Maytag Corporation

Howell H Chiles

Jordan S Bruntz

Timothy E White

The current invention relates to a clothes dryer having a dryness sensing device and method of use comprising at least two electrically conductive sensor bars placed closely together but not touching one another so that articles in the dryer can contact two of the sensor bars at the same time. At least one sensor bar is electrically connected to an electrical current source and at least one sensor bar is electrically connected to an electrical ground. A microcontroller is electrically connected between the electrical current source and the electrical ground so as to be capable of measuring the voltage across the sensor bars when the sensor bars are contacted by the articles being dried. The microcontroller is configured so as to determine the dryness of the articles by calculating the electrical resistance of the articles by using the value of the voltage across the sensor bars and the value of the current through the sensor bars.

Dryness sensor for clothes dryer

A method is disclosed for producing an end of cycle for a laundry appliance having a drive motor, a timer motor, and at least one water valve. The method includes determining that the drive motor was previously running and is presently turned off, determining that the timer motor is not currently running, determining that the water valves are closed, and producing a signal to indicate the end of the laundry cycle. A laundry appliance is disclosed. The laundry appliance includes a drive motor, a timer motor, at least one water valve, and an intelligent control electrically connected to the drive motor, the timer motor, and the at least one water valve. The intelligent control is adapted for determining an end of cycle signal by determining that the drive motor is turned off, determining that the timer motor is not running, and determining that the water valve is closed.

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Altoona, IA, United States of America

Howell H Chiles