Drying machine and method for controlling the same

Abstract

A dryer includes a drum, a heat pump including a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, and an electronic expansion valve, a user interface, a power module for controlling power supply to a compressor motor and a drum motor, a duct for receiving air from the drum such that the received air flows in the duct to be heated by operation of the evaporator and the condenser, and discharging the heated air to the drum, a plurality of temperature sensors for detecting temperatures of the heat pump, the power module, and the duct, and a controller configured to identify a factor to be controlled from a plurality of factors that can cause an incomplete drying based on at least one of output data from the plurality of temperature sensors and opening data of the electronic expansion valve, and control the user interface to output a notification of the identified factor to be controlled.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT / KR2021 / 009149, filed on July 16, 2021, pursuant to 35U.SC§111(a), which claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0115220, filed on September 9, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to a dryer for drying clothing such as garments and for pre-detecting incomplete drying. Background Technology

[0004] A dryer is a garment processing device used to dry clothing such as clothes, towels, and bedding by supplying hot air into the rotating drum that holds the clothes.

[0005] The drying process for clothes can be performed for a preset time or a time set based on the initial weight of the clothes. Alternatively, the completion time may depend on the measured dryness level.

[0006] However, with increased usage, incomplete drying occurs due to the drying process being terminated before completion or the drying operation taking too long. Factors causing this incomplete drying include filter blockage, pipe blockage, insufficient refrigerant, heater malfunction, and operation interruption due to circuit overheating.

[0007] Therefore, despite the various factors that cause incomplete drying, it is difficult to identify incomplete drying in advance and pinpoint the cause of incomplete drying. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments.

[0009] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a dryer may include: a drum; a drum motor connected to the drum; a heat pump including a compressor comprising a compressor motor, an evaporator, a condenser, and an electronic expansion valve; a user interface; a power module configured to control power supply to the compressor motor and the drum motor; a duct housing the evaporator and condenser and configured to receive air from the drum, such that the received air flows in the duct to be heated by the operation of the evaporator and condenser, and to discharge the heated air to the drum; a plurality of temperature sensors configured to detect the temperature of each of the heat pump, the power module, and the duct; and a controller configured to identify a factor to be controlled from a plurality of factors that may cause incomplete drying based on at least one of output data from the plurality of temperature sensors and opening data of the electronic expansion valve, and to control the user interface to output a notification of the identified factor to be controlled.

[0010] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the controller is configured to identify factors to be controlled when the operation time of the drying operation becomes longer than expected by a preset time or longer than expected.

[0011] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the dryer further includes a storage device, and the controller is configured to control the storage device to store output data from a plurality of temperature sensors and opening data of an electronic expansion valve whenever a drying operation is performed, and to identify factors to be controlled during the drying operation by comparing at least one of the output data from the plurality of temperature sensors and the opening data of the electronic expansion valve of the heat pump with the stored data.

[0012] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the controller is configured to identify pipe blockage as a factor to be controlled if the number of deviations of at least one of the pipe temperature and the compressor temperature from the corresponding preset temperature range increases compared to the number of times stored output data from multiple temperature sensors.

[0013] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the dryer further includes a cooling device for cooling the power module, and the controller is configured to identify a failure of the cooling device as a factor to be controlled if the number of times the temperature of the power module deviates from a preset temperature range increases compared to the number of times the stored output data from multiple temperature sensors increases.

[0014] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the controller is configured to identify insufficient refrigerant in the heat pump as a factor to be controlled when the opening of the electronic expansion valve deviates from the opening range of stored electronic expansion valve opening data during drying operation.

[0015] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the controller is configured to identify refrigerant insufficiency of the heat pump as a factor to be controlled if the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor during the drying operation deviates from the temperature range stored from the output data of a plurality of temperature sensors.

[0016] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the dryer further includes a heater provided in a duct and configured to heat air received in the duct, and a controller is configured to identify a heater malfunction as a factor to be controlled if the number of times the heater temperature deviates from a preset temperature range increases compared to stored output data from a plurality of temperature sensors.

[0017] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the dryer also includes a communicator, and the controller is configured to control the communicator to send notifications of factors to be controlled to an external electronic device.

[0018] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the controller is configured to control the user interface output to contain actions corresponding to the factors to be controlled.

[0019] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a method for controlling a dryer includes a drum, a heat pump, a user interface, a power module, and piping. The power module is configured to control power supply to a compressor motor of the heat pump and a drum motor connected to the drum. The piping houses an evaporator and a condenser of the heat pump and is configured to receive air from the drum such that the received air flows into the piping to be heated by the operation of the evaporator and condenser, and the heated air is discharged to the drum. The method may include: identifying a factor to be controlled from a plurality of factors that may cause incomplete drying based on at least one of output data from a plurality of temperature sensors and opening data of an electronic expansion valve provided in the heat pump; the plurality of temperature sensors are configured to detect the temperature of each of the heat pump, the power module, and the piping; and controlling the user interface to output a notification of the identified factor to be controlled.

[0020] According to embodiments of this disclosure, identifying factors to be controlled includes: identifying factors to be controlled when the drying operation time becomes longer than expected by a preset time or longer than expected.

[0021] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the dryer further includes a storage device, and identifying factors to be controlled includes: controlling the storage device to store output data from a plurality of temperature sensors and opening data of an electronic expansion valve whenever a drying operation is performed, and identifying factors to be controlled during the drying operation by comparing at least one of the output data from the plurality of temperature sensors and the opening data of the electronic expansion valve of the heat pump with the stored data.

[0022] According to embodiments of this disclosure, identifying factors to be controlled includes identifying pipe blockage as a factor to be controlled if the number of deviations of at least one of the pipe temperature and the heat pump compressor temperature from their corresponding preset temperature ranges increases compared to stored output data from multiple temperature sensors.

[0023] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the dryer further includes a cooling device for cooling the power supply module, and identifying factors to be controlled includes identifying a failure of the cooling device as a factor to be controlled when the number of times the temperature of the power supply module deviates from a preset temperature range increases compared to the number of times the output data from multiple temperature sensors is stored. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 The appearance of a dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a side sectional view of a dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a control block diagram of a dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a view illustrating the detection of incomplete drying in a dryer, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 5 The illustration shows the operation of a compressor caused by a blockage in a pipe in the dryer leading to an increase in compressor temperature, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 6 The illustration shows the operation of the compressor caused by a temperature rise in the power module due to a malfunction of the cooling equipment in the dryer, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 7 The illustration shows the opening degree of an electronic expansion valve according to the amount of refrigerant in a dryer, based on an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 8 The following illustrates a scenario where the output of an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a notification regarding factors to be controlled in a dryer.

[0032] Figure 9 This illustrates a scenario where factors to be controlled are sent to an external electronic device in a dryer, according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0033] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of identifying factors to be controlled in a method for controlling a dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of identifying the factors to be controlled in a method for controlling a dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the accompanying drawings are merely preferred embodiments of this disclosure. Therefore, it will be understood that various modifications to the embodiments and drawings described in this specification are possible at the time of filing this application.

[0036] This instruction manual will help you understand that when a part is referred to as "connected" to another part, it can be directly or indirectly connected to the other part. When a part is indirectly connected to another part, it can be connected to the other part via a wireless communication network.

[0037] Furthermore, the terminology used in this specification is for descriptive purposes only and is not intended to limit and / or constrain this disclosure. Expressions used in the singular include plural expressions unless they have a distinct meaning in the context. In this specification, terms such as “comprising,” “including,” or “having” are understood to indicate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof disclosed in the specification, and are not intended to exclude the possibility that one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof may be present or added.

[0038] Furthermore, it will be understood that although ordinal terms, such as “first,” “second,” etc., may be used herein to describe various components, these components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, a first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, a second component may be referred to as a first component.

[0039] Furthermore, the terms “part,” “device,” “block,” “member,” and “module” as used herein refer to a unit for performing at least one function or operation. For example, the term may refer to at least one process that can be processed by at least one piece of hardware (such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) or at least one piece of software or processor stored in memory.

[0040] The reference numerals used in the operation are provided to identify the operation, but do not describe the order of the operation, and the operation may be performed in a different order than the stated order unless a particular order is explicitly specified in the context.

[0041] As used herein, terms such as “at least one of A and B” include any of the following: A, B, A and B.

[0042] Embodiments of this disclosure may provide a dryer for promoting maintenance and preventing incomplete drying by detecting multiple factors that may cause incomplete drying each time a drying operation is performed and notifying the factors that actually cause incomplete drying as factors to be controlled.

[0043] The dryer according to embodiments of the present disclosure can facilitate maintenance and prevent incomplete drying by detecting multiple factors that may cause incomplete drying each time a drying operation is performed and notifying the factors that actually cause incomplete drying as factors to be controlled.

[0044] In the following, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] Figure 1 The appearance of a dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, and Figure 2 This is a side sectional view of a dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 According to an embodiment, the dryer 1 may include a main body 10 forming the appearance and a drum 20 rotatably mounted inside the main body 10 and containing clothes.

[0047] The main body 10 may include a substrate 11, a front cover 12, a top cover 13, and a side / rear cover 14.

[0048] An opening 12a may be provided in the front cover 12, and the opening 12a may be opened or closed by a door 15 rotatably mounted on the front cover 12. A cylindrical roller 20 having an open front side may also be opened or closed by the door 15.

[0049] On the upper end of the front cover 12, input devices 131a and 131b for receiving user control commands and a display 133 for displaying various information related to the operation of the dryer 1 or guiding user input can be positioned.

[0050] Input devices 131a and 131b may be provided in the form of a jog shuttle or a dial, allowing the user to input control commands by holding and rotating or pressing input device 131a, or input devices 131a and 131b may be provided in the form of a touchpad or a button, allowing the user to input control commands by touching or pressing input device 131b.

[0051] The display 133 can be implemented by various display panels such as LCD, LED, OLED, QLED, etc., or it can be implemented as a touch screen by including a touchpad on the front surface.

[0052] On the front surface of the roller 20, a front panel 21 forming an inlet 21a can be positioned, through which clothing can be placed into the roller 20. Furthermore, the rear surface of the roller 20 can be closed by a rear panel 22 including an outlet 22a through which hot and dry air is discharged.

[0053] In the front panel 21 of the drum 20, an outlet 21b through which air for drying clothes is provided, and a filter 23 for collecting foreign matter generated from the clothes can be installed in the outlet 21b.

[0054] In other words, the air discharged into the drum 20 through outlet 22a can be used to dry clothes, and then enters the duct 50 from the drum 20 through outlet 21b. The air used for drying clothes can enter the duct 50 to be turned into dry hot air by the heat pump 160, and the dry hot air can be discharged back into the drum 20 through outlet 22a.

[0055] In addition, at least one protruding lifter may be formed on the inner wall of the roller 20 to help tumble the clothes.

[0056] The roller 20 can rotate by a driving force provided by the roller motor 25. The roller 20 can be connected to the roller motor 25 by a belt 26, and the belt 26 can transmit the driving force provided by the roller motor 25 to the roller 20.

[0057] The dryer 1 may include a fan 40 for circulating the internal air of the drum 20. The fan 40 can draw air from inside the drum 20 and discharge it to the duct 50. Through the fan 40, the internal air of the drum 20 can circulate between the drum 20 and the duct 50. At this time, the fan 40 can receive driving force from the drum motor 25 or a motor provided independently of the drum motor 25. The fan motor used to provide driving force to the fan 40 can be the drum motor 25, or it can be provided independently of the drum motor 25.

[0058] A heat pump 160 may be provided on the duct 50 through which the internal air of the drum 20 circulates. The heat pump 160 may include a compressor (not shown), a condenser 162, an evaporator 164, and an electronic expansion valve (EEV) (not shown).

[0059] A compressor can compress gaseous refrigerant to a high-temperature, high-pressure state and then discharge the compressed, high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. For example, a compressor can compress refrigerant through the reciprocating motion of a piston or the rotational motion of a rotor, driven by a compressor motor. The discharged refrigerant can then be transferred to condenser 162.

[0060] The condenser 162 dissipates heat to the surroundings as it condenses compressed gaseous refrigerant into a liquid. The condenser 162 can be provided on pipe 50 and heats air using the heat generated during the condensation of the refrigerant. The heated air can be supplied to drum 20. The liquid refrigerant condensed in the condenser 162 can be conveyed to an electronic expansion valve.

[0061] The electronic expansion valve expands the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in condenser 162 into a low-pressure liquid refrigerant. More specifically, the electronic expansion valve can change its opening degree via a capillary tube and an electrical signal used to regulate the liquid refrigerant pressure.

[0062] Evaporator 164 can evaporate the liquid refrigerant expanded by the electronic expansion valve. As a result, the evaporator can return the low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant to the compressor.

[0063] Evaporator 164 absorbs heat from the surroundings through an evaporation process that converts low-pressure liquid refrigerant into gaseous refrigerant. Evaporator 164 can be provided on duct 50, and cool air passes through it during evaporation. The surrounding air can be cooled by evaporator 164, and condensation can occur when the ambient air temperature drops below the dew point. Water condensed in evaporator 164 can be collected in a water tank provided at the bottom of evaporator 164. The water collected in the tank can be moved to a separate storage space or discharged to the outside of dryer 1.

[0064] By utilizing the condensation around the evaporator 164, the absolute humidity of the air passing through the evaporator 164 can be reduced. In other words, the amount of water vapor contained in the air passing through the evaporator 164 can be reduced. The dryer 1 can reduce the amount of water vapor contained in the internal air of the drum 20 by using the condensation around the evaporator 164, and thus dry the clothes.

[0065] Evaporator 164 can be located upstream of condenser 162 in the airflow of fan 40. Air circulated by fan 40 can be dried by evaporator 164 (condensation of water vapor) as it passes through evaporator 164, and then heated by condenser 162 as it passes through condenser 162.

[0066] Meanwhile, a heater 170 for heating air in the auxiliary condenser 162 can be provided in the duct 50. The heater 170 can be located downstream of the condenser 162 in the airflow of the fan 40.

[0067] For example, the air heated by the condenser 162 of the heat pump 160 can be additionally heated by the heater 170, so that the air inside the duct 50 can be sufficiently heated.

[0068] The internal temperature of the drum 20 can be raised more quickly by the heater 170 of the auxiliary condenser 162, which reduces the time required to dry clothes.

[0069] The drying process for clothes can be performed for a preset time or based on the initial weight of the clothes. Alternatively, the completion time may depend on the measured dryness level.

[0070] However, with increased usage, incomplete drying occurs due to the drying process being terminated before completion or the drying operation taking too long. Factors causing this incomplete drying include filter blockage, pipe blockage, insufficient refrigerant, and heater malfunction.

[0071] The operation of the dryer, which is used to detect multiple factors that may cause incomplete drying and to inform the actual factors causing incomplete drying as factors to be controlled, will be described in more detail.

[0072] Figure 3 This is a control block diagram of dryer 1 according to an embodiment, and Figure 4 This is a view according to an embodiment for describing the detection of incomplete drying in dryer 1.

[0073] refer to Figure 3 The dryer 1 according to the embodiment may include a plurality of temperature sensors 110 provided at multiple locations inside the dryer 1 for detecting temperature, a storage device 120 for storing various information such as output data from the plurality of temperature sensors 110, a user interface 130 for displaying information about factors to be controlled among a plurality of factors that may cause incomplete drying, a communicator 140 for communicating with external electronic equipment (not shown), a controller 150 for identifying factors to be controlled, a heat pump 160 for providing hot air by performing heat exchange and including an electronic expansion valve 163, a heater 170 provided on the duct 50 for heating air, a power module 180 for controlling the power supply to the drum motor 25 and the compressor motor of the heat pump 160, and a cooling device 190 for cooling the printed circuit board (PCB) on which the storage device 120, the controller 150 and the power module 180 are provided.

[0074] Can be with Figure 3 The performance of the components of the dryer 1 shown is correspondingly adjusted by adding or omitting at least one component. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the relative positions of the components can be changed correspondingly to the performance or structure of the system.

[0075] refer to Figure 4The storage device 120, controller 150, and power module 180 can be provided on a single printed circuit board 60. However, according to an embodiment, the storage device 120, controller 150, and power module 180 can be distributed across multiple printed circuit boards.

[0076] In this configuration, power module 180 may correspond to an intelligent power module (IPM) that controls the power supply for the rotating motor. That is, power module 180 may correspond to a three-phase inverter and supply three-phase current to the motor. In this case, power module 180 may include a first power module 180a for controlling the power supply to the drum motor 25 and a second power module 180b for controlling the power supply to the compressor 161 (compressor motor) of the heat pump 160.

[0077] The cooling device 190 may include a cooling fan and a motor for supplying driving force to the cooling fan, and is provided on one side of the printed circuit board 60 to supply airflow to the printed circuit board 60, thereby cooling the printed circuit board 60. The type of cooling device 190 is not limited to a cooling fan, and according to an embodiment, the cooling device 190 may be provided as a heat exchanger. The type of cooling device 190 is not limited.

[0078] According to the embodiment, the temperature sensor 110 may be a plurality of sensors, and the plurality of temperature sensors 110 may be provided at different locations to detect the temperature at the respective locations.

[0079] For example, such as Figure 4 As shown, the temperature sensor 110 may include a first temperature sensor 110a and a second temperature sensor 110b. The first temperature sensor 110a is provided on one side of the printed circuit board 60 to detect the temperature of the first power module 180a, and the second temperature sensor 110b is provided on one side of the printed circuit board 60 to detect the temperature of the second power module 180b.

[0080] In addition, the temperature sensor 110 may include a third temperature sensor 110c and a fourth temperature sensor 110d. The third temperature sensor 110c is provided around the outlet 21b on the pipe 50 to detect the temperature of the pipe 50, and the fourth temperature sensor 110d is provided on the refrigerant pipe connected to the compressor 161 of the heat pump 160 to detect the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 161.

[0081] Furthermore, the temperature sensor 110 may include a fifth temperature sensor 110e provided on the heat pump 160 to detect the temperature of the heat pump 160. For example, the fifth temperature sensor 110e may be provided on one side of the compressor 161 to detect the temperature of the compressor 161.

[0082] Furthermore, according to an embodiment, the temperature sensor 110 may include a sixth temperature sensor 110f, which is provided on one side of the heater 170 to detect the temperature of the heater 170.

[0083] Thus, multiple temperature sensors 110 can be provided at multiple locations within the dryer 1 to detect the temperature of the components of the dryer 1. The location and number of temperature sensors 110 are not limited to the examples described above, and according to embodiments, various numbers of temperature sensors 110 can be provided at various locations.

[0084] The storage device 120 according to the embodiment can store various information required to control the dryer 1. Therefore, the storage device 120 can be provided as a storage medium of a known type.

[0085] More specifically, the storage device 120 can store data used to detect incomplete drying.

[0086] For example, storage device 120 can store output data from temperature sensor 110 and opening data of electronic expansion valve 163. That is, whenever a drying operation is performed, output data from multiple temperature sensors 110 can be stored in storage device 120, and opening data of electronic expansion valve 163 can be stored in storage device 120 whenever a drying operation is performed.

[0087] According to an embodiment, the user interface 130 can receive input from a user regarding the drying mode. Furthermore, according to an embodiment, the user interface 130 can visually or audibly inform the user of information about factors that need to be controlled that cause incomplete drying, and inform the user of the actions corresponding to the factors to be controlled.

[0088] Therefore, the user interface 130 may include input devices 131a and 131b and a display 133. However, according to an embodiment, the user interface 130 may also include a speaker.

[0089] For example, the user interface 130 can display, via the display 133, the factors that are predicted to cause incomplete drying and need to be controlled. Furthermore, the user interface 130 can display the content of the actions corresponding to the factors to be controlled.

[0090] Therefore, users can identify factors that may cause incomplete drying from multiple factors, and prevent incomplete drying by taking actions against the factors to be controlled before it occurs.

[0091] According to the embodiment, the communicator 140 can communicate with an external electronic device. For this purpose, the communicator 140 can be configured with a wired communication module or a wireless communication module and connected to a network to send data to the external electronic device. In this case, the external electronic device may correspond to a server of the dryer 1 manufacturing company or a user terminal (e.g., a smartphone) of a user using the dryer 1.

[0092] For example, the communicator 140 can send information to an external electronic device about the factors that are predicted to cause incomplete drying, the actions corresponding to the factors to be controlled, and so on.

[0093] Therefore, even when he / she is not around the dryer 1, the user can identify factors that may cause incomplete drying from multiple factors, and prevent incomplete drying by taking action on the factors to be controlled before incomplete drying occurs.

[0094] According to an embodiment, the controller 150 can identify factors to be controlled from a plurality of factors causing incomplete drying based on at least one of output data from a plurality of temperature sensors 110 or opening data provided by the electronic expansion valve 163 in the heat pump 160. The factors to be controlled can be those predicted to actually cause incomplete drying and corresponding to factors for which actions to prevent incomplete drying need to be performed.

[0095] For example, several factors that may cause incomplete drying may include blockage of pipe 50, malfunction of cooling equipment 190, insufficient refrigerant in heat pump 160, malfunction of heater 170, etc.

[0096] At this time, the controller 150 can obtain output data from the temperature sensor 110 and obtain the opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 based on the electronic signal used to change the opening of the electronic expansion valve 163.

[0097] According to an embodiment, the controller 150 can begin operations to identify factors to be controlled when the drying operation starts. That is, the controller 150 can collect and analyze output data from multiple temperature sensors 110 or provide opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 in the heat pump 160 at the start of the drying operation to identify factors to be controlled.

[0098] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, if the drying operation takes longer than expected, the controller 150 can begin operations to identify factors to be controlled. For example, if the drying operation takes longer than expected by a preset time or more, the controller 150 can begin operations to identify factors to be controlled.

[0099] The controller 150 can set the expected time for the drying operation based on the drying mode set via inputs 131a and 131b, the weight of the clothes measured by a weight sensor (not shown), etc. Furthermore, the controller 150 can set the termination time of the drying operation by measuring the dryness of the clothes based on the temperature difference between the air entering the electrode sensor (not shown) or the drum 20 and the air exiting the electrode sensor or the drum 20, etc. The operations of setting the expected time for the drying operation and setting the termination time of the drying operation can be performed as known operations, rather than the examples described above.

[0100] If the drying operation takes longer than expected, the controller 150 can begin operations to identify factors that cause incomplete drying. In other words, if the operation time becomes longer than expected, the dryer 1 can begin operations to identify and control factors based on the assumption that there are factors causing incomplete drying.

[0101] For example, the drying operation time can be extended in the event of a temporary interruption of compressor 161 as a protective operation for compressor 161 or a temporary interruption of heater 170 as a protective operation for heater 170. Furthermore, the drying operation time can be extended in the event of deteriorated heat exchange performance due to insufficient refrigerant in heat pump 160 or a temporary interruption of power module 180 due to a malfunction of cooling equipment 190.

[0102] According to an embodiment, the controller 150 can control the storage device 120 to store output data from multiple temperature sensors 110 and opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 whenever a drying operation is performed.

[0103] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, the controller 150 can compare at least one of the output data from a plurality of temperature sensors 110 or the opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 of the heat pump 160 with stored data during the execution of the drying operation to identify the factors to be controlled.

[0104] In other words, the controller 150 can compare at least one of the output data from the temperature sensor 110 or the opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 in the currently executed drying operation with data from previous drying operations stored in the storage device 120 to identify factors to be controlled in the current drying operation.

[0105] More specifically, if the number of times that the temperature of pipe 50 or compressor 161 deviates from a preset temperature range increases compared to the temperature of the data stored in storage device 120, controller 150 may identify blockage of pipe 50 as a factor to be controlled among multiple factors.

[0106] Furthermore, if the number of times the temperature of the power module 180 deviates from the preset temperature range increases compared to the temperature of the data stored in the storage device 120, the controller 150 can identify a failure of the cooling device 190 among multiple factors as a factor to be controlled.

[0107] Furthermore, if the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 163 deviates from the opening degree range of the stored opening degree data during the drying operation, the controller 150 can identify refrigerant insufficiency of the heat pump 160 as a factor to be controlled among multiple factors.

[0108] Furthermore, if the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 161 deviates from the temperature range of the stored data during the drying operation, the controller 150 can identify insufficient refrigerant in the heat pump 160 as a factor to be controlled among multiple factors.

[0109] Furthermore, if the number of times the temperature of heater 170 deviates from the preset temperature range increases compared to the temperature of the stored data, controller 150 can identify a fault in heater 170 as a factor to be controlled.

[0110] The operation of identifying the factor to be controlled among multiple factors in controller 150 will be described in detail below.

[0111] According to the embodiment, the controller 150 can control the user interface 130 to output a notification for the factor to be controlled after identifying the factor to be controlled. For example, the controller 150 can control the display 133 of the user interface 130 to display the factor to be controlled, or control the speaker of the user interface 130 to output the factor to be controlled as a voice message.

[0112] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, the controller 150 can control the user interface 130 to output content corresponding to the action of the factor to be controlled. For example, the controller 150 can control the display 133 of the user interface 130 to display content corresponding to the action of the factor to be controlled, or control the speaker of the user interface 130 to output content corresponding to the action of the factor to be controlled as voice information.

[0113] Therefore, users can identify factors that may cause incomplete drying from multiple factors, and prevent incomplete drying by taking actions on the factors to be controlled before it occurs.

[0114] According to the embodiment, the controller 150 can control the communicator 140 to send a notification regarding the factor to be controlled to an external electronic device after identifying the factor to be controlled. Furthermore, the controller 150 can control the communicator 140 to send content related to actions corresponding to the factor to be controlled to the external electronic device.

[0115] Therefore, even when he / she is not around the dryer 1, the user can identify factors that may cause incomplete drying from a number of factors, and prevent incomplete drying by taking action on the factors to be controlled before incomplete drying occurs.

[0116] The controller 150 may include at least one memory for storing a program for performing the operations described above and below, and at least one processor for running the stored program.

[0117] According to an embodiment, a heat pump 160 may be provided on a duct 50 and perform heat exchange with air passing through the duct 50 during a drying operation. For this purpose, the heat pump 160 may include a compressor 161, a condenser 162, an electronic expansion valve 163, and an evaporator 164.

[0118] like Figure 4 As shown, refrigerant can be discharged from compressor 161, pass through condenser 162, electronic expansion valve 163 and evaporator 164, and then re-enter compressor 161.

[0119] The compressor 161 can drive the compressor motor to compress the refrigerant according to the control signal from the second power module 180b, and the compressed refrigerant can be delivered to the condenser 162 through the refrigerant pipe.

[0120] At this time, compressor 161 can be stopped according to the protection operation when the temperature of compressor 161 rises or the temperature of second power module 180b rises. More specifically, when the temperature of compressor 161 reaches a preset temperature, compressor 161 can be interrupted according to the control of controller 150. In addition, when the temperature of second power module 180b reaches a preset temperature, second power module 180b can be interrupted according to the control of controller 150, and correspondingly, compressor 161 can also be interrupted.

[0121] In other words, compressor 161 can stop compression as a protective operation under the control of controller 150 to cool compressor 161 or second power module 180b, and then compressor 161 can resume compression.

[0122] At this time, the temperature of compressor 161 may rise due to increased internal temperature caused by poor air circulation due to blockage in pipe 50. Additionally, the temperature of the second power module 180b may rise due to a malfunction in cooling device 190.

[0123] Thus, if the compressor 16 is interrupted due to an increase in temperature of the compressor 161 or the second power module 180b, the drying operation time may be prolonged, and incomplete drying may occur.

[0124] In addition, due to insufficient refrigerant in the heat pump 160, the heat exchange performance of the heat pump 160 may deteriorate, and correspondingly, the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 161 may decrease.

[0125] Furthermore, if the refrigerant in the heat pump 160 is insufficient, the electronic expansion valve 163 may increase its opening degree depending on the control signal from the controller 150. That is, if the refrigerant charge in the heat pump 160 is reduced due to refrigerant leakage, the heat exchange performance of the heat pump 160 may deteriorate, and the controller 150 may control the electronic expansion valve 163 to increase its opening degree.

[0126] As a result of the reduced refrigerant charge of heat pump 160, the heat exchange performance of heat pump 160 may deteriorate, and incomplete drying may occur.

[0127] The heater 170 according to the embodiment can heat the air discharged to the drum 20 during the drying operation. For this purpose, the heater 170 can be provided on the duct 50, and the heater 170 can be located downstream of the condenser 162 on the airflow of the fan 40.

[0128] Air can flow through a fan 40 that rotates according to the operation of the drum motor 25, and as Figure 4 As shown, air can be discharged from drum 20 and enter duct 50. The air can pass through evaporator 164, condenser 162 and heater 170 in duct 50, and then be discharged back to drum 20.

[0129] Heater 170 can dissipate heat during the drying operation under the control of controller 150, and can stop dissipating heat when the temperature of heater 170 reaches a preset temperature. That is, when the temperature of heater 170 reaches the preset temperature, heater 170 can stop dissipating heat as a protective operation to be cooled under the control of controller 150, and then resume dissipating heat.

[0130] Thus, if the heater 170 is interrupted due to the temperature rise of the heater 170, the drying operation time may be prolonged, and incomplete drying may occur.

[0131] According to the embodiment, the power module 180 can control the power supply to the drum motor 25 and the compressor motor of the compressor 161 during the drying operation, as controlled by the controller 150. That is, the power module 180 can correspond to a three-phase inverter and supply three-phase current to the motor.

[0132] The power module 180 may include a first power module 180a for controlling power supply to the drum motor 25 and a second power module 180b for controlling power supply to the motor of the compressor 161. However, according to an embodiment, if a fan motor for transmitting driving force to the fan 40 is provided in addition to the drum motor 25, a power module for controlling power supply to the fan motor may also be provided.

[0133] The power module 180 can dissipate heat by controlling the power supplied to the motor, and a cooling device 190 can be provided on the printed circuit board 60 on which the power module 180 is mounted to cool one side of the power module 180.

[0134] In this situation, if the cooling device 190 fails, the power module 180 can dissipate heat up to a preset temperature or higher as the drying operation proceeds, and the power control operation of the power module 180 can be interrupted as a protection operation. That is, when dissipating heat up to a preset temperature or higher, the power module 180 can, according to the control of the controller 150, interrupt its power control operation as a protection operation to be cooled, and then resume its power control operation.

[0135] Thus, if the power module 180 is interrupted due to an increase in temperature, the compressor 161 may also be interrupted, which may lead to an increase in the drying operation time and incomplete drying.

[0136] Furthermore, if the power module 180 is interrupted, the fan 40 may also be interrupted, which could lead to poor air circulation in the duct 50. In this case, the compressor 161 may be interrupted due to an increase in its temperature, or the heater 180 may be interrupted due to an increase in its temperature, which could result in a longer drying operation time and incomplete drying.

[0137] According to the embodiment, the cooling device 190 can cool the printed circuit board 60 on which the storage device 120, the controller 150 and the power module 180 are mounted during the drying operation, under the control of the controller 150.

[0138] In this situation, if the cooling device 190 malfunctions, the temperature of the power module 180 may become higher than its normal operating temperature. This could lead to a longer drying operation time and incomplete drying due to the protection operation of the power module 180. In other words, as a protection operation to prevent the printed circuit board 60 from overheating, the power module 180 may stop, and consequently, the drying operation time may be extended.

[0139] The control of the components of dryer 1 has now been described in detail. The following sections will describe in more detail the operation of detecting factors that may cause incomplete drying and notifying dryer 1 of these factors.

[0140] Figure 5 The diagram illustrates the operation of compressor 161 according to an embodiment, caused by a temperature rise in compressor 161 due to blockage of pipe 50 in dryer 1. Figure 6 The diagram illustrates the operation of the compressor 161 according to an embodiment, caused by a temperature rise in the power module 180 due to a malfunction of the cooling device 190 in the dryer 1. Figure 7 The diagram illustrates the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 163 according to the amount of refrigerant in the dryer 1 according to an embodiment.

[0141] refer to Figures 5 to 7 According to the embodiment, the controller 150 can identify factors to be controlled from a plurality of factors causing incomplete drying based on at least one of the output data from a plurality of temperature sensors 110 or the opening data provided by the electronic expansion valve 163 in the heat pump 160. The factors to be controlled may be factors predicted to actually cause incomplete drying and correspond to factors for which actions need to be performed to prevent incomplete drying.

[0142] For example, several factors that may cause incomplete drying may include blockage of pipe 50, malfunction of cooling equipment 190, insufficient refrigerant in heat pump 160, malfunction of heater 170, etc.

[0143] At this time, the controller 150 can obtain output data from the temperature sensor 110 and obtain the opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 based on the electronic signal used to change the opening of the electronic expansion valve 163.

[0144] According to an embodiment, the operation to detect the factor to be controlled can be performed based on the start of the drying operation or when the operation time of the drying operation exceeds the expected time. For example, if the operation time of the drying operation becomes longer than expected by a preset time or more than expected, the operation to detect the factor to be controlled can be performed.

[0145] According to an embodiment, the controller 150 can control the storage device 120 to store output data from multiple temperature sensors 110 and opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 whenever a drying operation is performed.

[0146] Furthermore, the controller 150 according to the embodiment can identify the factors to be controlled by comparing at least one of the output data from a plurality of temperature sensors 110 or the opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 of the heat pump 160 during the drying operation with stored data.

[0147] In other words, the controller 150 can compare at least one of the output data from the temperature sensor 110 or the opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 in the currently executed drying operation with data from previous drying operations stored in the storage device 120 to identify factors to be controlled in the current drying operation.

[0148] refer to Figure 5 If the number of times that the temperature of pipe 50 or compressor 161 deviates from a preset temperature range increases compared to the temperature of the data stored in storage device 120, controller 150 may identify blockage of pipe 50 as a factor to be controlled among multiple factors.

[0149] In other words, the controller 150 can identify blockage in the pipe 50 as a factor to be controlled based on output data from a third temperature sensor 110c provided around the outlet 21b of the pipe 50 to detect the temperature of the pipe 50 and a fifth temperature sensor 110d provided on one side of the compressor 161 to detect the temperature of the compressor 161.

[0150] As the drying operation is repeated, foreign materials may accumulate on the surfaces of the filter 23, duct 50, and evaporator 164 provided in outlet 21b, and air circulation in duct 50 may be obstructed due to the foreign materials.

[0151] Therefore, the heat in pipe 50 may not be able to circulate, causing the internal temperature of pipe 50 to rise. In addition, due to the increase in the internal temperature of pipe 50, the temperature of compressor 161 or heater 170 may rise.

[0152] If the temperature of compressor 161 exceeds the preset temperature during the drying operation, compressor 161 may temporarily stop compressing to be cooled under the control of controller 150.

[0153] Therefore, when the internal temperature of pipe 50 rises due to blockage of pipe 50, the temperature of compressor 161 will exceed the preset temperature more often. This increases the number of times protection operations for compressor 161 are executed, resulting in an increase in the number of times compressor 161 is interrupted.

[0154] In the case of performing one or two drying operations, such as Figure 5 As shown in (a), compressor 161 can perform drying operations without interruption because the temperature of compressor 161 does not exceed the preset temperature.

[0155] However, when performing two to four drying operations, such as Figure 5As shown in (b), the compressor 161 can be interrupted several times during the drying operation for cooling, because the temperature of the compressor 161 exceeds the preset temperature more often than when performing one or two drying operations.

[0156] The temperature of compressor 161 is indicated when three to five drying operations are performed. Figure 5 (c) and the temperature of compressor 161 when performing five to seven drying operations. Figure 5 As can be seen from (d), the number of interruptions in the cooling operation increases in proportion to the increase in the number of drying operations, because the number of times the temperature of compressor 161 exceeds the preset temperature increases due to blockage of pipe 50.

[0157] Thus, as the number of interruptions to compressor 161 increases, the drying operation time may be delayed and incomplete drying may occur.

[0158] Therefore, the controller 150 can detect the increase in the number of times the compressor 161 is interrupted due to the temperature rise corresponding to the blockage of the pipe 50 by detecting the temperature of the pipe 50 or the compressor 161, thereby identifying that the number of times the temperature of the compressor 161 exceeds the preset temperature has increased compared to the previous drying operation, and thus identifying the blockage of the pipe 50 as a factor to be controlled.

[0159] Therefore, if the blockage output of pipe 50, which is a factor to be controlled, is reported, the user can prevent incomplete drying of dryer 1 by removing foreign objects collected in filter 23, pipe 50, or evaporator 164.

[0160] Furthermore, the controller 150 can identify a fault in the heater 170 as a factor to be controlled by detecting the temperature of the heater 170, just as it would identify a factor to be controlled by detecting the temperature of the compressor 161. In this case, the controller 150 can identify the fault in the heater 170 based on a sixth temperature sensor 110f provided on one side of the heater 170 to detect the temperature of the heater 170.

[0161] More specifically, the controller 150 can detect the temperature of the heater 170 to identify whether the number of times the temperature of the heater 170 deviates from the preset temperature range has increased compared to previous drying operations, thereby identifying an increase in the number of interruptions of the heater 170 due to the increase in the temperature of the heater 170, so as to identify the fault of the heater 170 as a factor to be controlled.

[0162] At this time, the temperature of heater 170 may rise due to blockage of pipe 50 or foreign objects collected around heater 170.

[0163] Furthermore, the temperature of heater 170 may be attributed to an increased number of interruptions in fan 40, caused by the protective operation of the first power module 180a in response to a malfunction of cooling device 190. That is, when the operation controlling power supply to roller motor 25 is interrupted as a protective operation of the first power module 180a, fan 40 may also be interrupted, air circulation in duct 50 may be impaired, and the temperature of heater 170 may exceed the preset temperature more frequently due to increased internal temperature in duct 50.

[0164] Therefore, if a fault in the heater 170, which is a factor to be controlled, is output as a notification, the user can prevent incomplete drying of the dryer 1 by removing foreign objects collected in the heater 170. Furthermore, incomplete drying can be prevented by performing actions corresponding to blockages in the pipe 50 or malfunctions in the cooling device 190.

[0165] refer to Figure 6 If the number of times the temperature of the power module 180 deviates from the preset temperature range increases compared to the temperature of the data stored in the storage device 120, the controller 150 can identify a failure of the cooling device 190 among multiple factors as a factor to be controlled.

[0166] As the drying operation proceeds, the power module 180 can be heated based on the control of the power supply to the motors of the drum motor 25 and the compressor 161. At this time, the cooling device 190 can cool the power module 180, and accordingly, the power module 180 can continue to perform power supply control.

[0167] However, in the event of a malfunction in the cooling device 190 (such as a cross-connection or short circuit), the cooling device 190 may fail to operate, and the temperature of the power module 180 may rise abnormally.

[0168] At this time, if the temperature of the power module 180 detected by the temperature sensor 110 exceeds the preset temperature, the controller 150 can interrupt the operation of the power module 180 to cool it down. That is, the controller 150 can interrupt the operation of the first power module 180a based on the output from the first temperature sensor 110a, and interrupt the operation of the second power module 180b based on the output from the second temperature sensor 110b.

[0169] More specifically, as the drying operation proceeds, the temperature of the first power module 180a, which controls the power supply to the drum motor (fan motor) 25, may rise, such as... Figure 6As shown, the temperature of the first power module 180a can be reduced by interrupting the operation of the first power module 180a as a protection operation against exceeding a preset temperature. In this way, the temperature of the first power module 180a can repeatedly rise and fall by the operation interruption as a protection operation and the operation resumption after the protection operation.

[0170] Furthermore, as the drying operation proceeds, the temperature of the second power module 180b, which controls the power supply to the motor of compressor 161, may rise, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the temperature of the second power module 180b can be reduced by interrupting the operation of the second power module 180b as a protection operation against exceeding the preset temperature. In this way, the temperature of the second power module 180b can repeatedly rise and fall by the operation interruption as a protection operation and the operation resumption after the protection operation.

[0171] Thus, when the cooling device 190 is not operating, the frequency of the power module 180's temperature deviating from the preset temperature range may increase. Consequently, the frequency of interruptions to the operation of the power module 180 may increase, and the frequency of interruptions to the operation of the drum 20, fan 40, and compressor 161 may also increase. As a result, due to the interruptions to the operation of the drum 20, fan 40, and compressor 161, the drying operation may be delayed, and the drying operation time may become longer than expected, potentially leading to incomplete drying.

[0172] Therefore, if the number of times the temperature deviates from the preset temperature range, as indicated by the output data from the first temperature sensor 110a or the second temperature sensor 110b used to detect the temperature of the power module 180, increases compared to previous drying operations, the controller 150 can identify that a malfunction has occurred in the cooling device 190 used to cool the cooling module 180, and identify the malfunction of the cooling device 190 as a factor to be controlled.

[0173] Therefore, if a malfunction of the cooling equipment 190, which is a factor to be controlled, is output as a notification, the user can prevent incomplete drying of the dryer 1 by repairing or replacing the cooling equipment 190.

[0174] refer to Figure 7 If the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 163 exceeds the opening degree of the stored opening degree data during the drying operation, the controller 150 can identify the refrigerant insufficiency of the heat pump 160 as the factor to be controlled among multiple factors.

[0175] Furthermore, if the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 161 during the drying operation is lower than the temperature of the stored data, the controller 150 can identify the refrigerant shortage of the heat pump 160 as a factor to be controlled among multiple factors.

[0176] During the drying operation, the heat pump 160 performs heat exchange with the air by circulating the refrigerant. However, as the number of drying operations increases, the refrigerant contained in the heat pump 160 can be discharged to the outside. Thus, if refrigerant shortage occurs in the heat pump 160 due to refrigerant leakage to the outside, the heat exchange efficiency of the heat pump 160 may decrease. Therefore, incomplete drying may occur if refrigerant shortage occurs in the heat pump 160.

[0177] In the event of refrigerant insufficiency in the heat pump 160 due to refrigerant leakage to the outside of the heat pump 160, the controller 150 can control the electronic expansion valve 163 to increase its opening degree, thereby increasing the heat exchange efficiency of the heat pump 160. The opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 163 can increase as the refrigerant quantity decreases, such as... Figure 7 As shown. For example, when the refrigerant charge ranges from 70% to 100%, the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 163 can be smaller than when the refrigerant charge ranges from 50% to 70%.

[0178] Therefore, if the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 163 deviates from the opening degree range in the previous drying operation during the current drying operation, the controller 150 can identify refrigerant insufficiency among multiple factors as the factor to be controlled.

[0179] In addition, if there is insufficient refrigerant in the heat pump 160, the heat exchange efficiency of the heat pump 160 may deteriorate, and therefore the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 161 may decrease.

[0180] Therefore, based on the output data from the fourth temperature sensor 110d that detects the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 161, if the refrigerant temperature in the current drying operation exceeds the refrigerant temperature in the previous drying operation, the controller 150 can identify the refrigerant deficiency of the heat pump 160 as a factor to be controlled among multiple factors.

[0181] Therefore, if a notification is output that the heat pump 160 is running out of refrigerant as a factor to be controlled, the user can prevent the dryer 1 from not drying completely by adding refrigerant to the heat pump 160.

[0182] In this way, the dryer 1 can identify the factor to be controlled in the current drying operation from among multiple factors that may cause incomplete drying by using at least one of the output data from the temperature sensor 110 or the opening data from the electronic expansion valve 163. That is, in addition to predicting incomplete drying, the dryer 1 according to this disclosure can clearly diagnose the factors that may actually cause incomplete drying from among multiple factors that may cause incomplete drying.

[0183] Figure 8 The example illustrates a situation where the output, according to an embodiment, notifies the factors to be controlled in dryer 1, and... Figure 9 This illustrates a scenario where, according to an embodiment, the factors to be controlled are sent to an external electronic device in the dryer 1.

[0184] refer to Figure 8 After identifying the factors to be controlled, the controller 150 according to the embodiment can control the user interface 130 to output a notification for the factors to be controlled.

[0185] In other words, the controller 150 can control the display 133 of the user interface 130 to display the factors to be controlled. For example, the display 133 can display that the factor to be controlled is a blockage in the pipe 50, such as... Figure 8 As shown. However, according to an embodiment, the controller 150 can control the speaker output of the user interface 130 to control the factors to be controlled as voice messages.

[0186] According to an embodiment, the user interface 130 can display an explanation of the factors to be controlled. For example, the user interface 130 can display an indication that a blockage in pipe 50 has been identified through an increase in the number of compressor protection operations, and an explanation of the cause of the blockage. In this embodiment, the user interface 130 can also display, in graphical form, the number of compressor protection operations triggered when the temperature of compressor 161 exceeds a preset temperature corresponding to a blockage in pipe 50 for each drying operation, thereby enabling the user to more intuitively identify the factors to be controlled.

[0187] Therefore, users can identify factors among multiple factors that may cause incomplete drying, and prevent incomplete drying by taking actions against the factors to be controlled before it occurs.

[0188] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, the controller 150 can control the user interface 130 to further output content corresponding to the actions of the factors to be controlled.

[0189] In other words, the controller 150 can control the display 133 of the user interface 130 to display content corresponding to the action of the factor to be controlled. For example, the display 133 can display filter cleaning, evaporator cleaning, or pipe cleaning as content corresponding to the action of the factor to be controlled, such as... Figure 8 As shown. However, according to an embodiment, the controller 150 can control the speaker output of the user interface 130 to contain the content of an action corresponding to the factor to be controlled, as a voice message.

[0190] Therefore, users can easily manage the dryer by identifying the actions required to control the factors.

[0191] In addition, such as Figure 9 As shown, according to the embodiment, the controller 150 can control the communicator 140 to send a notification to the external electronic device 2 regarding the factor to be controlled after identifying the factor to be controlled.

[0192] In this scenario, the external electronic device 2 can visually or audibly output the factor to be controlled. For example, the external electronic device 2 can display that the factor to be controlled is a blockage in pipe 50, such as... Figure 9 As shown.

[0193] According to an embodiment, the external electronic device 2 can display an explanation of the factors to be controlled. For example, the external electronic device 2 can display an indication that the blockage of the pipe 50 is identified by the increase in the number of compressor protection operations, and an explanation of the cause of the blockage. In this case, according to an embodiment, the user interface 130 can display, in graphical form, the number of compressor protection operations generated when the temperature of the compressor 161 exceeds a preset temperature due to the blockage of the pipe 50 for each drying operation, thereby enabling the user to more intuitively identify the factors to be controlled.

[0194] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, the controller 150 can control the communicator 140 to send content corresponding to the action of the factor to be controlled to the external electronic device 2. In this case, the external electronic device 2 can output content corresponding to the action of the factor to be controlled visually or audibly.

[0195] Therefore, even when he / she is not around the dryer 1, the user can identify factors that may cause incomplete drying from a number of factors, and prevent incomplete drying by taking action on the factors to be controlled before incomplete drying occurs.

[0196] In this way, the dryer 1 can identify the factors that need to be controlled in the current drying operation from among multiple factors that may cause incomplete drying by using at least one of the output data from the temperature sensor 110 or the opening data from the electronic expansion valve 163. As a result, the dryer 1 can clearly provide the user with the factors that are predicted to cause incomplete drying from among various factors, and thus, incomplete drying by the dryer 1 can be prevented.

[0197] Hereinafter, embodiments of a method for controlling a dryer 1 according to one aspect will be described. In the method for controlling a dryer 1, a dryer 1 according to the above embodiment can be used. Therefore, the reference can be applied in the same manner as the method for controlling a dryer 1. Figures 1 to 9 The content described.

[0198] Figure 10This is a flowchart illustrating the process of identifying factors to be controlled in a method for controlling dryer 1 according to an embodiment.

[0199] refer to Figure 10 According to the embodiment, the dryer 1 can compare at least one of the output data from the temperature sensor 110 or the opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 with the data from the previous drying operation when the drying operation starts (yes in 1010) (1020).

[0200] If there is a difference between the output data from the temperature sensor 110 or the opening data from the electronic expansion valve 163 and the data from the previous drying operation (yes in 1030), the dryer 1 can identify the factors to be controlled from among the multiple factors that may cause incomplete drying based on the comparison results (1040).

[0201] In other words, the controller 150 can identify factors to be controlled from a plurality of factors that may cause incomplete drying based on at least one of the output data from a plurality of temperature sensors 110 or the opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 provided in the heat pump 160. The factors to be controlled may be factors predicted to actually cause incomplete drying and correspond to factors for which actions need to be performed to prevent incomplete drying.

[0202] For example, several factors that may cause incomplete drying may include blockage of pipe 50, malfunction of cooling equipment 190, insufficient refrigerant in heat pump 160, malfunction of heater 170, etc.

[0203] At this time, the controller 150 can obtain output data from the temperature sensor 110 and obtain the opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 based on the electrical signal used to change the opening of the electronic expansion valve 163.

[0204] The controller 150 can compare at least one of the output data from multiple temperature sensors 110 or the opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 of the heat pump 160 with stored data during the drying operation to identify factors to be controlled.

[0205] In other words, the controller 150 can identify the factors to be controlled in the current drying operation by comparing at least one of the output data from the temperature sensor 110 or the opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 in the current drying operation with data from previous drying operations stored in the storage device 120.

[0206] More specifically, if the number of times that the temperature of pipe 50 or compressor 161 deviates from a preset temperature range increases compared to the temperature of the data stored in storage device 120, controller 150 may identify blockage of pipe 50 as a factor to be controlled among multiple factors.

[0207] Furthermore, if the number of times the temperature of the power module 180 deviates from the preset temperature range increases compared to the temperature of the data stored in the storage device 120, the controller 150 can identify a failure of the cooling device 190 among multiple factors as a factor to be controlled.

[0208] Furthermore, if the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 163 deviates from the opening degree range of the stored opening degree data during the drying operation, the controller 150 can identify insufficient refrigerant in the heat pump 160 as a factor to be controlled among multiple factors.

[0209] Furthermore, if the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 161 deviates from the temperature range of the stored data during the drying operation, the controller 150 can identify insufficient refrigerant in the heat pump 160 as a factor to be controlled among multiple factors.

[0210] Furthermore, if the number of times the temperature of heater 170 deviates from the preset temperature range increases compared to the temperature of the stored data, controller 150 can identify a fault in heater 170 as a factor to be controlled.

[0211] According to the embodiment, the controller 150 can output information (1050) about the factors to be controlled.

[0212] In other words, after identifying the factor to be controlled, the controller 150 can control the user interface 130 to output a notification for the factor to be controlled. For example, the controller 150 can control the display 133 of the user interface 130 to display the factor to be controlled, or control the speaker of the user interface 130 to output the factor to be controlled as a voice message.

[0213] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, the controller 150 can control the user interface 130 to output content corresponding to the action of the factor to be controlled. For example, the controller 150 can control the display 133 of the user interface 130 to display content corresponding to the action of the factor to be controlled, or control the speaker of the user interface 130 to output content corresponding to the action of the factor to be controlled as voice information.

[0214] Therefore, users can identify factors that may cause incomplete drying from multiple factors, and prevent incomplete drying by taking actions against the factors to be controlled before it occurs.

[0215] Furthermore, the dryer 1 according to the embodiment can send information about the factors to be controlled to an external electronic device 2 (1060).

[0216] In other words, after identifying the factors to be controlled, the controller 150 can control the communicator 140 to send a notification regarding the factors to be controlled to an external electronic device. Furthermore, the controller 150 can control the communicator 140 to send information about actions corresponding to the factors to be controlled to the external electronic device.

[0217] Therefore, even when he / she is not around the dryer 1, the user can identify factors that may cause incomplete drying from a variety of factors, and prevent incomplete drying by taking action on the factors to be controlled before incomplete drying occurs.

[0218] At this time, if there is no difference between the output data from the temperature sensor 110 or the opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 and the data from the previous drying operation (no in 1030), the dryer 1 according to the embodiment can (1020) store the output data from the temperature sensor 110 and the opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 (1070).

[0219] In other words, whenever a drying operation is performed, the controller 150 can control the storage device 120 to store output data from multiple temperature sensors 110 and opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163. Thus, the dryer 1 can store data from previous drying operations and compare the data of the current drying operation with the data from previous drying operations to identify factors to be controlled in the current drying operation.

[0220] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of identifying the factors to be controlled in a method for controlling a dryer 1 according to an embodiment.

[0221] refer to Figure 11 According to the embodiment, the dryer 1 can be set to a desired drying time (1110).

[0222] In other words, the controller 150 can set the expected time for the drying operation based on the drying mode set by the input devices 131a and 131b, the weight of the clothes measured by the weight sensor (not shown), etc.

[0223] In addition, the controller 150 can set the termination time of the drying operation by measuring the dryness of the clothes based on the temperature difference between the air entering the electrode sensor (not shown) or the drum 20 and the air discharged from the electrode sensor or the drum 20.

[0224] The operations of setting the expected time for the drying operation and setting the end time for the drying operation can be performed as known operations, instead of the examples above.

[0225] If the drying operation time exceeds the expected drying time ("Yes" in 1120), the dryer 1 according to the embodiment can identify the factor to be controlled from multiple factors based on at least one of the output data from the temperature sensor 110 or the opening data of the electronic expansion valve 163 (1130).

[0226] If the drying operation takes longer than expected, the controller 150 can begin identifying factors that need to be controlled regarding incomplete drying. In other words, if the operation time becomes longer than expected, the dryer 1 can begin identifying factors that need to be controlled based on the assumption that factors causing incomplete drying exist. For example, if the drying operation takes a preset time or more than expected, the controller 150 can begin identifying factors that need to be controlled.

[0227] For example, the drying operation time can be extended if compressor 161 is temporarily interrupted as a protection operation for compressor 161 or heater 170 is temporarily interrupted as a protection operation for heater 170. Furthermore, the drying operation time can be extended if heat exchange performance deteriorates due to insufficient refrigerant in heat pump 160 or power module 180 is temporarily interrupted due to a malfunction in cooling equipment 190.

[0228] According to the embodiment, the dryer 1 can notify information about factors to be controlled (1140).

[0229] After identifying the factors to be controlled, the controller 150 according to the embodiment can control the user interface 130 to output a notification for the factors to be controlled. For example, the controller 150 can control the display 133 of the user interface 130 to display the factors to be controlled, or control the speaker of the user interface 130 to output the factors to be controlled as a voice message.

[0230] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, the controller 150 can control the user interface 130 to output content corresponding to the action of the factor to be controlled. For example, the controller 150 can control the display 133 of the user interface 130 to display content corresponding to the action of the factor to be controlled, or control the speaker of the user interface 130 to output content corresponding to the action of the factor to be controlled as voice information.

[0231] Therefore, users can identify factors that may cause incomplete drying from multiple factors, and prevent incomplete drying by performing actions corresponding to the factors to be controlled before incomplete drying occurs.

[0232] According to the embodiment, the controller 150 can control the communicator 140 to send a notification regarding the factor to be controlled to an external electronic device after identifying the factor to be controlled. Furthermore, the controller 150 can control the communicator 140 to send content related to actions corresponding to the factor to be controlled to the external electronic device.

[0233] Therefore, even when he / she is not around the dryer 1, the user can identify factors that may cause incomplete drying from a number of factors, and prevent incomplete drying by taking action on the factors to be controlled before incomplete drying occurs.

[0234] Embodiments of this disclosure may provide a method for controlling a dryer, the dryer including a drum, a heat pump, a user interface, a power module, and piping, the power module being configured to control power supply to a compressor motor of the heat pump and a drum motor connected to the drum, the piping housing an evaporator and a condenser of the heat pump and being configured to heat air flowing into the drum and exhaust the air to the drum, the method comprising: identifying a factor to be controlled from a plurality of factors causing incomplete drying based on at least one of output data from a plurality of temperature sensors or opening data of an electronic expansion valve provided in the heat pump, the plurality of temperature sensors being configured to detect the temperature of each of the heat pump, the power module, and the piping; and controlling the user interface to output a notification for the factor to be controlled.

[0235] Identifying factors to be controlled may include: identifying factors to be controlled when the drying operation time becomes longer than expected by a preset time or more than expected.

[0236] The dryer may also include a storage device, wherein identifying factors to be controlled may include: controlling the storage device to store output data from multiple temperature sensors and opening data of an electronic expansion valve whenever a drying operation is performed; and identifying factors to be controlled during the drying operation by comparing at least one of the output data from multiple temperature sensors or the opening data of the electronic expansion valve of the heat pump with the stored data.

[0237] Identifying factors to be controlled may include identifying pipe blockage as a factor to be controlled if at least one of the pipe temperature or the heat pump compressor temperature deviates from a preset temperature range more often than the stored temperature data.

[0238] Identifying factors to be controlled may include: identifying a malfunction in the cooling equipment of the cooling power module as a factor to be controlled if the number of times the power module's temperature deviates from the preset temperature range increases compared to the temperature of the stored data.

[0239] Identifying factors to be controlled may include identifying insufficient refrigerant in the heat pump as a factor to be controlled if the opening of the electronic expansion valve deviates from the range of the stored opening data during the drying operation.

[0240] Identifying factors to be controlled may include identifying refrigerant insufficiency in the heat pump as a factor to be controlled if the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the heat pump compressor deviates from the temperature range of the stored data during the drying operation.

[0241] The dryer may also include a heater, which is provided in a duct and configured to heat the air discharged from the drum, wherein identifying factors to be controlled may include identifying a heater malfunction as a factor to be controlled if the number of times the heater temperature deviates from a preset temperature range increases compared to the temperature of stored data.

[0242] The dryer may also include a communicator, wherein the method for controlling the dryer may further include: controlling the communicator to send a notification for the factor to be controlled to an external electronic device.

[0243] The method for controlling a dryer may also include: controlling the user interface output to contain the actions corresponding to the factors to be controlled.

[0244] Furthermore, the disclosed embodiments can be implemented in the form of a recording medium storing computer-executable instructions. The instructions can be stored as program code, and when executed by a processor, the instructions can create program modules to perform the operations of the disclosed embodiments. The recording medium can be implemented as a computer-readable recording medium.

[0245] Computer-readable recording media can include all kinds of recording media that store instructions that can be interpreted by a computer. For example, computer-readable recording media can be ROM, RAM, magnetic tape, magnetic disk, flash memory, optical data storage devices, etc.

[0246] The disclosed embodiments have now been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will be clear that those skilled in the art can make various modifications without altering the technical spirit and essential characteristics of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that the above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and not for limiting purposes.

Claims

1. A dryer, comprising: roller; The drum motor is connected to the drum; Heat pumps, including: Compressors including compressor motors, Evaporator Condenser, and Electronic expansion valve; User interface; The storage device is configured to store the output data of each of a plurality of temperature sensors and the opening data of the electronic expansion valve during the previous drying operation; The power module is configured to control the power supply to the compressor motor and the drum motor; Piping, housing the evaporator and condenser, and configured as follows: Air is received from the drum, causing the received air to flow in the duct and be heated by the operation of the evaporator and condenser. Heated air is discharged into the drum; Multiple temperature sensors are configured to detect the temperature of each component in the heat pump, power module, and piping; and The controller is configured as follows: Based on the output data of each temperature sensor received from the plurality of temperature sensors, the preset temperature range of each temperature sensor, and the output data of each temperature sensor stored in the storage device, factors to be controlled are identified from a plurality of factors that may cause incomplete drying. Control the user interface output to notify the identified factors that need to be controlled; The factors that cause incomplete drying include pipe blockage, malfunction of the cooling equipment for the power module, insufficient refrigerant in the heat pump, and heater malfunction. The controller is configured to identify refrigerant deficiency in the heat pump based on the opening range corresponding to the opening data of the electronic expansion valve stored in the storage device and the opening data of the electronic expansion valve.

2. The dryer as described in claim 1, wherein, The controller is configured to identify factors to be controlled if the drying operation time becomes longer than expected by a preset time or longer than expected.

3. The dryer as described in claim 1, further comprising: in, The controller is configured as follows: The control storage device stores output data from multiple temperature sensors and opening data of the electronic expansion valve whenever a drying operation is performed.

4. The dryer as described in claim 3, wherein, The controller is configured to identify pipe blockage as a factor to be controlled if the number of deviations of at least one of the pipe temperature and compressor temperature from the corresponding preset temperature range of each temperature sensor increases compared to the output data of each temperature sensor stored in the storage device.

5. The dryer as described in claim 3, further comprising: Cooling equipment is used to cool the power supply module. The controller is configured to identify a cooling device malfunction as a factor to be controlled if the number of times the temperature of the power module deviates from the preset temperature range corresponding to the temperature sensor of the power module increases compared to the output data of each temperature sensor stored in the storage device.

6. The dryer as described in claim 3, wherein, The controller is configured to identify insufficient refrigerant in the heat pump as a factor to be controlled if the opening of the electronic expansion valve deviates from the opening range of the opening data during the drying operation.

7. The dryer as described in claim 3, wherein, The controller is configured to identify refrigerant insufficiency of the heat pump as a factor to be controlled if the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor during the drying operation deviates from the preset temperature range of each temperature sensor corresponding to the preset temperature range of the compressor's temperature sensor.

8. The dryer as described in claim 3, further comprising: A heater, provided in the duct and configured to heat the air received in the duct, The controller is configured to identify a heater malfunction as a factor to be controlled if the number of times the heater temperature deviates from the preset temperature range corresponding to the temperature sensor of each temperature sensor increases.

9. The dryer as described in claim 1, further comprising: communicator, The controller is configured to control the communicator to send notifications about the factors to be controlled to an external electronic device.

10. The dryer as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The controller is configured to control the user interface to output content corresponding to the actions of the factors to be controlled.

11. A method of controlling a dryer, the dryer comprising a drum, a heat pump, a user interface, a power module, and piping, the power module being configured to control power supply to a compressor motor of the heat pump and a drum motor connected to the drum, the piping housing an evaporator and a condenser of the heat pump and configured to receive air from the drum such that the received air flows into the piping to be heated by the operation of the evaporator and the condenser, and to discharge the heated air to the drum, the method comprising: The factors to be controlled are identified from among several factors that may cause incomplete drying: The data includes output data from multiple temperature sensors configured to detect the temperature of each component in the heat pump, power module, and piping; preset temperature ranges for each temperature sensor; and the output data of each temperature sensor stored in a storage device. The opening data of the electronic expansion valve provided in the heat pump; as well as Control the user interface to output notifications for the identified factors to be controlled; The factors causing incomplete drying include pipe blockage, malfunction of the cooling equipment for the power module, insufficient refrigerant in the heat pump, and heater malfunction. The method further includes identifying refrigerant deficiency in the heat pump based on the opening range corresponding to the opening data of the electronic expansion valve stored in the storage device and the opening data of the electronic expansion valve.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, Identifying factors to be controlled includes: identifying factors to be controlled when the drying operation time becomes longer than the preset time or longer than the expected time.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying the factors to be controlled comprises: The control storage device stores output data from multiple temperature sensors and opening data of the electronic expansion valve whenever a drying operation is performed.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, The factors to be controlled include: if the number of deviations of at least one of the pipe temperature and the heat pump compressor temperature from the corresponding preset temperature range of each temperature sensor increases compared to the output data of each temperature sensor stored in the storage device, then pipe blockage is identified as a factor to be controlled.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the dryer further comprises a cooling device for the cooling power module. in, The factors to be controlled include: if the number of times the temperature of the power module deviates from the preset temperature range corresponding to the preset temperature range of each temperature sensor increases compared to the output data of each temperature sensor stored in the storage device, then a malfunction of the cooling equipment is identified as a factor to be controlled.

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