초록 ▼

A portable air purifier for reducing pollutants in the passenger cabin of a vehicle to concentrations at least as low as the US-EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards for: carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and particulate matter; plus benzene to a European ambient a

A portable air purifier for reducing pollutants in the passenger cabin of a vehicle to concentrations at least as low as the US-EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards for: carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and particulate matter; plus benzene to a European ambient air standard. The purifier includes an air inlet and air outlet in communication with the vehicle cabin, with air circulation provided by a DC electric motor/blower attachable to a vehicle power plug. The filter assembly includes a specified series of filter media packets and a HEPA filter. The machine's preferred location is in the center of a rear seat where it can serve as an armrest/console and be secured by a seat belt.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An air purifier for the reduction of specific air pollutants within motor vehicle cabins and similar enclosed structures comprising:a portable housing having an air inlet in communication with the cabin of a vehicle and similar enclosed structures, a filter assembly in communication with the air

1. An air purifier for the reduction of specific air pollutants within motor vehicle cabins and similar enclosed structures comprising:a portable housing having an air inlet in communication with the cabin of a vehicle and similar enclosed structures, a filter assembly in communication with the air inlet and air outlet and selected filter media to remove specific pollutants from air flowing through the filter assembly, an air outlet in communication with the cabin of a vehicle, a motorized fan operable to draw air into the air inlet, through the filter assembly and through the air outlet;the motorized fan operable from a readily accessible power source;the air purifier functionally independent of but also operable in conjunction with any heating, ventilation or air conditioning system in a motor vehicle and other similar apparatus;the housing removably attachable to at least one preselected surface within or on a motor vehicle or other enclosed structure; andthe air purifier adapted to accept for purification only that air which is contained within said cabin or similar enclosed structure, to the exclusion of immediate connection to air entering said cabin or similar enclosed structure from areas external thereto. 2. The air purifier of claim 1 further comprising at least one packed bed filter through which ambient air to be purified is passed. 3. The air purifier of claim 1 further comprising at least one HEPA filter through which ambient air to be purified is passed. 4. The air purifier of claim 1 further being a self-contained unit. 5. The air purifier of claim 1 further comprising air inlet and air outlet apertures least one of which is attached an air conduit extension. 6. The air purifier of claim 1 further comprising at least one of said filter locations adapted to receive a HEPA filter. 7. The air purifier of claim 6 includes a blower employing an electric motor that is operable from DC electrical power of a motor vehicle, or AC electrical power from a similar enclosed structure, and such power means includes a power cord attachable to a power outlet. 8. The air purifier of claim 7 further comprising said DC electric motor being operable at a plurality of speeds. 9. The air purifier of claim 6 being disposed within a trunk region of a motor vehicle, and wherein said air inlet and air outlet hole have fluid connection to a cabin area of said motor vehicle. 10. The air purifier of claim 9 wherein said air outlet hole connects to an air outlet disposed within an armrest/console, which is disposed on a rear seat of a motor vehicle. 11. The air purifier of claim 6 wherein at least one of said at least one filter media packet includes a packed bed of filter medium. 12. The air purifier of claim 6 wherein at least one filter media packet comprises:a first grate;a second grate; andat least one filter medium disposed between said first grate and said second grate. 13. The air purifier of claim 12 wherein at least one of said at least one filter media packet includes a filter medium envelope within which is disposed said at least one filter medium. 14. The air purifier of claim 13 wherein said filter medium envelope is formed of a non-woven, at least gross, as opposed to fine, particulate filter material. 15. The air purifier of claim 6 wherein at least one filter media packet is selected from the group consisting of a desiccant-sorbent packet, a carbon particle packet, a catalyst packet, and a coconut based packet. 16. The air purifier in claim 15 wherein at least one filter media packet, commencing from said air inlet, are disposed in the order of:a desiccant-sorbent packet;a carbon particle packet;a catalyst packet; anda coconut based carbon packet. 17. The air purifier of claim 16 further includes at least one HEPA filter downstream of said filter media packets. 18. The air purifier of claim 17, further includes at least one impregnated carbon fiber filter downstream of said HEPA filter. 19. The air purifier of claim 1 furt her comprising said housing or cover having a seat belt bracket for connection to a motor vehicle seat belt. 20. The air purifier of claim 1 including said housing or cover having a seat belt bracket for connection to a motor vehicle seat belt. 21. The air purifier of claim 1 further includes said blower having a DC electric motor that is operable from DC electrical power of a motor vehicle, and said power means includes a power cord that is attachable to a DC power outlet in a motor vehicle; or having an AC electric motor that is operable from AC electric power available in similar enclosed structures. 22. The air purifier of claim 21 further comprising said DC electric motor being operable at a plurality of speeds. 23. The air purifier of claim 1 further comprising said housing being disposed within a trunk region of a motor vehicle, and wherein said air inlet and air outlet hole are in fluid connection to a cabin area of said motor vehicle. 24. The air purifier of claim 23 further comprising an air outlet in communication with said air outlet hole and is disposed within an armrest/console disposed on a rear seat of a motor vehicle. 25. The air purifier of claim 1 wherein at least one of said at least one filter media packet includes a packed bed of filter medium. 26. The air purifier of claim 1 wherein at least one of said at least one filter media packet comprises:a first grate;a second grate; andat least one filter medium disposed between said first grate and said second grate. 27. The air purifier of claim 26 wherein at least one of said at least one filter media packet includes a filter medium envelope within which is disposed said at least one filter medium. 28. The air purifier of claim 27 wherein said filter medium envelope is formed of a non-woven, at least gross, as opposed to fine, particulate filter material. 29. An air purifier according to claim 1 wherein the specific air pollutants include but are not limited to: benzene, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, particles with diameters of 10 micrometers or less and particles with diameters of 2.5 micrometers or less, which include but are not limited to: lead, cadmium, mercury, asbestos, disease-causing bacteria, viruses and fungi, carcinogenic volatile organic compounds that are attached to the said particles, sulfates, nitrates and diesel particulate soot. 30. A method of reducing specific pollutants from air within a motor vehicle cabin or similar enclosed structure, comprising the steps of:removably attaching an air purifier that is operable by power onto a surface within said cabin or similar enclosed structure;said air purifier including an air inlet and an air outlet, both of said air inlet and air outlet being in direct fluid connection with the interior of said motor vehicle cabin or similar enclosed structure while having no direct fluid connection to any HVAC or other ventilation system that enters into said motor vehicle cabin or similar enclosed structure from the exterior thereof;connecting to said air purifier a proximal end of a power line adapted to transmit DC power; andconnecting a distal end of said power line to a source of power that is accessible from within said cabin or similar enclosed structure. 31. An air purifier for the reduction of specific pollutants from the cabin of a vehicle and similar enclosed structures, comprising:a housing including an air conduit extending through said housing, said housing having on at least part of the exterior thereof an upholstery cover or other cushioning substance;an air inlet in fluid connection with a first end of said air conduit;an air outlet hole in fluid connection with a second end of said air conduit;a multiplicity of filter locations disposed within said air conduit, at least one of said filter locations being adapted to receive a filter media packet within said air conduit;at least one filter media packet disposed within one of said multiplicity of filter location s and selected to capture at least one predetermined air pollutant from air passing through said air conduit;a blower in fluid connection with said air conduit and adapted to draw air into said air conduit through said air inlet and discharge air out of said air conduit through said air outlet hole; anda connector for connecting to a power source for operating said blower. 32. The air purifier of claim 31 wherein said at least one filter media packet is selected from the group consisting of a desiccant-sorbent packet, a carbon particle packet, a catalyst packet, and a coconut based carbon packet. 33. The air purifier of claim 32 wherein said at least one filter media packet, commencing from said air inlet, are disposed in the order of:a dessicant-sorbent packet;a carbon particle packet;a catalyst packet; anda coconut based carbon packet. 34. The air purifier of claim 33 further comprising a HEPA filter downstream of the plurality of filter media packets. 35. The air purifier of claim 34 further comprising at least one carbon impregnated fiber filter downstream of said HEPA filter. 36. An air purifier according to claim 31 wherein the specific air pollutants include, but are not limited to: benzene, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, particles with diameters of 10 micrometers or less and particles with diameters of 2.5 micrometers or less, which particles include, but are not limited to: lead, cadmium, mercury, asbestos, disease-causing bacteria, viruses and fungi, toxic volatile organic compounds that are attached to the said particles, sulfates, nitrates and diesel particulate soot. 37. An air purifier operable to reduce concentration levels of specific pollutants in the passenger cabin of a vehicle and similar enclosed structures, to levels at least as low as the following US-EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards for at least one of the following:Carbon Monoxide-20 parts per million, Ozone-80 parts per billion, Nitrogen Dioxide-250 parts per billion, Sulfur Dioxide-636 parts per billion, Lead-1.5 micrograms per cubic meter, Particulate Matter 10 micrometers and less in diameter-150 micrograms per cubic meter, Particulate Matter 2.5 micrometers and less in diameter-65 micrograms per cubic meter; andreducing Benzene to levels at least as low as an ambient air quality standard in Europe of 10 micrograms per cubic meter (or 3 parts per billion);the air purifier comprising:a housing including and air inlet, and air outlet, a filter assembly disposed between the inlet and the outlet, and a blower for drawing an air flow from the interior of the vehicle and similar enclosed structures into the air inlet, through the filter assembly and through the air outlet into the interior of the vehicle and similar enclosed structures. 38. An air purifier according to claim 37 wherein the Particulate Matter includes, but is not limited to: lead, cadmium, mercury, asbestos, disease-causing bacteria, viruses and fungi, toxic volatile organic compounds that are attached to the said particles, sulfates, nitrates, and diesel particulate soot.