Portable stackable dehumidifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10677492-B2
Application number	US-201715632782-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2017
Priority date	Jun 26, 2017
Publication date	Jun 9, 2020
Grant date	Jun 9, 2020

Abstract

A portable dehumidifier includes a plurality of recesses along a top edge of the portable dehumidifier and a plurality of protrusions along a bottom edge of the portable dehumidifier. The plurality of recesses permit a second portable dehumidifier to stack on top of the portable dehumidifier, and the plurality of protrusions permit the portable dehumidifier to stack on top of the second portable dehumidifier. The portable dehumidifier also includes a plurality of microchannel condenser coils and a fan located adjacent to the airflow outlet, the fan is configured to generate an airflow that flows into the portable dehumidifier through an airflow inlet and out of the portable dehumidifier through the airflow outlet, the airflow flowing through an evaporator and the plurality of microchannel condenser coils in order to provide dehumidification to the airflow.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable dehumidifier, comprising:
two wheels;
a cabinet comprising:
an airflow inlet located on a front side of the cabinet;
an airflow outlet located on a back side of the cabinet that is opposite the front side;
a plurality of recesses along a top edge of the cabinet, the plurality of recesses configured to permit a second portable dehumidifier to stack on top of the cabinet, the plurality of recesses comprising:
two front recesses, each front recess comprising an angled recess and one or more edges shaped to nest with a corresponding protrusion along a bottom edge of the second portable dehumidifier, thereby securing the second portable dehumidifier in place; and
two rear recesses, each rear recess comprising an angled recess and one or more edges shaped to nest with a corresponding wheel of the second portable dehumidifier; and

a plurality of protrusions along a bottom edge of the cabinet, the plurality of protrusions configured to permit the portable dehumidifier to stack on top of the second portable dehumidifier, wherein the plurality of protrusions comprise two protrusions having a complementary shape to that of a corresponding angled recess of the two front recesses;

an evaporator located adjacent to the airflow inlet;
a compressor coupled to the evaporator;
a first microchannel condenser coil coupled to the evaporator via a subcooled liquid line;
a second microchannel condenser coil coupled to the compressor via a superheated vapor line and to the first microchannel condenser coil via a condenser connection line, wherein:
the second microchannel condenser coil is adjacent to the first microchannel condenser coil; and
the second microchannel condenser coil is located between the first microchannel condenser coil and the airflow outlet;

wherein the compressor is configured to receive refrigerant from the evaporator, the second microchannel condenser coil is configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor via the superheated vapor line, the first microchannel condenser coil is configured to receive the refrigerant from the second microchannel condenser coil via the condenser connection line, and the evaporator is configured to receive the refrigerant from the first microchannel condenser coil via the subcooled liquid line; and
a fan located adjacent to the airflow outlet, 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 first and second microchannel condenser coils in order to provide dehumidification to the airflow.

2. The portable dehumidifier of claim 1 , further comprising a retractable handle configured to retract at least partially within the cabinet.

3. The portable dehumidifier of claim 2 , wherein the retractable handle is further configured to pivot upwards to a pivoted position when the retractable handle is in an extended position, wherein the pivoted position is at an angle with respect to a retracted position of the retractable handle, wherein the retractable handle comprises:
two bushing plates coupled to the cabinet;
two brackets, each bracket coupled to a respective bushing plate;
two sliding members, each sliding member comprising one or more pins such that the sliding member is configured to slide into and out of the cabinet within a corresponding coupled bushing plate and bracket; and
a cross member coupled to the two sliding members, the cross member configured to be held by an operator during transport of the first portable dehumidifier.

4. The portable dehumidifier of claim 1 , further comprising a storage compartment located on a top side of the cabinet.

5. The portable dehumidifier of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first sensor located within the airflow between the airflow inlet of the cabinet and the evaporator; and
a second sensor located within the airflow between the fan and the airflow outlet of the cabinet.

6. The portable dehumidifier of claim 5 , wherein the first and second sensors comprise humidistats.

7. A portable dehumidifier, comprising:
a cabinet comprising:
an airflow inlet;
an airflow outlet;
a plurality of recesses along a top edge of the cabinet, the plurality of recesses configured to permit a second portable dehumidifier to stack on top of the cabinet, the plurality of recesses comprising:
two front recesses, each front recess comprising an angled recess and one or more edges shaped to nest with a corresponding protrusion along a bottom edge of the second portable dehumidifier, thereby securing the second portable dehumidifier in place; and
two rear recesses, each rear recess comprising an angled recess and one or more edges shaped to nest with a corresponding wheel of the second portable dehumidifier; and

a plurality of protrusions along a bottom edge of the cabinet, the plurality of protrusions configured to permit the portable dehumidifier to stack on top of the second portable dehumidifier, wherein the plurality of protrusions comprise two protrusions having a complementary shape to that of a corresponding angled recess of the two front recesses;

a compressor coupled to an evaporator;
a first microchannel condenser coil coupled to the evaporator via a subcooled liquid line;
a second microchannel condenser coil coupled to the compressor via a superheated vapor line and to the first microchannel condenser coil via a condenser connection line, wherein:
the second microchannel condenser coil is adjacent to the first microchannel condenser coil; and
the second microchannel condenser coil is located between the first microchannel condenser coil and the airflow outlet;

wherein the compressor is configured to receive refrigerant from the evaporator, the second microchannel condenser coil is configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor via the superheated vapor line, the first microchannel condenser coil is configured to receive the refrigerant from the second microchannel condenser coil via the condenser connection line, and the evaporator is configured to receive the refrigerant from the first microchannel condenser coil via the subcooled liquid line; and
a fan located adjacent to the airflow outlet, 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 first and second microchannel condenser coils in order to provide dehumidification to the airflow.

8. The portable dehumidifier of claim 7 , further comprising a retractable handle configured to retract at least partially within the cabinet.

9. The portable dehumidifier of claim 8 , wherein the retractable handle is further configured to pivot upwards to a pivoted position when the retractable handle is in an extended position, wherein the pivoted position is at an angle with respect to a retracted position of the retractable handle, wherein the retractable handle comprises:
two bushing plates coupled to the cabinet;
two brackets, each bracket coupled to a respective bushing plate;
two sliding members, each sliding member comprising one or more pins such that the sliding member is configured to slide into and out of the cabinet within a corresponding coupled bushing plate and bracket; and
a cross member coupled to the two sliding members, the cross member configured to be held by an operator during transport of the first portable dehumidifier.

10. The portable dehumidifier of claim 7 , wherein a top portion of the cabinet is removable.

11. The portable dehumidifier of claim 7 , further comprising:
a firs

Assignees

• Therma Stor Llc

Inventors

• Demonte Todd R
• Dingle Steven S
• Henry Joshua William
• Scharping Jr James A
• Verhoeven Jerome

Classifications

• F24F2013/205

  Mounting a ventilator fan therein · 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

• F24F3/14

  by humidification; by dehumidification · CPC title

• F24F2013/202

  Mounting a compressor unit therein · CPC title

• F24F2003/1446

  by condensing · CPC title