CA2261912A1 - Portable programmable humidifier - Google Patents
Portable programmable humidifier Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2261912A1 CA2261912A1 CA 2261912 CA2261912A CA2261912A1 CA 2261912 A1 CA2261912 A1 CA 2261912A1 CA 2261912 CA2261912 CA 2261912 CA 2261912 A CA2261912 A CA 2261912A CA 2261912 A1 CA2261912 A1 CA 2261912A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- humidity
- motor
- humidifier
- relative humidity
- desired relative
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
- G10G—REPRESENTATION OF MUSIC; RECORDING MUSIC IN NOTATION FORM; ACCESSORIES FOR MUSIC OR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. SUPPORTS
- G10G7/00—Other auxiliary devices or accessories, e.g. conductors' batons or separate holders for resin or strings
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F6/00—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification
- F24F6/02—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification by evaporation of water in the air
- F24F6/04—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification by evaporation of water in the air using stationary unheated wet elements
- F24F6/043—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification by evaporation of water in the air using stationary unheated wet elements with self-sucking action, e.g. wicks
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
- G10G—REPRESENTATION OF MUSIC; RECORDING MUSIC IN NOTATION FORM; ACCESSORIES FOR MUSIC OR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. SUPPORTS
- G10G7/00—Other auxiliary devices or accessories, e.g. conductors' batons or separate holders for resin or strings
- G10G7/005—Carrying cases for musical instruments
Abstract
A portable humidifier for use in storage containers for musical instruments or art objects. The forced air humidifier has a digital microchip programmable controller and is capable of accurately infusing and controlling the humidity within a sealed or closed case. It also uses a brushless motor to prevent the buildup of gases harmful to wood, varnishes, or paints in the storage container.
Description
PORTABLE PROGRAMMABLE HUMIDIFIER
Field of Invention This invention relates to humidifiers, specifically to humidifiers that can be used to control the relative humidity inside a case used to store musical instruments or works of art.
Description of the Related Prior Art Musical instruments and works of art are fragile objects that require the proper levels of humidity. An improper relative humidity level can cause warping, cracking, or shrinking of wooden parts, varnishes, and paints. It is therefore desirable to have a means to keep the relative humidity within a specific range in storage containers when such objects are kept for transport or storage.
Devices to accomplish the above object are numerous yet all suffer from a number of drawbacks. Known devices, such as those outlined in US Patent 4572051 and US Patent 5653920 suffer from the drawback that the user cannot set a desired humidity level.
These two devices operate on the principle that the evaporation of water and, hence, the provision of moisture into the air only halts once the maximum moisture level within the container is reached. Unfortunately, an excess of moisture can be as damaging as the lack of the same.
Another device, outlined in US Patent 4428892, discloses using a control ring to control the evaporation rate of water. The control ring adjusts the number and size of apertures through which moisture is released. However, this device does not allow for a self-regulating feedback mechanism in that the user must constantly adjust and readjust the device to obtain the proper desired relative humidity. Also, the device does not provide for a means to display the desired relative humidity.
A further device, outlined in Canadian Patent 2053371, accomplishes most of the above objectives. However, while useful, it still suffers from a number of drawbacks. The device uses a conventional DC electric motor to force moist air into the instrument container. Unfortunately, conventional DC electric motors use brushes that are in contact with the commutator of the motor. This contact, and the very nature of conventional DC
motors, causes sparks that cause NOX to form. This material can, with sufficient buildup, cause an acidic reaction in unvarnished wood, alkyd based varnishes, and other materials and substances that are part of musical instruments and other delicate objects.
This buildup of a harmful substance can easily occur in a sealed environment, such as a closed instrument case or a closed storage case for artwork. A further shortcoming of this device is its reliance on batteries. While the device can run for up to 20 hours on a set of batteries, this time frame is, at best, inconvenient, necessitating a user to keep replacing batteries.
Another shortcoming of this unit is the lack of a means to visually determine the setting for the desired relative humidity.
Field of Invention This invention relates to humidifiers, specifically to humidifiers that can be used to control the relative humidity inside a case used to store musical instruments or works of art.
Description of the Related Prior Art Musical instruments and works of art are fragile objects that require the proper levels of humidity. An improper relative humidity level can cause warping, cracking, or shrinking of wooden parts, varnishes, and paints. It is therefore desirable to have a means to keep the relative humidity within a specific range in storage containers when such objects are kept for transport or storage.
Devices to accomplish the above object are numerous yet all suffer from a number of drawbacks. Known devices, such as those outlined in US Patent 4572051 and US Patent 5653920 suffer from the drawback that the user cannot set a desired humidity level.
These two devices operate on the principle that the evaporation of water and, hence, the provision of moisture into the air only halts once the maximum moisture level within the container is reached. Unfortunately, an excess of moisture can be as damaging as the lack of the same.
Another device, outlined in US Patent 4428892, discloses using a control ring to control the evaporation rate of water. The control ring adjusts the number and size of apertures through which moisture is released. However, this device does not allow for a self-regulating feedback mechanism in that the user must constantly adjust and readjust the device to obtain the proper desired relative humidity. Also, the device does not provide for a means to display the desired relative humidity.
A further device, outlined in Canadian Patent 2053371, accomplishes most of the above objectives. However, while useful, it still suffers from a number of drawbacks. The device uses a conventional DC electric motor to force moist air into the instrument container. Unfortunately, conventional DC electric motors use brushes that are in contact with the commutator of the motor. This contact, and the very nature of conventional DC
motors, causes sparks that cause NOX to form. This material can, with sufficient buildup, cause an acidic reaction in unvarnished wood, alkyd based varnishes, and other materials and substances that are part of musical instruments and other delicate objects.
This buildup of a harmful substance can easily occur in a sealed environment, such as a closed instrument case or a closed storage case for artwork. A further shortcoming of this device is its reliance on batteries. While the device can run for up to 20 hours on a set of batteries, this time frame is, at best, inconvenient, necessitating a user to keep replacing batteries.
Another shortcoming of this unit is the lack of a means to visually determine the setting for the desired relative humidity.
-2-Summary of the Invention The present invention serves to overcome the deficiencies identified in the prior art. It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a portable humidifier that:
a) allows for controlling the desired relative humidity setting b) allows visual determination of the setting for the desired relative humidity c) allows for automatically regulating the relative humidity of the instrument container d) does not cause a buildup of harmful NOX gases within the instrument container e) does not necessitate frequent replacement of batteries The above objects are achieved by providing a portable humidifier for use in a container which houses objects requiring controlled humidity, the humidifier comprising:
- a housing;
- a liquid reservoir contained within the housing;
- an evaporation surface in communication with the interior of the reservoir;
- a humidification chamber containing the evaporation surface and open to the container;
- a humidity sensing chamber open to the container;
- humidity sensing and control means in the sensing chamber;
- a moisture impenetrable wall between the humidity sensing chamber and the humidification chamber;
a) allows for controlling the desired relative humidity setting b) allows visual determination of the setting for the desired relative humidity c) allows for automatically regulating the relative humidity of the instrument container d) does not cause a buildup of harmful NOX gases within the instrument container e) does not necessitate frequent replacement of batteries The above objects are achieved by providing a portable humidifier for use in a container which houses objects requiring controlled humidity, the humidifier comprising:
- a housing;
- a liquid reservoir contained within the housing;
- an evaporation surface in communication with the interior of the reservoir;
- a humidification chamber containing the evaporation surface and open to the container;
- a humidity sensing chamber open to the container;
- humidity sensing and control means in the sensing chamber;
- a moisture impenetrable wall between the humidity sensing chamber and the humidification chamber;
-3-- air circulating means in fluid communication with the evaporation surface, the circulating means comprising - a brushless motor;
- a power supply in electrical connection with the motor;
- a fan attached to the motor;
wherein the motor is controlled by the humidity sensing and control means.
Preferably, the reservoir comprises a refillable tank means.
More preferably, the evaporation surface comprises a liquid absorbent pad.
Most preferably, the power supply comprises a rechargeable battery.
Conveniently, the power supply further comprises means to recharge the rechargeable battery.
More conveniently, the power supply includes means to connect to an AC power source.
Most conveniently, the humidity sensing and control means comprises means to adjust a desired relative humidity setting, means to display the desired relative humidity setting, means to activate the motor if the desired relative humidity setting has
- a power supply in electrical connection with the motor;
- a fan attached to the motor;
wherein the motor is controlled by the humidity sensing and control means.
Preferably, the reservoir comprises a refillable tank means.
More preferably, the evaporation surface comprises a liquid absorbent pad.
Most preferably, the power supply comprises a rechargeable battery.
Conveniently, the power supply further comprises means to recharge the rechargeable battery.
More conveniently, the power supply includes means to connect to an AC power source.
Most conveniently, the humidity sensing and control means comprises means to adjust a desired relative humidity setting, means to display the desired relative humidity setting, means to activate the motor if the desired relative humidity setting has
-4-not been reached, and means to shut off the motor if the desired relative humidity setting is reached.
The advantages of the present invention are numerous. The brushless motor does not produce sparks that cause NOX buildup.
The rechargeable battery removes the need to constantly replace batteries. The means to connect to an AC power source removes the need for batteries altogether, and the means to adjust the desired relative humidity setting gives the user control over the moisture level within the container. Furthermore, the device is self-regulating in that the humidity sensing and control means will automatically shut off power to the motor when the relative humidity in the container is equal to the desired relative humidity setting.
Brief Description of the Drawings A better understanding of the invention will be obtained by considering the detailed description below, with reference to the following drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective cut-away view of a portable humidifier in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 2 is a side cut-away view of a portable humidifier in accordance with the present invention.
The advantages of the present invention are numerous. The brushless motor does not produce sparks that cause NOX buildup.
The rechargeable battery removes the need to constantly replace batteries. The means to connect to an AC power source removes the need for batteries altogether, and the means to adjust the desired relative humidity setting gives the user control over the moisture level within the container. Furthermore, the device is self-regulating in that the humidity sensing and control means will automatically shut off power to the motor when the relative humidity in the container is equal to the desired relative humidity setting.
Brief Description of the Drawings A better understanding of the invention will be obtained by considering the detailed description below, with reference to the following drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective cut-away view of a portable humidifier in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 2 is a side cut-away view of a portable humidifier in accordance with the present invention.
-5-Figure 3 is a circuit diagram of the battery recharging circuit in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 4 is a circuit diagram of the motor control circuit in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 5 is a circuit diagram of part of the power supply circuit in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 6 is a circuit diagram of the logic control circuit in accordance with the present invention.
Detailed Description of the Invention Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a portable humidifier 10 in accordance with the present invention is disclosed.
Humidification chamber 40 is separated from the humidification sensing chamber 50 by the air intake chamber 45.
The humidification chamber 40 contains the liquid reservoir 20.
On top of the liquid reservoir 20 is the evaporation surface 30.
The evaporation surface 30 is in communication with the liquid reservoir 20 by means of a wick 25 which is partly disposed within the liquid reservoir 20. The liquid reservoir 20 can be refilled through refill hole 29. To prevent leakage or spillage, stopper 27, utilizing an elastomer seal preferably in combination with a screw mechanism, seals the refill hole 29. Adjacent to the evaporation surface 30 are humidity exit ports 32. Through
Figure 4 is a circuit diagram of the motor control circuit in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 5 is a circuit diagram of part of the power supply circuit in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 6 is a circuit diagram of the logic control circuit in accordance with the present invention.
Detailed Description of the Invention Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a portable humidifier 10 in accordance with the present invention is disclosed.
Humidification chamber 40 is separated from the humidification sensing chamber 50 by the air intake chamber 45.
The humidification chamber 40 contains the liquid reservoir 20.
On top of the liquid reservoir 20 is the evaporation surface 30.
