PORTABLE VENTILATION FAN ASSEMBLY

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to portable fan assemblies, and, more particularly, relates to fan assemblies operably configured to filter, condition, or clean ambient air and deliver it to a room or ambient area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Delivering clean, scented, or fresh air to a room or ambient area is highly sought by many users. This ventilation is typically performed by a built-in or heavy air conditioning unit, which is particularly problematic for many users desiring to ventilate remote rooms or areas. Furthermore, many known ventilation portable fan assemblies, even if portable, do not provide conditioned air with an assembly that can be taken apart and cleaned in an effective and efficient manner. Many known ventilation fan assemblies are not configured to sanitize air in an effective or efficient manner. Additionally, many known ventilation fan assemblies also fail to effectively or efficiently scent the clean or fresh air for circulation into the room or ambient area.

Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a portable ventilation fan assembly that overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and that is assembled and disassembled in a quick and effective manner and ventilates air to a room or ambient area with a scent, while simultaneously removing debris and other non-desirous content from the air.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a portable ventilation fan assembly with a portable housing having a main housing body with a sidewall, defining an enclosed housing cavity, defining an exhaust port in fluid communication with the enclosed housing cavity, having a lower inside surface configured to house a liquid thereon, having a cover selectively removably coupled to the portable housing and defining at least one intake port thereon, having a funnel member coupled to the portable housing, disposed within the enclosed housing cavity, and defining a funnel channel terminating at a funnel exhaust port defined by the funnel member and oriented toward the lower inside surface, having an ultraviolet light member disposed within the funnel channel, electrically couplable to a power source, and operably configured to emit an ultraviolet light therefrom, and having at least one electric intake fan electrically couplable to the power source, disposed upstream of the ultraviolet light member, coupled to the portable housing, disposed within the enclosed housing cavity, and operably configured to receive ambient air through the at least one intake port and direct the ambient air to the funnel exhaust port for contacting the lower inside surface and flowing out through the exhaust port.

In accordance with another feature, an embodiment of the present invention includes the sidewall defines the exhaust port and having a screen disposed within the exhaust port and coupled to the sidewall.

In accordance with a further feature of the present invention, the cover is coupled to a perimeter upper surface of the sidewall in a sealed configuration.

In accordance with another feature, an embodiment of the present invention also includes the funnel member having a sidewall with an upper end directly coupled to the cover, surrounding the at least one intake fan, and with a lower end opposing the upper end of the sidewall and defining the funnel exhaust port.

In accordance with an additional feature of the present invention, the lower end of the sidewall of the funnel member is structurally unattached and disposed directly above the lower inside surface.

In accordance with yet another feature of the present invention, the lower end is disposed within approximately 30 cm of the lower inside surface.

In accordance with a further feature of the present invention, the funnel channel tapers in width until reaching the lower end and the funnel exhaust port.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the funnel channel tapers in width toward the funnel exhaust port.

In accordance with a further feature, an embodiment of the present invention also includes the portable housing having an inside sidewall surrounding the lower inside surface and configured to retain the liquid on the lower inside surface.

In accordance with an exemplary feature, an embodiment of the present invention also includes a drawer disposed within the enclosed housing cavity, having the lower inside surface and the inside sidewall surrounding the lower inside surface, and selectively removably coupled to the main housing body.

In accordance with a further feature, an embodiment of the present invention also includes a scented oil as the liquid retained by the inside sidewall and the lower inside surface.

In accordance with an additional feature, an embodiment of the present invention also includes a scented oil as the liquid disposed and housed on the lower inside surface.

Also in accordance with the present invention, a portable ventilation fan assembly is disclosed that includes a portable housing having a main housing body with a sidewall, defining an enclosed housing cavity, defining an exhaust port in fluid communication with the enclosed housing cavity, and having a lower inside surface configured to house a liquid thereon, a cover coupled to the portable housing and defining at least one intake port thereon, a funnel member coupled to the portable housing, disposed within the enclosed housing cavity, defining a funnel channel terminating at a funnel exhaust port defined by the funnel member and oriented toward the lower inside surface, and at least one intake fan electrically couplable to a power source, coupled to the portable housing, disposed within the enclosed housing cavity, and operably configured to receive ambient air through the at least one intake port and direct the ambient air to the funnel exhaust port for contacting the lower inside surface and flowing out through the exhaust port.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the cover is selectively removably coupled to a perimeter upper surface the portable housing.

