Washing Machine Humidity-Based Drying Cycle Termination Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing washing machine drying cycles are often inefficient, taking too long and may not fully dry loads, due to reliance on fixed time-based methods rather than moisture content monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves rotating the wash basket within the washing machine while monitoring humidity and estimating remaining moisture content, terminating the drying cycle when the humidity reaches a threshold or the moisture content meets a dry threshold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a fixed predetermined run time is used for the drying cycle, then the drying process is simple to control, but the drying time is excessively long and articles are not dried to the desired extent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by using a humidity sensor to continuously monitor the humidity level within the washing machine appliance during the drying cycle. The controller receives this humidity information and automatically terminates the drying cycle when a predetermined humidity threshold is reached, replacing fixed time-based control with adaptive moisture-based control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from fixed time duration to dynamic humidity level. By monitoring humidity as the controlling parameter and setting termination based on humidity threshold rather than time threshold, the system adapts to varying moisture conditions of different laundry loads, reducing drying time while ensuring adequate dryness.
2Device complexity
If a fixed predetermined run time is used for the drying cycle, then the control system is simple, but the drying effectiveness is insufficient and user awareness of completion is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The controller continuously receives feedback from the humidity sensor during the drying cycle and automatically terminates drying when the humidity threshold is met. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable drying effectiveness and provides clear completion signals to users through the display interface, eliminating uncertainty about drying status.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical/time-based control with electronic sensor-based control. A humidity sensor electronically monitors moisture levels and communicates with the controller, substituting the mechanical timer approach with an electronic sensing and control system that provides more reliable and adaptive drying termination.
3Adaptability or versatility
If ventilation features are used to dry articles, then air exchange between wash tub and ambient environment is enabled, but the drying process takes excessively long time
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses humidity sensor feedback to monitor the effectiveness of ventilation-based drying in real-time. By continuously measuring humidity levels during the ventilation drying process, the controller can determine when the predetermined humidity threshold is reached and terminate the cycle, preventing excessively long drying times while maintaining the adaptability of ventilation features.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the drying cycle duration dynamic rather than fixed. The drying time adapts based on the actual moisture conditions of the laundry load and environmental factors, allowing the ventilation features to operate efficiently for the precise duration needed to achieve the target humidity level, thereby reducing unnecessary 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 ensures that washing machine loads are dried to the desired level of dryness, optimizing energy use and reducing drying time by focusing on actual moisture levels rather than fixed time intervals.
Implementation Method 1
a humidity sensor operable to measure a humidity within the washing machine appliance
Implementation Method 2
drying the load of articles in the washing machine appliance by rotating the wash basket within the washing machine appliance
Data Source
AI summary
A method of drying a load of articles in a wash basket of a washing machine appliance includes rotating the wash basket within the washing machine appliance. The method may also include monitoring a humidity within the washing machine appliance while rotating the wash basket and comparing the monitored humidity within the washing machine appliance to a humidity threshold. The method may also include estimating a remaining moisture content of the load of articles. The method further includes terminating the drying in response to at least one of the monitored humidity and the estimated remaining moisture content.