Dehumidification water storage structure and dehumidifier

Abstract

The invention discloses a dehumidification water storage structure and a dehumidifier. The dehumidification water storage structure comprises an external water tank and a water receiving disc, and a water receiving area and an inner storage area are arranged in the water receiving disc; an outer water outlet nozzle communicated with the water receiving area and an inner water outlet nozzle communicated with the inner storage area are arranged on the water receiving disc, an overflow opening is formed in the partition plate, and the outer water outlet nozzle is lower than the overflow liquid level of the overflow opening. The maximum water storage height of the external water tank is higher than the overflow liquid level, a water inlet connector is arranged on the side face or the bottom face of the external water tank and lower than the outer water outlet nozzle, and the outer water outlet nozzle is connected with the water inlet connector through a water drainage pipe. According to the structure, condensate water is guided to the external water tank through the water level difference, after the external water tank is full of water, the condensate water overflows to the inner storage area through the overflow opening, water storage paths are automatically switched, additional sensors or complex mechanical parts are not needed, the structure is simple, the cost is low, accumulated water can be effectively prevented from overflowing, large-capacity water storage and use convenience are both considered, and the practicability is high. The problems that an existing external water tank expansion scheme is unreliable in overflow prevention and high in cost are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of dehumidification technology, and in particular to a dehumidification water storage structure and a dehumidifier. Background Technology

[0002] A dehumidifier, a device used to reduce ambient humidity and improve living and working comfort, typically works by using a refrigeration system to condense water vapor in the air onto the surface of an evaporator, forming liquid water. The condensate is then collected in a drip tray and channeled into a storage container, which is emptied by the user when full. The drip tray, as the core component of the dehumidifier for receiving and guiding condensate, directly affects the dehumidifier's water storage efficiency, ease of use, and manufacturing cost.

[0003] Most existing dehumidifiers use built-in water tanks, which, due to limitations in overall size and installation space, generally have small water capacity. In high-humidity environments, dehumidifiers produce condensate quickly, causing the built-in tank to frequently fill, requiring users to empty it constantly, severely impacting the user experience. To address this issue, the industry commonly employs two improvement methods: First, increasing the volume of the built-in water tank. However, this inevitably increases the overall size and weight of the dehumidifier, increasing manufacturing costs for the casing and water tank, and reducing portability, making it difficult to meet market demands for miniaturization and lightweight design. Second, equipping the dehumidifier with an external water tank. Condensate collected in the drip tray is piped into the external tank, expanding water storage capacity without altering the dehumidifier's structure. This solution balances portability and large-capacity water storage, becoming the current mainstream improvement method.

[0004] However, the external water tank expansion solution has a key technical pain point: if the water storage path is not switched in time after the external water tank is full, the accumulated water can easily flow back along the pipes or overflow from the external water tank, causing equipment failure, damp ground, and other problems. To avoid the above situation, existing technologies usually adopt two anti-overflow designs: one is to install a water level sensor in the external water tank, which detects the water level and feeds back the signal to the dehumidifier control system. When the water level reaches the threshold, the control switches to the internal water tank for water storage or prompts a shutdown. This solution requires additional configuration of sensors, control circuits, and related connectors, which not only significantly increases manufacturing costs but also requires consideration of circuit waterproofing, sensor calibration, and service life, reducing the stability of equipment operation; the other is to design a complex mechanical switching structure, which achieves the switching of the water storage path through the mechanical movement of components such as floats and connecting rods. This type of structure has many parts and is difficult to assemble, further increasing manufacturing costs. Moreover, during long-term use, the mechanical parts are prone to jamming and wear due to scale and impurities, leading to switching failure and failing to reliably prevent water overflow.

[0005] It is evident that existing dehumidifier external water tank expansion solutions either rely on sensors and circuit systems or employ complex mechanical structures for overflow prevention, both of which suffer from high manufacturing costs and poor operational reliability, making it difficult to balance economy and operational stability. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a dehumidifier water storage structure that is simple in structure, requires no additional circuitry or complex mechanical components, and can automatically switch the water storage path when full. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a dehumidification water storage structure and dehumidifier, which aims to solve the technical problems of high cost and poor operational reliability of the existing external water tank anti-overflow design of dehumidifiers, and to provide a low-cost, highly reliable dehumidification water storage structure and dehumidifier, and realize automatic water storage switching when full.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A dehumidification and water storage structure includes an external water tank and a water receiving tray installed inside the dehumidifier. The water receiving tray is divided into a water receiving area and an internal storage area by a partition. The water receiving tray is provided with an external water outlet connecting the water receiving area and an internal water outlet connecting the internal storage area. An overflow port is provided on the partition so that water in the water receiving tray can overflow into the internal storage area through the overflow port. The external water outlet is installed at a height lower than the overflow liquid level of the overflow port. The maximum water storage height of the external water tank is higher than the overflow liquid level. A water inlet connector is provided on the side or bottom of the external water tank. The external water outlet is connected to the water inlet connector through a drain pipe. The water inlet connector is installed at a height lower than the external water outlet.

[0008] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the bottom of the water receiving area of ​​the water receiving tray includes a left guide inclined plate, a right guide inclined plate, and a converging outer inclined plate disposed between the left guide inclined plate and the right guide inclined plate, the converging outer inclined plate being connected to the outlet water nozzle.

[0009] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the height of the outer converging inclined plate is lower than the overflow liquid level of the overflow outlet, and the height of the lowest point of the left and right guide inclined plates is lower than the overflow liquid level of the overflow outlet.

[0010] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the bottom of the inner storage area of ​​the water receiving tray includes a left guide plate, a right guide plate connected to the left guide plate, and a sinking step set at the end of the right guide plate, and the inner water outlet is set on the bottom surface of the sinking step.

[0011] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, a female check valve is installed at the output end of the outlet water nozzle, and a male check valve is provided at the end of the drain pipe near the water receiving tray. The female check valve can be connected to the male check valve.

[0012] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the female check valve includes a female valve body, a female valve core disposed within the female valve body and movable along the axis of the female valve body, and a first spring for driving the female valve core to cooperate with the inner cavity of the female valve body to form a closed check valve. One end of the female check valve is a first docking end that connects with the male check valve, and the other end is a first connector end. The male check valve includes a male valve body, a male valve core disposed within the male valve body and movable along the axis of the male valve body, and a second spring for driving the male valve core to cooperate with the inner cavity of the male valve body to form a closed check valve. One end of the male check valve is a second docking end that connects with the female check valve, and the other end is a second connector end. When the female check valve and the male check valve are docked, the male valve core extends into the inner cavity of the female valve body and squeezes and expands against the female valve core to open the drainage channel.

[0013] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the mother valve core includes a frustum core, a central convex post disposed at the center of the conical surface of the frustum core, a plurality of protruding claws surrounding the central convex post, a circumferential positioning protrusion disposed on the circumferential surface of the frustum core, and a back circular protrusion disposed on the back side of the frustum core. A first sealing ring is fixedly disposed inside the mother valve body to seal with the conical surface of the frustum core.

[0014] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the male valve core includes a transverse core body, an outward protrusion at one end of the transverse core body, an inward retraction platform and a water-permeable support body arranged sequentially behind the transverse core body, and a second sealing ring is fitted on the inward retraction platform.

[0015] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the external water tank has an upper water outlet, the water inlet connector is located on the bottom surface of the external water tank, the bottom of the external water tank is provided with support feet to allow the water inlet connector to be off the ground, and the water inlet connector is an elbow structure with the input end facing outward.

[0016] The present invention also provides a dehumidifier, including the above-mentioned dehumidification and water storage structure, a body, an evaporator, a condenser, a centrifugal fan, a compressor and a built-in water tank disposed in the body, wherein the water receiving tray is disposed in the body and located below the evaporator.

[0017] Beneficial effects: This invention provides a dehumidification and water storage structure that, by simply setting a partition and overflow outlet in the water receiving tray, and combining the water level difference design between the external water outlet, the internal water outlet, and the external water tank, can achieve automatic switching of the water storage path when full. It has fewer parts and is easier to assemble, which greatly reduces manufacturing costs. At the same time, it eliminates electronic components and complex mechanical structures, avoiding problems such as circuit waterproofing, sensor calibration, and mechanical component jamming and wear, which significantly improves the stability and service life of the structure and reduces the equipment failure rate.

