Evaporative humidifier

Abstract

Evaporative humidifiers comprising: in vertical relationship and fluid communication with each other, a water inlet and a water reservoir downstream therefrom, positioned to receive water along a first fluid path; air inlet(s) and air outlet(s) in vertical relationship with the water inlet and/or reservoir, and a wick, downstream the water inlet, partially disposed in the reservoir to draw water therefrom to a wick portion in fluid communication with the air inlet(s) and the air outlet(s); and a motor-fan assembly downstream and in vertical relationship with the water inlet, upstream the reservoir. The reservoir and one or more of the air inlet(s) and the air outlet(s) generate an air current for drawing air, via the air inlet(s), from an external environment through the wick portion and move moistened air to the external environment via the air outlet(s) along a second fluid path at least partially separate from the first fluid path.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An evaporative humidifier comprising:
 in vertical relationship and in fluid communication with each other:
 a water inlet; and 
 a water reservoir downstream the water inlet, the water reservoir positioned to receive water from the water inlet along a first fluid path; 
   at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet, wherein one or more of the at least one air inlet and the at least one air outlet is in vertical relationship with one or more of the water inlet and the water reservoir, and   a wick, downstream the water inlet, partially disposed in the water reservoir and configured to draw water up from the reservoir to a portion of the wick in fluid communication with the at least one air inlet and the at least one air outlet; and   a motor-fan assembly downstream the water inlet and upstream the water reservoir and in vertical relationship with the water inlet, the water reservoir and one or more of the at least one air inlet and the at least one air outlet, wherein the motor-fan assembly is configured to generate an air current for drawing air, via the at least one air inlet, from an environment external the evaporative humidifier through at least the portion of the wick and to move moistened air to the external environment via the at least one air outlet and along a second fluid path that is at least partially separate from the first fluid path;   wherein the motor-fan assembly comprises,
 a motor, 
   a fan-blade assembly operatively connected to an output shaft of the motor, and   a controller operatively connected to the motor.   
     
     
         2 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a diverter downstream the water inlet, the diverter configured to:
 receive water from the water inlet, and 
 direct the received water to the water reservoir along the first fluid path. 
 
 
     
     
         3 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 2 , wherein the diverter comprises a fluid diverting surface of the fan-blade assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 2 , wherein the diverter comprises at least one water conduit configured to direct the received water to the reservoir via the first fluid path. 
     
     
         5 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 4 , wherein at least one water conduit comprises at least one channel. 
     
     
         6 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 2 , wherein the diverter comprises a funnel in vertical relationship and in fluid communication with the water inlet. 
     
     
         7 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is an electric motor, optionally a variable speed motor. 
     
     
         8 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 7 , wherein the electric motor is a direct current (DC) motor or an alternating current (AC) motor. 
     
     
         9 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 1  further comprising a motor-fan assembly housing, the motor-fan assembly housing having a fan grill downstream the motor-fan assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the water inlet comprises a grill. 
     
     
         11 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one air inlet is downstream and in vertical relationship with the at least one air outlet. 
     
     
         12 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one air outlet is provided in a first housing of the evaporative humidifier and the at least one air inlet is provided in a second housing of the evaporative humidifier downstream the first housing, the second housing comprising the water reservoir. 
     
     
         13 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 1  further comprising a control panel operatively connected to the controller, the control panel being configured to receive input to actuate the motor. 
     
     
         14 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is a printed circuit board (PCB) motor. 
     
     
         15 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the water inlet, the water reservoir, the wick and the motor-fan assembly are at least generally arranged in axial relationship with respect to each other. 
     
     
         16 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 1  further comprising a relative humidity sensor, wherein the motor is operatively connected to the relative humidity sensor and configured to provide the moistened air to the external environment based on a sensed relative humidity in accordance with at least one desired relative humidity setting. 
     
     
         17 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one desired relative humidity setting is a plurality of humidity settings. 
     
     
         18 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of humidity settings include at least a 40%, a 50% and a 60% relative humidity. 
     
     
         19 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the portion is disposed above a pre-determined water-level. 
     
     
         20 . The evaporative humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the fan-blade assembly comprises a plurality of fluid-moving fan blades each having a conical shaped profile beginning at the root of the respective fan blade.