Air purifier and method for operating air purifier

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an air purifier and a method for operating an air purifier. The air purifier (1) comprises: a base body (10) provided with an air duct; a filter (20) mounted in the air duct, the air duct including an air inlet chamber (22) formed upstream of the filter (20) and an air outlet chamber (24) formed downstream of the filter (20); a pre-filtering member (30) mounted upstream of the filter (20); a scraper device (40) mounted to the base body (10) at the air inlet cavity (22), comprising a scraper assembly (42) removably mounted adjacent to the pre-filtration member (30) and a drive mechanism (44); and the collecting box (50) is adjacent to the pre-filtering part (30), is arranged on the base body (10) and is used for collecting the sundries cleaned by the scraper assembly (42).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to air purifiers, and more particularly to air purifiers for use in hair-enriched environments. Background Art

[0002] Air purifiers are widely used in home, industrial or commercial environments. Air purifiers can absorb, decompose or transform various air pollutants, such as tiny particles, odors, formaldehyde, etc., to provide clean air. After the air purifier has been used for a period of time, the filter element of the air purifier should be cleaned or replaced to extend the service life of the air filter and maintain the performance of the air filter.

[0003] Some air purifiers are also provided with a pre-filtering component, such as a filter, for preliminary filtering of large dust particles, hair, etc. Such air purifiers provided with a pre-filtering component are particularly suitable for environments with a lot of dust or hair. However, the performance of conventional air purifiers in terms of hair treatment is not satisfactory. It is expected that the performance of air purifiers can be further improved. Summary of the invention

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an air purifier and a method for operating the air purifier, aiming to improve the performance of the air purifier, especially the performance in collecting debris such as hair.

[0005] According to the first aspect of the present disclosure, an air purifier is provided. The air purifier includes: a base body provided with an air duct; a filter installed in the air duct, the air duct including an air inlet chamber formed upstream of the filter and an air outlet chamber formed downstream of the filter; a pre-filter component installed upstream of the filter; a scraper device installed to the base body at the air inlet chamber, including a scraper assembly detachably installed adjacent to the pre-filter component and a driving mechanism for driving the scraper assembly to move along the surface of the pre-filter component to clean the pre-filter component; and a collection box installed to the base body adjacent to the pre-filter component for collecting debris cleaned by the scraper assembly. According to the present disclosure, the cleaning of the pre-filter component can be achieved by the scraper device and the collection of debris can be achieved by the collection box.

[0006] In some embodiments, the driving mechanism may include: a first motor, disposed on one side of the base; a rack, fixedly mounted to the base; a power output shaft, connected to the first motor, the first motor being configured to drive the power output shaft to rotate; and a worm, disposed on the power output shaft, rotating synchronously with the power output shaft and moving along the rack, the worm being configured to carry the scraper assembly and drive the scraper assembly to move longitudinally to clean the pre-filter assembly. Through the rack-worm drive, the complexity of the drive can be reduced and the scraper assembly can be stably driven at low cost.

[0007] In some embodiments, the worm may include radially arranged external threads meshing with the rack, wherein the worm is retained on the power output shaft via the external threads meshing with the rack, and is configured to move linearly along the power output shaft via meshing with the rack. Thus, the interaction between the teeth of the worm and the teeth of the fixed rack can be used to drive the worm to move linearly.

[0008] In some embodiments, the scraper assembly may include: a first plate; and a second plate mounted to the first plate and elastically biased toward the pre-filter component via a spring, thereby ensuring that the second plate stably abuts against the surface of the pre-filter component.

[0009] In some embodiments, the air purifier further comprises a fan, wherein the drive mechanism of the scraper device is configured to operate during operation of the fan. Thus, the negative pressure created by the fan can be used to attach floating debris such as hair in the air duct to the surface of the pre-filter, so as to facilitate cleaning by the scraper assembly.

[0010] In some embodiments, the base may further be provided with a debris separation portion in an area below the pre-filtering component and adjacent to the collection box, wherein the debris separation portion is formed to match the scraper assembly and is configured to allow the scraper assembly to reciprocate and rub against the debris separation portion in the area, so that the debris collected on the scraper assembly is separated from the scraper assembly and enters the collection box. Thus, the debris separation portion can be used to remove debris such as hair captured on the scraper assembly.

[0011] In some embodiments, the debris separation portion may include a scraping portion having a predetermined scraping orientation, wherein the scraping orientation of the scraping portion of the scraper assembly is opposite to the predetermined scraping orientation. Thus, debris such as hair captured on the scraper assembly can be removed quickly and efficiently.

[0012] In some embodiments, the collection box may include a receiving cavity and a cover, and the debris is collected in the receiving cavity.

[0013] In some embodiments, the height of the side of the collection box adjacent to the pre-filtering component may be smaller than the height of the side of the collection box away from the pre-filtering component, and the debris separation portion at least partially extends into the interior of the collection box. Thus, the debris cleaned by the scraper assembly and the debris such as hair removed by the scraper assembly itself can be efficiently collected into the collection box.

[0014] In some embodiments, the cover may be disposed on a side away from the pre-filter component, and the end of the cover may be concavely bent relative to the mounting end of the cover, so that when the cover is fully opened, the opening of the cover at the end is greater than the opening of the cover at a middle portion between the end and the mounting end. Thus, the safety of the system may be improved.

[0015] In some embodiments, the air purifier may further include a second motor for driving the lid to close or open, the second motor being configured to be turned on when the air purifier cleans the pre-filter component to allow debris cleaned from the pre-filter component to enter the collection box. Thus, automatic control of the lid can be achieved.

[0016] In some embodiments, the scraper assembly may be arranged transversely, and the driving mechanism includes a first driving mechanism and a second driving mechanism arranged at both transverse ends of the pre-filtering component, thereby improving the stability of the movement of the scraper assembly.

[0017] In some embodiments, the scraper device may further include a posture calibration device for the scraper assembly, the posture calibration device including a first micro switch for a first drive mechanism installed at a first predetermined position and a second micro switch for a second drive mechanism installed at a second predetermined position, wherein the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism are configured to be synchronously moved based on corresponding signals from the first micro switch and the second micro switch. Thus, it can be ensured that the scraper assembly is in a predetermined posture after each cleaning and during each cleaning process.

[0018] In some embodiments, the worm may include a central hole, the power output shaft extends through the central hole, wherein the power output shaft and the central hole are matched in shape to allow the worm to rotate via the rotation of the power output shaft, and the power output shaft and the central hole are matched in clearance to allow the worm to move relative to the power output shaft. Thus, the rotational coupling of the worm and the power output shaft can be achieved through the hole-shaft match.

[0019] In some embodiments, the cross-section of the power output shaft may be a polygonal profile, and the center hole may be a corresponding polygonal hole.

[0020] In some embodiments, the driving mechanism may further include a position determination component for determining the position of the scraper assembly, and the first motor is configured to drive the scraper assembly to reciprocate in an area near the collection box based on a signal from the position determination component indicating that the scraper assembly is located at a predetermined position, so as to separate the debris captured in the scraper assembly from the scraper assembly. Thus, it can be ensured that the scraper assembly reciprocates at the predetermined position.

[0021] In some embodiments, the base may include: a first shell, the first shell is formed concavely from the front surface of the air purifier toward the downstream, and includes an open portion allowing air to enter; and a second shell, the second shell is detachably mounted to the first shell and partially covers the open portion, and an elongated inlet for allowing air to enter the air inlet cavity is formed between the second shell and the first shell. By forming an elongated opening, the air inlet can be prevented from being blocked by debris such as hair, thereby improving the processing efficiency of the air purifier.

[0022] In some embodiments, a bristle strip may also be included at the transition between the air outlet cavity and the air inlet cavity.

[0023] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a method for operating an air purifier is provided, characterized in that it includes: based on a cleaning instruction, driving the scraper assembly of the air purifier to move linearly along the surface of the pre-filter component of the air purifier to clean the debris on the pre-filter component; based on the scraper assembly moving to a predetermined position adjacent to the collection box of the air purifier, driving the scraper assembly to reciprocate near the collection box to separate the debris captured on the scraper assembly from the scraper assembly.

[0024] In some embodiments, the method may also include: driving the fan of the air purifier to rotate at a low speed; and opening the cover of the collection box of the air purifier while the fan is rotating at the low speed; wherein cleaning the debris on the pre-filter component is performed while the cover is opened.

[0025] In some embodiments, the method may further include: after the scraper assembly reciprocates a predetermined number of times near the collection box, returning the scraper assembly to an initial position before cleaning the pre-filter component; and closing a cover of the collection box of the air purifier.

[0026] In some embodiments, the method may further include: operating the fan to perform air purification when a cover of the collection box of the air purifier is closed.

[0027] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, an air purifier is provided. The air purifier comprises: at least one processor; and a memory connected to the at least one processor in communication; wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can perform any one of the methods described in the second aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become readily understood by reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, several embodiments of the present disclosure are shown by way of example and not limitation.

[0029] Figure 1 An overall schematic diagram of an air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure viewed from the front side is shown.

[0030] Figure 2 A longitudinal cross-sectional view of an air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0031] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a pre-filter component of a dynamic air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0032] Figure 4 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a scraper assembly of a scraper device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0033] Figure 5 A partial perspective view of an air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, in which a pre-filter component cover is removed.

[0034] Figure 6 A partial stereoscopic view of an air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, wherein a debris separation portion is located on the shell.

[0035] Figure 7 A partial stereoscopic schematic diagram of a driving mechanism for driving a scraper assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0036] Figure 8 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a driving mechanism for driving a scraper assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0037] Fig. 9 A flow chart showing a method for operating an air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] In the various drawings, the same or corresponding reference numerals represent the same or corresponding parts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments set forth herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure more thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0040] The term "including" and its variations used in this document represent open inclusion, that is, "including but not limited to". Unless otherwise stated, the term "or" means "and / or". The term "based on" means "based at least in part on". The terms "an example embodiment" and "an embodiment" mean "at least one example embodiment". The term "another embodiment" means "at least one other embodiment". Terms such as "upper", "lower", "front", and "rear" indicating placement or positional relationships are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the principles of the present disclosure, and do not indicate or imply that the referred elements must have a specific orientation, be constructed or operate in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limitations on the present disclosure.

[0041] The setting of the pre-filter component plays an important role in extending the service life of the air purifier. The pre-filter component can be used to initially filter foreign matter in the air, and by periodically cleaning or replacing the pre-filter component, it can ensure that the post-filter can perform its performance for a longer time.

[0042] Traditionally, these pre-filter components can be cleaned manually or automatically; however, these traditional air purifiers are not satisfactory in terms of performance, especially in hair-rich environments, such as homes with pets, pet stores, pet hospitals, textile factories and other places. The characteristics of hair are significantly different from objects such as dust and large particles. The texture of hair is very soft and very fine. Compared with dust or large particles, hair is more likely to accumulate on the pre-filter components and is more likely to clog the pre-filter components. Therefore, higher performance requirements are placed on air purifiers. According to the present disclosure, an air purifier and a method for operating an air purifier are provided, which can improve the performance of the air purifier, especially the performance in hair processing. The air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0043] Figure 1 An overall schematic diagram of an air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure viewed from the front side is shown. Figure 2 FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure cut along a section line in the front-to-back direction. Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the air purifier 1 includes a substrate 10 and a filter 20. The substrate 10 defines the overall frame structure of the air purifier 1 and defines an air duct. The substrate 10 may include a housing 14, and the air duct may be at least partially defined by the housing 14. The filter 20 is installed in the air duct for filtering the gas in the air duct. The filter 20 may include a filter element, which may be an adsorbent material, such as activated carbon, etc. In certain embodiments, the filter may include a chemical absorbent to remove odors such as ammonia, methyl mercaptan, etc. The air duct includes an air inlet cavity 22 formed upstream of the filter 20 and an air outlet cavity 24 formed downstream of the filter 20.

[0044] The air purifier 1 further includes a pre-filtering component 30. The pre-filtering component 30 may be installed upstream of the filter 20 and configured to preliminarily filter larger particles, hair and other debris in the airflow flowing in the air duct. The pre-filtering component 30 may be implemented in various forms. Figure 3 An embodiment of a pre-filter component is shown as an example. The pre-filter component 30 may include a wire mesh 32 with a predetermined mesh size, and the mesh size may be selected according to the application scenario. The wire mesh 32 may be supported by a frame 34. The pre-filter component 30 is installed at an appropriate position upstream of the filter 20. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the pre-filter component 30 is mounted adjacent to the filter 20. It should be understood that this is merely exemplary and the pre-filter component 30 may be disposed at any other suitable location upstream of the filter 20.

[0045] The air purifier 1 further includes a fan 60. The fan 60 may include a fan impeller, and the rotation of the fan impeller provides power for air flow. Figure 2 The air flow path in the air purifier is also shown. As shown by the arrows, when the fan 60 is operating, the air can enter the air inlet chamber 22 of the air duct through the air inlet 13, and then pass through the pre-filter component 30 and the filter 20 in sequence, and then enter the air outlet chamber 24. The filtered fresh air finally flows out of the air purifier through the air outlet 15. Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the air inlet 13 is shown to be located below the air purifier 1, and the air outlet 15 is shown to be located above the air purifier 1. It should be understood that this is merely exemplary, and the air inlet 13 and the air outlet 15 may be located at any other appropriate position of the air purifier 1.

[0046] In some embodiments, Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the front surface of the air purifier 1 may include a filter baffle 12. The filter baffle 12 may be formed as a part of the substrate 10. The filter baffle 12 may be detachably mounted to the housing 14. The housing 14 may be formed concavely from the front surface of the air purifier toward the downstream and include an open portion allowing air to enter. The pre-filter component 30 may be mounted to the open portion. The filter baffle 12 at least partially covers the open portion, and the large gap between the filter baffle 12 and the housing 14 may form an elongated inlet 13 that allows air to enter the air inlet chamber 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the large gap between the lateral sides of the filter baffle 12 and the housing 14 is used as an air inlet. In other embodiments, the large gap between the upper and lower sides of the filter baffle 12 and the housing 14 may also be used as an air inlet. This use of a large gap has benefits in improving the performance of the air purifier. This is because, if the air inlet is formed in the form of a small hole or a small hole array, fine hair is easily adsorbed on the small hole, thereby blocking the air inlet, thereby increasing the air flow resistance, and then affecting the air outlet efficiency of the air purifier. By forming the air inlet with a large gap, hair is effectively prevented from accumulating at the air inlet, and floating hair in the air is collected on the pre-filter.

