Direct water supply type humidifier

Abstract

To provide a city water direct connection type humidifier provided with a water supply pipe connection part which does not require manual water supply work and is easily disassembled and cleaned.SOLUTION: A direct water connection type humidifier 1 of the present invention includes a water supply part 300 which is connected to a water supply and supplies tap water, a water storage tank 210 which stores the tap water supplied through the water supply part 300, and a mist generation part which atomizes the tap water stored in the water storage tank 210, wherein the water supply part 300 includes a water supply regulating valve 340 which is disposed in the water storage tank 210 and regulates a water level in the water storage tank 210, and a water tank mounting tool 350 which detachably holds the water supply regulating valve 340 to the water storage tank 210, and the water tank mounting tool 350 includes a recessed groove 353 which can be engaged with an edge part of a water supply mounting hole 213 provided by cutting out a part of the water storage tank 210.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water supply direct connection type humidifier, and more particularly to a technique for easily connecting and disconnecting a water supply pipe connecting to a water supply. [Background technology]

[0002] In elderly care facilities and other facilities, it is important to maintain a certain level of humidity in the living space in which each resident lives in order to protect them. Humidity is added to the air by dispersing fine water droplets into the living space from a humidifier.

[0003] The particle size of the water droplets generated by the humidifier should be below a certain size to ensure sufficient dispersion. In the case of tank-fed humidifiers, which have an easy-to-install water storage tank that can be removed from the humidifier body and supplied with water from the mains, the water storage tank must be refilled several times a day. Cleaning the humidifier is also important for the protection of residents.

[0004] There are two ways to supply water to a humidifier: the tank-type, which is mentioned above, and a direct-connection type, which is connected directly to a water faucet and can supply water without removing the water tank. In facilities like the ones mentioned above, it is necessary to supply water to multiple humidifiers installed within the facility, so considering the effort required for water supply, a direct-connection type humidifier is preferable to a tank-type humidifier.

[0005] On the other hand, in the case of a humidifier directly connected to a water supply, water is supplied by automatically opening and closing a valve installed in a pipe connected to a water faucet based on the water level in a buffer tank. However, the water level in the water storage tank can become wavy, and even when the water level in the water storage tank is sufficient, the valve may frequently open and close based on the fluctuations in the water level, resulting in a problem of impairing accurate opening and closing operations. Such water level fluctuations are particularly noticeable in humidifiers in which the water storage tank and atomizer are integrated and which use an ultrasonic vibrator as the atomizer to atomize the water using ultrasound. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Microfilm of Utility Model Application No. 61-093117 (Utility Model Application No. 63-001669) [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-162260 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-295871

[0007] Patent Document 1 discloses an ultrasonic atomization device in which a water tank is installed to cover the entire top surface of the atomization device body, which has an atomization tank and houses a power supply unit and an electric fan, and a discharge pipe that discharges the mist atomized in the atomization tank is installed to penetrate the water tank from top to bottom, and the discharge port of the discharge pipe is located on the top surface of the water tank.

[0008] Patent document 2 discloses an evaporative humidifier in which the evaporative part is placed in the air-blowing part of a room's air conditioner and water is automatically supplied from a water supply pipe.The water supply part consists of a water supply port, a constant water level ball tap, a water level adjustment valve, and a one-touch joint, and when performing maintenance, the evaporative humidifier can be moved simply by removing the water supply pipe from the one-touch joint.

[0009] Patent document 3 discloses that a water distribution branch pipe for supplying water to a humidifier is connected to a branch member equipped with a water supply valve fitting on a water distribution pipe in a building, etc., and a water supply shut-off valve is installed at the end of the water supply pipe to supply water directly from the water distribution pipe to the humidifier.

[0010] However, the ultrasonic atomization device described in Patent Document 1 uses a tank-supplied water supply, which requires manual water supply work, and therefore does not reduce the burden on workers in facilities for the elderly, etc. Furthermore, the evaporative humidifier described in Patent Document 2 vaporizes water from an evaporator using the airflow from an air conditioner, and therefore requires the use of an air conditioner. Furthermore, the humidifier described in Patent Document 3 electrically detects the water level in the water storage section using a water level sensor in the water level detection section, but because the water level detection section is not designed to be disassembled and removed from the humidifier, there is a risk of water splashing on the water level sensor during cleaning. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems, and its object is to provide a water supply direct-connection type humidifier that does not require manual water supply work and has a water supply pipe connection part that can be easily disassembled and cleaned. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] A direct-connection-to-water supply humidifier according to a first feature comprises a water supply unit that is connected to a water supply and supplies tap water, a water tank that stores the tap water supplied via the water supply unit, and a mist generating unit that atomizes the tap water stored in the water tank. The water supply unit comprises a water supply adjustment valve that is disposed in the water tank and adjusts the water level in the water tank, and a water tank mounting fixture that detachably holds the water supply adjustment valve to the water tank, and the water tank mounting fixture has a groove that can engage with the edge of a water supply mounting hole that is created by cutting out part of the water tank.

