Modular fan assembly with articulating nozzle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11859857-B2
Application number	US-202217836788-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2022
Priority date	May 22, 2017
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

An air treatment system is disclosed that includes a modular configuration whereby a fan module, filter module, and humidifier module may couple together to provide a plurality of air treatment solutions. In more detail, the modules can stack end-to-end in a vertical configuration. The modules may electrically couple to each other via a common electrical bus and enable a controller disposed in the fan module (or other module) to control fan flow rates, direction, and humidity. The fan module can include an articulating nozzle capable of directing airflow in virtually any direction and angle about an environment. The fan module can further include an inlet arrangement that can selectively restrict external air from entering the fan module housing when the fan module is fluidly coupled to the filter module. Thus, the fan module may generate air flow from exclusively filtered air to minimize or otherwise reduce bacterial/mold growth within the fan module housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modular air treatment system comprising:
a fan module comprising an intake with at least a first inlet to receive air, a motor to generate airflow, a nozzle to output the generated airflow, and an image sensor, wherein the nozzle is configured to rotate about a first rotational axis to direct the generated airflow at a region of interest in a surrounding environment and the image sensor is configured to determine a center of an overhead wall within the surrounding environment;
an air filter module coupled to the fan module, the air filter module having at least one output port fluidly coupled to the first inlet of the fan module and configured to output filtered air; and
a humidifier module coupled between the fan module and the air filter module, the humidifier module being configured to output humidified air.

2. The modular air treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the intake is indirectly coupled to the humidifier module such that the outputted humidified air is received via the first inlet of the fan module as the received air.

3. The modular air treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the fan module, the humidifier module, and the air filter module form a vertically stacked configuration.

4. The modular air treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the air filter module includes a bus to electrically couple to the fan module, and wherein the humidifier module electrically couples to the fan module by way of the bus provided by the air filter module.

5. The modular air treatment system of claim 4 , wherein the fan module includes an antenna and a first controller to provide a signal via the bus to the humidifier module to control an amount of humidified air output by the humidifier module.

6. The modular air treatment system of claim 5 , further comprising a computing device configured to exchange control signals associated with one or more operational settings via the antenna, the control signals executable by the first controller.

7. The modular air treatment system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more operational settings include a fan speed, a heating mode, a cooling mode, an aromatic selection, a schedule, a voice recognition profile, and/or a face recognition profile.

8. The modular air treatment system of claim 6 , wherein the computing device is configured to provide fan module data including temperature measurement data or air particle count data.

9. The modular air treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the air filter module includes a second controller and the humidifier module includes a third controller, the second controller and the third controller configured to enable independent operation of the air filter module and the humidifier module respectively.

10. The modular air treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the fan module includes circuitry operatively coupled to the image sensor, the image sensor further configured to acquire color image data, depth image data, stereo image data, infrared image data, and/or thermal image data.

11. The modular air treatment system of claim 10 , wherein the fan module further comprises a microphone and the additional circuitry is operatively coupled to the microphone to receive voice commands from a user corresponding to a power setting of the fan module, a speed setting of the fan module, and/or a target location for the fan module to direct the generated airflow.

12. An air treatment system comprising:
a fan portion having a base, an intake to receive air from at least a first inlet disposed on a bottom surface of the base, a motor to generate airflow, and a nozzle to output the generated airflow into a first environment, and an image sensor configured to determine a center of an overhead wall within the first environment;
an air filter portion having a first end coupled to the base and a second end; and
a humidifier portion coupled to the second end of the air filter portion, the humidifier portion configured to output humidified air.

13. The air treatment system of claim 12 , wherein the nozzle is configured to rotate about a first and second rotational axis to direct the generated airflow at a region of interest in a surrounding environment.

14. The air treatment system of claim 12 , wherein the first end of the air filter portion includes at least one output port fluidly coupled to first inlet of the fan portion to provide filtered air.

15. The air treatment system of claim 12 , further comprising a fragrance unit removably coupled with the base and positioned on the intake, the fragrance unit electrically coupled with the base.

16. The air treatment system of claim 15 , wherein the fragrance unit includes a rechargeable battery chargeable via the base, the fragrance unit configured for operation in a second environment independent from the first environment when uncoupled from the base.

17. The air treatment system of claim 12 , wherein responsive to determining the center of the overhead wall, a location of a convection current can be identified relative to the center of the overhead wall via the image sensor and the fan module can output the generated airflow toward the location of the convection current, thereby disrupting the convection current.

18. The air treatment system of claim 17 , wherein the fan module translates in a spiral path to disrupt the convection current.

19. The air treatment system of claim 12 , wherein the fan module includes one or more hinge elements, which when open enlarge an air path of the generated airflow output via the nozzle.

Assignees

• Sharkninja Operating Llc

Inventors

• Brown Andre D
• Thorne Jason B
• Hutchinson Peter
• Palladino Gary
• Kelsey Alden
• Innes Daniel J
• Hellman Zach

Classifications

• F24F13/20 Primary

  Casings or covers · CPC title

• A61L9/032

  comprising a fan · CPC title

• A61L9/035

  emanating multiple odours · CPC title

• A61L9/122

  comprising a fan · CPC title

• A61L9/125

  emanating multiple odours · CPC title