JP6155588B2 - Humidifier - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a humidifier equipped with a vaporization filter.

  Conventionally known humidifiers are roughly classified into four types: a vaporization type, a hybrid type, a heater type, and an ultrasonic type, and a humidifier with low power consumption and high quietness is required. In particular, a vaporizing humidifier with a built-in vaporizing filter has a feature that it consumes less power but has a large air volume, and is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example. The vaporization filter of the cited document 1 is disposed inside the main body in a state where it touches the humidifying liquid stored in the tray.

JP 2010-249511 A

  However, the humidifier described above has the following problems.

  In a humidifier having a structure in which humidification supply air is supplied from the inside of the vaporization filter to obtain humid air outside the vaporization filter, the liquid level stored in the tray immersed in the vaporization filter is affected by the wind, and the tray There was a problem that the liquid leaked out of the main body due to the scattering of the liquid from the main body.

  In addition, the material of the vaporization filter is often used by sewing a combination of fibers such as polyester and processing it into a band shape. It comes out. Common vaporization filters are supported by attaching antibacterial materials, antifungal agents, etc., but it has been confirmed that the effects are attenuated when maintenance is repeated over a long period of use.

  Furthermore, if the liquid retention distribution of the entire vaporization filter is not uniform as a humidifier, the vaporization filter must be enlarged in order to obtain a target humidification amount, and the product cannot be made compact.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and provides a humidifier that prevents the liquid level of the liquid stored in the tray from being affected by wind and prevents the liquid from scattering from the tray. This is the first purpose.

  The second object of the present invention is to provide a humidifier capable of suppressing bad odors emitted from a vaporization filter due to long-term use of a product.

  A third object of the present invention is to devise a water supply structure to the vaporization filter, to provide a humidifying device that can make the liquid retention distribution of the entire vaporization filter uniform, and can realize the vaporization filter and thus downsizing of the product.

  In the first aspect of the invention, the liquid level of the liquid stored in the tray is not affected by the humidifying air supplied from the outside of the vaporization filter by positioning the liquid level of the tray below the vaporization filter. It is possible to prevent the liquid from leaking out of the main body due to the scattering of the liquid from the tray. In addition, the conditions under which miscellaneous bacteria that cause malodor such as Staphylococcus aureus grow are moderate temperature and moisture. In the present invention, the vaporizing filter is wet only during the operation of the humidifier, and otherwise the vaporizing filter. Since the pumping means does not rotate and the vaporizing filter is not immersed in the liquid stored in the tray, the vaporizing filter can be dried. Therefore, it is possible to dry the vaporization filter when the humidifier is shut down so that it does not meet the breeding conditions of germs, keep the vaporization filter clean, and suppress bad odors emitted from the vaporization filter by long-term use of the product. It becomes possible. Further, even when the rotational speed of the pumping means is different, the guide means provided in the liquid supply means can guide the liquid to the same position and supply the liquid to the vaporization filter. An improvement in performance can be realized.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the liquid supply unit and the pumping means are placed close to the same side surface of the tray, the product size can be reduced to the minimum necessary size, and the product can be made compact.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a humidifier that prevents the liquid level of the liquid stored in the tray from being affected by wind and prevents the liquid from scattering from the tray. Moreover, the humidification apparatus which can suppress the malodor emitted from a vaporization filter by long-term use of a product can be provided. Furthermore, the vaporization performance can be improved by supplying a stable liquid.

  According to the invention of claim 2, it is possible to suppress the product size to the minimum necessary, and to realize a compact product.

It is the perspective view seen from the front direction of the humidifier which shows the 1st example of the present invention. It is the perspective view seen from the back direction of the humidification device same as the above. It is an exploded perspective view of a humidification device same as the above. It is a perspective view which shows the internal structure of a humidification apparatus same as the above. It is a notch front view which shows the internal structure of a humidification apparatus same as the above. It is a perspective view which shows the handle rod and shower unit vicinity of a humidification apparatus same as the above. It is a perspective view which shows the state which removed the liquid storage part in FIG.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a humidifier according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIGS. 1-7 has shown the humidification apparatus in one Example of this invention. First, the overall configuration of the humidifier will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. Reference numeral 1 denotes a substantially cylindrical bottomed body having an opening on the back side, 2 a rear cover for closing the back opening of the body, 3 Is a rear panel attached to the back surface of the main body 1 so as to cover the rear cover 2, and 4 is a front panel attached to the front surface of the main body 1. In this embodiment, an outer member that forms the appearance of the humidifier is formed by the resin main body 1, the rear panel 3, and the front panel 4.

  The main body 1 is provided with a fan 6 in which a plurality of blades 5 are arranged radially, and a blower motor 7 as a drive source of the fan 6, and a rotation shaft 8 of the blower motor 7 is formed at the center of the fan 6. The fan 6 is attached and fixed to the rotating shaft 8 by passing through the hole 9 and screwing the spinner 10 to the tip of the rotating shaft 8 protruding from the rear side of the fan 6. In addition, the main body 1 is a donut-shaped and annular vaporizing filter 11 that surrounds the outer periphery of the fan 6, a tray 12 disposed below the vaporizing filter 11, and water supply for feeding water that is liquid to the vaporizing filter 11. And a gear motor 13.

  The fan 6 is configured as a turbo fan or a sirocco fan that sucks air from the side and discharges air from the outer periphery. Further, the rotation shaft 8 of the blower motor 7 is arranged so that the axial direction thereof coincides with the front-rear direction of the main body 1.

  On the upper surface of the main body 1, an operation panel 18 having a plurality of buttons 16 and a display 17 such as an LED are provided, and a substantially L-shaped handle 19 that can be raised and lowered with respect to the main body 1. Provided. Further, exhaust ports 20 having a large number of openings are respectively provided on the left and right side portions of the main body 1. The exhaust port 20 is formed so as to surround the outer periphery of the fan 6 perpendicular to the exhaust direction of the fan 6.

  The rear panel 3 is provided with an air inlet 21 having a number of openings. The air inlet 21 is formed orthogonal to the axial direction of the rotary shaft 8 which is the air intake direction of the fan 6. Further, an air circulation port 22 is formed in the rear cover 2 as an intermediate member between the rear panel 3 and the fan 6 so as not to block the air flow from the intake port 21 toward the fan 6. .

  A tank 23 as a liquid supply source is detachably disposed between the main body 1 and the front panel 4. As is well known, the tank 23 includes a container 24 that stores water and a cap 25 that is detachably attached to the mouth of the container 24. The cap 25 is provided with a valve body (not shown). When the tank 23 is mounted upright on the main body 1 with the cap 25 down, the valve body is pushed from the tray 12 side, and the water in the tank 23 is drained. It is sent out to the storage part 27 of the tray 12 formed in a bottomed shape. The liquid level L in the storage unit 27 at this time is defined at the lower end position of the tank 23 regardless of the remaining amount of water stored in the tank 23. It should be noted that the front panel 4 is also detachably disposed with respect to the main body 1 by, for example, claw fitting or the like because the tank 23 is frequently detached from the main body 1.

  The vaporizing filter 11 is attached so that a band-shaped filter material 32 is wound around a filter case 31 as a filter support formed in a drum shape. The filter case 31 is formed by connecting a plurality of support columns 35 between a pair of front and rear frame bodies 33, 34 formed in a ring shape, and the filter material 32 is disposed outside each support column 35.

  In addition to the storage unit 27 described above, the tray 12 includes water supply means 37 that guides and supplies the water stored in the storage unit 27 to the vaporization filter 11 using the gear motor 13 as a drive source. In addition to the rotatable gear 38 </ b> A connected to the rotation shaft of the gear motor 13 and the rotatable handle rod 39 for pumping up the water stored in the storage unit 27, the water supply means 37, the water pumped up by the handle rod 39, A shower unit 40 that supplies water by guiding it to the inside of the vaporization filter 11 is provided. When the rotational force of the gear motor 13 is applied to the gear 38 </ b> A, the vaporization filter 11 provided with teeth (not shown) meshing with the gear 38 </ b> A around the entire frame 33 in the filter case 31 rotates around the fan 6. At the same time, the rotational force of the vaporization filter 11 is transmitted to the handle rod 39 via the gear 38B meshing with the vaporization filter 11, so that the handle rod 39 forming a so-called water pumping turbine structure pumps up the water in the storage portion 27 and vaporizes. Water is supplied from the inside of the filter 11 toward the filter material 32. The gear 38B is provided coaxially with the handle rod 39.

  In this embodiment, the fan 6 and the vaporization filter 11 are arranged around the blower motor 7. Here, when the operation of the humidifier is started by operating a button (for example, an operation off / on button) of the operation unit 16, predetermined power is supplied to the blower motor 7, and the fan 6 rotates inside the main body 1. Rotate around axis 8 Thereby, the humidification air taken in from the rear side surface of the fan 6 through the inlet port 21 through the circulation port 22 changes its direction in the outer peripheral direction of the fan 6 and passes through the vaporization filter 11. In addition, during operation of the humidifier, predetermined power is supplied to the gear motor 13 as necessary, so that the water is directed from the inside of the vaporization filter 11 toward the filter material 32 while rotating the vaporization filter 11 inside the main body 1. Is supplied, and the filter material 32 always contains water. Therefore, the humidifying air that passes through the vaporizing filter 11 as the fan 6 rotates takes moisture from the filter material 32 and is discharged as wet air to the exhaust port 20 formed on the side surface of the main body 1.

  41 is an atomizer incorporated in the main body 1. The atomization device 41 operates by operating another button (for example, a pico ion button) of the operation unit 16 during operation of the humidifier, and a mist discharge port 42 formed between the operation panel 18 and the exhaust port 20. Thus, a fine mist having a fine particle diameter charged with negative ions is released.

  Next, the characteristic part regarding the humidification apparatus of a present Example is demonstrated in more detail, referring FIGS. 4-7. First, the vaporization filter 11 is rotatably supported by a plurality of rollers 11 </ b> A at the lower four corners in the storage unit 27. And the vaporization filter 11 is arrange | positioned above the liquid level L of the storage part 27 by being supported by the some roller 11A.

  Subsequently, the handle rod 39 is provided with a plurality of buckets 39B arranged radially on the inner peripheral side of the doughnut-shaped annular handle rod body 39A, and the opening portions 39C of the plurality of buckets 39B face the rotation direction of the handle rod 39. Is formed. Further, the edge portion of the opening 39C of the bucket 39B is provided with a protruding portion 39D so that the liquid in the bucket 39B is difficult to leak out from the opening 39C. In addition, in the handle 39 that rotates in the R direction as shown in FIG. 5, the bucket 39 </ b> B located on the lower side is located below the liquid level L of the reservoir 27, and is immersed in the water in the reservoir 27. It is configured to be.

  The shower unit 40 is installed above the lowermost part 11 </ b> A of the vaporization filter 11 and above the storage part 27. The shower unit 40 includes a liquid receiving part 40A that receives water pumped up by the bucket 39B of the handle rod 39, and a shower part 40B that drops the water received by the liquid receiving part 40A onto the lowermost part 11A of the vaporization filter 11. .

  The shower part 40B is formed in a shallow dish shape, and the dimension L3 of the shower part 40B with respect to the axial direction of the vaporization filter 11 is formed slightly larger than the axial dimension L2 of the vaporization filter 11 (L3>). L2).

  In addition, a dripping portion 40C composed of a plurality of through portions is formed in the central portion of the shower portion 40B, and the dripping portion 40C extends over a dimension L4 substantially the same as the axial dimension L2 of the vaporization filter 11 (L2≈L4) It is assumed that a plurality of rows are formed.

  Note that a liquid storage unit 40D made of a sponge or the like having a size that can substantially cover the entire dropping unit 40C is provided above the dropping unit 40C.

  The liquid receiving part 40A extends from one end of the shower part 40B toward the bucket 39B on the upper side of the handle 39. The liquid receiving part 40A is provided with brush-like or spatula-like guide means 40E made of an elastic member formed upward. Here, the guide means 40E is provided so as to be able to contact at least the uppermost bucket 39B of the handle 39.

  The shower part 40B is provided with a liquid introduction part 40F that is formed in a standing wall shape and guides water from the liquid receiving part 40A toward the center of the liquid storage part 40D and the dropping part 40C.

  The shower unit 40B includes a lid 40G that can cover the entire shower unit 40B from above.

  As described above, the water in the storage unit 27 pumped up by the lower bucket 39B of the handle rod 39 that forms the water pump turbine structure is guided when the lower bucket 39B rises to the upper portion of the handle rod 39 by the rotation of the handle rod 39. The water in the bucket 39B comes into contact with the means 40E and is drawn into the liquid receiver 40A by the guide means 40E. Thereafter, the water in the liquid receiving part 40A is guided by the water guiding part 40F toward the center of the liquid storage part 40D of the shower part 40B and stored in the liquid storage part 40D. The water stored in the liquid storage section 40D diffuses throughout the dropping section 40C, and water is evenly distributed in the axial direction of the vaporization filter 11 of the filter material 32 of the vaporization filter 11 located at the lower portion of the shower unit 40 from each dropping section 40C. Is dropped, water is supplied from the inside of the vaporization filter 11 toward the filter material 32.

  By disposing the vaporization filter 11 above the liquid level L of the storage unit 27, the wind from the fan 6 close to the outer periphery of the vaporization filter 11 hits the water (liquid level L) accumulated in the tray 12, and the water is scattered. Can be prevented.

  An appropriate amount of water supplied from the tank 23 is stored in the storage portion 27 of the tray 12, and the liquid level L of the storage portion 27 is the outermost periphery of the vaporization filter 11 attached so as to wind the filter material 32 around the filter case 31. The vaporization filter 11 is kept dry when the humidifier is stopped.

  During operation of the humidifier, the handle 39 with the lower bucket 39B below the liquid level L rotates by rotating the filter case 31 through the gear 38 using the gear motor 13 as a drive source, and the storage section The water stored in 27 is pumped up and supplied to the vaporization filter 11.

  In this case, the vaporization filter 11 is wet only during operation, and the rest is in a dry state. As a result, suitable temperature and moisture can be given as conditions for the growth of germs that cause odors such as Staphylococcus aureus (smelling dry odor), but the vaporization filter 11 is dry during the operation of the humidifier. The vaporization filter 11 can be maintained in a clean state due to lack of propagation conditions of various germs.

  On one side surface of the storage portion 27 of the tray 12 facing the front panel 4, a tank cap 25 is provided with a cup-shaped water supply port 27A that can be mounted from above, and on the periphery of the upper opening of the water supply port 27A. A packing 27B is provided as a seal member. Note that the handle 39 is installed on one side of the storage unit 27 in the vicinity of the water supply port 27A.

  Here, the positional relationship between the water supply port 27A provided in the tray 12 and the handle 39 is preferably provided on the same surface on one side of the tray 12 and as close as possible.

  As described above, since the positions of the water supply port 27A and the handle 39 are made close to each other, even if the installation environment of the humidifier is inclined, the pumped water is prevented from being interrupted, and stable humidification can be obtained. If the positions of both the water supply port 27A and the handle rod 39 are separated from each other, the outer diameter of the handle rod 39 becomes larger and the humidifier becomes larger in order to cope with the liquid level L that fluctuates due to the inclination.

  In addition, the humidification apparatus of a present Example is equipped with the driving | operation of the ventilation motor 7 and the gear motor 13 so that it can drive | operate simultaneously or separately. Thereby, in the state which stopped rotation of the vaporization filter 11, the ventilation motor 7 is drive | operated and the operation mode which dries the vaporization filter 11 is provided, and the vaporization filter 11 can be maintained in a clean state.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, in the humidifying device that supplies humidifying air from the inside of the rotating cylindrical vaporization filter 11 and obtains humid air from the opposite side of the vaporization filter 11, the filter case 31 that is a winding frame is provided. The liquid level L of the tray 12 is located below the lowermost outer peripheral lower surface of the vaporization filter 11 formed by winding the filter material 32.

  In this case, the liquid level L of the tray 12 is positioned below the vaporization filter 11 so that the water level stored in the tray is not affected by the humidifying air supplied from the outside of the vaporization filter. It is possible to prevent a problem that water leaks to the outside of the main body due to scattering of water from the tray.

  Further, in this embodiment, the handle rod 39 as a pumping means for rotation, and gears 38A and 38B as transmission mechanisms for transmitting the rotational force to the vaporizing filter 11 and the handle rod 39 are provided, and the transmission mechanism is driven during operation of the humidifier. Thus, the vaporizing filter 11 and the handle 39 are rotated, and the water stored in the tray 12 is pumped up by the handle 39 and supplied to the vaporizing filter 11.

  Conditions under which miscellaneous bacteria that produce malodorous odors (raw dry odors) of Staphylococcus aureus are moderate temperature and moisture, but the vaporizing filter 11 in the present invention is wet only when the humidifier is in operation, Otherwise, the vaporization filter 11 and the handle 39 do not rotate, and the vaporization filter 11 is not immersed in the water stored in the tray 12, so that the vaporization filter 11 can be in a dry state. Therefore, the vaporization filter 11 is dried when the humidifier is stopped so as not to satisfy the breeding conditions of germs, the vaporization filter 11 is maintained in a clean state, and a bad odor emitted from the vaporization filter 11 due to long-term use of the product. It becomes possible to suppress. Further, the same effect can be obtained even when the user can selectively set the operation start and operation stop modes by the operation unit 16 or can automatically start and stop the operation by the control. Can be expected.

  In the present embodiment, the water supply port 27 </ b> A and the handle 39 as the liquid supply unit provided in the tray 12 are provided close to one side surface of the tray 12.

  In this case, since the water supply port 27A and the handle 39 are placed close to the same side surface of the tray 12, the product size can be reduced to the minimum necessary, and the product can be made compact.

  Further, in this embodiment, the shower unit 40 is provided as a liquid supply means for supplying water, which is a liquid pumped up by the handle rod 39, to the vaporizing filter 11, and the shower unit 40 is in contact with the handle rod 39 and receives water from the handle rod 39. Is provided to guide the same to the same position.

  In this case, the guide means 40E provided in the shower unit 40 guides water to the same position even when the rotation speed of the handle 39 differs from region to region due to the relationship of the power supply voltage for supplying power to the humidifier. Water can be supplied to the vaporization filter 11, and improvement of vaporization performance by stable supply of water can be realized.

  Further, in the present embodiment, in the humidifying device that supplies humidification air from the inside of the rotating cylindrical vaporization filter 11 and obtains humid air from the opposite side of the vaporization filter 11, the liquid supply is supplied from the inside of the vaporization filter 11. A shower unit 40 is provided as a liquid means.

  In this case, water is supplied in the same direction as the flow of the humidifying air passing through the vaporizing filter 11, and water is permeated into the vaporizing filter 11 along the flow of the humidifying air, so that the water can be rapidly permeated over a wide area. It becomes possible. Therefore, the water retention distribution of the entire vaporization filter 11 can be made uniform, and water can be taken out from the entire surface of the vaporization filter 11, so that the vaporization filter 11 and thus the product can be downsized.

  In this embodiment, the fan 6 for supplying humidifying air to the vaporizing filter 11 is provided, and the axial lengths of the fan 6 and the vaporizing filter 11 are formed to be substantially the same.

  In this case, since the vaporization filter 11 can receive the humidifying air from the fan 6 over the entire surface, it is possible to vaporize the water that has permeated the vaporization filter 11 without waste and to improve the vaporization performance.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lengths in the axial direction of the shower unit 40 and the vaporizing filter 11 are formed substantially the same.

  If it does in this way, since the vaporization filter 11 can receive the water from the shower unit 40 on the whole surface, it becomes possible to make the water retention distribution of the vaporization filter 11 whole more uniform.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said Example, A various change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention. For example, in the internal structure of the main body 1, the shape and arrangement of each part can be changed as appropriate in accordance with the spirit of the present invention. Moreover, the humidifier of this invention is applicable also to the air cleaner provided with the air purifying filter in the downstream of the vaporization filter 11, for example.

6 Fan 11 Evaporation filter 12 Tray 27A Water supply port (liquid supply part)
38 Gear (Transmission mechanism)
39 Hakama (pumping means)
40 Shower unit (liquid supply means)
40E Guide means

Claims (2)

In a humidifying device that supplies humidification air from the inside of a rotating cylindrical vaporization filter and obtains humid air from the opposite side of the vaporization filter,
A liquid level of the tray is provided below the vaporization filter,
Rotating pumping means;
A transmission mechanism for transmitting rotational force to the vaporization filter and the pumping means;
During operation of the humidifier, the transmission mechanism is driven to rotate the vaporization filter and the pumping means, and the liquid stored in the tray is pumped by the pumping means and supplied to the vaporization filter,
A liquid supply means for supplying the liquid pumped up by the pumping means to the vaporizing filter;
The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply means includes guide means for contacting the pumping means and guiding the liquid from the pumping means to the same position. 2. The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein a liquid supply section provided on the tray and the pumping means are provided close to one side surface of the tray.

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