Appliance for the purification and sterilisation of gases, in particular room air

摘要

1,025,064. Suction cleaners. K. E. MERKLE. Jan. 24, 1963, No. 51096/65. Divided out of 1,025,063. Heading A4F. [Also in Divisions B1 and B2] A vacuum cleaner by means of which air is purified and sterilized is provided with a cathode filter element 34 connected to a direct current source 35 so that foreign bodies present in the air passing through the vacuum cleaner are attracted by the cathode and negative ions are generated and radiated into the surrounding atmosphere. The cleaner incorporates a fan 30, a porous dust bag 31 and an anode filter element 33. The element 33 and 34 may be in the form of removable metal filing filters. The source 35 is constituted by a transformer and rectifier assembly and may be permanently or detachably mounted on the outside of the casing 27. Sterilization of the air may be further increased by the addition of ozone which may be produced either separately and introduced into the air passing through the cleaner or by setting up an electrostatic field between the filter elements 33 and 34, the passage of the air through the field resulting in the production of ozone. In the latter case; the filter element 33 may be adjustably movable relative to the filter element 34. Alternatively, the elements 33, 34 may be at a fixed distance apart and a third movable cathode or anode elements is located between them. Further sterilization may be obtained by locating an ultra-violet light generator and/ or radioactive elements outside the casing 27, or inside the casing between, or outside, the fitter elements 33 and 34. The ultraviolet light generator can be employed simultaneously or independently.