U.S. patent application number 11/430964 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-14 for air shower apparatus.
Invention is credited to Takeshi Honda, Hiroshi Matsuda, Hiroshi Mukai, Yoko Shimizu.
Application Number | 20060205337 11/430964 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32376161 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060205337 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Honda; Takeshi ; et
al. |
September 14, 2006 |
Air shower apparatus
Abstract
An air shower for removing a particle from an object by blowing
air to the object which includes at least one first outlet for
discharging the air from the at least one first outlet toward at
least a portion of the object so that a flow axis of the air
flowing out of the at least one first outlet is swung frequently
and alternately in a first swingable direction, and at least one
second outlet for discharging the air from the at least one second
outlet so that a flow axis of the air flowing out of the at least
one second outlet is swung frequently and alternately in a second
swingable direction which is different from the first swingable
direction. The first swingable direction and the second swingable
direction extend so as to be non-parallel to one another and to
intersect one another.
Inventors: |
Honda; Takeshi; (Nakajo,
JP) ; Shimizu; Yoko; (Niigata, JP) ; Matsuda;
Hiroshi; (Arakawa, JP) ; Mukai; Hiroshi;
(Ishioka, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ANTONELLI, TERRY, STOUT & KRAUS, LLP
1300 NORTH SEVENTEENTH STREET
SUITE 1800
ARLINGTON
VA
22209-3873
US
|
Family ID: |
32376161 |
Appl. No.: |
11/430964 |
Filed: |
May 10, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11075794 |
Mar 10, 2005 |
7052389 |
|
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11430964 |
May 10, 2006 |
|
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10382834 |
Mar 7, 2003 |
6960128 |
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11075794 |
Mar 10, 2005 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
454/237 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F 9/00 20130101; B08B
5/02 20130101; F24F 3/167 20210101; F24F 13/06 20130101; F24F
2221/28 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
454/237 |
International
Class: |
F24F 7/00 20060101
F24F007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 3, 2002 |
JP |
2002-350630 |
Claims
1. An air shower apparatus for blowing air from an air blower
through a filter to an object such as a human body with a cloth or
a product to blow off dust therefrom, comprising: a plurality of
outlets arranged on a wall surface of the air shower and capable of
swinging directions of the airs blown respectively from the outlets
with Coanda effect, wherein each of the swung directions is capable
of being arranged along at least one of a vertical direction, a
horizontal direction and a combination of the vertical and
horizontal directions, and each of the outlets has an air inlet
duct, a chamber duct and an outlet duct whose opening area is
greater than an opening area of the inlet duct to form a step
shaped air flow passage between the inlet and outlet ducts.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 11/075,794, filed Mar. 10, 2005, which is a continuation of
U.S. application Ser. No. 10/382,834, filed Mar. 7, 2003, and is
copending with U.S. application Ser. No. 10/873,185, filed Jun. 23,
2004, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.
10/382,834, the contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to an air shower apparatus for
blowing an air toward an object.
[0003] JP-A-10-52654 discloses a pulsed air jet generator in which
a passage or opening area of the air is alternately open-and-closed
or increased-and-decreased by a mechanical shutter or flow
restriction throttle to generate a pulsed air jet.
[0004] JP-A-06-193958 discloses an air blowing device with an air
flow direction deflector in which deflector a member is movable in
a direction perpendicular to an air flow direction to adjust
directing a part of the air to be applied to a directing surface on
which Coanda effect is obtained to emphasize a deflection of the
air flow by the directing surface so that another part of the air
is prevented from being deflected by the directing surface and the
part of the air is deflected strongly by the directing surface.
[0005] JP-U-63-165437 and JP-U-62-76848 disclose air shower devices
in each of which an air injection nozzle is swung to deflect the
air flow.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an air
shower apparatus for blowing an air, in which apparatus a flow
direction of the air is capable of being deflected frequently
without a movable member contacting the air to be deflected or
extending through the air to be deflected.
[0007] An air shower apparatus for blowing an air, comprises, an
inlet duct for guiding the air so that the air flowing out from the
inlet duct is directed along a first flow axis of the air, and a
variable condition area adapted to communicate fluidly with the air
flowing out from the inlet duct at at least one side in a direction
perpendicular to the first flow axis, to generate a fluctuation at
the variable condition area in at least one of a pressure to be
applied to the air flowing out from the inlet duct at the variable
condition area and a mass flow rate of a supplemental air to be
applied from the variable condition area onto the air flowing out
of the inlet duct in a fluctuating direction oblique to the first
flow axis so that a second flow axis of the air passing the
variable condition area is frequently deflected from the first flow
axis by the fluctuation in at least one of the pressure and the
mass flow rate in the fluctuating direction.
[0008] Since the second flow axis of the air passing the variable
condition area is frequently deflected from the first flow axis by
the fluctuation in at least one of the pressure and the mass flow
rate in the fluctuating direction applied from the variable
condition area at the at least one side in the direction, a flow
direction of the air can be deflected frequently without a
"movable" member contacting the air to be deflected or extending
through the air to be deflected.
[0009] It is preferable for enlarging the deflection of the second
flow axis by utilizing Coanda effect that the air shower apparatus
further comprises an outlet duct arranged at a downstream side with
respect to the variable condition area in an air flow direction
from the inlet duct toward the variable condition area, the outlet
duct includes an axial area along the first flow axis in which
axial area a distance between an inner surface of the outlet duct
and the first flow axis in the direction increases in the air flow
direction, and the first flow axis passes through a minimum air
flow opening area of the outlet duct along a transverse imaginary
plane perpendicular to the first flow axis so that Coanda effect is
generated along the inner surface of the outlet duct. It is
preferable for maximizing the deflection of the second flow axis
that the distance between the inner surface of the outlet duct and
the first flow axis in another direction perpendicular to the
direction is prevented from increasing in the air flow direction
within the axial area so that the air passing the axial area is
restrained from being expanded in the another direction.
[0010] It is preferable for minimizing a pressure loss in the air
shower apparatus by utilizing a diffuser effect that the variable
condition area has an enlarged air flow opening area along the
transverse imaginary plane, the enlarged air flow opening area is
larger than the minimum air flow opening area of the outlet duct,
and the minimum air flow opening area of the outlet duct is larger
than a minimum air flow opening area of the inlet duct along the
transverse imaginary plane. It is preferable for minimizing the
pressure loss and enlarging the deflection of the second flow axis
that the whole of the minimum air flow opening area of the inlet
duct is overlapped by the minimum air flow opening area of the
outlet duct as seen along the first flow axis, and/or that the
whole of the minimum air flow opening area of the outlet duct is
overlapped by the enlarged air flow opening area as seen along the
first flow axis.
[0011] It is preferable for generating the fluctuation in at least
one of the pressure and the mass flow rate in the fluctuating
direction by utilizing effectively Coanda effect and Venturi effect
that in a cross-section of the inlet and outlet ducts in the
apparatus along a longitudinal imaginary plane including the first
flow axis and being parallel to the direction, an imaginary line
extending parallel to the first flow axis from an inner surface of
the inlet duct at the minimum air flow opening area of the inlet
duct passes a radially inner side with respect to an inner surface
of the outlet duct at the minimum air flow opening area of the
outlet duct at the at least one side.
[0012] It is preferable for enlarging effectively the deflection of
the second flow axis in the direction that a diameter of the
minimum air flow opening area of the outlet duct in the direction
is smaller than a diameter of the minimum air flow opening area of
the outlet duct in another direction perpendicular to the
direction.
[0013] It is preferable for enlarging effectively the deflection of
the second flow axis that the outlet duct has a Venturi-type inner
surface so is that that a Venturi effect is obtainable at an
upstream side with respect to the minimum air flow opening area of
the outlet duct in the air flow direction to generate the
supplemental air flow from the variable condition area in the
fluctuating direction to be applied to the air flowing into the
outlet duct from the variable condition area. It is preferable for
generating the fluctuation in the mass flow rate of the air in the
fluctuating direction without the movable member contacting the air
to be deflected and/or the supplemental air or extending through
the air to be deflected and/or the supplemental air that the
fluctuation in the mass flow rate of the air in the fluctuating
direction is obtainable by the air flow in the fluctuating
direction generated by the Venturi effect.
[0014] It is preferable for enlarging effectively the deflection of
the second flow axis that the variable condition area is adapted to
communicate fluidly with the air flowing out from the inlet duct at
each of the sides opposite to each other in the direction in such a
manner that an air pressure at one of the sides is relatively low
when an air pressure at the other one of the sides is relatively
high.
[0015] It is preferable for enlarging effectively the deflection of
the second flow axis and generating the frequent fluctuation in the
mass flow rate of the air in the fluctuating direction without the
movable member contacting the air to be deflected and/or the
supplemental air or extending through the air to be deflected
and/or the supplemental air that the variable condition area is
adapted to communicate fluidly with the air flowing out from the
inlet duct at each of the sides opposite to each other in the
direction, and the variable condition area has a bypass passage for
fluidly connecting the sides to each other while bypassing the
variable condition area so that the air is capable of flowing
through the bypass passage to decrease a difference in pressure
between the sides.
[0016] It is preferable for generating the frequent fluctuation in
the mass flow rate of the air in the fluctuating direction without
the movable member contacting the air to be deflected and/or the
supplemental air or extending through the air to be deflected
and/or the supplemental air that the air shower apparatus comprises
an air supply passage fluidly communicating with the variable
condition area to compensate a change in pressure of the air
generated at the at least one side or to generate a change in
pressure of the air generated at the at least one side.
[0017] If the frequent fluctuation in the mass flow rate of the air
in the fluctuating direction is generated without the movable
member contacting the air to be deflected and/or the supplemental
air or extending through the air to be deflected and/or the
supplemental air, the whole of the minimum air flow opening area of
the inlet duct is seeable through the minimum air flow opening area
of the outlet duct as seen in a direction opposite to the air flow
direction and along the first flow axis, all the time when the
fluctuation is generated, and/or the inlet duct and the variable
condition area are stationary with respect to each other in
position and attitude, and/or that the inlet duct, the variable
condition area and the outlet duct are stationary with respect to
each other in position and attitude.
[0018] It is preferable for generating the frequent fluctuation in
the mass flow rate of the air in the fluctuating direction without
the movable member contacting the air to be deflected and/or the
supplemental air or extending through the air to be deflected
and/or the supplemental air that the second flow axis is movable
away from the inner surface of the outlet duct by the fluctuation
in at least one of the pressure and the mass flow rate in the
fluctuating direction against the Coanda effect.
[0019] The air shower apparatus may further comprise a flow
vibration generator (for example, a rotary fan, a fluidal switching
device, a self-exciting fluidal oscillating circuit or the like)
for changing a mass flow rate of the supplemental air to be
supplied to the variable condition area so that the fluctuation in
at least one of the pressure and the mass flow rate in the
fluctuating direction is generated at the variable condition
area.
[0020] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will
become apparent from the following description of the embodiments
of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 is a combination of a front view (b), side view (c)
and upper view (a) of an embodiment of an air shower apparatus of
the invention.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic oblique projection view showing a main
component of the air shower apparatus of the invention.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a combination of a front view of the main
component as seen in a direction opposite to a flow direction of an
air flowing out of an inlet duct, and a cross-sectional view
thereof taken along an imaginary plane including a flow axis of the
air directed by the inlet duct.
[0024] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an air flow obtainable by
a stationary or non-flow-vibrating nozzle or duct.
[0025] FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an air flow obtainable by
the main component of the air shower apparatus of the
invention.
[0026] FIG. 6 is a combination of a schematic view showing an area
to which the air blown by the stationary or non-flow-vibrating
nozzle or duct reaches and a schematic view showing an area to
which the air blown by the main component of the air shower
apparatus of the invention reaches.
[0027] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing relationships between air flow
rate and particle eliminating efficiency obtained by the stationary
or non-flow-vibrating nozzle or duct and the main component of the
air shower apparatus of the invention.
[0028] FIG. 8 is a combination of a front view, a first
cross-sectional side view and a second cross-sectional side view of
the non-flow-vibrating nozzle or duct of the prior art.
[0029] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing relationships between air flow
rate and pressure loss obtained by the stationary or
non-flow-vibrating nozzle or duct and the main component of the air
shower apparatus of the invention.
[0030] FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view showing the main component
of the air shower apparatus of the invention mounted on a main body
of the air shower apparatus.
[0031] FIG. 11 is a schematic oblique projection view showing
another main component of the air shower apparatus of the
invention.
