Control method for clothes drying apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12320057-B2
Application number	US-202017789331-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2020
Priority date	Dec 26, 2019
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

A control method for a clothes drying apparatus that aims to solve the problem of a load being prone to entangling when an existing clothes drying apparatus is used for drying a large load. For this purpose, the control method for a clothes drying apparatus includes: determining the size of a load in a load determining stage; and when the load is a large load, controlling a drying drum to rotate unidirectionally in a first heating stage, and controlling the drying drum to alternately rotate normally and reversely in a second heating stage. Accordingly, a drying effect can be guaranteed while the load is effectively prevented from being knotted and entangled, and the drying time is shortened.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a clothing drying apparatus, the clothing drying apparatus comprising a drying drum and a heating device, wherein a drying process of the clothing drying apparatus comprises a load determining stage, a first heating stage, a second heating stage, an extra drying stage and a cold air stage that are run in sequence, and the method comprises:
determining a size of load in the load determining stage; and
when the load is a large load, controlling the drying drum to rotate in one direction in the first heating stage, and controlling the drying drum to rotate in forward and reverse directions alternately in the second heating stage;
the method further comprises:
acquiring a water content of the load when the clothing drying apparatus is running the first heating stage; and
controlling the clothing drying apparatus to run the second heating stage if the water content is smaller than or equal to a first water content threshold.

2. The method for controlling the clothing drying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a size of load further comprises:
controlling the drying drum to rotate in one direction and the heating device to blow cold air;
acquiring a plurality of humidity values successively within a first preset time;
calculating a number of humidity values that are larger than or equal to a first humidity threshold in the plurality of humidity values;
when the number is larger than or equal to a preset number or a ratio of the number to a total number is larger than a preset ratio, determining that the load is a large load; and
otherwise, determining that the load is a small load.

3. The method for controlling the clothing drying apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
acquiring a water content of the load when the clothing drying apparatus is running the second heating stage; and
controlling the clothing drying apparatus to run the extra drying stage if the water content is smaller than or equal to a second water content threshold.

4. The method for controlling the clothing drying apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the step of controlling the clothing drying apparatus to run the extra drying stage further comprises:
calculating an extra drying time based on a running duration of the first heating stage, a running duration of the second heating stage and an extra drying coefficient; and
controlling the drying drum to rotate in one direction for the extra drying time.

5. The method for controlling the clothing drying apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
controlling the clothing drying apparatus to run the cold air stage when a running time of the extra drying stage reaches the extra drying time.

6. The method for controlling the clothing drying apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the step of controlling the clothing drying apparatus to run the cold air stage further comprises:
controlling the drying drum to rotate in one direction and the heating device to blow cold air until an air outflow temperature of the heating device is lower than a temperature threshold.

7. The method for controlling the clothing drying apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
when the load is a small load, then judging whether the load comprises a high-water-content load in a process of running the first heating stage by the clothing drying apparatus; and
controlling the first heating stage to run for at least a second preset time if the load comprises a high-water-content load.

8. The method for controlling the clothing drying apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the step of judging whether the load comprises a high-water-content load further comprises:
acquiring a plurality of humidity values of the load successively; and
when a difference between one humidity value and a previous humidity value thereof in the plurality of humidity values is larger than or equal to a second humidity threshold, then determining that the load comprises the high-water-content load.

9. The method for controlling the clothing drying apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising:
when the load is a small load, then controlling the drying drum to rotate in one direction in the first heating stage and the second heating stage.

Assignees

• Qingdao Haier Washing Mach Co
• Haier Smart Home Co Ltd

Inventors

• Du Zhaobin
• Wang Lina
• Yao Longping
• Song Yijun
• Ma Hongbiao

Classifications

• D06F34/18

  Condition of the laundry, e.g. nature or weight · CPC title

• D06F2105/52

  Changing sequence of operational steps; Carrying out additional operational steps; Modifying operational steps, e.g. by extending duration of steps · CPC title

• D06F2105/28

  Electric heating · CPC title

• D06F2105/12

  Humidity or dryness of laundry · CPC title

• D06F2103/08

  Humidity · CPC title