Personalised air purification device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air cleaning devices for personalized air supply are limited by their design, which restricts user mobility, is difficult to handle, and can lead to contamination due to dirt particles and bacteria settling in the device and hoses, while room air purifiers are inefficient in cleaning constant sources of air pollution.

Innovation Solution

A disc-shaped air cleaning device with a rotationally symmetrical housing that positions air intake and outlet in the same radial plane, allowing for compact design, easy handling, and targeted air delivery, featuring a fan wheel that rotates within an intake air filter, reducing overall height and enabling use as a tabletop, wall-mounted, or vehicle-mounted device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a long hose is used to connect the air supply device to the user, then the user can be positioned away from the device, but dirt particles and bacteria can settle in the hose leading to contamination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser positioning flexibilityVSAvoidair quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the long hose component from the system. Instead of using a separate hose to deliver air, the air supply device integrates the air outlet directly at the user's breathing zone, removing the contamination risk associated with long hoses while maintaining positioning flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The air supply device is designed to be positioned within or very close to the user's breathing zone, nesting the air delivery function directly at the point of use rather than requiring a separate delivery mechanism through a hose.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of operation

If a floor-based air supply device with a long hose is used, then air can be supplied to the user, but the device is difficult to handle and restricts user mobility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser mobilityVSAvoiddevice handling
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention transitions the air supply device from a floor-based configuration to a tabletop or desk-mounted configuration, changing the spatial dimension and position of the device. This allows the device to be easily moved and repositioned on flat surfaces, significantly improving user mobility and ease of handling while maintaining effective air delivery.

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

3Reliability

If room air purifiers clean all air in the indoor space, then overall air quality may improve slightly, but they cannot keep up with constant sources of air pollution

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair qualityVSAvoidpollution removal effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies local quality by concentrating the air purification function specifically at the user's breathing zone rather than attempting to clean the entire room air. This localized approach delivers high-concentration clean air directly where it is needed most, significantly improving pollution removal effectiveness for the user's immediate environment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The device provides continuous air purification at the user's breathing zone, maintaining a constant supply of clean air that keeps pace with ongoing pollution sources. The system operates continuously to ensure the breathing zone remains clean despite constant pollution generation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

4Ease of operation

If the air outlet is positioned away from the user's breathing zone, then the device can be placed in a convenient location, but the clean air mixes with room pollutants

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice placementVSAvoidbreathing air quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The air outlet is positioned directly at the user's breathing zone, applying local quality by delivering clean air precisely where it is needed. This eliminates mixing with room pollutants and ensures the user breathes highly purified air, while the device can still be conveniently placed on tables or desks near the user.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 provides efficient, personalized air purification with reduced contamination risk, improved mobility, and energy efficiency by cleaning only the immediate breathing zone, maintaining air quality without mixing with room pollutants.

Implementation Method 1

with at least one fan wheel (6) in the housing being rotatable about a fan axis of rotation (5)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFan: Fan

Implementation Method 2

at least one intake air filter (7) of the air cleaning device being arranged for filtering the air sucked in through the air intake area (3)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltering: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP3457047B1Personalised air purification device
Publication Date: 2023.01.04 IQAIR AG
  • EP3457047B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3457047B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP3457047B1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

Personalized air purification device (1) with a housing (2) which has at least one air intake area (3) for drawing air into the housing (2) and at least one air discharge area (4) for blowing the air out of the housing (2), wherein a purified discharge airflow (32) is directed towards the body, and in particular towards the face, of a user, wherein the housing (2) of the air purification device (1) is designed to be approximately disc-shaped, round or oval or polygonal, and wherein the air intake area (3) and the air discharge area (4) are arranged in the same plane (39) on the circumference of the housing (2).