WO2025023756A1 - Clothing dryer and control method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

A clothing dryer and a method performed by the clothing dryer, according to the present disclosure, are designed to identify the degree of clogging of a filter for collecting foreign substances generated during a drying operation. To this end, the clothing dryer may comprise: a display; an expansion valve provided in a heat pump unit; and a control unit for identifying the degree of clogging of the filter.

Description

Clothes dryer and method of controlling the same

The present disclosure relates to a clothes dryer, and more particularly, to a clothes dryer and method for detecting foreign substances accumulated in a filter member and guiding filter cleaning based on data acquired by detecting the opening rate of an expansion valve.

A clothes dryer is a home appliance that dries wet laundry (hereinafter referred to as “dryable items”) using high-temperature, dry air.

Generally, when using a clothes dryer to dry laundry, foreign substances such as lint or dust are generated due to friction between the items to be dried or between the items to be dried and the drum. If foreign substances accumulate in the air passage, the air flow inside the clothes dryer may not be smooth, and the air volume for drying may decrease. In addition, if foreign substances penetrate into parts such as the motor and fan, the clothes dryer may malfunction, so a filter can be placed at one point in the air passage to filter out foreign substances.

However, if foreign substances accumulate in the filter, it can obstruct the air flow, and the foreign substances can leave the filter and enter the electric components of the clothes dryer. This can reduce the drying performance of the clothes dryer. Therefore, in order to maintain the performance of the clothes dryer, it is necessary to remove foreign substances so that they do not accumulate in the filter beyond a certain level.

The above information is provided solely as background information to aid in understanding the present disclosure. No determination is made and no assertion is made as to whether the above content constitutes prior art in connection with the present disclosure.

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to the above-mentioned problems and/or disadvantages, and to providing at least the advantages described below. Accordingly, one aspect of the present disclosure may propose a clothes dryer and a control method capable of detecting accumulated foreign substances in a filter based on data provided from an expansion valve, and transmitting a notification guiding filter cleaning.

Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the disclosed embodiments.

A clothes dryer according to one aspect of the present disclosure may be provided. The clothes dryer may include an expansion valve provided in a heat pump unit, a memory storing one or more computer programs, and the one or more control units. The one or more programs may include executable instructions, and the executable instructions may be individually or collectively executed by the one or more control units to cause the clothes dryer to obtain at least one valve data corresponding to an opening rate of the expansion valve for a preset period of time, generate a plurality of variables based on the obtained valve data, and identify a degree of clogging of the filter based on the plurality of variables. The plurality of variables may include a difference value between a maximum valve data and a minimum valve data included in the valve data, a sum value of the valve data, and a time when the valve data reaches a value lower than a preset value.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method performed by a clothes dryer including a heat pump may be provided. The method may include an operation of acquiring at least one valve data corresponding to an opening rate of an expansion valve included in the heat pump for a preset period of time, an operation of generating a plurality of variables based on the acquired valve data, and an operation of identifying a degree of clogging of the filter based on the plurality of variables. The plurality of variables may include a difference value between a maximum valve data and a minimum valve data included in the valve data, a sum value of the valve data, and a time when the valve data reaches a value lower than a preset value.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a clothes dryer can detect the degree of accumulation of foreign substances filtered by a filter and provide the result to a user.

A clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can adaptively guide a user to clean the filter depending on the degree of accumulation of foreign substances filtered by the filter.

Other aspects, advantages and salient features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings, which disclose various embodiments of the present disclosure.

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of specific embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a base of a clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a refrigerant cycle occurring in a clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of operations for a clothes dryer to identify a filter clogging level according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of operations for a clothes dryer to identify a filter clogging level according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 illustrates a user interface of a filter cleaning notification displayed on a display according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 illustrates a user interface of a filter cleaning notification displayed on an external device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

In connection with the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar parts, components and structures.

The following description may be provided to aid in a comprehensive understanding of various embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings. While it includes various specific details to aid in understanding, it may be considered as exemplary only. Accordingly, those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains may make changes to the various embodiments described in the present disclosure without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. In addition, in the drawings and related descriptions, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

The terms and words used in the following detailed description and claims are not to be limited in their bibliographical meanings, but may have been used by the inventors merely to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various embodiments of the present disclosure is provided for the purpose of explanation only, and is not intended to limit the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

An expression in the singular may be understood to include the plural unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, the expression "a surface of a part" may include reference to one or more of said surfaces.

It can be understood that each of the blocks of the flowchart and the combination of the flowcharts can be performed by one or more computer programs containing instructions. The one or more computer programs in their entirety can be stored in a single memory device, or the one or more computer programs can be divided into different parts stored in different multiple memory devices.

Any of the functions or operations described below performed by the control unit may be performed by a single processor or a combination of processors. A single processor or a combination of processors is a circuit that performs processing and may include, for example, an application processor (AP, eg, a central processing unit (CPU)), a communication processor (CP, eg, a modem), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a neural network processing unit (NPU, eg, an artificial intelligence (AI) chip), a Wi-Fi chip, a ^Bluetooth® chip, a GPS chip, a near field communication (NFC) chip, a communication chip, a sensor controller, a touch controller, a fingerprint sensor controller, a display driver IC, an audio codec chip, a USB controller, a camera controller, an image processing IC, a microprocessor unit (MPU), a system on a chip (SoC), an integrated circuit (IC), and the like.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. That is, FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken parallel to the x-z plane at one point in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the direction along the x-axis will be defined as the front-back direction of the clothes dryer (1), the direction along the y-axis will be defined as the left-right direction of the clothes dryer (1), and the direction along the z-axis will be defined as the up-down direction of the clothes dryer (1). The terms "front-back direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" to be used hereinafter are defined based on the drawings illustrated, and the shape and position of each component are not limited thereby.

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) can heat the air circulating inside to dry the object to be dried. The clothes dryer (1) can be classified into a heater type, a heat pump type, or a hybrid type based on the method of heating the air. The hybrid type can heat the air by using, for example, a heater type and a heat pump type together or alternately. It is assumed that the clothes dryer (1) to be described in this document is a clothes dryer (1) of a heat pump type or a hybrid type. Accordingly, the clothes dryer (1) may or may not include a heater (e.g., a heater (75) of FIG. 4) as needed.

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) may include a body (10). The body (10) may form an exterior of the clothes dryer (1). The body (10) may be composed of at least one material selected from metal and plastic. The clothes dryer (1) may be provided in various shapes, but may be provided in a substantially rectangular solid shape.

According to one embodiment, the main body (10) may include a front surface (11), an upper surface cover (12), left/right side covers (13), a rear cover (14), or a lower surface (15). The components included in the main body (10) may be configured individually or may be configured integrally. For example, the left/right side covers (13) and the rear cover (14) included in the main body (10) may be formed integrally to form a side/rear cover. The front surface (11), the upper surface cover (12), the left/right side covers (13), the rear cover (14), or the lower surface (15) included in the main body (10) may form an internal housing. The internal housing may include an internal space in which various components that constitute the clothes dryer (1) may be stored or mounted.

According to one embodiment, a water tank (16) may be provided in the main body (10). The water tank (16) may be provided at the upper portion of the main body (10). The water tank (16) may be assembled into a recessed portion formed at a point on the upper portion of the front surface (11). The water tank (16) may be detachably fixed from the recessed portion. The water tank (16) may be provided to collect condensate generated by a refrigerant cycle of the clothes dryer (1).

According to one embodiment, the main body (10) may include an input/output unit (17). The input/output unit (17) may include an input unit for receiving a user's input and an output unit for visually or audibly conveying information to the user.

According to one embodiment, the input unit may include a dial button (17a). The dial button (17a) may be implemented as a dial or a jog shuttle. The dial button (17a) may have a wheel structure. The dial button (17a) may receive a user's input by rotating it clockwise or counterclockwise.

