Patent Publication Number: US-2022236750-A1

Title: Dehumidifier

Description:
This application claims priority to Chinese patent application Nos. 201910558093.2 and 201920967950.X, both filed on Jun. 25, 2019, and both entitled “DEHUMIDIFIER.” The entire contents of the aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present application relates to the technical field of air treatment, in particular to a dehumidifier. 
     BACKGROUND 
     With a continuous improvement of living standards, people&#39;s requirements for quality of life are getting higher and higher, and there are certain requirements for air humidity. Dehumidifiers are usually used to reduce air humidity. Dehumidifiers are usually equipped with a water tank for collecting water, and water in the water tank is pumped out by a pump. Because an overly low water level in the water tank will cause a failure of the pump to pump water, it is needed to monitor the water level in the water tank to prevent the water level in the water tank from being too low. However, a mechanical micro switch cannot be used for low water level sensing due to structural limitations, so the existing dehumidifiers generally control the pumping time of the pump to prevent the water level in the water tank from being too low, but the inaccurate pumping amount each time will lead to a relatively large amount of accumulated water in the water tank. 
     SUMMARY 
     The main purpose of the present application is to provide a dehumidifier, which can accurately sense a low water level in the water tank and avoid a failure of pumping water caused by the low water level in the water tank. 
     To achieve the above purpose, the present application provides a dehumidifier including: 
     a housing; 
     a water tank mounted in the housing; 
     a detection device including a detector and a signal trigger, the detector is arranged at the housing, the signal trigger is arranged in the water tank, and when a water level in the water tank is higher than a preset position, the signal trigger moves to the detection area of the detector, and when the water level in the water tank is lower than the preset position, the signal trigger moves out of the detection area of the detector; and 
     a controller electrically coupled to the detection device and configured to control a pump to stop pumping water when the signal trigger is located outside the detection area of the detector. 
     Optionally, the detector is a Hall sensor and the signal trigger is a float with magnetism. 
     Optionally, the housing is provided with a partition plate, the partition plate and the housing together form a mounting groove, the water tank is mounted in the mounting groove, and the detector is mounted at the partition plate. 
     Optionally, a lower end of the partition plate protrudes toward the water tank to form a limiting groove, and the detector is mounted in the limiting groove. 
     Optionally, a bottom of the limiting groove is provided with a heat dissipation through hole. 
     Optionally, an opening of the limiting groove is provided with a limiting buckle clamping a surface of the detector. 
     Optionally, a number of the limiting buckle is two, and the two limiting buckles are respectively arranged at opposite sides of the limiting groove. 
     Optionally, the dehumidifier further includes a compressor, and the housing is divided by the partition plate into two chambers, one of which forming the mounting groove and the other of which mounting the compressor. 
     Optionally, the water tank is a drawer-type water tank. 
     Optionally, a limiting chamber extending in a vertical direction is formed at a side wall of the water tank, a communication port communicating with the water tank is formed at a bottom of the limiting chamber, and the signal trigger is arranged in the limiting chamber and capable of moving up and down. 
     Optionally, the limiting chamber is integrally formed at the side wall of the water tank; or, the limiting chamber is detachably mounted at the side wall of the water tank. 
     Optionally, a top of the limiting chamber is provided with a limiting plate configured to stop the signal trigger. 
     Optionally, the limiting plate is provided with a buckling groove, and the side wall of the water tank is provided with a limiting buckle adapted to the buckling groove. 
     Optionally, a fixation member is provided at the bottom of the limiting chamber, and a fixation hole is provided at the fixation member; a support base for supporting the fixation member is arranged at the water tank, and a fixation post adapted to the fixation hole is arranged at the supporting base. 
     Optionally, a top of the signal trigger is provided with a limiting block configured to abut against a top of the limiting chamber. 
     Optionally, a rib is provided at a periphery of the signal trigger. 
     Optionally, an interior of the signal trigger is hollow, and a bottom of the signal trigger is provided with a water inlet hole. 
     The dehumidifier of the present application includes a housing, a water tank, a detection device and a detector. The water tank is mounted in the housing. The detection device includes a detector and a signal trigger, the detector is arranged at the housing, the signal trigger is arranged in the water tank, when a water level in the water tank is higher than a preset position, the signal trigger moves to the detection area of the detector. When the water level in the water tank is lower than the preset position, the signal trigger moves out of the detection area of the detector. The controller is electrically coupled to the detection device to control the pump to stop pumping water when the signal trigger is located outside the detection area of the detector. Therefore, when the dehumidifier of the present application adopts a water pump to pump water from the water tank, when the water level in the water tank is lower than the preset position, the signal trigger moves outside the detection area of the detector, so that the detection device can accurately sense the low water level in the water tank, and accurately determine the low water level in the water tank, and avoids the water pumping fault caused by the low water level in the water tank. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order to more clearly explain the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the related art, the drawings required for the description of embodiments or related art will be briefly described below. It will be apparent that the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings may be obtained from the structure shown in these drawings without any creative effort by those of ordinary skill in the art. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic structural diagram of a dehumidifier of an embodiment of the present application. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of a dehumidifier of an embodiment of the present application. 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view along the A-A direction of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view along the D-D direction of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of portion A of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a partial structural diagram of a dehumidifier of an embodiment of the present application. 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of portion B of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic structural diagram of a signal trigger of the dehumidifier of the present application. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic structural diagram of the signal trigger of  FIG. 8  from another perspective. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING NUMBER 
       