[0018] Through the coordinated design of water level difference diversion and overflow outlet, the automatic water storage path switching is realized after the external water tank is full, without the need for manual operation by the user. This fundamentally solves the problems of water backflow and overflow causing equipment failure and ground dampness after the external water tank is full, and improves the safety and practicality of the equipment.

[0019] The external water tank expands the water storage capacity without altering the original structure of the dehumidifier. This avoids the problems of increased size, weight, and reduced portability caused by enlarging the internal water tank, thus meeting the market demand for miniaturization and lightweight design. Furthermore, the large water storage capacity of the external water tank reduces the frequency of emptying water, improving the user experience.

[0020] This invention provides a dehumidifier that has all the advantages of the above-mentioned dehumidification and water storage structure. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the dehumidifier connected to the external water tank provided by the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the dehumidification and water storage structure provided by the present invention.

[0023] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the water receiving tray provided by the present invention Figure 1 .

[0024] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the water receiving tray provided by the present invention Figure 2 .

[0025] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the water receiving tray provided by the present invention Figure 3 .

[0026] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the water receiving tray provided by the present invention.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the dehumidifier provided by the present invention without an external water tank.

[0028] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the external water tank provided by the present invention Figure 1 .

[0029] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the external water tank provided by the present invention Figure 2 .

[0030] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the external water tank provided by the present invention Figure 3 .

[0031] Figure 11Three-dimensional connection for female check valve and male check valve Figure 1 .

[0032] Figure 12 Three-dimensional connection for female check valve and male check valve Figure 2 .

[0033] Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional view of a check valve in its sealed state.

[0034] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view of the female check valve in the sealed state.

[0035] Figure 15 This is a cross-sectional view showing the connection between the female and male check valves after they are connected.

[0036] Key component symbols: 1-Water receiving tray, 11-Water receiving area, 12-Inner storage area, 2-Baffle plate, 21-Overflow outlet, 22-Overflow liquid surface, 31-Outlet water nozzle, 32-Inner outlet water nozzle, 41-Left guide ramp, 42-Right guide ramp, 43-Converging outer ramp, 44-Right guide ramp, 45-Sunken step, 51-Breakage vertical plate, 52-Vertical rib, 61-Snap-fit ​​block, 62-Bottom cover, 63-Mounting hole, 64-Allowing groove, 65-Matching protrusion, 71-Female check valve, 711-Female valve body, 712-Female valve core, 7121-Frustum core, 7122-Central protrusion, 7123-Protrusion claw, 7124-Circumferential positioning protrusion, 7125-Back round protrusion, 713-First spring, 714-First sealing 715-First connector end, 72-Male check valve, 721-Male valve body, 7211-Limiting groove, 722-Male valve core, 7221-Transverse extension core, 7222-Outer protrusion, 7223-Inner retraction platform, 7224-Water-permeable support, 723-Second spring, 724-Second sealing ring, 725-Second connector end, 731-L-shaped buckle plate, 732-Third spring, 8-External water tank, 811-Upper drain outlet, 812-Water inlet, 813-Support leg, 814-Front rigid half-box, 815-Rear rigid half-box, 816-Middle flexible folding wall, 818-Handle, 82-Water inlet connector, 821-Inlet cone surface, 91-Drain pipe, 92-Body, 93-Evaporator, 94-Condenser. Detailed Implementation

[0037] This invention provides a dehumidification and water storage structure and a dehumidifier. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and effects of this invention clearer and more explicit, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0038] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," and "right," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or a specific orientational structure and operation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, "first" and "second" are only for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more.

[0039] Please see Figures 1 to 10 As shown, the present invention provides a dehumidification and water storage structure, including an external water tank 8 and a water receiving tray 1 installed inside the dehumidifier. The water receiving tray 1 is provided with a partition 2 to divide the water receiving tray 1 into a water receiving area 11 and an inner storage area 12. The water receiving tray 1 is provided with an external water nozzle 31 communicating with the water receiving area 11 and an internal water outlet 32 ​​communicating with the inner storage area 12. The partition 2 is provided with an overflow port 21, so that the water in the water receiving tray 1 can overflow into the inner storage area 12 through the overflow port 21. The height of the external water nozzle 31 is lower than the overflow liquid level 22 of the overflow port 21. The maximum water storage height of the external water tank 8 is higher than the overflow liquid level 22. The external water tank 8 is provided with a water inlet connector 82 on its side or bottom. The external water nozzle 31 is connected to the water inlet connector 82 through a drain pipe 91. The height of the water inlet connector 82 is lower than the height of the external water nozzle 31.

[0040] When the dehumidifier is running, water vapor in the air is condensed into liquid water by the refrigeration system and drips into the water collection tray 1 inside the dehumidifier. It first collects in the water collection area 11 separated by the partition 2. Since the outlet water nozzle 31 on the water collection tray 1 is connected to the water collection area 11, and the outlet water nozzle 31 is connected to the water inlet connector 82 of the external water tank 8 through the drain pipe 91, and the height of the water inlet connector 82 is lower than that of the outlet water nozzle 31, and the height of the outlet water nozzle 31 is lower than the overflow liquid level 22 of the overflow outlet 21 of the partition 2, a natural water level difference is formed from top to bottom. Under the action of the water level difference, the condensate in the water collection area 11 will automatically flow through the outlet water nozzle 31 and the drain pipe 91 to the external water tank 8 to achieve large-capacity storage of condensate.

[0041] As the water level in the external water tank 8 gradually increases, its liquid level rises synchronously. When the liquid level in the external water tank 8 reaches the same level as the liquid level in the water receiving area 11 of the water receiving tray 1, the water level difference disappears. Thereafter, the water in the water receiving area 11 continues to accumulate, and the liquid level in the external water tank 8 and the liquid level in the water receiving area 11 of the water receiving tray 1 rise synchronously at the same height. When the synchronously rising liquid levels of both reach the overflow liquid level 22 of the overflow outlet 21, the excess water automatically overflows through the overflow outlet 21 on the partition 2 into the inner storage area 12 of the water receiving tray 1.

[0042] The inner storage area 12 is connected to the inner water outlet 32 ​​on the water receiving tray 1. The condensate overflowing into the inner storage area 12 will be guided through the inner water outlet 32 ​​to the dehumidifier's built-in water storage component (such as an internal water tank) to achieve temporary water storage, preventing condensate from overflowing the water receiving tray 1, and allowing the user time to empty the water in the external water tank 8, thus completing the entire water storage, diversion, and full-water switching process. When the external water tank 8 is emptied, the liquid level in the external water tank 8 drops, and a new water level difference is formed between the water receiving area 11 and the external water tank 8. The water in the water receiving area 11 then preferentially flows into the external water tank 8, cyclically realizing the above water storage switching process.

[0043] The dehumidification and water storage structure provided by this invention can achieve automatic switching of the water storage path when full by simply setting a partition 2 and an overflow outlet 21 in the water receiving tray 1, and cooperating with the water level difference design of the external water outlet 31, the internal water outlet 32 ​​and the external water tank 8. It has fewer parts and lower assembly difficulty, which greatly reduces manufacturing costs. At the same time, it eliminates electronic components and complex mechanical structures, avoiding problems such as circuit waterproofing, sensor calibration, and mechanical part jamming and wear, which significantly improves the stability and service life of the structure and reduces the equipment failure rate.

[0044] Through the coordinated design of water level difference diversion and overflow outlet 21, the automatic water storage path switching is realized after the external water tank 8 is full, without the need for manual operation by the user. This fundamentally solves the problems of water backflow and overflow causing equipment failure and ground dampness after the external water tank 8 is full, and improves the safety and practicality of the equipment.

[0045] The external water tank 8 expands the water storage capacity without altering the original structure of the dehumidifier. This avoids the problems of increased size, weight, and reduced portability caused by enlarging the internal water tank, thus meeting the market demand for miniaturization and lightweight design. Furthermore, the large water storage capacity of the external water tank 8 reduces the frequency of emptying water and improves the user experience.

[0046] It should be noted that if the maximum water storage level (maximum water storage height) of the external water tank 8 is lower than the overflow liquid level 22 of the overflow port 21 of the receiving tray 1, the overflow switching mechanism of the receiving tray 1 will not be triggered, and the external water tank 8 will overflow when full, causing leakage and contamination of the ground. Therefore, the maximum water storage level of the external water tank 8 (i.e., the maximum safe water storage level designed for the water tank body, corresponding to the highest value of the internal limit structure or safety scale of the water tank) must be strictly higher than the overflow liquid level 22 of the overflow port 21 of the receiving tray 1. A fixed height difference is formed between the two, and this height difference must be adapted to the installation height difference between the receiving tray 1 and the external water tank 8, the length of the drain pipe 91, and other working conditions to ensure that the external water tank 8 can fully store water to its maximum capacity before triggering the overflow switching mechanism of the receiving tray 1, without affecting the sealing and safety performance of the water tank.

[0047] For details, see Figures 3 to 6 As shown, the bottom of the water receiving area 11 of the water receiving tray 1 includes a left guide slope 41, a right guide slope 42, and a converging outer slope 43 disposed between the left guide slope 41 and the right guide slope 42. The converging outer slope 43 is connected to the outlet water nozzle 31. The left guide slope 41, the right guide slope 42, and the converging outer slope 43 are all integrated at the bottom of the water receiving area 11, forming an integral structure. The output end of the converging outer slope 43 is directly connected to the outlet water nozzle 31 of the water receiving area 11, realizing a seamless connection between water guidance and water outlet. The left guide slope 41 and the right guide slope 42 are symmetrically inclined, and the inclination angle is adapted to the gravity flow characteristics of condensate. Their inclination direction is towards the middle converging outer slope 43, constructing a dedicated flow guidance layout with guidance on both sides and convergence in the middle, fully covering the bottom area of ​​the water receiving area 11, with no flow guidance blind spots.

[0048] When the dehumidifier is running, the liquid water condensed on the surface of the evaporator 93 of the refrigeration system is randomly dripped to any position at the bottom of the water receiving area 11 under the influence of gravity. When the condensate drips onto the surface of the left guide plate 41 or the right guide plate 42, it will flow quickly towards the lower end of the plate (i.e., towards the outer guide plate 43) under the guidance of the inclined angle of the plate and the influence of gravity, avoiding accumulation at the corners on both sides of the water receiving area 11. When the condensate drips onto the surface of the outer guide plate 43, since the outer guide plate 43 is directly connected to the outlet water nozzle 31 and its surface can be designed with a slight inclined angle (towards the outlet water nozzle 31), the condensate will flow directly and quickly along the outer guide plate 43 to the outlet water nozzle 31. Through the bidirectional guidance of the left guide plate 41 and the right guide plate 42, the condensate from all parts of the water receiving area 11 is uniformly collected to the central outer guide plate 43, and then precisely guided by the outer guide plate 43 to the outlet water nozzle 31. This achieves an efficient transformation of condensate from scattered dripping to centralized discharge, which can significantly shorten the residence time of condensate in the water receiving area 11, quickly complete the collection and discharge, and avoid abnormal rise of the liquid level in the water receiving area 11 due to poor drainage. This forms a coordinated mechanism with the water level difference drainage of the external water tank 8, ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the dehumidifier.

[0049] Furthermore, the height of the converging outer inclined plate 43 is lower than the height of the overflow liquid surface 22 of the overflow outlet 21, and the height of the lowest point of the left guide inclined plate 41 and the right guide inclined plate 42 is lower than the height of the overflow liquid surface 22 of the overflow outlet 21. By limiting the height of the inclined plates to be lower than the overflow liquid surface 22, it is ensured that condensate water is preferentially discharged outward through the guide structure, avoiding local water accumulation in the water receiving area 11 and premature overflow due to the guide structure being partially higher than the overflow liquid surface 22. This completely avoids the problem of false triggering when the external water tank 8 is not full but has already switched to the internal water tank for water storage, ensuring the full capacity utilization rate of the external water tank 8.

[0050] Ideally, the apex of the outlet spout 31 should be lower than the overflow liquid level 22 of the overflow outlet 21. This design allows the outlet to be gradually and completely submerged as the water level in the receiving area 11 rises. This ensures unobstructed and residue-free drainage by relying on gravity and a stable liquid level difference, preventing air from entering and creating air resistance, which could lead to water flow interruptions and discontinuous drainage. Furthermore, it ensures that the liquid level in the receiving area 11 remains stably over the outlet until it reaches the overflow height, laying the foundation for subsequent synchronization with the liquid level of the external water tank 8. Conversely, if the apex is higher than the overflow liquid level 22, the exposed outlet will not only create air resistance but also cause residual water in the receiving area 11, disrupting the water level balance mechanism and preventing stable drainage.

[0051] When the dehumidifier is running, after the evaporator 93 of the refrigeration system cools down, the centrifugal fan drives the ambient air to flow across the surface of the evaporator 93 for dehumidification. Some of the airflow diffuses downwards to the area above the water receiving area 11. For this purpose, turbulence-inducing vertical plates 51 are provided on the left guide plate 41 and the right guide plate 42. The turbulence-inducing vertical plates 51 on the left guide plate 41 and the right guide plate 42 can block, divert, and turbulentize this part of the airflow. After the airflow, which originally flows in a straight line, hits the turbulence-inducing vertical plates 51, it will change its flow direction and form multiple turbulent secondary airflows. Some of the airflow flows upwards along the side of the turbulence-inducing vertical plates 51 and flows back to the bottom area of ​​the evaporator 93. Another part of the airflow forms a swirling airflow between the turbulence-inducing vertical plates 51, which prolongs the residence time of the airflow around the evaporator 93 and above the water receiving area 11. Meanwhile, the condensate on the inclined plate surface of the water receiving area 11 will lower the temperature of the surrounding air. The turbulence will allow the low-temperature air to mix fully with the undehumidified ambient air, increasing the probability of contact between water vapor in the air and the low-temperature surface (evaporator 93, condensate), promoting more water vapor to condense into liquid water, thereby enhancing the overall dehumidification effect.

[0052] In addition, the evaporator 93, as a core component of the dehumidifier, has its own weight, and its bottom usually needs to be supported by the water tray 1 area. The baffles 51 on the left guide plate 41 and the right guide plate 42 protrude vertically from the surface of the guide plate. After the evaporator 93 is installed in place, its bottom edge can directly abut against the top or side of the baffles 51, so that the baffles 51 forms a multi-point support structure. The baffles 51 are integrally molded and firmly connected to the guide plate and the water tray 1 body, which can evenly distribute the weight of the bottom of the evaporator 93 to the guide plate and the water tray 1 as a whole, avoiding the weight of the evaporator 93 from being concentrated on a single area of ​​the guide plate, preventing the guide plate from deforming under long-term stress, and ensuring that the tilt angle and guiding function of the guide plate are stable and reliable.

[0053] Both the left guide plate 41 and the right guide plate 42 are provided with vertical ribs 52 for positioning the evaporator 93. On the left guide plate 41 and the right guide plate 42, a positioning vertical rib 52 structure is added corresponding to the arrangement of the copper tubes extending from the left and right sides of the evaporator 93: the vertical rib 52 is vertically fixed to the upper surface of the plate, and the top of the vertical rib 52 is provided with an arc-shaped groove (or contact surface) that matches the outer diameter of the copper tubes extending from the sides of the evaporator 93. The curvature of the groove is consistent with the curvature of the copper tube, which can achieve precise contact and fit with the copper tubes on both sides.

