A humidifier with reliable operation

Abstract

The present invention provides a humidifier that heats and fills water by applying an exhaust and drain valve. The exhaust and drain valve includes: a valve seat, a float, and a sealing ring. The float can float up and down along a through hole provided on the valve seat, and the sealing ring sleeved on the float approaches or moves away from the valve seat synchronously to achieve the closing or opening of the exhaust and drain valve. Among them, by respectively providing an exhaust passage and a water inlet passage on the float, as well as an air inlet hole and a water outlet respectively communicated with the passages, the height difference that the air inlet hole is higher than the water outlet enables the gas located at a higher position to more easily enter the exhaust passage through the air inlet hole and be discharged outward, reducing the probability that the gas enters the water inlet passage through the water outlet, making the water flow more easily enter the water filling assembly from the water inlet passage, enhancing the independence between the water filling process and the exhaust process, reducing the mutual interference between the two, enabling the exhaust and drain valve to achieve effective water filling and exhaust within a limited opening time, so as to ensure the normal operation of the humidifier and improve the working reliability of the humidifier.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of humidifiers, and particularly relates to a humidifier with reliable operation. Background Art

[0002] Existing natural evaporation humidifiers usually use a water pump to send the liquid stored in the water tank from a lower position to a higher position to wet the filter element assembly located above the water tank. When the fan assembly drives air flow through the wet filter element, water vapor can be carried into the external space to achieve the purpose of humidification. However, the water pump generates working noise during operation, especially not suitable for night use; moreover, the water pump is prone to damage due to reasons such as part wear or impurity accumulation during long-term use, affecting the service life of the humidifier.

[0003] This application proposes a water filling assembly that uses a heater instead of a water pump, and utilizes the thrust generated by the thermal expansion of water to drive the water in the water filling assembly to flow, so as to achieve the effect of transporting water from the water tank to the filter element assembly. However, during the process of heating and filling water, gas will be generated in the water filling assembly, and the accumulated gas will be discharged outward through the opening provided on the water filling assembly. When the gas flows outward through the water inlet opening, it will affect the natural inflow of external water through the opening into the water filling assembly, possibly resulting in the water filling assembly being unable to replenish water normally and affecting the normal operation of the water supply process. Therefore, it is necessary to solve the problem of exhaust interfering with water inlet. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides a humidifier that uses a heater instead of a water pump for water filling, and the humidifier adopts an exhaust and drainage valve that can exhaust gas and drain water simultaneously, which is beneficial to reducing the noise of the humidifier and improving the working reliability of the humidifier.

[0005] The humidifier provided by the present invention includes a water tank, a water filling assembly, and a filter element assembly. A water outlet is provided at the bottom of the water tank, and a water inlet is provided above the filter element assembly. The water filling assembly includes a water delivery pipe connecting the water inlet and the water outlet, and a heater provided on the water delivery pipe;

[0006] Wherein, an exhaust and drainage valve is provided at the water outlet. The water filling assembly includes an alternating operation of a drainage state and a water filling state. In the drainage state, the exhaust and drainage valve is opened to enable the liquid in the water tank to flow into the water delivery pipe, and the gas in the water delivery pipe is discharged into the water tank; in the water filling state, the heater causes part of the liquid in the water delivery pipe to expand due to heat and pushes the liquid in the water delivery pipe to flow towards the water inlet and the water outlet, and the exhaust and drainage valve is forced to close.

[0007] In the humidifier with heated water supply provided by the present invention, an exhaust and drain valve is arranged at the water drain port to control whether the water tank is communicated with the water supply assembly. When the water supply assembly is in the water supply state, its heater heats the water to expand and generate a thrust force, and the exhaust and drain valve is forced to close to prevent the water in the water supply assembly from flowing back into the water tank under the action of the thrust force, so that the water flow in the water supply assembly only flows unidirectionally from the water tank to the filter element assembly, so as to achieve the effect of supplying water to the filter element assembly. At this time, the end of the water supply assembly where water enters forms a seal, and the gas accumulated at the water inlet end cannot be discharged temporarily. When the water supply assembly is in the water drain state, the exhaust and drain valve opens, and the water in the water tank can flow into the water supply assembly through the water inlet channel under the action of gravity, and the gas accumulated at one end of the exhaust and drain valve also flows upward through the exhaust channel and is discharged from the water supply assembly to the water tank.

[0008] The exhaust and drain valve provided in this application can match the two working states of the water supply assembly. It normally opens in the water drain state so that water can be replenished into the water supply assembly, and closes in the water supply state so that water can flow unidirectionally to the filter element assembly, so that the humidifier can continuously alternate between the two states to achieve the purpose of continuously supplying water to the filter element assembly. At the same time, the exhaust and drain valve provided in this application is also set to be able to exhaust and intake water at the same time, so as to reduce the mutual influence between water intake and exhaust in the water supply assembly in the water drain state, promote the full discharge of the gas in the water supply pipeline, reduce the noise generated by the mixing of gas and water in the pipeline, and promote the water supply assembly to fully replenish water volume in the water drain state with limited duration, ensuring the normal operation of the water supply assembly. And when the water supply assembly replenishes more low-temperature water from the water tank in the water drain state, after the water in the water supply assembly is heated and expanded again, a greater thrust force can be generated, which is also beneficial to increasing the water flow rate and water supply height of the water supply assembly.

[0009] In one of the embodiments, the exhaust and drain valve includes: a valve seat, the valve seat is provided with a through hole penetrating up and down; a float, passing through the through hole and capable of floating back and forth between a floating position and a falling position along the through hole, the upper end of the float is provided with a first opening, the side wall of the lower end is provided with a second opening, and a fluid channel for communicating the first opening and the second opening is provided in the middle of the float; a sealing ring, sleeved on the float and located below the second opening. When the float is in the floating position, the second opening is located in the through hole, and the sealing ring is in contact with the valve seat and seals the through hole. When the float is in the falling position, both the first opening and the second opening are exposed;

[0010] Among them, the first opening includes an air outlet hole and a water inlet, the second opening includes an air inlet hole and a water outlet, the fluid channel includes a water inlet channel and an exhaust channel, the water inlet channel communicates the water inlet and the water outlet, the exhaust channel communicates the air inlet hole and the air outlet hole, the exhaust channel is independent of the water inlet channel, and the water outlet is closer to the sealing ring than the air inlet hole.

[0011] With such a setting, when the water in the water inlet assembly expands due to heat and generates a thrust force, the float is pushed to the floating position, and the exhaust and drain valve closes, preventing the water in the water inlet assembly from leaking from the water inlet end, so that the water can flow out from the water outlet end of the water inlet assembly; when the float returns to the falling position, the external water flow can be supplemented into the water inlet assembly through the fluid channel, and at the same time, the gas generated in the water inlet assembly will also be discharged out through the fluid channel. In the present invention, the exhaust and drain valve is set to a structure that can intake water and exhaust gas simultaneously, which is beneficial to reducing the mutual interference between water intake and exhaust, ensuring the normal water intake and exhaust of the water inlet assembly, and further enabling the water inlet assembly to repeatedly open and close the exhaust and drain valve to achieve the purpose of water replenishment and water delivery.

[0012] Specifically, in this application, by distinguishing the air intake hole for exhaust and the water outlet for water intake, and setting the water outlet closer to the sealing ring relative to the air intake hole, such that the air intake hole is higher than the water outlet, the gas located at a higher position is more likely to enter the exhaust channel through the air intake hole and be discharged outwards. By utilizing the height difference, the probability of the gas entering the water inlet channel through the water outlet is reduced, making it easier for the water flow to enter the water inlet assembly from the water inlet channel, enhancing the independence between the water intake process and the exhaust process, reducing the mutual interference between the two, enabling the exhaust and drain valve to achieve effective water intake and exhaust within a limited opening time, and improving the working reliability of structures such as the water inlet assembly.

[0013] In one implementation manner, the exhaust and drain valve further includes a flow dividing wall disposed in the fluid channel to separate the water inlet channel and the exhaust channel. When the air outlet hole and the water inlet are provided on the top wall of the float, the end of the flow dividing wall close to the first opening is higher than the top wall of the float or flush with the top wall of the float; alternatively, one of the air outlet hole and the water inlet is provided on the top wall of the float, and the other is provided on the side wall of the float.

[0014] With such a setting, it is avoided that the upper end of the flow dividing wall is disposed in the fluid channel, resulting in the fluid channel not being completely divided into independent exhaust and water inlet channels, thereby causing the overlapping of the gas outlet area and the water inlet area and reducing the effects of exhaust and water intake. Therefore, the flow dividing wall should at least extend to the end of the fluid channel. By using the dividing function of the flow dividing wall, the upper end surface of the fluid channel is divided into independent air outlet holes and water inlets, enabling the exhaust of the exhaust channel and the water intake of the water inlet channel to work relatively independently through their respective openings, so as to reduce the mutual interference between exhaust and water intake. And with such a setting, the overall structure of the float is also beautiful and simple, and is easier to produce and manufacture compared to other complex structures, which is beneficial to controlling the manufacturing cost of the humidifier. Alternatively, the upper end of the flow dividing wall can also be appropriately higher than the top wall of the float, using the shielding of the flow dividing wall to reduce the mutual interference between the adjacent water inlet and air outlet holes and improve the working effect of the exhaust and drain valve; or, one of the air outlet hole and the water inlet can be provided on the side wall of the float, and the other can be provided on the top wall of the float, further separating the air outlet hole and the water inlet to reduce interference and improve the effects of water intake and exhaust.

[0015] In one embodiment, when the float is in the falling-back position, the top end of the air inlet hole is higher than the bottom wall surface of the valve seat or at least flush with the wall surface, and the water outlet is entirely below the lowest point of the air inlet hole.

[0016] With such a setting, the air inlet hole is higher than the bottom wall of the valve seat or at least flush with the bottom wall of the valve seat. When only a small amount of gas accumulates on the bottom wall surface of the valve seat, the gas can flow along the bottom wall surface into the air inlet hole and be discharged upward, achieving a more sufficient exhaust effect. And by setting the water outlet entirely below the air inlet hole, the water outlet and the air inlet hole do not overlap in height. The gas accumulated above the water outlet can only be discharged through the air inlet hole, reducing the probability of gas entering the water inlet channel through the water outlet, further reducing the mutual interference between water inlet and exhaust, and improving the water inlet effect of the exhaust and water discharge valve.

[0017] In one embodiment, an exhaust gap is provided between the float and the inner wall of the through hole. A convex first limiting portion is provided on the upper end of the float along the circumferential direction on the side wall, and a second limiting portion is provided on the valve seat. One of the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion is provided with a groove; when the float is in the falling-back position, the first limiting portion abuts against the second limiting portion, and the exhaust gap communicates with the external environment through the groove.

[0018] With such a setting, by adding an exhaust gap to assist in exhaust, the exhaust speed of the exhaust and water discharge valve is increased to achieve a better exhaust effect.

[0019] In one embodiment, the sealing ring includes a connecting portion sleeved on the outer side wall of the float and extending in a direction away from the float, and a bending portion bent towards the float. One end of the bending portion is connected to the connecting portion, and the other end extends above the connecting portion. When the float is in the rising position, the valve seat fits with the bending portion.

[0020] With such a setting, the sealing ring is made of an elastic material. When the float rises and drives the sealing ring to collide and squeeze with the valve seat, the sealing ring can generate a certain degree of deformation, which is beneficial to the exhaust and water discharge valve to obtain a better sealing effect and noise reduction effect. At the same time, the end of the sealing ring is set as a bending portion that bends towards the float side and extends above the connecting portion. When the sealing ring and the valve seat are mutually squeezed, the bending portion fits tightly with the sealing portion and bends and deforms towards the connecting portion side, avoiding the flat-to-flat fit between the sealing ring and the valve seat, which makes it difficult to separate them after sticking, and the force of the bending portion rebounding after deformation is also beneficial to the float to fall back again, ensuring the working reliability of the exhaust and water discharge valve.