[0013] According to the first feature of the invention, the water tank mounting fixture can be attached to the water tank by engaging the groove of the water tank mounting fixture with the edge of the water supply mounting hole created by cutting out a part of the water tank, making it easy to attach the water supply adjustment valve held by the water tank mounting fixture to the water tank.

[0014] A direct-connection-to-water supply humidifier according to the second feature is the direct-connection-to-water supply humidifier according to the first feature, wherein the water supply adjustment valve has a pipe section connected to a tap water supply pipe, and the water tank mounting fixture is formed by a main body piece having an edge section having approximately the same shape as the edge section of the water supply mounting hole, and two plates that are formed larger than the main body piece and are formed to sandwich the main body piece from the front and back, and the water tank mounting fixture has an insertion hole through which the pipe section is inserted and held.

[0015] According to the second aspect of the present invention, the aquarium fixture comprises a main body piece having an edge shaped approximately to match the edge of the water supply mounting hole, and two plates formed larger than the main body piece and sandwiching the main body piece from the front and back. The two plates and the main body piece form a groove shaped approximately to match the edge of the water supply mounting hole, and the aquarium fixture can be easily attached to a water tank by fitting the groove into the water supply mounting hole, covering the water supply mounting hole. Since the aquarium fixture covers the water supply mounting hole, water leakage from the water supply mounting hole can be suppressed. Furthermore, the aquarium fixture has an insertion hole through which the pipe of the water supply regulating valve can be inserted. Therefore, the water supply regulating valve can be easily attached to the aquarium fixture by simply inserting the pipe of the water supply regulating valve into the insertion hole of the aquarium fixture. The water supply regulating valve is secured to the water tank by attaching the water tank fixture to the water supply mounting hole while the pipe portion of the water supply regulating valve is inserted and held in place through a through hole drilled in the water tank fixture. This prevents the water supply regulating valve from shifting position within the water tank, allowing the desired water level to be accurately maintained.

[0016] The third feature of the direct-connection-to-water supply humidifier is the second feature of the direct-connection-to-water supply humidifier, and is provided with a water supply pipe connector that is connected to the water supply pipe and detachably connects the water supply pipe to the pipe section, and the water supply pipe connector is connected to the pipe section outside the water tank at a position where the water tank mounting fixture is held.

[0017] According to the third feature of the invention, the water supply pipe can be attached and detached using the water supply pipe connector while the aquarium mounting fixture is installed.In other words, the aquarium mounting fixture and the water supply pipe connector can be attached and detached separately to the pipe portion of the water supply adjustment valve, making it easy and without any restrictions when removing or attaching for cleaning or maintenance.

[0018] A water supply direct connection type humidifier according to the fourth feature is a water supply direct connection type humidifier according to any one of the first to third features, and further comprises a base unit equipped with a power supply unit and a control unit, which is separate from the water tank, and the water tank is detachably connected to the base unit.

[0019] According to the fourth feature of the invention, the base part, which is equipped with the power supply part and control part, which are not desirable when wet, and the water tank are formed as separate bodies, and can be detached from each other, making it easy to remove the water tank from the base part for cleaning and maintenance.

[0020] A fifth feature of a direct-connected water supply humidifier is a direct-connected water supply humidifier according to any one of the first to third features, wherein the mist-generating unit comprises an ultrasonic vibrator disposed at the bottom of the water tank, and the water supply adjustment valve comprises a float unit that moves up and down in response to the buoyancy of the tap water stored in the water tank, a substantially cylindrical casing that houses the float unit inside and has an opening at the bottom, a drive member that contacts the upper surface of the float unit and drives it up and down in response to the up and down movement of the float unit, and a valve body that moves up and down in response to the up and down movement of the drive member to switch between opening and closing the flow path.

[0021] According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the mist generator comprises an ultrasonic vibrator located at the bottom of the water tank, and the vibrations of the ultrasonic vibrator efficiently atomize the tap water stored in the water tank. Furthermore, the water supply regulating valve has a substantially cylindrical casing that houses a float and has an opening at the bottom. This allows the casing to buffer the violent rippling of the water surface caused by the ultrasonic vibrations without directly transmitting it to the float, thereby enabling the float to move appropriately. As a result, the automatic water supply from the tap can be performed at an appropriate frequency, suppressing frequent starts and stops.

