Dehumidifier system

Abstract

To provide a dehumidifier system which enables improvement of dehumidification capacity.SOLUTION: A dehumidifier system 100 includes a body case 1 having an air inlet and an air outlet 4. The air inlet is disposed on a side surface part. In the body case 1, a heat sink 10, a heat exchanger 11, a heat radiator 8, and a blower 6 are disposed. The dehumidifier system 100 has: a first dehumidification path in which a first portion of suctioned air which is suctioned from the air inlet into the body case 1 is blown from the air outlet 4 to the outside of the body case 1 through the heat sink 10, a first passage of the heat exchanger 11, and the heat radiator 8; and a second dehumidification path in which a second portion of the suctioned air is blown from the air outlet 4 to the outside of the body case 1 through a second passage of the heat exchanger 11 and the heat radiator 8. A heat sink gap 15 is provided between a front surface part 22 and the heat sink 10. In a front view, an air inlet 68 of the blower 6 is smaller than the heat sink 10, and a center of the air inlet 68 is disposed at the same position as a lateral center of the heat sink 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a dehumidifier. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a dehumidifier that is used in a living space to reduce humidity in the living space, etc. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a dehumidifier that includes a dehumidifying unit configured with a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor, a radiator, an expander, and a heat absorber are sequentially connected in a ring shape. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-116580 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the device described in Patent Document 1, the air intake port of the main body case is positioned facing the heat absorber, so the air flow is biased toward the center of the heat absorber, the peripheral area is not sufficiently cooled, and condensation cannot be achieved over the entire heat absorber, making it difficult to improve the dehumidification capacity.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a dehumidifier that can improve dehumidifying capacity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, a dehumidifier according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a main body case having an air intake port and an air outlet port, the air intake port being located on a side of the main body case, and a heat absorber, a heat exchanger, a radiator, and a blower arranged in a line in the front-to-back direction in the main body case, and having a first dehumidification path that blows a first portion of the intake air drawn into the main body case from the air intake port through the heat absorber, a first passage of the heat exchanger, and the radiator, and out of the main body case from the air outlet port, and a second dehumidification path that blows a second portion of the intake air through a second passage of the heat exchanger and the radiator, and out of the main body case from the air outlet port, and a heat absorber gap is provided between the front of the main body case and the heat absorber, and when viewed from the front, the intake port of the blower is smaller than the heat absorber, and the center of the air intake port is located at the same position as the left-to-right center of the heat absorber.

[0007] Any combination of the above components, and conversion of the present disclosure into a method, device, system, recording medium, computer program, etc., are also valid aspects of the present disclosure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, a dehumidifier capable of improving dehumidification capacity can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a dehumidifying device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the dehumidifier of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an air passage of the dehumidifier of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the flow of air in the dehumidifier of FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a radiator of the dehumidifier of FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a rear view showing the radiator of the dehumidifier of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a damper of the dehumidifier of FIG. [Figure 8]2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the operation of a damper in the dehumidifier of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 9] 1. FIG. 4 is another diagram schematically illustrating the operation of the damper of the dehumidifying device of FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a system for controlling the damper of the dehumidifier of FIG. 1. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating another example of a specific portion of the heat sink. [Figure 12] 2 is a front view schematically showing an air intake port and a heat absorber of the blower of the dehumidifier of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 13] 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a heat absorber side cylinder portion and a front surface portion of the dehumidifier of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 14] 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a heat absorber side cylinder portion and a heat absorber of the dehumidifier of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing a heat absorber side cylinder portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Each of the examples described below represents a preferred specific example of the present disclosure. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, materials, components, the arrangement and connection of the components, steps (processes), and the order of steps shown in the following examples are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Therefore, among the components in the following examples, components that are not recited in the independent claims that represent the highest concept of the present disclosure will be described as optional components. Furthermore, in each figure, substantially identical components are assigned the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted or simplified.

[0011] Furthermore, terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second are used to describe various components, but these terms are used only to distinguish one component from another and do not limit the components.

[0012] [Example] The schematic configuration of a dehumidifier 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the dehumidifier 100 according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing the cross section of the dehumidifier 100 taken along line AA in Figure 1.

[0013] 1, a dehumidifier 100 according to this embodiment has a box-shaped main body case 1 as an outer shell, which distinguishes the outside from the inside of the main body case 1. The main body case 1 is provided with an air inlet 2 and an air outlet 4.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 2, the dehumidifier 100 includes a heat absorber 10, a heat exchanger 11, a radiator 8, and a blower 6. The heat absorber 10, the heat exchanger 11, the radiator 8, and the blower 6 are arranged in this order in the front-to-back direction in the main body case 1. In this specification, the directions of the device are defined as the directions when the dehumidifier is installed in a normal operable state. In the dehumidifier 100, the side on which the heat absorber 10 is arranged relative to the radiator 8 is referred to as the "front," the opposite side is referred to as the "rear," and the horizontal direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction is referred to as the left-to-right direction.

[0015] A view from the front and back is sometimes referred to as a "front view" or "rear view," a view from the left and right is sometimes referred to as a "side view," and a view from above is sometimes referred to as a "plan view." The air flow generated by the action of the blower 6 is sometimes referred to as "wind," and the upstream and downstream of the air flow are sometimes referred to as "upwind" and "downwind." These notations do not limit the position in which the dehumidifier 100 is used, and the dehumidifier 100 can be used in any position.

[0016] In the embodiment, the front-to-back width of the main body case 1 is smaller than the left-to-right width, and the top-to-bottom width is larger than the left-to-right width. With respect to the main body case 1, the part that forms the front outer surface is referred to as the "front surface," the part that forms the outer surface opposite the front surface is referred to as the "rear surface," the parts that form the left and right outer surfaces are referred to as the "side surfaces," and the part that forms the upper outer surface is referred to as the "top surface."

[0017] An operation unit 25 is provided on the front side of the top surface of the main body case 1 for, for example, receiving input from the user and displaying information about the dehumidifier such as the operating mode and current humidity to the user. In the front-to-rear direction, a heat absorber gap 15 is provided between the heat absorber 10 and the front surface 22, and a heat radiator gap 19 is provided between the heat radiator 8 and the heat exchanger 11.

[0018] In the embodiment, the air inlet 2 is arranged on the side surface 21 of the main body case 1. The air inlet 2 is a rectangular opening in the side surface 21 of the main body case 1 that draws in air from a direction perpendicular to the side surface 21, and is provided with a lattice. In the embodiment, the air outlet 4 is arranged on the upper rear side of the main body case 1. Above the air outlet 4, a louver 31 is provided that changes the direction of the air blown out from the air outlet 4.

[0019] Blower 6 includes motor 32 and fan 33 connected to the rotating shaft of motor 32 for drawing in and exhausting air. Blower 6 has air intake port 68, which is an opening provided on the surface facing radiator 8. Blower 6 draws in air that has passed through dehumidifier 5 through air intake port 68 and blows it out of blower 6. In this way, blower 6 draws in air outside main body case 1 through air intake port 2, passes it through dehumidifier 5, and then blows it out of main body case 1 through air outlet 4. The passage for this air is air passage 34.

[0020] If the air inlet 2 is located on the opposite side of the heat absorber 10 from the air inlet 68 of the blower 6, the air from the first portion 61 will be biased toward the center of the heat absorber 10, making it difficult for condensation to form around the heat absorber 10 and the radiator 8, and reducing dehumidification capacity. For this reason, the air inlet 2 is provided on each of the two side surface portions 21 on the left and right of the main body case 1. In this case, the bias in the air flowing into the heat absorber 10 is evened out, and by directing the air over the entire heat absorber 10, the condensation area is increased, thereby improving dehumidification capacity.

[0021] 2, an air passage 34, a blower 6, and a dehumidifying section 5 are arranged inside the main body case 1 of the dehumidifier 100. The air passage 34 communicates with the air inlet 2 and the air outlet 4, and by the action of the blower 6, intake air 60 is drawn into the main body case 1 from the air inlet 2, passes through the air passage 34, and is blown out from the air outlet 4.

[0022] Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the air passage 34 of the dehumidifier 100. Intake air 60 is divided into a first portion 61, a second portion 62, a third portion 63, and a fourth portion 64, each of which is part of the intake air 60, within the main body case 1. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the flows of the first portion 61, the second portion 62, and the third portion 63 superimposed on a cross-sectional view. Note that Fig. 4 shows the air flow assuming that a damper 40, which will be described later, is open.

[0023] In this embodiment, the air passage 34 is composed of a plurality of dehumidification paths, namely, a first dehumidification path 51, a second dehumidification path 52, a third dehumidification path 53, and a fourth dehumidification path 54. The air flow path of the first dehumidification path 51 is referred to as a first air passage 71, the air flow path of the second dehumidification path 52 is referred to as a second air passage 72, the air flow path of the third dehumidification path 53 is referred to as a third bypass air passage 73, and the air flow path of the fourth dehumidification path 54 is referred to as a first bypass air passage 74 and a second bypass air passage 75. In other words, the air passage 34 can also be said to be composed of the first air passage 71, the second air passage 72, the third bypass air passage 73, and the first and second bypass air passages 74 and 75. The first air passage 71, the second air passage 72, the third bypass air passage 73, and the first and second bypass air passages 74 and 75 will be described later.

[0024] The dehumidifying section 5 is configured with a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor 7, a radiator 8, an expander 9, and a heat absorber 10 are connected in this order in a ring shape. The refrigeration cycle uses, for example, an alternative refrigerant (HFC134a). The refrigerant pushed out from the compressor 7 flows from top to bottom inside the radiator 8 through refrigerant piping 80. For this reason, the temperature becomes higher the further up the radiator 8 goes. The refrigerant pushed out from the radiator 8 is supplied to the heat absorber 10 via the expander 9. The refrigerant supplied to the heat absorber 10 flows from bottom to top inside the heat absorber 10 and flows into the compressor 7 through refrigerant piping 83. The refrigeration cycle is well known, so a detailed description will be omitted.

[0025] Within the main body case 1, a heat absorber 10 is provided on the air inlet 2 side, which is the upstream side of the air flow in the air passage 34, and a heat radiator 8 is provided on the air outlet 4 side, which is the downstream side of the air flow in the air passage 34. A sensible heat type heat exchanger 11 is disposed in the space provided between the heat absorber 10 and the heat radiator 8. In other words, the heat absorber 10, heat exchanger 11, and radiator 8 are disposed in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side of the air flow in the air passage 34.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 2 , the heat exchanger 11 has a horizontal first passage 17 through which a first portion 61 of the intake air 60 passes, and a vertical second passage 18 through which a second portion 62 of the intake air 60 passes. The first passage 17 and the second passage 18 are air passage spaces independent of each other. There are no limitations on the configuration or shape of the heat exchanger 11. As an example, the heat exchanger 11 is formed by stacking a plurality of resin plates (not shown) so that the first passage 17 and the second passage 18 are formed therebetween. The heat exchanger 11 is configured to be able to exchange heat between the first portion 61 passing through the first passage 17 and the second portion 62 passing through the second passage 18. As an example, the heat exchanger 11 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0027] A first portion 61 of the intake air 60 passes through the heat absorber 10, the first passage 17 of the heat exchanger 11, the radiator 8, and the blower 6, and is then blown out of the main body case 1 from the air outlet 4. The flow path of this first portion 61 is the above-mentioned first air passage 71. A second portion 62 of the intake air 60 passes through the second passage 18 of the heat exchanger 11, the radiator 8, and the blower 6, and is then blown out of the main body case 1 from the air outlet 4. The path of this second portion 62 is the above-mentioned second air passage 72.

