DEHUMIDIFIER
A dehumidifier comprises a base, a top, and a tray removably positioned between the base and the top. The tray is provided to accommodate a moisture-absorbing material thereon and further comprises a floor having at least one drain for passage of absorbed moisture from the tray to the base. The tray further comprises at least one vented sidewall for increased airflow around the moisture-absorbing material. In one embodiment, a hanger is provided for hanging the dehumidifier in a closet or the like. In an alternative embodiment, a movable support is provided on the base for increasing the stability of the base relative to a support surface.
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This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application 60/953,189, filed Jul. 31, 2007, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is directed to dehumidifiers in general, and more specifically to a dehumidifier having a chamber adapted to receive an air freshener and deodorizer and, in at least one embodiment, a base with a support structure for stable placement on a support surface and for preventing spills and accidental contact with moisture-absorbing material.
BACKGROUNDPortable dehumidifiers for use in enclosed areas such as closets, lockers and the like are known, one example being U.S. Pat. No. 5,907,908 to a Dehumidifying Pouch. Such prior art devices are generally limited in use and functionality and are generally suited to a particular environment. Accordingly, there is a need for a dehumidifier that is not limited in use or functionality and that is generally suited to a variety of environments and conditions.
SUMMARYA dehumidifier comprises a base, a top, and a tray removably positioned between the base and the top. The tray is provided to accommodate a moisture-absorbing material thereon and further comprises a floor having at least one drain for passage of absorbed moisture from the tray to the base. The tray further comprises at least one vented sidewall for increased airflow around the moisture-absorbing material. In one embodiment, a hanger is provided for hanging the dehumidifier in a closet or the like. In an alternative embodiment, a movable support is provided on the base for increasing the stability of the base relative to a support surface.
This disclosure describes the best mode or modes of practicing the invention as presently contemplated. This description is not intended to be understood in a limiting sense, but provides an example of the invention presented solely for illustrative purposes by reference to the accompanying drawings to advise one of ordinary skill in the art of the advantages and construction of the invention. In the various views of the drawings, like reference characters designate like or similar parts.
The moisture-absorbing material can take a variety of forms known in the art. A preferred material comprises a salt selected from the group consisting of alkali metal halides, alkaline earth metal halides, iron halides and aluminum halides, individually or a combination thereof, one example being calcium chloride. Such material can take the form of beads, pellets, or flakes, etc. of a variety of shapes, sizes, structural and aesthetic configurations. Such material can also include a fragrance as desired.
In addition, a deodorizing material, such as, but not limited to activated carbon and/or zeolite, alone or in combination, may be incorporated into the moisture-absorbing material. In addition, or alternatively, separate deodorizing beads or pellets may be mixed in with the moisture-absorbing medium on the tray 160, which emit a deodorizer and/or deodorizing scent through the vents 142 in the top 140. Such scent may be a cedar scent, for example, which might be preferred if used in closets for storing clothing and the like. Of course, other scents may be used as desired for different environments or situations, such as, for example, a baby powder scent for use in a nursery, a pine scent for use during the winter holidays, or maybe even a butter popcorn scent for use in a home theater.
Alternatively, a scented and/or deodorizing material (not shown) may also be introduced into a separate chamber 150 provided on the top 140, which chamber 150 may be controlled and regulated via an adjustable cover 154. The cover 154 has a plurality of vent openings 158 that regulate the amount of scent or deodorizing material emitted from the chamber 150 or exposed to the environment. The cover 154 is slidable from a fully closed position wherein the vent openings 158 are sealed and obstructed by the top 140 and the chamber 150 is effectively closed, to a fully open position wherein the vent openings 158 are unobstructed and the contents of the chamber 150 are open to the environment. The chamber 150 is particularly suited to receiving beads or pellets, although other delivery forms, such as gels, oils, liquids, flakes, powders, etc. are contemplated. The chamber 150 may also be used to deliver functional actives, such as aromatherapy, medication, vitamins, and other sensory and/or healing compositions or compounds.
Alternatively, a gelling agent (not shown) may be provided on the floor 122 of the base 120 to soak up the excess moisture that drips through the drain 164 in the tray 160. Such gelling agent may initially be in the form of a powder, which then turns into a non-toxic, anti-microbial, odor-counteracting gel upon exposure to a liquid such as water, emitting a deodorizing and/or pleasant smell while moisture is being removed and absorbed from the atmosphere. Thus, if the dehumidifier 100 is inadvertently knocked over, no water would be spilled therefrom. After all of the moisture-absorbing material has dissolved from the tray 160, and after all of the excess moisture has transformed the powder or the like into odor-counteracting gel, such gel may merely be discarded and replenished with a fresh gelling agent as desired.
