Method for drying articles
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsMark L. Herman, Garry L. Peterman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for drying an article with a radio frequency (RF) applicator having anode elements and cathode elements includes capacitively coupling the anode elements, capacitively coupling the cathode elements, capactively coupling an anode element to a cathode element, and energizing the RF applicator to generate an RF field between anode and cathode elements wherein liquid residing within the field will be dielectrically heated.
Claims20
A method to dry an article in an appliance with a radio frequency (RF) applicator, a first anode element, a second anode element, a first cathode element, and a second cathode element, each of the anode and cathode elements supported on an electrically insulating support element, the method comprising:
- electrically coupling an electrode of the RF applicator to the first anode and another electrode of the RF applicator to the first cathode;
- capacitively coupling, through the support element, the first anode element to the second anode element;
- and the first cathode element to the second cathode element;
- capacitively coupling the second anode element to the second cathode element;
- and
- energizing the RF applicator at an RF frequency to energize the first anode and the first cathode, thereby inducing energization between the first anode and the second anode, and between the first cathode and the second cathode respectively to generate a field of electromagnetic radiation (e-field) within a radio frequency spectrum between the second anode and second cathode elements;
- wherein liquid in the article residing within the e-field is dielectrically heated by the field to effect a drying of the article.
An article treatment appliance to dry an article according to a predetermined cycle of operation, comprising:
- a non-conductive support element;
- a first anode element and a first cathode element;
- a second anode element and a second cathode element operably supported by the support element;
- the first anode element capacitively coupled with the second anode element and operably separated by at least a portion of the support element;
- the first cathode element capacitively coupled with the second cathode element and operably separated by at least a portion of the support element;
- the second anode element capacitively coupled with the second cathode element and operably spaced from each other;
- and
- a radio frequency (RF) applicator with an electrode electrically coupled with the first anode element and another electrode electrically coupled with the first cathode element and operable to selectively energize the first anode and the first cathode in a radio frequency spectrum;
- wherein the energization of the first anode and first cathode induces energization between the first anode and the second anode, between the first cathode and the second cathode, and between the second anode and the second cathode to generate a field of electromagnetic radiation in the radio frequency spectrum between the second anode and the second cathode, operable to dielectrically heat liquid within the article on the support element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.