Laundry treating appliance having sensors, and methods of operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laundry treating appliances lack precise control over drying cycles, leading to inefficiencies in estimating the remaining drying time and dryness level of laundry loads, often relying on imprecise sensors like moisture strips that lose accuracy as moisture levels decrease.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a system with first and second air temperature sensors and at least one humidity sensor in the drying air circuit, coupled with a controller that estimates air flow rate to determine outlet air humidity and calculate evaporation rates, dryness levels, and remaining drying time, potentially using a second humidity sensor for enhanced precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional moisture sensors (moisture strips) are used to detect dryness level, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates as moisture levels decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces air temperature and humidity sensors as intermediary measurement points in the drying air circuit. By measuring the air conditions before and after it passes through the laundry, the system indirectly determines the dryness level and evaporation rate without requiring direct contact with the laundry, thus maintaining measurement precision while avoiding the limitations of traditional moisture strips
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical moisture strips with an electronic sensing system comprising temperature sensors and humidity sensors. This substitution enables continuous, precise measurement of drying conditions and automatic calculation of dryness level and remaining drying time, eliminating the accuracy degradation that occurs with moisture strips as moisture levels decrease
2Ease of operation
If pre-programmed drying cycles with fixed parameters are used, then the ease of operation is improved, but the adaptability to varying laundry loads and conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where the controller continuously receives data from temperature and humidity sensors, calculates the evaporation rate and dryness level, and automatically adjusts the drying cycle parameters. This feedback mechanism enables the system to adapt to varying laundry loads and environmental conditions while maintaining ease of operation through automatic control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms fixed, static drying cycles into dynamic, adaptive cycles. The system continuously monitors drying conditions and automatically adjusts operational parameters based on real-time measurements of air temperature, humidity, and calculated evaporation rates, enabling the drying cycle to dynamically adapt to varying laundry loads and conditions
3Productivity
If imprecise estimation methods are used for remaining drying time, then the device complexity is reduced, but the loss of time increases due to inefficient drying cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces empirical, imprecise estimation methods with a calculation-based system that uses temperature and humidity sensor data to determine evaporation rate. This substitution enables accurate real-time estimation of remaining drying time, improving drying cycle efficiency and reducing time loss without requiring complex additional hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses air temperature and humidity measurements as intermediary parameters to calculate evaporation rate and estimate remaining drying time. By measuring conditions in the drying air circuit and using these as proxies for laundry dryness, the system achieves accurate time estimation without direct measurement of laundry moisture, improving productivity while minimizing time loss
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
This approach provides improved accuracy and precision in determining the dryness level and remaining drying time of laundry loads, minimizing the need for additional sensors and maintaining effectiveness across varying moisture levels, thus optimizing drying cycles.
Implementation Method 1
a first air temperature sensor provided in the drying air circuit and outputting a first signal indicative of an inlet air temperature of drying air in the drying air circuit that flows through the treating chamber air inlet
Implementation Method 2
a second air temperature sensor provided in the drying air circuit and outputting a second signal indicative of an outlet air temperature of the drying air exiting the treating chamber air outlet
Implementation Method 3
at least a first humidity sensor provided in the drying air circuit and outputting a third signal indicative of an inlet air humidity value of the drying air entering the treating chamber air inlet
Implementation Method 4
a controller estimating an air flow rate through the drying air circuit, and further operably coupled with the first and second air temperature sensors and the first humidity sensor to receive and process the first, second, and third signals and the estimated air flow rate
Implementation Method 5
a heater and a blower are provided in the drying air circuit to supply heated drying air through the treating chamber to evaporate moisture from a load of laundry
Implementation Method 6
a heater and a blower are provided in the drying air circuit to supply heated drying air through the treating chamber
Implementation Method 7
In an open loop circuit, the blower can then move moisture-laden process air exiting the treating chamber to an exterior of the laundry treating appliance
Implementation Method 8
In a closed loop circuit, the moisture-laden process air can pass through a condenser to remove the moisture from the process air
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to an automatic cycle of operation includes a cabinet defining a cabinet interior. A drum is rotatable within the cabinet interior, and at least partially defines a treating chamber. The treating chamber has a treating chamber air inlet and a treating chamber air outlet. A drying air circuit is fluidly coupled to the treating chamber air inlet and to the treating chamber air outlet. The laundry treating appliance can include first and second air temperature sensors, at least a first humidity sensor, and a controller operably coupled with the sensors.