The inner sidewall 176 preferably extends appreciably higher than the outer sidewall 172 relative to the floor 162 of the tray 160 and almost to the inner wall 144 of the top 140, to maximize the amount of moisture-absorbing material capable of being loaded onto tray 160 and capable of being exposed to the environment. The vents 178 in the inner sidewall 176 are elevated relative to the lip 174 of the outer sidewall 172 and are effectively aligned with the vents 142 in the top 140 to maximize the airflow through the top 140 and through the inner sidewall 176, thereby increasing the contact between such airflow and the moisture-absorbing material. Thus, the inner sidewall 176 enables a large surface area of moisture-absorbing material, which absorbs moisture with maximum efficiency through increased material capacity and increased airflow.
Thus, the inner sidewall 176 defines a primary collection chamber for receiving and retaining moisture-absorbing material, while the locations 175 between the inner sidewall 176 and outer sidewall 172 provide a secondary collection chamber for receiving and retaining additional moisture-absorbing material. In addition, the storage chamber 150 may be provided with a scented and/or deodorizing material that functions to freshen the air and eliminate any odors in the air. Accordingly, in addition to removing moisture from the air, the dehumidifier 100 of the present invention can also function as an air freshener and an air deodorizer, and thus provide three distinct benefits in a convenient, portable package.
The base 120 of the dehumidifier embodiment of
The tray 260 is shown alone in
The dehumidifier 200 further comprises a separate chamber 250 provided on the top 240, similar to chamber 150 of dehumidifier 100, which chamber 250 may include scented or deodorizing material or the like (not shown), the evaporation of which may be controlled and regulated via an adjustable cover 254. The cover 254 has a plurality of vent openings 258 that regulate the amount of scent or deodorizing material or the like emitted from the chamber 250 or exposed to the environment. The cover 254 is slidable from a fully closed position wherein the vent openings 258 are sealed and obstructed by the top 240 and the chamber 250 is effectively closed, to a fully open position wherein the vent openings 258 are unobstructed and the contents of the chamber 250 are open to the environment. The chamber 250 is particularly suited to receiving beads or pellets, although other delivery forms, such as gels, oils, liquids, flakes, powders, etc. are contemplated. The chamber 250 may also be used deliver functional actives, such as aromatherapy, medication, vitamins, and other sensory and/or healing compositions or compounds as discussed above.
The inner sidewall 276 preferably extends appreciably higher than the outer sidewall 272 relative to the floor 262 of the tray 260 and almost to the inner wall 244 of the top 240, to maximize the amount of moisture-absorbing material capable of being loaded onto tray 260 and capable of being exposed to the environment. The vents 278 in the inner sidewall 276 are elevated relative to the lip 274 of the outer sidewall 272 and are effectively aligned with the vents 242 in the top 240 to maximize the airflow through the top 240 and through the inner sidewall 276, thereby increasing the contact between such airflow and the moisture-absorbing material. Thus, the inner sidewall 276 enables a large surface area of moisture-absorbing material, which absorbs moisture with maximum efficiency through increased material capacity and increased airflow.
The dehumidifier 200 further comprises a removable hanger 290 having a hook 292 and a plurality of attachment arms 294 that engage with openings 246 in the top 240. The hanger 290 enables the dehumidifier 200 to be hung from a closet rod (not shown) or the like. The hook 292 and attachment arms 294 are aligned with the longitudinal axis of the top 240, and in the illustrated embodiment the openings 246 are defined on either side of the chamber 250. The ends 296 of the attachment arms 294 are notched to grab the inner wall 244 of the top 240 and are further supported by parallel brackets (not shown) perpendicular to the inner wall 244 to provide greater balance of the hook 292 as it supports the humidifier 200 with the objective to minimize its wobbling when it is hung from a closet rod. The attachment arms 294 are curved relative to the hook 292 so that the attachment arms 294 increase their hold on the top 240 as additional weight is placed on the dehumidifier 200. In other words, as the base 220 of the dehumidifier 200 fills with water, the connection between the hanger 290 and the top 240 becomes tighter.