[0054] During installation, the copper pipes extending from the left and right sides of the evaporator 93 are inserted into the arc-shaped grooves of the vertical ribs 52 of the left guide plate 41 and the right guide plate 42, respectively. The grooves fit tightly with the copper pipes, forming a symmetrical multi-point positioning support structure. On the one hand, the arc-shaped fitting surface can limit the displacement of the evaporator 93 in the horizontal (front and back, left and right) and vertical directions, preventing the evaporator 93 from shifting or misaligning due to vibration during equipment operation. On the other hand, the vertical ribs 52 distribute the load evenly to the guide plates and water receiving tray 1 by bearing the weight of the evaporator 93 transmitted by the copper pipes on both sides, complementing the support function of the turbulence vertical plate 51 and jointly stabilizing the installation posture of the evaporator 93.

[0055] In this embodiment, the bottom of the inner storage area 12 of the water receiving tray 1 includes a left guide ramp 41, a right guide ramp 44 connected to the left guide ramp 41, and a sunken step 45 located at the end of the right guide ramp 44. The inner water outlet 32 ​​is located on the bottom surface of the sunken step 45. When the external water tank 8 is full, the water receiving area 11 and the liquid level of the external water tank 8 rise synchronously to the height of the overflow port 21, and the excess condensate overflows into the inner storage area 12 through the overflow port 21. The condensate entering the inner storage area 12 first drips onto the surface of the left guide ramp 41. Under the guidance of the ramp's tilt angle and gravity, it flows towards the connected right guide ramp 44. The right guide ramp 44 continues the guiding direction, further guiding the water flow to the sunken step 45 at the end. Since the sunken step 45 is the lowest point at the bottom of the inner storage area 12, the water flow will naturally converge in the step area, forming a stable water accumulation area.

[0056] Because the inner water outlet 32 ​​is located on the bottom surface of the sunken step 45, the collected condensate can flow directly into the inner water outlet 32 ​​by gravity, and can be smoothly discharged to the built-in water tank for storage without additional power. After the external water tank 8 is emptied, the water level difference between the water receiving area 11 and the external water tank 8 is restored, and the condensate flows into the external water tank 8 again with priority. The water in the inner storage area 12 is gradually drained through the inner water outlet 32. The sunken step 45 can prevent water residue and prepare for the next overflow storage. The entire process realizes the directional and unobstructed transmission of water in the inner storage area 12.

[0057] In fact, the left guide slope 41 and right guide slope 44 of the inner storage area 12 of the water tray 1 are also equipped with turbulence vertical plates 51 and vertical ribs 52 for positioning the condenser 94. When the dehumidifier is running, the condenser 94 will form a surrounding airflow circulation during heat dissipation. Part of the airflow driven by the fan flows over the inner storage area 12 and the surface of the condenser 94. The turbulence vertical plates 51 of the inner storage area 12 can form a targeted turbulence effect on this part of the airflow: the airflow that originally flowed in a straight line under the condenser 94 is changed in direction after hitting the vertical plate, forming multiple swirling airflows and return airflows. Part of the airflow is turned back upward along the side of the vertical plate and flows again through the lower part of the surface of the condenser 94. Another part of the airflow forms vortices between adjacent vertical plates, prolonging the residence time of the airflow around the condenser 94. At the same time, the condensate on the surface of the inclined plate of the inner storage area 12 can reduce the temperature of the surrounding air. The turbulence effect makes the low temperature air and the heat dissipation airflow of the condenser 94 fully mix, enhances the heat exchange efficiency, and indirectly improves the refrigeration and dehumidification performance of the dehumidifier.

[0058] The back of the water tray 1 is provided with a snap-fit ​​block 61 for connecting with the body of the dehumidifier. The end of the snap-fit ​​block 61 is provided with an elastic buckle or a wedge-shaped engaging part, which is precisely matched with the pre-set slots and holes at the corresponding positions of the dehumidifier body. During installation, the snap-fit ​​block 61 on the back of the water tray 1 is aligned with the pre-set slots / holes on the dehumidifier body, and an axial thrust is applied to cause the elastic buckle at the end of the snap-fit ​​block 61 to deform slightly and smoothly embed into the slot / hole. When the buckle is fully engaged, the elastic deformation returns to its original state, and the buckle and the inner wall of the slot form a tight-fitting limiting structure, which restricts the displacement of the water tray 1 in the horizontal direction (front and back, left and right). At the same time, the supporting surface of the snap-fit ​​block 61 bears the weight of the water tray 1 itself and the load of condensate water, and transmits the force to the body frame to achieve stable support in the vertical direction.

[0059] Preferably, the bottom of the water receiving tray 1 is provided with two bottom covers 62. The front end face of each bottom cover 62 has a mounting hole 63, and the rear end face of each bottom cover 62 has a clearance groove 64. The bottom cover 62 is adapted to the overall shape of the mounting base and can tightly cover the surface of the mounting base. The front end face (facing the interior of the machine body) of the bottom cover 62 has a mounting hole 63, the diameter and position of which precisely correspond to the pre-set threaded hole on the mounting base, allowing for rigid connection via bolts or other fasteners. The size and shape of the clearance groove 64 are adapted to the mounting base and surrounding protruding structures, pipes, or lines to prevent interference during installation.

[0060] A docking protrusion 65 is added to the front face of the water tray 1 (the end face facing the dehumidifier housing) to achieve precise alignment and fixation with the rear cover of the dehumidifier. The docking protrusion 65 is a protrusion structure integrally formed with the front face of the water tray 1, and is symmetrically arranged along the edge of the front face (usually 2-3 are set to adapt to the stress requirements of the housing plate). The protrusion is columnar or block-shaped, and its end face is precisely fitted with the preset docking surface of the dehumidifier housing plate. A through threaded hole is opened in the center of the docking protrusion 65. The specifications and position of the threaded hole are precisely matched with the mounting hole 63 at the corresponding position of the housing plate, and rigid docking can be achieved by bolts, screws and other fasteners.

[0061] When the external water tank 8 is full of condensate, the connection between the dehumidifier and the drain pipe 91 needs to be disconnected for easy emptying. However, disconnecting the drain pipe 91 has two consequences: firstly, the dehumidifier will continue to produce condensate while running, and this condensate will drain directly from the dehumidifier's pipe connection, causing water accumulation on the floor; secondly, the remaining condensate in the external water tank 8 will overflow back along the disconnected drain pipe 91, and during the movement of the external water tank 8, the water inside is also prone to overflow due to shaking, further causing water accumulation on the floor. This not only damages floor fixtures but also increases the user's cleaning burden and negatively impacts the dehumidifier's user experience. Therefore, please refer to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a female check valve 71 is installed at the output end of the outlet water nozzle 31, and a male check valve 72 is provided at the end of the drain pipe 91 near the water receiving pan 1. The female check valve 71 can be connected to the male check valve 72.

[0062] For details, see Figures 11 to 15As shown, the female check valve 71 includes a female valve body 711, a female valve core 712 disposed within the female valve body 711 and movable along the axis of the female valve body 711, and a first spring 713 for driving the female valve core 712 to engage with the inner cavity of the female valve body 711 to form a closed check valve. One end of the female check valve 71 is a first mating end that connects with the male check valve 72, and the other end is a first connector end 715. The male check valve 72 includes a male valve body 721, a female valve core 712 disposed within the male valve body 721, and a first spring 713 for driving the female valve core 712 to engage with the inner cavity of the female valve body 711 to form a closed check valve. The male valve core 722, which can move along the axis of the male valve body 721, and the second spring 723, which is used to drive the male valve core 722 to cooperate with the inner cavity of the male valve body 721 to form a closed check valve, are also included. One end of the male check valve 72 is a second docking end that connects with the female check valve 71, and the other end is a second connector end 725. When the female check valve 71 connects with the male check valve 72, the male valve core 722 extends into the inner cavity of the female valve body 711 and squeezes and opens with the female valve core 712 to open the drainage channel.

