DRYNESS DETECTION METHOD FOR CLOTHES DRYER BASED ON PULSE WIDTH
First Claim
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1. A clothes dryer, comprising:
- a dryer bin;
a first conductor in the dryer bin;
a second conductor in the dryer bin;
a switch coupled to the first conductor and configured to generate a pulse when a resistance between the first and the second conductors is lower than a threshold resistance, a length of the pulse corresponding to a length of time that the resistance is lower than the threshold resistance; and
a microcontroller coupled to the switch and configured to receive the pulse from the output of the detection circuit and to output a termination signal based on a number of pulses that are longer than a threshold time.
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Abstract
A device and method are provided for detecting a root moisture content of clothing in a clothes dryer. The dryer has two conducting bars situated in the dryer bin. A pulse generator circuit is coupled to the conducting bars. A microcontroller is coupled to an output of the pulse generator circuit. The pulse generator circuit generates a pulse when wet clothing contacts the conducting bars in the dryer bin. The microcontroller receives the pulses and counts the pulses that are longer than a threshold length. The microcontroller issues a termination signal based on the number of counted pulses.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A clothes dryer, comprising:
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a dryer bin; a first conductor in the dryer bin; a second conductor in the dryer bin; a switch coupled to the first conductor and configured to generate a pulse when a resistance between the first and the second conductors is lower than a threshold resistance, a length of the pulse corresponding to a length of time that the resistance is lower than the threshold resistance; and a microcontroller coupled to the switch and configured to receive the pulse from the output of the detection circuit and to output a termination signal based on a number of pulses that are longer than a threshold time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method, comprising:
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sensing a resistance between two conductors in a dryer bin of a clothes dryer; generating a pulse when the resistance is lower than a threshold resistance, a length of the pulse corresponding to a length of time that the resistance is lower than the threshold resistance; comparing the length of the pulse to a threshold time; and outputting a termination signal based on a rate of pulses that are longer than the threshold time. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method, comprising:
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drying clothes in a dryer bin of a clothes dryer; generating a pulse if the resistance of the clothes is less than a threshold resistance; comparing a length of the pulse to a threshold time; counting pulses which are longer than the threshold time; and terminating a drying cycle if a rate of occurrence of counted pulses is less than a threshold rate. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A device, comprising:
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a pulse generator circuit configured to generate a pulse when a resistance of an item is detected to be less than a threshold resistance; a microcontroller configured to receive the pulse and to compare a length of the pulse to a threshold time; and a counter coupled to the processor, the microcontroller being configured to increment the counter if the pulse is longer than the threshold time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification