US 12,134,854 B2
Dryer appliance and methods for detecting vent obstruction
Roberto Obregon, Louisville, KY (US); and Nemetalla Salameh, Louisville, KY (US)
Assigned to Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed by Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed on Oct. 14, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/501,166.
Prior Publication US 2023/0123910 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. D06F 58/38 (2020.01); D06F 58/26 (2006.01); D06F 103/32 (2020.01); D06F 105/20 (2020.01); D06F 105/28 (2020.01)
CPC D06F 58/38 (2020.02) [D06F 58/26 (2013.01); D06F 2103/32 (2020.02); D06F 2105/20 (2020.02); D06F 2105/28 (2020.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A dryer appliance, comprising:
a cabinet;
a drum mounted within the cabinet, the drum defining a drying chamber;
a heater assembly in upstream fluid communication with the drying chamber to heat air thereto;
a temperature sensor in upstream fluid communication with the drying chamber to detect a temperature of air thereto; and
a controller in operable communication with the heater assembly and the temperature sensor, the controller being configured to initiate a test cycle, the test cycle comprising
directing an initial chamber assessment of the drying chamber following a previous cycle,
activating the heater assembly based on the initial chamber assessment,
detecting a first temperature upstream of the drum at a first moment following activating the heater assembly,
detecting a second temperature upstream of the drum at a second moment following the first moment,
determining a temperature delta as a difference between the second temperature and the first temperature,
comparing the temperature delta to a delta threshold, and
initiating an alert message based on comparing the temperature delta to the delta threshold.