Method for drying articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11655583-B2
Application number	US-202017036455-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2020
Priority date	Jul 17, 2013
Publication date	May 23, 2023
Grant date	May 23, 2023

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, capacitively 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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method to dry an article in a dryer drum with a radio frequency (RF) applicator having a first partial anode ring disposed adjacent to the lowest gravitational point of the drum, a second anode element, a first partial cathode ring disposed adjacent to the lowest gravitational point of the drum opposite the first partial anode ring, and a second cathode element, the method comprising:
electrically coupling an electrode of the RF applicator to the first partial anode ring and another electrode of the RF applicator to the first partial cathode ring;
capacitively coupling the first partial anode ring to the second anode element, and the first partial cathode ring to the second cathode element;
capacitively coupling the second anode element to the second cathode element; and
energizing the RF applicator to energize the first partial anode ring and the first partial cathode ring, thereby inducing energization between the first partial anode ring and the second anode, and between the first partial cathode ring and the second cathode respectively to generate a field of electromagnetic radiation (e-field) between the second anode and second cathode elements;
wherein liquid in the article residing within the e-field is dielectrically heated by the e-field to effect a drying of the article.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the RF applicator during the energization of the RF applicator.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising a support element in the shape of a drum and the moving the RF applicator comprises rotation of the drum.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the e-field is located above at least a portion of an inner surface of the drum and the article is supported on the inner surface of the drum.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the rotation of the drum is at a speed to effect a slide motion of the article on the inner surface.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the rotation of the drum is at a speed to effect a tumble motion of the article on the inner surface.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the energization of the RF applicator comprises intermittent energization of the RF applicator.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the rotation of the drum is related to the intermittent energization of the RF applicator.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the capacitively coupling comprises capacitive coupling between the first partial anode ring and the second anode element at a first radial segment of the drum and capacitive coupling between the first partial cathode ring and the second cathode element at a second radial segment of the drum, axially spaced from the first radial segment.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first partial anode ring is a first conductive ring fully encircling the drum about the first radial segment and the first partial cathode ring is a second ring fully encircling the drum about the second radial segment.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the RF applicator is energized at an RF frequency.

12. An article treatment appliance to dry an article according to a predetermined cycle of operation, comprising:
a first partial anode ring partially encircling a first radial segment of a drum and disposed adjacent to the lowest gravitational point of the drum;
a first partial cathode ring partially encircling a second radial segment of the drum disposed adjacent to the lowest gravitational point of the drum opposite the first partial anode ring;
a second anode element and a second cathode element;
the first partial anode ring capacitively coupled with the second anode element and operably separated by a dielectric;
the first partial cathode ring capacitively coupled with the second cathode element and operably separated by a dielectric; and
a radio frequency (RF) applicator with an electrode electrically coupled with the first partial anode ring and another electrode electrically coupled with the first partial cathode ring and operable to selectively energize the first partial anode ring and the first partial cathode ring in a radio frequency spectrum;
wherein the energization of the first partial anode ring and first partial cathode ring induces energization between the first partial anode ring and the second anode, and between the first partial cathode ring 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.

13. The article treatment appliance of claim 12 wherein the drum includes inner and outer surfaces, and the article is supported on the inner surface.

14. The article treatment appliance of claim 13 wherein the drum is operably rotatable about a rotational axis.

15. The article treatment appliance of claim 14 wherein the first partial anode ring fully encircles the first radial segment of the drum, and the first partial cathode ring fully encircles the second radial segment of the drum, which is different from the first radial segment.

16. The article treatment appliance of claim 15 wherein the first and second radial segments are axially spaced from each other.

17. The article treatment appliance of claim 15 wherein the second anode element comprises a first comb element having a first base from which extend a first plurality of teeth, the second cathode element comprises a second comb element having a second base from which extend a second plurality of teeth, with first and second plurality of teeth are interdigitally arranged, and the first base is axially aligned with the first radial segment and the second base is axially aligned with the second radial segment.

18. The article treatment appliance of claim 12 wherein the second anode element comprises a first comb element having a first base from which extend a first plurality of teeth, the second cathode element comprises a second comb element having a second base from which extend a second plurality of teeth, with first and second plurality of teeth are interdigitally arranged.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Herman Mark L
• Peterman Garry L

Classifications

• H05B6/62

  Apparatus for specific applications · CPC title

• F26B3/28

  by radiation, e.g. from the sun · CPC title

• D06F58/04

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

• F26B3/347

  Electromagnetic heating, e.g. induction heating or heating using microwave energy · CPC title

• F26B3/34

  by using electrical effects · CPC title