U.S. patent application number 09/891411 was filed with the patent office on 2002-02-28 for device for detecting full dehumidifier water tank.
Invention is credited to Eom, Nam Seob, Sul, Dong Hyun.
Application Number | 20020023445 09/891411 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26638349 |
Filed Date | 2002-02-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020023445 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sul, Dong Hyun ; et
al. |
February 28, 2002 |
Device for detecting full dehumidifier water tank
Abstract
Dehumidifier including a water tank under a cabinet for storage
of condensate dropped from a heat exchanger, a vertical barrier in
front of the water tank for separating a space, a fixing guide
fitted to a fitting hole on a top surface of the water tank, a
floater rotatably fitted to the fixing guide for being rotated by
buoyancy, and detection means fitted to one side of the barrier for
detection of full water tank as the floater rotates, thereby
detecting a full water tank more, accurately.
Inventors: |
Sul, Dong Hyun;
(Kyongsangbuk-do, KR) ; Eom, Nam Seob; (Seoul,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
26638349 |
Appl. No.: |
09/891411 |
Filed: |
June 27, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/188 ;
62/291 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F 13/222 20130101;
F24F 3/153 20130101; F24F 2140/30 20180101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/188 ;
62/291 |
International
Class: |
F25D 017/00; F25D
017/02; F25D 021/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 30, 2000 |
KR |
2000-50799 |
Nov 29, 2000 |
KR |
2000-71707 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A dehumidifier comprising: a water tank under a cabinet for
storage of condensate dropped from a heat exchanger; a vertical
barrier in front of the water tank for separating a space; a fixing
guide fitted to a fitting hole on a top surface of the water tank;
a floater rotatably fitted to the fixing guide for being rotated by
buoyancy; and, detection means fitted to one side of the barrier
for detection of full water tank as the floater rotates.
2. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 2, wherein the floater
includes; a floating part in the water tank for providing buoyancy,
and a lever part extended from the floating part for activating the
detecting means when a buoyancy is provided to the floating
part.
3. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the detecting
means is a microswitch.
4. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the detecting
means is a photo sensor having a light receiver and a light
emitter.
5. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 2, wherein the floating part
includes; a hollow bar in a ".quadrature." form to be suitable for
providing buoyancy, and a partition wall at a bent part of the
floating part for partitioning an inside space of the floating part
into an upper space and a lower space, for keeping the floater
buoyant in proportion to a rise of a water level even if air in the
lower space is lost.
6. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing guide
has a form of a ring substantially for fitting to a fitting hole in
the water tank, and an opening at a central portion of the fixing
guide for fitting the floater thereto.
7. A dehumidifier comprising: a water tank under a cabinet for
storage of condensate dropped from a heat exchanger; a vertical
barrier in front of the water tank for separating a space; a fixing
guide fitted to a fitting hole on a top surface of the water tank;
a floater rotatably fitted to the fixing guide for being rotated by
buoyancy; and, a microswitch fitted to one side of the barrier for
generating a full water tank signal in association with the floater
as the floater rotates following the full water tank.
8. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 7, wherein the floater
includes; a floating part in the water tank for providing buoyancy,
and a lever part extended from the floating part to be located
outside of the water tank and bent toward the microswitch, for
moving along with the floating part so as to be brought into
contact with the microswitch.
9. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 8, wherein the lever part is
in a ".andgate." form so that the lever part can contact with the
microswitch fitted to the barrier while the lever part avoids
interference with a front surface of the water tank.
10. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 8, wherein the floating part
includes one pair of rotating center projections on an upper part
thereof for coupling with the fixing guide to facilitate rotation
of the floater.
11. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 8, wherein the floating part
includes; a hollow bar in a ".quadrature." form to be suitable for
providing buoyancy, and a partition wall at a bent part of the
floating part for partitioning an inside space of the floating part
into an upper space and a lower space, for keeping the floater
buoyant in proportion to a rise of a water level even if air in the
lower space is lost.
12. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 11, wherein the upper space
of the floating part separated by the partition wall has a
semicircular section, and the lower space of the floating part has
a circular section.
13. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 12, wherein the upper space
of the floating part separated by the partition wall has an opened
lower part.
14. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 7, wherein the fixing guide
has a form of a ring substantially for fitting to a fitting hole in
the water tank, and an opening at a central portion of the fixing
guide for fitting the floater thereto.
15. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 14, wherein the opening is
semi-circular, with a chord part engaged with an outer surface of
the lever part of the floater, for serving as a stopper that limits
a rotation angle of the floater before the buoyancy is exerted
thereto.
16. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 14, wherein the fixing guide
includes; a flange part projected to one side in a horizontal
direction having a fastening hole for fastening the fixing guide to
the water tank, one pair of upper supporting pieces formed opposite
to the flange part spaced from each other, a lower supporting piece
between the one pair of upper supporting pieces and below the one
pair of upper supporting pieces as much as a thickness of the water
tank for holding an edge of the fitting hole in association with
the upper supporting pieces when the fixing guide is fitted to the
fitting hole in the water tank for setting the fixing guide to the
water tank, and fixing pieces formed downward perpendicular to the
upper supporting pieces having inserting holes to be coupled with
the rotating center projections on the floater.
17. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 7, wherein the floater
includes; a floating part of a hollow stick with an opened lower
part for inserting in the water tank downward, a lever part sealing
a top part of the floating part and extended toward a microswitch
direction and bent, and a rotating center projected downward from
both sides of the lever part and fitted to a top part of the water
tank for being a rotation center as the water level varies.
18. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 17, wherein the rotating
center includes; two rotating parts projected in semicircular forms
apart from each other from both sides of a bottom surface of the
contact lever part, and two catches for inserting from lower ends
of the rotating parts to inside of the water tank for preventing
falling off.
19. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 18, further comprising: two
"T" formed fitting holes in the top surface thereof for inserting
the catches; and, an elongated hole between the two "T" holes for
free rotation of the floater when a buoyancy is provided to the
floating part.
20. A dehumidifier as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:
displaying means fitted either to an outside wall or to an inside
of the cabinet for presenting a signal from the microswitch to
outside of the dehumidifier.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a device for detecting a
full dehumidifier water tank, and more particularly, to a device
for detecting a full dehumidifier water tank, which can detect a
full water tank, more accurately.
[0003] 2. Background of the Related Art
[0004] In general, the dehumidifier removes moist from room air
during the room air passes through an evaporator by means of
refrigerating cycle before the room air is discharged to a room,
for maintaining the room comfortable. A related art dehumidifier
will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1
illustrates a disassembled perspective view of a related art
dehumidifier, and FIG. 2 illustrates an inner structure of a
related art dehumidifier schematically, provided with a cabinet 1,
a heat exchanger 4 in the cabinet 1 having an evaporator 2 and a
condenser 3 for removing moist, and a fan 5 next to the heat
exchanger 4 for forced circulation of the room air. The cabinet has
an air inlet fitted with a filter for removing foreign matters in
drawn air, and an air outlet fitted with a front grill 7 for
discharging air having the moist removed therefrom. There are a
base plate 8 fitted under a bottom of the cabinet 1, and a barrier
9 standing on the base plate 8, and, on both sides of the barrier
9, there are a water tank 11 for collecting water removed from the
heat exchanger 4, and a compressor 10 for circulating refrigerant
through the evaporator 2 and the condenser 3. There is a drain hole
12 under the heat exchanger 4 for collecting condensate formed
during dehumidification and discharging to the water tank 11. The
water tank 11 has grooves 11a in both sides of outer surfaces
thereof for rotation of a preset angel when the water tank is full,
and the barrier 9 has projections 9a for being caught at the
grooves 11a.
