Laundry treating appliance having sensors, and methods of operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11008697-B2
Application number	US-201916586857-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2019
Priority date	Sep 27, 2019
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to an automatic cycle of operation includes a cabinet defining a cabinet interior. A drum is rotatable within the cabinet interior, and at least partially defines a treating chamber. The treating chamber has a treating chamber air inlet and a treating chamber air outlet. A drying air circuit is fluidly coupled to the treating chamber air inlet and to the treating chamber air outlet. The laundry treating appliance can include first and second air temperature sensors, at least a first humidity sensor, and a controller operably coupled with the sensors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry according to an automatic cycle of operation, the laundry treating appliance comprising:
a cabinet defining a cabinet interior;
a drum, rotatable within the cabinet interior, and at least partially defining a treating chamber, the treating chamber having a treating chamber air inlet and a treating chamber air outlet;
a drying air circuit fluidly coupled to the treating chamber air inlet and to the treating chamber air outlet;
a first air temperature sensor provided in the drying air circuit and outputting a first signal indicative of an inlet air temperature of drying air in the drying air circuit that flows through the treating chamber air inlet;
a second air temperature sensor provided in the drying air circuit and outputting a second signal indicative of an outlet air temperature of the drying air exiting the treating chamber air outlet;
at least a first humidity sensor provided in the drying air circuit and outputting a third signal indicative of an inlet air humidity value of the drying air entering the treating chamber air inlet; and
a controller estimating an air flow rate through the drying air circuit, and further operably coupled with the first and second air temperature sensors and the first humidity sensor to receive and process the first, second, and third signals and the estimated air flow rate to determine an outlet air humidity value of the drying air exiting the treating chamber air outlet and to estimate a remaining drying time for the laundry based on the determined outlet air humidity value.

2. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the controller further determines an evaporation rate of moisture remaining in the laundry based on the determined outlet air humidity value.

3. The laundry treating appliance of claim 2 wherein the controller further determines a dryness level of the laundry based on the determined evaporation rate of moisture remaining in the laundry.

4. The laundry treating appliance of claim 3 wherein the estimated remaining drying time for the laundry is based on the determined dryness level and the determined evaporation rate of the laundry.

5. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 further comprising a second humidity sensor provided in the drying air circuit and outputting a fourth signal indicative of an outlet air humidity value of the drying air exiting the treating chamber air outlet.

6. The laundry treating appliance of claim 5 wherein the controller is operably coupled with the second humidity sensor to receive and process the fourth signal to determine an evaporation rate of moisture remaining in the laundry based on the inlet air temperature, the outlet air temperature, the inlet air humidity value, and the outlet air humidity value.

7. The laundry treating appliance of claim 6 wherein the determined evaporation rate of moisture remaining in the laundry is further based on the estimated air flow rate.

8. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the inlet air humidity value is a relative humidity value.

9. The laundry treating appliance of claim 8 wherein the controller determines an absolute inlet air humidity value based on the inlet air temperature, the outlet air temperature, and the inlet air relative humidity value.

10. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the laundry treating appliance is a combination washing and drying treating appliance.

11. The laundry treating appliance of claim 10 further comprising a tub defining a tub interior, the drum provided within the tub interior, and the tub interior configured to receive wash liquid during a washing cycle of operation.

12. The laundry treating appliance of claim 10 wherein the treating chamber holds laundry for washing or drying treatment.

13. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the drying air circuit is one of a closed loop circuit and an open loop circuit.

14. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the drying air circuit comprises a blower fluidly coupled to the treating chamber, whereby actuation of the blower circulates air through the treating chamber by flowing air from the treating chamber air inlet to the treating chamber air outlet.

15. The laundry treating appliance of claim 14 wherein the air flowing from the treating chamber air inlet to the treating chamber air outlet is returned to the treating chamber air inlet via the drying air circuit.

16. A method of operating a laundry treating appliance with a treating chamber for treating a load of laundry according to a drying cycle of operation, the method comprising:
supplying, by a drying air circuit, drying air to the treating chamber during the drying cycle of operation;
sensing, with a first air temperature sensor provided in the drying air circuit, a first signal indicative of an inlet air temperature of the drying air in the drying air circuit that flows through a treating chamber air inlet;
sensing, with a second air temperature sensor provided in the drying air circuit, a second signal indicative of an outlet air temperature of the drying air exiting a treating chamber air outlet;
sensing, with at least a first humidity sensor provided in the drying air circuit, a third signal indicative of an inlet air humidity value of the drying air entering the treating chamber air inlet;
estimating, by a controller, an air flow rate through the treating chamber;
determining, by the controller, an outlet air humidity value based on the first, second, and third signals and the estimated air flow rate; and
estimating, by the controller, a remaining drying time for the load of laundry based on the determined outlet air humidity value.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising determining, by the controller, an evaporation rate of moisture remaining in the load of laundry based on the determined outlet air humidity value.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising determining, by the controller, a dryness level of the load of laundry based on the determined evaporation rate of moisture remaining in the load of laundry.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the estimating, by the controller, a remaining drying time for the load of laundry is based on the determined dryness level and the determined evaporation rate of the load of laundry.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising:
sensing, with a second humidity sensor provided in the drying air circuit, a fourth signal indicative of an outlet air humidity value of the drying air exiting the treating chamber air outlet; and
determining, by the controller, an evaporation rate of moisture remaining in the load of laundry based on the first, second, third, and fourth signals.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Masters Roy E

Classifications

• D06F34/26

  Condition of the drying air, e.g. air humidity or temperature · CPC title

• D06F33/52

  Control of the operational steps, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry · CPC title

• D06F25/00 Primary

  Washing machines with receptacles, e.g. perforated, having a rotary movement, e.g. oscillatory movement, the receptacle serving both for washing and for centrifugally separating water from the laundry and having further drying means, e.g. using hot air  (control of washing or of washing and drying D06F33/00, D06F34/00; domestic laundry dryers D06F58/00) · CPC title

• D06F2105/56

  Remaining operation time; Remaining operational cycles · CPC title

• D06F2105/24

  Flow or velocity · CPC title