Humidifier assembly

Claim 2

A humidifier assembly, comprising a housing assembly adapted to be secured to a portion of an associated hot air heating system, said housing assembly comprising spaced support means, water reservoir means, comprising a separate pan-like structure detachably carried by said spaced support means and water inlet valving means separate from said housing assembly said support means and said water reservoir means for at times supplying water to said water reservoir means in order to replenish water depleted therefrom, said water inlet valving means comprising a body portion adapted for mounting to said associated hot air heating system within the confines of said housing assembly but separately from said housing assembly including said spaced support means and externally of said pan-like structure, said body portion carrying a water flow controlling valve assembly having a discharge end, and a resiliently deflectable conduit operatively secured to said valve assembly, said resiliently deflectable conduit having an inlet portion and a discharge portion with said inlet portion being in communication with said discharge end of said valve assembly, and a float mechanism operatively connected to said body portion and having a float member situated within the confines of said pan-like structure as generally defined by upstanding wall portions thereof, said float member being effective to terminate water flow through said valve assembly discharge end whenever the water level within said panlike structure has attained a predetermined level, said discharge portion of said resiliently deflectable conduit being normally received within the confines of said upstanding wall portions of said pan-like structure and being further effective to resiliently deflect over the effective height of said upstanding wall portions whenever said pan-like structure is withdrawn from said spaced support means in a direction generally transverse to said resiliently deflectable conduit.

Claim 3

A humiDifier assembly, comprising a housing assembly adapted to be secured to a portion of an associated hot air heating system, said housing assembly comprising spaced support means, water reservoir means, water inlet valving means separate from said housing assembly said support means and said water reservoir means for at times supplying water to said water reservoir means in order to replenish water depleted therefrom, said water reservoir means comprising a separate pan-like structure detachably carried by said spaced support means, said water inlet valving means comprising a body portion adapted for detachable mounting to said pan-like structure, said pan-like structure comprising slot-like retainer portions formed therein, and said body portion comprising oppositely disposed guide-like members slidably received within said slot-like retainer portions.

Claim 4

A humiDifier assembly, comprising a housing assembly adapted to be secured to a portion of an associated hot air heating system, said housing assembly comprising spaced support means, water reservoir means, water inlet valving means separate from said housing assembly said support means and said water reservoir means for at times supplying water to said water reservoir means in order to replenish water depleted therefrom, said water reservoir means comprising a separate pan-like structure detachably carried by said spaced support means, said water inlet valving means comprising a body portion adapted for detachable mounting to said pan-like structure, said pan-like structure comprising slot-like retainer portions formed therein, and said body portion comprising oppositely disposed guide-like members slidably received within said slot-like retainer portions.

Claim 5

A humidifier assembly according to claim 2, wherein said body portion comprises an upper end and a lower end with an internally formed conduit communicating between said ends, wherein said lower end is adapted to be juxtaposed to a floor portion of said pan-like structure upon said guide-like members being received within said slot-like retainer portions, and wherein said upper end is provided with a water discharge passage controllable by an associated variably positionable valve member.

Claim 6

A humidifier assembly according to claim 3, wherein said variably positionable valve member is operatively connected to a float member disposed within said pan-like structure so as to be responsive to the existing level of the water within said pan-like structure.

Claim 7

A humidifier assembly according to claim 3, wherein said body portion is formed of at least first and second body sections joined to each other along directions generally longitudinally of said body portion, and wherein said internally formed conduit is partly formed in each of said first and second body sections.

Claim 8

A humidifier assembly, comprising a housing assembly adapted to be secured to a portion of an associated hot air heating system, said housing assembly comprising spaced support means, water reservoir means, and water inlet valving means separate from said housing assembly said support means and said water reservoir means for at times supplying water to said water reservoir means in order to replenish water depleted therefrom said water reservoir means comprising a separate pan-like structure detachably carried by said spaced support means, said water inlet valving means comprising a body portion adapted for mounting to said associated hot air heating system separate from said spaced support means and externally of said pan-like structure, said body portion comprising a lower water inlet end adapted for connection to a suitable source of water and an upper end adapted for at times discharging water into said pan-like structure, conduit means formed internally of said body portion communicating between said upper and lower ends, and a float member situated within said pan-like structure and adapted for controlling the flow of water from said upper end into said pan-like structure.

