Intelligent filter construction for electrical appliances, in particular drying/washing-drying machines, method for making the construction, and method for detecting in real time a partial or total clogging of the construction and a value of residual moisture for optimizing the operating cycle of the appliance

Abstract

An intelligent filter construction for household appliances, in particular for drying/washing-drying machines, for separating solid particles from liquid or gaseous fluids, comprises a synthetic monofilament precision fabric material, of a weft and warp type, with which is integrally associated a capacitive sensor adapted to measure in real time values of a moisture in an air flow passing through the fabric material thereby optimizing the household appliance operating cycle.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . An intelligent filter construction for household appliances, in particular drying/washing-drying machines, for separating solid particles from fluids or gases, characterized in that said filter construction is constituted by a synthetic monofilament precision fabric material of a weft and warp type, and that integrated or applied on said fabric material are built-in sensor means defining a capacitive system forming an electrically conductive-capacitive pattern adapted to measure in real time the values of a moisture contained in an air flow passing through said fabric material thereby optimizing an operating cycle of said household appliance, said electrically conductive pattern being defined by a flat configuration and comprises a first and second end rectilinear conductive track elements, substantially defining two capacitor plates and from each of which respectively extend a first and second plurality of rectilinear and parallel mutually spaced conductive finger elements, the finger elements of said first plurality being operatively interdigitated with the corresponding finger elements of said second plurality. 
     
     
         29 . A filter construction according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said sensor means are integrally associated with said precision fabric and define a flat capacitive sensor for measuring in real time a value of a moisture of an air flow passing through said fabric material and for determining in real time a clogging level of said fabric material, in order to define an actual requirement of cleaning said fabric material. 
     
     
         30 . A filter construction according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said monofilament of said fabric material is constituted by a polymeric material selected from a group comprising PET, PA, PP, PPS, PEEK, PTFE, PVDF, PE, PVDC, PEN. 
     
     
         31 . A filter construction, according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said fabric material has a thread diameter from 15 μm to 500 μm. 
     
     
         32 . A filter construction, according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said synthetic monofilament fabric material has a thread per centimeter density from 4 to 260. 
     
     
         33 . A filter construction, according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said intelligent filter is either co-molded or not and assembled with a plastic or metal support element. 
     
     
         34 . A filter construction, according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said intelligent filter construction is coupled to another layer of a filtering medium. 
     
     
         35 . A filter construction, according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said electronically conductive pattern defines a flat capacitive system. 
     
     
         36 . A filter construction, according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said electrically conductive pattern covers or coats only a portion of said precision fabric material. 
     
     
         37 . A filter construction, according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said electrically conductive pattern is constituted by polymeric ink materials, loaded by electrically conductive particles selected from copper, silver, aluminium, nickel, zinc and gold. 
     
     
         38 . A filter construction, according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said electrically conductive pattern is constituted by metal materials selected from a group consisting of copper, aluminium, steel, silver, gold, zinc, titanium and nickel. 
     
     
         39 . A filter construction, according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said electrically conductive pattern is coated by an electric material coating adapted to protect said pattern from an oxidation and mechanical/abrading stresses. 
     
     
         40 . A method for making an intelligent filter construction, according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said method comprises at least a step of weaving said fabric material and applying or integrating on said fabric material said electrically conductive-capacitive pattern. 
     
     
         41 . A method, according to  claim 40 , characterized in that said method comprises the step of making said electrically conductive pattern by a silk printing process. 
     
     
         42 . A method, according to  claim 40 , characterized in that said method comprises the step of making said electrically conductive pattern by an ink jet printing process. 
     
     
         43 . A method, according to  claim 40 , characterized in that said method comprises the step of making said electrically conductive pattern by a chemical or physical deposition. 
     
     
         44 . A method, according to  claim 40 , characterized in that said method comprises the step of making said electrically conductive pattern by a laminating operation and a following selective removing operation. 
     
     
         45 . A method, according to  claim 44 , characterized in that said laminating operation and following selective removing operation are carried out by a high energy or power source. 
     
     
         46 . A method, according to  claim 44 , characterized in that said laminating operation and following selective removing operation are carried out by a chemical etching operation. 
     
     
         47 . A method, according to  claim 40 , characterized in that said method further comprises the step of making said electrically conductive pattern by a partial masking of said fabric material, followed by a further chemical/physical depositing step of depositing an electrically conductive material and a following step of removing said partial masking of said fabric material. 
     
     
         48 . A method, according to  claim 40 , characterized in that said method further comprises the step of coating said fabric material to provide said fabric material with target surface properties, by a coating method selected from dipping coating, plasma coating, spray coating, foam coating, blade coating, sol-gel coating, and ink-jet coating. 
     
     
         49 . A method for detecting in real time a partial and/or complete clogging of the intelligent filter construction according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said method comprises at least the steps of providing an average calibrating curve of said household appliance; detecting and measuring in real time an actual value of residual moisture in an air flow passing through said filter construction at said sensor, comparing in real time said residual moisture value representative of said partial and/or complete clogging of said filter construction with said average calibrating curve, and generating an alarm signal if said residual moisture value exceeds a preset threshold value; and, only if said preset threshold value is exceeded, removing said clogging from said filter construction. 
     
     
         50 . A method, according to  claim 49 , characterized in that said average calibrating curve of said household appliance is an air moisture curve with respect to a cycle time of said household appliance for a preset operating or work load of said household appliance. 
     
     
         51 . A method, according to  claim 50 , characterized in that said operating or work load is preset based on weight and moisture parameters. 
     
     
         52 . A method, according to  claim 49 , characterized in that said detecting or sensing method comprises the steps of providing processing and comparing means having at least a first input, a second input and an output; providing alarm means operatively connected to said output of said processing means, providing means adapted to form an average calibrating curve of said household appliance; applying to said first input of said first processing means an output signal of said sensor means of said filter construction indicative of an alarm air moisture if detected moisture values, which are detected in real time by said sensor means of said filter construction, differ from said calibrating curve by more than a preset threshold, said alarm threshold energizing said alarm means to signal to a user a clogging condition of said filter construction. 
     
     
         53 . A drying and/or washing-drying apparatus comprising an intelligent filter construction, and processing and alarm means carrying out a method according to  claim 49 .