WO2019219363A1

WO2019219363A1 - A washer-dryer in which dryness of the laundry items is effectively detected

Info

Publication number: WO2019219363A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/060949
Authority: WO
Inventors: Resul KARTAL; Ali Levent Hasanreisoglu; Basak BENGU; Kadir Ceran; Nihat Gunduz
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2018-05-17
Filing date: 2019-04-29
Publication date: 2019-11-21
Also published as: EP3794174A1; EP3794174B1

Abstract

The washer-dryer (1) of the invention comprises a bearer (3) placed in the drum together with the laundry items by a user, and the electrodes (4) made of conductive material, provided on the bearer (3) and used for measuring the dryness level of the laundry items, move freely during the drying process together with the laundry items and independent of the drum, and collect real-time data from the laundry items.

Description

A WASHER-DRYER IN WHICH DRYNESS OF THE LAUNDRY ITEMS IS EFFECTIVELY DETECTED

The present invention relates to a washer-dryer enabling parameters of laundry items such as dryness, temperature, humidity to be measured precisely and accurately during the drying process.

In washer-dryers during drying process, parameters of the laundry items in a drum such as dryness, temperature, etc. have to be measured precisely and accurately. The duration of drying process depends on the laundry items reaching the accurate levels of dryness and temperature, and upon reaching of said levels drying process is terminated. Various sensors are provided on washer-dryers, enabling measuring parameters such as conductivity, temperature, humidity, etc., and the washer-dryer is controlled by means of the data received from such sensors.

Generally in washer-dryers, conductivity is measured during drying process and drying process is terminated according to this measurement. Conductivity is measured by means of two electrodes stably placed at the front portion of a drum. During drying process, the conductivity value of the laundry items can be measured when the laundry items in the drum contact said electrodes.

Laundry are more conductive while humid. The conductivity of the laundry decreases as they dry and lose their humidity. The conductivity of only the laundry contacting the electrodes can be measured during drying. The possibility of the electrodes to contact the laundry significantly decreases when there is a small amount of laundry in the drum which are not distributed homogeneously, thereby making it more difficult to determine drying. In this case, completion of drying is controlled by means of a timer. This, however, leads to an incomplete drying or the laundry being thermally damaged due to being over-dried.

There are several applications for detecting the dryness of the laundry items in the state of the art. One of these applications is, as mentioned above, detecting dryness by placing at least two electrodes to a position where they will contact the laundry items during drying process, and forming a current bridge between two electrodes when the damp laundry items contacts the two electrodes, and evaluating the difference between the resistance values of the electrodes.

State of the art European Patent no. EP2387643 discloses a washer-dryer having a drum rotating in horizontal axis, the washer-dryer comprising electrodes fixed on the inlet port of the drum by way of plastic injection, enabling detecting dryness.

State of the art Korean Patent Application no. KR20030041428 discloses a washer-dryer comprising a dryness detection unit provided in the drum, having electrodes fixed on the wall of the drum.

Another embodiment of the state of the art is disclosed in the international patent application no. WO2004022836. This patent application discloses a washer-dryer comprising a sensor provided on a drum, communicating with a control unit by contactless signal transmission.

Another embodiment of the state of the art is disclosed in the European Patent Application no. EP0940494. Said document also discloses a washer-dryer comprising a conductivity sensor used for detecting dryness of laundry items, and wirelessly communicating with a control unit.

The aim of the present invention is to realize a washer-dryer in which parameters such as dryness and temperature are enabled to be measured precisely and accurately during drying process.

The washer-dryer realized to achieve the aim of the present invention and disclosed in the first claim and the dependent claims, comprises a bearer on which at least two electrodes are provided, placed in a drum together with the laundry items, moving freely with the laundry items in the drum, enabling accurately and precisely measuring the parameters related to the dryness of the laundry items such as humidity, temperature, and dryness by contacting all of the laundry items; a seat provided on the control panel, in which the bearer is placed when not used in the drum; and a locking mechanism provided on the base of the seat and on the bearer, preventing the bearer from escaping the seat by mutually interacting when the bearer is placed in the seat. Thus, the bearer is not required to be moved away from the washer-dryer to be recharged, thereby minimizing the risk of the bearer and the charging unit getting lost.

In an embodiment of the invention, the locking mechanism consists of a first and a second holder of which the one provided on the seat is shaped as a projection and the one provided on the bearer is shaped as a recess. In the preferred embodiment, the first and the second holders are magnets. Thus, the bearer cannot be detached from the seat unless a force is applied to disrupt the interaction between two magnets.

The first and the second holders are shaped as trapezoids with beveled corners and edges. This prevents the bearer from being inversely attached on the seat. Single way attachment of the bearer enables the charging pins and changing contacts to contact in full by enabling the charging pins to apply pressure on the charging contacts.

In another embodiment of the invention, the bearer is shaped as a sphere and comprises at least one base on its wall. The base consists the traverse of the bearer and is therefore annular. In this embodiment of the invention, the first holder is provided on said base and the bearer fits on the seat by means of said base. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the bearer comprises two bases on walls disposed opposite each other on the same diameter. The electrodes extend between said two bases. The base of the seat and the base on the bearer are annular and are adapted for each other.

The energy needs of the bearer and the components provided therein are supplied by at least one battery positioned in the bearer and used as a power supply.

The washer-dryer further comprises a charging unit having charging pins and charging contacts provided on the bearer and the base of the seat, enabling the power supply on the bearer to be recharged by mutually interacting when the bearer is placed in the seat. Thus, when the bearer is removed out of the drum, the power supply provided in the bearer is enabled to be electrically connected to an energy source and be recharged by means of the seat on the control panel. In addition, the bearer is enabled to be recharged on the control panel without being removed from the washer-dryer.

The bearer is shaped as a hollow chamber, and in the preferred embodiment, it consists of two parts, namely the upper and lower parts, and is preferably shaped as a sphere. The upper and lower parts are firmly and sealingly joined to each other by the screw pitches formed on their edges. By this, humidity, vapor or water is prevented from penetrating the bearer in the drum which has a humid environment.

A washer-dryer realized to achieve the aims of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washer-dryer control panel.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a bearer.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the control panel and the bearer prior to being placed in the seat.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the control panel and the bearer placed in the seat.

The elements in the figures are numbered individually and the correspondence of these numbers are given hereinafter.

Washer-dryer
Power switch
Bearer
Electrode
Control panel
Locking mechanism
Base
Seat
First holder
Second holder
Charging unit
Charging pin
Charging contact

The washer-dryer (1) comprises a control unit by means of which its operational parameters are controlled, a drum in which the laundry items are placed, at least two electrodes (4) used to detect dryness of the laundry items by contacting the laundry items in the drum, a control panel (5) by means of which the user controls operation of the washer-dryer (1), and

a bearer (3) adapted to be placed in the drum together with the laundry items by a user, moving freely in the drum independent of the drum, on which the electrodes (4) are placed and bearing the electrodes (4),
a seat (8) provided on the control panel (5), on which the bearer (3) is placed when the bearer (3) is not used in the drum, and
a locking mechanism (6) provided on the base of the seat (8) and on the bearer (3), preventing the bearer (3) from escaping the seat (8) by mutually interacting when the bearer (3) is placed in the seat (8)

(Figure 1 and Figure 2).

The bearer (3) is placed by the user in the drum together with the laundry items, and the washer-dryer (1) is activated. The electrodes (4) made of conductive material, provided on the bearer (3) and used for measuring the dryness level of the laundry items, move freely during the drying process together with the laundry items and independent of the drum, and collect real-time data from the laundry items. Since the bearer (3) can move freely in the drum, it contacts almost all of the laundry items in the drum, and enables receiving real-time dryness information from all of the laundry items. The electrodes (4) are thus enabled to contact all of the laundry items independent of the amount and the distribution of the laundry items in the drum, thereby enabling collecting information about the parameters related to the dryness of the laundry items in the most precise and accurate manner. The electric current generated between the electrodes (4) during contacting of the electrodes (4) to the laundry items, is transmitted to the control unit and the dryness of the laundry items is evaluated. When the bearer (3) is removed out of the drum, the bearer (3) is placed on the seat (8) provided on the control panel (5), and unless a force is exerted thereon, it rests on the seat (8) by means of the locking mechanism (6). Thus, the bearer (3) is kept on the seat (8) on the control panel (5) without being removed from the washer-dryer (1) when it is not utilized in the drum. This minimizes the risk of losing the bearer (3) likely to occur due to keeping it in a location away from the washer-dryer (1).

In an embodiment of the invention, the locking mechanism (6) comprises a first holder (9) provided on the bearer (3) and a second holder (10) provided on the base of the seat (8), engaging into the first holder (9), of which one is preferably shaped as a projection and the other as a recess. In the preferred embodiment, the first and the second holders (9 and 10) are magnets. When the bearer (3) is moved close to the seat (8), the magnets provided on the bearer (3) and the seat (8) attract each other and the bearer (3) cannot be detached from the seat (8) after being attached unless a force is applied to disrupt the interaction between two magnets.

In another embodiment of the invention, the bearer (3) is shaped as a sphere and comprises at least one base (7) on its wall. The base (7) constitutes the traverse of the bearer (3). In this embodiment of the invention, the first holder (9) is provided on said base (7) and the bearer (3) fits on the seat (8) by means of said base (7). In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the bearer (3) comprises two bases (7) on walls disposed opposite each other on the same diameter. The electrodes (4) extend between said two bases (7).

In another embodiment of the invention, the washer-dryer (1) comprises at least one power supply provided in the bearer (3), providing the energy required by the components on the bearer (3). In this embodiment of the invention, a battery is used as the power supply.

In an embodiment of the invention, the washer-dryer (1) comprises a charging unit (11) provided on the bearer (3) and the base of the seat (8), enabling the power supply on the bearer (3) to be recharged by mutually interacting when the bearer (3) is placed in the seat (8).

