Humidifier water tank assembly and humidifier

Abstract

The humidifier water tank assembly comprises a water tank and a water tank base detachably connected with the water tank, the water tank comprises a first bottom and a first side wall extending upwards in the circumferential direction of the outer side of the first bottom, and a first boss extending towards the top of the water tank is arranged at the axis of the first bottom of the water tank; the first boss is provided with a first water inlet hole connected with a water outlet of the water pump, the water tank base comprises a second bottom, the outer side of the second bottom extends upwards in the circumferential direction to form a second side wall, and the second side wall is arranged on the outer side of the first side wall; a second boss which extends towards the bottom of the water tank and has the same shape as the first boss is arranged at the axis of the second bottom of the water tank seat; a water delivery channel is defined between the first bottom and the second bottom and between the first boss and the second boss. According to the water conveying structure, a user can conveniently clean the water conveying pipeline, on the other hand, the inwards-concave space of the boss is ingeniously used for containing the control assembly and the motor for driving the fan assembly, and the humidifier is high in humidity control precision.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of humidifiers, and in particular to a water tank-mounted wet curtain humidifier. Background Art

[0002] The existing humidifiers have generally adopted wet curtain technology, that is, using a filter screen, and adding water to the filter screen to keep it moist. When the air flows through the moist filter screen, the moisture is taken out, thus achieving the humidification effect. According to the location of the water tank, it can be divided into two categories: one is that the water storage tank is set below the wet curtain, and the other is that the water storage tank is set above the wet curtain.

[0003] Prior art 1 discloses a humidifier in which a water storage tank is arranged below a wet curtain. When in use, water is added from the top of the machine, passes through the wet curtain, and keeps it moist, while excess water accumulates at the bottom of the water tank. The bottom of the water tank is also equipped with a submersible pump, which is used to pump water from the water tank to the top of the wet curtain when the moisture in the wet curtain is insufficient, so as to ensure that the wet curtain always remains moist. However, since the water tank is located at the bottom of the device, the water therein repeatedly circulates through the wet curtain, which inevitably brings dust and mold attached to the wet curtain into the water tank, gradually forming accumulation inside the water tank, and easily generating odor after long-term storage. Once these contaminated waters are extracted by the submersible pump and used to moisten the wet curtain again, mold will grow on the wet curtain. When the humidifier is operating, the moisture carrying mold will be released into the air, which not only greatly affects the air quality, but also may pose a threat to people's health.

[0004] Prior art 2 discloses a humidifier with a water storage tank located above the wet curtain. This technical solution controls the flow rate discharged to the wet curtain through the mechanical structure of the float and the drain valve, but this method causes uneven drainage and is difficult to accurately control, making it difficult to control the wetness of the wet curtain, which may result in too much or too little water. Excessive water will accumulate at the bottom of the wet curtain, causing the bottom of the wet curtain to be soaked for a long time, which is also prone to mold growth.

[0005] Prior art 1: CN210179819U

[0006] Prior art 2: CN115930325A Summary of the invention

[0007] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0008] A humidifier water tank assembly, characterized in that: the water tank assembly comprises a water tank and a water tank seat detachably connected to the water tank, the water tank comprises a first bottom and a first side wall extending upward in the circumferential direction outside the first bottom, the axis of the first bottom of the water tank is provided with a first boss extending toward the top of the water tank, the first boss is provided with a first water inlet hole connected to the water outlet of a water pump;

[0009] The water tank seat comprises a second bottom, a second side wall extends upwardly from the outer side of the second bottom, and the second side wall is arranged outside the first side wall;

[0010] A second boss having the same shape as the first boss is provided at the second bottom axis of the water tank seat and extends toward the bottom of the water tank;

[0011] A water transfer channel is defined between the first bottom and the second bottom, and between the first boss and the second boss.

[0012] Furthermore, the first water inlet hole is arranged at the top of the first boss or at one end of the inner wall close to the top.

[0013] Furthermore, the first water inlet hole is arranged on an inner side wall of the first boss close to an end of a bottom of the first boss.

[0014] Furthermore, the inner side wall of the first boss extends two opposite ribs from a bottom through a top to the bottom in its axially symmetrical direction toward the outer side wall of the second boss, the two ribs are in contact with the outer side wall of the second boss, and a sealing portion is provided between the two ribs at one end close to the first bottom.

[0015] Furthermore, the outer wall of the second boss extends two opposite ribs from a bottom through a top to the bottom in its axially symmetrical direction toward the inner wall of the first boss, the two ribs are in contact with the inner wall of the first boss, and a sealing portion is provided between the two ribs at one end close to the second bottom.

[0016] Furthermore, the water delivery channel is provided with a vent hole at the top section of the first boss.

[0017] A humidifier comprises a base, the aforementioned water tank assembly, a control assembly, a wet curtain, and a motor, a fan assembly, and a water pump electrically connected to the control assembly, wherein the water tank assembly is arranged above the base and is detachably connected to the base, and is characterized in that:

[0018] The humidifier also includes a water delivery tray connected to the water delivery channel, the water delivery tray includes an annular third bottom, a third side wall extends upward from the outer circumference of the third bottom, and the third side wall is detachably connected to the inner side of the base side wall.

[0019] Furthermore, the third bottom has a circumferentially downwardly recessed groove, and the groove is provided with a plurality of water holes.

[0020] Furthermore, the control assembly and the motor are arranged in a cavity formed by a side wall of the second boss.

[0021] Furthermore, the water pump is a centrifugal pump.

[0022] The beneficial technical effects of the present invention include the following points:

[0023] 1. Compared with the prior art, the water delivery structure between the water tank and the water curtain is relatively complex and has a dead corner for cleaning. The water delivery structure of the present invention can facilitate users to clean the water delivery pipeline. On the other hand, the concave space of the boss is cleverly used to accommodate the control component and the motor driving the fan component, making the overall size smaller among similar humidifiers with the same water storage capacity and power, improving user experience

[0024] 2. Compared with the mechanical structures such as float valves in the prior art, the present invention can use a peristaltic pump through the aforementioned water delivery structure, which can not only adjust the water level and water volume more accurately, but also avoid the problem of unstable water pressure caused by changes in height difference, thereby affecting the water output.

[0025] 3. Compared with the mechanical structures such as float valves in the prior art, the present invention can use a centrifugal pump through the aforementioned water delivery structure, and the aforementioned water delivery structure can prevent the water in the water delivery pipeline from flowing to the water storage pan due to the siphon effect, thereby greatly improving the humidity control accuracy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 A structural cross-sectional view of a humidifier provided by the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 An exploded view of the structure provided by the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the control component provided by the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 A structural cross-sectional view from another angle provided by the present invention;

[0030] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 6 It is a structural schematic diagram of the water tank of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the components in a certain specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0034] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features limited to "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In addition, if "and / or" or "and / or" appears in the full text, its meaning includes three parallel solutions. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes solution A, solution B, or solutions that satisfy both A and B. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in this field to implement. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0035] like Figure 1-Figure 4 As shown, the humidifier of the present invention includes a base 10, a water delivery tray 11, a water tank assembly 20, a control assembly 30, a wet curtain 40, and a motor 50, a fan assembly 60, and a water pump 70 electrically connected to the control assembly. The base 10 defines a cavity to accommodate the water delivery tray 11, the control assembly, the wet curtain 40, and the fan assembly 60. The water tank assembly 20 is disposed above the base 10 and is detachably connected to the base 10. The control assembly 30 includes a humidity sensor and a controller, and the controller controls the water pump 70 to work according to the humidity of the wet curtain 40 detected by the humidity sensor, so that the water in the water tank assembly 20 flows to the wet curtain 40 through the water delivery tray 11 to reach a preset humidity range.

[0036] The water tank assembly 20 includes a water tank 21 and a water tank seat 22 detachably connected to the water tank 21. The water tank 21 is a hollow barrel, which can be cylindrical, cubic, cuboid or conical, and includes a first bottom 211 and a first side wall 212 extending circumferentially upward outside the first bottom 211. A first boss 213 extending toward the top 214 of the water tank 21 is provided at the axis of the first bottom 211 of the water tank 21. The first boss 213 is preferably a truncated cone. It should be noted that, if the first bottom 211 of the water tank 21 is a non-axisymmetric figure, the first boss 213 is located at the center of gravity or center of the first bottom 211. The water pump 70 is arranged on the first bottom 211, and the first boss 213 is provided with a first water inlet 2130 connected to the water outlet of the water pump 70. The water pump 70 is arranged on the first bottom 211 in any manner, and various means in the prior art may be adopted, such as providing a mounting structure matching the shape of the water pump 70 on the first bottom 211, or directly placing the water pump on the first bottom 211. The water outlet of the water pump 70 and the first water inlet 2130 may also be connected in various ways in the prior art, such as providing a connecting pipe between the two.

[0037] The water tank seat 22 includes a second bottom 221, and a second side wall 222 extends upward from the outer side of the second bottom 221 in a circumferential direction. The second side wall 222 is arranged outside the first side wall 212 and forms a sealing state with the first side wall 212. As an embodiment, the first side wall 212 and the second side wall 222 are connected by threads. As an embodiment, the first side wall 212 and the second side wall 222 are interference fit. Based on the above embodiment, a sealing ring (not shown in the figure) is further arranged between the first side wall 212 and the second side wall 222.

[0038] The second bottom 221 of the water tank seat 22 is provided with a second boss 223 extending toward the bottom 211 of the water tank 21 and having the same shape as the first boss 213. As can be understood from the above description, the second bottom 221 of the water tank seat 22 has the same shape as the first bottom 211 of the water tank 21.

[0039] A water delivery channel 23 is defined between the first bottom 211 and the second bottom 221, and between the first boss 213 and the second boss 223. The water delivery channel 23 is in communication with the water delivery tray 11. The water delivery tray 11 includes a third bottom 111 in an annular shape, and a third side wall 112 extends upward from the outer circumferential direction of the third bottom 111, and the third side wall 112 is interference-fitted with the inner side of the side wall of the base 10. The third bottom 111 has a groove 113 that is concave downward in a circumferential direction, and the groove 113 is provided with a plurality of water drop holes 110. A fourth side wall 114 extends upward from the inner circumferential position of the third bottom 111. The motor 50 is disposed in a cavity formed by the outer wall of the second boss 223. The present invention uses the boss structure of the water tank 21 and the water tank seat 22 to form a water delivery pipeline for delivering water in the water tank 21 to the water curtain 40, and the water tank 21 and the water tank seat 22 are detachable. Compared with the relatively complex water delivery structure between the water tank and the water curtain in the prior art, which has a cleaning dead angle, the water delivery structure of the present invention can facilitate users to clean the water delivery pipeline. On the other hand, the concave space of the boss is cleverly used to accommodate the control component 30 and the motor 50 driving the fan component, so that the overall size is smaller among similar humidifiers with the same water storage capacity and power, improving user experience.

[0040] As an embodiment, the first water inlet 2130 is disposed at the top 2132 of the first boss 213 or at one end of the inner wall 2131 close to the top 2132 , and the water outlet of the water pump 70 is connected to the first water inlet 2130 via a water pipe 71 .

[0041] Through water pump control, the control mechanism can adjust the water volume and control the water level in more ways, thereby improving accuracy. For example, the working time of the water pump can be used to combine the power of the water pump and the diameter of the water pipe for precise control. At the same time, the detection mechanism can also be used to measure the water level change for control. In general, this water pump control method avoids the error problem caused by water level changes in control components such as ball valves.

[0042] As an implementation method, the water pump 70 adopts peristaltic pump technology. Compared with mechanical structures such as float valves in the prior art, peristaltic pumps can not only adjust the water level and control the water volume more accurately, but also prevent the problem of unstable water pressure caused by changes in height difference, thereby avoiding affecting the water output. The peristaltic pump achieves precise control of the water flow by squeezing the water pipe. When the peristaltic pump is operating, the water flow is controlled due to the squeezing of the water pipe. However, when the peristaltic pump is suspended, the water pipe remains closed, which further promotes the precise control of the water flow.