According to one embodiment, the input unit may include a button (17c). The button (17c) may receive a user's input by touch or pressing. The button (17c) may detect a user's touch in a capacitive or pressure-sensitive manner, or may detect an input by a physical pressing.

According to one embodiment, the output unit may include a display (17b). The display (17b) may visually output information to be conveyed to the user. The output unit may include a speaker (not shown) to audibly output information to be conveyed to the user.

According to one embodiment, the main body (10) may include a base (60). The base (60) may be provided at the lower portion of the main body (10) to form a lower surface (15). For example, the base (60) may form a bottom surface in an internal housing of the main body (10). A leg (19) for supporting the main body (10) may be provided on the lower surface (15). The leg (19) may separate the main body (10) from the bottom surface by a predetermined distance. For example, a plurality of legs (19) may be provided on the lower surface (15) so as to stably support the main body (10).

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) may include a drum (20) arranged to receive a drying material in an inner housing. The drum (20) may include an inlet of the drum into which the drying material is introduced. The inlet of the drum may be defined as a first opening (25). The drum (20) may be rotatably arranged in the inner housing of the main body (10).

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) may include a driving unit (e.g., driving unit (160) of FIG. 5) that rotates the drum (20). The driving unit (160) may include a motor (e.g., motor (31) of FIG. 3), a pulley (e.g., pulley (32) of FIG. 3), or a belt (e.g., belt (33) of FIG. 4) mounted on a base (60). The pulley (32) may be rotated by the motor (31). The belt (33) may connect the pulley (32) and the drum (20) to transmit the power of the motor (31) to the drum (20).

According to one embodiment, the drum (20) may include an inlet (21) through which air is introduced into the inside of the drum (23) and an outlet (22) through which air is discharged from the inside of the drum (23) to the outside of the drum. The inlet (21) may be formed on one side of the drum (20), and the outlet (22) may be formed on the other side of the drum (20). The inlet (21) may be, for example, a rear-side opening of the drum (20). The outlet (22) may be, for example, a front-side opening (e.g., a first opening (25)) of the drum (20). For example, the front-side opening of the drum (20) may be an inlet of the drum.

According to one embodiment, high temperature dry air can be introduced into the drum (20) through the inlet (21) to dry the object to be dried contained in the drum (20). The air used to dry the object to be dried can be discharged out of the drum (20) through the outlet (22). The air discharged out of the drum (20) through the outlet (22) can contain a large amount of moisture.

According to one embodiment, a plurality of lifters (24) may be arranged inside the drum (20). The lifters (24) raise or drop the object to be dried so that the object to be dried can come into contact with the hot air while floating in the space inside the drum (20).

According to one embodiment, a door (30) for opening and closing the first opening (25) may be installed on the front side of the main body (10). The door (30) may be hinged to one side of the first opening (25) and may be provided to be rotatable.

According to one embodiment, a base (60) may be placed at the bottom of the drum (20). Referring to FIG. 4, a heat pump unit (70) forming a refrigerant cycle may be mounted on the base (60). The heat pump unit (70) may include an evaporator (71), a condenser (72), a compressor (73), or an expansion device (74). A description of the refrigerant cycle circulating in the heat pump unit (70) will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4 below. In addition, a blower fan (34) or a driving motor (31) may be mounted on the base (60). A base cover (64) may be provided on the upper portion of the base (60) to cover the heat pump unit (70), etc. For example, the base cover (64) may form a duct structure together with the base (60).

According to one embodiment, a blower fan (34) may be provided on a base (60). The blower fan (34) may generate blowing force based on power transmitted by a driving motor (31) to form an air flow path. For example, the blower fan (34) may discharge air in a radial direction. To this end, the blower fan (34) may include a rotation axis formed at the center and a plurality of blades formed in a circumferential direction around the rotation axis.

According to one embodiment, a refrigerant cycle for heating and condensing air may be formed inside the main body (10). The refrigerant cycle may correspond to a series of circulating processes consisting of compression-condensation-expansion-evaporation. The main body (10) may include an evaporator (71), a condenser (72), a compressor (73), and an expansion device (74) to form the refrigerant cycle. The evaporator (71) and the condenser (72) may exchange heat with the air.

According to one embodiment, while the clothes dryer (1) performs a drying operation, a closed path may be formed inside the main body (10). Here, the closed path may be understood as an air movement path (see arrows in FIG. 2) that allows air inside the drum (20) to circulate through the heat pump unit (70) and the drum (20). The closed path may form a path that prevents air outside the main body (10) from flowing into the drum (20) or air inside the drum (20) from flowing out to the outside of the main body (10). That is, the air flow may form a closed loop.

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) may include a first filter unit (80) detachably mounted on a passage through which air circulates. The first filter unit (80) may include a filter member that filters foreign substances such as lint flowing together with the air circulating inside the drum (20). The filter member may include at least one of wool, synthetic resin, or steel. The filter member may be mounted on a filter frame forming an outer appearance of the first filter unit (80).

According to one embodiment, the first filter unit (80) may be removable/mountable in the filter duct. The filter duct may be formed by cutting or sinking a portion corresponding to the lower portion of the first opening (25) of the drum (20). The filter duct may form an inlet into which the first filter unit (80) is introduced. The filter duct may be arranged on a path through which air circulates during a drying operation.

According to one embodiment, the first filter unit (80) can collect foreign substances generated when the clothes dryer (1) performs a drying operation. The user can detach the first filter unit (80) to remove the collected foreign substances, and mount the cleaned first filter unit (80) on the filter duct.

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) may include a second opening (65) provided on the front side of the main body (10) to enable access to the heat pump unit (70). A dehumidifying unit (e.g., a dehumidifier (90) of FIG. 3) and a second filter unit (a second filter) (50) may be mounted inside the main body (10) through the second opening (65). The dehumidifying unit (90) and the second filter unit (50) may be detachably mounted in a unit receiving portion (61) formed inside the main body (10) through the second opening (65). That is, the unit receiving portion (61) may be equipped with the dehumidifying unit (90) or the second filter unit (50), and the dehumidifying unit (90) and the second filter unit (50) may be provided so as to be interchangeable with each other. A unit cover (40) for opening and closing the second opening (65) may be provided on the front of the main body (10).

For example, when a dehumidifying unit (90) is mounted in the unit receiving portion (61), the clothes dryer (1) can perform a dehumidifying operation to dehumidify the surrounding space. While the clothes dryer (1) performs the dehumidifying operation, the second opening (65) can be opened.

For example, when the second filter unit (50) is mounted in the unit receiving portion (61), the dryer (1) can perform a drying operation for drying items such as clothes. While the clothes dryer (1) performs the drying operation, the second opening (65) can be closed.

According to one embodiment, when the unit cover (40) closes the second opening (65), the front surface of the unit cover (40) and the front surface (11) of the main body (10) can be connected to form a smooth surface without a step. The user can also remove foreign substances, including lint or dust, attached to the heat pump unit (70) through the second opening (65).

According to one embodiment, the unit cover (40) may include a coupling protrusion (41). The coupling protrusion (41) may protrude from the inner surface of the unit cover (40). The main body (10) may include a coupling groove (63) corresponding to the coupling protrusion (41). When the coupling protrusion (41) and the coupling groove (63) are coupled, the unit cover (40) may be in a closed state. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the main body (10) and the coupling protrusion (41) may be formed integrally, and the unit cover (40) and the coupling groove (63) may be formed integrally. That is, the coupling of the main body (10) and the unit cover (40) may be modified in various forms.

