# US 11,078,620 B2 · Dryer sensor rod with oriented tab > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,078,620 B2 - Document ID: US11078620B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/513,853 - Filed: 2019-07-17 - Published: 2021-01-21 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2019-07-17 - Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Applicants: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Inventors: Peter Hans Bensel; Robert V. MacDonald, III - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078620B2 ## CPC - D06F 34/26: Condition of the drying air, e.g. air humidity or temperature - D06F 58/30: Drying processes (controlling a series of operations in domestic laundry dryers D06F58/32) - D06F 58/02: having dryer drums rotating about a horizontal axis - D06F 58/38: of drying, e.g. to achieve the target humidity - D06F 2103/10: expressed as capacitance or resistance - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES ## Abstract A moisture sensor assembly for a dryer appliance includes a housing body having a divider wall, a first sensor rod, and a second sensor rod. The first and second sensor rods are positioned on the housing body. Each of the first and second sensor rods has a mounting tab. The mounting tab of the first sensor rod is positioned opposite the mounting tab of the first sensor rod about the divider wall of the housing body. The mounting tabs of the first and second sensor rods are oriented generally parallel to the divider wall. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dryer appliance, comprising: a drum rotatable about an axis and defining a chamber for receipt of articles for drying; a housing body positioned at the drum, the housing body having a divider wall; and a moisture sensor operable to measure moisture content of articles in the drum, the moisture sensor comprising a first sensor rod and a second sensor rod, both of the first and second sensor rods positioned on the housing body, wherein each of the first and second sensor rods has a mounting tab, the mounting tab of the first sensor rod positioned opposite the mounting tab of the second sensor rod about the divider wall of the housing body, the mounting tabs of the first and second sensor rods oriented generally parallel to the divider wall, and wherein an elongated body of each of the first and second sensor rods is positioned on a side of the housing body that faces the chamber of the drum, and the divider wall is positioned opposite the elongated bodies of the first and second sensor rods on a side of the housing body that faces away from the chamber of the drum wherein a jumper harness is mounted to the mounting tabs of the first and second sensor rods, and the divider wall blocks conductive electrical contact between the mounting tabs of the first and second sensor rods at the side of the housing body that faces away from the chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dryer appliance of claim 1, wherein the mounting tab of the first sensor rod is positioned at a first end portion of the first sensor rod, and the mounting tab of the second sensor rod is positioned at a first end portion of the second sensor rod. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The dryer appliance of claim 2, wherein the mounting tab of the first sensor rod extends through the housing body at the first end portion of the first sensor rod, and the mounting tab of the second sensor rod extends through the housing body at the first end portion of the second sensor rod. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The dryer appliance of claim 3, wherein the mounting tab of the first sensor rod includes a snap-fit clip at the first end portion of the first sensor rod, the mounting tab of the second sensor rod includes a snap-fit clip at the first end portion of the second sensor rod, and the snap-fit clips on mounting tabs of the first and second sensor rods hold the first and second sensor rods on the housing body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The dryer appliance of claim 2, wherein each of the first and second sensor rods has an additional mounting tab, the additional mounting tab of the first sensor rod is positioned at a second end portion of the first sensor rod, and the additional mounting tab of the second sensor rod is positioned at a second end portion of the second sensor rod. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The dryer appliance of claim 1, wherein the first and second sensor rods are commonly sized. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The dryer appliance of claim 1, wherein the housing body defines a grill, and the first and second sensor rods are positioned adjacent the grill on the housing body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The dryer appliance of claim 1, wherein the first and second sensor rods are metal sensor rods, and the housing body is a plastic housing body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The dryer appliance of claim 1, wherein the divider wall has a thickness of about six-hundredths of an inch. ### Claim 10 A moisture sensor assembly for a dryer appliance, comprising: a housing body having a divider wall; and a first sensor rod; a second sensor rod, wherein the first and second sensor rods are positioned on the housing body, and each of the first and second sensor rods has a mounting tab, the mounting tab of the first sensor rod positioned opposite the mounting tab of the second sensor rod about the divider wall of the housing body, the mounting tabs of the first and second sensor rods oriented generally parallel to the divider wall, and wherein an elongated body of each of the first and second sensor rods is positioned on a first side of the housing body, and the divider wall is positioned opposite the elongated bodies of the first and second sensor rods on a second side of the housing body wherein a jumper harness is mounted to the mounting tabs of the first and second sensor rods, and the divider wall blocks conductive electrical contact between the mounting tabs of the first and second sensor rods at the side of the housing body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The moisture sensor assembly of claim 10, wherein the mounting tab of the first sensor rod is positioned at a first end portion of the first sensor rod, and the mounting tab of the second sensor rod is positioned at a first end portion of the second sensor rod. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The moisture sensor assembly of claim 11, wherein the mounting tab of the first sensor rod extends through the housing body at the first end portion of the first sensor rod, and the mounting tab of the second sensor rod extends through the housing body at the first end portion of the second sensor rod. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The moisture sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein the mounting tab of the first sensor rod includes a snap-fit clip at the first end portion of the first sensor rod, the mounting tab of the second sensor rod includes a snap-fit clip at the first end portion of the second sensor rod, and the snap-fit clips on mounting tabs of the first and second sensor rods hold the first and second sensor rods on the housing body. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The moisture sensor assembly of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second sensor rods has an additional mounting tab, the additional mounting tab of the first sensor rod is positioned at a second end portion of the first sensor rod, and the additional mounting tab of the second sensor rod is positioned at a second end portion of the second sensor rod. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The moisture sensor assembly of claim 10, wherein the first and second sensor rods are commonly sized. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The moisture sensor assembly of claim 10, wherein the housing body defines a grill, and the first and second sensor rods are positioned adjacent the grill on the housing body. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The moisture sensor assembly of claim 10, wherein the first and second sensor rods are metal sensor rods, and the housing body is a plastic housing body. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The moisture sensor assembly of claim 10, wherein the divider wall has a thickness of about six-hundredths of an inch.