In an embodiment of the invention, the charging unit (11) comprises two charging pins (12) provided on the base of the seat (8) and two charging contacts (13) provided on the base (7) of the bearer (3). When the bearer (3) is placed on the seat (8) with their bases facing each other, the charging pins (12) contact the charging contacts (13), enabling transmitting energy to the power supply. In this embodiment, when the bearer (3) is placed on the seat (8), the seat (8) functions as a charging unit enabling charging the power supply provided in the bearer (3) and the bearer (3) is thus recharged on the seat (8). Thus, when the bearer (3) is removed out of the drum, the power supply provided in the bearer (3) is enabled to be electrically connected to an energy source and be recharged by means of the seat (8) on the control panel (5). In addition, the bearer (3) is enabled to be recharged on the control panel (5), without being removed from the washer-dryer (1) (Figure 3 and Figure 4).

In an embodiment of the invention, the first and the second holders (9 and 10) are shaped as trapezoids with beveled corners and edges. This prevents the bearer (3) from being inversely attached on the seat (8). Single way attachment of the bearer (3) enables the charging pins (12) and changing contacts (13) to contact in full by enabling the charging pins (12) to apply pressure on the charging contacts (13).

In another embodiment of the invention, the bearer (3) comprises a power switch (2). In the preferred embodiment, said switch (2) is placed in the middle of the base (7), in between the charging contacts (13).

In another embodiment of the invention, the washer-dryer (1) comprises a communication unit provided on the bearer (3), enabling contactless data transmission to the control unit. In a version of this embodiment, the communication unit enables the contactless communication optically by light. In the preferred version of this embodiment, the communication unit enables wireless communication.

In an embodiment of the invention, the washer-dryer (1) comprises two electrodes (4) placed parallel to each other. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, two pairs of electrodes (4) are disposed on the bearer (3).

In another embodiment of the invention, the bearer (3) is a hollow, enclosed chamber and the electrodes (4) are disposed on its outer wall. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the bearer (3) is shaped as a hollow sphere formed by combining two semi-spheres. Two of the electrodes (4) are disposed on the upper semi-sphere, and the other two are disposed on the lower semi-sphere. In this embodiment, the electrodes (4) are strip-shaped and have a curvature adapted to the curvature of the sphere. In this embodiment of the invention, the electrodes (4) are disposed on the same line on the outer wall of the bearer (3). The control unit and the power supply are positioned in the bearer (3). The two semi-spheres are sealingly interlocked by the screw threads formed suitably for each other preferably along their edges.

Claims

A washer-dryer (1) comprising a control unit by means of which its operational parameters are controlled, a drum in which the laundry items are placed, at least two electrodes (4) used to detect dryness of the laundry items by contacting the laundry items in the drum and a control panel (5) by means of which the user controls operation of the washer-dryer (1), characterized by

- a bearer (3) adapted to be placed in the drum together with the laundry items by a user, moving freely in the drum independent of the drum, on which the electrodes (4) are placed and bearing the electrodes (4),

- a seat (8) provided on the control panel (5), on which the bearer (3) is placed when the bearer (3) is not used in the drum, and by

- a locking mechanism (6) provided on the base of the seat (8) and on the bearer (3), preventing the bearer (3) from escaping the seat (8) by mutually interacting when the bearer (3) is placed in the seat (8)
A washer-dryer (1) according to claim 1, characterized by the locking mechanism (6) comprising at least two parts, of which one is shaped as a projection and the other as a recess.
A washer-dryer (1) according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by a first holder (9) provided on the bearer (3) and a second holder (10) provided on the base of the seat (8), engaging into the first holder (9).
A washer-dryer (1) according to claim 3, characterized by the first and the second holders (9 and 10) which are magnets.
A washer-dryer (1) according to claim 1, characterized by the bearer (3) comprising at least one base (7) on its wall.
A washer-dryer (1) according to claim 5, characterized by the base (7) on which the first holder (9) is provided, by means of which the bearer (3) is fitted on the seat (8).
A washer-dryer (1) according to claim 5, characterized by the bearer (3) comprising two bases (7) on its opposite walls on the same diameter.
A washer-dryer (1) according to claim 1, characterized by at least one power supply provided in the bearer (3), supplying energy required by the components provided on the bearer (3).
A washer-dryer (1) according to claim 2, characterized by using a battery as the power supply.
A washer-dryer (1) according to claim 1, characterized by a charging unit (11) provided on the bearer (3) and the base of the seat (8), enabling the power supply on the bearer (3) to be recharged by mutually interacting when the bearer (3) is placed in the seat (8).
A washer-dryer (1) according to claim 10, characterized by the charging unit (11) comprising two charging pins (12) provided on the base of the seat (8) and two charging contacts (13) provided on the base (7) of the bearer (3).
A washer-dryer (1) according to claim 3, characterized by the first and the second holders (9 and 10) shaped as trapezoids with beveled corners and edges.
A washer-dryer (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a communication unit provided on the bearer (3), enabling contactless data transmission to the control unit.
A washer-dryer (1) according to claim 13, characterized by the communication unit enabling contactless communication optically by light.
A washer-dryer (1) according to claim 13, characterized by the communication unit enabling wireless communication.