Dryer with clogging detecting function

• US 7,926,201 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Ju-hyun, Bae, Sun-cheol, Min, Ju-young, Kim, Kyung-hun, Hu, Jin-seok, Koo, Ja-in, Kim, Yang-hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAVINI, STEPHEN MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US11/850,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20080078100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 344/74, 345/24, 345/49, 345/62, 346/06, 342/10, 34/90, 343/81, 68/5.C, 68/17.R, 700/208, 623/52, 621/38, 119/245, 153/53, 153/001
• US Class Current: 34/524
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/00 User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/32 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/56 related to air ducts, e.g. position of flow diverters
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/28 Electric heating
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/34 Filtering, e.g. control of lint removal devices
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/08 Control circuits or arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/20 Parameters relating to constructional components, e.g. door sensors
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens

Abstract

A clogging detecting apparatus for a dryer is provided that checks and displays a clogging degree of an air passage. The clogging detecting apparatus includes a judgment device for judging the clogging degree of the air passage, a storing device for storing the clogging degree of the air passage, and a display for displaying the clogging degree to the user. The clogging detecting apparatus provides information on the clogging degree, so that the user precisely checks the state of the air passage.

Claims

1. A dryer with a clogging detection function, the dryer comprising:

a judgment device that judges a clogging degree of an air passage;

a storing device that stores the judged clogging degree of the air passage;

an indicator that generates an external indication of the judged clogging degree;

an operation device that performs a drying operation on the air passage; and

a stopping device that intercepts a supply of power to the operation device so as to stop the drying operation of the operation device, wherein the judgment device comprises;

a detection device that detects an on/off state of the drying operation based on operation of the stopping device; and

a control device that determines the clogging degree of the air passage based on the on/off state of the drying operation detected by the detection device.

2. The dryer of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a display that displays the clogging degree in at least two increments of the air passage.

3. The dryer of claim 2, wherein, when the clogging degree exceeds a predetermined threshold, the display displays a warning message.

4. The dryer of claim 1, wherein the indicator generates at least one of a visible indication or an audible indication of the clogging degree.

5. The dryer of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a display that displays a clogging degree of a lint filter and a clogging degree of an exhaust duct.

6. The dryer of claim 1, further comprising an input device that initiates a judging operation of the judgment device in response to an externally input judgment command.

7. The dryer of claim 1, further comprising a connection line that connects the detection device to the operation device or the stopping.

8. The dryer of claim 1, wherein the judgment device checks the clogging degree of the air passage by computing an on/off duty ratio of the drying operation.

13. The dryer of claim 1, further comprising a comparison device that compares the judged clogging degree with at least one prestored clogging degree of the air passage, wherein the indicator comprises a display that displays the comparison result.

14. The dryer of claim 13, further comprising an initial state setting device that sets the judged clogging degree as an initial clogging degree when a difference value between the judged clogging degree and a prestored clogging degree does not fall within an initial difference value reference range.

17. The dryer of claim 13, further comprising a setting device that sets a comparison result of the comparison device between the judged clogging degree and a latest stored clogging degree as the clogging degree or a progressive clogging degree of the lint filter.

18. The dryer of claim 1, further comprising:

a first comparison device that compares the judged clogging degree with a clogging reference value of an exhaust duct; and

a second comparison device that compares a difference value between a prestored clogging degree and the judged clogging degree with a clogging reference value of a lint filter.

19. The dryer of claim 18, wherein the indicator comprises a display that displays clogging of the exhaust duct or clogging of the lint filter according to the comparison result of the first comparison device or the second comparison device.

9. A dryer having a clogging detection function, the dryer comprising:

a judgment device that judges a clogging degree of an air passage;

a storing device that stores the clogging degree of the air passage;

a display that displays the clogging degree;

an operation device that performs a drying operation on the air passage; and

a stopping device that stops the drying operation of the operation device, wherein the stopping device transmits an off control command to the operation device according to a temperature of the air passage, and wherein the judgment device judges the clogging degree of the air passage according to an on/off state of the drying operation device.

10. The dryer of claim 9, wherein the judgment device checks the clogging degree of the air passage by computing an on/off duty ratio of the drying operation.

11. A dryer having a clogging detection function, the dryer comprising:

a judgment device that judges a clogging degree of an air passage;

a storing device that stores the clogging degree of the air passage;

a display device that displays the clogging degree to a user;

an operation device that performs a drying operation on the air passage; and

a stopping device that selectively intercepts a supply of power to the operation device so as to selectively stop the drying operation of the operation device, wherein the judgment device comprises;

a detection device that detects an on/off state of the drying operation; and

a control device that determines the clogging degree of the air passage according to a first off time point of the drying operation imposed by the stopping device.

12. A dryer having a clogging detection function, the dryer comprising:

a judgment device that judges a clogging degree of an air passage;

a storing device that stores the clogging degree of the air passage;

a display that displays the clogging degree; and

an operation device that performs a drying operation on the air passage, wherein the judgment device comprises;

a temperature sensor that senses a temperature of the air passage; and

a controller that determines the clogging degree of the air passage according to a temperature variation sensed by the temperature sensor.

15. A dryer having a clogging detection function, comprising:

a judgment device that judges a clogging degree of an air passage;

a storing device that stores the judged clogging degree of the air passage;

a display that displays the judged clogging degree; and

an initial state setting device that sets the judged clogging degree as an initial clogging degree when a reference clogging degree is not previously stored.

16. The dryer of claim 15, wherein the initial clogging degree corresponds to a clogging degree of an exhaust duct.