[0005] The room air is drawn into the foregoing related art
dehumidifier through the air inlet as the compressor 10 and the fan
5 are put into operation, has moist therein removed as the room air
passes through the heat exchanger 4 having the evaporator 2 and the
condenser 3, and discharged to the room through the front grill 7
fitted to the air outlet. The condensate from the evaporator 2
flows to and collected in the water tank 11 through the drain hole
12. Thus, as a water level of the water tank 11 becomes the higher
gradually, the water tank 11 rotates in a clockwise direction on
the drawing centered at the projections 9a on the barrier 9 as the
compression spring 17 is compressed by the condensate, until the
water tank 11 is full when the water tank 11 pushes a lower end of
a plate spring 13 fitted to the barrier 9, which actuates a
microswitch 15, that facilitates to detect the water tank 11
full.
[0006] However, the related art device for detecting a full
dehumidifier water tank has the following drawbacks.
[0007] The related art dehumidifier is required to have nothing in
a path of rotation of the water tank 11 because the full water tank
is detected when the water tank 11 rotates by weight of the
collected condensate. That is, since a space is required enough to
avoid interference when the water tank 11 rotates and tilts
backward, there is a limitation with respect to space in the
installation of the dehumidifier. Moreover, as the device for
detecting a full dehumidifier water tank is fitted at a lower part
of the water tank 11, there is a problem of reliability of
detection because the water tank might rotate owing to washing of
the condensate even if the water tank is not full, which causes an
erratic detection of a full water tank. In the meantime, even
though the tension of the compression spring 17 and the plate
spring 13 required to be set exactly for rotation of the water tank
11 in proportion to a water level, there is a limitation of an
exact detection of the full water tank because the setting is not
easy. Furthermore, resetting of tension of the plate spring 13 is
not easy when it is required to change the water level to be
detected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a device
for detecting a full dehumidifier water tank that substantially
obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and
disadvantages of the related art.
[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a device
for detecting a full dehumidifier water tank, which permits easy
detection of a full water tank, and easy setting change of the
water tank level.
[0010] Additional features and advantages of the invention will be
set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be
apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the
invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention
will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed
out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the
appended drawings.
[0011] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with
the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly
described, the dehumidifier includes a water tank under a cabinet
for storage of condensate dropped from a heat exchanger, a vertical
barrier in front of the water tank for separating a space, a fixing
guide fitted to a fitting hole on a top surface of the water tank,
a floater rotatably fitted to the fixing guide for being rotated by
buoyancy, and detection means fitted to one side of the barrier for
detection of full water tank as the floater rotates.
[0012] The foregoing device for detecting a full dehumidifier water
tank of the present invention can make a stable and accurate
detection of a full water tank because the floater is operative in
proportion to a buoyancy by a water level.
[0013] By adjusting a length of the floating part, an amount of
full water tank can be changed with easy.
[0014] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary
and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of
the invention as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and together with the description serve to explain
the principles of the invention:
[0016] In the drawings:
[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a disassembled perspective view of a
related art dehumidifier;
[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates a section of an inner structure of a
related art dehumidifier schematically;
[0019] FIG. 3 illustrates a section of a dehumidifier having a
device for detecting a full dehumidifier water tank in accordance
with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a dehumidifier
water tank having a device for detecting a full dehumidifier water
tank in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention fitted thereto;
[0021] FIG. 5 illustrates a disassembled perspective view of the
device for detecting a full dehumidifier water tank in FIGS. 3 and
4;
[0022] FIG. 6 illustrates an assembled perspective view of FIG.
5;
[0023] FIG. 7 illustrates a section of key parts for explaining
operation of the device for detecting a full dehumidifier water
tank in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0024] FIG. 8 illustrates a section of a dehumidifier having a
device for detecting a full dehumidifier water tank in accordance
with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 9 illustrates a section of key parts for explaining
operation of the device for detecting a full dehumidifier water
tank in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the
present invention; and,
[0026] FIG. 10 illustrates a disassembled perspective view of a
dehumidifier water tank having the device for detecting a full
dehumidifier water tank in FIG. 8 provided thereto.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0027] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings. A first embodiment device
for detecting a full dehumidifier water tank will be explained with
reference to FIGS. 3.about.7. FIG. 3 illustrates a section of a
dehumidifier having a device for detecting a full dehumidifier
water tank in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 3, the dehumidifier having a device for
detecting a full dehumidifier water tank in accordance with a first
preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a cabinet 51
having an air inlet and an air outlet in a front and a rear
surfaces respectively, a barrier 59 fitted to a central portion of
an inside space of the cabinet 51 for dividing the inside space of
the cabinet 51 to provide various components therein, a fan 56 for
mounting above the barrier 59 for forced suction of the room air, a
heat exchanger 54 having a condenser 53 and an evaporator 52
mounted inside of the air inlet for removing moist from the room
air drawn by the fan 56, a compressor 55 mounted in front of the
barrier 59 for compressing the refrigerant circulating the heat
exchanger 54 to high temperature and pressure to form a
refrigerating cycle, a drain pan 60 under the heat exchanger 54 for
collecting condensate on the heat exchanger 54 and making the
condensate to flow one side, a water tank 57 under the drain pan 60
in rear of the barrier 59 for temporary storage of the condensate
from the drain pan 60 and discharge to outside of the dehumidifier,
a floater in an upper part of the water tank 57 for being rotated
centered on a hinge as the floater is buoyant, and a micro switch
fitted to one side of the barrier 59 for providing a full tank
signal in association with the floater when the floater is rotated
as the water tank is full.
[0029] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a dehumidifier
water tank having the device for detecting a full dehumidifier
water tank in FIG. 3 fitted thereto, and FIG. 5 illustrates a
disassembled perspective view of the device for detecting a full
dehumidifier water tank in FIGS. 3 and 4.
[0030] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the water tank 57 is
substantially hexahedral, and has a recess 57a extended from a
center of a top surface to one side surface thereof for reducing a
space required for the water tank 57, and preventing interference
with other members and suffering from damage during operation of
the floater, and a fitting hole 57b in the recess 57a. Though the
recess 57a extended from a center of a top surface to one side
surface of the water tank is formed for fitting the floater in the
first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the recess 57a
may not be formed. There is a displaying means (not shown)
connected to the microswitch 80 which is provided for detecting a
full water tank and converting it into an electrical signal for
presenting the signal from the microswitch to outside of the
dehumidifier tank for a user to know. There is a fixing guide 90
fitted in a fitting hole 57b in the top surface of the water tank
57 for fitting the floater 70 thereto. The floater 70 includes a
floating part 71 in the water tank 57 for providing buoyancy, and
lever part 75 extended from the floating part 71 to position
outside of the water tank 57 and bent toward the microswitch 80 for
rotating in association with rotation of the floating part 71, to
come into contact with the microswitch 80. The lever part 75 is in
a ".andgate." form so that the lever part 75 can contact with the
microswitch fitted to the barrier while the lever part 75 avoids
interference with a front surface of the water tank. There are one
pair of rotating center projections 76 coupled with the fixing
guide 90 on an upper part of the floating part 71 for facilitating
rotation of the floater 70. The floating part 71 is a hollow bar in
a".quadrature." form to be suitable for providing buoyancy, and has
a partition wall 71a at a bent part of the floating part 71 for
partitioning an inside space of the floating part 71 into an upper
space and a lower space, for keeping the floater 70 buoyant even if
air in the lower space is lost. That is, the partition wall 71a is
a secondary safety means. In this instance, the upper space of the
floating part 71 separated by the partition wall 71a has a
semi-cylindrical section, and the lower space of the floating part
71 has a cylindrical section (see FIG. 5). The fixing guide 90 has
a ring form substantially for fitting to the fitting hole 57b in
the water tank, with an opening 93 at a central part of a surface
thereof for fitting the floater 70. The opening 93 is
semi-circular, with a chord part 99 engaged with an outer surface
of the lever part 75 of the floater 70, for serving as a stopper
that limits a rotation angle of the floater 70 before the buoyancy
is acted thereto. The fixing guide 90 includes a flange part 92
projected to one side in a horizontal direction having a fastening
hole 92a for fastening the fixing guide 90 to the water tank, one
pair of upper supporting pieces 94 formed opposite to the flange
part 92 spaced from each other, a lower supporting piece 98 between
the one pair of upper supporting pieces 94 and below the one pair
of upper supporting pieces 94 as much as a thickness of the water
tank for holding an edge of the fitting hole 57b in association
with the upper supporting pieces 94 when the fixing guide 90 is
fitted to the fitting hole 57b in the water tank for setting the
fixing guide 90 to the water tank, and fixing pieces 96 formed
downward perpendicular to the upper supporting pieces 94 having
inserting holes 96a to be coupled with the rotating center
projections 76 on the floater 70. (see FIG. 5). The display means
(not shown) presents a full water tank signal to outside of the
dehumidifier for user's sensing by using a signal from the
microswitch 80 in a form of a lamp fitted to an outside wall of the
cabinet 51 or a sound emitter, to provide video and audio
signals.
