JP2008286483A - Liquid vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid vessel capable of restraining dew condensation water from flowing out to an external part, when opening a cover body. <P>SOLUTION: This liquid vessel 1 is composed of a body 2 storing heated liquid, and the cover body 3 openably-closably installed on the body 2 via a hinge shaft 17 and having a steam chamber 25 for flowing steam generated from the body 2. A recirculating passage 35 is formed in the vicinity of the hinge shaft 17 of the cover body 3, for receiving and recirculating the dew condensation water W stored in the steam chamber 25 to the body 2 when opening the cover body 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid container such as a humidifier, an electric pot, and a hot water storage container.

Conventionally, in a humidifier as shown in Patent Documents 1 to 3, for example, vapor generated from a liquid heated in the main body is discharged to the outside through a vapor passage provided in the lid. A part of the vapor passing through the vapor passage of the lid body is condensed and accumulated, and is circulated to the main body through a through hole formed in the vapor passage.
JP 2000-065452 A

  However, in the conventional liquid container, if the lid is opened in a state where the condensed water is sufficiently accumulated, the condensed water may flow out from the vapor discharge port of the lid.

  Then, an object of this invention is to provide the liquid container which can suppress that dew condensation water flows out outside when a cover body is open | released.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides:
A liquid container comprising: a main body that contains heated liquid; and a lid that is attached to the main body through a hinge shaft so as to be openable and closable, and has a vapor chamber through which vapor generated from the main body flows. A circulation passage is formed in the vicinity of the hinge shaft of the lid for receiving the condensed water stored in the steam chamber when the body is opened and circulating it to the main body.

  In the liquid container having the above-described configuration, the dew condensation water stored in the vapor chamber flows into the circulation passage when the lid is opened and is circulated to the main body, so that there is no possibility of flowing out.

  The circulation passage is formed in a hinge portion that supports the hinge shaft, passes through a wall portion above the steam chamber and into which condensed water flows in the steam chamber, communicates with the main body, and forms dew condensation on the main body. It is preferable to have an outlet from which water flows out.

  It is preferable that an inflow path through which condensed water flows toward the circulating passage when the lid is opened is formed on the inner wall of the steam chamber.

  It is preferable to provide a dam plate facing the inflow path through the inflow port. This barrier plate prevents the condensed water that flows when the lid is opened from flowing out of the inlet beyond the inlet.

  It is preferable to form an outflow path for guiding condensed water flowing out from the circulation passage to the main body in the vicinity of the hinge shaft of the main body.

  According to the present invention, the condensed water stored in the steam chamber is formed in the vicinity of the hinge shaft of the lid so as to receive the condensed water stored in the steam chamber when the lid is opened and circulate to the main body. Since it flows into the circulation passage when it is opened and is circulated to the main body, there is no risk of it flowing out to the outside, which is safe.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 and 2 show a humidifier 1 as a liquid container according to the present invention. The humidifier 1 includes a main body 2 and a lid 3.

  The main body 2 has a bottom section 5 fixed to the lower end of a body section 4 having a substantially square horizontal section, a shoulder section 6 provided on the upper end, and an inner container 7 accommodated and fixed therein. As shown in FIG. 6, a heater 8 is attached to the bottom of the inner container 7 as a heating means.

  An operation panel 9 is attached to the front surface of the trunk portion 4. The operation panel 9 is provided with “operation on / off”, “selection”, and “off timer” switch buttons 10 in order from the top on the right side when viewed from the front, and strong, weak, water supply on the left side in order from the top. Each LED 11 indicating a turn-off timer is provided.

  Both ends of the handle 13 are rotatably attached to the handle attachment portions 12 on both side surfaces of the body portion 4. A magnet plug receiver 14 is provided at a position below the handle mounting portion 12 at the lower part of the left side as viewed from the front. Further, an air introduction hole 15 is formed at a position above the handle mounting portion 12 in the upper part of the right side as viewed from the front.

  Two concave portions 16 into which two hinge arms 23 of the lid body 3 to be described later are inserted are formed at the right rear corner portion of the shoulder body 6 as viewed from the front, and a hinge shaft 17 is provided in the concave portion 16. Yes. The bottoms of these recesses 16 constitute an outflow path 18 for the condensed water W from the circulation passage 35 of the lid 3 described later to the main body 2.

  The lid 3 includes a lid lower plate 19, a lid upper plate 20, a cover 21, and a heat shield plate 22.

