JP7190399B2 - humidifier - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a humidifier for humidifying indoor air.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a humidifier is provided with a water tank in which water is stored, and humidified air is generated by, for example, vaporizing the water stored in the water tank by a humidifying means or the like. Therefore, the bottom of the water tank that stores water is always submerged in water, and dirt such as water scale adheres to the submerged portion. If this dirt is left unattended, various bacteria will grow and cause odor, so regular maintenance is required for the water tank.

In general, the water tank is detachable from the main body, and is detached from the main body and washed with water for maintenance of the water tank. Further, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a humidifying device has been proposed in which a float for detecting the water level of the water tank is detachable from the water tank in order to facilitate cleaning of the water tank during washing.

JP 2008-89276 A

Here, the float detects the water level by moving up and down according to the water level in the water tank, and in order to accurately detect the water level in the water tank, accuracy is required for the mounting position.

By the way, in Patent Literature 1, the float has a structure in which it can be attached to and detached from the water tank by pressing the connecting portion with the water tank with a finger. Therefore, the operability and visibility are poor, and there is a risk that the float may be attached incorrectly.

The present invention includes humidifying means for generating humidified air,
a water tank unit in which a certain amount of water is stored and which supplies water to the humidifying means;
a water tank that is detachably attached to the water tank and supplies water to the water tank;
a water level detection unit that is detachable from the water tank unit and has a float that detects the water level of the water tank unit;
with
The water level detection part has a contact receiving part that contacts the water tank,
The water tank has an upper handle provided on the top and a bottom handle provided on the bottom,
In the humidifying device, the bottom portion handle is brought into contact with the contact receiving portion, and the water level detection portion is positioned by being sandwiched between the water tank portion and the water tank.

With the above-described configuration, the float can be attached and detached accurately and easily because there is no operation that requires precision.

It is a perspective view of the humidification device of this embodiment. It is an exploded view showing composition of a humidifying device of this embodiment. It is a perpendicular direction sectional view of the humidifying device of this embodiment. It is an exploded view which shows the structure of the water-tank part in the humidification apparatus of this embodiment. It is a perspective view of the water level detection part in the humidifier of this embodiment. It is a perpendicular direction sectional view of the water level detection part in the humidification device of this embodiment. It is a front view of the water tank in the humidifier of this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the position of the water level detection part and water tank in the humidification apparatus of this embodiment.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be briefly described to illustrate the operation of the present invention.

The present invention includes humidifying means for generating humidified air, a water tank for supplying water to the humidifying means, a water tank for supplying water to the water tank, and a float for detecting the water level of the water tank. It has a flexible water level detection part, and the water level detection part is positioned by being sandwiched between the water tank part and the water tank. That is, the water level detector is positioned at a predetermined position simply by attaching the water tank to the water tank. As a result, the user can accurately install the float at a predetermined position without requiring complicated operations.

Further, the water level detection portion is provided with a contact receiving portion that contacts the water tank, and the contact receiving portion has elasticity. As a result, the contact receiving portion absorbs the impact when the water tank is attached and the load of the water tank, thereby preventing deformation and damage of the water level detecting portion.

In addition, since the water level detection part does not come into contact with the water tank other than the contact receiving part, deformation or damage to the water level detection part is more reliably prevented, and the part that does not come into contact with the water tank is simple and flexible. It can be a structure with degree.

In addition, the water tank is provided with an upper handle and a bottom handle, and the structure is such that the bottom handle contacts the contact receiving portion. By providing the bottom handle with the function of contacting the contact receiving portion, the water tank does not need to be provided with a separate mechanism for contacting the contact receiving portion, thereby simplifying the structure of the water tank. In addition, since there are handles on the top and bottom of the water tank, the water tank can be attached/detached and carried with both hands, improving convenience.