According to one embodiment, the unit cover (40) may also include a coupling hinge (42) that provides a rotation axis to rotate with respect to the main body (10). The coupling hinge (42) may be provided at the lower portion of the unit cover (40). The main body (10) may include a coupling hinge mounting portion (62) corresponding to the coupling hinge (42). The coupling hinge (42) may be coupled to the coupling hinge mounting portion (62) to rotate, and by this rotation, a space in which the dehumidifying unit (90) or the second filter unit (50) is mounted, i.e., a unit receiving portion (61), may be opened and closed.

According to one embodiment, the second filter unit (50) can be detachably mounted on the dryer (1). The second filter unit (50) can be detachably mounted inside the main body (10) through the second opening (65). The second filter unit (50) can additionally collect foreign substances that are not filtered by the first filter unit (80) by including a filter member. The second filter unit (50) can be mounted on or detached from the unit receiving portion (61). The second filter unit (50) can prevent air from escaping on the closed path. That is, the second filter unit (50) can prevent the drying efficiency of the dryer (1) from being reduced. The second filter unit (50) can be disposed on the base (60).

FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a base (60) of a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 3, it can be understood that the dehumidifying unit (90) is mounted on the base (60). However, the dehumidifying unit (90) may be removed and the second filter unit (50) may be mounted on the base (60).

According to one embodiment, the motor (31) performs rotation and transmits the rotational force generated by the rotation to the drum (e.g., the drum (20) of FIG. 1). The clothes dryer (e.g., the clothes dryer (1) of FIG. 1) can adjust the rotational speed of the drum (20) by controlling the rotational speed of the motor (31).

According to one embodiment, in order to transmit the rotational power of the motor (31) to the drum (20), the clothes dryer (1) may include a pulley (32) that receives the power of the motor (31) and rotates, and a belt (e.g., belt (33) of FIG. 4) that rotates the drum (20) by rotating the pulley (32). The belt (33) may be installed so as to be wound around the outer surface of the pulley (32) and the outer surface of the drum (20). As the pulley (32) rotates according to the driving of the motor (31), the drum (20) may be rotated.

According to one embodiment, a heat pump unit (70) may be provided on the base. The heat pump unit (70) may include an evaporator (71), a condenser (72), a compressor (73), and an expansion device (74). Although not shown, the heat pump unit (70) may further include a heater (e.g., heater (75) of FIG. 4).

According to one embodiment, when the clothes dryer (1) performs a drying operation, air that has dried an object to be dried inside the drum (23) (e.g., inside the drum (23) of FIG. 2) may be guided through an outlet (22) (e.g., outlet (22) of FIG. 2). The guided air may pass through a filter (e.g., first filter unit (80) of FIG. 1) and then through an evaporator (71) and a condenser (72) in sequence. The evaporator (71) and the condenser (72) are formed in a multi-tubular structure so that heat exchange with adjacent air is possible through a refrigerant flowing inside the tubes. The air that has passed through the condenser (72) may be introduced back into the drum (23) through an inlet (21) (e.g., inlet (21) of FIG. 2).

According to one embodiment, the refrigerant may circulate while performing a series of phase changes consisting of compression-condensation-expansion-evaporation. The condenser (72) and the evaporator (71) may be implemented in the form of a heat exchanger capable of exchanging heat with air.

According to one embodiment, the compressor (73) compresses the refrigerant to a high temperature and high pressure state and discharges it, and the discharged refrigerant flows into the condenser (72). The condenser (72) condenses the compressed refrigerant and can release heat to the surroundings through the condensation process. In addition, the expansion device (74) expands the refrigerant in a high temperature and high pressure state condensed in the condenser (72) to a low pressure state. The evaporator (71) evaporates the expanded refrigerant and can take away heat from the surroundings through the evaporation process.

According to one embodiment, the expansion device (74) may be implemented as an electronic expansion valve (EEV, hereinafter referred to as an expansion valve). The expansion valve (74) may control the opening amount through an electric signal.

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) can control the degree of opening by outputting an electric signal to the expansion valve (74), which indicates the degree of opening of the valve. The clothes dryer (1) can output an electric signal to control the degree of opening to the expansion valve (74). The expansion device (74) can control the degree of opening of the valve in response to an electric signal transmitted from a control unit (e.g., the control unit (110) of FIG. 5). In addition, since the expansion valve (74) transmits an electric signal corresponding to the current degree of opening to the control unit (110), the clothes dryer (1) can detect information indicating the degree of opening of the expansion valve (74). In order for the expansion valve (74) to transmit information on the degree of opening corresponding to the current degree of opening to the control unit (110), a position sensor that detects the degree of opening of the expansion valve (74) may be provided.

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) can detect a superheat corresponding to a difference between the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the evaporator (71) and the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator. In order to detect the superheat, the clothes dryer (1) can obtain the temperature of each point (P1, P2) detected by a temperature sensor (e.g., a temperature sensor (120) of FIG. 5) provided at an inlet of the evaporator (e.g., a point P1 of FIG. 4) and an outlet of the evaporator (e.g., a point P2 of FIG. 4). In order to prevent the refrigerant in a liquid state from flowing into the compressor (73), the clothes dryer (1) can output an electric signal for controlling the opening rate of the expansion valve (74).

According to one embodiment, the expansion valve (74) may have one side (outlet) connected to the inlet (P1) of the evaporator (71) and the other side (inlet) connected to the outlet (P4) of the condenser (72).

According to one embodiment, the compressor (73) may have an inlet connected to an outlet (P2) of an evaporator (71) and an outlet connected to an inlet (P3) of a condenser (72).

According to one embodiment, the expansion valve (74) can control the superheat, which is the temperature difference between the inlet (P1) and the outlet (P2) of the evaporator (71), or control the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (73), by controlling the flow rate of the refrigerant.

According to one embodiment, when the clothes dryer (1) performs a drying operation, high temperature and humid air discharged from the drum (20) can pass through the evaporator (71). Accordingly, the high temperature and humid air discharged from the drum (20) can be cooled as it passes through the evaporator (71) and thus can change into low temperature dry air. At this time, condensation may occur as the high temperature and humid air is cooled in the evaporator (71). The condensation may move to the water tank (16) or be drained to the outside of the main body (10). In addition, the low temperature dried air that has passed through the evaporator (71) can pass through the condenser (72). Accordingly, the low temperature dry air discharged from the evaporator (71) can be heated as it passes through the condenser (72) and thus can change into high temperature dry air. The high temperature dry air can be introduced into the drum (20) through the inlet (21) and dry the object to be dried. As the object to be dried is dried, high temperature and humid air containing a large amount of moisture can be discharged through the outlet (22). The discharged air can pass through the evaporator (71) again. That is, the air can dry the object to be dried contained in the drum (20) while circulating inside the main body (10).

Although not shown, a heater (e.g., heater (75) of FIG. 4) may be installed inside the main body (10). The heater (75) may be installed in a passage near the inlet (21) that is to be supplied to the drum (20) through the condenser (72). The heater (75) may be provided to further increase the temperature of air that has passed through the condenser (72). The air that has passed through the heater (75) may have a higher temperature than the air that has passed through the condenser (72). By providing the heater (75) inside the main body (10), the drying efficiency of the object to be dried can be increased.

Below, with respect to the refrigerant cycle, the flow of air and refrigerant is explained in Fig. 4.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a refrigerant cycle occurring in a clothes dryer (1) (e.g., the clothes dryer (1) of FIG. 1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to Figure 4, it can be understood that the solid arrows represent the flow of air, and the dotted arrows represent the flow of refrigerant.

According to one embodiment, air introduced into the drum (20) to dry the object may be discharged through an outlet (22). Before passing through the outlet (22) and being introduced into the heat pump unit (70), the air may pass through a filter (80) (e.g., the first filter unit (80) of FIG. 1). Foreign substances (e.g., lint or dust) present in the air may be filtered out while passing through the filter (80).

