As the sale of masks explodes across the planet to protect themselves from the coronavirus, Dyson has filed a patent for a headset capable of purifying the ambient air. Fans and particulate filters are placed in the earphones, and the assembly can propel more than two liters of purified air per second.
The English-appliance company Dyson, best known for its vacuum cleaners bagless could launch purifiers of air portable, according to a patent application filed with the UK Patent Office. The documents, which were released on January 29, were spotted by Bloomberg .
In addition to its famous vacuum cleaners, Dyson also produces air purifiers for the home and offices which are enjoying growing success in Asia. Faced with demand, the manufacturer seems to have decided to produce a portable version, integrated in a supra- or circum-aural headset , which therefore covers the ears. Each of the two headphones incorporates a motor and a 35-40 mm fan which rotates at 12,000 rpm. Clearly, it’s hard to imagine enjoying your music serenely with such a roar.
Up to 2.4 liters per second of purified air
Each earpiece incorporates a particle filter , and thus filters up to 1.4 liters of air per second (or 2.8 liters in total). The headphones are connected by two arches, one which is positioned on the head, and the other which is placed in front of the mouth to convey the air flow, delivering 2.4 liters per second of purified air.
The patent does not specify the type of filter used, but it could treat pollution as well as bacteria . Such a device could meet with great success in China where pollution is endemic , but also in the event of an epidemic as currently with the coronavirus . It is however important to note that this is only a patent, and therefore that these headphones could be a simple line of research without one day leading to a finalized product.