Portable dehumidifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10677480-B2
Application number	US-201816027622-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2018
Priority date	Jul 5, 2018
Publication date	Jun 9, 2020
Grant date	Jun 9, 2020

Abstract

A portable dehumidifier includes a cabinet, an evaporator, a condenser, a drain pan, multiple support legs, a compressor, and a fan. The cabinet includes an airflow inlet, an airflow outlet, and at least two wheels. The evaporator is located adjacent to the airflow inlet. The condenser is located adjacent to the evaporator and on a side of the evaporator opposite the airflow inlet. The drain pan is located at least partially below the evaporator and the condenser. The support legs extend from a bottom side of the drain pan towards the bottom side of the cabinet. The compressor is located below the drain pan. The fan is located adjacent to the condenser and on a side of the condenser opposite the evaporator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable dehumidifier, comprising:
a cabinet comprising:
an airflow inlet located on a front side of the cabinet;
an airflow outlet located on a side of the cabinet that is not opposite the front side of the cabinet; and
at least two wheels coupled to a bottom side of the cabinet;
an evaporator located adjacent to the airflow inlet;
a condenser located adjacent to the evaporator and on a side of the evaporator opposite the airflow inlet;
a drain pan located at least partially below the evaporator and the condenser, the drain pain configured to support weight of the evaporator and the condenser, the drain pan comprising:
a top piece and a bottom piece disposed at least partially below the top piece, wherein:
the bottom piece comprises a front ledge, a central chamber, and a back shelf, the back shelf supporting the condenser;
two and only two support legs extending from a bottom surface of the front ledge of the drain pan toward the bottom side of the cabinet; and
one and only one rear support leg extending from a bottom surface of the back shelf of the drain pan to the bottom side of the cabinet; and

a compressor located below the drain pan; and
a fan located adjacent to the condenser and on a side of the condenser opposite the evaporator, the fan configured to generate an airflow that flows into the cabinet through the airflow inlet and out of the cabinet through the airflow outlet, the airflow flowing through the evaporator and the condenser in order to provide dehumidification to the airflow.

2. The portable dehumidifier of claim 1 , wherein:
the compressor is coupled to a metal plate;
a first plurality of grommets are included between the compressor and the metal plate;
the metal plate is coupled to the cabinet; and
a second plurality of grommets are included between the metal plate and the cabinet.

3. The portable dehumidifier of claim 1 , wherein the fan is a variable-speed direct current (DC) impeller.

4. The portable dehumidifier of claim 1 , further comprising a plenum disposed between the fan and the condenser.

5. The portable dehumidifier of claim 1 , further comprising a filter disposed between the airflow inlet and the evaporator.

6. The portable dehumidifier of claim 5 , wherein the filter rests on a portion of the drain pan.

7. A portable dehumidifier, comprising:
a cabinet comprising:
an airflow inlet; and
an airflow outlet;
an evaporator located adjacent to the airflow inlet;
a condenser located adjacent to the evaporator and on a side of the evaporator opposite the airflow inlet;
a drain pan configured to support weight of the evaporator and the condenser, the drain pan comprising:
a top piece and a bottom piece disposed at least partially below the top piece, wherein:
the bottom piece comprises a front ledge, a central chamber, and a back shelf, the back shelf supporting the condenser;
two and only two support legs extending from a bottom surface of the front ledge of the drain pan toward the bottom side of the cabinet; and
one and only one rear support leg extending from a bottom surface of the back shelf of the drain pan to the bottom side of the cabinet; and

a compressor; and
a fan configured to generate an airflow that flows into the cabinet through the airflow inlet and out of the cabinet through the airflow outlet, the airflow flowing through the evaporator and the condenser in order to provide dehumidification to the airflow.

8. The portable dehumidifier of claim 7 , wherein:
the compressor is coupled to a metal plate;
a first plurality of grommets are included between the compressor and the metal plate;
the metal plate is coupled to the cabinet; and
a second plurality of grommets are included between the metal plate and the cabinet.

9. The portable dehumidifier of claim 7 , wherein the fan is a variable-speed direct current (DC) impeller.

10. The portable dehumidifier of claim 7 , further comprising a plenum disposed between the fan and the condenser.

11. The portable dehumidifier of claim 7 , further comprising a filter disposed between the airflow inlet and the evaporator.

12. The portable dehumidifier of claim 11 , wherein the filter rests on a portion of the drain pan.

13. A dehumidifier, comprising:
a cabinet comprising an airflow inlet;
an evaporator located adjacent to the airflow inlet;
a condenser located adjacent to the evaporator and on a side of the evaporator opposite the airflow inlet;
a drain pan configured to support weight of the evaporator and the condenser, the drain pan comprising:
a top piece and a bottom piece disposed at least partially below the top piece, wherein:
the bottom piece comprises a front ledge, a central chamber, and a back shelf, the back shelf supporting the condenser;
two and only two support legs extending from a bottom surface of the front ledge of the drain pan toward the bottom side of the cabinet; and
one and only one rear support leg extending from a bottom surface of the back shelf of the drain pan to the bottom side of the cabinet; and

a compressor; and
a fan configured to generate an airflow that flows into the cabinet through the airflow inlet and out of the cabinet through at least one airflow outlet, the airflow flowing through the evaporator and the condenser in order to provide dehumidification to the airflow.

14. The dehumidifier of claim 13 , wherein:
the compressor is coupled to a metal plate;
a first plurality of grommets are included between the compressor and the metal plate;
the metal plate is coupled to the cabinet; and
a second plurality of grommets are included between the metal plate and the cabinet.

15. The dehumidifier of claim 13 , wherein the fan is a variable-speed direct current (DC) impeller.

16. The dehumidifier of claim 13 , further comprising a plenum disposed between the fan and the condenser.

17. The dehumidifier of claim 13 , further comprising a filter disposed between the airflow inlet and the evaporator.

18. The dehumidifier of claim 17 , wherein the filter rests on a portion of the drain pan.

Assignees

• Therma Stor Llc

Inventors

• Williams Kyle R
• Dingle Steven S
• Moore Dominic M
• Scharping James A
• Verhoeven Jerome
• Bustamante Diane K
• Dubois Conor

Classifications

• F24F13/222

  for evacuating condensate · CPC title

• F24F3/1405

  in which the humidity of the air is exclusively affected by contact with the evaporator of a closed-circuit cooling system or heat pump circuit · CPC title

• F28F17/005

  Means for draining condensates from heat exchangers, e.g. from evaporators (F28B9/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F24F2221/12

  transportable · CPC title

• F24F1/02

  Self-contained room units for air-conditioning, i.e. with all apparatus for treatment installed in a common casing · CPC title