[0028] The first portion 61 is first cooled by the heat absorber 10. At this time, condensation occurs on the first portion 61, generating condensed water. The condensed water drips downward and is collected in a funnel-shaped water collection section 12a located below the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11. The condensed water collected in the water collection section 12a flows into a water collection tank 12b located below the water collection section 12a. The water collection tank 12b can be easily attached and detached from the main body case 1.

[0029] Due to heat exchange, the cooled first portion 61 flowing through the first passage 18 lowers the temperature of the second portion 62 flowing through the second passage 18. As a result, condensation occurs in the second portion 62 that has not passed through the heat absorber 10, generating condensed water. The condensed water drips downward from the second passage 18, is collected in the funnel-shaped water collecting portion 12a, and flows into the water collecting tank 12b.

[0030] In the embodiment, the heat exchanger 11 is configured such that the airflow resistance of the second passage 18 is greater than the airflow resistance of the first passage 17. As a result, the amount of the second portion 62 flowing through the second passage 18 is less than the amount of the first portion 61 flowing through the first passage.

[0031] The dried first portion 61 after condensation is blown out of the main body case 1 through the air outlet 4. The dried second portion 62 after condensation is blown out of the main body case 1 through the air outlet 4 from the heat exchanger 11 via the radiator 8 and the blower 6. In this way, the dehumidifier 100 reduces the humidity in the surrounding space.

[0032] [Third bypass air duct] Next, the third bypass air passage 73 will be described. As shown in Fig. 4, the third bypass air passage 73 is a bypass air passage that blows the third portion 63 of the intake air 60 out of the main body case 1 from the air outlet 4 via a specific portion 88 of the radiator 8 without passing through the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11. In other words, the third bypass air passage 73 is a bypass air passage through which the third portion 63, which is part of the intake air 60, flows, bypassing the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11.

[0033] In the embodiment, the third bypass air passage 73 is provided above the first bypass air passage 74 and the second bypass air passage 75. The third bypass air passage 73 blows the third portion 63 of the intake air 60 out of the main body case 1 from the air outlet 4 via the upper portion 8a of the radiator 8, without passing through the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11. In this case, the third portion 63 cools the upper portion 8a of the radiator 8, improving the cooling capacity of the radiator 8, thereby improving the dehumidifying capacity of the dehumidifier 100 and further reducing power consumption.

[0034] The upper part 8a of the heat radiator 8 refers to the part above the vertical center of the heat radiator 8. In the embodiment, the heat radiator 8 protrudes above the upper end of the heat absorber 10 and the upper end of the heat exchanger 11, and this protruding part is referred to as the upper part 8a.

[0035] By providing the third bypass air passage 73, the third portion 63 passes through the upper portion 8a of the radiator 8 to cool the upper portion 8a, and also cools the heat absorber 10 through the refrigeration cycle of the dehumidification unit 5, thereby improving the dehumidifying capacity of the dehumidifier. The refrigerant heated to a high temperature in the compressor 7 first flows into the upper portion 8a of the radiator 8, so that the upper portion 8a has a higher temperature than other portions. Therefore, the third portion 63 cools the upper portion 8a, thereby effectively cooling the radiator 8. The first portion 61 and the second portion 62 pass through a portion of the radiator 8 below the upper portion 8a.

[0036] [1st and 2nd bypass air ducts] Next, the bypass air passages 74, 75 will be described with reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the heat radiator 8 as seen from the front right. Fig. 6 is a view showing the heat radiator 8 as seen from the rear. The bypass air passages 74, 75 are air passages through which the fourth portion 64, which is a part of the intake air 60, flows, bypassing the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11.

[0037] The radiator 8 has refrigerant piping 80, which is a pipe for circulating refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle. The refrigerant piping 80 has multiple main refrigerant pipes 81a extending laterally and U-shaped pipes 81b, 81c connecting the multiple main refrigerant pipes. The U-shaped pipes 81b, 81c include a first U-shaped pipe 81b provided on one side of the radiator 8 and a second U-shaped pipe 81c provided on the other side of the radiator 8. The dehumidifier 100 has air passages surrounding the first U-shaped pipe 81b and the second U-shaped pipe 81c. The air passage surrounding the first U-shaped pipe 81b is referred to as a first bypass air passage 74, and the air passage surrounding the second U-shaped pipe 81c is referred to as a second bypass air passage 75. The first bypass air passage 74 and the second bypass air passage 75 are collectively referred to as bypass air passages 74, 75. In the embodiment, an example is shown in which both the first bypass air passage 74 and the second bypass air passage 75 are provided, but either the first bypass air passage 74 or the second bypass air passage 75 does not have to be provided.

[0038] The bypass air passages 74, 75 will be described in detail. Here, the first bypass air passage 74 will be mainly described, but the description of the first bypass air passage 74 can also be applied to the second bypass air passage 75. In this case, the first U-shaped pipe 81b will be read as the second U-shaped pipe 81c. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the radiator 8 has a resin outer frame 84 that supports the refrigerant piping 80. The bypass air passages 74, 75 are provided on the sides of the outer frame 84, and a radiator side cylinder portion 85 is provided in front of the outer frame 84. The radiator side cylinder portion 85 extends forward from the radiator 8 toward the heat exchanger 11. The radiator side cylinder portion 85 surrounds a part or the front of the heat exchanger 11. The outer frame 84, the bypass air passages 74, 75, and the radiator side cylinder portion 85 are integrally formed by resin molding.

[0039] The radiator side cylinder portion 85 is integrally formed with four plate-shaped protruding members that protrude forward from the four edges of the outer frame 84, at the top, bottom, left, and right. The radiator side cylinder portion 85 is formed with an upper protruding member 85a on the upper side, a right protruding member 85b on the right side, a lower protruding member 85c on the lower side, and a left protruding member 85d on the left side. In particular, the upper protruding member 85a has a plurality of rectangular openings 86 arranged on the left and right, as shown in FIG. 5. The plurality of rectangular openings 86 open upward. The second portion 62 can flow from top to bottom through the rectangular openings 86.

[0040] The first bypass air passage 74 is formed of a hollow rectangular tubular member extending vertically on the side of the outer frame 84, and is provided to surround the first U-shaped pipe 81b. The first bypass air passage 74 has a first opening 74a through which the fourth portion 64 flows in, and in the embodiment, the first opening 74a is provided in the upper part of the first bypass air passage 74. The first opening 74a is provided above the vertical center of the first bypass air passage 74. The first opening 74a is preferably provided within a range of 30% from the upper end when the vertical length of the first bypass air passage 74 is taken as 100%. In the embodiment, the first opening 74a is a rectangular opening that opens upward at the upper end of the first bypass air passage 74.

[0041] The first bypass air passage 74 communicates with a radiator gap 19 (see FIG. 2), which is a gap provided between the heat exchanger 11 and the radiator 8. As shown in FIG. 3, a fourth portion 64 of the intake air 60 is sucked in through the first opening 74a, flows downward in the first bypass air passage 74, and flows into the radiator gap 19. The fourth portion 64 that has flowed into the radiator gap 19 is diffused in all directions in the radiator gap 19, flows into the radiator 8 from the front surface 8c of the radiator 8, and cools the radiator 8. After cooling the radiator 8, the fourth portion 64 is blown out of the main body case 1 through the air outlet 4.

[0042] The fourth portion 64 of the intake air 60 flows from the first bypass air passage 74 through the radiator gap 19 into the radiator 8, so that the air flows throughout the radiator 8, reducing uneven cooling of the radiator 8. This improves the cooling capacity of the radiator 8, and therefore improves the dehumidifying capacity of the dehumidifier 100. As a result, the power consumption of the dehumidifier can be reduced for the same dehumidifying capacity.

[0043] The first bypass air passage 74 may communicate with the radiator gap 19 above the vertical center of the first bypass air passage 74, but in this embodiment, it communicates with the radiator gap 19 below the vertical center.

[0044] In this embodiment, a second bypass air passage 75 surrounding the second U-shaped pipe 81c is also provided, and the second bypass air passage 75 has a second opening 75a similar to the first opening 74a. Therefore, the fourth portion 64 flows into the radiator 8 from both the left and right sides through the radiator gap 19 from the first bypass air passage 74 and the second bypass air passage 75. As a result, the left-right imbalance of the air flowing into the radiator 8 is reduced, and the left-right imbalance of cooling by the radiator 8 is further reduced. The reduction in cooling imbalance improves the cooling capacity of the radiator 8, thereby improving the dehumidification capacity of the dehumidifier 100 and further reducing power consumption.

[0045] By providing the bypass air passages 74, 75, the fourth portion 64 cools the heat radiator 8 and also cools the heat absorber 10 through the refrigeration cycle of the dehumidifying section 5, thereby improving the dehumidifying capacity of the dehumidifier.

[0046] In this embodiment, the first opening 74a is provided in the upper part of the first bypass air passage 74, and the second opening 75a is provided in the upper part of the second bypass air passage 75. By providing the first opening 74a and the second opening 75a in the upper part in this way, the upper side of the radiator 8 is relatively hot, and therefore the ability to cool the radiator 8 is improved, thereby improving the dehumidifying ability of the dehumidifier 100 and reducing power consumption.

[0047] As described above, the air inlet 2 is provided on the side surface 21 of the main body case 1. In this case, air flows more easily and the cooling capacity of the radiator 8 is improved, thereby improving the dehumidifying capacity of the dehumidifier 100 and reducing power consumption.

[0048] [Damper] Next, the damper 40 will be described with reference to Figs. 7 to 10. Fig. 7(A) is a perspective view showing a first example of the damper 40, and Fig. 7(B) is a perspective view showing a second example of the damper 40 (hereinafter referred to as damper 40(2)). Fig. 8 is a side view schematically showing the operation of the first example of the damper 40, and Fig. 9 is a side view schematically showing the operation of the second example of the damper 40(2). The open state of the damper 40 is referred to as the "open state," and the closed state of the damper 40 is referred to as the "closed state."

[0049] As shown in FIG. 7(A), the damper 40 of the first example has a first blade 41 that opens and closes the third bypass air passage 73, a second blade 42 that opens and closes the second air passage 72, and a shaft 43 that supports the base ends of the first blade 41 and the second blade 42. The first blade 41 and the second blade 42 are rectangular plate-shaped portions that extend radially outward from the shaft 43 and can be integrally formed by resin molding. As shown in FIG. 7(B), the damper 40(2) of the second example differs from the first example in that it does not have the second blade 42 that opens and closes the second air passage 72, but is otherwise similar in configuration. The following mainly describes the damper 40 of the first example, but the description of the damper 40 of the first example can also be applied to the damper 40(2) of the second example, except for the function of the second blade 42.

[0050] The third bypass air passage 73 supplies the third portion 63 of the intake air 60 to the radiator 8 without passing through the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11, thereby cooling a specific portion 88 of the radiator 8, thereby improving the dehumidifying capacity. However, when the radiator 8 is cooled, the heat absorber 10 is also cooled through the refrigeration cycle, so that when the ambient temperature is low, the radiator 8 may become too cold, causing the heat absorber 10 to freeze and reducing the dehumidifying capacity.

[0051] Therefore, in this embodiment, third bypass air passage 73 is provided with damper 40 that opens and closes third bypass air passage 73. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 1, dehumidifier 100 has temperature sensor 48 that detects the temperature of intake air 60. In this case, damper 40 can be opened or closed in accordance with the temperature detected by temperature sensor 48 to adjust the balance of the air volumes of first air passage 71 and third bypass air passage 73, thereby improving dehumidification capacity.

[0052] 10 is a block diagram showing a damper control system 44 that controls the opening and closing of the damper 40. The dehumidifier 100 has a control means 46 that controls the opening and closing of the damper 40 in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 48. The control means 46 has a calculation unit 46a that calculates the difference between the temperature Tx detected by the temperature sensor 48 and a reference temperature Ts, and a drive unit 46b that drives the damper 40 to open and close based on the difference between the detected temperature Tx and the reference temperature Ts.

[0053] When the temperature Tx detected by the temperature sensor 48 is lower than the reference temperature Ts, the control means 46 closes the damper 40 as shown in Fig. 8(A) to reduce the air volume in the third bypass air passage 73 and increase the air volume in the first air passage 71. When the temperature Tx detected by the temperature sensor 48 is equal to or higher than the reference temperature Ts, the control means 46 opens the damper 40 as shown in Fig. 8(B) to increase the air volume in the third bypass air passage 73. In the open state, the air volume in the first air passage 71 is reduced more than in the closed state.

[0054] With this configuration, at low temperatures, the airflow rate through first air passage 71 passing through heat absorber 10 increases, raising the temperature of heat absorber 10 and making it less likely to freeze, thereby increasing dehumidification capacity. Also, at high temperatures, the airflow rate through third bypass air passage 73 passing through radiator 8 increases, lowering the temperature of radiator 8 and reducing power consumption. Also, as the temperature of radiator 8 decreases, the temperature of heat absorber 10 also decreases, making condensation more likely to occur, thereby improving dehumidification capacity.

[0055] The reference temperature Ts can be set in advance by experiment or simulation so that desired characteristics can be obtained. Alternatively, the reference temperature Ts may be set by the user through the operation unit 25. The reference temperature Ts is exemplified as a threshold value.

[0056] From the viewpoint of effectively cooling the radiator 8, it is desirable that the specific portion 88 be a relatively high-temperature portion of the radiator 8. Therefore, in the embodiment, the specific portion 88 is the upper portion 8a of the radiator 8. In this case, the upper portion 8a of the radiator 8 has a higher temperature than the lower portion on the refrigerant path of the refrigeration cycle, and therefore the temperature difference with the indoor air is large, so that the radiator 8 can be cooled effectively, the dehumidifying capacity is further improved, and power consumption can be reduced. As described above, the upper portion 8a of the radiator 8 is the portion above the vertical center of the radiator 8, and is the portion that protrudes above the upper end of the heat absorber 10 and the upper end of the heat exchanger 11.

[0057] It is desirable that the dehumidifier 100 be installed directly below hanging clothes to dry them. Therefore, the specific portion 88 may be a portion near either the left or right end of the radiator 8. FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically showing another example of the specific portion 88 of the radiator 8. In the example of FIG. 11, the specific portion 88 is a portion near the left end of the radiator 8, and is a lateral protrusion 8e that protrudes leftward beyond the left end of the heat absorber 10 and the left end of the heat exchanger 11. In this case, the height of the main body case 1 can be lower than when the specific portion 88 is the upper portion 8a of the radiator 8. Therefore, the dehumidifier 100 can be easily installed directly below hanging clothes, increasing convenience.

[0058] To avoid freezing of heat absorber 10 at low temperatures, it is desirable to increase the airflow rate in first air passage 71. Therefore, in this embodiment, when damper 40 is closed, the airflow rate in second air passage 72 is reduced more than when damper 40 is open. In this case, the airflow rate in first air passage 71 is greater in the closed state than in the open state, making it less likely for heat absorber 10 to freeze. Furthermore, because the airflow rate in second air passage 72 is reduced, the temperature at the outlet of heat exchanger 11 drops, making condensation more likely to occur, and improving dehumidification capacity.

[0059] For example, second blades 42 are disposed approximately 120° apart from first blades 41 in the circumferential direction in a side view. That is, damper 40 of the embodiment has an L-shaped cross section when viewed from the direction along rotation axis La. In this case, one damper 40 can block second air passage 72 and third bypass air passage 73. Furthermore, damper 40 has a shape that allows air to easily flow into second air passage 72 and third bypass air passage 73 in the open state, and does not block second air passage 72. The shape of damper 40 can be set by experiment or simulation so as to obtain these characteristics.

[0060] The damper 40 is configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis La. The first blade 41 and the second blade 42 move in the circumferential direction when the shaft 43 is rotationally driven about the rotation axis La by a rotary actuator (not shown). As shown in FIG. 8(A), when the first blade 41 is at the 12 o'clock position, the first blade 41 closes the third bypass air passage 73, and the second blade 42 closes a portion of the second air passage 72. As shown in FIG. 8(B), when the first blade 41 is at the 2 o'clock position, the first blade 41 opens the third bypass air passage 73, and the second blade 42 opens the second air passage 72.

[0061] To prevent the second blade 42 from interfering with the upper part of the heat exchanger 11 when the heat exchanger 11 is opened or closed, it is possible to position the damper 40 at a high position. In this case, the height of the main body case 1 would increase. For this reason, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the heat exchanger 11 has an inclined portion 11c in the area that overlaps with the rotation area of the damper 40, which can avoid interference with the damper 40. In this case, the height of the main body case 1 can be reduced. Even when the inclined portion 11c is provided, the second blade 42 in the closed state can block a portion of the radiator 8, reducing the air volume of the second air passage 72 by about half.

[0062] The shape of the inclined portion 11c can be determined by experiment or simulation. In this example, the inclined portion 11c has a downward slope that gradually becomes lower toward the rear.

[0063] If the air inlet 2 is located on the opposite side of the heat absorber 10 from the air inlet 68 of the blower 6, the air from the first portion 61 will be biased toward the center of the heat absorber 10, making it difficult for condensation to form around the heat absorber 10 and the radiator 8, and reducing dehumidification capacity. For this reason, the air inlet 2 is provided on each of the two side surface portions 21 on the left and right of the main body case 1. In this case, the bias in the air flowing into the heat absorber 10 is evened out, and by directing the air over the entire heat absorber 10, the condensation area is increased, thereby improving dehumidification capacity.

[0064] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, a heat absorber gap 15 is provided between the front surface 22 of the main body case 1 and the heat absorber 10 to smoothly guide the intake air 60 from the side surface 21 to the heat absorber 10. If the heat absorber gap 15 is too large, the balance of the airflow rates in each path will be poor. For this reason, the opening area of the heat absorber gap 15 is smaller than the area facing the front surface 22 of the heat absorber 10 and larger than the area facing the rear surface 23 of the main body case 1 at the specific portion 88. In this case, the airflow rate in the first air passage 71 decreases and the airflow rate in the third bypass air passage 73 increases, improving dehumidification capacity and reducing power consumption.

[0065] This concludes the description of the damper 40.

[0066] [Heat sink gap] Next, the heat absorber gap 15 will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 to 14. FIG. 12 is a front view schematically showing the outline of the air intake 68 of the fan 6 and the outline of the heat absorber 10. From the viewpoint of causing condensation throughout the heat absorber 10, it is desirable that the air flowing toward the heat absorber 10 be diffused throughout the entire heat absorber 10 before entering the heat absorber 10. For this reason, as described above, the heat absorber gap 15 is provided between the front surface 22 of the main body case 1 and the heat absorber 10. However, depending on the shape of the heat absorber gap 15, the diffusion effect may not be sufficient. For this reason, in the embodiment, the air intake 68 of the fan 6 is smaller than the heat absorber 10 in a front view, and the center 68c of the air intake 68 is located at the same position as the left-right center 10c of the heat absorber 10. In this case, compared to when the air inlet 2 is arranged facing the heat absorber 10, the wind is diffused in the heat absorber gap 15 and flows in, reducing the bias of the wind to the center and diffusing it over the entire heat absorber 10 and radiator 8 to generate condensation, improving the dehumidifying capacity.

[0067] The heat absorber side cylinder portion 16 will now be described. Fig. 13 is a perspective view schematically showing the heat absorber 10, the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16, and the front surface portion 22, as viewed from the right rear. Fig. 14 is a perspective view schematically showing the heat absorber 10 and the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16, as viewed from the right front. In Fig. 14, the front surface portion 22 is indicated by a dashed line.

[0068] In this embodiment, a heat absorber side tube portion 16 is provided surrounding the outer periphery of the heat absorber 10. The heat absorber side tube portion 16 is integrally formed with two plate-shaped side portions 16b on the left and right and a plate-shaped upper surface portion 16c connecting the upper ends of the two side portions 16b. As shown in FIG. 14 , the heat absorber side tube portion 16 extends a predetermined distance 16g from the outer periphery of the heat absorber 10 toward the front surface portion 22. The heat absorber gap 15 is formed between the extending end 16a of the heat absorber side tube portion 16 and the front surface portion 22. In this case, a predetermined space 16h surrounded by the heat absorber side tube portion 16 is formed between the heat absorber 10 and the front surface portion 22, allowing wind to flow smoothly. As a result, wind flows into this space to the center of the heat absorber 10 and spreads throughout the entire space, causing condensation to form throughout the heat absorber 10, improving dehumidification capacity.

[0069] The distance 16g by which the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16 extends from the outer periphery of the heat absorber 10 may be, for example, 5 mm or more or 50 mm or less, and is set to 25 mm in this embodiment. The width of the heat absorber gap 15 in the front-to-rear direction may be 5 mm or more or 20 mm or less, and is set to 10 mm in this embodiment.

[0070] In this embodiment, the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16 (e.g., the upper surface portion 16c) is in contact with the front surface portion 22, and the heat absorber gap 15 includes openings 16e formed in both the left and right side surface portions 16b of the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16. Since the winds of the second air passage 72 and the first air passage 71 can be separated, noise caused by interference between the respective winds is suppressed. Furthermore, turbulence of the respective winds is reduced, increasing the air volume of the second air passage, thereby improving dehumidification capacity. As an example, the opening 16e has a rectangular shape that is longer vertically than front-to-back.

[0071] In the embodiment, the opening 16e is disposed forward of the center in the front-to-rear direction of the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16. In this case, since the opening 16e is located forward and away from the heat absorber 10, the wind of the first portion 61 flowing in from the opening 16e is easily diffused and causes condensation to occur over the entire heat absorber 10, improving the dehumidifying capacity.

[0072] 14, a part of the refrigerant pipe 83 extending from the heat absorber 10 to the compressor 7 and a U-shaped pipe 83b are disposed inside the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16. In this case, heat exchange occurs even in a part of the refrigerant pipe 83, causing condensation to occur in the intake air, improving the overall dehumidifying capacity.

[0073] In this way, the heat absorption members such as the heat absorber 10, the refrigerant pipe 83, the U-shaped pipe 83b, etc. are surrounded by the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16, and therefore the air between the main body case 1 and the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16 hardly comes into contact with the heat absorption members, so that condensation is unlikely to occur on the main body case 1 and its surroundings, and it is possible to almost completely prevent the surroundings of the main body case 1 from getting wet with water.

[0074] In the embodiment, the heat absorber gaps 15 are provided on both the left and right side surfaces 16b of the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16, and the left and right heat absorber gaps 15 are arranged symmetrically in a front view. In this case, air is evenly drawn into the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16 from both the left and right side surfaces 16b, and the air is evenly diffused to cause condensation over the entire heat absorber 10, improving the dehumidifying capacity.

[0075] In this embodiment, the left and right heat absorber gaps 15 are disposed at equal distances from the left and right center of the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16. In this case, wind is drawn in more evenly from both the left and right side portions 16b, which is advantageous for improving the dehumidifying capacity.

[0076] The guide surface 16j of the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16 will be described with reference to FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is a plan view schematically illustrating the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16. FIG. 15(A) illustrates the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16 having the guide surface 16j, and FIG. 15(B) illustrates the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16 without the guide surface 16j. In this embodiment, the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16 has the guide surface 16j that guides the first portion 61 of the air 60 drawn in from the air inlet 2 into the heat absorber gap 15. In this case, the air is guided along the guide surface 16j into the heat absorber gap 15, thereby reducing the suction resistance of the heat absorber gap 15. There are no limitations on the shape of the guide surface 16j as long as it can smoothly guide the air from the air inlet 2 into the heat absorber gap 15. The guide surface 16j of the embodiment has a shape in which the corners on the front side of the heat absorber side cylinder portion 16 are eliminated, and is a tapered surface whose left and right width gradually decreases as it approaches the front surface portion 22.

[0077] The above is the description of the heat absorber gap 15.

[0078] The operation of the dehumidifier 100 configured as described above will now be described. When the blower 6 is activated, intake air 60 is drawn into the main body case 1 through the air inlet 2 provided in the side surface portion 21. The intake air 60 is divided into a first portion 61, a second portion 62, a third portion 63, and a fourth portion 64. The first portion 61 flows into the radiator 8 through the heat absorber 10 and the first passage 17 of the heat exchanger 11, and cools the radiator 8. The second portion 62 flows into the radiator 8 through the second passage 18 of the heat exchanger 11, and cools the radiator 8.

[0079] The third portion 63 flows into the heat radiator 8 through a third bypass air passage 73 that bypasses the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11, and cools the heat radiator 8. The fourth portion 64 flows into the heat radiator 8 through the radiator gap 19 from the bypass air passages 74, 75 that bypass the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11, and cools the heat radiator 8. After cooling the heat radiator 8, the first portion 61, the second portion 62, the third portion 63, and the fourth portion 64 are blown out of the main body case 1 from the air outlet 4 via the blower 6.

[0080] The first portion 61 and the second portion 62 of the intake air 60 are cooled by the heat absorber 10 and the heat exchanger 11 of the refrigeration cycle, and condensation occurs, causing the air to dry. The dried first portion 61 and the second portion 62 are blown out from the air outlet 4, thereby reducing the humidity in the space around the dehumidifier 100.

[0081] The features of the dehumidifier 100 thus configured will be described. The dehumidifier 100 includes a main body case 1 having an air inlet 2 and an air outlet 4, the air inlet 2 being disposed on a side surface 21 of the main body case 1, a heat absorber 10, a heat exchanger 11, a radiator 8, and a blower 6 being disposed in a line in the front-to-back direction in the main body case 1, and a first portion 61 of intake air 60 drawn into the main body case 1 from the air inlet 2 by the action of the blower 6 is passed through the heat absorber 10, a first passage 17 of the heat exchanger 11, and the radiator 8 to the air outlet 4. and a second dehumidification path 52 that blows a second portion 62 of the intake air 60 out of the main body case 1 from the air outlet 4 via a second passage 18 of the heat exchanger 11 and the radiator 8, and a heat absorber gap 15 is provided between the front portion 22 of the main body case 1 and the heat absorber 10, and in a front view, the air intake 68 of the blower 6 is smaller than the heat absorber 10 and the center of the air intake 68 is positioned at the same position as the left-right center of the heat absorber 10.

[0082] According to this configuration, by providing heat absorber gap 15 between front surface 22 and heat absorber 10, the airflow is diffused and flows in through heat absorber gap 15, reducing the bias of the airflow toward the center and diffusing it throughout heat absorber 10 and radiator 8 to generate condensation, thereby improving the dehumidifying capacity. As a result, the power consumption of the dehumidifier can be reduced for the same dehumidifying capacity.

[0083] An outline of one aspect of the present disclosure is as follows. (Item 1) The device comprises a main body case (1) having an air inlet (2) and an air outlet (4), The air intake (2) is arranged on the side surface (21) of the main body case (1), The main body case (1) has a heat absorber (10), a heat exchanger (11), a radiator (8), and a blower (6) arranged in a line in the front-rear direction. a first dehumidifying path (51) that blows a first portion (61) of intake air (60) drawn into the main body case (1) through the air intake port (2) by the action of the blower (6) out of the main body case (1) through the air outlet (4) via the heat absorber (10), the first passage (17) of the heat exchanger (11), and the radiator (8); a second dehumidification path (52) that blows a second portion (62) of the intake air (60) out of the main body case (1) through the air outlet (4) via the second passage (18) of the heat exchanger (11) and the radiator (8); A heat sink gap (15) is provided between the front surface (22) of the main body case (1) and the heat sink (10), In a dehumidifier (100), an intake port (68) of a blower (6) is smaller than a heat absorber (10) in a front view, and the center of the intake port (68) is located at the same position as the center of the heat absorber (10) in the lateral direction.

[0084] (Item 2) The heat absorber (10) has a heat absorber side cylinder portion (16) surrounding the outer periphery of the heat absorber (10), and the heat absorber side cylinder portion (16) extends a predetermined distance from the outer periphery of the heat absorber (10) toward the front portion (22); Item 1. The dehumidifier (100) according to item 1, wherein the heat absorber gap (15) is formed between the extending end of the heat absorber side cylinder portion (16) and the front surface portion (22).

[0085] (Item 3) The heat absorber side cylinder portion (16) is in contact with the front surface portion (22), 3. The dehumidifier (100) according to item 2, wherein the heat absorber gap (15) includes openings (16e) formed in both the left and right side surfaces (16b) of the heat absorber side cylinder portion (16).

[0086] (Item 4) Item 3. The dehumidifier (100) according to item 3, wherein the opening (16e) is located forward of the front-to-rear center of the heat absorber side cylinder portion (16).

[0087] (Item 5) 3. The dehumidifier (100) according to item 2, wherein a portion of the refrigerant pipe (83) extending from the heat absorber (10) is disposed inside the heat absorber side cylinder portion (16).

[0088] (Item 6) The openings (16e) are provided on both the left and right side surfaces (16b) of the heat absorber side cylinder portion (16), Item 4. The dehumidifier (100) according to item 3, wherein the left and right heat absorber gaps (15) are arranged symmetrically in front view.

[0089] (Item 7) The openings (16e) are provided on both the left and right sides of the heat absorber side cylinder portion (16), Item 4. The dehumidifier (100) according to item 3, wherein the left and right heat absorber gaps (15) are disposed at equal distances from the left and right centers of the heat absorber side cylinder portions (16).

[0090] (Item 8) Item 3. The dehumidifier (100) according to item 2, wherein the heat absorber side cylinder portion (16) has a guide surface (16j) that guides the air sucked through the air inlet (2) into the heat absorber gap (15).

[0091] The present disclosure has been described above based on examples. These examples are merely illustrative, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible in the combination of each component or each treatment process, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0092] In the description of the embodiment, an example in which the bypass air passages 74 and 75 are provided has been shown, but the provision of the bypass air passages 74 and 75 is not essential.

[0093] In the description of the embodiment, an example in which the damper 40 is provided has been shown, but providing the damper 40 is not essential. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 1 main body case, 2 air intake port, 4 air outlet port, 5 dehumidification section, 6 blower, 7 compressor, 8 radiator, 8a upper part, 8e lateral protrusion, 9 expander, 10 heat absorber, 10c left-right center, 11 heat exchanger, 11c inclined part, 12a water collection section, 12b water collection tank, 15 heat absorber gap, 16 heat absorber side tube part, 16a extension end, 16b side part, 16c upper surface part, 16e opening, 16g distance, 16h space, 16j guide surface, 17 first passage, 18 second passage, 19 radiator gap, 21 side part, 22 front part, 23 rear part, 25 operation part, 31 louver, 32 motor, 33 fan, 34 air passage, 40 damper, 41 first blade, 42 second blade, 43 shaft portion, 44 damper control system, 46 control means, 46a calculation unit, 46b drive unit, 48 temperature sensor, 51 first dehumidification path, 52 second dehumidification path, 53 third dehumidification path, 54 fourth dehumidification path, 60 intake air, 61 first portion, 62 second portion, 63 third portion, 64 fourth portion, 68 intake port, 68c center, 71 first air passage, 72 second air passage, 73 third bypass air passage, 74 first bypass air passage, 74a first opening, 75 second bypass air passage, 75a second opening, 80 refrigerant piping, 81a Main refrigerant piping, 81b First U-shaped pipe, 81c Second U-shaped pipe, 83 Refrigerant piping, 83b U-shaped pipe, 84 Outer frame, 85 Radiator side tube portion, 85a Upper protruding member, 85b Right protruding member, 85c Lower protruding member, 85d Left protruding member, 86 Rectangular opening, 88 Specific portion, 100 Dehumidifier.

Claims

1. a main body case having an air inlet and an air outlet, the air intake port is disposed on a side surface of the main body case, The main body case has a heat absorber, a heat exchanger, a radiator, and a fan arranged in a line in the front-rear direction, a first dehumidifying path that blows a first portion of the intake air drawn into the main body case through the air intake port by the action of the blower, through the heat absorber, the first passage of the heat exchanger, and the radiator, to the outside of the main body case through the air outlet; a second dehumidifying path that blows a second portion of the intake air out of the main body case through the air outlet via a second passage of the heat exchanger and the radiator, a heat sink gap is provided between the front surface of the main body case and the heat sink; In a front view of the dehumidifier, an air intake port of the blower is smaller than that of the heat absorber, and a center of the air intake port is located at the same position as the left-right center of the heat absorber.

2. a heat absorber side cylinder portion surrounding an outer periphery of the heat absorber, the heat absorber side cylinder portion extending a predetermined distance from the outer periphery of the heat absorber toward the front surface portion; The dehumidifier according to claim 1 , wherein the heat absorber gap is formed between an extended end of the heat absorber side tubular portion and the front surface.

3. the heat absorber side cylinder portion is in contact with the front surface portion, The dehumidifier according to claim 2 , wherein the heat absorber gap includes openings formed in both left and right side surfaces of the heat absorber side cylinder portion.

4. The dehumidifier according to claim 3 , wherein the opening is disposed forward of a front-to-rear center of the heat absorber side cylinder portion.

5. The dehumidifier according to claim 2 , wherein a portion of a refrigerant pipe extending from the heat absorber is disposed inside the heat absorber-side cylindrical portion.

6. the openings are provided on both the left and right side surfaces of the heat absorber side cylinder portion, The dehumidifier according to claim 3 , wherein the left and right heat absorber gaps are arranged symmetrically in a front view.

7. the openings are provided on both the left and right sides of the heat absorber side cylinder portion, The dehumidifier according to claim 3 , wherein the left and right heat absorber gaps are disposed at equal distances from a left-right center of the heat absorber side tubular portion.

8. The dehumidifier according to claim 2 , wherein the heat absorber side cylinder portion has a guide surface that guides the air drawn in through the air inlet into the heat absorber gap.

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