Three-Dimensional Filter Structure for Germ-Killing Air Purification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hand dryers and air purifiers face issues with noise due to powerful fan motors, longer drying times, and grime buildup, while traditional germ-killing substances can be toxic to humans and ineffective against new virus strains, and they often become breeding sites for germs.
Innovation Solution
A hand dryer and air purifier design featuring a three-dimensional filter structure with multiple layers, including a germ-killing filter, interception filter, and entrapment layer, along with a wick-delivery system and germ-killing substance sprayer, that draws in airflow, kills germs, and expels purified air, minimizing noise and grime buildup and using non-toxic substances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a powerful fan motor is used to generate strong airflow through filters, then airflow efficiency is improved, but noise levels increase
Solution Approach 1:
The filter system is divided into multiple separate filter sheets arranged in series, each contributing to germ-killing functionality. This segmentation allows the airflow path to be optimized while distributing the filtration function across multiple components, maintaining airflow efficiency without requiring excessive fan power.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces reliance on high-power mechanical fan motors with a chemical/biological approach: filters impregnated with germ-killing substances that actively kill germs in the airflow. This substitution reduces the need for high-velocity airflow, thereby reducing fan motor noise while maintaining germ-killing effectiveness.
2Reliability
If germ-killing substances of sufficient strength are used to kill viruses, then germ-killing effectiveness is improved, but toxicity to humans increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of germ-killing substances by using multiple different substances with varying properties rather than a single strong substance. This allows achieving effective germ-killing through combination while selecting substances with lower individual toxicity, thus reducing harm to humans.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter system uses composite filter material impregnated with multiple different germ-killing substances. This composite approach combines the effects of different substances to achieve superior germ-killing effectiveness while the diversity of substances reduces the risk of any single toxic substance affecting humans.
3Reliability
If multiple filter sheets are arranged in series to kill germs, then germ-killing effectiveness is improved, but the time needed to dry hands increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filters are pre-impregnated with germ-killing substances during manufacturing, so the germ-killing action is already prepared and active as airflow passes through. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for additional time-consuming germ-killing steps during the drying process.
Solution Approach 2:
The series arrangement of filter sheets creates a continuous germ-killing action throughout the airflow path. Germs are killed continuously as air passes through each filter sheet, maintaining effective germ-killing without interrupting or extending the drying time.
4Reliability
If filters are used to kill germs in airflow, then germ-killing effectiveness is improved, but grime buildup on external surfaces increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the germ-killing function from the external surfaces of the apparatus and relocates it to internal filter sheets. By placing germ-killing filters inside the airflow path, germs are killed before they can reach and accumulate on external surfaces, preventing grime buildup while maintaining germ-killing effectiveness.
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 solution reduces noise levels, shortens drying times, and effectively kills germs without using toxic substances, while maintaining airflow efficiency and reducing grime buildup, effectively addressing the challenges of traditional systems.
Implementation Method 1
a wick-delivery system that includes a wick mechanism able to deliver a germ-killing substance into the airflow
Implementation Method 2
airflow entering the inlet is dispersed into the housing interior chamber in multiple directions exclusively through the air-filter surfaces of the three-dimensional filter structure
Data Source
AI summary
A human-activity-environment air-purifying apparatus is provided that draws in airflow from an ambient environment, kills germs in the airflow within the apparatus and expels purified airflow back into the environment. The apparatus has a housing with an interior chamber. An airflow enters the chamber through an inlet. From the interior chamber, the airflow is expelled through an outlet. The apparatus has a germ-killing-system that kills germs in the airflow and has an airflow-generator which causes the airflow to flow from the inlet to the outlet. In one aspect, the apparatus has a three-dimensional filter structure that has air-filter-surfaces that define a filter interior region and encompassed by the air-filter-surfaces of the filter structure. The filter is positioned in connection with the inlet so that airflow entering the inlet is dispersed into the housing interior chamber in multiple directions exclusively through the air-filter-surfaces of the three-dimensional filter structure.