The dehumidifier 200 further comprises a support 230 attached to the base 220, which support 230 is movable from a storage or hanging position 232 (
As also shown in
The tray 360 is shown alone in
The dehumidifier embodiments as described herein comprise some unique aesthetic configurations. For example, the dehumidifier 100 comprises convex side profiles along the longitudinal axis and concave side profiles along the transverse axis to assume a pinched configuration. The dehumidifier 200 comprises primarily convex profiles along the top 240 and base 220, while the dehumidifier 300 comprises primarily concave profiles along the top 340 and base 320. Of course, other configurations and profiles are contemplated.
While the present invention has been described at some length and with some particularity with respect to the several described embodiments, it is not intended that it should be limited to any such particulars or embodiments or any particular embodiment, but it is to be construed with references to the appended claims so as to provide the broadest possible interpretation of such claims in view of the prior art and, therefore, to effectively encompass the intended scope of the invention. Furthermore, the foregoing describes the invention in terms of embodiments foreseen by the inventor for which an enabling description was available, notwithstanding that insubstantial modifications of the invention, not presently foreseen, may nonetheless represent equivalents thereto.
Claims
1. A dehumidifier comprising:
- a) a base, a top, and a tray removably positioned therebetween;
- b) the tray comprising a floor having at least one drain; and
- c) the tray further comprising at least one vented sidewall.
2. The dehumidifier of claim 1, the tray further comprising a plurality of vented sidewalls.
3. The dehumidifier of claim 1, wherein the at least one vented sidewall extends continuously around a center of the tray.
4. The dehumidifier of claim 1, the tray further comprising a continuous outer sidewall extending around an outer periphery of the tray.
5. The dehumidifier of claim 1, the tray further comprising an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall, wherein at least one inner sidewall is vented.
6. The dehumidifier of claim 5, wherein the inner sidewall is higher relative to the floor than the outer sidewall.
7. The dehumidifier of claim 6, wherein the at least one vented inner sidewall extends continuously around a center of the tray.
8. The dehumidifier of claim 5, wherein the at least one vented inner sidewall extends continuously around a center of the tray.
9. The dehumidifier of claim 1, wherein the base further comprises a support that is movable from a storage position to a use position.
10. The dehumidifier of claim 9, wherein the movable support is rotatable from the storage position in alignment with a longitudinal axis of the base, to the use position that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the base.
11. The dehumidifier of claim 9, wherein the base further comprises opposite ends that contact a support surface while the movable support is in the storage and use positions.
12. The dehumidifier of claim 11, wherein the support comprises a length that is greater than 50% of the distance between opposite ends along the longitudinal axis of the base.
13. The dehumidifier of claim 12, wherein the support comprises a length that is greater than 75% of the distance between opposite ends along the longitudinal axis of the base.
14. The dehumidifier of claim 1, further comprising a hanger removably attachable to the top.
15. The dehumidifier of claim 14, the hanger further comprising a hook and a plurality of attachment arms.
16. The dehumidifier of claim 15, wherein the hook and plurality of attachment arms are aligned with the longitudinal axis of the top.
17. The dehumidifier of claim 15, wherein the plurality of attachment arms are aligned with the transverse axis of the top.
18. The dehumidifier of claim 17, wherein in an assembled position, the plurality of attachment arms extends into attachment openings in the base.
19. The dehumidifier of claim 1, further comprising a storage chamber situated in the top.
20. The dehumidifier of claim 19, wherein the storage chamber is covered by an adjustable vent.
21. A dehumidifier comprising a base, a top, and a tray removably positioned between the base and the top, the tray further comprising a drain, the base further comprising a support movable from a storage position to a use position.
22. The dehumidifier of claim 21, wherein the support is rotatable from the storage position in alignment with a longitudinal axis of the base, to the use position that is out of alignment with the longitudinal axis of the base.
23. The dehumidifier of claim 22, wherein the use position is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the base.
24. The dehumidifier of claim 23, the tray further comprising at least one vented sidewall.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 30, 2008
Publication Date: Feb 5, 2009
Applicant: HOMAX PRODUCTS INC. (Bellingham, WA)
Inventors: Heider S. LAZZARINI (Bellingham, WA), Jason A. MORRIS (Bellingham, WA)
Application Number: 12/182,741
International Classification: F25D 21/14 (20060101); B65D 6/00 (20060101); B65D 1/34 (20060101);