Dehumidifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9689579-B2
Application number	US-201414482212-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2014
Priority date	Jan 6, 2014
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

A dehumidifier includes an improved structure of a water tank in order to enhance convenience in use of the water tank. The dehumidifier includes: a main body to form an external appearance of the dehumidifier, and including an air entrance and an air exit; a heat exchanger in which refrigerant to exchange heat with air coming through the air entrance circulates; and a water tank configured to store condensed water formed when the air come through the air entrance exchanges heat with the refrigerant, wherein the water tank includes: a storage space formed in the water tank to store the condensed water, and a handle coupled to the water tank at one side of the water tank, and inclined toward the other side of the water tank.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dehumidifier positionable on a floor, the dehumidifier comprising:
a main body to form an external appearance of the dehumidifier, and including an air entrance and an air exit;
a heat exchanger in which refrigerant to exchange heat with air coming through the air entrance circulates; and
a water tank configured to store condensed water formed when the air coming through the air entrance exchanges heat with the refrigerant,
wherein the water tank comprises:
a storage space formed in the water tank to store the condensed water, and
a handle coupled to the water tank at a first vertical side of the water tank, and inclined toward a second vertical side of the water tank opposite the first vertical side, wherein the first vertical side and the second vertical side are vertical to the floor when the dehumidifier is positioned on the floor, and
wherein the handle is configured to slide in an up-down direction.

2. The dehumidifier according to claim 1 , wherein the handle is coupled to an outer part of the water tank.

3. The dehumidifier according to claim 1 , wherein the water tank is coupled to the main body to face a first direction, and the handle is inclined upward in the first direction with respect to the water tank.

4. The dehumidifier according to claim 3 , wherein the main body comprises:
a first panel to form an external appearance of the dehumidifier facing the first direction, together with the water tank; and
a second panel including the air entrance, and facing a second direction, and
wherein a frame is disposed between the first panel and the second panel, and the water tank is coupled to the frame to face the first direction.

5. The dehumidifier according to claim 4 , wherein the water tank is detachably coupled to the frame.

6. The dehumidifier according to claim 4 , wherein the main body further comprises a third panel coupled to an upper portion of the frame, and including the air exit, and
wherein the third panel is coupled to a discharge louver configured to open or close the air exit.

7. The dehumidifier according to claim 4 , wherein the frame includes a water tank resting portion exposed to the first vertical side of the water tank to face the first direction such that the water tank is coupled to the water tank resting portion.

8. The dehumidifier according to claim 7 , wherein the heat exchanger is disposed in an interior of the second panel, and the frame further includes a plate positioned over the water tank resting portion such that the heat exchanger is mounted on the plate.

9. The dehumidifier according to claim 8 , wherein the plate includes a water passageway formed on the plate, and configured to guide the condensed water formed on the heat exchanger to the storage space.

10. The dehumidifier according to claim 9 , wherein the water tank includes an inlet opening formed in a part of the water tank facing the plate, and configured to cause the condensed water moving along the water passageway to be collected in the storage space.

11. The dehumidifier according to claim 7 , wherein the handle is coupled to a handle coupling portion on the first vertical side of the water tank which faces the water tank resting portion and the handle is configured to rotate with respect to first vertical side of the water tank while the handle slides in the up-down direction.

12. The dehumidifier according to claim 11 , wherein the handle coupling portion includes one or more guides extending in the up-down direction that are formed on the first vertical side of the water tank, and the guides are protruded in the second direction.

13. The dehumidifier according to claim 12 , wherein a protrusion height of each guide is lower at an upper portion of the guide.

14. The dehumidifier according to claim 13 , wherein the handle comprises:
a holding unit configured to be grippable by a user; and
one or more supporting units connected to the holding unit, and configured to slide in the up-down direction along the guides.

15. The dehumidifier according to claim 14 , wherein on each supporting unit, a stopper is protruded in the first direction, and
wherein the stopper is caught by a catch element formed on an upper end of the corresponding guide in order to prevent the supporting unit from being separated from the guide from an upper portion of the supporting unit.

16. The dehumidifier according to claim 11 , wherein the handle coupling portion has a curved surface which is convex in the first direction.

17. A dehumidifier positionable on a floor, the dehumidifier comprising:
a main body including an air entrance and an air exit;
a blowing fan installed in the main body, and configured to blow air coming through the air entrance in a first direction to the air exit;
a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with air entered the main body by the blowing fan; and
a water tank configured to store condensed water formed by the heat exchanger during heat-exchange, and to form an external appearance of the dehumidifier facing the first direction, together with the main body,
wherein a handle is coupled to a vertical side of the water tank in such a manner to be inclined upward in the first direction with respect to the water tank, wherein the vertical side is vertical to the floor when the dehumidifier is positioned on the floor, and
wherein handle is configured to slide in an up-down direction.

18. The dehumidifier according to claim 17 , wherein the handle is coupled to an outer part of the vertical side of the water tank and the handle is configured to rotate with respect to the outer part of the vertical side of the water tank while the handle slides in the up-down direction.

19. The dehumidifier according to claim 17 , wherein the handle is coupled to an outer part of the vertical side of the water tank.

20. The dehumidifier according to claim 17 , wherein the main body comprises:
a first panel positioned in a up-down direction with respect to the water tank to face the first direction; and
a second panel including the air entrance, and facing a second direction that is opposite to the first direction,
wherein a frame is disposed between the first panel and the second panel, and the water tank is detachably coupled to the frame.

21. The dehumidifier according to claim 20 , wherein the frame comprises:
a water tank resting portion with which a handle coupling portion on the vertical side of the water tank including a curved surface which is convex in the first direction is coupled;
a blowing fan resting portion located in a up-down direction with respect to the water tank resting portion, and coupled to the blowing fan; and
a plate disposed between the water tank resting portion and the blowing fan resting portion such that the heat exchanger disposed in an interior of the second panel is mounted on the plate.

22. The dehumidifier according to claim 21 , wherein the plate includes a water passageway formed on the plate, and configured to guide the condensed water to an interior of the water tank in order to store the condensed water in the water tank.

23. The dehumidifier according to claim 21 , wherein the handle coupling portion includes a plurality of guides formed on the vertical side of the water tank, extending in a up-down direction and protruding in the second direction, and
wherein the plurality of guides are spaced away from each other, and a protrusion height of each guide is higher at

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jung Hee Soo
• Myeong Seong Ryeol
• Bang Je Woo

Classifications

• F24F2003/1446

  by condensing · CPC title

• F24F3/14 Primary

  by humidification; by dehumidification · CPC title

• F24F1/02 Primary

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

• F24F3/1405 Primary

  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

• F24F13/222

  for evacuating condensate · CPC title