Dryer appliance and method for dryer cycle control

Abstract

A dryer appliance, a controller and a method for dryer cycle control include a voltage divider circuit having a first thermistor configured to receive a first temperature signal corresponding to an inlet flow of air to a heater assembly, and a second thermistor configured to receive a second temperature signal corresponding to a heated flow of air heated from the heater assembly. The first thermistor and the second thermistor have a substantially similar resistance-temperature curve as one another. An output voltage is determined based on an input voltage, the first thermistor, and the second thermistor. A heater control relay is configured to compare the output voltage to a reference voltage corresponding to a control pulsing, a timer adjustment, or a cycle termination. The dryer cycle is adjusted based on the output voltage relative to the reference voltage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for cycle control at a dryer appliance, the method comprising:
 positioning a first thermistor to receive a first temperature signal relative to an inlet flow of air to a heater assembly and positioning a second thermistor to receive a second temperature signal relative to a heated flow of air heated from the heater assembly, wherein the first thermistor and the second thermistor comprise a substantially similar resistance-temperature curve as one another;   determining an output voltage based on an input voltage, the first thermistor, and the second thermistor in a voltage divider circuit;   comparing the output voltage to a reference voltage corresponding to a control pulsing, a timer adjustment, or a cycle termination; and   adjusting a dryer cycle based on the output voltage relative to the reference voltage.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermistor and the second thermistor comprise a substantially linear thermistor curve. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 comparing an operating threshold to a difference between a resistance-temperature curve and a linear relationship between a first resistance and a second resistance of the first and second thermistors.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein positioning the first thermistor and the second thermistor is based on the difference at or below the operating threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first resistance corresponds to a first temperature limit of approximately zero degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the second resistance corresponds to a second temperature limit of approximately 40 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermistor is positioned in thermal communication with an inlet duct upstream of a chamber of the dryer appliance at which laundry articles are positioned for drying. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second thermistor is positioned in thermal communication with the heater assembly. 
     
     
         9 . A controller for a dryer appliance, the controller comprising:
 a voltage divider circuit comprising a first thermistor configured to receive a first temperature signal corresponding to an inlet flow of air to a heater assembly, the voltage divider circuit comprising a second thermistor configured to receive a second temperature signal corresponding to a heated flow of air heated from the heater assembly, wherein the first thermistor and the second thermistor comprise a substantially similar resistance-temperature curve as one another; and   a heater control relay configured to compare an output voltage of the voltage divider circuit to a reference voltage.   
     
     
         10 . The controller of  claim 9 , wherein the reference voltage corresponds to a control pulsing, a timer adjustment, or a cycle termination, the heater control relay configured to adjust one or more of the control pulsing, the timer adjustment, or the cycle termination based on comparing the reference voltage to output voltage. 
     
     
         11 . The controller of  claim 9 , wherein the first thermistor and the second thermistor comprise a substantially linear thermistor curve. 
     
     
         12 . A dryer appliance, the dryer appliance comprising:
 a drum rotatably mounted within a cabinet, the drum defining a chamber for receipt of articles for drying;   a heater assembly configured to selectively generate, from an inlet flow of air, a heated flow of air for fluid communication with the chamber;   a duct positioned to flow the inlet flow of air into thermal communication with the heater assembly to generate the heated flow of air;   a voltage divider circuit comprising a first thermistor configured to receive a first temperature signal corresponding to the inlet flow of air to the heater assembly, the voltage divider circuit comprising a second thermistor configured to receive a second temperature signal corresponding to the heated flow of air heated from the heater assembly, wherein the first thermistor and the second thermistor comprise a substantially similar resistance-temperature curve as one another; and   a heater control relay configured to compare an output voltage of the voltage divider circuit to a reference voltage.   
     
     
         13 . The dryer appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the voltage divider circuit is configured to generate an output voltage based on an input voltage, the first thermistor, and the second thermistor. 
     
     
         14 . The dryer appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the heater control relay is configured to adjust a dryer cycle based on the output voltage relative to the reference voltage. 
     
     
         15 . The dryer appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the first thermistor and the second thermistor comprise a substantially linear thermistor curve. 
     
     
         16 . The dryer appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the first thermistor and the second thermistor are at or below an operating threshold relative to a difference between a resistance-temperature curve and a linear relationship between a first resistance and a second resistance of the first and second thermistors. 
     
     
         17 . The dryer appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the first resistance corresponds to a first temperature limit of approximately zero degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         18 . The dryer appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the second resistance corresponds to a second temperature limit of approximately 40 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         19 . The dryer appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the first thermistor is positioned in thermal communication with the inlet flow of air at the duct, and wherein the second thermistor is positioned in thermal communication with the heated flow of air at heater assembly or an outlet duct downstream of the chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The dryer appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the inlet flow of air comprises a substantially ambient temperature.