JPH06331187A - Moistening device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To suppress the volume of a water reservoir part and to heat and sterilize fed water by a method wherein a heater is located between a first water reservoir part to store water up to a given water level and a second water reservoir part having an ultrasonic unit and based on a detecting value from a water level sensor arranged to the second water reservoir part, the heater and the ultrasonic unit are driven and controlled. CONSTITUTION:Water is stored in a first water reservoir part 21 up to a constantly specified height from a container 3 for feed water. A containing chamber 26 for an ultrasonic unit 5 and a float 7 to detect a water level in a second water reservoir part 22 are installed in the second water reservoir part 22 and the other end of a communicating pipe 23 is connected thereto. The communicating pipe contains a pipe and pipe heater and the pipe has one end coupled to the first water reservoir part 21. A control part performs ON and OFF control of energization to the pipe heater and the ultrasonic unit 5 based on a detecting water level by the float 7. This constitution causes heating and sterilization of water, fed from the first water reservoir part, in the middle and performs the automatic feed of water from the first water reservoir part to the second water reservoir part.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a humidifying device which atomizes water by using an ultrasonic vibrator to humidify the water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 shows Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-8339 (F24F6 / 00).
FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the conventional humidifier disclosed in FIG. 1, in which 41 is a main body case, 42 is a water supply tank, 43 is an ultrasonic transducer, and 44 is a blower fan.

The body case 41 is provided with a water reservoir 41a on the inner lower side, a guide cylinder 45 is continuously provided near one side of the upper part of the water reservoir 41a, and a placing portion 42a of a water supply tank 42 is provided near the other side. Further, on the lower side of the guide cylinder 45, an air suction port 46a is formed at the lower end.
A ventilation path 46 having an upper end connected to the guide tube 45 is additionally provided, and a blower fan 44 is installed in the ventilation path 46.

The water supply tank 42 has a water supply plug 47 removably fitted in its opening. Water tap 47 is its water inlet
47a is equipped with a valve plate 47c biased to the sealing position by a pressing spring 47b, and the water tank 42 is placed with the valve plate 47c pressed against a rod 41b standing on the bottom of the body case 41. By mounting on the portion 42a, the water of a predetermined water level can be constantly stored in the water reservoir 41a.

The ultrasonic transducer 43 is mounted on the bottom wall of the water reservoir 41a in the portion facing the guide tube 45, and the drive of the ultrasonic transducer 43 causes fog to be generated in the guide tube 45. Due to the air flow blown into the guide tube 45 through the ventilation passage 46 by the drive of the blower fan 44, the main body case 41
It is designed so that it can be ejected to the outside from the upper spray port 45f.

[0006]

By the way, in such a conventional humidifier, the water reservoir 41a has a large surface area, and since the surface is in direct communication with the outside air, bacteria in the air can invade. The temperature of the water in the water reservoir 41a is easily warmed to around 30 ° C during operation of the ultrasonic transducer 43, and bacteria are likely to proliferate. There was a hygiene problem that bacteria were scattered indoors with the wind. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and its object is to reduce the volume of the water reservoir of the atomized water, and to sterilize the water supplied to the water reservoir by heat sterilization. The present invention is to provide a heating device capable of reducing the proliferation of the.

[0007]

In a humidifying device according to the present invention, water supplied from a water supply container to a water tank is atomized by an ultrasonic unit provided in the water tank, and the water is supplied from the water tank to the outside from the water tank along with an air flow. In the humidifying device adapted to eject the water into the water tank, the water tank is composed of a first water reservoir part for accumulating water at a predetermined water level and a second water reservoir part provided with an ultrasonic unit. Between the two water reservoirs, one end is connected to the first water reservoir, and an intermediate part has a heating part having a plurality of heaters, and the other end is a communication communicating with the second water reservoir. A pipe is provided, a water level sensor is provided in the second water reservoir, and a controller that controls the drive of the plurality of heaters and the ultrasonic unit of the communication pipe based on the detection value of the water level sensor is provided. To do.

[0008]

According to the present invention, the water supplied from the first water reservoir to the second water reservoir is sterilized by heating, and the water is supplied from the first water reservoir to the second water reservoir. Is also automatically performed by the rise of the water level due to this heating, and each heater of the communicating pipe and the ultrasonic unit are controlled based on the detection value of the water level sensor, so that the reliability can be improved.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings showing the embodiments. 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a humidifier according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a water tank container with a water supply container and a guide tube removed, and FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 2, in which 1 is a body case of the humidifier, 2 is a water tank container,
3 is a water supply container, 4 is a mist guide tube, 5 is an ultrasonic unit, and 6 is a blower fan.

The body case 1 is closed at the bottom and the periphery,
It is formed in a bowl shape with an open upper part, and the blower fan 6 and its driving motor M are arranged in the lower part inside thereof.
The water tank container 2 is fitted inside the main body case 1 with the flange portion 2a provided around the upper portion thereof being locked to the upper opening edge 1a of the main body case 1 so as to cover the above, and a set screw (not shown) is provided. Are integrally fixed to the body case 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a predetermined step is formed on the bottom of the water tank container 2, and a predetermined step is formed on the bottom. The partition wall 2c provided above the step 2b forms the first water reservoir. 21 and a second water reservoir 22 located at a lower position than this, and the space between the first water reservoir 21 and the second water reservoir 22 is arranged along the outside of the peripheral wall of the aquarium container 2. They are connected by a communication pipe 23.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the first water reservoir 21 is provided with a cooling water reservoir 24 extending substantially along the peripheral wall of the second water reservoir 22 and having a height substantially the same as that of the second water reservoir 22. There is. A protrusion 21a having a predetermined height is formed on a part of the bottom wall of the first water reservoir 21, and one end of a communication pipe 23 is watertightly connected to the other part of the bottom wall. In the portion 21, the cooling water reservoir 24, and the communication pipe 23, water is always retained from the water supply container 3 by a predetermined height H ₁ (height with the bottom surface of the second water reservoir 22 as a reference plane). Has become.

The water supply container 3 is constructed by providing a water supply plug 27 at its opening 3a. In the water tap 27, the valve rod 27c is inserted into the hole 27b which is opened in the center of the lid 27a whose central part is recessed inward, and the spring receiver 27d is attached to the outer end of the valve rod 27c.
Further, a valve body 27e is provided at the inner end, and the spring receiver 27d and the hole 27
A push spring 27f is interposed between the spring and b.

Such a water supply container 3 is inverted and its valve rod is
By mounting the outer end of 27c against the projection 21a formed on the bottom wall of the first water reservoir 21 and attaching it to the water tank container 2, the valve rod 27c is supplied with water against the push spring 27f. As it is pushed into the container 3 and the valve body 27e separates from the hole 27b, as described above, water is constantly accumulated in the first water reservoir 21 to a position where the water surface comes into contact with the lower surface of the lid 27a. ing.

On the other hand, the bottom wall of the second water reservoir 22 has a hole 22a facing the ultrasonic unit 5 and a hole communicating with the communicating cylinder 25.
22b is opened, and the guide cylinder 4 is provided in the second water reservoir 22 so as to surround the holes 22a, 22b and the outer periphery of the through cylinder 25.
However, the accommodating chambers 26 of the ultrasonic units 5 are provided below the bottom wall of the second water reservoir 22, respectively. A float 7 for detecting the water level of the water reservoir 22 is installed at another portion in the second water reservoir 22, and the other end of the communication pipe 23 is connected to the side wall of the float 7 in a watertight state.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the communication pipe 23 is a straight pipe 31, a connecting elbow 32, a connecting tube 33, two pipe heaters 34a and 34b constituting a heating portion 34, a connecting tube 35, and Connection elbow 36, connection tube 37, cooling pipe 3
8. The connecting elbow 39 is connected in this order in series.

One end of the pipe 31 is connected to the bottom wall of the first water reservoir 21 in a watertight state, the other end thereof extends vertically downward, and one end of the pipe heater 34a is connected via a connecting elbow 32 and a connecting tube 33. Are linked to. Pipe heater 34a, 34
b is formed by winding a coil around the outer circumference of each metal pipe, and the other end of the pipe heater 34b extends obliquely upward to a position H ₂ higher than the water surface of the first water reservoir 21. It is made to exist, and is connected to one end of the connecting tube 37 through the connecting tube 35 and the connecting elbow 36.

The other end of the connecting tube 37 extends obliquely downward at a position lower than the water surface of the first water reservoir 21 as shown in FIG. 4, and penetrates the cooling water reservoir 24 slightly obliquely downward to cool it. It is connected to a part of the pipe 38. The other end of the cooling pipe 38 is connected to the side wall of the second water reservoir 22 in a watertight state at a position lower than the water surface of the first water reservoir 21 via a connecting elbow 39 as shown in FIG.

In such a communicating pipe 23, since a portion located higher than the water surface of the first water reservoir 21 is provided on the downstream side of the pipe heater 34a, the first water reservoir 21 to the second water reservoir 21 are normally provided.
Water is not supplied to the water reservoir 22 of the pipe heaters 34a, 34
Electricity is applied to both or one of the coils of b to sterilize the various bacteria in the water by boiling the water, and at the same time, the water level in the communication pipe 23 is increased by the expansion of the water and the bubbles of the generated steam, The water will be supplied to the water reservoir 22 of.

The ultrasonic unit 5 has a hole in the accommodation chamber 26.
It is installed in a watertight state with respect to 22a and operates the ultrasonic unit 5 to atomize the water inside the second water reservoir 22 and surrounded by the guide tube 4. .
A discharge port of a blower fan 6 installed at a lower portion of the main body case 1 is connected to a side wall of the housing chamber 26, and the wind from the blower fan 6 is passed through the housing chamber 26 to cool the ultrasonic unit 5. At the same time, from the hole 22b through the through cylinder 25, the guide cylinder 4
It is designed to blow out into the upper part of.

The guide tube 4 is supported by the flange portion 2a of the water tank container 2 through a lid 28 and a holder 29 provided on the upper end thereof. The lid 28 has a hole 28a, and the holder 29 has a nozzle.
29a are provided respectively, and the mist generated in the guide cylinder 4 is ejected to the outside from the nozzle 29a through the guide chamber 4a at the upper end of the guide cylinder 4 and the hole 28a along with the air flow blown from the through cylinder 25. It has become so. The guide chamber 4a is for removing large mist particles by bending the flow path of the mist and ejecting only fine mist to the outside.

The float 7 has a built-in magnet switch (not shown) and is configured to detect the maximum water level value and the minimum water level value when the water level is in a steady state, and outputs the detected values to the control unit 10 shown in FIG. . FIG. 5 shows pipe heaters 34a and 34b.
3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control unit 10 for the ultrasonic unit 5. FIG. The pipe heaters 34a and 34b and the ultrasonic unit 5 are connected in parallel to an AC power source (not shown). The control unit 10 has a switch SW ₁ for turning on and off the power supply to the first pipe heater 34a, and a second pipe heater 34b.
Switch SW ₂ for turning on / off the energization to the ultrasonic unit 5 and switch SW ₃ for turning on / off the energization to the ultrasonic unit 5
The switch SW ₁ , SW ₂ , SW ₃ is selectively turned on / off based on the detected water level output from the float 7.

That is, the water level of the second water reservoir 22 is the maximum water level,
When in the steady operation state within the range of the minimum water level, the switches SW ₁ and SW ₃ are turned on and the first pipe heater 34
a and the ultrasonic unit 5 are driven, and the water level is lower than the minimum water level. For example, in the case of the beginning of use, the switch SW ₁ ,
SW ₂ is turned on and the first and second pipe heaters 34a, 34b
To both the first water reservoir 21 and the second water reservoir 21 to rapidly increase the water level in the communicating pipe 23 by thermal expansion and boiling.
The amount of water supplied to the water reservoir 22 is increased so that atomization can be started quickly. Note that, during this period, the parts of the ultrasonic unit 5 may be burned, so the switch SW ₃ is turned off and the driving of the ultrasonic unit 5 is stopped.

When the water level in the second water reservoir 22 becomes higher than the minimum water level, the switch SW ₃ is turned on, the ultrasonic unit 5 is operated, and the switch SW ₂ is turned off to the second pipe heater 34b. The electricity is cut off and only the first pipe heater 34a is operated to sterilize the water and the first water reservoir 21.
To the second water reservoir 22.

At this time, the diameter of the communicating pipe 23 and the output of the pipe heater 34a are set so that the amount of water supplied from the first water reservoir 21 to the second water reservoir 22 is substantially equal to the atomization amount of water. Is desirable. On the other hand, the second water reservoir 22 detected by the float 7
If the water level inside rises above the maximum water level, switch S
W ₁ and SW ₂ are turned off, the switch SW ₃ is turned on, the water supply from the first water reservoir 21 to the second water reservoir 22 is stopped, and only the ultrasonic unit 5 is operated.

The water level in the second water reservoir 22 is below the minimum water level, the ultrasonic unit 5 is stopped, and both pipe heaters 34
It means that there is no water in the first water reservoir 21 when a certain period of time has passed while a and 34b are energized, in other words, the water in the water supply container 3 is zero. The power supply to both pipe heaters 34a and 34b is also stopped, and the water supply instruction lamp and the like are turned on.

Next, the operation of the humidifying device according to the present invention as described above.
Explain the work. The state in which the water supply container 3 is attached in FIG.
Then, the water is always H in the first reservoir 21. ₁Accumulated to the height of
The communication pipe 23 and the cooling water reservoir
The same level of water accumulated in each part 24
ing.

Now, when the main switch is turned on in this state, the pipe heaters 34a and 34b incorporated in the communication pipe 23 are energized to heat and boil the internal water.
The water level inside 23 suddenly rises, flows over the connecting tube 35, which is the highest part of the communication pipe 23, and flows out to the downstream side, and is cooled down to a predetermined temperature of 50 ° C. or less by a cooling pipe 38 passing through the cooling water reservoir 24 on the way. Then, the water flows into the second water reservoir 22.

The water flowing into the second water reservoir 22 is sterilized by being heated to a high temperature in the process of passing through the pipe heater 34, and at this time, magnesium, potassium, etc. in the water are pipe heated 34.
It can be deposited and removed in a and 34b, and can be prevented from adhering as white powder to walls and furniture. The water after further heating is cooled to a predetermined temperature in the cooling water reservoir 24, so that the ultrasonic unit 5 can be heated without being heated.
The heat loss of the elements and the like is prevented.

The water level in the second water reservoir 22 is float 7
When the water level is higher than the lowest water level, the control unit 10 turns off the switch SW _2, turns on the switches SW ₁ and SW ₃ , and operates the pipe heater 34a, the ultrasonic unit 5, and the blower fan 6. The water in the second water reservoir 22 is atomized, rises in the guide cylinder 4, and is accompanied by the air flow discharged from the through cylinder 25, the guide chamber 4a, the hole 28a of the lid 28, the nozzle 29 of the holder 29.
It will be ejected to the outside via a. Further, when the water level in the second water reservoir 22 exceeds the maximum water level, the switches SW ₁ , SW
₂ is turned off, switch SW ₃ is turned on, and pipe heater 34
a and 34b stop, and only the ultrasonic unit 5 operates.

[0031]

As described above, in the device of the present invention, the first water reservoir portion and the second water reservoir portion having different water levels are connected by the communication pipe having the heating portion provided with the heater on the way. Therefore, the water supplied from the first water reservoir is sterilized by heating on the way, and the water level is raised by the heating so that the water is automatically supplied from the first water reservoir to the second water reservoir. The sterilization and the water supply are performed at the same time, and the sanitary problem can be solved without complicating the configuration, and further, the plurality of heaters and the ultrasonic waves are controlled by the control unit that is interlocked with the water level sensor provided in the second water reservoir. The present invention has excellent effects such as control of each unit and enhancement of safety and reliability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view of a humidifying device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the water tank container with the water supply container and the guide tube removed.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.

4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control system for an ultrasonic unit and a plurality of heaters.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a conventional humidifier.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Body Case 2 Water Tank Container 3 Water Supply Container 4 Induction Cylinder 5 Ultrasonic Unit 7 Float 10 Controller 21 First Water Reservoir 22 Second Water Reservoir 23 Communication Pipe 24 Cooling Water Reservoir 27 Water Tap 34a, 34b Pipe Heater

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A humidifying device in which water supplied from a water supply container to a water tank is atomized by an ultrasonic unit provided in the water tank and jetted out of the water tank along with an air flow. Is composed of a first water reservoir for accumulating water of a predetermined water level and a second water reservoir equipped with an ultrasonic unit.
Between the water reservoir and the second water reservoir, one end is connected to the first water reservoir, the middle part has a heating part having a plurality of heaters, and the other end is the second water reservoir. A communication pipe connected to the water reservoir is provided, a water level sensor is provided at the second water reservoir, and a control unit is provided that controls driving of a plurality of heaters and ultrasonic units of the communication pipe based on detection values of the water level sensor. Humidification device characterized in that 2. The humidifying device according to claim 1, wherein the communication pipe is provided with a portion located higher than the water level of the first water reservoir portion on the downstream side of the heating portion. 3. The humidifying device according to claim 1, wherein the communication pipe is provided with a water cooling region on the downstream side of the heating unit.