Air cleaner and home appliance having air processing unit

Abstract

Disclosed is an air cleaner having independent fluid paths and a home appliance having the air cleaner. The air cleaner includes a front panel having a plurality of air inlets formed thereon for air to flow in from outside of the case, first and second blower devices arranged inside the case to allow air to flow in through the plurality of air inlets, first and second filter units arranged to filter the air flowing in by the first and second blower devices, a first outlet located on the case to release the air, a second outlet formed at a different location from that of the first outlet, a first fluid path formed between one of the plurality of air inlets and the first outlet; and a second fluid path formed between another of the plurality of air inlets and the second outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An air cleaner, comprising:
 a case; 
 a panel having a plurality of air inlets formed on a front face of the panel for air to flow in from outside the case; 
 a first air inlet; 
 a first blower device arranged inside the case to force air to flow through one of the plurality of air inlets the first air inlet; 
 a first filter unit arranged to filter the air forced to flow through the one of the plurality of air inlets first air inlet by the first blower device; 
 a first outlet located on a side of the case air cleaner to release the air that passed through was filtered by the first filter unit out of the case air cleaner; 
 a first fluid path formed between the one of the plurality of air inlets first air inlet and the first outlet; 
 a second air inlet;  
 a second blower device arranged inside the case to force air to flow through a different one of the plurality of air inlets the second air inlet; 
 a second filter unit arranged to filter the air forced to flow through the different one of the plurality of air inlets second air inlet by the second blower device; 
 a second outlet located on a top side of the case air cleaner to release the air that passed through was filtered by the second filter unit out of the case air cleaner in a different direction than the air released by the first outlet; 
 a second fluid path separated from the first fluid path and formed between the different one of the plurality of air inlets second air inlet and the second outlet, where the air passed through the second filter is released to the outside of the case through the second outlet located on the top side of the case which is in a different direction than the air released through the first outlet; 
 a control button configured to input a command and located on a top side of the air cleaner;  
 a filter frame including
 a first filter installation unit configured to support the first filter unit inside the first filter installation unit, with the first blower device being outside of the first filter installation unit, and a first filter hole of the filter frame being between the first filter unit and the first blower device, and 
 a second filter installation unit configured to support the second filter unit inside the second filter installation unit, with the second blower device being outside of the second filter installation unit, and a second filter hole of the filter frame being between the second filter unit and the second blower device, 
 wherein the filter frame is disposed so that air forced to flow through the first air inlet by the first blower device flows along the first fluid path through the first filter unit supported inside the first filter installation unit, then through the first filter hole, then through the first blower device to the first outlet, and air forced to flow through the second air inlet by the second blower device flows along the second fluid path through the second filter unit supported inside the second filter installation unit, then through the second filter hole, then through the second blower device to the second outlet; and 
 
 a control circuit unit to control the air cleaner, accommodated in the filter frame between the first filter unit and the second filter unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The air cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of air inlets comprises:
 athe first air inlet is formed to suck external air through the first filter unit and the first blower device;, and 
 athe second air inlet is formed to suck external air through the second filter unit and the second blower device, and the second air inlet is formed to be separate from the first air inlet. 
 
     
     
       3. The air cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a duct unit arranged in the case to guide air current, 
 wherein the duct unit comprises at least one partition wall to separate the first fluid path and the second fluid path. 
 
     
     
       4. The air cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a case; and 
 a panel having the first air inlet and the second air inlet formed on a front face of the panel,  
 wherein the filter frame is disposed between the case and the panel. 
 
     
     
       5. The air cleaner of claim  4   1 , wherein the filter frame comprises:
 at least one circuit-unit installation unit in which the control circuit unit is installed. 
 
     
     
       6. The air cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein the duct unit comprises:
 a first duct arranged to build the first fluid path and having the first blower device installed therein; and 
 a second duct arranged to build the second fluid path and having the second blower device installed therein, 
 wherein the first duct and the second duct are partitioned from each other. 
 
     
     
       7. The air cleaner of  claim 6 , wherein the first duct and the second duct include a plurality of air current exits formed at positions corresponding to the first outlet and the second outlet. 
     
