Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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CLOTHES DRYING SYSTEMS HAVING CONTROL
BASED ON SURROUNDING TEMPERATURE DETECTION
FIELD
The present application relates to clothes drying systems and, in particular,
clothes drying
systems that control operations based on surrounding temperatures.
BACKGROUND
Combination washing and drying apparatuses include both a washing cycle for
washing clothes and a drying cycle for drying clothes. For the drying cycle,
the washing and
drying apparatuses may be either open-loop (vented) or closed-loop
(condensing). In the
case of an open-loop washing and drying apparatus, the wet air from a drum
where the
clothes are dried is directed to the environment. In the case of a closed-loop
washing and
drying apparatus, the wet air from the drum is directed to a condenser where
moisture is
removed from the wet air. The drier air is then directed from the condenser
back to the
drum for the drying operation.
Both open and closed-loop drying systems have advantages. For example, open-
loop
drying systems vent the wet air to the environment and replace the vented air
with drier
intake air. This venting of the relatively wet air can reduce drying time
compared to a
closed-loop drying system. Closed-loop drying systems may be used in locations
where a
vent is not present or would require major infrastructure changes to allow
access to an
outside space, such as in some apartment buildings. These closed-loop drying
systems can
have longer drying times than open-loop drying systems. It would be desirable
to allow
some controlled venting into a room to relatively quickly remove moist air
from the system,
which can reduce drying time compared to a closed-loop drying system.
SUMMARY
In an embodiment, a clothes drying system includes an apparatus that comprises
a
drying air circuit. The system includes a drum in communication with the
drying air circuit.
A condenser is in communication with the drying air circuit and is located
downstream of
the drum. The condenser includes a cooled water inlet that directs cooled
water into the
heated air to remove moisture from the heated air. The condenser includes a
condenser
water outlet for egress of water from the condenser. The cooled water inlet of
the
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condenser is configured to receive water from a tap water source. A
temperature sensor
provides a signal indicative of a temperature of an environment outside the
apparatus. The
temperature sensor may be part of the apparatus or may be removed from the
apparatus
and communicate wirelessly with the apparatus. A memory and processing
circuitry is
coupled to the memory. The memory includes logic that, when executed by the
processing
circuitry, directs at least one of: (i) a vent air control valve to change an
amount of heated
air flowing from the drum through the vent air control valve and into the
environment
based on the signal from the temperature sensor, (ii) a fan to change a flow
rate of air
flowing through the drying air circuit based on the signal from the
temperature sensor, and
(iii) a heater to change an amount of heat provided to the air flowing through
the drying air
circuit based on the signal from the temperature sensor.
In another embodiment, a method of controlling a clothes drying system
comprising
an apparatus that comprises a drying air circuit is provided. The method
includes directing
air through the drying air circuit to a drum. Heated air is directed from the
drum to a
condenser in communication with the drying air circuit and located downstream
of the
drum. The condenser includes a cooled water inlet directing cooled water into
the heated
air thereby removing moisture from the heated air, the cooled water inlet of
the condenser
configured to receive water from a tap water source. A signal is provided
using a
temperature sensor indicative of a temperature of an environment outside the
apparatus.
Based on the signal from the temperature sensor, a controller directs at least
one of: (i) a
vent air control valve to change an amount of heated air flowing from the drum
through the
vent air control valve and into the environment based on the signal from the
temperature
sensor, (ii) a fan to change a flow rate of air flowing through the drying air
circuit based on
the signal from the temperature sensor, and (iii) a heater to change an amount
of heat
provided to the air flowing through the drying air circuit based on the signal
from the
temperature sensor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and
distinctly
claiming the present invention, it is believed the same will be better
understood from the
following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in
which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a washing and drying apparatus including
temperature
sensor, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;
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FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a washing and drying system including the
washing and
drying apparatus of FIG. 1, according to one or more embodiments shown and
described
herein; and
FIG. 3 is a method of controlling the washing and drying apparatus of FIG. 1,
according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiments described herein may be understood more readily by reference to
the
following detailed description. It is to be understood that the scope of the
claims is not
limited to the specific compositions, methods, conditions, devices, or
parameters described
herein, and that the terminology used herein is not intended to be limiting.
Also, as used in
the specification, including the appended claims, the singular forms "a,"
"an," and "the"
include the plural, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at
least that
particular value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. When a range
of values is
expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to
the other
particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by
use of the
antecedent basis "about," it will be understood that the particular values
form another
embodiment All ranges are inclusive and combinable.
Embodiments described herein are generally directed to a drying apparatuses
that
include a drying air circuit for use during a drying cycle. The drying
apparatuses may also
include a wash water circuit for use in a washing cycle. The drying
apparatuses include a
drum that is in communication with both the drying air circuit and the wash
water circuit.
A condenser is in communication with the closed drying air circuit and is
located
downstream of the drum for receiving heated wet air (i.e., high humidity) from
the drum
during the drying cycle. The condenser has a water inlet that directs water
into the heated
air for removing moisture from the heated wet air through the process of
condensation.
The drying apparatuses further include a temperature sensor that provides a
signal
that is indicative of a temperature of an environment outside the drying
apparatuses. The
temperature sensor may be part of the apparatus or may be removed from the
apparatus
and communicate wirelessly with the apparatus. The drying apparatuses include
a memory
and processing circuitry coupled to the memory. The memory includes logic
that, when
executed by the processing circuitry, directs at least one of (i) an air
control valve (i.e., a
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vent valve) to change an amount of heated, wet air that exits the drum to
travel through the
air control valve and into the environment based on the signal from the
temperature
sensor, (ii) a fan to change a flow rate of air flowing through the drying air
circuit based on
the signal from the temperature sensor, and (iii) a heater to change an amount
of heat
provided to the air flowing through the drying air circuit based on the signal
from the
temperature sensor.
Referring to FIG. 1, a washing and drying apparatus 10 is illustrated
diagrammatically and includes a housing 12, a tub 14 located in the housing
and a drum 16
that is located inside the tub 14. A motor 19 is located inside the housing 12
and is used to
rotate the drum 16. The washing and drying apparatus 10 includes a closed
drying air
circuit, generally referenced as element 18, and a wash water circuit,
generally referenced
as element 20. While components of the closed drying air circuit 18 and the
wash water
circuit 20 are illustrated outside the housing 12, this is merely for
illustration as the closed
drying air circuit 18 and wash water circuit 20 are located inside the housing
12.
The closed drying air circuit 18 includes an air circulation duct 22 that is
fluidly
connected to the drum 16. The air circulation duct 22 is fluidly connected to
the drum 16
for delivering air that is heated by heater 24 to a heated temperature to the
drum 16
during a drying cycle. A fan 27 may be provided to encourage air circulation
through the
air circulation duct 22 to and from the drum 16. The closed drying air circuit
18 further
includes a vent air control valve 28 that is located upstream from a condenser
30 and
between the condenser 30 and the drum 16 and an intake air control valve 32
that is
located downstream of the condenser 30 and between the condenser 30 and the
fan 27.
Once the heated air is cycled through the drum 16, the heated wet air may be
delivered through the circulation duct 22 to an air inlet 34 of the condenser
30. The
condenser 30 includes a condensing apparatus 36 (e.g., a tube, etc.) that is
fluidly connected
to the circulation duct 22 at both the air inlet 34 and an air outlet 38. The
condenser 30 is
configured to remove moisture from the heated wet air and through the process
of
condensation before the air is reheated by heater 24 and delivered back to the
drum 16
with reduced relative humidity after heating back to about the same (e.g., 5
C) heated
temperature.
The vent air control valve 28 allows the heated air to be vented from the
circulation
duct 22 to the surrounding environment. In some embodiments, a filter 33 may
be
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provided for filtering the air as it is being vented. The vent air control
valve 28 may be
controllable to allow venting of between zero percent and 100 percent. The
percentage or
fraction of total air flow being vented at the vent air control valve 28 may
be referred to as
the "vented fraction." The vent air control valve 28 is used to change the
vented fraction, as
will be described in greater detail below. The intake air control valve 32
allows drier
outside air to enter the circulation duct 22. The amount of air entering the
circulation duct
22 through the intake air control valve 32 may be controlled to be
substantially the same
amount of air exiting the circulation duct 22 through the vent air control
valve 28 in order
to maintain a desired pressure within the circulation duct 22.
A thermoelectric apparatus 40 includes a thermoelectric device 56 that may be
provided between the condenser 30 and a tap water source 42. A "thermoelectric
device"
refers to a device that uses the Peltier effect to create a heat flux at the
junction of two
different types of materials. The thermoelectric device is a solid-state
active heat pump
that transfers heat from one side of the device to the other using electrical
energy. The
thermoelectric apparatus 40 includes a hot side flow device 44 that includes a
hot side
water input 46 and a hot side water output 48. The thermoelectric apparatus 40
further
includes a cold side flow device 50 that includes a cold side water input 52
and a cold side
water output 54. The hot side flow device 44 and the cold side flow device 50
each contain
a duct that extends between the inputs 46, 52 and outputs 48, 54 that can be
any suitable
shape, such as curved, undulating, straight, etc. that allows for heating and
cooling of the
tap water therethrough. Located between the hot side flow device 44 and the
cold side flow
device 50 is the thermoelectric device 56. The thermoelectric device 56 may be
connected
to the hot side flow device 44 and the cold side flow device 50 using any
suitable process,
such as a thermal adhesive. The thermoelectric device 56 transfers heat from
tap water
flow through the cold side flow device SO to tap water flowing through the hot
side flow
device 44 thereby cooling the tap water from an initial tap outlet temperature
to a cooled
water temperature. While a thermoelectric device is described, any other
suitable device
(e.g., refrigerant-based, water-based, etc.) may be used to cool the incoming
tap water or, in
some embodiments, a device to cool the incoming tap water may not be used.
The cooled water is delivered along line 58 to the condenser 30. At the
condenser,
the cooled water 60 is released into the condenser 30 at a rate of between
about 1 g/s and
about 1.6 g/s. In one embodiment, the cooled water 60 is released from a
cooled water inlet
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64 along an inner surface of a wall of the condenser 30, which cools the wall
to a
temperature below that of the heated wet air 70 entering the condenser.
In some embodiments, the cooled water inlet 64 may include a nozzle 72 having
a
reduced inner diameter compared to the line 58 to generate a spray of small
cooled water
droplets. The droplet size may be large enough that the water droplets do not
become
entrained in the heated wet air 70 and to increase the heat transfer
coefficient and/or the
heat transfer area of the cooled water droplets. As one example, for an air
flow of greater
than about 4 m/s through the condensing tube 36, a droplet size of greater
than about 1076
p.m from the nozzle 72 may be used. A pump upstream of the nozzle may be used
to
generate adequate hydraulic pressure necessary for atomization of the water.
Water that is
removed from the air and also provided to the condenser 30 through the line 58
is directed
to a drain, represented by element 74. A pump 76 may be provided at a
condenser water
outlet 78 to pump the water from the condenser 30.
The washing and drying apparatus 10 may include a controller 80. The
controller
80 may include processing circuitry and a memory that includes logic in the
form of
machine-readable instructions that is used to control operation of the one or
more valves
and pumps during the washing and drying cycles. For example, during a washing
cycle, the
logic may cause the processing circuitry to direct cooled water from the cold
side flow
device 50 to the drain 74 using valve 82 (e.g., a 3-way valve) that is
communicatively
coupled to the controller 80. The heated water from the hot side flow device
44 may be
directed to the tub 14 using valve 84 and pump 86 that are communicatively
coupled to the
controller 80. During a drying cycle, the logic may cause the processing
circuitry to direct
heated water from the hot side flow device 44 to the drain 74 using valve 84.
The cooled
water from the cold side flow device SO may be directed to the condenser 30
using the
valve 82. In some embodiments, the controller 80 may control the fan 27, the
vent air
control valve 28 and/or the intake air control valve 32 to maintain a
preselected air flow
rate through the condenser 30.
A temperature sensor 90 may provide a signal that is indicative of a
temperature of
an environment outside the washing and drying apparatus 10. The controller 80
may
include the memory that may include logic that, when executed by the
processing circuitry,
directs at least one of the (i) vent air control valve 28 to change an amount
of heated, wet
air that exits the drum 16 to travel through the vent air control valve 28 and
into the
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environment based on the signal from the temperature sensor 90, (ii) fan 27 to
change a
flow rate of air flowing through the circulation duct 22 based on the signal
from the
temperature sensor, and (iii) heater 24 to change an amount of heat provided
to the air
flowing through the circulation duct 22 based on the signal from the
temperature sensor.