[0047] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the air purifier 1 also includes a scraper device 40 (see also Figure 7 ). The scraper device 40 is mounted to the base 10 adjacent to the pre-filter component 30 at the air inlet chamber 22. The scraper device 40 is configured to scrape the surface of the pre-filter component 30 to remove debris (such as hair, etc.) accumulated on the surface of the pre-filter component 30 from the surface of the pre-filter component 30. This is beneficial for improving the air flow rate of the pre-filter component 30. After the air purifier 1 has been operated for a certain period of time, the hair and other debris mixed in the air will accumulate on the surface of the pre-filter component 30 and block the pre-filter component 30, thereby increasing the air flow resistance of the air flowing through the pre-filter component 30. By periodically or as needed starting the scraper device 40 to clean up the accumulated debris, the air flow resistance is reduced, and the air flow rate can be improved.

[0048] The scraper device 40 includes a scraper assembly 42 that is detachably mounted adjacent to the pre-filter component 30 and a drive mechanism 44 for driving the scraper assembly 42 (see Figure 7 and Figure 8 ). The scraper assembly 42 can be implemented in various forms suitable for scraping. The scraper assembly 42 can be detachably mounted to the corresponding driven component of the drive mechanism 44. When necessary, for example, when maintaining the air purifier 1, the scraper assembly 42 can be removed. In some embodiments, such as Figure 4As shown, the scraper assembly 42 may include a first plate 422 and a second plate 424. The second plate 424 is mounted to the first plate 422 and is elastically biased toward the pre-filter component 30 via a spring. Thus, it can be ensured that the second plate 424 always abuts against the surface of the pre-filter component 30 via the elastic biasing force. The scraping surface of the second plate 424 may be provided with a scraping portion suitable for scraping debris such as hair, and the scraping portion may be in various forms such as cloth, leather, bristles, etc.

[0049] In some embodiments, the drive mechanism 44 of the scraper device 40 is configured to operate during the rotation of the fan 60. This has advantages in terms of debris (especially hair) removal. The reason is that when the fan 60 is operated, the air duct will be in a negative pressure environment. Under the action of negative pressure, debris such as hair will be closely attached to the surface of the pre-filter component 30. In this case, the scraper device 40 can remove debris such as hair more efficiently and conveniently. In some embodiments, during the debris cleaning, the fan 60 is operated at a low speed gear, and the low speed gear can be, for example, the night operation mode of the fan or the cleaning mode of the fan. In the low speed gear mode, the speed of the fan is small, and the small speed can effectively generate a negative pressure sufficient to attract debris such as hair, and at the same time, it will not cause the collected debris to float away due to excessive wind force. In other gears higher than the low speed gear, it can correspond to the air purification mode of the fan 60, in which the fan is conveyed at a large speed to generate a large negative pressure, so as to achieve air purification more quickly and efficiently.

[0050] In some embodiments, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the air purifier 1 may further include a collection box 50. The collection box 50 may be detachably mounted to the base 10 adjacent to the pre-filter component 30. The collection box 50 includes a receiving chamber 52 adapted to receive debris cleaned from the pre-filter component 30.

[0051] In some embodiments, Figure 5 As shown, the outer surface of the collection box 50 may include an observation window 59. Through the observation window 59, the filling state in the collection box 50 can be observed, and the collection box 50 can be disassembled as needed to dump the collection therein. In some embodiments, the collection box 50 can be made of a transparent material. The collection box 50 may also include a cover 54 for covering the storage chamber 52. The provision of the cover 54 is particularly beneficial for the collection of hair. After the sundries such as hair are scraped off by the scraper device 40 and collected in the collection box 50, when the cover 54 is not provided, during the operation of the air purifier 1, under the operation of the fan, the airway is in a negative pressure environment, and the hair collected in the storage chamber 52 is very likely to be scraped up again under the action of the negative pressure and returned to the surface of the pre-filter component 30. Through the cover 54, the above situation can be effectively prevented.

[0052] In some embodiments, a motor may be provided to drive the cover 54 to close or open. The motor may operate in coordination with the drive mechanism of the scraper device 40 to achieve the collection of debris. The motor may be configured to open when the air purifier cleans the pre-filter component 30 to allow debris cleaned from the pre-filter component 30 to enter the collection box 50; and to close after the cleaning operation is completed to prevent the debris collected in the collection box 50 from escaping from the collection box 50.

[0053] In some embodiments, the substrate 10 further includes a debris separation portion 56 in the area between the collecting box 50 and the bottom of the pre-filter component 30. Figure 6 As shown, the debris separation part 56 is arranged in an area corresponding to the scraper assembly 42 (particularly the second plate 424). The scraper assembly 42 can be controlled to reciprocate relative to the debris separation part 56 in the area where the debris separation part 56 is arranged, so that the hair collected on the scraper assembly 42 is separated from the scraper assembly 42. Considering that the scraper assembly 42 itself will capture debris such as hair in the process of cleaning the pre-filter component 30, when the debris accumulates too much on the scraper assembly 42 itself, it will affect the ability of the scraper device 40 to remove the debris. By controlling the reciprocating motion of the scraper assembly 42 in a predetermined area, it is helpful to remove the debris (such as hair) from the scraper assembly 42 itself.

[0054] In some embodiments, the drive mechanism 44 may further include a position determination component for determining the position of the scraper assembly 42. The drive mechanism 44 is configured to drive the scraper assembly 42 to reciprocate in the area near the collection box 50 based on a signal from the position determination component indicating that the scraper assembly 42 is located at a predetermined position, so as to separate the hair captured in the scraper assembly 42 from the scraper assembly 42. In some embodiments, the position determination component may be a sensor. In other embodiments, the drive mechanism may be an encoder in a motor, for example, when the drive mechanism includes a stepper motor, the position of the scraper assembly 42 may be determined by the stepper motor.

[0055] In some embodiments, Figure 2 and Figure 6 As shown, the collection box 50 may include a side where the front surface of the air purifier is located (i.e., the front surface side, the side away from the pre-filter 30) and a back side (i.e., the side adjacent to the pre-filter 30). The height of the collection box 50 on the front surface side is greater than the height on the back side. The debris separation portion 56 may be at least partially arranged in the area opposite to the front surface side. Thus, the debris separation portion 56 at least partially extends into the collection box and serves as an entrance for hair to enter the collection box 50. In this case, it is possible to further prevent the hair and other debris removed from the scraper assembly 42 itself from escaping due to the negative pressure of the air, so as to ensure that as much hair as possible is collected.

[0056] In some embodiments, the debris separation portion 56 includes a scraping portion having a predetermined orientation. Accordingly, the corresponding component of the scraper assembly 42 (e.g., the scraping surface of the second plate 424) includes an orientation opposite to the predetermined orientation. By cooperating with each other, the hair can be removed more efficiently. The scraping portion can be implemented as various flexible substrates such as bristles, textiles, non-woven fabrics, flannel, leather, etc. In some embodiments, the scraping portion can be formed by arranging protrusions, depressions, concave-convex textures, teeth, etc. on the flexible substrate. The desired orientation can be formed, for example, by controlling the orientation of bristles, flannel, protrusions, depressions, concave-convex textures, and teeth arranged on the flexible substrate.

[0057] In some embodiments, Figure 2 As shown, the cover 54 is mounted to the collection box 50 on the front surface side, and the end of the cover 54 is bent concavely relative to the mounting end of the cover 54. Thus, when the cover 54 is fully opened, the opening of the cover 54 at the end is greater than the opening of the cover 54 at the middle part between the end and the base end. Such an arrangement has advantages in terms of safety, and in particular can prevent the user's fingers from being stuck in the opening, thereby improving the safety of the device. In some embodiments, when the cover 54 is fully opened, there is at least 12 mm between the cover 54 and the housing.

[0058] Figure 7 and Figure 8 Schematic diagrams of a scraper device 40 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in particular, a driving mechanism 44 for driving a scraper assembly 42 are shown. In some embodiments, the scraper assembly 42 can be configured to move up and down along the surface of the pre-filter component 30. Figure 7 As shown, the drive mechanism 44 can be arranged on the side of the pre-filter component 30 and adjacent to the pre-filter component 30. The drive mechanism 44 can include various implementations. In some embodiments, the drive mechanism 44 can include a rack-worm drive. This can achieve a low-cost implementation of the scraper assembly 42.