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Reference Numeral 
                 Name 
                 Reference Numeral 
                 Name 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 100 
                 dehumidifier 
                 140 
                 Limiting  
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 chamber 
               
               
                 110 
                 Housing 
                 141 
                 Communication  
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 port 
               
               
                 111 
                 Mounting  
                 142 
                 Limiting plate 
               
               
                   
                 groove 
                   
                   
               
               
                 120 
                 Partition  
                 143 
                 Buckling  
               
               
                   
                 plate 
                   
                 groove 
               
               
                 121 
                 Limiting groove 
                 150 
                 Detection  
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 device 
               
               
                 122 
                 Heat  
                 151 
                 Detector 
               
               
                   
                 dissipation 
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 through hole 
                   
                   
               
               
                 123 
                 limiting buckle 
                 152 
                 signal trigger 
               
               
                 130 
                 Water tank 
                 153 
                 Limiting  
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 block 
               
               
                 131 
                 Fixation  
                 154 
                 Rib 
               
               
                   
                 member 
                   
                   
               
               
                 132 
                 Support base 
                 155 
                 Water inlet  
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 hole 
               
               
                 133 
                 Fixation post 
                 160 
                 Compressor 
               
               
                 134 
                 limiting buckle 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of the present application will be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings in connection with the embodiments. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     It should be noted that if there is a directivity indication (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiment of the present application, the directivity indication is only used to explain the relative positional relationship and motion among the components under a specific posture (according to the drawing), and if the specific posture changes, the directivity indication will change accordingly. In addition, the meaning of “and/or” in the whole text is to include three parallel schemes, taking “A and/or B” as an example, including scheme A, or scheme B, or both schemes A and B. 
     The present application provides a dehumidifier. Usually, dehumidifiers can reduce humidity in ambient air. In the embodiment of the present application, the dehumidifier may also accurately sense a low water level in the water tank, thus avoiding the water pumping failure caused by a too low water level in the water tank. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the present application provides a dehumidifier  100  including a housing  110 , a water tank  130 , a detection device  150 , and a detector  151 . The water tank  130  is mounted in the housing  110 . The detection device  150  includes the detector  151  and a signal trigger  152 . The detector  151  is arranged at the housing  110  and the signal trigger  152  is arranged in the water tank  130 . When a water level in the water tank  130  is higher than a preset position, the signal trigger  152  moves to a detection area of the detector  151 . When the water level in the water tank  130  is lower than the preset position, the signal trigger  152  moves out of the detection area of the detector  151 . A controller is electrically coupled to the detection device  150  to control a pump to stop pumping water when the signal trigger  152  is located outside the detection area of the detector  151 . 
     In embodiments of the present application, the dehumidifier  100  specifically relates to a mobile dehumidifier  100  but of course is not limited thereto. The dehumidifier  100  includes a fan assembly, a compressor  160 , a condenser, an evaporator and the like arranged in the housing  110 . The housing  110  is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet. The fan assembly is configured to drive air into the housing  110  from the air inlet, and then blows out from the air outlet after acting with the condenser and the evaporator in the housing  110 . Specifically, a working principle of the dehumidifier  100  is: after a refrigerant is compressed by the compressor  160 , the refrigerant with high temperature and high pressure is formed and flows to the condenser, the refrigerant with high temperature and high pressure cools down via the condenser and becomes a liquid with low temperature and high pressure. Then the refrigerant is changed into low-temperature and low-pressure liquid through a throttling device, and then the refrigerant flows to the evaporator. The low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant transfers heat with the air via the evaporator, and the refrigerant absorbs heat to condense the air. The refrigerant is converted from liquid to low-pressure gas and flows to the compressor  160  again. 
     The water tank  130  may be integrally arranged at the housing  110  or, of course, the water tank  130  may be detachably mounted at the housing  110 . In one embodiment, a partition plate  120  is arranged in the housing  110 , and the partition plate  120  and the housing  110  together form a mounting groove  111 , and the water tank  130  is mounted in the mounting groove  111 . Specifically, the partition plate  120  divides the housing  110  into front and rear two chambers, one of which (the mounting groove  111 ) is mounted with the water tank  130  and the other is mounted with the compressor  160  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ). In this embodiment the water tank  130  is a drawer-type water tank  130  for collecting condensed water generated in the dehumidifier  100 . When the water level in the water tank  130  is high, the water in the water tank  130  can be pumped out by a water pump. 
     In the embodiment of the present application, by providing the detection device  150 , the detection device  150  can accurately sense the low water level in the water tank  130 , thereby accurately determining that the water level in the water tank  130  is low. Specifically, the detection device  150  includes a detector  151  mounted at the partition plate  120  and a signal trigger  152  arranged in the water tank  130 , and the signal trigger  152  can move up and down in the water tank  130 . When the water level in the water tank  130  is higher than the preset position, the signal trigger  152  moves to the detection area of the detector  151 . When the water level in the water tank  130  is lower than the preset position, the signal trigger  152  moves out of the detection area of the detector  151 . In particular, the preset position corresponds to a position where the water level in the water tank  130  is low, and the preset position can be selected according to actual needs without being specifically limited. There may be a variety of configurations and types of the detector  151 , for example the detector  151  may be a Hall sensor, a photoelectric sensor, a proximity sensor or the like which is not limited thereto. 
     The controller is electrically coupled to the detection device  150  to control the pump to stop pumping water when the signal trigger  152  is located outside the detection area of the detector  151 . That is, when the water tank  130  is pumped by a water pump, if the signal trigger  152  is located in the detection area of the detector  151 , it means that the water level in the water tank  130  is high at this time, and the water pump can be controlled to continue pumping. If the signal trigger  152  is located outside the detection area of the detector  151 , it means that the water level in the water tank  130  is low at this time, and if the pump continues to pump water, a failure of the pump will occur, so the pump can be controlled to stop pumping water. 
     The dehumidifier  100  of the present application includes a housing  110 , a water tank  130 , a detection device  150  and a detector  151 . The water tank  130  is mounted in the housing  110 . The detection device  150  includes a detector  151  arranged at the housing  110  and a signal trigger  152  arranged in the water tank  130 . When the water level in the water tank  130  is higher than a preset position, the signal trigger  152  moves to a detection area of the detector  151 . When the water level in the water tank  130  is lower than the preset position, the signal trigger  152  moves out of the detection area of the detector  151 . The controller is electrically coupled to the detection device  150  to control the pump to stop pumping water when the signal trigger  152  is located outside the detection area of the detector  151 . Therefore, when the dehumidifier  100  of the present application uses a water pump to pump water from the water tank  130 , and the water level in the water tank  130  is lower than a preset position, the signal trigger  152  moves outside the detection area of the detector  151 , so that the detector  150  can accurately sense the low water level in the water tank  130 , and can accurately determine that the water level in the water tank  130  is low, thus avoiding a water pumping failure caused by the low water level in the water tank  130 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , in one embodiment, the detector  151  is a Hall sensor and the signal trigger  152  is a float with magnetism. 
     In this embodiment, when the water level in the water tank  130  is higher than the preset position, the float is located just in the sensing direction of the Hall sensor, and the Hall sensor can sense the magnetic field of the float. At this time, the Hall sensor sends a signal that the water level in the water tank  130  is higher to the controller. When the water level in the water tank  130  is lower than the preset position, the float is outside of the sensing range of the Hall sensor, and the Hall sensor cannot sense the magnetic field of the float. At this time, the Hall sensor sends a signal that the water level in the water tank  130  is low to the controller. 
     There are various ways to arrange the detector  151  in the partition plate  120 . For example, in one embodiment, in order to prevent the detector  151  from protruding from the partition plate  120 , a limiting groove  121  can be provided at the partition plate  120  to accommodate the detector  151 . Specifically, referring to  FIG. 5 , a lower end of the partition plate  120  protrudes toward the water tank  130  to form a limiting groove  121 , and the detector  151  is mounted in the limiting groove  121 . 
     Considering that the detector  151  generates heat during operation, a heat dissipation through hole  122  can be provided at a bottom of the limiting groove  121  in order to dissipate heat from the detector  151  and ensure the normal operation of the detector  151 . 
     It is worth mentioning that the heat dissipation through hole  122  is provided at the bottom of the limiting groove  121 , which can dissipate heat from the detector  151  on the one hand, and reduce a barrier between the detector  151  and the signal trigger  152  on the other hand, thereby improving the detection sensitivity of the detection device  150 . 
     Further, referring to  FIG. 4 , in order to facilitate the mounting and removal of the detector  151 , an opening of the limiting groove  121  is provided with a limiting buckle  123 , and the limiting buckle  123  clamps a surface of the detector  151 . A number and a position of the limiting buckle  123  are not limited. For example, in one embodiment, the number of the limiting buckle  123  is two, and the two limiting buckles  123  are respectively arranged at opposite sides of the limiting groove  121 , so that the mounting of the detector  151  is more stable and the detection accuracy of the detection device  150  is improved. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 to 7 , a limiting chamber  140  extending in a vertical direction is provided at a side wall of the water tank  130 , a communication port  141  is provided at a bottom of the limiting chamber  140  to communicate with the water tank  130 , and the signal trigger  152  is provided in the limiting chamber  140  and can move up and down. 
     It should be noted that, when the water level in the water tank  130  is higher than the preset position, the water in the water tank  130  flows into the limiting chamber  140  from the communication port  141 . The signal trigger  152  (the magnetic float) moves to the detection area of the detector  151  under an action of buoyancy. At this time, the detector  151  can sense the signal trigger  152  and send a signal that the water level in the water tank  130  is higher to the controller, the controller can control the pump to continue pumping water. When the water level in the water tank  130  is lower than the preset position, the water in the limiting chamber  140  flows back to the water tank  130  from the communication port  141 , as the water level in the limiting chamber  140  drops, the buoyancy of the signal trigger  152  (the magnetic float) is reduced and the signal trigger  152  moves out of the detection area of the detector  151 , the detector  151  is unable to sense the signal trigger  152 , and therefore sends a signal that the water level in the water tank  130  is low to the controller, and the controller can control the pump to stop pumping water. The side wall of the water tank  130  refers to a side wall of the water tank  130  close to the partition plate  120 . 
     Furthermore, in order to ensure that the signal trigger  152  moves exactly to the detection area of the detector  151  when the water level in the water tank  130  is higher than the preset position, a limiting plate  142  can be arranged at the top of the limiting chamber  140 , and the limiting plate  142  is configured to stop the signal trigger  152 . 
     It should be understood that, when the water level in the water tank  130  is higher than the preset position, the water in the water tank  130  flows into the limiting chamber  140  from the communication port  141 , and the signal trigger  152  (the magnetic float) floats upward under an action of buoyancy, and stops when the signal trigger  152  floats upward to contact with the limiting plate  142 , at this time the signal trigger  152  is located just in the detection area of the detector  151  (as shown in  FIG. 5 ). 
     On the basis of the above-described embodiments, the limiting chamber  140  may be integrally formed at the side wall of the water tank  130 , or of course, the limiting chamber  140  may be detachably mounted at the side wall of the water tank  130 . The limiting chamber  140  and the side wall of the water tank  130  can be detachably connected in a variety of ways, such as screw connection, buckle connection, adhesion or the like. Referring to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 , in one embodiment, the limiting plate  142  is provided with a buckling groove  143 , and the side wall of the water tank  130  is provided with a limiting buckle  134  adapted to the buckling groove  143 . 
     Further, in order to better support and fix the limiting chamber  140 , a fixation member  131  is provided at the bottom of the limiting chamber  140 , and a fixation hole is provided at the fixation member  131 . The water tank  130  is provided with a support base  132  supporting the fixation member  131 , and a fixation post  133  adapted to the fixation hole is provided at the support base  132 . Specifically, the fixation post  133  may be a stud or the like. 
     It can be understood that, in an embodiment, in order to improve a mounting stability of the limiting chamber  140 , two fixation members  131  may be provided at the bottom of the limiting chamber  140 , wherein, the two fixation members  131  are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the buckling groove  143 . Of course, in other embodiments one or three fixation members  131  may be provided at the bottom of the limiting chamber  140  which are not specifically limited here. A number of the support bases  132  is the same as the number of the fixation members  131  and the support bases correspond to the fixation members one to one. 
     On the basis of the above-mentioned embodiments, a top of the signal trigger  152  is provided with a limiting block  153 , which is configured to abut against a top of the limiting chamber  140 . It should be noted that the limiting block  153  is provided at the top of the signal trigger  152  to reduce a contact area between the signal trigger  152  and the limiting plate  142 . Similarly, in order to reduce a contact area between the signal trigger  152  and the side wall of the water tank  130 , so that the signal trigger  152  can be better raised under the action of buoyancy, a rib  154  can be provided at a periphery of the signal trigger  152 . Specifically, the rib  154  can extend in a transverse direction or of course extend in a vertical direction which are not specifically limited here. 
     In one embodiment, in order to further increase the buoyancy of the magnetic trigger  152  and make the signal trigger  152  be raised better under the action of the buoyancy, an inside of the signal trigger  152  is hollow, and a bottom of the signal trigger  152  is provided with a water inlet hole  155  communicating with the water tank  130 . In particular, the inside of the signal trigger  152  is hollow, on the one hand, a gravity of the signal trigger  152  can be reduced, and on the other hand, water in the water tank  130  enters the inside of the signal trigger  152  from the water inlet hole  155 , so that the buoyancy applied to the signal trigger  152  can be increased, and the signal trigger  152  can be raised more smoothly under the action of the buoyancy. 
     Described above are merely optional embodiments of the present application, which do not limit the patent scope of the present application. Any equivalent structural transformation made by using the contents of the specification and drawings of the present application or any direct/indirect application in other related technical fields under the inventive concept of the present application is included in the patent protection scope of the present application.