Dehumidifier

Abstract

A dehumidifier may include a main body, a heat exchange unit inside the main body, and a water tank on the water tank chamber or separated from the water tank chamber through a side surface of the main body. The water tank may store condensed water generated in the heat exchange unit. A movable member may be inside the water tank to vertically move according to a water level of the condensed water stored in the water tank. One or plurality of first sensors mounted on a wall defining the water tank chamber may detect the movable member. A second sensor mounted on a position of the wall, which is higher than the first sensors may detect the movable member. A control unit may receive the detected results of the first and second sensors to control an operation of the heat exchange unit or an occurrence of an alarm signal according to the received results.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dehumidifier comprising:
 a main body having a water tank chamber;   a heat exchange unit at an inside of the main body; and   a water tank at the water tank chamber or separated from the water tank chamber through a side surface of the main body, the water tank to store condensed water formed at the heat exchange unit;   a movable member, inside the water tank, to move based on a water level of the condensed water in the water tank;   one or more first sensors, at a wall of the water tank chamber, to detect the movable member;   a second sensor, at a position of the wall that is higher than the one or more first sensors, to detect the movable member; and   a control unit to receive results from the first and second sensors to control an operation of the heat exchange unit or an occurrence of an alarm signal based on the received results.   
     
     
         2 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a guide module, at the water tank, to guide the movement of the movable member,   wherein the guide module includes:
 a sensor room at an inner surface of the water tank to accommodate the movable member; and 
 a room cover to cover a surface of the sensor room. 
   
     
     
         3 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 2 , wherein the movable member includes:
 a magnetic body to provide magnetism; and   a movable body to surround the magnetic body.   
     
     
         4 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the first and second sensors includes a hall sensor to detect magnetism from the magnetic body. 
     
     
         5 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the movable body is formed of a transparent material. 
     
     
         6 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 1 , wherein the second sensor to detect a full level of the water tank, and
 the first sensor to detect a water level of the water tank that is lower than the full level.   
     
     
         7 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 6 , wherein in response to the first sensor detecting the movable member, the control unit to provide a signal representing that a water level of the water tank is high. 
     
     
         8 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 7 , wherein the alarm signal includes one of sound, light, a color, an image, and a moving picture or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 6 , wherein in response to the second sensor detecting the movable member, the control unit to provide a signal representing the full level of the water tank. 
     
     
         10 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 9 , wherein in response to providing the signal representing the full level of the water tank, the control unit to stop operation of the heat exchange unit to finish a dehumidifying operation. 
     
     
         11 . A dehumidifier comprising:
 a main body having a water tank chamber;   a heat exchange unit at the main body; and   a water tank to store water;   a movable member at the water tank, the movable member to move based on a water level of the water in the water tank;   a first sensor, at the water tank chamber, to detect the movable member;   a second sensor to detect the movable member; and   a control unit to receive information from the first and second sensors to control an operation of the heat exchange unit or to provide an alarm indication based on the received information.   
     
     
         12 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 11 , wherein the first sensor is provided at a wall of the water tank chamber, and the second sensor is provided at a position of the wall that is higher than the first sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 12 , wherein each of the first and second sensors includes a hall sensor to detect magnetism from the magnetic body. 
     
     
         14 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the movable body is formed of a transparent material. 
     
     
         15 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 12 , wherein the second sensor to detect a full level of the water tank, and
 the first sensor to detect a water level of the water tank that is lower than the full level.   
     
     
         16 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 11 , wherein in response to the first sensor detecting the movable member, the control unit to provide a signal representing that the water level of the water tank is high. 
     
     
         17 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 11 , wherein in response to the second sensor detecting the movable member, the control unit to provide a signal representing the full level of the water tank. 
     
     
         18 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a guide module, at the water tank, to guide the movement of the movable member,   wherein the guide module includes:
 a sensor room at the water tank to accommodate the movable member; and 
 a room cover to cover a portion of the sensor room. 
   
     
     
         19 . The dehumidifier according to  claim 11 , wherein the movable member includes:
 a magnetic body to provide magnetism; and   a movable body to surround the magnetic body.   
     
     
         20 . A dehumidifier comprising:
 a main body;   a water tank chamber at the main body;   a heat exchange unit at the main body; and   a water tank to store condensed water;   a movable member to move based on a water level of the condensed water in the water tank;   a first sensor to detect the movable member;   a second sensor to detect the movable member; and   a control unit to receive information from the first and second sensors and to determine a water level of the water tank based on the received information, the control unit to control an operation of the heat exchange unit or to provide an alarm indication based on the received information.