[0059] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the driving mechanism 44 may include: a rack 48, a motor 41 and a worm 43. The rack 48 is fixedly mounted to the base 10, for example, mounted to the housing 14 on the side of the pre-filter component 30. The rack 48 may include a gear. The motor 41 may be disposed at one end of a drive shaft and provide a power output, and may be coupled to a power output shaft 45. The worm 43 is configured to carry the scraper assembly 42. Figure 7In the illustrated embodiment, the worm 43 may include an integrally arranged support member 434. The scraper assembly 42 may be detachably mounted to the support member 434. Thus, during the movement of the worm 43, the scraper assembly 42 is driven to move together. The worm 43 includes radially arranged external threads, which are engaged with a rack 48. The worm 43 is movably mounted to the power output shaft 45, and allows the worm 43 to move along the power output shaft 45 (in the illustrated embodiment, in the up and down directions). The worm 43 is shaped to fit the power output shaft 45. Thus, when the power output shaft 45 rotates, the worm 43 rotates together. In addition, the external threads of the worm 43 are engaged with the rack 48 to form an axial limit of the worm to prevent the worm from moving arbitrarily in the axial direction along the power output shaft 45.

[0060] Thus, when the motor 41 rotates, the motor 41 will drive the power output shaft 45 to rotate, and along with the rotation of the power output shaft 45, the worm 43 will rotate together. On the other hand, since the worm 43 is meshed with the rack 48, the reaction force of the rack 48 drives the worm 43 to move up and down along the power output shaft 45. Along with the movement of the worm 43, the scraper assembly 42 moves up and down together. According to the rack-worm drive of the embodiment of the present disclosure, the complex structure of the drive such as the use of a pulley is avoided, and the high cost of the use of a screw nut drive is also avoided, thereby achieving the driving of the scraper assembly 42 at a low cost, conveniently and more stably.

[0061] In some embodiments, Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the worm 43 includes a center hole 432. The power output shaft 45 extends through the center hole 432. The power output shaft 45 and the center hole 432 are matched in shape to allow the worm 43 to rotate via the rotation of the power output shaft 45, and the power output shaft 45 and the center hole 432 are clearance-matched to allow the worm 43 to move relative to the power output shaft 45. In some embodiments, the cross-section of the power output shaft 45 is a polygonal profile (e.g., a hexagon), and the center hole 432 is a corresponding polygonal hole. It should be understood that this is merely exemplary, and in other embodiments, the power output shaft 45 can be in the form of a D-shaped shaft. In other embodiments, the power output shaft 45 and the worm 43 can be engaged by a key-slot.

[0062] In some embodiments, the scraper assembly 42 can be driven by a driving mechanism arranged in pairs. This has the advantage of ensuring the posture control of the scraper assembly 42. In the illustrated embodiment, the scraper assembly 42 is arranged transversely and has a larger size in the transverse direction. When the scraper assembly 42 is driven by the driving mechanism arranged on one side in the transverse direction, the scraper assembly 42 is prone to deflection. By providing a first driving mechanism and a second driving mechanism at both ends of the pre-filter component 30 in the transverse direction, reliable driving of the scraper assembly 42 can be achieved.

[0063] In some embodiments, the scraper device 40 has a posture adjustment or calibration function. In some embodiments, the posture adjustment or calibration of the scraper assembly 42 can be achieved by a micro switch installed at a predetermined position. A first micro switch for the first drive mechanism can be set at a first predetermined position, and a second micro switch for the second drive mechanism can be set at a second predetermined position. The first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism are configured to be moved synchronously based on corresponding signals from the first micro switch and the second micro switch. Thus, the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism can always operate synchronously, and the scraper assembly 42 can be ensured to maintain a predetermined posture by the position of the first micro switch and the second micro switch.

[0064] In some embodiments, a brush strip is further included at the transition between the air outlet chamber 24 and the air inlet chamber 22. This has the benefit of further improving the performance of the air filter. Since the scraper assembly 42 moves up and down, the air purifier may be provided with a track for providing the scraper assembly 42 (and the worm 43) to move. A brush strip may be installed at the track to prevent debris such as hair, dust, etc. from entering the air outlet chamber 24 through the opening slot at the track.

[0065] Fig. 9 A flow chart of a method 100 for operating an air purifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. At box 102, based on a cleaning instruction, the scraper assembly 42 of the air purifier is driven to move linearly along the surface of the pre-filter component 30 of the air purifier to clean the debris on the pre-filter component 30. The air purifier may include a controller, which may provide an operating interface to accept user instructions. As an example, a user may turn on the cleaning function of the air purifier by pre-setting, wirelessly or manually. After the cleaning function is turned on, the scraper assembly 42 is driven to move up and down.

[0066] At frame 104, based on the scraper assembly 42 moving to a predetermined position adjacent to the collection box 50 of the air cleaner, the scraper assembly 42 is driven to reciprocate near the collection box 50 to separate the debris captured on the scraper assembly 42 from the scraper assembly 42. Thus, the debris on the scraper assembly 42 can be separated from the scraper assembly 42 by the reciprocating motion of the scraper assembly 42.

[0067] In some embodiments, during the cleaning operation, the fan of the air purifier is driven to rotate at a low speed. During the rotation of the fan at the low speed, the cover 54 of the collection box 50 of the air purifier is opened; wherein the cleaning of the debris on the pre-filter component 30 is performed during the opening of the cover 54. Thus, it is possible to prevent debris such as hair from floating in the air, and by generating negative pressure, it is helpful for debris such as hair to be attached to the surface of the pre-filter component during the entire cleaning process, so as to facilitate collection.

[0068] In some embodiments, after the scraper assembly 42 reciprocates a predetermined number of times near the collection box 50, the scraper assembly 42 is returned to the initial position before cleaning the pre-filtering component 30; and the cover 54 of the collection box 50 of the air purifier is closed. Through the reciprocating motion of the scraper assembly 42, the debris on the scraper assembly 42 itself can be hung into the collection box. In addition, through such an operation, after the air purifier is cleaned, it can return to the initial state so that the air filter is ready to perform normal filtering functions. The whole process can be performed automatically without any human intervention.

[0069] In some embodiments, when the cover 54 of the collection box 50 of the air purifier is closed, the fan is rotated at a high speed gear higher than the low speed gear for a predetermined time. This is particularly performed before performing a cleaning operation. The predetermined time can be tens of seconds or several minutes. The rotation at the high speed gear helps to collect debris such as hair suspended in the air into the pre-filter component.

[0070] In some embodiments, an air purifier is also provided. The air purifier includes at least one processor; and a memory connected to the at least one processor in communication; wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the method described above.

[0071] The processing unit performs the various methods and processes described above, such as process 100. For example, in some embodiments, process 100 can be implemented as a computer software program, which is tangibly contained in a machine-readable medium. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program can be loaded and / or installed on the device via ROM and / or a communication unit. When the computer program is loaded into RAM and executed by the CP, one or more steps of process 100 described above can be performed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the CPU can be configured to perform process 100 by any other appropriate means (e.g., by means of firmware).

[0072] The functions described above herein may be performed at least in part by one or more hardware logic components. For example, without limitation, exemplary types of hardware logic components that may be used include: field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application specific standard products (ASSPs), systems on chip systems (SOCs), load programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and the like.

[0073] The program code for implementing the method of the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. These program codes may be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, so that the program code, when executed by the processor or controller, enables the functions / operations specified in the flow chart and / or block diagram to be implemented. The program code may be executed entirely on the machine, partially on the machine, partially on the machine and partially on a remote machine as a stand-alone software package, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0074] In the context of the present disclosure, a machine-readable medium may be a tangible medium that may contain or store a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, device, or equipment. A machine-readable medium may be a machine-readable signal medium or a machine-readable storage medium. A machine-readable medium may include, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, device, or equipment, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A more specific example of a machine-readable storage medium may include an electrical connection based on one or more lines, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0075] In addition, although each operation is described in a specific order, this should be understood as requiring such operation to be performed in the specific order shown or in a sequential order, or requiring that all illustrated operations should be performed to obtain desired results. Under certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Similarly, although some specific implementation details are included in the above discussion, these should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Some features described in the context of a separate embodiment can also be implemented in a single implementation in combination. On the contrary, the various features described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations individually or in any suitable sub-combination mode.

[0076] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological logical actions, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. On the contrary, the specific features and actions described above are merely example forms of implementing the claims.

[0077] The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, and the above description is exemplary, not exhaustive, and is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and changes will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The selection of terms used herein is intended to best explain the principles of the embodiments, practical applications, or technical improvements in the market, or to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An air purifier (1), characterized in that: include: A base body (10) is provided with an air duct; A filter (20) is installed in the air duct, wherein the air duct includes an air inlet cavity (22) formed upstream of the filter (20) and an air outlet cavity (24) formed downstream of the filter (20); A pre-filter component (30) installed upstream of the filter (20); a scraper device (40) mounted to the base (10) at the air inlet chamber (22), comprising a scraper assembly (42) detachably mounted adjacent to the pre-filter component (30) and a drive mechanism (44) for driving the scraper assembly (42) to move along the surface of the pre-filter component (30) to clean the pre-filter component (30); and A collection box (50) is mounted to the base (10) adjacent to the pre-filtering component (30) and is used to collect debris swept by the scraper assembly (42).

2. The air purifier according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving mechanism (44) comprises: A first motor (41) is disposed on one side of the base; a rack (48) fixedly mounted to the base (10); a power output shaft (45) connected to the first motor (41), wherein the first motor (41) is configured to drive the power output shaft (45) to rotate; and A worm (43) is arranged on the power output shaft (45), rotates synchronously with the power output shaft and moves along the rack (48), and the worm is configured to carry the scraper assembly (42) and engage with the rack (48) to drive the scraper assembly (42) to move longitudinally to clean the pre-filter assembly (30).

3. The air purifier according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that: The scraper assembly (42) comprises: a first plate (422); and A second plate (424) is mounted to the first plate (422) and is elastically biased toward the pre-filter component (30) via a spring.

4. The air purifier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The air purifier (1) further comprises a fan, wherein the drive mechanism (44) of the scraper device (40) is configured to operate during operation of the fan.

5. The air purifier according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The base body (10) is further provided with a debris separation portion (56) in an area below the pre-filtering component (30) and adjacent to the collection box (50), wherein the debris separation portion (56) is formed to match the scraper assembly (42) and is configured to allow the scraper assembly (42) to perform reciprocating frictional movement relative to the debris separation portion (56) in the area, so that the debris collected on the scraper assembly (42) is separated from the scraper assembly (42) and enters the collection box (50), wherein the debris separation portion (56) includes a scraping portion having a predetermined scraping orientation, wherein the scraping orientation of the scraping portion of the scraper assembly (42) is opposite to the predetermined scraping orientation.

6. The air purifier according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The collection box (50) comprises a storage cavity (52) and a cover (54), and the debris is collected in the storage cavity (52).

7. The air purifier according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The height of the side of the collection box (50) adjacent to the pre-filtering component (30) is smaller than the height of the side of the collection box (50) away from the pre-filtering component (30), and the debris separation portion (56) at least partially extends into the interior of the collection box (50).

8. The air purifier according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The cover (54) is arranged on a side away from the pre-filter component (30), and the end of the cover (54) is bent concavely relative to the mounting end of the cover (54), so that when the cover (54) is fully opened, the opening of the cover (54) at the end is larger than the opening of the cover (54) at a middle portion between the end and the mounting end.

9. The air purifier according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: It also includes a second motor for driving the cover (54) to close or open, and the second motor is configured to open when the air purifier cleans the pre-filter component (30) to allow debris cleaned from the pre-filter component (30) to enter the collection box (50).

10. The air purifier according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The scraper assembly (42) is arranged transversely, and the drive mechanism (44) includes a first drive mechanism and a second drive mechanism arranged at both transverse ends of the pre-filter component (30), wherein the scraper device (40) further includes a posture calibration device for the scraper assembly (42), the posture calibration device including a first micro switch for the first drive mechanism installed at a first predetermined position and a second micro switch for the second drive mechanism installed at a second predetermined position, The first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism are configured to be moved synchronously based on corresponding signals from the first micro switch and the second micro switch.

11. The air purifier according to claim 2, characterized in that: The worm (43) includes a center hole (432), and the power output shaft (45) extends through the center hole (432), wherein the power output shaft (45) and the center hole (432) are shaped to allow the worm (43) to be driven to rotate via the rotation of the power output shaft (45), and the power output shaft (45) and the center hole (432) are clearance-fitted to allow the worm (43) to move relative to the power output shaft (45), wherein the cross-section of the power output shaft (45) is a polygonal profile, and the center hole (432) is a corresponding polygonal hole.

12. The air purifier according to claim 10, characterized in that: The driving mechanism (44) further includes a position determining component for determining the position of the scraper assembly (42), and the first motor (41) is configured to drive the scraper assembly (42) to reciprocate in an area near the collection box (50) based on a signal from the position determining component indicating that the scraper assembly (42) is located at a predetermined position, so as to separate debris captured in the scraper assembly (42) from the scraper assembly (42).

13. The air purifier according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The substrate (10) comprises: a first housing (14) which is formed concavely from the front surface of the air cleaner toward the downstream and includes an open portion for allowing air to enter; and A second shell (12), the second shell (12) is detachably mounted to the first shell (14) and partially covers the open portion, an elongated inlet (13) is formed between the second shell (12) and the first shell (14) to allow air to enter the air inlet chamber (22); wherein a bristle strip is also included at the transition between the air outlet chamber (24) and the air inlet chamber (22).

14. A method for operating an air purifier, characterized in that: include: Based on a cleaning instruction, driving the scraper assembly (42) of the air purifier to move linearly along the surface of the pre-filter component (30) of the air purifier to clean the debris on the pre-filter component (30); Based on the scraper assembly (42) moving to a predetermined position adjacent to the collection box (50) of the air purifier, the scraper assembly (42) is driven to reciprocate near the collection box (50) to separate debris captured on the scraper assembly (42) from the scraper assembly (42).

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that Also includes: Driving the fan of the air purifier to rotate at a low speed; as well as While the fan is rotating at the low speed gear, opening the cover (54) of the collection box (50) of the air purifier; The cleaning of debris on the pre-filter component (30) is performed while the cover (54) is opened.

16. An air purifier, comprising: at least one processor; as well as a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein, The memory stores instructions executable by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor to enable the at least one processor to perform the method according to any one of claims 14 to 15.

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