Abstract:
A humidifier which includes a reservoir of water in fluid communication with an evaporation chamber. Some of the water that enters the evaporation chamber vaporizes and enters the ambient environment. A remainder of the water does not evaporate and flows into a collection container in fluid communication with the reservoir. The unevaporated water is then exposed to a source of ultraviolet radiation which helps to inhibit the ability of various organisms contained therein to reproduce in the future. After irradiation, the unevaporated water travels from the collection container to the reservoir.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to humidifiers and, more particularly, to a humidifier with a source of ultraviolet light for sterilizing water that passes through the humidifier without being humidified. 
     Various humidification systems are known and have previously been described in the prior art. However, none of these humidifiers are self-cleaning. Thus, mold spores in air and viruses on dust particles plate out on evaporative devices such as a wick, but are not continuously washed away and irradiated. Therefore, it is not possible to remove accumulated articulate matter from these previous humidifiers without interrupting their operation. 
       FIG. 1  shows a schematic representation of a typical prior art humidification system.  FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of the prior art humidifier represented in  FIG. 1 . Water  100  flows from a storage tank  102  into a reservoir  104  through a conduit  106 . The water  100  then enters an ultraviolet radiation chamber  108  having a source of ultra violet light  109 . The ultraviolet radiation affects certain organisms such that the ability of such organisms to reproduce is inhibited. Irradiated water then enters an evaporation chamber  110 , where some of it evaporates and enters the ambient air as water vapor  112 . The internal mechanism of the evaporation chamber  110  collects a steadily increasing quantity of air borne particles. There is no continuous process for removing these particles and allowing more efficient operation of the humidifier. 
     Another known humidifier has a base and a removably mounted water reservoir or container. Water flows from a compartment in the base, through a hole in a partition and into a sterilization chamber. An ultraviolet lamp is positioned beside the sterilization chamber. Ultraviolet light passes from the ultraviolet light to the sterilization chamber through a transparent window. Irradiated water then flows through an opening in a second partition and into a third chamber, where it is delivered to a heating chamber. Various means can be utilized to increase system humidity including a wick or other large surface-area evaporator. Particles are allowed to accumulate in the heating chamber without being washed away. Thus, the evaporative efficiency of the humidifying system is steadily reduced. Large quantities of water must be continuously added to the system to attain significant levels of humidification. In addition, some of the collected foreign substances routinely travel with the evaporated water into ambient air, an undesirable effect. The humidifier of the present invention effectively avoids these problems. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly stated, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for humidifying air in rooms. The apparatus includes a reservoir containing water. An evaporation chamber is in fluid communication with the reservoir and receives water from the reservoir. A first portion of the water in the evaporation chamber evaporates and becomes water vapor, which travels into ambient air. A remaining portion of the water in the evaporation chamber does not evaporate and flows into a collection container in fluid communication with the reservoir such that the remaining portion of the water flows from the collection container to the reservoir. A source of ultraviolet radiation irradiates the remaining portion of the water before the remaining portion of the water returns to the reservoir, inhibiting the ability of various micro-organisms, such as bacteria and viruses, and other organisms which are present in the water to reproduce at a later time. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a conventional humidifier; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the conventional humidifier shown in FIG.  1 .; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a humidifier in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the humidifier shown in  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a humidifier in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “right”, “left”, “lower” and “upper” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the humidifier and designated parts thereof. The terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals are used to indicate like elements throughout, there is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  a first preferred embodiment of a humidifier, generally designated  10 , for humidifying air in rooms (not shown). The humidifier  10  includes a reservoir  12  containing water  14 . In the preferred embodiment, the reservoir  12  includes a tank  16  in fluid communication with a tray  18  via a conduit  20 . The reservoir  12  is substantially open to the atmosphere, meaning that the reservoir  12  is part of an open fluid system, as opposed to a closed fluid system. The tank  16  includes a supply of water  14  which is fed to the tray  18  via a standard gravity fed system, which is well understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. As mentioned above, the reservoir  12  is shown schematically in  FIG. 3 . The details of the reservoir  12 , tank  16 , gravity feed system and tray  18  are not pertinent to the present invention as they could be constructed of any well known system understood by those of ordinary skill in the art and, therefore, are not described in detail for purposes of convenience only and is not limiting. 
     The humidifier  10  includes an evaporation chamber  22  in fluid communication with the reservoir  12 , thereby receiving water  14  from the reservoir  12 . Positioned within the evaporation chamber  22  is an evaporative device  24 , such as a wick or evaporative pad (schematically shown). However, it is understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure that the precise evaporative system within the evaporation chamber  22  is not pertinent to the present invention and could comprise other types of evaporation mechanisms or devices. The water  14  flows from the reservoir  12  to the evaporation chamber  22  via a piping network  26 . The piping network  26  has at least one mechanical pump  28 . In the preferred embodiment, the piping network  26  can be any of a plurality of conduits or other fluid passages which deliver the water  14  from the reservoir  12  directly to the evaporation chamber  22 . Piping networks for this purpose are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art and, therefore, details of the piping network  26  have been omitted for purposes of convenience only and are not limiting. 
     The pump  28  urges the water  14  through the piping network  26 , releasing the water  14  onto the evaporative device  24  within the evaporation chamber  22 . Unhumidified air  29  is drawn into the evaporation chamber  22  through at least one inlet  32 . Although the at least one inlet  32  is portrayed in  FIG. 1  as being through the top of the evaporation chamber  22 , it is within the spirit and scope of the present invention that the inlet  32  be through any of the sides (including the top and the bottom) of the evaporation chamber  22  or through any combination of the sides. 
     Once within the evaporation chamber  22 , the unhumidified air  29  moves across or through the evaporative device  24  causing a first portion of the water  14  to evaporate into water vapor. The unhumidified air  29  then picks up the water vapor that has evaporated from the first portion of water  14  within the evaporative device  24  and becomes humidified air  30 . The humidified air  30  is then urged out of the evaporation chamber  22  through at least one outlet  34 . Although the at least one outlet  34  is portrayed in  FIG. 1  as being through the right side of the evaporation chamber  22 , it is within the spirit and scope of the present invention that the outlet  34  be through any of the sides (including the top and the bottom) of the evaporation chamber  22  or through any combination of the sides, the only requirement being that the at least one outlet  34  be spaced from the at least one inlet  32  such that a path of the air through the evaporation chamber  22  leads through or across the evaporative device  24 . The unhumidified air  29  is drawn into, moved through, and forced out of the evaporation chamber  22  using a fan  44  or any other means (not shown) to move air. 
     A remaining portion  36  of the water  14  that has not evaporated remains within and passes through the evaporative device  24 , dripping from the bottom of the evaporative device  24 . That is, evaporative devices are not 100% efficient in that not all of the water passing therethrough evaporates. Conventionally, the unevaporated water returns to the reservoir where it is recycled. In the present invention, the remaining portion  36  of the water  14  exits the evaporative device  22  and flows into a collection container  38 , which is in fluid communication with the reservoir  12 . The precise structure of the at least one inlet  32 , the at least one outlet  34 , and the evaporation chamber  22  could be easily derived by one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure and are schematically shown for convenience only. 
     The collection container  38  is portrayed in the form of a tray positioned beneath the evaporative device  24  to collect the remaining portion  36  of the water  14 . The collection container  38  funnels the remaining portion  36  of the water  14  into the reservoir  12 . The collection container  38  can be of any configuration known to those of ordinary skill in the art which will collect the remaining portion  36  of the water  14  and convey it back to the reservoir  12 , including, but not limited to, a planar system in which there is a distinct one-way flow path that allows water to re-enter the reservoir  12  from the evaporation chamber  22  and prevents the reverse movement. 
     A source of ultraviolet radiation within an ultraviolet radiation chamber  40  irradiates the remaining portion  36  of the water  14  before the remaining portion  36  of the water  14  returns to the reservoir  12 , helping to inhibit the ability of various micro-organisms, such as bacteria and viruses, and other organisms which are present in the remaining portion  36  of the water  14  to reproduce in the future. The source of ultraviolet radiation is preferably in the form of an ultraviolet light  42  which is positioned to direct emitted light into the remaining portion  36  of the water  14  as it flows back to the reservoir  12 . Although the source of ultraviolet radiation of the present invention is the ultraviolet light  42 , it is within the spirit and scope of the invention that the source of ultraviolet radiation be any ultraviolet radiation-emitting device. The specific design of the ultraviolet radiation system is not pertinent to the present invention and is known to those of ordinary skill in the art, and therefore, further description thereof is omitted for purposes of convenience only and is not limiting. 
     As mentioned above, after being irradiated, the remaining portion  36  of the water  14  flows from the collection container  38  into the reservoir  12 . Therefore, a continuous flow of water  14  is realized within the humidifier  10 . The continuous flow of water  14  allows constant movement of water  14  through the evaporative device  24 , effectively flushing from the evaporative device  24  a majority of the contaminants that are caught within the evaporative device  24  during the evaporation of the water  14 . The organisms flushed from the evaporative device  24  are then irradiated, helping to inhibit their ability to reproduce. In this way, the humidifier  10  of the present invention is self-cleaning, reducing the amount of harmful contaminants in the humidified air  30  and the water  14  and lengthening the life of the evaporative devices  24  by lessening the amount of contaminants that remain within it. 
     Additional features affecting the operation of the humidifier can also be provided. Typically, a control system, which can be computer based (not shown) can regulate the pump  28  and the fan  44  for dispersing the humidified air  30 . The operation of the pump  28  regulates the flow rate of the water  14  through the humidifier  10 , and the operation of the fan  44  regulates the rate of evaporation of the water  14  from the evaporative device  24  as a function of the particular environmental conditions at the time of operation. The control system can function based on the principles of level-control, flow-control, or a combination of both. A level-control system would monitor the level of water  14  in the tank  16  and use this data to automatically open and close the valve as warranted. A flow-control system would monitor the flow of water  14  through the piping network  26  and use this data to automatically open and close the valve as warranted. The humidifier  10  preferably receives a reliable source of alternating current, such as from an electrical outlet, for powering the humidifier  10  in a manner well understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     Although the evaporation chamber  22  of the present invention is portrayed as surrounding the evaporative device  24 , the radiation chamber  40 , the collection container  38 , and a portion of the piping  26 , it is within the spirit and scope of the present invention that the evaporation chamber  22  contain the evaporative device  24  and any combination of or none of the remaining components of the humidifier  10 . 
     The humidifier  10  operates in a continuous manner. The pump  28  increases the pressure of the water  14  as it travels through the piping network  26  into the evaporation chamber  22 , where the first portion of the water  14  becomes water vapor  30 . The remaining portion  36  of the water  14  flows from the evaporative device  24  and into the collection container  38 , through the ultraviolet radiation chamber  40 , and into the reservoir  12 , where the water  14  is then recycled. 
     The second preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the block diagram shown in  FIG. 5 , wherein like reference numerals which correspond to the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  are designated with the prime symbol. The first and second preferred embodiments are similar. Accordingly, only the differences between the two embodiments are set forth below. The remaining portion  36 ′ of the water  14 ′ is similarly exposed to the source of ultraviolet radiation within an ultraviolet chamber  40 ′, inhibiting the ability of various organisms to reproduce in the future. However, the remaining portion  36 ′ of the water  14 ′, after irradiation, is fed to the piping network at a location just before the pump  28 ′. Otherwise, the second preferred embodiment of the invention operates in essentially the same manner as the first preferred embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It will be understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.