Further, the abutment receiving portion receiving the load of the water tank is displaced at a position higher than the constant water surface. As a result, the water tank in contact with the contact receiving portion is not immersed in water, so that the user's hand does not get wet when attaching or detaching the water tank.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the humidifying device of this embodiment. Moreover, FIG. 2 is an exploded view which shows the structure of the humidification apparatus of this embodiment. On the upper surface of the main body 1 of the humidifying device 100, there are provided a display operation unit 2 having a plurality of switches for instructing the operation of the humidifying device 100, lamps for displaying the operating state, etc., and an outlet 3 for blowing out humidified air. It is

The bottom of the main body 1 is provided with a water tank section 5 for storing a certain amount of water supplied from a water tank 4. - 特許庁A water-absorbing vaporization filter 6 is disposed in the water tank 5 as a humidifying means. A part of the vaporization filter 6 is immersed in the water in the water tank 5, and the water is absorbed by the water. is doing. A partition plate 7 detachably attached to the water tank section 5 partitions the water tank section 5 into a water tank housing section 8 for housing the water tank 4 and a vaporization filter housing section 9 for housing the vaporization filter 6 . The water tank 4 is detachably attached to the water tank portion 5, and the water tank portion 5 is slidably provided to the main body 1 so that it can be pulled out from the insertion port 1a.

The partition plate 7 is provided with a communication hole (not shown) that communicates the water tank housing portion 8 and the vaporization filter housing portion 9, and the water supplied from the water tank 4 to the water tank portion 5 flows through the water tank housing portion. 8 flows into the vaporization filter accommodating portion 9 through the communication hole, and a constant amount of water is stored in the water tank portion 5 to form a constant water level.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the humidifying device of this embodiment. A blower 12 consisting of a motor 10 and a sirocco fan 11 is provided above the vaporization filter 6, and when the blower 12 is driven, air flows from an intake port 13 on the back of the main body 1 through the vaporization filter 6 to the blowout port 3. The road is ventilated. By this blowing, indoor air taken in from the suction port 13 becomes humidified air when passing through the vaporization filter 6, and is discharged into the room from the blowout port 3 to humidify the room. A warm air heater 14 for heating the air blown to the vaporization filter 6 is arranged in the air passage upstream of the vaporization filter 6 . A rib 15 for holding the vaporization filter 6 is provided on the surface of the partition plate 7 on the vaporization filter housing portion 9 side.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing the configuration of the water tank section in the humidifier of this embodiment. The partition plate 7 is attached to the water tank portion 5 by fitting mounting pieces 16 formed on both left and right ends and extending outward from the partition plate 7 into holding portions 17 provided in the water tank portion 5 . The water level detection unit 18 includes a float 19 that rotates up and down according to the water level in the water tank unit 5 and a frame 20 to which the float 19 is attached. It is locked to the partition plate 7 via 21 . The partition plate 7 is detachable from the water tank portion 5 , and the water level detection portion 18 is detachable from the water tank portion 5 via the partition plate 7 .

In this embodiment, the water level detection unit 18 and the partition plate 7 are detachably attached to the water tank unit 5 by being locked via the locking portion 21, but the water level detection unit 18 and the partition plate 7 are disassembled. The structure may be such that the water level detection portion 18 and the partition plate 7 are respectively detachably attached to the water tank portion 5 .

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the water level detector in the humidifier of this embodiment. Moreover, FIG. 6 is vertical direction sectional drawing of the water level detection part in the humidification apparatus of this embodiment. Note that the float 19 is omitted in FIG. The frame 20 has a bottomed box shape including a bottom surface 201 and four side surfaces 202 (a front side surface 202a, a right side surface 202b, a left side surface 202c, and a rear side surface 202d) erected from the bottom surface 201. The float 19 is accommodated in the space 22 which is a space surrounded by the side surfaces 202 . Note that the frame body 20 may have a shape having an upper surface in addition to the bottom surface 201 and the side surfaces 202 .

Further, the frame 20 is provided with a contact receiving portion 23 extending vertically from the circumference of the front side surface 202a. are in contact with each other. The contact receiving portion 23 is composed of a shaft 231, a spring 232 that imparts elastic force to the shaft 231, and a fastener 233 that limits the movable range of the shaft 231. are housed in The positional relationship between the water tank 4 and the contact receiving portion 23 when the water tank 4 is attached to the water tank portion 5 will be described later in detail.

In this embodiment, the contact receiving portion 23 is provided only on the circumference of the front side surface 202a, but the position of the contact receiving portion 23 is not limited as long as it is on the side surface 202 of the frame 20. . Furthermore, it may be configured to be installed at a plurality of locations on the side surface 202 .

Inside the left side surface 202c of the frame 20, a bearing portion 26 for receiving the rotation shaft 25 of the float 19 and a stopper 27 for restricting the upward rotation of the float 19 are provided. The stopper 27 prevents the float 19 from coming out of the frame 20 even if the water level detector 18 is turned upside down.

Water passage holes 28 are formed in the bottom surface 201 and the right side surface 202 b of the frame 20 , and water flows inside and outside the space 22 through the water passage holes 28 . Further, the bottom surface 201 of the frame 20 is formed with a contact portion 29 that protrudes downward (toward the water tank portion 5 side). As a result, when the water level detector 18 is attached to the water tank portion 5 , the contact portion 29 contacts the bottom surface of the water tank portion 5 . A gap for circulation is formed. Since the water in the water tank part 5 efficiently circulates between the inside and the outside of the space part 22 through this gap, the float 19 provided in the space part 22 accurately detects the water level in the water tank part 5. be able to. In this embodiment, the water passage holes 28 are provided not only on the bottom surface 201 but also on the right side surface 202b.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the water tank in the humidifier of this embodiment. The water tank 4 is made of a transparent or translucent synthetic resin so that the amount of water inside can be seen. An upper handle 4a and a lower handle 4b are formed on the upper part and the bottom part of the water tank 4, respectively. Further, a water supply port 4c for supplying water to the water tank 4 is opened at the bottom, and a tank cap 4d is detachably attached to the water supply port 4c.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the positions of the water level detector and the water tank in the humidifier of this embodiment. When the water tank 4 is attached to the water tank portion 5, the bottom handle 4b contacts the contact receiving portion 23. As shown in FIG. As a result, the water level detection unit 18 is sandwiched between the water tank 4 and the water tank unit 5 and is positioned at a predetermined position under the weight of the water tank 4 .

In this embodiment, since the water tank 4 is provided with the upper handle 4a and the bottom handle 4b, the water tank 4 can be attached/detached and carried with both hands, which improves convenience. Since the water tank 4 has the function of contacting the contact receiving portion 23, it is not necessary to separately provide a mechanism for contacting the contact receiving portion 23, and the structure of the water tank 4 can be simplified.

In addition, since the water level detection portion 18 has a structure that does not come into contact with the water tank 4 other than the contact receiving portion 23, the deformation or damage of the water level detection portion 18 is more reliably prevented, and the portion that does not come into contact with the water tank 4 is prevented. can have a simple and flexible structure. In addition, since the abutment receiving portion 23 is displaced at a position higher than the constant water surface H, the bottom handle 4b is not immersed in water, and the user's hand does not get wet when attaching or detaching the water tank 4, thereby improving convenience.

In the humidifier of the present invention, the water tank section 5 and the vaporization filter 6 require regular maintenance to prevent stains and the propagation of bacteria due to long-term use. Therefore, for example, after a predetermined period of time has passed since the humidifying device 100 started to be energized, the display operation unit 2 blinks to inform the user that it is time for cleaning. The user performs maintenance of the humidifying device 100 based on this notification.

Next, a procedure for performing maintenance in response to the above notification will be described. Note that the water level detection unit 18 is detachable from the water tank unit 5 via the partition plate 7 as an example.

After stopping the humidifying device 100 , the user pulls up the water tank 4 from the water tank section 5 . Subsequently, the water tank section 5 is pulled out from the main body 1, and the vaporization filter 6, the partition plate 7, and the water level detection section 18 are removed from the water tank section 5. Since the water level detection part 18 is positioned by being sandwiched between the water tank 4 and the water tank part 5, it can be easily removed by pulling up the partition plate 7 from the water tank part 5 when the water tank 4 is removed. can.

Water tank unit 5, vaporization filter 6, partition plate 7, and water level detection unit 18 are appropriately washed with water to remove stains such as scale. Since the partition plate 7 and the water level detection part 18 are removable from the water tank part 5, dirt on the water tank part 5 can be easily removed, and the labor for cleaning can be reduced. After cleaning, the removed water tank section 5, vaporization filter 6, partition plate 7, and water level detection section 18 are returned to their original positions.

In order to attach the water level detection part 18 and the partition plate 7 to the water tank part 5, the mounting pieces 16 formed at both the left and right ends of the partition plate 7 are placed so as to be inserted into the holding parts 17 provided in the water tank part 5 from above. do. By fitting the mounting piece 16 and the holding portion 17 together, the water level detection portion 18 and the partition plate 7 are horizontally positioned with respect to the water tank portion 5 .

Subsequently, the vaporization filter 6 is placed on the water tank section 5 so as to be inserted along the ribs 15 provided on the partition plate 7, and the water tank section 5 is inserted into the main body 1 through the insertion port 1a.

Subsequently, the water tank 4 is attached to the water tank section 5. - 特許庁When the water tank 4 is attached to the water tank portion 5 , the bottom handle 4 b comes into contact with the elastic contact receiving portion 23 provided in the water level detection portion 18 . When the bottom handle 4 b contacts the contact receiving portion 23 , the load of the water tank 4 is applied to the contact receiving portion 23 . As a result, the shaft 231 is pushed down and the spring 232 is compressed accordingly. The shaft 231 is configured to balance the load of the water tank 4 at a position higher than the constant water surface H due to the elastic force of the spring 232 .

In this manner, the water level detection unit 18 is sandwiched between the water tank unit 5 and the water tank 4 by receiving a vertical force from the water tank 4, and is positioned in the vertical direction. In other words, the water level detection unit 18 can be positioned at a predetermined position with respect to the water tank unit 5 only by attaching the water tank 4, so that the water level detection unit 18 can be accurately attached to the water tank unit 5 without performing complicated operations. can.

In addition, even if the water tank 4 is dropped when inserting the water tank 4 into the water tank portion 5, the spring 232 of the contact receiving portion 23 absorbs the impact of the drop, so that the water level detection portion 18 is deformed. Damage can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the water tank 4 and the water level detection part 18 are in contact only at the contact receiving part 23, the vertical force of the water tank 4 is not applied to the part constituting the water level detection part 18 other than the contact receiving part 23. The structure can be simple and flexible.

4 water tank 4a top handle 4b bottom handle 5 water tank section 6 vaporization filter (humidification means)
18 Water level detection part 19 Float 23 Contact receiving part H Constant water level

Claims (4)

a humidifying means for generating humidified air;
a water tank unit in which a certain amount of water is stored and which supplies water to the humidifying means;
a water tank that is detachably attached to the water tank and supplies water to the water tank;
a water level detection unit that is detachable from the water tank unit and has a float that detects the water level of the water tank unit;
The water level detection part has a contact receiving part that contacts the water tank,
The water tank has an upper handle provided on the top and a bottom handle provided on the bottom,
The humidifying device is characterized in that the bottom portion handle abuts against the abutment receiving portion, and the water level detection portion is positioned by being sandwiched between the water tank portion and the water tank. The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein the contact receiving portion has elasticity. 3. The humidifying device according to claim 2, wherein the water level detection portion does not contact the water tank except for the contact receiving portion. The humidifier according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein the contact receiving portion has a height higher than the constant water surface after being displaced by elasticity.

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