The evaporation surface 30 is in communication with the liquid reservoir 20 by means of a wick 25 which is partly disposed within the liquid reservoir 20. The liquid reservoir 20 can be refilled through refill hole 29. To prevent leakage or spillage, stopper 27, utilizing an elastomer seal preferably in combination with a screw mechanism, seals the refill hole 29. Adjacent to the evaporation surface 30 are humidity exit ports 32. Through
-6-these ports 32, humidified air is circulated into the surrounding air.
The evaporation surface 30 can be constructed out of a liquid absorbent pad. A pad composed of a flax material has been shown to effectively retain liquid while dispensing the desired amount of moisture. A further refinement can be made by attaching a piece of chamois cloth to the pad, thereby increasing the liquid retention capabilities of the pad and not decreasing its moisture dispensing qualities.
Mounted between the humidification chamber 40 and the air intake chamber 45 is the fan 90 having a brushless motor 92.
Preferably, well-known CPU fans, normally utilized to cool computer processors, can be used. This type of fan has a number of distinct advantages. Specifically, these fans use a brushless motor that do not have brushes in contact with a commutator. Such a design eliminates sparks produced by the brushes short circuiting different sections of the commutator.
The elimination of these sparks reduces the risk of NOX build up in the air. Another advantage of this type of motor is its compactness. This type of design is about 66% longitudinally shorter than comparable conventional electric motors.
The air intake chamber 45 has a number of air intake ports 47 through which the fan 90 can draw in air from the outside. The only communication that the air intake chamber 45 has with the humidification chamber 40 is through the fan 90. On the other
The evaporation surface 30 can be constructed out of a liquid absorbent pad. A pad composed of a flax material has been shown to effectively retain liquid while dispensing the desired amount of moisture. A further refinement can be made by attaching a piece of chamois cloth to the pad, thereby increasing the liquid retention capabilities of the pad and not decreasing its moisture dispensing qualities.
Mounted between the humidification chamber 40 and the air intake chamber 45 is the fan 90 having a brushless motor 92.
Preferably, well-known CPU fans, normally utilized to cool computer processors, can be used. This type of fan has a number of distinct advantages. Specifically, these fans use a brushless motor that do not have brushes in contact with a commutator. Such a design eliminates sparks produced by the brushes short circuiting different sections of the commutator.
The elimination of these sparks reduces the risk of NOX build up in the air. Another advantage of this type of motor is its compactness. This type of design is about 66% longitudinally shorter than comparable conventional electric motors.
The air intake chamber 45 has a number of air intake ports 47 through which the fan 90 can draw in air from the outside. The only communication that the air intake chamber 45 has with the humidification chamber 40 is through the fan 90. On the other
-7-side of the air intake chamber 45, opposite the fan 90 and the humidification chamber 40, is a moisture impenetrable wall 49 separating the humidity sensing chamber 50 from the humidification chamber 40 and the air intake chamber 45.
The humidity sensing chamber 50 contains the electronics and the power supply of the humidifier 10. The humidity sensor 70 is adjacent a number of humidity intake ports 55. The circuit board 60 contains the circuitry to control both the fan 90 and the power supply.
Programmability of the humidity sensor 70 is built into the circuit board 60. The board 60 is connected to a humidity setting switch 80. Through this switch 80, the user can adjust the desired relative humidity. Also connected to the circuit board 60 is an LCD (liquid crystal display) 65 that displays the desired relative humidity setting. When the user adjusts the desired relative humidity setting through the switch 80, the LCD
display 65 displays the desired relative humidity. It must be noted that, preferably, the humidity setting switch 80 is of a rocker type switch such that depressing one side of the switch increases the desired relative humidity and depressing the other side of the switch decreases the desired relative humidity. It would also be preferable that the humidity setting switch be used as an on-off switch for the humidifier 10.
The power supply for the humidifier 10 can be from two sources:
batteries or direct wall current. The battery receptacle 100 _g_ holds the batteries for the device. There is provided an AC
adapter jack 102 through which, in conjunction with an AC
adapter, the device can be powered by direct wall current. It would also be preferable that the batteries 104, located in the battery receptacle 100, be of the rechargeable type. Such batteries, commonly used in cordless telephones, can be easily recharged while the humidifier 10 is connected to a wall current.
