WO2024224757A1 - Dehumidifier and container for dehumidifier - Google Patents

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a dehumidifier and a container therefor that are capable of remarkably reducing the use amount of plastic or the like and suppressing transportation and storage costs while considering the environment.　The dehumidifier which uses a combination of a tablet and a dedicated container is characterized in that: the tablet is a deliquescent moisture absorbent in a state in which a deliquescent substance is applied with pressure and compressed; the dedicated container includes a deliquescent liquid storage container, a lid, and a tablet-placing shelf; the deliquescent liquid storage container has an engagement part for arranging the tablet-placing shelf at a prescribed height position from the inner bottom surface, and can store a deliquescent liquid of the tablet; the lid secures strong connection with the deliquescent liquid storage container with the tablet-placing shelf interposed therebetween, and has an opening in the upper surface, the opening being sealed with a moisture permeable film; and the tablet-placing shelf has, at least at a lower portion, a hole for allowing the deliquescent liquid of the tablet to flow down to the deliquescent liquid storage container.

Description

Dehumidifiers and containers for dehumidifiers

The present invention relates to a dehumidifier and its container that can be used in closets, chests of drawers, shoe cupboards, and other storage spaces to absorb moisture in the air with a deliquescent moisture absorbent, lowering the humidity in the space and keeping the humidity low.

Conventionally, the mainstream dehumidifiers are of the so-called tank type, which is divided into an upper space and a lower space by a tray placed in a middle-high part of a container with an opening on the top, and a granular deliquescent moisture absorbent is stored in the upper space while the deliquescent liquid of the deliquescent moisture absorbent drips from a drip hole in the tray and is stored in the lower space. In order to prevent the deliquescent liquid from spilling out if the tank is accidentally tipped over, a moisture-permeable film that does not allow liquid to pass through but allows gas to pass through is adhered or welded to the top opening to seal the opening. In addition, since it is important to ensure a large contact area between the deliquescent moisture absorbent and the air in order to improve the moisture absorption performance of the dehumidifier, a typical configuration is one in which the tray is shaped with multiple protrusions and the granular deliquescent moisture absorbent is stored in the upper space thus formed (Patent Document 1).

JP 2011-78865 A

As shown in Fig. 9, the tank-type dehumidifier described in Patent Document 1 is configured to include a container body 4 having an upper opening, a tray-like receptacle 5 that is disposed in a middle-high portion of the container body 4 and divides the container body 4 into an upper space N and a lower space M, a moisture-permeable but water-impermeable moisture-permeable film 6 that closes the upper opening, and a sealing sheet 7. This tank-type dehumidifier is provided with a lid 8 that protects the moisture-permeable film 6 and the sealing sheet 7 and is detachable from the upper opening of the container body 4. In the tank-type dehumidifier configured in this way, a granular deliquescent moisture absorbent C is stored in the upper space N of the container body 4, and when a consumer (user) uses the dehumidifier, the sealing sheet 7 is peeled off from above the moisture-permeable film 6, allowing moisture in the air to pass through the moisture-permeable film 6 and flow into the container body 4, where it is absorbed by the deliquescent moisture absorbent. When the deliquescent moisture absorbent deliquesces and is completely used up, the moisture permeable film 6 attached to the top opening is peeled off to drain the accumulated deliquescent liquid, and the container is discarded.
For this reason, the used tank-type dehumidifier needs to be replaced with a new one, which is costly and leads to waste of resources. This is not just a problem of cost and waste of resources, but also leads to the trouble of having to purchase and transport a large and bulky product, and the problem of needing space to store stock items. As mentioned above, the container is naturally large due to the required specification of ensuring the contact area between the deliquescent moisture absorbent and the air. In addition to the volume of the upper and lower spaces, the air in the space where the multi-stage protrusions are arranged is transported and stored. Furthermore, this is a more serious problem not only for consumers but also for manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. This is because it forces companies to secure large transportation capacity and space for transporting products and warehousing, and forces companies to incur significant transportation and storage costs.
On the other hand, it has been some time since companies have begun to make efforts toward sustainability, and the trends of companies are constantly attracting attention in terms of the development of sustainable materials and how they can build systems that prevent the waste of resources.

The present invention aims to address these issues and provide a dehumidifier and its container that are environmentally friendly, drastically reduce the amount of plastic used, and keep transportation and storage costs down.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems with a dehumidifier that uses a combination of tablets and a dedicated container, the tablets being a deliquescent moisture absorbent in a state where a deliquescent substance is pressurized and compressed, the dedicated container comprising a deliquescent liquid storage container, a lid, and a tablet placement shelf, the deliquescent liquid storage container having an engagement portion for arranging the tablet placement shelf at a predetermined height position from the inside bottom surface and capable of storing the deliquescent liquid of the tablets, the lid ensuring a robust connection with the deliquescent liquid storage container with the tablet placement shelf in between, an opening on the top surface, the opening being sealed with a moisture-permeable film, and the tablet placement shelf having holes at least downward for allowing the deliquescent liquid of the tablets to flow down to the deliquescent liquid storage container.

The present invention, which has the above-mentioned characteristics, makes it possible to provide a dehumidifier that can reuse the container, significantly reducing the amount of plastic used and reducing transportation and storage costs.

FIG. 1(d) is a photograph of refill tablets contained in an airtight bag, and FIG. 1(e) is a photograph of tablets placed in the container with the lid removed. FIG. 1(a) is a front view of a deliquescent liquid storage container with a lid attached thereto and a shelf for placing tablets thereon, FIG. 1(b) is a top view of the same container, FIG. 1(c) is a top view of the container with the lid removed, FIG. 1(d) is a photograph of refill tablets contained in an airtight bag, and FIG. 1(e) is a photograph of tablets placed in the container with the lid removed. 2(a) is a top view of a deliquescent liquid storage container in a dehumidifier according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2(b) is a front view, FIG. 2(c) is a view viewed from above after rotating FIG. 2(a) by 45 degrees, and FIG. 2(d) is a view viewed from the front of FIG. 2(c). 3A and 3B are explanatory views showing a lid in the dehumidifier according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 3A is a top view and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 4A and 4B are explanatory views showing a tablet-placing shelf in a dehumidifier according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 4A is a top view and FIG. 4B is a front view. 1 is a graph comparing the moisture absorbing performance of the first embodiment and a granular type moisture absorbent when used in a container sealed with a moisture permeable film. 6(a) and 6(b) are explanatory diagrams showing a deliquescent liquid storage container in a dehumidifier according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 6(a) is a top view, FIG. 6(b) is a front view, FIG. 6(c) is a view viewed from above after rotating FIG. 6(a) by 45 degrees, and FIG. 6(d) is a view viewed from the front of FIG. 6(c). 7A and 7B are explanatory views showing a tablet-placing shelf in a dehumidifier according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7A being a top view and FIG. 7B being a front view. 11 is a graph comparing the moisture absorbing performance of the second embodiment and a granular type moisture absorbent when used in a container sealed with a moisture permeable film. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a conventional tank-type dehumidifier.

Below, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the drawings below have been created for explanatory purposes, and for the sake of clarity, components that are not necessary for the explanation may not be shown intentionally. Also, for the sake of explanation, components may be shown intentionally large or small, and the drawings are not drawn to an exact scale.

First Embodiment
(Overall configuration of the dehumidifier)
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of a dehumidifier according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1(a) is a front view of a deliquescent liquid storage container with a lid attached via a tablet placement shelf, FIG. 1(b) is a top view of the same state, FIG. 1(c) is a top view with only the lid removed, FIG. 1(d) is a photograph of refill tablets, and FIG. 1(e) is a photograph of tablets placed in the container with the lid removed.

The dehumidifier according to the first embodiment of the present invention is a dehumidifier that uses a combination of a refill tablet and a dedicated container. The refill tablet T is a deliquescent moisture absorbent in a state in which a deliquescent substance is compressed under pressure, specifically, calcium chloride in tablet form. It is manufactured by filling the inside of the cylinder of a 50 ton press (tabletting machine) with powdered calcium chloride and extruding the molded product by pressing. The tableted calcium chloride can achieve a density of 1.63 g/ml simply by adjusting the pressure, and has sufficient strength for practical use. It is also possible to use magnesium chloride tablets as an alternative to calcium chloride. The refill tablet T is stored in an airtight transparent bag as shown in FIG. 1(d) during storage. This bag is a transparent bag made of, for example, oriented polypropylene or polyvinylidene chloride, which has water vapor barrier properties so as to prevent the deliquescence of the moisture absorbent from progressing, but it does not have to be transparent. It may also be a laminated product, such as one that is laminated with polyethylene or the like using nylon film, aluminum foil, or aluminum deposition. As for the lamination method, a four-sided seal, a three-sided seal (palm-and-palm seal), a standing pouch, a blister package, or the like may be appropriately used. Furthermore, instead of bags, boxes and cans may also be used as storage containers as long as they have water vapor barrier properties.

