Dryer appliance dry time estimation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12359365-B2
Application number	US-202117543805-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2021
Priority date	Dec 7, 2021
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

A method of operating a dryer appliance includes determining a remaining moisture content of a load of articles to be dried in the dryer appliance and estimating an energy requirement for drying the load of articles based on the determined remaining moisture content of the load of articles. The method also includes activating a heating system of the dryer appliance during a dry cycle of the dryer appliance while tracking an energy output of the heating system during the dry cycle. The method further includes comparing the tracked energy output to the estimated energy requirement. When the tracked energy output is greater than a predetermined threshold percentage of the estimated energy requirement, a user notification is provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a dryer appliance, the dryer appliance comprising a cabinet, a drum rotatably mounted within the cabinet, the drum defining a chamber for the receipt of articles for drying, and a heating system fluidly coupled to the drum whereby heated air flows from the heating system to the chamber of the drum for drying of articles within the chamber, the method comprising:
determining a remaining moisture content of a load of articles to be dried in the dryer appliance;
estimating an energy requirement for drying the load of articles based on the determined remaining moisture content of the load of articles;
activating the heating system of the dryer appliance during a first dry cycle of the dryer appliance;
tracking an energy output of the heating system during the first dry cycle;
comparing the tracked energy output to the estimated energy requirement;
providing a user notification when the tracked energy output is greater than a predetermined threshold percentage of the estimated energy requirement;
comparing, after the dry cycle, a total energy output of the heating system to the estimated energy requirement and determining an error from the comparison of the energy output of the heating system to the estimated energy requirement;
calculating an adjustment factor based on the determined error;
applying the adjustment factor to the predetermined threshold percentage, thereby deriving an adjusted predetermined threshold percentage; and
providing a user notification in a second dry cycle after the first dry cycle when a tracked energy output during the second dry cycle is greater than the adjusted predetermined threshold percentage of an estimated energy requirement for the second dry cycle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the energy requirement is also based on a moisture removal rate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the remaining moisture content comprises receiving remaining moisture content information from a washer appliance.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a diagnostic code when the determined error is greater than a threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined threshold percentage corresponds approximately to a predetermined amount of time remaining in the dry cycle.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein tracking the energy output comprises tracking a power level of the heating system and a duty cycle of the heating system during the dry cycle.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to activating the heating system, determining an estimated total cycle time for the dry cycle and providing a user notification of the estimated total cycle time.

8. A dryer appliance comprising:
a cabinet;
a drum rotatably mounted within the cabinet, the drum defining a chamber for the receipt of articles for drying;
a heating system fluidly coupled to the drum whereby heated air flows from the heating system to the chamber of the drum for drying of articles within the chamber; and
a controller, the controller configured for:
determining a remaining moisture content of a load of articles to be dried in the dryer appliance;
estimating an energy requirement for drying the load of articles based on the determined remaining moisture content of the load of articles;
activating the heating system of the dryer appliance during a first dry cycle of the dryer appliance;
tracking an energy output of the heating system during the first dry cycle;
comparing the tracked energy output to the estimated energy requirement;
providing a user notification when the tracked energy output is greater than a predetermined threshold percentage of the estimated energy requirement;
comparing, after the dry cycle, a total energy output of the heating system to the estimated energy requirement and determining an error from the comparison of the energy output of the heating system to the estimated energy requirement;
calculating an adjustment factor based on the determined error;
applying the adjustment factor to the predetermined threshold percentage, thereby deriving an adjusted predetermined threshold percentage; and
providing a user notification in a second dry cycle after the first dry cycle when a tracked energy output during the second dry cycle is greater than the adjusted predetermined threshold percentage of an estimated energy requirement for the second dry cycle.

9. The dryer appliance of claim 8 , wherein estimating the energy requirement is also based on a moisture removal rate.

10. The dryer appliance of claim 8 , wherein the controller is in communication with a washer appliance, and wherein determining the remaining moisture content comprises receiving the remaining moisture content information from the washer appliance.

11. The dryer appliance of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured for generating a diagnostic code when the determined error is greater than a threshold.

12. The dryer appliance of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined threshold percentage corresponds approximately to a predetermined amount of time remaining in the dry cycle.

13. The dryer appliance of claim 8 , wherein tracking the energy output comprises tracking a power level of the heating system and a duty cycle of the heating system during the dry cycle.

14. The dryer appliance of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured for, prior to activating the heating system, determining an estimated total cycle time for the dry cycle and providing a user notification of the estimated total cycle time.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Reeves Joshua
• Pepoon Dale Pleasant
• Scheckelhoff Ryan James

Classifications

• D06F34/18 Primary

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

• D06F2103/04

  Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight · CPC title

• D06F2103/44

  Current or voltage · CPC title

• D06F58/48

  Control of the energy consumption · CPC title

• D06F2105/28

  Electric heating · CPC title