Patent Application
20070284765
These and other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent by referring to the drawings, in which:
One embodiment of the present invention is shown in
The inner portion 100 of the humidifier 10 includes a fan 120 driven by a motor 125. A wick 130 is held within the inner portion 100 and absorbs water 25 from the bottom of the inner portion 100. The water 25 is fed to the inner portion 100 from the water tank 20 by a valve 28. The valve 28 regulates the amount of water in the inner portion 100 of the housing 1. As the fan 120 rotates, air is drawn over wick 130. Water 25 is evaporated from wick 130 and the air drawn by fan 120 becomes the flow 70 of humidified air. The amount of humidification supplied by humidifier 10 is controlled by fan 120. When the fan 120 rotates faster it generates more flow 70, which increases the amount of water 25 that is dispersed in the surrounding environment.
Humidifier 10 also includes heated scent mechanism 30 formed of a scent generator 40 and a heating element 50. The scent generator 40 is placed in a receptacle 45 in the housing. The scent generator 40 may be in the form of a solid unit or may be a liquid poured into receptacle 45. The solid unit form of scent generator 40 may be made of a gel-type air freshener held in a container. Further, the scent generator 40 may include oil or alcohol based scent ingredients. The scent generator 40 may have a purely aesthetic scent, such as a floral or citrus scent, or the scent may have medicinal properties. The medicinal embodiment of scent generator 40 may include menthol, a vitamin solution, beauty lotion or other substances.
The heating element 50 is electrically activated and positioned within the housing adjacent the receptacle 45, such that heating element 50 warms scent generator 40 during operation. As the temperature of scent generator 40 rises it evaporates and the scent is dispersed into the air. Heating element 50 may be formed of a heating coil or a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) element 51. The term heating coil, as used herein, refers to a metallic element of any shape that increases in temperature as current is passed through it.
In an alternative embodiment, the heating element 50 including the PTC element may be formed as a combined unit with the scent generator 40. In this case, the heating element 50 and receptacle may each have complementary electrical contacts so that current from the humidifier 10 can flow through the heating element 50.
The receptacle 45 may include a door 47 thereon to conceal the heated scent mechanism 30. The door 47 should have an opening 49 therein to allow the evaporated scent to dissipate into the environment surrounding the housing 1. The door 47 may be formed to match the housing 1. Door 47 may also help reduce heat loss when closed promoting dispersion of the scent. Additionally, door 47 reduces disturbance of scent generator 40 by the flow 70 of humid air or vapor. Accordingly, door 47 helps keep the operation of heated scent mechanism 30 and humidifier 10.
The heated scent mechanism 30 may be positioned in the housing 1 substantially separated from flow 70. In this embodiment, the humidifier 10 and heated scent mechanism 30 operate either together or entirely independently. Alternatively, a second passage 66 may be formed in the heated scent mechanism 30 to allow a second flow 72 to pass over the scent generator 40. The second passage 66 may include a deflector to regulate the second flow 72. The deflector allows the second flow 72 to be selectively directed over the scent generator 40 or blocked from the scent generator 40 as desired.
In another embodiment of the invention, as shown in
The humidifier 10 is sized for domestic use and is portable such that it can be easily moved from room to room. The humidifier includes an electrical cord and plug 15 which draws current from an outlet for the operation of both the humidifier 10 and heated scent mechanism 30. A control panel 80 is disposed on the housing and includes user controls, such as buttons, switches, dials or the like, for controlling the heated scent mechanism 30 and the humidifier 10. The control panel 80 may include one or more user controls that activate both the heated scent mechanism 30 and the humidifier 10 or it may include one or more first user control 83 for operating the humidifier 10 and one or more second user control 87 for operating the heated scent mechanism 30.
Although the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described, many features may be varied, as will readily be apparent to those skilled in this art. Thus, the foregoing description is illustrative and not limiting, the invention being defined by the following claims.
