A sensor for integration into a domestic washing machine or dishwasher includes a sensor housing and an electronic assembly accommodated in the sensor housing with sensor components for a plurality of different measurement functions. The measurement functions include at least an optical measurement function as well as at least one non-optical measurement function. The electronic assembly has a plug-in interface for an electrical connection plug where the plug-in interface has a plurality of electrical interface contacts for the electrical supply of the electronic assembly and for conducting away measurement information obtained by means of the measurement functions.

A household appliance has a heating circuit (140) for heating a fluid including a heating element (150) that can be selectively energized (155) to determine the heating of the fluid, and a monitoring unit (125) for monitoring the operation of the heating circuit. The monitoring unit (125) is configured to monitor at least one electrical potential internal to the heating circuit (140). The at least one electric potential internal to the heating circuit (140) is at least one among: an internal electric potential detected at a first terminal (160b) of the heating element (150) connected to an on/off switch (155) of the heating circuit (140); an internal electric potential detected at a second terminal (160a) of the heating element (150) connected to a main switch (135) of the appliance or to a safety switch provided for switching the heating circuit off in case of malfunction of the on/off switch (155). The monitoring unit (125) is further configured for: detecting a value of the voltage of the electricity distribution network; and calculating, starting from the detected value of the voltage of the electricity distribution network, first and a second reference electric potentials, comparing the at least one detected internal electric potential with the first and second reference electric potentials; recognizing a state of good operation or malfunction of the heating circuit (140) in case the at least one detected internal electric potential does not fall within a range of values between the first and second reference electric potentials.

A steam generator and a laundry treatment machine having the same are provided, in which the steam generator includes a housing, a heater and a temperature controller, in which the housing defines a steam generating cavity therein and has a water inlet and a steam outlet in communication with the steam generating cavity, and the heater is disposed in the steam generating cavity, the temperature controller is disposed in the steam generating cavity and is connected to the heater, and the temperature controller is configured to detect the temperature of the heater, the temperature controller controls the heater to heat up and the water inlet to close when the temperature of the heater is below a predetermined temperature, and controls the heater to stop heating and the water inlet to open when the temperature of the heater reaches a predetermined temperature.

A laundry drying apparatus, in particular dryer or washing machine having drying function, has: a cabinet, a control unit (4) adapted to control a laundry drying cycle according to at least one drying program, a drum (18) rotatably arranged within the cabinet for receiving laundry to be dried, a drying air channel (20) adapted at least to guide drying air into the drum (18), and a heater unit (6) arranged at or in the drying air channel (20) and being adapted to heat the drying air. The heater unit (6) has two or more heating levels. A temperature sensor unit is adapted to detect the temperature of the drying air and to provide at least one temperature signal to the control unit (4). The control unit (4) is adapted to control the heater unit (6) to heat the drying air at a selected one of the two or more heating levels. The control unit (4) is adapted to select or determine and apply during the drying cycle one of two or more temperature threshold sets, wherein the two or more temperature threshold sets are used by the control unit (4) for determining the heating level to be applied by the heater unit (6) in dependency of the at least one temperature signal from the temperature sensor unit. The control unit (4) is adapted to select or determine one of the two or more temperature threshold sets in dependency of one or more operating parameters of the apparatus, wherein the temperature thresholds of the temperature threshold sets are mutually different or are not identical. During execution of the laundry drying cycle the control unit (4) is adapted to select or determine one of the two or more temperature threshold sets in dependency of one or more of the following operation parameters: a) the time or temporal progress of the laundry drying cycle, b) one or more operation parameters of or for the heater unit (6), c) an electrical or mechanical parameter of the drum (18) motor, d) a temporal gradient of the drying air temperature during execution of the laundry drying cycle, and e) an ambient temperature indicative for the temperature outside the apparatus cabinet or a temperature indicative of an apparatus component temperature.

A vented laundry dryer has an air inlet duct, an air outlet duct, a heat recovery system for transferring heat from the air outlet duct to the air inlet duct, and an additional heater. The heat recovery system has an evaporator, a liquefier, a condenser, and a relaxation unit, wherein the liquefier is thermally coupled to the air inlet duct, and the evaporator is thermally coupled to the air outlet duct. A relaxation property of the relaxation unit can be adjusted depending on at least one parameter that is connected to an activity of the additional heater. A method for operating a vented dryer having an additional heater and a heat pump having a relaxation unit, monitoring at least one parameter connected to an activity of the additional heater and changing a relaxation property of the relaxation unit depending on the at least one parameter.

A drying apparatus having a structure capable of improving condensation efficiency, and a washing machine having the same. The washing machine including a cabinet, a tub installed inside the cabinet, a drum rotatably installed inside the tub, a condenser duct configured to condense moisture in air introduced from the inside the drum, a drying duct configured to heat the air introduced from the condenser duct and supply the heated air to the inside the drum, and a condensation water storage unit formed at a circumference of the condenser duct to store condensation water that is used to condense the moisture in the air moving inside the condenser duct.

A fabric heating barrel with a graphene heater is configured to heat fabrics and includes: an outer shell, serving as a heating container and a heating cavity disposed inside the outer shell. A graphene composite heating film is attached to at least one of an outer wall of the heating cavity and a bottom of the heating cavity. The graphene composite heating film is configured to heat the heating cavity. A controller and a temperature sensor are disposed between the outer shell and the heating cavity. The temperature sensor is configured to sense a temperature of the graphene composite heating film, and the controller is electrically connected to the temperature sensor and the graphene composite heating film. Due to the far-infrared and thermal radiation heating principle of the graphene, the temperature is more uniform. Compared to a traditional resistance heating member, the graphene composite heating film is more energy-efficient.

A method of operating a dryer appliance includes activating a heating system of the dryer appliance and tracking an energy output of the heating system. The method also includes determining a load score of a load of articles to be dried in the dryer appliance based on the tracked energy output and determining a termination criterion for a dry operation of the dryer appliance based on the load score. The method further includes performing the dry operation in the dryer appliance and terminating the dry operation when the determined termination criterion is reached.

A laundry treatment apparatus is configured to directly heat a drum containing laundry therein. The laundry treatment apparatus includes: a cabinet forming an external appearance of the laundry treatment apparatus; a tub provided in the cabinet; a drum configured to rotate within the tub and to contain laundry therein, the drum being formed of a metallic material; an induction module provided at an outer surface of the tub and configured to heat the drum within the tub via induction by generating a magnetic field; and wherein the outer surface of the tub comprises at least one mounting portion that is configured to mount the induction module, with at least part of the at least one mounting portion being arranged radially closer to a rotational axis of the drum than a remaining portion of the outer surface of the tub.

A method for controlling a cleaner, a control device for a cleaner, and a cleaner are provided. The method for controlling the cleaner includes the following operations. A working request of the first apparatus is acquired. A working state of the second apparatus is acquired. It is determined that the working state of the second apparatus and the working request of the first apparatus meet a preset interference condition, at least part of a first functional component corresponding to the working request of the first apparatus is controlled to be in a deactivated state, and/or at least part of a second functional component corresponding to the working state of the second apparatus is controlled to be in a deactivated state.