be filtered, in particular in such a way that particles contained in the air forming the air curtain portion and sucked into the concentrator 42 through the collecting opening 44 and thus retained are filtered out from the air forming the air curtain portion, i.e. separated out by means of the filter element 54. For this purpose, for example, the filter element 54 is designed to intercept droplets and / or particles having a diameter of less than 5 micrometers and thereby filter them out from the retained air curtain portion. In the flow direction of the air curtain flowing through the concentrator 42, the filter element 54 is arranged downstream of the fan impeller 52, i.e., after the fan impeller 52. For example, the air filtered by means of the filter element 54 or the air flowing through the concentrator 42 can flow out of the concentrator 42, in particular flow into the interior chamber 12 again through the filter element 54, or the air flowing through the concentrator 42 can be discharged into the surrounding environment of the motor vehicle through an exhaust port leading to the motor vehicle environment, thereby prohibiting the air flowing through the concentrator 42 from directly entering the interior chamber 12 from the device 10.

[0039] The collecting surface 46 or the collecting opening 44 can be designed as part of a door trim or formed in the door trim, for example, thereby at least partially decorating a door, in particular a side door, of a motor vehicle, for example, facing the interior 12. This means in particular that the door frame is at least partially, in particular at least mostly or completely, decorated with the help of the door trim towards the interior 12.

[0040] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the flow outlet 28 is correspondingly equipped with an adjustable air guide 57, which is also called an air guide. The air guide 57 is movable, in particular pivotable, relative to the housing 36, so that the flow direction of the air flowing through the flow outlet 28 can be changed by moving, in particular pivoting, the air guide, which is preferably rigid in itself, relative to the housing 36. In other words, by moving the air guide 57 relative to the housing 36, the flow direction along which the air delivered by the fan 32 flows through the flow outlet 28 and thus flows out of the housing 36 is changed or varied, i.e. adjusted. In this way, the air curtain or forced airflow can be specifically aimed at the nose 26 and mouth 24 of the passenger. For example, each air guide 57 is adjusted by means of an actuator according to the sitting posture of the person 16 or the seat position of the seat device 14, i.e., according to the seat setting of the seat device 14. In other words, the seat device 14 has a plurality of air guides 57 arranged in a plurality of positions. Figure 1 The seat part, which is not visible in the figure, on which the person 16 can place his buttocks or on which the person 16 can sit with his buttocks. The backrest 18 is adjustable relative to the seat part and / or the headrest 20 is adjustable relative to the backrest 18 and / or relative to the seat part, that is, it is movable. The headrest 20, the backrest 18 and the seat part are seat parts of the seat device 14, wherein two of the seat parts of the seat device 14 are movable relative to each other, that is, they can be moved relative to each other to different positions and are fixed relative to each other in different positions. In particular, the seat parts can be moved relative to each other by means of a drive device, in particular an electric drive device. It is preferably provided that the air guides 57 are moved relative to the housing 36 by means of an actuator, in particular an electrically drivable actuator, in particular automatically, depending on the position to which the seat parts are moved relative to each other, so that the air guides 57 are adapted, in particular with respect to their position relative to the housing 36, in particular automatically, to the corresponding position to which the seat parts are moved relative to each other. It can thereby be ensured that the air curtain passes over or in front of the mouth and nose area 22 of the person 16, so that the particles can be effectively, efficiently and in a targeted manner. In other words, the air guide element 57 is moved relative to the housing 36 by means of the actuator, in particular automatically and as a function of the movement of the seat parts relative to one another.

[0041] Figure 2 and 3A second embodiment of the device 10 or of the motor vehicle is shown. In the second embodiment, the outflow opening 28 is formed or delimited, in particular directly, by a preferably inherently rigid line element 56. Here, the line element 56 is movably held on the seat device 14, in particular on the backrest 18, in particular in such a way that the line element 56 and thus the outflow opening 28 can be pivoted relative to the seat device 14, in particular relative to the backrest 18, about a pivot 58. This means that the line element 56 can be pivoted relative to the seat device 14 about the pivot 58, while the line element 56 is held on the seat device 14. In the second embodiment, the pivot 58 extends at least substantially in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The line element 56 here respectively directly delimits the air duct 48 and its outflow opening 28, so that the air duct 48 and the outflow opening 28 can be pivoted relative to the seat device 14 about the pivot 58. The line element 56 here can be pivoted relative to the seat device 14 in at least one such position. Figure 2 The use position shown is consistent with at least or exactly one Figure 3 The fan 32 is arranged on the seat device 14, in particular in the seat device 14. It is particularly conceivable that the fan 32 is arranged at the backrest 18 and in particular in the backrest. Here, for example, the housing 36, through which the air forming the air curtain can be conveyed by means of the fan 32, is connected in a flow-connected manner to an air duct 48, which is arranged downstream of the housing 36.

[0042] In such Figure 3 In the stowed position shown, for example, the line element 56 lies at least substantially flush against the seat device 14 , in particular the backrest 18 .

[0043] The seat device 14 can move in the interior 12 relative to the motor vehicle structure that delimits the interior 12, wherein the structure is preferably a self-supporting vehicle body. Because the pipe member 56 and preferably also the fan 32 are not fixed to the structure, i.e., they are immovable relative to the structure, but in the second embodiment, the pipe member 56 and preferably also the fan are fixed to the seat, i.e., they are retained on the seat device 14, the pipe member 56 and the fan can move with the seat device 14, especially relative to the structure. Therefore, if, for example, the seat device 14 is moved relative to the structure, especially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the pipe member 56 and the fan move with the seat device 14, so that the pipe member 56 and the fan 32 can move to different seat positions of the seat device 14 relative to the structure. Alternatively or additionally, the seat device 14 and the pipe member 56 and the fan 32 can be moved relative to the structure in the vertical direction of the vehicle. Different seat heights or different torso lengths of different passengers can be covered, for example, by different rotation angles of the pipe member 56, especially relative to the backrest 18. In other words, it is conceivable that the device 10 has a further actuator, which can be driven electrically in particular, by means of which the line piece 56 can be pivoted relative to the seat device 14 about the pivot 58 in particular when an electric current is applied. As a result, the line piece 56 can be moved relative to the seat device 14, in particular pivoted to different positions, wherein it is preferably provided that the line piece 56 can be fixed in different positions relative to the seat device 14. As a result, the line piece 56 can be adapted to passengers of different sizes, in particular with respect to its pivot angle relative to the seat device 14.

[0044] Can be obtained from Figure 2 and Figure 3 It can be seen in the figure that in the second embodiment, the concentrator and thus the collecting opening can be omitted. In the first and second embodiments, the outflow opening 28 is arranged in the interior 12 of the motor vehicle.

[0045] Figure 4 and 5A third embodiment of the device 10 or of the motor vehicle is shown. In particular, the third embodiment is, for example, a combination of the first and second embodiments, since in the third embodiment an outflow opening 28 and a concentrator 42 with a collecting opening 44 are provided. Unlike the second embodiment, the line piece 56 is held movably and, in particular, pivotably on the headrest 20 instead of being held on the backrest 18. Here, the above and below descriptions of the line piece 56 and the outflow opening 28 can also be easily transferred to the line piece 49 and the collecting opening 44. This means, for example, that the line piece 49, which in particular directly forms the collecting opening 44, can be held movably, in particular pivotably, on the seat device 14 and here, for example, on the headrest 20. Thus, for example, the concentrator 42 or the line piece 49 and the collecting opening 44 are held movably on the seat device 14, in particular on the headrest 20, in such a way that the line piece 49 and thus the collecting opening 44 can be moved about the pivot 58 relative to the seat device 14 in at least one position such as Figure 4 The use position shown and at least one Figure 5 The corresponding situation can be applied to the pipeline part 56 with outflow opening 28.

[0046] As already indicated in the first embodiment, the duct piece 49 can define another air duct, through which air can flow into the concentrator 42 via the collecting opening 44 and thus into the duct piece 49 and thus into the air curtain portion of the other air duct or the air curtain portion forming the air curtain portion. It is conceivable that the air duct 48 and the other air duct are connected by a connecting channel 60, wherein the connecting channel 60 extends at least partially, in particular at least for the most part or completely, in the seat device 14, in particular in the headrest 20. By holding the duct pieces 56 and 49, in particular movably and more particularly pivotably, on the headrest 20, the outflow outlet 28 and the collecting opening 44 can be arranged particularly close to the mouth and nose area 22, in particular at least in the duct pieces 56, 49 as shown. Figure 4The use position shown. The fan 32 (which can be a blower unit) is arranged or installed in the headrest 20, for example. The fan 32 conveys the air forming the air curtain through the air duct 48 and then through the pipe part 56, and then through the outflow 28, thereby forming a forced airflow or air curtain. The same fan that conveys the air through the air duct 48 and thus through the outflow 28 sucks at least the air curtain part or the air that forms the air curtain part through the collecting opening 44, which is especially opposite to the outflow 28 in the transverse direction of the vehicle, and sucks it into another air duct and passes through another air duct, so that the particles are sucked into the concentrator 42 via the collecting opening 44 by means of the same fan that conveys the air through the outflow 28. As a result, the fan conveys the particles through the other air duct and then through the pipe part 49. For example, a filter element 54 is arranged in the connecting channel 60, which is also called the transverse air duct, so that the particles can be filtered out from the air that flows through the other air duct and the connecting channel 60 successively. It can thus be seen that a circuit is formed by closing the air duct 48 , the further air duct and the connecting channel 60 , in which or through which the air conveyed by the blower 32 can be circulated.

[0047] However, it is easily conceivable to omit the connecting channel 60. In this case, for example, the air flowing through the collecting port 44 and thus flowing into the other air duct via the collecting port 44 and flowing through the other air duct, and the particles flowing through the collecting port 44, flowing into the other air duct via the collecting port 44 and flowing through the other air duct are separated, especially at one end of the other air duct, and new air is supplied to the other air duct and thus the pipe piece 49 by means of the fan 32 and / or by means of another fan 50, especially in a free suction manner. It is therefore conceivable that part of the air curtain and thus the particles are sucked into the other air duct and thus the pipe piece 49 via the collecting port 44 by means of the fan 50 provided additionally to the fan 32 and conveyed through the pipe piece 49.

[0048] As already indicated, the line pieces 56 , 49 can be held movably, in particular pivotably, on the seat device 14 , in particular the headrest 20 , or the line pieces 56 and 49 can be immovable relative to the seat device 14 .

[0049] Figure 6The fourth embodiment of the device 10 is shown. In the fourth embodiment, the device 10 is an assembled unit in itself, which can be fixed on the head 21 of the person 16 in a reversible and detachable manner, especially in the form of a head-mounted accessory or earphone, also called a headset. The pipe pieces 56, 49 are used as individual hoop, which are also called nose and mouth hoop. The device 10 can, for example, also have a microphone 64 and at least one loudspeaker 66, especially held on a microphone hoop 62. As in the third embodiment with a connecting channel 60, for example, the same fan 32 (which conveys the air for forming the air curtain through the air duct 48 and then through the pipe piece 56 and thus through the outflow 28) can be used to suck at least part of the air curtain or at least the air forming part of the air curtain through the collecting port 44 into another air duct and then the pipe piece 49. The air duct 48 and the other air ducts are fluidly connected to each other here, for example, through the connecting channel 60 provided with the fan 32. Here, a filter 54 is arranged in the connecting channel 60, and the filter is arranged downstream of the fan impeller 34 or downstream of the fan 32. For example, the person 16 can place a hoop 68 , which is in particular rigid per se and which at least delimits the connecting channel 60 , on the head 21 , thereby fixing the device 10 on the head 21 in a reversibly detachable manner.

[0050] It can be seen that the device 10 in the fourth embodiment is a portable device, which can be carried by a person 16 even outside the interior 12. It is preferably provided that the device 10 has an energy storage device, for example, designed as a battery, for storing electrical energy or current, wherein the energy storage device can be charged with electrical energy. The fan 32, in particular its electric motor, can be operated with the aid of electrical energy from the energy storage device. The connecting channel 60 is, for example, an air hose, by means of which the air duct 48 and other air ducts and thus the outflow opening 28 and the collecting opening 44 are fluidically connected.

[0051] In an embodiment in which the concentrator 42 and the corresponding infrastructure, such as a further fan 50, an optional filter element 54 and a further air duct and thus the line element 49 are omitted, the air flowing out of the outflow opening 28 acts in particular as an air curtain to protect the person 16 and / or other persons from the ejected particles, i.e., the particles are kept away from the nose 26 and the mouth 24 by means of the air curtain. In particular, by at least partially intercepting the air curtain by means of the concentrator 42, not only the person 16 himself can be protected from the particles ejected by other persons, but also other persons can be protected from the particles ejected by the person 16.

[0052] Figure 7 and 8 A fifth embodiment of the device 10 or of the motor vehicle is shown. Figure 7 1, a portion of an inner roof 70 which at least partially delimits the interior 12 in the vertical direction of the vehicle upward is seen. The inner roof 70 is a decorative element, by which, for example, the white roof of the structure is at least partially decorated downward in the vertical direction of the vehicle and thus toward the interior 12. The fan 32 is arranged on the inner roof 70 and can be, as in Figure 7 Air is sucked in from the interior 12, in particular in the vertical direction of the vehicle, as indicated by arrows 72. The air sucked in by means of the fan 32 is conveyed through the fan 32, in particular through its housing 36 and thus through the air duct 48 defined by the housing 36, and in the case of forming an air curtain, as in Figure 7 The air curtain is conveyed through the outflow opening 28 as indicated by the arrow 40 in the figure and then discharged from the housing 36 or the air duct 48 via the outflow opening 28. In conjunction with the arrow 40, it can be seen that the air curtain or its flow direction extends in a plane defined by the vehicle transverse direction and the vehicle vertical direction and here extends from top to bottom in the vehicle vertical direction. The air curtain passes in front of the nose and mouth area 22 of the person 16 and thus protects the person 16 from particles sprayed by other people, for example. For example, the fan 32 is designed as a radial fan, which sucks air in the axial direction of the fan impeller 34 and sends it away from the fan impeller 34 in the radial direction of the fan impeller 34. In the fifth embodiment, the air sucked in and conveyed by means of the fan impeller 34 comes from the interior 12.

[0053] at last, Fig. 9 A sixth embodiment of the device 10 or of the motor vehicle is shown. Fig. 9 , the roof element of the white roof is designated by 74. It can be seen that the inner roof 70 is spaced apart from the roof element 74 in the vertical direction of the vehicle in such a way that a gap 76 is provided between the inner roof 70 and the roof element 74 in the vertical direction of the vehicle. In the gap 76 provided / defined in the vertical direction of the vehicle upward, in particular directly through the roof element 74 and in the vertical direction of the vehicle downward, in particular directly through the inner roof 70, the fan 32 is at least partially, in particular at least mostly or completely arranged therein. It can be seen that the fan 32 or the fan impeller 34 does not draw air directly from the interior 12, but instead draws air from the gap 76, conveys this air through the housing 36 and conveys it through the outflow opening 28. The air duct 48 opens into the interior 12 through this outflow opening 28, in particular directly, so that the air flowing through the outflow opening 28 and thus flowing out of the air duct 48 via the outflow opening 28 is as shown in Fig. 9 An air curtain is formed as indicated by arrows 40 in the figure. In the sixth embodiment, the air conveyed by the blower 32 is therefore sucked in outside the actual interior 12 and in this case in the region between the roof element 74 and the inner roof 70 which serves as a roof decoration. The outflow opening 28 is, for example, a narrow air gap through which the blower 32 blows the air conveyed by the blower 32 out of the housing 36. This results in an air flow directed downwards approximately in the vertical direction of the vehicle, which acts as an air curtain in front of the nose 26 and mouth 24 of the person 16 and thus protects the person 16 from inhaling droplets and / or particles ejected by the exhaled breath of other persons remaining in the interior 12.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle having at least one seat for a person (16) arranged in the interior (12) of the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle comprising at least one device (10) for the targeted removal of droplets and / or particles, the device comprising: - at least one outflow opening (28) arranged in the inner chamber (12); and at least one fan (32) by means of which air can be conveyed through the outflow opening (28), whereby by means of the device (10) an air curtain (40) can be provided in the interior (12) formed by the air conveyed by means of the fan (32) in front of the nose and mouth region (22) of a person (16) sitting on a seat and oriented in a targeted manner, extending in a plane defined by the vehicle transverse direction and the vehicle vertical direction, for removing droplets and / or particles; and - at least one concentrator (42) having at least one collecting opening (44) opposite the outflow opening (28) and arranged in the inner chamber (12), by means of which at least a portion of the air curtain (40) and thus at least a portion of the droplets and / or particles discharged through the air curtain (40) and directed in a targeted manner to the collecting opening (44) can be collected in a targeted manner; characterized in that The flow direction of the air curtain (40) extends in the vehicle transverse direction and toward a collecting opening (44) opposite the outflow opening (28) in the vehicle transverse direction, and the air curtain extends in a plane defined by the vehicle transverse direction and the vehicle vertical direction of the motor vehicle.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The concentrator (42) has another fan (50) which is provided in addition to the fan (32), by means of which at least a portion of the air curtain (40) and thus at least a portion of the droplets and / or particles discharged through the air curtain (40) and directed in a targeted manner to the collection opening can be sucked into the collection opening (44).

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The concentrator (42) has a filter (54) for filtering at least a portion of the air curtain (40) collected by the collection port (44).

4. The motor vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that: The filter element (54) is designed to intercept droplets and / or particles having a diameter less than 5 microns and thereby filter them out from the collected portion of the air curtain (40).

5. The motor vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The outflow opening (28) is formed by a pipeline piece (36, 56), and the device (10) has at least one air guide piece (57) which can be moved relative to the pipeline piece (36, 56), thereby changing the flow direction of air flowing through the outflow opening (28).

6. The motor vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that The air guide member can pivot relative to the pipeline member (36, 56).

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The outflow opening (28) and / or the collecting opening (44) are arranged on a seat device (14) provided in an interior (12) of a motor vehicle.

8. A method for operating a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims.

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