Humidifier

Abstract

A humidifier may include a water tank that stores water, at least one humidifying water tank disposed under the water tank that produces humidified air from water supplied from the water tank, an inner shell that forms a space in which the water tank is disposed, the inner shell being spaced apart from an outer circumferential surface of the water tank, an exhaust tube that extends upward to guide humidified air produced in the at least one humidifying water tank to a discharge channel formed between the water tank and the inner shell, and a sealer disposed to seal a portion between the exhaust tube and the inner shell.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A humidifier, comprising:
 a water tank that stores water;   at least one humidifying water tank disposed under the water tank that produces humidified air from the water supplied from the water tank;   an inner shell that forms a space in which the water tank is disposed, the inner shell being spaced apart from an outer circumferential surface of the water tank;   an exhaust tube that extends upward to send humidified air produced in the at least one humidifying water tank to a discharge channel formed between the water tank and the inner shell; and   a sealer that seals a portion between the exhaust tube and the inner shell.   
     
     
         2 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the water tank is positioned such that it applies a load to the inner shell disposed over the sealer. 
     
     
         3 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the sealer is disposed between the inner shell and the exhaust tube and extends downward to be in contact with each of an inner surface and an outer surface of the exhaust tube. 
     
     
         4 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the sealer includes an inner protrusion that protrudes radially inward such that a lower end portion of the inner shell is seated thereon. 
     
     
         5 . The humidifier of  claim 4 , wherein the inner protrusion is disposed at a position spaced downward a predetermined distance apart from an upper end of the sealer. 
     
     
         6 . The humidifier of  claim 4 , wherein an inner circumferential surface of the lower end portion of the inner shell protrudes inward further than the inner protrusion. 
     
     
         7 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the sealer includes:
 a first contact wall disposed to be in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the exhaust tube;   a second contact wall disposed to be in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the exhaust tube; and   a connection wall that connects an upper end of the first contact wall and an upper end of the second contact wall.   
     
     
         8 . The humidifier of  claim 7 , wherein a length of the first contact wall is smaller than a length of the second contact wall. 
     
     
         9 . The humidifier of  claim 7 , wherein the sealer further includes an inner protrusion that protrudes inward from the first contact wall at a position spaced downward apart from an upper end of the connection wall, and wherein a lower end portion of the inner shell has a step shape disposed over each of the inner protrusion and the connection wall. 
     
     
         10 . The humidifier of  claim 9 , wherein a bottom surface of the inner shell includes an exhaust connection wall that protrudes downward, and wherein the sealer is disposed between the exhaust connection wall and the exhaust tube. 
     
     
         11 . The humidifier of  claim 10 , wherein a lower end of the exhaust connection wall includes:
 a first lower end surface disposed over the inner protrusion; and   a second lower end surface spaced apart radially outward from the first lower end surface and spaced apart upward from the first lower end surface, wherein the inner protrusion protrudes under the first lower end surface, and wherein the connection wall is disposed under the second lower end surface.   
     
     
         12 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , further comprising a middle tray disposed under the water tank and the inner shell, the middle tray supporting the inner shell, wherein a hole through which humidified air discharged from the at least one humidifying water tank flows is formed on the middle tray, and wherein the middle tray is disposed to be in contact with each of an upper end of the sealer and a lower end of the inner shell between the sealer and the inner shell. 
     
     
         13 . The humidifier of  claim 12 , wherein a flange that protrudes upward around the hole is disposed at the middle tray, and wherein the flange is disposed to be in contact with each of the upper end of the sealer and the lower end of the inner shell between the sealer and the inner shell. 
     
     
         14 . The humidifier of  claim 13 , wherein the sealer includes an inner protrusion that protrudes radially inward such that a lower end portion of the inner shell is seated thereon, wherein the inner shell includes:
 a first lower end surface disposed over the inner protrusion; and   a second lower end surface spaced apart radially outward from the first lower end surface and spaced apart upward from the first lower end surface, wherein the first lower end surface is disposed to be in contact with the inner protrusion, and wherein the second lower end surface is disposed to be in contact with the flange.   
     
     
         15 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of an inner circumferential surface of a lower end portion of the inner shell is larger than a diameter of an inner circumferential surface of the exhaust tube. 
     
     
         16 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the water tank and the inner shell are disposed to be separable over the exhaust tube. 
     
     
         17 . A humidifier, comprising:
 a water tank that stores water;   at least one humidifying water tank disposed under the water tank that produces humidified air from water supplied from the water tank using an ultrasonic vibration;   a middle tray disposed between the water tank and the at least one humidifying water tank and having a hole open in an upward-downward direction;   an exhaust tube disposed under the middle tray that guides humidified air produced in the at least one humidifying water tank to a portion over the middle tray through the hole; and   a sealer disposed between the exhaust tube and the middle tray.   
     
     
         18 . The humidifier of  claim 17 , wherein the sealer includes:
 a first contact wall disposed to be in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the exhaust tube;   a second contact wall disposed to be in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the exhaust tube; and   a connection wall that connects an upper end of the first contact wall and an upper end of the second contact wall.   
     
     
         19 . The humidifier of  claim 18 , wherein a length of the first contact wall is smaller than a length of the second contact wall. 
     
     
         20 . The humidifier of  claim 18 , wherein the sealer further includes an inner protrusion that protrudes inward from the first contact wall at a position spaced downward apart from an upper end of the connection wall, and wherein a lower end portion of the inner shell has a step shape disposed over each of the inner protrusion and the connection wall.