Humidifier

Abstract

A humidifier including a water tank including a space configured to receive water, a first humidification reservoir connected to the water tank through a supply tube, the first humidification reservoir including a heater, a first valve configured to open and close the supply tube, a second humidification reservoir connected to the first humidification reservoir through a connection pipe, the second humidification reservoir including a vibrator, a second valve configured to open and close the connection pipe, and a controller configured to, when a humidification operation is turned on, perform a sterilization mode of sterilizing the second humidification reservoir by driving the heater to heat water in the first humidification reservoir, and opening the second valve to supply the heated water to the second humidification reservoir.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A humidifier comprising:
 a water tank including a space configured to receive water;   a first humidification reservoir including a heater;   a supply tube connecting the water tank to the first humidification reservoir;   a first valve configured to open and close the supply tube;   a second humidification reservoir including a vibrator;   a connection pipe connecting the first humidification reservoir to the second humidification reservoir;   a second valve configured to open and close the connection pipe; and   a controller configured to, when a humidification operation is turned on, perform a sterilization mode of sterilizing the second humidification reservoir by driving the heater to heat water in the first humidification reservoir and opening the second valve to supply the heated water to the second humidification reservoir.   
     
     
         2 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, when the humidification operation is turned on and a reference date has elapsed after an immediately previous humidification operation is terminated, perform the sterilization mode. 
     
     
         3 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to maintain an open control state of the second valve until any one close condition of a plurality of close conditions is satisfied. 
     
     
         4 . The humidifier of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a first temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the water held within the first humidification reservoir; and   a second temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of water held within the second humidification reservoir,   wherein the plurality of close conditions include:
 a condition in which the water temperature of the second humidification reservoir reaches a first close temperature, and the first close temperature is maintained for a first close time; and 
 a condition in which the water temperature of the second humidification reservoir reaches a second close temperature lower than the first close temperature, and the second close temperature is maintained for a second close time longer than the first close time. 
   
     
     
         5 . The humidifier of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a first water level sensor configured to sense a water level of the water held within the first humidification reservoir; and   a second water level sensor configured to sense a water level of the water held within the second humidification reservoir,   wherein the plurality of close conditions include:
 a condition in which an open control time of the second valve elapses for a third close time; 
 a condition in which an upper limit level of a preset management water level range is sensed by the second water level sensor; and 
 a condition in which a fourth close time elapses after a lower limit level of the preset management water level range is sensed by the second water level sensor. 
   
     
     
         6 . The humidifier of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to, when the sterilization mode starts and a reference water level is not sensed by the first water level sensor, control the first valve to supply water until the water reaches the reference water level. 
     
     
         7 . The humidifier of  claim 6 , further comprising a blower fan located below the first humidification reservoir and the second humidification reservoir, the blower fan being configured to be driven at a first revolutions per minute (RPM),
 wherein the controller is further configured to drive the heater at a preset first duty to boil the water within the first humidification reservoir.   
     
     
         8 . The humidifier of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to, when the water within the first humidification reservoir is boiled, open the second valve to supply the water to the second humidification reservoir. 
     
     
         9 . The humidifier of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to, when the water within the first humidification reservoir is boiled, switch an output of the heater to a preset operation phase. 
     
     
         10 . The humidifier of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to, when the water temperature of the first humidification reservoir reaches a first temperature, and the first temperature is maintained for a first time or reaches a second temperature lower than the first temperature, and the second temperature is maintained for a second time longer than the first time, determine a state of the water as a boiling state. 
     
     
         11 . The humidifier of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to, when the second valve is in a closed state, increase an RPM of the blower fan. 
     
     
         12 . The humidifier of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 when the humidification operation is turned on and a reference date elapses after an immediately previous humidification operation is terminated, sequentially perform a first humidification start control and a second humidification start control; and   when the humidification operation is turned on and the reference date elapses after the immediately previous humidification operation is terminated, perform the sterilization mode and perform the second humidification start control.   
     
     
         13 . The humidifier of  claim 12 , wherein the first humidification start control and the sterilization mode are different from each other in terms of at least one of the water level of the second humidification reservoir, the close condition of the second valve, and RPM control of the blower fan. 
     
     
         14 . The humidifier of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to, when the second humidification start control starts, drive the vibrator, the blower fan, and the heater,
 wherein the blower fan is driven at a third RPM lower than the first RPM, and   wherein the heater is driven at a preset second duty smaller than the preset first duty.   
     
     
         15 . The humidifier of  claim 14 , wherein a termination condition of the second humidification start control is that a third water level is sensed by the second water level sensor or an operation time of the second humidification start control elapses for a second reference time, and
 wherein the controller is further configured to, when the termination condition is satisfied, terminate the second humidification start control.   
     
     
         16 . A humidifier comprising:
 a water tank including a space configured to receive water;   a first humidification reservoir including a heater;   a supply tube connecting the water tank to the first humidification reservoir;   a first valve configured to open and close the supply tube;   a second humidification reservoir including a vibrator;   a connection pipe connecting the first humidification reservoir to the second humidification reservoir;   a second valve configured to open and close the connection pipe; and   a controller configured to, before a humidification operation is performed, drive the heater to boil water in the first humidification reservoir and supply the boiled water to the second humidification reservoir.   
     
     
         17 . The humidifier of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a first temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the water held within the first humidification reservoir; and   a second temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of water held within the second humidification reservoir,   wherein the controller is further configured to, until the water temperature of the second humidification reservoir reaches a predetermined temperature, maintain the boiled water supply to the second humidification reservoir.   
     
     
         18 . The humidifier of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a first water level sensor configured to sense a water level of the water held within the first humidification reservoir; and   a second water level sensor configured to sense a water level of water held within the second humidification reservoir,   wherein the controller is further configured to, until a water level of the second humidification reservoir reaches a management water level range in which the vibrator operates during the humidification operation, maintain the boiled water supply to the second humidification reservoir.   
     
     
         19 . A humidifier comprising:
 a water tank including a space configured to receive water;   a first humidification reservoir including a heater;   a supply tube connecting the water tank to the first humidification reservoir;   a first valve configured to open and close the supply tube;   a second humidification reservoir including a vibrator;   a connection pipe connecting the first humidification reservoir to the second humidification reservoir;   a second valve configured to open and close the connection pipe; and   a controller configured to:
 when a humidification operation is turned on, control the heater so that the heater is driven to heat water in the first humidification reservoir and supply the heated water to the second humidification reservoir through the connection pipe; 
 when a reference date does not elapse after an immediately previous humidification operation is terminated, control the water so that the water is supplied to the second humidification reservoir up to a first water level; and 
 when the reference date elapses, supply the water to the second humidification reservoir up to a second water level higher than the first water level. 
   
     
     
         20 . The humidifier of  claim 19 , wherein the controller is further configured to, when the reference date elapses, maintain the water supply to the second humidification reservoir until a water temperature of the second humidification reservoir reaches a predetermined temperature.