[0032] FIG. 12 is a schematic cross sectional view showing another
air shower apparatus of the invention including the another main
component.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0033] In an air shower apparatus of the invention as shown in FIG.
1, an air pressurized by an air blower 2 passes through a filter 3
for cleaning the air and is blown into an inside of the air shower
apparatus as an injected air flow 5 from an inner wall of the
inside of the air shower apparatus extending flatly from an outer
periphery of a rectangular outlet 6 of each of air flow directing
devices 4 as a main component of the air shower apparatus of the
invention. The air flow directing devices 4 are arranged in such a
manner that two or three stages in each of which stages three or
four of the air flow directing devices 4 are aligned vertically are
aligned horizontally. The rectangular outlets 6 of the uppermost
air flow directing devices 4 positioned at left and right
horizontal ends of the stages are obliquely arranged with respect
to the other rectangular outlets 6 of the air flow directing
devices 4. Directions of the air discharged from the air flow
directing devices 4 may be different from each other, and the
direction of swinging of the air flow discharge is represented by
the double headed arrow shown in the proximity of the rectangular
outlets 6 of the air flow direction devices 4 in FIGS. 2 and 3, for
example.
[0034] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the air flow directing device 4
has an outer approximate dimension of H 250 mm.times.W 250
mm.times.D 50 mm, and includes an inlet duct 9, a chamber duct 11
(including the claimed variable condition area) and an outlet duct
6. The inlet duct 9 has a curved or tapered inner surface of
curvature radius 7 mm and axial length 7 mm and a straight inner
surface of axial length 7 mm opening to the chamber duct 11 so that
the air flowing out from the inlet duct 9 toward the chamber duct
11 is directed along a first flow axis. The chamber duct 11 extends
in such a manner that both longitudinal ends thereof are capable of
communicating fluidly to the air flowing out of the inlet duct 9 at
respective sides opposite to each other in a direction
perpendicular to the first flow axis. The chamber duct 11 is
hermetically sealed to prevent a fluidal communication between
inside and outside thereof at a region other than the both
longitudinal ends thereof. The outlet duct 6 has inner surfaces 12
and 13 on which a distance between the inner surface 12 or 13 of
the outlet duct 6 and the first flow axis in the direction
increases in the air flow direction, and an upstream end of the
inner surface 12 and/or 13 of the outlet duct 6 is arranged in such
a manner that the air flowing out from the inlet duct 9 to the
chamber duct 11 easily reaches or adheres to the inner surface 12
or 13 of the outlet duct 6 by Coanda effect while an axial length
of the inner surface 12 and/or 13 of the outlet duct 6 is
sufficient for holding stably the air to be discharged from the
outlet duct 6, onto the inner surface 12 or 13 of the outlet duct 6
by the Coanda effect. The upstream end (minimum air flow opening
area) of each of the inner surfaces 12 and 13 of the outlet duct 6
forms a step shape 10 with respect to a minimum air flow opening
area of the inlet duct 9, and the minimum air flow opening area of
the outlet duct 6 is greater than the minimum air flow opening area
of the inlet duct 9.
[0035] When the air flowing out of the inlet duct 9 is adhered to
or reaches securely one of the inner surfaces 12 and 13 by the
Coanda effect after the air flowing out of the inlet duct 9 is
drawn toward the one of the inner surfaces 12 and 13 of the outlet
duct 6 by the Coanda effect, a vortex 7 is generated at the step
shape 10 so that a supplemental air flow 8 flows from the chamber
duct 11 into the air flowing into the outlet duct 6 to urge the air
flowing out of the inlet duct 9 away from the one of the inner
surfaces 12 and 13 toward another one of the inner surfaces 12 and
13. When the air flowing out of the inlet duct 9 is adhered to or
reaches securely the another one of the inner surfaces 12 and 13 by
the Coanda effect after the air flowing out of the inlet duct 9 is
drawn toward the another one of the inner surfaces 12 and 13 of the
outlet duct 6 by the supplemental air flow 8 and the Coanda effect,
the vortex 7 is generated at the step shape 10 so that the
supplemental air flow 8 flows from the chamber duct 11 into the air
flowing into the outlet duct 6 to urge the air flowing out of the
inlet duct 9 away from the another one of the inner surfaces 12 and
13 toward the one of the inner surfaces 12 and 13. These operations
are repeated to frequently deflect alternately a second flow axis
of the air flowing out of the outlet duct 6 from the first flow
axis.
