Humidifying element and humidifier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing natural evaporation type humidifiers face issues with clogging due to hard components and vaporization residues, leading to decreased humidifying ability over time, as well as inefficient water distribution and high initial costs in other types like ultrasound humidifiers.
Innovation Solution
A humidifying element with multiple bodies arranged to create gaps, a diffusing member, and a casing that houses them, featuring a water storing section with injection holes and a cylindrical wall extending from the holes to the diffusing member, ensuring uniform water supply and preventing clogging through a communication port for air bubble escape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the bottom surface of the water tank is formed of a porous member to enable water infiltration, then water supply to humidifying bodies is achieved, but hard components and vaporization residues deposit on the porous member causing clogging and decreased humidifying ability over time
Solution Approach 1:
The water tank bottom is segmented into two distinct functional zones: a water infiltration section with porous structure for water supply, and a non-porous section for easy cleaning and deposit removal. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally without the other's drawbacks.
Solution Approach 2:
A water guide member with through-holes is introduced as an intermediary component between the water tank and humidifying bodies. This mediator distributes water uniformly through its multiple holes while preventing direct contact between deposit-prone areas and the porous member, reducing clogging.
2Ease of operation
If water injection holes are made to contact sponge-like porous material for water distribution, then water supply is achieved, but gas bubbles adhere to the porous material and hard components clog the injection holes decreasing water passage amount
Solution Approach 1:
The water distribution system is segmented into a water guide member with multiple through-holes for uniform distribution, replacing the single porous material interface. This segmentation creates multiple independent water pathways that reduce the impact of clogging at any single location.
Solution Approach 2:
The water distribution approach transitions from a vertical porous material interface to a horizontal water guide member with through-holes. This dimensional change allows water to be distributed across multiple points simultaneously, improving uniformity and reducing bubble adhesion issues.
3Productivity
If the porous member covers the entire bottom surface for maximum water supply, then water infiltration is maximized, but the surface area exposed to deposits increases leading to faster clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom surface is divided into a porous water infiltration section and a non-porous section. The porous section is limited to the minimum area needed for water supply, while the non-porous section resists deposit accumulation and is easier to clean, extending the service life.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the water tank bottom are assigned different properties: the water infiltration section has porous structure for water supply, while the cleaning section has non-porous smooth surface for easy maintenance. Each local area has the quality needed for its specific function.
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
This configuration achieves stable and uniform water supply to multiple humidifying bodies for a long period, enhancing humidifying efficiency while preventing clogging and maintaining hygiene by reducing the impact of deposits and air bubbles.
Implementation Method 1
a communication port for causing an inside and an outside of the cylindrical wall surface to communicate is formed in the cylindrical wall surface
Implementation Method 2
a diffusing member that extends along the first direction and is in contact with the plurality of humidifying bodies
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of humidifying bodies arranged along a first direction to provide gaps among the humidifying bodies
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A humidifying element includes a plurality of humidifying bodies arranged along a first direction to provide gaps among the humidifying bodies, a diffusing member that extends along the first direction and is in contact with the plurality of humidifying bodies, and a casing that houses the plurality of humidifying bodies and the diffusing member on an inside. A water storing section 12 provided above the humidifying bodies to store water is formed in the casing. A plurality of water injection holes 12a are formed on the bottom surface of the water storing section 12. A cylindrical wall surface 12b extending downward from the water injection hole 12a portion is formed on the outer side of the bottom surface of the water storing section 12. A distal end of the cylindrical wall surface 12b and the diffusing member are set in contact. A communication port 12c for causing the inside and the outside of the cylindrical wall surface 12b to communicate is formed in the cylindrical wall surface 12b.