Compact dehumidifier

Abstract

A dehumidifier is provided, the dehumidifier includes a housing, and a condenser and an evaporator arranged inside of the housing that are each formed into a generally circumferentially extending C shape and arranged to be generally coaxial and aligned with one another. A compressor and a fan are each centrally located in the housing, with the fan located above the compressor. A collection pan is located under the evaporator, and a water tank is located above the condenser, evaporator, and the compressor. A pump is provided to direct the collected water to the water tank.

Claims

1. A dehumidifier comprising: a housing; a condenser and an evaporator arranged inside of the housing, the condenser and the evaporator being formed with a continuous bend or a series of bends into a generally circumferentially extending C shape, and the evaporator and the condenser are generally coaxial and aligned with one another having substantially a same height and extending substantially a same angular distance circumferentially such that the openings defined by the C shape of the evaporator and condenser are aligned; a compressor centrally located in the housing within a central area defined by the condenser and the evaporator and connected thereto to define a refrigerant path; a fan centrally located above the compressor to generate an intake airflow through the evaporator to remove moisture from the airflow and then through the condenser to reheat the air prior to discharging dehumidified air; a collection pan located at least under the evaporator; a water tank located above the condenser, the evaporator and the compressor; and a pump that directs collected water to the water tank.

2. The dehumidifier of claim 1, wherein the water tank is annular and defines a central open region.

3. The dehumidifier of claim 2, wherein the water tank includes a handle at a top thereof that extends across the central open region.

4. The dehumidifier of claim 3, wherein the water tank is configured to be vertically lifted for separation from the housing.

5. The dehumidifier of claim 3, wherein the water tank includes two openings at the top located on opposite sides of the water tank, with one of the two openings acting as a vent and an other of the two openings acting as a pour spout.

6. The dehumidifier of claim 2, wherein the housing includes a handle that is located beneath the water tank handle while the water tank is located on the housing.

7. The dehumidifier of claim 1, further comprising a selectable discharge valve connected to the pump that directs the collected water to be pumped out through a drain line.

8. The dehumidifier of claim 1, further comprising a controller connected to a hygrostat and the compressor to control an on-off cycle of the dehumidifier.

9. The dehumidifier of claim 8, further comprising a water sensor connected to the controller to detect water leakage.

10. The dehumidifier of claim 8, further comprising a water level sensor that is adapted to detect a water level in the water tank, the water level sensor being connected to the controller which is configured to turn off the dehumidifier if the water level in the water tank reaches a predetermined level.

11. The dehumidifier of claim 10, wherein the controller is adapted to wirelessly signal a user that the water tank is full.

12. The dehumidifier of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a central chimney about which the water tank is located.

13. The dehumidifier of claim 12, wherein the housing comprises a perforated sidewall in an area of the evaporator and the condenser.

14. The dehumidifier of claim 13, wherein the evaporator is located radially outside of the condenser, and the fan draws intake airflow through the perforated sidewall, the evaporator, and the condenser, and directs the dehumidified air out through the central chimney.

15. The dehumidifier of claim 1, wherein the housing and the water tank form a cylindrical shape.

16. The dehumidifier of claim 1, wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan.

17. A dehumidifier comprising: a housing; a condenser and an evaporator arranged inside of the housing, the condenser and the evaporator being formed with a continuous bend or a series of bends into a generally circumferentially extending C shape, and the evaporator and the condenser are generally coaxial and aligned with one another; a compressor centrally located in the housing within a central area defined by the condenser and the evaporator and connected thereto to define a refrigerant path; a fan centrally located above the compressor to generate an intake airflow through the evaporator to remove moisture from the airflow and then through the condenser to reheat the air prior to discharging dehumidified air; a collection pan located at least under the evaporator; a water tank located above the condenser, the evaporator and the compressor; a pump that directs the collected water to the water tank; the housing includes a handle that is located beneath the water tank handle while the water tank is located on the housing; and the water tank handle is nested in the housing handle.

18. A dehumidifier comprising: a housing; a condenser and an evaporator arranged inside of the housing, the condenser and the evaporator being formed with a continuous bend or a series of bends into a generally circumferentially extending C shape, and the evaporator and the condenser are generally coaxial and aligned with one another; a compressor centrally located in the housing within a central area defined by the condenser and the evaporator and connected thereto to define a refrigerant path; a fan centrally located above the compressor to generate an intake airflow through the evaporator to remove moisture from the airflow and then through the condenser to reheat the air prior to discharging dehumidified air; a collection pan located at least under the evaporator; a water tank located above the condenser, the evaporator and the compressor; a pump that directs the collected water to the water tank; and a detachable water sensor located on a base of the housing, the detachable water sensor being movable from a first operating position connected to the base, to a second operating position spaced apart from the base.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present application will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings embodiments that are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the inventions are not limited to the precise arrangements shown in the drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a dehumidifier.

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the back of the dehumidifier shown in FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the dehumidifier shown in FIG. 1 taken along lines 3-3 in FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 with the water tank removed.

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the dehumidifier showing the lower section of the housing along with the compressor, evaporator, and condenser.

(7) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the dehumidifier similar to FIG. 3.

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the compressor, condenser, evaporator, fan, and water pump used in the dehumidifier of FIG. 1.

(9) FIG. 8 is a view looking down on the arrangement of the components shown in FIG. 7.

(10) FIG. 9 is a perspective view looking up at the components shown in FIG. 7.

(11) FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 in FIG. 1.

(12) FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the chimney portion of the housing arranged above the compressor and the pump.

(13) FIG. 12 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 11 showing the chimney arranged above the compressor along with the pump and a transfer valve.

(14) FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the chimney portion of the housing extending above the condenser and evaporator.

(15) FIG. 14 is a perspective view looking up at the components shown in FIG. 11.

(16) FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the collection pan at the bottom of the housing and the centrally arranged compressor and chimney portion of the housing.

(17) FIG. 16 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 15.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(18) Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words front, back, top, bottom, inner, outer, upper, lower, internal, and external designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words upward, downward, above, and below refer to directions towards a higher or lower position from the parts referenced in the drawings. The words inward and outward refer to directions towards an inner or outer portion of the element referenced in the drawings. The words clockwise and counterclockwise are used to indicate opposite relative directions of rotation, and may be used to specifically refer to directions of rotation about an axis in accordance with the well-known right hand rule. Additionally, the terms a and one are defined as including one or more of the referenced item unless specifically noted otherwise. A reference to a list of items that are cited as at least one of a, b, or c (where a, b, and c represent the items being listed) means any single one of the items a, b, or c, or combinations thereof. The terminology includes the words specifically noted above, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.

(19) The present application includes a description of a dehumidifier 10 which more efficiently utilizes a given space and provides for more ergonomic handling. FIGS. 1 through 16 show exemplary components of the dehumidifier 10 arranged to provide a more compact arrangement of parts as well as more convenient and ergonomic usage. In an exemplary embodiment, the dehumidifier 10 includes a compressor 12, a condenser 14, and an evaporator 16 arranged inside of a housing 20, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The compressor 12 is centrally located in the housing 20 of the dehumidifier 10 and is connected to the condenser 14 which is further connected to the evaporator 16 via a throttling device or expansion valve 18 by tubing 24A, 24B, 24C (illustrated schematically in FIGS. 5 and 7 and omitted in the other figures for ease of view). A fan 26 is centrally located above the compressor 12. A water tank 40 that is adapted to receive the collected water is located at a top portion of the housing 20.

(20) In order to improve functionality, the dehumidifier 10 utilizes a collection pan 32 at a base 30 of the housing 20 that is located at least under the evaporator 16, and a pump 28 that directs the collected water from the collection pan 32 to the water tank 40 or out through a drain line.

(21) The compressor 12 is located within a central area 22 defined by the evaporator 16 and the condenser 14, as shown in FIGS. 3-7. With respect to the compressor 12, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that there are many different types of compressors, including without limitation rotary compressors, piston compressors, and electrolytic compressors, any of which may be used with the present air conditioner. Furthermore, a variety of coolants having the requisite heat transfer characteristics may be used in the present dehumidifier 10, including without limitation coolants that undergo phase transitions as it circulates throughout the system, which are common known as refrigerants. In an embodiment of the present dehumidifier 10 where a thermoelectric heat pump is used in place of the compressor 12, the coolant does not circulate between the evaporator 16 and the condenser 14, but rather is separately contained in the evaporator 16 and the condenser 14 individually. For purposes of the present application, the reference to a refrigerant is used for convenience only, and does not limit the specific coolant that may be used to a known AC refrigerant or a coolant that undergoes phase transitions, and instead may refer broadly to any coolant or heat transfer fluid that is capable of being circulated to transfer heat between components of the present dehumidifier 10, including coolants that keep its phase or the use of solid materials as coolants.

