Apparatus for dehumidifying air

• US 6,370,902 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: De'Longhi Appliances SRL (De'Longhi Holding S.A.)
• Original Assignee: De'Longhi Appliances SRL (De'Longhi Holding S.A.)
• Inventors: Deʼ Longhi, Giuseppe
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad M
• Application Number:
  US09/469,632
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 622/88, 622/90, 622/91
• US Class Current: 62/288
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/009 Collecting, removing and/or treatment of the condensate
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/222 for evacuating condensate
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/125 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/1405 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

Abstract

An apparatus for dehumidifying air with a frame supporting a dehumidifying device for dehumidifying air and a collector for collecting condensate generated while dehumidifying the air, the collector has a discharge unit for discharging the condensate outside the frame at a level at least higher than the height of the collector.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dehumidifying air comprising a frame, dehumidifying means on said frame for dehumidifying air, and collecting means on said frame for collecting condensate generated while dehumidifying the air, said collecting means comprising at least one discharge means for discharging said condensate and comprising a tank having at least one detector means adapted to detect the presence of condensate inside the tank and at least one ejection means for ejecting said condensate from said tank, said ejection means comprising a high head pump for discharging said condensate from said tank outside said frame at a level higher than that of said tank, said pump being a low capacity and high pressure vibration pump having anti-vibration members for avoiding transmission of vibrations and having safety means adapted to stop operation at least in case of clogging of a delivery or intake duct of the pump.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said tank comprises an overflow means adapted to discharge said condensate inside a container removably associated with said frame.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said overflow means comprises a conduit adapted to connect the upper portion of said tank with said container.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said tank comprises a tubular member having a first end associated with the bottom of said tank for manually discharging any residual condensate, said tubular member being flexible and having a second end movable from a position above said level of said conduit to a position below the bottom of said tank.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said tank is upwardly connected with a tilted pan adapted to collect said condensate from said dehumidifying means, and downwardly with said container, said container comprising first safety means for deactivating said apparatus and/or said pump in case of malfunction.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the delivery conduit of said pump is provided with a quick connector means.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said discharge means is associated with said container.

8. A process for operating a dehumidifying apparatus which comprises a dehumidifying means on a frame for dehumidifying air, a collecting means on the frame for collecting condensate generated during the dehumidifying of the air and a discharge means for discharging condensate outside the frame at a level at least higher than the height of the collecting means, said process comprising discharging said condensate to at least a first, a second and a third level with respect to the height of a base plane supporting said apparatus, said first level being substantially lower than said base plane, said second level being substantially at the same height of said base plane, said third level being substantially higher than said base plane.

9. The process according to claim 8 wherein the discharging of said condensate at at least said first, second and third levels are all controlled by at least a first safety means connected to a container collecting said condensate and removably associated with said apparatus.

10. The process according to claim 9 wherein the discharging at said first level comprises collecting the condensate into a pan, while dehumidifying the air, transferring the condensate by gravity into the container, discharging said condensate by gravity, through an aperture provided on the bottom of the container, said first safety means being associated with the container and being adapted to stop the operation of the dehumidifier if the condensate reaches a selected level inside the container because of a clogging of an aperture of the container.

11. The process according to claim 9 wherein the discharging at said second level comprises collecting the condensate into a pan while dehumidifying the air, and transferring the condensate by gravity into the container, said first safety means being adapted to stop the operation of the dehumidifing apparatus if the condensate reaches a preset level inside said container.

12. The process according to claim 9 wherein the discharging at said third level comprises collecting the condensate into a pan while dehumidifying the air, transferring the condensate by gravity into a tank arranged above the pan and below the container, draining said condensate by means of a pump from said tank only if said condensate is present in the tank and only if said condensate is free to flow in intake and delivery ducts of said pump, said first safety means associated with said container being adapted to stop the operation of the dehumidifier when the condensate leaking out of the tank reaches a preset level inside the container in case of malfunction of said pump.