Method for drying articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9541330-B2
Application number	US-201313943918-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2013
Priority date	Jul 17, 2013
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

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, capactively 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 an appliance with a radio frequency (RF) applicator, a first anode element, a second anode element, a first cathode element, and a second cathode element, each of the anode and cathode elements supported on an electrically insulating support element, the method comprising:
electrically coupling an electrode of the RF applicator to the first anode and another electrode of the RF applicator to the first cathode;
capacitively coupling, through the support element, the first anode element to the second anode element; and the first cathode element to the second cathode element;
capacitively coupling the second anode element to the second cathode element; and
energizing the RF applicator at an RF frequency to energize the first anode and the first cathode, thereby inducing energization between the first anode and the second anode, and between the first cathode and the second cathode respectively to generate a field of electromagnetic radiation (e-field) within a radio frequency spectrum between the second anode and second cathode elements;
wherein liquid in the article residing within the e-field is dielectrically heated by the 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 wherein the support element is 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 capacitive coupling comprises capacitive coupling between the first and second anode elements at a first radial segment of the drum and capacitive coupling between the first and second cathode elements at a second radial segment of the drum, axially spaced from the first radial segment.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the capacitive coupling comprises a capacitive coupling through a first conductive ring encircling the drum about the first radial segment and a capacitive coupling through a second conductive ring encircling the drum about the second radial segment.

11. An article treatment appliance to dry an article according to a predetermined cycle of operation, comprising:
a non-conductive support element;
a first anode element and a first cathode element;
a second anode element and a second cathode element operably supported by the support element;
the first anode element capacitively coupled with the second anode element and operably separated by at least a portion of the support element;
the first cathode element capacitively coupled with the second cathode element and operably separated by at least a portion of the support element;
the second anode element capacitively coupled with the second cathode element and operably spaced from each other; and
a radio frequency (RF) applicator with an electrode electrically coupled with the first anode element and another electrode electrically coupled with the first cathode element and operable to selectively energize the first anode and the first cathode in a radio frequency spectrum;
wherein the energization of the first anode and first cathode induces energization between the first anode and the second anode, between the first cathode and the second cathode, and between the second anode 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 on the support element.

12. The article treatment appliance of claim 11 wherein the support element comprises a bed, with the article supported on an upper surface of the bed.

13. The article treatment appliance of claim 11 wherein the support element comprises a drum with 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 anode element comprises an anode ring encircling a first radial segment of the drum, and the first cathode element comprises a cathode ring encircling a 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, and the second cathode element comprises a second comb element having a second base from which extend a second plurality of teeth, wherein the 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 11 wherein at least one of the second anode element and the second cathode element are encapsulated within the support element.

19. The article treatment appliance of claim 11 wherein the support element comprises at least a layer of insulating material.

20. The article treatment appliance of claim 11 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, wherein the first and second plurality of teeth are interdigitally arranged, and the second anode element and second cathode element are energized by induction by RF energy in a first anode and a first cathode respectively capacitively coupled thereto.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Herman Mark L
• Peterman Garry L

Classifications

• F26B3/347

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

• H05B6/54

  Electrodes · CPC title

• F26B3/34

  by using electrical effects · CPC title

• H05B6/62

  Apparatus for specific applications · CPC title

• D06F58/04

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