(22) The condenser 14 and the evaporator 16 are arranged inside of the housing 20. The condenser 14 and the evaporator 16 are each formed with a continuous bend or a series of bends into a generally circumferentially extending shape that extends preferably at least about 225. The term generally circumferential refers to a shape that extends in the circumferential direction about a central axis, and can be formed as a continuous curve that forms a C shape, or a plurality of serially arranged straight segments that are joined at an angle to each other to approximate a curved shape, with preferably 5 or more segments set at angles of 60 or less relative to one another to form a polygonal shape with an open section at least between the first and last segments to also generally form a C shape. The evaporator 16 and the condenser 14 are generally coaxial and aligned with one another.

(23) The evaporator 16 preferably includes evaporator piping or tubing that coils through the body, preferably in a serpentine path so as to maximize the path of the refrigerant that flows through the tubing and the evaporator. The body of the evaporator 16 is a heat exchanger, which includes a plurality of fins that may be formed out of a material having good heat transfer properties, such as a highly thermally conductive metal such as aluminum or copper. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are a variety of shapes, such as pins, straight fins, or flared fins suitable for heat sink fins. The body of the evaporator 16 may be further configured to include what is commonly known as offset interrupted fins or louvered fins. In the offset interrupted fins configuration, each fin or plate of the evaporator body includes a plurality of slits (the interruptions) that are generally placed close together at regular intervals. As airflows along the radial direction between two fins of the evaporator body, the air enters and exits the plurality of slits/interruptions formed in the fins, which increases heat transfer and causes the airflow to become turbulent, thus ensuring that the cooled air immediately mixes with the surrounding air. To further optimize performance of the evaporator 16 and increase heat transfer, the material between adjacent slits/interruptions in the fins may be stamped to create an offset, adjacent offsets being stamped in opposite directions. The offsets interrupt the boundary condition of the airflow and further increase air turbulence, which improves the heat transfer capabilities of the evaporator. In the louvered fins configuration, the offsets are at an angle, and adjacent offsets are formed with opposing angles, so that air flowing through one offset out through a slot is forced to change angles before entering an adjacent slot to flow through the next offset, once again increasing turbulence and improving heat transfer.

(24) The fins of the evaporator 16 and condenser 14 heat exchangers are preferably formed from a material having good heat transfer properties, and may be arranged vertically such that air may flow between adjacent fins. The fins are very thin and are arranged vertically along the body of the condenser 14 to maximize the surface area of the fins as external air is blown through the body of the condenser 14 to cool down the refrigerant or other coolant circulating through the condenser tubing.

(25) The refrigerant that exits the compressor 12 is in a high-pressure hot gaseous state, and flows through the condenser 14 within the condenser tubing. The body of the condenser 14 is a heat sink having a plurality of fins, which may be arranged like the fins in the evaporator 16 and configured as offset interrupted fins or louvered fins.

(26) The connection tubing 24B shown schematically in FIGS. 5 and 7 may be associated with the evaporator tubing and the condenser tubing to allow for the flow of refrigerant from the condenser 14 to the evaporator 16. The connection tubing 24B may be coiled in a serpentine path, and further includes a throttling device or expansion valve 25, which may be for example and without limitation a capillary expansion valve. The expansion valve 25 quickly decreases the cross-sectional flow area of the connection tubing and thus drops the pressure of the refrigerant flowing out of the condenser 14, which changes the state of the refrigerant form a high-pressure hot liquid to a low-pressure cold boiling liquid. The compressor 12 may be associated with the evaporator 16 and condenser 14 through a series of connection tubes 24A, 24C, shown schematically in FIGS. 5 and 7, which are preferably arranged in a coiled configuration so as to act as a spring between the compressor 12 and the rest of the components in the air conditioner 10. By acting as a spring, the compressor tubing mechanically isolates the compressor 12 from the evaporator 16 and condenser 14, which is desirable because the compressor 12 can cause a large amount of vibration during operation, which may damage the other components if not isolated. Where a thermoelectric heat pump is used in place of a compressor, the connection tubing between the evaporator 16 and condenser 14 is not required, as the coolant remains within the evaporator tubing and condenser tubing separately. In such an embodiment the thermoelectric heat pump is thermally associated with and arranged between the evaporator 16 and the condenser 14, such that the cold side of the thermoelectric heat pump is thermally associated with the evaporator to cool the coolant contained in the evaporator tubing, while the hot side of the thermoelectric heat pump is thermally associated with the condenser to transfer heat into the coolant contained in the condenser tubing. In such an arrangement, the evaporator and condenser tubing may each be formed as a heat pipe, which is well known heat transfer device, and the coolant used may be, for example and without limitation, a liquid such as methanol or acetone.

