Laundry treating appliance having sensors, and methods of operation
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorRoy E. Masters
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to an automatic cycle of operation includes a cabinet defining a cabinet interior. A drum is rotatable within the cabinet interior, and at least partially defines a treating chamber. The treating chamber has a treating chamber air inlet and a treating chamber air outlet. A drying air circuit is fluidly coupled to the treating chamber air inlet and to the treating chamber air outlet. The laundry treating appliance can include first and second air temperature sensors, at least a first humidity sensor, and a controller operably coupled with the sensors.
Claims20
A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to an automatic cycle of operation, the laundry treating appliance comprising:
- a cabinet defining a cabinet interior;
- a drum, rotatable within the cabinet interior, and at least partially defining a treating chamber, the treating chamber having a treating chamber air inlet and a treating chamber air outlet;
- a drying air circuit fluidly coupled to the treating chamber air inlet and to the treating chamber air outlet;
- a first air temperature sensor provided in the drying air circuit and outputting a first signal indicative of an inlet air temperature of drying air in the drying air circuit that flows through the treating chamber air inlet;
- a second air temperature sensor provided in the drying air circuit and outputting a second signal indicative of an outlet air temperature of the drying air exiting the treating chamber air outlet;
- at least a first humidity sensor provided in the drying air circuit and outputting a third signal indicative of an inlet air humidity value of the drying air entering the treating chamber air inlet;
- and
- a controller estimating an air flow rate through the drying air circuit, and further operably coupled with the first and second air temperature sensors and the first humidity sensor to receive and process the first, second, and third signals and the estimated air flow rate to determine an outlet air humidity value of the drying air exiting the treating chamber air outlet and to estimate a remaining drying time for the laundry based on the determined outlet air humidity value.
A method of operating a laundry treating appliance with a treating chamber for treating a load of laundry according to a drying cycle of operation, the method comprising:
- supplying, by a drying air circuit, drying air to the treating chamber during the drying cycle of operation;
- sensing, with a first air temperature sensor provided in the drying air circuit, a first signal indicative of an inlet air temperature of the drying air in the drying air circuit that flows through a treating chamber air inlet;
- sensing, with a second air temperature sensor provided in the drying air circuit, a second signal indicative of an outlet air temperature of the drying air exiting a treating chamber air outlet;
- sensing, with at least a first humidity sensor provided in the drying air circuit, a third signal indicative of an inlet air humidity value of the drying air entering the treating chamber air inlet;
- estimating, by a controller, an air flow rate through the treating chamber;
- determining, by the controller, an outlet air humidity value based on the first, second, and third signals and the estimated air flow rate;
- and
- estimating, by the controller, a remaining drying time for the load of laundry based on the determined outlet air humidity value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.