[0031] The operation of the foregoing device for detecting a full
dehumidifier water tank in accordance with a first preferred
embodiment of the present invention will be explained.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 3, when a water level of the water tank is
low before an adequate buoyancy is provided to the floater, the
lever part 75 is in contact with the microswitch 80. When a power
is supplied, to put the dehumidifier into operation, the room air
is drawn forcibly, involved in removal of moist as the room air
passes through the heat exchanger 54, and discharged through the
air outlet. The condensate formed by heat exchange of the heat
exchanger 54 is collected at the drain pan 60, and flows into the
water tank 57, and, when the water level in the water tank 57 rises
owing to continued operation, the floater 70 rotates centered on
the rotating center projections 76 in a counter clockwise direction
on the drawing by the buoyancy to the floating part 71. In this
time, as shown in FIG. 7, the lever part 75 is also rotated in the
counter clockwise direction, to move away from the microswitch 80
to generate a full tank signal, that is presented to the display
means (not shown) so that the user discharges the condensate
collected in the water tank 57. When the air in the lower space of
the floating part 71 is lost owing to washing of the condensate in
the water tank, to cause a level of the condensate to rise more,
detection of the full water level is still available as the
buoyancy acts onto the upper space of the floater separated by the
partition wall 71a, to rotate the floater, that in turn activates
the microswitch. Accordingly, the upper space of the floater of the
present invention acts as a secondary safety device.
[0033] In the meantime, in the foregoing embodiment, though a
system is explained as an example, in which the full water tank
signal is generated as the lever part 75 moves away from the
microswitch, opposite to this, it is also possible that a system
may be provided, in which the full water tank signal is generated
as the lever part 75 is brought into contact with the microswitch
80 as the floater 70 rotates when the water tank is full, while the
lever part 75 is kept away from the microswitch 80 when the water
level is not full.
[0034] The forgoing first embodiment device for detecting a full
dehumidifier water tank of the present invention has the following
advantages.
[0035] As the floater is operative in proportion to the buoyancy
coming from the water level, an accurate, and stable detection of a
full water of the water tank is made available.
[0036] Easy change of full water tank level to be detected is made
available by adjusting a length of the floating part 71.
[0037] A device for detecting a full dehumidifier water tank in
accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present
invention will be explained, with reference to the attached
drawings. FIG. 8 illustrates a section of a dehumidifier having a
device for detecting a full dehumidifier water tank in accordance
with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention,
showing a state before full water tank, FIG. 9 illustrates a
section of key parts for explaining operation of the device for
detecting a full dehumidifier water tank in accordance with a
second preferred embodiment of the present invention at a full
water tank, and FIG. 10 illustrates a disassembled perspective view
of a dehumidifier water tank having the device for detecting a full
dehumidifier water tank in FIG. 8 provided thereto.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 8, the dehumidifier having a device for
detecting a full dehumidifier water tank in accordance with a
second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a
heat exchanger 54 having an evaporator 52 and a condenser 53 in a
cabinet 51 for removing moist, and a fan 56 next to the heat
exchanger 54 for forced circulation of room air. There are a
compressor 55 in a lower part of the cabinet 51 for circulating
refrigerant through the evaporator 52 and the condenser 53, a water
tank 57 for storage of water formed by dehumidification action of
the heat exchanger 54, and a vertical barrier 59 fitted between the
compressor 55 and the water tank 57 for separating two spaces.