According to one embodiment, air passing through the filter (80) can be fed into the heat pump unit (70). A blower fan (34) driven by a motor (31) can accelerate the speed of guiding the air to the heat pump unit (70). The air can change from low-temperature, humid air to high-temperature, dry air by sequentially passing through the evaporator (71) and the condenser (72) included in the heat pump unit (70).

According to one embodiment, air discharged from the heat pump unit (70) may pass through a heater (75). Air passing through the heater (75) may be further heated. However, the heater (75) may be omitted depending on the type of clothes dryer (1) (e.g., heat pump type).

According to one embodiment, the refrigerant circulates through the heat pump unit (70) and can exchange heat with the air.

According to one embodiment, the compressor (73) compresses the refrigerant to a high temperature and high pressure state and discharges it, and the discharged refrigerant flows into the condenser (72). The condenser (72) condenses the compressed refrigerant and can release heat to the surroundings through the condensation process. In addition, the expansion valve (74) expands the refrigerant in a high temperature and high pressure state condensed in the condenser (72) to a low pressure state. The evaporator (71) evaporates the expanded refrigerant and can take away heat from the surroundings through the evaporation process.

According to one embodiment, when dust excessively accumulates in the first filter unit (80) or the second filter unit (50), only a portion of the air discharged from the drum (20) may be supplied to the heat pump unit (70). Accordingly, in order to cool a smaller amount of air compared to a case where sufficient air is supplied to the heat pump unit (70), the clothes dryer (1) may send a smaller amount of refrigerant to the evaporator (71), and for this purpose, the clothes dryer (1) may control the expansion valve (74) to open at a low opening rate. This may be one of the causes of the clothes dryer (1) lowering the performance of drying the object to be dried. In other words, the clothes dryer (1) may detect the opening rate of the expansion valve (74) to determine the degree of clogging of the filter (50, 80), and may transmit information about the degree of clogging of the filter (50, 80) to the user based on the degree of clogging of the filter (50, 80). Hereinafter, the control operation for determining the degree of clogging of the filter (50, 80) of the clothes dryer (1) will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. In addition, the filter (80) to be described later in FIG. 5 and below will be described with reference to the first filter unit (80) that is universally applied to the clothes dryer (1). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the control operation described in FIGS. 6 and 7 may be applied with respect to a filter (e.g., the first filter unit (80) or the second filter unit (50)) that is included in the clothes dryer (1) and can be attached or detached by the user.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a clothes dryer (100) (e.g., clothes dryer (1) of FIG. 1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 5, the clothes dryer (100) may include a controller (110), a temperature sensor (120), a communication unit (transceiver) (130), a storage unit (140), an input/output unit (user interface) (150), a driver (160), or a heat pump unit (170) (e.g., a heat pump unit (70) of FIG. 4). In the following document, for convenience of explanation, the control unit (110) will be described alone, but there may be at least one control unit (110). The controller (110) may be communicatively connected to at least one of the temperature sensor (120), the communication unit (130), the storage unit (140), the input/output unit (150), the driver (160), and the heat pump unit (170). The storage unit (140) may be configured to store one or more computer programs including computer-executable instructions that, when individually or collectively executed by at least one control unit (110), cause the electronic device to perform any of the functions or operations described below.

According to one embodiment, a temperature sensor (120) may be provided to detect the temperature of air at a point, such as air temperature or the temperature of a refrigerant. The temperature sensor (120) may be composed of one or more. The temperature sensor (120) may be installed near a point where the temperature of the air or refrigerant is to be measured.

For example, a temperature sensor (120) can detect the temperature of air at a point where it is discharged from a drum (e.g., drum (20) of FIG. 1).

For example, the temperature sensor (120) can detect the temperature at the point (P1) where the refrigerant is input to the evaporator (e.g., the evaporator (71) of FIG. 3).

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (100) can determine the presence or absence of refrigerant based on the temperature change value at the point (P1) where refrigerant is input to the evaporator (71) detected by the temperature sensor (120).

In one embodiment, the clothes dryer (100) may further include various sensors, such as a humidity sensor, a weight sensor, a position sensor, a door sensor, or a proximity sensor.

For example, a position sensor may be provided in the expansion valve (171). The position sensor may detect the opening angle of the expansion valve (171). The position sensor may transmit information about the detected opening angle of the expansion valve (171) to the control unit (110). The control unit (110) may obtain valve data corresponding to the opening rate of the expansion valve (171) based on the information.

According to one embodiment, the communication unit (130) may be provided to transmit a signal within the clothes dryer (100), or for the clothes dryer (100) to communicate with an external device (e.g., the external device (2) of FIG. 9). The communication unit (130) may also communicate with a server (not shown).

According to one embodiment, the communication unit (130) may perform data communication with servers or other peripheral electronic devices using at least one of data communication methods including a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, zigbee, WFD (Wi-Fi Direct), IrDA (infrared Data Association), BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), NFC (Near Field Communication), Wibro (WiBro), WiMAX (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), SWAP (Shared Wireless Access Protocol), WiGig (WiGig), UWB (ultra-wideband), and RF (radio frequency) communication.

According to one embodiment, the communication unit (130) can transmit and receive data for performing a drying process to and from an external device (2). As an example, the communication unit (130) can also receive an artificial intelligence model for obtaining data related to the washing process from an external server.

According to one embodiment, the storage unit (140) may be provided to store data required for operations to be performed by the clothes dryer (100). The storage unit (140) may include volatile memory or non-volatile memory (non-transitory memory). The storage unit (140) may store data required for operations to be performed by the clothes dryer (100) in the form of a database.

For example, a calculation formula for determining the degree of clogging of a filter (e.g., the first filter unit (80) of FIG. 1) may be stored in the storage unit (140).

For example, the storage unit (140) may store valve data that digitizes the opening rate of the expansion valve (e.g., the expansion valve (74) of FIG. 3) acquired by the clothes dryer (100) over time.

For example, the storage unit (140) may store in advance information to be output by the clothes dryer (100) through the input/output unit (150) (e.g., the display (17b) or speaker of FIG. 1). For example, the storage unit (140) may store a visual guidance message for instructing filter management according to the degree of clogging of the filter (80). For example, the storage unit (140) may store an auditory guidance message for instructing filter management according to the degree of clogging of the filter (80).

According to one embodiment, the input/output unit (150) (e.g., the input/output unit (17) of FIG. 1) may include an input unit and an output unit. The input unit may receive a user's input. The input unit may include a wheel (e.g., the wheel (17a) of FIG. 1) or a button (e.g., the button (17c) of FIG. 1). The output unit may output information to be conveyed to the user visually or audibly. The output unit may include a display (151) (e.g., the display (17b) of FIG. 1) or a speaker.

According to one embodiment, the driving unit (160) may be provided to rotate the drum (20) or drive a blower fan (e.g., a blower fan (34) of FIG. 3). The driving unit (160) may include a motor (e.g., a motor (31) of FIG. 3), a blower fan, a pulley (e.g., a pulley (32) of FIG. 3), or a belt (e.g., a belt (33) of FIG. 4). The driving unit (160) may be operated or stopped by the control unit (110) to control the rotation speed of the drum (20) or the movement speed of the air.

According to one embodiment, the control unit (110) can operate the motor (31) included in the driving unit (160). Power is transmitted by the operation of the motor (31) to rotate the pulley (32). As the belt (33) wound around the outer surface of the drum (20) rotates due to the rotation of the pulley (32), the control unit (110) can rotate the drum (20).

According to one embodiment, the control unit (110) can operate the motor (31) included in the driving unit (160). By rotating the blower fan (34) powered by the operation of the motor (31), air can circulate along the path inside the clothes dryer (1).

According to one embodiment, the heat pump unit (170) can control a refrigerant for controlling the temperature or humidity of air. The heat pump unit (170) can include an evaporator (e.g., an evaporator (71) of FIG. 3), a condenser (e.g., a condenser (72) of FIG. 3), a compressor (e.g., a compressor (73) of FIG. 3), or an expansion valve (171) (e.g., an expansion valve (74) of FIG. 3).

In one embodiment, the heat pump unit (170) can be operated or stopped by the control unit (110). As a result, the temperature or humidity of the air circulating through the clothes dryer (100) can be controlled.

According to one embodiment, the control unit (110) can perform overall control related to the operation of the clothes dryer (100).

According to one embodiment, the control unit (110) can obtain information detected by sensors including a temperature sensor (120).

According to one embodiment, the control unit (110) may receive a user's input transmitted through an input unit of the input/output unit (150), or display information to be transmitted to the user through a display unit (e.g., a display (151)) of the input/output unit (150).

According to one embodiment, the control unit (110) can control the rotation of the drum (20) by starting or stopping the driving unit (160) and control the flow of air by starting or stopping the blower fan (34).

According to one embodiment, the control unit (110) can control the flow of refrigerant to control the temperature or humidity of the air by operating or stopping the heat pump unit (170).

According to one embodiment, the control unit (110) can control the opening rate of the expansion valve (171).

According to one embodiment, the control unit (110) can determine the degree of clogging of the filter (80). In order to determine the degree of clogging of the filter (80), the control unit (110) can obtain data corresponding to the opening rate of the expansion valve (171). The data will be referred to as “valve data.” The control unit (110) can obtain valve data by obtaining a pulse signal corresponding to the opening rate of the expansion valve (74).

For example, the control unit (110) can obtain information on the current opening angle of the expansion valve (74) detected from a position sensor provided in the expansion valve (74). Based on the obtained opening angle of the expansion valve (74), the control unit (110) can receive valve data corresponding to the opening rate of the expansion valve (74).

For example, the valve data may have a value of, for example, 80 to 480. For example, when the valve data indicates 80, it may be understood that the expansion valve (74) is closed. For example, when the valve data indicates 480, it may be understood that the expansion valve (74) is fully open. For example, when the valve data indicates 80 to 480, it may be understood that the expansion valve (74) is partially open corresponding to the value indicated by the valve data.

According to one embodiment, the control unit (110) can calculate the degree of clogging of the filter (80) based on the acquired valve data.

For example, the control unit (110) can acquire valve data at a predetermined time unit for a predetermined period of time. For example, the control unit (110) can acquire valve data at a predetermined cycle (e.g., 1 minute) when the drying process of the dryer is performed and a predetermined maintenance time (e.g., 5 minutes) has elapsed. For example, the valve data acquired by the control unit (110) for n times can be defined as first valve data (v ₁ ), second valve data (v ₂ ), third valve data (v ₃ ), and nth valve data (v _n ) in time order. Here, n can be set to a natural number. For convenience of explanation below, it can be assumed that the control unit (110) acquires 25 valve data per minute after 5 minutes have passed since the drying process of the dryer was performed, and explanation will be given on the assumption that the control unit (110) acquires the first valve data (v ₁ ) to the 25th valve data (v ₂₅ ) in chronological order.

For example, if there are multiple instances of valve data having a value lower than a preset value among the acquired valve data, the control unit (110) can determine that the clogging level of the filter (80) is higher than a threshold level. For example, if there are at least three instances of data having a value lower than 90 among the first valve data (v ₁ ) to the 25th valve data (v ₂₅ ), the control unit (110) can determine that the clogging level of the filter (80) is higher than a threshold level.

For example, the control unit (110) may perform an operation to determine the degree of blockage of the filter (80) based on at least some of the acquired valve data. The control unit (110) may generate a plurality of factors for performing the operation based on the valve data. Below, <Table 1> illustrates an operation table for determining the degree of blockage of the filter (80). The operation table may be stored in the storage unit (140) in the form of a database.

division Content or operation expression X ₁ Maximum valve data value (v _max ) - Minimum valve data value (v _min ) X ₂ Sum of valve data values (v _sum ) t ₀ First time the set valve data (v _set ) is reached v _set Set valve data, v _set ={(initial temperature (T ₀ )-25)/2}+80 Y Filter clogging level determination value, Y=X ₁ *10000/(X ₂ *t ₀ )

The variables shown in <Table 1> can be defined as follows.

According to one embodiment, X ₁ may be defined as the difference between the maximum value (v _max ) and the minimum value (v _min ) of the valve data acquired by the control unit (110) during a predetermined period of time. For example, it may be defined as a value representing the difference between the value of the valve data indicating the largest value and the value of the valve data indicating the smallest value among the first valve data (v ₁ ) to the 25th valve data (v ₂₅ ).

According to one embodiment, X ₂ may be defined as the total sum of valve data values acquired by the control unit (110). For example, X ₂ may be defined as the total sum of the values indicated by the first valve data (v ₁ ) to the 25th valve data (v ₂₅ ).

According to one embodiment, t ₀ may be defined as the first time at which the value indicated by the valve data reaches the set valve data (v _set ). That is, when the set valve data (v _set ) is 100, it may be defined as the time taken until the value of the valve data acquired by the control unit (110) becomes less than 100, and the unit may be defined as minutes. For example, when the set valve data (v _set ) is 100, and the time taken to acquire valve data having a valve data value less than 100 among the valve data acquired by the control unit (110) is 15 minutes, it may be understood as t ₀ =15. For example, if it is determined that the valve data acquired during a predetermined time has not reached the set valve data (v _set ), t ₀ may be set to 60.

According to one embodiment, v _set may be defined as a calculation formula for calculating the set valve data. v _set may be defined as v _set ={(initial temperature (T ₀ )-25)/2}+80. Here, the initial temperature (T ₀ ) may be defined as the temperature of the initial air at the point where the drying process is performed and discharged from the drum.

According to one embodiment, Y may be defined as a calculation formula for determining the degree of clogging of the filter (80). Y may be defined as Y=X ₁ *10000/(X ₂ *t ₀ ). Depending on the range of values indicated by the value of Y derived from the calculation formula, the control unit (110) may determine the degree of clogging of the air path. The data Y value for determining the degree of clogging of the filter (80) may be defined as "target data."

For example, if the Y value is less than 5, it can be determined that the level of blockage of the air path is normal. That is, it can be understood that the air is circulating at a level where the performance of the clothes dryer (1) is not deteriorated.

For example, if the Y value is greater than or equal to 5 and less than or equal to 8, it may be determined that the level of blockage in the air path exceeds the first threshold level. For example, the control unit (110) may determine that the level of blockage in the filter (80) is substantially 75%.

For example, if the Y value exceeds 8, it may be determined that the clogging level of the air path exceeds the second threshold level. For example, the control unit (110) may determine that the clogging level of the filter (80) is substantially 90%.

Consequently, if the Y value is greater than or equal to 5, the clothes dryer (100) may decide to transmit a notification to the user to instruct the user to manage the filter (80) in order to maintain the drying performance of the clothes dryer (100).

The calculation formula defined in <Table 1> is introduced as an example of a calculation formula for determining the clogging level of the filter (80), and other calculation formulas for determining the clogging level of the filter (80) may be applied in various ways.

According to one embodiment, the control unit (110) may transmit a notification instructing management of the filter (80) to the display (151) according to the degree of clogging of the filter (80). The control unit (110) may transmit data that quantifies the degree of clogging of the filter (80) to the display (151).

According to one embodiment, the control unit (110) may transmit a notification instructing management of the filter (80) to an external device (e.g., the external device (2) of FIG. 9) according to the degree of clogging of the filter (80). The control unit (110) may transmit data that quantifies the degree of clogging of the filter (80) to the external device (2).

