JP2024049994A - humidifier - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] In a humidifier in which an electrolytic device is placed in a water supply tank, the volatile gases such as ozone generated by the electrolysis of water are prevented from filling the water supply tank at high concentrations. [Solution] In a humidifier including a humidification unit 11 that vaporizes water to generate mist, and a water supply tank 2 that supplies water to the humidification unit 11, the water supply tank 2 includes a tank body 6 that stores water, and an electrolytic device 81 that electrolyzes the water in the tank body 6 to change it into sterilized water, the volatile gases generated by the electrolysis of water and floating in the tank body 6 are released together with the mist generated by the humidification unit 11. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a humidifier equipped with an electrolysis device that electrolyzes the water in a water supply tank and turns it into sterilized water.

A humidifier equipped with an electrolysis device is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. The humidifier in Patent Document 1 contains a humidification absorbent, an outlet fan, a water tank, and other components inside a box-shaped housing equipped with an air intake and an outlet. The outlet fan creates an airflow in the housing that runs from the air intake through the humidification absorbent to the outlet. In other words, air sucked into the housing from the intake passes through the humidification absorbent, becoming humidified air before being blown out from the outlet.

Water is sent from the water supply tank to the humidification absorbent through a water channel recessed into the bottom of the housing. In other words, the water supply tank and the humidification absorbent are each inserted into the water channel from above, and the bottom ends of both are immersed in the water in the water channel. An ozone water generator (electrolysis device) is placed in this water channel or in the water supply tank. By passing electricity through the electrodes of the ozone water generator, the tap water in the water channel or in the water supply tank can be electrolyzed and converted into ozone water containing ozone gas.

Japanese Patent No. 4688622

Ozone gas, which is a solute in ozone water, has a relatively low solubility in water and therefore easily volatilizes from the ozone water. When an ozone water generator is placed inside a water tank, the water tank is likely to become filled with ozone gas. As a result, when a user opens the lid of the water tank, high concentrations of ozone gas are released, and the characteristic pungent odor of this gas can be unpleasant for the user.

The present invention aims to prevent volatile gases such as ozone generated by the electrolysis of water from filling the water tank at high concentrations in a humidifier in which an electrolysis device is placed inside the water tank.

The present invention relates to a humidifier that includes a humidification unit 11 that vaporizes water to generate mist, and a water supply tank 2 that supplies water to the humidification unit 11. The water supply tank 2 includes a tank body 6 that stores water, and an electrolysis device 81 that electrolyzes the water in the tank body 6 to convert it into sterilized water. A volatile gas that is generated by electrolysis of water and floats in the tank body 6 is released from the outlet 9 together with the mist generated by the humidification unit 11.

A mixing chamber 125 for mixing the mist with volatile gases can be provided between the humidification unit 11 and the outlet 9.

It is equipped with a mist cylinder 7 that guides mist from the humidification unit 11 to the mixing chamber 125, and the upper wall of the mixing chamber 125 forms a mist wall 134 that receives the mist rising from the mist cylinder 7. A water-permeable recovery passage 141 is provided at the bottom of the mixing chamber 125, and water droplets that drip from the mist wall 134 to the bottom of the mixing chamber 125 can flow through the recovery passage 141 to join the stored water in the tank body 6.

The recovery path 141 can also serve as the suction path 140 for drawing the volatile gas in the tank body 6 into the mixing chamber 125.

The humidification unit 11 includes a water storage section 44 that stores sterilized water, which is the raw material for the mist, and a humidification module 36 that vaporizes the sterilized water in the water storage section 44, and can be configured such that the water supply tank 2 is disposed above the water storage section 44.

The mist cylinder 7 is disposed inside the tank body 6, and the sterilized water can be stored between the inner surface of the tank body 6 and the outer surface of the mist cylinder 7.

The mixing chamber 125 is formed to surround the upper part of the mist cylinder 7, and the recovery path 141 can be formed intermittently along the outer surface of the mist cylinder 7.

The mist cylinder 7 can be arranged to surround the center of the tank body 6 in a plan view.

The mist tube 7 can be tapered upward.

The mixing chamber 125 can be configured to be located above the full water level of the tank body 6.

It is equipped with a tank lid 8 that opens and closes the opening of the tank body 6 in a removable manner, and a lid support base 132 on which the tank lid 8 separated from the tank body 6 is placed, and the lid support base 132 can be formed integrally with the bottom wall of the mixing chamber 125.

The electrolytic device 81 is disposed to the side of the mist cylinder 7, and the total area of the suction path 140 per unit area can be set larger in the portion of the bottom of the mixing chamber 125 that is relatively close to the electrolytic device 81 than in the portion that is relatively far away.

In the humidifier according to the present invention, the volatile gas generated by the electrolysis of water and floating in the tank body 6 of the water supply tank 2 is discharged from the outlet 9 together with the mist, so that the concentration of the volatile gas in the tank body 6 can be reduced and the tank body 6 can be prevented from being filled with a high concentration of volatile gas. In addition, when the lid of the tank body 6 is opened, the volatile gas can be prevented from being discharged and scattered in a high concentration into the surroundings, so that the user is prevented from inhaling high concentration volatile gas and from experiencing discomfort such as an irritating odor. In addition, when the volatile gas is discharged from the outlet 9 together with the mist, the sterilizing effect of the volatile gas can be added to the mist.

If a mixing chamber 125 for mixing volatile gas into the mist is provided between the humidification unit 11 and the outlet 9, the volatile gas can be distributed evenly and uniformly in the mist released from the outlet 9. If there is an uneven distribution of the volatile gas, the user receiving the mist may temporarily feel uncomfortable due to an irritating odor, but this risk can be significantly reduced according to the present invention.

When the mist rising from the mist tube 7 is received by the upper wall of the mixing chamber 125, i.e., the mist wall 134, if the mist contains relatively large water droplets, these can be attached to the mist wall 134 and removed from the mist. In other words, a high-quality mist containing only fine water droplets and unlikely to wet the user's skin can be emitted from the outlet 9. In addition, if the water droplets that drip from the mist wall 134 to the bottom of the mixing chamber 125 are allowed to flow through the recovery path 141 to join the accumulated water in the tank body 6, water droplets are prevented from accumulating in the mixing chamber 125 and the water droplets can be reused as a raw material for the mist.

By configuring the recovery path 141 to also function as the suction path 140 for drawing the volatile gas in the tank body 6 into the mixing chamber 125, the structure of the wall of the mixing chamber 125 can be simplified compared to when the suction path 140 and the recovery path 141 are provided separately.

When the water supply tank 2 is disposed above the water storage section 44, the sterilized water can be sent to the water storage section 44 simply by allowing it to freely fall from the water supply tank 2. In other words, a drive system such as a pump is not required to send water to the water storage section 44, and the water supply structure can be simplified.

When the mist cylinder 7 is placed inside the tank body 6 and sterilized water is stored between the inner surface of the tank body 6 and the outer surface of the mist cylinder 7, the outer surface of the mist cylinder 7 is immersed in the sterilized water inside the tank body 6 and sterilized, and the upper part of the outer surface that is not immersed in the sterilized water can also be sterilized by volatile gas floating on the water surface.

When the recovery path 141 at the bottom of the mixing chamber 125 is formed intermittently along the outer surface of the mist cylinder 7, water droplets that drip from the mist wall 134 onto the bottom of the mixing chamber 125 can be quickly discharged outside the mixing chamber 125 from the recovery path 141 closest to the drip position.

When the mist cylinder 7 is arranged to surround the center of the tank body 6, the mixing chamber 125 surrounding the top of the mist cylinder 7 and the group of suction paths 140 (recovery paths 141) provided at the bottom of the mixing chamber 125 can surround the center of the tank body 6. This makes it possible to equalize the amount of volatile gas sucked from each suction path 140 to the mixing chamber 125, thereby reducing unevenness in the concentration of volatile gas within the tank body 6.

If the mist tube 7 is tapered toward the top, the mist flowing through the mist tube 7 can be accelerated and sent farther.

When the mixing chamber 125 is located above the full water level of the tank body 6, it is possible to reliably prevent accumulated water in the tank body 6 from entering the mixing chamber 125 through the recovery passage 141.

When the lid support 132 on which the tank lid 8 is placed is integral with the bottom wall of the mixing chamber 125, the number of parts in the humidifier can be reduced, resulting in lower costs, compared to when the two are separate components.

The portion of the bottom of the mixing chamber 125 that is relatively close to the electrolytic device 81 can have a larger total area of the suction paths 140 per unit area than the portion that is relatively far away. Since a relatively large amount of volatile gas is suspended in the portion of the tank body 6 that is close to the electrolytic device 81, by increasing the total area of the suction paths 140 in that portion, a large amount of volatile gas can be sucked into the mixing chamber 125.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional front view of the upper part of the humidifier according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the humidifier in a state where the water supply tank is separated from the main body of the humidifier. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view of a main part of a humidifying unit that constitutes the main body of the device. FIG. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the upper part of the humidifier. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the bottom of the water supply tank. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the upper part of the water supply tank. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the water supply tank. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing a state in which the tank lid is placed on the lid support base. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which the tank lid is placed on the lid support base. FIG. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 13. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the internal structure of a water supply tank of a humidifier according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

(First embodiment) A first embodiment of the humidifier according to the present invention is shown in Figs. 1 to 15. This humidifier can emit purified air containing ozone along with humidified air containing a large amount of moisture, i.e. mist, into a space, thereby simultaneously humidifying and purifying (sterilizing, deodorizing, etc.) the space. In this embodiment, front, back, left, right, up and down refer to the crossed arrows shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and the indications of front, back, left, right, up and down written near each arrow.

As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the humidifier comprises a lower device body 1, which occupies the majority of the device, and an upper water supply tank 2 that is detachably attached to the device body 1 from above. The device body 1 is formed in a roughly cylindrical shape, and the water supply tank 2 is formed in a roughly truncated cone shape that tapers downward. An attachment recess 3 that opens upward is formed in the upper part of the device body 1, and the lower part of the water supply tank 2 is inserted into the attachment recess 3 for attachment. A locking mechanism 4 is provided on the rear surface (side surface) of the attachment recess 3 to prevent the attached water supply tank 2 from unintentionally coming out.

The water supply tank 2 comprises a tank body 6 that stores water, a mist cylinder 7 that guides the mist generated by the device body 1 upward, and a tank lid 8 that opens and closes the opening on the top surface of the tank body 6. An outlet 9 that communicates with the upper end of the mist cylinder 7 is formed in the front of the tank lid 8, and the mist that rises in the mist cylinder 7 is released upward from this outlet 9.

The device main body 1 is roughly divided into an upper humidification unit 11 that vaporizes water supplied from a water supply tank 2, and a lower purification unit 12 that generates purified air containing ozone. The external shape of the humidification unit 11 is tapered downward with a large-diameter protrusion 13 at the upper end, and the external shape of the purification unit 12 is cylindrical with a bottom and approximately the same diameter as the protrusion 13. The entire humidification unit 11, except for the protrusion 13, is housed and fixed inside the purification unit 12.

The purification unit 12 comprises a cylindrical outer case 16 having an air passage 15 therein, a centrifugal blower fan 19 that forms an airflow from an inlet 17 at one end of the air passage 15 to an outlet 18 at the other end, and a discharge device 20 that generates ozone by discharging in the air passage 15. The discharge device 20 comprises a pair of electrodes and a dielectric interposed therebetween. When a high AC voltage of several kV is applied to both electrodes, a silent discharge (dielectric barrier discharge) occurs between one of the electrodes and the dielectric, and some of the oxygen contained in the surrounding air is converted into ozone. The outer case 16 can be formed into an elliptical or polygonal cylinder shape other than a cylindrical shape, but the cylindrical shape can reduce the internal dead space. In addition to an ozone generator (ozonizer) that generates ozone by discharging electricity, various active ingredient generators can be placed inside the purification unit 12, such as an ionizer that generates various ions (negative ions, hydroxyl radicals, etc.) by discharging electricity, an impregnated body with a chemical (such as a disinfectant or insect repellent) that contains a volatile active ingredient, an ozone generator that generates ozone by irradiating oxygen in the air with ultraviolet light (wavelength 185 nm), or a sterilizer that purifies the air by irradiating germicidal light such as ultraviolet light (wavelength 254 nm).

The intake port 17 is provided at the rear of the lower end of the purification unit 12, and the exhaust port 18 is provided at the front of the upper end of the purification unit 12. Air drawn into the air passage 15 from the intake port 17 picks up ozone as it passes around the discharge device 20, and the purified air containing ozone is blown forward from the exhaust port 18. The exhaust port 18 is formed at the upper front of the device main body 1, between the protruding portion 13 of the humidification unit 11 and the upper edge of the purification unit 12. The exhaust port 18 is formed in an outwardly convex arc shape in a plan view, and in a downwardly convex arc shape in a front view.

As shown in FIG. 5, the upper and lower ends of the outer case 16 are open, and the humidification unit 11 is assembled from above into the upper opening, and a bottom cover 23 is fixed to close the lower opening. A control board (not shown) that controls the entire humidifier is housed on the inner (top) surface of the bottom cover 23. The bottom cover 23 also has a power socket 26 into which a plug 25 of a power cable 24 is inserted, and power is supplied to the control board via the socket 26. The control board is electrically connected to each part of the device main body 1, such as the blower fan 19, discharge device 20, humidification module 36 and mist fan 56 described below, to supply power.

A cover opening 30 that is opened and closed by a filter cover 29 is formed at the bottom of the rear surface of the outer case 16, and a safety fence 31 that faces the intake port 17 of the air passage 15 is provided at the inside lower part of the cover opening 30. The safety fence 31 has a group of elongated holes that run vertically, and allows outside air to flow into the intake port 17 while preventing the entry of the user's fingers or large foreign objects when the filter cover 29 is removed. In addition, a removable inspection cover 32 is provided at the inside upper part of the cover opening 30, and the discharge device 20 is placed inside it. In other words, the user first removes the filter cover 29 from the outer case 16 to open the cover opening 30, and then pulls out the inspection cover 32 backwards to expose the discharge device 20 for cleaning or other maintenance.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the humidification unit 11 is constructed by assembling a humidification module 36 including an ultrasonic vibrator, a power supply terminal 37 for supplying power to the water supply tank 2, and an annular operation cover 38 to a humidification case 35 serving as a base. The operation cover 38 is joined to the top surface of the humidification case 35, and an operation board 39 formed in an arc plate shape is housed in the front part of the annular sealed space surrounded by the two humidification cases 35 and 38. A number of switches (not shown) protrude from the top surface of the operation board 39, and correspondingly, a number of operation buttons 40 are provided on the front part of the operation cover 38, facing the tip surface of each switch. Each switch is operated by pressing the operation button 40, and these operation buttons 40 constitute an operation section 41 for switching the operating state of the humidifier.

Above the operation cover 38 including the operation unit 41, there is provided a roughly ring-shaped gap surrounded by the operation cover 38 and the outer surface of the water tank 2 (see FIG. 2), and the user can access the operation unit 41 through this gap. By narrowing the upper part of the operation cover 38 in this way to form a space for accessing the operation unit 41, i.e., an access space, the overall silhouette of the humidifier can be made neater than when only the operation cover 38 protrudes in the radial direction. In addition, the operation unit 41 is located directly above and in the vicinity of the air outlet 18, and this arrangement allows a portion of the purified air blown out from the air outlet 18 to reach the operation unit 41, thereby purifying its surface. In addition, when the user operates the operation unit 41, a portion of the purified air can come into contact with the user's fingers, thereby purifying its surface.

By providing an access space in a recessed position inside a virtual plane obtained by extending the outer periphery of the device main body 1 (outer case 16) upward, and arranging the operation unit 41 (operation cover 38) so as to face this access space from below, it is possible to better prevent erroneous operation caused by the user's hand or object unintentionally touching the operation unit 41, compared to when the operation unit 41 is arranged on the top surface or outer periphery of the humidifier. Objects placed by the user on the humidifier (water supply tank 2) will not touch the operation unit 41. By forming the access space in a ring shape, the user can easily reach out and operate the operation unit 41 from the front (front surface) of the humidifier, as well as from its side (left and right surfaces) and back (rear surface). The back surface of the access space partitioned by the water supply tank 2 (tank main body 6) is composed of a truncated cone surface that tapers downward, which makes it easier for the user to see the operation unit 41 when looking down on it diagonally from above.

The upper half of the humidifier case 35 defines the mounting recess 3 described above. The lower half of the humidifier case 35 is provided with a rectangular cylindrical water storage section 44 that stores water supplied from the water supply tank 2, and the humidifier module 36 is attached to its bottom. In other words, the water storage section 44 is formed with a bottom and an opening on the upper surface, and the opening is connected to the mounting recess 3. An engagement protrusion 45 that protrudes upward is formed on the rear side of the water storage section 44 at the bottom of the mounting recess 3, and the power supply terminal 37 is inserted and fixed inside the engagement protrusion 45 from below. A pair of slits 46 that allow the tip of the power supply terminal 37 to be inserted therethrough are provided at the tip (upper end) of the engagement protrusion 45.

