Air humidification device

Abstract

An air humidification device (1) includes a housing (2) having a front side and a rear side, on which housing an air inlet opening (3) and an air outlet opening as well as a water connection (5) for supplying water are provided. A porous ceramic plate is disposed in the housing in the air guide path thereof, which is formed between the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening, in such a way that the air passing through the air humidification device flows through the ceramic plate. The ceramic plate is surrounded by a frame at least on the front side, which frame is detachably and reattachably fixed in the housing. The housing has a detachable and reattachable housing wall part (4), upon removal of which the frame with the ceramic plate is accessible and can be removed from or inserted into the housing, respectively. In this way, an easy cleaning of the ceramic plate is possible.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . An air humidification device comprising a housing with a front side and a rear side, on which housing an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening as well as a water connection for the supply of water are foreseen, and with a porous ceramic plate, which is arranged in the housing in its air guide path, which is formed between the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening, in such a manner that the air passing through the air humidification device flows through the ceramic plate, wherein the ceramic plate is surrounded at least at the front side by a frame, which frame is detachably and reattachably fixed in the housing, wherein the housing comprises a detachable and reattachable housing wall part, upon removal of which the frame with the ceramic plate is accessible and is removeable from or insertable into the housing, respectively, and wherein a water guide is foreseen in the housing from the water connection in such a way that the water for air humidification is discharged onto the upper front side of the ceramic plate. 
     
     
         13 . The air humidification device according to  claim 12  wherein the ceramic plate is arranged vertically in the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The air humidification device according to  claim 12  wherein the water guide is designed to discharge the water first onto the upper side of the frame and the frame has water guide elements on the upper side for distributing the water onto the front side of the ceramic plate. 
     
     
         15 . The air humidification device according to  claim 12  wherein the frame is designed on its upper side with channel-like water guide elements for substantially uniform distribution of the water along and onto the upper front side of the ceramic plate, for which purpose the water guide elements have corresponding openings in the bottom thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The air humidification device according to  claim 12  wherein a conduit leads upwards in the housing from the water connection, which conduit has a plurality of outlet points at the upper end for discharging the water onto the ceramic plate. 
     
     
         17 . The air humidification device according to  claim 12  wherein a single ceramic plate is foreseen, and in particular wherein the ceramic plate has flat plate sides. 
     
     
         18 . The air humidification device according to  claim 12  wherein the frame and the housing comprise cooperating snap-in fastening means. 
     
     
         19 . The air humidification device according to  claim 12  wherein the frame and the ceramic plate are designed to be dishwasher-safe. 
     
     
         20 . The air humidification device according to  claim 12  wherein the air inlet opening is designed in such a way that a connection for an air hose is foreseen on each of opposite sides of the housing, wherein the respective unused connection of the two connections is closeable by a closure. 
     
     
         21 . The air humidification device according to  claim 12  wherein the air outlet opening is arranged at the rear of the housing. 
     
     
         22 . The air humidification device according to  claim 21  wherein the size of the air outlet opening at the rear side substantially corresponds to the area of the ceramic plate not covered by the frame, and wherein the air outlet opening comprises a collar surrounding the air outlet opening and projecting away from the rear side. 
     
     
         23 . The air humidification device according to  claim 12  wherein the rear side of the housing is designed in such a way that the housing is fixable with its rear side in a substantially flat manner to an outer surface of an air duct or an air box of a building ventilation system, such that the air outlet opening can be aligned with an opening in the air duct or in the air box. 
     
     
         24 . The use of an air humidification device according to  claim 12  for humidifying air via the building ventilation system of an apartment or a single-family house, wherein the air humidification device is mounted on the outside of an air duct or an air box of the building ventilation system and discharges the humidified air via the air outlet opening of the air humidification device into the interior of the air duct or the air box.