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of operations for identifying a level of blockage of a filter (e.g., a first filter unit (80) of FIG. 1) of a clothes dryer (e.g., a clothes dryer (1) of FIG. 1 or a clothes dryer (100) of FIG. 5) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of operations for identifying a level of blockage of a filter (e.g., a first filter unit (80) of FIG. 1) of a clothes dryer (e.g., a clothes dryer (1) of FIG. 1 or a clothes dryer (100) of FIG. 5) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

The operations described in FIGS. 6 and 7 may be repeated as needed. Some of the operations included in the above operations may be omitted. The order of at least some of the above operations may be changed.

Referring to FIG. 6, the clothes dryer (1) can determine whether a condition for obtaining valve data is satisfied in operation 610. The clothes dryer (1) can obtain valve data from an expansion valve (e.g., expansion valve (74) of FIG. 3, expansion valve (171) of FIG. 5) when a certain condition is satisfied.

For example, the clothes dryer (1) may detect the initial air temperature discharged from the drum (e.g., drum (20) of FIG. 1), and if the detected temperature is outside the set temperature range, the clothes dryer (1) may determine that the conditions for acquiring valve data are not satisfied.

For example, if the temperature detected at the point (e.g., point P1 of FIG. 4) where the clothes dryer (1) flows into the evaporator (e.g., evaporator (71) of FIG. 2) is outside the set temperature range, the clothes dryer (1) may determine that the condition for acquiring valve data is not satisfied. The condition is described in FIG. 7.

If the clothes dryer (1) satisfies the conditions for acquiring valve data, in operation 620, the clothes dryer (1) can acquire valve data from the expansion valve (74). The clothes dryer (1) can acquire valve data at regular time intervals for a predetermined period of time. For example, the clothes dryer (1) can acquire valve data for 25 minutes after the drying process is performed and a predetermined period of time (e.g., 5 minutes) has elapsed. The clothes dryer (1) can receive valve data from the expansion valve (74) every minute for 25 minutes.

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) can determine the degree of clogging of the filter (80) based on the acquired valve data at operation 630.

For example, the clothes dryer (1) can identify whether the filter (80) is clogged in response to acquiring valve data less than a preset threshold value multiple times. Here, the clogging of the filter (80) can be understood as a case where the air flow required for the drying process to be performed is not smooth due to foreign substances collected in the filter (80). For example, if the clothes dryer (1) acquires valve data less than 90 three or more times, the clothes dryer (1) can identify that the filter (80) is clogged.

For example, if there are multiple instances of valve data having a value lower than a preset value among the acquired valve data, the clothes dryer (1) can determine that the clogging level of the filter (80) is higher than a critical level. For example, if the clothes dryer (1) acquires valve data lower than 90 five or more times, the clothes dryer (1) can determine that the filter (80) is clogged to a critical level or higher.

For example, the clothes dryer (1) can determine the clogging level of the filter (80) by using an equation stored in a storage (e.g., the storage (140) of FIG. 5). The clothes dryer (1) can determine the clogging level of the filter (80) based on the Y value calculated using the above-described <Table 1>. For example, if the Y value calculated by the clothes dryer (1) is 5 or higher, the clothes dryer (1) can determine that the filter (80) is clogged to a critical level or higher (e.g., 75% or more of the filter (80) is clogged with foreign substances).

The clothes dryer (1) can determine whether the degree of clogging of the filter (80) exceeds a critical level at operation 640. The clothes dryer (1) can determine whether the degree of clogging of the filter (80) determined at operation 630 exceeds a critical level.

If it is determined that the filter (80) is clogged beyond a critical level, the clothes dryer (1) can transmit information instructing management of the filter (80) at operation 650. The clothes dryer (1) can transmit information corresponding to the clogging level of the filter (80) to a display (e.g., display (17b) of FIG. 1), and the display (17b) can visually display the information. The clothes dryer (1) can transmit the information to a speaker, and the speaker can output the information audibly.

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) can transmit information instructing management of the filter (80) to an external device (e.g., the external device (2) of FIG. 9). The external device (2) can include, for example, any device connected to the clothes dryer (1) based on wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, UWB), including a mobile phone, a tablet, wireless earphones, and a smart home. The clothes dryer (1) transmits the above-mentioned information to the external device (2), and the external device (2) can visually display the above-mentioned information or output it audibly.

Referring to FIG. 7, at least some of the operations illustrated in FIG. 6 may correspond. Operations 750, 760, 770, and 780 of FIG. 7 may correspond to operations 620, 630, 640, and 650 of FIG. 6. In other words, operations 710 to 740 illustrated in FIG. 7 may be understood as specifically describing operation 610 of FIG. 6. Therefore, differences are mainly illustrated.

The clothes dryer (1) can detect the initial temperature of the circulating air (e.g., the initial temperature (T ₀ ) of FIG. 5) at operation 710. Here, the initial temperature (T ₀ ) may mean the air temperature at a point discharged from the drum (20) after the drying process starts. To this end, the clothes dryer (1) can obtain the temperature detected by a temperature sensor provided at a point on the discharge outlet (e.g., the discharge outlet (22) of FIG. 2) exiting the drum (20).

The clothes dryer (1) can determine, at operation 720, whether the initial temperature (T ₀ ) of the circulating air satisfies a preset range. The preset range can be set to, for example, 0 to 38 degrees. The clothes dryer (1) can operate the compressor (73) when the initial temperature (T ₀ ) of the circulating air is within the preset range. The clothes dryer (1) will not acquire valve data when the initial temperature (T ₀ ) of the circulating air is out of the preset range.

When the initial temperature (T0) of the circulating air satisfies the preset range, the clothes dryer (1) can operate the compressor (73) at operation 730.

The clothes dryer (1) can determine, at operation 740, whether the amount of refrigerant circulating through the heat pump unit (70) is sufficient based on the superheat degree. The clothes dryer (1) can obtain the superheat degree based on the difference value between the temperatures detected at the input point (e.g., P1 of FIG. 4) and the output point (e.g., P2 of FIG. 4) of the evaporator (71). If the temperature difference between the points P1 and P2 is less than a preset value, the clothes dryer (1) can determine that the amount of refrigerant circulating through the heat pump unit (70) is sufficient. If the amount of refrigerant is not sufficient, it may not be easy for the clothes dryer (1) to determine whether the filter (80) is clogged based on the valve data transmitted from the expansion valve (74). Therefore, the clothes dryer (1) can obtain the valve data when the amount of refrigerant is sufficient.

When it is determined that the amount of refrigerant circulating through the heat pump unit (70) is sufficient, the clothes dryer (1) can obtain valve data from the expansion valve (74) at operation 750.

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) determines the degree of clogging of the filter (80) based on the valve data obtained in operations 750 to 780, and if the degree of clogging of the filter (80) exceeds a threshold level, a notification instructing filter management can be transmitted to the display (17b) or an external device (2).

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) may display a notification on the display (17b) instructing filter maintenance.

FIG. 8 illustrates a user interface of a filter cleaning notification displayed on a display (e.g., display (17b) of FIG. 1 or display (151) of FIG. 5) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 8, the clothes dryer (1) detects the amount of foreign substances collected in the filter (e.g., the first filter unit (80) of FIG. 1) based on valve data received from an expansion valve (e.g., the expansion valve (74) of FIG. 3), and if it determines that the degree of clogging of the filter (80) is above a critical level, it can display a message (800) including a first message section (810) indicating the degree of clogging of the filter (80) or a second message section (820) indicating filter management on the display (17b).

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) may display a first message portion (810) indicating a clogging level of the filter (80) with the display (17b). As an example, the first message portion (810) may include the phrase, “Current filter clogging level: ◇◇%.” However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the first message portion (810) may include various types of phrases indicating the degree of clogging of the filter (80).

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) may display a second message section (820) instructing management of the filter (80) on the display (17b). As an example, the second message section (820) may include the phrase, “Please perform filter cleaning.” However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the second message section (820) may include various types of phrases instructing management of the filter (80).

