JP5171762B2 - Humidifier - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a humidifier configured to pass air through a humidifying filter containing water and to send out humid air containing vaporized water led out downstream of the humidifying filter.

  In recent years, humidifiers for giving appropriate humidity to indoor air are widely used in accordance with the increase in health orientation. In particular, a vaporizing humidifier (see, for example, Patent Document 1) that enables humidification without heating and evaporation of water can be adjusted without changing the room temperature. Yes.

  The vaporizing type humidifier has a blower fan and a humidifying filter containing water in the middle of the air passage connecting the suction port and the discharge port, and the air blower fan operates through the suction port to enter the air passage. The air to be introduced is passed through a humidification filter, and is sent out into the room through the discharge port.

  The humidification filter is a sheet made of a material (nonwoven fabric or the like) that has high water content and can be ventilated, is folded in a bellows shape to increase the contact area with the vent, and is stored and held in a disc-shaped holding frame. . The holding frame is supported in a state where the lower part of the stored water in the water receiver is immersed in the upper part of the water receiver for storing a fixed amount of water, and is rotated around the horizontal axis by transmission from a transmission gear meshing with a ring gear provided on the outer periphery. It is driven to rotate at a low speed.

  The holding frame has ventilation openings on the front and rear surfaces facing the air passage, and the air flowing in the air passage comes into contact with the humidifying filter through the opening on the front surface of the holding frame, and humid air containing vaporized moisture. It is sent out through the opening on the rear surface of the holding frame. The humidifying filter sucks up the stored water in the water receiving tray while rotating together with the holding frame, and replenishes the water lost with vaporization.

JP 2009-85511 A

  In the humidifier configured as described above, the transmission gear that meshes with the ring gear on the outer periphery of the holding frame is connected to a rotational drive source such as a motor via the drive gear that meshes therewith, and is rotated by the drive of the rotational drive source. Is configured to do. On the other hand, since the ring gear meshing with the transmission gear is immersed in the stored water in the water tray on the rotation circumference of the holding frame, the ring gear rotates and meshes with the transmission gear while the stored water adheres to the tooth surface. .

  Therefore, the water attached to the tooth surface of the ring gear is transferred to the transmission gear, and this water is also transferred to the drive gear meshing with the transmission gear. The transmission gear and the drive gear have their respective teeth. Engage with water on the surface. This adhering water is thirsty during the suspension of operation of the humidifier, causing crystals of hardness component (scale) contained in the adhering water to precipitate at the meshing part of the transmission gear and the drive gear, and the transmission gear from the drive gear at the start of the next operation. Invite the problem of obstructing the transmission to. The precipitation of scale in the meshing part occurs every time the operation is stopped, and the deposited scale is gradually accumulated in the meshing part. May even cause inability to transmit.

  Such transmission inhibition or impossibility of transmission can be avoided by cleaning the meshing part of the drive gear and the transmission gear and removing the accumulated scale, but the target meshing part is not in the housing of the humidifier. Because it is located inside and difficult to clean by the user, it is difficult to avoid transmission inhibition, and when transmission inhibition occurs, there is a problem that the moisture content of the humidification filter is insufficient and the desired humidification performance cannot be obtained. In addition, there is a problem in that the transmission sound at the meshing portion increases, causing unnecessary anxiety to the user.

  The transmission mechanism to the holding frame includes a transmission roller and a driving roller instead of the gear transmission mechanism including the transmission gear and the driving gear, and is configured by a friction transmission mechanism that uses friction between these rolling contact portions. However, even in this configuration, there is a problem in that water is deposited and deposited on the rolling contact portions of the transmission roller and the driving roller, and similar transmission inhibition occurs.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and prevents sediment from depositing and accumulating on the rolling contact portion of the transmission roller and the drive roller that constitute the transmission mechanism to the holding frame that stores and holds the humidifying filter. An object of the present invention is to provide a humidifier capable of avoiding the occurrence of transmission inhibition or impossibility of transmission.

  A humidifier according to the present invention includes a transmission roller that is in rolling contact with an outer periphery of a disc-shaped holding frame that houses and holds a humidification filter, and a drive roller that is in contact with the transmission roller, and the rotation of the drive roller is controlled by the transmission roller. And a transmission mechanism for rotating the holding frame around the center, passing air through the humidifying filter containing water and rotating together with the holding frame, and evaporating moisture downstream of the humidifying filter. In the humidifier configured to send out humid air containing the first and second transmission rollers, the transmission roller is in rolling contact with the outer periphery of the holding frame, and the second rolling contact portion is in rolling contact with the drive roller. It is configured by being arranged side by side on the same axis, and is provided with a draining portion that is provided between the first and second rolling contact portions and projects outward in the radial direction.

  In the present invention, the first rolling contact portion that is in rolling contact with the holding frame and the second rolling contact portion that is in contact with the driving roller are arranged on the same axis to constitute a transmission roller, and the first and second rolling contact portions A draining portion is provided in between, the water that moves from the holding frame and adheres to the first rolling contact portion is blocked by the draining portion, and adheres to the second rolling contact portion and the driving roller that is in contact with the second rolling contact portion. Prevents water migration and prevents scale from depositing and accumulating at the contact area between the two.

  Further, in the humidifier according to the present invention, the transmission roller has a small diameter portion smaller than these between the first and second rolling contact portions, and the draining portion is formed in the small diameter portion. It is characterized by being provided around.

  In the present invention, the first rolling contact portion and the second rolling contact portion are separated by a small diameter portion having a smaller diameter than these, and the action of this small diameter portion causes the second rolling contact portion to move from the first rolling contact portion to the second rolling contact portion. The transfer of the adhering water to the contact portion is prevented, and further, it is reliably prevented by the draining portion provided around the small diameter portion.

  In the humidifier according to the present invention, the holding frame is supported by the transmission roller and a plurality of support rollers that are in rolling contact with an outer periphery at a position different from the transmission roller.

  In this invention, the holding frame for storing and holding the humidifying filter is supported by a plurality of rollers that are in rolling contact with the outer peripheral surface of the holding frame, and the support shaft provided for rotation support is provided at the center of the front and rear surfaces of the holding frame. The center portion of the holding frame where the support shaft is located and the periphery thereof are effectively used as ventilation openings to improve the humidifying ability.

  In the humidifier according to the present invention, the first rolling contact portion of the transmission roller is a gear formed by forming teeth on the outer periphery, and is meshed with a ring gear portion provided around the outer periphery of the holding frame. It is characterized by that.

  In the present invention, the first rolling contact portion of the transmission roller is used as a gear and meshed with a ring gear portion provided on the outer periphery of the holding frame, thereby realizing reliable transmission without slipping. Note that it is desirable that the second rolling contact portion of the transmission roller and the drive roller are also meshed with each other to ensure transmission from the drive roller to the transmission roller.

  In the humidifier according to the present invention, the draining portion provided between the first rolling contact portion and the second rolling contact portion of the transmission roller is moved to the first rolling contact portion by rolling contact with the holding frame. This prevents the water adhering to the second rolling contact portion from moving to the second rolling contact portion, so that it is possible to reduce the deposition and accumulation of scale at the contact portion between the second rolling contact portion and the drive roller. The present invention prevents the occurrence of transmission inhibition or impossibility of transmission, and ensures stable humidification performance over a long period of time without causing problems such as reduction in humidification performance and increase in transmission sound. Excellent effect.

1 is an external perspective view of a humidifier according to the present invention. It is side sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the humidifier which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the support structure of a humidification filter unit. It is a partially broken front view which shows the support structure of a humidification filter unit. It is an expanded sectional view by the VV line of FIG. 4 which shows the structure of a transmission mechanism. It is a top view of the transmission mechanism by the VI-VI line of FIG.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings illustrating embodiments thereof. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a humidifier according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the humidifier according to the present invention. 2 shows the front as the right and the back as the left, and FIG. 1 is a perspective view seen from the back side (the right side in FIG. 2). In the following description, the front side is the front and the back side is the rear.

  The humidifier according to the present invention includes a blower fan 2, a humidifying filter unit 3, and a water tray 4 inside a rectangular box-shaped housing 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the interior of the housing 1 is divided into a rear suction chamber 12 and a front discharge chamber 13 by a partition wall 11. The suction chamber 12 communicates with the outside through a number of suction ports 15, 15... Opened on the rear panel 14 of the housing 1, and the discharge chamber 13 has a discharge port 16 opened on the top plate of the housing 1. The suction chamber 12 and the discharge chamber 13 are in communication with each other via an opening 11a provided in the lower part of the partition wall 11.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the rear panel 14 is detachable, and a deodorizing filter 17 and a dust collecting filter 18 are stacked on the front side of the rear panel 14. The deodorizing filter 17 is formed by, for example, dispersing and holding activated carbon in a non-woven fabric, and acts to adsorb and remove odorous components in the aeration. The dust collection filter 18 is, for example, a known HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter, and functions to collect and remove fine dust contained in the ventilation. The deodorizing filter 17 and the dust collecting filter 18 are each integrated into a rectangular frame body 17a, 18a made of synthetic resin, and fitted into a filter chamber provided on the front side of the rear panel 14.

  The blower fan 2 includes an impeller 20 and a fan motor 21 that drives the impeller 20. The fan motor 21 is fixed to the outside of the discharge chamber 13, and the impeller 20 is fixed to the output end of the fan motor 21 protruding into the discharge chamber 13, and is disposed so as to face the opening 11a below the partition wall 11. is there. The impeller 20 of the blower fan 2 is rotated by driving a fan motor 21. When the impeller 20 rotates, as indicated by white arrows in FIG. 1, outside air is introduced into the suction chamber 12 through the suction ports 15, 15. It flows forward in the interior, is sucked into the impeller 20 through the opening 11a at the lower part of the partition wall 11, is changed in the upward direction, is led out into the discharge chamber 13, and is sent out through the discharge port 16.

  As described above, the suction chamber 12 and the discharge chamber 13 inside the housing 1 constitute a blower path that generates the air flow described above in accordance with the operation of the blower fan 2. The deodorizing filter 17 and the dust collecting filter 18 are located on the upstream side of the air passage as described above, and the outside air introduced into the suction chamber 12 through the suction ports 15, 15... The air is removed and becomes clean air from which dust is removed by passing through the dust collection filter 18, and is sent out through the discharge port 16 at the end of the discharge chamber 13. The illustrated humidifier also functions as an air purifier due to the arrangement of the deodorizing filter 17 and the dust collecting filter 18.

  The humidifying filter unit 3 and the water tray 4 are arranged between the dust collection filter 18 and the blower fan 2 so as to humidify the air flowing through the air passage as described above.

  The water tray 4 is placed on the bottom plate of the housing 1 and is disposed inside the suction chamber 12 on the front side of the dust collection filter 18. As shown in FIG. 1, the water tray 4 can be pulled out from one side of the housing 1 together with the humidifying filter unit 3 supported on the water tray 4 as described later. A wide tank receiver 40 is connected to the end of the water tray 4 on the drawer side, and a water supply tank 41 is attached to and detached from the tank receiver 40.

  The water supply tank 41 is a rectangular parallelepiped tank having a water tap 42 at one end, and is mounted on the tank receiver 40 in an inverted posture with the water tap 42 side facing downward. The faucet 42 incorporates a known constant water level valve. When the water supply tank 41 is mounted on the tank receiver 40, this constant water level valve is pushed up by a push-up protrusion 43 (see FIG. 3) standing at the corresponding position of the tank receiver 40 to be in an open state. The stored water is sent out according to the water tray 4 and acts to store water at a constant water level inside the water tray 4.

  The humidifying filter unit 3 is configured by storing and holding a humidifying filter 31 inside a holding frame 30 having a hollow disk shape. The humidifying filter 31 is a sheet made of a material having a high moisture content and allowing ventilation, such as a nonwoven fabric, and is folded in a bellows shape as shown in FIG. 2 in order to increase the contact area with the flowing ventilation as described later. It is stored in the holding frame 30 in a stacked manner.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a support structure of the humidifying filter unit 3, and FIG. 4 is also a partially broken front view, in which a portion of the water receiving tray 4 is cut away. 3 and 4, only the holding frame 30 of the humidifying filter unit 3 is shown, and the humidifying filter 31 inside the holding frame 30 is not shown.

  The lower part of the humidifying filter unit 3 is inserted into the water tray 4 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and the top of the two support rollers 6 and 6 provided inside the water tray 4 as shown in FIG. Is supported. The support rollers 6 and 6 are distributed and arranged on both sides in the longitudinal direction on the bottom surface of the water tray 4, and are in rolling contact with the lower outer peripheral surface of the holding frame 30 at each position.

Therefore, the humidifying filter unit 3 is inserted vertically into the water receiving tray 4 by placing the lower part of the holding frame 30 on the supporting rollers 6 and 6 so that the humidifying filter unit 3 is placed vertically on the water receiving tray 4 as shown in FIG. The support rollers 6 and 6 can be rotated around the center while maintaining the support posture. As shown in FIG. 1, the humidifying filter unit 3 supported in this way can be pulled out together with the water tray 4 from one side of the housing 1, and conversely, pushed into the housing 1 together with the water tray 4, It can be set at a predetermined position inside the housing 1.

  On the outer peripheral surface of the holding frame 30, as shown in FIG. 3, a ring gear portion 32 having an appropriate width in which teeth are formed over the entire circumference in the central portion in the width direction is integrally provided. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the ring gear portion 32 is meshed with a transmission gear 51 of the transmission mechanism 5 disposed above the holding frame 30 as described later. The transmission mechanism 5 includes a transmission gear 51 and a drive gear 52 attached to one surface of the base 50, and a drive motor 53 attached to the other surface of the base 50, and a plurality of fixing screws 54 penetrating the base 50, 54... Are fixed at appropriate positions on the partition wall 11 inside the housing 1. The drive gear 52 is fitted to an output shaft 59 (see FIG. 6) of the drive motor 53 so as to be integrally rotatable. The rotation of the drive motor 53 is transmitted to the transmission gear 51 via the drive gear 52 as will be described later. The transmission gear 51 is configured to rotate.

  The meshing between the transmission gear 51 of the transmission mechanism 5 and the ring gear portion 32 of the holding frame 30 occurs when the humidifying filter unit 3 is set inside the housing 1 as described above. The two support rollers 6 and 6 inside the tray 4 and the transmission gear 51 of the transmission mechanism 5 are supported at three points in different circumferential directions.

  The humidifying filter unit 3 supported in this way is positioned so as to face the front side of the dust collection filter 18 and the rear side of the blower fan 2 inside the suction chamber 12, as shown in FIG. When driven, the rotation of the drive gear 52 is transmitted to the holding frame 30 via the transmission gear 51 and the ring gear portion 32, and the humidifying filter unit 3 rotates around the center of the holding frame 30 while maintaining the position shown in FIG. .

  The humidifier according to the present invention is characterized by the configuration of the transmission mechanism 5 that includes the transmission gear 51 and the drive gear 52 and that rotationally drives the humidification filter unit 3. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 4 showing the configuration of the transmission mechanism 5, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of the transmission mechanism taken along line VI-VI in FIG.

