Portable air moving device with air stream intensity adjustment

Abstract

A portable air moving device capable of generating an adjustable intensity air flow is provided. The device includes a blower assembly and an intensity adjustment mechanism located within a housing and provides for adjustment of the air flow pattern generated by the device. In one embodiment, the intensity adjustment mechanism includes panels that can be manipulated to adjust the air width of the exhaust air stream. The air width may be increased to decrease the intensity of the air flow and/or the air width may be decreased to increase the intensity of the air flow.

1 . A portable air moving device having a variable intensity air stream comprising: 
 a housing defining an interior space;    an air inlet in said housing;    an air outlet in said housing;    an air blower disposed in said interior space and in fluid communication with said air inlet and said air outlet, said air blower comprising; 
 a motor;  
 an impeller rotatably coupled to said motor;  
   an inlet air flow induced by rotation of said air blower, said inlet air flow entering said housing via said air inlet and flowing to said impeller    an exhaust air stream being discharged from said impeller and exiting said housing via said air outlet;    flow characteristics of said exhaust air stream exiting said housing comprising; 
 a flow velocity;  
 a flow volume;  
 an air width;  
 an air length;  
 an air flow pattern;  
   an intensity adjustment mechanism disposed proximate said air outlet, said intensity adjustment mechanism comprising; 
 movable panels;  
 a variable position of said movable panels relative to one another; and  
 a flow through area defined by said variable position of said movable panels;  
   wherein at least one of said flow characteristics of said air flow exiting said housing is determined by said intensity adjustment mechanism in response to a change of said variable position of said movable panels relative to one another and/or said flow through area.    
   
   
       2 . The portable air moving device of  claim 1 , further comprising a heating element disposed between said air blower and said intensity adjustment mechanism.  
   
   
       3 . The portable air moving device of  claim 1 , wherein said air flow pattern further comprises a straight vector air flow and a divergent air flow.  
   
   
       4 . The portable air moving device of  claim 1 , wherein said flow through area further comprises an entry width “EW” and an air width “AW” and a ratio of said “AW” to said “EW” can be adjusted to greater than 1 to 1.  
   
   
       5 . The portable air moving device of  claim 1 , wherein said flow through area further comprises an entry width “EW” and an air width “AW” and a ratio of said “AW” to said “EW” can be adjusted to less than 1 to 1.  
   
   
       6 . The portable air moving device of  claim 1 , wherein said flow through area further comprises an entry width “EW” and an air width “AW” and a ratio of said “AW” to said “EW” remains substantially unchanged when said movable panels are repositioned relative to one another.  
   
   
       7 . The portable air moving device of  claim 1 , wherein said intensity adjustment mechanism is located between said air blower and said air outlet.  
   
   
       8 . The portable air moving device of  claim 1 , further comprising an outlet grill disposed adjacent said air outlet wherein said intensity adjustment mechanism is located between said air blower and said outlet grill.  
   
   
       9 . The portable air moving device of  claim 1 , wherein said impeller further comprises an axial flow impeller.  
   
   
       10 . The portable air moving device of  claim 1 , further comprising a single knob, slide and/or wheel wherein said movable panels all move relative to one another with an adjustment of said single knob, slide and/or wheel.  
   
   
       11 . The portable air moving device of  claim 10 , further comprising at least two sets of movable panels and each said sets of movable panels has a corresponding single knob, slide and/or wheel wherein each of said sets of movable panels move independently of the other said sets of movable panels with an adjustment of said corresponding single knob, slide and/or wheel.  
   
   
       12 . The portable air moving device of  claim 1 , wherein said movable panels further comprise at least one side wall and at least one side outlet, wherein said side wall moves to allow at least a portion of said exhaust air stream to discharge from said housing through said side outlet.  
   
   
       13 . The portable air moving device of  claim 12 , further comprising at least one closure wall wherein said closure wall moves to impede at least a portion of said exhaust air stream from discharging from said housing through said air outlet.  
   
   
       14 . An air flow intensity adjustment mechanism for use with a portable air moving device comprising: 
 movable panels; and    a position of said movable panels defining a flow through area of said intensity adjustment mechanism;    wherein flow characteristics of an air flow produced by said portable air moving device are changed by a repositioning of said movable panels, thereby increasing and/or decreasing the flow through area of said intensity adjustment mechanism.    
   
   
       15 . The air flow intensity adjustment mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein said flow characteristics further comprise: 
 an air width of said air flow;    an air length of said air flow existing said housing;    an air flow pattern being one of a straight vector air flow and/or a divergent air flow;    a flow velocity; and    a flow volume.    
   
   
       16 . The air flow intensity adjustment mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein said air flow intensity adjustment mechanism is detachably coupled to said portable air moving device.  
   
   
       17 . The air flow intensity adjustment mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein said portable air moving device further comprises a heating element imparting thermal energy to said exhaust air stream.  
   
   
       18 . The air flow intensity adjustment mechanism of  claim 14 , further comprising a flow through area having an entry width “EW” and an air width “AW”, wherein said air flow passes through said air flow intensity adjustment mechanism from said entry width “EW” to said air width “AW”, and a ratio of said “AW” to said “EW” can be adjusted to greater than 1 to 1.  
   
   
       19 . The air flow intensity adjustment mechanism of  claim 14 , further comprising a flow through area having an entry width “EW” and an air width “AW”, wherein said air flow passes through said air flow intensity adjustment mechanism from said entry width “EW” to said air width “AW”, and a ratio of said “AW” to said “EW” can be adjusted to less than 1 to 1.  
   
   
       20 . The air flow intensity adjustment mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein said position of said movable panels further comprises a variable position of said movable panels relative to one another.  
   
   
       21 . The air flow intensity adjustment mechanism of  claim 20 , further comprising a single knob, slide and/or wheel wherein said variable position of said movable panels move in response to an adjustment of said single knob, slide and/or wheel.  
   
   
       22 . The air flow intensity adjustment mechanism of  claim 14 , further comprising an outlet grill wherein said exhaust air stream first passes through said movable panels and subsequently through said outlet grill.  
   
   
       23 . The air flow intensity adjustment mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein said portable air moving device further comprises one of: an axial flow impeller, a centrifugal flow impeller and/or a transverse flow impeller.  
   
   
       24 . A portable air moving device having an exhaust air stream intensity adjustment mechanism for varying the intensity of an exhaust air stream exiting the air moving device, said portable air moving device comprising: 
 a housing;    a interior space defined within said housing;    an air inlet fluidly connecting an exterior of said housing to said interior space;    an air outlet fluidly connecting said interior space to said exterior of said housing;    an air blower disposed within said housing, said air blower in fluid communication with said air inlet and said air outlet, wherein said air blower induces a flow of ambient air from said exterior of said housing into said air blower, imparts energy to said air flow, and subsequently discharges an exhaust air stream through said air outlet; and    an air intensity adjustment mechanism proximate said air outlet,    wherein said air intensity adjustment mechanism can adjust an air width “AW” of said exhaust air stream exiting said housing thereby varying an air flow intensity of said exhaust air stream exiting said housing and experienced by a user.    
   
   
       25 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein said air intensity adjustment mechanism can adjust said air width “AW” between a minimum air width “AW min ” and a maximum air width “AW max ”, wherein said minimum air width “AW min ” produces a relatively high intensity air flow and said maximum air width “AW max ” to produce a relatively low intensity air flow.  
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein said air intensity adjustment mechanism can adjust said air width “AW” to a plurality of settings between said minimum air width “AW min ” and said maximum air width “AW max ”.  
   
   
       27 . The device of  claim 24 , further comprising an entry width “EW” of said exhaust air stream entering said air intensity adjustment mechanism, wherein said air width “AW” is adjustable to an air width “AW” that is substantially equal to said entry width “EW,” resulting in a narrow and substantially straight vector air flow pattern exiting said air outlet, said narrow and substantially straight vector exhaust air stream having a relatively high air flow intensity.  
   
   
       28 . The device of  claim 27 , wherein said narrow and substantially straight vector air flow pattern further comprises a first angle φ 1 , said first angle φ 1  comprising an angle between −5 degrees and +5 degrees.  
   
   
       29 . The device of  claim 24 , further comprising an entry width “EW” of said exhaust air stream entering said air intensity adjustment mechanism, wherein said air width “AW” is adjustable to an air width “AW” that is greater than said entry width “EW,” resulting in a wider divergent air flow pattern exiting said air outlet, said wider divergent exhaust air stream having a relatively low air flow intensity.  
   
   
       30 . The device of  claim 29 , wherein said wider divergent air flow pattern further comprises a second angle φ 2 , said second angle φ 2  comprising an angle greater than about 30 degrees.  
   
   
       31 . The device of  claim 24 , further comprising an entry width “EW” of said exhaust air stream entering said air intensity adjustment mechanism, wherein said air width “AW” is adjustable to an air width “AW” that is less than said entry width “EW,” resulting in a narrow convergent air flow pattern exiting said air outlet.  
   
   
       32 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein said air intensity adjustment mechanism can adjust said air width “AW” to a minimum air width “AW min ” resulting in an exhaust air stream having a narrow and substantially straight vector air flow pattern having a high air flow intensity that enhances the ability of said exhaust air stream to penetrate a room or area.  
   
   
       33 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein said air intensity adjustment mechanism can adjust said air width “AW” to a maximum air width “AW max ” resulting in an exhaust air stream having a wide and divergent air flow pattern having a low air flow intensity that reduces disruptive characteristics of said air moving device.  
   
   
       34 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein said air flow intensity of said exhaust air stream exiting said air moving device is increased by decreasing said air width “AW” using said air intensity adjustment mechanism, and said air flow intensity of said exhaust air stream is decreased by increasing said air width “AW” using said air intensity adjustment mechanism.  
   
   
       35 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein said air flow intensity of said exhaust air stream further comprises a velocity of said exhaust air stream.  
   
   
       36 . The device of  claim 24 , further comprising an air flow pattern of said exhaust air stream exiting said air moving device, wherein said air flow pattern is adjustable between a divergent air flow and a linear air flow.  
   
   
       37 . The device of  claim 24 , further comprising an air flow pattern of said exhaust air stream exiting said air moving device, wherein said air flow pattern is adjustable between a divergent air flow, a linear air flow, and a convergent air flow.  
   
   
       38 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein said air intensity adjustment mechanism further comprises movable panels, wherein movement of said movable panels results in adjustment of said air width “AW”.  
   
   
       39 . The device of  claim 38 , further comprising pivot points, wherein said movable panels pivot about said pivot points to adjust said air width “AW”.  
   
   
       40 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein said movable panels are movable between one or more of: a parallel position with respect to one another; a divergent position with respect to one another; and a convergent position with respect to one another.  
   
   
       41 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein said movable panels further comprise movable panels that slide laterally with respect to one another, wherein said lateral movement of said movable panels adjusts said air width “AW”.  
   
   
       42 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein said movable panels further comprise: 
 movable panels mounted in a cylindrical shape housing at an angle relative to one another, said cylindrical shape housing having a substantially vertical axis of rotation;    air flow channels defined between said movable panels, said air flow channels having a varying width from a first side of said cylindrical shape housing to an opposite, second side of said cylindrical shape housing;    wherein rotation of said cylindrical shape housing about said axis of rotation adjusts said air width “AW”.    
   
   
       43 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein said movable panels further comprise: 
 a first set of movable panels oriented substantially parallel to one another and defining a first air width “AW1”; and    a second set of movable panels oriented at an angle to one another and substantially divergent and defining a second air width “AW2”;    wherein said air intensity adjustment mechanism allows movement of said first set of movable panels and said second set of movable panels such that only one of said first or second set of movable panels is in fluid communication with said exhaust air stream,    wherein said first set of movable panels produces a narrow, substantially straight vector air flow pattern, and    wherein said second set of movable panels produces a wide, divergent air flow pattern.    
   
   
       44 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein said movable panels further comprise flexible panels, wherein a shape of said flexible panels changes in response to adjustment of said air intensity adjustment mechanism, and wherein said change of shape of said flexible panels results in adjustment of said air width “AW”.  
   
   
       45 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein said air intensity adjustment mechanism further comprises: 
 a slide extending to said exterior of said housing; and    linkage connecting said slide to said movable panels,    wherein movement of said slide is translated into movement of said movable panels through said linkage to effect a change in said air width “AW”.    
   
   
       46 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein said movable panels further comprise: 
 circumferentially oriented movable panels positioned proximate said air outlet;    said movable panels being movable circumferentially with respect to said air outlet and with respect to one another;    a first position wherein said movable panels are moved circumferentially outward providing an opening in a center region of said air outlet for said exhaust air stream to exit said housing as a narrow, substantially straight vector air flow pattern; and    a second position wherein said movable panels are moved circumferentially to be equally spaced from adjacent movable panels providing a plurality of openings evenly spaced over said air outlet for said exhaust air stream to exit said housing as a wide, diffuse air flow pattern.    
   
   
       47 . The device of  claim 46 , wherein said movable panels further comprise: 
 a third position wherein said movable panels are moved circumferentially inward providing an opening in opposite side regions of said air outlet for said exhaust air stream to exit said housing as two separate and divergent air flows.    
   
   
       48 . The device of  claim 24 , further comprising an outlet grill located over said air outlet, wherein said outlet grill comprises: 
 an arcuate inside edge, wherein said arcuate inside edge is in close proximity to an outlet of said air intensity adjustment mechanism;    a plurality of straight grill elements located in a center region of said outlet grill; and    a plurality of divergent grill elements located on sides of said outlet grill.    
   
   
       49 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein said air intensity adjustment mechanism further comprises: 
 a top frame;    a bottom frame; and    side frames extending between said top frame and said bottom frame, wherein said frames define a boundary of said air intensity adjustment mechanism.    
   
   
       50 . The device of  claim 49 , wherein said side frames further comprise movable panels.  
   
   
       51 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein said air blower further comprises an axial flow impeller.  
   
   
       52 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein said intensity adjustment mechanism is located between said air blower and said air outlet.  
   
   
       53 . The device of  claim 24 , further comprising a heating element disposed between said air blower and said air intensity adjustment mechanism, wherein said exhaust air stream flow from said air blower, through said heating element, and into said air intensity adjustment mechanism.  
   
   
       54 . The device of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of exhaust air streams exiting said air moving device;    a plurality of air intensity adjustment mechanisms, wherein each of said plurality of exhaust air streams is controlled by an independent air intensity adjustment mechanism.    
   
   
       55 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein said air intensity adjustment mechanism further comprising: 
 an entry width “EW” at an inlet to said air intensity adjustment mechanism;    said air width “AW” at an outlet to said air intensity adjustment mechanism; and    an adjustable air passageway extending from said inlet of said air intensity adjustment mechanism to said outlet of said air intensity adjustment mechanism,    wherein said air width “AW is adjustable with respect to said entry width “EW”.    
   
   
       56 . The device of  claim 55 , wherein said adjustable air passageway is adjustable to increase or decrease a cross-sectional area of said air width “AW” with respect to a cross-sectional area of said entry width “EW”.