Abstract:
A drive system in a humidifier of the portable console type having a large drum or media wheel rotatable on a horizontal axis through a water reservoir and a fan providing air flow through the media wheel, the drive system including a high speed reduction belt and pulley system interconnecting the fan motor and the media wheel.

Description:
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 597,527, filed July 21, 1975, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Console humidifiers of the portable type having a cabinet enclosing a motor and fan and a large diameter, drum or media wheel rotatable through a water reservoir commonly employ either two motors, one for high speed fan rotation and another for relatively very low speed media wheel rotation, or a gear drive reduction from a single fan motor to rotate the media wheel at a very slow speed. Examples of a dual motor drive system in a console humidifier are found in prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,471,133; 3,598,370; and 3,596,886. Such humidifier drive systems are more expensive than necessary, due to the requirement of a second motor to drive the media wheel. Gear reduction systems such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,610,589 and 3,756,579 are similarly expensive, although the need for a second motor is eliminated. 
     Another method, which employs a louvered faced media wheel driven by air flow from a fan behind the wheel thus eliminating any positive drive for the media wheel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,497. 
     The broad concept of providing a single motor to drive a fan and a drum or media wheel by a reduction speed pulley and belt system is disclosed in prior U.S. Pat. No. 1,905,101. However, the disclosed drive system provides only a very low ratio speed differential and the drive system components are quite different in structure and arrangement from those of the present invention. 
     Other disclosures of single motors driving two or more components of humidifier or air conditioning systems are found in prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,747,694; 1,888,001; 2,232,586; 2,300,580; 2,548,694; 2,823,907; and 3,038,708. 
     However, the prior art does not disclose the very simple yet highly reliable drive system of the present invention which further provides a very significant cost savings in the manufacture of portable, console humidifiers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a primary object of this invention to provide a low cost belt and pulley drive system for rotating the media wheel from the fan motor of a portable humidifier wherein the need for a second motor or a gear reduction system is eliminated. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a high speed reduction belt and pulley system for the media wheel of a console humidifier wherein a sturdy, common support structure is provided for both the fan and motor and the belt and pulley system. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a high speed reduction belt and pulley system interconnecting the media wheel and fan motor of a console humidifier wherein fan and wheel directions of rotation may be easily reversed. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a simple high speed reduction belt and pulley system interconnecting the media wheel and fan motor of a console humidifier wherein the rear end of the fan motor shaft is employed to drive the belt and pulley system. 
     Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a high speed reduction belt and pulley system interconnecting the fan motor and media wheel of a humidifier wherein the speed reduction ratio of the belt and pulley system is on the order of 150 to 1. 
     Further novel features and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, discussion and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     A preferred structural embodiment of this invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a partial, front elevation view of an embodiment of the invention with parts broken away to show further interior details; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial, rear elevation of the embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 3 is a section view taken substantially along lines 3--3 of FIG. 2. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Within the cabinet (not shown) of a console humidifier is a relatively large diameter media wheel 10 suspended on grooved rollers 12, 14, one of which is ordinarily a friction drive roller, as shown at 12. Media wheel 10 is arranged to rotate with a lower sector thereof always disposed within a water reservoir (not shown). An interior peripheral flange of wheel 10 forms a circular rail 16 interfitting the grooves of rollers 12, 14 respectively. Rollers 12, 14 are disposed on the front side of and are mounted on an upright panel 18 of a support housing 20 which may also include idler guide rollers 22 form maintaining media wheel 10 in a vertical attitude, spaced from housing 20 as wheel 10 rotates. 
     A central opening or plenum 24 is provided in panel 20, within which is disposed a three bladed fan 26 driven by fan motor 28 (A conventional 60 cycle induction motor) therebehind which, in turn, is on a pair of spaced apart vertical members 30, 32 secured to the housing 20. Members 30, 32 may be resiliently mounted on the support housing 20 by shock absorbers 34 which aid in substantially reducing vibration and noise imparted to housing 20 and the humidifier cabinet (not shown) by operation of the fan and its motor. 
     Of course, the operation of fan motor 28 is controlled via wire leads 36 from suitable controls, which may include multi-speed controls, an automatic humidistat and a shut off control (not shown). In addition, the controls may include a water level indicator or refill indicator light for signalling the amount of water in the reservoir (not shown). 
     During operation, the fan draws air in from the rear of the unit, passes the air through the plenum opening to the interior of and directed against the inner surface of the media wheel 10. The integral front wall of wheel 10 provides an impervious baffle 38 which diverts the air flow through the caged perphery of wheel 10 which is encasd by a removable filter belt 40, which is continuously wetted as it rotates through the water reservoir (not shown). Obviously, the air becomes moisture laden as it passes through filter belt 40. Suitable grillwork (not shown) in the humidifier cabinet (not shown) then directs the humidified air into the room or enclosure where the humidifier is placed. 
     The media wheel 10 is slowly rotated by drive roller 12 from motor 28 through a high speed reduction belt and pulley drive system, generally denoted at 42. On the end of motor drive shaft 44, opposite fan 26, is mounted a first, small diameter pulley 46. A relatively large diameter pulley 48 is rotatably mounted on one of the support members 32 and includes a third, greatly reduced diameter pulley 50 concentrically rigid with or otherwise fixed thereto for rotation with the large pulley 48. Pulleys 48 and 50 may be integrally formed as a one piece member. A first drive belt 52 interconnects pulleys 46 and 48 which are coplanarly arranged (FIG. 3). 
     The driving roller 12 is non-rotatably fastened on one end of an elongate drive shaft 54 which projects rearwardly through a plastic bearing 55 in panel 18. The rear end of shaft 54 extends through and is journalled in a second plastic bearing similar to bearing 55 mounted in bracket arm 56 which is in turn secured to member 32 and to the housing panel 18. A fourth large diameter pulley 58 is non-rotatably fixed to the rear end of the drive pulley shaft 54, pulley 58 being arranged coplanar with the small pulley 50. A second drive belt 60 interconnects pulleys 50 and 60. 
     Both of belts 52 and 60 may be made of flexible material such as plastic and be circular in cross section. By installing belt 60 with a single twist as depicted in FIG. 2, media wheel 10 may be driven in reverse with respect to the direction of rotation of fan 26 (FIG. 2 at 62). FIG. 1 illustrates belt 60 without a twist, which provides a driven for the media wheel having the same direction of rotation as the fan. 
     For even further economy in manufacture, pulleys 48 and 58 may be of equal diameter and similarly formed. All of the pulleys may be made of plastics materials to reduce the effects of wear by friction. 
     This relatively simple high speed reduction system is capable of an extremely large reduction in speed of rotation. In the embodiment shown, rotation of fan motor shaft 44 is reduced by a ratio of 150 to 1, from the standard 1500 rpm of the induction motor 28 to a media wheel drive roller rotation of only 10 rpm. At the same time, a positive drive for media wheel 10 is provided without any need for a second media drive motor or expensive, reduction gearing. 
     The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.