Abstract:
A device is disclosed for absorbing moisture from the air. The device is made of flexible packaging material attached to a support. The packaging is filled with an absorption material. The support may have parts for holding the same in a rigid standard size holding device and/or parts for suspension. The packaging can be separately joined e.g. cramped to the support. A receptacle for collecting the moisture can be provided on the underside of the packaging. The receptacle can also be made of flexible material. The invention also relates to a support and a packaging which are used in such an absorption device.

Description:
This application is a 371 of PCT application No. PCT/EP98/05500, filed on Aug. 26, 1998. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a device for absorbing moisture from the air. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A known device for absorbing moisture from the air includes a form-retaining housing manufactured from plastic and consisting of two parts connected releasably to each other. The upper part of the housing herein forms a receptacle part intended for receiving one or more cassettes filled with an absorbent material. The lower part of the housing forms a collecting part in which the moisture collects which is extracted from the air by the absorbent material in the cassettes. The cassettes with the absorbent material can have a fixed, standardized size whereby they are easily exchangeable between many different types of absorption devices. 
     The known absorption device has the drawback that it requires a relatively large amount of material. The device is thereby relatively expensive and, furthermore, there remains much waste when the device is scrapped. The cassettes used in the known device also represent a relatively large quantity of plastic material, and therefore a high value. This is a particular drawback because these cassettes are replaced after the absorbent material present therein is no longer active. While the cassettes can be embodied such that they can be opened and refilled with absorbent material, this is relatively labour-intensive. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention therefore has for its object to provide an absorption device of the above described type wherein the stated drawbacks do not occur. This is achieved according to the invention with an absorption device which is provided with at least one support and at least one flexible packing connected thereto and filled with absorbent material. By making use of a flexible packing for the absorbent material, for instance a bag, the material consumption associated therewith is low. 
     The support preferably has means for accommodation thereof in a form-retaining container of standardized dimensions. In this way the absorption device according to the invention can also be used instead of a conventional exchangeable cassette. 
     When the support has means for suspending thereof, for instance in the form of a hook releasably connected to a bottom of the support, the absorption device can be used independently without the housing of the classic absorption device. The device can then be suspended for instance in a wardrobe. 
     In preference the or each packing is releasably connected to the support so that it can be easily replaced when the absorbent material arranged therein is no longer active. The support can for instance have means for clamping thereon of the or each packing. 
     A robust and easily releasable embodiment of the support is obtained when the clamping means comprise at least one, but preferably two, wings connected hingedly to the bottom of the support. 
     In order to enable use of the absorption device without a separate collecting vessel placed thereunder, it preferably has at least one reservoir for collecting moisture connected on the underside to the or each packing. The or each collecting reservoir can herein be manufactured from a flexible material, for instance in that it is manufactured integrally with the or each packing. 
     The invention also relates to the support and packing for use in the above described absorption device. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The invention will now be elucidated on the basis of a number of embodiments, wherein reference is made to the annexed drawing, in which: 
     FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through a first embodiment of a conventional absorption device, 
     FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section along the line II—II in FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the collecting part of the absorption device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the receptacle part of this absorption device, 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of the holding means of this device, 
     FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal section through a second embodiment of the conventional absorption device, 
     FIG. 7 shows a cross-section through this device along the line VII—VII in FIG. 6, 
     FIG. 8 is a top view of a conventional exchangeable packing for the absorption device of FIGS. 1-7, 
     FIGS. 9 and 10 show respectively a front view and a side view of the packing depicted in FIG. 8, 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a support of the absorption device according to the invention before use thereof, 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the absorption device according to the invention formed by the support of FIG. 11 and a flexible packing suspended therefrom, and 
     FIG. 13 shows a second embodiment of the absorption device according to the invention provided with a suspension hook and a collecting reservoir. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A conventional absorption device  1  (FIG. 1) has a container  2  in which is arranged an exchangeable cassette  3 . Container  2  is formed by a collecting part  4  and a receptacle part  5  which is placed thereon and which actually accommodates cassette  3  and secures it using holding means  6 . Collecting part  4  is intended to collect moisture or water which is removed from the air by the absorbent material present in cassette  3 . The collecting part therefore has in one of its side walls  34  a transparent part  23  through which it is possible to observe whether liquid is already present therein, and is further provided with discharge means in the form of a pouring spout  20  arranged in the vicinity of upper edge  27  in a side wall  21  of collecting vessel  4 . In order to enable rigid placing of absorption device  1  on a ground despite its relatively high and slim shape without the risk of the device tipping over and the moisture collected therein draining away, it is provided on its underside with a detachable foot  24  which extends in transverse direction of absorption device  1  and protrudes outside it on either side. This foot  24  is provided with a number of pins  37  which are received in recesses  36  in the base  35  of collecting part  4 . 
     Receptacle part  5  is connected releasably to collecting part  4 . In the shown embodiment the receptacle part  5  is provided for this purpose in the proximity of its underside  13  with two apertures  33  in the transverse edges  31  thereof. Into these apertures engage resiliently flexible hooking arms  32  which are arranged on the upper edge  27  of collecting part  4 . In order to allow the moisture-containing air to come into contact with the absorbent material in cassettes  3  the receptacle part  5  is provided in its long walls  62  with a large number of slit-like apertures  40 . Each cassette  3  is also provided in its long side walls  38  with slit-like apertures  39  through which the moist air can penetrate into cassette  3  and come into contact with the absorbent material present therein. 
     For arranging of the cassettes  3  the receptacle part  5  is provided on its side  14  remote from collecting part  4  with an opening  15 , the form and dimensions of which are chosen in the shown embodiment such that two cassettes  3  can be accommodated adjacently of each other in longitudinal direction. These cassettes  3  herein rest with their protruding peripheral edge  28  on the peripheral edge  16  of receptacle part  5  protruding in opening  15 . Cassettes  3  are fixed in receptacle part  5  by holding means  6 . In the shown embodiment these holding means  6  are formed by a locking member  17  which extends over the whole receiving opening  15  and is provided on its outer ends with resiliently flexible hooking arms  29  (FIG.  5 ). These hooking arms  29  can engage in apertures  30  on the top part of receptacle part S. Both cassettes  3  are thus fixedly clamped between the edge  16  of receptacle part  5  and locking member  17 . In this embodiment of absorption device  1  it would otherwise also be possible to suffice with a single cassette  3  when for instance the air is temporarily relatively dry. This could also be held properly in place by locking member  17 . 
     When only a single cassette with absorbent material is used, it is also possible however to apply therefor a different embodiment of the conventional absorption device  1  (FIG.  6 ), whereof the form and dimensions of the receiving opening  15  in receptacle part  5  are exactly adapted to a single cassette  3 . No use is herein made of a separate locking member to secure the cassette  3  in receptacle part  5  but receptacle part  5  is instead provided in its short sides with hooking edges  41  behind which a resiliently flexible hook member  42  of cassette  3  can be clamped in each case. Although in the shown embodiment this smaller absorption device  1  is likewise provided with a foot  24 , it is also suitable for suspending, for instance in a wardrobe where clothing is stored. A detachable hook  25  is arranged for this purpose on the top of device  1 . In the shown embodiment this hook is connected to the top part  26  of cassette  3 , which is connected in turn to the top side  14  of receptacle part  5  which in its turn is connected to collecting part  4 . For this latter connection use is made in the shown embodiment of hooking arms  22  on the underside of receptacle part  5  which engage under hooking edges  32  of collecting part  4 . Hook  25  is clamped fixedly in a recess  45  in cover  8  of cassette  3  by means of resiliently flexible hooking arms  43  which engage behind hooking edges  44  of the recess. In the shown embodiment the hook  25  is a closed hook with a hinged closing part  46  which can engage behind a closing edge  47 . The suspended absorption device  1 , in which a relatively large amount of liquid will accumulate in the course of time, is in this way prevented from coming loose and falling. 
     The conventional cassette  3  applied in the embodiments of the classic absorption device  1  shown heretofore is form-retaining with a body  7  which is open at the top  9  and closed by a cover  8 . Cover  8  is connected to body  7  by means of hinges  48 . The absorbent material can be received in body  7  which, as stated, is provided with slit-like apertures  39  for admitting moist air. After filling of the body  7  the cover  8  can herein be snapped fixedly thereon so that it is easy to re-open at a later stage and-the absorbent material can thus be replaced, although the shown embodiment provides for cover  8  to be welded on container body  7  after filling thereof. Arranged for this purpose in cover  8  are a number of orifices  49  which, when cover  8  is closed, drop over pins  50  arranged on the edge  28  of container body  7 . By then briefly heating the protruding parts of these pins  50  the cover  8  is welded onto container body  7 . 
     Although the above described variants of the conventional absorption device and the cassettes used therein are very satisfactory in practice, they require a relatively large amount of material, so that they are also quite costly. The invention therefore proposes an absorption device which can not only be used independently but which can also serve as replacement for the conventional exchangeable cassette filled with absorbent material for the conventional form-retaining plastic absorption devices. 
     The absorption device  1  according to the present invention is characterized for this purpose by its flexible character. The device comprises a support  10  and, connected thereto, a flexible packing  11  in which the absorbent material is arranged. The flexible packing  11  is herein suspended from support  10  (FIG.  11 ). In the shown embodiment the support  10  consists of a bridge piece  51 , the form and dimensions of which correspond with the (standardized) form and dimensions of the form-retaining cassette  3  shown above. The absorption device according to the invention can hereby be used to replace such a cassette in a conventional absorption device. 
     Bridge piece  51  is provided with means for fixedly clamping the flexible packing  11  thereon. These clamping means are formed in the shown embodiment by clamping wings  53  which are arranged on the long sides of the bridge piece and which are connected thereto by means of hinges  52 . Each wing  53  is embodied in an L-shape and has a leg, the width of which amounts practically to half the width of bridge piece  51 , and an end flange  55  arranged transversely thereof. One of the end flanges  55  is herein provided with protruding pins  56 , while the other flange  55  has apertures  57  corresponding therewith. By now holding the flexible packing  11  between wings  53  and subsequently moving the wings towards each other until the pins  56  snap fixedly into apertures  57 , the flexible packing  11  is fixed to support  10 . Packing  11  is thus connected releasably to support  10  and can be exchanged when the absorbent material arranged therein is no longer active. The quantity of waste packing material generated herein is then minimal. Packing  11  can however also be fixed permanently to support  10 , for instance by welding, whereby support  10  with packing  11  has to be replaced integrally. 
     After packing  11  has been suspended from support  10  by means of the resilient hooking arms  42 , support  10  can be snapped fixedly into the conventional absorption device as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 or be suspended in the conventional absorption device of FIGS. 1 and 2 and fixed therein by locking member  17 . An outer packaging  58  must herein also be removed before use of the packing  3 , which packaging serves to prevent the absorbent material in packing  3  already becoming active during transport and storage thereof and thus being practically inactive by the time packing  3  reaches the end-user. 
     Support  10  can likewise be provided with a recessed part  45  with hooking edges  44  whereby absorption device  1  can likewise be connected on its top  26  to a suspension hook  25  (FIG.  13 ). Absorption device  1  can in this manner also be used without the container  2 . In this case a collecting reservoir  12  for water formed integrally with the flexible packing  11  can further be arranged on the underside thereof, which reservoir is in communication with the flexible packing  11  via apertures  61  on the underside thereof. This prevents a separate collecting vessel having to be placed under the device. Instead of outer packaging  58  of FIG. 12, the flexible packing  11  can herein be provided with a detachable foil  60  covering an air-permeable part  59  of packing  11 . This foil  60  can be removed prior to use, whereafter the flexible packing  11  filled with absorbent material and the collecting reservoir  12  arranged thereunder form in combination with support  10  a complete absorption device. 
     Although the invention is elucidated above on the basis of a number of embodiments, it will be apparent to the skilled person that it is not limited thereto. The scope of the invention is defined solely by the following claims.