Dryer accessory and dryer

Abstract

A dryer accessory, the dryer accessory comprising: a cover body comprising a sensor aperture; a sensor module which is located inside the sensor hole of the cover body and measures at least one of temperature and humidity; the energy collection module is positioned in the cover body and generates current along with the movement of the cover body; a wireless communication module for transmitting at least one of the temperature and humidity measured by the sensor module; and a control unit that controls the sensor module and the wireless communication module using the energy generated by the energy collection module. The dryer accessory can be in direct contact with washings, so that the temperature and the humidity of the washings can be accurately measured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a dryer accessory for measuring humidity and a dryer for receiving data from the dryer accessory and performing drying. Background Art

[0002] Generally, clothes treating apparatuses include washing machines, drying machines, clothes care machines, etc., and the washing machine may include a drying function.

[0003] Dryers are classified into exhaust type dryers or circulation type dryers, but both of them heat air with a heater to generate hot air, and blow the hot air to the clothes to perform drying of the clothes.

[0004] The program time of a washing machine depends solely on the washing program and the weight of the laundry put into the drum, but the program time of a dryer is not only affected by the drying program and the weight of the laundry, but may also be affected by the wetness of the laundry.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to accurately measure the humidity of the laundry, but it is difficult to set a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor inside the drum because the drum rotates. Therefore, a humidity sensor or a temperature sensor can be set in a box or a pipe for measurement. However, since it is not located inside the drum, there is a temperature difference with the laundry inside the drum, and in the case of humidity, the actual wetness of the laundry cannot be accurately measured.

[0006] In particular, when the volume of the laundry is large, the accuracy decreases. When the volume is too small, the laundry cannot contact the humidity sensor, so the accuracy also decreases. Summary of the invention

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide an accessory capable of detecting the humidity and temperature of laundry without the need for additional battery replacement and charging.

[0009] Technical solutions to the problem

[0010] The present invention provides a dryer accessory, comprising: a cover body, comprising a sensor hole; a sensor module, located on the inner side of the sensor hole of the cover body, measuring at least one of temperature and humidity; an energy collection module, located inside the cover body, and generating current as the cover body moves; a wireless communication module, transmitting at least one of the temperature and humidity measured by the sensor module; and a control unit, using the energy generated in the energy collection unit to control the sensor module and the wireless communication module.

[0011] The energy collection unit includes: a tube extending long in one direction; a magnet located on the inner side of the tube; and a coil wound on the outer side of the tube; when the magnet moves along the extension direction of the tube as the cover moves, current can be generated in the coil.

[0012] The magnet may have a cylindrical shape having a diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the tube.

[0013] The energy collection unit includes: a tube extending long in one direction; a weight body located inside the tube; and a piezoelectric disk located at an end of the tube; when the weight body collides with the piezoelectric disk, current can be generated in the piezoelectric disk.

[0014] The control unit includes a main board located inside the cover body, and the tube can pass through the main board.

[0015] The tube extends in a direction perpendicular to the main board, and a plurality of the tubes may be arranged along a periphery of the main board.

[0016] The control unit may include: a rectifier that converts the alternating current generated in the energy collection module into direct current; a capacitor that stores the energy converted into the direct current; and an analog-to-digital converter that deactivates the sensor module and the wireless communication module until the energy converted into the direct current reaches an amount sufficient to drive the sensor module and the wireless communication module.

[0017] The dryer accessory may include: a cylindrical rubber stopper located between the sensor module and the sensor hole; and a waterproof filter formed at a position of the rubber stopper adjacent to the sensor hole to prevent liquid from passing through.

[0018] A pair of the sensor hole and the sensor module may be disposed on opposite sides of the cover.

[0019] The cover may include an elastic material.

[0020] The cover body may have a spherical shape.

[0021] A dryer for drying clothes, comprising: a housing forming an appearance; a drum rotatably disposed on the housing and accommodating clothes; a driving unit for rotating the drum; a hot air supply unit configured to communicate with the drum and supply high-temperature air to the inside of the drum; a collecting unit configured to communicate with the hot air supply unit and collect water formed by condensation of moisture discharged from the drum; a wireless communication module for transmitting and receiving status information of the dryer; and a control unit for controlling the driving unit, the hot air supply unit and the wireless communication module; the wireless communication module receives at least one of humidity information and temperature information provided by a dryer accessory put into the drum; the control unit can use at least one of the humidity information and the temperature information to control the driving unit and the hot air supply unit.

[0022] When the temperature information and the humidity information reach reference values, the control unit may terminate the operations of the driving unit and the hot air supply unit.

[0023] The dryer includes at least one of a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor located inside the housing, and the control unit may deactivate at least one of the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor when receiving temperature information or humidity information from the dryer accessory.

[0024] Effects of the Invention

[0025] According to the present invention, the temperature and humidity of laundry can be accurately measured using the dryer accessory.

[0026] In addition, according to the present invention, since the product can be used continuously without additional replacement of batteries, maintenance is easy, and damage to the product due to poor waterproof performance can be prevented.

[0027] The following detailed description will further clarify the application possibilities and additional scope of the present invention. However, since a person skilled in the art can clearly understand the various changes and modifications within the concept and scope of the present invention, it should be understood that the specific embodiments such as the detailed description and the preferred embodiments of the present invention are only examples. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 It is a figure which shows the dryer which concerns on Example of this invention.

[0029] Figure 2 1 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the dryer 10 of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing a method of inserting the dryer accessory of the present invention into a dryer.

[0031] Figure 41 is a conceptual diagram showing the wireless communication process among the dryer, the cloud server and the user terminal of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 5 It is an exploded view of an embodiment of the dryer accessory of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 6 It is a cross-sectional view and a diagram of a sensor portion showing one embodiment of the dryer accessory of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 7 1 is a diagram showing an energy harvesting module of an embodiment of a dryer accessory of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 8 and Fig. 9 This is a diagram for explaining the principle of energy collection according to one embodiment of the dryer accessory of the present invention.

[0036] Fig.10 1 is a diagram showing a control unit of a dryer accessory according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] Hereinafter, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification, even if the embodiments are different from each other, the same or similar components are given the same or similar figure marks, and the first description replaces the subsequent description. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular expressions used in this specification include plural expressions. In addition, when explaining this specification, if it is determined that the specific description of the relevant known technology may unnecessarily confuse the subject matter of the present invention, its detailed description will be omitted. In addition, it should be noted that the drawings are only for easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and should not be interpreted as the technical ideas disclosed in this specification being limited by the drawings.

[0038] The drying machine 10 of the present invention may be constituted by any one of a washing machine capable of performing laundry drying, a drying machine capable of performing laundry drying, and a laundry care machine capable of preventing wrinkles of laundry and removing odor.

[0039] Hereinafter, the description will be made based on the assumption that the dryer 10 is configured as a dryer, but this is only an embodiment and does not exclude the case where the dryer 10 is configured as a washing machine or a clothing care machine.

[0040] Figure 1 It is a figure which shows the external appearance of the dryer 10 of this invention.

[0041] The dryer 10 of the present invention may include: a housing 100 forming an appearance; a control panel 120, which is combined with the housing and can input operation commands or display status; a door 150, which is rotatably combined with the front of the housing 100 to open and close the opening for putting in clothes; and a condensation barrel 110 to collect condensed water.

[0042] The control panel 120 may be combined with the upper end of the housing 100, and a control unit P including a microcomputer (Micom) for controlling the dryer may be provided inside the control panel 120. The control panel 120 may include: a display unit 121 for displaying the status of the dryer; and an input unit for inputting commands to the control unit.

[0043] The display unit 121 may be composed of a display screen such as an LCD or an LED, or may be composed of a touch panel capable of receiving input commands. The display unit 121 may be configured to correctly convey information about the dryer to the user by displaying the operating state and abnormal state of the dryer to the outside. In addition, the display unit 121 may be configured to further include a speaker so as to emit a warning sound to the user.

[0044] The input part can be configured as a rotary knob 122 to select any drying program or option of the dryer. In addition, the input part can include: a power input part 140 for inputting power to the dryer; and a command input part 130 for inputting additional control commands.

[0045] The power input unit 140 and the command input unit 130 may be configured as physical buttons so that commands can be transmitted even when power is not supplied to the display unit 121 .

[0046] At this time, the command input part 130 may include a thawing command input part for transmitting a thawing command to the control part of the control panel 120 when the dryer 10 is frozen.

[0047] The door 150 is rotatably disposed in front of the box body 100 and may be made of a transparent material so as to be able to see through an opening portion disposed in the box body.

[0048] A handle 151 is provided on one side of the door 150 , and a hinge 152 is connected to the other side of the door 150 so as to open and close the opening of the box.

[0049] Figure 1 A front-entry type dryer in which the door 150 is disposed at the front is disclosed, but a top-entry type dryer in which the door 150 is disposed at the top is not excluded.

[0050] Figure 21 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the dryer 10 of the present invention.

[0051] The dryer 10 of the present invention may include: a drum 200, which is rotatably arranged inside the box 100 and accommodates clothes; a driving unit 300, which rotates the drum 200; a hot air supply unit 400, which is arranged to be connected to the drum and supply high-temperature air (hot air) to the inside of the drum; and a base 500, which supports or sets the hot air supply unit 400.

[0052] The drum 200 is provided with an inlet 220, which is connected to the opening of the box 100 so that clothes can be drawn in and out, and the drum 200 can be set to a cylindrical shape for accommodating clothes inside, and the drum 200 can include lifting ribs 210 that can lift the clothes up and down to stir them.

[0053] On the other hand, the drying machine 10 of the present invention may further include a gasket 230 for preventing the laundry from being discharged between the opening of the housing 100 and the inlet 220 of the drum 200 .

[0054] The hot air supply unit 400 may include: an exhaust duct 411, which is arranged to be connected to one side of the drum 200 so that the moisture of the clothes and the air passing through the clothes are discharged from the drum 200; a heat pump 420, which cools the air passing through the exhaust duct 411 to remove moisture and then reheats it; and an intake duct 412, which re-inhales the air passing through the heat pump into the drum 200.

[0055] The gasket 230 may be provided with a pipe connection hole 231 communicating with the suction pipe 412 .

[0056] The heat pump 420 may include: an evaporator 422, which cools the air passing through the exhaust pipe 411; a compressor 421, which compresses the refrigerant passing through the evaporator to heat it; a condenser 423, which uses the refrigerant passing through the compressor 421 to heat the air to generate high-temperature dry hot air; and an expansion valve 424, which expands the refrigerant passing through the condenser 423 to reduce the temperature.

[0057] On the other hand, the base 500 may be provided to form a bottom surface of the dryer 10 and support the heat pump 420 .

[0058] The base 500 may be arranged to be connected to the exhaust pipe 411 at one end and to be connected to the suction pipe 412 at the other end, and the heat pump 420 may be arranged inside to allow air to pass through. Thus, water condensed in the evaporator 422 may be collected in the base 500, and a drain pump 430 may be arranged in the base 500 to drain the collected water.

[0059] Specifically, a collecting portion 534 for collecting the condensed water may be provided at the lower portion of the base 500, and the drain pump 430 may be provided to discharge the water condensed in the collecting portion 534. In addition, the drain pump 430 may be provided to transfer the collected water to the receiving bucket 110, and the receiving bucket 110 and the drain pump 430 may be provided to be connected by a receiving pipe 111. Thus, if a predetermined level of condensed water is collected in the base 500, it may be transferred to the receiving bucket 110, and the receiving bucket 110 may be taken out to remove the collected condensed water.

[0060] On the other hand, the driving unit 300 may be configured to rotate the drum 200. The driving unit 300 may include: a driving motor 310 providing power to rotate the drum 200; a driving rotation shaft 320 configured to penetrate the driving motor 310 and rotate; a pulley 330 coupled to one end of the driving rotation shaft 320; and a belt 340 configured to form a closed curve connecting the pulley 330 and the outer peripheral surface of the drum 200.

[0061] On the other hand, the driving part 300 may further include an air supply fan 425 , which is coupled to the other end of the driving rotating shaft 320 and provides power to circulate air inside the hot air supply part 400 and the drum 200 .

[0062] The air supply fan 425 may be disposed at a position of the hot air supply unit 400 or the base 500 that is connected to the hot air supply unit 400 to circulate air between the drum 200 and the hot air supply unit 400 .

[0063] Thus, it can be configured that when the driving motor 310 is running, the drum 200 rotates, and at the same time, the air supply fan 425 also circulates the air in the drum 200 .

[0064] The air supply fan 425 can allow the air inside the drum 200 to pass through the exhaust duct 411 along the I direction, pass through the base 500 and the hot air supply unit 400, and flow into the suction duct 412 along the II direction.

[0065] On the other hand, the drying machine 10 of the present invention may be provided with a temperature sensor S1 for detecting the temperature of the air passing through the drum 200 or the hot air supply unit 400. The temperature sensor may be provided in the hot air supply unit 400. For example, it may be provided in the suction duct 412. The temperature sensor S1 provided in the suction duct 412 may be provided to detect the temperature change of the air passing through the condenser 423. Thus, the temperature change of the air inside the drum 200, the drying state of the clothes, and the operating state of the heat pump 420 may be comprehensively checked by using the temperature sensor S1.

[0066] The humidity sensor S2 is a device for measuring the residual moisture of the clothes. Only when it is in direct contact with the clothes can the drying state of the clothes be accurately confirmed. Since the drum rotates, there are problems such as wiring when electronic components are set on the inner wall of the drum. Therefore, a humidity sensor can be set on the lower inner side of the gasket 230 of the input port.

[0067] However, in this case, only the humidity of the clothes located at the front part can be measured. When there are a lot of laundry, it is difficult to determine the dryness of the part where the laundry is gathered.

[0068] The temperature sensor is an important factor in determining humidity. Since there is a temperature difference between the temperature sensor S1 located in the suction duct or the discharge duct and the laundry itself, it is difficult to measure the humidity accurately.

[0069] Therefore, in order to more accurately measure the humidity, the present invention uses an additional dryer accessory provided with a sensor module capable of measuring the humidity. The sensor module may also be provided with a temperature sensor in order to measure the humidity and the temperature.

[0070] Figure 3 The figure shows a method of inserting the dryer accessory of the present invention into the inside of the dryer. The dryer accessory of the present invention is inserted into the inside of the drum of the dryer and is located inside the drum together with the laundry. Since it is located inside the drum, it can directly contact the laundry, so that accurate temperature and humidity can be sensed.

[0071] Although the spherical dryer accessory inserted into the dryer drum does not need to be spherical, it can have a spherical shape in order to rotate with the rotation of the drum and minimize friction with the clothes.

[0072] As the laundry rotates in the drum, the dryer attachment prevents them from getting tangled and flapping, resulting in excellent dust removal. By creating space between the laundry, the drying effect is improved and the drying time is shortened, which has an energy-saving effect.

[0073] Furthermore, since the dryer accessory of the present invention includes a humidity sensor in addition to the physical functions described above, it can assist the function of the dryer. In addition to the humidity sensor, a temperature sensor can also be provided, so that accurate humidity information and temperature information can be collected while in direct contact with the laundry.

[0074] Figure 4 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the wireless communication process among the dryer, the cloud server and the user terminal of the present invention.

[0075] By transmitting the temperature and humidity information collected by the dryer accessories to the dryer using the wireless communication unit, the program time of the dryer can be adjusted. When the dryer is equipped with an IOT (Internet of Things) function, the wireless communication unit of the dryer can transmit the temperature and humidity information to the cloud server 20, and can then transmit it to the user's terminal 30.

[0076] Figure 5 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the dryer accessory of the present invention, Figure 6 It is a cross-sectional view and a diagram of a sensor portion showing one embodiment of the dryer accessory of the present invention.

[0077] The dryer accessory of the present invention comprises a cover body with a space inside for installing electronic components. The inner space of the cover body forms a groove corresponding to the shape of the electronic component, so that the electronic module is fixed inside the cover body and does not move.

[0078] like Figure 5 As shown, the electronic component of this embodiment is configured to have a cylindrical shape, and may also include a cylindrical internal space inside the cover.

[0079] The cover can have a spherical shape to roll freely inside the drum, and can use a soft and elastic material such as silicon or rubber. A heavy material can be used compared to a light material to move more by centrifugal force when the drum rotates.

[0080] The dryer accessory of the present invention does not need to replace batteries or charge, so a pair of hemispherical cover bodies can be joined to realize a spherical cover body.

[0081] The cover is formed with sensor holes to supply air to the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor. For more accurate sensing, the sensor holes of the present invention can be provided in pairs on opposite sides of the cover, and sensor modules can be provided on both sides.

[0082] The sensor hole may be covered with a waterproof material to prevent moisture from penetrating into the interior and damaging the electronic module while supplying air to the sensor module. Gore-Tex may be used as the waterproof material, and a cylindrical rubber plug with Gore-Tex attached to one side may be arranged between the sensor hole and the sensor module.

[0083] The sensor module may include not only a humidity sensor but also a temperature sensor, which can measure the humidity and temperature of the air flowing through the Gore-Tex and transmit the same to the control unit.

[0084] The dryer accessory requires power to drive the sensor module and to drive the wireless communication unit that transmits the data collected from the sensor module to the dryer. If a battery is provided to provide power, the cover needs to be opened to charge or replace the battery. In this case, if the waterproof performance is reduced or damaged, it will cause the dryer accessory to fail. Therefore, the dryer accessory of the present invention can receive power using energy harvesting technology.

[0085] The electronic module installed inside the cover can have a control unit for control and an energy collection module for generating electricity. Although in this embodiment, an embodiment in which the electronic module is cylindrical and the sensor modules are arranged on the top and bottom surfaces of the cylinder is shown, there is no limitation on the shape of the electronic module, and a hexahedral shape or other shapes may also be used.

[0086] Figure 7 1 is a diagram showing an electronic module of an embodiment of a dryer accessory of the present invention. The electronic module may include an energy collection module, a control unit, and a sensor module.

[0087] The electronic module may be provided with a frame to fix various components, and may include a top surface portion and a bottom surface portion where the sensor module is located, and a side surface portion constituting a side periphery of the cylinder.

[0088] like Figure 7 As shown, the side parts can be omitted, but for rigidity, as Figure 5 As shown, a cylindrical side portion may also be included. In order to adjust the weight of the dryer accessories, the material and volume of the frame may be designed differently.

[0089] Energy harvesting is a technology that converts small amounts of energy that is discarded or not used in daily life into usable electrical energy. It consists of a conversion unit that converts the discarded energy into electrical energy and a collection unit that stores it.

[0090] There are the following types of energy harvesting technologies.

[0091] Body energy harvesting is a method that utilizes body temperature, static electricity, and kinetic energy generated by the movement of the body. Light energy harvesting is a method that utilizes sunlight, and thermal energy harvesting is a method that utilizes the large amount of waste heat generated in industrial sites. Since this method requires a large temperature difference, it is suitable for use in places where high temperature heat is generated, such as industrial sites.

[0092] Electromagnetic wave energy harvesting is a method of utilizing the energy of electromagnetic waves such as broadcast waves or mobile phone waves.

[0093] Vibration energy harvesting is a method of generating electricity by applying vibration or pressure to piezoelectric elements, using the polarization effect of piezoelectric elements such as piezoelectricity. Piezoelectricity can generate electricity by using the phenomenon of electricity generated on the surface of crystals such as crystal or tourmaline. It can be used as a pressure sensor because it can generate electricity even under small pressure, but if a strong impact is applied, it will generate a large amount of electricity, which can be used as an energy harvesting technology.

[0094] Potential energy harvesting is a method that utilizes the potential energy difference generated at the water outlet of a hydroelectric power plant and the cooling water drain of a thermal power plant, and requires a large-scale facility.

[0095] As the drum rotates, the position of the dryer parts changes, and so does the potential energy, but to achieve a practical level of electrical energy, the change in potential energy would need to be as large as a waterfall, making it difficult to apply.

[0096] In order to realize energy harvesting by utilizing small position changes, the principle of electromagnetic induction can be used to generate current. When the dryer accessory moves inside the drum, if a magnet is arranged inside the dryer accessory, the magnet generates a magnetic field while moving, and if a coil is arranged on the moving path of the magnet, current is generated in the coil, which can be used as energy.

[0097] Figure 8 It is a diagram for explaining the electromagnetic energy collection principle of an embodiment of the dryer accessory of the present invention.

[0098] like Figure 8 As shown, it may include: a tube extending long in one direction; a magnet located inside the tube; and a coil wound around the outer side of the tube. If the magnet moves inside the tube as the dryer accessory moves, current flows in the coil. A cylindrical magnet having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the tube may be used to prevent the polarity of the magnet from changing.

[0099] As the dryer accessory rotates while changing up and down directions, the magnet can move along the tube and continue to generate an electric current.

[0100] like Figure 7As shown, a plurality of electromagnetic energy collection units consisting of a tube, a magnet and a coil can be provided, and they can be spaced as far apart as possible to avoid affecting adjacent units.

[0101] In this embodiment, four are provided, but it can also be composed of a number greater than or less than that. The two ends of the tube are fixed by a disc-shaped top surface and a bottom surface, and a main board as a control unit can be provided in the middle of the tube.

[0102] In addition to electromagnetic energy collection technology, vibration energy collection technology can be used. Although the dryer parts move inside the drum, they are not easily directly impacted by the laundry inside the drum.

[0103] Alternatively, a weight body may be placed inside the cover body, and the force of the weight body moving and colliding with the movement and rotation of the cover body may be used to apply pressure to the piezoelectric disk.

[0104] Fig. 9 It is a diagram for explaining the energy collection operation using a piezoelectric disk according to one embodiment of the dryer accessory of the present invention.

[0105] In the present invention, since the magnet used in the above-mentioned electromagnetic energy collection technology moves along the tube, it can be used as a weight body. In the case where the electromagnetic energy collection technology is not used, it can be composed of a tube without a coil, a piezoelectric disk, and a weight body with a specified weight instead of a magnet.

[0106] If the magnet or weight moves along the tube and collides with the piezoelectric disk located at the end of the tube, electricity is generated at the piezoelectric disk. Using the energy collected in this way, the sensor module and wireless communication module of the dryer accessory can be controlled.

[0107] Fig.10 1 is a diagram showing a control unit of a dryer accessory according to the present invention. Fig.10 (a) is a diagram showing a main plate 651 located in the middle of the tubes. In order to maximize the spacing between the tubes, a hole 652 through which the tubes pass may be formed along the periphery of the disc-shaped main plate 651.

[0108] The MCU chip 653 for controlling the dryer accessories can be installed in the middle space.

[0109] In order to connect the sensor modules located on the upper and lower frames and the main board 651, a flexible substrate can be used for connection. In addition to the signals of the sensor modules, the flexible substrate can also transmit the power collected by the piezoelectric disk.

[0110] Since the flexible substrate is connected to the cable connector 654 of the main board 651 , and the sensor modules are located on both sides, the connector 654 may be located on both sides of the main board 651 .

[0111] Fig.10 (b) is a block diagram showing the structure of the electronic module of the dryer accessory of the present invention. Since the power collected in the electromagnetic energy collection module and the piezoelectric energy collection module is energy collected in an analog manner, the current has an alternating current (AC) waveform. In order to convert it into a direct current (DC) waveform, a rectifier may be included. Since the voltage of the current passing through the rectifier is different from the voltage used in the sensor module or the wireless communication module, a converter 655 for converting the voltage may also be included. Although the power passing through the converter is supplied to the microcontroller unit (MCU), since the size of the power collected using the energy harvesting technology is small, it must be gathered to a certain size or above to enable the sensor module and the wireless communication module to operate.

[0112] Therefore, the generated energy can be accumulated by using a capacitor, preferably a supercapacitor. The analog-digital converter (ADC) of the MCU can activate the wireless communication module to operate only when the power is above a predetermined level.

[0113] In addition to the MCU, a clock and a wireless communication module may also be implemented together in the main chip, and since it is sufficient for the wireless communication module to be connected to the wireless communication unit of the dryer, a short-range wireless communication technology such as Bluetooth may be utilized.

[0114] In particular, since the dryer accessory uses power collected by energy harvesting technology, it can use low-power Bluetooth (BLE) that can be driven even at low power.

[0115] The biggest feature of low-power Bluetooth (BLE) is that the duty cycle is about a few milliseconds (ms), and it is in sleep mode most of the time, so the power consumption is very low. Although it uses a 2MHz bandwidth and supports a transmission speed of 1Mbps, the average transmission speed is less than 200kbps due to the short duty cycle.

[0116] The detailed descriptions described above should not be interpreted as limiting in all aspects, but should be understood as exemplary. The scope of the present invention should be determined by the reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all changes within the equivalent scope of the present invention fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A dryer accessory, wherein: include: a housing including a sensor hole; A sensor module, located inside the sensor hole of the cover body, for measuring at least one of temperature and humidity; An energy collection module is located inside the cover and generates current as the cover moves; a wireless communication module for transmitting at least one of the temperature and the humidity measured by the sensor module; and The control unit controls the sensor module and the wireless communication module by using the energy generated by the energy collection unit.

2. The dryer accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that: The energy collection unit comprises: A tube extending long in one direction; a magnet located inside the tube; and A coil, wound around the outer side of the tube; When the magnet moves along the extending direction of the tube as the cover moves, current is generated in the coil.

3. The dryer accessory according to claim 2, characterized in that: The magnet has a cylindrical shape, and a diameter of the cylindrical shape is smaller than an inner diameter of the tube.

4. The dryer accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that: The energy collection unit comprises: A tube extending long in one direction; a weight body located inside the tube; and a piezoelectric disk located at an end of the tube; When the weight body collides with the piezoelectric disk, an electric current is generated in the piezoelectric disk.

5. The dryer accessory according to claim 4, characterized in that: The control unit includes a main board located inside the cover body; The tube passes through the main board.

6. The dryer accessory according to claim 5, characterized in that: The tube extends in a direction perpendicular to the main board, and a plurality of the tubes are arranged along the periphery.

7. The dryer accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control unit includes: A rectifier, converting the alternating current generated in the energy collection module into direct current; a capacitor storing energy converted into the direct current; and The analog-to-digital converter deactivates the sensor module and the wireless communication module until the energy converted into the direct current reaches an amount sufficient to drive the sensor module and the wireless communication module.

8. The dryer accessory according to claim 1, wherein: include: A cylindrical rubber plug, located between the sensor module and the sensor hole; as well as A waterproof filter is formed at a position of the rubber stopper adjacent to the sensor hole so as to prevent liquid from passing through.

9. The dryer accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that: A pair of the sensor holes and the sensor module are disposed on opposite sides of the cover.

10. The dryer accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cover body includes an elastic material.

11. The dryer accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cover body has a spherical shape.

12. A drying machine for drying clothes, characterized in that: The drying machine comprises: The box body forms the exterior; A drum, rotatably disposed on the box body and accommodating clothes; A driving unit for rotating the drum; A hot air supply unit is arranged to communicate with the drum and supply high-temperature air to the inside of the drum; a collecting part, arranged to communicate with the hot air supply part and collect water formed by condensation of water discharged from the drum; a wireless communication module for sending and receiving status information of the dryer; and A control unit, controlling the driving unit, the hot air supply unit and the wireless communication module; The wireless communication module receives at least one of humidity information and temperature information provided by a dryer accessory inserted into the drum; The control unit controls the driving unit and the hot air supply unit using at least one of the humidity information and the temperature information.

13. The drying machine according to claim 12, characterized in that: When the temperature information and the humidity information reach reference values, the control unit terminates the operations of the driving unit and the hot air supply unit.

14. The drying machine according to claim 12, characterized in that: including at least one of a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor located inside the box; The control unit deactivates at least one of the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor when receiving temperature information or humidity information from the dryer accessory.

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