(27) The fan 26 is shown in detail in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6-8. The fan 26 has a motor 27 and is located within the housing 20 centrally above the compressor 12 to generate an intake airflow Ain through the evaporator 16 to remove moisture from the airflow Ain and then through the condenser 14 to at least partially reheat the air prior to discharging dehumidified air, indicated as Aout.

(28) The housing is shown in detail in FIGS. 1-10 and includes a base 30 that forms part of a collection pan 32. Above the base 30 is a perforated sidewall 80, preferably formed by a punch sheet or mesh, which generally surrounds the area of the evaporator 16 and the condenser 14. A central chimney portion 78 extends upwardly from a center region of the housing 20 and includes a grate 29 located above the fan 26. This defines an outflow path for the discharged dehumidified air Aout, as shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIGS. 11-16, the chimney can include longitudinally extending grooves on one or both sides to accommodate the tank water level sensor 76 as well as the tank feed tube 36, discussed in further detail below. The collection pan 32 extends at least under the evaporator 16 and preferable beneath the entire area of the housing 20.

(29) As shown in detail in FIG. 15, the housing 20, and preferably the chimney portion of the housing 20, includes a handle 21 that extends across the chimney portion around which the outflowing air Aout flows.

(30) Referring again to FIGS. 1-3, 6, and 9, a water tank 40 is located above the condenser 14, the evaporator 16, and the compressor 12. The water tank 40 has an annular shape and includes an inner wall 42 and an outer wall 44 preferably connected by an annular bottom. The inner wall 42 defines a central open region 46 and is complementary to an outside of the chimney 78 so that the water tank 40 can be securely positioned on the housing 20. The water tank 40 also includes a handle 48 at a top 50 thereof that extends across the central open region 46. Preferably, the water tank 40 includes two openings 52, 54 located at the top of the outer wall 44 on opposite sides of the water tank 40. Here, one of the two openings 52, 54 can act as a vent and the other of the two openings 52, 54 acts as a pour spout to allow water collected in the water tank to be discharged in a smooth and efficient manner. Preferably, the top 50 of the water tank 40 is closed aside from the two openings 52, 54. As shown in detail in FIG. 10, the water tank handle 48 is adapted to nest into the handle 21 of the housing 20 when the water tank 40 is located on the housing 20. This nested arrangement allows for easier lifting and carrying of the entire dehumidifier 10 by a user reaching and gripping under the handle 21 in order to move the entire unit. However, if only the water tank 40 is to be drained, then the space between the water tank handle 48 and the housing handle 21 allows for a user to merely engage the water tank handle 48 in order to remove it from the housing 20 to drain the water. Preferably, the water tank 40 is configured to be lifted vertically for separation from the housing 20 which prevents spilling and allows for easier handling given that the water tank handle 48 is located at the top 50 of the water tank 40, preventing spillage as well as allowing for engaging the water tank handle 48 while the user is in a more upright position rather than having to slide a tray out from beneath the evaporator as in the prior known designs.

(31) Preferably the water tank is made of molded polymeric material. However, it could be made from other materials, if desired.

(32) Referring now to FIG. 4, a detachable water sensor 56 may be located on the base 30 of the housing 20. This can be connected to the bottom edge of the base 30 via a removable adhesive or other type of mechanical attachment. The detachable water sensor 56 is movable from a first operating position where it is connected to a base 30 to a second operating position where it is spaced apart from the base 30. This is preferably accomplished via a connection wire 57 connected to the sensor 56 that can be uncoiled to allow for placement of the water sensor 56 away from the base 30. The water sensor 56 is connected to the controller 70 for the dehumidifier, which is described in further detail below.

(33) In order to move water that is collected by the evaporator 16 and drips into the collection pan 32 to the water tank 40, a pump 28 is provided as shown in detail in FIGS. 3, 4, 6-9, and 11-14. The pump 28 preferably collects water from the collection pan 32 and directs the collected water to the water tank 40 via one or more tubes 34, 36 that lead from the pump 28 and discharge via the tank feed tube 36, shown in FIG. 13, into the water tank 40.

(34) In a preferred arrangement, a selectable discharge valve 60 is connected to the pump 28 via one of the tubes 34 and allows a user to select whether the collected water from the collection pan 32 is pumped into the water tank 40 or pumped out through an auxiliary drain line connected at 62.

(35) A pan sensor 74, shown in FIG. 10 is preferably located in the collection pan 32 and signals the controller 70 when water has accumulated in the pan 32 to a predetermined level and the controller 70 then turns on the pump 28 in order to either direct the collected water to the water tank 40 or out to the drain line 62, depending upon the position of the selectable discharge valve 60.

(36) Referring to FIGS. 3-5, and 7, the controller 70, which is preferably an IC base controller that includes a memory that can be programmed, is connected to a hygrostat 72 and the compressor 12 in order to control an on-off cycle of the dehumidifier 10. The humidity level can be set using a control knob 71 that extends on the outward face of the housing 20. A unit on-off switch can also be incorporated in the knob 71 or provided by a separate switch. The controller 70 is also connected to the detachable water sensor 56 as well as the pan sensor 74. In the event that the water sensor 56 detects a leak, the controller 70 can sound an alarm and will wirelessly provide an alarm signal to the user, for example via WiFi to an App on the user's phone or other internet connected device.

(37) As shown in FIG. 11, a tank water level sensor 76 is provided that is adapted to detect a water level in the tank 40. The tank water level sensor 76 is also connected to the controller 70 which is configured to turn off the dehumidifier 10 if the water level in the water tank 40 reaches a predetermined level. Again, the controller 70 can provide a warning indicator when the water level in the tank 40 reaches a predetermined level and can also wirelessly send a signal to the user, for example, via WiFi or other wireless connection to an internet connected device.

(38) In the preferred arrangement, the evaporator 16 is located radially outside of the condenser 14, and the fan 26 draws the intake airflow Ain through the perforated sidewall 80, the evaporator 16, and the condenser 14, and then directs the dehumidified air out through the central chimney 78. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that other arrangements could be utilized where the position of the evaporator and the condenser are reversed and the airflow is also reversed.

(39) The preferred arrangement provides the housing 20 and the water tank 40 in the form of a generally cylindrical shape. However, this could be varied and a polygonal shape could be provided depending upon the particular aesthetics desired. Additionally, the water tank 40 is preferably in a range of about 40% to 60% of the overall height of the dehumidifier 10.

(40) Based on the ergonomic design of the dehumidifier 10, the total mass of the water tank 40 when full can be increased in order to reduce the frequency with which the user must manually empty the water tank 40. This is because the water tank is located at the top of the dehumidifier 10 rather than in the previously known position which provided a removable collection and drainage pan or bucket beneath the evaporator that had to be slid out from under the evaporator in order to be drained. By allowing a user to grip the water tank 40 via the handle 48 located at the top 50, this also reduces the discomfort to the user who is previously required to bend over in order to access the water vessel.

(41) While the fan 26 is preferably a single centrifugal fan in the preferred arrangement, those skilled in the art will recognize that multiple fans could be used.

(42) In use, air Ain is drawn in and is cooled by the relatively colder surfaces of the fins of the evaporator 16 due to the cold boiling liquid refrigerant flowing through the evaporator tubing, causing water to condense on the evaporator 16. The thermal energy (i.e. heat) from the air Ain is transferred into the refrigerant that flows through the evaporator tubing of the evaporator 16, which is in turn warmed from a low-pressure cold boiling liquid into a low-pressure cold gas as the refrigerant flows from the evaporator 16 back to the compressor 12 to be pressurized and heated. Preferably, an accumulator is provided to ensure that any liquid left in the refrigerant is removed before the refrigerant enters the compressor 12, so as not to damage the compressor 12 when the gaseous refrigerant is pressurized and heated. The compressed and heated refrigerant is then sent through the condenser 14 where the cooled and dehumidified radially inward airflow Ain that has passed through the evaporator 16 is at least partially reheated, removing heat from the refrigerant in the condenser 14. The fan 26 then discharges the air upwardly and out of the housing 20 as indicated at Aout.

(43) One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that various aesthetic changes may be made to the present dehumidifier 10 without departing from the inventive features and components discussed herein.

(44) Accordingly, even though the figures in the present application show embodiments utilizing a certain combination of motors and fans, and specific arrangement of the horizontally mounted compressor with respect to the fans, such configurations should not be interpreted as being a limitation on the present invention.

LIST OF ELEMENT NUMBERS

(45) 10 Dehumidifier 12 Compressor 14 Condenser 16 Evaporator 20 Housing 21 Housing handle 22 Central area 24A, B, C Tubing 25 Expansion valve or throttling device 26 Fan 27 Fan motor 28 Pump 29 Grate 30 Base of housing 32 Collection pan 34 Water tube 36 Tank feed tube 40 Water tank 42 Inner wall 44 Outer wall 46 Central open region 48 Handle 50 Top 52 Opening 54 Opening 56 Detachable water sensor 57 Sensor wire 60 Selectable discharge valve 62 Drain line connection 70 Controller 71 Control knob 72 Hygrostat 76 Water level sensor 78 Chimney 80 Perforated sidewall Ain Airflow in Aout Airflow out