Disinfection humidifier and methods using the same

A humidifier, comprising:

• a housing;
• a water reservoir configured to hold a quantity of water;
• a fan assembly configured to generate an air flow path within the humidifier;
• a sanitizing system configured to generate a sanitizing gas and to transfer the sanitizing gas to the water reservoir such that at least a portion of the sanitizing gas is absorbed into the water in the water reservoir;
• and
• a wick assembly fluidly configured to receive water from the water reservoir and transfer the water into the air flow path to generate humidified air, wherein the water received by the wick assembly includes at least a portion of the sanitizing gas absorbed into the water;
• wherein at least a portion of the water received by wick assembly flows back to the water reservoir;
• wherein the wick assembly includes a wick secured to a wick cartridge and wick air cavity, wherein the fan assembly is configured to cause supply air to flow into the wick air cavity such that at least some of the supply air flow through and/or past the wick, and water from the water reservoir is transferred from the wick into the supply air to generate the humidified air;
• and
• wherein the wick includes a resiliently deformable material configured to be compressed within the wick cartridge.

A humidifier comprising:

• a housing;
• a water reservoir configured to hold a quantity of water;
• a fan assembly configured to generate an air flow path within the humidifier;
• a sanitizing system configured to generate a sanitizing gas and to transfer the sanitizing gas to the water reservoir such that at least a portion of the sanitizing gas is absorbed into the water in the water reservoir;
• and
• a wick assembly fluidly configured to receive water from the water reservoir and transfer the water into the air flow path to generate humidified air, wherein the water received by the wick assembly includes at least a portion of the sanitizing gas absorbed into the water;
• wherein at least a portion of the water received by wick assembly flows back to the water reservoir;
• wherein the wick assembly includes a wick secured to a wick cartridge and wick air cavity, wherein the fan assembly is configured to cause supply air to flow into the wick air cavity such that at least some of the supply air flow through and/or past the wick, and water from the water reservoir is transferred from the wick into the supply air to generate the humidified air;
• and
• wherein the wick cartridge includes a water tray, the water tray configured to be in fluid communication with the water reservoir and to hold a quantity of water therein such that the wick is in contact with water disposed within the water tray.