Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5555641
Timestamp: 2017-10-19 00:48:52
Document Index: 128904752

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 7', 'art 8', 'art 9', 'art 10', 'art 100', 'art 102', 'art 100', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 108', 'art 102', 'art 112', 'art 113', 'art 114', 'art 112', 'art 113', 'art 114', 'art 110']

Patent US5555641 - Device and method for controlling drying period of time of a laundry dryer - Google Patents
This invention relates to a control of drying period of time of a laundry dryer which is provided to use the microwave generated from a magnetron and the heat generated from a heater efficiently, and allows to dry every nook and corner of laundry within a short period of time by utilizing that the dielectric...http://www.google.com/patents/US5555641?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5555641 - Device and method for controlling drying period of time of a laundry dryer
Publication number US5555641 A
Application number US 08/179,869
Publication number 08179869, 179869, US 5555641 A, US 5555641A, US-A-5555641, US5555641 A, US5555641A
Inventors In K. Lee
US 5555641 A
This invention relates to a control of drying period of time of a laundry dryer which is provided to use the microwave generated from a magnetron and the heat generated from a heater efficiently, and allows to dry every nook and corner of laundry within a short period of time by utilizing that the dielectric loss coefficient of water compared with that of textile is greater only using the microwave of the magnetron in the initial stage of drying operation, and allows to prevent damages to clothes as well as a uniform drying by carrying out drying operation altering the heat source from the microwave to heater and vice versa permitting to dry uniformly due to the steam of the textile flowing smoothly on progression of the drying operation, and improvement of dryness by using only the heat of the heater again within the drying finish section.
1. A method for controlling drying period of time of a laundry dryer comprising:
a preheat drying process for carrying out drying operations by driving a magnetron and a motor until a temperature difference between a first air temperature of a high temperature and high humid air in a drum and a second air temperature after a dehumidification and cooling becomes constant in the drying operation;
an equilibrium drying process for carrying out drying operation until the temperature difference between the first air temperature and the second air temperature rises by turning on/off the magnetron and a heater alternatively when the temperature difference between the first air temperature and the second air temperature is constant;
a drying finish process for carrying out the drying operation by turning off the magnetron while driving the heater only when the air temperature difference between the first air temperature and the second air temperature starts to rise and finishing the drying operation when the risen air temperature difference reaches to a preset air temperature differences preset according to a quantity of the laundry;
wherein the alternative turn on/off period of time of the magnetron and the heater in the equilibrium drying process is different; and
wherein the period of a turn-on time of the heater is set longer than the period of the turn-on time of a magnetron.
2. A device for controlling drying period of time of a laundry dryer comprising:
analogue/digital converting means for converting analogue signals for a sensed internal drum temperature, discharging air temperature after a dehumidification and a cooling, and environmental temperature into digital signals;
system control means for controlling all system operations in response to output signals from the analogue/digital converting means;
load driving means for supplying driving power switched by the system control means;
a high voltage transformer for elevating an input power voltage to a required high voltage by the driving power of the load driving means;
a magnetron controlled by the load driving means for generating microwave by means of the high voltage of the high voltage transformer;
a cooling fan directly coupled to a motor which is also driving a drum for drawing-in and cooling heat from the high voltage transformer and the magnetron;
heat transfer means for transferring the microwave generated in the magnetron to laundry in the drum;
3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the heat transfer means includes a waveguide and a transparent plate transmitting the microwave generated in the magnetron to laundry in the drum.
4. A method for controlling drying period of time of a laundry dryer comprising:
a preheat drying process for carrying out a drying operation for drying a quantity of laundry by driving a magnetron and a motor until a temperature difference between a first air temperature of a high temperature and high humid air in a drum and a second air temperature after a dehumidification and cooling becomes constant in the drying operation;
an equilibrium drying process for carrying out the drying operation until the temperature difference between the first air temperature and the second air temperature rises by a turning on/off of the magnetron and a heater alternatively when the temperature difference between the first air temperature and the second air temperature is constant, the turning on/off producing an on cycle time of the magnetron alternating with an on cycle time of the heater, the on cycle time of the heater set to have a longer duration than the on cycle time of the magnetron; and
a drying finish process for carrying out the drying operation by turning off the magnetron while driving the heater only when the air temperature difference between the first air temperature and the second air temperature starts to rise and finishing the drying operation when the risen air temperature difference reaches to a preset air temperature differences preset according to the quantity of the laundry.
This invention relates to a control of drying period of time of a laundry dryer, more particularly to a device and method for controlling drying period of time of a laundry dryer which is provided to use the microwave generated from a magnetron and the heat generated from a heater efficiently.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional laundry dryer includes a function control part 7 provided on the front surface of outcase 3 having a power switch 4 and a run/pause button 5 to input the function of a laundry dryer, a motor 6 mounted on the upper part of inside the outcase rotating a drum 1 according to the switching of the power switch 4 and the run/pause switch 5, a heater 2 mounted on a side inside of the outcase 3 for drying laundry, a drum temperature sensing part 8 provided outside of the drum 1 for sensing the inside temperature of the drum 1, a heat exchange fan 11 installed inside of the outcase 3, driven by the motor 6, cooling moist laden warm air inside of the outcase 3 by drawing in outside air through an air drawing in hole 15 and discharging warm air drawn from inside of the drum 1 to a discharge hole 14 in a drying passage 13, a discharge air temperature sensing part 9 sensing a discharge air temperature of the air discharged to the drying passage 13 of the outcase 3, an environment temperature sensing part 10 provided rear of the heat exchanger fan 11 sensing the temperature of the air drawn from the environment, a filter 12 filtering the air drawn-in from outside by the heat exchange fan 11 and a door 16 provided on the front of the outcase 3 for taking out laundry therethrough.
The object of this invention is to provide a device and method for controlling drying period of time of a laundry dryer which can shorten drying period of time by improving heat efficiency utilizing microwave.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic outside view of a conventional laundry dryer.
FIG. 4 shows an overall outside view of a laundry dryer in accordance with this invention including a key pad 101 for input of various functions in drying operation, a system control part 100 for controlling all system functions of the laundry dryer in response to the key signals of the key pad 101, a lead operation part 102 for supplying operation power to each loads switched by the control signals of the system control part 100, a high voltage transformer 103 mounted on an upper part inside of an outcase 110 for elevating a input power voltage to a high voltage by the operation power voltage of the lead operation part 102, a motor 105 mounted on the upper part inside of the outcase 110 for rotating a drum 107 by transmission of a rotating power thereto through a pulley 105a thereon motivated by the operation power voltage of the lead operation part 102, a magnetron 104 for generating microwave controlled by the lead operation part 102 and driven by the high voltage of the high voltage transformer, a heat transfer part 108 having a waveguide 108a and a transparent plate 108b transmitting the microwave generated in the magnetron 104 to the laundry in the drum 107, a cooling fan 106 for drawing-in and cooling heats of the high voltage transformer 103 and the magnetron 104 rotated by the motor 105, a heater 111 for drying the laundry in the drum 107 driven by the operation power voltage of the lead operation part 102, a drum temperature sensing part 112 provided outside of the drum 107 for sensing inside temperature of the drum 107, a heat exchange fan 109 mounted in the outcase 110 for cooling moist laden warm air in the outcase 111 by drawing-in outside air through an air drawing-in hole 119 and discharging warm air from the drum 107 to a discharge hole 117 in a drying passage 115 driven by the motor 105, a discharge air temperature sensing part 113 for sensing an air temperature of the air discharged to the drying passage 115 of the outcase 110 after a dehumidification and cooling, a filter 116 for filtering the environment air drawn-in by the heat exchange fan 109, an environment temperature sensing part 114 for sensing an environment temperature drawn-in by the heat exchange fan 109, an analogue/digital converting pan 118 for converting analogue signals of the sensed air temperatures by the drum temperature sensing part 112, the discharge air temperature sensing part 113 and the environment temperature sensing part 114 into digital signals to input to the system control part 110 and a door 120 provided in the front surface of the outcase for putting in and taking out the laundry of the drum 107.
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U.S. Classification 34/261, 34/495, 34/486
International Classification D06F58/26, D06F58/28, D06F58/02
Cooperative Classification D06F58/266, D06F58/28, D06F2058/2829
European Classification D06F58/28, D06F58/26M
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:LEE, IN KYU;REEL/FRAME:006930/0180