In accordance with an additional feature, an embodiment of the present invention also includes a ultraviolet light member disposed within the funnel channel downstream of the at least one intake fan, electrically couplable to the power source, and operably configured to emit an ultraviolet light therefrom, wherein funnel member may include a sidewall with an upper end directly coupled to the cover, surrounding the at least one intake fan, and with a lower end opposing the upper end of the sidewall and defining the funnel exhaust port.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the lower end of the sidewall of the funnel member is structurally unattached and disposed directly above the lower inside surface.

In accordance with yet another feature, an embodiment of the present invention also includes a drawer disposed within the enclosed housing cavity, having the lower inside surface and an inside sidewall surrounding the lower inside surface, and selectively removably coupled to the main housing body.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a portable ventilation fan assembly, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention.

Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting; but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention. While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. The figures of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale but, where applicable, may be utilized to support a particular structural configuration or geometric relationship between components utilized in the assembly.

Before the present invention is disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. The terms “a” or “an,” as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term “plurality,” as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term “another,” as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having,” as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term “coupled,” as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The term “providing” is defined herein in its broadest sense, e.g., bringing/coming into physical existence, making available, and/or supplying to someone or something, in whole or in multiple parts at once or over a period of time. Also, for purposes of description herein, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “left,” “rear,” “right,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof relate to the invention as oriented in the figures and is not to be construed as limiting any feature to be a particular orientation, as said orientation may be changed based on the user's perspective of the device. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description.

As used herein, the terms “about” or “approximately” apply to all numeric values, whether or not explicitly indicated. These terms generally refer to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited values (i.e., having the same function or result). In many instances these terms may include numbers that are rounded to the nearest significant figure. In this document, the term “longitudinal” should be understood to mean in a direction corresponding to an elongated direction of the fan assembly housing. The terms “program,” “software application,” and the like as used herein, are defined as a sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system. A “program,” “computer program,” or “software application” may include a subroutine, a function, a procedure, an object method, an object implementation, an executable application, an applet, a servlet, a source code, an object code, a shared library/dynamic load library and/or other sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable ventilation fan assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the portable ventilation fan assembly in FIG. 1 along section line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is an elevational exploded view of a portable ventilation fan assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the portable ventilation fan assembly in FIG. 1 with a drawer selectively removed therefrom exposing a lower inside surface housing a scented liquid thereon;

FIG. 5 is a close-up perspective view of a funnel member utilized with the portable ventilation fan assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram depicting the power supply and connectivity of the electrical components utilized in the portable ventilation fan assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. It is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms.

The present invention provides a novel and efficient portable ventilation fan assembly. Referring now to FIGS. 1-2, one embodiment of the present invention is shown in a perspective view and cross-sectional view. FIGS. 1-2 show several advantageous features of the present invention, but, as will be described below, the invention can be provided in several shapes, sizes, combinations of features and components, and varying numbers and functions of the components. The first example of a portable ventilation fan assembly 100, as shown in the figures includes a portable housing 100 with a main housing body 102 housing electrical and mechanical components for intaking and directing ambient into the main housing body 102 for receipt onto a liquid reservoir or other collection of liquid, wherein particles and debris within the air are captured onto or in the liquid and ventilated out of the main housing body 102. The main housing body 102 includes cover 112 for covering the electrical and mechanical components.

More specifically, the main housing body 102 is portable in that it is capable of transporting without auxiliary equipment. Said differently, the main housing body 102 may also include handles for transporting the main housing body 102 and may also be considered light enough for most users to carry by hand, e.g., less than 40 lbs. It may also be considered portable in that it is not structurally attached to building structure or requiring ducting. The main housing body 102 includes a sidewall 104 and a lower wall 106, wherein the sidewall 104, lower wall 106, and cover 112 may be of a substantially durable, lightweight, and waterproof material, e.g., a polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene material capable of maintaining its shape or integrity when supporting the components disclosed herein. As used herein, the term “wall” is intended broadly to encompass continuous structures, as well as, separate structures that are coupled together so as to form a substantially continuous external surface. The main housing body 102 defining an enclosed housing cavity 200, wherein the cavity 200 is enclosed by the sidewall 104. The main housing body 102 also defines an exhaust port 108 in fluid communication with the enclosed housing cavity 200, wherein the exhaust port 108 provides the area in which cleaned or processed air is ventilated back into the ambient environment surrounding the main housing body 102. In one embodiment, the sidewall 104 is approximately 60 cm (24 in) in height spanning from a lower end connected to the lower wall 106 to a perimeter upper surface 118 of the sidewall 104.

The exhaust port 108 may include a screen 110 disposed therein, wherein FIG. 1 depicts the screen 110 partially removed for the purposes of exposing the exhaust port 108. The screen 110 may include one or more louver slats configured to direct or orient airflow, a meshed configuration, or another configuration configured to permit airflow therethrough. The screen 110 is coupled and/or couplable to the sidewall 104 around a perimeter surface thereon. In preferred embodiments, the screen 110 is only coupled to one side of the sidewall 104. The cover 112 may be selectively removably coupled to the portable housing 102 with one or more fasteners (e.g., rotatable clamp fasteners 120a-b), wherein the cover 112 is preferably disposed above the screen 110 when coupled to the sidewall 104. The cover 112 is preferably coupled to a perimeter upper surface 118 of the sidewall 104 in a sealed configuration, e.g., watertight and/or hermetically sealed, to prevent airflow loss through the screen 110 or damages to the electrical components housed in the main housing body 102. The cover 112 may be sealed to the main body 102 using an adhesive or, preferably, an elastomeric gasket. The screen 110 is also beneficially dimensioned to be at least 50% of the height of the sidewall 104 of the main body 102 (preferably at least 80%) and at least 50% of the length of the sidewall 104 of the main body 102 (preferably at least 75%).

Beneficially, the portable housing 100 includes a lower inside surface 202 configured to house a liquid 204 thereon. In one embodiment, the lower inside surface 202 is free from apertures and can house approximately 0.25-1.5 gallons (or 1-5.6 L) of liquid, e.g., scented oil. The lower inside surface 202 may be surrounded by an inside sidewall 214 and that facilitates in retaining the liquid 204 on the lower inside surface 202. The height of the inside sidewall 214 may be approximately 1-3 inches and the lower inside surface 202 may substantially span the length and width of the portable housing 102, e.g., approximately 3 ft×2 ft. Said differently, the lower inside surface 202 may be dimensioned at least 80% of the respective length and width of the portable housing 102.

In some embodiments, the lower inside surface 202 may be formed by the lower wall 106 and accessible through, for example, the upper opening of the portable housing 102 when the cover 112 is removed. In other embodiments, the portable housing 100 includes a drawer 216 disposed within the enclosed housing cavity 200 and that defines the lower inside surface 202 and/or the inside sidewall 214. The drawer 216 may be selectively removably coupled to the main housing body 102 with a track assembly (as exemplified best in FIG. 2), tongue-and-groove configuration, or may rest on the lower wall 106 of the housing 102. More specifically, the portable housing 102 may define an aperture shaped and sized to permit the drawer 216 to translate therethrough, wherein the translation may be linear movement, rotational movement, or a combination of the same. The drawer 216 is removable to access the liquid 204 for replacement and/or cleaning.

The drawer 216 may beneficially include a handle (e.g., nob) for grasping by user outside of the portable housing 102 and to move the drawer 216 from an installed/housed position (FIGS. 1-2) to a removed/accessible position (FIG. 4). Furthermore, the opening for the drawer 216 may adjacent and catty cornered to the exhaust port 108 such that when incoming air enters the drawer 216 and contacts the liquid 204 it can then be expelled through the screen 110 (as exemplified in FIG. 2). Beneficially, when scented oil is used as the liquid 204, more debris and material gets retained by the oil and also produces a fresh scent expelled through the screen 110.

To effectuate an efficient ventilation process, the assembly 100 also includes a funnel member 206 coupled to the portable housing 100, disposed within the enclosed housing cavity 200, defining a funnel channel 208 terminating at a funnel exhaust port 208 that is oriented toward the lower inside surface 202 where the liquid 204 is housed. The funnel member 206 may be of the same material as the portable housing 102 and is configured to effectively transport the incoming air from the electric intake fans 116a-n to the oil 204, wherein “n” represents any number greater than one. The funnel member 206 may include a sidewall 300 with an upper end 302, defining a perimeter edge, directly coupled to the cover 112, namely the inside surface 218 of the cover 112. The funnel member 206 may beneficially surround the exit port of the intake fans 116a-n (with or without directly contacting the cover 112) to effectively transport the incoming air (as best seen exemplified in FIG. 2) without airflow loss. FIG. 5 exemplifies the funnel member 206 contacting the cover 112 and FIG. 2 exemplifies the funnel member 206 displaced from the cover 112. The funnel channel 208 may beneficially taper in width (continually or partially) until reaching the lower end 304 and the funnel exhaust port 208 where the air is expelled to the liquid 204. Said differently, the funnel channel 208 may taper in width toward the funnel exhaust port 208. Additionally, the lower end 304, namely the perimeter edge 500, of the funnel member 206 may oppose the upper end 302 of the sidewall 300 can be seen defining the funnel exhaust port 208. The perimeter edge 500 may be planar, i.e., the sidewall 300 extends uniformly to an enclosed funnel exhaust port 208.

In one embodiment, the lower end 304 of the sidewall 300 of the funnel member 206 is structurally unattached and disposed directly above the lower inside surface 202. Said differently, the lower end 304 of the funnel member 206 may be disposed within approximately 30 cm, or “proximal”, of the lower inside surface 202 and/or the upper edge of the sidewall 214 surrounding the lower inside surface 202. The term “proximal” may also include the structures that are contacting, directly adjacent, or within a certain referencing length of one another.

In one embodiment, the assembly 100 also beneficially includes an ultraviolet light member 212 disposed within the funnel channel 208, preferably proximal to the median longitudinal axis (represented with line 220) of the funnel channel 208, e.g., within 10% of the overall longitudinal length of the funnel member 206. The ultraviolet light member 212 may be an oblong structure and may be supported within by one or more support member(s) projecting into the funnel channel 208 or on the sidewall 300 of the funnel member 206. Preferably, the ultraviolet light member 212 substantially extends (e.g., greater than 90%) the width of the funnel channel 208 (as best seen in FIG. 5) and may also substantially extend the length of the funnel channel 208 so as to cover approximately 50% or greater the area defined by the funnel channel 208 where the ultraviolet light member 212 is disposed. The UV light member 212 is operably configured to emit an ultraviolet light therefrom, e.g., using a sensor 606 to detect airflow that activates the UV light member 212 or using a manually operated switch. The UV light member 212 may operate on 35-50 W and is configured to provide 99.99% sterilization of the incoming airflow, targeting the DNA of microbes, damaging the DNA structure, and preventing their reproduction, killing bacteria or germs in air (or air-liquid mixture) using a UVC germicidal light with a 360° degree beam angle and at least one foot dispersion area.

As exemplified in FIG. 6, which depicts the communication and electrical connections (indicated with dashed lines) between the components in the assembly 100, the ultraviolet light member 212 is electrically couplable to a power source 600 (e.g., a 110V electrical outlet or a lithium ion battery). The sensor(s) 606 and other electrical components are also electrically couplable to the power source 600 (directly or indirectly). Also depicted in FIG. 6 is the electronic controller 602 that may include one or more processor(s) and internal memory and may be programmed to execute programs to turn on and off the intake fan(s) 116a-n at programmed or conditioned times. Furthermore, an electronic display 604 may also be utilized to enable input and output of data associated with the assembly, e.g., fan speed, programmed operation times and conditions (e.g., temperature of ambient environment measured with a sensor 606), UV light intensity, etc. The electronic controller 602 may also be communicatively coupled to one or more ancillary electrical communication devices, e.g., a cell phone, over a wired or wireless network and including a software application that enables communication with the electrical components of the assembly 100.

As seen in FIGS. 1-2, the cover 112 may define one or more intake port(s) 114a-n thereon. One or more electric intake fan(s) 116a-n are also electrically couplable to the power source 600, disposed upstream of the UV light member 212 (that is disposed downstream of the intake fan(s) 116a-n) and are coupled to the portable housing 100, namely the cover 112. The electric intake fan(s) 116a-n may operate on 110V have fan guards and operable to generate 2600 RPM and 110 CFM. The tapering of the funnel channel 208 directs the incoming air generated by the electric intake fan(s) 116a-n to the ultraviolet light member 212 for sanitizing. The electric intake fan(s) 116a-n are at least partially or completely disposed within the enclosed housing cavity 200 and are operably configured to receive ambient air through the at least one intake port 114a-n and direct the ambient air to the funnel exhaust port 208 for contacting the lower inside surface 202 and flowing out through the exhaust port 108. The assembly 100 may also include an overflow sensor 606 disposed within the reservoir where the liquid 204 may be retained, wherein the assembly 100 may reduce the air speed or turn of the intake fan(s) 116a-n if the assembly detects the liquid exceeding a maximum height of the liquid 204 retained in the assembly 100.

Although a specific order of executing the process steps has been described and depicted herein, the order of executing the steps may be changed relative to the order shown in certain embodiments. Also, two or more steps shown or described as occurring in succession may be executed concurrently or with partial concurrence in some embodiments. Certain steps may also be omitted for the sake of brevity. In some embodiments, some or all of the process steps can be combined into a single process.

Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, while the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this disclosure also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the above described features.