Heated Humidifier with Segmented Water Container for Easy Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Heated humidifiers lack easy cleaning methods, leading to potential contamination from floating matter, while ultrasonic humidifiers face bacterial growth issues due to lack of heating, and both types generate noise and vibrations.

Innovation Solution

A heated humidifier design with a separable water container divided into an outer casing, preheating casing, and heating casing, where only the water in the heating casing is heated, reducing initial steam time, noise, and surface temperature.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the water container is made as a single integrated unit, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it is difficult to clean the inside of the water container

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidcleaning ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The water container is divided into multiple separable parts: an outer container and an inner container. The inner container can be removed from the outer container for easy cleaning of the interior surfaces, while the overall structure remains relatively simple to manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If all water in the water container is heated, then sufficient steam is generated, but the time required for initial steam spray is long and energy consumption is high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesteam generation amountVSAvoidinitial steam time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The heating element is positioned to heat only a specific portion of the water in the inner container, rather than heating all water uniformly. This localized heating approach reduces the time and energy required to generate sufficient steam for initial spray.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The inner container is pre-filled with a specific amount of water before insertion into the outer container. This preliminary preparation ensures that the heating element can quickly generate steam without needing to heat excessive water, reducing initial steam generation time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If a large amount of water is heated to generate steam, then humidification effectiveness is improved, but the surface temperature of the humidifier becomes high causing safety concerns

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehumidification amountVSAvoidsurface temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The water container is segmented into an inner container (holding heated water) and an outer container (providing thermal isolation). This segmentation allows the inner container to be heated to high temperatures for effective steam generation while the outer container maintains a lower, safer surface temperature through thermal isolation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The outer container acts as a thermal intermediary between the heated inner container and the user's environment. It provides thermal insulation that allows the inner container to maintain high temperatures for steam generation while keeping the outer surface temperature safe to touch.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Device complexity

If the water container is made as a single unit, then the device structure is simple, but noise and vibrations are transmitted to the outside

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural complexityVSAvoidnoise and vibrations

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The water container is divided into separable inner and outer containers, creating a nested structure that provides acoustic and vibration isolation. This segmentation allows the inner container to generate steam while the outer container acts as a barrier to reduce noise and vibration transmission to the outside environment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Facilitates easy cleaning, reduces steam generation time, minimizes noise and vibrations, and lowers surface temperature, enhancing user safety and hygiene.

Implementation Method 1

a lower main body including a heating means

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

configured to vaporize the water in the inner casing by the heating means

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 3

water in the preheating casing is preheated by the water in the heating casing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS12111075B2Easy-to-clean heated humidifier

Publication Date: 2024.10.08 IM KANG KYUNG

AI summary

An easy-to-clean heated humidifier is proposed. The easy-to-clean heated humidifier is configured to be easily cleaned by separating a water container from the humidifier. The easy-to-clean heated humidifier includes: a lower main body including a heating means, and a dial configured to adjust an amount of humidification; and an upper main body provided at an upper end of the lower main body, including an outer casing, and an inner casing located inside the outer casing, having a partial opening to allow water in the outer casing to flow into the inner casing, and configured to vaporize the water in the inner casing by the heating means.