Patent Publication Number: US-7219880-B2

Title: Safety protection device and control circuit for instantaneous atomization device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a safety protection device and a control circuit for an instantaneous atomization device, particularly a safety protection device, which is designed in an atomization groove of the main body. And a nebulizer is designed in a shell based on the safety protection device, the periphery of the nebulizer is covered by a ring-shaped cover, and a protective panel is designed under the nebulizer. The protective panel will be combined well with the aforesaid ring-shaped cover to separate the protective panel from nebulizer properly. The protective panel is electrically connected to a control circuit. Accordingly, when the nebulizer is damaged by external impact insulting in water leakage, the protective panel can be used for holding the water and the water would not seep into the main body. And the protective panel can detect the water leakage and drive the control circuit to break off the power of the nebulizer immediately so as to assure the operation safety of an instantaneous atomization device. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the prior humidistat (or atomization device), such as the ultrasonic oscillator humidistat disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,351, FIG. 6 of this prior patent indicates that a nebulizer or ultrasonic oscillator 15 is set at the bottom of the atomization device. Regardless of the ultrasonic oscillator or heater this device equipped, when external force results in the damage of the ultrasonic oscillator or heater, the water in the atomization device will flow through the damaged ultrasonic oscillator or heater and seep into the main body and damage the oscillating circuit 10 of the ultrasonic oscillator or heater, even result in short circuit and unexpected damage. 
   Additionally, in the abovementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,351&#39;s ultrasonic oscillator humidistat, when the control circuit detects a low water level, it will cut off the power. However, it fails to teach cutting off the power in time when there is a water leakage in the nebulizer for preventing water leakage and damage in the case of water leakage. 
   Furthermore,  FIG. 1  shows a conventional control circuit for the water leakage and power break of atomization device, which mainly uses a zero phase electric sensor T 1  to judge the phase (difference of voltage) change between input power and driving circuit  5 , accordingly the power of the nebulizer would be cut off in time. However, the zero phase electric sensor T 1  would cause different voltage of V 1  and V 2  on both side ends for the damaged nebulizer, and the changeable voltage of the AC would have adverse effect and cause error action of control circuit and puzzle user, further increase the risk of product. And it was common to take the zero phase electric sensor T 1  as judger at that time, such as Taiwan Patent No. 174507 breaker with power leakage alarming function, No. 189066 Short, broken circuit inspection system, No. 470209 Simple protective circuit for power leakage and over current, and No. 584336, protective device for appliance etc. 
   To overcome the defects of conventional atomization devices and control circuits for the water leakage abovementioned, the inventor of the present invention researches and provides this invention particularly. 
   SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
   One purpose of the present invention is to provide an atomization device having a control circuit, which can cut off the power in time when the nebulizer is damaged and water leakage occurs so as to improve the operation safety of the atomization device. 
   Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an atomization device having a safety protection device, which can hold the water leaked from a damaged nebulizer and prevent water from seeping into the main body to result in failure or damage of control circuit of the main body for good performance of the atomization device. 
   The present invention has the following features: 
   1. A safety protection device and a control circuit are provided for the instantaneous atomization device of the present invention. The safety protection device is designed in an atomization groove to secure the control circuit in the main body and to protect the user. 
   2. The present invention provides a safety protection device and a control circuit for instantaneous atomization device, wherein the safety protection device is designed in an atomization groove to protect the nebulizer and properly separate a protective panel from the nebulizer. Accordingly, when the nebulizer is damaged by external impact causing water leakage, the aforesaid protective panel can be used for holding the water and the water would not seep into the main body. And the protective panel can detect the water leakage and drive the control circuit to break off the power of the nebulizer immediately for application safety of an instantaneous atomization device. 
   3. The present invention provides a safety protection device and a control circuit for an instantaneous atomization device, wherein a protective panel of the safety protection device is electrically connected to the control circuit. When the protective panel detects water leakage, the control circuit can control the circuit based on the V 3  voltage change of the resistance R 4  and cut off the power of the nebulizer in time and effectively. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a conventional control circuit for cutting off power when water leakage occurs. 
       FIG. 2  shows a control circuit of the present invention for cutting off power when water leakage occurs. 
       FIG. 3  is a partial exploded view of an atomization device of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a partial cutaway view of an atomization device of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged partial cutaway view of an atomization groove and a safety protection device of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is an enlarged partial cutaway view an atomization groove and a safety protection device according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a safety protection device of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Therefore, for better understanding of the present invention, the present invention is described in connection with the drawings as below: 
   As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the present invention provides an instantaneous atomization device having a safety protection device and a control circuit. The atomization device comprises a main body  1  with a water tank  10  detachably coupled to the main body, so that water can be loaded conveniently. And the water tank  10  has a large capacity in water storage. There is a water outlet valve  11  which has a valve pole  110  designed at the bottom wall of water tank  10 . The valve pole  110  goes through a water outlet  12  and a spring  111 . The lower end of valve pole  110  rests on a water outlet valve post  130  in a water trough  13  to keep proper water lever of the water trough  13  and control the water level of an atomization groove  140  for proper level, accordingly the water in the atomization groove  140  can be quickly atomized. Under the water tank  10  a water trough  13  is designed. A upright hollow post  131  is positioned in the water trough  13 . The upright post  131  can contain an inspection component  2 , which can be a photoelectric or magnetic sensor, such as Reed sensor, Hall IC and so on (because the inspection sensor is well known, it is not shown in the drawings). Furthermore, the upright post  131  can be engaged with a floating ball  20 , and controlled by a limitation component  21 , so that the floating ball  2  is designed on the upright post  131  of the main body  1  and the floating ball  20  can work with the inspection sensor abovementioned. An atomization room  14  is designed in the main body  1 . Under atomization room  14  is an atomization groove  140 . A safety protection device is provided under atomization groove  140  for the operation safety. 
   The safety protection device  3  (as shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  5  and  7 ) is designed in the atomization groove  140  and is equipped with a shell comprising upper and lower cover  30 ,  31 . The upper cover  30  can be made detachable from the main body (as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 ) or integral with the main body (as shown in  FIG. 6 ). A nebulizer  32  is designed in the shell, which can be comprised of a heater or a ultrasonic oscillator, depending on practical need, and its periphery is covered by a ring-shaped cover  33 , which is made from a soft material of proper sealing and heat-resistance ability. Furthermore, a protective panel  34  is designed under the nebulizer  32 . It is preferred to use a metal protective panel  34 , but other proper electrical conductive materials can also be used. The protective panel  34  will be combined well with the aforesaid ring-shaped cover  33  tightly so as to keep a proper small gap between protective panel  34  and nebulizer  32  (as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ). Accordingly, when the nebulizer  32  is damaged by external impact and results in water leakage, the aforesaid protective panel  34  can hold the water and the water would not seep into the main body. 
   In order to be able to quickly cut off the power in the case of water leakage in the nebulizer  32 , the present invention provides a control circuit as shown in  FIG. 2 , in which a resistor R 4  is electrically connected to the protective panel  34 , and two terminals N and L in the control circuit are electrically connected to the nebulizer  32  respectively. So when the nebulizer  32  is under normal working state, two normally closed contacts N and C of relay R of the control circuit is closed, and the power can be supplied to the nebulizer  32  and make it operate normally. When the nebulizer  32  is damaged and water seeps into the protective panel  34 , and that makes the protective panel  34  produce an electric potential and results in a change in the voltage V 3  of resistor R 4 , that will drive the Silica Control Rectifier (SCR) and result in the action of relay R, so as to make the abovementioned two normally closed contracts N and C open, and cut off the power of nebulizer  32  for water leakage protection.