     
       8. The air cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first fluid path and the second fluid path includes an ion generator. 
     
     
       9. The air cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first fluid path and the second fluid path includes a dehumidifier. 
     
     
       10. The air cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first fluid path and the second fluid path includes a humidifier. 
     
     
       11. A home appliance, comprising:
 a case having one of a plurality of air inletsformed on a front face of the case to suck air to be filtered by a filter; 
 a first outlet arranged to release air through sides of the case home appliance; 
 a first fluid path formed between the one of the plurality of air inlets and the first outlet; 
 a first blower device arranged to forcibly move air of the first fluid path; 
 a second outlet arranged on a top of the case home appliance to release air flowing in through the a different one of the plurality of air inlets out of the top of the case home appliance; 
 a second fluid path separated from the first fluid path and formed between the different one of the plurality of air inlets and the second outlet; 
 a second blower device arranged to forcibly move air of the second fluid path; 
 an air processing unit arranged on at least one of the first fluid path and the second fluid path; 
 a control button configured to input a command and located on a top side of the home appliance;  
 a filter frame including
 a first filter installation unit configured to support the a first filter unit inside the first filter installation unit, with the first blower device being outside of the first filter installation unit, and a first filter hole of the filter frame being between the first filter unit and the first blower device, and 
 a second filter installation unit configured to support a second filter unit inside the second filter installation unit, with the second blower device being outside of the second filter installation unit, and a second filter hole of the filter frame being between the second filter unit and the second blower device, 
 wherein the filter frame is disposed so that air of the first fluid path moved by the first blower device flows through the first filter unit supported inside the first filter installation unit, then through the first filter hole, then through the first blower device, and air of the second fluid path moved by the second blower device flows through the second filter unit supported inside the second filter installation unit, then through the second filter hole, then through the second blower device; and 
 
 a control circuit unit to control the home appliance, accommodated in the filter frame between the first blower device and the second blower device, 
 wherein the air moved by the first blower device is directed to the sides of the case home appliance by the first fluid path and the air moved by the second blower device is directed to the top of the case home appliance by the second fluid path. 
 
     
     
       12. The home appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the air processing unit comprises at least one of a filter unit, a humidifier, and a dehumidifier. 
     
     
       13. The home appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the one of the plurality of air inlets includes a plurality of inlet holes. 
     
     
       14. The home appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the filter unit is arranged between the one of the plurality of air inlets and at least one of the first blower device and the second blower devicefor filtering the inflowing air. 
     
     
       15. The home appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the case includes further comprising: 
 a duct unit arranged to guide air current, and 
 wherein the duct unit comprises:
 a first duct arranged to build the first fluid path, 
 a second duct arranged to build the second fluid path, and 
 at least one partition wall arranged to separate the first duct and the second duct. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The home appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the first duct and the second duct include a plurality of air current exits formed at positions corresponding to the first outlet and the second outlet. 
     
     
       17. The air cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the first blower device and the second blower device are separately controllable so that filtered air is released through one of the first outlet and the second outlet, or both the first outlet and the second outlet. 
     
     
       18. An air cleaner, comprising:
 at least one filter unita first filter unit and a second filter unit to filter air flowing through at least one inlet from outside a front of a case of the air cleaner; 
 a first outlet and a second outlet to release the filtered air in different directions, respectively, the first outlet located on a side of the case of the air cleaner and the second outlet located on a top of the case of the air cleaner; 
 a first fluid path, arranged inside the case, through which the filtered air is guided toward one of the first outlet and the second outlet; 
 a first fan in the first fluid path;  
 a second fluid path, arranged inside the case and separate from the first fluid path, through which the filtered air is guided toward another one the other of the first outlet and the second outlet; 
 a second fan in the second fluid path; 
 a control button configured to input a command and located on a top side of the air cleaner; 
 a filter frame including
 a first filter installation unit configured to support the at least one first filter unit inside the first filter installation unit, with the first fan being outside of the first filter installation unit, and a first filter hole of the filter frame being between the first filter unit and the first fan, 
 a second filter installation unit configured to support the second filter unit inside the second filter installation unit, with the second fan being outside of the second filter installation unit, and a second filter hole of the filter frame being between the second filter unit and the second fan, 
 wherein the filter frame is disposed so that air of the first fluid path flows along the first fluid path through the first filter unit supported inside the first filter installation unit, then through the first filter hole, then through the first fan, and air of the second fluid path flows along the second fluid path through the second filter unit supported inside the second filter installation unit, then through the second filter hole, then through the second fan; and 
 
 a control circuit unit to control the air cleaner accommodated in the filter frame, 
 wherein the first fluid path and the second fluid path are separately controlledand release the filtered air from the top of the case through the second outlet which is in a different direction than filtered air released through the first outlet. 
 
     
     
       19. The air cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fan in the second fluid path to control the air released by the second outlet.   
     
     
       20. The air cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit unit comprises:
 a circuit substrate,   a substrate housing in which the circuit substrate is accommodated, and   a substrate cover detachably coupled to the substrate housing.   
     
     
       21. The air cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a circuit-unit installation unit in which the control circuit unit is installed, the circuit-unit installation unit disposed between the first filter unit and the second filter unit in a vertical direction; and   a wire installation hole formed in the circuit-unit installation unit to allow a wire connected to the control circuit unit to pass therethrough.   
     
     
       22. The air cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the filter frame has an open front face through which the first filter unit is installable inside the first filter installation unit and the second filter is installable inside the second filter installation unit. 
     
     
       23. The air cleaner of  claim 22 , wherein each of the first filter unit and the second filter unit includes a filter having a net body to filter out dust. 
     
     
       24. An air cleaner comprising:
 a case;   a plurality of air inlets for air to flow into the case from outside the case;   a first blower device inside the case to force air to flow through one of the plurality of air inlets;   a first filter unit inside the case to filter the air forced to flow through the one of the plurality of air inlets by the first blower device;   a first outlet located so as to release the air filtered by the first filter unit out of the case in a sideways direction from the case;   a second blower device inside the case to force air to flow through a different one of the plurality of air inlets;   a second filter unit inside the case to filter the air forced to flow through the different one of the plurality of air inlets by the second blower device;   a second outlet located so as to release the air filtered by the second filter unit out of the case in an upward direction from the case so that the air released by the second outlet is released in a different direction than the air released by the first outlet;   a filter frame, inside the case, and including
 a first filter installation unit configured to support the first filter unit inside the first filter installation unit, with the first blower device being outside of the first filter installation unit, and a first filter hole of the filter frame being between the first filter unit and the first blower device, and 
 a second filter installation unit configured to support the second filter unit inside the second filter installation unit, with the second blower device being outside the second filter installation unit, and a second filter hole of the filter frame being between the second filter unit and the second blower device, 
 wherein the filter frame is disposed so that air forced to flow through the one of the plurality of air inlets by the first blower device flows through the first filter unit supported inside the first filter installation unit, then through the first filter hole, then through the first blower device to the first outlet, and air forced to flow through the different one of the plurality of air inlets by the second blower device flows through the second filter unit supported inside the second filter installation unit, then through the second filter hole, then through the second blower device to the second outlet; and 
   a control circuit unit to control the air cleaner, inside the case, accommodated in the filter frame between the first filter unit and the second filter unit.   
     
     
       25. The air cleaner of  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of air inlets are located at a front of the air cleaner. 
     
     
       26. The air cleaner of  claim 25 , wherein
 the first outlet is located on at least one side of air cleaner, and   the second outlet is located on a top of the air cleaner.   
     
     
       27. The air cleaner of  claim 24 , wherein
 the first outlet is located on at least one side of the air cleaner, and   the second outlet is located on a top of the air cleaner.   
     
     
       28. The air cleaner of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 a top panel;   a control unit, on the top panel, configured to input commands from a user to operate the air cleaner, and   a display, on the top panel, configured to display an operating state of the air cleaner,   wherein the second outlet is located on the top panel.   
     
     
       29. The air cleaner of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 a partition wall, inside the case, separating a flow path of the air forced to flow through the one of the plurality of air inlets to the first outlet from a flow path of the air forced to flow through the different one of the plurality of air inlets to the second outlet.