Patent ID: 12252837

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

As used herein, terms of approximation, such as “generally,” or “about” include values within ten percent greater or less than the stated value. When used in the context of an angle or direction, such terms include within ten degrees greater or less than the stated angle or direction. For example, “generally vertical” includes directions within ten degrees of vertical in any direction, e.g., clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Turning now to the figures,FIG.1provides a perspective view of dryer appliance10according to one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.FIG.2provides another perspective view of dryer appliance10with a portion of a cabinet or housing12of dryer appliance10removed in order to show certain components of dryer appliance10. Dryer appliance10generally defines a vertical direction V, a lateral direction L, and a transverse direction T, each of which is mutually perpendicular, such that an orthogonal coordinate system is defined. While described in the context of a specific embodiment of dryer appliance10, using the teachings disclosed herein, it will be understood that dryer appliance10is provided by way of example only. Other dryer appliances having different appearances and different features may also be utilized with the present subject matter as well.

Cabinet12includes a front panel14, a rear panel16, a pair of side panels18and20spaced apart from each other by front and rear panels14and16, a bottom panel22, and a top cover24. Within cabinet12, an interior volume29is defined. A drum or container26is mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis within the interior volume29. Drum26defines a chamber25for receipt of articles of clothing for tumbling and/or drying. Drum26extends between a front portion37and a back portion38. Drum26also includes a back or rear wall34, e.g., at back portion38of drum26. A supply duct41may be mounted to rear wall34and receives heated air that has been heated by a heating assembly or system40.

As used herein, the terms “clothing” or “articles” includes but need not be limited to fabrics, textiles, garments, linens, papers, or other items from which the extraction of moisture is desirable. Furthermore, the term “load” or “laundry load” refers to the combination of clothing that may be washed together in a washing machine or dried together in a dryer appliance10(e.g., clothes dryer) and may include a mixture of different or similar articles of clothing of different or similar types and kinds of fabrics, textiles, garments and linens within a particular laundering process.

A motor31is provided in some embodiments to rotate drum26about the horizontal axis, e.g., via a pulley and a belt (not pictured). Drum26is generally cylindrical in shape, having an outer cylindrical wall28and a front flange or wall30that defines an opening32of drum26, e.g., at front portion37of drum26, for loading and unloading of articles into and out of chamber25of drum26. A plurality of lifters or baffles27are provided within chamber25of drum26to lift articles therein and then allow such articles to tumble back to a bottom of drum26as drum26rotates. Baffles27may be mounted to drum26such that baffles27rotate with drum26during operation of dryer appliance10.

Drum26includes a rear wall34rotatably supported within main housing12by a suitable fixed bearing. Rear wall34can be fixed or can be rotatable. Rear wall34may include, for instance, a plurality of holes that receive hot air that has been heated by a heating assembly or system40, as will be described further below. Motor31is also in mechanical communication with an air handler48such that motor31rotates a fan49, e.g., a centrifugal fan, of air handler48. Air handler48is configured for drawing air through chamber25of drum26, e.g., in order to dry articles located therein. In alternative example embodiments, dryer appliance10may include an additional motor (not shown) for rotating fan49of air handler48independently of drum26.

Drum26is configured to receive heated air that has been heated by a heating assembly40, e.g., via holes in the rear wall34as mentioned above, in order to dry damp articles disposed within chamber25of drum26. For example, heating assembly40may include a heating element (not shown), such as a gas burner, an electrical resistance heating element, or heat pump, for heating air. In particular embodiments, the heating assembly40may be or include an electric heater comprising a plurality of electric resistance heating elements with a plurality of relays for selectively providing or obstructing electrical power to the heating elements, such as two relays which permit operation of the heating assembly40at various power levels, such as 50% power when only one of two relays is closed. As discussed above, during operation of dryer appliance10, motor31rotates drum26and fan49of air handler48such that air handler48draws air through chamber25of drum26when motor31rotates fan49. In particular, ambient air enters heating assembly40via an inlet51due to air handler48urging such ambient air into inlet51. Such ambient air is heated within heating assembly40and exits heating assembly40as heated air. Air handler48draws such heated air through supply duct41to drum26. The heated air enters drum26through a plurality of outlets of supply duct41positioned at rear wall34of drum26.

Within chamber25, the heated air may accumulate moisture, e.g., from damp clothing disposed within chamber25. In turn, air handler48draws moisture-saturated air through a screen filter (not shown) which traps lint particles. Such moisture-statured air then enters an exit duct46and is passed through air handler48to an exhaust duct52. From exhaust duct52, such moisture-statured air passes out of dryer appliance10through a vent53defined by cabinet12. After the clothing articles have been dried, they are removed from the drum26via opening32. A door33(FIG.1) provides for closing or accessing drum26through opening32. The door33may be movable between an open position and a closed position, the open position for access to the chamber25defined in the drum26, and the closed position for sealingly enclosing the chamber25defined in the drum26.

In some embodiments, one or more selector inputs70, such as knobs, buttons, touchscreen interfaces, etc., may be provided or mounted on a cabinet12(e.g., on a backsplash71of the cabinet12) and are in operable communication (e.g., electrically coupled or coupled through a wireless network band) with a processing device or controller100. A display56may also be provided on the backsplash71and may also be in operable communication with the controller100. Controller100may also be provided in operable communication with motor31, air handler48, and/or heating assembly40. In turn, signals generated in controller100direct operation of motor31, air handler48, and/or heating assembly40in response to the position of inputs70. In the example illustrated inFIG.2, the inputs70are provided as knobs. In other embodiments, inputs70may also or instead include buttons, switches, touchpads and/or a touch screen type interface.

Controller100is a “processing device” or “controller” and may be embodied as described herein. As used herein, “processing device” or “controller” may refer to one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICS), or semiconductor devices and is not restricted necessarily to a single element. The controller100may be programmed to operate dryer appliance10by executing instructions stored in memory (e.g., non-transitory media). The controller100may include, or be associated with, one or more memory elements such as RAM, ROM, or electrically erasable, programmable read only memory (EEPROM). For example, the instructions may be software or any set of instructions that when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations. Controller100may include one or more processor(s) and associated memory device(s) configured to perform a variety of computer-implemented functions and/or instructions (e.g. performing the methods, steps, calculations and the like and storing relevant data as disclosed herein). It should be noted that controllers as disclosed herein are capable of and may be operable to perform any methods and associated method steps as disclosed herein. For example, in some embodiments, methods disclosed herein may be embodied in programming instructions stored in the memory and executed by the controller.

In some exemplary embodiments, the dryer appliance10may include one or more temperature sensors, such as inlet temperature sensor43and/or outlet temperature sensor47. The temperature sensor(s) may be in operative communication with the controller100. For example, in various embodiments, the controller100may be operable to detect, measure, and/or monitor one or more temperatures within the dryer appliance10. Such temperatures which may be detected, measured, and/or monitored include, for example, an inlet temperature measured with the inlet temperature sensor43and/or an outlet temperature measured with the outlet temperature sensor47. The temperature sensors43and47may be, in some embodiments, thermistors.

FIG.3provides a graph of cumulative total energy supplied to a load of articles in a dryer appliance, such as the exemplary dryer appliance10ofFIGS.1and2. The example dryer appliance of which a dry cycle is illustrated inFIG.3includes two heating elements in the heating system, and the operation of the heating elements is simplified to either fully on or off, e.g., when neither heating element is activated the relay activation percentage is zero, when one heating element is activated the relay activation percentage is fifty, and when both heating elements are activated the relay activation percentage is one hundred. In particular, one of two heating elements being activated at full power equals fifty percent, and both heating elements being activated each at full power equals one hundred percent for the heating system as a whole. In other embodiments, the heating system may be operable over a wider range of percentages, such as (up to and including) infinitely variable between zero percent and one hundred percent. For example, the heating system may include any number of heating elements, and the heating element or elements may be operable over a more variable range, such as with a solid state relay, whereby the heating element(s) may be operable at any level (percentage) between and including zero percent and one hundred percent. Thus, the exemplary line700inFIG.3which represents power level, e.g., relay activation percentage, increments in steps between zero, fifty, and one hundred percent, but such discrete increments are by way of example only and for purposes of simplicity. Further, line700tracks the on time and off time, e.g., the duty cycle, of the heating system throughout the dry cycle.FIG.3also includes a line800which represents the cumulative total energy supplied to the load of articles in the dryer over the course of the cycle, e.g., in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

Turning now toFIG.4, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure also include methods of operating a dryer appliance, where the dryer appliance may be, but is not limited to, the exemplary dryer appliance10ofFIGS.1and2. In particular,FIG.4illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary method400of operating a dryer appliance.

As shown inFIG.4, the exemplary method400may include a step410of activating a heating system of the dryer appliance. For example, the heating system may be activated according to a predetermined startup routine, such as prior to a user-selected dry cycle of the dryer appliance. The step410may include activating the heating system of the dryer appliance at various power levels, e.g., percentages, such as those described above and illustrated inFIG.3, during and throughout the startup routine. Further, in some embodiments, the startup routine may be performed for a predetermined amount of time, such as a startup time, e.g., step410may include activating the heating system for the startup time. In various embodiments, the startup time may be about fifteen minutes or less, such as about ten minutes or less, such as about five minutes or less, such as about two minutes or less.

Method400may also include a step420of tracking an energy output of the heating system. The energy output may be tracked, e.g., as described above with reference toFIG.3, and in particular to line800inFIG.3. In some embodiments, the energy output may be tracked as part of the startup routine, e.g., during the startup time.

As illustrated inFIG.4, method400may further includes a step430of determining a load score of a load of articles to be dried in the dryer appliance based on the tracked energy output. The load score may correspond to or reflect a load type and/or load size of the load of articles in the dryer appliance, and may also be representative of installation conditions of the dryer appliance, such as airflow rate, which may influence the moisture removal (drying) rate of the load of articles in the dryer appliance. The load type may, for example, include a fabric type or composition of the articles in the load of articles, such as natural fibers, e.g., cotton, or synthetic fibers, e.g., polyester, etc. The load size may generally include the mass of the load of articles, such as in pounds or kilograms.

In some embodiments, the load score may also be based on a temperature rise. For example, the temperature rise may be measured at an outlet from a drum of the dryer appliance, such as with outlet temperature sensor, e.g., thermistor,47(FIG.2) described above. In particular embodiments, the rate of temperature rise relative to the energy provided to the drum may be a function of and/or proportional to a thermal mass of the load of articles in the drum, such that the load score based on the energy output from the heating system and the resultant temperature rise may be reflective of the size, type, and/or remaining moisture content of the load of articles, where each of the foregoing characteristics of the load of articles may influence the thermal mass thereof. Additionally, in some embodiments, the temperature rise may be a smoothed temperature rise. For example, the temperature rise may be simplified by looking only at the starting and ending temperatures during the startup routine, or by using any suitable number of discrete temperatures during the startup routine, rather than continuously monitored instantaneous temperature values throughout the startup routine. For example, the temperature rise may be smoothed over a predefined time interval, such as about sixty seconds, such as about ninety seconds, such as about one hundred seconds.

In some embodiments, the load score may be used to inform an estimated completion of a dry operation in the dryer appliance. Thus, in some exemplary embodiments, method400may also include a step440of determining a termination criterion for a dry operation of the dryer appliance based on the load score. For example, the termination criterion may be an estimated total energy required to dry the load of articles based on the load score, and the termination criterion for the dry operation may be a total energy output, where the total energy output during the dry cycle may be tracked similarly to as described above regarding the startup time and/or with reference toFIG.3. In additional embodiments, the termination criterion may also or instead include a sensor dry setpoint. For example, the sensor dry setpoint may be a humidity level or moisture content of exhaust from the drum, e.g., measured by a sensor at the outlet similar to the outlet temperature sensor described above. Also by way of example, the sensor dry setpoint may also or instead include a temperature level which may be measured by one or both of the inlet temperature sensor and the outlet temperature sensor. In another example, the sensor dry setpoint may also or instead include a moisture content or moisture level sensed by moisture sensing rods.

After the startup routine, e.g., after the load score has been determined and the termination criterion derived therefrom, the method400may then include performing the dry operation for which the termination criterion was determined, which may be a user-selected dry cycle, such as the termination criterion may be determined in order to achieve a user-selected level of dryness for the dry cycle, e.g., as illustrated at step450inFIG.4. Also, as illustrated at460inFIG.4, the dry cycle may then be terminated when the determined termination criterion is reached.

In some embodiments, determining the termination criterion may include comparing the load score to a threshold. In such embodiments, determining the termination criterion may further include applying a first termination criterion when the load score is less than the threshold and applying second termination criterion different from the first termination criterion when the load score is greater than the threshold. In various embodiments, multiple thresholds and a corresponding number of different termination criteria may be used.

In some embodiments, tracking the energy output may include tracking a nominal power of the heating system and a duty cycle of the heating system. For example, tracking the energy output may include tracking at what power level, e.g., percentage, the heating system is activated. The power level, e.g., percentage, may be multiplied by the nominal power (e.g., in kilowatts) of the heating system. Tracking the energy output may also include tracking for how long the heating system is on (e.g., the duty cycle of the heating system).

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.