The workings of the humidifier 10 can now be described. The humidifier 10 is turned on through the humidity setting switch 80 that doubles as a power switch. The power can be harnessed from either the batteries 104 or through the AC adaptor jack 102 in conjunction with an AC adaptor connected to a wall current. The user sets the desired relative humidity setting through the humidity setting switch 80, noting that the LCD display 65 shows the desired setting. Once the humidifier 10 has been turned on, the humidity sensor 70 senses the relative humidity of the air that enter through the humidity intake ports 55. If the logic control circuitry determines that the set relative humidity does not correspond with the relative humidity read by the humidity sensor 70, a signal is sent to the fan 90 activating it. If, on the other hand, the logic control circuitry determines that the sensed relative humidity corresponds to the desired relative humidity setting, the signal sent to the fan 90 turns it off .
The workings of the logic control circuit will be examined below.
The humidity of the surrounding air is adjusted thus: air from the surroundings enters the air intake chamber 45 through the air intake ports 47 and, if the fan 90 is on, is blown to the evaporation surface 30. The evaporation surface 30, being moist due to communication with the liquid reservoir 20 through the wick 25, releases moisture to the air blown on to it by the fan 90. The air, now moist due to being in contact with the evaporation surface 30, exits the humidification chamber 40 through the humidity exit ports 32. The relative humidity is then sensed through the now humid air entering the humidity sensing chamber 50 through the humidity intake ports 55. The humidity readings are prevented from being corrupted by the presence of the moisture impenetrable wall 49 disposed between the humidity sensing chamber and the other two chambers. Thus, humidity only enters the humidity sensing chamber 50 through the humidity intake ports 55.
Referring to Figures 3, 4, and 5, the workings of the power supply and the logic control circuitry will now be examined. The reference numerals on Figures 3-6 refer, preferably, to the following components with the following values:
Resistors Value (S2) Rl 240 R4a 6R8 R4b 6R8 R5 lOK
R6 lOK
R7 lOK
R8 lOK
R13 lOK
R14 lOK
R16 lOK
R21 lOK
Capacitors Value (F) C1 0.01 uF
C2 10 uF
C3 0.1 uF
C4 0.01 uF
C5 0.1 uF
C6 4.7 uF
C7 4.7 uF
C8 4.7 uF
C9 39 pF
C10 39 pF
C11 0.1 uF
Semiconductors Type/Maaufacturer/Part number U1 Positive Output Voltage Regulator/ National/ LM317T
U2 Low Dropout Linear Regulator /
Toko Inc. / TK 112-40 CT
U3 Quad Low Voltage CMOS
Operational Amplifier/
National Semiconductor / LMC
U4 Programmable Microcontroller /
Microchip Semiconductor /
PIC16LC72 (having 2K x 14 words of program memory) U5 Microperipheral / Microchip Semiconductor / MCP130 HS1 Humidity Sensor / Honeywell /
D1 Diode / DL 4003 MSCT
D2 Diode / DL 4003 MSCT
D3 Diode / DL 4148 MSCT
D4 Diode / DL 4148 MSCT
DB1 DF O1S [lA/100 v PIV]
Q1 Transistor / 2N2222A
Q2 Transistor / 2N3904 F1 Polyswitch self-resetting fuse / Raychem / RXE 020 M1 Miniature LV fan nominal 5 VDC
75 mA / Panasonic / UDQFB3E5-1 LED1 high efficiency LED (red) LCD1 2 digit x 7 segment LCD /
Varitronix / VI-201-2 X1 32.768 kHz cyl. crystal C-OO1R
/ Epson / SE 3201 PB1 (U) 9.5 mm push-button, normally PB2(D) open switch / Panasonic / EVQ-PB3(A) 11 L 09 K
Referring to Figure 3, the battery recharge circuit is shown.
