Air conditioner device with removable driver electrodes

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and apparatus for moving air using an air-conditioning system therein, whereby the air-conditioning system preferably includes at least one emitter electrode, at least one collector electrode, at least one driver electrode disposed adjacent to the collector electrode, and/or at least one trailing electrode positioned downstream of the collector electrode. The collector electrode and the driver electrode are removable from the device. In one embodiment, the driver electrodes are removable from the device and/or the collector electrode. The ability of remove the collector electrode as well as driver electrode allow for easy cleaning of the electrodes. In one embodiment, the present device includes a removable exhaust grill upon which the driver electrode and/or the trailing electrode are coupled to. The removable grill allows the user to easily clean the driver electrode without having to remove the collector electrode.

1 . An air-conditioning device comprising: 
 a. a housing having an upper portion;    b. a collector electrode removable from the housing through the upper portion; and    c. a driver electrode located proximal to the outlet, wherein the driver electrode is removable from the housing through the upper portion.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a. an emitter electrode upstream of the collector electrode; and    b. a high voltage source operatively connected to at least one of the emitter electrode and the collector electrode to at least generate ions.    
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the driver electrode coupled to the collector electrode and is removable from the collector electrode.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the driver electrode is coupled to the collector electrode and removable from the collector electrode after the collector electrode is removed from the housing.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the driver electrode is coupled to the collector electrode and is removable from the collector electrode in a lateral direction.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the driver electrode and collector electrode are configured to be removable from the housing as one unit.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the driver electrode is removable from the collector electrode after the collector electrode is removed from the housing through the upper portion.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a release mechanism configured to removably couple the driver electrode to the collector electrode.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the driver electrode is configured to receive a voltage when the collector electrode is engaged within the housing.  
   
   
       10 . An air-conditioning device comprising: 
 a. a housing having an upper portion;    b. a collector electrode located in the housing, wherein the collector electrode is removable from the housing through the upper portion; and    c. a driver electrode removably mounted to the collector electrode and removable from the housing through the upper portion.    
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 10  further comprising: 
 a. an emitter electrode upstream of the collector electrode; and    b. a high voltage source operatively connected to at least one of the emitter electrode and the collector electrode to at least generate ions.    
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the driver electrode is removable from the collector electrode.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the driver electrode is removable from the collector electrode after the collector electrode is removed from the housing.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the driver electrode is removable from the collector electrode in a lateral direction.  
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the driver electrode and collector electrode are configured to be removable from the housing as one unit.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the driver electrode is removable from the collector electrode after the collector electrode is removed from the housing through the upper portion.  
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 10  further comprising a release mechanism configured to removably couple the driver electrode to the collector electrode.  
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the driver electrode is configured to receive a voltage when the collector electrode is engaged within the housing.  
   
   
       19 . An air-conditioning device comprising: 
 a. a housing having an upper portion;    b. a collector electrode located in the housing, wherein the collector electrode is removable from the housing through the upper portion; and    c. a driver electrode removably mounted to the collector electrode and removable from the housing through the upper portion, wherein the driver electrode is configured to be removable from the collector electrode upon removal of the collector electrode from the housing.    
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 19  wherein the driver electrode is removable from the collector electrode in a lateral direction.  
   
   
       21 . A method of removing an electrode assembly including a collector electrode and a driver electrode, the electrode assembly adapted to be positioned within a housing of an air-conditioning device, wherein the housing has an upper portion, the method comprising: 
 removing the collector electrode vertically from the housing through the upper portion, wherein the driver electrode is accessible upon removal of the collector electrode.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising removing the driver electrode from the collector electrode.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising removing the driver electrode from the collector electrode in a lateral direction.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising lifting the driver electrode from the housing through the upper portion.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 2   1 wherein removing the collector electrode further comprises lifting the collector and driver electrodes through the upper portion together as a unit.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising removing the driver electrode from the collector electrode in a lateral direction after removing the collector electrode from the housing.  
   
   
       27 . A method of removing an electrode assembly for cleaning, the electrode assembly positioned within a housing of an air-conditioning device, wherein the housing has an upper portion, the method comprising; 
 a. lifting at least a portion of the electrode assembly from the housing through the upper portion; and    b. removing a driver electrode from the lifted electrode assembly.    
   
   
       28 . An air-conditioning device having a housing having an upper portion, the air-conditioning device having a collector electrode removable through the upper portion of the housing, the improvement comprising: 
 a driver electrode located proximal to the outlet, wherein the driver electrode is removable from the housing through the upper portion.    
   
   
       29 . An air-conditioning device having a housing and a collector electrode located in the housing, the improvement comprising: 
 a driver electrode mounted to the collector electrode, wherein the driver electrode and collector electrode are removable from the housing through an upper portion, the driver electrode configured to be removable from the collector electrode.