  The lid lower plate 19 and the lid upper plate 20 have a substantially square shape with rounded corners when viewed from above. The lid lower plate 19 has a bottomed cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. 4, and the lid upper plate 20 is fixed to the upper end thereof. As shown in FIG. 5, two hinge arms 23 project from one corner of the four corners of the lid upper plate 20. A U-shaped engaging recess 24 that engages with the hinge shaft 17 of the main body 2 is formed at the tip of the hinge arm 23. As shown in FIG. 2, the lid upper plate 20 has a substantially semicircular portion recessed toward the lid lower plate 19 with respect to a diagonal parallel to the hinge shaft 17 as viewed from the upper side. A chamber 25 is formed.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the support lower plate 19 is formed with two support recesses 27 having an inverted frustoconical shape and a vent hole 26. Contained. The support recess 27 is closed by a cap 30 having a steam inlet 29. The plug 28 normally functions as a passage through which the inlet 29 is opened and the steam flows. When the cap 28 falls down, the inlet 29 is closed and hot water in the main body 2 leaks to the outside through the inlet 29. It has a function to prevent. A vapor passage 32 surrounded by an annular wall 31 abutting on the outer periphery of the cap 30 is formed on the lower surface of the lid upper plate 20, and the vapor communicates with the vapor passage 32 on the upper surface toward the vapor chamber 25. A steam ejection nozzle 33 that is ejected obliquely downward is attached.

  An air inflow hole 34 is formed in a side wall of the steam chamber 25 of the lid upper plate 20 at a position facing the air introduction hole 15 of the main body 2.

  The hinge arm 23 is formed with a circulation passage 35 having an inlet 35 a communicating with the steam chamber 25 and an outlet 35 b communicating with the inside of the main body 2. As shown in FIG. 5, a groove-shaped inflow path 36 extending from the bottom of the steam chamber 25 to the inlet 35 a of the circulation passage 35 is formed on the side wall of the steam chamber 25. A weir plate 37 is provided at a position facing the inflow path 36 and the inflow port 35a.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a dew condensation water reservoir 38 is formed at the lowest position on the bottom wall of the steam chamber 25 of the lid upper plate 20. The dew condensation water reservoir 38 has a recirculation hole opened and closed by a recirculation valve 39. 40 is formed. When the internal pressure is high, that is, when the internal pressure rises and the internal pressure rises, the recirculation hole 40 rises and closes the recirculation valve 39. When the heating is stopped and the internal pressure falls, the recirculation valve 39 descends due to its own weight. The condensed water stored in the steam chamber 25 is circulated into the inner container 7 of the main body 2.

  The cover 21 closes the upper opening of the steam chamber 25 and has a number of steam discharge holes 41 through which steam flows out.

  The heat shield plate 22 has a vapor hole (not shown), a lid packing 42 on the outer peripheral edge, and is screwed to the lid lower plate 19.

  Next, the operation of the humidifier having the above configuration will be described.

  When water is stored in the inner container 7 of the main body 2, the lid 3 is closed and the “running off / on” switch button 10 is pressed, energization of the heater 8 is started and the water boils. As shown in FIG. 4, the steam generated in the inner container 7 of the main body 2 enters the lid body 3 through a steam hole (not shown) of the heat shield plate 22, and vents the support recess 27 of the lid lower plate 19. 26, jetted into the steam chamber 25 through the inlet 29 of the cap 30 and the steam jet nozzle 33. The steam ejected into the steam chamber 25 flows along the bottom surface of the steam chamber 25, and the air flowing in from the air inflow hole 34 (see FIG. 2) through the air introduction hole 15 (see FIG. 2) of the main body 2. After being mixed and lowered to a certain temperature, it is discharged to the outside from the steam discharge hole 41 of the cover 21.

  While the water in the inner container 7 is heated by the heater 8 and steam is generated, the recirculation valve 39 rises due to the internal pressure in the inner container 7 and closes the recirculation hole 40. When the internal pressure further increases, a safety valve (not shown) is opened, and the increase in internal pressure is suppressed.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the dew condensation water W condensed in the steam chamber 25 is stored in the dew condensation water reservoir 38. The energization of the heater 8 is forcibly stopped every time a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of operation. As a result, the internal pressure in the inner container 7 is reduced, the recirculation valve 39 is lowered by its own weight, the recirculation hole 40 is opened, and the dew condensation water stored in the dew condensation water reservoir 38 is vaporized from the recirculation hole 40 to the heat shield plate 22. It circulates in the inner container 7 through a hole (not shown).

  When the lowering of the water level is displayed or notified by the LED 11, the user opens the lid 3 and replenishes water. As shown in FIG. 7A, when the lid 3 is opened, the dew condensation water W stored in the dew condensation water reservoir 38 of the steam chamber 25 passes through the inflow path 36 on the side wall of the steam chamber 25 through the hinge arm 23. 7 (b), flows into the inlet 35a of the circulation passage 35 of the hinge arm 23, passes through the circulation passage 35, passes through the outlet 35b, and passes through the outlet passage 18 of the main body 2. It circulates in the inner container 7. Even if the user vigorously opens the lid 3, the dam plate 37 prevents the condensed water W from being scattered outside.

As shown in FIG. 8, the main body 2 of this embodiment is square when viewed from above, and when the surface with the operation panel 9 is the front of the main body 2, there are handle attachment portions 12 on both sides of the front, 15 is positioned above the right handle mounting portion 12 when viewed from the front of the main body. In such a humidifier 1, when draining the water in the main body 2, the user will avoid draining from the air introduction hole 15 side (A side). Further, considering that the handle 13 is drained like a bucket, the user may drain from the front side (B side) where the operation panel 9 is located or the opposite side (C side).
Therefore, in the present embodiment, the magnet plug receiver 14 is not located on the A, B, C side where water is easily drained, but on the D side where water is not easily drained, that is, the left side handle mounting portion 12 when viewed from the front of the main body 2. It is located below. For this reason, the magnet plug receiver 14 is drained when water is drained, and there is no risk of electric shock or short circuit when the magnet plug is attached after draining, which is safe.

  By the way, conventionally, when a room is darkened by operating a turn-off timer (sleep timer) at bedtime, there is a problem that sleep is disturbed because the LED 11 of the operation panel 9 is lit brightly. In the present embodiment, the amount of light of all the LEDs 11 is forcibly decreased after 10 seconds have elapsed since the operation of the turning timer by the user is confirmed. That is, as shown in FIG. 9, in a circuit in which 5V is applied to one end of the LED 11 and the other end is connected to the microcomputer port via the resistor R, as shown in FIG. 0V), the microcomputer port output is set to Hi (5V) when the light is normally turned off, and the microcomputer port output is set to Low (0V) only for 2 ms in a 10 ms cycle when the turn-off timer is operated. Thereby, since a light quantity decreases, a user's sleep is not disturbed. As an alternative, as shown in FIG. 11, in a circuit in which 5 V is applied to one end of the LED 11 and the other end is connected to the two microcomputer ports A and B via resistors R and R, the microcomputer port A is not connected during normal lighting. The output of the microcomputer port A is always set to Hi (5 V) when the light is normally turned off, and the microcomputer port B is always set to Low (0 V) when the amount of light is reduced. Further, as shown in FIG. 12, in a circuit in which 5V is applied to one end of the LED 11 and the other end is connected to the microcomputer port A through the resistor R and is connected to the microcomputer port B through the three diodes D, it is normally lit. Sometimes, the microcomputer port A is always set to Low (0V), the output of the microcomputer port A is set to Hi (5V) when the light is normally turned off, and the microcomputer port B is always set to Low (0V) when the amount of light is reduced.

The perspective view of the humidifier which concerns on this invention. The disassembled perspective view of the humidifier of FIG. The top view which removed the cover of the humidifier of FIG. IV-IV sectional view taken on the line of FIG. VV sectional view taken on the line of FIG. VI-VI sectional view taken on the line of FIG. (A), (b) is sectional drawing which shows the circulatory state of condensed water when a cover body is open | released. The perspective view explaining the position of the magnet plug receptacle of a main part. The circuit diagram of LED. The time chart which shows the light quantity control method of LED. The other circuit diagram of LED. The other circuit diagram of LED.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Humidifier 2 Main body 3 Lid body 17 Hinge shaft 18 Outflow path 23 Hinge arm (hinge part)
25 Steam chamber 35 Circulation passage 35a Inlet 35b Outlet 36 Inlet passage 37 Dam plate

Claims (5)

  A liquid container comprising: a main body that contains heated liquid; and a lid that is attached to the main body through a hinge shaft so as to be openable and closable, and has a vapor chamber through which vapor generated from the main body flows. A liquid container characterized in that a circulation passage for receiving condensed water stored in the vapor chamber when the body is opened and circulating to the main body is formed in the vicinity of the hinge shaft of the lid.   The circulation passage is formed in a hinge portion that supports the hinge shaft, passes through a wall portion above the steam chamber and into which condensed water flows in the steam chamber, communicates with the main body, and forms dew condensation on the main body. The liquid container according to claim 1, further comprising an outlet through which water flows out.   The liquid container according to claim 1, wherein an inflow path through which condensed water flows toward the circulating passage is formed on the inner wall of the vapor chamber when the lid is opened.   The liquid container according to claim 3, further comprising a weir plate facing the inflow path through the inflow port.   The liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an outflow path for guiding condensed water flowing out from the circulation passage to the main body is formed in the vicinity of the hinge shaft of the main body.

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