Induction steam humidifier

A humidifying apparatus comprising:

• (a) electromagnetic induction heating means for heating a humidifying fluid so as to produce a humidifying vapor, said heating means comprising an induction coil for producing electromagnetic energy, and a target, spaced from said coil in a fixed spaced relationship, for heating fluid in contact with said target in response to electromagnetic energy produced by said coil;
• (b) vapor containment means for containing said vapor produced when said humidifying fluid is heated by said target;
• and
• (c) a fluid container, wherein said container is slidable on and fixedly attachable relative to said target and comprises means for defining a chamber completely enclosed by chamber walls except for an opening in the top thereof, said chamber being sized and shaped so that (i) said opening receives said target as said fluid container is slid onto said target and fixed relative to said target, said heating means and said vapor containment means so that said opening is disposed in tight fluid communication with said vapor containment means and so that said fluid container is supported in order that said target and chamber walls are in non-contacting relationship such that the portion of said target in said chamber is completely surrounded by said humidifying fluid when said chamber is fixed relative to said target and said heating means, and said chamber is filled with humidifying fluid.

For use in a forced hot air heating system of the type including a return air duct through which forced hot air is conducted, an improved humidification system for increasing the relative humidity of said forced hot air, said humidification system comprising:

• (a) induction coil means for producing electromagnetic energy;
• (b) target means, spaced from said induction coil means, for producing heat in response to electromagnetic energy produced by said induction coil means sufficient to vaporize a humidifying fluid in contact with said target means;
• (c) support means for supporting said target means relative to said induction coil means so that said target means remains a fixed distance from said coil means;
• (d) hood means, positioned with respect to said support means to that said hood means is fixedly disposed above said target means, for containing vapor from said humidifying fluid heated by said target means so that said vapor can be directed to the return air duct;
• and
• (e) fluid holding means, defining a fluid holding chamber including an opened top, for receiving and containing said target means and a humidifying fluid in contact with said target means, and including attachment means for releasably attaching said fluid holding means relative to said support means so that said opened top is disposed below said hood means;
• wherein said chamber and said target means are sized and shaped so that said fluid holding means is slidable onto said target means such that said target means extends through said opened top into said chamber when securing said fluid holding means relative to said target means with said attachment means, and is slidable off said target means when releasing said fluid holding means relative to said support means.