[0036] As understood from FIGS. 4 and 5, the air flow discharged
from the outlet duct 6 of the invention swings in the direction of
the double headed arrow, as shown in FIG. 3, frequently and
alternately by a significantly large distance or angle in
comparison with a non-flow vibrating nozzle. A frequency of the
swing of the air flow is determined in accordance with a
longitudinal length of the chamber duct 11, the minimum air flow
opening areas of the inlet and outlet ducts 9 and 6 and so
forth.
[0037] As understood from FIG. 6, an area or length of an object to
which the swung air flow is applied from the air flow directing
devices 4 of the invention as the flow vibrating nozzle is
significantly greater in comparison with the non-flow vibrating
nozzle. Further, a direction in which the swung air flow reaches
the object from the air flow directing devices 4 of the invention
varies frequently and alternately. Therefore, a particle
eliminating efficiency is improved as shown in FIG. 7.
[0038] It is preferable for strongly removing the particle from the
object that a velocity of the air discharged from the air flow
directing devices 4 is not less than 18 m/s, and the frequency is
as low as possible. It is preferable for widely removing the
particle from the object that the area or length of an object to
which the swung air flow is applied from the air flow directing
devices 4 is as great as possible.
[0039] Since the minimum air flow opening area of the outlet duct 6
is greater than the minimum air flow opening area of the inlet duct
9 to bring about a diffuser effect, a pressure loss in the air flow
directing devices 4 is decreased in comparison with the prior art
air nozzle as shown in FIG. 8, as shown in FIG. 9.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 10, the inner wall of the inside of the air
shower apparatus may extend flatly from the outer periphery of the
outlet of the air flow directing devices 4 to restrain the particle
from remaining on the inner wall.
[0041] If the swing of the air flow by the air flow directing
devices 4 is is obtained when a mass flow rate of the air
decreasing in accordance with to an increase of pressure loss
across the filter 3 caused by an increase of plugging of the filter
3 is not less a lower limit of mass flow rate corresponding to
unacceptable increase of plugging of the filter 3 and the pressure
of the air pressurized by the blower 2 is kept as constant as
possible, and the swing of the air flow by the air flow directing
devices 4 is not obtained when the mass flow rate of the air is
less than the lower limit of mass flow rate and the pressure of the
air pressurized by the blower 2 is kept as constant as possible,
whether or not the unacceptable plugging of the filter 3 occurs can
be judged from the swing of the air flow by the air flow directing
devices 4.
[0042] As shown in FIG. 11, the supplemental air flow 8 may be
generated to deflect the air flow in a chamber duct 14 (including
the claimed variable condition area at one of the sides opposite to
each other in the direction perpendicular to the first flow axis)
communicating fluidly with the air between the inlet and outlet
ducts 9 and 6, by, for example, a rotary fan for generating a
pulsed and pressurized air flow as the supplemental air flow 8 or a
swung air flow generator 22 similar to the air flow directing
devices 4. As shown in FIG. 12, a diverging path 23 includes an
inlet connected to an outlet duct of the swung air flow generator
22 and at least two outlets for receiving temporarily the swung air
flow to distribute the swung air flow from the swung air flow
generator 22 between the at least two outlets so that the pulsed
supplemental air flow 8 is generated in each of the outlets of the
diverging path 23. Each of the outlets of the diverging path 23 is
fluidly connected to the chamber duct 14 to apply frequently the
pulsed supplemental air flow 8 to the air flow 20 flowing from the
inlet duct 9 into the outlet duct 9 to deflect or swing the second
axis of the air flow 20 from the first axis of the air flow 20. A
plurality of the chamber ducts 11 or 14 angularly or
circumferentially distant from each other may be fluidly connected
to the air flow directing devices 4 so that the air flow is
deflected or swung in a plurality of radial directions in order.
The pulsed air discharged from each of the outlets of the diverging
path 23 may be supplied to the inside of the air shower apparatus
without passing through the air flow directing devices 4.
[0043] It should be further understood by those skilled in the art
that although the foregoing description has been made on
embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited thereto
and various changes and modifications may be made without departing
from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *