Air cleaning apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tower-type air cleaners face issues such as contamination of internal components due to dust and liquids, risk of electric shock during cleaning, high maintenance costs, difficulty in cleaning the blowing fan and electrical parts, and degradation of hygiene and performance due to photocatalytic filters.
Innovation Solution
The air cleaner features a detachable discharge grille, automatic power shutdown for electrical parts during cleaning, a locking mechanism for internal grilles, a hook coupling structure for cover panels, and a photocatalyst module with a bypass hole to reduce flow resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the internal flow path is opened in a horizontal direction to allow cleaning, then cleaning accessibility is improved, but electrical parts are exposed creating safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a first housing portion and a second housing portion that can be separated from each other. The blowing fan is further segmented into a fan blade assembly and a motor assembly that can be detached. This segmentation allows the fan blade assembly to be accessed for cleaning while the motor assembly remains enclosed to prevent electrical shock hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
A coupling member serves as an intermediary component that connects the fan blade assembly to the motor assembly. This coupling member can be easily detached and reattached, allowing users to remove the fan blade assembly for cleaning while the motor assembly remains protected within the housing structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple parts are separated to clean the blowing fan, then cleaning thoroughness is improved, but assembly complexity and damage risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The blowing fan is segmented into a fan blade assembly and a motor assembly connected by a coupling member. This segmentation allows the fan blade assembly to be removed and cleaned separately while the motor assembly remains in place, reducing assembly complexity compared to removing multiple parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The fan blade assembly is extracted from the housing structure through the detachable coupling member, allowing thorough cleaning of the fan blades and surrounding areas without needing to disassemble the entire housing or electrical components.
3Strength
If the discharge grille is fixed to maintain structural integrity, then structural strength is improved, but cleaning accessibility and maintenance ease deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge grille is segmented from the main housing structure, allowing it to be detached for cleaning and maintenance while the housing maintains its structural integrity. The grille can be removed through the detachable coupling mechanism without compromising the overall structural strength of the housing.
4Reliability
If the photocatalytic filter is installed to improve sterilization, then sterilization performance is improved, but flow resistance increases reducing dust collection
Solution Approach 1:
The filtration system is segmented into a dust collection filter and a photocatalytic filter positioned at different locations in the air flow path. The dust collection filter handles particle removal while the photocatalytic filter handles sterilization, allowing both functions to operate efficiently without excessive flow resistance from a single combined filter.
Data Source
AI summary
An air cleaner includes a housing including a first opening configured to absorb outside air, a second opening configured to discharge the air outside, and a housing body having an internal flow path connecting the first opening and the second opening, a blower unit including a blowing fan configured to blow air accommodated in the internal flow path toward the second opening, and a driving motor disposed between the first opening and the blowing fan and detachably shaft-coupled to the blowing fan, and installed in the internal flow path, a filter installed in the internal flow path and configured to purify air absorbed through the first opening, and a discharge unit including a discharge grille having a plurality of discharge holes formed to allow air reaching the second opening to pass therethrough and detachably coupled to the second opening. Accordingly, the discharge grille for discharging air purified by the filter to the outside is separated from the opening of the housing to open the internal flow path in which the blowing fan and other internal components are installed, and thus cleaning, repair, and other tasks on the internal flow path and internal components are easily performed through the opening from which the discharge grille is separated.