According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) may also audibly output information corresponding to the first message section (810) and/or the second message section (820) using a built-in speaker (not shown).

In one embodiment, the user may detach the filter (80) to remove the collected foreign matter and reattach it to the clothes dryer (1) by the first message portion (810) or the second message portion (820) output.

FIG. 9 illustrates a user interface of a filter cleaning notification displayed on an external device (2) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 9, the clothes dryer (1) can transmit a message (910) including a first message section (911) indicating the degree of clogging of a filter (e.g., the first filter unit (80) of FIG. 1) or a second message section (913) indicating filter (80) management to an external device (2) through a communication section (e.g., the communication section (130) of FIG. 5). In FIG. 9, the external device (2) is illustrated as a portable terminal, but is not limited thereto and may include various types of devices capable of receiving information from the clothes dryer (1).

According to one embodiment, the external device (2) may display a message (910) including a first message portion (911) indicating a clogging level of the filter (80) on the display (900). As an example, the first message portion (911) may include the phrase, “Current filter clogging level: ◇◇%.” However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the first message portion (911) may include various types of phrases indicating the degree of clogging of the filter (80).

According to one embodiment, the external device (2) may display a message (910) including a second message portion (913) instructing management of the filter (80) on the display (900). As an example, the second message portion (913) may include the phrase “Please perform filter cleaning.” However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the second message portion (913) may include various types of phrases instructing management of the filter (80).

According to one embodiment, the external device (2) may also audibly output information corresponding to the first message section (911) and/or the second message section (913) using a built-in speaker (not shown).

According to one embodiment, the user may detach the filter (80) to remove the collected foreign matter and re-attach it to the clothes dryer (1) by the first message portion (911) or the second message portion (913) output.

A clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure (e.g., the clothes dryer (1) of FIG. 1 or the clothes dryer (100) of FIG. 5) may include an expansion valve (74, 171) included in a heat pump unit (70, 170), a memory storing one or more computer programs, and one or more control units (110). The one or more programs include executable commands, and the executable commands may be individually or collectively executed by the one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to obtain valve data corresponding to an opening rate of the expansion valve (74) for a preset period of time, generate a plurality of variables (X ₁ , X ₂ , t ₀ ) based on the obtained valve data, and identify a degree of clogging of the filter (80) based on the plurality of variables (X ₁ , X ₂ , t ₀ ). The above plurality of variables (X ₁ , X ₂ , t ₀ ) may include a difference value between a maximum valve data (v _max ) and a minimum valve data (v _min ) included in the valve data, a sum value (v _sum ) of the valve data, and a time when the valve data reaches a value lower than a preset value (v _set ).

In a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more computer programs further include executable instructions, which can be individually or collectively executed by one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to identify whether the filter (80) is clogged when the acquired valve data value is less than a preset value at least three times.

In a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the preset value (v _set ) may be set based on the initial temperature of air discharged from the drum (20) corresponding to the start of the drying process.

In one embodiment of the clothes dryer (1, 100) of the present disclosure, one or more computer programs further include executable instructions, which are individually or collectively executed by the one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to generate target data (Y) based on the first variable (X1), the second variable (X2) and the third variable (t0), and to identify the degree of clogging of the filter (80) as the first degree of clogging when the target data (Y) exceeds a first threshold level.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more computer programs in a clothes dryer (1, 100) further include executable instructions, which are individually or collectively executed by the one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to: when the target data (Y) exceeds a second threshold level higher than the first threshold level,

The degree of clogging of the above filter (80) is identified as a second degree of clogging, and the second degree of clogging can be understood as a case where the amount of foreign substances collected in the filter (80) is relatively greater than the first degree of clogging.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more computer programs in a clothes dryer (1, 100) further include executable instructions, which, when individually or collectively executed by one or more control units (110), can cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to obtain the valve data in response to the compressor (73) included in the heat pump unit (70, 170) being operated and the passage of a predetermined period of time.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more computer programs in a clothes dryer (1, 100) further include executable instructions, which can be individually or collectively executed by one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to obtain the valve data in response to a change in temperature between a refrigerant flowing into an evaporator (71) included in the heat pump unit (70, 170) and a refrigerant discharged from the evaporator (71) exceeding a threshold level.

In one embodiment of the clothes dryer (1, 100) of the present disclosure, one or more computer programs further include executable instructions, which can be individually or collectively executed by the one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to obtain the valve data corresponding to the temperature of the air discharged by the drying operation being within a preset range.

A clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a position sensor that senses the opening angle of the expansion valve (74). The valve data may correspond to the opening angle of the expansion valve (74) detected by the position sensor.

A clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a display (17b). One or more computer programs may further include executable instructions, which may be individually or collectively executed by the one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to transmit a notification corresponding to the degree of clogging of the filter (80) to the display (17b) or an external device (2) when the degree of clogging of the filter (80) exceeds a threshold level.

A clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a display (17b). One or more computer programs may further include executable instructions, which may be individually or collectively executed by the one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to transmit a notification corresponding to the degree of clogging of the filter (80) to the display (17b) when the degree of clogging of the filter (80) exceeds a threshold level.

A clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a display (17b). One or more computer programs further include executable instructions, which may be individually or collectively executed by the one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to transmit a notification corresponding to the degree of clogging of the filter (80) to the external device (2) when the degree of clogging of the filter (80) exceeds a threshold level.

A method for controlling a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include an operation (620) of acquiring at least one valve data corresponding to an opening rate of an expansion valve (74) included in a heat pump unit (70, 170) for a preset period of time, an operation of generating a plurality of variables (X1, X2, t0) based on the valve data, and an operation (630) of identifying a degree of clogging of a filter (80) based on the plurality of variables (X1, X2, t0).

In a method for controlling a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an operation (630) for identifying the degree of blockage may include an operation for generating a difference value between maximum valve data (vmax) and minimum valve data (vmin) included in the valve data as a first variable (X1), an operation for generating a sum value of the valve data as a second variable (X2), an operation for generating a time when the valve data reaches a value lower than a preset value (vset) as a third variable (t0), and an operation for identifying the degree of blockage of the filter (80) based on the first variable (X1), the second variable (X2), and the third variable (t0). The plurality of variables (X ₁ , X ₂ , t ₀ ) may include a difference value between maximum valve data (v _max ) and minimum valve data (v _min ) included in the valve data, a sum value (v _sum ) of the valve data, and a time when the valve data reaches a value lower than a preset value (v _set ).

A method for controlling a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include an operation of identifying whether the filter (80) is clogged when the acquired valve data value is less than a preset value at least three times.

In a control method of a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the preset value (v _set ) may be set based on the initial temperature of air discharged from the drum (20) in response to the start of the drying process.

In a method for controlling a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the operation (630) for identifying the degree of blockage may include an operation for identifying the degree of blockage of the filter (80) as a second degree of blockage when the target data (Y) exceeds a second threshold level higher than the first threshold level. The second degree of blockage may be understood as a case where the amount of foreign substances collected in the filter (80) is relatively greater than the first degree of blockage.

In a method for controlling a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the operation (630) for identifying the degree of blockage may include an operation for generating target data (Y) based on the plurality of variables, and an operation for identifying the degree of blockage of the filter (80) as a first degree of blockage when the target data (Y) exceeds a first threshold level.

In a method for controlling a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the operation (630) for identifying the degree of blockage includes an operation for identifying the degree of blockage of the filter (80) as a second degree of blockage when the target data (Y) exceeds a second threshold level higher than the first threshold level, and the second degree of blockage can be understood as a case where the amount of foreign substances collected in the filter (80) is relatively greater than the first degree of blockage.

In a method for controlling a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the operation (620) of acquiring at least one valve data may include an operation of acquiring the valve data in response to a predetermined time elapsed in an operation state of compressing a refrigerant used to convert high temperature and humid air due to a drying operation into high temperature and dry air at a high temperature and high pressure.

A method for controlling a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include an operation (620) of acquiring at least one valve data, wherein the operation of acquiring the valve data in response to a difference between a temperature of a refrigerant supplied to convert the high-temperature, humid air into low-temperature, dry air and a temperature of a refrigerant used to convert the high-temperature, humid air into low-temperature, dry air exceeding a threshold level.

In a method for controlling a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the operation (620) of acquiring at least one valve data may include an operation of acquiring the valve data corresponding to the temperature of air discharged by the drying operation being within a preset range.

In a control method of a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the valve data may correspond to the opening angle of the expansion valve (74) detected by a position sensor provided in the expansion valve (74).

A method for controlling a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include an operation of transmitting a notification corresponding to the degree of clogging of the filter (80) to a display (17b) or an external device (2) when the degree of clogging of the filter (80) exceeds a threshold level.

A method for controlling a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include an operation of transmitting a notification corresponding to the degree of clogging of the filter (80) to a display (17b) when the degree of clogging of the filter (80) exceeds a threshold level.

A method for controlling a clothes dryer (1, 100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include an operation of transmitting a notification corresponding to the degree of clogging of the filter (80) to an external device (2) when the degree of clogging of the filter (80) exceeds a threshold level.

The terminology used herein is used only to describe particular embodiments and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. The phrases “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” “at least one of A or B,” “A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” and “at least one of A, B, or C,” as used herein, each can include any one of the items listed together with that phrase or all possible combinations thereof. It should be understood that the term “and/or” as used herein encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the listed items. The terms “comprise,” “have,” “consist of,” and the like as used herein are intended to specify that a feature, component, sub-assembly, or combination thereof described in the present disclosure is present, but the use of such terms does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, components, sub-assemblies, or combinations thereof. The expressions “first,” “second,” etc. used in this disclosure can describe various components, regardless of order and/or importance, and are only used to distinguish one component from other components and do not limit the components.

The expression "configured to" used in the present disclosure can be appropriately used interchangeably with, for example, "suitable for," "having the ability to," "designed to," "modified to," "made to," or "capable of doing." The term "configured to" may not necessarily mean only something "specially designed" in terms of hardware. Instead, in some contexts, the expression "a device configured to do" may mean that the device is "capable of doing" together with other devices or components. For example, the phrase "a device configured (or set) to perform A, B, and C" may mean a dedicated device for performing the operations, or a general-purpose device that can perform various operations including the operations.

Meanwhile, the terms “upper side,” “lower side,” and “front-rear direction” used in the present disclosure are defined based on the drawings, and the shape and position of each component are not limited by these terms.

While the present disclosure has been described with reference to various embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the referenced claims and their equivalents.

Claims (15)

In the clothes dryer (1, 100), Expansion valve (74, 171) included in the heat pump section (70, 170); Memory for storing one or more computer programs and Containing one or more control units (110), The one or more programs include executable commands, and the executable commands are individually or collectively executed by the one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to: Obtain valve data corresponding to the opening rate of the expansion valve (74) for a preset period of time, Based on the acquired valve data, multiple variables (X ₁ , X ₂ , t ₀ ) are generated, The degree of blockage of the filter (80) is identified based on the above multiple variables (X ₁ , X ₂ , t ₀ ). The above multiple variables (X ₁ , X ₂ , t ₀ ) are, A clothes dryer (1, 100), comprising a difference value between the maximum valve data (v _max ) and the minimum valve data (v _min ) included in the above valve data, a sum value (v _sum ) of the above valve data, and a time when the above valve data reaches a value lower than a preset value (v _set ). In the first paragraph, one or more computer programs further include executable instructions, which are individually or collectively executed by one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to: A clothes dryer (1, 100) that identifies whether the filter (80) is clogged when the obtained valve data value is less than a preset value at least three times. In paragraph 1 or 2, The above preset value (v _set ) is set based on the initial temperature of air discharged from the drum (20) corresponding to the start of the drying process, in a clothes dryer (1, 100). In any one of claims 1 to 3, one or more computer programs further comprise executable instructions, which are individually or collectively executed by one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to: Generate target data (Y) based on the first variable (X ₁ ), the second variable (X ₂ ), and the third variable (t ₀ ). If the above target data (Y) exceeds the first threshold level, A clothes dryer (1, 100) that identifies the degree of clogging of the above filter (80) as a first degree of clogging. In the fourth paragraph, one or more computer programs further include executable instructions, which are individually or collectively executed by one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to: If the above target data (Y) exceeds a second threshold level that is higher than the first threshold level, The degree of blockage of the above filter (80) is identified as the second degree of blockage, The second degree of blockage is a clothes dryer (1, 100) in which the amount of foreign substances collected in the filter (80) is relatively greater than that of the first degree of blockage. In any one of claims 1 to 5, one or more computer programs further comprise executable instructions, which are individually or collectively executed by one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to: A clothes dryer (1, 100) in which the compressor (73) included in the heat pump unit (70, 170) is operated and the valve data is acquired in response to the passage of a predetermined time. In the sixth paragraph, one or more computer programs further include executable instructions, which are individually or collectively executed by one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to: A clothes dryer (1, 100) that acquires the valve data in response to a change in temperature between the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the evaporator (71) included in the heat pump unit (70, 170) and the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator (71) exceeding a critical level. In the first paragraph, one or more computer programs further include executable instructions, which are individually or collectively executed by one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to: A clothes dryer (1, 100) that obtains the valve data corresponding to the temperature of the air discharged by the above drying operation being within a preset range. In the first paragraph, Includes a position sensor that senses the opening angle of the above expansion valve (74), The above valve data corresponds to the opening angle of the expansion valve (74) detected by the position sensor, clothes dryer (1, 100). In any one of claims 1 to 9, Including a display (17b), One or more computer programs further comprise executable instructions, which are individually or collectively executed by one or more control units (110) to cause the clothes dryer (1, 100) to: A clothes dryer (1, 100) that transmits a notification corresponding to the degree of clogging of the filter (80) to the display (17b) or an external device (2) when the degree of clogging of the filter (80) exceeds a critical level. In a control method by a clothes dryer (1, 100) including a heat pump unit (70, 170), An operation (620) of acquiring at least one valve data corresponding to the opening rate of the expansion valve (74) included in the heat pump unit (70, 170) for a preset period of time; An operation of generating multiple variables (X ₁ , X ₂ , t ₀ ) based on the above valve data; and It includes an operation (630) for identifying the degree of blockage of the filter (80) based on the above multiple variables (X ₁ , X ₂ , t ₀ ). A method wherein the above plurality of variables (X ₁ , X ₂ , t ₀ ) include a difference value between the maximum valve data (v _max ) and the minimum valve data (v _min ) included in the valve data, a sum value (v _sum ) of the valve data, and a time when the valve data reaches a value lower than a preset value (v _set ). In Article 11, A method including an operation of identifying whether the filter (80) is clogged when the acquired valve data value is less than a preset value at least three times. In clause 11 or 12, The above preset value (v _set ) is set based on the initial temperature of air discharged from the drum (20) in response to the start of the drying process. In any one of Articles 11 to 13, The operation (630) of identifying the degree of blockage is as follows: An operation for generating target data (Y) based on the above multiple variables; and A method including an operation of identifying the degree of blockage of the filter (80) as a first degree of blockage when the target data (Y) exceeds a first threshold level. In Article 14, The operation (630) of identifying the degree of blockage is as follows: If the target data (Y) exceeds a second threshold level higher than the first threshold level, the operation of identifying the degree of blockage of the filter (80) as the second degree of blockage is included. A method in which the second degree of blockage is relatively greater than the first degree of blockage in terms of the amount of foreign substances collected in the filter (80).

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