The humidifying unit 11 is formed in a perfect circle in a plan view, and the humidifying module 36 is disposed at the center of the unit. A water receiving wall 48 is formed in a recess near the right end of the bottom of the mounting recess 3, sloping downward to the left toward the water storage section 44. The water receiving wall 48 receives water dripping from the water supply tank 2 (drop position P) and guides it to the water storage section 44. When the water receiving wall 48 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, the water dripping from the water supply tank 2 onto the water receiving wall 48 does not splash upward significantly, and the surface of the water supply tank 2 is not wetted. When the water receiving wall 48 is inclined downward toward the water storage section 44, the water receiving wall 48 functions as a water supply wall, and the water supply structure to the water storage section 44 can be simplified. The water receiving wall 48 also functions as an outlet when the user tilts the device main body 1 to drain the remaining water in the water storage section 44.

A breakwater wall 49 is provided near the left end of the water storage section 44 to suppress rippling of the water in the water storage section 44. In other words, the water receiving wall 48 and the breakwater wall 49 are arranged to sandwich the humidification module 36 from both the left and right sides. By arranging the water receiving wall 48 and the breakwater wall 49 in this manner, it is possible to effectively suppress rippling in the water storage section 44 when water flows from the water receiving wall 48 into the water storage section 44. In addition, the breakwater wall 49 is formed higher than the full water level of the water storage section 44 set at the lower end (left end) of the water receiving wall 48 (see FIG. 1), so that even if waves exceeding the full water level occur, they can be reliably absorbed. The water level in the water storage section 44 is detected by a capacitance-type water level sensor 50 provided on the outer surface of the left side of the water storage section 44, and the water supply from the water supply tank 2 is controlled based on the output of this water level sensor 50. By suppressing rippling of the water in the reservoir 44 with the breakwater 49, it is possible to prevent erroneous detection of the water level of the reservoir 44 due to rippling. The full water level of the reservoir 44 may be set not only at the bottom end of the receiving wall 48 but also at the top end or midway point of the receiving wall 48, and in this case too, it is desirable for the breakwater 49 to be at a height that exceeds the full water level of the reservoir 44. The upper limit water level that can be detected by the water level sensor 50 can also be set to the full water level of the reservoir 44.

The front side of the water storage section 44 is provided with an air supply tube 52 that extends vertically. The air supply tube 52 is configured by vertically connecting an upper air supply body 53 that is provided integrally with the humidification case 35 and a lower air supply body 54 that is separate from the humidification case 35. The upper air supply body 53 is formed in a square tube that penetrates the bottom wall of the mounting recess 3 from top to bottom. The upper end of the upper air supply body 53 opens forward, and the lower end opens downward and communicates with the lower air supply body 54. As shown in FIG. 7, the lower air supply body 54 is made of a hollow plastic molded product with openings on the top and right sides, and is fixed to the outer surface of the front side of the water storage section 44 with screws 55. The opening on the top side of the lower air supply body 54 communicates with the upper air supply body 53, and the opening on the right side communicates with the mist fan 56 described next.

The mist fan 56 is a centrifugal blower fan (sirocco fan) whose intake and exhaust directions are perpendicular to each other, and is fixed with a screw 55 to the right of the lower gas supply body 54 on the outer surface of the front side of the water storage section 44. Specifically, the mist fan 56 is equipped with a spiral fan casing 58 and a cylindrical impeller 59 that rotates around a horizontal axis (front-to-back direction) inside the fan casing 58. The intake port 60 of the mist fan 56 is formed concentrically with the impeller 59 on the front side of the fan casing 58. The exhaust port 61 of the mist fan 56 is provided on the left side of the fan casing 58, and its opening edge is inserted into the opening, i.e., the inlet 62, on the right side of the lower gas supply body 54. In other words, when the impeller 59 in the fan casing 58 is driven, the airflow formed by the impeller 59 flows into the lower gas supply body 54 and rises in turn through the lower gas supply body 54 and the upper gas supply body 53. The exhaust port 61 of the mist fan 56 is gently inclined upward toward the downward gas supply 54, which reduces the loss of air volume when the airflow is redirected upward within the downward gas supply 54. Note that the mist fan 56 may be an axial fan or the like other than a centrifugal fan.

As shown in FIG. 4, a main body side step 66 is formed in a circumferential shape at the upper and lower middle parts of the side of the mounting recess 3. A downwardly recessed notch 67 is formed at the rear end of the main body side step 66 (at the 12 o'clock position in FIG. 6), and the tip of a lock piece 68 constituting the lock mechanism 4 is disposed inside this notch recess 67. The base end of the lock piece 68 is accommodated between the outer case 16 and the humidifier case 35, and only the tip of the lock piece 68 is exposed toward the notch recess 67 from a window opened in the humidifier case 35 (see FIG. 5). In addition, downwardly recessed engagement grooves 69 are provided at three locations (at the 2 o'clock, 6 o'clock, and 10 o'clock positions in FIG. 6) of the main body side step 66 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The lower surface of the notch recess 67 is inclined downward toward the center of the mounting recess 3, so that water droplets that have entered the notch recess 67 are discharged along the inclination, preventing water droplets from accumulating in the notch recess 67. Preventing the accumulation of these water droplets will prevent water droplets from entering the inside of the humidifier case 35 through the window for the locking piece 68, and will prevent corrosion (rust) of the springs and other components that make up the locking mechanism 4.

A circular tank side step 71 is also provided on the lower part of the outer periphery of the water supply tank 2. A U-shaped locking frame 72 that protrudes downward is provided at the rear end of the tank side step 71 (at the 12 o'clock position in FIG. 8) in correspondence with the notched recess 67 and locking piece 68 of the main body side step 66, and downward protruding engagement protrusions 73 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction at three points on the tank side step 71 (at the 2 o'clock, 6 o'clock, and 10 o'clock positions in FIG. 8) in correspondence with the engagement groove 69 of the main body side step 66.

When the water tank 2 is inserted into the mounting recess 3 from above, the tank side step 71 of the water tank 2 is received by the body side step 66 of the mounting recess 3, and the engagement protrusions 73 enter and engage with the engagement grooves 69, while the lock frame 72 enters the notched recess 67 and the lock piece 68 engages with the lock frame 72 (see FIG. 3). The engagement of the engagement protrusions 73 with the engagement grooves 69 and the engagement of the lock frame 72 with the notched recess 67 restricts the rotation of the water tank 2 around the vertical axis relative to the device body 1, and the engagement of the lock piece 68 with the lock frame 72 restricts the water tank 2 from unintentionally slipping out of the mounting recess 3. These restrictions keep the water tank 2 in a stably mounted state. The engagement protrusions 73 (engagement grooves 69) and the lock frame 72 (notched recess 67) also function as guides (positioning) for the user to mount the water tank 2 in the appropriate position in the mounting recess 3.

The lock piece 68 is disposed inside the notched recess 67. In other words, the structure for preventing the water tank 2 from slipping out and the structure for preventing the water tank 2 from rotating are concentrated in one location in the mounting recess 3. The lock frame 72 of the water tank 2 also serves as a structure for preventing the water tank 2 from slipping out by engaging with the lock piece 68, and a structure for preventing the water tank 2 from rotating by engaging with the notched recess 67, so that both structures are concentrated in one location in the water tank 2 as well. This concentrated arrangement makes it possible to increase the space in the mounting recess 3 and the water tank 2 that is not occupied by the above two structures, allowing other structures to be placed in this space relatively freely.

A flat, bottomed, cylindrical tank base 75 is attached from the outside to the bottom of the tank body 6 of the water supply tank 2. When the water supply tank 2 is attached, the tank base 75 is accommodated in the lower half of the mounting recess 3 (below the body side step 66) and is supported by the bottom of the mounting recess 3. As shown in FIG. 9, an inwardly (upwardly) recessed engagement recess 76 is formed in the rear of the lower surface of the tank base 75, and a power receiving terminal 77 is fixed to the bottom of the recess. When the water supply tank 2 is attached, the engagement recess 76 engages with the engagement protrusion 45 at the bottom of the mounting recess 3, and the power receiving terminal 77 contacts the power supply terminal 37 exposed from the slit 46. This causes the power supply terminal 37 and the power receiving terminal 77 to be in a conducting state. According to the above embodiment, the user does not need to take the trouble of connecting the terminals 37 and 77 to each other separately from the attachment of the water supply tank 2, and the user's convenience can be improved. The power supply terminal 37 and the power receiving terminal 77 are optionally waterproofed. The power supply terminal 37 functions as a sensor that detects whether the water supply tank 2 is attached or not, and whether the water supply tank 2 is attached or not is determined based on whether or not electricity is flowing from the power supply terminal 37 to the power receiving terminal 77. When there is no electricity flowing from the power supply terminal 37 to the power receiving terminal 77, it is assumed that the water supply tank 2 is not attached, and an error is displayed on the display unit 42 (see FIG. 2).

The water supply tank 2 is equipped with electrical equipment such as a float-type water storage sensor 79 that detects the water level in the tank body 6, a lighting device 80 that illuminates the inside of the tank body 6, and an electrolysis device 81 (see FIG. 1) that electrolyzes the water in the tank body 6 to convert it into ozone water (sterilized water). These electrical equipment are electrically connected to the power receiving terminal 77, and when the water supply tank 2 is attached, they can be driven by receiving power from the power receiving terminal 77. In addition to ozone water, hypochlorous acid water and hydrogen water can be listed as sterilized water that can be generated by electrolysis. The former hypochlorous acid water can be generated by electrolysis of a sodium chloride aqueous solution. If the anode and cathode of the electrolysis device 81 are not separated by a diaphragm, the entire aqueous solution is converted into hypochlorous acid water (electrolyzed hypochlorous water), and if they are separated by a diaphragm, hypochlorous acid water is generated on the anode side (alkaline electrolyzed water is generated on the cathode side). The latter hydrogen water is produced on the cathode side when tap water is electrolyzed with the anode and cathode separated by a diaphragm (electrolyzed acid water is produced on the anode side). Tap water can also be electrolyzed without a diaphragm, in which case the entire solution can be transformed into neutral mixed electrolyzed water with a higher hydrogen concentration than tap water.

The water storage sensor 79 comprises a float that floats on the water in the tank body 6, a magnet attached to the float, a guide body that supports the float on the upper side of the bottom wall of the tank body 6 so that it can move up and down, and a Hall element attached to the underside of the bottom wall. When the amount of water stored in the tank body 6 is sufficient, the float floats up to its limit, and at this point the magnet is located outside the detection range of the Hall element. When the amount of water stored in the tank body 6 decreases to a point where only a small amount remains, the float descends and the magnet is detected by the Hall element, and in response, an error message is displayed on the display unit 42 indicating that there is no water left in the tank body 6.

A small electrolysis recess 82 that is deeper than the bottom surface is formed in the bottom of the tank body 6, and at least the electrodes of the electrolysis device 81 are housed in the electrolysis recess 82. Even if the water level of the tank body 6 detected by the water storage sensor 79 becomes zero, a certain amount of water remains in the electrolysis recess 82, and the electrodes of the electrolysis device 81 are immersed in water. With this, even if the water storage sensor 79 malfunctions and a signal is not output even though the water level in the tank body 6 is zero, and electricity is mistakenly applied to the electrolysis device 81, the electrolysis device 81 can be protected by the water in the electrolysis recess 82, and the electrolysis device 81 can be prevented from malfunctioning due to abnormal heat generation. If a voltage is applied with only a small amount of water attached between the electrodes of the electrolysis device 81, there is a risk of current concentrating in the small amount of water and generating heat, which is called dry boiling. However, if the electrodes of the electrolysis device 81 are housed in the electrolysis recess 82 as in this embodiment, this dry boiling can be reliably prevented.

As shown in FIG. 10, a water supply channel 83 is formed inside the tank base 75 for supplying the ozone water in the tank body 6 to the device body 1. The water supply channel 83 connects a water supply port 84 provided at the bottom of the tank body 6 to a drip port 85 provided at the bottom of the tank base 75, and is formed in a crank shape overall. The drip port 85 is located directly above the drip position P of the water receiving wall 48 when the water supply tank 2 is attached. A filtration filter member 86 is detachably attached to the water supply port 84 from the inner surface side of the tank body 6, thereby preventing the intrusion of foreign matter into the water supply channel 83.

Specifically, the water supply passage 83 is composed of a first water supply body 88 on the upstream side extending downward from the water supply port 84, and a second water supply body 89 on the downstream side extending from the lower end of the first water supply body 88 to the drip port 85. Of these, the second water supply body 89 is provided with a water passage hole 91 that is opened and closed by an opening and closing valve 90. The opening and closing valve 90 is composed of a solenoid equipped with a frame 92 fixed to the lower surface of the tank body 6 and a plunger 93 that is operated to extend and retract from the lower surface of the frame 92, and is electrically connected to the aforementioned power receiving terminal 77 to supply power. The tip (lower end) of the plunger 93 faces the water passage hole 91 from above and can be moved toward and away from the water passage hole 91. The opening and closing valve 90 also includes a spring that biases the plunger 93 in a direction protruding from the frame 92, i.e., downward, and a coil that surrounds the base of the plunger 93.

When the on-off valve 90 is not energized, such as when the water storage section 44 is full or the water supply tank 2 is separated, the tip of the spring-biased plunger 93 abuts against the water passage hole 91 and closes it. In other words, the water supply path 83 is closed and water supply from the water supply tank 2 to the device body 1 is cut off. On the other hand, when electricity is applied to the coil of the on-off valve 90, an upward electromagnetic force is generated that acts on the plunger 93, causing the plunger 93 to rise against the spring force (retract into the frame 92), and move away from the water passage hole 91, opening it. In other words, the water supply path 83 is opened and water is supplied from the water supply tank 2 to the device body 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the water supply tank 2 is attached to the mounting recess 3 at the top of the device main body 1 and is positioned above the water storage section 44. The water in the water supply tank 2 flows down the crank-shaped water supply path 83 from the water supply port 84 at the bottom of the tank main body 6, drips from the drip port 85 at the bottom of the tank base 75 onto the water receiving wall 48, and flows down the water receiving wall 48 into the water storage section 44. Thus, in this embodiment, water can be sent to the water storage section 44 simply by allowing it to freely fall from the tank main body 6 of the water supply tank 2. In other words, a drive system such as a pump is not required to send water to the water storage section 44, and the water supply structure can be simplified.

The full water level of the water storage section 44 is set at the lower end (left end) of the water receiving wall 48, and the water supply tank 2 (tank base 75) and its drip port 85 face this water receiving wall 48 from above. In other words, the water supply tank 2 and its drip port 85 are located above the full water level of the water storage section 44, so that the water supply tank 2 is not submerged in the water stored in the water storage section 44, and the surface of the water supply tank 2 is not wetted by the stored water. Also, as described above, when the water supply tank 2 is separated from the device main body 1, the water supply path 83 (dripping port 85) is closed by the opening and closing valve 90. Therefore, when the water supply tank 2 is separated from the device main body 1 and carried, it is possible to prevent the surface of the water supply tank 2 and the surroundings of the device main body 1 from being wetted by drops dripping from the drip port 85.

The mist cylinder 7 is formed in a vertically extending cylindrical shape by connecting an upper cylinder 96 integral with the tank body 6 and a lower cylinder 97 integral with the tank base 75 vertically. Strictly speaking, it is formed in a tapered shape that gradually reduces in diameter from the bottom end to the top end. The upper cylinder 96 is formed concentrically with the periphery of the tank body 6 inside, and the lower cylinder 97 is similarly formed concentrically with the periphery of the tank base 75 inside. The lower opening of the mist cylinder 7 faces the water storage section 44 from above when the water supply tank 2 is attached. In other words, the mist generated by the humidification module 36 rises from the water storage section 44 up the mist cylinder 7 and is released from the outlet 9. By gradually reducing the diameter of the mist cylinder 7, the wind speed of the mist can be increased and it can be sent farther.

9, the engagement recess 76 and the power receiving terminal 77 of the water supply tank 2 are arranged on the outside of the tube wall of the mist tube 7 (lower tube body 97). In other words, when the water supply tank 2 is attached, the engagement recess 76 engages with the engagement protrusion 45 of the device main body 1 on the outside of the mist tube 7, and the power receiving terminal 77 and the power supply terminal 37 come into contact. With the above configuration, the mist rising in the mist tube 7 does not come into contact with the power supply terminal 37 and the power receiving terminal 77, preventing poor contact between the terminals 37 and 77 due to moisture. The power supply terminal 37 and the power receiving terminal 77 may also be arranged on the main body side step 66 and the tank side step 71, which would allow the terminals 37 and 77 to be located farther away from the mist tube 7, further preventing poor contact between the terminals 37 and 77 due to moisture.

The front side of the lower cylinder 97 of the tank base 75 is provided with an air supply groove 98 that receives the upper part of the air supply tube 52 when the water supply tank 2 is attached. The air supply groove 98 is a long groove that is recessed inward (upward) from the bottom surface of the tank base 75, and its rear end is connected to the inside of the lower cylinder 97 without being separated by a wall. The air supply port 99 at the upper end of the air supply tube 52 opens forward and faces the front wall of the air supply groove 98 with a sufficient gap between them. The left and right width dimension of the air supply groove 98 is also formed to be sufficiently larger than the same dimension of the upper part of the air supply tube 52, and a gap is provided between the air supply groove 98 and the left and right walls of the air supply tube 52 to allow airflow to pass through.

In other words, the airflow formed by the mist fan 56 and rising up the air supply cylinder 52 is blown forward from the air supply port 99 at the upper end, hits the front wall of the air supply groove 98, splits into left and right, and then flows backward along the left and right walls of the air supply groove 98. After that, it reaches the lower cylinder body 97 of the mist cylinder 7, takes in the mist rising from the water storage section 44, rises up the mist cylinder 7, and is released from the outlet 9. The front wall of the air supply groove 98 is formed in an outwardly convex arc shape in a plan view using the peripheral wall of the tank base 75 (see FIG. 8), so the airflow from the air supply port 99 can be smoothly redirected to the left and right. In this way, when the mist fan 56 forms an airflow in the mist cylinder 7, the mist generated by the humidification module 36 can be carried on the airflow and efficiently released to the outside of the humidifier. The operating current value of the mist fan 56 is constantly monitored, and if this current value is outside the normal range, an error message is displayed on the display unit 42 prompting inspection of the mist fan 56.

The upper end of the air supply tube 52 is adjacent to the water storage section 44, which shortens or simplifies the path from the air supply port 99 of the air supply tube 52 to the top of the water storage section 44. If the air supply port 99 is opened only in the forward direction (horizontal direction), the upper surface of the air supply tube 52 is blocked, and water droplets and mist can be prevented from entering the air supply tube 52 from the upper surface. If the air supply port 99 is opened in a direction away from the water storage section 44, when mist rising from the water storage section 44 flows back toward the air supply tube 52, the mist can be prevented from entering the air supply tube 52 from the air supply port 99. Furthermore, if the air supply port 99 is opened in a direction away from the water receiving wall 48, when water dripping from the drip port 85 of the water supply tank 2 splashes widely on the water receiving wall 48, the water droplets can be prevented from entering the air supply tube 52 from the air supply port 99.

As shown in FIG. 11, the upper end of the mist cylinder 7 is connected to a mixing chamber 125 surrounded by a mist cover 123 and a holder unit 124. In this mixing chamber 125, the mist rising from the mist cylinder 7 is mixed with ozone gas floating in the tank body 6. The mixing chamber 125 is also connected to a discharge chamber 127 surrounded by a tank lid 8 and a mist guide 126, and the discharge port 9 faces the front end of the discharge chamber 127. In other words, the mist rising from the mist cylinder 7 becomes ozone-containing mist in the mixing chamber 125 and flows into the discharge chamber 127, and is discharged from the discharge chamber 127 to the outside of the humidifier through the discharge port 9. When hypochlorous acid water is generated in place of ozone water in the tank body 6, the active chlorine component floating in the tank body 6 is mixed with the mist in the mixing chamber 125. Furthermore, when hydrogen water is produced within the tank body 6, the hydrogen floating within the tank body 6 is mixed into mist in the mixing chamber 125.

Both the mist cover 123 and the holder unit 124 are made of resin molded products. The holder unit 124 supports the mist cover 123 from below, and is inserted into the mist cylinder 7 from above and fixed to its outer circumferential surface. Specifically, it is integrally equipped with a substantially cylindrical mounting cylinder 130 that fits onto the upper end of the mist cylinder 7, a receiving tray 131 that protrudes radially from the outer circumferential surface of the mounting cylinder 130, and a lid support base 132 that extends rearward from the rear surface of the receiving tray 131. The receiving tray 131 is formed into a mortar shape as a whole, and its wall surface is inclined upward outward. The outer circumferential edge (upper edge) of the receiving tray 131 engages with the mist cover 123 and supports it from below. Details of the lid support base 132 will be described later. To ensure that the holder unit 124 is attached to the mist cylinder 7 in the correct orientation (phase), and to prevent the holder unit 124 from rotating around the mist cylinder 7 after attachment, an engagement structure consisting of a recess and a protrusion is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the mist cylinder 7 and the inner peripheral surface of the attachment cylinder 130.

The mist cover 123 is integrally provided with a mist wall 134 with a spherical upper convex portion facing the upper opening of the mist cylinder 7 from above, a roughly cylindrical engagement cylinder 135 extending downward from the periphery of the mist wall 134, and an indicator body 136 that slopes downward from the front of the engagement cylinder 135. The engagement cylinder 135 elastically engages with the outer periphery of the receiving dish 131 of the holder unit 124. The indicator body 136 indicates the full water level in the tank body 6, and the indicator body 136 is slightly below the lower end of the indicator body 136 and coincides with the full water level. The upper surface of the indicator body 136 can display characters or the like to inform the user that the lower end is an indicator of the full water level. The mist wall 134 is formed in a concentric shape with a larger diameter than the upper opening of the mist cylinder 7, and a plurality of mist holes 137 that allow mist to pass through are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the periphery. In plan view, the group of mist holes 137 is arranged to surround the upper opening of the mist cylinder 7 from the outside (see Figure 12).

The space surrounded by the mist wall 134 of the mist cover 123 and the mounting tube 130 and receiving tray 131 of the holder unit 124 constitutes the mixing chamber 125 in which the mist is mixed with ozone gas. Ozone gas generated by the electrolysis of water by the electrolysis device 81 floats in the tank body 6, and the holder unit 124 is provided with a plurality of suction paths 140 for sucking the ozone gas into the mixing chamber 125. Each suction path 140 is a groove that penetrates the holder unit 124 vertically and is formed in an arc shape in a plan view (see FIG. 12). A group of suction paths 140 is arranged so as to surround the upper opening of the mist tube 7 from the outside. Note that since the mixing chamber 125 is located above the full water level (indicator 136) of the tank body 6, the accumulated water in the tank body 6 does not enter the mixing chamber 125 through the suction paths 140.

The mist rising from the mist tube 7 is received by the inner surface (lower surface) of the mist wall 134 and redirected in the radial direction of the mist wall 134. That is, a flow of mist is generated that flows out from the mixing chamber 125 to the discharge chamber 127 through the mist hole 137. This outflow of mist creates negative pressure in the mixing chamber 125, and this negative pressure draws the ozone gas in the tank body 6 into the mixing chamber 125 through the suction passage 140 (Venturi effect). The ozone gas thus drawn mixes with the mist in the mixing chamber 125, thereby generating an ozone-containing mist.

When the ozone gas in the tank body 6 is sucked into the mixing chamber 125, mixed with the mist, and released from the release port 9, the concentration of ozone gas in the tank body 6 is reduced, preventing the tank body 6 from being filled with high concentrations of ozone gas. This prevents high concentrations of ozone gas, which cause an irritating odor, from being released and scattered into the surrounding area when the tank lid 8 is separated from the tank body 6 and the top is opened, thereby preventing the user from inhaling high concentrations of ozone gas and preventing the user from feeling uncomfortable due to the irritating odor. In addition, the sterilizing effect of ozone gas can be added to the mist released from the release port 9.

By providing a mixing chamber 125 for mixing ozone gas into the mist, the ozone gas can be distributed uniformly without bias in the mist released from the outlet 9. If the distribution of ozone gas is uneven, the user receiving the mist may temporarily feel a strong odor of ozone gas, but this embodiment can significantly reduce this risk. In addition, the mist cylinder 7 is arranged to surround the central axis of the tank body 6, and the mixing chamber 125 surrounding the upper part of the mist cylinder 7 and the group of suction paths 140 provided at the bottom of the mixing chamber 125 are also arranged to surround the central axis of the tank body 6. This makes it possible to uniformize the amount of ozone gas sucked from each suction path 140 to the mixing chamber 125, thereby reducing unevenness in the concentration of ozone gas in the tank body 6.

The mist rising from the mist cylinder 7 may contain relatively large water droplets. Many of these water droplets are received by and adhere to the inner surface of the mist wall 134, and drip from the periphery of the mist wall 134 toward the bottom of the mixing chamber 125. The water then flows down one of the suction paths 140 extending downward from the bottom of the mixing chamber 125 (the lower edge of the receiving dish 131), and flows along the outer surface of the mist cylinder 7 to join the pooled water in the tank body 6. In other words, the suction path 140 also serves as a recovery path 141 for returning the water droplets contained in the mist to the tank body 6. This simplifies the structure of the wall of the mixing chamber 125 compared to when the suction path 140 and the recovery path 141 are provided separately. The recovery paths 141 are formed intermittently along the outer surface of the mist cylinder 7, so that water droplets that drip from the mist wall 134 onto the bottom of the mixing chamber 125 can be quickly discharged outside the mixing chamber 125 from the recovery path 141 that is closest to the drip position.

When the mist rising from the mist tube 7 is received by the upper wall of the mixing chamber 125, i.e., the mist wall 134, the relatively large water droplets contained in the mist are allowed to adhere to the mist wall 134 and are removed from the mist. In other words, a high-quality mist containing only fine water droplets and unlikely to wet the user's skin can be emitted from the outlet 9. In addition, when the water droplets that have dripped from the mist wall 134 onto the bottom of the mixing chamber 125 are allowed to merge with the accumulated water in the tank body 6 through the recovery path 141, it is possible to prevent the water droplets from accumulating in the mixing chamber 125 and to reuse the water droplets as a raw material for the mist.

The mist guide 126 is made of a resin molded product formed into a shallow dish shape and is fixed to the inner surface (lower surface) of the tank lid 8. A circular insertion hole 143 is provided in the center of the bottom wall of the mist guide 126, which allows the mist wall 134 of the mist cover 123 to pass through. Each mist hole 137 provided in the mist wall 134 opens obliquely upward toward the discharge chamber 127 surrounded by the tank lid 8 and the mist guide 126, so that the ozone-containing mist in the mixing chamber 125 can smoothly flow into the discharge chamber 127 through the mist hole 137. The front end of the bottom wall of the mist guide 126 faces the discharge port 9 from below and slopes upward as it moves away from the mist tube 7. The inclined surface smoothly guides the mist toward the discharge port 9, and also guides water droplets that flow down from the periphery of the discharge port 9 or the inner surface of the tank lid 8 toward the insertion hole 143, contributing to the discharge of the water droplets from the discharge chamber 127. The periphery of the insertion hole 143 is formed into a horizontal ring plate shape, and can guide water droplets that flow down from the inner surface of the tank lid 8, etc., outside the discharge chamber 127, i.e., to the mixing chamber 125.

When the tank lid 8 is separated from the tank body 6 and the top surface is opened, the user can supply water into the tank body 6, more precisely, between the inner peripheral surface of the tank body 6 and the outer peripheral surface of the mist cylinder 7. In other words, ozone water generated by the electrolysis device 81 is stored between the inner peripheral surface of the tank body 6 and the outer peripheral surface of the mist cylinder 7, and thus the outer peripheral surface of the mist cylinder 7 can be immersed in the ozone water for sterilization, and the upper part of the outer peripheral surface that is not immersed in the ozone water can also be sterilized by the ozone gas floating on the water surface. The mist lid 134 that covers the upper opening of the mist cylinder 7 from above also serves as a protective cover to prevent the user from accidentally supplying water to the inside of the mist cylinder 7. On the outer surface (top surface) of the mist lid 134, letters or the like can be displayed to inform the user that water should not be supplied to the inside of the mist cylinder 7.

As shown in FIG. 1, the peripheral wall of the tank body 6 is formed in a generally truncated cone shape that tapers downward, and its upper part is covered from the outside with a generally cylindrical decorative cover 144. The upper end of the decorative cover 144 protrudes upward from the tank body 6, and the tank lid 8 is detachably fitted inside the upper end. The tank lid 8 is made of a resin molded product formed in a disk shape, and a bayonet structure consisting of a circumferentially extending protrusion and groove is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the tank lid 8 and the inner peripheral surface of the decorative cover 144. In other words, when the tank lid 8 is rotated inside the decorative cover 144, it can be switched between a locked state in which the protrusion of the bayonet structure engages with the groove (the tank lid 8 cannot be lifted) and an unlocked state in which the protrusion is released from the groove (the tank lid 8 can be lifted). It is also possible to omit the decorative cover 144 and provide an engagement structure between the tank body 6 and the tank lid 8, and to directly attach the tank lid 8 to the tank body 6. Furthermore, the tank lid 8 does not need to be detachable from the tank body 6 or the decorative cover 144. For example, the tank lid 8 can be connected to the tank body 6 or the decorative cover 144 with a hinge, and the opening of the tank body 6 can be opened and closed by swinging the tank lid 8.

13 and 14, the tank lid 8 separated from the tank body 6 during water supply can be supported by the lid support base 132 at the rear of the mist tube 7. Specifically, the lid support base 132 is formed in a gutter shape extending left and right, and the peripheral portion of the disk-shaped tank lid 8 is inserted from above into the lid support base 132 and placed on it. According to the humidifier of this embodiment equipped with the lid support base 132 in this way, the user does not have to worry about where to place the tank lid 8, and the tank lid 8 can be placed in an appropriate position, so that a humidifier with excellent convenience can be obtained. Since it is no longer necessary to place the tank lid 8 on a desk, etc., problems such as the tank lid 8 with water droplets adhering to it wetting the desk, etc. can be eliminated. In addition, the tank lid 8 placed on the lid support base 132 functions as a wall to catch part of the water splashed from the water surface of the tank body 6 during water supply and prevent it from flying around the humidifier.

The inner bottom surface of the lid support base 132 constitutes a lid receiving surface 147 that supports the peripheral portion of the tank lid 8 from below. When viewed from the rear (front), the lid receiving surface 147 is formed in a downwardly convex arc shape. The lid receiving surface 147 also slopes downward toward the rear, so that the tank lid 8 is also supported in an inclined position that slopes backward. In this embodiment, the inclination angle θ of the tank lid 8 relative to the vertical plane in the inclined position is set to 20°. It is preferable to set the inclination angle θ within the range of 15° to 25°.

The front wall of the lid support base 132 is provided with a regulating body 148 consisting of a protrusion extending rearward toward the lid receiving surface 147, and correspondingly, a regulated body 149 consisting of an annular protrusion is provided on the inner surface (lower surface) of the tank lid 8. The regulating body 148 engages with the lower end of the regulated body 149 of the tank lid 8 inserted into the lid support base 132, and stably holds the tank lid 8 in an inclined position against the rotational moment in the direction in which it tries to fall.

13 and 14 show the tank lid 8 in a horizontal position (position that closes the opening of the tank body 6) with the front end inserted, but the tank lid 8 can be inserted at any point on the periphery of the tank lid 8 without being limited to the front end. In other words, if the tank lid 8 is formed in a disk shape and the regulated body 149 is formed in an annular shape on its inner surface, the regulating body 148 engages with the regulated body 149 regardless of the circumferential orientation of the tank lid 8, so that the user does not need to pay attention to the orientation when inserting the tank lid 8 into the lid support base 132, improving convenience. Furthermore, the annular regulated body 149 functions as a dam that prevents water droplets adhering to the inner surface of the tank lid 8 from flowing to the periphery and even the outer surface.

When the tank lid 8 is placed on the lid support base 132, most of the water droplets adhering to the tank lid 8 flow down the tank lid 8 to the lid receiving surface 147. A water passage hole 150 that penetrates the lid support base 132 extends downward from the rear end of the lid receiving surface 147, i.e., from the bottom of the lid receiving surface 147 (see FIG. 15). According to this, the water droplets that flow down from the tank lid 8 to the lid receiving surface 147 flow along the slope of the lid receiving surface 147 toward its bottom, and drip from the water passage hole 150 toward the bottom of the tank body 6. As described above, the lid receiving surface 147 of the lid support base 132 is formed in a downward convex arc shape, and the water passage hole 150 that extends downward from the bottom is provided, so that the water droplets that have gathered at the bottom of the lid receiving surface 147 along the slope of the lid receiving surface 147 can be discharged from the water passage hole 150 to the outside of the lid receiving surface 147. In other words, water can be prevented from accumulating on the lid receiving surface 147. This can prevent the proliferation of bacteria in the water.

In plan view, the lid support base 132 is disposed inside the peripheral wall of the water supply tank 2. This allows water droplets that have flowed down the tank lid 8 to the lid support base 132 to drip into the water supply tank 2, preventing the area around the humidifier from getting wet with water droplets. The lid support base 132 is also disposed below the upper edge of the water supply tank 2, which allows most of the water droplets to fall into the water supply tank 2 even if the water droplets on the tank lid 8 are scattered by the impact of placing the tank lid 8 on the lid support base 132, preventing the area around the humidifier from getting wet.

The lid support base 132 is positioned above the full water level (indicator 136) of the water supply tank 2, so that the lid support base 132 and the tank lid 8 can be prevented from getting wet by the water stored in the water supply tank 2. The lid support base 132 and the indicator 136 are positioned symmetrically from front to back with the mist cylinder 7 in between. With this, when the tank lid 8 is inserted into the lid support base 132, the tank lid 8 does not cover the indicator 136, and the user can more easily see the indicator 136 when refilling the water supply tank 2 with water. Therefore, the user can more reliably recognize the full water level of the water supply tank 2. The positional relationship between the lid support base 132 and the indicator 136 is not limited to being symmetrical with the mist cylinder 7 in between. For example, the same effect as above can be obtained even if either the lid support base 132 or the indicator 136 is moved to the left or right side of the mist cylinder 7, so that the phase around the mist cylinder 7 is shifted by 90°.

The majority of the tank lid 8 placed on the lid support base 132 in an inclined position is positioned inside the peripheral wall of the water supply tank 2 in a plan view, so even if water droplets adhering to the tank lid 8 drip without running down the tank lid, most of the water droplets can fall into the water supply tank 2. This prevents the surroundings of the humidifier from getting wet with water droplets. The inclination angle θ of the tank lid 8 with respect to the vertical plane is set to 25° or less (20° in this embodiment), so that the water droplets adhering to the tank lid 8 can flow down to the lid support base 132 more reliably and quickly. This also prevents the water droplets adhering to the tank lid 8 from scattering and wetting the surroundings of the humidifier. Since most of the tank lid 8 can be positioned inside the peripheral wall of the water supply tank 2, this also prevents the surroundings of the humidifier from getting wet with water droplets dripping from the tank lid 8.

The lid support base 132 in this embodiment is made of a resin molded product that is integral with the receiving tray 131 and the mounting tube 130, and the mounting tube 130 is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the mist tube 7. In other words, the lid support base 132 is supported by the mist tube 7 via the receiving tray 131 and the mounting tube 130. This allows the lid support base 132 and therefore the tank lid 8 to be stably supported without wobbling. Furthermore, by providing the lid support base 132 integrally with the receiving tray 131, i.e., the bottom wall of the mixing chamber 125, the number of parts of the humidifier can be reduced, resulting in lower costs, compared to when the two are separate components.

As shown in FIG. 4, the operation cover 38 has six operation buttons 40 arranged in the order shown from left to right: a power switch 401, a humidity setting section 402, a timer setting section 403, a lock switch 404, a brightness adjustment section 405, and an airflow setting section 406. Between the humidity setting section 402 and the timer setting section 403, there is a display section 42 that displays the indoor temperature and humidity detected by a temperature and humidity sensor (not shown).

The power switch 401 is an operation button 40 that allows the user to switch the humidifier between an operating state and a standby state. The humidity setting unit 402 is an operation button 40 that allows the user to instruct the control unit (control board) on the desired humidity setting, and is configured so that the humidity setting changes from "high" to "medium", "medium" to "low", and then from "low" to "high" each time the humidity setting unit 402 is pressed. By placing the humidity setting unit 402, which is operated relatively frequently, adjacent to the power switch 401, the user can conveniently operate the humidity setting unit 402 by simply moving their finger slightly immediately after turning on the power (operating the power switch 401).

The timer setting unit 403 is an operation button 40 for instructing the control unit on the timer, i.e., the time until the humidifier automatically stops. The lock switching unit 404 is an operation button 40 for switching each operation button 40 other than itself between a locked state and an unlocked state. In the locked state, pressing each operation button 40 other than the lock switching unit 404 is invalid, preventing tampering by children, etc. The brightness adjustment unit 405 is an operation button 40 for adjusting the brightness of an LED (not shown) that illuminates each operation button 40 from the inside side of the operation cover 38.

The air volume setting unit 406 is an operation button 40 that allows the user to instruct the control unit on the desired volume of purified air, and is configured so that the air volume changes from "high" to "medium", "medium" to "low", and then from "low" to "high" each time the air volume setting unit 406 is pressed. The air volume setting unit 406 is located at the right end of the operation unit 41, and is far away from the power supply switching unit 401 and the humidity setting unit 402 located next to it, both of which are located at the left end. The display unit 42, timer setting unit 403, lock switching unit 404, and brightness adjustment unit 405 are located between the power supply switching unit 401 and humidity setting unit 402, and the air volume setting unit 406.

In general, the frequency of operation of the air volume setting unit 406 is lower than the frequency of operation of the power supply switching unit 401 and the humidity setting unit 402. This is because the optimal air volume of the purified air containing ozone depends on the size of the room in which the humidifier is used, and there is no need to change the air volume as long as the humidifier is used in the same room. When using the humidifier in a relatively small room, setting the purified air volume higher than necessary may lead to an increase in the ozone concentration in the room. Therefore, in this embodiment, the air volume setting unit 406 is located as far away as possible from the power supply switching unit 401 and the humidity setting unit 402, which are operated relatively frequently. This prevents the air volume setting unit 406 from being operated erroneously when the power supply switching unit 401 and the humidity setting unit 402 are operated, and makes it difficult for the user to operate the air volume setting unit 406 except when the user intends to (such as when the humidifier is moved to another room).

A user of the humidifier can switch the humidifier between an operating state and a standby state by connecting the power cable 24 and then pressing the power switch 401 of the operation unit 41. When the humidifier is in an operating state, the various parts of the humidifying unit 11 and the purification unit 12 are driven to simultaneously generate mist and purified air. Of course, it is also possible to operate only one of the humidifying unit 11 and the purification unit 12 and generate only mist or purified air.

In the operating state of the humidifying unit 11, the humidifying module 36 is driven together with the mist fan 56, and the generated mist is released from the outlet 9 on the air current. In addition, power is supplied from the power supply terminal 37 of the humidifying unit 11 to the on-off valve 90 of the water supply tank 2, i.e., the on-off valve 90 is opened, and water is supplied from the tank body 6 to the water storage section 44. The power supply terminal 37 also supplies power to the electrolytic device 81 in the tank body 6, so that ozone water generated by electrolysis is sent to the water storage section 44. The opening and closing of the water supply channel 83 by the on-off valve 90 is controlled based on the output of the water level sensor 50 of the water storage section 44. In other words, when the water level sensor 50 detects a full water level during the operation of the humidifying unit 11, the water supply channel 83 is closed, and when the water level sensor 50 detects a drop in the water level, the water supply channel 83 is opened again. When the operation section 41 is operated to switch the humidification unit 11 from an operating state to a standby state, or when the humidity in the space to be humidified has risen sufficiently, the control section (control board) stops the humidification module 36 and the mist fan 56, and transitions the humidification unit 11 to a standby state.

When using the humidification module 36 including an ultrasonic vibrator as in this embodiment, it is difficult to completely reduce the water level of the water storage section 44 to zero at the same time as the operation ends, because there is a risk of failure if the ultrasonic vibrator is operated without being immersed in water. In the standby state in which the humidification module 36 is stopped, ozone evaporates from the water stored in the water storage section 44 and is gradually lost, and bacteria and the like are likely to grow in the stored water with a reduced ozone concentration. In other words, a typical ultrasonic humidifier has a unique problem not seen in steam type (heating type) humidifiers, in that water remains in the immersion section of the ultrasonic vibrator, bacteria and the like are likely to grow, and if the water is not drained, a mist containing bacteria may be released. Therefore, in this embodiment, even after the humidification module 36 is stopped, the opening and closing valve 90 is intermittently opened to send the ozone water in the water supply tank 2 to the water storage section 44 in small amounts. As a result, the sterilization effect of ozone can be sustained even in the standby state, and the water storage section 44 can be kept hygienic.

In order to avoid a situation in which the water storage section 44 becomes full and ozone water cannot be sent, the mist fan 56 can be driven even when the humidification unit 11 is in standby mode to promote evaporation of the water stored in the water storage section 44. When the mist fan 56 is driven, the relatively humid air above the water surface of the water storage section 44 is carried upward (to the mist tube 7) and replaced with less humid air, promoting evaporation of the water stored in the water storage section 44. The rotation speed of the mist fan 56 at this time is set to a lower speed than when the humidification unit 11 is in operation, and it is desirable to set the rotation speed to a low speed such that no wind comes out of the outlet 9. The highly humid air rising up the mist tube 7 due to the action of the mist fan 56 reaches the mixing chamber 125 and is received by the mist wall 134, and some of the water vapor contained in the highly humid air at this time becomes water droplets and adheres to the mist wall 134. These water droplets drip from the mist wall 134 to the bottom of the mixing chamber 125 and join the water in the tank body 6 through the recovery path 141. In other words, when the mist fan 56 is driven at a low speed, the water in the water storage section 44 is vaporized and reduced in volume, and the vaporized water can be returned to the tank body 6 through the mist tube 7 and the mixing chamber 125.

The humidifier includes a water storage section 44 that stores water as a raw material for the mist, a humidification module 36 that vaporizes the water in the water storage section 44, a mist tube 7 that guides the mist generated by the humidification module 36 to the outlet 9, a mist fan 56 that forms an airflow in the mist tube 7 toward the outlet 9, and a water supply tank 2 that supplies water to the water storage section 44. Between the mist tube 7 and the outlet 9, a mist wall 134 is provided to receive the mist rising from the mist tube 7, and the water droplets attached to the mist wall 134 are configured to drip into the water supply tank 2. When the humidification module 36 is stopped, the mist fan 56 is driven at a slower speed than when the humidification module 36 is driven. With this type of humidifier, the water stored in the water storage section 44 is vaporized to reduce its volume, and the vaporized water is allowed to adhere to the mist wall 134 as water droplets and returned to the water supply tank 2. When the volume of water stored in the water storage section 44 is reduced, sterilized water is sent to the water storage section 44 by that amount, and the sterilization effect can keep the water storage section 44 hygienic.

Furthermore, a shutter can be provided that closes the outlet 9 when the humidification module 36 is stopped. This allows the mist fan 56 to be driven at the same speed or faster when the humidification module 36 is stopped, further promoting evaporation of the water stored in the water storage section 44. This also has the advantage that the mist fan 56 can be driven in a short time. This shutter may be manually closed by the user, or may be automatically closed at the same time as the humidification module 36 is stopped. A notification means can be provided that notifies the user that the mist fan 56 will be driven when the humidification module 36 is stopped, urging the user to close the shutter.

After the humidification module 36 is stopped, the electrolysis device 81 can be driven to increase the concentration of the ozone water in the water supply tank 2 before the on-off valve 90 is opened to send the ozone water to the water storage section 44. The drive time of the electrolysis device 81 and the voltage value applied at this time can be determined based on the continuous stop time of the electrolysis device 81 at that time (the elapsed time from the end of the previous drive of the electrolysis device 81 to the stop of the humidification module 36). In particular, if a higher voltage is applied to the electrolysis device 81 when the humidification module 36 is stopped than when it was driven, ozone water of a higher concentration can be generated in the water supply tank 2.

In this embodiment, if the continuous stop time of the electrolysis device 81 is less than the first elapsed time (4 hours), the voltage value applied to the electrolysis device 81 is the same as that when the humidification module 36 is driven (V0); if the continuous stop time is equal to or greater than the first elapsed time and less than the second elapsed time (8 hours), the voltage value applied to the electrolysis device 81 is higher than that when the humidification module 36 is driven by a predetermined boost voltage (V0 + α); if the continuous stop time is equal to or greater than the second elapsed time, the voltage value applied to the electrolysis device 81 is higher than that when the humidification module 36 is driven by twice the boost voltage (V0 + 2α). By sending ozone water of a higher concentration to the water storage section 44 than that when the humidification module 36 is driven, the sterilization effect in the water storage section 44 can be prolonged. In addition, by gradually increasing the voltage applied to the electrolysis device 81 according to the continuous stop time of the electrolysis device 81, high-concentration sterilized water can be sent to the water storage section 44 even if the continuous stop time is long.

(Second embodiment) A second embodiment of the humidifier according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 16. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of each suction path 140 (recovery path 141) provided in the left half of the mixing chamber 125 is larger than the cross-sectional area of each suction path 140 (recovery path 141) provided in the right half of the mixing chamber 125. In other words, the left half of the bottom of the mixing chamber 125, which is relatively close to the electrolytic device 81, has a larger total area of the suction paths 140 per unit area than the right half, which is relatively far from the electrolytic device 81. Since a relatively large amount of ozone gas floats in the part of the tank body 6 that is close to the electrolytic device 81, by increasing the total area of the suction paths 140 in that part, a large amount of ozone gas can be sucked into the mixing chamber 125. Since the rest is the same as the first embodiment, the same members are given the same symbols and their description is omitted. Instead of making the cross-sectional area of each suction passage 140 different, the same effect can be achieved by making the spacing between suction passages 140 of the same shape different.

The humidifier according to the present invention can contribute to Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by the United Nations. The present invention can also be applied to humidifiers that do not have a purification unit 12 and do not generate purified air. In addition to the ultrasonic humidifier shown in the above embodiment, the present invention can also be applied to steam (heating) humidifiers that heat and evaporate water (the humidification module 36 is a heater) and evaporative humidifiers that evaporate water by blowing air on a water-containing filter (the humidification module 36 is a fan). Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to a centrifugal atomization humidifier (Patent No. 6370185) previously proposed by the applicant. In this case, the humidification module 36 is composed of a conical water-pumping body immersed in water in the water storage section 44, a rotating base fixed to the upper end of the water-pumping body, a group of collision walls arranged in multiple layers in the radial direction of the lower surface of the rotating base, and a motor that rotates and drives the rotating base.

Reference Signs List 1 Apparatus body 2 Water supply tank 6 Tank body 7 Mist tube 8 Tank lid 9 Discharge port 11 Humidification unit 36 Humidification module 44 Water storage section 52 Air supply tube 56 Mist fan 81 Electrolysis device 125 Mixing chamber 132 Lid support stand 134 Mist wall 140 Suction path 141 Recovery path

Claims (12)

The device includes a humidification unit (11) that evaporates water to generate mist, and a water supply tank (2) that supplies water to the humidification unit (11).
The water supply tank (2) includes a tank body (6) for storing water, and an electrolysis device (81) for electrolyzing the water in the tank body (6) and converting it into sterilized water.
This humidifier is characterized in that volatile gas generated by electrolysis of water and floating in a tank body (6) is discharged from a discharge port (9) together with mist generated in a humidification unit (11). The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein a mixing chamber (125) for mixing volatile gas with the mist is provided between the humidification unit (11) and the outlet (9). The system includes a mist tube (7) for guiding mist from the humidification unit (11) to the mixing chamber (125),
The upper wall of the mixing chamber (125) constitutes a mist wall (134) that receives the mist rising from the mist tube (7),
A water-passable recovery passage (141) is provided at the bottom of the mixing chamber (125),
3. The humidifier according to claim 2, wherein the water droplets dripping from the mist wall (134) onto the bottom of the mixing chamber (125) join the pooled water in the tank body (6) through a recovery passage (141). A humidifier as described in claim 3, in which the recovery passage (141) also serves as a suction passage (140) for drawing volatile gas in the tank body (6) into the mixing chamber (125). The humidification unit (11) includes a water storage section (44) that stores sterilized water that is a raw material for the mist, and a humidification module (36) that vaporizes the sterilized water in the water storage section (44).
5. The humidifier according to claim 4, wherein the water tank (2) is disposed above the water reservoir (44). A mist tube (7) is disposed inside the tank body (6),
6. The humidifier according to claim 5, wherein sterilized water is stored between the inner surface of the tank body (6) and the outer surface of the mist tube (7). A mixing chamber (125) is formed to surround the upper part of the mist tube (7),
7. The humidifier according to claim 6, wherein the recovery passage (141) is intermittently formed along the outer surface of the mist tube (7). The humidifier according to claim 7, in which the mist tube (7) is arranged to surround the center of the tank body (6) in a plan view. A humidifier according to any one of claims 3 to 8, in which the mist tube (7) is tapered toward the top. A humidifier according to any one of claims 3 to 8, in which the mixing chamber (125) is located above the full water level of the tank body (6). The tank includes a tank lid (8) that detachably opens and closes the opening of the tank body (6), and a lid support base (132) on which the tank lid (8) separated from the tank body (6) is placed.
9. A humidifier according to claim 3, wherein the lid support (132) is integral with the bottom wall of the mixing chamber (125). The electrolysis device (81) is disposed on the side of the mist tube (7),
9. A humidifier according to claim 7 or 8, wherein a portion of the bottom of the mixing chamber (125) that is relatively close to the electrolysis device (81) has a larger total area of the suction paths (140) per unit area than a portion that is relatively far from the electrolysis device (81).

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