Other sensor types may also be used in conjunction with the temperature sensor
90, such
as a humidity sensor that provides a signal indicative of a humidity level of
the
environment outside the washing and drying apparatus 10 and/or a proximity
sensor that
can provide spatial information, such as dimensions of a room in which the
washing and
drying apparatus 10 is located.
The memory may include a default temperature (e.g., between about 20 C and 25
C) that is used by the controller 80 to control operation of the washing and
drying
apparatus 10 based on a difference between the default temperature and a
surrounding
temperature determined based on the signal from the temperature sensor 90.
Details of
the control based on temperature difference will be described in greater
detail below. In
some embodiments, a user input 94 may be provided that allows a user to input
a user
selected temperature that is different from (i.e., higher or lower) the
default temperature.
In this case, the controller 80 may control operation of the washing and
drying apparatus
based on a difference between the user selected temperature and the
surrounding
temperature determined based on the signal from the temperature sensor 90.
Referring to FIG. 2, an exemplary washing and drying system 100 utilizing the
washing and drying apparatus 10 is illustrated schematically. It should be
noted that only
selected components of the washing and drying system 100 will be described
below for
clarity and other components, such as various pumps and control valves, may
also be
utilized. The washing and drying system 100 includes a communication path 102,
the
controller 80 including a processor 104, a memory module 106, the fan 27, the
heater 24,
the vent air control valve 28, the intake air control valve 32, the sensor 90
(temperature,
proximity and humidity) and the user input 94.
The processor 104 may include any device capable of executing machine-readable
instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The
processor 104
may include one or more processors. Accordingly, each processor 104 may
include a
controller, an integrated circuit, a microchip, a computer, and/or any other
computing
device. The washing and drying system 100 may further include network
interface
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hardware 108. The communication path 102 can provide data interconnectivity
between
the various modules that may send and receive data. The communication path 102
may be
wired and/or wireless.
The washing and drying system 100 may further include the network interface
hardware 108 for communicatively coupling the washing and drying system 100
with a
network 110. The network interface hardware 108 can be communicatively coupled
to the
communication path 102 and can be any device capable to transmitting and
receiving data
via the network 113. The network interface hardware 108 may include antenna,
modem,
LAN port, Wi-Fi, mobile communications hardware, etc. The network interface
hardware
108 may include a Bluetooth module for sending and receiving Bluetooth
communications
to and from a mobile device 114. The network interface hardware 108 can allow
to control
operation of the washing and drying system 100 and to input the user selected
temperature
remotely, for example, using a handheld computing device 113.
Referring to FIG. 3, a method 120 of controlling the washing and drying system
100
is illustrated. The method includes the temperature sensor 90 sending a signal
to the
controller 80 that is indicative of temperature of the environment around the
washing and
drying apparatus 10 at step 122. At step 124, the controller 80 checks for a
user selected
temperature. If a user selected temperature is present, the controller 80
determines if the
surrounding temperature is greater than the user selected temperature at step
126. If the
surrounding temperature is greater than the user selected temperature, the
controller 80
may reduce one or more of (i) the vented fraction using the vent air control
valve 28, which
reduces the amount of wet, heated air vented into the surroundings as step
128, (ii) the
heat from the heater 24, which reduces the air temperature in the circulation
duct 22 at
step 130, and (iii) the air flow rate using the fan 27, which also reduces the
amount of wet,
heated air vented at step 132. Conversely, if the surrounding temperature is
less than the
user selected temperature, the controller 80 may increase one or more of (i)
the vented
fraction using the vent air control valve 28, which increases the amount of
wet, heated air
vented into the surroundings as step 134, (ii) the heat from the heater 24,
which increases
the air temperature in the circulation duct 22 at step 136, and (iii) the air
flow rate using
the fan 27, which also increases the amount of wet, heated air vented at step
138.
Increasing one or more of the vented fraction, air temperature and air flow
rate can reduce
drying time of clothes in the drum, taking advantage of the reduced
temperature of the
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surroundings. The amount of change of the vented fraction, air temperature and
air flow
rate can be determined by an algorithm to reduce the absolute value of the
difference
between the user selected temperature and the surrounding temperature.