[0021] In one embodiment, the valve seat includes a sealing portion provided with a through hole. When the float is in the falling-back position, the float abuts against one end of the sealing portion. When the float is in the rising position, the sealing ring fits with the other end of the sealing portion, and the sealing portion is made of an elastic material.

[0022] With such a setting, the sealing part is made of an elastic material. When the float moves up and down and impacts the sealing part, the elastic sealing part deforms to a certain extent to reduce the noise generated by the impact, which is beneficial to the overall noise reduction of the humidifier.

[0023] In one implementation, the water supply pipe includes a water inlet section connected to the water inlet and a heating section provided with a heater. The water inlet section includes a buffer chamber, and an exhaust and water inlet valve is provided at the top of the buffer chamber. The heating section is connected to the side of the buffer chamber, and the float is located above the side of the axis of the heating section.

[0024] With such a setting, when the water in the heating section expands due to heat, a thrust is generated on both ends of the heating section, and the direction of the thrust extends along the axis of the heating section. By setting the float on the side of the axis, the direct thrust received by the float can be reduced, thereby reducing the impact force when the float moves upward and collides with the valve seat, and reducing the working noise generated by the exhaust and water inlet valve.

[0025] In one implementation, the humidifier further includes a bracket for placing the filter element assembly and a mounting member installed at the water inlet. The exhaust and water inlet valve is fixed to the mounting member. The mounting member includes a limiting handle. The water supply pipe includes a water supply section connected to the bracket. An installation port for installing the water supply section is provided at the bottom of the water tank. The bracket, the mounting member, and the water supply section are all detachably arranged on the water tank; when the mounting member is assembled to the preset position, the bracket is fixed to the limiting handle, and at the same time, the water supply section is connected to the installation port.

[0026] With such a setting, it is convenient for the user to remove the bracket, the water supply section, and the mounting member together with the exhaust and water inlet valve for cleaning. The exhaust and water inlet valve is installed at the water inlet through the mounting member, and a limiting handle convenient for the user to hold is provided on the mounting member, which is convenient for the user to disassemble and install the exhaust and water inlet valve and the mounting member. At the same time, when the mounting member is arranged at the water inlet, the limiting handle is located inside the water tank. The bracket for placing the filter element assembly is detachably fixed to the limiting handle, and the water supply section connected to the bracket is also connected to the installation port at the bottom of the water tank. The aforementioned connection relationship enables the limiting handle to be in the correct position only when the mounting member is set to the preset position to form a sufficient seal between the mounting member and the water inlet. At this time, the bracket is fixed to the limiting handle, and the water supply section connected to the bracket can be aligned with the installation port at the bottom of the water tank. On the contrary, when the mounting member is not assembled in place, at least one of the bracket and the water supply section cannot be normally installed. Through the limitation of the bracket and the water supply section, it is ensured that when the user assembles the mounting member by himself, the seal between the mounting member and the water inlet can also be guaranteed, preventing water leakage at the water inlet end of the water supply assembly during operation due to insufficient sealing and affecting the normal operation of the water supply assembly. This implementation method allows the user to disassemble and assemble some parts of the humidifier independently while ensuring the proper installation, improving the working reliability of the humidifier.

[0027] In one of the embodiments, the mounting member further includes a first mounting portion connected to the limiting handle and fixing the exhaust and drain valve, and a second mounting portion arranged along the circumferential direction of the first mounting portion. A wall forming the drain outlet extends downward to form a third mounting portion. One of the second mounting portion and the third mounting portion is provided with a mounting groove, and the other is provided with a convex block cooperating therewith. When the convex block is engaged with the mounting groove, sealing members are clamped between the side wall of the second mounting portion and the third mounting portion, and between the bottom wall of the second mounting portion and the water supply pipe.

[0028] With such a setting, the user can rotate the second mounting portion through the limiting handle to engage or disengage the convex block with the mounting groove, so as to fix the mounting member to the drain outlet or remove it, which is convenient for the user to clean the mounting member after removing it. At the same time, the water supply pipe inside can be cleaned from the drain outlet by removing the mounting member, reducing impurities such as water scale in the pipe, ensuring smooth water flow in the water supply assembly, and also being beneficial to improving the cleanliness of the humidifier. When the mounting member is arranged at the drain outlet, a sealing member is clamped between the side wall of the second mounting portion and the third mounting portion, and the bottom wall of the second mounting portion abuts against the water supply pipe and a sealing member is also clamped therebetween. The sealing performance between the drain outlet and the mounting member is improved through double sealing, avoiding the leakage of the pressure in the water supply pipe during the water supply state from the gap between the mounting member and the drain outlet, which is beneficial to ensuring that there is sufficient pressure at the water outlet end of the water supply assembly to send water to the filter element assembly and improving the reliability of the operation of the water supply assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the humidifier according to the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a sectional view taken along line A-A of the structure shown;

[0031] Figure 3 is Figure 1 a sectional view taken along line B-B of the structure shown;

[0032] Figure 4 is Figure 1 a schematic structural diagram of the exhaust and drain valve in the humidifier shown when the float is in the falling position;

[0033] Figure 5 is Figure 4 a sectional view taken along line C-C of the structure shown;

[0034] Figure 6 is Figure 4 a schematic structural diagram of the exhaust and drain valve shown when the float is in the rising position;

[0035] Figure 7 is Figure 4Schematic diagram of the connection structure between the float and the sealing ring in the exhaust and drain valve shown;

[0036] Figure 8 is Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure where the exhaust and drain valve in the humidifier shown is arranged on the mounting part;

[0037] Figure 9 is Figure 8 Cross-sectional view taken along line D-D of the structure shown when the float is in the upward floating position;

[0038] Figure 10 is Figure 3 Enlarged view of the structure indicated by E in;

[0039] Figure 11 is Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the water tank, water supply assembly, mounting part and exhaust and drain valve in the humidifier shown after being connected to the bracket, from a top-down perspective;

[0040] Figure 12 is Figure 11 Cross-sectional view taken along line F-F of the structure shown;

[0041] Figure 13 is Figure 11 Cross-sectional view taken along line G-G of the structure shown.

[0042] The names of the components with the reference numerals shown in the figure are as follows:

[0043] 1. Humidifier; 10. Water tank; 11. Drain port; 110. Third mounting part; 12. Mounting port; 20. Water supply assembly; 21. Water supply pipe; 211. Drain section; 2110. Buffer chamber; 212. Heating section; 213. Connection section; 214. Water supply section; 22. Heater; 30. Filter element assembly; 40. Exhaust and drain valve; 41. Float; 411. Air outlet hole; 412; Water inlet; 413. Air inlet hole; 414. Water outlet; 415. Flow dividing wall; 416. Exhaust channel; 417. Water inlet channel; 418. First limiting part; 42. Valve seat; 421. Through hole; 422. Sealing part; 4221. Second limiting part; 4222; Groove; 423. Exhaust gap; 43. Sealing ring; 431. Connection part; 432. Bending part; 50. Mounting part; 51. Limiting handle; 52. First mounting part; 53. Second mounting part; 60. Bracket; 61. First supporting part; 62. Second supporting part. Detailed implementation manners

[0044] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0045] As Figures 1-3As shown in the figure, the humidifier 1 for heating and filling water includes a water tank 10, a water filling assembly 20, a filter element assembly 30, and a fan assembly (not shown). The water tank 10 is used to store liquid. The water filling assembly 20 connected to the water tank 10 can transport the liquid to the filter element assembly 30 and wet it. After the fan assembly introduces external air flow into the humidifier 1, the air flow passes through the wet filter element assembly 30, carries the water vapor on the filter element assembly 30, and then flows out of the humidifier 1, increasing the air humidity of the external environment by the carried water vapor to achieve the purpose of humidification.

[0046] Among them, a water outlet 11 communicating with the water filling assembly 20 is provided on the bottom wall of the water tank 10; a water inlet is provided above the filter element assembly 30; the water filling assembly 20 includes a water delivery pipe 21 for connecting the water tank 10 and the filter element assembly 30, a heater 22 arranged on the water delivery pipe 21, and an exhaust and drainage valve 40 for controlling whether the water tank 10 and the water delivery pipe 21 are communicated is provided at the water outlet 11; the water delivery pipe 21 includes a water drainage section 211 communicating with the water outlet 11, a heating section 212 connected to the water drainage section 211 and provided with a heater 22, and a water filling section connecting the heating section 212 and the filter element assembly 30. An installation opening 12 for the water filling section to pass through is further provided on the bottom wall of the water tank 10, so that the water filling section extends from below the water tank 10 upward to the filter element assembly 30.

[0047] The water filling assembly 20 has an alternating operation of a water drainage state and a water filling state. In the water drainage state, the exhaust and drainage valve 40 is opened, so that the liquid in the water tank 10 can flow into the water delivery pipe 21, and the gas in the water delivery pipe 21 can be discharged upward to the water tank 10; in the water filling state, the liquid in the heating section 212 expands due to heat and pushes the liquid at both ends of the heating section 212 to flow upward to the water inlet and the water outlet 11. At this time, the exhaust and drainage valve 40 is forced to close to prevent the water flow from flowing back from the water outlet 11 to the water tank 10, so that the water flow in the water delivery pipe 21 can only flow unidirectionally towards the filter element assembly 30, realizing the purpose of sending the liquid from the water tank 10 to the filter element assembly 30; during the continuous operation of the humidifier 1, the water filling assembly 20 continuously switches back and forth between the water filling state and the water drainage state, thereby achieving the effect of continuously supplying water to the filter element assembly 30.

[0048] As Figures 4-10As shown in the figure, the exhaust and drain valve 40 provided by the present application includes a float 41, a valve seat 42, and a sealing ring 43. A through hole 421 that penetrates up and down is provided on the valve seat 42. The float 41 is inserted into the through hole 421 and can float back and forth between the floating position and the falling position along the through hole 421. The sealing ring 43 is sleeved on one end of the float 41. A first opening is provided at the upper end of the float 41, a second opening is provided on the side wall of the lower end, and a fluid passage communicating the first opening and the second opening is provided in the middle of the float 41. The sealing ring 43 is located below the second opening. When the float 41 is forced to move to the floating position, the second opening is located in the through hole 421, and the sealing ring 43 is in contact with the valve seat 42 and seals the through hole 421. At this time, the exhaust and drain valve 40 is closed. When the float 41 returns to the falling position, both the first opening and the second opening are exposed. At this time, the exhaust and drain valve 40 is opened, and the water above the exhaust and drain valve 40 can flow downward through the fluid passage through the exhaust and drain valve 40, and the gas below the exhaust and drain valve 40 can also be discharged upward to the water tank 10.

[0049] The first opening includes an air outlet hole 411 and a water inlet 412, the second opening includes an air inlet hole 413 and a water outlet 414, the fluid passage includes an independent water inlet passage 417 and an exhaust passage 416. The water inlet passage 417 communicates the water inlet 412 and the water outlet 414, the exhaust passage 416 communicates the air inlet hole 413 and the air outlet hole 411. The water outlet 414 is closer to the sealing ring 43 than the air inlet hole 413, so that the air inlet hole 413 is higher than the water outlet 414. The upward flowing gas can more easily enter the exhaust passage 416 through the air inlet hole 413 to be discharged upward. The height difference is used to reduce the probability of the gas entering the water inlet passage 417 through the water outlet 414, so that the water flow is more likely to enter the water supply assembly 20 from the water inlet passage 417, enhancing the independence of the water inlet process and the exhaust process, reducing the mutual interference between the two, ensuring that the exhaust and drain valve 40 can effectively intake water and exhaust gas within a limited time, and improving the working reliability of the exhaust and drain valve 40.

[0050] Furthermore, when the humidifier 1 is in the water drainage state, sufficient water can be supplemented into the water supply assembly 20, so that the water supply assembly 20 can continuously and stably supply water to the filter element assembly 30, ensuring the working reliability of the humidifier. Moreover, when the water supply assembly 20 is fully filled with water in the water drainage state, it is also beneficial to supplement more low-temperature water from the water tank 10 to the heating section 212. When the water in the heating section 212 is heated and expanded again, a greater thrust can be generated, which is conducive to increasing the water flow rate and water supply height of the water supply assembly 20. And by discharging the gas to the water tank 10 through the exhaust and drain valve 40, reducing the gas in the water supply pipe 21, the noise generated by the mixture of water and gas in the pipe can be reduced, which is beneficial to the overall noise reduction of the humidifier 1.

[0051] In the working condition where only a small amount of gas is generated inside the water inlet assembly 20, the exhaust and water inlet valve 40 provided in the present application can simultaneously achieve the exhaust and water inlet of the water inlet assembly 20, without the need to separately provide other exhaust structures, which is beneficial to simplifying the internal structure of the humidifier 1, reducing the number of components, and facilitating the production and manufacturing of the humidifier 。It can be understood that in the working condition with a large amount of gas, the size of the exhaust and water inlet valve 40 can be appropriately increased in equal proportion to meet the exhaust volume requirement, or other exhaust structures can be added on the basis of applying the exhaust and water inlet valve 40 to assist in exhaust, so as to meet the working condition requirements and ensure the normal operation of the humidifier 1。

[0052] In the present embodiment, when the float 41 is in the falling position, the air inlet hole 413 is partially located inside the through hole 421. With this arrangement, in the case where only a small amount of gas accumulates on the lower surface of the valve seat 42, the air inlet hole 413 can still allow gas to enter the exhaust passage 416 and be discharged upward, so as to achieve a more sufficient exhaust effect. At the same time, the top end of the water outlet 414 is flush with the bottom end of the air inlet hole 413, so that the entire water outlet 414 is located below the air inlet hole 413, and the water outlet 414 and the air inlet hole 413 do not overlap in height. When the gas floats above the water outlet 414, the gas can only enter the exhaust passage 416 through the air inlet hole 413 and be discharged upward. At this time, the water flow is more likely to flow into the water supply pipe 21 through the water inlet passage 417, further reducing the mutual interference between upward exhaust and inward water inlet, and improving the water inlet efficiency of the water inlet assembly 20 in the water outlet state. It can be understood that in other embodiments, according to different working conditions, the water outlet 414 can be set upward according to the actual situation, so that the air inlet hole 413 and the water outlet 414 partially overlap in height, making the structural layout of the float 41 more compact, which is beneficial to shortening the length of the float 41 to adapt to a smaller working environment; or, the top end of the air inlet hole 413 can also be flush with the bottom wall of the valve seat 42, and the air inlet hole 413 and the water outlet 414 can also be spaced apart by a certain distance in the vertical direction, as long as it is ensured that the air inlet hole 413 is located above the water outlet 414, so that the gas located at a higher position is more likely to flow to the air inlet hole 413。

[0053] Such as Figures 5-6As shown, the exhaust drain valve 40 further includes a flow dividing wall 415 disposed in the fluid passage for separating the water inlet passage 417 and the exhaust passage 416. In the present embodiment, two flow dividing walls 415 are provided in the fluid passage. Both ends of each flow dividing wall 415 are connected to the inner wall of the fluid passage and enclose an exhaust passage 416 therewith. The water inlet passage 417 is formed by enclosing the inner wall of the fluid passage and the outer walls of the two exhaust passages 416. It can be understood that in other embodiments, only one flow dividing wall 415 may be provided to divide the fluid passage into two parts, or multiple flow dividing walls 415 may be provided to divide the fluid passage into multiple independent small channels; among them, it is preferably to set more and larger small channels as the water inlet passage 417, but the proportion of the exhaust passage 416 can also be appropriately adjusted according to the gas production in the specific working conditions, or the exhaust passage 416 and the water inlet passage 417 can be made of the same size, or the proportion of the exhaust passage 416 can be made larger, as long as it is ensured that the air inlet holes 413 communicated with the exhaust passage 416 are higher than the water outlet holes 414 communicated with the water inlet passage 417 in the vertical direction.

[0054] In the present embodiment, the top end of the flow dividing wall 415 is flush with the top wall of the float 41. The upper end surface of the fluid passage is divided into three independent first openings, namely two air outlet holes 411 and one water inlet 412, by the two flow dividing walls 415. This avoids the situation that the upper end of the flow dividing wall 415 is arranged inside the fluid passage, resulting in the fluid passage not being completely divided into independent exhaust passage 416 and water inlet passage 417, and further causing the overlapping of the air outlet area and the water inlet area, reducing the effects of exhaust and water inlet. Therefore, by extending the flow dividing wall 415 to the end of the fluid passage, the upper end surface of the fluid passage is divided into independent air outlet holes 411 and water inlet 412 by the dividing function of the flow dividing wall 415, so that the exhaust of the exhaust passage 416 and the water inlet of the water inlet passage 417 can be relatively independent through their respective openings, thereby reducing the mutual interference between exhaust and water inlet; and, such a setting also makes the overall structure of the float 41 beautiful and simple, and is easier to produce and manufacture compared with other complex structures, which is beneficial to controlling the manufacturing cost of the exhaust drain valve 40. It can be understood that in other embodiments, the upper end of the flow dividing wall 415 can also be appropriately higher than the top wall of the float 41, and the mutual interference between the adjacent water inlet 412 and the air outlet holes 411 can be reduced by the shielding of the flow dividing wall 415, improving the working effect of the exhaust drain valve 40; or, the exhaust passage 416 can be extended upward as a whole, so that the flow dividing wall 415 encloses to form the air outlet holes 411 at a position higher than the water inlet 412. Then, the pressure at the air outlet holes 411 is less than the pressure at the water inlet 412, which is more conducive to the upward exhaust of gas from the air outlet holes 411 and the inward water inlet from the water inlet 412; or, one of the air outlet holes 411 and the water inlet 412 can be arranged on the side wall of the float 41, and the other can be arranged on the top wall of the float 41, further separating the air outlet holes 411 and the water inlet 412 and reducing the interference to improve the effects of water inlet and exhaust.

[0055] As shown Figures 4-5 in the figure, in this embodiment, a convex first limiting portion 418 is provided on the upper end portion of the float 41 in the circumferential direction on the side wall. The valve seat 42 includes a sealing portion 422 provided with a through hole 421. A second limiting portion 4221 is provided on the sealing portion 422 around the through hole 421. In the water discharge state, the float 41 is forced to move downward. When the first limiting portion 418 abuts against the second limiting portion 4221, the float 41 is located at the falling-back position, and at this time the fluid passage is opened. It can be understood that in other embodiments, the first opening may also be provided on the side wall of the float 41. At this time, the first limiting portion 418 may be provided below the first opening. Then, when the float 41 is located at the falling-back position, the first opening can be exposed outside, preventing the first limiting portion 418 from blocking the first opening in the through hole 421, so as to ensure that the passage formed by the first opening, the fluid passage and the second opening can communicate the water tank 10 and the water supply assembly 20 when the exhaust and water discharge valve 40 is opened.

[0056] In this embodiment, the sealing portion 422 is made of an elastic material such as silica gel or rubber. When the vertically moving float 41 collides with the sealing portion 422, the elastic sealing portion 422 deforms to reduce the noise generated by the collision and lower the working noise of the exhaust and water discharge valve 40. A connection structure may be provided on the sealing portion 422 to install the exhaust and water discharge valve 40 into the body to which it is applied, or the valve seat 42 may further include a mounting component connected to the sealing portion 422, and the exhaust and water discharge valve 40 is installed through the mounting component.

[0057] A plurality of grooves 4222 are provided at intervals on the second limiting portion 4221. An exhaust gap 423 is provided between the float 41 and the through hole 421. When the float 41 is located at the falling-back position and the first limiting portion 418 abuts against the top wall of the second limiting portion 4221, the exhaust gap 423 communicates with the grooves 4222, so that the gas can be discharged from the grooves 4222 through the exhaust gap 423 while being discharged upward through the exhaust passage 416. By adding the exhaust gap 423 to assist in exhaust, the exhaust volume is increased, and the working efficiency of the exhaust and water discharge valve 40 is improved. It can be understood that in other embodiments, the grooves 4222 may also be provided on the first limiting portion 418, as long as it can be ensured that when the float 41 is in the falling-back position, the exhaust gap 423 can communicate with the grooves 4222 to discharge the gas from the exhaust gap 423.

[0058] As shown Figures 5-6As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, the sealing ring 43 sleeved on the lower end of the float 41 is also made of elastic materials such as silica gel and rubber. The sealing ring 43 includes a connecting portion 431 for connecting the float 41 and a bending portion 432 for fitting with the sealing portion 422 to close the fluid passage. The connecting portion 431 is annular and sleeved on the outer side wall of the float 41. The bending portion 432 bends towards the float 41, and one end is connected to the connecting portion 431, and the other end extends above the connecting portion 431. The bending portion 432 and the connecting portion 431 are integrally formed. Both the sealing ring 43 and the sealing portion 422 are made of elastic materials. When the float 41 floats upward and drives the sealing ring 43 to collide and squeeze with the sealing portion 422, both the sealing ring 43 and the sealing portion 422 can produce a certain degree of deformation, which is beneficial for the exhaust and drain valve 40 to obtain a better sealing effect and reduce the working noise. The end of the sealing ring 43 is set as the bending portion 432 that bends towards the float 41. When the sealing ring 43 and the sealing portion 422 are mutually extruded, the bending portion 432 is in close contact with the sealing portion 422 and bends and deforms towards the connecting portion 431, avoiding the flat surface-to-flat surface fitting between the sealing ring 43 and the sealing portion 422, which makes it difficult to separate them after they are stuck together. Moreover, the force of the bending portion 432 rebounding after deformation is also beneficial for the float 41 to fall back again, so as to ensure the working reliability of the exhaust and drain valve 40.

[0059] As Figure 12 shown in the figure, in this embodiment, the water drainage section 211 includes a buffer cavity 2110. The opening at the top of the cavity is the water drainage port 11. The exhaust and drain valve 40 is installed at the water drainage port 11, so that the float 41 is located in the upper part of the buffer cavity 2110. The heating section 212 is connected to the side wall of the buffer cavity 2110. When the water in the heating section 212 expands due to heat, the thrust pushes the liquid in the buffer cavity 2110 along the axial direction of the heating section 212. At this time, the float 41 is arranged above the side of the axis of the heating section 212, which can reduce the direct thrust received by the float 41. The greater the thrust generated by the heating section 212, the more beneficial it is to increase the water flow velocity in the water supply section and the water supply height of the water supply assembly 20. At this time, the float 41 is arranged out of alignment with the heating section 212 to reduce the force on the float 41, which can avoid the float 41 hitting the valve seat 42 violently due to the large thrust and generating noise, which is beneficial for the overall noise reduction of the humidifier 1. It can be understood that in other embodiments, the float 41 can also be arranged directly above the axis of the heating section 212. The heating section 212 is connected to the bottom wall of the buffer cavity 2110 through an upwardly bent pipe, so that the interface between the heating section 212 and the buffer cavity 2110 is arranged opposite to the float 41. When the thrust generated by the heating section 212 is small, the thrust can fully act on the float 41 to ensure that the exhaust and drain valve 40 can be normally closed in the water supply state.

[0060] As Figures 8-10As shown, in this embodiment, the humidifier further includes a mounting member 50 for mounting the exhaust and drain valve 40. The mounting member 50 includes a first mounting portion 52 to which the exhaust and drain valve 40 is fixed and a second mounting portion 53 provided along the circumferential direction of the first mounting portion 52. The first mounting portion 52 is provided with a receiving opening for receiving the sealing portion 422. The edge of the sealing portion 422 is provided with an annular groove, and the receiving groove is provided with an annular protrusion that cooperates with the annular groove, so as to snap-connect the sealing portion 422 to the first mounting portion 52, and the exhaust and drain valve 40 as a whole is fixed to the mounting member 50. It can be understood that in other embodiments, the exhaust and drain valve 40 can also be connected to the mounting member 50 by other means such as threaded connection, gluing, bolt connection, etc.; in the embodiment where the material of the valve seat 42 is the same as that of the mounting member 50, the valve seat 42 can also be integrally formed with the mounting member 50.

[0061] In this embodiment, the wall forming the water outlet 11 extends downward to form a third mounting portion 110. The second mounting portion 53 is provided with a mounting groove, and the third mounting portion 110 is provided with a protrusion that cooperates with the mounting groove. The user can rotate the second mounting portion to engage or disengage the protrusion with the mounting groove, so as to fix the mounting member 50 to the water outlet 11 or remove it, which is convenient for the user to clean the mounting member 50 and the exhaust and drain valve 40 fixed thereon after removing the mounting member 50. After removing the mounting member 50, the water outlet 11 is exposed, and the user can also clean the inside of the water supply pipe 21 through tools such as a brush, reduce scale and other impurities in the water supply assembly 20, ensure the smooth flow of water in the water supply assembly 20, and at the same time is also beneficial to improving the cleanliness of the humidifier 1.

[0062] When the installation member 50 is disposed at the water outlet 11, a sealing member is clamped between the side wall of the second installation portion 53 and the third installation portion 110, improving the sealing performance between the water outlet 11 and the installation member 50, and preventing the pressure in the water supply pipe 21 from leaking through the gap between the installation member 50 and the water outlet 11 in the water supply state, which is beneficial to ensuring the water supply effect of the water supply assembly 20. The water outlet section 211 is connected to the third installation portion 110. By separately arranging the water outlet section 211 and the water tank 10, it is convenient for the water tank 10 and the water outlet section 211 to be demolded separately. A boss that cooperates with the second installation portion 53 is formed on the inner wall of the water outlet section 211 in the circumferential direction. When the installation member 50 is disposed at the water outlet 11, a sealing member is also clamped between the bottom wall of the second installation portion 53 and the boss. By means of double sealing, the sealing performance between the water outlet 11 and the installation member 50 is improved, which is beneficial to ensuring the normal operation of the water supply assembly 20. It can be understood that in other embodiments, the water outlet section 211 can also be integrally formed with the third installation portion 110, which is convenient for installation and also avoids the possibility of water leakage between the water outlet section 211 and the water tank 10. At the same time, the installation member 50 can also be fixed to the water tank 10 by other detachable connection methods such as threaded connection; or, the convex block can be provided on the installation member 50, and a mating installation groove is provided on the third installation portion 110, as long as the installation member 50 can be stably installed at the water outlet 11.

[0063] As Figure 8 and Figures 11-13 shown, in this embodiment, the water supply section includes a connection section 213 connecting the heating section 212 and the installation port 12, and a water supply section 214 extending from the installation port 12 to the filter element assembly 30. Among them, the water supply section 214 is detachably connected to the installation port 12 by means of snap connection or the like, allowing the user to remove the water supply section 214 for cleaning. When the installation member 50 and the water supply section 214 are disassembled, the water outlet 11 and the installation port 12 are exposed. The water outlet section 211, the heating section 212, and the connection section 213 are sequentially connected to form a channel with both ends open. At this time, the user can clean the inside of the channel through tools such as a brush from the inside of the water tank 10 through the installation port 12 and the water outlet 11, making the water flow in the water supply assembly 20 smooth and improving the cleanliness of the humidifier 1.

[0064] The mounting member 50 further includes a limit handle 51 connected to the first mounting portion 52. A user can rotate the mounting member 50 through the limit handle 51 to install and remove the mounting member 50. When the mounting member 50 is disposed at the water outlet 11, the limit handle 51 abuts against the bottom wall of the water tank 10. The bracket 60 for placing the filter element assembly 30 is detachably fixed to the limit handle 51. The bracket 60 is used to mount the filter element assembly 30 above the water tank 10, preventing the filter element assembly 30 from being soaked in water for a long time and reducing the growth of bacteria on the filter element assembly 30. The bracket 60 includes a first support portion 61 for placing the filter element assembly 30 and a second support portion 62 connected to the limit handle 51. The water supply section 214 passes through the first support portion 61 and is connected to the filter element assembly 30 disposed on the bracket 60.

[0065] Only when the mounting member 50 rotates to a preset position so that a sufficient seal is formed between the mounting member 50 and the water outlet 11, and the bracket 60 is fixed to the limit handle 51, can the water supply section 214 connected to the bracket 60 be normally connected to the mounting port 12 at the same time. On the contrary, when the assembly of the mounting member 50 is not in place, at least one of the bracket 60 and the water supply section 214 cannot be installed. Through the limiting effect of the bracket 60 and the water supply section 214, it is ensured that when the user assembles the mounting member 50 by himself, the sealing performance between the mounting member 50 and the water outlet 11 can also be guaranteed, preventing the user from turning on the humidifier 1 in the case of water leakage in the water supply assembly 20 and affecting the normal operation of the water supply assembly 20. It can be understood that in other embodiments, the bracket 60 can also adopt other shapes, and the connection position between the water supply section 214 and the bracket 60 can also be other places other than the first support portion 61, as long as the limiting effect of the bracket 60 and the water supply section 214 on the mounting member 50 can be guaranteed.

[0066] It should be noted that in this application, the terms with orientation relationships such as "up and down", "high and low", "top", "bottom", "side wall", etc. are defined with the humidifier as a reference under the normal use of the humidifier. The above terms are only used to more clearly describe the technical solution and do not limit the protection scope of this application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application should be understood according to the specific situation.

[0067] The above embodiments are only the optimized embodiments of this application, not all the embodiments of this application. According to the principle of this application, those skilled in the art can make various deformations. As long as they do not depart from the spirit of this application, they should all fall within the scope defined by the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A humidifier with reliable operation, comprising a water tank, a water supply assembly, and a filter element assembly. A water outlet is provided at the bottom of the water tank, and a water inlet is provided above the filter element assembly. The water supply assembly includes a water delivery pipe connecting the water inlet and the water outlet, and a heater provided on the water delivery pipe. It is characterized in that An exhaust and drain valve is provided at the water outlet. The water supply assembly includes an alternating operation of a drain state and a water supply state. In the drain state, the exhaust and drain valve is opened so that the liquid in the water tank flows into the water delivery pipe, and the gas in the water delivery pipe is discharged into the water tank. In the water supply state, the heater causes part of the liquid in the water delivery pipe to expand due to heat and pushes the liquid in the water delivery pipe to flow towards the water inlet and the water outlet, and the exhaust and drain valve is forced to close.

2. The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein, The exhaust and drain valve includes: A valve seat provided with a through hole penetrating up and down. A float inserted through the through hole and capable of floating back and forth between a floating position and a falling position along the through hole. A first opening is provided at the upper end of the float, a second opening is provided on the side wall of the lower end, and a fluid passage for communicating the first opening and the second opening is provided in the middle of the float. A sealing ring sleeved on the float and located below the second opening. When the float is in the floating position, the second opening is located in the through hole, and the sealing ring is in contact with the valve seat and seals the through hole. When the float is in the falling position, both the first opening and the second opening are exposed. The first opening includes an air outlet hole and a water inlet, the second opening includes an air inlet hole and a water outlet, the fluid passage includes a water inlet passage and an exhaust passage. The water inlet passage communicates the water inlet and the water outlet, the exhaust passage communicates the air inlet hole and the air outlet hole, the exhaust passage is independent of the water inlet passage, and the water outlet is closer to the sealing ring than the air inlet hole.

3. The humidifier according to claim 2, characterized in that, The exhaust and drain valve further includes a diversion wall provided in the fluid passage to separate the water inlet passage and the exhaust passage. When the air outlet hole and the water inlet are provided on the top wall of the float, the end of the diversion wall close to the first opening is higher than the top wall of the float or flush with the top wall of the float; alternatively, one of the air outlet hole and the water inlet is provided on the top wall of the float, and the other is provided on the side wall of the float.

4. The humidifier according to claim 2, wherein, When the float is in the falling position, the top end of the air inlet hole is higher than the bottom wall surface of the valve seat or at least flush with the wall surface, and the water outlet is entirely below the lowest point of the air inlet hole.

5. The humidifier according to claim 2, characterized in that An exhaust gap is provided between the float and the inner wall of the through hole. A convex first limiting portion is provided on the side wall of the upper end of the float in the circumferential direction, and a second limiting portion is provided on the valve seat. One of the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion is provided with a groove. When the float is in the falling position, the first limiting portion abuts against the second limiting portion, and the exhaust gap communicates with the external environment through the groove.

6. The humidifier according to claim 2, wherein The sealing ring is made of an elastic material. The sealing ring includes a connecting portion sleeved on the outer sidewall of the float and extending in a direction away from the float, and a bending portion bent toward the float. One end of the bending portion is connected to the connecting portion, and the other end extends above the connecting portion. When the float is in the upper floating position, the valve seat is in contact with the bending portion.

7. The humidifier according to claim 2, wherein The valve seat includes a sealing portion provided with the through hole. When the float is in the falling position, the float abuts against one end of the sealing portion. When the float is in the upper floating position, the sealing ring is in contact with the other end of the sealing portion. The sealing portion is made of an elastic material.

8. The humidifier according to claim 2, characterized in that, The water supply pipe includes a water down section connecting the water outlet and a heating section provided with the heater. The water down section includes a buffer chamber. The exhaust and water down valve is provided at the top of the buffer chamber. The heating section is connected to the side of the buffer chamber. The float is located above the side of the axis of the heating section.

9. The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein The humidifier further includes a bracket for placing the filter element assembly, and a mounting member installed at the water outlet. The exhaust and water down valve is fixed to the mounting member. The mounting member includes a limiting handle. The water supply pipe includes a water supply section connected to the bracket. The bottom of the water tank is provided with a mounting opening for mounting the water supply section. The bracket, the mounting member, and the water supply section are all detachably arranged on the water tank. When the mounting member is assembled to a preset position, the bracket is fixed to the limiting handle, and at the same time, the water supply section is connected to the mounting opening.

10. The humidifier according to claim 9, characterized in that The mounting member further includes a first mounting portion connected to the limiting handle and fixed with the exhaust and water down valve, and a second mounting portion arranged along the circumferential direction of the first mounting portion. A wall forming the water outlet extends downward to form a third mounting portion. One of the second mounting portion and the third mounting portion is provided with a mounting groove, and the other is provided with a convex block cooperating therewith. When the convex block is engaged with the mounting groove, sealing members are clamped between the sidewall of the second mounting portion and the third mounting portion, and between the bottom wall of the second mounting portion and the water supply pipe.

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