There is a drain pan 60 between the heat exchanger 54 and the water
tank 57 for discharging condensate dropped from the evaporator 52
to the water tank 57. Particularly, there are a stick type floater
70 of a hollow stick with an opened lower part fitted to an upper
surface of the water tank 57 and inserted in the water tank 57 for
rotating along with a water level, and a microswitch 80 fitted to
the barrier 59 for detecting the full of the water tank 57 as the
stick type floater 70 is brought into contact with, or moves away
from the microswitch 80 when the stick type floater 70 is rotated.
The stick type floater 70 of a hollow stick with an opened lower
part includes a floating part 71 for inserting in the water tank 57
downward, a lever part 75 sealing a top part of the floating part
71 and extended toward a microswitch direction and bent, and a
rotating center 77 projected from the lever part 75 and fitted to a
top part of the water tank 57 for being a rotation center as the
water level varies. As shown in FIG. 5, the rotating center 77
includes two spaced semi-circular rotating parts 77a projected from
a bottom of the contact lever part 75, and two catches 77b extended
from lower ends of the rotating parts 77a and opened to each other
for insertion in an inside of the water tank 57 for preventing the
floater from falling off the water tank 57. The water tank 57 has
two "T" formed fitting holes 57c, and an elongated hole 57d between
the two fitting holes 57c for free rotation of the floater 70 when
the floating part 71 is provided with buoyancy in a state the
floater 70 is fitted to the water tank. Accordingly, when the
floater 70 is assembled to the water tank, the two catches 77b are
pressed inward to bring the catches 77b closer, inserted into the
"T" formed fitting holes 57c, and released, to be caught at catch
holes 57c-1 of the fitting holes 57c as the catches 77b are opened
by an elastic restoration force.
[0039] The operation of the second embodiment device for detecting
a full dehumidifier water tank of the present invention will be
explained.
[0040] Referring to FIG. 3, under a state the water tank 57 is not
full, the stick type floater 70 is not rotated, when the lever part
75 is in contact with a terminal 81 of the microswitch 80. As shown
in FIG. 4, under this state, if a water level in the water tank 57
rises, the water level also rises in the floating part 71, to
compress the air inside of the floating part 71 and provide
buoyancy to the entire stick type floater 70, such that the stick
type floater 70 rotates centered on the rotating center part 77,
when the lever part 75 moves away from the terminal 81 of the
microswitch 80, that generates a full water tank detection signal.
Of course, opposite to this, the system may be made such that the
lever part 75 is disposed away from the terminal 81 of the
microswitch 80 when the water level is not full, and brought into
contact with the terminal 81 when the water level is full to rotate
the stick type floater 70.
[0041] The second embodiment of the present invention has the
following advantages.
[0042] The hollow stick type floater 70 permits a stable, and
accurate detection of the full water tank, and a full water tank
level can be adjusted with easy by adjusting a length of the
floating part 71. Since the device has a simple structure,
fabrication of the device is easy, and, since the floater has a
small width, the device can be employed even if a width of the
water tank is narrow.
[0043] Though a microswitch is employed in the first or second
embodiment for detection of full water tank, a photo sensor having
a light receiver and a light emitter may be employed instead of the
microswitch. That is, the lever part of the floater is made either
to cut off a light path to the light receiver, or open a light path
to the receiver for detection of full water tank, when the floater
is rotated by buoyancy.
[0044] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made in the device for
detecting a full dehumidifier water tank of the present invention
without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus,
it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications
and variations of this invention provided they come within the
scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *