Gas separation: processes – Electric or electrostatic field – And nonelectrical separation of fluid mixture
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-22
2002-12-17
Chiesa, Richard L. (Department: 1724)
Gas separation: processes
Electric or electrostatic field
And nonelectrical separation of fluid mixture
C095S073000, C095S077000, C096S055000, C096S094000, C096S096000, C096S225000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06494934
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air cleaner for removing house dust and an air cleaner with a sterilization function to remove bacteria and virus from air in a room.
2. Related Art
Recently, it has been reported that one-third or one-fourth of Japanese people have an allergy. Thus, it is desired to remove house dust which is disadvantageous for persons having an allergy.
The house dust consists of minute particles floating ina room. The house dust includes those derived from mites (acarid), fine fibers, food drops, and pollen or spore of a plant. Tobacco smoke is also included in the house dust.
The airborne infection (including droplet infection) of bacteria, viruses, and the like is caused by coughs and sneezing of sick persons or carriers. Recently, it has been a social problem that a mass infection appears in a hospital, an old-aged home, and a physical care house particularly due to pathogenic microbes. The microbes include phthisis germs, derived from a carrier thereof and Legionella germs contained in droplets of a cooling water of an air-conditioner.
One of such air cleaners for removing house dust, bacteria, and virus is an electrical-discharge-type air cleaner having a minus ion generator.
FIG. 5
shows an example of the air cleaner.
To provide a minus ion generator, an aerial conductive wire carrying a high minus voltage is developed, and a non-woven fabric is arranged near the wire. The non-woven fabric is grounded through a ground pole or carries a high plus voltage through a positive pole.
The house dust and bacteria which are floating in air are charged by minus ions when they come close to the wire, so that the non-woven fabric catches them. Then, the non-woven fabric which has caught the house dust and bacteria is adequately replaced by a new one.
Note that the air cleaner is generally received in an air-permeable housing to protect the wire.
However, the electrical-discharge-type air cleaner generates ultraviolet rays due to the electric discharge between the minus ion generator and the positive/ground pole, which generates ozone. Thus, the air cleaner has a disadvantage that is the same as an ultraviolet-ray-type bactericidal lamp and an ozone generator. Moreover, it is generally overlooked that the electrical-discharge-type air cleaner generates ozone and ultraviolet rays which are harmful. Such air cleaners have been often positioned undesirably near a sleeping baby for supplying clean air.
The conventional air cleaner takes a long time until it effectively operates. For example, The time is 30 minutes to one hour for a room having a general size. Thus, persons in the room remain exposed to house dust, bacteria, and viruses, for example, due to smoking, airborne dust, and a cough of a sick person having viruses until the air cleaner operates effectively.
Another air cleaner removing house dust by a filter takes a time between 30 minutes and one hour until it operates effectively. The filter should be a specially designed one which is expensive for removing house dust consisting of particles of micron or sub-micron sizes such as tobacco smoke, bacteria, and virus. Moreover, such a filter provides a combatively larger pressure loss and requires a powerful fan, which causes an increased electrical energy and a noise problem. In addition, the filter has a shorter service life to require frequent replacements thereof. Furthermore, the filter-type air cleaner has the disadvantage that a bactericidal means is not effectively provided for sterilization of the bacteria which is caught by the filter.
For sterilization of airborne bacteria, there may be provided a means such as an ultraviolet-ray-type bactericidal lamp, an ozone generator, or an agent spraying device. An appropriate concentration of ozone generated by the bactericidal lamp is 0.1 PPM, for example in an office. However, the ozone having this concentration still irritates a mucosa of a nose, an eye, or a throat. Furthermore, the ozone provides an odor undesirable for a surrounding air. To remove the undesirable odor, an activated carbon filter is required. The ozone may cause a harmful NOx.
Meanwhile, the bactericidal lamp irradiates ultraviolet rays directly into a human body with an adverse effect. Even ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of around 260 nanometers which provides a maximum bactericidal effect require several hours to kill bacteria such as colibacillus. This is disadvantageous for a quick sterilization. In addition, the ultraviolet ray degrades a metal, a rubber, and a plastic product, and it also generates harmful ozone. An agent is not adequately sprayed in an environment in which persons are always present, and the effectiveness of the agent will not reliably continue.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-mentioned disadvantages, an object of the invention is to provide an air cleaner and an air cleaning method according to the present invention, which allows an effective, quick air cleaning and air sterilization with no use of ozone, ultraviolet ray, and agents which are harmful and uncomfortable for persons.
For achieving the object, an air cleaner of a first aspect of the present invention includes a minus ion generator and a positive electrode. The minus ion generator uses a high minus voltage, and the positive electrode carries a high plus voltage. The minus ion generator can be positioned apart from the plus ion electrode, allowing an effective, quick air cleaning for a desired space.
Preferably, the minus ion generator has a heater, which generates effectively minus ions, allowing a quicker air cleaning.
Preferably, the positive electrode carrying the high plus voltage is positioned close to an absorbing sheet, which can effectively collect house dust which comes around the positive electrode.
An air cleaning method includes a minus ion generator and a positive electrode. The minus iongenerator carries a highminus voltage, and the positive electrode carries a high plus voltage. The method includes arrangement of the minus ion generator and the positive electrode which are positioned in a room for air-cleaning of the room. The minus ion generator is apart from the positive electrode by a distance not less than a half of the maximum distance between walls of the room. This allows a quick, effective air cleaning.
Note that the effect of the present invention may be decreased when there is provided a distance not enough for the quick air cleaning between the minus ion generator and the positive electrode.
Another air cleaner with a sterilizing function according to the present invention includes a minus ion generator and a positive electrode. The minus ion generator carries a high minus voltage, and the positive electrode carries a high plus voltage. The minus ion generator is separately positioned from the positive electrode. In a desired room, the minus ion generator is spaced from the positive electrode, allowing a quick, effective air cleaning.
Examples of the present invention will be discussed hereinafter. An air cleaner has a minus ion generator and a positive electrode which are arranged independently from each other. The minus ion generator carries a high minus voltage, and the positive electrode carries a high plus voltage. The minus ion generator is positioned apart from the positive electrode by a distance not less than a half of the maximum distance between walls of a room. This allows a quick, effective air cleaning and air sterilization.
For embodying the present invention, the minus ion generator and the positive electrode are positioned apart from each other by a distance which prevents an electrical discharge between them. An electrical discharge occurred between them generates ozone and ultraviolet rays. This requires an undesirable increased electrical power and obtains no effect of the present invention. The air cleaner according to the present invention is of an air condenser type consisting of the minus ion generator, the positive electrode, and air sandwiched therebetween. In the present
Baker & Daniels
Chiesa Richard L.
Security System Co., Ltd.
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