Evaporative humidifier and indoor climate controlling system comprising the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9696050-B2
Application number	US-201314410243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2013
Priority date	Jun 28, 2012
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to an evaporative humidifier including a water reservoir, a wick unit and a fan unit. The wick unit is configured to absorb water from the water reservoir. The fan unit is arranged within a fan housing and configured to force an air flow to flow through the wick unit. The fan housing comprises a top cover unit defining at least one annular air outlet at an outer part adjacent a circumference of the top cover unit. One of the main advantages of this invention is that the evaporative humidifier has an optimal air flow path and can operate in a low noise. The invention also relates to an indoor climate controlling system using such an evaporative humidifier.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An evaporative humidifier comprising:
a water reservoir;
a wick unit configured to absorb water from the water reservoir,
wherein the wick unit comprises a wick, a wick holder for mounting the wick and a float arranged in the wick holder for associating with a water level in the water reservoir and the wick holder forms a substantially vertical guide along which the float is configured to move, the float clicks into the wick holder, and the wick holder is heavy enough to not float when it experiences a buoyancy force from the float; and

a fan unit arranged within a fan housing and configured to force an air flow to flow through the wick unit,
wherein the fan housing comprises a top cover unit defining at least one annular air outlet at an outer part adjacent a circumference of the top cover unit.

2. The evaporative humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein a bottom wall of the top cover unit has an overall shape of an aerodynamic design for directing air in the fan housing to flow toward the annular air outlet when the fan rotates.

3. The evaporative humidifier according to claim 2 , wherein the aerodynamic design is a streamline design of a convex shape.

4. The evaporative humidifier according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fan unit comprises a motor and an actuator for actuating the motor, in operation the float is such arranged in the wick holder that it is buoyed by the water in the water reservoir so that the operation of the evaporative humidifier is controlled based on, at least in part, the water level in the water reservoir.

5. The evaporative humidifier according to claim 4 , wherein the actuator is configured to remain the motor running for a period of time after the water level is below a water level threshold and then stop the motor.

6. The evaporative humidifier according to claim 4 , wherein the actuator is:
a sensor-based actuator, which actuates the motor if the sensed height of the float is up to or higher than a predetermined height; or
a contact component, which actuates the motor if the float collides the contacting component.

7. The evaporative humidifier according to claim 1 , wherein a humidity sensor for sensing an external air humidity out of the humidifier is such arranged on an outer housing of the evaporative humidifier that it is separated from and not interfered by freshly humidified outgoing air.

8. The evaporative humidifier according to claim 7 , further comprising a program control unit configured to ensure that sensing the external air humidity is only performed after the fan unit has been operating for a first period of time and/or the reading of the sensed external air humidity is frozen for a second period of time after the fan unit stops operating.

9. The evaporative humidifier according to claim 8 , wherein the program control unit is further configured to automatically actuate the fan unit when the sensed external air humidity is lower than a preset humidity.

10. An indoor climate controlling system comprising the evaporative humidifier according to claim 1 and a main control unit coupled to the evaporative humidifier, wherein the main control unit is configured to automatically control the operation of the evaporative humidifier.

11. The evaporative humidifier according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a user interface unit mounted on the top cover unit and surrounded by the annular air outlet.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Mcgarva John Robert
• Sandberg Emma
• Chen Lei Tao
• Dai Zhiyoung
• Bleeker Jean Bart

Classifications

• F24F11/0008

  for air-humidification (F24F11/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F24F13/06

  Outlets for directing or distributing air into rooms or spaces, e.g. ceiling air diffuser · CPC title

• F24F6/043 Primary

  with self-sucking action, e.g. wicks · CPC title

• F24F2006/008

  Air-humidifier with water reservoir · CPC title