Similarly, if a user selected temperature is not present and the default is
used, the
controller determines if the surrounding temperature is greater than the
default
temperature at step 140. If the surrounding temperature is greater than the
default
temperature, the controller 80 may reduce one or more of (i) the vented
fraction using the
vent air control valve 28, which reduces the amount of wet, heated air vented
into the
surroundings at step 142, (ii) the heat from the heater 24, which reduces the
air
temperature in the circulation duct 22 at step 144, and (iii) the air flow
rate using the fan
27, which also reduces the amount of wet heated air vented at step 146.
Conversely, if the
surrounding temperature is less than the default temperature, the controller
80 may
increase one or more of (i) the vented fraction using the vent air control
valve 28, which
increases the amount of wet, heated air vented into the surroundings as step
148, (ii) the
heat from the heater 24, which increases the air temperature in the
circulation duct 22 at
step 150, and (iii) the air flow rate using the fan 27, which also increases
the amount of wet,
heated air vented at step 152.
The above-described washing and drying systems and apparatuses provide drying
systems that react based on a surrounding temperature outside the apparatuses.
If the
surrounding temperature is above a set temperature (either default or user
selected), the
washing and drying apparatuses can reduce the amount of heated, wet air vented
into the
surrounding environment, reduce the heat provided to the air and/or reduce an
air flow
rate through the drying circuit. If the surrounding temperature is below the
set
temperature, the washing and drying apparatuses can increase the amount of
heated, wet
air vented into the surrounding environment increase the heat provided to the
air and/or
increase an air flow rate through the drying circuit, taking advantage of the
reduced
environmental temperature to decrease drying time. While a temperature sensor
is
described above, referring again to FIG. 2, other inputs may be used to
control the vent air
control valve, the fan and the heater. For example, another temperature sensor
160 may be
located at an air vent of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)
system to
provide a signal indicative of temperature at the air conditioning vent. Such
an
arrangement of a temperature sensor 160 at the air conditioning vent can allow
the
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washing and drying system to predict a temperature change in the surroundings
and adjust
accordingly. As another example, the heating and drying system may receive
remotely
provided weather information from a server of a weather information source,
e.g., through
the network interface hardware 108. This weather information can also be used
by the
washing and drying system to predict a temperature change in the surroundings
and adjust
accordingly. As yet another example, a proximity sensor 162 may be used to
provide size
information (e.g., distance to walls, floors and ceilings of a room in which
the washing and
drying apparatus is located.
An example is below:
Clause 1: A clothes drying system comprising an apparatus that comprises a
drying
air circuit, the system comprising: a drum in communication with the drying
air circuit; a
condenser in communication with the drying air circuit and located downstream
of the
drum, the condenser comprising a cooled water inlet that directs cooled water
into the
heated air to remove moisture from the heated air, the condenser comprising a
condenser
water outlet for egress of water from the condenser, the cooled water inlet of
the condenser
configured to receive water from a tap water source; a temperature sensor that
provides a
signal indicative of a temperature of an environment outside the apparatus;
and a memory
and processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the memory including logic
that, when
executed by the processing circuitry, directs at least one of (i) a vent air
control valve to
change an amount of heated air flowing from the drum through the vent air
control valve
and into the environment based on the signal from the temperature sensor; (ii)
a fan to
change a flow rate of air flowing through the drying air circuit based on the
signal from the
temperature sensor; and (iii) a heater to change an amount of heat provided to
the air
flowing through the drying air circuit based on the signal from the
temperature sensor.
Clause 2: The system of clause 1, wherein the memory includes logic that, when
executed by the processing circuitry, directs the vent air control valve to
increase or
decrease an amount of heated air flowing from the drum into the environment
based on the
signal from the temperature sensor.
Clause 3: The system of clause 2, wherein the memory includes logic that, when
executed by the processing circuitry, directs the vent air control valve to
reduce an amount
of heated air flowing from the drum into the environment based on the signal
when a
detected temperature is above a default temperature and to increase an amount
of heated
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air flowing from the drum into the environment when a detected temperature is
below the
default temperature.
Clause 4: The system of any one of clauses 1-3, wherein the memory includes
logic
that, when executed by the processing circuitry, directs an intake air control
valve to
control an amount of air flowing into the drying air circuit from the
environment at a
location downstream of the condenser to a flow rate that is about equal to a
flow rate that
the vent control valve vents into the environment
Clause 5: The system of any one of clauses 1-4 further comprising a user input
that
allows a user to provide a user selected temperature.
Clause 6: The system of any one of clauses 1-5, wherein the temperature sensor
is
located outside of the apparatus.
Clause 7: The system of any one of clauses 1-6 further comprising a sensor
that
provides a signal indicative of a distance of the proximity sensor to one or
more walls that
at least partially define a boundary of the environment
Clause 8: The system of any one of clauses 1-7, wherein the memory includes
logic
that, when executed by the processing circuitry, controls a flow rate of air
through the
condenser using the vent air control valve, an intake air control valve and/or
the fan.
Clause 9: The system of any one of clauses 1-8 further comprising another
temperature sensor at an air vent of an HVAC system that provides a signal
indicative of a
temperature at the air vent, the memory includes logic that, when executed by
the
processing circuitry, directs the vent air control valve to control an amount
of heated air
flowing from the drum into the environment based on the signal from the
another
temperature sensor.
Clause 10: The system of any one of clauses 1-9, the memory includes logic
that,
when executed by the processing circuitry, directs the vent air control valve
to control an
amount of heated air flowing from the drum into the environment based on
weather
information received over a wireless network.
Clause 11: A method of controlling a clothes drying system comprising an
apparatus
that comprises a drying air circuit, the method comprising: directing air
through the drying
air circuit to a drum; directing heated air from the drum to a condenser in
communication
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with the drying air circuit and located downstream of the drum, the condenser
comprising
a cooled water inlet directing cooled water into the heated air thereby
removing moisture
from the heated air, the cooled water inlet of the condenser configured to
receive water
from a tap water source; providing a signal using a temperature sensor
indicative of a
temperature of an environment outside the apparatus; and based on the signal
from the
temperature sensor, a controller directing at least one of: (i) a vent air
control valve to
change an amount of heated air flowing from the drum through the vent air
control valve
and into the environment based on the signal from the temperature sensor; (ii)
a fan to
change a flow rate of air flowing through the drying air circuit based on the
signal from the
temperature sensor; and (iii) a heater to change an amount of heat provided to
the air
flowing through the drying air circuit based on the signal from the
temperature sensor.
Clause 12: The method of clause 11 comprising directing the air control valve
using
the controller to increase or decrease an amount of heated air flowing from
the drum into
the environment based on the signal from the temperature sensor.
Clause 13: The method of clause 12 comprising directing the vent air control
valve
using the controller to reduce an amount of heated air flowing from the drum
into the
environment based on the signal when a detected temperature is above a default
temperature and to increase an amount of heated air flowing from the drum into
the
environment when a detected temperature is below the default temperature.
Clause 14: The method of any one of clauses 11-13 further comprising changing
the
default temperature to a user selected temperature that is different from the
default
temperature.
Clause 15: The method of any one of clauses 11-14, wherein the method further
comprises directing an intake air control valve to control an amount of air
flowing into the
drying air circuit from the environment at a location downstream of the
condenser to a flow
rate that is about equal to a flow rate that the vent air control valve vents
air into the
environment.
Clause 16: The method of any one of clauses 11-15, wherein the temperature
sensor
is located outside of the apparatus.
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Clause 17: The method of any one of clauses 11-16 further comprising providing
a
signal indicative of a distance of a proximity sensor to a wall that at least
partially defines a
boundary of the environment using a sensor.
Clause 18: The method of any one of clauses 11-17 further comprising heating
air in
the drying circuit using the heater downstream of the condenser.
Clause 19: The method of any one of clauses 11-18 further comprising providing
a
signal indicative of a temperature at an air vent of a I-1VAC system using
another
temperature sensor at the air vent, and the controller directing the vent air
control valve to
control an amount of heated air flowing from the drum into the environment
using the
processing circuitry based on the signal from the another temperature sensor.
Clause 20: The method of any one of clauses 11-19 further comprising directing
the
vent air control valve to control an amount of heated air flowing from the
drum into the
environment using the processing circuitry based on weather information.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being
strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless
otherwise specified,
each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a
functionally
equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as
"40 mm" is
intended to mean "about 40 mm."
CA 03154583 2022-4-12
