Dryer and method for controlling the same

Abstract

A dryer includes: a drying electrode; a sterilizing electrode; a condensing electrode; a first radio frequency (RF) power supply and a second power supply configured to amplify an input signal to generate an RF signal; a switch configured to electrically connect or disconnect the drying electrode, the sterilizing electrode or the condensing electrode to/from the RF power supply; and a processor configured to: control the switch to allow the first RF power supply and the second RF power supply to apply a first RF signal to the drying electrode in a drying mode, and control the switch to allow one of the first RF power supply and the second RF power supply to apply a second RF signal to the condensing electrode, or to allow a remaining one of the first RF power supply and the second RF power supply to apply a third RF signal to the sterilizing electrode in at least one of a condensing mode or a sterilizing mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dryer, comprising:
 a drying electrode portion comprising a drying electrode;   a sterilizing electrode portion comprising a sterilizing electrode;   a condensing electrode portion comprising a condensing electrode;   a radio frequency (RF) power supply including a first RF power supply and a second power supply configured to amplify an input signal to generate an RF signal;   a switch portion comprising a switch configured to electrically connect or disconnect the drying electrode portion, the sterilizing electrode portion or the condensing electrode portion to/from the RF power supply; and   at least one processor, comprising processing circuitry, individually and/or collectively, configured to cause the dryer to:   control the switch portion to allow the first RF power supply and the second RF power supply to apply a first RF signal to the drying electrode portion to perform a drying mode, and   control the switch portion to allow one of the first RF power supply and the second RF power supply to apply a second RF signal to the condensing electrode portion, or to allow a remaining one of the first RF power supply and the second RF power supply to apply a third RF signal to the sterilizing electrode portion to perform at least one of a condensing mode or a sterilizing mode.   
     
     
         2 . The dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the drying electrode portion includes a first drying electrode and a second drying electrode, and
 at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured cause the dryer to: control the switching portion to allow the first RF power supply to apply a positive half-cycle of the first RF signal to the first drying electrode, and to allow the second RF power supply to apply a negative half-cycle of the first RF signal to the second drying electrode to perform the drying mode.   
     
     
         3 . The dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the condensing electrode portion includes a plurality of condensing electrodes, and
 at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to cause the dryer to:   control the switching portion to allow the first RF power supply to apply the second RF signal to the plurality of condensing electrodes to perform the condensing mode.   
     
     
         4 . The dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the sterilizing electrode portion includes a plurality of sterilizing electrodes, and
 at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to cause the dryer to: control the switching portion to allow the second RF power supply to apply the third RF signal to the plurality of sterilizing electrodes to perform the sterilizing mode.   
     
     
         5 . The dryer of  claim 2 , wherein the switch portion includes a first switch configured to electrically connect or disconnect the first RF power supply to/from the first electrode, a second switch configured to electrically connect or disconnect the second RF power supply to/from the second electrode, a third switch configured to electrically connect or disconnect the first RF power supply to/from the condensing electrode, and a fourth switch configured to electrically connect or disconnect the second RF power supply to/from the sterilizing electrode. 
     
     
         6 . The dryer of  claim 5 , wherein at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to selectively turn on one of the first switch and the second switch, and turn off the third switch and the fourth switch to perform the drying mode. 
     
     
         7 . The dryer of  claim 6 , wherein at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to cause the dryer to: turn on the first switch and turn off the second switch during the positive half-cycle of the first RF signal, and turn off the first switch and turn on the second switch during the negative half-cycle of the first RF signal to perform the drying mode. 
     
     
         8 . The dryer of  claim 5 , wherein at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to cause the dryer to turn on the third switch, and turn off the first switch, the second switch, and the fourth switch to perform the condensing mode. 
     
     
         9 . The dryer of  claim 5 , wherein at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to cause the dryer to turn on the fourth switch, and turn off the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch to perform the sterilizing mode. 
     
     
         10 . The dryer of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an impedance matching portion comprising circuitry configured to have one end connected to the RF power supply and another end connected to the switch portion,   wherein the impedance matching portion includes:   a first impedance matching circuit configured to perform impedance matching between the first RF power supply and one of the first drying electrode or the sterilizing electrode portion, and   a second impedance matching circuit configured to perform impedance matching between the second RF power supply and one of the second drying electrode or the condensing electrode portion.   
     
     
         11 . The dryer of  claim 10 , wherein at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to cause the dryer to: control the first impedance matching circuit to perform first impedance matching between the first RF power supply and the first drying electrode, and control the second impedance matching circuit to perform second impedance matching between the second RF power supply and the second drying electrode to perform the drying mode. 
     
     
         12 . The dryer of  claim 10 , wherein at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to cause the dryer to control the first impedance matching circuit to perform third impedance matching between the first RF power supply and the condensing electrode portion to perform the condensing mode. 
     
     
         13 . The dryer of  claim 10 , wherein at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to cause the dryer to control the second impedance matching circuit to perform fourth impedance matching between the second RF power supply and the sterilizing electrode portion to perform the sterilizing mode. 
     
     
         14 . The dryer of  claim 1 , wherein at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to cause the dryer to control the switch portion to perform the drying mode for a duty on time and to perform at least one of the sterilizing mode or the condensing mode for a duty off time based on a specified duty cycle. 
     
     
         15 . The dryer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a drum; and   a desiccant rotor disposed on an air discharge path corresponding to a flow path of air discharged from the drum,   wherein the drying electrode portion has a ring shape and is disposed along a central portion of an outer circumferential surface of the drum,   the sterilizing electrode portion has a ring shape and is disposed on a front portion and a rear portion of the outer circumferential surface of the drum, and   the condensing electrode portion has a plate shape and is disposed on a front side and a rear side of the desiccant rotor.