Method Of Detection For An Over-Loaded Drying Capacity In A Clothes Dryer Or A Combo Washer-Dryer Dryer

Abstract

A method of controlling load volume in a laundry drying appliance where a load of wet laundry is place in a drum of the laundry drying appliance and the load volume of the wet laundry is sensed or determined according to the method. A condition of the drum of the laundry drying appliance is actively monitored and a determination is made if a proper load volume is present in laundry drying appliance.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling a load volume of laundry in a laundry drying appliance, the method comprising the steps of:
 sensing a condition of the laundry drying appliance that is indicative of the load volume of laundry in the laundry drying appliance by receiving and processing one or more electrical signals from one or more sensors or electrical components positioned within the laundry drying appliance;   determining the load volume of laundry in the laundry drying appliance based on the condition of the laundry drying appliance that is indicative of load volume; and   determining if the load volume of laundry present in the laundry drying appliance exceeds a pre-determined maximum load volume value for a particular drying cycle of the laundry drying appliance.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 displaying an overload warning on a control panel of the laundry drying appliance if the pre-determined maximum load volume value is exceeded.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 highlighting and enabling a recommended cycle setting on a control panel of the laundry drying appliance if the pre-determined maximum load volume value is exceeded.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 terminating the drying cycle if the pre-determined maximum load volume value is exceeded.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 autonomously changing the drying cycle to a different drying cycle if the pre-determined maximum load volume value is exceeded.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 processing one or more signals indicative of drum motor current draw to obtain a measured motor torque value; and   comparing the measured motor torque value to one or more motor torque benchmark values.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of:
 determining whether the measured motor torque value is greater than the one or more motor torque benchmark values to determine whether the load volume of laundry in the laundry drying appliance corresponds to a large load, a medium load, or a small load, or an overloaded condition.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 processing one or more signals indicative of loaded drum weight or displacement to obtain a measured weight/displacement value; and   comparing the measured weight/displacement value to one or more weight/displacement benchmark values.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of:
 determining whether the measured weight/displacement value is greater than the one or more weight/displacement benchmark values to determine whether the load volume of laundry in the laundry drying appliance corresponds to a large load, a medium load, or a small load.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 processing one or more signals indicative of exhaust temperature to obtain a measured exhaust temperature value; and   comparing the measured exhaust temperature value to one or more exhaust temperature benchmark values.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
 determining whether the measured exhaust temperature value is greater than the one or more exhaust temperature benchmark values to determine whether the load volume of laundry in the laundry drying appliance corresponds to a large load, a medium load, or a small load, or an overloaded condition.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 processing one or more signals indicative of exhaust temperature and relative humidity to obtain a measured exhaust temperature value and a measured humidity value;   calculating a calculated evaporation rate value from the measured exhaust temperature value and the measured humidity value; and   comparing the calculated evaporation rate value to one or more evaporation rate benchmark values.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of:
 determining whether the calculated evaporation rate value is greater than the one or more evaporation rate benchmark values to determine whether the load volume of laundry in the laundry drying appliance corresponds to a large load, a medium load, or a small load.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 processing one or more signals indicative of a force on a drum component to obtain a measured force value; and   comparing the measured force value to one or more benchmark force values.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 determining whether the measured force value is greater than the one or more benchmark force values to determine whether the load volume of laundry in the laundry drying appliance corresponds to a large load, a medium load, or a small load, or an overloaded condition.   
     
     
         16 . A laundry drying appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet with an opening enabling access inside the cabinet;   a door coupled with the cabinet, the door covering the opening;   a heating unit configured to heat air inside of the cabinet;   a drum configured to receive laundry to be dried in the drying appliance;   a control panel with a user interface that is configured to permit user selection of a desired drying cycle; and   a controller integrated with or arranged in electronic communication with the control panel,   wherein the controller is programmed to process one or more electrical signals that are received from one or more sensors or electrical components positioned within the cabinet to detect a condition of the laundry drying appliance that is indicative of load volume,   wherein the controller is programmed to determine the load volume of laundry in the drum based on the condition of the laundry drying appliance that is indicative of load volume, and   wherein the controller is programmed to determine if the load volume of laundry present in the drum exceeds a pre-determined maximum load volume value for the desired drying cycle.   
     
     
         17 . The laundry drying appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the control panel is configured to display an overload warning if the pre-determined maximum load volume value is exceeded. 
     
     
         18 . The laundry drying appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the control panel is configured to highlight a recommended cycle setting if the pre-determined maximum load volume value is exceeded. 
     
     
         19 . A washer/dryer combination appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet with an opening enabling access inside the cabinet;   a door coupled with the cabinet, the door covering the opening;   a heating unit configured heat air inside of the cabinet;   a tub suspended within the cabinet;   a drum rotatably supported within the tub, the drum configured to receive laundry to be washed and dried in the washer/dryer combination appliance;   a control panel with a user interface that is configured to permit user selection of a desired drying cycle; and   a controller integrated with or arranged in electronic communication with the control panel,   wherein the controller is programmed to process one or more electrical signals that are received from one or more sensors or electrical components positioned within the cabinet to detect a condition of the laundry drying appliance that is indicative of load volume,   wherein the controller is programmed to determine the load volume of laundry in the drum based on the condition of the laundry drying appliance that is indicative of load volume, and   wherein the controller is programmed to determine if the load volume of laundry present in the drum exceeds a pre-determined maximum load volume value for the desired drying cycle.   
     
     
         20 . The washer/dryer combination appliance of  claim 19 , wherein the control panel is configured to display an overload warning or highlight a recommended cycle setting if the pre-determined maximum load volume value is exceeded.