humidifier

Abstract

This application relates to a humidifier, including a body and a water tank, humidifying components, and a fan disposed inside the body. It also includes: a first sensor for detecting the humidifier's downtime; a liquid distribution mechanism connected to the humidifying components via a water pipe; and a controller electrically connected to the first sensor and the liquid distribution mechanism. The controller is configured to control the humidifier to operate in a first drying mode or a second drying mode when the humidifier's downtime exceeds a preset threshold. The humidifier designed in this application, by incorporating a sensor capable of detecting downtime and a liquid distribution mechanism linked to the controller, proactively determines the device's idle state and automatically executes the corresponding mode of exhausting remaining water and drying or direct drying. This fundamentally avoids the problems of residual water and mold growth on damp parts, as well as unpleasant odors, caused by prolonged disuse, thus improving hygiene and safety upon reuse and reducing the user's maintenance burden.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of humidification equipment technology, and in particular to a humidifier. Background Technology

[0002] Humidifiers are widely used electrical appliances in modern homes and offices. They improve the comfort of the indoor environment by increasing air humidity, and can effectively relieve discomfort caused by dry air, especially during dry seasons.

[0003] Humidifiers on the market can be mainly divided into ultrasonic humidifiers and evaporative humidifiers based on their humidification principle. Evaporative humidifiers typically include a water tank, humidification components (such as a wet curtain or evaporative filter), and a fan. Their working principle is that water from the tank is delivered to the humidification components to moisten them. Then, the fan drives airflow through the moistened components, humidifying the air while it carries away moisture, thus increasing the humidity of the indoor environment.

[0004] However, existing humidifiers generally suffer from a serious user pain point and health hazard during use: when users do not use the humidifier for extended periods due to business trips, travel, or seasonal changes, the device is often idle. At this time, residual water may remain in the water tank, and the humidifying components (especially the porous wet curtain) remain damp. In a warm, humid, and enclosed environment, this residual moisture easily becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and mold, leading to mold growth, deterioration, and unpleasant odors inside the device. When the user turns the humidifier back on, these mold and bacterial spores are dispersed into the indoor air with the airflow, posing a potential threat to the user's respiratory health, especially to sensitive groups such as mothers, infants, and the elderly. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a humidifier that solves the problem of internal bacterial and mold growth caused by long-term equipment downtime.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the humidifier designed in this application includes a body, a water tank, humidifying components, and a fan disposed inside the body, and further includes:

[0007] The first sensor is used to detect the humidifier's downtime.

[0008] The liquid distribution mechanism is connected to the humidification component via a water guide pipe;

[0009] The controller is electrically connected to the first sensor and the liquid distribution mechanism; the controller is configured to control the humidifier to operate a first drying mode or a second drying mode when the downtime of the humidifier is greater than a preset threshold.

[0010] The first drying mode involves controlling the operation of the liquid distribution mechanism to deliver all the water in the water tank to the humidifying component, and then controlling the operation of the fan to dry the humidifying component; the second drying mode involves controlling the operation of the fan alone to dry the humidifying component.

[0011] Preferably, the first sensor is electrically connected to the fan to detect the fan's downtime, and the fan's downtime is the same as the humidifier's downtime.

[0012] Preferably, the water tank is equipped with a second sensor electrically connected to the controller. When the second sensor detects that there is water in the water tank, the controller controls the humidifier to operate in the first drying mode. When the second sensor detects that there is no water in the water tank, the controller controls the humidifier to operate in the second drying mode.

[0013] Preferably, it also includes a heating component that starts synchronously with the fan, the heating component being located at the air inlet of the humidifier or on the outer periphery of the humidifying component.

[0014] Preferably, the humidifying component is a wet curtain or an evaporation tank.

[0015] Preferably, the humidifying component is a cylindrical wet curtain, the fan is positioned above the wet curtain, and the bottom of the fan is provided with an ultraviolet sterilization component electrically connected to the controller. The ultraviolet sterilization component extends at least partially into the inner cavity enclosed by the wet curtain, and the controller is configured to control the operation of the ultraviolet sterilization component after drying is completed.

[0016] Preferably, the ultraviolet sterilization component includes a UV lamp.

[0017] Preferably, the inner wall of the water tank is coated with silver ions.

[0018] Preferably, the operating power of the fan when drying the humidifying component is less than 5W.

[0019] Preferably, the water tank is located below the humidifying component, and the liquid distribution mechanism includes a water pump located inside the water tank and a water distributor located above the humidifying component. The water pump is connected to the water distributor through the water guide pipe, and the water distributor is provided with a plurality of leakage holes at intervals around the circumference.

