초록 ▼

A portable air treatment device and system including a filter retaining mechanism for selectively retaining a replaceable filter assembly. The filter retaining mechanism includes a rigid, non-moveable body that reduces a size of an access opening to a filter chamber otherwise formed by the air treat

A portable air treatment device and system including a filter retaining mechanism for selectively retaining a replaceable filter assembly. The filter retaining mechanism includes a rigid, non-moveable body that reduces a size of an access opening to a filter chamber otherwise formed by the air treatment device housing, along with a bearing surface. The rigid body serves as a catch or latch, preventing unexpected dislodgement of a filter assembly from the chamber. The bearing surface is also rigid and non-moveable, and provides a means for easily inserting and removing a primarily non-permanently deflectable filter assembly about the rigid body.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A portable air treatment device comprising: a blower; a housing maintaining the blower and forming a filter chamber that is fluidly open to the blower, the filter chamber generally defined by an access end and a back end opposite the access end, wherein the filter chamber has

What is claimed is: 1. A portable air treatment device comprising: a blower; a housing maintaining the blower and forming a filter chamber that is fluidly open to the blower, the filter chamber generally defined by an access end and a back end opposite the access end, wherein the filter chamber has height, width and depth dimensions and is sized to selectively receive a filter assembly and is defined at least in part by: framework extending from the access end to the back end to establish a maximum height and maximum width of the filter chamber, the framework including opposing, first and second sides each having a length defining one of the height and the width, a flange projecting inwardly relative to the framework at the back end, the flange providing a filter receiving surface and establishing a maximum depth of the filter chamber as a distance between the flange and the access end; and a filter retaining mechanism for capturing a filter assembly within the filter chamber, the filter retaining mechanism including: a rigid, non-moveable first body spaced from the back end and extending inwardly from the first side in one of the height and width dimensions to a terminal edge, wherein the terminal edge has a length in a direction of the first side length that is less than the first side length, and further wherein the terminal edge combines with the framework to create a chamber access opening having an effective height and effective width, and even further wherein the terminal edge combines with the flange to establish an effective depth that is less than the maximum depth of the filter chamber such that a filter assembly can be captured between the first body and the flange, a non-moveable first bearing surface protruding inwardly from the second side opposite the terminal edge and positioned a distance from the back end, wherein the bearing surface defines a length in a direction of the second side length, the bearing surface length being less than the second side length. 2. The air treatment device of claim 1, wherein the bearing surface is configured to cause deflection of a filter assembly forced against the bearing surface. 3. The air treatment device of claim 1, wherein the air treatment device is a room air purifier. 4. The air treatment device of claim 1, wherein a second non-moveable bearing surface is provided as a transverse extension of the first body from a first lateral side to the terminal edge. 5. The air treatment device of claim 1, wherein the non-moveable bearing surface is laterally centered between the access end and back end of the framework. 6. The air treatment device of claim 1, wherein the non-moveable bearing surface is off-set relative to the access end of the framework. 7. The air treatment device of claim 1, wherein the non-moveable bearing surface extends for a distance less than the width of the filter chamber. 8. The air treatment device of claim 1, wherein the non-moveable bearing surface is centered on the second side. 9. The air treatment device of claim 1, wherein a second bearing surface is integrally formed with the first body. 10. The air treatment device of claim 9, wherein first body defines an inner face facing the flange and an exterior face opposite the inner face, the terminal edge being disposed between the inner and outer faces, and further wherein at least one of the inner and outer faces comprises the second bearing surface. 11. The air treatment device of claim 1, wherein the bearing surface is formed by a rigid, non-moveable second body associated with the framework, the second body extending inwardly relative to the framework opposite the first body. 12. The air treatment device of claim 11, wherein the first body is a latch extending from the first side and having a width less than a corresponding dimension of the first side of the framework. 13. The air treatment device of claim 12, wherein the framework further defines a second side opposite the first side, and further wherein the second body is a convex protrusion extending longitudinally toward the back end beyond the terminal edge of the latch. 14. The air treatment device of claim 13, wherein the convex protrusion defines a width that is less than a corresponding dimension of the second side. 15. The air treatment device of claim 14, wherein the latch is centered relative to the first side of the framework and the convex protrusion is centered relative to the second side. 16. The air treatment device of claim 12, wherein the filter retaining mechanism further includes a second rigid latch permanently extending inwardly relative to the frame opposite the first body latch, and further wherein the first and second latches combine to define the chamber access opening. 17. The air treatment device of claim 12, wherein the filter retaining mechanism further includes: finger recesses formed in the framework. 18. The air treatment device of claim 12, wherein the housing defines an upright orientation such that the framework has a top and a bottom, and further wherein the first body extends from the top and the second body extends from the bottom. 19. The air treatment device of claim 11, wherein the first body includes interior and exterior faces extending in opposite directions from the terminal edge, and further wherein the first body tapers in height from the terminal edge along the interior face and along the exterior face. 20. The air treatment device of claim 19, wherein transition of the first body from the exterior face to the terminal edge defines an entrance guide surface for guiding a filter assembly along the first body. 21. The air treatment device of claim 20, wherein transition of the first body from the interior face to the terminal edge defines an exit guide surface for guiding a filter assembly along the first body. 22. The air treatment device of claim 19, wherein the first body has a convex profile in transverse cross-section. 23. The air treatment device of claim 19, wherein the first body has a triangular-like profile in transverse cross-section. 24. The air treatment device of claim 19, wherein the first and second bodies have an identical construction. 25. The air treatment device of claim 19, wherein the second body defines a terminal edge disposed between exterior and interior faces of the second body, and further wherein the second body tapers in height from the terminal edge along each of the corresponding exterior and interior faces. 26. The air treatment device of claim 25, wherein the chamber access opening is collectively defined by the terminal edges of the first and second bodies and the framework. 27. The air treatment device of claim 11, wherein the first and second bodies inwardly extend an identical distance from the corresponding side. 28. A portable air treatment system comprising: a filter assembly defining a filter height and a filter width in a natural state and being primarily non-permanently deflectable to a deflected state; and a portable air treatment device comprising: a blower; a housing maintaining the blower and forming a filter chamber that is fluidly open to the blower, the filter chamber generally defined by an access end and a back end opposite the access end, wherein the filter chamber has height, width and depth dimensions, is sized to selectively receive the filter assembly and is defined at least in part by: framework extending from the access end to the back end to establish a maximum height and maximum width of the filter chamber, a flange projecting inwardly relative to the framework at the back end, the flange providing a filter receiving surface and establishing a maximum depth of the filter chamber as a distance between the flange and the access end, and a filter retaining mechanism for capturing the filter assembly within the filter chamber, the filter retaining mechanism including: a rigid, non-moveable first body associated with the framework, the body being spaced from the back end and extending inwardly relative to the framework in one of the height and width dimensions to a terminal edge, wherein the terminal edge combines with the framework to create a chamber access opening having an effective height and an effective width, and even further wherein the terminal edge combines with the flange to establish an effective depth that is less than the maximum depth of the filter chamber, a non-moveable bearing surface associated with the first body. wherein the maximum height and width of the filter chamber are greater than the corresponding filter height and filter width of the filter assembly, and at least one of the effective height and effective width of the chamber access opening is less than the corresponding filter height and filter width, and further wherein the filter assembly and the air treatment device are configured such that the filter assembly is insertable into the chamber by primarily non-permanently deflecting the filter assembly at the bearing surface to provide clearance about the terminal edge and is captured within the chamber between the first body and the flange. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the effective width of the access opening is less than the filter width of the filter assembly. 30. The system of claim 28, wherein the effective height of the access opening height is less than the filter height of the filter assembly.