Clothes Dryer Moisture Control for Variable Load and Air Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current clothes dryers inaccurately determine dryness levels due to variations in load size and air flow conditions, leading to over- or under-drying of clothing.
Innovation Solution
A clothes dryer system that includes load size and air flow parameter generating modules, which provide input parameters to a processor to select a target moisture value, adjusting for different load sizes and air flow conditions to accurately control the drying cycle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a predetermined target voltage is used for dryness detection, then the drying control is simple, but the dryness detection accuracy deteriorates due to variations in load size and air flow conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the target voltage adaptive rather than fixed. The control system dynamically adjusts the target voltage based on detected load size and air flow conditions, allowing the drying control to respond to varying operating conditions while maintaining simple overall system architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of target voltage from a static predetermined value to a dynamic value that varies according to load size and air flow conditions. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction by enabling accurate dryness detection across different operating scenarios without significantly complicating the control system
2Device complexity
If the target voltage is set for average load size, then the control system is simple, but the drying performance deteriorates for small or large loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting load size and air flow conditions before the drying cycle begins, then pre-adjusting the target voltage accordingly. This advance preparation ensures optimal drying performance for the specific load conditions without adding complex real-time adjustments during operation
Solution Approach 2:
The control system changes the target voltage parameter based on pre-detected load size and air flow conditions, ensuring reliable drying performance across different load scenarios while maintaining simple control logic through predefined adjustment rules
3Device complexity
If the moisture sensor is mounted at the front of the dryer drum, then the structure is simple, but the dryness detection accuracy deteriorates due to air flow influencing clothing contact frequency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by using the detected air flow conditions to adjust the target voltage, compensating for the positional bias of the front-mounted sensor. The system continuously monitors air flow and load size, then feeds this information back to adjust the drying control parameters, ensuring accurate dryness detection despite the sensor's fixed position
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces air flow detection and load size detection as intermediary elements that mediate between the fixed sensor position and the drying control. These intermediaries provide additional information that allows the system to compensate for the sensor's positional limitations and achieve accurate dryness detection
Data Source
AI summary
A clothes dryer has a degree of dryness control system that is responsive to moisture level of clothing articles tumbling in a drum and a target moisture value to control the drying cycle of the clothes dryer. The clothes dryer has a load size parameter producing module and an air flow detection parameter module. These modules generate one of two parameter conditions used by the processor to modify or select an appropriate moisture target value. The load size producing parameter module generates one of a small load input parameter and a large load input parameter. The air flow detection module produces one of a first and second air flow parameter to be utilized by the degree of dryness processor. As a result, the processor selects one of four target moisture values from these conditions.