[0063] When the dehumidifier needs to continuously drain water and expand the water storage capacity using the external water tank 8, first fix the female check valve 71 to the drain pipe 91, then fix the male check valve 72 to the dehumidifier water receiving tray 1, and then connect the female check valve 71 and the male check valve 72. During the connection process, the second connection end of the male check valve 72 extends into the first connection end of the female check valve 71, so that the male valve core 722 in the male valve body 721 simultaneously extends into the inner cavity of the female valve body 711. At this time, the male valve core 722 extending into the inner cavity of the female valve body 711 and the female valve core 712 inside the female valve body 711 are pressed against each other. This pressing force overcomes the elastic force of the first spring 713 on the female valve core 712 and the elastic force of the second spring 723 on the male valve core 722, driving the female valve core 712 to move away from the first mating end along the axis of the female valve body 711, disengaging from the closed fit with the inner cavity of the female valve body 711. At the same time, it drives the male valve core 722 to move away from the second mating end along the axis of the male valve body 721, disengaging from the closed fit with the inner cavity of the male valve body 721. At this point, the inner cavity of the female check valve 71 and the inner cavity of the male check valve 72 are interconnected, forming a complete drainage channel. The condensate collected in the dehumidifier's water tray 1 enters the male valve body 721 through the second connector end 725 of the male check valve 72, passes through the gap between the male valve core 722 and the inner cavity of the male valve body 721, and the gap between the female valve core 712 and the inner cavity of the female valve body 711, and then flows into the drain pipe 91 through the first connector end 715 of the female check valve 71, and finally flows into the external water tank 8 for storage, thus achieving stable discharge of condensate.

[0064] When the external water tank 8 is full of condensate and the drain pipe 91 needs to be disconnected to empty the accumulated water, the female check valve 71 and the male check valve 72 are separated from each other. At this time, the male valve core 722 exits from the inner cavity of the female valve body 711, and the squeezing force between the male valve core 722 and the female valve core 712 disappears. Under the action of its own elastic restoring force, the first spring 713 drives the female valve core 712 to move along the axis of the female valve body 711 towards the first mating end until the female valve core 712 and the inner cavity of the female valve body 711 are tightly fitted together, thereby closing the female check valve 71 to prevent discharge. This prevents the remaining condensate in the pipe of the external water tank 8 or the condensate in the external water tank 8 from overflowing to the outside along the pipe. At the same time, under the action of its own elastic restoring force, the second spring 723 drives the male valve core 722 to move along the axis of the male valve body 721 towards the second mating end until the male valve core 722 and the inner cavity of the male valve body 721 are tightly fitted together, thereby closing the male check valve 72 to prevent the condensate that has not been discharged from the dehumidifier's water tray 1 from overflowing from the mating end of the male check valve 72, and avoiding the direct leakage of condensate continuously generated by the dehumidifier to the ground. Through the above process, after the female check valve 71 and the male check valve 72 are disconnected, they stop draining synchronously, thus preventing water leakage.

[0065] Specifically, the female valve core 712 includes a frustum core 7121, a central convex post 7122 located at the center of the conical surface of the frustum core 7121, multiple protruding claws 7123 surrounding the central convex post 7122, a circumferential positioning protrusion 7124 on the circumferential surface of the frustum core 7121, and a back circular protrusion 7125 on the back of the frustum core 7121. A first sealing ring 714, which seals with the conical surface of the frustum core 7121, is fixed inside the female valve core 711. The main structure of the female valve core 712 is frustum-shaped and is the core component for achieving the stop-drain seal of the female check valve 71. The conical design of the frustum core 7121 improves the sealing performance with the first sealing ring 714 and facilitates a smooth compression fit with the male valve core 722 during docking, reducing docking jamming.

[0066] The central convex post 7122 is located at the center of the conical surface of the frustum core 7121, and is a columnar protrusion. Its axis coincides with the axis of the frustum core 7121 and the female valve body 711. It is the core force-bearing component for the mating and extrusion of the female valve core 712 and the male valve core 722. The central convex post 7122 can achieve precise alignment between the male valve core 722 and the female valve core 712, ensuring that the extrusion pressure is concentrated and the force is evenly distributed during the mating, and avoiding the drainage channel from not being able to open or the seal from failing due to valve core misalignment.

[0067] In this embodiment, there are three protruding claws 7123, which are evenly distributed around the central protruding column 7122 and are fixedly connected to the conical surface of the frustum core 7121. The protruding claws 7123 are arc-shaped or columnar, and their tops are flush with the tops of the central protruding column 7122. They mainly serve to help share the compressive force and prevent the central protruding column 7122 from deforming due to excessive force.

[0068] When condensate drainage is required, the female check valve 71 is connected to the male check valve 72. During the connection process, the male valve core 722 of the male check valve 72 first contacts the central protrusion 7122 of the female valve core 712, achieving initial precise alignment between the male and female valve cores 722 and ensuring coaxial cooperation. As the connection depth increases, the male valve body 721 of the male check valve 72 contacts the protrusion 7123 of the female valve core 712. The protrusion 7123 acts as a guide, further guiding the male valve body 721 and the female valve body 711 to accurately connect, avoiding connection misalignment. At the same time, the protrusion 7123 can help distribute the force transmitted by the male valve body 721, preventing the central protrusion 7122 from being deformed due to concentrated force. At this time, the squeezing force between the male valve core 722 and the central convex post 7122 continues to increase. This squeezing force is transmitted to the entire frustum core 7121 through the central convex post 7122, overcoming the elastic force of the first spring 713 on the back round convex post 7125 (the back round convex post 7125 plays a positioning role on the first spring 713, ensuring that the elastic force is evenly transmitted to the frustum core 7121), and driving the female valve core 712 to move away from the first docking end along the axis of the female valve body 711.

[0069] During this process, the circumferential positioning protrusion 7124 slides synchronously with the frustum core 7121 along the axial groove of the inner cavity of the mother valve body 711, always restricting the circumferential rotation of the mother valve core 712, ensuring that the conical surface of the frustum core 7121 is aligned with the conical surface of the inner cavity of the mother valve body 711; when the mother valve core 712 moves to the preset stroke, the back of the frustum core 7121 or the limiting structure of the first spring 713 (adapted to the axial movement stroke) restricts its continued movement, preventing the first spring 713 from being over-compressed and damaged; at the same time, the conical surface of the frustum core 7121 separates from the first sealing ring 714, forming a gap, which, together with the gap formed between the male valve core 722 after being squeezed and the inner cavity of the male valve body 721, constitutes a complete drainage channel. At this time, the condensate in the dehumidifier's water tray 1 flows into the external water tank 8 pipeline through the male check valve 72 and the female check valve 71 (through the gap between the protrusions 7123 and the gap between the frustum core 7121 and the inner cavity of the female valve body 711), thus achieving stable discharge of condensate.

[0070] When the external water tank 8 is full and needs to be emptied, the female check valve 71 and the male check valve 72 are separated. The male valve core 722 exits from between the protrusions 7123 of the female valve core 712, and the squeezing force between the male valve core 722 and the central protrusion 7122 disappears. At this time, under the action of its own elastic restoring force, the first spring 713 pushes the back round protrusion 7125, driving the female valve core 712 to return to its original position along the axis of the female valve body 711 towards the first mating end, until the conical surface of the frustum core 7121 is tightly fitted with the first sealing ring 714, forming a reliable seal, thereby stopping the discharge of the female check valve 71 and preventing the water in the external water tank 8 pipeline from overflowing backwards.

[0071] Furthermore, the first connector end 715 is an inner connector of the drain pipe 91. The inner connector of the drain pipe 91 has an overall cylindrical hollow structure, and its axis coincides with the axis of the female valve body 711 and the female valve core 712 to ensure that the drainage channel is continuous and without offset. The outer diameter of the inner connector of the drain pipe 91 is precisely matched with the inner diameter of the connected drain pipe 91, and it can be directly inserted into the pipe to achieve docking. The outer circumferential surface of the connector can be provided with annular anti-slip ridges to further improve the fit and sealing with the inner wall of the drain pipe 91 and prevent leakage during drainage.

[0072] Specifically, the male valve core 722 includes a transverse core 7221, an outward protrusion 7222 disposed at one end of the transverse core 7221, an inward retraction platform 7223 disposed sequentially behind the transverse core 7221, and a water-permeable support 7224, wherein a second sealing ring 724 is fitted on the inward retraction platform 7223.

[0073] In the non-connected check valve state, the female check valve 71 and the male check valve 72 are not connected. The second spring 723 is in its natural return state, and its elastic force pushes the inner retraction platform 7223 towards the second docking end of the male valve body 721. The inner retraction platform 7223 drives the transverse core 7221 to move synchronously until the end of the transverse core 7221 near the outer protrusion 7222 is in contact with the limiting structure of the inner cavity of the male valve body 721. At this time, the outer protrusion 7222 extends out of the second docking end port of the male valve body 721. At the same time, the second sealing ring 724 is tightly fitted with the inner cavity of the male valve body 721, realizing the closure and check valve 72. The female check valve 71 is simultaneously in the check valve state. The double check valve can prevent the leakage of condensate in the dehumidifier's water tray 1 and the backflow of water in the drain pipe 91.

[0074] When condensate drainage is required, the first mating end of the female check valve 71 is mated with the second mating end of the male check valve 72. Since the protruding nozzle 7222 has already extended out of the male valve body 721 in the non-maturing state, the protruding nozzle 7222 can quickly contact the central protruding post 7122 of the female valve core 712 in the initial mating stage. Because the protruding nozzle 7222 and the central protruding post 7122 are precisely matched and coaxially set, the precise alignment of the male valve core 722 and the female valve core 712 is quickly completed, avoiding mating misalignment.

[0075] As the docking depth continues to increase, the end of the male valve body 721 contacts the protrusion 7123 of the female valve core 712, further achieving guidance and positioning to ensure smooth docking. At this time, the central protrusion 7122 of the female valve core 712 generates a reverse extrusion force on the outer protrusion 7222. This extrusion force is transmitted to the transverse core 7221 through the outer protrusion 7222. After being subjected to force, the transverse core 7221 moves away from the second docking end along the axis of the male valve body 721, simultaneously driving the inner retraction platform 7223 and the permeable support 7224 behind it to move together. The outer protrusion 7222 gradually retracts into the male valve body 721.

[0076] When the male valve core 722 moves, it causes the second spring 723 to be squeezed and compressed, storing elastic potential energy. At the same time, a gap is formed between the transverse core 7221 and the inner cavity of the male valve body 721, and the condensate in the dehumidifier's water tray 1 flows smoothly into the male valve body 721, passes through the hollow structure of the permeable support 7224, and enters the gap between the transverse core 7221 and the inner cavity of the male valve body 721. Meanwhile, the outer protrusion 7222 continuously squeezes the central protrusion 7122 of the female valve core 712, driving the female valve core 712 to move along the axis of the female valve body 711. The first spring 713 is compressed, and the frustum core 7121 of the female valve core 712 separates from the first sealing ring 714, forming a drainage gap.

[0077] Finally, the condensate flows through the gap between the male valve body 721 and the male valve core 722, and the gap between the female valve body 711 and the female valve core 712, into the inner connector of the drain pipe 91 of the female check valve 71, and then through the inner connector of the drain pipe 91 into the external water tank 8 pipeline, and into the external water tank 8 for storage, so as to achieve stable and smooth discharge of condensate.

[0078] In this embodiment, the second connector end 725 is an internal thread connector, and correspondingly, the outlet water nozzle 31 is a pipe head structure. The outer circumferential surface of the output end is machined with a matching external thread. The tight fit between the threads can achieve a good initial seal. With the help of auxiliary sealing parts, the sealing performance can be further improved, effectively preventing condensate from leaking from the connection gap between the male check valve 72 and the water tray 1. This solves the problem of easy loosening and leakage in conventional connection methods (such as pipe connection). At the same time, the threaded connection is strong and can prevent the male check valve 72 from shifting or falling off due to the vibration of the dehumidifier or external pulling, thus ensuring the overall working stability of the male check valve 72.

[0079] See Figures 8 to 10 As shown, the external water tank 8 has an upper pouring spout 811, which facilitates quick water pouring by the user. In this invention, it is a preferred embodiment to place the water inlet connector 82 on the bottom surface of the external water tank 8. Its advantages are mainly based on the actual usage characteristics of the drain pipe 91 and the stability of water flow transmission. The specific reasons are as follows: The drain pipe 91, connecting the water outlet of the dehumidifier's water tray 1 to the water inlet connector 82 of the external water tank 8, is typically a flexible hose. To adapt to different installation scenarios and allow for sufficient assembly and movement, the hose must be of appropriate length. If the water inlet connector 82 is located on the side of the external water tank 8, due to the weight of the flexible hose itself, some sections will naturally sag under gravity, causing this portion of the hose to be lower than the installation height of the water inlet connector 82. This creates a localized depression that negatively impacts water flow. When the water inlet connector 82 is placed on the bottom surface of the external water tank 8, the flexible hose can hang down naturally or connect to the bottom water inlet connector 82 in a smooth transition state. This can effectively prevent the hose from falling due to gravity and forming a low-lying section below the water inlet connector 82, ensuring a smooth water flow path inside the hose, reducing water flow resistance, and preventing air from accumulating inside the hose and forming an air blockage. This ensures that condensate flows into the external water tank 8 stably and continuously, significantly improving the stability of equipment operation.

[0080] It should be noted that if the highest water level that the external water tank 8 can hold is lower than the overflow level 22 of the overflow port 21 of the receiving tray 1, the overflow switching mechanism of the receiving tray 1 will not be triggered, and the external water tank 8 will overflow when full, causing leakage and contamination of the ground. Therefore, the highest water level that the external water tank 8 can hold (i.e., the maximum safe water level designed for the tank body, corresponding to the highest value of the internal limiting structure or safety scale of the tank) must be strictly higher than the overflow level 22 of the overflow port 21 of the receiving tray 1. A fixed height difference is formed between the two, and this height difference must be adapted to the installation height difference between the receiving tray 1 and the external water tank 8, the length of the drain pipe 91, and other working conditions to ensure that the external water tank 8 can fully store water to its maximum capacity before triggering the overflow switching mechanism of the receiving tray 1, without affecting the sealing and safety performance of the water tank.

[0081] Specifically, the water inlet connector 82 is an elbow structure (preferably an L-shaped elbow) with the input end of the elbow facing outwards from the external water tank 8. This, combined with the installation position on the bottom surface of the external water tank 8, enables a compatible connection with the flexible hose and stable water flow guidance. The flexible hose connected to the outlet of the water tray 1 has its free end sealed to the outward-facing input end of the water inlet connector 82. Because the water inlet connector 82 is an elbow structure, it can redirect the direction of the condensate water transmitted from the hose (usually from horizontal to vertically downwards), allowing the water flow to smoothly enter the water inlet hole 812 on the bottom surface of the external water tank 8 along the inner side of the elbow, and finally flow into the inner cavity of the external water tank 8 for storage.

[0082] The optimal installation method of the inlet connector 82, with the elbow input end facing outwards, ensures that the connector's mating port is fully exposed, eliminating the need to avoid the external water tank 8 structure. During assembly, the user can directly align the flexible hose with the connector port for quick and easy sealing. Furthermore, this design allows the hose to maintain a natural, drooping, or smoothly transitioning connection posture, preventing bending or twisting due to improper connection angles. Simultaneously, the elbow's steering function allows water to flow smoothly into the water tank without overcoming additional obstacles, ensuring unimpeded water flow. This structure also prevents air accumulation at the hose-connector joint, further eliminating airlock issues and ensuring stable water storage.

[0083] Furthermore, the peripheral wall of the input end of the water inlet connector 82 is provided with an inlet cone surface 821 for connecting with the drain pipe 91. During assembly, the free end of the flexible drain pipe 91 is aligned with the outward-facing input end of the water inlet connector 82. The port of the drain pipe 91 first contacts the outer flared portion of the inlet cone surface 821. With the gradual guiding effect of the cone surface, the flexible drain pipe 91 can be quickly fitted and automatically centered. It can be gradually tightened to the reference inner diameter position of the input end of the connector without precise alignment of the inner diameter of the connector, thus efficiently completing the fitting of the drain pipe 91 and the connector.

[0084] Meanwhile, the smooth, gradually tapered structure can prevent the drain pipe 91 from being scratched or damaged by the joint edge when it is fitted, ensuring the integrity of the inner wall of the drain pipe 91 to maintain the connection seal. After fitting, the tapered surface and the inner wall of the drain pipe 91 form a gradually tight fit. Combined with the elastic shrinkage characteristics of the flexible drain pipe 91, the gap between the joint and the drain pipe 91 can be greatly reduced, which improves the sealing reliability of the connection between the two.

[0085] When the water inlet connector 82 is located on the bottom surface of the external water tank 8, a support leg 813 structure is provided at the bottom of the external water tank 8 to achieve the arrangement of the water inlet connector 82 off the ground. The support leg 813 is integrally formed with the external water tank 8 or is fixedly connected by a detachable method. It is preferably evenly distributed along the four corners or edges of the bottom surface of the water tank (usually 3-4 legs are set) to ensure that the force is balanced when the water tank is placed. The height of the support leg 813 must be higher than the overall height of the water inlet connector 82 so that the water inlet connector 82 is completely off the placement surface (ground, tabletop, etc.). The bottom of the support leg 813 adopts a flat structure or anti-slip pad design, while not affecting the structural integrity and function of the rounded corners of the bottom of the external water tank 8.

[0086] The structural strength of the support leg 813 is adapted to the overall weight of the water tank when it is full of water, and the material is consistent with that of the external water tank 8 (such as food-grade PP material) to avoid long-term load deformation. The layout of the support leg 813 should avoid the position of the water inlet connector 82 so as not to interfere with the docking operation of the water inlet connector 82 and the flexible drain pipe 91. At the same time, sufficient bottom space is reserved so that the drain pipe 91 can extend from the water inlet connector 82 to the outside and hang down naturally.

[0087] During assembly, the support leg 813 elevates the external water tank 8. The ground clearance provided by the support leg 813 can prevent the water inlet connector 82 from directly contacting the placement surface, preventing the connector from being worn or bumped, resulting in damage and leakage. The flexible drain pipe 91 can be smoothly connected from the outward-facing input end of the water inlet connector 82 and hang down naturally, forming a reasonable water flow path without bending or squeezing.

[0088] Preferably, the bottom corners of the external water tank 8 are integrally formed with rounded corners. These rounded corners cover all bottom edge positions, including the junction of the bottom and sides of the external water tank 8 and the four corners of the bottom surface, and adopt a smooth transition arc structure design. The rounded corner structure, through its smooth transition design, completely eliminates the safety hazards of sharp corners, protecting the placement surface from damage and improving user safety during operation, thus adapting to the usage needs of various scenarios such as home and office.

[0089] The right-angled edges at the bottom can easily become cleaning dead zones, where scale and stains tend to accumulate over time, making them difficult to clean and potentially breeding bacteria. The rounded corner structure, with no obvious gaps, allows tools to smoothly conform to the curved surfaces during cleaning, quickly removing residual stains and reducing cleaning difficulty. It also ensures the cleanliness of the water tank's interior, preventing stains from affecting condensate storage and water flow.

[0090] Traditional external water tanks are fixed structures, bulky when not in use, occupying a lot of storage space, and inconvenient to move. Therefore, the external water tank 8 described above can be folded vertically to reduce its width, thus reducing its overall width when not in use and improving the ease of storage and transport.

[0091] In one embodiment, the external water tank 8 includes a front rigid half-tank 814, a rear rigid half-tank 815, and a central flexible folding wall 816 disposed between the front and rear rigid half-tanks 814 and 815. These three components work together to form a longitudinally foldable complete water storage cavity, simultaneously ensuring both structural strength and folding / shrinking functionality. The front and rear rigid half-tanks 814 and 815 are symmetrical structures, both integrally molded from high-strength, corrosion-resistant, and food-grade compliant rigid materials (preferably modified PP or ABS). They respectively constitute the front and rear cavities of the external water tank 8. The thickness of their side walls and bottom surfaces is adapted to the weight of the water tank, ensuring stable support of condensate after unfolding and preventing deformation. The central flexible folding wall panel 816 connects the front rigid half-box 814 and the rear rigid half-box 815 at their longitudinal joint, covering the middle of the side walls and bottom of both rigid half-boxes. It is made of a highly elastic, aging-resistant, and waterproof flexible material (preferably food-grade silicone, corrosion-resistant rubber, or flexible composite plastic), and is fixed to the two rigid half-boxes using integral injection molding or sealed bonding, ensuring connection strength while eliminating the risk of water leakage at the fold. The thickness and toughness of the flexible folding wall panel have been optimized to withstand long-term repeated folding deformation, while also providing structural support to prevent excessive collapse after folding, which would affect storage.

[0092] In use, the front rigid half-box 814 and the rear rigid half-box 815 are stretched to the sides, and the flexible folded wall 816 in the middle is stretched to a flat state, forming a complete and sealed water storage cavity. At this time, the bottom support 813 unfolds with the rigid half-box, stably supporting the water tank, and the water inlet connector 82 can be normally connected to the flexible drain pipe 91 to realize water storage.

[0093] In the non-use state, the front rigid half-tank 814 and the rear rigid half-tank 815 are pressed along the longitudinal central axis. The flexible folding wall 816 in the middle bends and deforms inward along the preset folding trajectory, causing the two rigid half-tanks to move closer together until they are tightly closed, reducing the overall width of the water tank to about half of its unfolded state. During the folding process, the rigid half-tanks provide support for the flexible wall, preventing damage to the wall due to excessive folding. The bottom support 813 retracts synchronously with the rigid half-tanks. The water inlet connector 82, being fixed to the bottom of the rigid half-tanks and protected by the support 813, will not collide with external objects and will not affect the smoothness of the folding action.

[0094] Traditional folding water tanks lack dedicated handles 818, requiring users to grip the side wall during transport. This uneven force distribution can easily lead to tilting and leakage, and the tank's weight when full further complicates handling. Therefore, both the front hard half-tank 814 and the rear hard half-tank 815 are equipped with handles 818 at their tops. These symmetrically arranged handles provide users with dedicated gripping points, ensuring balanced force distribution and stable transport of the water tank. The handles 818 are manufactured using a one-piece molding process with the corresponding hard half-tank, maintaining the same material to ensure sufficient structural strength to support the overall weight of the tank when full, preventing breakage or deformation. The handles 818 are positioned to avoid the top drain outlet 811 of the external water tank 8 and the folding path, preferably located at the corners or center of the top of each hard half-tank. The symmetrical arrangement of the two handles 818 ensures that they do not interfere with the folding and fitting of the front and rear hard half-tanks 815 while maintaining balanced force distribution during transport.

[0095] The bottom of the front hard half-box 814 is higher than the bottom of the rear hard half-box 815, providing ample space to fix the water inlet connector 82 to the bottom of the front hard half-box 814. When the water storage state is unfolded, the front hard half-box 814 is longer than the rear hard half-box 815 due to the support legs 813. The water inlet connector 82 is positioned higher with the front box, and the flexible drain pipe 91 hangs down naturally after connecting from the inlet end facing outwards, without the risk of bending or squeezing. Combined with the elbow structure and the guide cone surface 821, it ensures that the condensate flows smoothly into the water tank along the direction of gravity, and the slight tilt caused by the height difference does not affect the water storage volume and sealing performance.

[0096] The present invention also provides a dehumidifier, including the above-mentioned dehumidification and water storage structure, a body 92, an evaporator 93, a condenser 94, a centrifugal fan, a compressor and a built-in water tank disposed in the body 92, wherein the water receiving tray 1 is disposed in the body 92 and located below the evaporator 93.

[0097] After the dehumidifier is powered on, the compressor starts working, compressing the low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant into a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which is then delivered to the condenser 94. Inside the condenser 94, the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant exchanges heat with the air outside the unit 92, releasing heat and condensing into a medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant, completing the initial heat dissipation. The liquid refrigerant, cooled by the condenser 94, enters the evaporator 93 for depressurized evaporation. During evaporation, it absorbs a large amount of heat from the surface of the evaporator 93, causing its surface temperature to drop rapidly. Simultaneously, the centrifugal fan starts, drawing humid air from outside the unit 92 into the unit and guiding it evenly across the surface of the evaporator 93. Because the surface temperature of the evaporator 93 is much lower than the air dew point temperature, water vapor in the humid air rapidly condenses on the surface of the evaporator 93, forming liquid condensate. Under gravity, the condensate on the surface of the evaporator 93 drips into the drip tray 1 located below the evaporator 93, first collecting in the drip area 11 of the drip tray 1. Based on the water level difference design of the dehumidification and water storage structure, the condensate in the water receiving area 11 is guided to the external water tank 8 by gravity through the external water nozzle 31 and the drain pipe 91, achieving large-capacity storage of condensate. As the water volume in the external water tank 8 gradually increases, its liquid level rises synchronously. When the liquid level in the external water tank 8 reaches the same level as the liquid level in the water receiving area 11 of the water receiving tray 1, the water level difference disappears. Thereafter, the water volume in the water receiving area 11 continues to accumulate, and the liquid level in the external water tank 8 and the liquid level in the water receiving area 11 of the water receiving tray 1 rise synchronously at the same height. When the synchronously rising liquid levels of both reach the overflow liquid level 22 of the overflow outlet 21, the excess water automatically overflows through the overflow outlet 21 on the partition 2 to the inner storage area 12 of the water receiving tray 1.

[0098] The dry, cold air dehumidified by the evaporator 93 continues to flow over the surface of the condenser 94, where it exchanges heat with the refrigerant inside the condenser 94. After absorbing heat, the air temperature rises, turning into dry, warm air. Finally, under the action of the centrifugal fan, the dry air is discharged from the unit 92 and re-enters the external environment, forming a continuous dehumidification cycle until the ambient humidity reaches the preset requirement.

[0099] When the sensor inside the dehumidifier detects that the built-in water tank is full, it will send a signal and the dehumidifier will stop working.

[0100] The dehumidifier of this invention is equipped with an external water tank 8 to achieve large-capacity water storage, and with automatic switching, it reduces the frequency of user operation: the external water tank 8 does not occupy a large amount of space inside the dehumidifier body 92, and can be flexibly designed to have a larger volume, which greatly increases the total amount of condensate water stored, solving the pain point of existing built-in water tanks having small water storage capacity and requiring frequent emptying; at the same time, the automatic water storage path design allows the external water tank 8 to continuously play the role of large-capacity water storage until it is completely full, and then automatically switches to the built-in water tank for emergency water storage, without requiring users to pay attention to the water level in the tank in real time or manually switch the water storage mode, which significantly improves the convenience of use.

[0101] The automatic switching function does not require additional electronic or complex mechanical components such as water level sensors, control circuits, float linkages, etc. It can be achieved solely by the water level difference design between the inner partition 2 of the water receiving tray 1, the overflow port 21, the external water tank 8, and the external water nozzle 31. The number of parts is small and the assembly difficulty is low, which greatly reduces the overall manufacturing cost. At the same time, it eliminates electronic components that are prone to failure and mechanical parts that are prone to jamming and wear, avoiding problems such as circuit waterproofing, sensor calibration, and mechanical jamming, ensuring the long-term stable operation of the automatic switching function and improving the reliability of water storage in the external water tank 8.

[0102] This invention also provides a dehumidification method for a dehumidifier, wherein the drain pipe 91 is disconnected from the water inlet connector 82 of the external water tank 8, and the drain pipe 91 discharges the condensate directly into a ditch, allowing the dehumidifier to continuously operate for dehumidification. Specifically, the condensate formed on the surface of the evaporator 93 drips into the water collection tray 1 located below the evaporator 93 under gravity, preferentially converging in the water collection area 11 of the water collection tray 1. At this time, the drain pipe 91 is completely disconnected from the water inlet connector 82 of the external water tank 8, and the condensate in the water collection area 11 flows into the drain pipe 91 through the outlet water nozzle 31 connected to the water collection area 11 by its own gravity, and is then directly discharged from the drain pipe 91 into a preset ditch or other drainage channel without needing to pass through any water storage components. Because the condensate is discharged directly through the drain pipe 91 in real time, no condensate will accumulate in the water receiving pan 1. The liquid level in the water receiving area 11 is always kept below the overflow liquid level 22 of the overflow outlet 21. There is no need to switch the water storage path or stop the machine to clean the accumulated water. The refrigeration system and centrifugal fan work continuously and stably, constantly drawing in humid air, condensing and dehumidifying, and discharging condensate to form an uninterrupted dehumidification cycle until the ambient humidity reaches the preset requirements or the user manually stops the machine.

[0103] It is understood that those skilled in the art can make equivalent substitutions or modifications to the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, and all such substitutions or modifications should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A dehumidification water storage structure, comprising an external water tank and a water receiving tray disposed within a dehumidifier, characterized in that, The water receiving tray is equipped with a partition to divide it into a water receiving area and an inner storage area. The water receiving tray is equipped with an outflow spout connecting the water receiving area and an inner outlet spout connecting the inner storage area. An overflow outlet is provided on the partition, allowing water in the water receiving tray to overflow into the inner storage area. The height of the outflow spout is lower than the overflow liquid level of the overflow outlet. The maximum water storage height of the external water tank is higher than the overflow liquid level. The side or bottom of the external water tank is equipped with a water inlet connector. The outflow spout is connected to the water inlet connector through a drain pipe. The height of the water inlet connector is lower than the height of the outflow spout.

2. The dehumidification and water storage structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the water receiving area of ​​the water receiving tray includes a left guide inclined plate, a right guide inclined plate, and a converging outer inclined plate disposed between the left guide inclined plate and the right guide inclined plate. The converging outer inclined plate is connected to the outlet water nozzle.

3. The dehumidification and water storage structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The height of the outer converging inclined plate is lower than the overflow liquid level of the overflow outlet, and the height of the lowest point of the left and right guide inclined plates is lower than the overflow liquid level of the overflow outlet.

4. The dehumidification and water storage structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the inner storage area of ​​the water receiving tray includes a left guide plate, a right guide plate connected to the left guide plate, and a sinking step set at the end of the right guide plate. The inner water outlet is set on the bottom surface of the sinking step.

5. The dehumidification and water storage structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outlet of the water tap is equipped with a female check valve, and the end of the drain pipe near the water receiving tray is equipped with a male check valve. The female check valve can be connected to the male check valve.

6. The dehumidification and water storage structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The female check valve includes a female valve body, a female valve core disposed within the female valve body and movable along the axis of the female valve body, and a first spring for driving the female valve core to cooperate with the inner cavity of the female valve body to form a closed check valve. One end of the female check valve is a first docking end that connects with the male check valve, and the other end is a first connector end. The male check valve includes a male valve body, a male valve core disposed within the male valve body and movable along the axis of the male valve body, and a second spring for driving the male valve core to cooperate with the inner cavity of the male valve body to form a closed check valve. One end of the male check valve is a second docking end that connects with the female check valve, and the other end is a second connector end. When the female check valve and the male check valve are docked, the male valve core extends into the inner cavity of the female valve body and squeezes and expands against the female valve core to open the drainage channel.

7. The dehumidification and water storage structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, The mother valve core includes a frustum core, a central convex post located at the center of the conical surface of the frustum core, multiple protruding claws surrounding the central convex post, a circumferential positioning protrusion located on the circumferential surface of the frustum core, and a back circular protrusion located on the back of the frustum core. A first sealing ring is fixedly disposed inside the mother valve body to seal with the conical surface of the frustum core.

8. The dehumidification and water storage structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, The male valve core includes a transverse core, an outward protrusion at one end of the transverse core, an inward retraction platform and a water-permeable support arranged sequentially behind the transverse core, and a second sealing ring is fitted on the inward retraction platform.

9. The dehumidification and water storage structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The external water tank has an upper water outlet, the water inlet is located on the bottom surface of the external water tank, the bottom of the external water tank is provided with support feet to allow the water inlet to be off the ground, and the water inlet is an elbow structure with the input end facing outward.

10. A dehumidifier, characterized in that, It includes the dehumidification and water storage structure as described in any one of claims 1-9, the body, the evaporator, condenser, centrifugal fan, compressor and built-in water tank disposed in the body, wherein the water receiving tray is disposed in the body and located below the evaporator.

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