Head-Worn Air Purifier With Nozzle-Directed Speaker Filtration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wearable air purifiers fail to effectively deliver purified air to the user's mouth and nose while allowing unfiltered air to reach these areas, and are often cumbersome and less efficient due to limited space and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A head wearable air purifier design featuring a pair of speaker assemblies with motor-driven impellers and filter assemblies mounted on a headband, generating a filtered airflow through a nozzle that directs purified air accurately to the user's mouth and nose, with a control circuit managing impeller speeds up to 18,000 RPM and incorporating active noise cancellation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate air filtering unit connected by a pipe to an air outlet is used, then the purifier can deliver filtered air to the user, but the device becomes more complex and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the air filtering function with the existing speaker assembly by integrating a filter element into the speaker housing. The motor-driven impeller, already present for audio purposes, is repurposed to generate airflow through the filter element. This combination eliminates the need for separate filtering units and connecting pipes, reducing device complexity while maintaining purification effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The speaker assembly is given multiple functions: it continues to provide audio output while simultaneously serving as an air purification and delivery system. The motor-driven impeller performs dual roles in both audio signal generation and air flow generation. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components needed in the wearable device.
2Productivity
If the impeller rotational speed is increased to improve airflow rate, then air delivery performance improves, but noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit monitors various parameters including noise levels and adjusts the impeller rotational speed accordingly. When noise thresholds are exceeded, the control circuit modulates the impeller speed to maintain airflow performance while reducing noise emission. This feedback mechanism allows dynamic optimization of the trade-off between productivity and harmful noise generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The impeller rotational speed is made variable and dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. The control circuit continuously modulates the speed based on real-time conditions such as user activity, environmental factors, and noise constraints. This dynamic operation allows the system to achieve high airflow rates when needed while operating more quietly during low-demand periods.
3Measurement precision
If a head-worn purifier with a microphone arm is used, then air delivery accuracy to mouth and nose improves, but unfiltered air can still reach the user
Solution Approach 1:
The filter element is positioned strategically within the speaker assembly to ensure that all air drawn through the system passes through it. The air inlet, filter element, and air outlet are arranged in a sealed configuration where the filter occupies a critical position in the airflow path. This local placement ensures 100% filtration of delivered air while maintaining precise delivery to the user's mouth and nose area.
Solution Approach 2:
The design extracts and removes unfiltered air from the system by ensuring that the only air path available to the user is through the filtered outlet. The speaker assembly structure and positioning create a controlled airflow environment where ambient unfiltered air is excluded from reaching the user's breathing zone, and only filtered air from the impeller-driven flow is delivered.
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 design provides improved air purification and delivery performance, effectively blocking unfiltered air and ensuring clear speech by maintaining transparency, while reducing complexity and enhancing comfort with efficient airflow rates and filtering efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a motor-driven impeller for creating an airflow through the filter assembly
Implementation Method 2
a filter assembly, a motor-driven impeller for creating an airflow through the filter assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A head wearable air purifier is provided. The head wearable air purifier includes a first speaker assembly, a second speaker assembly, a nozzle, and a control circuit. The first and second speaker assemblies are arranged to be worn over the ears of a user. The first speaker assembly includes a filter assembly, a motor-driven impeller for creating an airflow through the filter assembly, and a first speak assembly air outlet downstream from the filter assembly for emitting a filtered airflow from the first speaker assembly. The nozzle can receive the filtered airflow from the first speaker. A nozzle air outlet emits the received filtered airflow towards a mouth and/or a nose of the user. The control circuit can control the motor-driven impeller of the first speaker to have a maximum rotational speed from 9,000 to 18,000 RPM and can implement active noise cancellation for the first speaker assembly.