Air Purifier Annular Discharge Path for Adjustable Volume and Velocity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air purifiers face challenges in achieving a balance between high air flow rate and volume while maintaining aesthetic design and efficient filter usage, often resulting in low indoor air circulation speed and increased noise due to high fan revolutions.

Innovation Solution

An air purifier design featuring an annular discharge flow path with a narrowing cross-section and an adjustable discharge end, utilizing a blower fan and an adjusting unit with cover plates to control the discharge area, allowing for balanced filter usage and adjustable flow characteristics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the discharge port area is increased to increase air volume, then the volume of air per unit time is large, but the flow rate of discharged air is low resulting in low indoor air circulation speed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevolume of airVSAvoidindoor air circulation speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge port is designed with an adjustable structure that allows dynamic change of the discharge area. The adjusting unit can modify the opening area of the discharge end, enabling the system to adapt between large area (for high volume) and small area (for high flow rate) configurations, thus resolving the contradiction between air volume and circulation speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the geometric parameter of the discharge port (opening area) to achieve different operational modes. By adjusting the discharge area parameter, the system can optimize between volume flow and velocity flow requirements, allowing the same device to satisfy both contradictory requirements at different times.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Speed

If the number of revolutions of a fan is increased to increase flow rate, then the flow rate of discharged air is increased, but noise is generated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflow rate of discharged airVSAvoidnoise
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuously increasing fan speed to maintain high flow rate, the invention dynamically adjusts the discharge area to control flow rate. This allows the fan to operate at lower, quieter speeds while still achieving the desired airflow by reducing the discharge opening area when high flow rate is needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts the flow rate control function from the fan speed control and relocates it to the discharge area adjustment mechanism. This separates the functions of air generation (fan) and air delivery control (discharge port), allowing the fan to operate efficiently at lower speeds while the discharge area controls the flow rate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Speed

If the discharge port area is reduced to decrease noise and increase flow rate, then the flow rate of discharged air is increased, but the volume of air is small resulting in low indoor air circulation speed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflow rate of discharged airVSAvoidvolume of air
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustable discharge port enables dynamic switching between large area mode (high volume, lower flow rate) and small area mode (high flow rate, lower volume). This allows the system to adapt to different operational requirements, using the entire filter area effectively in different scenarios rather than being fixed at one configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

This design secures a fast flow rate and large air volume, ensuring balanced filter service life and adjustable airflow, while maintaining a compact and aesthetically pleasing form.

Implementation Method 1

an annular discharge flow path, configuring a path through which air, inside the housing flowing by the blower fan, is discharged externally, formed in the housing while having an annular discharge end, and having a cross section, narrowing from an interior of the housing to the discharge end

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow through narrowing passage: Venturi Effect

Implementation Method 2

a plurality of cover plates, installed in the case and provided at an outer edge of the discharge end and configured to be moved in a radial direction of the discharge end to adjust an outer diameter of the discharge end

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical displacement: Displacement

Data Source

PatentEP3385625B1Air purifier
Publication Date: 2022.11.23 COWAY CO LTD
  • EP3385625B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3385625B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3385625B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is an air purifier which can secure a high air volume and a rapid flow velocity of discharged air, and also can achieve aesthetic improvement in design. The air purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a housing; a blower fan which is provided inside the housing; and an annular discharge flow path which configures a path through which air inside the housing which flows by the blower fan is discharged to the outside, is formed inside the housing while having an annular discharge end, and has a cross - section which becomes narrower from the inside of the housing towards the discharge end.