The AC power source is connected through C1. This AC current is passed through DB1 and converted to DC and then fed into U1, a voltage regulator that outputs about 5VDC. Power thus comes from either the batteries or U1 and into the V++ symbol. From here, power is fed into U2, a linear regulator that outputs a clean 4.OVDC signal, at V+, that powers the other components. (See Figure 5) Referring to Figures 4 and 6, the logic control circuitry will now be examined. The microcontroller U4 controls the LCD
display LCD1 along with the motor M1. The microcontroller U4 is preprogrammed to receive input from the switches U and D.
Depressing switch U increases the desired relative humidity setting while depressing D does the opposite. The microcontroller U4 determines whether the analog input from HS1, the humidity sensor, is within the set desired relative humidity range. This is easily accomplished as the microcontroller U4 has a number of integrated A/D converters. If the relative humidity is within the set desired range, then the motor M1 is not activated. If not, a signal is sent through RC2 and M1 is thereby activated.
It must be noted that the complete workings of the microcontroller U4 and the other components are well known in the art. The supporting circuitry, such as the operational amplifiers contained in U3, the crystal X1, and the microperipheral U5, serve to support the functioning of the microcontroller U4. The exact logic that is followed by the microcontroller will be determined by the program entered into the microcontroller.
Also of interest is the fact that the circuit has a number of fail-safe mechanisms to protect against short circuits or over current situations. The fuse F1 prevents any anomalous conditions from damaging the internal circuitry. Also, the use of the linear regulator U2 provides further protecting as the component selected will automatically shutdown if it senses a short circuit or an over current condition at V+.
A further possible refinement would be the inclusion of a D/A
converter between the microcontroller U4 and the motor M1. Such a refinement would provide even more control of the motor M1 by controlling the voltage being fed into motor M1. This would control the speed of the motor M1 and thereby the rate that the relative humidity is adjusted.
A person understanding this invention may now conceive of alternative structures and embodiments or variations of the above all of which are intended to fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims that follow.
The humidity sensing chamber 50 contains the electronics and the power supply of the humidifier 10. The humidity sensor 70 is adjacent a number of humidity intake ports 55. The circuit board 60 contains the circuitry to control both the fan 90 and the power supply.
Programmability of the humidity sensor 70 is built into the circuit board 60. The board 60 is connected to a humidity setting switch 80. Through this switch 80, the user can adjust the desired relative humidity. Also connected to the circuit board 60 is an LCD (liquid crystal display) 65 that displays the desired relative humidity setting. When the user adjusts the desired relative humidity setting through the switch 80, the LCD
display 65 displays the desired relative humidity. It must be noted that, preferably, the humidity setting switch 80 is of a rocker type switch such that depressing one side of the switch increases the desired relative humidity and depressing the other side of the switch decreases the desired relative humidity. It would also be preferable that the humidity setting switch be used as an on-off switch for the humidifier 10.
The power supply for the humidifier 10 can be from two sources:
batteries or direct wall current. The battery receptacle 100 _g_ holds the batteries for the device. There is provided an AC
adapter jack 102 through which, in conjunction with an AC
adapter, the device can be powered by direct wall current. It would also be preferable that the batteries 104, located in the battery receptacle 100, be of the rechargeable type. Such batteries, commonly used in cordless telephones, can be easily recharged while the humidifier 10 is connected to a wall current.
The workings of the humidifier 10 can now be described. The humidifier 10 is turned on through the humidity setting switch 80 that doubles as a power switch. The power can be harnessed from either the batteries 104 or through the AC adaptor jack 102 in conjunction with an AC adaptor connected to a wall current. The user sets the desired relative humidity setting through the humidity setting switch 80, noting that the LCD display 65 shows the desired setting. Once the humidifier 10 has been turned on, the humidity sensor 70 senses the relative humidity of the air that enter through the humidity intake ports 55. If the logic control circuitry determines that the set relative humidity does not correspond with the relative humidity read by the humidity sensor 70, a signal is sent to the fan 90 activating it. If, on the other hand, the logic control circuitry determines that the sensed relative humidity corresponds to the desired relative humidity setting, the signal sent to the fan 90 turns it off .
The workings of the logic control circuit will be examined below.
The humidity of the surrounding air is adjusted thus: air from the surroundings enters the air intake chamber 45 through the air intake ports 47 and, if the fan 90 is on, is blown to the evaporation surface 30. The evaporation surface 30, being moist due to communication with the liquid reservoir 20 through the wick 25, releases moisture to the air blown on to it by the fan 90. The air, now moist due to being in contact with the evaporation surface 30, exits the humidification chamber 40 through the humidity exit ports 32. The relative humidity is then sensed through the now humid air entering the humidity sensing chamber 50 through the humidity intake ports 55. The humidity readings are prevented from being corrupted by the presence of the moisture impenetrable wall 49 disposed between the humidity sensing chamber and the other two chambers. Thus, humidity only enters the humidity sensing chamber 50 through the humidity intake ports 55.
Referring to Figures 3, 4, and 5, the workings of the power supply and the logic control circuitry will now be examined. The reference numerals on Figures 3-6 refer, preferably, to the following components with the following values:
Resistors Value (S2) Rl 240 R4a 6R8 R4b 6R8 R5 lOK
R6 lOK
R7 lOK
R8 lOK
R13 lOK
R14 lOK
R16 lOK
R21 lOK
Capacitors Value (F) C1 0.01 uF
C2 10 uF
C3 0.1 uF
C4 0.01 uF
C5 0.1 uF
C6 4.7 uF
C7 4.7 uF
C8 4.7 uF
C9 39 pF
C10 39 pF
C11 0.1 uF
Semiconductors Type/Maaufacturer/Part number U1 Positive Output Voltage Regulator/ National/ LM317T
U2 Low Dropout Linear Regulator /
Toko Inc. / TK 112-40 CT
U3 Quad Low Voltage CMOS
Operational Amplifier/
National Semiconductor / LMC
U4 Programmable Microcontroller /
Microchip Semiconductor /
PIC16LC72 (having 2K x 14 words of program memory) U5 Microperipheral / Microchip Semiconductor / MCP130 HS1 Humidity Sensor / Honeywell /
D1 Diode / DL 4003 MSCT
D2 Diode / DL 4003 MSCT
D3 Diode / DL 4148 MSCT
D4 Diode / DL 4148 MSCT
DB1 DF O1S [lA/100 v PIV]
Q1 Transistor / 2N2222A
Q2 Transistor / 2N3904 F1 Polyswitch self-resetting fuse / Raychem / RXE 020 M1 Miniature LV fan nominal 5 VDC
75 mA / Panasonic / UDQFB3E5-1 LED1 high efficiency LED (red) LCD1 2 digit x 7 segment LCD /
Varitronix / VI-201-2 X1 32.768 kHz cyl. crystal C-OO1R
/ Epson / SE 3201 PB1 (U) 9.5 mm push-button, normally PB2(D) open switch / Panasonic / EVQ-PB3(A) 11 L 09 K
Referring to Figure 3, the battery recharge circuit is shown.
The AC power source is connected through C1. This AC current is passed through DB1 and converted to DC and then fed into U1, a voltage regulator that outputs about 5VDC. Power thus comes from either the batteries or U1 and into the V++ symbol. From here, power is fed into U2, a linear regulator that outputs a clean 4.OVDC signal, at V+, that powers the other components. (See Figure 5) Referring to Figures 4 and 6, the logic control circuitry will now be examined. The microcontroller U4 controls the LCD
display LCD1 along with the motor M1. The microcontroller U4 is preprogrammed to receive input from the switches U and D.
Depressing switch U increases the desired relative humidity setting while depressing D does the opposite. The microcontroller U4 determines whether the analog input from HS1, the humidity sensor, is within the set desired relative humidity range. This is easily accomplished as the microcontroller U4 has a number of integrated A/D converters. If the relative humidity is within the set desired range, then the motor M1 is not activated. If not, a signal is sent through RC2 and M1 is thereby activated.
It must be noted that the complete workings of the microcontroller U4 and the other components are well known in the art. The supporting circuitry, such as the operational amplifiers contained in U3, the crystal X1, and the microperipheral U5, serve to support the functioning of the microcontroller U4. The exact logic that is followed by the microcontroller will be determined by the program entered into the microcontroller.
