Method and apparatus for appliance display

• US 20050097773A1
• Filed: 11/07/2003
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Gardner, Douglas W.
• Application Number:
  US10/704,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20050097773A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/606
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/18 Target temperature for the drying process, e.g. low-temperature cycles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/08 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/10 expressed as capacitance or resistance
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/60 Audible signals
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/08 Control circuits or arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/38 of drying, e.g. to achieve the target humidity

Abstract

A display system for an appliance is disclosed. The display system includes at least one visible light source for expressing a representation of a variable selection or measured quantity associated with the appliance. The display system also includes a control circuit for controlling the appliance, the control circuit is operatively connected to each of the at least one visible light source. The control circuit is adapted for adjusting brightness associated with the at least one visible light source by adjusting a duty cycle for each of the at least one visible light source to provide the representation of the variable selection or measured quantity. In one embodiment the display system is used in a dryer and a related method for drying laundry.

Claims

1-4. -4. (canceled)

5. A dryer for drying laundry, comprising:

a housing;

a chamber within the housing for placing laundry;

a sensor associated with the chamber for determining a moisture level of the laundry within the chamber;

a display operatively connected to a control circuit having at least one visible light source for expressing a representation of the moisture level of laundry; and

the control circuit adapted for adjusting brightness associated with each of the at least one visible light source by adjusting duty cycle for each visible light source to provide the representation of the moisture level of the laundry.

6. The dryer of claim 5 wherein the control circuit is adapted to provide a maximum brightness for each of the visible light source when the laundry is maximally wet.

7. The dryer of claim 5 wherein the at least one visible light source include at least three visible light sources.

8. The dryer of claim 5 wherein the control circuit includes an intelligent control.

9. The dryer of claim 8 wherein the intelligent control is a microprocessor.

10. A method of conveying a laundry moisture level of laundry within a dryer, comprising;

providing a plurality of visible light sources associated with the dryer for expressing the laundry moisture level;

independently adjusting a duty cycle associated with each of the plurality of visible light sources as the laundry moisture level transitions from wet to dry.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising sensing the laundry moisture level.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of visible light sources includes three visible light sources.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of adjusting includes adjusting duty cycles associated with each of the plurality of visible light sources from a bright state associated with the laundry having a high moisture level to a dim state associated with the laundry having a lower moisture level.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of LEDs includes five LEDs.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of adjusting is performed by an intelligent control.

17. The dryer of claim 12 wherein each visible light source is a light emitting diode.

16. A dryer for drying laundry, comprising:

a housing;

a chamber within the housing for containing laundry;

a sensor associated with the chamber for determining a moisture level of the laundry within the chamber;

a control circuit operatively connected to the sensor;

a plurality of visible light sources operatively connected to the control circuit, each of the plurality of visible light sources having an independently controlled duty cycle such that the plurality of visible light sources acting together provide a representation of the moisture level of the laundry.

18-21. -21. (canceled)