JP7542482B2 - Humidification device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a humidifier that humidifies indoor air.

Conventionally, humidifiers have a water tank that stores a certain amount of water, and generate humidified air by evaporating the water stored in the water tank using a humidifying means. The water tank is provided with a water level detector that detects the level of the stored water, and a partition plate that divides the water tank (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2017-146031 A

The bottom of the tank that stores water is always submerged in water, and dirt such as limescale will accumulate on the submerged parts. If this dirt is left unattended, it will lead to the growth of bacteria and cause odors, so the tank needs to be maintained regularly. Generally, the tank is detachable from the main body, and when performing maintenance on it, it is removed from the main body and washed with water.

However, in the structure of Patent Document 1, the parts installed in the water tank section, such as the water level detector and the partition plate, cannot be removed, making it difficult to wash the areas around these parts with water and making it easy for dirt to remain.

The present invention is intended to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a humidifier that is easy to maintain by making the parts installed in the water tank, such as the water level detector and the partition plate, detachable.

The present invention includes a body and
A water tank portion attached to the main body and configured to store water;
a humidifying means for generating humidified air from the water in the water tank;
A water level detection unit that detects the water level of the water tank unit;
A partition plate that divides the water tank portion into a first space and a second space that communicates with the first space;
a detachable means for attaching and detaching the partition portion formed by connecting the partition plate and the water level detection portion to the water tank portion,
The attachment/detachment means is composed of a magnet pair or a magnet and a magnetic body,
The attachment/detachment means includes a first attachment/detachment means provided in the first space and a second attachment/detachment means provided in the second space,
The first attachment/detachment means is a humidifier that is farther from the partition plate and has a smaller adsorptive power than the second attachment/detachment means .

By configuring it as described above, the water level detection unit and the partition unit can be easily attached and detached from the water tank unit, resulting in a humidifier with excellent maintainability.

1 is an external perspective view of a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is an external view showing a configuration of a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing components that constitute the water storage section. FIG. 2 is a top view of the water storage section of the present embodiment. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing another embodiment of the arrangement of the attachment/detachment means.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention will be briefly explained below, showing the operation of the present invention.

The present invention is a humidifier that includes a water tank section that is attached to the main body and stores water, a humidifying means that generates humidified air from the water in the water tank section, a water level detection section that detects the water level in the water tank section, and an attachment/detachment means that allows the water level detection section to be attached and detached to the water tank section, and the attachment/detachment means is made of a magnet pair or a magnet and a magnetic body. This allows the water level detection section to be easily removed from the water tank section, making it easier to wash the water tank section with water. In addition, when the water level detection section is attached to the water tank section, it is guided to the correct attachment position by the attractive force of the magnet, so that the water level can be accurately detected without any misalignment.

The present invention is a humidifier that includes a water tank section that is attached to the main body and stores water, a humidifying means that generates humidified air from the water in the water tank section, a water level detection section that detects the water level in the water tank section, a partition plate that divides the water tank section into a first space and a second space that communicates with the first space, and an attachment/detachment means that allows the partition section, which connects the partition plate and the water level detection section, to be attached and detached to the water tank section, and the attachment/detachment means is made of a magnet pair or a magnet and a magnetic body. This allows the partition section to be easily removed from the water tank section, making it easier to wash the water tank section with water. Furthermore, when the partition section is attached to the water tank section, it is guided to the correct attachment position by the attractive force of the magnet, so that the water level can be accurately detected without any misalignment.

The attachment/detachment means has a first attachment/detachment means provided in the first space and a second attachment/detachment means provided in the second space, and the first attachment/detachment means is farther away from the partition plate than the second attachment/detachment means and has a weaker suction force. By providing the first attachment/detachment means and the second attachment/detachment means, the partition plate can be stably erected in the water tank section. Furthermore, when the partition plate is tilted towards the second space, the first attachment/detachment means can be easily removed, so the partition section can be easily removed even when multiple attachment/detachment means are provided.

The second attachment/detachment means is provided symmetrically with respect to a line that bisects the horizontal length of the partition plate. This makes it easier to remove the partition plate when the partition is lifted upward and removed from the water tank after the first attachment/detachment means is removed, as the partition plate is less likely to hit the side wall of the water tank.

The attachment/detachment means is a plurality of magnet pairs, and at least one of the magnet pairs has a different magnetic pole from the other magnet pairs. This prevents the water level detector or partition from being attached in the wrong direction due to the repulsive force of the magnets, thus preventing misassembly.

Below, one embodiment of the present invention is explained with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is an external perspective view of the humidifier of this embodiment, and Figure 2 is an external view showing the configuration of the humidifier of this embodiment. The top surface of the main body 1 of the humidifier is provided with a display operation section 2 having a plurality of switches for instructing the operation of the humidifier and lamps for displaying the operating state, and an outlet 3 for blowing out humidified air. The side of the main body 1 is provided with an intake port 4 for taking in indoor air into the main body 1, and a water supply tank 5 for supplying water to a water tub section 7 described later is detachably provided on the main body 1. The humidifier of this embodiment has two tanks, a first water supply tank 5a and a second water supply tank 5b, as the water supply tank 5, but only one water supply tank 5 may be used. The front of the main body 1 is provided with a water level window 6 that allows the amount of water in the water supply tank 5 to be checked.

The bottom of the main body 1 is provided with a water tank section 7 that stores a certain amount of water supplied from the water supply tanks 5 (first water supply tank 5a, second water supply tank 5b). A water-absorbent vaporization filter 8 (8a, 8b) is arranged in the water tank section 7 as a humidification means, and a portion of the vaporization filter 8 is immersed in the water in the water tank section 7 and moistens by sucking up the water. The water tank section 7 is box-shaped with an open top, and is slidably mounted so that it can be pulled out from the insertion port 1a of the main body 1 when the two water supply tanks 5a, 5b are removed.

Figure 3 is an exploded view showing the components that make up the water storage section. The water storage section 9 includes the water tank section 7 described above, a partition plate 12 that stands on the water tank section 7, and a water level detector 13 that detects the water level in the water tank section 7. The partition plate 12 and the water level detector 13 are connected to form the partition section 11, which is detachably attached to the water tank section 7.

In this embodiment, the water level detection unit 13 and the partition plate 12 are made of separate members and can be disassembled, but the water level detection unit 13 is connected to the partition plate 12 by screws. Note that the water level detection unit 13 and the partition plate 12 may be separate parts that are not connected.

The water tank section 7 is divided into a first space 14 and a second space 15 by a partition plate 12 (see FIG. 4), and in this embodiment, the water supply tank 5 is housed in the first space 14, and the evaporation filter 8 is housed in the second space 15. The partition plate 12 is provided with a communication hole 12a that connects the first space 14 and the second space 15, and water supplied from the water supply tank 5 to the water tank section 7 flows from the first space 14 through this communication hole 12a into the second space 15, and a certain amount of water is stored in the water tank section 7, forming a constant water level.

The water level detection unit 13 includes a float 16 that rotates up and down depending on the water level in the water tank 7, and a frame 17 to which the float 16 is attached. The frame 17 is provided with a magnet that pairs with a magnet (not shown) provided in the water tank 7, forming an attachment/detachment means 20 that allows the water level detection unit 13 to be attached and detached to the water tank 7. The attachment/detachment means 20 may be a combination of a magnet and a magnetic material.

In the humidifier configured as above, when the operation switch on the display operation unit 2 is operated to give an instruction to start operation, the blower (not shown) is driven. When the blower is driven, indoor air is taken into the main body 1 through the intake port 4, and the taken-in air becomes humidified air as it passes through the vaporization filter 8 and is discharged from the outlet port 3, thereby carrying out the humidification operation.

When the humidification operation is performed for a long period of time, dirt such as limescale and scale will accumulate in the water tank section 7, so the humidifier determines when it is time to clean the water tank section 7 and notifies the user. For example, the operating time of the humidifier is measured, and when the operating time reaches a predetermined time, the user is notified by turning on a lamp on the display operation section 2 or by sounding an alarm. The user performs maintenance on the water tank section 7 based on this notification. Specifically, maintenance of the water tank section 7 is performed by discarding the water that has accumulated in the water tank section 7 and rinsing the water tank section 7 with water.

When washing the water tank 7 with water, the partition 11 can be easily removed from the water tank 7 because it is attached and detached to the water tank 7 by magnetic force. When the partition 11 is removed, the water tank 7 has fewer irregularities, making it easier to wash the water tank 7 with water, and dirt can be easily removed by washing the removed partition 11 with water. Furthermore, if a user mistakenly tries to lift the water storage section 9 by holding the partition 11, the partition 11 comes off easily, so force will not be concentrated on the attachment/detachment means 20, causing damage.

The suction force of the attachment/detachment means 20 may be smaller than the load of the water tank section 7. Even if an attempt is made to lift the water tank section 9 by holding the partition section 11, the weight of the water tank section 9 will cause the partition section 11 to come off, making it impossible to lift. This prevents the water tank section 7 from falling and being damaged.

When attaching the partition 11 to the water tank 7, it needs to be attached in the correct position to detect the water level accurately, but the partition 11 is guided to the correct attachment position by the attractive force of the magnet. Therefore, the water level can be detected accurately without misalignment.

In this embodiment, the water level detector 13 and the partition plate 12 are connected to each other, but the water level detector 13 may be detachably mounted on the water tank 7 without the partition plate 12.

Next, the arrangement of the attachment/detachment means 20 will be described. FIG. 4 is a top view of the water storage section of this embodiment. In the figure, a straight line L that bisects the horizontal length of the partition plate 12 is indicated by a dashed line. The frame body 17 of the water level detection section 13 is substantially rectangular in top view, and is connected to the partition plate 12 at substantially the center of the partition plate 12 in the horizontal direction (longitudinal direction). Magnets are provided on both ends of the frame body 17, and the magnet provided in the first space 14 forms the first attachment/detachment means 20a, and the magnet provided in the second space 15 forms the second attachment/detachment means 20b. By providing the first attachment/detachment means 20a and the second attachment/detachment means 20b, the partition plate 12 can be stably erected in the water tank section 7. The number of attachment/detachment means 20 is not limited to this embodiment, and multiple attachment/detachment means may be provided.

In this case, the multiple attachment/detachment means 20 may be magnet pairs, at least one of which may have a different magnetic pole from the other magnet pairs. In this embodiment, the first attachment/detachment means 20a has a magnet on the partition side that is an S pole and a magnet on the water tank side that is an N pole. On the other hand, the second attachment/detachment means 20b has a magnet on the partition side that is an N pole and a magnet on the water tank side that is an S pole.

The first detachable means 20a may be provided at a position farther from the partition plate 12 than the second detachable means 20b, and may have a smaller magnetic attraction force than the second detachable means 20b. In this embodiment, the float 16 is disposed between the partition plate 12 and the first detachable means 20a, but the position of the float 16 is not limited to this.

Furthermore, the second attachment/detachment means 20b may be provided symmetrically with respect to the straight line L. Here, symmetry also includes the case where the center of the second attachment/detachment means 20b is on the straight line L. In this embodiment, the first attachment/detachment means 20a is also symmetrical with respect to the straight line L, but the first attachment/detachment means 20a does not have to be symmetrical.

The attachment/detachment means 20 can be provided not only in the water level detection unit 13 but also in the partition plate 12. Figure 5 shows another embodiment of the arrangement of the attachment/detachment means. In Figure 5, as in Figure 4, a straight line L that bisects the horizontal length of the partition plate 12 is shown by a dashed line. In this embodiment, two magnets constituting the second attachment/detachment means 20b are provided on the partition plate 12. In this way, multiple second attachment/detachment means 20b can be provided and arranged symmetrically with respect to the straight line L. The magnet constituting the first attachment/detachment means 20a is provided at one end of the frame body 17 of the water level detection unit 13, and the partition plate 12 is connected to the other end of the frame body 17.

In the configurations of Figures 4 and 5, when removing the above-mentioned partition 11, first, put your hands on the partition plate 12 erected in the water tank section 7 and tilt it toward the second space 15. At this time, the first attachment/detachment means 20a is located at a greater distance from the partition plate 12 than the second attachment/detachment means 20b, so that the direction in which to tilt the partition plate 12 can be visually recognized. In addition, since the suction force of the first attachment/detachment means 20a is smaller than that of the second attachment/detachment means 20b, the first attachment/detachment means 20a can be easily removed by tilting the partition plate 12. Next, the partition 11 is lifted upward to remove the second attachment/detachment means 20b, and the partition 11 is removed from the water tank section 7. At this time, since the second attachment/detachment means 20b is symmetrical with respect to the line L, the partition 11 can be pulled out straight without tilting, making it easy to remove the partition 11.

In addition, at least one of the multiple magnet pairs has a different magnetic pole from the other magnet pairs, so that the partition section 11 cannot be attached in the wrong orientation due to the repulsive force of the magnets. This makes it possible to prevent misassembly. Note that misassembly can also be prevented in the same way if the water level detection section 13 is made up of multiple magnet pairs that can be attached and detached.

1 Main body 7 Water tank 8 Humidification means (evaporation filter)
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 11 Partition section 12 Partition plate 13 Water level detection section 14 First space 15 Second space 20 Attachment/detachment means 20a First attachment/detachment means 20b Second attachment/detachment means

Claims (4)

The main body,
A water tank portion attached to the main body and configured to store water;
a humidifying means for generating humidified air from the water in the water tank;
A water level detection unit that detects the water level of the water tank unit;
A partition plate that divides the water tank portion into a first space and a second space that communicates with the first space;
a detachable means for attaching and detaching the partition portion formed by connecting the partition plate and the water level detection portion to the water tank portion,
The attachment/detachment means is composed of a magnet pair or a magnet and a magnetic body,
The attachment/detachment means includes a first attachment/detachment means provided in the first space and a second attachment/detachment means provided in the second space,
The first attachment/detachment means is located at a greater distance from the partition plate and has a smaller adsorptive force than the second attachment/detachment means . 2. The humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein the second attachment/detachment means is provided symmetrically with respect to a line that bisects the horizontal length of the partition plate. The attachment/detachment means is a plurality of magnet pairs,
3. The humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the magnet pairs has a magnetic pole different from that of the other magnet pairs. 2. The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein the suction force of the attachment/detachment means is smaller than a load of the water tub portion.

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