Method for drying articles
First Claim
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1. A method to dry an article with a radio frequency (RF) applicator having a first anode element, a second anode element, a first cathode element, and a second cathode element, the method comprising:
- electrically coupling a conductor of the RF applicator to the first anode element, and another conductor of the RF applicator to the first cathode element;
capacitively coupling 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 element and the first cathode element, thereby inducing energization between the first anode element and the second anode element, and between the first cathode element and the second cathode element 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 field to effect a drying of the article.
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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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method to dry an article with a radio frequency (RF) applicator having a first anode element, a second anode element, a first cathode element, and a second cathode element, the method comprising:
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electrically coupling a conductor of the RF applicator to the first anode element, and another conductor of the RF applicator to the first cathode element; capacitively coupling 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 element and the first cathode element, thereby inducing energization between the first anode element and the second anode element, and between the first cathode element and the second cathode element 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 field to effect a drying of the article. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An article treatment appliance to dry an article according to a predetermined cycle of operation, comprising:
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a first anode element and a first cathode element; a second anode element and a second cathode element; the first anode element capacitively coupled with the second anode element and operably separated by a non-conductive material; the first cathode element capacitively coupled with the second cathode element and operably separated by the non-conductive material; the second anode element capacitively coupled with the second cathode element and operably spaced from each other; and a radio frequency (RF) applicator with a conductor electrically coupled with the first anode element and another conductor electrically coupled with the first cathode element and operable to selectively energize the first anode element and the first cathode element in a radio frequency spectrum; wherein the energization of the first anode element and first cathode element induces energization between the first anode element and the second anode element, between the first cathode element and the second cathode element, and between the second anode element and the second cathode element to generate a field of electromagnetic radiation in the radio frequency spectrum between the second anode element and the second cathode element, operable to dielectrically heat liquid within the article. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification