Air blower apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10576404-B2
Application number	US-201715642494-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2017
Priority date	Jul 6, 2016
Publication date	Mar 3, 2020
Grant date	Mar 3, 2020

Abstract

A bathroom management apparatus may include a case having an air suction port formed in an upper portion of a front surface thereof, a first air discharge port formed in a lower portion of the front surface thereof, and a second air discharge port formed in a lower surface thereof. A suction vane opens or closes the air suction port, and first and second discharge vanes opens or closes the first and second air discharge ports, respectively. A duct is provided in the case to connect the air suction port, the first air discharge port and the second air discharge port to one another. A blowing fan is provided in the duct to suck air through the air suction port and blow the air to the first air discharge port and the second air discharge port. A heater heats the air in the duct.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air blower apparatus comprising:
a case having an air suction port formed at an upper area of a front surface thereof, a first air discharge port formed at a lower area of the front surface thereof, and a second air discharge port formed in a lower surface thereof;
a suction vane for opening or closing the air suction port;
a first discharge vane for opening or closing the first air discharge port;
a second discharge vane for opening or closing the second air discharge port;
a duct mounted between the air suction port, the first air discharge port and the second air discharge port, and provided in the case;
a blowing fan mounted in the duct to suck air through the air suction port and blow the air to at least one of the first air discharge port or the second air discharge port; and
a heater for heating air in the duct,
wherein the case includes:
a first case having an open front surface and a lower surface in which the second air discharge port is formed; and
a second case inserted into the first case through the open front surface of the first case, the second case having an upper portion in which the air suction port is formed and a lower portion in which the first air discharge port is formed,

wherein the duct includes:
a main flow path in communication with the air suction port;
a first sub-flow path branched from the main flow path and in communication with the first air discharge port; and
a second sub-flow path branched from the main flow path and in communication with the second air discharge port,

wherein the air blower apparatus further comprises a flow-path-switching damper mounted in the duct such that the main flow path selectively communicates with one of the first sub-flow path or the second sub-flow path, and
wherein when the second air discharge port is closed by the second discharge vane, the flow-path-switching damper is positioned such that the main flow path communicates with the first sub-flow path.

2. The air blower apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the suction vane and the first discharge vane are rotatably coupled to the second case, and
the second discharge vane is rotatably coupled to the duct.

3. The air blower apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the blowing fan is provided between the air suction port and the heater.

4. The air blower apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the suction vane rotates about a lower end thereof to open or close the air suction port, and
the first discharge vane rotates about an upper end thereof to open or close the first air discharge port.

5. The air blower apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first gearbox mounted to the duct;
a first driving gear rotatably mounted in the first gearbox to be rotated by driving force of a motor;
a first driven gear rotatably mounted in the first gearbox to be engaged with the first driving gear and coupled to a rotating shaft of the second discharge vane; and
a second driven gear rotatably mounted in the first gearbox to be engaged with the first driving gear and coupled to a rotating shaft of the flow-path-switching damper.

6. The air blower apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more ionizers mounted on the flow-path-switching damper to emit ions into the duct.

7. The air blower apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
ionizers mounted to the duct to emit ions into the duct.

8. The air blower apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a filter mounted to the air suction port.

9. The air blower apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a light source mounted to the front surface of the case to generate light; and
a reflector mounted to a rear surface of the suction vane to reflect light generated by the light source to the filter.

10. The air blower apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the light source is mounted to a prescribed area of the front surface of the case that corresponds to a region between the air suction port and the first air discharge port.

11. The air blower apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the light source is mounted to a prescribed area of the front surface of the case that corresponds to a top of the air suction port.

12. The air blower apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a light source mounted to a rear surface of the suction vane to generate light and radiate the light to the filter.

13. The air blower apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a light source mounted in the duct to generate light and radiate the light to the filter.

14. The air blower apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a discharge grill provided to the first air discharge port.

15. The air blower apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a rack or a bar to support an item, the rack or bar being coupled to the lower surface of the case so as to be aligned with the second air discharge port.

16. The air blower apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first driving motor mounted to the case;
a first cam coupled to a rotating shaft of the first driving motor and having a first inclined portion formed in a front surface thereof;
a second cam formed at the suction vane and having a second inclined portion formed in a rear surface thereof so as to correspond to the first inclined portion;
a second driving motor mounted to the case;
a third cam coupled to a rotating shaft of the second driving motor and having a third inclined portion formed in a front surface thereof; and
a fourth cam formed at the first discharge vane and having a fourth inclined portion formed in a rear surface thereof so as to correspond to the third inclined portion.

17. The air blower apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a driving motor provided prior to the duct within the case;
a driving gear coupled to a rotating shaft of the driving motor;
an internal gear coupled to one of the suction vane and the first discharge vane to be engaged with the driving gear;
a gearbox mounted to the case;
a first gear rotatably mounted in the gearbox;
a second gear rotatably mounted in the gearbox to be engaged with the first gear;
a third gear coupled to a rotating shaft of the suction vane to be engaged with the first gear; and
a fourth gear coupled to a rotating shaft of the first discharge vane to be engaged with the second gear.

18. The air blower apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the second case further includes an intermediate portion provided between the upper region and the lower region,
the intermediate region includes a recess provided between the suction port and the first air discharge port, and
the suction vane and the first discharge vane are rotatably coupled to the recess of the intermediate portion.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Daeyun
• Ryoo Byeongjo
• Kim Seongho

Classifications

• B01D2279/40

  for cleaning of environmental air, e.g. by filters installed on vehicles or on streets · CPC title

• B01D46/0047

  for discharging the filtered gas · CPC title

• A61L9/22 Primary

  Ionisation · CPC title

• A61L2209/14

  Filtering means · CPC title

• B01D46/0045

  by using vanes · CPC title