Hitachi, Ltd.

Keiji Hikino

Shin Nakamura

Shinichi Kaji

Tsunetoshi Komatsu

Takao Ohsawa

Hideki Takayama

Gen Nagai

Under the rated load amount of 'Normal' and 'Extra' drying degrees, a drying process carried out after the detections of the plurality of resistance values a passing time of at least one resistance value selected from among of the plurality of resistance values is predicted is carried out. The hot air operation time in accordance with the measured time is calculated, and the hot air operation during the calculated hot air operation time is carried out. When under the small load amount, a drying process is carried out in the form of a hot air operation by calculating a necessary time for 'Damp' drying degree under a small load amount in accordance with a time for passing a predetermined resistance value after a lapse of a constant time from the start of drying operation. When one of 'Semi', 'Normal' and 'Extra' drying degrees under the small load amount is selected, a hot air operation is carried out at a constant time according to the calculated time for 'Damp' drying degree.

Method of controlling an electric clothes dryer including automatic load

Clothes dryer

Disclosed is an apparatus for controlling an electric clothes dryer having an electrical heater arranged to be supplied with electric power from a power source to generate heat so as to dry clothes by air heated by the heater, the apparatus comprising a switching device for opening/closing an electrical connection between the power source and the heater in response to a control signal, a voltage detecting circuit for detecting a voltage of the power source and for generating an overvoltage signal when the detected voltage exceeds a predetermined value, and a control signal generating circuit responsive to the overvoltage signal for generating the control signal for turning on/off the switching device. The control signal is formed so that the opening period of the switching device corresponds to the value of the overvoltage signal. Further, the opening period of the switching device is selected the value of power consumption per unit time of the heater always becomes a predetermined value in the case where the supply of power to the heater from the power source is stopped during the opening period of the switching device.

Apparatus for controlling electric clothes dryer and method therefor

A lint and raveling collector for a clothes dryer is installed on the side of the rotating drum. The lint and raveling collector has a lint and raveling filter and a lint and raveling collecting box. The lint and raveling filter has a net-like filter member, and ribs provided on the surface of the net-like filter member to prevent friction between the filter member and the clothing. The collecting box has an opening formed at its portion facing the ribs. The collecting box covers the lint and raveling filter in such a manner that a space for accumulating the lint and raveling is defined between the lint and raveling filter and the inner wall of the whole portion of the collecting box except for the opening portion. By provision of the ribs, the lint and raveling can not pass through the interstices of the filter member, and clothing is prevented from directly rubbing against the surface of the filter member. The accumulation of the lint and raveling on the surface of the filter member does not exceed the height of the ribs, and only the portion of the heap of the lint and raveling is collected into a portion of the lint and raveling collector.

Lint and raveling collector for clothes dryer

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Hitachi, Japan

Keiji Hikino