Patent Publication Number: US-8526799-B2

Title: Air dehumidifier system for enclosures and safes

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application does not claim priority from any other application. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention pertains to an air dehumidifier for use in small enclosures such as gun and other types of safes. More particularly, this invention provides a natural convection dehumidifier circulation system for use in enclosures that produces natural convection airflow through a drying chamber and thereby dehumidifies and circulates air within the enclosure. This invention also provides a drying chamber end cap which prevents articles within the enclosure from blocking the airflow out of the drying chamber. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It has long been a known issue that many enclosures such as safes, and more particularly, gun safes, retain an undesirable amount of humidity or moisture in the air within the enclosure, which may cause damage to guns and other articles within the enclosure. 
     Prior attempts to address the humidity issue have not been sufficiently successful, as some of these included merely adding a heat cylinder or other device to provide heat into the enclosure which does not necessarily remove the humidity as desired. It is also a potential issue to provide a heater or hot item that may become covered with articles that may cause overheating and become a hazard. 
     It is therefore an object of some embodiments of this invention to provide a dehumidifier solution or system which provides the desired dehumidification by natural convection and which prevents blockage of the drying chamber. 
     It is also an object of some embodiments of this invention to provide such a drying chamber that tends to induce natural convection there-through such that constant circulation occurs within the enclosure. 
     Other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will appear from the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. In carrying out the objects of this invention, it is to be understood that its essential features are susceptible to change in design and structural arrangement, with only one practical and preferred embodiment being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as required. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the following accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example of one embodiment of this invention, which is also configured for placement within a corner area of enclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the example of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is Detail  3  from  FIG. 2  and illustrates one example of an embodiment of an end cap configuration which may be utilized in practicing embodiments of this invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of enclosure with an example of one embodiment of this invention utilized therein; and 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the embodiment of this invention illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Many of the fastening, connection, manufacturing and other means and components utilized in this invention are widely known and used in the field of the invention described, and their exact nature or type is not necessary for an understanding and use of the invention by a person skilled in the art or science; therefore, they will not be discussed in significant detail. Furthermore, the various components shown or described herein for any specific application of this invention can be varied or altered as anticipated by this invention and the practice of a specific application or embodiment of any element may already be widely known or used in the art or by persons skilled in the art or science; therefore, each will not be discussed in significant detail. 
     The terms “a”, “an”, and “the” as used in the claims herein are used in conformance with long-standing claim drafting practice and not in a limiting way. Unless specifically set forth herein, the terms “a”, “an”, and “the” are not limited to one of such elements, but instead mean “at least one”. 
     There are many aspects, applications and embodiments to this invention, especially in light of advantages the invention for enclosures of all kinds, but may provide and more fully describe some of those embodiments to safes and gun safes in particular. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example of one embodiment of this invention  100 , which is also configured for placement within a corner area of enclosure, and illustrates drying chamber  101  with upper end  101   a  and lower end  101   b . It will be noted that in some embodiments of the invention the drying chamber will be tapered from its lower end  101   b  to its upper end  101   a , which promotes further inducement and natural convection of air through the air chamber  101 .  FIG. 1  further illustrates base  102  with first side  102   a , second side  102 B configured approximately perpendicular to first side  102   a  to allow placement of the unit in or near a corner of the enclosure in which it will be placed. Power cord  103  is shown and would be operably connected to an electrical resistance heater within the invention to provide heat which induces the natural convection through the drying chamber. There would be a small power cord aperture in the enclosure or safe. 
       FIG. 1  further illustrates air intake apertures  104  on the front side of base  102 , which is where cooler air is induced into the unit to pass by the electrical resistance heater, through the air chamber  101  and then flowing out the end cap  105 . The exiting air from the end cap  105  is represented by arrows  110  and is warmer than the air which enters through intake apertures  104 . An exemplary taper of the air chamber may include a base diameter of 44.5 millimeters and a top diameter of 42 millimeters, and those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the airflow effect of the tapering. An exemplary height of the air chamber may be 165.5 millimeters with the height from the base to the top of the end cap  105  being approximately 10.30 millimeters, although sloped or arcuate from the top to the size of the end cap  105 . 
     It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the end cap  105  may be configured with aperture exits at different heights and in an arcuate shape to further prevent of potential garments or fabric covering the air chamber exit apertures within the end cap  105 . 
       FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the example of the embodiment of the invention  100  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , illustrating air chamber  101 , end cap  105 , base  102 , intake apertures  104  and power cord  103 . Figure to further shows, from elevation, the arcuate or uneven nature of the end cap  105  prevent blockage of the exit apertures within and  105 . 
       FIG. 3  is Detail  3  from  FIG. 2  and illustrates one example of an embodiment of an end cap configuration which may be utilized in practicing embodiments of this invention.  FIG. 3  illustrates air chamber  101 , end cap  105  and air exiting through exit apertures within the end cap  105 . While this invention is not limited to one configuration of aperture outlets through end cap  105 ,  FIG. 3  illustrates one possible configuration which would prevent blockage of airflow through end cap  105 . It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that there are numerous potential configurations with uneven exit aperture protrusions to prevent blockage of airflow exiting through the end cap  105 , with the generally arcuate (from the profile view) raised surfaces being one way. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of enclosure  130  with an example of one embodiment of this invention utilized therein.  FIG. 4  illustrates dehumidifier  100  generally located within a safe interior  132 . The safe is a typical safe with four walls  126 ,  127 ,  129  and  131  (also a door in this example), a floor  135  and a top wall  128 . The air dehumidifier  100  is preferably (but not necessarily) place on the floor  135  or at a lower portion, and in a corner of the safe. Guns  133  or articles are shown within the interior  132  of the safe or enclosure. The invention is shown with dehumidifier base  102  and air stack  101 . Initial warmed air  138  exiting through the air stack  101  rises within the safe interior and when it approaches or reaches the top of the interior, it circulates within and across as representatively indicated by arrows  138   a . As the warmer air rises within the interior, cooler air moves toward the bottom of the interior and may be drawn into the inlet apertures (not shown in this figure). The air flow of the warmer or heated air  138  exiting the dehumidifier draws cooler air in the inlet apertures in the base, which also helps draw the airflow downwardly as indicated by arrows  138   b  and further by arrows  138   c.    
     It will be appreciated from the figures and description above that this invention provides a safe enclosure dehumidifier system which is comprised of: a safe such as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the safe including a floor  135 , a top wall  128 , and four side walls defining a safe interior  132 . The locking door in the example in  FIG. 4  is also one of the four walls and provides access to the safe interior  132 . The dehumidifier  100  is positioned at a lower end within the safe interior (on the floor  135 ) and includes: a base  102  with air intake apertures (such as shown and described in other figures) configured for receiving circulating air from the lower end within the safe interior and with an interior air flow conduit which delivers air to the air conduit stack  101 . The air conduit stack  101  includes an interior air flow conduit configured to receive air flow from the base  102  and includes a lower end  101   b  combined with the base  102 . An electrical resistance heater (shown in  FIG. 5 ) mounted within the interior air conduit and configured to heat air within the interior air conduit (as shown and described with respect to  FIG. 5 ). 
     An end cap  105  is mounted at the top end  101   a  of the air conduit stack  101 , the end cap  105  providing air flow apertures to allow heated air  110  flowing upwardly through the interior air conduit to flow into the safe interior. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the end cap includes raised upper surface portions (such as  141 ,  142 ,  143 ,  144 ,  147 ), with some at elevationally higher positions than other upper surface portions, as shown or in other configuration. The different elevational positions and discontinuous outer surface providing a varied upper surface and thereby prevents the inadvertent covering of all the air flow apertures and consequently prevents the air flow through the air stack from being blocked. The heated air  138  in  FIG. 4  is released through the air flow apertures in the end cap and combined with air drawn in through the air intake apertures in the base, provides an air circulation and dehumidification within the safe interior. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the embodiment of this invention illustrated in  FIG. 1 , illustrating dehumidifier base  102 , air chamber  101 , power cord  103  and base side  102   a .  FIG. 5  also shows air flow conduit  117  within base, air flow conduit  113  within air stack  101 , airflow  11  in base and airflow  114  in air stack  101 . Electrical resistance heater  112  is also shown within the air flow conduit and provides heat to air flowing within the air conduit. 
     As will be appreciated by those of reasonable skill in the art, there are numerous embodiments to this invention, and variations of elements and components which may be used, all within the scope of this invention. 
     In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown and described, since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.