Description

STRUCTURE FOR SEALING HEAT SINK IN ULTRASONIC

HUMIDIFIER

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic humidifier, and more particularly to a structure for sealing a heat sink in an ultrasonic humidifier, the structure completely sealing the region of contact between water and the top of the heat sink positioned on a vibrator assembly so as to prevent the heat sink from corroding.

[2]

Background Art

[3] In general, a proper level of humidity (i.e. about 60%) in a room can prevent respiratory ailments and keep an indoor environment comfortable. Humidifiers, which change water into minute particles and disperse them all over the room, are used to foster such an indoor environment.

[4] The humidifiers are classified into centrifugal vaporizing humidifiers, ultrasonic humidifiers, electric heating humidifiers, etc. The centrifugal vaporizing humidifiers refer to humidifiers relying on centrifugal force so that inhaled water flies, collides, and changes into particles. The ultrasonic humidifiers refer to humidifiers containing an electric circuit which creates a particular frequency of electric signals. When the electric signals are transferred to a vibrator underwater, ultrasonic waves are created. The resulting cavitation creates mists. The electric heating humidifiers refer to humidifiers containing a heater or an electrode rod for heating water and creating steam.

[5] Meanwhile, a vibrator, which is a main component of the ultrasonic humidifiers, generates heat during operation. A heat sink is used as a heat emission plate for cooling the vibrator.

[6] The heat sink in the ultrasonic humidifiers partially makes contact with water continually due to its characteristics, and has aluminum with high radiation efficiency as its principal element, so that the region of contact between water and the heat sink is inevitably corroded (by water and heat).

[7] In order to prevent the heat sink from corroding, an O-ring or a rubber cap-type member is conventionally used so as to prevent the top of the heat sink from making contact with water.

[8] Korean Utility Model Registration No. 297947 discloses technology regarding a vibrator for an ultrasonic humidifier using the foregoing rubber cap-type member, and this will be described in more detail with reference to FIGs. 1 and 2.

[9] The vibrator for an ultrasonic humidifier includes a vibration plate 10 and an

aluminum heat radiation plate 20 installed at the center of the vibration plate 10.

[10] The aluminum heat radiation plate 20 has a support hole 21 formed at the center so as to install the vibration plate 10. Particularly, the vibration plate 10 is fitted into the support hole 21 from below. Then, a holder 3 is screw-fastened to the bottom of the support hole 21 so that internal and external terminals 5 and 6 can make contact with the vibration plate 10. As a result, the vibration plate 10 is stably installed at the support hole 21.

[11] The top surface of the support hole 21 partially protrudes upwards and extends in the longitudinal direction of the support hole 21. The inner periphery of the top surface of the support hole 21 partially protrudes inwards and forms a stepped portion 21'.

[12] Such a support hole 21 of the aluminum heat radiation plate 20 as mentioned above has a cylindrical rubber member 30 coupled thereto. The cylindrical rubber member 30 has a guide hole 31 extending through its center from the top to the bottom. The guide hole 31 is tapered downwards so that water in a reservoir can be collected on the upper surface of the vibrator 10.

[13] The rubber member 30 has a recess 32 formed around the guide hole 31 so as to be correspondingly coupled to the stepped portion 2rformed on the support hole 21 of the aluminum heat radiation plate 20. The flexible rubber member 30 is thus press-fitted onto the stepped portion 21'of the support hole 21. The lower outer peripheral surface of the rubber member 30 has a diameter larger than that of the top so that, when fitted into an insertion hole on the bottom of the reservoir, the lower outer peripheral surface acts as a packing. As a result, no extra packing is required.

[14] However, such a conventional sealing structure has a problem in that, since the rubber member 30 is fitted into the aluminum heat radiation plate 20 as a separate component, the aluminum heat radiation plate 20 is likely to make contact with water and corrode after the ultrasonic humidifier is used for a long period of time or if the rubber member 30 has been coupled imperfectly.

[15] In addition, the fact that the rubber member 30 is press-fitted into the aluminum heat radiation plate 20 degrades the operation efficiency.

[16]

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[17] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and the present invention provides a structure for sealing a heat sink in an ultrasonic humidifier, the structure having a sealing member integrally formed on top of the heat sink positioned on a vibration assembly by using liquid silicon through insert injection molding so that the region of contact between the heat sink and water is

completely sealed, thereby preventing the seating sink from corroding, simplifying the assembly process, and improving the operation efficiency.

[18]

Technical Solution

[19] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure for sealing a heat sink in an ultrasonic humidifier, the structure including a heat sink of metallic material for discharging heat generated by a vibrator to the outside; and a sealing member for sealing the heat sink so as to prevent the heat sink from corroding due to contact with water, wherein the heat sink has an opening formed so as to surround the vibrator, the opening extends upwards so that a central protrusion is formed, and the sealing member is integrally attached to the heat sink while surrounding the central protrusion of the heat sink through insert injection molding.

[20] The heat sink has a plurality of through-holes formed inside the central protrusion and arranged in a circumferential direction, and the through-holes extend through the heat sink in a longitudinal direction so that inner parts of the through-holes are filled with the sealing member.

[21] An outer protrusion is formed on top of the heat sink at a predetermined horizontal distance from the central protrusion so as to surround a peripheral edge of the sealing member, a latching step is formed beneath the opening, and the sealing member is subjected to insert injection molding so as to surround the latching step.

[22] The vibrator is attached beneath the opening of the heat sink by a cover while being inserted into a packing.

[23] The sealing member is made of liquid silicon.

[24]

Advantageous Effects

[25] The structure for sealing a heat sink in an ultrasonic humidifier according to the present invention is advantageous in that a sealing member is integrally formed on top of the heat sink positioned on a vibration assembly by using liquid silicon through insert injection molding so that region of contact between the heat sink and water is completely sealed. This prevents the seating sink from corroding, simplifies the assembly process, and improves the operation efficiency.

[26]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[27] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[28] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a vibrator assembly for an ultrasonic

humidifier according to the prior art;

[29] FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the vibrator assembly for an ultrasonic humidifier according to the prior art;

[30] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the construction of a vibrator assembly for an ultrasonic humidifier according to the present invention;

[31] FIG. 4 is a partially broken perspective view showing the structure of each component of the vibrator assembly shown in FIG. 3;

[32] FIG. 5 is an assembled perspective view of the vibrator assembly for an ultrasonic humidifier according the present invention; and

[33] FIG. 6 is a partially broken perspective view of the vibrator assembly shown in

FIG. 5.

[34]

Mode for the Invention

[35] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[36] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the construction of a vibrator assembly for an ultrasonic humidifier according to the present invention; FIG. 4 is a partially broken perspective view showing the structure of each component of the vibrator assembly shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is an assembled perspective view of the vibrator assembly for an ultrasonic humidifier according the present invention; and FIG. 6 is a partially broken perspective view of the vibrator assembly shown in FIG. 5.

[37] As shown in FIGs. 3 to 6, a structure for sealing a heat sink in an ultrasonic humidifier according to the present invention includes a heat sink 100 and a sealing member 200. The heat sink 100 is made of a metallic material (preferably, aluminum) so as to discharge heat, which is generated by the vibrator 300 while atomizing water in a reservoir (not shown), to the outside. The sealing member 200 seals the heat sink 100 so as to prevent the heat sink 100 from corroding due to contact with water.

[38] The heat sink 100 has an opening 105 formed thereon so as to surround the vibrator

300. The opening 105 extends upwards so as to have a central protrusion 110. The sealing member 200 is integrally attached to the heat sink 100 through insert injection molding while surrounding the central protrusion 110 of the heat sink 100. Such a sealing member 200 may be made of liquid silicon.

[39] Particularly, the sealing member 200 is prepared in advance and is subjected to insert injection molding together with the heat sink 100 so as to seal the heat sink 100. As a result, the sealing member 200 remains permanently attached to the heat sink 100.

[40] It is to be noted that, although the sealing member 200 is shown in FIGs. 3 and 4 to be separate from the heat sink 100, this is just for better understanding of the sealing

structure. In other words, the sealing member 200 is integrally formed on the heat sink 100 through inserting injection molding when the vibrator assembly is actually manufactured, as shown in FIGs. 5 and 6.

[41] Furthermore, the heat sink 100 according to the present invention has a plurality of through-holes 130 formed inside the central protrusion 110 and arranged in the circumferential direction. The through-holes 130 extend through the heat sink 100 in its longitudinal direction, and are filled with the sealing member 200 so that a filter 230 is formed. The filler 230 of the sealing member 200 extends through the through-holes 130 and surrounds the lower part of the heat sink 100. This structure guarantees that the sealing member 200 and the heat sink 100 remain attached to each other more firmly.

[42] The heat sink 100 also has an outer protrusion 120 formed on its top at a predetermined horizontal distance from the central protrusion 110 so as to surround a peripheral edge 210, i.e. the outer peripheral portion of the sealing member 200. The heat sink 100 has a latching step 150 formed beneath the opening 105. During the insert injection molding process, the sealing member 200 is molded so as to surround the latching step 150 (i.e. form an end 220). The purpose of the latching step 150 and the end 220 is to ensure that the sealing member 200 and the heat sink 100 remain attached more stably.

[43] Meanwhile, the peripheral edge 210 of the sealing member 200 may act as an O- ring, which is a conventional heat sink sealing means as mentioned above, due to its structural characteristics.

[44] The vibrator 300 is fixedly attached beneath the opening 105 of the heat sink 100 by a cover 320 while being inserted into a cylindrical packing 310. The heat sink 100 has a number of fastening holes 140 formed thereon, into which fastening members (not shown) are inserted, so that the vibrator assembly is assembled inside the humidifier.

[45] As such, the heat sink 100 according to the present invention is firmly sealed by the sealing member 200 and is prevented from corroding. In addition, the fact that the sealing member 200 is integral with the heat sink 100 minimizes deformation of the sealing member 200, even if the ultrasonic humidifier is used for a long period of time.

[46] Although several exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

[47]

Industrial Applicability

[48] As mentioned above, the structure for sealing a heat sink in an ultrasonic humidifier according to the present invention is advantageous in that a sealing member is integrally formed on top of the heat sink positioned on a vibration assembly by using liquid silicon through insert injection molding so that region of contact between the heat sink and water is completely sealed. This prevents the seating sink from corroding, simplifies the assembly process, and improves the operation efficiency.