Air Humidification Injection Apparatus

Abstract

The invention is an apparatus that humidifies air to a selected relative humidity and injects the humidified air into a container to establish the selected relative humidity throughout the container. The apparatus facilitates ambient supply air into a vessel for humidification to a selected relative humidity. The resulting humidified air is purged from the vessel and routed for injection into the container. The injected humidified air infiltrates the container and sustains the selected relative humidity throughout the container. Contents of the container are thus maintained at the selected relative humidity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus that humidifies air to a selected relative humidity comprising:
 a vessel containing a liquid medium;   an air movement mechanism to facilitate ambient supply air and resulting humidified air through the apparatus;   an inlet channel to direct the supply air for submersion in the liquid medium for humidification;   an outlet channel to direct the resulting humidified air from the vessel into a container;   the container having an exhaust ventilation port.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid medium is a substrate and water. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the substrate to water ratio determines the relative humidity of the resulting humidified air. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the level of relative humidity is selected by adjusting the substrate to water ratio of the liquid medium. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the submerged supply air is humidified by the diffusion of moisture from the liquid medium. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the vessel is external of the container. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the outlet channel extends from the vessel and terminates inside the container. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the vessel is internal of the container. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the outlet channel is an inherent part of the vessel. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is comprised of an impervious material. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is comprised of a base and a lid. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust ventilation port inherent characteristic of said container. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust ventilation port restricts airflow to limit the escape of air from the container. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust ventilation port maintains positive air pressure inside the container. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the selected relative humidity is established and maintained throughout the container.