# US 2008/0184585 A1 · Apparatus for detecting a belt-cutoff of dryer and method for detecting the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0184585 A1 - Document ID: US20080184585A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/865,529 - Filed: 2007-10-01 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2006-10-02 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Hea Kyung YOO; Jun Seok Lee; Seog Ho Go - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080184585A1 ## CPC - D06F 58/50: Responding to irregular working conditions, e.g. malfunctioning of blowers - D06F 58/08: Driving arrangements - D06F 2103/00: Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers - D06F 2105/58: Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user - D06F 2105/60: Audible signals - D06F 2105/62: Stopping or disabling machine operation - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES ## Abstract Disclosed is an apparatus for detecting a belt-cutoff of a dryer. The apparatus comprises a drying drum accommodating a laundry therein; a motor applying a rotational force to the dry drum; a belt wound around the drying drum and a rotating shaft of the motor; and a belt cut detecting unit provided adjacent to the motor in order to sense the belt-cutoff, wherein the belt cut detecting unit is pressed as the motor is rotated by a turning moment when the belt is cut off. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for detecting a belt-cutoff of a dryer, comprising: a drying drum accommodating a laundry therein; a motor applying a rotational force to the dry drum; a belt wound around the drying drum and a rotating shaft of the motor; and a belt cut detecting unit provided adjacent to the motor for detecting the belt-cutoff, wherein the belt cut detecting unit is pressed as the motor is rotated by a turning moment when the belt is cut off. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a pressing element protruded from an outer circumference of the motor and pressing the belt cut detecting unit when the belt is cut off. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a spring for supporting the motor, wherein the turning moment is caused by an elastic force of the spring. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1I further comprising: a base on which the motor is seated, wherein a radiation element depressed to a predetermined depth is formed in an upper surface of the base on which the motor is seated. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the belt cut detecting unit includes a micro switch. ### Claim 6 An apparatus for detecting a belt-cutoff of a dryer, comprising: a dry drum; a motor rotating the drying drum and provided with a pressing element protruded from one side of an outer circumference thereof; a spring supporting the motor; a belt wound around the drying drum and a rotating shaft of the motor; and a micro switch contacting with the pressing element when the belt is cut off. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pressing element is formed on the outer circumference of the motor as it is curved at a predetermined curvature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pressing element includes a first bending portion curved at a specific curvature, and a second bending portion which is connected to the first bending portion and is curved at a curvature that is greater than the curvature of the first bending portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the amount of the rotation, which allows a tip of the pressing element to contact with the micro switch, is at least the same as the amount of the rotation of the motor corresponding to a straight line from a point, where the spring is elongated, to an initial point of the spring. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a radiation element for cooling the motor is provided in the base on which the motor is seated, and wherein the radiation element is preferably curved at the same curvature or more as that of a circle which is formed while a tip of the pressing element rotates, so that the radiation element is not interfered with the pressing element. ### Claim 11 A method for detecting a belt-cutoff of a dryer, comprising the steps of: rotating of the drying drum by an input of an operation command; turning on the belt cut detecting unit as the belt wound around the drying drum is cut off; and stopping the operations of the heater and the motor as soon as the belt cut detecting unit is turned on. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the belt cut detecting unit is pressed as the motor connected to the belt is rotated by a turning moment when the belt is cut off. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the turning moment is a moment caused by a restoring force which is accumulated in an elastic element connected to the motor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of: repeatedly implementing a forward/reverse rotation of the motor after passing a predetermined time or a predetermined number of iteration when the motor and the heater are stopped; and deciding for a second time whether the belt cut detecting unit is maintained to be turned on. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein a signal which informs the belt-cutoff is displayed by a display unit when it is decided that the belt cut detecting unit is maintained to be turned on. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the signal which informs the belt-cutoff includes at least one of a voice, a letter and a light. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein a normal dry process is implemented when the turned-on state of the belt cut detecting unit is released by a forward/reverse rotation of the motor. ### Claim 18 A method for detecting a belt-cutoff of a dryer, the method comprising judging the cutting of a belt which connects a drying drum with a motor through an operation of applying pressure on a belt cut detecting unit while the motor itself rotates. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein a pressing element which presses the belt cut detecting unit is provided on an outer circumference of the motor, and wherein the belt cut detecting unit is turned on when the pressing element presses the belt cut detecting unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein it is decided again whether the belt cut detecting unit is maintained to be turned on, when the belt cut detecting unit is turned on. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method according to claim 20, wherein a forward/reverse rotation of the motor shaft is repeated for a predetermined number of iteration or a predetermined time to decide the state of the belt cut detecting unit again. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method according to claim 20, wherein a signal informing the belt-cutoff is displayed to the outside when the belt cut detecting unit is judged to be turned on. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The method according to claim 20, wherein a normal dry process is re-implemented when the belt cut detecting unit is turned off.