Humidifying apparatus and air conditioner having the same

Abstract

A humidifying apparatus includes a blowing fan having a plurality of impellers rotating around a rotation axis to generate an air flow, each of the impellers having a humidified fluid discharging part formed to discharge a humidified fluid toward a circumferential surface of the impeller according to a rotation of the impeller and a casing connected with the impellers, and a humidified fluid guiding part formed at a side of the casing and guiding the humidified fluid according to the rotation of the blowing fan.

1 . A humidifying apparatus comprising:
 a blowing fan comprising:
 a plurality of impellers rotating around a rotation axis to generate an air flow, each of the impellers having a humidified fluid discharging part formed to discharge a humidified fluid toward a circumferential surface of the impeller according to rotation of the impeller, and 
 a casing connected with the impellers; and 
   a humidified fluid guiding part formed at a side of the casing and guiding the humidified fluid according to a rotation of the blowing fan;   wherein the humidified fluid discharging part communicates with the humidified fluid guiding part.   
   
   
       2 . The humidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the humidified fluid discharging part comprises:
 a communicating part provided at a side thereof and having an opening which communicates with the humidified fluid guiding part, and   at least one discharging slot provided at another side thereof and formed in a direction toward the circumferential surface of the impeller to communicate with the communicating part.   
   
   
       3 . The humidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the humidified fluid guiding part comprises:
 a transverse surface provided at a side of the casing in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, and   at least one vertical guiding member connected to the transverse surface and disposed apart from the rotation axis by a predetermined distance.   
   
   
       4 . The humidifying apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the vertical guiding member is integrally formed with the transverse surface. 
   
   
       5 . The humidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein an inside portion of each of the impellers is hollow. 
   
   
       6 . The humidifying apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one vertical guiding member comprises a first vertical guiding member and a second vertical guiding member, the first and second vertical guiding members being disposed on the transverse surface at different distances from the rotation axis. 
   
   
       7 . The humidifying apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the first vertical guiding member is disposed nearer to the rotation axis than the second vertical guiding member. 
   
   
       8 . The humidifying apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein a height of the second vertical guiding member from the transverse surface is equal to or larger than a height of the first vertical guiding member from the transverse surface. 
   
   
       9 . The humidifying apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the second vertical guiding member is disposed concentric with the rotation axis. 
   
   
       10 . The humidifying apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the second vertical guiding member includes a first section that lies closer to the communicating part and a second section that lies further from the communicating part, the first section of the second vertical guiding member being disposed further from the rotation axis than the second section of the second vertical guiding member. 
   
   
       11 . The humidifying apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the second vertical guiding member extends from the transverse surface and is bent into a substantially L-shape. 
   
   
       12 . The humidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a humidified fluid supplying part supplying the humidified fluid to the humidified fluid guiding part. 
   
   
       13 . The humidifying apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the humidified fluid supplying part comprises:
 a supplying pipe supplying and guiding the humidified fluid, and   a supply valve opening and closing a flow path of the supplying pipe.   
   
   
       14 . The humidifying apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising a controlling part which controls the supply valve to open and close according to operation and suspension of the blowing fan. 
   
   
       15 . The humidifying apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the humidified fluid supplying part further comprises:
 a supply source supplying the humidified fluid to the supplying pipe, and   a fluid reservoir provided between the supply source and the supply valve.   
   
   
       16 . The humidifying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the blowing fan comprises a centrifugal fan. 
   
   
       17 . An air conditioner having a humidifying apparatus, the air conditioner comprising:
 a blowing fan comprising:
 a plurality of impellers rotating around a rotation axis to generate an air flow, each of the impellers having a humidified fluid discharging part formed to discharge a humidified fluid toward a circumferential surface of the impeller according to a rotation of the impeller, and 
 a casing connected with the impellers; 
   a heat exchanger disposed around the blowing fan;   a humidified fluid guiding part formed at a side of the casing and provided to guide the humidified fluid according to a rotation of the blowing fan; and   wherein the humidified fluid discharging part communicates with the humidified fluid guiding part.   
   
   
       18 . The air conditioner according to  claim 17 , wherein the humidified fluid discharging part comprises:
 a communicating part provided at a side thereof and having an opening which communicates with the humidified fluid guiding part, and   at least one discharging slot provided at another side thereof and formed in a direction toward the circumferential surface of the impeller to communicate with the communicating part.   
   
   
       19 . The air conditioner according to  claim 17 , wherein the humidified fluid guiding part comprises:
 a transverse surface provided at a side of the casing in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, and   at least one vertical guiding member connected to the transverse surface and disposed apart from the rotation axis by a predetermined distance.   
   
   
       20 . The air conditioner according to  claim 19 , wherein the vertical guiding member is integrally formed with the transverse surface. 
   
   
       21 . The air conditioner according to  claim 19 , wherein the at least one vertical guiding member comprises a first vertical guiding member and a second vertical guiding member, the first and second vertical guiding members being disposed on the transverse surface at different distances from the rotation axis, the first vertical guiding member being disposed nearer to the rotation axis than the second vertical guiding member. 
   
   
       22 . The air conditioner according to  claim 21 , wherein the second vertical guiding member extends from the transverse surface and is bent into a substantially L-shape. 
   
   
       23 . The air conditioner according to  claim 17 , further comprising a humidified fluid supplying part supplying the humidified fluid to the humidified fluid guiding part. 
   
   
       24 . The air conditioner according to  claim 23 , wherein the humidified fluid supplying part comprises:
 a supplying pipe supplying and guiding the humidified fluid, and   a supply valve opening and closing a flow path of the supplying pipe.   
   
   
       25 . The air conditioner according to  claim 24 , further comprising a controlling part which controls the supply valve to open and close according to operation and suspension of the blowing fan. 
   
   
       26 . A blowing fan for a humidifying apparatus, comprising:
 a plurality of impellers rotating about a rotation axis to generate an air flow, each of the impellers having an opening to receive a humidified fluid;   a casing connected with the impellers; and   a transverse surface provided at a side of the casing in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis,   wherein the humidified fluid is guided by the transverse surface through the opening.   
   
   
       27 . The blowing fan according to  claim 26 , further comprising at least one vertical guiding member disposed perpendicular to the transverse surface, the vertical guiding member aiding in guiding the fluid to through the opening. 
   
   
       28 . The blowing fan according to  claim 27 , wherein the at least one vertical guiding member includes a first vertical guiding member and a second vertical guiding member distanced further from the rotation axis than the first vertical guiding member. 
   
   
       29 . The blowing fan according to  claim 28 , wherein the second vertical guiding member extends from the transverse surface and is bent into a substantially L-shape. 
   
   
       29 . The blowing fan according to  claim 28 , wherein the second vertical guiding member extends higher from the traverse surface than the first vertical guiding member. 
   
   
       30 . The blowing fan according to  claim 28 , wherein the second vertical guiding member includes a first section that lies closer to the opening and a second section that lies further from the opening, the first section of the second vertical guiding member being disposed further from the rotation axis than the second section of the second vertical guiding member. 
   
   
       31 . The blowing fan according to  claim 26 , further comprising a discharging slot formed in a direction toward a circumferential surface of the impeller and discharging the fluid supplied through the opening.