[0022] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a water supply direct-connection type humidifier that does not require manual water supply work and has a water supply pipe connection part that can be easily disassembled for cleaning. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall structure of a water supply direct-connected humidifier according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the water supply direct-connected humidifier according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the water supply regulating valve according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the detailed structure of the aquarium fixture according to this embodiment, where Figure 4(a) is a perspective view, Figure 4(b) is a front view, Figure 4(c) is a rear view, Figure 4(d) is a plan view, and Figure 4(e) is a side view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] [Overall configuration of water supply direct connection type humidifier 1] An example of a water supply direct-connected humidifier 1 according to this embodiment will now be described. Note that this embodiment is merely an example, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Water supply direct-connected humidifier 1 according to this embodiment comprises a base unit 100, a main unit 200, and a water supply unit 300. Base unit 100 and main unit 200 are configured to form a layered structure in the vertical direction. Main unit 200 is detachably installed on base unit 100. When water supply direct-connected humidifier 1 is used, main unit 200 and base unit 100 are used as a single unit. Water supply unit 300 is detachably installed on main unit 200.

[0025] <Base part 100> The base unit 100 forms the base of the direct water supply connection type humidifier 1 and houses each device in its internal space. It comprises a housing unit 110 that houses each device such as a blower fan, an air generation unit 120 that generates air to transport the mist generated by the atomization unit described below, a control unit (not shown) that sends and receives signals to each device, a power supply unit (not shown) that supplies current to each device, legs 130 that support the device on the installation surface, and an operation unit 140 with various buttons for operating the device itself.

[0026] The housing 110 has a box-like appearance, and the interior space includes an airflow generating unit 120, a power supply unit, and a control unit. The housing 110 also includes an operation unit 140 on the front and legs 130 on the bottom. The housing 110 is made of a resin material and is formed by injection molding.

[0027] The airflow generating unit 120 generates air to transport the mist generated by atomizing water in the atomization unit, and includes an air vent, a filter, an air duct, a fan, and a duct. The fan takes in air and pressurizes it to generate airflow. The fan takes in air through the casing's intake port and expels air through the exhaust port by rotating a propeller using a rotary motor inside the casing. The duct directs air from the fan into the air duct. One end of the duct is connected to the fan's exhaust port, and the other end is connected to the air duct.

[0028] The control unit controls the operation of the water supply direct connection type humidifier 1. The control unit has an input unit, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a storage device, and an output unit. The input unit, storage device, and output unit are each electrically connected to the CPU. The input unit receives input to the control unit and transmits it to the CPU.

[0029] The power supply unit supplies power from a commercial power source to each component of the water supply direct connection humidifier 1. The power supply unit converts AC current from the commercial power source into DC current, adjusts it to a predetermined voltage value, and supplies the predetermined current to each component of the water supply direct connection humidifier 1. The power supply unit is equipped with a power supply unit QD that protrudes from the top surface of the housing unit 110. The power supply unit QD is formed as a connector that is detachably connected to a power receiving unit JD that is provided to protrude from the bottom surface of the main unit 200, and power is supplied to the main unit 200 via the power supply unit QD. The power supply unit QD and power receiving unit JD are connected by positioning the main unit 200 on the top surface of the base unit 100.

[0030] Legs 130 are installed on a surface on which water supply direct connection humidifier 1 is installed, with a space between them and the bottom surface of base 100. Legs 130 are made up of four legs, each of which protrudes from the bottom surface of base 100. Legs 130 are made of wood.

[0031] The operation unit 140 includes a power button, a humidification amount setting button, a timer setting button, and a lock setting button, all of which are not shown. When pressed, the power button accepts input to switch the power of the water-connected humidifier 1. When pressed, the humidification amount setting button accepts input to switch the humidification amount setting of the water-connected humidifier 1. When pressed, the timer setting button accepts input to set the timer until the water-connected humidifier 1 is automatically turned off. When pressed, the lock setting button accepts input to lock input from the input units of other buttons.

[0032] <Main body 200> The main body 200 is a separate unit from the base 100 and is detachably installed on the base 100. The main body 200 can be removed from the base 100 for maintenance such as cleaning. The main body 200 has a water tank 210, an atomization device 220, an upper lid 230, and a blowout unit 240.

[0033] Water tank 210 temporarily stores water supplied from a water line. Water tank 210 is a container that is rectangular when viewed from above. Water tank 210 has bottom plate 211 on its bottom surface and side wall plates 212 of a predetermined height on its four sides. Water tank 210 has water supply mounting holes 213, drainage connection port 214, and ventilation pipe 215 on side wall plates 212. Water tank 210 is formed from a permeable resin material, and is formed so as to be attachable to and detachable from above to housing unit 110 that constitutes base unit 100.

[0034] Water supply mounting hole 213 is a hole for detachably mounting water supply unit 300, and is formed by cutting out a roughly U-shape downward from the upper end of side wall panel 212 on the rear side. The center of water supply mounting hole 213 is located at a predetermined height from the bottom surface. The position of the lower end of water supply mounting hole 213 is set to be higher than the full water height of water tank 210, that is, higher than the center of drainage connection port 214.

[0035] The drain connection port 214 is a hole that penetrates the side wall panel 212 to drain water that exceeds the full water level of the water tank 210 to the outside, and the lower end of the drain connection port 214 is located at the full water level. The drain connection port 214 is connected to a drain pipe (not shown).

[0036] Air circulation pipe 215 circulates air from airflow generation unit 120 and guides it into the space within water tank 210. Air circulation pipe 215 is provided outside side wall panel 212 on the rear side, with its lower side communicating with airflow generation unit 120, and penetrates side wall panel 212 at a height above the full water level of water tank 210, with an opening at its upper end located inside water tank 210.

[0037] Atomization unit 220 atomizes the stored water and guides it to blowout unit 240, and includes a mist generation unit (not shown) which is a device for atomizing the stored water, a cover body 221 arranged to cover the mist generation unit, and a mist circulation pipe 222 which distributes the generated mist to blowout unit 240. In this embodiment, the mist generation unit is formed by an ultrasonic vibrator arranged on bottom plate 211 of water tank 210 of main body 200.

[0038] Cover body 221 has a truncated cone shape with an open upper end, and is disposed on bottom plate 211 of water tank 210 so as to cover the ultrasonic vibrator. A plurality of slit holes 221a are arranged in the circumferential direction on the side surface of cover body 221 having an approximately truncated cone shape.

[0039] Mist circulation pipe 222 is a substantially cylindrical member that extends upward from cover body 221 to allow mist generated in the mist generation unit to circulate to blowout unit 240, and is attached to an opening at the upper end of cover body 221. Mist circulation pipe 222 has air intake hole 222a at a position higher than the full-water position of water tank 210.

[0040] The top lid 230 covers the entire top surface of the water tank 210, thereby sealing the water tank 210. The top lid 230 is made of a resin material and is formed by injection molding. The top lid 230 prevents the water in the water tank 210 from evaporating and prevents foreign matter from entering the water tank 210. The top lid 230 includes a lid surface 231 that covers the water tank 210, and a blowout mounting hole 232 for mounting the blowout unit 240. The lid surface 231 is in the shape of a plate with a predetermined thickness and covers the entire surface of the water tank 210. The blowout mounting hole 232 is formed as a substantially circular hole that penetrates the lid surface 231 in the vertical direction.

[0041] The blowout unit 240 directs the mist blowout direction. The blowout unit 240 is attached to the upper end of the cylindrical mist circulation pipe 222 and is attached by passing through the blowout attachment hole 232 of the upper cover 230.

[0042] <Water supply section 300> Water supply unit 300 automatically supplies tap water from a water pipe (not shown) to water tank 210 based on the water level in water tank 210. Water supply unit 300 includes a water supply pipe 310, a water supply pipe connector 320, a water injection pipe 330, a water supply adjustment valve 340, and a water tank mounting fixture 350. The components that make up water supply unit 300 are mainly made of a resin material.

[0043] The water supply pipe 310 guides tap water from the water main into the water tank 210. The water supply pipe 310 has a water supply inlet and a water outlet. The water supply inlet is provided at one axial end of the water supply pipe 310, and the water outlet is provided at the other axial end of the water supply pipe 310. The piping on the water supply inlet side of the water supply pipe 310 is formed straight, and the piping on the water outlet side is bent in an L shape to discharge water into the water tank. The water supply inlet is provided at the lower end of the L-bent water supply pipe 310. The water supply inlet is formed with a screw thread for connecting to a pipe from the water main. The water outlet is provided at a position higher than the full water level of the water tank 210.

[0044] The water supply pipe connector 320 is a fastener for connecting the water supply pipe 310 and the water supply regulating valve 340. The water supply pipe 310 is fixed to one end, and one end of the pipe 341 of the water supply regulating valve 340 is connected to the other end. A roughly cylindrical short pipe is formed on the side where the pipe 341 of the water supply regulating valve 340 is connected, and a female thread is formed on the inner surface of the short pipe for connecting the pipe 341. By gripping the knob protruding radially from the short pipe and rotating the short pipe to change the threaded state with the pipe 341, the water supply pipe 310 can be attached to or detached from the water supply regulating valve 340 without using tools. Note that the connection between the water supply pipe connector 320 and the pipe 341 of the water supply regulating valve 340 does not have to be by threaded engagement.

[0045] Water inlet pipe 330 is a pipe for injecting tap water supplied from water supply adjustment valve 340 into water tank 210. The end of water inlet pipe 330 on the water tank 210 side is bent downward. In addition, the end on the water supply adjustment valve 340 side is formed in a substantially horizontal cylindrical shape so that it can be connected to the end of pipe portion 341 of water supply adjustment valve 340.

[0046] The structure of the water supply adjusting valve 340 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0047] The water supply regulating valve 340 controls the flow of supply water by switching between a closed state and an open state depending on the water level in the water tank 210. The water supply regulating valve 340 includes a pipe section 341 extending in a substantially horizontal direction, a substantially cylindrical casing 342 connected from below to an opening provided midway through the pipe section 341 and having an opening (not shown) on the bottom, a float section 343 disposed inside the casing 342, a lever section 344 that abuts against the upper surface of the float section 343 and moves up and down in response to the up and down movement of the float section 343, a frame member 345, a spring 346, a valve element 347 that moves up and down in response to the up and down movement of the lever section 344 to switch between open and closed states of the flow path, and a diaphragm 348. The water supply regulating valve 340 is configured as a so-called lift valve.

[0048] Pipe section 341 is a tubular member extending substantially horizontally, with male threads formed on both ends. The male threads formed on the end on the water supply pipe 310 side are threadedly engaged with the female threads of water supply pipe connector 320. Although not shown, the middle section of pipe section 341 has a vertical double-pipe structure, with water supply pipe 310 connected to the outer pipe and water injection pipe 330 connected to the inner pipe.

[0049] The casing 342 is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape and holds the float part 343 therein so that it can move up and down. The casing 342 has a screw thread on the inner surface of the upper end and a fixing hole in the center of the bottom. The casing 342 is secured to the outer periphery of the frame member 345 with screws, and is fixed to a guide rod of the frame member 345 (described later) by inserting a screw into the fixing hole in the bottom.

[0050] The float part 343 generates buoyancy and floats on the water surface. The float part 343 has a roughly cylindrical shape and has a through-hole at the center of the axis of the cylinder. A guide rod of the frame member 345 (described below) is inserted into the through-hole of the float part 343. The inner diameter of the through-hole of the float part 343 and the outer diameter of the guide rod are approximately the same size, with a gap large enough to allow sliding.

[0051] The lever portion 344 accurately transmits the position of the floated float portion 343 to the valve portion. The lever portion 344 comprises an arm, a base portion, a shaft, and an operating portion. The base portion is provided at the end of the underside of the frame member 345. The arm is attached to the base portion. Here, holes are formed in both the base portion and the arm mounting portion, and the shaft is attached by inserting it through the holes in the base portion and the arm. The arm is configured to be able to swing around the base portion. The arm has a length from the end of the frame member 345 to the end on either side of the center of the frame member 345. The arm is bifurcated from the center to the tip side in the longitudinal direction. The operating portion is provided protruding from the top surface of the arm, closer to the base than the center in the longitudinal direction of the arm. A gasket is placed over the operating portion. The lever portion 344 functions as the driving member in the present invention.

[0052] The frame member 345 forms the framework of the water supply adjustment valve 340. The frame member 345 is disc-shaped when viewed from above, and its upper surface forms a mounting surface on which the spring 346 is placed. The frame member 345 also has a seal pressing portion on the outer periphery of the mounting surface on the upper surface. The frame member 345 has a guide rod protruding from the center of its lower surface. The guide rod extends to the bottom surface of the casing 342. The guide rod has a threaded hole at its tip. The seal pressing portion is cylindrical, concentric with the disc and smaller in diameter than the cylindrical shape, and is provided protruding from the upper surface of the frame member 345. A screw thread is formed on the outer periphery of the frame member 345 for connecting to the pipe portion 341. The frame member 345 has multiple fixing holes between its outer edge and the seal pressing portion. The frame member 345 is fixed to the pipe portion 341 by inserting screws into the fixing holes, so that the valve body 347 is biased against the water supply pipe 310 by the spring 346, and the diaphragm 348 seals the gap between the seal pressing portion and the pipe portion 341.

[0053] The spring 346 biases the valve element 347 in a direction pressing it against the valve seat. The spring 346 is an elastic body formed in a spiral shape. The spring 346 is disposed between the valve element 347 and the frame member 345. The spring 346 is made of stainless steel.

[0054] The valve element 347 has a disk shape and includes a protrusion in the center of the disk shape on the upper surface side. A diaphragm 348 is attached to the outer periphery of the valve element 347.

[0055] Diaphragm 348 seals the valve portion. Diaphragm 348 is circular in plan view, with an outer diameter approximately the same as that of the seal pressing portion. Diaphragm 348 has a central hole in the center in plan view for engaging with the protrusion of valve body 347, and an outer circumferential groove on the outer edge for engaging with the seal pressing portion. Diaphragm 348 has a predetermined thickness around the central hole and outer circumferential groove for sealing, and the rest of the diaphragm is made of a thin film. Diaphragm 348 is made of a rubber material.

[0056] With the above-described structure of water supply adjustment valve 340, when a sufficient amount of tap water is present in water tank 210, float portion 343, due to buoyancy, is positioned at an upper position within casing 342, and pushes lever portion 344 upward, causing valve element 347 to close the vertical double-pipe flow path of pipe portion 341. On the other hand, when the water level in water tank 210 drops, float portion 343 moves downward within casing 342, causing lever portion 344, which had been pushed up by float portion 343, to drop. Therefore, valve element 347 is lowered by the bias of spring 346, opening the double-pipe flow path and allowing tap water to be supplied from water supply pipe 310. When a sufficient amount of water accumulates in water tank 210 as water is supplied from water supply pipe 310, float portion 343 again rises due to buoyancy, and pushes valve element 347 upward via lever portion 344, closing the double-pipe flow path.

[0057] Next, the aquarium fixture 350 will be described using Figure 4. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the detailed structure of the aquarium fixture 350 according to this embodiment. Figure 4(a) shows a perspective view, Figure 4(b) shows a front view, Figure 4(c) shows a rear view, Figure 4(d) shows a plan view, and Figure 4(e) shows a side view.

[0058] The water tank mounting fixture 350 is a component for detachably connecting the water supply adjustment valve 340 to the water tank 210, and comprises a plate 351 formed in an approximately U-shape when viewed from above, an insertion hole 352 through which the pipe portion 341 of the water supply adjustment valve 340 is inserted, and a recessed groove 353 formed in the U-shaped edge for fitting into the water supply mounting hole 213 of the water tank 210.

[0059] The substantially U-shaped plate 351 is formed by connecting an inner plate 351A and an outer plate 351B, each having a substantially identical U-shaped edge, via a main body piece 351C that connects them with a gap equal to the thickness of the water tank 210. The main body piece 351C has an edge that is substantially the same shape as the edge of the water supply mounting hole 213, and is formed smaller than the inner plate 351A and the outer plate 351B. The substantially horizontal upper edge of the inner plate 351A is formed at a higher position than the upper edge of the outer plate 351B. In other words, the U-shaped edges of the inner plate 351A and the outer plate 351B are substantially identical in shape, but the height of the inner plate 351A is slightly higher.

[0060] An insertion hole 352, through which the pipe portion 341 of the water supply regulating valve 340 is inserted and held, is provided penetrating the inner plate 351A, the outer plate 351B, and the main body piece 351C. An internal thread is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole 352 so that it can be threaded onto the external thread formed on the pipe portion 341. The water supply regulating valve 340 can be connected to the water tank fixture 350 by holding the pipe portion 341 in the insertion hole 352 by means of screwing or other means.

[0061] In the water tank mounting fixture 350 formed in this manner, the groove 353 formed along the U-shaped edge is formed by connecting the inner plate 351A and the outer plate 351B via the main body piece 351C, with a gap equal to the thickness of the water tank 210.

[0062] It should be noted that main body piece 351C does not need to be a separate body from inner plate 351A or outer plate 351B, and may be formed integrally with any of the plates.

[0063] In water supply direct connection type humidifier 1 according to this embodiment, with water tank attachment fixture 350 attached to water supply adjustment valve 340, groove 353 formed in the U-shaped edge of water tank attachment fixture 350 is engaged with the edge of water supply attachment hole 213 of water tank 210. At this time, the edge of water supply attachment hole 213 and groove 353, i.e., main body piece 351C, have approximately the same shape, so water tank attachment fixture 350 can cover water supply attachment hole 213 without leaving any gaps around it.

[0064] In this state, the female thread on the inner periphery of the short pipe of the water supply pipe connector 320 fixed to the water supply pipe 310 is screwed onto the male thread formed on the outer end of the water tank 210 in the pipe section 341 of the water supply regulating valve 340. This allows the water supply pipe 310 to be connected to the water supply regulating valve 340 without using any tools.

[0065] By attaching the top cover 230 to the water tank 210, the area around the water supply mounting hole 213 is tightly closed by the water tank mounting fixture 350 and the top cover 230, preventing water from leaking out from the water supply mounting hole 213.

[0066] In the above, the water tank mounting fixture 350's groove 353 is engaged with the water supply mounting hole 213 before the water supply pipe connector 320 is screwed onto the pipe section 341, but it is also possible to first screw the water supply pipe connector 320 onto the pipe section 341 and then engage the water tank mounting fixture 350's groove 353 with the water supply mounting hole 213.

[0067] The direct-connection-to-water supply humidifier of this embodiment comprises a water supply unit 300 that is connected to a water supply and supplies tap water, a water tank 210 that stores the tap water supplied via the water supply unit 300, and a mist generating unit that atomizes the tap water stored in the water tank 210. The water supply unit 300 comprises a water supply adjustment valve 340 that is arranged in the water tank 210 and adjusts the water level in the water tank 210, and a water tank mounting fixture 350 that detachably holds the water supply adjustment valve 340 to the water tank 210, and the water tank mounting fixture 350 has a groove 353 that can engage with the edge of a water supply mounting hole 213 that is created by cutting out a part of the water tank 210.

[0068] According to the invention of this embodiment, the water tank mounting fixture 350 can be attached to the water tank 210 by engaging the groove of the water tank mounting fixture 350 with the edge of the water supply mounting hole 213, which is created by cutting out a part of the water tank 210, making it easy to attach the water supply adjustment valve 340 held by the water tank mounting fixture 350 to the water tank 210.

[0069] In addition, in the direct-connection-to-tap humidifier of this embodiment, water supply adjustment valve 350 has pipe section 341 connected to tap water supply pipe 310, and water tank mounting fixture 350 is formed by main body piece 351C having an edge section with approximately the same shape as the edge section of water supply mounting hole 213, and two plates 351A and 351B which are formed larger than main body piece 351C and are formed to sandwich main body piece 351C from the front and back, and water tank mounting fixture 350 has insertion hole 352 through which pipe section 341 is inserted and held.

[0070] According to this, water tank mounting fixture 350 is composed of main body piece 351C having an edge shaped approximately to match the edge of water supply mounting hole 213, and two plates 351A, 351B which are larger than main body piece 351C and are formed to sandwich main body piece 351C from the front and back. Therefore, two plates 351A, 351B and main body piece 351C form groove 353 which approximately matches the shape of the edge of water supply mounting hole 213. By fitting groove 353 of water tank mounting fixture 350 into water supply mounting hole 213, water tank mounting fixture 350 can be easily mounted to water tank 210 while covering water supply mounting hole 213. In this case, water tank mounting fixture 350 covers water supply mounting hole 213, thereby preventing water leakage from water supply mounting hole 213. Furthermore, water tank mounting fixture 350 has insertion hole 352 through which pipe 241 of water supply regulating valve 340 is inserted, so water supply regulating valve 340 can be easily attached to water tank mounting fixture 350 by simply inserting pipe 341 of water supply regulating valve 340 into insertion hole 352 of water tank mounting fixture 350. Here, pipe 341 of water supply regulating valve 340 is inserted and held in insertion hole 352 drilled in water tank mounting fixture 350, so water supply regulating valve 340 can be fixed to water tank 210 by attaching water tank mounting fixture 350 to water supply mounting hole 213 while holding water supply regulating valve 340. This makes it possible to prevent the position of water supply regulating valve 340 from shifting within water tank 210, and as a result, the desired water level can be accurately maintained.

[0071] In this case, a water supply pipe connector 320 is provided which is connected to the water supply pipe 310 and detachably connects the water supply pipe 310 to the pipe section 341, and the water supply pipe connector 320 is connected to the outside of the water tank 210 at a position on the pipe section 341 where the water tank mounting fixture 350 is held.

[0072] This allows the water supply pipe 310 to be attached and detached using the water supply pipe connector 320 while the aquarium mounting fixture 350 is installed; in other words, the aquarium mounting fixture 350 and the water supply pipe connector 320 can be attached and detached separately to the pipe section 341 of the water supply adjustment valve 340, making removal and installation for cleaning and maintenance easy and without any restrictions.

[0073] In addition, the water supply direct connection type humidifier according to this embodiment further comprises a base unit 100 equipped with a power supply unit and a control unit, which is separate from the water tank 210, and the water tank 210 is detachably connected to the base unit 100.

[0074] According to this, the base part 100, which is equipped with a power supply part and a control part that are not desirable when wet, and the water tank 210 are formed as separate bodies, and can be attached and detached from each other, so that the water tank 210 can be easily removed from the base part 100 for cleaning and maintenance.

[0075] In addition, in the direct water supply connection type humidifier of this embodiment, the mist generation unit consists of an ultrasonic vibrator arranged at the bottom of the water tank, and the water supply adjustment valve 340 consists of a float part 343 that moves up and down due to the buoyancy of the tap water stored in the water tank 210, a roughly cylindrical casing 342 that houses the float part 343 inside and has an opening at the bottom, a drive member 344 that contacts the upper surface of the float part 343 and is driven up and down in accordance with the up and down movement of the float part 343, and a valve body 347 that moves up and down in accordance with the up and down movement of the drive member 344 to switch between opening and closing the flow path.

[0076] According to this, the mist generating unit is made up of an ultrasonic vibrator disposed at the bottom of the water tank, and the vibrations produced by the ultrasonic vibrator can efficiently atomize the tap water stored in the water tank 210. Furthermore, since the water supply adjusting valve 340 is equipped with a substantially cylindrical casing 342 that houses the float part 343 and has an opening at the bottom, the violent rippling of the water surface caused by the ultrasonic vibrations can be buffered by the casing 342 without being directly transmitted to the float part 343, and the movement of the float part 343 can be made appropriate. As a result, the automatic water supply from the tap can be made at an appropriate frequency by suppressing frequent repeated starts and stops of the supply.

[0077] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, the effects described in the embodiments of the present invention are merely a list of the most preferable effects resulting from the present invention, and the effects of the present invention are not limited to those described in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0078] Furthermore, the above-described embodiment has been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and is not necessarily limited to an embodiment having all of the configurations described. [Industrial Applicability]

[0079] The water supply direct-connected humidifier of the present invention is useful as a humidifier for facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes, and also as a humidifier for home use. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1. Direct water supply humidifier 100 Base 110 Housing 120 Airflow generating unit 130 Legs 140 Operation section 200 Main body 210 Water Tank 211 Bottom plate 212 Side wall panel 213 Water supply mounting hole 214 Drainage connection port 215 Wind flow pipe 220 Atomization device section 221 Cover body 221a Slit hole 222 Fog flow pipe 222a Wind intake hole 230 Top lid 231 Lid surface part 232 Air outlet mounting hole 240 Outlet 300 Water supply section 310 Water supply pipe 320 Water supply pipe connectors 330 Water injection pipe 340 Water supply regulating valve 341 Pipe section 342 Casing 343 Float section 344 Lever part (driving member) 345 Frame members 346 Spring 347 Valve body 348 Diaphragm 350 Aquarium Mounting Bracket 351 Plate 351A Inner Plate 351B Outer Plate 351C body piece 352 Insertion hole 353 Groove JD Power Receiving Department QD power supply

Claims

1. a water supply unit connected to a water supply and supplying tap water; a water tank for storing tap water supplied through the water supply unit; a mist generating unit that atomizes tap water stored in the water tank, the water supply unit includes a water supply adjusting valve disposed in the water tank to adjust the water level in the water tank, and a water tank mounting fixture that detachably holds the water supply adjusting valve to the water tank; The water tank attachment device has a recessed groove that can engage with an edge of a water supply attachment hole that is formed by cutting out a part of the water tank. Direct water supply humidifier.

2. The water supply regulating valve has a pipe portion connected to a tap water supply pipe, The water tank attachment device is formed by a main body piece having an edge portion having substantially the same shape as the edge portion of the water supply attachment hole, and two plates formed larger than the main body piece and sandwiching the main body piece from the front and back, The water tank attachment has an insertion hole through which the pipe portion is inserted and held. The water supply direct-connected humidifier according to claim 1.

3. a water supply pipe connector that is connected to the water supply pipe and that detachably connects the water supply pipe to the pipe section; The water supply pipe connector is connected to the pipe section at a position outside the water tank relative to a position where the water tank mounting fixture is held. The water supply direct-connected humidifier according to claim 2.

4. A base unit having a power supply unit and a control unit is further provided as a separate unit from the water tank, The water tank is detachably connected to the base. The water supply direct-connected humidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. the mist generating unit is composed of an ultrasonic vibrator disposed at the bottom of the water tank, The water supply regulating valve comprises a float part that moves up and down due to the buoyancy of tap water stored in the water tank, a substantially cylindrical casing that houses the float part inside and has an opening at the bottom, a drive member that contacts the upper surface of the float part and drives it up and down in accordance with the up and down movement of the float part, and a valve body that moves up and down in accordance with the up and down movement of the drive member to switch between opening and closing the flow path. The water supply direct-connected humidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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