Control method of a clothing dryer

Abstract

A clothing dryer includes a drum to receive clothing, a first heater, a second heater having a capacity smaller than a capacity of the first heater, a temperature sensor to sense temperature of air exhausted from the drum and a dryness sensor to sense dryness of the clothing received in the drum. The control method of the clothing dryer includes simultaneously turning on the first heater and the second heater; alternately turning on and off at least one of the first heater and the second heater when a value of the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor reaches a predetermined temperature; and maintaining one of the first heater and the second heater in a turned-on state when a value of the dryness sensed by the dryness sensor reaches a predetermined dryness.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control method of a clothing dryer comprising a drum to receive clothing, a first heater, a second heater having a capacity smaller than a capacity of the first heater, a temperature sensor to sense temperature of air exhausted from the drum and a dryness sensor to sense dryness of the clothing received in the drum, the control method comprising:
 simultaneously turning on the first heater and the second heater;   alternately turning on and off at least one of the first heater and the second heater when a value of the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor reaches a predetermined temperature; and   maintaining one of the first heater and the second heater in a turned-on state when a value of the dryness sensed by the dryness sensor reaches a predetermined dryness.   
     
     
         2 . The control method of  claim 1 , wherein the second heater has a capacity which is half a capacity of the first heater. 
     
     
         3 . The control method of  claim 1 , wherein the second heater has a capacity which is about 30% of a sum of capacities of the first heater and the second heater. 
     
     
         4 . The control method of  claim 1 , wherein the alternately turning on and off of the at least one of the first heater and the second heater comprises simultaneously turning on the first heater and the second heater and simultaneously turning off the first heater and the second heater. 
     
     
         5 . The control method of  claim 1 , wherein the alternately turning on and off of the at least one of the first heater and the second heater comprises alternately turning on and off the first heater while maintaining the second heater in a turned-on state. 
     
     
         6 . The control method of  claim 1 , wherein the maintaining of one of the first heater and the second heater in a turned-on state comprises maintaining the second heater in a turned-on state. 
     
     
         7 . The control method of  claim 1 , wherein the clothing dryer further comprises a humidify sensor to sense humidity inside of the drum, and
 wherein the control method further comprises maintaining one of the first heater and the second heater in a turned-on state when a value of the humidity sensed by the humidity sensor reaches a predetermined humidity.   
     
     
         8 . The control method of  claim 7 , wherein the maintaining of one of the first heater and the second heater in a turned-on state comprises maintaining the second heater in a turned-on state. 
     
     
         9 . The control method of  claim 1 , wherein the clothing dryer further comprises a humidify sensor to sense humidity inside of the drum, and
 wherein the control method further comprises
 calculating the amount of change in humidity sensed by the humidity sensor; and 
 maintaining one of the first heater and the second heater in a turned-on state if the calculated amount of change in humidity is greater than a reference amount of change. 
   
     
     
         10 . The control method of  claim 9 , wherein the maintaining of one of the first heater and the second heater in a turned-on state comprises maintaining the second heater in a turned-on state. 
     
     
         11 . The control method of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first heater and the second heater is alternately turned on and off, if the calculated amount of change in humidity is equal to or smaller than the reference amount of change. 
     
     
         12 . The control method of  claim 11 , wherein the alternately turning on and off of the at least one of the first heater and the second heater comprises simultaneously turning on the first heater and the second heater and simultaneously turning off the first heater and the second heater. 
     
     
         13 . The control method of  claim 11 , wherein the alternately turning on and off of the at least one of the first heater and the second heater comprises alternately turning on and off the first heater while maintaining the second heater in a turned-on state.