Method and apparatus for drying articles
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsMark L. Herman, Daniel M. Putnam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for drying textile material with a radio frequency (RF) applicator and a controller, the method includes energizing the RF applicator to generate a field of electromagnetic radiation (e-field), measuring a parameter related to the energization of the RF applicator, determining a drying cycle of operation in the controller based on the measured parameter, and controlling the energization of the RF applicator according to the determination of the drying cycle of operation, wherein the textile material is dried.
Claims12
A method for drying textile material with a radio frequency (RF) applicator having an anode element, a cathode element, each anode and cathode element supported on a support element, and a controller, the method comprising:
- capacitively coupling the anode element to the cathode element;
- energizing the RF applicator to generate a field of electromagnetic radiation (e-field) within the radio frequency spectrum between the anode and cathode elements;
- measuring a parameter related to the energization of the RF applicator at each of the anode and cathode elements;
- determining a drying cycle of operation in the controller based on the measured parameter;
- and
- controlling the energization of the RF applicator according to the determination of the drying cycle of operation wherein liquid in textile material residing within the e-field will be dielectrically heated to effect a drying of the textile material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.