JPH0718579B2 - humidifier - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a humidifier for supplying moisture to dry air in a room or the like to increase the humidity.

[Conventional technology]

Recent living spaces are becoming more heat-insulating and airtight from the viewpoint of energy saving, and higher air conditioning is required. Elements of air conditioning include temperature control, humidity control, and control of harmful air components. Among these, various satisfactory heating and cooling systems have been put into practical use. However, regarding humidity control and control of harmful components, a sufficiently satisfactory device has not been proposed yet. In particular, humidifiers that control humidity include natural evaporation type, electric heating type, water spray type, ultrasonic type, etc. However, the natural evaporation type has a small humidification capacity, and the electric heating type has disadvantages that running costs are high. Also, the water spray type has a problem that the humidification efficiency is poor and the size becomes large.
The ultrasonic method is troublesome to maintain, and has drawbacks such as scattering of fine powder of calcium carbonate.

Of these methods, the natural evaporation type humidifier has the lowest initial cost and running cost, and the highest practicality, such as no scattering of calcium carbonate fine powder, but its disadvantage is the low humidification capacity. For the purpose of improvement, a structure as shown in FIG. 4 has been conventionally adopted. In this figure, (1) is a hollow porous member disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-171337, and a sheet member composed mainly of a porous sheet of a hydrophobic polymer is formed in a bag shape. The water vapor can pass through the inside and outside of the bag. Specifically, a sheet made of a synthetic resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polycarbonate, polyester, or fluororesin, which is configured to block the passage of water and allow the passage of water vapor. And a breathable fabric made of a woven fabric such as a plant fiber or a chemical fiber. Further, since the holes of the above-mentioned sheet and the breathable cloth are closed when they are entirely bonded, the partial passage of water vapor is facilitated by partially bonding them at intervals of, for example, about 5 to 10 mm. (2) is a water supply port for supplying water into the bag of the hollow porous member, (3) is a spacing member housed in the hollow porous member, at both sides and the central portion of the hollow porous member, It is composed of a cylindrical part (3A) extending in the longitudinal direction of the hollow porous member and a thin plate-like part (3B) that joins the respective cylindrical parts, and the cylindrical part (3A) provides sufficient space inside the hollow porous member. Space is secured and thin plate-shaped part (3B)
A water channel is formed between the hollow porous member and the hollow porous member.
A highly flexible vinyl chloride resin, silicone resin, or the like is used as a constituent material of the spacing member, and is manufactured by extrusion molding. (4) together with the spacing member,
The self-temperature control type heating element (4) housed in the hollow porous member is made of a conductive filler dispersed in a matrix material and has a positive resistance temperature coefficient. As the conductive filler, fine fibers of carbon or metal are used, and carbon black is suitable for ensuring a high positive temperature coefficient of resistance. Further, an organic compound having a low melting point is added as a third component in order to control the self-temperature control function, and low molecular weight polyethylene wax is suitable for this. The manufacturing method is to use 20 to 30 weight percent carbon black in the polyolefin and, if necessary, a low molecular weight polyolefin wax.
The composition added with 10 to 30% by weight is homogenized with a Banbury mixer or the like, and then extruded with a T die to form a sheet-shaped self-temperature control type heating element composition, which is cut into strips with a predetermined width. To do. (5) is a copper foil electrode fixed to both ends in the width direction of the heating element composition by heat fusion, and (6) is a lead wire connected to this electrode, at an appropriate location of the hollow porous member (1). Is connected to a power source (not shown).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Since the conventional humidifier is configured as described above, when the supply of water is stopped for some reason, the humidifier is not only left unhumidified but also heated. There was a problem that the temperature became high and it became dangerous.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object thereof is to provide a humidifier capable of detecting the stoppage of water supply.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

The humidifier according to the present invention is provided with a water detection sensor in the hollow porous member.

[Action]

According to this invention, since the water detection sensor is provided, when the supply of water is stopped, the water detection sensor detects this and displays the fact to the outside or the operation of the humidifier. It is possible to stop it.

Example of Invention

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a hollow porous member of the embodiment.
In this figure, (7) is a water detection sensor, which is composed of a sensor body (7A), a lead wire (7B) connected to the sensor body, and a holding member (7C) that holds the sensor body, and has a hollow porosity. Spacing member (3) in member (1)
And the heating element (4). Further, the sensor main body (7A) is configured to be energized through water when water is present in the hollow porous member (1) and maintain a non-energized state when the water is exhausted. The other structure is the same as that of the conventional humidifier, and the description thereof is omitted. FIG. 2 shows the control circuit of this embodiment.
Is a power source, and (9) is a main switch of the humidifier, which is closed during the humidifying operation. (10) is the contact point of the water detection sensor,
It is designed to be opened when the water supply is stopped.
(11) is an auxiliary relay, and (11b) is a normally-closed contact of the auxiliary relay, which is opened when the auxiliary relay is energized. Similarly, (11a) is a normally open contact of the auxiliary relay, which is closed when the auxiliary relay is energized. (12) is a lamp for displaying an abnormality, (4) is a heating element, and (13) is a blower for sending air containing water vapor to the outside. When the main switch (9) for performing the humidifying operation is turned on, the other contacts are in the state shown in FIG. 2, and the humidifying element (4) and the blower (13) are operated to perform the humidifying operation and the lamp. (12) is off.
Now, if the water supply is stopped for some reason, the contact (10) for operating the water detection sensor (7) is opened. As a result, the auxiliary relay (11) is deenergized to open the normally open contact (11a) and close the normally closed contact (11b).

Therefore, the operation of the heating element (4) and the blower (13) are stopped, and the lamp (12) is turned on to indicate the abnormal state. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a spiral type humidifier which is another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the hollow porous member (1) shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 is wound into a honeycomb columnar shape through a corrugated separator (14) made of, for example, plastic, and above it. Is provided with a water supply pipe (15) connected to the water supply port (2) and a water supply tank (16) for supplying water for evaporation through the water supply pipe. The water detection sensor (7) is wound together with the hollow porous member (1), and (7B) is its lead wire. If the outer surface of the lead wire (6) of the heating element is hydrophilic, water flows smoothly even if bubbles occur in the water supply pipe (15). In the figure, arrow (A) is the water supply direction, (B) is the air introduction direction, and (C).
Indicates the direction of air outflow. Also, in the above explanation,
Although the spacing member (3) and the heating element (4) are separately configured and housed in the hollow porous member together with the water detection sensor (7), the heating element also serves as the spacing member. However, the same effect can be expected.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, since the present invention provides the water detection sensor in the hollow porous member, even if the supply of water into the hollow porous member may be stopped, It is possible to prevent the situation that a dangerous state is caused by detecting the fact that it is displayed to the outside and stopping the operation of the humidifier.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hollow porous member of a humidifier showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a connection diagram showing a control circuit of the above embodiment, and FIG. 3 is another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the humidifier shown, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the hollow porous member of the conventional humidifier. In the figure, (1) is a hollow porous member, (2) is a water supply port, (3) is a spacing member, (4) is a heating element, (6) is a lead wire, and (7) is a water detection sensor. In each drawing, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Front page continued (72) Inventor Kenzo Takahashi 8-1-1 Tsukaguchihonmachi, Amagasaki City, Hyogo Sanryo Electric Co., Ltd. Materials Research Laboratories (72) Inoue Nishiyama 8-1-1 Tsukaguchihonmachi, Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture Sanryo Electric Co., Ltd. Materials Research Laboratory

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A hollow porous member having a bag-shaped sheet member mainly made of a porous sheet, which allows water vapor to pass through the inside and outside of the bag and has a water supply port into the bag. A space member which is housed in the hollow porous member and forms a water channel, and a heating element which heats water in the hollow porous member, and air is circulated on the outer surface of the hollow porous member. A humidifier characterized in that the water vapor passed through the hollow porous member is contained in the air, and a water detection sensor is provided in the hollow porous member.