The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 16, 2004
Filed:
Sep. 25, 2002
Fredrick E. Chernetski, St. Joseph, MI (US);
Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for determining an approximate mass of a fabric load in an automatic clothes dryer wherein the dryer utilizes a motor including a centrifugal switch which closes upon the motor achieving a predetermined speed at a start of the motor. A timer device is provided which is capable of timing intervals of time measured in milliseconds. A current detecting mechanism is arranged in a current supply line for the dryer motor and is arranged to start the timer upon detecting a start of the dryer motor. A voltage measuring mechanism is arranged at a power supply for the motor to provide a voltage measurement. An arrangement is provided to detect the closure of the centrifugal switch of the motor and is arranged to stop the timer upon detecting the closure of the centrifugal switch to provide a start time. A calculating device is provided for receiving the start time and the voltage measurement and for providing a calculated mass of the fabric load in the dryer. This calculated mass can have a variety of uses, including determining an approximate drying time for the fabric load utilizing a calculating device and a predetermined formula.