JP6563352B2 - Humidifier - Google Patents

Description

  In the present invention, air introduced into an air passage from an air inlet is passed through a humidified filter impregnated with water, and humid air containing vaporized water led out to the downstream side of the humidified filter is blown through the air inlet. The present invention relates to a vaporizing humidifier configured to be sent out of a road.

  In recent years, humidifiers for providing appropriate humidity to indoor air have been widely used due to an increase in health orientation. In particular, vaporizing humidifiers that enable humidification without heating and evaporation of water are capable of adjusting humidity without changing the room temperature, and thus are widely used.

  Vaporizing humidifiers have a humidifying filter impregnated with water and a blower fan inside the air passage connecting the air inlet and the air inlet, and the air passage passes through the air inlet by the operation of the air fan. The air introduced into the inside is passed through a humidifying filter, and humid air containing vaporized water sent to the downstream side of the humidifying filter is sent out indoors through an air supply port.

  The humidification filter is a sheet of a material (nonwoven fabric or the like) that has high water content and can be ventilated, and is arranged inside the air inlet so as to be able to contact the air introduced into the air passage. This humidifying filter has a lower part immersed in a water receiving tray for storing a fixed amount of water, and replenishes the water lost by vaporization by sucking up from the water receiving tray. A water storage tank is provided on one side of the water tray, and the water in the water tank is sequentially replenished in accordance with the drop in the water surface due to the suction of the humidifying filter, and a constant amount of water is stored inside the water tray. (For example, refer patent document 1).

  In addition to the humidification function of the living space, a humidifier having a function of performing lighting by lighting that demands interior lighting, particularly interior lighting, has been proposed and has already been commercialized. The applicant of the present application has also filed a patent earlier, and has proposed a humidifier that provides a light emitting body such as an LED and shines a transparent container containing water and water inside the transparent container (patent) Reference 2). In the humidifier of patent document 2, it is comprised so that a light-emitting body may light-emit in conjunction with the drive of an ion generator, and it notifies a user that a humidifier is operate | moving in ion mode by the production of light. Can do.

JP-A-2005-331181 JP-A-2005-055123

  By the way, the conventional vaporization type humidifier has a problem that the operation state is difficult to understand as compared with the steam type or ultrasonic type humidifier. This is because a steam-type or ultrasonic-type humidifier produces mist (water particles) that can be seen, whereas a vapor-type humidifier produces wind containing water vapor that cannot be seen. In the configuration in which the mist is generated, the operation state of the humidifier can be intuitively grasped from the amount and momentum. However, since the water vapor cannot be visually observed, the user cannot grasp the operating state without any notification means.

  The operation state is distinguished from the operation mode, and is a strong operation or a weak operation that indicates a humidifying ability, and may include a state of running out of water. For example, in the operation mode “strong”, the always strong operation is performed, and in the operation mode “weak”, the always weak operation is performed. In the operation mode “automatic”, the operation is automatically switched between the strong operation and the weak operation according to the humidity in the room.

  Further, in the conventional humidifier, the notification of the operation mode to the user is mainly performed by providing a notification unit such as an LED in the operation unit. However, when the notification unit is provided on one side of the humidifier such as the front, the user on the side where the notification unit is located can be notified, but the user on the side where the notification unit is not located cannot be notified. In addition, although it becomes visible from all directions by providing a notification part on the upper surface of a humidifier, since the notification part which faced up will be seen from diagonally, it cannot be said that it is easy to see.

  On the other hand, the notification part which can be visually recognized from all directions is realizable by employ | adopting the structure of patent document 2 and notifying an operation mode by the effect of light. However, even if the notification of the driving state is performed by adopting such a configuration of Patent Document 2, it can be notified only by a color difference or the like, like a steam type or ultrasonic type humidifier that can visually recognize mist. , You can not tell the driving state intuitively.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a subject, The objective is to provide the vaporization type humidifier which can notify a user of an operation state intuitively.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a humidifier according to one aspect of the present invention includes a humidifying filter impregnated with water in the middle of an air passage connecting an intake port and an air supply port. In the vaporization type humidifier that sends air introduced into the air passage through the humidification filter and contains vaporized moisture, and is sent out from the air supply port to the outside of the air passage. The lower light transmission part that enables the installation surface of the humidifier to be visible, and provided at the bottom part of the exterior part, provided at the bottom light transmission part and the air passage inside the exterior part, storing water and installing a humidification filter, In addition, a water receiving tray having a transparent portion on the bottom surface and light stored in the water receiving tray are irradiated with light, and an image of the water surface is projected onto the installation surface through the transparent portion and the bottom light transmitting portion of the water receiving tray. And a projection unit that performs the above-described operation.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that it is possible to provide a vaporizing humidifier capable of intuitively notifying a user of an operation state.

It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the humidifier of one Embodiment of this invention. The said humidifier is shown, (a) is a front view, (b) is a rear view. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the internal structure of the said humidifier. It is a perspective view which shows the internal structure of the lower part principal part of the said humidifier. It is explanatory drawing which shows the modification of the said humidifier provided with two ventilation fans. It is a partial cross section perspective view which shows the principal part of the humidifier provided with the emphasis mechanism which consists of a windmill of the other form of implementation of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the principal part of the humidifier provided with the emphasis mechanism which consists of a branch path | route of other form of implementation of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the principal part of the humidifier provided with the emphasis mechanism which consists of a 1st water drop dropping mechanism of the other form of implementation of this invention. It is a perspective view of the said 1st water drop dropping mechanism. It is a schematic block diagram of the humidifier provided with the emphasis mechanism which consists of a water surface hitting mechanism of the other form of implementation of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram explaining operation | movement of the said water surface hitting mechanism, (a) shows the state in a fall position, (b) shows the state in a raising position. It is a principal part disassembled perspective view of the humidifier provided with the emphasis mechanism which consists of a 2nd water drop dropping mechanism of this Embodiment. It is a principal part side view explaining operation | movement of the said 2nd water drop dropping mechanism, (a) shows the state which removed the water storage tank from the humidifier, (b) shows the state which attached the water storage tank to the humidifier. The humidifier which concerns on this Embodiment is shown, (a) is a front view of a humidifier, (b) is a rear view. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the internal structure of the humidifier of FIG. It is a perspective view of the state which looked up at the humidifier of Drawing 14 from the lower part. It is a perspective view which shows the internal structure of the lower part principal part of the humidifier of FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the suitable example of arrangement | positioning of the water storage tank which can be utilized for the said humidifier. It is a schematic diagram which shows another suitable example of arrangement | positioning of the water storage tank which can be utilized for the said humidifier.

[Embodiment 1]
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a humidifier 1 according to the present embodiment. 2A is a front view of the humidifier 1, and FIG. 2B is a rear view thereof. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (a) and 2 (b), the humidifier 1 includes a cylindrical housing (exterior portion) 2 having a hem that is installed in a room to be humidified with an axial center extending vertically. I have. The housing 2 is divided into a main body housing 2a made of an opaque material and a transparent housing 2b made of a transparent material located below, with a bottom surface of a water collecting tray (water receiving tray) described later as a boundary.

  An intake port 4 is formed on the peripheral surface of the main body housing 2a on the back side of the humidifier 1, and an air supply port 5 is formed on the upper end surface of the main body housing 2a. The intake port 4 is configured by arranging a large number of intake holes on the peripheral wall of a cylindrical main body housing 2a. A pre-filter 8 that removes dust and the like from the intake air is attached to the inside of the intake port 4.

  An operation unit (not shown) for performing an operation on the humidifier 1 is provided around the air supply port 5 on the upper end surface of the main body housing 2a. The position of the operation unit is not limited to the periphery of the air supply port 5, and may be provided at another position, for example, above the intake port 4 in the main body housing 2 a.

  Further, here, the humidifier 1 is exemplified as having a vertically long vertical appearance, but it is only an example, and may be a horizontally long horizontal shape, and the shape also has a rectangular appearance, Any shape such as a hemispherical shape may be used.

  FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the internal configuration of the humidifier 1 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, an air passage 7 that communicates the air inlet 4 and the air inlet 5 is formed inside the main body housing 2 a, and a blower fan 9, a water storage tank 10, a water collection tray (water tray) 11. A humidifying filter 12, a light source unit 15, an ion generator 16 and the like are disposed.

  The blower fan 9 is introduced into the blower passage 7 from the intake port 4, passes through the blower passage 7, and forms an air flow that flows outside the blower passage 7 through the air supply port 5. The blower fan 9 is disposed above the opening position of the intake port 4 in the blower passage 7. In the example of FIG. 3, a sirocco fan is illustrated as the blower fan 9, but an axial fan may be used. When the blower fan 9 is driven, air is introduced into the blower passage 7 through the air inlet 4 provided on the lower peripheral surface of the main body housing 2a, and the introduced air is indicated by broken arrows in the figure. Thus, the flow is changed in the upward direction and is sent out from the air supply port 5 provided in the upper end surface of the main body housing 2a.

  The ion generator 16 generates one or both of positive ions and negative ions that generate active species having an air purifying action, and is disposed inside the air passage 7. Here, the ion generator 16 includes a high-pressure unit that generates both positive ions and negative ions. A positive electrode (not shown) and a negative electrode (not shown) of the high-pressure unit are exposed inside the casing of the blower fan 9. As a result, positive ions and negative ions generated from the ion generator 16 are released from the air supply port 5 on the airflow flowing through the inside of the air passage 7.

  The humidification filter 12 impregnates water and humidifies the humidification filter by applying vaporized moisture (water vapor) to the air (airflow) flowing through the air passage 7. The humidification filter 12 consists of what folded the sheet | seat of the nonwoven fabric in the bellows shape, for example. Such a humidification filter 12 is disposed inside the air passage 7 so as to face the inside of the air inlet 4 provided in the lower peripheral surface of the main body housing 2a.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the humidifying filter 12 is formed in an annular shape along the shape of the cylindrical main body housing 2a, and the water collecting tray 11 partitions the main body housing 2a and the lower transparent housing 2b. The lower part is supported by. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the lower main part of the humidifier 1. By setting the shape of the humidifying filter 12 to the shape along the inner shape of the main body housing 2a in this way, the humidifying filter 12 is installed without providing a useless space between the main body housing 2a and the volume of the humidifying filter 12 is increased. It can be secured and the humidifying ability can be increased.

  Returning to FIG. 3, the nonwoven fabric constituting the humidifying filter 12 is a material that has high moisture content and can be ventilated, and the air introduced from the air inlet 4 is humidified as indicated by arrows in FIG. 3. The filter 12 exits from the outside to the inside and is sent to the air supply port 5 through the blower fan 9.

  The water collection tray 11 that supports the lower portion of the humidifying filter 12 stores an appropriate amount of water to be supplied to the humidifying filter 12 and is formed in a dish shape with its peripheral edge raised upward. The water collection tray 11 is provided with a tank support portion 13 that supports the water storage tank 10, and the water storage tank 10 is detachably installed on the tank support portion 13. An appropriate amount of water is supplied to the water collection tray 11 from the installed water storage tank 10. Such a water collection tray 11 is configured to be detachable through an opening on one side of the main body housing 2a.

  In addition, a water level sensor (not shown) is attached to the water collection tray 11 at a height position away from the bottom surface by a predetermined distance. The water level sensor includes, for example, a float that swings up and down by buoyancy received from the stored water 6 on the water collection tray 11 and is configured to be turned on when the water surface level of the stored water 6 falls below a predetermined level. Float switch. The water level sensor is provided to notify the user that the stored water 6 in the water collecting tray 11 is insufficient during operation.

  The water storage tank 10 is installed on the water collection tray 11 with a lid serving as a water supply port facing downward. Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the water storage tank 10 has a recess 10 a that matches the shape of the annular humidifying filter 12. As a result, the water storage tank 10 secures a capacity while securing a space for the air supply path 7 on the water collection tray 11.

  Returning to FIG. 3, the light source unit 15 irradiates the stored water 6 on the water collecting tray 11 with light, and projects an image of the water surface of the stored water 6 onto an installation surface on which the humidifier 1 such as a floor surface is installed. To do. The light source unit 15 is attached to at least the upper part of the water collection tray 11 inside the main body housing 2 a, and is here attached to the lower surface of the blower fan 9.

  The bottom surface (transparent part) of the water collection tray 11 is made of a transparent material so that the image of the water surface of the stored water 6 can be projected onto the installation surface with the light from the light source unit 15, and the humidifier A transparent housing (a lower light passage portion, a bottom light passage portion, and a transparent frame) 2b is provided at the lower portion of the humidifier 1 so that the installation surface 1 can be visually recognized. Depending on the position of the light source unit 15, it is preferable to configure at least a part of the water storage tank 10 from a transparent material so as not to block light from the light source unit 15. Such a light source part 15 consists of LED, for example. The LED may be a single color LED such as blue, yellow, red, etc. However, by making it a full color LED, it is possible to enjoy color change and select a color that matches the interior decoration. Increase.

  Further, the transparent housing 2b is entirely formed of a transparent material that forms the lower outer periphery of the humidifier 1, so that the humidifier 1 is lifted from the installation surface when a water surface image is projected by the light source unit 15 described later. It can look like However, the transparent housing 2b is not necessarily limited to a configuration made entirely of a transparent material, and may include an opaque portion.

  Moreover, in this Embodiment, it is set as the structure which has a top surface part which supports the bottom face of the water collection tray 11 as the transparent housing 2b, and this transparent top surface part is equivalent to a bottom part light passage part. However, it is good also as a structure which consists of a transparent frame which reaches the installation surface of only an outer peripheral part for the transparent housing 2b. In this case, the transparent frame corresponds to the lower light transmission portion, and the opening facing the bottom surface of the water collection tray 11 corresponds to the bottom light passage portion.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the humidifier 1 configured as described above is installed in a room to be humidified with the main body housing 2a on the top and the transparent housing 2b on the bottom, and is used with a water storage tank 10 attached. The

  When an operation switch provided in an operation unit (not shown) is turned on, the blower fan 9 inside the main body housing 2a is rotationally driven, and the ion generator 16 also starts generating positive ions and negative ions. The light source unit 15 is also turned on. By the rotational drive of the blower fan 9, an air flow is generated inside the blower passage 7 as described above, and indoor air is introduced into the blower passage 7 through the intake port 4 and the prefilter 8, and the inside of the intake port 4. The direction is changed upward through the humidifying filter 12 disposed in the air, and the air is sent into the room through the air supply port 5. In the airflow flowing through the air passage 7, positive ions and negative ions generated from the ion generator 16 are also mixed.

  As described above, the air introduced from the intake port 4 is ventilated in the humidifying filter 12, and the water contained in the humidifying filter 12 is vaporized by contact with the ventilation and mixed in the ventilation. As a result, the air that changes direction in the air blowing path 7 and is sent out into the room from the air supply port 5 becomes humid air, and the room can be humidified. The ability to humidify the room can be adjusted by changing the amount of air blown by driving control of the blower fan 9. In other words, the amount of air blown by the blower fan 9 increases in the strong operation with high humidification capability, and the amount of blown air decreases in the weak operation with low humidification capability.

  Further, during the operation of the humidifier 1, ripples are generated on the surface (water surface) of the stored water 6 in the water collection tray 11 due to the airflow flowing through the air passage 7. The image of the ripples on the water surface is projected onto the installation surface with the light of the light source unit 15 that is turned on. The ripples on the water surface move faster as the amount of air blown by the blower fan 9 is larger and the airflow in the air passage 7 is stronger (strong momentum), and moves slower as the amount of blown air is less and the airflow is weaker (lower momentum). Therefore, the image of the water surface projected on the placement surface also fluctuates at a high speed when the amount of air blown by the blower fan 9 is large, and gently flickers at a low speed when the amount of air blown is small.

  Thereby, the user of the humidifier 1 does not need to go near the humidifier 1 and check the display of the operation unit (not shown), but visually observe the image of the water surface projected on the installation surface such as the floor surface. Intuitively, it can be intuitively recognized that the driving is strong when the image of the water surface fluctuates quickly, and the driving is weak when the image of the water surface fluctuates slowly.

  Further, since the image of the water surface is not projected in the state where the stored water 6 in the water collecting tray 11 is exhausted, the image projected on the placement surface is clearly different from the state where the stored water 6 is present. Therefore, the user of the humidifier 1 can intuitively know that the user is out of water by looking at the image projected on the installation surface such as the floor surface.

  Further, if the light source unit 15 is configured to emit a plurality of colors, colors may be set for each operation mode. In the automatic mode that is one of the operation modes, the strong operation and the weak operation are repeated according to the detection result of the humidity in the room. As described above, in the humid air coming out of the vaporizing humidifier, the contained moisture cannot be visually observed. Therefore, when the automatic mode is set, the indoor humidity state is unknown. However, even if the automatic mode is set, it is possible to know at a glance whether a strong operation or a weak operation is being performed by viewing the image of the water surface. Thereby, a driving | running state can be notified to a user directly like a steam type and an ultrasonic type.

  As described above, in the humidifier 1 of the present embodiment, the transparent housing 2b is provided at the lower portion of the humidifier 1, and the bottom surface of the water collection tray 11 and the like disposed at the bottom of the humidifier 1 is made of a transparent member. The light source unit 15 is configured to irradiate the stored water 6 in the water collection tray 11 with light so that an image of the water surface is projected onto the installation surface of the humidifier 1.

  Thereby, the user of the humidifier 1 does not need to go near the humidifier 1 and confirm the display of the operation unit (not shown), but can also see the image of the water surface projected on the installation surface such as the floor surface that can be confirmed at a distance. When the airflow flowing through the air passage 7 is strong and the image of the water surface fluctuates quickly, the operation is strong, and when the airflow flowing through the air passage 7 is weak and the image of the water surface fluctuates slowly, the airflow is weak. You can know intuitively that you are driving.

  In particular, even when the automatic mode is set as the operation mode, the operation state of the humidifier (whether it is during strong operation or weak operation) can be known from the movement of the projected image of the water surface. In addition, it is possible to know from the projected image that the water has run out when the stored water 6 in the water collecting tray 11 has disappeared.

  Furthermore, since the projected image has a movement compared to the conventional effect of shining the water storage tank and the water in the interior thereof, the effect of light is high and the interior is excellent.

  In the present embodiment, the strong operation and the weak operation are exemplified as the operation state. However, for example, a medium operation having an intermediate strength between the strong operation and the weak operation may be provided.

(Modification 1)
Further, when the ion generator 16 is attached to the inside of the casing of the blower fan 9, as shown in FIG. 5, two blower fans 9a and 9b that can be rotated by a double-axis motor are provided. It is good also as a structure which arrange | positions separately the positive electrode 16a of the high voltage | pressure unit which comprises the ion generator 16, and the negative electrode 16b. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a modification of the humidifier 1 having two blower fans.

  In the configuration in which the positive electrode 16a and the negative electrode 16b of the high voltage unit forming the ion generator 16 are arranged inside the casing of one blower fan 9, the positive ions and the negative ions come into contact with each other and cancel each other before coming out of the casing. There is a fear. On the other hand, by setting it as the structure shown in FIG. 5, positive ions and negative ions can be sent out from the air supply port 5 without contacting them inside the casing. Thereby, the air purification effect can be enhanced as compared with the humidifier 1 configured as described above.

[Embodiment 2]
Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those described in the embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

  In the humidifier 1 according to Embodiment 1 described above, the humidifying capacity corresponding to the amount of air blown by the blower fan 9 is expressed by the strength of fluctuation of the water surface of the stored water 6 in the water collecting tray 11. And the strength of the fluctuation of the water surface was determined by the airflow passing through the air blowing path 7.

  In the present embodiment, an enhancement mechanism that can be added to the humidifier 1 of the first embodiment and emphasizes the fluctuation of the water surface will be described. As an emphasis mechanism, there are a mechanism that uses an air flow passing through the air passage 7 and a mechanism that does not use the air flow.

(Example 1 of enhancement mechanism)
FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show an enhancement mechanism that uses airflow. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing a main part of the humidifier 1 having the emphasis mechanism including the windmill 18 according to the present embodiment. In the configuration shown in FIG. 6, a windmill 18 is installed on the water collection tray 11 as an emphasis mechanism. When the windmill 18 is rotated by the airflow passing through the air passage 7, the water surface of the stored water 6 is disturbed, and the fluctuation of the water surface becomes larger than the configuration of the ripple alone due to the airflow. The rotation of the windmill 18 becomes faster as the airflow passing through the air passage 7 becomes stronger, and the fluctuation of the image on the water surface becomes faster.

  Thereby, the driving | running state of the humidifier 1 can be notified more effectively than the structure of a ripple alone.

(Example 2 of enhancement mechanism)
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the humidifier 1 having an emphasis mechanism including the branch path 19 according to the present embodiment. In the configuration shown in FIG. 7, a branch path 19 for blowing air to the surface of the stored water 6 in the water collection tray 11 is provided as an emphasis mechanism. Here, the branch path 19 is configured by a nozzle attached to the casing of the blower fan 9 so that the inside communicates, and the tip of the branch path 19 blows air onto the water surface of the stored water 6 in the water collection tray 11. When air is blown from the branch path 19, ripples spread on the water surface of the stored water 6 in the water collection tray 11. The stronger the airflow, the stronger the wind blown from the branch path 19, and the larger the ripple.

  Thereby, the driving | running state of the humidifier 1 can be notified more effectively than the structure of a ripple alone.

(Example 3 of enhancement mechanism)
8 to 13 show an emphasis mechanism that does not use airflow. FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of the humidifier 1 including the emphasis mechanism including the first water drop dropping mechanism according to the present embodiment. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the first water drop dropping mechanism.

  In the configuration shown in FIG. 8, a first water drop dropping mechanism 20 using an ultrasonic vibrator 21 on the water collection tray 11 is installed as an emphasis mechanism. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 8, the ultrasonic transducer 21 is mounted on a support base 23 installed on the water collection tray 11. The ultrasonic vibrator 21 is supplied with water sucked up from the water absorbing fiber 24 whose lower end is immersed in the stored water 6 in the water collecting tray 11. The ultrasonic vibrator 21 is in contact with the upper end of the water absorbing fiber 24 to generate mist. Above the ultrasonic transducer 21, an inclined plate 22 having a pointed portion 22a is disposed in a state where the pointed portion 22a is inclined downward.

  The inclined plate 22 and the support base 23 are made of a transparent material so as not to block the projection of the image of the water surface onto the installation surface by the light source unit 15.

  In such a configuration, the mist generated from the ultrasonic transducer 21 hits the lower surface of the inclined plate 22 and adheres as small water droplets, flows by its own weight, and accumulates at the tip portion 22a. When the accumulated water grows to a certain size, it falls as water droplets onto the water collection tray 11 by its own weight. As the water drops fall, ripples spread on the surface of the stored water in the water collection tray 11. The larger the water drop or the faster the falling speed, the larger the ripple on the water surface. In addition, the higher the frequency of drops of water drops, the higher the frequency of occurrence of ripples appearing on the water surface.

  The frequency of drop of water droplets can be adjusted by changing the amount of mist generated by driving control of the ultrasonic transducer 21. In addition, the size of the water droplet can be adjusted by changing the shape of the tip portion 22a and the hydrophilicity of the lower surface of the inclined plate 22. The drop speed of the water droplets can be adjusted mainly by changing the distance between the tip portion 22a and the water surface of the stored water 6.

(Example 4 of enhancement mechanism)
FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of the humidifier 1 including the emphasis mechanism including the water surface tapping mechanism 25 according to the present embodiment. FIGS. 11A and 11B are schematic configuration diagrams for explaining the operation of the water surface tapping mechanism 25, where FIG. 11A shows a state in the dropping position and FIG. 11B shows a state in the lifting position.

  In the configuration shown in FIG. 10, a water surface hitting mechanism 25 that moves the bar-like member up and down to hit the water surface of the stored water 6 is installed as the emphasis mechanism. As shown in FIG. 10, the rod-shaped member 26 is inserted and suspended from above in a hole 27 a-1 formed in the first support plate 27 a in the support base 27 installed on the water collection tray 11. A magnet 28 is attached to the upper end portion of the rod-shaped member 26, and the portion of the magnet 28 abuts on the periphery of the hole 27a-1, so that it does not fall off from the first support plate 27a. The position where the magnet 28 hits the hole 27 a-1 is the dropping position where the rod-shaped member 26 hits the water surface, and the tip end portion 26 a of the rod-shaped member 26 is located below the water surface of the stored water 6.

  Above the rod-shaped member 26, a pulling portion (driving portion) 29 that pulls up the rod-shaped member 26 with a magnetic force is disposed. Here, the lifting portion 29 includes a rotating body 31 that is suspended from the second support plate 27b of the support base 27 and has a pair of magnets 30 and 30 provided in a scale shape, and a motor 32 that rotates the rotating body 31. ing.

  The rotating body 31 is provided such that a pair of magnets 30, 30 alternately pass directly above the rod-shaped member 26 when rotating, with the rotation center shifted from the hanging position of the rod-shaped member 26. By passing the magnets 30 and 30 directly above, as shown in FIG. 11B, the magnet 28 of the rod-shaped member 26 is attracted and the rod-shaped member 26 is pulled up (lifting position).

  The pulled-up rod-like member 26 is inserted into the hole 27a-1 of the support plate 27a, so that the movement in the lateral direction is restricted. When the magnets 30 and 30 of the rotating body 31 move with rotation. As shown in FIG. 11 (a), the vehicle falls to its falling position by its own weight and strikes the water surface of the stored water 6.

  Further, an abutting plate 27c is provided between the rod-shaped member 26 and the rotating body 31, and the magnet 28 of the rod-shaped member 26 and the magnets 30 and 30 of the rotating body 31 sandwich the abutting plate 27c. It comes to attract in state. As a result, the rod-shaped member 26 is easily separated with the movement of the rotating body 31, reducing the load applied to the motor 32 and enabling the rod-shaped member 26 to move up and down smoothly by the rotation of the rotating body 31.

  Here, the support base 27, the rod-shaped member 26, and the like are made of a transparent material so as not to block the projection of the image of the water surface onto the installation surface by the light source unit 15.

  In such a configuration, when the rotating body 31 rotates, the rod-like member 26 is pulled up every time the magnets 30 and 30 of the rotating body 31 pass right above (see FIG. 11B), and then dropped (see FIG. 11 (see (a)) is repeated.

  Each time the rod-like member 26 falls, the water surface of the stored water 6 in the water collecting tray 11 is hit by the tip end portion 26a, and the ripples spread. The stronger the tapping force, the greater the ripples on the water surface. Further, the higher the frequency of dropping of the rod-shaped member 26, the higher the frequency of occurrence of ripples appearing on the water surface.

  The frequency of the drop of the rod-shaped member 26 can be adjusted by changing the rotation speed by drive control of the rotating body 31. If the rotating body 31 is rotated at regular intervals, it can also be adjusted by the interval at which the rotating body is rotated. Moreover, it can also be adjusted by changing the number of magnets 30 provided on the rotating body 31. The strength with which the rod-shaped member 26 hits the water surface is adjusted by changing the shape of the tip portion 26a of the rod-shaped member 26, the weight of the rod-shaped member 26, the distance between the tip portion 26a of the rod-shaped member 26 and the water surface, and the like. it can.

  In addition, although the structure which has the rotary body 31 in which the pair of magnets 30 and 30 were provided in the shape of a balance and the motor 32 which rotates this was illustrated as the raising part 29 here, it is just above the rod-shaped member 26. An electromagnet may be provided and the rod-shaped member 26 may be moved up and down by the electromagnet.

  Further, as described above, regarding the emphasis mechanism including the first water drop dropping mechanism 20 shown in FIG. 8 and the water surface hitting portion 25 shown in FIG. 10, the drive control of the ultrasonic transducer 21 or the rotating body 31 of the lifting portion 29 is performed. By controlling the driving, the frequency of ripples appearing on the water surface can be changed. Therefore, in a control unit (not shown) mounted on the humidifier 1, the driving of the rotating body 31 of the ultrasonic vibrator 21 or the lifting unit 29 is interlocked with the operation state of the humidifier 1, and the ripple is generated in the strong operation. By reducing the frequency of occurrence of ripples in weak driving, it is more effective to notify whether strong driving or weak driving during driving in the automatic mode than the ripple alone configuration. it can.

(Example 5 of enhancement mechanism)
FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the humidifier 1 including the emphasis mechanism including the second water drop dropping mechanism 35 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 13 is a side view of the main part for explaining the operation of the second water drop dropping mechanism 35, where (a) shows a state in which the water storage tank 10 is removed from the humidifier 1, and (b) shows the water storage tank 10 in the humidifier 1. The attached state is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the second water drop dropping mechanism 35 opens and closes the small-diameter opening 10b formed at a position that comes down when attached to the humidifier 1 in the water storage tank 10, and the small-diameter opening 10b. It has an open / close lever 36 that enables dripping of water droplets in the open state.

  A fixed boss 37 for attaching the opening / closing lever 36 to the water storage tank 10 is formed above the small-diameter opening 10 b in the water storage tank 10. The open / close lever 36 has a substantially L shape with L-shaped corners bent in two stages, and the tip of the L-shaped vertical bar portion is formed to be thickest and wide (the width of the surface facing the water storage tank 10). ing. A packing 38 that closes the small-diameter opening 10b is attached to the portion 36a. The opening / closing lever 36 is attached to the water storage tank 10 so that the portion 36 a provided with the packing 38 faces downward and the portion 36 c corresponding to the L-shaped horizontal bar portion is separated from the water storage tank 10. The portion 36c functions as a receiving portion when a member (not shown) on the humidifier 1 side is engaged to push up the opening / closing lever 36 in a state where the water storage tank 10 is attached to the humidifier 1.

  A spring 39 is attached to a portion 36b of the opening / closing lever 36, which is formed by bending an L-shaped corner in two stages and inclined with respect to the wall surface of the water storage tank 10. The open / close lever 36 is attached to the water storage tank 10 by inserting a fixed boss 37 on the water storage tank 10 side into the spring 39.

  A fulcrum shaft 40 serving as an opening / closing fulcrum of the opening / closing lever 36 is inserted between the portion 36a and the inclined portion 36b. The open / close lever 36 has a direction in which the packing 38 is pressed against the small-diameter opening 10b like a seesaw with the portion through which the fulcrum shaft 40 is inserted as a fulcrum, and a direction in which the opposite packing 38 is pulled away from the small-diameter opening 10b. It can be freely moved between. The opening / closing lever 36 is urged by the urging force of the spring 39 in the direction of pressing the packing 38 against the small-diameter opening 10b unless the portion 36c serving as the receiving portion is pushed up.

  As shown in FIG. 13B, when the water storage tank 10 is attached to the humidifier 1 and a member (not shown) on the humidifier 1 side is engaged with the receiver and the receiver is pushed up, the biasing force of the spring 39 is increased. The opening / closing lever 36 rotates against this, and the small-diameter opening 10b is opened. By opening the small-diameter opening 10b, water drops to the water surface of the stored water 6 in the water collection tray 11 while water is in the water storage tank 10. Note that when the water in the water storage tank 10 runs out, water drops do not fall, so that the water tank 10 can be used for detecting no water.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 13A, in a state where F is removed from the humidifier 1, the packing 38 closes the small-diameter opening 10b by the urging force of the spring 39. Thereby, even if the water storage tank 10 is filled and carried around, water droplets do not leak from the small-diameter opening 10b on the way.

  In such a configuration, water drops fall until the water in the water storage tank 10 runs out, and ripples occur on the water surface. The frequency of drops of water drops depends on the remaining amount of water in the water storage tank 10, and is high when the water is full and decreases as the remaining amount decreases.

[Embodiment 3]
Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those described in the embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

  In the humidifier 1 of Embodiments 1 and 2 described above, the intake port 4 is opened on the back side of the main body housing 2a, and the prefilter 8 is provided on the inside thereof. The intake port 4 can suck more air into the humidifier 1 as the formation area is widened. Therefore, in the configuration in which the humidifying filter 12 is annular and disposed on the entire inner periphery of the main body housing 2a, it is desired to provide the intake port 4 on the front side of the main body housing 2a in order to introduce more air. However, since the pre-filter 8 for removing dust and the like from the sucked air is attached to the intake port 4, dust and the like can be seen from the front side, and the appearance of the humidifier 1 is impaired.

  The present embodiment pays attention to such improvements, and in the humidifier according to the present embodiment, the main body housing 2a is divided into upper and lower main bodies in order to further increase the humidifying capacity without impairing the appearance, and the upper and lower main bodies. An annular intake port is provided over the entire circumference at the joint of the housing 2a.

  FIG. 14 shows a humidifier 1A according to the present embodiment, in which (a) is a front view of the humidifier 1A, and (b) is a rear view thereof. FIG. 15 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the internal configuration of the humidifier 1A. FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the humidifier 1A as viewed from below. FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the lower main part of the humidifier 1A.

  As shown in FIGS. 14-17, the main body housing 2a located above the transparent housing 2b is divided into a main body upper housing 2a-1 and a lower body housing 2a-2. The diameter of the lower end portion of the main body upper housing 2a-1 is formed to be larger than the diameter of the upper end portion of the lower body housing 2a-2, and when the upper body housing 2a-1 and the lower body housing 2a-2 are combined, the diameter An annular gap extending in the direction is generated. In the humidifier 1A, an annular air inlet 41 that extends in the radial direction is provided in the annular gap portion, and a pre-filter 42 is attached to the inside thereof.

  As shown in FIG. 15, an air guide 43 that guides the air sucked from the annular intake port 41 to the lower space where the humidifying filter 12 is disposed is provided inside the annular intake port 41. . Thus, the air sucked from the annular intake port 41 is not directly guided to the blower fan 9, but is humidified by passing through the humidifying filter 12, and is then guided to the blower fan 9.

  The water storage tank 10 </ b> A has a cylindrical shape and is disposed inside the annular humidification filter 12. In such a configuration, when the light source unit 15 is attached to the casing of the blower fan 9, the light source unit 15 transmits light to the stored water 6 in the water collecting tray 11 via the water storage tank 10A made of a transparent member. Irradiate.

  According to the above configuration, by providing the annular intake port 41 in addition to the intake port 4, more air can be introduced into the air blowing path 7 inside the humidifier 1 </ b> A, and the humidification capability can be increased. . Moreover, since the annular air inlet 41 is provided so as to be hidden at the joint between the lower end portion of the main body upper housing 2a-1 and the upper end portion of the main body lower housing 2a-2, the appearance of the humidifier 1A is not impaired.

  In addition, in the humidifier 1A, when the windmill 18, the branch path 19, the first water drop dropping mechanism 20, the water surface tapping mechanism 25, and the like are provided as the above-described emphasis mechanism, these installation spaces are necessary on the water collection tray 11. It becomes. In such a case, an installation space may be secured by making the water storage tank into a semi-cylindrical shape. For example, the water storage tank may be formed in a semi-cylindrical two-piece set in advance and only one of them may be mounted when the emphasis mechanism is provided.

  By the way, when a plurality of water storage tanks are provided in this way, when water decreases from the plurality of water storage tanks at the same pace, the plurality of water storage tanks are simultaneously emptied. Therefore, it is necessary to supply a plurality of water storage tanks simultaneously. In addition, there is a problem that a sound that is generated when the tank is emptied is generated simultaneously from a plurality of water storage tanks, and is noisy.

(Preferred example)
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 18, when a plurality of water storage tanks 10 are provided, it is preferable that the height when installed on the water collection tray 11 is different among the plurality of water storage tanks 10. . FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing a preferred arrangement example of a water storage tank that can be used in the humidifiers 1 and 1A.

  In this manner, by supplying different water surface heights for supplying water to the water collecting tray 11 among the plurality of water storage tanks 10, water supply is performed in order from the highest water surface for water supply. That is, in the example of FIG. 18, water supply is started from the water storage tank 10-1 whose water surface is higher than the water storage tank 10-2, and the water storage tank 10-1 is emptied. When the water surface of the stored water 6 is lowered to the height of the water surface that supplies water to the water storage tank 10-2, water supply from the water storage tank 10-2 is started.

  Thus, even if a plurality of water storage tanks 10 are provided, the plurality of water storage tanks 10 are emptied one by one in order, so that it is not necessary to supply water to the plurality of water storage tanks 10 at the same time. No sound is generated when the water tanks 10 are simultaneously emptied.

  In addition to changing the height when installed on the water collection tray 11, as shown in FIG. 19, the length of the water supply port (cap portion) for supplying water to the water collection tray 11 is set to a plurality of water storage tanks. It may be different between the ten. FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing another preferred arrangement example of the water storage tank that can be used in the humidifiers 1 and 1A. In FIG. 19, water supply is started from the water storage tank 10-3 having a short water supply port 50 a, the water storage tank 10-3 is emptied, and the water level of the stored water 6 in the water collection tray 11 is long. Water supply from the water storage tank 10-4 is started when the water level of the water storage tank 10-4 provided with the mouth 50b is lowered to the level of water.

[Summary]
In the humidifiers 1 and 1A according to the first aspect of the present invention, a humidifying filter 12 impregnated with water is disposed in the middle of the air passage 7 connecting the intake port 4 and the air supply port 5. In the vaporizing humidifier 1 that passes air introduced into the air passage 7 through the humidifying filter 12 to form humid air containing vaporized moisture and sends the air from the air supply port 5 to the outside of the air passage 7, an exterior portion (housing) 2) A lower light transmission part (a peripheral surface part of the transparent housing 2b) that is provided in the lower part and makes the installation surface of the humidifier 1 visible, and a bottom light transmission part (a top of the transparent housing 2b) provided at the bottom of the exterior part. Surface portion), provided in the air passage 7 inside the exterior portion, stores water and is provided with a humidification filter 12 and has a transparent portion on the bottom surface (water collection tray 11), and is stored in the water tray. Irradiate the water with light to form an image of the water surface. And a, a light source unit 15 for projecting the installation surface only through the transparent portion and the bottom light transmissive portion of the dish.

  According to the said structure, the light source part 15 projects the image of the water surface of the stored water 6 in the water collection tray 11 on an installation surface via the transparent part and bottom light transmissive part of a water receiving tray, The image can be shown to the user through the lower light transmission part. The water surface of the stored water 6 in the water collection tray 11 is affected by the airflow flowing through the air blowing path 7, and ripples corresponding to the strength of the airflow are generated and swaying.

  Thereby, the user of the humidifier 1 does not need to go near the humidifier 1 and check the display of the operation unit (not shown), but can see the water surface projected on the installation surface such as the floor surface, which can be seen from a distance. By visually observing the image, if the airflow flowing through the air passage 7 is strong and the image on the water surface is swaying fast, the operation is strong, and if the airflow flowing through the air passage 7 is weak and the image on the water surface is swaying slowly, You can intuitively know that you are driving weakly.

  In particular, even when the automatic mode is set as the operation mode, the operation state of the humidifier 1 (whether it is during strong operation or weak operation) can be known from the movement of the projected image of the water surface. In addition, it is possible to know from the projected image that the water has run out when the stored water 6 in the water collecting tray 11 has disappeared.

  Furthermore, compared to the conventional effect of shining the water storage tank and the water in the interior thereof, the projected image of the water surface has a movement, so the effect of the effect by light is high and the interior is excellent.

  In the humidifiers 1 and 1A according to the aspect 2 of the present invention, the lower light transmission portion (the peripheral surface portion of the transparent housing 2b) is provided around the entire lower portion of the exterior portion (housing 2), and the lower end portion is It can also be set as the structure which consists of a transparent frame (transparent housing 2b) which reaches an installation surface.

  According to this, when the image of the water surface is projected, it is possible to make it appear as if the humidifier 1 is lifted from the installation surface.

  The humidifier 1A according to the aspect 3 of the present invention further includes an emphasis mechanism (wind turbine 18, branch path 19, first water drop dropping mechanism 20, water surface tapping mechanism 25, second water drop dropping mechanism 35) that increases the fluctuation of the water surface. It is the structure provided with.

  According to this, the fluctuation of the water surface can be further emphasized, and the movement of the projected image of the water surface can be increased to produce a more impactful light.

  In the humidifiers 1 and 1A according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the emphasis mechanism (wind turbine 18, branch path 19, first water drop dropping mechanism 20, water surface tapping mechanism 25) is air introduced into the air passage 7. The fluctuation of the water surface can be made larger when the momentum is stronger than when the momentum is weaker.

  According to this, in conjunction with the operating state of the humidifier, the frequency of occurrence of ripples is increased in strong operation, and the frequency of occurrence of ripples is reduced in weak operation, thereby notifying the operating state more effectively than the configuration of ripple alone. can do.

  In the humidifiers 1 and 1A according to the aspect 5 of the present invention, the emphasis mechanism further includes a rod-like member 26 having a magnet attached to a rear end portion thereof, a pulling position and a dropping position that act on the magnet to raise the rod-like member. And a drive part (lifting part 29) that moves up and down, and the tip of the rod-shaped member hits the water surface at the dropping position.

  According to this, the rod-shaped member having the magnet attached to the rear end portion is moved up and down between the pulling position and the dropping position by the drive unit using the action of the magnet, and the rod-shaped member of the rod-shaped member is moved at the dropping position. The tip hits the water surface, generating ripples. Thereby, the enhancement mechanism can be realized with a simple configuration.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible, and the present invention also relates to embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. Is included in the technical scope. Furthermore, a new technical feature can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment.

1,1A Humidifier 2 Housing (exterior)
2a Main body housing 2a-1 Main body upper housing 2a-2 Main body lower housing 2b Transparent housing 4 Intake port 5 Inlet port 6 Reserved water 7 Air supply path 8, 42 Prefilter 9, 9a, 9b Air supply fans 10, 10-1, 10 -2, 10-3, 10-4, 10A Water storage tank 11 Water collection tray (water tray)
12 Humidification filter 15 Light source unit 16 Ion generator 18 Windmill (enhancement mechanism)
19 Branching path (emphasis mechanism)
20 First water drop dropping mechanism (enhancement mechanism)
25 Water surface tapping mechanism (enhancement mechanism)
26 Rod-shaped members 27, 28, 30, 30, 30 Magnet 29, Lifting part (driving part)
35 Second water drop dropping mechanism (enhancement mechanism)

Claims (5)

A humidifying filter impregnated with water is arranged in the middle of the air passage connecting the air inlet and the air inlet, and the air introduced from the air inlet to the air passage is passed through the humidifying filter to moisten the water containing vaporized water. In a vaporizing humidifier that sends air to the outside of the air passage from the air inlet,
A lower light transmission part provided at the lower part of the exterior part and enabling the installation surface of the humidifier to be visible;
Provided at the bottom of the exterior part, the bottom light transmission part,
A water receiving tray that is provided in the air passage inside the exterior portion, stores water and has a humidifying filter, and has a transparent portion on the bottom surface;
A light source unit that irradiates light stored in the water tray, and projects an image of the water surface onto the installation surface via the transparent portion and the bottom light transmission portion of the water tray;
A humidifier comprising:   2. The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein the lower light transmission portion is provided on the entire periphery of the lower portion of the exterior portion, and is formed of a transparent frame body having a lower end portion reaching the installation surface.   The humidifier according to claim 1, further comprising an emphasis mechanism that increases fluctuation of the water surface.   The humidification mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the emphasis mechanism is interlocked with a flow of air introduced into the air flow path, and the fluctuation of the water surface is increased when the momentum is strong than when the momentum is weak. Machine. The enhancement mechanism is
A rod-like member having a magnet attached to the rear end;
A drive unit that acts on the magnet to move the rod-shaped member up and down between a pulling position and a dropping position;
The humidifier according to claim 4, wherein a tip end portion of the rod-shaped member hits the water surface at a dropping position.

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