Head-Support Air Filtration for Quiet Breathing-Zone Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current air filtration systems are ineffective in reducing allergen and pollutant exposure for individuals, particularly while sleeping, as they often require high airflow that can be annoying and fail to adequately filter air near the breathing zone due to room size and environmental factors.

Innovation Solution

A personal air filtration device that delivers filtered air directly to the breathing zone through a head support with an air-permeable surface, using a blower and filter configuration that creates a localized bubble of clean air, reducing recontamination and noise.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If room air filtration systems are used to remove particles, then particle removal efficiency is improved, but the filtered air can be recontaminated by surrounding environment before reaching the breathing zone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparticle removal efficiencyVSAvoidrecontamination of filtered air

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the air filtration function into localized segments by placing multiple air cleaners at strategic positions around the breathing zone rather than using a single centralized system. This segmentation ensures that filtered air reaches the breathing zone directly without traveling through contaminated room air, preventing recontamination while maintaining high particle removal efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces filtered air as an intermediary substance that creates a protective barrier around the breathing zone. By continuously supplying clean air to this zone, the system mediates between the contaminated room environment and the breathing zone, preventing harmful particles from reaching the user while maintaining reliable particle removal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If air cleaners are positioned to filter room air, then overall air quality is improved, but effectiveness decreases as room size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair quality improvementVSAvoideffectiveness per unit room volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies local quality by concentrating filtration capacity at the breathing zone rather than distributing it uniformly throughout the room. Multiple air cleaners are positioned to create localized zones of clean air exactly where needed, making the system highly effective in large rooms without requiring proportional increases in total filtration capacity across the entire space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from a single-room centralized filtration approach to a multi-point distributed approach, adding the dimension of spatial distribution. By placing air cleaners at multiple positions around the breathing zone, the system creates a three-dimensional network of clean air supply that maintains effectiveness regardless of room size, overcoming the limitation of traditional single-point filtration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If high airflow is used to prevent particle circulation near sleeping person, then allergen exposure is reduced, but the wind on the person's head becomes annoying

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveallergen exposureVSAvoidcomfort during sleep

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the airflow parameters by using multiple low-flow air cleaners instead of a single high-flow unit. This distribution of airflow across multiple sources creates gentle, non-disruptive air movement that still prevents particle circulation around the breathing zone but does not create annoying wind on the person's head, maintaining both allergen protection and sleep comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 device efficiently provides filtered air to the breathing zone, reducing allergen and pollutant exposure, minimizing noise, and maintaining a comfortable airflow, thereby improving sleep quality and reducing allergen-related symptoms.

Implementation Method 1

air filtration systems, some of which remove particulates at 99.97% efficiency

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical filtration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 2

a blower configured to provide an airflow to a head support

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForced air flow: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 3

At least a portion of a surface of the head support is air permeable

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPermeation: Permeation

Data Source

PatentUS9144697B2Personal air filtration device

Publication Date: 2015.09.29 AUGUSTINE BIOMEDICAL AND DESIGN LLC

AI summary

A personal air filtration device and methods of using the same for providing a zone of filtered air proximate a breathing zone of a user are described. A blower provides an air flow to a head support which delivers the air flow to a zone proximate the users head. The air flow passes through a filter. The filter can be a point of delivery filter disposed about an air permeable surface of the head support. The delivered air flow can provide a laminar air flow defining a zone of filtered air about the user's breathing zone.