Fan assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11946478-B2
Application number	US-201916977531-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2019
Priority date	Mar 5, 2018
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

There is provided a fan assembly comprising a motor-driven impeller arranged to generate an airflow, an air outlet arranged to emit the airflow, a plurality of sensors arranged to measure a value for each of a plurality of air quality characteristics, a display and a processor. The processor is configured to receive measured values for each of the plurality of air quality characteristics, identify one of a corresponding set of intervals within which the measured value falls and select an air quality index value associated with the identified interval. The processor is then configured to identify the highest of the selected air quality index values as a current overall air quality index value and to cause the display to display a time series plot of the current air quality index value and a number of preceding air quality index values.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fan assembly comprising:
a fan body;
a motor-driven impeller housed within the fan body and arranged to generate an airflow;
a nozzle comprising a base surrounding an upper portion of the fan body and an air outlet arranged to emit the airflow from the fan assembly;
a plurality of sensors connected to the fan body and arranged to measure a value for each of a plurality of air quality characteristics;
a display positioned on the fan body and viewable through the base of the nozzle, the display arranged to present data to a user of the fan assembly;
a user interface positioned on the fan body: and
a processor connected to the fan body and configured to:
receive, from the plurality of sensors, measured values for each of the plurality of air quality characteristics;
for each of the plurality of air quality characteristics, identify one of a corresponding set of intervals within which the measured value falls and select an air quality index value associated with the identified interval;
identify the highest of the selected air quality index values as a current overall air quality index value; and
cause the display to display a time series plot of the current overall air quality index value and a number of preceding overall air quality index values.

2. The fan assembly of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to use the selected air quality index values to set a speed of the motor-driven impeller.

3. The fan assembly of claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to:
for each of the measured air quality characteristics, generate a corresponding speed index value using the selected air quality index value; and
set a speed of the motor-driven impeller in dependence upon the highest of the speed index values.

4. The fan assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of air quality characteristics comprise any of:
a concentration of PM 2.5 particles;
a concentration of PM 10 particles;
a concentration of volatile organic compounds;
a concentration of nitrogen dioxide;
a concentration of sulphur dioxide;
and a concentration of ozone.

5. The fan assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality sensors comprise:
one or more particulate sensors;
and one or more gas sensors.

6. The fan assembly of claim 5 , wherein the one or more particulate sensors are arranged to measure a value indicative of a concentration of particles with a diameter that is 2.5 μm or less and measure a value indicative of a concentration of particles with a diameter that is 10 μm or less.

7. The fan assembly of claim 6 , wherein the one or more gas sensors are arranged to measure a value indicative of each of a concentration of volatile organic compounds and a concentration of nitrogen dioxide.

8. The fan assembly of claim 7 , wherein the one or more gas sensors comprise a reducing gas sensor and an oxidising sensor.

9. The fan assembly of claim 8 , wherein the reducing gas sensor is arranged to provide a value indicative of a concentration of volatile organic compounds and the oxidising sensor is arranged to provide a value indicative of a concentration of nitrogen dioxide.

10. The fan assembly of claim 5 , wherein the one or more particulate sensors are arranged to measure a value indicative of a concentration of particles with a median aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 μm and measure a value indicative of a concentration of particles with a median aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 μm.

11. The fan assembly of claim 1 , wherein, to cause the display to display a time series plot of the current overall air quality index value and a number of preceding overall air quality index values, the processor is configured to:
for each of the current overall air quality index value and a number of preceding overall air quality index values, generate a component on the display representing the overall air quality index value within the time series plot.

12. The fan assembly of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
for each of the current overall air quality index value and a number of preceding overall air quality index values, identify one of a corresponding plurality of intervals within which the overall air quality index value falls, select a colour associated with the identified interval, and generate the component representing the overall air quality index value of the time series plot on the display using the selected colour.

13. The fan assembly of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to perform the step of causing the display to display a time series plot of the current overall air quality index value and a number of preceding overall air quality index values with a frequency of 10 hertz or less.

14. The fan assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to perform measurement of a value for each of a plurality of air quality characteristics with a frequency of 10 hertz or less.

15. The fan assembly of claim 1 , and further comprising a memory storing the set of intervals corresponding to each of the measured air quality characteristics.

16. The fan assembly of claim 15 , wherein the set of intervals corresponding to each of the measured air quality characteristics stored in the memory vary in size.

17. The fan assembly of claim 1 , and further comprising at least one filter assembly that is arranged to purify the airflow before the airflow is emitted from the fan assembly.

18. The fan assembly of claim 17 , and further comprising an air inlet through which an airflow is drawn into the fan assembly by the motor-driven impeller.

19. The fan assembly of claim 18 , wherein the at least one filter assembly is mounted over the air inlet.

20. The fan assembly of claim 18 , and comprising a further air inlet through which a further airflow is drawn into the fan assembly and into contact with the plurality of sensors.

21. The fan assembly of claim 20 , wherein the nozzle is mounted on the fan body, the air outlet being provided by the nozzle, and the nozzle being arranged to receive the airflow from the fan body and to emit the airflow from the air outlet.

22. The fan assembly of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of sensors are housed within the fan body and the fan body comprises both the air inlet and the further air inlet.

23. The fan assembly of claim 21 , wherein the base connects to an upper end of the fan body and the plurality of sensors are enclosed within the base of the nozzle.

24. The fan assembly of claim 23 , wherein the fan body comprises the air inlet, and the base of the nozzle comprises the further air inlet.

25. A method of generating a display on a fan assembly
providing an indication of air quality, the method comprising:
providing the fan assembly, the fan assembly having a fan body, a motor-driven impeller housed within the fan body and arranged to generate an airflow, and a nozzle including a base surrounding an upper portion of the fan body and an air outlet arranged to emit the airflow from the fan assembly;
using a plurality of sensors positioned on the fan assembly to measure a value for each of a plurality of air quality characteristics;
using a processor to:
for each of the measured air quality characteristics, identify one of a corresponding set of intervals within which the measured value falls and select an air quality index value associated with the identified interval;
identify the highest of the

Assignees

• Dyson Technology Ltd

Inventors

• Shorter David John
• Barclay Liam Craig
• Whiting Mark Douglas
• Palmer Victoria Isabelle
• Clear Jonathan Edward
• Waugh Edward Michael
• Beavis Daniel James
• Sideropoulos Thomas
• Brooks James Benjamin

Classifications

• F04D25/08 Primary

  the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation · CPC title

• F04D27/004 Primary

  by varying driving speed · CPC title

• F04D29/4226

  Fan casings · CPC title

• F04D27/008 Primary

  Stop safety or alarm devices, e.g. stop-and-go control; Disposition of check-valves · CPC title

• F04D27/001

  Testing thereof; Determination or simulation of flow characteristics; Stall or surge detection, e.g. condition monitoring · CPC title