Claim 9

A humidifier assembly, comprising a housing assembly adapted to be secured to a portion of an associated hot air heating system, said housing assembly comprising spaced support means, water reservoir means, and water inlet valving means separate from said housing assembly said support means and said water reservoir means for at times supplying water to said water reservoir means in order to replenish water depleted therefrom said water reservoir means comprising a separate pan-like structure detachably carried by said spaced support means, said water inlet valving means comprising a body portion adapted for mounting to said associated hot air heating system separate from said spaced support means and externally of said pan-like structure, said body portion comprising a lower water inlet end adapted for connection to a suitable source of water and an upper end adapted for at times discharging water into said pan-like structure, conduit means formed internally of said body portion communicating between said upper and lower ends, and a float member situated within said pan-like structure and adapted for controlling the flow of water from said upper end into said pan-like structure.

Claim 10

A humidifier assembly according to claim 6, wherein said spaced support means comprises first and second separate end wall-like members each adapted for separate attachment to said portion of said associated hot air heating system, wherein said pan-like structure is slidably supported at its opposite ends by said first and second wall-like members, including cover means adapted to operatively engage said end wall-like members so as to define an interior chamber which at least partially includes therein said upper end of said body portion of said water inlet valving means.

Claim 11

A humidifier assembly, comprising a housing assembly adapted to be secured to a portion of an associated hot air heating system, said housing assembly comprising oppositely disposed and spaced end support means, water reservoir means situated intermediate said spaced end support means, water inleT means for directing water from an associated water supply means to said water reservoir means, cover means adapted to operatively engage said end support means so as to define an interior chamber including therein said water inlet means, and a rotatable water carrier assembly situated within said chamber, said water carrier assembly being so positioned as to have a portion thereof contacting the water within said reservoir means, said water carrier assembly comprising a rotatable shaft carrying a plurality of axially spaced disc-like members for rotation therewith, said rotatable shaft having one end adapted for driving connection to associated motor means, said axially spaced disc-like members comprising a first wheel member carried by said shaft for rotation therewith, a second wheel member carried by said shaft for rotation therewith and in spaced relationship to said first wheel member said water carried by said shaft for rotation therewith and in spaced relationship to said first wheel member, said water carrier assembly further comprising cage-like means respectively carried at opposite ends thereof by said first and second wheel members, and generally tubular water lifting means carried generally about said cage-like means for lifting a part of the water from within said water reservoir means and presenting such lifted water to the flow of hot air of said heating system, and said water inlet valving means being separate from said water reservoir means and said housing assembly including said spaced support means.

Claim 12

A humidifier assembly, comprising a housing assembly adapted to be secured to a portion of an associated hot air heating system, said housing assembly comprising oppositely disposed and spaced end support means, water reservoir means situated intermediate said spaced end support means, water inleT means for directing water from an associated water supply means to said water reservoir means, cover means adapted to operatively engage said end support means so as to define an interior chamber including therein said water inlet means, and a rotatable water carrier assembly situated within said chamber, said water carrier assembly being so positioned as to have a portion thereof contacting the water within said reservoir means, said water carrier assembly comprising a rotatable shaft carrying a plurality of axially spaced disc-like members for rotation therewith, said rotatable shaft having one end adapted for driving connection to associated motor means, said axially spaced disc-like members comprising a first wheel member carried by said shaft for rotation therewith, a second wheel member carried by said shaft for rotation therewith and in spaced relationship to said first wheel member said water carried by said shaft for rotation therewith and in spaced relationship to said first wheel member, said water carrier assembly further comprising cage-like means respectively carried at opposite ends thereof by said first and second wheel members, and generally tubular water lifting means carried generally about said cage-like means for lifting a part of the water from within said water reservoir means and presenting such lifted water to the flow of hot air of said heating system, and said water inlet valving means being separate from said water reservoir means and said housing assembly including said spaced support means.

Claim 13

A humidifier assembly, comprising a housing assembly adapted to be secured to a portion of an associated hot air heating system, said housing assembly comprising oppositely disposed and spaced end support means, water inlet means for directing water from an associated water supply means to said water reservoir means, cover means adapted to operatively engage said end support means so as to define an interior chamber including therein said water inlet means, and a rotatable water carrier assembly situated within said chamber, said water carrier assembly being so positioned as to have a portion thereof contacting the water within said water reservoir means, said water carrier assembly comprising a rotatable shaft carrying a plurality of axially spaced disc-like members for rotation therewith, said rotatable shaft having one end adapted for driving connection to associated motor means, said spaced end support means comprising first and second separate end wall-like members each adapted for separate attachment to said portion of said associated hot air heating system, said water reservoir means comprising a separate lower pan-like structure detachably carried by said first and second wall-like members, said pan-like structure including first and second laterally extending flange portions respectively formed at opposite ends of said pan-like structure, and said first and second wall-like members being respectively provided with first and second laterally extending support surfaces being adapted to respectively slideably receive thereon and vertically support said first and second laterally extending flange portions in order to thereby support said pan-like structure generally between said first and second wall-like members, said water inlet means comprising float controlled water inlet valve means, said water inlet means being operatively connected to said hot air heating system separate from said pan-like structure thereby enabling removal of said pan-like structure from said wall-like members without necessity of disconnecting said water inlet means from said associated water supply means.

Claim 14

A humidifier assembly, comprising a housing assembly adapted to be secured to a portion of an associated hot air heating system, said housing assembly comprising oppositely disposed and spaced end support means, water inlet means for directing water from an associated water supply means to said water reservoir means, cover means adapted to operatively engage said end support means so as to define an interior chamber including therein said water inlet means, and a rotatable water carrier assembly situated within said chamber, said water carrier assembly being so positioned as to have a portion thereof contacting the water within said water reservoir means, said water carrier assembly comprising a rotatable shaft carrying a plurality of axially spaced disc-like members for rotation therewith, said rotatable shaft having one end adapted for driving connection to associated motor means, said spaced end support means comprising first and second separate end wall-like members each adapted for separate attachment to said portion of said associated hot air heating system, said water reservoir means comprising a separate lower pan-like structure detachably carried by said first and second wall-like members, said pan-like structure including first and second laterally extending flange portions respectively formed at opposite ends of said pan-like structure, and said first and second wall-like members being respectively provided with first and second laterally extending support surfaces being adapted to respectively slideably receive thereon and vertically support said first and second laterally extending flange portions in order to thereby support said pan-like structure generally between said first and second wall-like members, said water inlet means comprising float controlled water inlet valve means, said water inlet means being operatively connected to said hot air heating system separate from said pan-like structure thereby enabling removal of said pan-like structure from said wall-like members without necessity of disconnecting said water inlet means from said associated water supply means.

Claim 15

A humidifier assembly according to claim 6, wherein said body portion is formed of at least first and second body sections joined to each other along directions generally longitudinally of said body portion, and wherein said internally formed conduit is partly formed in each of said first and second body sections.

Claim 16

A humidifier assembly, comprising a housing asseMbly adapted to be secured to a portion of an associated hot air heating system, said housing assembly comprising spaced support means, water reservoir means, and water inlet valving means separate from said housing assembly said support means and said water reservoir means for at times supplying water to said water reservoir means in order to replenish water depleted therefrom, said water reservoir means comprising a separate pan-like structure detachably carried by said spaced support means, said water inlet valving means comprising a body portion adapted for detachable mounting to said pan-like structure, said pan-like structure comprising at least one slot-like retainer portion carried thereby, and said body portion comprising at least one guide-like member detachably received within said at least one slot-like retainer portion.

Claim 17

A humidifier assembly, comprising a housing asseMbly adapted to be secured to a portion of an associated hot air heating system, said housing assembly comprising spaced support means, water reservoir means, and water inlet valving means separate from said housing assembly said support means and said water reservoir means for at times supplying water to said water reservoir means in order to replenish water depleted therefrom, said water reservoir means comprising a separate pan-like structure detachably carried by said spaced support means, said water inlet valving means comprising a body portion adapted for detachable mounting to said pan-like structure, said pan-like structure comprising at least one slot-like retainer portion carried thereby, and said body portion comprising at least one guide-like member detachably received within said at least one slot-like retainer portion.