A diffuser head and an air cleaning apparatus comprising same

Abstract

A diffuser head is adapted for local application of purified air to a target. The diffuser has a main body with an air inlet surface, that has a first area, towards an air outlet surface, that has a second area that is greater than the first area. The main body has a plurality of continuous expanding air ducts extending lengthwise between the air inlet surface and the air outlet surface, wherein an air duct has a third cross-sectional area that increases continuously from an air duct inlet at said air inlet surface towards an air duct outlet at said air outlet surface. If a filter provided at the air inlet surface, the diffuser head can be used in an air cleaning apparatus that has a pump for intake of air from the surrounding environment.

1 . A diffuser head adapted for local application of purified air to a target, which diffuser head has a main body with an air inlet surface, that has a first area, towards an air outlet surface, that has a second area that is greater than the first area, wherein the main body has a plurality of continuous expanding air ducts 1) extending lengthwise between the air inlet surface and the air outlet surface, and 2) extending divergingly from each other from the air inlet surface towards the air outlet surface, and wherein an air duct has a third cross-sectional area (A) that increases continuously from an air duct inlet at said air inlet surface towards an air duct outlet at said air outlet surface. 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A diffuser head according to  claim 1 , wherein an interior surface of an air duct is without substantial irregularities. 
     
     
         4 . A diffuser head according to  claim 3 , wherein the interior surface of an air duct is smooth. 
     
     
         5 . A diffuser head according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of continuous expanding air ducts is arranged about a longitudinal axis of the diffuser head in a uniform pattern. 
     
     
         6 . A diffuser head according to  claim 1 , wherein the third cross-sectional area of an air duct of the plurality of continuous expanding air ducts is polygonal or follows a smooth closed curve, and/or the third cross-sectional area of an air duct is hexagonal or circular. 
     
     
         7 . A diffuser head according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the air ducts of the plurality of continuous expanding air ducts have same or different third cross-sectional area. 
     
     
         8 . A diffuser head according to  claim 1 , wherein the air outlet surface is concave, convex, and/or planar, and the air inlet surface is concave, convex and/or planar, combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A diffuser head according to  claim 1 , wherein the air outlet surface has a size of the second area that is at least 2 times larger than a size of the first area of the air inlet surface, and similar relation apply between the air duct outlet and the air duct inlet. 
     
     
         10 . A diffuser head according to  claim 1 , wherein a diffuser head has a plurality of continuous expanding air ducts having lengths that are equal to or longer than the smallest widths or diameters of the air duct inlets. 
     
     
         11 . A diffuser head according to  claim 1 , wherein the air velocity of air entering the air duct inlets from the surroundings and passing along air ducts having lengths that are longer than or equal to the smallest widths or diameters of the air duct inlets and out of the air duct outlets is maximum 0.15 m/s at a distance of between 35-60 cm from the air outlet surfaces of the air duct outlets. 
     
     
         12 . A diffuser head according to  claim 1 , wherein the diffuser head has a head space above the air inlet surface that is maximum 10% of the total volume delimited circumferentially by the most exterior air ducts of the plurality of air ducts, the upper plane that traverses the main body and the air outlet surface. 
     
     
         13 . A diffuser head according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the main body of the diffuser head is solid and the plurality of continuous expanding air ducts are bores or channels in the solid main body. 
     
     
         14 . An air cleaning apparatus comprising the diffuser head according to  claim 1 , wherein the air cleaning apparatus further comprises a pump that drives air from the surroundings into the plurality of air duct inlets at the air inlet surface, along the plurality of air ducts, and out of the plurality of air duct outlets at the air outlet surface towards the target. 
     
     
         15 . An air cleaning apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the air cleaning apparatus further comprises a turbulence reducing member upstream or downstream the pump. 
     
     
         16 . An air cleaning apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the turbulence reducing member is made of a porous material. 
     
     
         17 . An air cleaning apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the turbulence reducing member is a filter. 
     
     
         18 . An air cleaning apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the turbulence reducing member is inserted between the pump and the diffuser head in a pipe piece in extension of the air inlet surface of the main body of the diffuser head. 
     
     
         19 . An air cleaning apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the air cleaning apparatus further comprises a tubing or hose adapted for intake of air to be cleaned and delivered to the target via the diffuser head. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . An air cleaning apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the turbulence reducing member is arranged at a location selected from the group of locations including between the air inlet surface and the pump, on the side of the pump opposite the side of the pump facing the air inlet surface, or in an air intake tube or hose remote from the diffuser head, and/or the pump is provided remote from the diffuser head in the air intake tube. 
     
     
         23 . An air cleaning apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the pump that drives air from the surroundings into the plurality of air duct inlets at the air inlet surface is selected to provide an air velocity of maximum 0.15 m/s or 0.10 m/s at a distance of between 35-60 cm from the air outlet surfaces of the air duct outlets. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled)