Dryer with humidity sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dryers inaccurately display remaining drying time due to not considering the load of the object being dried, leading to unreliable operation.
Innovation Solution
A dryer equipped with a humidity sensor installed on a front support at the entrance of the drum, which cooperates with an electrode sensor to detect humidity and compensate for drying time, ensuring accurate determination and display of anticipated drying time while minimizing contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If conventional dryers use preset drying time display without load detection, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of drying time indication deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using a humidity sensor to continuously monitor the humidity of air discharged from the drum and feed this information back to the control unit. The control unit adjusts the remaining drying time display based on actual humidity levels, creating a closed-loop system that adapts to actual drying conditions rather than relying on fixed preset times.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/preset timing system with a sensor-based detection system. Instead of relying on predetermined time cycles, the system uses electronic humidity sensing and computational algorithms to dynamically determine drying progress, substituting physical time-based control with electronic feedback-based control.
2Measurement precision
If a humidity sensor is installed inside the drum to directly detect object humidity, then the measurement precision is improved, but the sensor contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the discharged air as an intermediary to indirectly measure object humidity. Instead of placing the sensor in direct contact with the object inside the drum, the sensor measures the humidity of air that has just discharged from the drum, which carries information about the object's moisture content without requiring direct sensor-object contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the sensing location from the drying chamber interior by positioning the humidity sensor at the drum discharge opening rather than inside the drum. This spatial segmentation allows the sensor to remain outside the high-temperature, high-humidity environment while still capturing relevant humidity information from the discharged air stream.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the humidity sensor is positioned at the drum discharge opening, then the sensor contamination is reduced, but the humidity detection accuracy may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit processes the humidity sensor signals to compensate for the indirect measurement approach. By analyzing the humidity levels in discharged air and comparing them against expected values or trends, the system can accurately infer the actual drying state of objects even though the sensor is not directly contacting them.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct contact humidity measurement with indirect atmospheric humidity sensing combined with computational analysis. The system substitutes physical direct measurement with electronic sensing and algorithmic interpretation, using the humidity profile of discharged air as a proxy for object moisture content.
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
The system provides a reliable and accurate anticipation of drying time by detecting the load of the object, reducing the risk of over- or under-drying and enhancing user trust in the dryer's operation.
Implementation Method 1
a humidity sensor (210) is installed at the front support (204)... the humidity sensor (210) is to detect humidity of air discharged from the drum (202)
Implementation Method 2
an electrode sensor is installed to the front support (204) to detect humidity by coming into contact with the object
Implementation Method 3
a heat source (e.g., a heater or a heat pump) to heat air... the low-temperature and low-humidity air is changed into high-temperature and low-humidity air by the heat source
Implementation Method 4
the high-temperature and high-humidity air is changed into low-temperature and low-humidity air by a condenser which condenses the air to remove moisture from the air
Implementation Method 5
a drying fan is rotated to move low-temperature and low-humidity air through the heat source... The resulting high-temperature and low-humidity air is introduced into the drum to heat the object to be dried
Data Source
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AI summary
A dryer and a control method thereof, in which load of an object to be dried is detected using a sensor which has less risk of contamination and an anticipated drying time based on the detected load is accurately determined and displayed. The dryer includes a rotatable drum to accommodate the object, a front support installed at an entrance of the drum to support the drum, a rear support installed at an opposite side of the entrance of the drum to support the drum, an exhaust hole formed in the front support, through which interior air of the drum is discharged, and a humidity sensor installed to the front support at a position adjacent to the exhaust hole, the humidity sensor being located upstream of the exhaust hole in a rotating direction of the drum to detect humidity of the air to be introduced into the exhaust hole.