Direct water supply humidifier

Abstract

To provide a water supply direct-connection type humidifier having a water supply pipe connection part which does not require manual water supply work and can be easily disassembled for cleaning. [Solution] The direct-connection-to-water supply humidifier 1 of the present invention 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 mists the tap water stored in the water tank 210, and the water supply unit 300 comprises a water supply adjustment valve 340 that is disposed 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 provided by cutting out a part of the water tank 210.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water supply direct-connection type humidifier, and more particularly to a technique for easily attaching and detaching a water supply pipe connection portion from a water supply. [Background technology]

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

[0003] The particle size of the water droplets generated by the humidifier should be below a certain size so that the droplets can be dispersed sufficiently. In the case of a tank-type humidifier, where the water storage tank is easily detached from the humidifier body and water is supplied from the mains, the water storage tank needs to be refilled several times a day. In addition, cleaning the humidifier is also important for the protection of the residents.

[0004] There are two methods for supplying water to a humidifier: the tank water supply type mentioned above, and a direct water supply type that is directly connected to a water faucet and can supply water without removing the water storage tank. In facilities such as those 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 water supply type humidifier is more preferable than a tank water supply type.

[0005] On the other hand, in the case of a humidifier that is 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 the buffer tank. However, the water surface in the water storage tank may ripple, and even if the water level in the water storage tank is sufficient, the valve may be frequently opened and closed based on the fluctuations in the rippled water surface, resulting in a problem that the opening and closing operation is impaired. Such fluctuations in the water surface are particularly noticeable in humidifiers in which the water storage tank and the atomizer are integrated and which are equipped with an ultrasonic vibrator as the atomizer and perform atomization by ultrasonic waves. [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] JP 2002-295871 A

[0007] Patent Document 1 discloses an ultrasonic atomization device in which a water tank is installed so as to cover the entire top surface of the atomization device main 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 provided so as to penetrate vertically through the water tank, 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 section is placed in the air blowing section of a room's air conditioner and water is automatically supplied from a water supply pipe.The water supply section 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 branching member equipped with a water supply tap fitting on a water distribution pipe for a building, etc., and a water supply shut-off valve is provided 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 is a tank-supply type, which requires manual water supply work, and does not reduce the burden on workers in facilities for the elderly. The evaporative humidifier described in Patent Document 2 evaporates water from an evaporator using air from an air conditioner, and is premised on the use of an air conditioner. The humidifier described in Patent Document 3 electrically detects the water level in the water storage section by a water level sensor in the water level detection section, but the water level detection section is not structured to be disassembled and removed from the humidifier, so there is a risk of water getting 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 has an object 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 first feature of a direct-connection-to-water supply humidifier comprises a water supply unit connected to a water supply and supplying tap water, a water tank for storing the tap water supplied via the water supply unit, and a mist generating unit for misting the tap water stored in the water tank. The water supply unit comprises a water supply adjustment valve disposed in the water tank for adjusting the water level in the water tank, and a water tank attachment fixture for removably holding the water supply adjustment valve on the water tank, and the water tank attachment fixture has a groove capable of engaging with the edge of a water supply attachment hole provided by cutting out a part of the water tank.

[0013] According to the first feature of the invention, the aquarium tank mounting fixture can be attached to the water tank by engaging the groove of the aquarium 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 mount the water supply adjustment valve held by the aquarium tank mounting fixture to the water tank.

[0014] The second feature of the direct-connection-to-water supply humidifier is the first feature of the direct-connection-to-water supply humidifier, wherein the water supply adjustment valve has a pipe section connected to a tap water supply pipe, the aquarium 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 which are formed larger than the main body piece and are formed to sandwich the main body piece from the front and back, and the aquarium mounting fixture has an insertion hole through which the pipe section is inserted and held.

[0015] According to the second feature of the invention, the water tank attachment tool is composed of a main body piece having an edge portion shaped to match 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 rear, so that a groove shaped to match the edge portion of the water supply attachment hole is formed by the two plates and the main body piece, and the water tank attachment tool can be easily attached to the water tank while covering the water supply attachment hole by fitting the groove of the water tank attachment tool into the water supply attachment hole. At that time, since the water tank attachment tool covers the water supply attachment hole, water leakage from the water supply attachment hole can be suppressed. Also, since the water tank attachment tool has an insertion hole through which the pipe portion of the water supply adjustment valve is inserted, the water supply adjustment valve can be easily attached to the water tank attachment tool by simply inserting the pipe portion of the water supply adjustment valve into the insertion hole of the water tank attachment tool. Since the pipe of the water supply regulating valve is inserted and held in the insertion hole drilled in the water tank mounting fixture, the water supply regulating valve can be fixed to the water tank by attaching the water tank mounting fixture to the water supply mounting hole while holding the water supply regulating valve. This makes it possible to prevent the position of the water supply regulating valve from shifting inside the water tank, and as a result, the desired water level can be accurately maintained.

[0016] The third feature of the humidifier is the same as the second feature of the humidifier, except that it is equipped with a water supply pipe connector that is connected to a 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 relative to the position at which the water tank mounting device 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 with the aquarium mounting fixture attached; in other words, the aquarium mounting fixture and the water supply pipe connector can be attached and detached separately to the pipe section of the water supply adjustment valve, making removal and installation for cleaning and maintenance easy and unrestricted.

[0018] A direct-connection-to-water supply type humidifier according to a fourth feature is a direct-connection-to-water supply type humidifier according to any one of the first to third features, further comprising a base unit having a power supply unit and a control unit, 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 undesirable 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 the water supply direct-connected humidifier is a water supply direct-connected humidifier according to any one of the first to third features, wherein the mist generation 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 roughly 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 is driven in the vertical direction 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 feature of the invention, the mist generating unit is made of an ultrasonic vibrator disposed at the bottom of the water tank, and the tap water stored in the water tank can be efficiently atomized by vibrations from the ultrasonic vibrator. Also, since the water supply regulating valve is provided with a substantially cylindrical casing that houses the float unit 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 without being directly transmitted to the float unit, and the movement of the float unit can be made appropriate. As a result, the automatic water supply from the tap can be performed at an appropriate frequency by suppressing frequent repetition of starting and stopping the supply.

[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 is equipped with a water supply pipe connection part that can be easily disassembled for cleaning. [Brief description 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. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the water supply direct-connected humidifier according to this embodiment. [Diagram 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 attachment device according to this embodiment, in which (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a rear view, (d) is a plan view, and (e) is a side view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

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

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

[0026] The housing 110 has a box-like appearance, and includes an airflow generating unit 120, a power supply unit, and a control unit in its internal space. The housing 110 also includes an operation unit 140 on the front side, 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 section 120 generates air for transporting 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 from the casing's intake port and expels air from the exhaust port by rotating a propeller with a rotary motor inside the casing. The duct guides the air from the fan to the ventilation pipe. One opening of the duct is connected to the exhaust port of the fan, and the other opening is connected to the ventilation pipe.

[0028] The control unit controls the operation of the water supply direct-connected humidifier 1. The control unit has an input unit, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a storage device, and an output unit. The input unit, the storage device, and the 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 supplied from a commercial power source to each part of the water-connected humidifier 1. The power supply unit converts AC current from the commercial power source into DC current and adjusts it to a predetermined voltage value, and supplies the predetermined current to each part of the water-connected humidifier 1. The power supply unit includes a power supply unit QD that protrudes from the upper 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 lower 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 the power receiving unit JD are connected by positioning the main unit 200 on the upper surface of the base unit 100 and installing it.

[0030] Legs 130 are installed with a space between the bottom surface of base 100 and the installation surface on which water supply direct-connected humidifier 1 is installed. Legs 130 are composed 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 for switching the power of the water-connected humidifier 1. When pressed, the humidification amount setting button accepts input for switching the humidification amount setting of the water-connected humidifier 1. When pressed, the timer setting button accepts input for setting the timer until the power of the water-connected humidifier 1 is automatically turned off. When pressed, the lock setting button accepts input for locking input from the input unit of other buttons.

[0032] <Main body 200> The main body 200 is a separate body 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 atomizing device 220, an upper lid 230, and a blowing unit 240.

[0033] The water tank 210 temporarily stores water supplied from a water line. The water tank 210 is a container that is rectangular when viewed from above. The water tank 210 has a bottom plate 211 on the bottom surface, and side wall plates 212 of a predetermined height on the four side surfaces. The water tank 210 has a water supply attachment hole 213, a drain connection port 214, and an air circulation pipe 215 on the side wall plate 212. The water tank 210 is formed of a permeable resin material, and is formed so as to be attachable to and detachable from the upper side of the housing part 110 that constitutes the base part 100.

[0034] Water supply mounting hole 213 is a hole for detachably mounting water supply unit 300, and is formed by cutting out a substantially 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 provided 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 drain 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 generating unit 120 and guides it to the space inside water tank 210. Air circulation pipe 215 is provided outside side wall panel 212, the lower side of which is on the rear side and communicates with airflow generating unit 120, and penetrates side wall panel 212 at a height above the full water level of water tank 210, with an opening provided at the upper end located inside water tank 210.

[0037] The mist generation unit 220 mistifies the stored water and guides it to the blowout unit 240, and includes a mist generation unit (not shown) which is a device for misting the stored water, a cover body 221 arranged to cover the mist generation unit, and a mist distribution pipe 222 which distributes the generated mist to the blowout unit 240. The mist generation unit in this embodiment is formed by an ultrasonic vibrator arranged on the bottom plate 211 of the water tank 210 of the 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 transducer. A plurality of slit holes 221a are arranged in parallel along the circumferential direction on the side surface of cover body 221 having an approximately truncated cone shape.

[0039] The mist circulation pipe 222 is a substantially cylindrical member extending upward from the cover body 221 in order to circulate the mist generated in the mist generation unit to the blowing unit 240, and is attached to the opening at the upper end of the cover body 221. The mist circulation pipe 222 has a wind intake hole 222a at a position higher than the full water position of the water tank 210.

[0040] The top lid 230 covers the entire top surface of the water tank 210 to seal 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 blowing unit 240 determines the direction in which the mist is blown out. The blowing unit 240 is attached to the upper end of the cylindrical mist circulation pipe 222, and is attached by penetrating the blowing 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 attachment 350. The members constituting water supply unit 300 are mainly formed from 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 water supply pipe 310 bent in an L shape. 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, and the water supply pipe 310 is fixed to one end of the connector, and one end of the pipe section 341 of the water supply regulating valve 340 is connected to the other end of the connector. A substantially cylindrical short pipe is formed on the side to which the pipe section 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 section 341. The water supply pipe 310 can be attached to and detached from the water supply regulating valve 340 without using tools by gripping a knob protruding radially from the short pipe and rotating the short pipe to change the state of threading with the pipe section 341. Note that the connection between the water supply pipe connector 320 and the pipe section 341 of the water supply regulating valve 340 does not have to be by threading.

[0045] Water injection pipe 330 is a pipe for injecting tap water supplied from water supply regulating valve 340 into water tank 210. The end of water injection pipe 330 on the water tank 210 side is bent downward. In addition, the end on the water supply regulating 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 regulating valve 340.

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

[0047] The water supply regulating valve 340 controls the flow of the supply water by switching between a closed state and an open state according to the water level of 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 lower side, 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 body 347 that moves up and down in response to the up and down movement of the lever section 344 to switch between opening and closing of the flow path, and a diaphragm 348. The water supply regulating valve 340 is formed 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 female thread of water supply pipe connector 320 is screwed into the male thread formed on the end on the water supply pipe 310 side. 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 surface. The casing 342 is engaged with the outer periphery of the frame member 345 by a screw, and is fixed to a guide rod of the frame member 345 described later by a screw inserted into the fixing hole in the bottom surface.

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

[0051] The lever portion 344 transmits the position of the floated float portion 343 to the valve portion with high accuracy. The lever portion 344 includes an arm, a base portion, a shaft, and an action portion. The base portion is provided at the end portion of the lower surface of the frame member 345. The arm is attached to the base portion. Here, holes are formed in both the base portion and the attachment portion of the arm, and the shaft is inserted through the holes in the base portion and the arm to attach the arm. The arm is configured to be swingable around the base portion. The arm has a length from the end portion of the frame member 345 to the end portion sandwiching the center of the frame member 345. The arm is bifurcated from the center to the tip side in the longitudinal direction. The action portion is provided protruding from the upper surface of the arm, from the center to the base side in the longitudinal direction of the arm. A packing is placed over the action portion. The lever portion 344 functions as a 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 has a disk shape when viewed from above, and the upper surface forms a mounting surface for mounting the spring 346. The frame member 345 also has a seal pressing portion on the outer periphery of the mounting surface of the upper surface. The frame member 345 has a guide rod protruding from the lower surface at the center of the lower surface. The guide rod extends to the bottom surface of the casing 342. The guide rod has a screw hole at the tip. The seal pressing portion is cylindrical, concentric with the disk shape 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 with the pipe portion 341. The frame member 345 has a plurality of fixing holes between the outer edge and the seal pressing portion. Frame member 345 is fixed to pipe portion 341 by inserting screws into the fixing holes, so that valve body 347 is biased against water supply pipe 310 by spring 346 and diaphragm 348 seals the gap between the seal pressing portion and pipe portion 341.

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

[0054] The valve body 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 body 347.

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

[0056] With the above-mentioned structure of the water supply adjustment valve 340, when there is a sufficient amount of tap water in the water tank 210, the float part 343 to which buoyancy is applied is located at the upper part in the casing 342, and by pushing the lever part 344 upward, the valve body 347 closes the double-pipe flow path in the vertical direction of the pipe part 341. On the other hand, when the water level in the water tank 210 drops, the float part 343 moves downward in the casing 342, and the lever part 344 that was pushed up by the float part 343 drops. Therefore, the valve body 347 is lowered by the bias of the spring 346, opening the double-pipe flow path, and tap water is supplied from the water supply pipe 310. When a sufficient amount of water is accumulated in the water tank 210 with the supply of water from the water supply pipe 310, the float part 343 again receives buoyancy and rises upward, pushing the valve body 347 upward via the lever part 344, and closing the double-pipe flow path.

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

[0058] The water tank mounting fixture 350 is a member for detachably connecting the water supply adjustment valve 340 to the water tank 210, and includes 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 having substantially the same U-shaped edge via a main body piece 351C for connecting the plates at a distance equal to the thickness of the water tank 210. The main body piece 351C has an edge having a shape substantially the same as the edge of the water supply mounting hole 213, and is formed smaller than the inner plate 351A and the outer plate 351B. In addition, the substantially horizontal upper end edge of the inner plate 351A is formed at a position higher than the upper end edge of the outer plate 351B. In other words, the inner plate 351A and the outer plate 351B have substantially the same U-shaped edge, but the height of the inner plate 351A is slightly higher.

[0060] An insertion hole 352, through which the pipe section 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, which can be screwed into the external thread formed on the pipe section 341. The water supply regulating valve 340 can be connected to the water tank fixture 350 by holding the pipe section 341 in the insertion hole 352 by means of screwing or the like.

[0061] In the water tank mounting fixture 350 thus formed, the recessed 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 is not necessary for main body piece 351C to be a separate body from inner plate 351A or outer plate 351B, but it may be formed integrally with any one of the plates.

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

[0064] In this state, the female thread on the inner circumference of the short pipe of the water supply pipe connector 320 fixed to the water supply pipe 310 is screwed into 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 makes it possible to connect the water supply pipe 310 to the water supply regulating valve 340 without using any tools.

[0065] By attaching top lid portion 230 to water tank 210, the periphery of water supply mounting hole 213 is tightly sealed by water tank mounting fixture 350 and top lid portion 230, thereby preventing water from leaking out from 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 into the pipe section 341, but it is also possible to first screw the water supply pipe connector 320 into 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 mists the tap water stored in the water tank 210. The water supply unit 300 comprises a water supply adjustment valve 340 that is disposed 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 provided by cutting out a part of the water tank 210.

[0068] According to the invention of this embodiment, the aquarium mounting fixture 350 can be attached to the water tank 210 by engaging the groove of the aquarium 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 aquarium mounting fixture 350 to the water tank 210.