As shown in Fig. 1(a) to Fig. 1(c), the dedicated container comprises a deliquescent liquid storage container 1, a lid 2, and a tablet placement shelf 3. The deliquescent liquid storage container 1 is configured to be capable of storing the deliquescent liquid of refill tablets T. The lid 2 ensures a robust connection with the deliquescent liquid storage container 1 with the tablet placement shelf 3 in between. Specifically, it is configured as a screw cap or twist cap.

The front view of FIG. 1(a) shows the side of the lower body 11 and the lid side portion 22. The top view of FIG. 1(b) shows how the opening 212 (not shown) on the top surface of the lid 2 is sealed by welding a moisture permeable film F. On the other hand, FIG. 1(c), which shows the state with the lid 2 removed, shows how the tablet placement shelf 3 is arranged with the flange portion 33 supported by the edge 13 (not shown) of the opening of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1. The edge 13 (not shown) supports the flange portion 33, so that the tablet placement shelf 3 is arranged at a predetermined height from the inner bottom surface of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1.

As shown in FIG. 1(c), the shelf 3 for placing tablets has bottom holes 311 on its bottom surface 31 for allowing the deliquescent liquid of the tablets T to flow down into the deliquescent liquid storage container 1. Since the refill tablets T have a specific thickness, the top surface of the refill tablets T is also located at a predetermined height from the inner bottom surface of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1, as shown in FIG. 1(e).

(Configuration of deliquescent liquid storage vessel)
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a deliquesced liquid storage container in a dehumidifier according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 2(a) is a top view, FIG. 2(b) is a front view, FIG. 2(c) is a view viewed from above after rotating FIG. 2(a) by 45 degrees, and FIG. 2(d) is a view viewed from the front of FIG. 2(c).

The deliquescent liquid storage container 1 is a composite container made up of a lower body 11 with the four sides of a rectangular parallelepiped chamfered, and an upper body 12 which is a cylinder connected to the lower body 11. When a tablet placement shelf 3 (not shown) is arranged, the area of the lower body 11 partitioned off by the underside of the tablet placement shelf 3 (not shown) has a volume sufficient to contain the deliquescent liquid generated when one refill tablet T is completely deliquesced, and in the first embodiment, this is 550 cc. The upper body 12 as a cylinder is connected to the top of the lower body 11 so as to be concentric with the central axis of the lower body 11, and therefore, the upper surfaces of the lower body 11 are arranged at the four corners around the upper body 12, as shown in FIG. 2(a).

A male thread portion 121 is formed on the outer periphery of the upper body portion 12, which is screwed into a female thread portion 221 (not shown) of the lid 2. The thread is preferably a multiple-start thread so that it can be opened and closed with a small number of turns. In the first embodiment, a two-start thread is used, but a four-start thread may also be used.

The top edge 13 of the upper body 12 functions to support the flange portion 33 (not shown) of the tablet placement shelf 3, so that the tablet placement shelf 3 (not shown) is positioned at a predetermined height from the inner bottom surface of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1.

Two triangular protrusions 122 and two bulging portions 123 are located at positions every 90 degrees near the boundary where the top surface of the lower body 11 and the upper body 12 are connected. The triangular protrusions 122 and the bulging portions 123 allow the operator to feel the torque resistance increasing as the tightening operation of the lid 2 is about to finish, and finally to feel a click, allowing the operator to confirm that the lid has been securely closed.

(Lid configuration)
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the lid in the dehumidifier according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 3(a) is a top view and FIG. 3(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3(a). The lid 2 is generally composed of a lid upper surface 21 and a lid side surface 22, and a circular opening 212 is provided in the center of the lid upper surface 21. On the other hand, the periphery 211 of the lid upper surface 21 is set to be one step higher than the lid upper surface 21 as shown in FIG. 3(b), and the moisture permeable film F (see FIG. 1) is heat-sealed to this periphery 211. In addition, a hanging edge 222 hangs downward from the outer periphery of the opening 212, and is set to a size that contacts the upper surface of the flange portion 33 (both not shown) of the tablet placement shelf 3 when the lid 2 is attached to the deliquescent liquid storage container 1 (not shown). That is, there is a certain gap between the lid upper surface 21 and the flange portion 33 (not shown).

The dedicated container in the dehumidifier according to the first embodiment is configured such that when the lid 2 is closed, liquid does not pass through the moisture-permeable film F, but gas does. Due to the difference in height between the lid top surface 21 and the rim 211, the moisture-permeable film F is disposed slightly away from the lid top surface 21. In addition to the area of the opening 212, the area between the outer periphery of the opening 212 and the inner edge of the rim 211 (i.e., the area shown as the lid top surface 21 in FIG. 3(a)) also contributes to the passage of gas, which works advantageously in terms of moisture absorption performance. The moisture-permeable film must be strong enough to withstand repeated use, and a two-layer moisture-permeable film made by laminating a nonwoven fabric to a porous film made of stretched polyethylene or polypropylene containing an inorganic filler is preferably used. A three-layer moisture-permeable film made by laminating a nonwoven fabric, a porous film, and a nonwoven fabric may also be used to provide greater strength.

A typical desiccant is made by layering a moisture-proof film on top of a moisture-permeable film, so the moisture-proof film must be adhered to the container. In addition, the moisture-proof film must be peeled off when the desiccant is used, so it must be easy to peel off without damaging the porous film layer.
If a moisture-proof film is directly laminated onto a porous film made of stretched polyethylene or polypropylene containing inorganic fillers, it is difficult to easily peel off the porous film layer without damaging it. To solve this problem, a nonwoven fabric is mainly laminated onto the porous film. This is because the nonwoven fabric can complement the strength of the porous film without hindering the moisture permeability of the porous film as much as possible. In addition, the nonwoven fabric is required to have heat welding properties in order to easily bond it to a container or to the moisture-proof film.
For this reason, the fibers of the nonwoven fabric have a sheath-core structure of PE and PET. In the first embodiment, since no moisture-proof film is required, the nonwoven fabric (at least one side of the nonwoven fabric in the case of a three-layer structure) does not need to be heat-sealed, and therefore a cheaper PP or PET nonwoven fabric can be used instead of an expensive sheath-core nonwoven fabric.
The inner circumference of the lid side surface 22 is formed with a female screw portion 221 that is screwed into a male screw portion 121 (not shown) formed on the outer circumference of the main body upper portion 12 of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1. The screw is preferably a multiple thread so that it can be opened and closed with a small number of turns. In the first embodiment, a two-thread thread is used, but a four-thread thread may be used. In addition, instead of the female screw portion 221, a lug (claw) may be provided on the inner circumference of the lid side surface 22 to form a cap that is wound around the male screw portion 121, that is, a so-called twist cap. As described above, just before the tightening operation of the lid 2 is completed, the operator feels the torque resistance increasing and finally feels a click, so that the operator can confirm that the lid has been securely closed. In addition, since the shape of the upper surface of the lid 3 is the same shape (chamfered rectangular shape) as the main body lower portion 11 of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1 (both not shown), the operator can visually confirm that the lid has been closed. In other words, the operator only needs to check whether the shapes are the same.

(Configuration of the tablet placement shelf)
Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a tablet placement shelf in a dehumidifier according to a first embodiment of the present invention, with Fig. 4(a) being a top view and Fig. 4(b) being a front view. The tablet placement shelf 3 has a shelf bottom surface 31, shelf side surfaces 32, and a flange portion 33. As shown in Fig. 4(b), the overall shape of the shelf bottom surface 31 is a truncated cone shape that is smaller than the upper side where the flange portion 33 is located.

The shelf bottom surface 31 is provided with bottom holes 311. The bottom holes 311 function to allow the deliquescent liquid of the refill tablets T to flow down into the deliquescent liquid storage container 1. The bottom holes 311 are arranged at a predetermined interval so that multiple arc-shaped holes are positioned along multiple concentric circles arranged at different radii. As shown in FIG. 4(a), four holes are arranged at the innermost circumference, followed by eight holes, and twelve holes at the outermost circumference. Note that the shape of the holes may be any appropriate shape, such as an elongated hole rather than an arc shape, as long as it can exhibit the desired performance of allowing the deliquescent liquid to flow down.

The shelf side surface 32 is provided with side holes 321. The side holes 321 also contribute to allowing the deliquescent liquid of the tablets T to flow down into the deliquescent liquid storage container 1. The side holes 321 are arranged at a predetermined interval along the outer periphery of the shelf side surface 32 so that eight rectangular holes (when viewed from the front, and more precisely, the upper and lower sides of the rectangle are curved along the shelf side surface) are positioned. Any suitable shape can be adopted as the shape of the holes as long as it can exhibit the desired performance of allowing the deliquescent liquid to flow down. Also, if the bottom surface hole 311 alone can exhibit sufficient performance of allowing the deliquescent liquid to flow down, it is possible to omit the side holes 321. The performance of the deliquescent liquid flowing down differs depending on the usage environment due to factors such as the frequency of recrystallization, so it is possible to vary the specifications depending on the sales area, for example.

The edge 13 (not shown) of the opening of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1 is dimensioned to be at a predetermined height from the inner bottom surface of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1. The flange portion 33 of the tablet placement shelf 3 is also dimensioned appropriately from the bottom surface of the tablet placement shelf 3. Since the tablet T has a specific thickness, the upper surface of the tablet T is located at a predetermined height from the inner bottom surface of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1. As a result, the distance between the upper surface of the tablet T and the lower surface of the moisture permeable film F facing it above is close to a roughly predetermined size at the start of use. This distance is set to be closer than the distance between the moisture permeable film and the granular moisture absorbent in a conventional tank-type dehumidifier by the dimension setting of the hanging edge 222 of the lid 2 described above, which contributes to moisture absorption performance. This will be described later.

(How to use a dehumidifier)
A method of using the dehumidifier according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
(1) Prepare a special container before use and refill tablets T stored in a transparent bag.
(2) The lid 2 attached to the deliquescent liquid storage container 1 is rotated in the lid opening direction to remove the lid 2. The tablet placement shelf 3 is attached in advance to the deliquescent liquid storage container 1 from which the lid 2 has been removed. If this is not the case, the tablet placement shelf 3 is attached to the deliquescent liquid storage container 1 by placing the flange portion 33 of the tablet placement shelf 3 on the edge 13 of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1.
(3) Open the refill tablet T.
(4) The removed refill tablets T are placed inside the tablet placement shelf 3.
(5) Rotate the lid 2 in the closing direction relative to the deliquescent liquid storage container 1 until the torque resistance increases, a clicking sensation is felt, and it is confirmed that the shape of the lid 2 overlaps with the shape of the lower body 11 of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1, and then the capping is completed.
(6) Set up a dehumidifier in the space you want to dehumidify, such as a closet, dresser, or shoe cupboard, and dehumidify the space.
(7) When all the tablets T have been deliquesced and the dehumidifying performance has decreased, the lid 2 and the tablet placement shelf 3 are removed and the deliquescent liquid accumulated in the deliquescent liquid storage container 1 is drained and discarded. In addition, the inside of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1 and the tablet placement shelf 3 are washed as necessary.
After (8), the process returns to (2) above, and new refill tablets T can be used for reuse.

(Moisture absorption performance of dehumidifier)
According to the inventors' research, it seems that tablet-type moisture absorbents have been used overseas. However, there is no special container or other device for this purpose, and the tablets are simply placed in a suitable container through a lattice and used. As mentioned above, in order to improve the moisture absorption performance of a dehumidifier, it is necessary to ensure a large contact area between the deliquescent moisture absorbent and the air, so granular moisture absorbents tend to be preferred. In fact, when the same volume of granular moisture absorbents and tablet-type moisture absorbents were prepared and an experiment was conducted to confirm the difference in moisture absorption performance, a clear significant difference was observed in the moisture absorption performance. It goes without saying that tablets are easier to handle, but granular moisture absorbents are overwhelmingly used overseas as well. It seems that this is because of the importance placed on moisture absorption performance.

As mentioned above, tablets are placed in a suitable container with a straw mat between them when used overseas, but this suitable container does not have a moisture-permeable film that is moisture-permeable but water-impermeable. One of the purposes of using a moisture-permeable film is to prevent the deliquescent liquid from spilling into a dresser or other place when the dehumidifier is accidentally turned over. In this way, the moisture-permeable film is a unique feature of Japanese products that are focused on ease of use, but such considerations are not taken into account overseas.

The inventor also conducted an experiment on the moisture absorption performance of the dehumidifier according to the first embodiment of the present invention, that is, a dehumidifier in which refill tablets T are placed in a dedicated container. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, a comparative test was conducted on the relationship between the number of days elapsed and the amount of moisture absorption when the first embodiment and a conventional tank-type dehumidifier in the initial state of use were placed in an atmosphere with a temperature of 25±2°C and a humidity of (80±5)%. The objective of the present invention is to significantly reduce the amount of plastic used and to reduce transportation and storage costs. The inventor thought that some sacrifice in moisture absorption performance was unavoidable, but the results were surprising. As shown in FIG. 5, the first embodiment was confirmed to have moisture absorption performance that was not inferior to the conventional tank-type dehumidifier. The reason for this is considered to be as follows. When comparing the deliquescent speed of "multiple granules" and "one tablet" for a deliquescent substance of the same weight and concentration without using a moisture-permeable film, the granules, which have a larger surface area, are superior. However, in a dehumidifier equipped with a moisture-permeable film, it is presumed that the "flow rate of water vapor drawn into the container through the moisture-permeable film" is determined by the "performance of the moisture-permeable film," the "area of the opening in the lid and upper part of the container," the "surface area of the deliquescent material," and the "distance between the deliquescent material and the moisture-permeable film" from the structure of the dehumidifier. In the first embodiment, these parameters can be easily adjusted, and in particular, the distance between the deliquescent material and the moisture-permeable film can be set accurately and closely.

As shown in Figure 9, which explains a conventional tank-type dehumidifier, in the upper space where the granular moisture absorbent is stored, a certain amount of space is created between the granular moisture absorbent and the moisture permeable film. This is because it is preferable not to pack the granular moisture absorbent in too much, in order to ensure a large contact area. Originally, the present invention aimed for compactness from the standpoint of reducing costs, so the distance between the moisture permeable film and the refill tablets was set to be close, but this resulted in an unexpected effect.

Second Embodiment
The dehumidifier according to the second embodiment of the present invention is common to the first embodiment in that it is a dehumidifier that uses a combination of refill tablets and a dedicated container, and that it uses refill tablets T stored in a transparent bag with water vapor barrier properties and reuses the dedicated container. However, the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it uses two refill tablets T and, therefore, the sizes of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1A and the tablet placement shelf 3A are increased. However, the same lid 2 as in the first embodiment is used.

(Configuration of deliquescent liquid storage vessel)
Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a deliquescent liquid storage container in a dehumidifier according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 6(a) is a top view, Figure 6(b) is a front view, Figure 6(c) is a view viewed from above after rotating Figure 6(a) by 45 degrees, and Figure 6(d) is a view viewed from the front of Figure 6(c).

The deliquescent liquid storage container 1A is a composite container consisting of a lower body 11A with the four sides of a rectangular parallelepiped chamfered, and an upper body 12A that is a cylinder connected to the lower body 11A. When a tablet placement shelf 3A (not shown) is arranged, the area of the lower body 11A partitioned by the underside of the tablet placement shelf 3A (not shown) has a volume sufficient to contain the deliquescent liquid generated when two tablets T are completely deliquesced, and in the second embodiment, this is 1000 cc. The upper body 12A as a cylinder is connected to the top of the lower body 11A so as to be concentric with the central axis of the lower body 11A, and therefore, the upper surfaces of the lower body 11A are arranged at the four corners around the upper body 12A, as shown in FIG. 6(a).

A male thread portion 121A is formed on the outer periphery of the upper body portion 12A, which is screwed into the female thread portion 221 (not shown) of the lid 2. The thread is preferably a multiple-start thread so that it can be opened and closed with a small number of turns. In the second embodiment, a two-start thread is used, but a four-start thread may also be used.

The top edge 13A of the upper body portion 12A functions to support the flange portion 33A (both not shown) of the tablet placement shelf 3A, so that the tablet placement shelf 3A (not shown) is positioned at a predetermined height from the inner bottom surface of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1A.

Two triangular protrusions 122A and two bulging portions 123A are located at positions every 90 degrees near the boundary where the top surface of the lower body 11A and the upper body 12A are connected. The triangular protrusions 122A and the bulging portions 123A allow the operator to feel the torque resistance increasing as the tightening operation of the lid 2 is about to finish, and finally to feel a click, allowing the operator to confirm that the lid has been securely closed.

(Configuration of the tablet placement shelf)
Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a tablet placement shelf in a dehumidifier according to a second embodiment of the present invention, with Fig. 7(a) being a top view and Fig. 7(b) being a front view. The tablet placement shelf 3A has a shelf bottom surface 31A, shelf side surfaces 32A, and a flange portion 33A. As shown in Fig. 7(b), the overall shape of the shelf bottom surface 31A is a truncated cone shape that is smaller than the upper side where the flange portion 33A is located.

The shelf bottom surface 31A is provided with bottom holes 311A. The bottom holes 311A function to allow the deliquescent liquid of the tablets T to flow down into the deliquescent liquid storage container 1A. The bottom holes 311A are arranged at a predetermined interval so that multiple arc-shaped holes are located along multiple concentric circles arranged at different radii. As shown in FIG. 7(a), four holes are arranged at the innermost circumference, followed by eight holes, and twelve holes are arranged at the outermost circumference. Note that the shape of the holes may be any appropriate shape, such as a long hole shape rather than an arc shape, as long as it can exhibit the desired performance of allowing the deliquescent liquid to flow down.

The shelf side surface 32A is provided with side holes 321A. The side holes 321A also contribute to allowing the deliquescent liquid of the tablets T to flow down into the deliquescent liquid storage container 1. The side holes 321 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the outer periphery of the shelf side surface 32 so that eight rectangular holes (when viewed from the front, and more precisely, the upper and lower edges of the rectangle are curved along the shelf side surface) are positioned. Any suitable shape can be adopted for the hole shape as long as it can achieve the desired performance of allowing the deliquescent liquid to flow down. Also, if sufficient deliquescent liquid flow performance can be achieved only by the bottom hole 311A, it is possible to omit the side hole 321A.

The edge 13A (not shown) of the opening of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1A is sized to be a predetermined height from the inner bottom surface of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1A. The flange portion 33A of the tablet placement shelf 3A is also sized appropriately from the bottom surface of the tablet placement shelf 3A. Since the refill tablets T have a specific thickness and the height (thickness) of two refill tablets T is also a specific predetermined value, the upper surface of the refill tablets T is located at a predetermined height from the inner bottom surface of the deliquescent liquid storage container 1A. As a result, the distance between the upper surface of the refill tablets T and the lower surface of the moisture permeable film F facing it above is a predetermined size. This distance is the same as in the first embodiment, and therefore the moisture absorption performance is good, as explained above. However, if the deliquescence of the two refill tablets T progresses, the interval will be larger than the interval when deliquescence progresses in the first embodiment, so it cannot be denied that the second embodiment is somewhat disadvantageous in terms of deterioration of moisture absorption performance over time. However, the second embodiment is more advantageous than the first embodiment in that it can be used for a longer period of time.

(How to use a dehumidifier)
The method of using the dehumidifier according to the second embodiment of the present invention is not significantly different from that of the first embodiment. The only difference is that a refill tablet T containing two tablets in a transparent bag is prepared. Of course, if this is not possible, two bags of refill tablets T containing one tablet may be prepared. Two refill tablets T are placed and the deliquescent liquid for two tablets is discarded, and the dehumidifier is reused in units of two tablets.

(Moisture absorption performance of dehumidifier)
As shown in Fig. 8, a comparative test was carried out on the relationship between the number of days elapsed and the amount of moisture absorption when the tank-type dehumidifiers of the second embodiment and the conventional example in the initial state of use were placed in an atmosphere of temperature 25±2°C and humidity (80±5)%. As shown in Fig. 8, the second embodiment showed results that slightly exceeded the moisture absorption performance of the tank-type dehumidifier of the conventional example.

The dehumidifier according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, and its structure has been explained, but the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention includes design changes within the scope of the present invention. For example, the rectangular shape common to the deliquescent liquid storage container and the lid may be circular. Although the function of visually confirming completion of lid closing is lost, the operator can sense the completion of the operation just by the increased torque resistance due to the triangular protrusions and bulging parts and the click sensation in the hand. Furthermore, regardless of whether the shape is rectangular or circular, if a twist cap is used, the triangular protrusions and bulging parts can be omitted. This is because a twist cap completes the cap tightening while feeling resistance due to the lugs (claws) present on the inner circumference of the lid.

In the embodiment, the engagement portion for arranging the tablet placement shelf is the edge of the top surface of the deliquescent liquid storage container, and the tablet placement shelf is a flange portion, but other engagement means may be used, such as a configuration in which a recess on the inner surface of the container engages with a protrusion on the tablet placement shelf, as long as the tablet placement shelf can be properly set at a specified height position.

