Dual-Fan Air Cleaner Layout to Prevent Airflow Recirculation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air cleaners have limited capacity to purify air across entire indoor spaces due to restricted suction and discharge directions, leading to reduced effectiveness and increased noise when trying to improve fan performance, and require user movement to cover desired areas.

Innovation Solution

The air cleaner design incorporates dual blowing devices with 360-degree suction capabilities and a dividing plate to direct airflow outward, enhancing suction and discharge efficiency while preventing recirculation of discharged air.

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 divides the blowing function into multiple fans (first blowing fan and second blowing fan) positioned at different locations. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high total airflow without requiring any single fan to operate at high noise-generating speeds, thus maintaining reliability while improving overall purification capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces spatial dimensionality by positioning blowing fans at multiple discharge ports located at different heights and directions (upper, lower, front, rear portions). This multi-dimensional air discharge approach distributes the workload across multiple fans, enabling high purification capacity without excessive noise from individual fans.

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

2Power

If single blowing fan is used to simplify device structure, then device complexity is reduced, but blowing capacity is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblowing capacityVSAvoidnumber of fans
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple blowing fans and multiple discharge ports into a single integrated air purifier body. This merging approach achieves high blowing capacity through coordinated operation of multiple fans while avoiding excessive device complexity by unifying control and integration within one housing structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If air discharge is limited to single upward direction to simplify structure, then device complexity is reduced, but air cleaning coverage is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair cleaning coverageVSAvoiddischarge structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the air discharge function into multiple discharge ports positioned at different locations (upper, lower, front, rear portions) and orientations. This segmentation enables purified air to be discharged in multiple directions simultaneously, significantly expanding air cleaning coverage without requiring complex movable or adjustable mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Productivity

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

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuction capacityVSAvoidcase structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a cylindrical case structure instead of a rectangular parallelepiped. This curved, corner-free design eliminates structural resistance at corners that would interfere with air suction, thereby maximizing suction capacity while remaining manufacturable through standard cylindrical forming processes.

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 improves air purification coverage and reduces noise by allowing air to be suctioned and discharged in multiple directions, effectively reaching distant areas without user intervention and minimizing recirculation.

Implementation Method 1

a blower that introduces outside air into the air cleaner

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Data Source

PatentEP3276268B1Air cleaner
Publication Date: 2019.03.06 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3276268B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3276268B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3276268B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An air cleaner is provided that may include a first air cleaning module including a first fan that generates air flow toward a first discharge outlet from a first suction inlet; a second air cleaning module including a second fan that generates air flow toward a second discharge outlet from a second suction inlet; and a divider provided between the first air cleaning module and the second air cleaning module, the divider being configured to block air discharged through the first discharge outlet from being suctioned into the second suction inlet.