Washing machine dry cycle efficacy prediction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing washing machines take excessively long times to dry loads or fail to dry them adequately, particularly for larger loads, due to inefficient ventilation features.

Innovation Solution

A method and appliance that monitor humidity during a drying cycle by rotating the wash basket and determine the slope of humidity change over time, providing a user notification if the slope is below a minimum threshold.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If ventilation features are used to dry articles in a washing machine appliance, then drying capability is provided, but the drying process takes excessively long time and may not dry articles to desired extent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying efficacyVSAvoiddrying cycle duration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system monitors humidity levels during the drying cycle and calculates the slope of humidity change over time. When the slope falls below a threshold indicating insufficient drying progress, the system provides feedback to the user through notifications, enabling real-time assessment and intervention to ensure reliable drying results.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary assessment of drying efficacy by monitoring humidity trends during the drying cycle. By calculating the slope of humidity change and comparing it against thresholds, the system can predict whether the drying cycle will achieve desired results before completion, allowing users to take preliminary actions if underdrying is detected.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Quantity of substance

If drying cycle is run on larger loads in a washing machine appliance, then more articles can be dried, but the result is underdrying or suboptimal drying performance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload sizeVSAvoiddrying performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors humidity levels during the drying cycle and calculates the rate of change. When the slope of humidity change indicates that drying progress is insufficient for the current load size, the system provides feedback notifications to the user, enabling them to assess whether the load size is appropriate for achieving reliable drying results.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual assessment of drying performance with automated humidity monitoring and slope calculation. By using sensor data and computational analysis, the system objectively determines whether drying efficacy is sufficient, eliminating the need for users to manually check drying progress and make judgment calls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If drying cycle is extended to ensure complete drying of larger loads, then drying efficacy improves, but time consumption increases excessively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying completenessVSAvoiddrying cycle time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of drying completion by monitoring humidity trends and calculating slopes during the drying cycle. When the slope indicates sufficient drying progress, the system can predict that the drying cycle will achieve complete drying, allowing users to confidently stop or interrupt the cycle without compromising drying completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system autonomously monitors and assesses drying progress through humidity sensing and slope calculation, providing self-service evaluation of drying completeness. The system generates notifications that enable users to make informed decisions about cycle termination, eliminating the need for extended fixed-duration cycles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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

Enables timely detection of inadequate drying, allowing for user intervention to prevent underdrying or energy waste by predicting drying efficacy without interrupting the cycle.

Implementation Method 1

a humidity sensor configured for detecting a humidity within the wash basket during the rotation of the wash basket

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHumidity sensing: Hygrometer

Implementation Method 2

rotating the wash basket may include drawing a flow of ambient air through the aperture from the ambient environment into the wash basket

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 3

rotating the wash basket may include drawing a flow of ambient air through the aperture from the ambient environment into the wash basket

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS12618190B2Washing machine dry cycle efficacy prediction

Publication Date: 2026.05.05 HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

A method of operating a washing machine appliance includes rotating a wash basket within the washing machine appliance and monitoring a humidity for a period of time while rotating the wash basket. The method also includes determining a slope of the monitored humidity over the period of time. In response to the determined slope being less than a minimum threshold, the method includes providing a user notification.