Also of interest is the fact that the circuit has a number of fail-safe mechanisms to protect against short circuits or over current situations. The fuse F1 prevents any anomalous conditions from damaging the internal circuitry. Also, the use of the linear regulator U2 provides further protecting as the component selected will automatically shutdown if it senses a short circuit or an over current condition at V+.
A further possible refinement would be the inclusion of a D/A
converter between the microcontroller U4 and the motor M1. Such a refinement would provide even more control of the motor M1 by controlling the voltage being fed into motor M1. This would control the speed of the motor M1 and thereby the rate that the relative humidity is adjusted.
A person understanding this invention may now conceive of alternative structures and embodiments or variations of the above all of which are intended to fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims that follow.
Claims (7)
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A portable humidifier for use in a container which houses objects requiring controlled humidity, the humidifier comprising:
- a housing;
- a liquid reservoir contained within the housing;
- an evaporation surface in communication with the interior of the reservoir;
- a humidification chamber containing the evaporation surface and open to the container;
- a humidity sensing chamber open to the container;
- humidity sensing and control means in the sensing chamber;
- a moisture impenetrable wall between the humidity sensing chamber and the humidification chamber;
- air circulating means in fluid communication with the evaporation surface, the circulating means comprising - a brushless motor;
- a power supply in electrical connection with the motor;
- a fan attached to the motor;
wherein the motor is controlled by the humidity sensing and control means.
- a housing;
- a liquid reservoir contained within the housing;
- an evaporation surface in communication with the interior of the reservoir;
- a humidification chamber containing the evaporation surface and open to the container;
- a humidity sensing chamber open to the container;
- humidity sensing and control means in the sensing chamber;
- a moisture impenetrable wall between the humidity sensing chamber and the humidification chamber;
- air circulating means in fluid communication with the evaporation surface, the circulating means comprising - a brushless motor;
- a power supply in electrical connection with the motor;
- a fan attached to the motor;
wherein the motor is controlled by the humidity sensing and control means.
2. A humidifier according to claim 1 wherein the reservoir comprises a refillable tank means.
3. A humidifier according to claim 1 wherein the evaporation surface comprises a liquid absorbent pad.
4. A humidifier according to claim 1 wherein the power supply comprises a rechargeable battery.
5. A humidifier according to claim 4 wherein the power supply further comprises means to recharge the rechargeable battery.
6. A humidifier according to claim 1 wherein the power supply includes means to connect to an AC power source.
7. A humidifier according to claim 1 wherein the humidity sensing and control means comprises:
- means to adjust a desired relative humidity setting;
- means to display the desired relative humidity setting;
- means to activate the motor if the desired relative humidity setting has not been reached;
- means to shut off the motor if the desired relative humidity setting is reached.
- means to adjust a desired relative humidity setting;
- means to display the desired relative humidity setting;
- means to activate the motor if the desired relative humidity setting has not been reached;
- means to shut off the motor if the desired relative humidity setting is reached.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2261912 CA2261912A1 (en) | 1999-02-12 | 1999-02-12 | Portable programmable humidifier |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2261912 CA2261912A1 (en) | 1999-02-12 | 1999-02-12 | Portable programmable humidifier |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2261912A1 true CA2261912A1 (en) | 2000-08-12 |
Family
ID=29555147
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2261912 Abandoned CA2261912A1 (en) | 1999-02-12 | 1999-02-12 | Portable programmable humidifier |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2261912A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN102818329A (en) * | 2012-08-06 | 2012-12-12 | 覃永 | Humidifier with sound equipment |
| CN109622074A (en) * | 2019-01-22 | 2019-04-16 | 李庆 | A kind of anti-pollution sample storage device of clinical laboratory |
-
1999
- 1999-02-12 CA CA 2261912 patent/CA2261912A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN102818329A (en) * | 2012-08-06 | 2012-12-12 | 覃永 | Humidifier with sound equipment |
| CN109622074A (en) * | 2019-01-22 | 2019-04-16 | 李庆 | A kind of anti-pollution sample storage device of clinical laboratory |
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