[0069] In addition, in the direct-connection-to-water supply humidifier of this embodiment, water supply adjustment valve 350 has pipe section 341 which is connected to tap water supply pipe 310, and water tank mounting fixture 350 is formed by main body piece 351C having an edge section which is substantially the same shape as the edge section of water supply mounting hole 213, and two plates 351A, 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 formed larger than main body piece 351C and formed to sandwich main body piece 351C from the front and back, so that a recessed groove 353 approximately matching the shape of the edge of water supply mounting hole 213 is formed by two plates 351A, 351B and main body piece 351C, and by fitting recessed 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. At that time, water tank mounting fixture 350 covers water supply mounting hole 213, so water leakage from water supply mounting hole 213 can be suppressed. In addition, since the water tank mounting fixture 350 has an insertion hole 352 through which the pipe section 241 of the water supply regulating valve 340 is inserted, the water supply regulating valve 340 can be easily attached to the water tank mounting fixture 350 by simply inserting the pipe section 341 of the water supply regulating valve 340 into the insertion hole 352 of the water tank mounting fixture 350. Here, since the pipe section 341 of the water supply regulating valve 340 is inserted and held in the insertion hole 352 drilled in the water tank mounting fixture 350, the water supply regulating valve 340 can be fixed to the water tank 210 by attaching the water tank mounting fixture 350 to the water supply mounting hole 213 while holding the water supply regulating valve 340. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the position of the water supply regulating valve 340 from being displaced in the 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 which 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 further than the position at which the water tank mounting device 350 is held in the pipe section 341.

[0072] With this, the water supply pipe 310 can be attached and detached using the water supply pipe connector 320 with the aquarium mounting fixture 350 attached; 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 unrestricted.

[0073] In addition, the water supply direct-connected humidifier according to this embodiment further includes a base unit 100 having 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, which are undesirable if they get wet, and the water tank 210 are formed as separate bodies, and can be 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-connected-to-water supply humidifier of this embodiment, the mist generation section consists of an ultrasonic vibrator arranged at the bottom of the water tank, and the water supply adjustment valve 340 consists of a float section 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 section 343 inside and has an opening at the bottom, a drive member 344 that contacts the upper surface of the float section 343 and is driven in the vertical direction in response to the up and down movement of the float section 343, and a valve body 347 that moves up and down in response to 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 of an ultrasonic vibrator disposed at the bottom of the water tank, and the tap water stored in the water tank 210 can be efficiently atomized by vibrations caused by the ultrasonic vibrator. In addition, since the water supply regulating valve 340 is equipped with a substantially cylindrical casing 342 that houses the float part 343 therein 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 performed at an appropriate frequency by suppressing frequent repeated starts and stops of 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 in order to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to having all of the configurations described. [Industrial Applicability]

[0079] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 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 home humidifier. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1. Water supply direct-connected humidifier 100 Base 110 Housing 120 Air blast generating section 130 Legs 140 Operation section 200 Main unit 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 cover 231 Lid surface part 232 Air outlet mounting hole 240 Outlet 300 Water supply section 310 Water supply pipe 320 Water supply pipe connector 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 fixture 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 the tap water stored in the water tank, the water supply unit includes a water supply regulating valve disposed in the water tank for regulating the water level in the water tank, and a water tank attachment device for detachably holding the water supply regulating valve to the water tank; The water tank attachment tool has a groove that can be engaged with an edge of a water supply attachment hole that is provided by cutting out a part of the water tank, The water supply regulating valve has a pipe portion connected to a tap water supply pipe, The water tank attachment has an insertion hole through which the pipe portion is inserted and held by screwing. Humidifier connected directly to water supply.

2. The water tank attachment is formed by a main body piece having an edge portion having a shape substantially identical to that of the edge portion of the water supply attachment hole, and two plates formed larger than the main body piece and formed to sandwich the main body piece from the front and rear.

2. 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 portion; The water supply pipe connector is connected to the pipe section at a position outside the water tank relative to a position at which the water tank attachment is held.

3. 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 separately from the water tank, The water tank is detachably connected to the base.

4. The water supply direct-connected humidifier according to claim 1.

5. the mist generating unit is made of an ultrasonic vibrator disposed at the bottom of the water tank, The water supply regulating valve comprises a float portion 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 portion inside and has an opening at the bottom, a drive member that contacts the upper surface of the float portion and drives it up and down in response to the up and down movement of the float portion, 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 of the flow path.

4. The water supply direct-connected humidifier according to claim 1.

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