Method for determining a temperature of a revolving part and laundry dryer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10996116-B2
Application number	US-201916520796-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2019
Priority date	Aug 2, 2018
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

In a method for determining a temperature of a revolving drum of a laundry dryer, said drum has an outer wall and thereon at least one strip-shaped delimited detection region comprising thermochromic material having a transition temperature in the range of a temperature that is to be expected and to be determined. Optical detection means arranged adjacent to the revolving part are configured, in particular as a reflected light barrier, to detect the color transition of the thermochromic material in the event of the transition temperature being exceeded or undershot. At the revolving drum the thermochromic material or, if appropriate, the color transition thereof is detected by means of the detection means. A temperature of the drum is then determined as corresponding to the transition temperature in such a way that the temperature thereof is determined as corresponding to one of the two temperature ranges below the transition temperature or above the transition temperature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for determining a temperature of a revolving part, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a revolving part, the revolving part comprising:
an outer wall,
on said outer wall at least one delimited detection region being composed of thermochromic material or comprising thermochromic material, wherein said thermochromic material has a transition temperature in a temperature range of a temperature of said revolving part that is to be expected and to be determined, and
optical detection means arranged adjacent to said revolving part and configured to detect a color transition of said thermochromic material in an event of said transition temperature being exceeded or undershot,

rotating said revolving part in such a way that said revolving part revolves,
detecting said thermochromic material by means of said optical detection means,
detecting a color transition of said thermochromic material by means of said optical detection means, and
determining a temperature of said revolving part as corresponding to said transition temperature in such a way that said temperature of said revolving part is determined as corresponding to one of two temperature ranges being below said transition temperature or being above said transition temperature.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said revolving part is a rotating drum of a laundry dryer.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein detecting a color transition of said thermochromic material is carried out by means of reflection, wherein for said detecting the detection means are configured as a reflected light barrier comprising a light source and a light receiver, said light source and said light receiver are configured and arranged in such a way that light emitted by said light source is reflected toward said light receiver at least at times by said thermochromic material in one of two states thereof.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein along a path of revolution of said detection region at said revolving part a plurality of detection regions are arranged on said outer wall of said part.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said plurality of detection regions comprise different thermochromic materials, each of which detection regions has a different transition temperature.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein a difference in said transition temperature of said different thermochromic materials is a maximum of 10° C.

7. The method according to claim 4 , wherein three or four detection regions respectively comprise thermochromic material having a same transition temperature.

8. The method according to claim 4 , wherein along said path of revolution with said detection regions a plurality of markings are applied with a color or a surface, which markings are temperature-independent and which markings are detectable by said detection means.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein a length of said markings along said path of revolution is different from a length of said detection regions.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein all said markings along said path of revolution are of identical length.

11. The method according to claim 4 , wherein along a path of revolution being parallel to said path of revolution of said detection regions composed of thermochromic material or comprising thermochromic material, a plurality of said markings are applied with a color or a surface, which color or a surface are detectable by detection means.

12. A laundry dryer comprising:
a revolving part as a rotating drum having an outer wall having thereon at least one delimited detection region composed of thermochromic material or comprising thermochromic material, said thermochromic material having a transition temperature in a temperature range of a temperature of said revolving part that is to be expected and to be determined,
a controller configured for rotating said revolving part in such a way that said revolving part revolves, and
optical detection means arranged adjacent to said revolving part and configured, via said controller, to detect said thermochromic material and to detect a color transition of said thermochromic material in an event of said transition temperature being exceeded or undershot,
wherein said controller is configured for determining a temperature of said revolving part as corresponding to said detected transition temperature, such that said temperature of said revolving part is determined as corresponding to one of two temperature ranges being below said transition temperature or being above said transition temperature.

13. The laundry dryer according to claim 12 , wherein along a path of revolution of said detection region at said rotating drum a plurality of detection regions are arranged on said outer wall of said drum.

14. The laundry dryer according to claim 13 , wherein said plurality of detection regions are at an identical distance from one another.

15. The laundry dryer according to claim 13 , wherein said plurality of detection regions comprise different thermochromic materials, each of which thermochromic materials has a different transition temperature.

16. The laundry dryer according to claim 15 , wherein a difference in said transition temperature of said different thermochromic materials is a maximum of 10° C.

17. The laundry dryer according to claim 13 , wherein three or four said detection regions respectively comprise thermochromic material having a common transition temperature.

18. The laundry dryer according to claim 17 , wherein said three or four detection regions are equally distributed along said path of revolution.

19. The laundry dryer according to claim 13 , wherein along said path of revolution with said detection regions a plurality of markings are applied with a color or a surface, which markings are temperature-independent and which markings are detectable by said detection means.

20. The laundry dryer according to claim 19 , wherein a length of said plurality of markings along said path of revolution is different from a length of said detection regions.

21. The laundry dryer according to claim 19 , wherein all said plurality of markings along said path of revolution are of identical length.

22. The laundry dryer according to claim 19 , wherein along a path of revolution that is parallel to said path of revolution of said detection regions composed of thermochromic material or comprising thermochromic material, said Rail plurality of said markings are applied with a color or a surface, which color or surface are detectable by detection means.

23. The laundry dryer according to claim 22 , wherein no detection region composed of thermochromic material or comprising thermochromic material is provided along a path of revolution with said markings.

24. The laundry dryer according to claim 12 , wherein heating means for said rotating drum are provided for heating an exterior of said drum, wherein said heating means are not secured to said rotating drum itself and, consequently, are arranged rigidly or do not revolve.

25. The laundry dryer according to claim 24 , wherein said heating means on a left and a right alongside said path of revolution of said detection regions, wherein said heating means are arranged on said left and said right alongside said path of revolution of said detection regions in such a way that said heating effect does not directly affect

Assignees

• Ego Elektro Geraetebau Gmbh

Inventors

• Alvarez Raventos Jordi
• Bayer Ewald
• Knappe Gerd
• Kuemmerle Hannes
• Schmidt Kay
• Thomas Erika
• Weiss Steffen
• Zabel Oliver

Classifications

• G01K13/08 Primary

  in rotary movement · CPC title

• G01K11/16 Primary

  of organic materials · CPC title

• D06F34/20

  Parameters relating to constructional components, e.g. door sensors · CPC title

• F26B11/0445

  having conductive heating arrangements, e.g. heated drum wall · CPC title

• D06F58/04

  Details  (controlling or regulating devices D06F34/00) · CPC title