Device for arranging one or more electrodes of a plasma filter in a housing of a fume hood apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plasma filters for kitchen extractor hoods lack effective means to prevent voltage flashover and ensure user safety, particularly when water enters the housing, and there is a need to improve the arrangement of electrodes within their housing.
Innovation Solution
The use of fastening means, such as fastening pins with a predetermined minimum length and shielding sleeves, provides a creepage distance and shields the electrodes from the housing, preventing current transfer and ensuring safety by maintaining a minimum distance from the nearest shielding means and the housing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrodes are arranged in a housing without adequate spacing and shielding, then the device complexity is reduced, but voltage flashover can occur compromising safety
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces fastening means (pins) and shielding means (sleeves) as intermediary elements between the electrodes and the housing. These components create physical separation and electrical insulation, preventing direct contact and voltage flashover while maintaining a manageable device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding means is designed as a sleeve that surrounds the fastening means, creating a nested structure. This nesting approach consolidates multiple safety functions (mechanical fastening, electrical insulation, creepage distance provision) into a compact integrated assembly, reducing overall device complexity.
2Reliability
If fastening means and shielding means are added to arrange electrodes, then voltage flashover is prevented improving safety, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the fastening function and shielding function into an integrated assembly where the shielding means surrounds the fastening means. This merging of functions reduces the number of separate components needed and simplifies the overall electrode arrangement structure while maintaining safety requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening means serves multiple functions: mechanically securing the electrode holder and providing creepage distance. The shielding means simultaneously provides electrical insulation, maintains spacing, and protects the fastening means. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated components.
3Volume of stationary object
If electrodes are placed close to the housing for compact design, then the housing volume is reduced, but current transfer to the housing may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding means acts as an intermediary barrier between the electrodes and the housing, preventing current transfer even when electrodes are positioned close to the housing for compact design. The fastening means simultaneously maintains the required creepage distance through its insulated structure.
4Ease of manufacture
If metal electrode holder is used for ease of manufacture, then manufacturing is simplified, but electrical conductivity may cause safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding means serves as an intermediary that electrically isolates the conductive metal electrode holder from the housing. This allows the benefits of using metal (mechanical strength, ease of manufacture) while eliminating the electrical conductivity safety issue through the insulating barrier provided by the shielding sleeve.
Data Source
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AI summary
A device for arranging electrodes (20, 21) of a plasma filter unit (3) in a housing (4) comprises fastening means (29), each of which has a creeping region for providing a creeping path having a predefined minimum length and each of which is surrounded at least in part by a shielding means (30), the fastening means (29) being located at a predefined minimum distance from the closest shielding means (30).