Clothes Dryer Moisture Sensing for User-Set Dryness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clothes dryers lack the ability to accurately detect and display moisture content during the drying cycle, making it difficult for users to control the drying process effectively and efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A clothes dryer with a programmable dryness level selector, sensors, and a controller that allows users to select preset dryness levels, senses the remaining moisture content, and automatically stops the dryer when the target moisture level is reached, providing real-time display and customizable settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a clothes dryer operates without real-time moisture detection and display, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates because users cannot effectively control the drying process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback system where moisture sensors continuously detect the moisture content of clothes during drying, and a display unit provides real-time visual feedback to the user. This allows users to monitor the drying progress and control the drying process effectively, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity by providing necessary information feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The dryer automatically stops when the target moisture level is reached, eliminating the need for continuous user monitoring. The system serves itself by autonomously detecting moisture content, comparing it to target levels, and controlling the drying cycle, thereby improving ease of operation without requiring complex manual intervention from users.
2Reliability
If the dryer runs until complete dryness is achieved, then the reliability of drying outcome is improved, but the loss of energy increases due to extended drying time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent allows dynamic adjustment of target moisture levels based on different fabric types and user preferences. By changing the target parameter (moisture level) rather than always running to complete dryness, the system achieves reliable drying outcomes while minimizing energy consumption. Different fabric types can have optimized target moisture levels, preventing unnecessary energy use.
Solution Approach 2:
The moisture detection system provides continuous feedback during the drying cycle, allowing the controller to stop the drying process precisely when the target moisture level is reached. This feedback mechanism ensures consistent drying outcomes while avoiding the energy waste of over-drying, as the system responds to real-time moisture conditions rather than operating on fixed timing.
3Ease of operation
If preset dryness levels with stored target moisture content are implemented, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to memory and programming requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-stores optimal target moisture levels for different fabric types and drying conditions in memory. This preliminary preparation of data allows users to simply select from preset options without needing to understand or program complex parameters, improving ease of operation while managing device complexity through efficient use of memory storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The programmable dryness level selector serves multiple functions: it stores target moisture levels, provides user interface for selection, and interfaces with the control system. This multi-functionality consolidates what could be separate complex components into a single integrated unit, improving ease of operation while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
4Loss of information
If real-time moisture content display is added to the dryer, then the loss of information is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to additional sensors and display components
Solution Approach 1:
The display system provides continuous visual feedback showing the current moisture level and its relationship to the target level. This feedback mechanism eliminates information loss by making moisture content visible to users in real-time, while the integrated sensor-display system manages complexity through coordinated operation of components rather than separate independent systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of controlling a clothes dryer (10) includes offering one or more preset dryness levels that may be selected using a programmable dryness level selector (50) to establish a drying cycle (54). 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 (10) and displaying the remaining moisture content of the load of fabric to a user. The method further includes automatically stopping the clothes dryer (10) using a controller (46) 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.