CONDENSATE EVACUATION SYSTEM FOR PORTABLE MONOBLOCK AIR CONDITIONER

Abstract

A portable, monoblock air conditioner including an evaporator and a condenser, a drain pan for collecting water condensate that has condensed from the evaporator, a hot air exhaust hose for evacuating warm air to an outside environment, a water tube in fluid communication with the drain pan, the water tube running through the hot air exhaust hose, and an atomizer at a distal end of the water tube adapted for atomizing water exiting the water tube which exits together with hot air exiting the hot air exhaust hose.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to portable, monoblock air conditioners, and particularly to an automatic condensate evacuation system of excess water for such an air conditioner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the art of air conditioning, one well-known device is the monoblock (or as it is commonly spelled in Europe “monobloc”). The monoblock air conditioner is a single packaged mobile or portable air conditioner (the terms “mobile” and “portable” being used interchangeably). A typical monoblock air conditioner is a one piece unit with a flexible discharge hose, and does not have a remote condenser.

As is well known in the art, air conditioners typically include an evaporator and condenser. The evaporator provides cooling by evaporating a refrigerant from a liquid to a gas, which causes heat within the room air to be transferred to the refrigerant. The heated refrigerant is condensed in the condenser, wherein the heat absorbed by the refrigerant is rejected or transferred to some other medium, such as forced air. In most normal air conditioners, the condenser is cooled by the outdoors air and/or a fan. In a portable monoblock one-ducted air conditioner, the condenser is typically cooled by air which has been sucked from the air conditioned room. This warmed air is typically evacuated by a flexible hose to the outdoors.

In one-ducted monoblock air conditioners, excess water condensate accumulates in a drain pan or bottom tray, and is recirculated over the hot condenser and evaporates. However, in particularly humid environments, water may not drain and evaporate at a sufficient rate from the unit, which may result in too much water condensate accumulating in the drain pan. This water must be manually evacuated or drained by the user, which may be a nuisance if it needs to be done too often.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide an automatic condensate evacuation system of excess water for a portable monoblock air conditioner, as is described more in detail hereinbelow.

There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a portable, monoblock air conditioner including an evaporator and a condenser, a drain pan for collecting water condensate that has condensed from the evaporator, a hot air exhaust hose for evacuating warm air to an outside environment, a water tube in fluid communication with the drain pan, the water tube running through the hot air exhaust hose, and an atomizer at a distal end of the water tube adapted for atomizing water exiting the water tube which exits together with hot air exiting the hot air exhaust hose.

The air conditioner may further include a pump in fluid communication with the water tube for pumping condensate from the drain pan into the water tube. A safety switch may be disposed near the drain pan, which is operative to switch on the pump when the condensate has accumulated above a predefined level.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the water tube is connected to a quick connector mounted on the hot air exhaust pipe.

An adapter may be affixed to an end of the hot air hose and configured for placement in a window.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified pictorial illustration of a portable, monoblock air conditioner, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a simplified pictorial illustration of a hot air exhaust hose, water tube and atomizer of the air conditioner of FIG. 1, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which illustrates a portable, monoblock air conditioner 10, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Air conditioner 10 may be one-ducted.

As is typical and well known in the art for portable monoblock air conditioners, air conditioner 10 has an evaporator 11 and a condenser 12, which may be cooled by air which has been sucked from the air conditioned room. The warmed air may be evacuated by a flexible hot air hose 14 to the outdoors. The flexible hot air hose 14 may be connected to a hot air exhaust pipe 16, typically at the back of the unit. An adapter 18 may be affixed to the end of the hot air hose 14, the adapter 18 being configured for placement in a window, for example. Excess water condensate that has condensed from the evaporator 11 may accumulate in a drain pan 20 at the bottom of the unit.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a condensate evacuation system may be provided that includes a circulation pump 22 operative to pump condensate into a water tube 24 from the drain pan 20. A safety switch 26, e.g., a safety overflow microswitch, may be disposed in the unit near drain pan 20 to switch on the pump 22 when the condensate has accumulated above a predefined level. It is noted that when safety switch 26 turns the pump 22 on, the compressor of the air conditioner may turn off, but any fans may keep running.

Reference is now made additionally to FIG. 2. Water tube 24 may be flexible and spiral, for example. The portion of water tube 24 from the drain pan 20 may be connected to a quick connector 28 mounted on the wall of exhaust pipe 16. The quick connector 28 may include male and female connectors, one of which is mounted on the wall of the exhaust pipe 16 and the other connected to the rest of the length of the water tube 24 which runs through the length of exhaust hose 14. An atomizer 32 may be mounted at the far (distal) end of water tube 24 near adapter 18. Any water condensate exiting the water tube 24 is atomized by the atomizer 32 together with the hot air from hot air pipe 16 into a mist or tiny water drops.

Assembling the flexible hose 14 is easy and convenient. The flexible water tube 24 may be supplied by the manufacturer in the flexible hot air exhaust hose 14. The end user simply takes out the water tube 24 from the flexible hose 14 (as much as necessary) and connects the quick connector half at the end of the water tube 24 to the other quick connector half mounted on the wall of exhaust tube 16. This effects fluid connection to the water tube 24 on the opposite side of the air outlet tube 16, which is fluidly connected to pump 22. The flexible hot air exhaust hose 14 is then snugly slipped over the hot air exhaust pipe 16 (or otherwise connected thereto) and unfolded to the desired length. The end of the hose 14 (the adapter end) may then be placed in a window.

The present invention may have the following advantages, without limitation:

1. There is no need for a special outlet to the outdoor environment. Instead, the flexible water tube leading the water to the “atomizing” point is located inside the hot air hose.

2. The tiny atomized drops are evacuated out through the window by the flow of hot air coming out of the hose.

3. Most of the tiny water drops may be evaporated in the hot air flow and disappear visually as vapors.

4. The extendable (perhaps flexible and spiral) water tube folds and unfolds together with the flexible hot air hose.

5. The detachable (perhaps flexible and spiral) water tube is connected to the main unit in the air outlet by a quick connector connection. The quick connector ensures that whenever the tube has not been connected, or was not connected properly or got loose, water cannot come out of the unit, avoiding the risk of water spilling to the indoors.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the features described hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof which would occur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art.

Claims

1. A portable, monoblock air conditioner comprising:

an evaporator and a condenser;

a drain pan for collecting water condensate that has condensed from said evaporator;

a hot air exhaust hose for evacuating warm air to an outside environment;

a water tube in fluid communication with said drain pan, said water tube running through said hot air exhaust hose; and

an atomizer at a distal end of said water tube adapted for atomizing water exiting said water tube which exits together with hot air exiting said hot air exhaust hose.

2. The portable, monoblock air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising a pump in fluid communication with said water tube for pumping condensate from said drain pan into said water tube.

3. The portable, monoblock air conditioner according to claim 2, further comprising a safety switch disposed near said drain pan and operative to switch on said pump when the condensate has accumulated above a predefined level.

4. The portable, monoblock air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said hot air exhaust hose is connected to a hot air exhaust pipe.

5. The portable, monoblock air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein said water tube is connected to a quick connector mounted on said hot air exhaust pipe.

6. The portable, monoblock air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising an adapter affixed to an end of said hot air hose and configured for placement in a window.

7. The portable, monoblock air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said air conditioner comprises a one-ducted air conditioner.