US3855371A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Humidifying apparatus for warm air ducts and the like
Assignee: Aqua Mist Inc
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Filing: 1973-01-03
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Granted: 1974-12-17
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Expires: 1993-01-03
Abstract
Abstract An atomizing or spray type humidifier assembly to be removably mounted in an air conveying duct, such as a main trunk horizontal duct, of a hot air heating system. The humidifier assembly includes a solenoid controlled spray nozzle and a multi-layer screen supported in an elongated tunnel structure of rectangular cross-section having opposite open ends to be removably positioned wholly within the air conveying duct.
Inventors
- 👤 W Morrow
- 👤 G Anders
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 23:57
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24F; F24F6/00; F24F6/12; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S261/00; Y10S261/15
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
282 words
A humidifier assembly for use in association with a forced circulation warm air heating system including a horizontal heated air supply duct section communicating with a furnace and having a flat duct wall portion having an insertion opening formed therein, the humidifier assembly comprising a rigid planar mounting plate of a size to cover said insertion opening having edge portions to overlie the duct wall portions bounding said opening and be fastened thereto, an elongated tunnel duct member of four flat solid sheet metal tunnel walls of greater length than the dimension of the insertion opening along the direction of air flow in the duct section joined toGether along their longitudinal edges and defining an elongated humidifier tunnel of rectangular cross-section extending along a rectilinear tunnel axis inclined at a sharp angle to the plane of said mounting plate and having opposite open ends forming upstream and downstream end portions of the tunnel, means fixing said duct member to said mounting plate to locate the tunnel wholly within the duct section with a wall of the duct member supported against the mounting plate for flow of heated duct air therethrough with the downstream end portion located downstream beyond said opening when the mounting plate is positioned in covering relation to the opening, a spray discharge nozzle coupled through a valve to a water source and located within the tunnel adjacent its upstream end for discharging a mistlike spray pattern of water droplets in a downstream direction within the tunnel, and an evaporation screen supported within said tunnel downstream of said nozzle in the path of said water droplets to collect droplets thereon and evaporate them into the air flowing through the tunnel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
282 words
A humidifier assembly for use in association with a forced circulation warm air heating system including a horizontal heated air supply duct section communicating with a furnace and having a flat duct wall portion having an insertion opening formed therein, the humidifier assembly comprising a rigid planar mounting plate of a size to cover said insertion opening having edge portions to overlie the duct wall portions bounding said opening and be fastened thereto, an elongated tunnel duct member of four flat solid sheet metal tunnel walls of greater length than the dimension of the insertion opening along the direction of air flow in the duct section joined toGether along their longitudinal edges and defining an elongated humidifier tunnel of rectangular cross-section extending along a rectilinear tunnel axis inclined at a sharp angle to the plane of said mounting plate and having opposite open ends forming upstream and downstream end portions of the tunnel, means fixing said duct member to said mounting plate to locate the tunnel wholly within the duct section with a wall of the duct member supported against the mounting plate for flow of heated duct air therethrough with the downstream end portion located downstream beyond said opening when the mounting plate is positioned in covering relation to the opening, a spray discharge nozzle coupled through a valve to a water source and located within the tunnel adjacent its upstream end for discharging a mistlike spray pattern of water droplets in a downstream direction within the tunnel, and an evaporation screen supported within said tunnel downstream of said nozzle in the path of said water droplets to collect droplets thereon and evaporate them into the air flowing through the tunnel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
A humidifier assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said tunnel walls have barrier flanges at the upstream and downstream edges thereof extending toward the center axis of the tunnel to retain within the tunnel any drippage from the nozzle or excess water runoff from the screen.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
A humidifier assembly as defined in claim 2, including drain pipe means extending through a selected wall of the tunnel and outwardly through said mounting plate to communicate with the region within the tunnel where water dripping from the nozzle or screen may collect to drain such water to the exterior of the duct.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
125 words
A humidifier assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein the tunnel wall adjacent the mounting plate is joined thereto at the upstream edge of the tunnel wall, the upstream edges of said tunnel walls lying in a plane inclining inwardly of the duct section from the mounting plate in a downstream direction at an angle of substantially less than 90* to the mounting plate plane to define an air inlet opening to the tunnel at its upstream end of larger area than the cross sectional area of the tunnel, and exterior drain pipe means extending through the mounting plate into the tunnel at the juncture of said mounting plate and upstream edge of the adjacent tunnel walls to withdraw water accumulations from within the tunnel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
A humidifier assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein said drain pipe means comprises a pair of drain pipes located at the opposite transverse limits of the upstream edge of said selected wall to dispose said drain pipes immediately inwardly adjacent the top and bottom walls respectively of the tunnel when the mounting plate is mounted against a vertical side wall of the duct.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
A humidifier assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein said screen is a wire mesh screen having a plurality of rectangular, parallel substantially planar screen panels and each vertically and horizontally spanning the tunnel in planes perpendicular to the tunnel axis adjacent the downstream end of the tunnel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
A humidifier assembly as defined in claim l, including drain pipe means extending through a selected wall of the tunnel and outwardly through said mounting plate to communicate with the region within the tunnel where water dripping from the nozzle or screen may collect to drain such water to the exterior of the duct.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
64 words
A humidifier assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein said drain pipe means comprises a pair of drain pipes located at the opposite transverse limits of the upstream edge of said selected wall to dispose said drain pipes immediately inwardly adjacent the top and bottom walls respectively of the tunnel when the mounting plate is mounted against a vertical side wall of the duct.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
90 words
A humidifier assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the tunnel wall adjacent the mounting plate is joined thereto at the upstream edge of the tunnel wall, the upstream edges of said tuNnel walls lying in a plane inclining inwardly of the duct section from the mounting plate in a downstream direction at an angle of substantially less than ninety degrees to the mounting plate plane to define an air inlet opening to the tunnel at its upstream end of larger area than the cross sectional area of the tunnel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
A humidifier assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein said screen is a wire mesh screen having a plurality of rectangular, parallel substantially planar screen panels folded from a single length of screen and each vertically and horizontally spanning the tunnel in planes perpendicular to the tunnel axis adjacent the downstream end of the tunnel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
A humidifier assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein said drain pipe means comprises a pair of drain pipes located at the opposite transverse limits of the upstream edge of said selected wall to dispose said drain pipes immediately inwardly adjacent the top and bottom walls respectively of the tunnel when the mounting plate is mounted against a vertical side wall of the duct.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
A humidifier assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein said screen is a wire mesh screen having a plurality of rectangular, parallel substantially planar screen panels folded from a single length of screen and each vertically and horizontally spanning the tunnel in planes perpendicular to the tunnel axis adjacent the downstream end of the tunnel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
A humidifier assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said screen is a wire mesh screen having a plurality of rectangular, parallel substantially planar screen panels and each vertically and horizontally spanning the tunnel in planes perpendicular to the tunnel axis adjacent the downstream end of the tunnel.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-12-16 | 1978-06-17 | 1978-12-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-12-16 | 1982-06-17 | 1982-12-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-12-16 | 1986-06-17 | 1986-12-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |