Method for controlling dryer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11098438-B2
Application number	US-201716098757-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2017
Priority date	May 4, 2016
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

A method for controlling a dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an operation of, when a dusting mode is selected and a start command is input, rotating a drying drum at a first rotational speed V1 in a first direction for a first set time; an operation of, after the first set time elapses, rotating the drying drum at a second rotational speed V2 in a second direction opposite to the first direction for a first set time; and an operation of rotating a drying fan along with the drying drum, when the drying drum rotates in the second direction, dust staining on an object introduced into the drying drum is separated from the object, and when the drying drum rotates in the first direction, the separated dust is discharged to the outside of the drying drum by a forced air flow generated by the drying fan.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a dryer, the method comprising:
based on selection of a dusting mode and input of a start command, rotating a drying drum at a first rotational speed in a first direction for a first set time;
after rotating the drying drum in the first direction for the first set time, rotating the drying drum at a second rotational speed in a second direction opposite to the first direction for a second set time such that dust on an object in the drying drum is separated from the object, the second rotational speed being different from the first rotational speed, and the second set time being shorter than the first set time; and
rotating a drying fan while rotating the drying drum in the first direction or the second direction,
wherein rotating the drying drum in the first direction comprises:
after rotating the drying drum in the second direction for the second set time, rotating the drying drum again in the first direction while rotating the drying fan such that the separated dust is discharged to an outside of the drying drum by air flow generated by the drying fan,
based on rotating the drying drum in the second direction for the second set time, determining whether a third set time has elapsed from the input of the start command, and
based on determining that the third set time has not elapsed from the input of the start command, rotating the drying drum again in the first direction such that the drying drum is alternately rotated.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first rotational speed is a rotational speed of the drying drum at which the object is in contact with an inner circumference surface of the drying drum, and
the second rotational speed is a rotational speed of the drying drum at which the object is raised by rotation of the drying drum and then falls to a lower portion of the drying drum.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein rotating the drying drum and the drying fan comprises rotating a single driving motor to rotate the drying drum and the drying fan at the same speed and in the same direction.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein rotating the drying drum and the drying fan comprises independently rotating separate driving motors to rotate the drying fan and the drying drum in the same direction or in opposite directions.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein rotating the drying fan comprises:
while rotating the drying drum in the second direction, rotating the drying fan such that the air flow is generated inside the drying drum regardless of a rotational direction of the drying drum.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising driving a compressor to supply hot air to an inside of the drying drum.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the dusting mode comprises a first course and a second course, the second course comprising driving the compressor based on determining that the third set time has elapsed from the input of the start command, and
wherein the method further comprises terminating the first course of the dusting mode based on determining that the third set time has elapsed from the input of the start command.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
performing the second course after termination of the first course;
determining whether a sixth set time has elapsed from the input of the start command; and
based on determining that the sixth set time has elapsed from the input of the start command, terminating the second course of the dusting mode.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
after the third set time elapsed from the input of the start command, rotating the drying drum in the first direction and the second direction until reaching the sixth set time from the input of the start command.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein driving the compressor comprises driving the compressor based on determining that the third set time has elapsed from the input of the start command.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
before determining that the third set time has elapsed from the input of the start command, stopping the drying drum;
based on determining that the third set time has elapsed from the input of the start command, driving the compressor and rotating the drying drum in the first direction for a fourth set time; and
based on determining that the drying drum has rotated in the first direction for the fourth set time, rotating the drying drum in the second direction for a fifth set time.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein rotating the drying drum in the first direction for the fourth set time comprises rotating the drying drum at the first rotational speed, and
wherein rotating the drying drum in the second direction for the fifth set time comprises rotating the drying drum at the first rotational speed.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the fourth set time is longer than the first set time and the fifth set time, and the first set time is longer than the second set time.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
based on determining that the drying drum has rotated for the fifth set time, stopping rotation of the drying drum and the drying fan.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
based on determining that the drying drum has rotated for the fourth set time, stopping rotation of the drying drum and the drying fan.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after rotating the drying drum in the first direction, determining whether the drying drum has rotated for the first set time; and
based on determining that the drying drum has rotated for the first set time, stopping rotation of the drying drum.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein rotating the drying fan comprises rotating the drying fan while rotating the drying drum in the first direction and the second direction.

18. A method for controlling a dryer, the method comprising:
based on selection of a dusting mode and input of a start command, rotating a drying drum at a first rotational speed in a first direction for a first set time;
after rotating the drying drum in the first direction for the first set time, rotating the drying drum at a second rotational speed in a second direction opposite to the first direction for a second set time such that dust on an object in the drying drum is separated from the object;
rotating a drying fan while rotating the drying drum in the first direction or the second direction;
after rotating the drying drum in the second direction, determining whether the drying drum has rotated for the second set time; and
based on determining that the drying drum has rotated for the second set time, stopping rotation of the drying drum and the drying fan,
wherein rotating the drying drum in the first direction comprises:
after rotating the drying drum in the second direction for the second set time, rotating the drying drum again in the first direction while rotating the drying fan such that the separated dust is discharged to an outside of the drying drum by air flow generated by the drying fan.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Minsung
• Lee Junseok

Classifications

• F26B21/37

  Velocity of flow; Quantity of flow · CPC title

• F26B25/22

  Controlling the drying process in dependence on liquid content of solid materials or objects · CPC title

• F26B25/06 Primary

  Chambers, containers, or receptacles {(large containers having means for heating, cooling, aerating or other conditioning of contents B65D88/74)} · CPC title

• D06F58/30 Primary

  Drying processes  (controlling a series of operations in domestic laundry dryers D06F58/32) · CPC title

• D06F58/04

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