Humidification apparatus

Abstract

Provided is a humidification apparatus including a main body having a water container accommodating portion, a drawer slidably coupled to the main body to open and close the water container accommodating portion and including a basket having an opening that is open at an upper side thereof, a water container provided to be accommodated in the basket through the opening, a rail assembly coupled to a bottom surface of the water container accommodating portion, and allowing the drawer to be slidably moved, an automatic driving device coupled to the bottom surface of the water container accommodating portion, and allowing the drawer to be automatically inserted into or withdrawn from the water container accommodating portion, and a fall prevention device coupled to a lower portion of the basket and configured to support the drawer to prevent the drawer from falling when the drawer is withdrawn.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A humidification apparatus comprising:
 a main body;   a drawer slidably coupled to the main body and configured to slide into and slide out of the main body to open and to close the drawer, respectively, the drawer including a basket having an opening that is open at an upper side thereof;   a water container configured to be accommodated in the basket through the opening;   an automatic driving device coupled to a bottom surface of the main body, and configured to allow the drawer to be automatically inserted into and withdrawn out of the main body by slidably moving the drawer; and   a fall prevention device coupled to a lower portion of the basket and configured to support the drawer to inhibit the drawer from falling when the drawer is withdrawn out of the main body.   
     
     
         2 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fall prevention device includes a pair of fall prevention devices coupled to a left side of the lower portion of the basket and a right side of the lower portion of the basket, respectively, and each fall prevention device of the pair of fall prevention devices includes a support portion provided to be supported on a floor surface to inhibit the drawer from falling when the drawer is withdrawn out of the main body. 
     
     
         3 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the fall prevention device includes a case coupled to the lower portion of the basket,
 a gear fixed to an inside of the case to enable rotation when the drawer moves in a forward direction and a backward direction, and   a supporter engaged with and rotated relative to the gear to thereby rotate the support portion.   
     
     
         4 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the fall prevention device further includes a torsion spring configured to limit a range of rotation of the support portion and fix the support portion. 
     
     
         5 . The humidification apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a rack gear provided on the bottom surface of the main body is configured to rotate the gear in response to withdrawal of the drawer, and
 the gear includes a first gear engaged with and rotated relative to the rack gear and a second gear engaged with and rotated relative to the first gear to thereby rotate the supporter.   
     
     
         6 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the supporter includes a fixed shaft fixed to the case to enable rotation,
 a rotating portion fixed to the fixed shaft and engaged with the second gear to cause the supporter to rotate on the fixed shaft, and   a rotation shaft allowing the support portion to be rotatably coupled thereto and having a torsion spring coupled between the support portion and the rotation shaft.   
     
     
         7 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the support portion includes
 a rotation hole rotatably coupled to the rotation shaft,   a body provided to be exposed outside of the case by being rotated by the supporter when the drawer is withdrawn out of the main body,   a wheel supported on the floor surface in response to the body being rotated, and   a wheel fixing shaft provided at a tip end of the body and to which the wheel is fixed to enable rotation.   
     
     
         8 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein when the drawer is withdrawn out of the main body, the first gear is rotated counterclockwise by the rack gear, the second gear is rotated clockwise by the first gear, the supporter is rotated counterclockwise on the fixed shaft by the rotating portion engaged with the second gear, and the support portion is rotated counterclockwise together with the supporter, so that the wheel is supported on the floor surface. 
     
     
         9 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the automatic driving device includes
 a pair of automatic driving devices and each automatic driving device of the pair of automatic driving devices includes a housing coupled to the bottom surface of the main body,   a motor coupled to the housing and configured to generate a driving force, a pinion gear provided inside the housing and rotated by the motor,   a first link fixed to an inside of the housing to enable rotation and engaged with and rotated relative to the pinion gear, and   a second link connecting the drawer to the first link and configured to convert a rotational motion of the first link into a linear motion such that the drawer is linearly moved.   
     
     
         10 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first link includes
 a first rotation hole fixed to the housing to enable rotation,   a gear portion engaged with the pinion gear, and   a rotation protrusion to which the second link is fixed to enable rotation.   
     
     
         11 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the second link includes
 a second rotation hole rotatably connected to the rotation protrusion,   a connecting hole connected to the drawer, and   a guide protrusion fixed to the housing to enable a linear motion.   
     
     
         12 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the housing includes
 a motor coupling portion to which the motor is coupled,   a rotation shaft to which the first rotation hole is fixed to enable rotation,   a support rib provided to support the rotation protrusion to cause the first link to rotate on the rotation shaft, and   a guide groove into which the guide protrusion is inserted and guided to be linearly moved.   
     
     
         13 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein when the pinion gear is rotated in response to the motor being driven, the first link is rotated on the rotation shaft by the pinion gear, and the second link is rotated on the rotation protrusion so that the drawer is linearly moved in the forward direction and the backward direction. 
     
     
         14 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the pinion gear is rotated clockwise, the first link is rotated counterclockwise on the rotation shaft, the second link is rotated clockwise on the rotation protrusion, the guide protrusion is linearly moved in a left-to-right side direction along the guide groove, and an end tip of the second link formed with the connecting hole is moved forward so that the drawer is withdrawn out of the main body. 
     
     
         15 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein when the pinion gear is rotated counterclockwise, the first link is rotated clockwise on the rotation shaft, the second gear is rotated counterclockwise on the rotation protrusion, the guide protrusion is linearly moved in the left-to-right side direction along the guide groove, and the end tip of the second link formed with the connecting hole is moved backward so that the drawer is inserted into the main body. 
     
     
         16 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the automatic driving device includes
 a pair of automatic driving devices and each automatic driving device of the pair of automatic driving devices includes a housing coupled to the bottom surface of the main body,   a motor coupled to the housing and configured to generate a driving force,   a belt provided inside the housing and provided to be driven by the motor, a pulley configured to transfer the driving force of the motor to the belt, and   a connecting portion connected to the belt and the drawer to cause the drawer to be linearly moved in a forward direction and a backward direction by the belt.   
     
     
         17 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the connecting portion includes
 a first connecting portion fixed to the belt,   a second connecting portion coupled to the first connecting portion to linearly move in the forward direction and the backward direction together with the first connecting portion, and   a third connecting portion coupled to the second connecting portion and the drawer to connect the second connecting portion to the drawer.   
     
     
         18 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the housing includes a plurality of rollers that allow the belt to move. 
     
     
         19 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the housing includes
 a motor coupling portion to which the motor is coupled,   a belt accommodating portion provided to form a space in which the belt is driven,   a pulley accommodating portion allowing the pulley to be accommodated therein inside the belt accommodating portion,   an opening that is open to connect the motor to the pulley, a plurality of roller coupling portions to which the plurality of rollers are coupled in the belt accommodating portion, and   a guide hole provided to guide the second connecting portion to linearly move in the forward direction and the backward direction.   
     
     
         20 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein when the pulley is rotated in response to the motor being driven, the belt is driven by the pulley, and the belt when driven causes the drawer connected to the belt through the connecting portion to be linearly moved in the forward direction and the backward direction. 
     
     
         21 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein when the pulley is rotated counterclockwise, the belt is driven to cause the connecting portion connected to the belt to be linearly moved forward, and cause the drawer to be linearly moved forward together with the connecting portion to thereby be withdrawn out of the main body. 
     
     
         22 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein when the pulley is rotated clockwise, the belt is driven to cause the connecting portion connected to the belt to be linearly moved backward and cause the drawer to be linearly moved backward together with the connecting portion to thereby be inserted into the main body. 
     
     
         23 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the automatic driving device includes a pair of automatic driving devices and each automatic driving device of the pair of automatic driving devices includes
 a motor configured to generate a driving force, a pinion gear provided to be rotated by the motor,   a rack gear portion engaged with the pinion gear to be linearly moved in a forward direction and a backward direction, and   a connecting portion connected to the rack gear portion and the drawer to cause the drawer to be linearly moved in the forward direction and the backward direction by the rack gear portion.   
     
     
         24 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the rack gear portion includes
 a rack gear engaged with the pinion gear,   a fixed rib fixed to a rail assembly to enable a linear motion in the forward direction and the backward direction, and   a connecting portion coupling hole to which the connecting portion is coupled.   
     
     
         25 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein when the pinion gear is rotated in response to the motor being driven, the rack gear portion engaged with the pinion gear is linearly moved in the forward direction and the backward direction, and the drawer is linearly moved in the forward direction and the backward direction together with the rack gear portion. 
     
     
         26 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein when the pinion gear is rotated counterclockwise, the rack gear portion is linearly moved forward to cause the drawer to be moved forward to thereby be withdrawn out of the main body. 
     
     
         27 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein when the pinion gear is rotated clockwise, the rack gear portion is linearly moved backward to cause the drawer to be moved backward to thereby be inserted into the main body. 
     
     
         28 . A humidification apparatus comprising:
 a main body;   a drawer slidably coupled to the main body and configured to slide into and slide out of the main body to open and to close the drawer, respectively, the drawer including a basket having an opening that is open at an upper side thereof;   a water container configured to be accommodated in the basket through the opening; and   an automatic driving device configured to allow the drawer to be automatically inserted into and withdrawn out of the main body by slidably moving the drawer and to support the drawer to inhibit the drawer from falling when the drawer is withdrawn out of the main body.   
     
     
         29 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the automatic driving device includes a pair of automatic driving devices and each automatic driving device of the pair of automatic driving devices includes
 a motor configured to generate a driving force,   a plurality of links provided to be rotated by the motor to cause the drawer to be linearly moved in a forward direction and a backward direction, and   a support link provided to rotate and to be positioned so that the support link is supported on a floor surface to inhibit the drawer from falling in response to the drawer being withdrawn out of the main body.   
     
     
         30 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of links includes a first link fixed to a sidewall of the main body to enable rotation and provided to be rotated by the motor,
 a second link having one end rotatably connected to the first link and having an other end to which the support link is rotatably coupled, and   a third link having one end rotatably connected to the first link and an other end rotatably connected to a sidewall of the drawer.   
     
     
         31 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the first link includes a first fixed portion provided at one end of the first link and fixed to the sidewall of the main body,
 a gear portion provided to allow the first link to be rotated on the first fixed portion, a first connecting portion provided at an other end of the first link and rotatably connected to the third link, and   a second connecting portion provided between the first fixed portion and the first connecting portion and to which one end of the second link is rotatably connected.   
     
     
         32 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the second link includes a third connecting portion provided at one end of the second link and rotatably connected to the second connecting portion of the first link, and
 a second fixed portion provided at an other end of the second link and to which the support link is fixed to enable rotation.   
     
     
         33 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the third link includes a fourth connecting portion provided at one end of the third link and rotatably connected to the first connecting portion of the first link and
 a third fixed portion provided at an other end of the third link and fixed to the sidewall of the drawer to enable rotation.   
     
     
         34 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the support link includes a drawer fixed portion fixed to the sidewall of the drawer,
 a link connecting portion rotatably connected to the second fixed portion of the second link, and   a support portion provided to be supported on the floor surface when the drawer is withdrawn out of the main body.   
     
     
         35 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein when the first link is rotated on the first fixed portion in response to the motor being driven, the second link and the third link are rotated by the first link to cause the drawer to be linearly moved in the forward direction and the backward direction. 
     
     
         36 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein when the first link is rotated counterclockwise on the first fixed portion by the motor, the second link is rotated counterclockwise on the third connecting portion, and the third link is rotated counterclockwise on the forth connecting portion to cause the drawer to be moved forward to thereby be withdrawn out of the main body. 
     
     
         37 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein when the drawer is withdrawn out of the main body, the support link is rotated counterclockwise on the link connecting portion by the second link, to cause the support portion to be supported on the floor surface. 
     
     
         38 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein when the second link is rotated clockwise on the first fixed portion by the motor, the second link is rotated clockwise on the third connecting portion, and the third link is rotated clockwise on the fourth connecting portion to cause the drawer to be moved backward to thereby be inserted into the main body. 
     
     
         39 . The humidification apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein when the drawer is inserted into the main body, the support link is rotated clockwise on the link connecting portion by the second link to cause the support portion to be separated from the floor surface.