Patent ID: 8499472

Claim:
Household appliance for washing and/or drying clothes comprising: an outer casing ( 2 ) enclosing a drum adapted to be loaded with items to be washed and/or dried within said drum through a first treatment process, the outer casing ( 2 ) being provided with: a worktop ( 3 ) extending substantially horizontally over the drum, and heating means ( 7 ) for drying garments laid upon the worktop ( 3 ) through a second treatment process, said heating means ( 7 ) forming a heating layer mechanically connected to the household appliance; wherein said worktop ( 3 ) or said heating ( 7 ) means comprises: sensor means ( 8 ) adapted to detect a moisture content of said garments, said sensor means ( 8 ) being arranged so as to be covered by the garments laid upon the worktop ( 3 ) during a drying operation, wherein said sensor means ( 8 ) comprise a conductimetric sensor adapted to detect the electric conductivity value being measured between a plurality of adjacent conductive sections provided on the worktop ( 3 ) or the heating mat, as determined by the moisture content of the garment being laid upon the worktop ( 3 ) or the heating mat to dry, and control means being provided for operating said heating means ( 7 ) in said second treatment process in response to the moisture content being detected by said sensor means ( 8 ), said second treatment process being operable by the control means independently from the first treatment process.