Gas and liquid contact apparatus – Fluid distribution – Pumping
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-08
2001-01-23
Simmons, David A. (Department: 1724)
Gas and liquid contact apparatus
Fluid distribution
Pumping
C261S067000, C261S072100, C261S107000, C261SDIG003, C261SDIG006
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176473
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to humidifiers, and, more particularly, to a humidifier bottle assembly that alternately dispenses water from two or more humidifier bottles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Humidifiers are commonly used in homes to add moisture to the air, particularly during the winter months, when the air typically has low moisture content. The added moisture content in the air during these dry, cold weather months provides for a more comfortable environment within the home. As a result, humidifiers have become a popular, inexpensive means for achieving optimal air moisture content within the home environment.
One difficulty commonly encountered with humidifiers, however, is the inability to determine the water level of a humidifier bottle with relative ease. Some humidifiers have an elongated clear plastic strip (i.e., a window) on their side such that one can view the bottle compartment of the humidifier. Typically, an individual will rely on direct visual sighting of the bottle's water level through this clear plastic strip to determine the amount of water contained therein. Since most humidifiers are compact in size and are placed on the floor, such viewing of the water level typically requires one to bend down to view the plastic strip of the humidifier. Viewing the water level within close proximity to the humidifier is generally needed since water is colorless, and it is often difficult to ascertain such water level at a distance. Thus, the action of bending down to the humidifier, while being inconvenient to any one individual, is even more burdensome to those who have difficulty accomplishing such, especially the elderly.
Some types of humidifiers utilize two humidifier bottles rather than a single bottle. Two-bottle humidifiers provide several advantages over the single bottle variety. For instance, the two-bottle variety generally permits operation of the humidifier while an individual is re-filling one of the bottles with water, thereby providing continuous operation of the humidifier. In addition, the humidifier bottles of the two-bottle variety tend to be more manageable (i.e., smaller in size) than that of the single bottle variety, thus easing the process of filling the bottles with water in space-constrained areas, such as a bathroom sink. Accordingly, the two-bottle type humidifier facilitates more convenient handling of such containers by an individual than that of the single bottle variety.
While humidifiers of the two-bottle variety provide several advantages over the single-bottle type, they also suffer from their own disadvantages. Typically, humidifiers employing two bottles will empty one of their bottles completely before the second bottle will begin to empty. If an individual refills the first bottle with water as soon as it empties, it will again begin to empty, causing a significant amount of water to still remain within the second bottle. If this refilling sequence continues, the water in the second bottle will undesirably stagnate.
The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention, a humidifier bottle assembly is provided. The humidifier bottle assembly includes a first and a second humidifier bottle adapted to hold water and a humidifier bottle receptacle adapted to receive the first and second bottles. The receptacle includes a device adapted to determine which of the first and second humidifier bottles contains more water. The device is operable to dispense water from the humidifier bottle containing more water. In an exemplary embodiment, the device comprises a pivot mechanism configured to raise one of the first and second bottles and lower the other of the first and second bottles within the receptacle, so as to activate a dispensing plunger and stopper, thus dispensing water from the bottle containing more water.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a humidifier bottle assembly includes a first and a second humidifier bottle adapted to hold water, with each bottle including a dispensing mechanism adapted to dispense water from the bottle into a reservoir. A pivot member is provided about which the bottles pivot, and at least one biasing member is adapted to position the bottles in a given angular position in response to the amount of water contained in the bottles, such that the dispensing mechanisms of the first and second bottles are alternately positioned below the water level of the water in the reservoir.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for dispensing water from a humidifier bottle assembly including at least two humidifier bottles for holding water is provided. The method includes the steps of determining which of the humidifier bottles contains more water than the other humidifier bottle, and dispensing water from the humidifier bottle containing the most water.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5037583 (1991-08-01), Hand
patent: 5110511 (1992-05-01), Hand
patent: 5397510 (1995-03-01), Clark
patent: 5529726 (1996-06-01), Glenn
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patent: 61-240049 (1986-10-01), None
Stanek Terrence L.
Tomasiak Mark J.
Emerson Electric Co.
Hopkins Robert A.
Howrey Simon Arnold & White , LLP
Simmons David A.
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