In the embodiment, the shape of the shelf for placing the tablets is a truncated cone, but it may be cylindrical. Similarly, the refill tablets T are preferably truncated cone or cylindrical in terms of being efficiently stored on the middle shelf, but they may also be spherical, and there are no particular limitations on their shape as long as they fit on the middle shelf. For the reasons explained in the section on the moisture absorption performance of the dehumidifier, the moisture absorption performance may be somewhat sacrificed, but since the objective of this invention is to reuse resources and reduce transportation and storage costs, a decrease in moisture absorption performance does not deviate from the technical concept of this invention.

As mentioned above, the size and shape of the bottom and side holes can be appropriately selected as long as they perform the intended function, but it is also possible to prepare different types for summer and winter and spring and autumn, and use them interchangeably according to the season. In seasons with large temperature differences (cold and hot), it is advantageous to use holes with large sizes because the holes are prone to clogging due to recrystallization. On the other hand, if the premise is that it will be used in seasons when recrystallization is unlikely to occur, the bottom holes can be made small enough that the granular moisture absorbent cannot pass through, and the granular type can also be used as a refillable moisture absorbent, making it a container that can be used for both tablet and granular types. Compared to conventional dehumidifiers, which require the removal of the moisture-permeable film and the disposal of the entire container, the fact that the container can be reused without disposal still contributes to cost reduction. In this way, from the perspective of the invention of a dehumidifier container, even if a granular moisture absorbent is used, it does not deviate from the technical idea of the present invention.

1 Deliquescent liquid storage container 11 Lower body 12 Upper body 121 Male thread portion 122 Triangular protrusion 123 Bulging portion 2 Lid 21 Lid upper surface 211 Periphery 212 Opening 22 Lid side portion 221 Female thread portion 222 Hanging edge 3 Tablet placement shelf 31 Shelf bottom surface 311 Bottom hole 32 Shelf side surface 321 Side hole 33 Flange portion 1A Deliquescent liquid storage container 11A Lower body 12A Upper body 121A Male thread portion 122A Triangular protrusion 123A Bulging portion 3A Tablet placement shelf 31A Shelf bottom surface 311A Bottom hole 32A Shelf side surface 321A Side hole 33A Flange portion T Tablet (refill tablet)

Claims (4)

A dehumidifier that uses a combination of a tablet and a dedicated container,
The tablet is a deliquescent moisture absorbent in a compressed state of a deliquescent substance,
The dedicated container includes a deliquescent liquid storage container, a lid, and a shelf for placing tablets,
the deliquescent liquid storage container has an engagement portion for arranging the tablet placement shelf at a predetermined height position from an internal bottom surface, and is capable of storing the deliquescent liquid of the tablets;
the lid ensures a robust connection with the deliquescent liquid storage container with the tablet placement shelf interposed therebetween, has an opening on an upper surface, and the opening is sealed with a moisture-permeable film;
a tablet-mounting shelf having a hole at least at a lower portion thereof for allowing the deliquescent liquid of the tablets to flow down into the deliquescent liquid storage container; The dehumidifier according to claim 1, characterized in that the tablet-placing shelf has an overall concave shape and is deep enough to store the tablets, while the shelf portion on the bottom surface is configured so that when a specified number of the tablets are placed on the shelf, the lower surface of the moisture-permeable film and the upper surfaces of the tablets are closely spaced from each other. 3. The dehumidifier according to claim 1, wherein the engaging portion is an edge of an upper surface of the deliquescent liquid storage container, and the engaged portion of the tablet placing shelf is a flange provided on the tablet placing shelf. A dehumidifier container that can be used as a dehumidifier by storing a tablet as a deliquescent moisture absorbent in a compressed state of a deliquescent substance,
The deliquescent liquid storage container has a lid and a shelf for placing tablets.
the deliquescent liquid storage container has an engagement portion for arranging the tablet placement shelf at a predetermined height position from an internal bottom surface, and is capable of storing the deliquescent liquid of the tablets;
the lid ensures a robust connection with the deliquescent liquid storage container with the tablet placement shelf interposed therebetween, has an opening on an upper surface, and the opening is sealed with a moisture-permeable film;
A container for a dehumidifier, wherein the tablet-placing shelf has holes at least in a lower portion thereof for allowing the deliquescent liquid of the tablets to flow down into the deliquescent liquid storage container.

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