  The transmission gear 51 includes a first gear portion 51a (corresponding to a first rolling contact portion) and a second gear portion 51b (corresponding to a second rolling contact portion) arranged side by side on the same axis. ing. As shown in FIG. 5, the first gear portion 51a and the second gear portion 51b are separate members formed by connecting different small-diameter portions 51c and 51d each having a cylindrical shape on one side. As shown in FIG. 5, the small-diameter portion 51d of the second gear portion 51b is integrated with the small-diameter portion 51c of the first gear portion 51a.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a support protrusion 56 having a circular cross section protrudes from one surface of the base 50, and a support shaft 55 protrudes from an axial center portion of the support protrusion 56. In the transmission gear 51 configured as described above, the small-diameter portion 51d of the second gear portion 51b is externally fitted to the support shaft 55, and both ends of the small-diameter portion 51d are connected to the end surface of the support protrusion 56 and the tip of the support shaft 55. It is loosely held between the holding plate 57 and the presser plate 57, and is attached so as to be rotatable about the support shaft 55. The small-diameter portion 51d of the second gear portion 51b is in contact with a plurality of small projections provided on the end face of the support projection 56, and the rotation of the transmission gear 51 is under contact resistance with the small projection. It is structured so as to be generated smoothly.

  The small-diameter portion 51c connected to the first gear portion 51a includes a draining portion 58 at a tip portion that extends toward the second gear portion 51b. The draining portion 58 is a bowl-shaped portion provided so as to project outward in the radial direction over the entire circumference of the small-diameter portion 51c, and between the first gear portion 51a and the second gear portion 51b. In addition, they are arranged at an appropriate distance from each other.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a drive motor 53 is attached to the other surface of the base 50 at an appropriate distance from the attachment position of the transmission gear 51. An output shaft 59 of the drive motor 53 protrudes from one surface of the base 50. The drive gear 52 is fitted and fixed to the protruding end of the output shaft 59 and is engaged with the second gear portion 51 b of the transmission gear 51. On the other hand, the second gear portion 51b of the transmission gear 51 is engaged with a ring gear portion 32 provided around the outer periphery of the holding frame 30, as shown in FIG.

  In the humidifier configured as described above, when the drive motor 53 of the drive mechanism 5 is driven, the drive gear 52 fitted to the output shaft 59 of the drive motor 53 rotates, and this rotation is the drive gear. 52 is transmitted to the second gear portion 51b of the transmission gear 51 meshing with the second gear portion 51b. The second gear portion 51b rotates together with the first gear portion 51a integrated therewith, and the rotation of the first gear portion 51a. However, it is transmitted to the holding frame 30 of the humidifying filter unit 3 through the ring gear portion 32 meshing therewith, and the holding frame 30 rotates.

  As described above, a fixed amount of water is stored inside the water receiving tray 4, and the lower portion of the rotating holding frame 30 is immersed in the stored water in the water receiving tray 4. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the holding frame 31 has openings on both sides, and the water stored in the water tray 4 passes through the openings on both sides of the humidifying filter 31 stored and held inside the holding frame 30. It is sucked up and lifted by the rotation of the holding frame 30, and spreads over the entire humidifying filter 31. Inside the holding frame 30, the air flowing through the suction chamber 12 and the discharge chamber 13 is introduced through the opening of one surface by the operation of the blower fan 2, and contacts the humidifying filter 31 stored and held in the holding frame 30. Then, it becomes moist air containing vaporized water, and is sent out through the opening on the other surface.

  The holding frame 30 of the humidifying filter unit 3 is supported by two support rollers 6 and 6 that are in rolling contact with the outer periphery and a transmission gear 51 of the drive mechanism 5, and a support shaft for rotational support is provided at the center of each. There is no need to provide it, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an opening can be provided on the entire surface excluding the minimum support portion for supporting the internal humidifying filter 31. Therefore, a large amount of air passes through the inside of the holding frame 30 without being obstructed before and after, and the humidification filter 31 and the ventilation can be satisfactorily contacted to improve the humidification performance.

  The stored water inside the water tray 4 also adheres to the tooth surface of the ring gear portion 32 provided on the outer periphery of the holding frame 30, and this attached water is the first gear portion 51a of the transmission gear 51 that meshes with the ring gear portion 32. Also migrate to. In the humidifier according to the present invention, the transmission gear 51 includes a second gear portion 51b arranged in parallel with the first gear portion 51a, and the gear portions 51a and 51b are connected to each other. The small-diameter portions 51c and 51d are provided, and the small-diameter portion 51c is provided with a bowl-shaped draining portion 58 that projects outward in the radial direction.

  As described above, the water that moves from the ring gear portion 32 and adheres to the first gear portion 51a spreads to the tooth surface of the first gear portion 51a. In addition to being suppressed by the step, the water drainage portion 58 provided in the small diameter portion 51c is surely cut off. Accordingly, the water adhering to the first gear part 51a does not move to the second gear part 51b, but water adheres to the meshing part between the second gear part 51b and the drive gear, and scale deposits are deposited and deposited. There is almost no fear, preventing the occurrence of transmission inhibition or impossibility of transmission due to the action of this scale, suppressing the occurrence of problems such as deterioration in humidification performance and increase in transmission sound, and stable humidification operation over a long period of time. Can continue.

  The small-diameter portions 51c and 51d between the first gear portion 51a and the second gear portion 51b are not necessarily required, but these also serve to suppress the transmission of the adhering water. As shown in the embodiment, it is preferable to be provided in the middle of the small diameter portion 51c (or 51d). The draining portion 58 can be provided at an appropriate position between the first gear portion 51a and the second gear portion 51b. However, as shown in the embodiment, the first and second gear portions 51a are provided. , 51b is preferably provided at a position distant from both gear portions 51a, 51b.

  The transmission mechanism 5 to the holding frame 30 is not limited to a gear transmission mechanism including the transmission gear 51 and the drive gear 52, but includes a transmission roller and a drive roller, and a friction transmission that uses friction between these rolling contact portions. Although it can be configured by a mechanism, also in this configuration, a first rolling contact portion that rolls the transmission roller on the outer periphery of the holding frame and a second rolling contact portion that rolls on the drive roller are arranged in parallel on the same axis. Needless to say, a similar effect can be obtained by providing a draining portion between the first and second rolling contact portions.

5 Transmission mechanism 6 Support roller
30 Holding frame
31 Humidification filter
32 Ring gear section
51 Transmission gear (Transmission roller)
51a First gear part (first rolling contact part)
51b Second gear part (second rolling contact part)
51c Small diameter part
51d Small diameter part
52 Drive gear (drive roller)
58 Drainer

Claims (4)

A transmission roller that is in rolling contact with the outer periphery of a disc-shaped holding frame that houses and holds the humidifying filter; and a drive roller that is in contact with the transmission roller; and the rotation of the drive roller is transmitted to the holding frame via the transmission roller. A transmission mechanism for rotating the holding frame around the center, passing air through the humidifying filter containing water and rotating together with the holding frame, and sending out humid air containing vaporized moisture to the downstream side of the humidifying filter. In the configured humidifier,
The transmission roller includes a first rolling contact portion that is in rolling contact with the outer periphery of the holding frame and a second rolling contact portion that is in rolling contact with the drive roller. , A humidifier comprising a draining portion provided between the second rolling contact portions and projecting radially outward.   The transmission roller has a small-diameter portion smaller in diameter between the first and second rolling contact portions, and the draining portion is provided around the small-diameter portion. The humidifier described.   The humidifier according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the holding frame is supported by the transmission roller and a plurality of support rollers that are in rolling contact with an outer periphery at a position different from the transmission roller.   The first rolling contact portion of the transmission roller is a gear having teeth formed on the outer periphery, and is meshed with a ring gear portion provided around the outer periphery of the holding frame. The humidifier as described in one.

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