EVAPORATIVE HUMIDIFIER

• US 20040012103A1
• Filed: 07/17/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Incorporated (Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Co.)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Incorporated (Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Co.)
• Inventors: Smith, Michael E., Cruz, Anthony V., Mulvaney, Patrick T.
• Granted Patent: US 6,715,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 261/72.1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 6/043 with self-sucking action, e.g. wicks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/65 Vaporizers

Abstract

An evaporative humidifier including a base removably supporting a water tray for holding a quantity of water. A blower assembly and a water tank are removably supported by the base above the water tray. The blower assembly includes a housing and a fan disposed intermediate a pair of air inlets and an air exhaust outlet. A cylindrically shaped wick filter is supported by the water tray and extends upwardly into the housing. The wick filter includes a cylindrical side wall and opposing open upper and lower ends. The fan is driven by a motor mounted inside the housing for drawing air into the housing through the air inlets, through the cylindrical side walls of the wick filter, and then through the open upper end of the wick filter and out of the housing through the air exhaust outlet. A float assembly is removably supported by the water tray and includes a vertically extending switch actuator vertically moveable with changing water levels in the water tray and selectively engagable with a float switch for deactivating the motor when the water level falls below a predetermined point. The water tank includes concave and convex side walls and a handle defining a pivot point wherein support of the tank by the handle causes the concave side wall to swing upwardly and outwardly toward the convex side wall.

Claims

1. An evaporative humidifier comprising:

a water tray including a bottom wall and a side wall extending upwardly from said bottom wall, said water tray being formed of a dishwasher safe thermoplastic material, said water tray being a first color;

a blower assembly including a housing, a motor supported within said housing, and a fan supported within said housing and operably connected to said motor, said housing including an air inlet, an air outlet and an evaporative air flow path extending between said air inlet and said air outlet, said housing being a second color, said second color being visibly distinguishable from said first color;

a wick assembly supported by said bottom wall of said water tray and extending upwardly into said air flow path within said housing; and

a tank including first and second side walls, a bottom wall and an aperture, said tank defining an interior chamber in fluid communication with said water tray, said tank being formed of a dishwasher safe thermoplastic material.

2. The evaporative humidifier of claim 1 wherein said tank has said first color.