Humidifier

Abstract

A humidifier according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a water tank forming a space in which water is held; a first humidification reservoir connected to the water tank through a supply tube, in which a heater is placed; a first water level sensor sensing a water level of water held within the first humidification reservoir; a second humidification reservoir connected to the first humidification reservoir through a first connection pipe and a second connection pipe, in which a vibrator is placed; a second water level sensor sensing a water level of water held within the second humidification reservoir; and a pump placed in the second connection pipe, and when a humidification operation is turned on, a first water level is sensed by the second water level sensor, a residual water recovery operation is performed in which the pump operates to recover residual water in the second humidification reservoir to the first humidification reservoir through the second connection pipe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A humidifier comprising:
 a water tank forming a space in which water is held;   a first humidification reservoir connected to the water tank through a supply tube, in which a heater is placed;   a first water level sensor sensing a water level of water held within the first humidification reservoir;   a second humidification reservoir connected to the first humidification reservoir through a first connection pipe and a second connection pipe, in which a vibrator is placed;   a second water level sensor sensing a water level of water held within the second humidification reservoir; and   a pump placed in the second connection pipe,   wherein when a first water level is sensed by the second water level sensor at the time of turning on a humidification operation,   a residual water recovery operation is performed in which the pump operates to recover residual water in the second humidification reservoir to the first humidification reservoir through the second connection pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein when the humidification operation stops and is switched to an air purification mode, the residual water recovery operation is performed. 
     
     
         3 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a weight sensor placed below the water tank,   wherein when the humidification operation stops, and removal of the water tank is sensed by the weight sensor, the residual water recovery operation is performed.   
     
     
         4 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein when the humidification operation stops and a preset stop reference time elapses, the residual water recovery operation is performed. 
     
     
         5 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first valve opening and closing the supply tube; and   a second valve opening and closing the first connection pipe,   wherein when the humidification operation stops in a state in which the second valve has an opened history, the residual water recovery operation is performed.   
     
     
         6 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein when the first water level is not sensed by the second water level sensor, the residual water recovery operation is terminated. 
     
     
         7 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein when there is a stop input of the residual water recovery operation, a humidifier product is turned off, or a preset recovery setting time elapses, the residual water recovery operation is terminated. 
     
     
         8 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , wherein when the humidification operation is turned on again, the residual water recovery operation is terminated and the humidification operation is re-entered. 
     
     
         9 . The humidifier of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a blower fan placed below the first humidification reservoir and the second humidification reservoir,   wherein when the humidification operation is re-entered, if the first water level is not sensed by the second water level sensor, a first humidification start control of heating the water in the first humidification reservoir by driving the blower fan and the heater, and supplying the heated water to the second humidification reservoir through the first connection pipe is performed.   
     
     
         10 . The humidifier of  claim 9 , wherein after performing the first humidification start control, a second humidification start control of driving the vibrator, the blower fan, and the heater is sequentially performed. 
     
     
         11 . The humidifier of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a blower fan placed below the first humidification reservoir and the second humidification reservoir,   wherein when the humidification operation is re-entered, if the first water level is sensed by the second water level sensor, the humidifier is operated according to a humidification mode set by a user.   
     
     
         12 . The humidifier of  claim 11 , wherein the humidification mode includes
 a first humidification mode in which the heater is always driven, and   a second humidification mode in which the heater is driven according to a condition.   
     
     
         13 . The humidifier of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a first valve opening and closing the supply tube; and   a second valve opening and closing the first connection pipe,   wherein in the case of the first humidification mode, when a second water level is not sensed by the second water level sensor and a reference water level is not sensed by the water level sensor, the first valve is controlled to supply water to the first humidification reservoir.   
     
     
         14 . The humidifier of  claim 13 , wherein in the case of the second humidification mode, when the second water level is not sensed by the second water level sensor and water is boiled by the first humidification reservoir, the second valve is controlled to supply water to the second humidification reservoir. 
     
     
         15 . The humidifier of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a first temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the water held within the first humidification reservoir; and   a second temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the water held within the second humidification reservoir,   when the water temperature of the first humidification reservoir reaches a first temperature, and then is maintained for a first time or reaches a second temperature lower than the first temperature, and then is maintained for a second time longer than the first time, this state is determined as a boiling state.   
     
     
         16 . The humidifier of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a drain pipe draining water present in the first humidification reservoir; and   a drain pipe valve opening and closing the drain pipe.   
     
     
         17 . A humidifier comprising:
 a water tank forming a space in which water is held;   a first humidification reservoir connected to the water tank through a supply tube, in which a heater is placed;   a second humidification reservoir connected to the first humidification reservoir through a first connection pipe and a second connection pipe, in which a vibrator is placed; and   a pump placed in the second connection pipe,   wherein when a humidification operation is turned on, water heated by operating the heater is supplied to the second humidification reservoir through the first connection pipe, and   when the humidification operation is turned off, the pump operates to recover residual water in the second humidification reservoir is recovered to the first humidification reservoir through the second connection pipe.