Vaporizing Humidifier Refill Structure With Gutters and Top Opening

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vaporizing humidifiers face difficulties in easily replenishing the water reservoir due to the need for a separate water storage tank or a small water filling opening, which can lead to spills and malfunctions when trying to refill the water.

Innovation Solution

A vaporizing humidifier design where the motor is covered with a convex upper cover, featuring a large water filling opening, a peripheral gutter, and intersecting gutters that direct water flow into a water channel leading to the reservoir, allowing for easy and spill-free refilling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a separate water storage tank is provided, then water replenishment is easier, but the device complexity increases and the tank needs to be removed and refilled manually

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater replenishment easeVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the water storage tank with the main housing body, eliminating the need for a separate removable tank. The tank is integrated directly into the housing, allowing water to be refilled through an opening in the housing without removing any components, thus simplifying the device structure while maintaining ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing body serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, houses the motor and fan, and simultaneously acts as the water storage tank. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, resolving the contradiction between operational ease and device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Area of stationary object

If a water filling opening is provided to avoid the blowing fan, motor, and electrical system, then the opening can be large, but it becomes difficult to form a large opening due to spatial constraints

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater filling opening sizeVSAvoidease of forming opening
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention moves the water filling opening from the side view to the top view of the housing. By utilizing the top surface of the housing as the filling location, the opening can be large and easily accessible without interfering with the side-mounted motor, fan, or electrical components, thus resolving the spatial constraint issue

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing is designed with a predetermined large opening at the top surface during manufacturing, allowing easy water filling from the beginning. This preliminary design consideration enables the opening to be large and accessible without creating manufacturing difficulties later

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Enables easy and efficient refilling of the water reservoir with a large water filling opening, reducing the risk of spills and malfunctions while maintaining the humidifying and blowing functions.

Implementation Method 1

the water in the reservoir is drawn up by the capillary action of the humidifying filter, and the humidifying filter becomes damp with water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Data Source

PatentEP2860464B1Vaporizing humidifier
Publication Date: 2018.11.21 BALMUDA
  • EP2860464B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2860464B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2860464B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A humidifier (10) including a reservoir (16) for storing water, a humidifying filter (22) disposed inside the reservoir (16), a blowing fan (34) for drawing in outside air and for discharging air humidified by passing through the humidifying filter (22) to the outside, and a motor (36) that rotates the blowing fan (34). A dome-shaped upper cover (42) covers the motor from above, a peripheral gutter (44) is formed so as to extend along the peripheral portion of the upper cover (42), intersecting gutters (50) are formed so as to extend outward from the peripheral gutter (44) and intersect the flow of the air that is to be discharged to the outside, and a water channel (32) is formed so as to extend from the intersecting gutters (50) toward the reservoir (16). Thereby a water filling opening (48) for replenishing the water in a reservoir (16) is formed as large as possible.