Cylindrical Air Cleaner Airflow Control for Wider Purification Coverage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air cleaners have limited capacity and reliability due to structural resistance and directional suction, leading to incomplete air purification in indoor spaces, with increased noise and inconvenience when trying to improve fan performance.

Innovation Solution

The air cleaner design includes multiple blowing devices with cylindrical cases and 360-degree suction ports, a flow adjusting device, and a centrifugal fan to enhance suction capacity and direct airflow in various directions, preventing structural resistance and improving air distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If fan blowing amount is increased to improve air purification performance, then purification capacity is improved, but noise increases and reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair purification capacityVSAvoidproduct reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a cylindrical case shape instead of a rectangular parallelepiped, which eliminates corner resistance and enables 360-degree air suction ports around the entire circumference. This curved geometry optimizes airflow patterns, allowing effective air purification with reduced fan power requirements, thus maintaining reliability while improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces multi-directional air discharge (upward, lateral, and downward directions) instead of single upward discharge. This three-dimensional air distribution expands the purification coverage throughout the indoor space without requiring increased fan blowing amount, resolving the contradiction between purification capacity and noise/reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If fan blowing amount is increased to improve air purification performance, then purification capacity is improved, but noise increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair purification capacityVSAvoidnoise
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cylindrical case design with 360-degree suction ports creates optimized airflow patterns that reduce turbulence and resistance. This allows the fan to operate at lower speeds for the same purification effect, significantly reducing noise generation while maintaining air purification capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The air discharge function is segmented into multiple independent discharge ports positioned at different locations and orientations (upper discharge port for upward flow, lateral discharge ports for horizontal flow, and lower discharge ports for downward flow). This segmentation allows distributed air delivery throughout the space without requiring high-velocity single-direction discharge, thereby reducing noise.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If single direction air discharge is used to simplify device structure, then device complexity is reduced, but air cleaning function is limited to areas around the air cleaner

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair cleaning coverageVSAvoidairflow control mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge system is divided into multiple independent discharge ports (upper, lateral, and lower) that can operate simultaneously. Each port directs purified air in a specific direction, collectively achieving comprehensive spatial coverage without requiring complex movable or adjustable mechanisms. This simple segmented structure resolves the contradiction between coverage area and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of manufacture

If rectangular parallelepiped case shape is used for ease of manufacture, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but suction capacity is reduced due to structural resistance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecase manufacturingVSAvoidair suction capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adopts a cylindrical case configuration that eliminates the corner resistance inherent in rectangular designs. The curved surface allows uniform 360-degree air suction ports around the entire circumference, optimizing airflow intake without manufacturing complexity. This cylindrical geometry naturally guides airflow into the fan, maximizing suction capacity while remaining manufacturable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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 increases air suction capacity, allows for efficient air purification in larger spaces, reduces noise, and enhances airflow directionality, ensuring effective air cleaning without the need for frequent device relocation.

Implementation Method 1

a centrifugal fan

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentEP3211345B1Air cleaner
Publication Date: 2020.09.16 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3211345B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3211345B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3211345B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An air cleaner is provided. The air cleaner may include at least one air cleaning module including a fan, a filter and an inlet through which air is suctioned into the filter; an air flow controller configured to be movably disposed on the at least one air cleaning module and including an air flow control fan to control a flow of the air discharged from the at least one air cleaning module. The air flow controller may be movable from a first position at which the air is discharged in an upward direction to a second position at which the air is discharged in a diagonally upward direction.