[0020] The humidifier designed in this application, by setting up a sensor that can detect downtime and a liquid distribution mechanism linked to the controller, realizes the proactive judgment of the idle state of the equipment and automatically executes the corresponding mode of exhausting the remaining water and air drying or direct air drying. This fundamentally avoids the problems of residual water and mold growth and odor caused by long-term equipment shutdown, improves the hygiene and safety when used again, and reduces the maintenance burden on users. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the humidifier provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0022] The components include: body 10, water tank 20, humidification component 30, fan 40, first sensor 50, water pump 61, water distributor 62, second sensor 70, and ultraviolet sterilization component 80. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The preferred embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this application.

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, the humidifier described in this embodiment mainly includes a body 10, a water tank 20, a humidifying component 30, a fan 40, a first sensor 50, a controller (not shown), and a liquid distribution mechanism connected to the humidifying component 30 via a water pipe, all housed inside the body 10. In this embodiment, the controller can be a PCB main control board located inside the body 10, serving as the control center of the entire humidifier. The humidifying component 30 is either a wet curtain or an evaporation tank.

[0025] Specifically, the first sensor 50 is electrically connected to the controller and is mainly used to detect the humidifier's downtime. In this embodiment, the first sensor 50 can be a timer module integrated into the controller. The first sensor 50 is electrically connected to the fan 40 to accumulate the downtime of the fan 40, which is regarded as the humidifier's downtime.

[0026] The water distribution mechanism is used to deliver water from the water tank 20 to the humidification unit 30 and is electrically connected to the controller. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the liquid distribution mechanism includes a water pump 61 located in the water tank 20 and a water distributor 62 located above the humidifying component 30. The water pump 61 is electrically connected to the controller and is driven and controlled by the controller to communicate with the water distributor 62 through the water guide pipe, so as to transport the water in the water tank 20 to the humidifying component 30 to achieve the humidification of the humidifying component 30.

[0027] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to control the humidifier to operate in either a first drying mode or a second drying mode when the humidifier's downtime exceeds a preset threshold. In this embodiment, the preset threshold for the humidifier's downtime is 24 hours. It is understood that this preset threshold can also be set to other values ​​and can be changed according to actual needs.

[0028] Furthermore, the controller in this embodiment also integrates a remote communication module (not shown in the figure). Specifically, the remote communication module can be a Wi-Fi module or a Bluetooth module, used to establish a data communication link between the controller and a user terminal (e.g., a smartphone or tablet) running a corresponding application (APP). Based on this communication link, after the controller determines that the humidifier has met the conditions for triggering the self-cleaning process according to the detection data of the first sensor 50, but before actually executing the process, the controller will push a prompt message to the user's terminal APP through the remote communication module to inform the user that the device will perform automatic maintenance and provide interactive options, such as "handle immediately" and "delay execution", effectively improving the user's human-computer interaction experience.

[0029] The first drying mode involves controlling the water distribution mechanism, i.e., the water pump 61, to deliver all the water in the water tank 20 to the humidifying component 30, and then controlling the fan 40 to dry the humidifying component 30 until it is dry. The second drying mode involves controlling the fan 40 to dry the humidifying component 30 independently. This avoids problems such as water stains remaining in the water tank 20 and mold, sourness, and odors caused by dampness in the humidifying component 30 when the humidifier is left idle for a long time, thus improving hygiene and safety and extending the equipment's lifespan.

[0030] like Figure 1 As shown, a second sensor 70 electrically connected to the controller is provided inside the water tank 20. Specifically, the second sensor 70 is preferably a contact or non-contact water level sensor. If the first sensor 50 detects that the humidifier's downtime has reached a preset threshold, and the second sensor 70 detects that there is water in the water tank 20, the controller controls the humidifier to prioritize processing the residual water in the water tank 20 and operate in the first drying mode; conversely, if the signal from the second sensor 70 indicates that there is no water in the water tank 20, the controller controls the humidifier to operate in the second drying mode.

[0031] The humidifier also includes a heating element (not shown) that starts synchronously with the fan 40. The heating element can be located at the air inlet of the humidifier or on the outer periphery of the humidifying component 30. In practice, the heating element can be, for example, a PTC heating element, which is also electrically connected to the controller. The controller activates the heating element synchronously when driving the fan 40 for drying. The heating element can be located at the air inlet of the unit 10 to preheat the incoming airflow, or it can be a PTC heating element located adjacent to the outer periphery of the humidifying component 30, directly raising the temperature of the humidifying component 30 through radiant heating, thereby accelerating moisture evaporation.

[0032] like Figure 1 As shown, the humidifying component 30 is a cylindrical wet curtain, and the fan 40 is positioned above the wet curtain. At the bottom of the fan 40 is an ultraviolet (UV) sterilization component 80 electrically connected to the controller. The UV sterilization component 80 extends at least partially into the inner cavity formed by the wet curtain. The controller is configured to operate the UV sterilization component 80 after drying is complete. In a specific implementation, the UV sterilization component 80 includes a UV lamp to irradiate the wet curtain and its inner wall from the inside out without any blind spots, inactivating any remaining bacteria and mold spores.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, the inner wall of the water tank 20 is coated with silver ions. This coating can continuously and slowly release silver ions into the water, thereby inhibiting bacterial growth during daily use.

[0034] The fan 40 operates at less than 5W when drying the humidifying component 30. This ensures sufficient airflow for drying while minimizing noise and energy consumption.

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown, the water tank 20 is located below the humidifying component 30, and the water distributor 62 has multiple leakage holes spaced out in a circumferential manner. Specifically, the water distributor 62 is preferably an annular or mesh structure that matches the shape of the top of the cylindrical wet curtain, and has multiple leakage holes spaced out in a circumferential or array manner. When the water pump 61 pumps water to the water distributor 62, the water can flow to the humidifying component 30 through these leakage holes.

[0036] The humidifier provided in this application embodiment, by setting a sensor that can detect downtime and a liquid distribution mechanism linked to the controller, realizes the proactive judgment of whether there is water in the water tank when the equipment is idle, and automatically executes the corresponding mode of exhausting the remaining water and air drying or direct air drying. This fundamentally avoids the problem of residual water and mold growth and odor generation on damp parts due to long-term equipment shutdown, improves the hygiene and safety when used again, and reduces the user's maintenance burden.

[0037] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "vertical", "up", "down", "horizontal", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0038] In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0039] Finally, it should be noted that the above descriptions are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A humidifier comprising a body, and a water tank, a humidifying part, and a fan provided inside the body, characterized in that, Also includes: The first sensor is used to detect the humidifier's downtime. The liquid distribution mechanism is connected to the humidification component via a water guide pipe; The controller is electrically connected to the first sensor and the liquid distribution mechanism; the controller is configured to control the humidifier to operate a first drying mode or a second drying mode when the downtime of the humidifier is greater than a preset threshold. The first drying mode involves controlling the operation of the liquid distribution mechanism to deliver all the water in the water tank to the humidifying component, and then controlling the operation of the fan to dry the humidifying component; the second drying mode involves controlling the operation of the fan alone to dry the humidifying component.

2. The humidifier of claim 1, wherein, The first sensor is electrically connected to the fan to detect the fan's downtime, which is the same as the humidifier's downtime.

3. The humidifier of claim 1, wherein, The water tank is equipped with a second sensor that is electrically connected to the controller. When the second sensor detects that there is water in the water tank, the controller controls the humidifier to operate in the first drying mode. When the second sensor detects that there is no water in the water tank, the controller controls the humidifier to operate in the second drying mode.

4. The humidifier of claim 1, wherein, It also includes a heating component that starts synchronously with the fan, the heating component being located at the air inlet of the humidifier or on the outer periphery of the humidifying component.

5. The humidifier of claim 1, wherein, The humidification component is a wet curtain or an evaporation tank.

6. The humidifier of claim 5, wherein, The humidifying component is a cylindrical wet curtain, the fan is located above the wet curtain, and the bottom of the fan is provided with an ultraviolet sterilization component electrically connected to the controller. The ultraviolet sterilization component extends at least partially into the inner cavity enclosed by the wet curtain. The controller is configured to control the operation of the ultraviolet sterilization component after drying is completed.

7. The humidifier of claim 6, wherein, The ultraviolet sterilization component includes a UV lamp.

8. The humidifier of claim 1, wherein, The inner wall of the water tank is coated with silver ions.

9. The humidifier of claim 1, wherein, The operating power of the fan when drying the humidifying component is less than 5W.

10. The humidifier of claim 1, wherein, The water tank is located below the humidifying component. The liquid distribution mechanism includes a water pump located inside the water tank and a water distributor located above the humidifying component. The water pump is connected to the water distributor through the water guide pipe. The water distributor has multiple leakage holes spaced around its circumference.

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