[0043] The aforementioned implementation of the peristaltic pump performs well in terms of precise control, but it also has some limitations: the cost of the peristaltic pump is relatively high, and it controls and adjusts the water level by squeezing the pipe when working. It is noisy and easily causes pipe damage, which affects the service life of the product and has a poor user experience. Figure 4 As shown, as another embodiment, the water pump 70 is a centrifugal pump, and the pipeline formed by the water delivery pipe 71 has a height difference. The working principle of the centrifugal pump is based on the rotation of the motor-driven fan blades, and then the fan blades push water into the water pipe to form a water flow. This push causes a negative pressure area to be generated inside the water pipe, thereby guiding the water flow to continue forward. Due to the working characteristics of the centrifugal pump, it produces a siphon effect in the water pipe. Even when the centrifugal pump stops working and the fan blades no longer rotate, the water in the water pipe may continue to flow due to the siphon effect due to the initial speed, especially when the centrifugal pump and the first water inlet 2130 are connected. This flow may cause water to still flow to the water delivery tray 11 when the centrifugal pump stops working, and the water flow cannot be accurately controlled. Therefore, when using a centrifugal pump, compared with a peristaltic pump, an additional structural setting is required to overcome the siphon effect. The present invention sets a height difference in the water pipe 71 connecting the water outlet of the centrifugal pump and the first water inlet 2130, so that when the centrifugal pump stops working, the water will stop flowing in the pipe due to the gravity caused by the height difference, which plays a blocking role and avoids the siphon effect. As a preferred embodiment, the highest section of the water pipe 71 is higher than the liquid level of the maximum water storage volume preset in the water tank, and a one-way valve 72 is set at the highest section of the water pipe 71 to ensure that when the centrifugal pump stops working, the water in the water pipe 71 will not flow to the water storage tray 11 due to the siphon effect. The function of the one-way valve is that during the operation of the centrifugal pump, water flows in the water pipe, and there is water pressure in the water pipe at this time, and the one-way valve is in a closed state. When the centrifugal pump stops working, the water pressure in the water pipe decreases, and the one-way valve is immediately turned on, allowing the water pipe to be connected to the external atmosphere. In this way, air can enter the water pipe, which more effectively prevents the continuous flow of water caused by the siphon effect when the centrifugal pump stops working. The one-way valve can adopt a known structural design, for example, a ball valve and an air hole on it are installed at the highest part of the water pipe. The ball valve has a certain weight. When the water pump is running, the water pressure in the water pipe is enough to lift the ball valve and close the air hole; when the water pump stops working, due to the height difference in the water pipe, the water pressure drops, the ball valve moves down due to gravity, the air hole opens, and the water pipe is connected to the external atmosphere, thereby destroying the siphon effect and stopping the water flow.

[0044] like Figure 5-Figure 6As shown, as an embodiment, a water pipeline is formed between the inner side wall of the first boss 213 and the outer side wall 2233 of the second boss 223. One end of the water pipeline is connected to the water pump 70, and its pipeline inlet 2130 is located at a lower horizontal position of the water pipeline. The water pipeline extends upward along the protruding direction of the boss to the top of the first boss and the second boss, thereby forming a horizontal height difference. Subsequently, the water pipeline extends downward to the water outlet 230.

[0045] The water delivery pipe can be configured in the following ways: for example, the pipe can be installed on the side wall of the first boss or the second boss to form a sealed channel. Alternatively, the pipe can be located between the inner side wall of the first boss or the outer side wall of the second boss, and formed by a groove formed by ribs. This rib structure cooperates with each other to form a water delivery pipe when the two bosses are assembled together. Due to this design, the water delivery pipe is easy to clean because when the two bosses can be separated, the groove pipe formed by the ribs can be exposed to the outside, which is convenient for cleaning.

[0046] As attached Figure 5-6 As described, two opposite ribs 2134 extend from the first boss, and the two ribs 2134 are in sealing contact with the outer side wall 2233 of the second boss 223, and a sealing portion 2137 is provided between the two ribs 2134 at one end close to the first bottom 211. Therefore, the water delivery channel 230 formed between the two ribs 2134 is unidirectional. The direction of the water flow first enters through the first water inlet 2130 connected to the water pump 70, and then goes up along the height direction of the boss to the top of the boss. Subsequently, the water flow extends downward from the top of the boss to the other end of the water delivery channel 230, and finally enters the water delivery tray 11. A sealing strip (not shown in the figure) is provided at the top of the two ribs 2134. When the first boss 213 and the second boss 223 are assembled, the sealing strip is compressed by a conventional compression structure (such as a screw connection or a snap-fit ​​connection, etc.), thereby enhancing the sealing effect of the water delivery channel.

[0047] This embodiment eliminates the need to set up an additional water pipeline, and instead utilizes the structural features of the existing first boss 213 and the second boss 223. By adding a rib structure inside the first boss 213 and the second boss 223, when the two bosses are assembled and installed, a water path is formed between them. Since these raised structures themselves have a height difference, the water pipeline formed naturally also has a height difference. This design avoids the additional cost that may be incurred by setting up an additional water pipeline. In addition, since the water pipeline is assembled from two bosses, they are convenient for cleaning the water pipeline in a separated state.

[0048] In one embodiment, the water delivery channel 230 is located at the top 2132 of the first boss 213 and is equipped with a one-way valve. The function of the one-way valve can be the same as Figure 4 The one-way valves in the illustrated embodiments are identical, or known one-way valve designs may be used.

[0049] However, considering that the previous embodiment uses a water pipe 71 with a significant height difference and adds a one-way valve 72 to prevent the siphon effect, thereby enhancing the lifting effect, it will bring additional costs and complicate the assembly process. Figure 5-6 In the embodiment shown, we adopt a design with a vent hole 2138 to replace the one-way valve. The vent hole is set in the water delivery channel 230 to ensure that when the centrifugal pump stops working, the water in the water delivery pipe 71 is prevented from still flowing back to the water storage tray 11 due to the effect of atmospheric pressure due to the siphon effect. Obviously, the role of the vent hole 2138 is to replace the one-way valve to suppress the siphon effect. Therefore, in terms of position selection, the vent hole should be located at the highest point of the water delivery channel 230 as much as possible, that is, the through hole opened at the top 2132 of the first boss 213. At the same time, it can be understood that the diameter of the through hole should be as small as possible, or the shape of the through hole can be designed to be a higher opening protruding higher than the top 2132 of the first boss 213 (not shown in the figure). In this way, when the centrifugal pump is running, a large amount of water will not be lost through the through hole.

[0050] An additional advantage of the vent design is that when the centrifugal pump faces a peak fluctuation in the operating voltage, resulting in an increase in the instantaneous water flow (for example, when encountering a peak voltage at startup or when the voltage is unstable at other times), the water in the water delivery channel 230 can flow back into the water tank 21 through the vent 2138. This mechanism helps prevent the motor control from being misaligned, thereby preventing the wet curtain 40 from being over-humidified in a short period of time, which may interfere with the normal operation of the humidifier circuit or cause water to overflow from the base 10.

[0051] As an implementation manner, the height of the top 2132 of the first boss 213 is higher than the liquid level height of the preset maximum water storage capacity of the water tank.

[0052] As another embodiment, the two ribs 2134 and the sealing portion 2137 of the above embodiment can be arranged on the outer wall 2233 of the second boss 223. The ribs 2134, the sealing portion 2137, the inner wall 2131 of the first boss 213 and the outer wall 2233 of the second boss 223 form a sealed water delivery channel 230.

[0053] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural changes made by using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or directly / indirectly applied in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A humidifier water tank assembly, characterized in that: The water tank assembly comprises a water tank and a water tank seat detachably connected to the water tank, the water tank comprises a first bottom and a first side wall extending upward in the circumferential direction outside the first bottom, a first boss extending toward the top of the water tank is provided at the axis of the first bottom of the water tank, and the first boss is provided with a first water inlet hole connected to the water outlet of the water pump; The water tank seat comprises a second bottom, a second side wall extends upwardly from the outer side of the second bottom, and the second side wall is arranged outside the first side wall; A second boss having the same shape as the first boss is provided at the second bottom axis of the water tank seat and extends toward the bottom of the water tank; A water transfer channel is defined between the first bottom and the second bottom, and between the first boss and the second boss.

2. The humidifier water tank assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first water inlet hole is arranged at the top of the first boss or at one end of the inner wall close to the top.

3. The humidifier water tank assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first water inlet hole is arranged on the inner side wall of the first boss close to one end of the bottom of the first boss.

4. The humidifier water tank assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner wall of the first boss extends from a bottom through a top to the bottom in its axially symmetrical direction, and two opposite ribs extend toward the outer wall of the second boss. The two ribs are in contact with the outer wall of the second boss, and a sealing portion is provided at one end between the two ribs close to the first bottom.

5. The humidifier water tank assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer wall of the second boss extends from a bottom through a top to the bottom in its axially symmetrical direction, and two opposite ribs extend toward the inner wall of the first boss. The two ribs are in contact with the inner wall of the first boss, and a sealing portion is provided at one end between the two ribs near the second bottom.

6. The humidifier water tank assembly according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: The water delivery channel is provided with a vent hole at the top section of the first boss.

7. A humidifier, comprising a base, a water tank assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, a control assembly, a wet curtain, and a motor, a fan assembly, and a water pump electrically connected to the control assembly, wherein the water tank assembly is arranged above the base and is detachably connected to the base, and characterized in that: The humidifier also includes a water delivery tray connected to the water delivery channel, the water delivery tray includes an annular third bottom, a third side wall extends upward from the outer circumference of the third bottom, and the third side wall is detachably connected to the inner side of the base side wall.

8. The humidifier according to claim 7, characterized in that: The third bottom has a circumferentially downwardly recessed groove, and the groove is provided with a plurality of water holes.

9. The humidifier according to claim 7, characterized in that: The control assembly and the motor are arranged in a cavity formed by the side wall of the second boss.

10. The humidifier according to claim 7, characterized in that: The water pump is a centrifugal pump.

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