Air Adjuster Bottom-Gap Layout for Quiet Front-Side Air Intake

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air purifiers face challenges with high noise levels due to direct blower air intake noise and inefficient airflow from the lower front side, leading to stagnant air accumulation around the device.

Innovation Solution

An air adjuster design with a back or side surface air inlet and a leg unit forming a gap between the bottom surface and the placement surface, where the vertical dimension on the front side is smaller than on the back side, allowing air to flow through and be sucked in efficiently, reducing noise and preventing stagnant air.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the air inlet is formed in the front surface of the housing, then the air purifier efficiently sucks in contaminated air including air on the lower front side, but the noise level for the user during operation is high because the blower air intake noise directly enters the user's ears

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair suction efficiencyVSAvoidnoise level

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The air inlet is repositioned from the front surface to the back surface of the housing. This inversion of the air inlet location allows the blower noise to be directed away from the user, while the gap structure at the bottom ensures efficient air intake from the lower front side is maintained through airflow guidance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the air inlet is formed in the back surface of the housing to reduce noise, then the low-noise performance is good, but air on the lower front side of the apparatus is not easily sucked in, so that contaminated air in a room remains stagnant

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise levelVSAvoidair circulation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The air intake function is segmented between two locations: the back surface air inlet for main air intake with low noise, and the bottom gap structure for supplementary air intake from the lower front side. This segmentation allows both noise reduction and efficient air circulation to be achieved simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Air intake is extended to another dimension by creating a gap between the bottom surface of the housing and the placement surface. This vertical dimension gap allows air to be drawn from the lower front side region, preventing stagnant air while maintaining the low-noise back inlet configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If the gap between the bottom surface and placement surface has uniform vertical dimensions, then the structure is simple, but the airflow speed is not optimized and dust may adhere to the bottom surface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure complexityVSAvoidairflow speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The gap structure employs asymmetric vertical dimensions with the front side gap being smaller than the back side gap. This asymmetry creates a nozzle-like effect at the front that accelerates airflow, preventing dust adhesion while maintaining structural simplicity. The asymmetric design optimizes airflow dynamics without adding complex mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design effectively reduces noise levels, enhances airflow from the lower front side to the back side, and improves air suction power while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing appearance by using the gap as a nozzle to increase airflow speed and prevent dust adhesion.

Implementation Method 1

a blower that is disposed in the housing and that sucks in air through the air inlet; when the blower is activated and air is sucked in through the air inlet in the back surface or the side surface of the housing and airflow toward the air inlet is generated

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

air on the lower front side of the housing flows through the gap between the bottom surface and the placement surface toward the back surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid flow through restricted passage: Venturi Effect

Data Source

PatentUS9366450B2Air adjuster

Publication Date: 2016.06.14 SHARP KK

AI summary

Provided is an air adjuster that maintains low-noise performance of back-inlet types and allows realization of efficient airflow from the front side toward the back side thereof and prevents the occurrence of stagnant air. The air adjuster includes a housing in which air inlets and an air outlet are formed; a blower that sucks in air through the air inlets; and a conditioning unit that conditions the air sucked in by the blower. The air inlets are located on the back side of the housing, and the air conditioned by the conditioning unit is blown to the outside through the air outlet. The housing allows the air to pass through a space between a bottom surface thereof and a placement surface, and the housing is provided with leg units that form a gap whose vertical dimension on the front side is smaller than that on the back side.