Air circulation device with filter control mechanism

Abstract

An air circulation device includes a housing including an exhaust, a base including a filter intake and a bypass intake, and a damper system adjustable between a filter state and a bypass state. The damper system includes a bypass damper translatable via a bypass actuator, a filter damper translatable via a filter actuator, a filter mechanism disposed between the filter damper and the filter intake, a motor coupled to the bypass actuator and the filter actuator that allows the bypass damper and the filter damper to translate between an open position and a closed position, and a control mechanism can also have a sensor. The control mechanism is configured to adjust the damper system between the filter state and the bypass state, and the sensor determines an air quality rating of the air and compares the air quality rating of the air to a predetermined air quality threshold.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air circulation device comprising:
 a housing including an exhaust;   a base;   a filter intake and a bypass intake, the filter intake and bypass intake being configured to draw air into the air circulation device from an environment;   a damper system coupling the exhaust of the housing to the filter intake and bypass intake, the damper system being adjustable between a filter state and a bypass state and comprising:
 a bypass damper movable via a bypass actuator; 
 a filter damper movable via a filter actuator; 
 a filter mechanism disposed in air communication with the filter damper and the filter intake; and 
 a motor communicatively coupled to the bypass actuator and the filter actuator, such that the bypass damper and the filter damper are both movable between an open position and a closed position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The air circulation device of  claim 1 , further comprising a control mechanism having a sensor, the control mechanism being configured to adjust the damper system between the filter state and the bypass state, wherein the sensor determines an air quality rating of the air and compares the air quality rating of the air to a predetermined air quality threshold. 
     
     
         3 . The air circulation device of  claim 1 , wherein, when the damper system is in the filter state, the bypass damper is in a closed position and the filter damper is in an open position. 
     
     
         4 . The air circulation device of  claim 1 , wherein, when the damper system is in the bypass state, the bypass damper is in an open position and the filter damper is in a closed position. 
     
     
         5 . The air circulation device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further includes a plurality of inputs for manually controlling the operating state of the damper system. 
     
     
         6 . The air circulation device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further includes a user interface that displays the operating status of the damper system to a user. 
     
     
         7 . The air circulation device of  claim 1 , wherein the air quality rating generated by the sensor represents a volume of particulate matter present in the air. 
     
     
         8 . The air circulation device of  claim 1 , wherein the control mechanism includes a communication interface for communicatively coupling the air circulation device to a network. 
     
     
         9 . The air circulation device of  claim 8 , wherein the network includes at least a user device and a smart home environment communicatively coupled to the network. 
     
     
         10 . The air circulation device of  claim 9 , wherein the user device is configured to provide real-time user location data to the control mechanism. 
     
     
         11 . The air circulation device of  claim 10 , wherein the control mechanism is configured to adjust the damper system between the filter state and the bypass state by comparing the real-time user location data to a predetermined zone. 
     
     
         12 . The air circulation device of  claim 9 , wherein the smart home environment is configured to provide real-time environmental condition data to the control mechanism. 
     
     
         13 . The air circulation device of  claim 12 , wherein the control mechanism is configured to adjust the damper system between the filter state and the bypass state by comparing the real-time environmental condition data to a predetermined environmental condition threshold. 
     
     
         14 . The air circulation device of  claim 1 , wherein the control mechanism includes an I/O interface for receiving manual inputs from a user to adjust the damper system between the filter state and the bypass state. 
     
     
         15 . The air circulation device of  claim 1 , wherein the air circulation device is a tower fan. 
     
     
         16 . An air circulation device comprising:
 a housing including an exhaust;   a base including a filter intake and a bypass intake formed in the base, the filter intake and bypass intake being configured to draw air into the air circulation device from an environment;   a damper system coupling the exhaust of the housing to the filter intake and bypass intake of the base, the damper system being adjustable between a filter state and a bypass state and comprising:
 a bypass damper movable via a bypass actuator; 
 a filter damper movable via a filter actuator; 
 a filter mechanism disposed in air communication with the filter damper and the filter intake; 
 a motor communicatively coupled to the bypass actuator and the filter actuator, such that the bypass damper and the filter damper are both movable between an open position and a closed position; and 
 a control mechanism configured to adjust the damper system among varying positions between the filter state and the bypass state; and 
   a network communicatively coupled to the control mechanism, the network including at least a user device or a smart home environment,   wherein the control mechanism utilizes real-time data received from the network to adjust the damper system between the filter state and the bypass state.   
     
     
         17 . The air circulation device of  claim 16 , wherein the user device is configured to provide real-time user location data to the control mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . The air circulation device of  claim 17 , wherein the control mechanism is configured to adjust the damper system between the filter state and the bypass state by comparing the real-time user location data to a predetermined zone. 
     
     
         19 . The air circulation device of  claim 16 , wherein the smart home environment is configured to provide or receive real-time environmental condition data to or from the control mechanism. 
     
     
         20 . The air circulation device of  claim 19 , wherein the control mechanism is configured to adjust the damper system between the filter state and the bypass state by comparing the real-time environmental condition data to a predetermined environmental condition threshold. 
     
     
         21 . An air circulation device comprising:
 a housing including an exhaust;   a base;   one or more filter intakes and bypass intakes configured to draw air into the air circulation device from an environment;   a damper system coupling the exhaust of the housing to the one or more filter intakes and bypass intakes, the damper system being adjustable to actuate one or more dampers associated with one or more filters, the damper system further comprising:
 at least one damper associated with at least one filter, the at least one damper actuatable via an actuator between an open position and a closed position, wherein in said open position, said damper allows air to flow through said at least one filter, and wherein in said closed position, said at least one damper prevents air to flow through said at least one filter. 
   
     
     
         22 . The air circulation device of  claim 21  wherein said actuator is driven by a motor. 
     
     
         23 . The air circulation device of  claim 21  wherein said actuator is a solenoid.