US 10,472,761 B2 · Self-calibrating automatic controller to determine end of cycle and track dryer cycle efficiency

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling the drying cycle in a clothes dryer. The dryer controller measures differences between air inlet temperature and temperature of an air outlet, drum, and/or drum contents, from which it first estimates water weight of original drum contents based on changes in this temperature differential over a first period of time. A first dryness threshold is later reached when the amount of remaining water estimated by the temperature difference profiling reaches a threshold. A cooling cycle is then performed, followed by an estimation of remaining drying cycle time from estimating remaining water based on temperature differentials. The heater is then switched back on for the remaining time, after which a cooling cycle is preferably performed before ending the dryer cycle.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for controlling a drying cycle in a clothes dryer, comprising:

(a) a clothes dryer having a drum, drum motor mechanically coupled for spinning the drum, at least one heating element for heating air received through an air inlet into the drum and an air output for air leaving the drum;
(b) a first temperature sensor configured to sense temperature of air entering the drum through the air inlet;
(c) at least a second temperature sensor configured to sense temperature of outlet air, the drum, and/or drum contents;
(d) a hardware processor-based controller coupled to receive inputs from said first temperature sensor and at least said second temperature sensor, and instructions stored in non-transitory memory executable by the controller to control operation of the drum motor and heater element according to steps comprising:
(d)(i) determining a temperature differential between said first temperature sensor and at least said second temperature sensor;
and
(d)(ii) operating the heating element based on estimating weight of drum contents at multiple periods based on changes in said temperature differential to control the length of the drying cycle.

4 more elements

An apparatus for controlling a drying cycle in a clothes dryer, comprising:

(a) a clothes dryer having a drum, drum motor mechanically coupled for spinning the drum, at least one heating element for heating air received through an air inlet into the drum and an air outlet for exhausting air from the drum to an outside vent or to a heat exchanger;
(b) a first temperature sensor configured to sense temperature of air entering the drum through the air inlet;
(c) at least a second temperature sensor configured to sense temperature of outlet air, the drum, and/or drum contents;
(d) a hardware processor-based controller coupled to receive inputs from said first temperature sensor and said second temperature sensor, and instructions stored in non-transitory memory executable by the controller to control operation of the drum motor and heater element according to steps comprising:
(d)(i) determining a temperature differential between said first temperature sensor and at least said second temperature sensor;
(d)(ii) estimating weight of original drum contents based on changes in said temperature differential over a first period of time;
(d)(iii) continuing the clothes drying cycle operating both the heating element and drum motor;
(d)(iv) estimating that remaining water weight in the drum has dropped below a first threshold level;
(d)(v) running the dryer in a cool down period with drum motor running but with the heating element inactive;
(d)(vi) turning on the heating element;
(d)(vii) determining a remaining drying time based on estimated drum content water weight;
and
(d)(viii) operating the heating element and drum motor for said remaining drying time.

10 more elements

An apparatus for controlling a drying cycle in a clothes dryer, comprising:

(a) a clothes dryer having a drum, drum motor mechanically coupled for spinning the drum, at least one heating element for heating air received through an air inlet into the drum and an air outlet for exhausting air from the drum to an outside vent or to a heat exchanger;
(b) a first temperature sensor configured to sense temperature of air entering the drum through the air inlet;
(c) at least a second temperature sensor configured to sense temperature of outlet air, the drum, and/or drum contents;
(d) a dryer controller circuit having a computer processor coupled for receiving inputs from said first temperature sensor and at least said second temperature sensor, and for controlling operation of the drum motor and heater element;
and
(e) a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions executable by the computer processor;
(f) wherein said instructions, when executed by the computer processor, perform steps comprising:
(f)(i) determining a temperature differential between said first temperature sensor and at least said second temperature sensor;
and
(f)(ii) operating the heating element based on estimating weight of drum contents at multiple periods based on changes in said temperature differential to control the length of the drying cycle.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Self-calibrating automatic controller to determine end of cycle and track dryer cycle efficiency

Life of this patent

Self-calibrating automatic controller to determine end of cycle and track dryer cycle efficiency

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20