초록 ▼

Compact centrifugal fan and filter assemblies for use in providing laminar flow clean air to a work space environment such as those within clean rooms and clean air work stations or cabinets wherein the fan and filter element are mounted in a close physical relationship with respect to one another a

Compact centrifugal fan and filter assemblies for use in providing laminar flow clean air to a work space environment such as those within clean rooms and clean air work stations or cabinets wherein the fan and filter element are mounted in a close physical relationship with respect to one another and within a common plenum chamber and wherein the fan creates an airflow which is initially generally parallel with respect to the filter element and which is thereafter channeled by baffle members so as to provide uniform air pressure and airflow across the filter element while reducing vibration and increasing the air flow rate from the fan and filter assemblies to such clean air environments.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A compact air purification apparatus for providing clean airflow to a clean air enclosure comprising a primary housing having first and second end portions and substantially closed sidewall portions, inlet and discharge openings disposed through said first and second end portions, respectively, a

1. A compact air purification apparatus for providing clean airflow to a clean air enclosure comprising a primary housing having first and second end portions and substantially closed sidewall portions, inlet and discharge openings disposed through said first and second end portions, respectively, a blower means mounted through said inlet opening so as to extend inwardly of said primary housing, said blower means having a motor drivingly connected to a centrifugal fan means, said centrifugal fan being disposed within said primary housing so as to discharge air radially outwardly with respect to said inlet opening, said centrifugal fan including a plurality of radially extending blade means, a filter means mounted within said primary housing adjacent said discharge opening so that all airflow outwardly of said primary housing through said discharge opening passes through said filter means, a first baffle means disposed adjacent said centrifugal fan means and between said centrifugal fan means and said filter means, said first baffle means having outwardly extending wall portions which extend outwardly of said centrifugal fan means toward said sidewalls of said primary housing so as to create an airflow space radially of said centrifugal fan means between said first baffle means and said sidewalls of said primary housing, second baffle means disposed radially outwardly of said centrifugal fan means and said first baffle means, said second baffle means having inner surfaces for directing the airflow from said centrifugal fan means inwardly of said primary housing and between said first baffle means and said filter means whereby air being introduced into said housing by said centrifugal fan means will be directed radially outwardly of said centrifugal fan means and guided by said first baffle means towards said second baffle means and thereafter by said second baffle means between said first baffle means and said air filter means. 2. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 1 in which said filter means includes a mounting bracket assembly attached to said sidewalls of said primary housing, a HEPA filter mounted within a filter frame, said filter frame having inlet and exhaust ends and being adjustably mounted to said bracket assembly, said filter frame having a gasket along said inlet end thereof, said gasket being engaged in airtight relationship with said mounting bracket assembly whereby airflow through said primary housing is directed through said HEPA filter. 3. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 1 in which said primary housing includes upper and lower sections, said filter means being mounted within said lower section and said first and second baffle means being carried by said upper section, and means for removably mounting said upper and lower section together. 4. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 1 including prefilter means mounted to said first end of said primary housing and extending across said inlet opening therein, said prefilter means including a second housing having substantially closed sidewall portions and first and second end portions having inlet and discharge openings therein respectively, a selectively removable filter means carried by said second housing, and means for securing said prefilter means to said first end portion of said primary housing so that said discharge opening of said prefilter means is aligned in proximate relationship to said inlet opening in said primary housing. 5. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 4 including a generally conical baffle means mounted through said inlet opening in said primary housing so as to direct air passing therethrough into said centrifugal fan means. 6. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 1 in which said second baffle means includes first and second members disposed on opposite sides of said centrifugal fan means, each of said first and second members being generally C-shaped in cross section, each of said first and second members extending between opposite sides of the sidewalls of said primary housing so as to be in generally parallel relationship with respect to one another. 7. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 6 in which each of said first and second members of said second baffle means extend generally parallel with respect to said first end portion of said primary housing and curve downwardly in relationship with said sidewalls and thereafter inwardly of said sidewalls toward the interior of said primary housing. 8. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 6 in which each of said first and second members of said second baffle means have a base portion and a pair of spaced outwardly extending wall portions, one of said outwardly extending wall portions extending inwardly of said primary housing toward said first end portion thereof and the other of said outwardly extending wall portions extending inwardly of said primary housing and toward said air filter means. 9. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 6 including air diffuser means extending between each of said first and second members of said second baffle means and said first baffle means, each of said air diffuser means having a plurality of openings therethrough so that air passing from said second baffle means toward said air filter means passes through said openings in said air diffuser means. 10. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 6 in which said first baffle means includes plate means which extends generally parallel with said first end portion of said primary housing, an opening generally centrally through said plate means, a generally concave portion mounted within said opening through said plate means, said centrifugal fan means being partially disposed within said concave portion of said plate means, and sound dampening material secured to said first baffle means. 11. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 10 in which said annular sidewall of said concave portion of said first baffle member extends toward said first end portion of said housing a distance generally not greater than two-thirds the height of said blade means. 12. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 4 in which said first baffle member includes a recessed area defined by a plate means having a lower generally planar wall portion, a pair of outwardly extending portions extending upwardly and outwardly from opposite sides of said planar wall portion toward said first end portion of said primary housing and flanged wall portions extending from said outwardly extending portions toward said second baffle means on opposite sides of said centrifugal fan means, and at least one layer of sound dampening material generally covering said plate means of said first baffle means. 13. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 12 in which said first baffle means includes a pair of spaced sidewall means disposed between said outwardly extending portions, and said centrifugal fan means being at least partially disposed within said recessed area defined said first baffle members. 14. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 6 in which said first end portion of said housing is covered by a sound dampening material which extends inwardly of said primary housing. 15. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 14 in which said fan blade means includes first and second ends, said first ends of said fan blade means being oriented adjacent said first end portion of said primary hosing, said second ends of said blade means being disposed adjacent said first baffle means, and said first ends of said blade means being disposed so as to be generally coextensive with said sound dampening material which is attached to said first end portion of said primary housing. 16. In a compact air purification apparatus for providing clean airflow to a clean air enclosure including a filter plenum chamber having closed sidewalls, and first and second end walls, an air inlet opening through the first end wall and an air discharge opening through the second end wall, the inlet and discharge openings being generally aligned with the central axis of the plenum chamber in which the improvement comprises a blower unit mounted through the inlet opening, said blower unit including a centrifugal fan rotatably and drivingly mounted to a motor means, said centrifugal fan having a plurality of radially extending blades which are mounted so as direct air passing inwardly through the inlet opening radially outwardly generally perpendicularly with respect to the central axis of the plenum chamber, said centrifugal fan being disposed entirely within the plenum chamber with said blade means extending along their length from adjacent the first end of the plenum chamber toward the second end thereof, a filter means mounted to the sidewalls of the plenum chamber adjacent the second end thereof, a first baffle means mounted within the plenum chamber between said centrifugal fan and said filter means, a pair of second baffle means disposed radially outwardly on opposite sides of said centrifugal fan and within the plenum chamber, said second baffle means having at least one air deflecting surface for directing the air passing radially outwardly from said centrifugal fan inwardly of the plenum chamber and toward said filter means, said first baffle means having wall portions which extend partially between said blades of said centrifugal fan and said second baffle means for preventing air deflected by said second baffle means from impinging on said blades. 17. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 16 in which said second baffle means is attached to the first end wall of the plenum chamber by a plurality of vibration dampening mounting means having first and second ends, said vibration dampening mounting means extending generally parallel with the axis of the plenum chamber, said first ends of said vibration dampening means being secured to the first end of the plenum chamber and said second ends thereof disposed at a point at least one-third of the way along said length of said blades of said centrifugal fan. 18. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 16 in which said wall portions of said first baffle means form a recessed area opening toward said first end wall of the plenum chamber, said blades of said centrifugal fan being partially disposed generally centrally of and between said wall portions and partially within said recessed area of said first baffle means so that at least one-third of the height of said blades extend outwardly of said recessed area toward the first end wall of the plenum chamber. 19. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 18 in which said wall portions of said first baffle means have an upper edge and a flange member extending outwardly from said upper edge toward the sidewalls of the plenum chamber, and sound dampening means secured to said flange means. 20. A compact air purification apparatus for providing clean airflow to a clean air enclosure comprising a housing having upper and lower sections, means for removably connecting said first and second sections in assembled relationship, an air inlet opening through said upper section of said housing and an air discharge opening through said lower section of said housing, a filter means mounted in sealed relationship with said lower section of said housing so that all air passing through said air discharge opening first passes through said filter means, a blower means mounted through said air inlet opening, said blower means having a centrifugal fan mounted inwardly of said housing and adjacent said inlet opening so as to discharge air radially outwardly with respect to said inlet opening, a first air baffle means carried by said upper section of said housing so as to be disposed between said centrifugal fan and said filter means, said first air baffle means including a recessed portion and outwardly extending wall portions, said centrifugal fan being at least partially disposed within said recessed portion of said first air baffle means, second air baffle means carried by said upper section of said housing so as to be oriented radially outwardly and in spaced relationship to said first said baffle means, said second air baffle means having inner surfaces for deflecting airflow from said centrifugal fan inwardly of said housing and between said first air baffle means and said filter means whereby the flow of air will be directed radially outwardly by said centrifugal fan and said first air baffle means toward said second air baffle means and thereafter by said second air baffle means between said first air baffle means and said filter means so that the flow of air is distributed across said air filter means. 21. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 20 including an air diffuser means extending between said first and second air baffle means, said air diffuser means having a plurality of openings therethrough so that the air directed by said second air baffle means is guided through said openings and between said first air baffle means and said filter means. 22. The compact air purfication apparatus of claim 21 in which said second air baffle means includes first and second deflector members which are generally spaced in parallel relationship on opposite sides of said centrifugal fan, said air diffuser means being disposed between each of said first and second deflector members and said first air baffle means. 23. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 22 in which said first and second deflector members are generally C-shaped in cross section and said air diffuser means are generally concavely shaped and extend at least partially below said outwardly extending wall portions of said first air baffle means. 24. The compact air purification apparatus of claim 23 including sound dampening material mounted to said upper section of said housing and extending inwardly thereof adjacent said inlet opening and to said first and second air baffle means.