WO1997032071A1 - Appareil de sechage - Google Patents

Appareil de sechage Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1997032071A1
WO1997032071A1 PCT/AU1997/000110 AU9700110W WO9732071A1 WO 1997032071 A1 WO1997032071 A1 WO 1997032071A1 AU 9700110 W AU9700110 W AU 9700110W WO 9732071 A1 WO9732071 A1 WO 9732071A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
drying apparatus
load
control system
drying
sensing
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/AU1997/000110
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Martin Camp
Malcolm Morgan
Original Assignee
Southcorp Whitegoods Pty. Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from AUPN8380A external-priority patent/AUPN838096A0/en
Priority claimed from AUPN8381A external-priority patent/AUPN838196A0/en
Application filed by Southcorp Whitegoods Pty. Ltd. filed Critical Southcorp Whitegoods Pty. Ltd.
Priority to AU17607/97A priority Critical patent/AU1760797A/en
Publication of WO1997032071A1 publication Critical patent/WO1997032071A1/fr

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Classifications

    • DTEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06FLAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F58/00Domestic laundry dryers
    • D06F58/32Control of operations performed in domestic laundry dryers 
    • D06F58/34Control of operations performed in domestic laundry dryers  characterised by the purpose or target of the control
    • D06F58/36Control of operational steps, e.g. for optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry
    • D06F58/38Control of operational steps, e.g. for optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry of drying, e.g. to achieve the target humidity
    • DTEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06FLAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/02Characteristics of laundry or load
    • DTEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06FLAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/02Characteristics of laundry or load
    • D06F2103/04Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
    • DTEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06FLAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/02Characteristics of laundry or load
    • D06F2103/08Humidity
    • D06F2103/10Humidity expressed as capacitance or resistance
    • DTEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06FLAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2105/00Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2105/28Electric heating
    • DTEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06FLAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2105/00Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2105/32Air flow control means
    • DTEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06FLAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2105/00Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2105/52Changing sequence of operational steps; Carrying out additional operational steps; Modifying operational steps, e.g. by extending duration of steps
    • DTEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06FLAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F34/00Details of control systems for washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F34/14Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters
    • D06F34/18Condition of the laundry, e.g. nature or weight
    • DTEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06FLAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F58/00Domestic laundry dryers
    • D06F58/02Domestic laundry dryers having dryer drums rotating about a horizontal axis
    • D06F58/04Details 

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a drying apparatus; a method of controlling a drying apparatus; clothes dryers; and a sensing means and control means for use with a drying apparatus, such apparatus including tumble dryers for clothes and the like.
  • Prior art automatic tumble type clothes dryers have been automatically controlled by several methods. Some of these methods include control systems which require the periodic sensing of temperature or humidity of the air being exhausted from a drying apparatus. The difficulty with such systems is that the ambient temperature and humidity causes inaccurate readings of the clothes being dried such that the automatic systems will shut down the drying process before the drying process has been completed. Thus when a user takes clothes out of such a prior art dryer with these features, the clothes may still be considered to be in a wet condition.
  • Prior art clothes dryers have been relatively inaccurate in achieving this goal. To be more precise they tend to over achieve the goal and reduce the water or moisture content to well below tiie 6% figure. By over-dying the clothes, the machines generally utilise more electrical power and energy. This makes the products unattractive in the marketplace particularly in the environmental climate currently existing whereby the energy rating of a product is a significant influence on the buying public.
  • the invention provides a drying apparatus including a blower to blow air through a load when placed in said drying apparatus, a motor to rotate a drum to receive said load when placed in said drying apparatus, an air heating element to heat air to dry said load when placed in said drying apparatus and a control system to control said blower, motor and element, said apparatus further including a sensing means or a part thereof located on a door and or in an exhaust path through said door of said drying apparatus, said sensing means being able to interact with said load to be dried to obtain a signal which includes information relating to the frequency of contacts with said sensing means or a part thereof to thereby determine the approximate size of the load contained in said drying apparatus and information relating to the moisture content of said load, said control system also receiving and interrogating said signal, said apparatus being further characterised by the control system processing said information from said sensing means when an initial distribution period has elapsed whereby said load is distributed in said drying apparatus by said drum rotating.
  • the invention also provides a drying apparatus including a blower to blow air through a load when placed in said drying apparatus, a motor to rotate a drum to receive said load when placed in said drying apparatus, an air heating element to heat air to dry said load when placed in said drying apparatus and control system to control said blower, motor and element, said apparatus including a sensing means to determine the moisture content of a load placed in said drying apparatus, said sensing means able to sense an electrical characteristic sensitive to moisture content, said sensing means cooperating with a control system to control at least heat source and a fan means, said drying apparatus being characterised by said sensing means or a part thereof being mounted in a door and or an exhaust outlet of said drying apparatus .
  • the invention further provides a drying apparatus including a blower to blow air through a load when placed in said drying apparatus, a motor to rotate a drum to receive said load when placed in said drying apparatus, an air heating element to heat air to dry said load when placed in said drying apparatus and control system to control said blower, motor and element, said apparatus including a sensing means or a part thereof to interact with said load to be dried to obtain a signal which includes information relating to the frequency of contacts with said sensing means or part thereof to thereby determine the approximate size of the load contained in said drying apparatus and information relating to the moisture content of said load.
  • the invention still further provides a drying apparatus including a blower to blow air through a load when placed in said drying apparatus , a motor to rotate a drum to receive said load when placed in said drying apparatus, an air heating element to heat air to dry said load when placed in said drying apparatus and control system to control said blower, motor and element, said apparatus including a sensing means or a part thereof to interact with said load when placed in said drying apparatus to obtain a signal which includes information relating to the moisture content of said load when in said drying apparatus, said apparatus being characterised by the control system initiating the processing of said signal from said sensing means after an initial distribution period has elapsed after the drying apparatus has activated said motor to rotate said drum.
  • said sensing means utilises at least one electrical characteristic to obtain said signal being one of, or a combination of the following: resistivity, conductivity, impedance, inductance, voltage or current.
  • said sensing means or a part thereof is mounted on a door and or in an exhaust path of said drying apparatus.
  • said sensing means produces said signal consisting of pulses which are summed so as to determine a frequency of contacts with said sensing means or part thereof to thereby determine the approximate size of the load contained in said drying apparatus.
  • said drying apparatus includes at least one comparator circuit cooperating with said control system and or said sensing means.
  • said sensing means utilises alternating current to produce a signal made up of a pulse or number of pulses when said articles make contact with said sensing means or part thereof.
  • a first of said at least one comparator circuit senses pulses at a low threshold level of said electrical characteristic.
  • a second of said at least one comparator circuit senses pulses at a higher threshold level of said electrical characteristic relative to said low threshold level of said electrical characteristic.
  • said comparator circuit monitors, processes or interprets pulses at said low threshold level during an initial drying period, after an initial distribution period.
  • said control system processes pulses and or threshold levels of an electrical characteristic received from said sensing means to determine an amount of adjustment time to add to an initial drying period, or to determine that no further drying is required and to rotate the load in said drum and heat it via said element heating said air for a predetermined period of time.
  • said drying apparatus includes a means adapted to sum pulses produced by said load contacting said sensing means or a part thereof, over a predetermined period of time.
  • control system adds drying time at the end of an initial drying period if required, said initial drying period being concurrent with or after an initial distribution period.
  • drying apparatus is a clothes dryer or a tumble clothes dryer .
  • said sensing means or a part thereof includes two terminals of an impedance detection circuit.
  • terminals are each an elongate metal bar which are the part of said sensing means positioned on a door and in an outlet path of said drying apparatus.
  • said elongate metal bars are electrically separated from each other.
  • said metal bars are positioned parallel to each other.
  • the invention also provides a method of controlling a drying apparatus using a sensor means and control system, in combination, said drying apparatus including a blower to blow air through a load when placed in said drying apparatus, a motor to rotate a drum to receive said load when placed in said drying apparatus, an air heating element to heat air to dry said load when placed in said drying apparatus and control system to control said blower, drum and element, said method including the steps of:
  • said sensor means gathering information about the moisture content of said load to be dried when said load is placed in said drying apparatus;
  • said sensing means being able to communicate with said control system to determine an adjustment period required to be added to an initial drying period in order to bring said load to a moisture content below a predetermined limit;
  • control system being able to operate said drying apparatus for said initial drying period until such time as said load is approximately at said predetermined limit;
  • step 3 using said sensor means and control system to monitor electrical characteristics, representative of the moisture content of said load during the drying process;
  • an additional step is added whereby if insufficient moisture content is detected, said control system operates said drying apparatus for a predetermined period.
  • an additional step 7 is added whereby said control system produces a cool down period wherein said blower is functioning but said element is not heating air, after said predetermined period, or said adjustment period or said initial drying period.
  • step 1 an additional step is added whereby said control system will activate said motor to rotate said drum to cause said load to be distributed in the drying apparatus for a predetermined distribution period during which predetermined distribution period no information from said sensor means is processed by said control means.
  • said element heats said air and said blower is operated during said predetermined distribution period.
  • Preferably said predetermined distribution period is approximately 2 minutes, or is in the range of 5 to 10 minutes is said sensor means uses humidity readings to obtain an indication of moisture content.
  • step 1 is conducted for a period of 1 minute.
  • the adjustment period is a discrete time period.
  • said adjustment period can be either 0, 10, 15 or 25 minutes depending upon the moisture content.
  • said adjustment period can be either 0, 20, 30 or 50 minutes depending upon the moisture content.
  • said monitoring is performed by means of a low threshold level of voltage or current, or a high level of impedance or resistance.
  • the monitoring can be one of the following: continual, intermittent, or intermittent for discrete periods of on and off times.
  • drying apparatus is clothes dryer or a tumble clothes dryer.
  • the invention further provides an automatic clothes dryer including a blower to blow air through a load when placed in said dryer, a motor to rotate a drum to receive said load when placed in said dryer, an air heating element to heat air to dry said load when placed in said dryer and a control system to control said blower, motor and element, said dryer further including a sensing system to communicate with said control system so that said control system can also obtain information about an electrical characteristic from said sensing system indicative of the moisture content of a load to be dried and or the size of such a load, said dryer being further characterised by the control system or processing said information from said sensing system only after an initial distribution period has elapsed.
  • Preferably said initial distribution period is between 15 seconds and 180 seconds.
  • the invention further provides a sensing apparatus in combination with a control system, for use with a drying apparatus, said sensing apparatus including a sensing means to sense an electrical characteristic sensitive of the moisture content of a load to be dried by said drying apparatus, said sensing means upon sensing said electrical characteristic, communicating with said control system which is adapted to adjust the length of drying time of said load dependent upon said moisture content.
  • control system adds drying time at the end of an initial drying period.
  • sensing means or a part thereof can sense a magnitude of an electrical characteristic in response to the level of moisture present in said load as a result of the interaction between said object or article and said sensing means.
  • the sensing means can sense a range of impedances, voltages, current, resistance, conductivity or inductance.
  • the number of contacts made by said load with said sensing means can be summed, to there by determine a frequency for said contacts.
  • control system can record a frequency of said contacts of at least one range of magnitudes of a sensed electrical characteristic.
  • sensing means or a part thereof is located in an exhaust path of a drying chamber of said drying apparatus.
  • sensing means or a part thereof is located in an exhaust path mounted in a door of said drying apparatus.
  • the sensor means communicates with said control system so that the control system increments said drying time in proportion to the magnitude and frequency of said electrical characteristics which is representative of said moisture content, and load size respectively.
  • drying apparatus is a tumble clothes dryer or a clothes dyer.
  • said load is clothes and/or articles or objects made of cloth and/or similar materials.
  • such sensing means or a part thereof includes two terminals of an impedance detection circuit.
  • terminals are each an elongate bar, which is a part of said sensing means positioned on a door and in an outlet path of said drying apparatus.
  • said elongate metal bars are electrically separated from each other.
  • said metal bars are positioned parallel to each other.
  • the features of the inventions described above can lead to better consistency of results in the achievement of the moisture contents which satisfy established standards without the over consumption of energy and without over-dying of articles. Appliances embodying such inventive features can result in a simpler appliance operation by comparison with other automatic dryer appliances. Finally the feature of positioning into an exhaust a sensing means which utilises an electrical characteristic representative of moisture content, the flowing of air will tend to direct clothes and cloth articles towards the sensor and thus give a more accurate reading of the moisture content during the drying process.
  • Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a front loading, door venting tumble, clothes dryer which embodies the present invention
  • Figure 2 is a larger scale exploded perspective view of a perforated screen which includes a sensor mechanism from the apparatus of figure 1 ;
  • Figures 3 and 4 are circuit diagrams of a control circuit and sensing system for use with the apparatus of figure 1 and 2, figs 3 and 4 representing one circuit diagram inclusive of both systems; and
  • FIG. 5 to 12 are the flow charts which model the manner in which the control circuit functions.
  • a tumble clothes dryer 2 of the front loading type which includes a cylindrical open ended rotatable drum 4, which rotates on a substantially horizontal axis, for tumbling and rotating clothes placed therein.
  • the clothes dryer 2 includes a heating element, a blower and a motor (each of which is not illustrated) to rotate drum 4, as is the case with conventional clothes dryers.
  • Clothes or cloth articles can be placed in the clothes dryer 2 via a circular front opening 6.
  • the front opening 6 is closed by means of a door 8 which is hingedly connected to the front surface 10 of the dryer 2, by means of hinge pin mechanism 12 and a receiving portion 14.
  • the door 8 includes a circular seal 17 attached to it.
  • the seal 17 is mounted on a frame 15 to seal against surface 10 around the front opening 6, as is the case with conventional clothes dryers.
  • An aperture 16 in door 8 is partially occluded by means of a circular perforated plate 18 to such an extent that when the blower (not illustrated) is operating, a positive pressure is present inside the drum 4.
  • a seal 19 engages both the periphery of perforated plate 18 and frame 15, so that when said door 8 is assembled and positioned against surface 10 to close front opening 16 air can only escape from the dryer 2 through the perforated plate 18.
  • the perforated plate 18 has mounted on its inwardly directed surface 21, two elongate metal bars 20 and 22. As is more clearly seen in figure 2 the metal bars 20 and 22 are located in an elongate rectangular holder 24 and are separated, so as to be electrically isolated, by a distance of approximately 5 millimetres.
  • the holder 24 is of a plastic construction and is preferably injection moulded. When the door 8 is closed, the bars 20 and 22 are in the volume contained by dryer 2.
  • the rest of the parts illustrated in figure 1 are the same as those generally provided in conventional tumble clothes dryers and no further description will be made of them, as they have no direct relationship to the inventions included in this specification.
  • the metal bars 20 and 22 are a part of a sensing or detection system which includes an impedance detection circuit 28 as illustrated in figure 4.
  • the metal bars 20 and 22 are connected in series with two resistors 30 and 32 to form a voltage divider 34.
  • An alternating current signal is applied across the voltage divider 34, and the voltage level detected across the two metal bars 20 and 22 (when clothing or articles of cloth make contact with each metal bar 20 and 22 simultaneously) will be proportional to the impedance (provided by the clothing) across the two metal bars 20 and 22.
  • the magnitude of impedance or voltage will be proportional to the moisture content of the clothing article making contact with bars 20 and 22.
  • a peak detector circuit 35 made up of a first part 36 (see Fig 4) and a second part 38 (see Fig 3). As wet clothes contact simultaneously the two metal bars 20 and 22, signal outputs being a series of pulses from impedance detection circuit 28 will proceed to the peak detector 35.
  • the peak detector 35 is used to determine the peak or the level of magnitude of the signal received, which will be proportional to the moisture level of the clothes.
  • the peak detector circuit 35 includes two comparators 39 and 43 (see Fig 3) to interrogate or process the signal and pulses mentioned above.
  • One comparator has a threshold voltage of 5Vdc to high level signals, (or impedances of approximately 7M ⁇ ).
  • the other comparator 39 has a threshold of 0.4 to 1.2 Vdc, (or impedances of approximately 25M ⁇ ) which is adjustable with a trim pot 41.
  • the comparator 39 is for detecting low level signals which may represent partially dried clothes at the start of a cycle as the clothes dry or other low moisture content situations .
  • the control circuit 40 depending upon the cycle and timing (as is explained below), will determine whether the high or low level comparator (43 or 39 respectively) is utilised. If the sensing system senses voltage, current, conductivity or inductance, high magnitude of these will represent high threshold levels, whereas low magnitudes of resistance or impedance will reflect high threshold levels. The reverse is true for low threshold levels.
  • the voltage level of pulses will be proportional to the moisture level in the clothes, and the frequency of pulses will be proportional to the amount of clothes in the dryer.
  • the control circuit 40 (of figures 3 and 4) is a purpose built device which provides control of the dryers blower, rotating drum, air heating element, selection of normal or auto operation, extra drying, and other control features.
  • the control circuit in figure 3 and 4 is one circuit with those portions of figure 3 electrically connected to those portions of figure 4, by means of a connection strip J9, which is included in both figures, at the bottom right of fig 3 and top left of fig 4.
  • the control circuit 40 performs these functions by a micro-processor integrated circuit 48 and a Darlington Pair Driver integrated circuit 50.
  • the control circuit 40 via the microprocessor 50 also utilises information derived from the impedance detection circuit 28 and peak detector circuit 35 to provide an automatic control system for the dryer 2.
  • the control circuit includes integrated circuits 48 and 50 which are programmed in accordance with the following description, as well as to perform the control instructions for the normal running of the dryer.
  • the perforated plate 18 is sealed by means of seal 19 to the frame 15. In this way, air exhausted from dryer 2, must pass out the perforated plate 18.
  • the dryer When clothes are loaded into the drum 4 of the dryer 2, the dryer is set to auto by switch 44 (see Fig 3) the first two minutes of the initialised drying cycle are used to properly distribute the clothes in the drum.
  • the heater element and blower are also on but if desired, one or both of the heater element and blower can remain off.
  • One reason why both may be switched on is that the user will be assured that the dryer is properly operating, at the time of activating or initiating the drying process.
  • the sensing by the impedance detection circuit 28 and information from peak detector circuit 35 are not processed by the control circuit 40. This results in an improved consistency and accuracy of the decisions made by the control circuit 40 because clothes are firstly or initially evenly distributed throughout the drum 4. So as to ensure a generally regular frequency of pulses or signals from the sensing period.
  • the control circuit 40 monitors the pulses generated at a low threshold level for a one minute period as they emanate from the impedance detection unit 28. If no pulse is detected, for example because a single item of clothing may be located in the dryer, or the articles to be dried are included on a drying rack outside of the door, then the control circuit 40 will make the dryer operate for a thirty minute drying period which will include a twelve minute cool down period.
  • control circuit 40 advances to the next step of the cycle.
  • the control circuit 40 detects pulses generated at the impedance detection circuit 28 at the higher threshold limit for one minute. It will also measure the total time during which the pulse level is above a predetermined threshold such as the generation of 5 volts DC or for example an impedance of approximately 7M ⁇ . This sum of the pulses and the amount of time and the threshold level will determine the amount of extended drying time selected by the control circuit. Where normal dryness is selected the initial drying time will preferably be extended for approximately 25 minutes, if the total time measured is longer than 20 seconds with greater than approximately 1024 pulses. If the total time measured in which pulses occurred is less than 2.5 seconds which equates to approximately less than 256 pulses the initial drying time is extended by a further 10 minutes.
  • a predetermined threshold such as the generation of 5 volts DC or for example an impedance of approximately 7M ⁇ .
  • control circuit 40 applies an extended drying time of approximately 15 minutes. If the appliance also includes an extra dryness selection, then these times are doubled making the extended drying times available as 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 25 minutes, 30 minutes, and 50 minutes.
  • control circuit 4 After determining the extended drying time the control circuit 4 then monitors the input pulses at the low threshold continuously or may also do so intermittently for discrete periods of on and off times. If the control circuit 40 does not detect any pulse in a period of 3 minutes it then advances to the next stage of the cycle. If any pulse is still being detected at the end of 168 minutes the control circuit 40 will exit the cycle and will then operate a cool down cycle in order to cool the clothes down.
  • control circuit 40 continues drying for the extended drying time it then also proceeds to cool down.
  • the drum 4 can be rotated in a single direction at all times or it may be rotated in a forward and reverse direction. If a forward and reverse direction is utilised, the dryer is preferably made to rotate in a forward direction for approximately 58 seconds, stop for two seconds and then reverse direction for another 58 seconds and stop for 2 seconds and so on.
  • the automatic control can be disabled by closing switch 46 in circuit 40 and the machine made to function in a manual fashion whereby the operator chooses the amount of time and temperature at which the clothes or articles are dried.
  • the initial two minute drying and distribution period is of this length of time, because of the type of sensing means utilised. If the moisture sensing means was a humidity based sensor, then an initial period of 5 to 10 minutes would be required for the drying and distribution period.
  • the above provides an improved controlling circuit particularly when light loads are concerned.
  • the above controlling mechanism allows the clothes to be dried to a trip level of approximately 6% moisture content or thereabouts.
  • the extended drying period further extends the drying to bring the moisture content down further to take into account different weights of threads, different types of fabric which can hold moisture and absorb it and will not release it under the same circumstances as cloth which more readily releases its water and moisture.
  • This feature allows the appliance to achieve the same amount of drying to acceptable levels with less energy by comparison to prior art machines.
  • the resulting control mechanism has simpler operation and is relatively more effective in the results obtained.
  • the positioning of the metal bars 20 and 22 on the perforated plate 18 ensures that as the blower unit blows air from inside the drum 4 through the perforated plate 18 the clothes are forced by the movement of air, up against the metal bars 20 and 22. For most clothes contained in the dryer 2 this will ensure improved readings and more consistent readings than have been possible by the previous sensing methods.
  • the frequency of pulses resulting from the impedance detection circuit 28 is such that the greater the frequency will generally indicate that a greater amount of clothes are positioned in the drum 4. Obviously the lower the frequency then less clothes are present. If an article or articles are present but no articles are sensed in the dryer, the 30 minute cycle is instigated by the control circuit 40 should be sufficient in order to dry the not sensed article. Generally, if an article or articles are present but not sensed the reasons may be they are two small.
  • Prior art systems have attempted to control the length of the cycle by adding time at the beginning of the cycle. However, this does not guarantee drying to the levels required because it does not take into account ambient temperature, pressure and humidity.
  • the sensing and control apparatus described above is independent of the ambient atmospheric conditions. This is because it can be programmed to continually detect, or monitor providing 168 minutes is never exceeded, the moisture content of the clothes or the articles in the dryer before proceeding to the next stage.
  • Other more complicated systems require the operator to decide the size of the load, the level of dryness required and other factors which can make the system difficult to operate.
  • the impedance detection circuit 28 Whilst the impedance detection circuit 28 utilises an AC signal from which is derived a frequency measure, the impedance detection circuit can be designed to utilise a DC signal instead. If DC was used, the circuit would instead focus on the length of contact periods relative to the length of non contact periods to determine the size of the load, and the voltage impedance or magnitude of the characteristic measured would indicate the moisture level as with the AC system described above.
  • sensing or detecting system utilises voltage or impedance. However, modifications could be made so that the sensing or detecting system senses, measures or detects inductance, current, conductivity etc.
  • Illustrated in figs 5 to 12 is a flow chart of the logic and settings used in the control circuit 40 embodied in the integrated circuit 48 which is the microprocessor.
  • the flow chart is, for convenience, devoid of text in the elements of the figures, and that text is reproduced below.
  • the elements of the flow charts are numbered and the following operations or interrogations occur, when the dryer 2 operates in automatic mode:
  • 116 - decrement maximum time timer count 0? if yes go to subroutine 1 , if no, proceed to 118.
  • 118 - decrement motor timer count 0?, if yes go to subroutine 2 of fig 7, if no, go to 120.
  • 122 - state monitor pulse for 1 minute? if yes go to subroutine 4 of fig 9, if no, go to 124.
  • Subroutine 3 - Fig 8 (also includes subroutine 1):
  • 140 - state initial 2 minutes? if yes go to 142, if no, go to 144.
  • 200 - programmed extended time 15 minutes? if yes go to 202, if no, go to 204.
  • the invention is able to be performed in any drying apparatus in which the sensing mechanism is adapted to make contact with clothes or a load in a dryer.
  • a dryer may have a drum which rotates on a vertical axis, or the dryer may be in a cabinet and the sensor mechanism makes contact, with the clothes or load being dried, by moving through the cabinet.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Control Of Washing Machine And Dryer (AREA)

Abstract

Appareil du type sèche-linge ou un autre appareil de séchage tel qu'un séchoir rotatif. On utilise des moyens capteurs aptes à capter ou à mesurer une caractéristique électrique telle que la tension, l'impédance ou le courant, afin de déterminer la teneur en humidité et le poids du linge, et de le contrôler périodiquement. Les moyens capteurs sont placés dans un passage d'évacuation ainsi que sur la porte de l'appareil. On a prévu un période sans contrôle au début de chaque cycle afin de permettre une répartition correcte du linge dans l'appareil. On obtient ainsi des mesures plus précises.
PCT/AU1997/000110 1996-02-29 1997-02-26 Appareil de sechage WO1997032071A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU17607/97A AU1760797A (en) 1996-02-29 1997-02-26 A drying apparatus

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPN8381 1996-02-29
AUPN8380A AUPN838096A0 (en) 1996-02-29 1996-02-29 A tumble clothes dryer
AUPN8381A AUPN838196A0 (en) 1996-02-29 1996-02-29 A tumble clothes dryer
AUPN8380 1996-02-29

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WO1997032071A1 true WO1997032071A1 (fr) 1997-09-04

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Cited By (12)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1236826A2 (fr) * 2001-03-02 2002-09-04 Whirlpool Corporation Procédé pour changer le programme dans un sèche-linge domestique
WO2004059072A1 (fr) * 2002-12-20 2004-07-15 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Dispositif pour determiner la conductance du linge dans un seche-linge, seche-linge correspondant et procede visant a empecher la formation de couches sur des electrodes
US6941678B2 (en) 2003-04-28 2005-09-13 Lg Electronics Inc. Sensor assembly for automatic dryer
EP2584086A1 (fr) * 2011-10-21 2013-04-24 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Machine à sécher le linge avec capteur d'humidité
US20130119055A1 (en) * 2011-11-16 2013-05-16 Cool Dry LLC Ionic adder dryer technology
US8555522B2 (en) 2010-10-21 2013-10-15 Whirlpool Corporation Laundry treating appliance with inlet temperature compensation
US9200402B2 (en) 2011-05-20 2015-12-01 Cool Dry, Inc. Dielectric dryer drum
CN105862372A (zh) * 2016-05-26 2016-08-17 无锡小天鹅股份有限公司 盖板组件及具有其的干衣机
CN105926247A (zh) * 2016-05-26 2016-09-07 无锡小天鹅股份有限公司 盖板组件及具有其的干衣机
US9447537B2 (en) 2014-11-12 2016-09-20 Cool Dry, Inc. Fixed radial anode drum dryer
EP2583041A4 (fr) * 2010-06-17 2017-07-26 Cool Dry, Inc. Générateur de chaleur à haut rendement
US10487443B1 (en) 2015-10-30 2019-11-26 Cool Dry, Inc. Hybrid RF/conventional clothes dryer

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Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1236826A2 (fr) * 2001-03-02 2002-09-04 Whirlpool Corporation Procédé pour changer le programme dans un sèche-linge domestique
EP1236826A3 (fr) * 2001-03-02 2003-10-01 Whirlpool Corporation Procédé pour changer le programme dans un sèche-linge domestique
WO2004059072A1 (fr) * 2002-12-20 2004-07-15 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Dispositif pour determiner la conductance du linge dans un seche-linge, seche-linge correspondant et procede visant a empecher la formation de couches sur des electrodes
US7975400B2 (en) 2002-12-20 2011-07-12 Bsh Bosch Und Siemens Hausgeraete Gmbh Device for determining the conductance of laundry, dryers and method for preventing deposits on electrodes
US6941678B2 (en) 2003-04-28 2005-09-13 Lg Electronics Inc. Sensor assembly for automatic dryer
AU2003220738B2 (en) * 2003-04-28 2006-04-13 Lg Electronics Inc. Sensor assembly for automatic dryer
EP2583041A4 (fr) * 2010-06-17 2017-07-26 Cool Dry, Inc. Générateur de chaleur à haut rendement
US8555522B2 (en) 2010-10-21 2013-10-15 Whirlpool Corporation Laundry treating appliance with inlet temperature compensation
US9200402B2 (en) 2011-05-20 2015-12-01 Cool Dry, Inc. Dielectric dryer drum
EP2584086A1 (fr) * 2011-10-21 2013-04-24 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Machine à sécher le linge avec capteur d'humidité
US20130119055A1 (en) * 2011-11-16 2013-05-16 Cool Dry LLC Ionic adder dryer technology
US9173253B2 (en) * 2011-11-16 2015-10-27 Cool Dry, Inc. Ionic adder dryer technology
US9447537B2 (en) 2014-11-12 2016-09-20 Cool Dry, Inc. Fixed radial anode drum dryer
US10487443B1 (en) 2015-10-30 2019-11-26 Cool Dry, Inc. Hybrid RF/conventional clothes dryer
US11066778B2 (en) 2015-10-30 2021-07-20 Cool Dry, Inc. Hybrid RF/conventional clothes dryer
US11680360B2 (en) 2015-10-30 2023-06-20 Lg Electronics Inc. Hybrid RF/conventional clothes dryer
CN105862372A (zh) * 2016-05-26 2016-08-17 无锡小天鹅股份有限公司 盖板组件及具有其的干衣机
CN105926247A (zh) * 2016-05-26 2016-09-07 无锡小天鹅股份有限公司 盖板组件及具有其的干衣机

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