Dehumidifier

Claim 1

A dehumidifier comprising: a cabinet having an upper, vertical entrance opening and a lower, exit opening; a refrigerant compressor positioned in a generally lower region of said cabinet; a refrigerant condenser comprising a heat exchanger mounted in a region of said cabinet above said compressor and extending across said cabinet and oriented to intercept air flow from said entrance to said exit; a refrigerant evaporator positioned above said condenser in said cabinet having a tilted plane of configuration a condensate pan supported by said cabinet and having a drain, said pan having an upper opening surrounding a lower tilted side of said evaporator, whereby moisture forming on said evaporator flows downward along said evaporator to said pan; refrigerant connections interconnecting said compressor, condenser and evaporator comprising a compressed fluid line from said compressor to said condenser, a high-to-low pressure coupler between said condenser and evaporator, and a return line from said evaporator to said compressor; an electrically powered fan positioned below said condenser in said cabinet and oriented and powered to rotate in a direction, to draw air downward from said entrance, through said evaporator and condenser, and forcing the air outward through said lower exit; humidity sensing means including switching means for turning said fan, motor and compressor "on" responsive to a selected level of environmental humidity; a condensate container removably supported on said cabinet and having an opening aligned with said drain to receive condensate from said pan; a normally "off" switch mounted on said cabinet and adjacent to said container when said container is supported on said cabinet; a float and lever coupled to said float, said lever being pivotally supported by said container and having an arm operably coupled to said switch when said container is supported on said cabinet and operating said switch to an "on" state when said container is in less than a selected liquid full state; and said switch being coupled in circuit between said humidity sensing means and said motor of said fan and said compressor, and thereby enabling the application of power only when said container is in place on said cabinet and said container is in less than a selected liquid full state.