Clothes Dryer Moisture Control with Programmable Dryness Levels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Clothes dryers lack user control over moisture levels during the drying cycle, leading to inefficient energy use and potential over-drying or under-drying of clothing.
Innovation Solution
A clothes dryer with a programmable dryness level selector, sensors to measure and display real-time moisture content, and a controller to automatically stop the cycle when the target moisture level is reached, allowing users to customize drying cycles based on preset dryness levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the dryer operates with fixed drying cycles and no moisture monitoring, then the device complexity is low, but the manufacturing precision of moisture content control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by continuously monitoring moisture content during the drying cycle and automatically adjusting the drying process. The controller receives moisture content signals from sensors and modulates the drying operation to achieve the target moisture level, thereby improving manufacturing precision of moisture content control while managing device complexity through automated closed-loop control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual monitoring and adjustment of moisture content with automated electronic sensing and control systems. Moisture content sensors and electronic controllers substitute for mechanical timing and fixed-cycle operations, enabling precise moisture content control without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
2Loss of energy
If the dryer uses fixed drying cycles without user control, then the ease of operation is high, but the loss of energy increases due to over-drying or under-drying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the dryer to automatically determine and execute the optimal drying cycle based on real-time moisture content monitoring. The system self-adjusts drying parameters and automatically stops when the target moisture level is reached, eliminating the need for user intervention while optimizing energy efficiency and preventing both over-drying and under-drying.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback control system continuously monitors moisture content and automatically adjusts the drying process to achieve energy efficiency. By stopping the dryer automatically when the target moisture level is reached, the system prevents energy waste from over-drying while requiring minimal user input, thus improving ease of operation.
3Manufacturing precision
If the dryer implements real-time moisture monitoring and automatic control, then the manufacturing precision of moisture content control improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by continuously monitoring moisture content during the drying cycle and automatically adjusting the drying process. The controller receives moisture content signals from sensors and modulates the drying operation to achieve the target moisture level, thereby improving manufacturing precision of moisture content control while managing device complexity through automated closed-loop control.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller serves multiple functions: it monitors moisture content, determines drying cycle parameters, controls heating elements, and manages the drying timeline. By consolidating these functions into a single multi-functional controller, the patent improves moisture content control precision without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to precisely control the dryness of clothing, optimizing energy use and ensuring clothes are dried to their desired moisture level, enhancing user satisfaction and energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
sensing a remaining moisture content of the load of fabric in the clothes dryer
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling the clothes dryer includes offering one or more preset dryness levels that may be selected using a programmable dryness level selector to establish a drying cycle. Each of the preset dryness levels may correspond to a stored remaining moisture content. The method additionally includes sensing a remaining moisture content of a load of fabric in the clothes dryer and displaying the remaining moisture content of the load of fabric to a user. The method further includes automatically stopping the clothes dryer using a controller configured to determine when the remaining moisture content of the load of fabric reaches the selected preset dryness level. The one or more preset dryness levels may be customizable by saving a target remaining moisture content for each preset dryness level.