System for simultaneously heating and dehumidifying a room

Abstract

An innovative heating/dehumidification system is described, which is configured in such a way to dehumidify a room without cooling it and is also configured in such a way to simultaneously heat and dehumidify the room.

1 . Heating/dehumidification system comprising:
 a boxed frame comprising a first chamber and a second chamber;   a heat pump comprising a condenser disposed in said first chamber, an evaporator disposed in said second chamber, a laminating unit and a compressor; said condenser divides the first chamber into a first zone and a second zone; said evaporator divides the second chamber into a first zone and a second zone;   a first electric fan disposed in said first chamber and configured in such a way as to generate an airflow inside the first chamber that passes through the condenser going from the first zone towards the second zone of the first chamber;   a second electric fan disposed in said second chamber and configured in such a way as to generate an airflow inside the second chamber that passes through the evaporator, going from the second zone towards the first zone of the second chamber;   a control unit suitably configured to activate or deactivate the electric fans;   wherein said boxed frame comprises: a first inlet that puts the first zone of the first chamber in communication with the room; a second inlet that puts the second zone of the first chamber in communication with the room; a third inlet that puts the second zone of the second chamber in communication with the room; an exhaust outlet disposed in said first zone of the second chamber and connected to an exhaust tube in order to discharge the air that passes through the exhaust outlet outside the room; at least one interconnection opening that puts the first chamber in communication with the second chamber; a movable partition being disposed in said interconnection opening in order to close or open the interconnection opening;   wherein said boxed frame comprises two interconnection openings, namely a first interconnection opening disposed between the first zone of the first chamber and the first zone of the second chamber, and a second interconnection opening disposed between the second zone of the first chamber and the second zone of the second chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The heating/dehumidification system according to  claim 1 , wherein for each inlet or outlet, said heating/dehumidification system comprises a movable partition that opens or closes the inlet or the exhaust outlet. 
     
     
         3 . The heating/dehumidification system according to  claim 1 , comprising drive means for automatically driving said movable partitions; said control unit being operatively connected to said drive means in order to activate them and move each movable partition. 
     
     
         4 . The heating/dehumidification system according to  claim 1 , comprising condensation draining/collecting means configured so as to drain or collect a condensation generated by the evaporator. 
     
     
         5 . The heating/dehumidification system according to  claim 1 , comprising a temperature sensor disposed in said first chamber to measure the temperature of the air that circulates in said first chamber; said control unit being operatively connected to said temperature sensor to receive temperature signals. 
     
     
         6 . The heating/dehumidification system according to  claim 5 , comprising an additional external temperature sensor suitable for being positioned in the room to detect the temperature of the room; said control unit being operatively connected to said additional external temperature sensor to receive temperature signals. 
     
     
         7 . The heating/dehumidification system according to  claim 5 , wherein said control unit is configured so as to move the partition associated with the at least one interconnection opening between the closing position and the opening position based on the temperature signals received from the temperature sensor or from the temperature sensors in such a way as to control a flow of cold dehumidified air that goes from the second chamber to the first chamber. 
     
     
         8 . Clothes drying assembly comprising a heating/dehumidification system according to  claim 1 , and a clothes supporting device. 
     
     
         9 . The clothes drying assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein said clothes supporting device is a clothes drying rack comprising:
 a supporting frame comprising at least two crosspieces disposed in parallel position; and   a plurality of strings parallel to each other and connected to said crosspieces; said plurality of strings being suitable for hanging the clothes to be dried.   
     
     
         10 . The clothes drying assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein said clothes drying rack comprises at least one electric fan that forcedly conveys the air under said plurality of strings. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The clothes drying assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein said clothes supporting device is a garment drying-ironing device comprising:
 a supporting frame;   a boxed structure supported by the supporting frame and comprising an inner chamber, at least one inlet opening for the introduction of air into the internal chamber and at least one lower outlet opening for the emission of air from the internal chamber, said lower outlet opening being faced downwardly;   garment supporting means disposed under said boxed structure and suitable for hanging the garments; and   at least one electric fan configured to convey the air from the internal chamber towards the lower outlet opening;   wherein said heating/dehumidification system comprises a connection tube that puts the first chamber in fluid connection with the internal chamber of the boxed structure of the drying-ironing device.   
     
     
         18 . The clothes drying assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein said garment supporting means comprise at least one conveyor comprising a tube having a central axis; said conveyor comprising an inlet opening in communication with the lower outlet opening of the boxed structure, and an outlet opening. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . Defrosting method of an evaporator of a heating/dehumidification system according to  claim 2 , said method providing for:
 closing the partitions associated with the second inlet, with the third inlet and with the first interconnection opening;   opening the partitions associated with the first inlet, with the exhaust outlet and with the second interconnection opening;   activating the second electric fan so that the air passes first through the condenser, then through the evaporator and is finally discharged outside the room through the exhaust outlet.   
     
     
         26 . Method for the drying/ironing of garments by means of the assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein said method provides for activating the electric fans of the heating/dehumidification system in such a way that:
 air from the room enters the first chamber, then passes through the condenser, then is conveyed into the connection tube, and finally flows inside a garment that hangs from the conveyor; and   humid air from the room enters the second chamber, then passes through the evaporator and is finally conveyed in the exhaust tube in order to be discharged outside the room.   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , which provides for applying clamps on the exit sections of the garment in such a way to clamp and close the exit section of the garment.