An RF laundry dryer includes, amongst other things, an RF generator, an RF applicator having a perforated body and anode and cathode elements, a fan arranged relative to the perforated body to flow or draw air through the perforated body and an electromagnetic shield protecting the fan from the e-field. Both anode and cathode elements are operably coupled to the RF generator to generate an e-field between the anode and cathode upon the energizing of the RF generator.

A method for drying an article with a radio frequency (RF) applicator having anode elements and cathode elements includes capacitively coupling the anode elements, capacitively coupling the cathode elements, capactively coupling an anode element to a cathode element, and energizing the RF applicator to generate an RF field between anode and cathode elements wherein liquid residing within the field will be dielectrically heated.

A method for detecting the presence of an energized e-field in a space, wherein the space includes at least one electrically conductive element disposed in the space and coupled with a controller, the method including receiving in the controller a signal from the at least one electrically conductive element, determining that an energized e-field occupies the space, and generating an indication, by the controller, indicative of the presence of the energized e-field in the space.

A treating apparatus for drying articles according to a predetermined cycle of operation. The treating apparatus includes a cylindrical drum having a circumferential wall, a pair of non-anode baffles spaced on the circumferential wall, and a third baffle positioned between the pair of non-anode baffles on the circumferential wall comprising an anode element having an anode contact point at the circumferential wall. The treating apparatus also has a first cathode element disposed between the third baffle and one of the pair of non-anode baffles along the circumference of the circumferential wall and a second cathode disposed between the third baffle and the other of the pair of non-anode baffles along the circumference of the circumferential wall. The treating apparatus also has a radio frequency (RF) generator coupled to the anode element and to the first and second cathode elements. The RF generator is selectively energizable to generate electromagnetic radiation between the first and second cathode elements such that articles positioned between the pair of non-anode baffles are in the electromagnetic radiation.

A laundry treating applicator for drying laundry with a radio frequency (RF) applicator having a baffle on a drum rotatable on a non-vertical axis, an anode element in the baffle and a cathode element spaced from the anode element, wherein energization of the RF generator sends electromagnetic radiation through the applicator via the anode element and cathode element to form a field of electromagnetic radiation (e-field) in the radio frequency spectrum to dielectrically heat liquid within laundry disposed within the e-field.

An RF laundry dryer includes, amongst other things, an RF generator, an RF applicator having a perforated body and anode and cathode elements, a fan arranged relative to the perforated body to flow or draw air through the perforated body and an electromagnetic shield protecting the fan from the e-field. Both anode and cathode elements are operably coupled to the RF generator to generate an e-field between the anode and cathode upon the energizing of the RF generator.

An apparatus for cleaning cloth which includes a body with an aperture, a closure, which is engageable with the aperture, a tub with an outer shell and a cylindrical inner cavity which corresponds with the aperture, a drum, which is positioned inside the cylindrical inner cavity and which includes a wall, with an inner surface, an outer surface and a plurality of perforations in the wait, a base and an opposing mouth which registers with the aperture, a driver which is connected to or engaged with the drum and which allows rotational movement of the drum about an axis, a generator and an electrical power supply, inside the body, wherein the power supply is adapted to provide pulsating electrical power to the generator and wherein the generator is actuable to produce pulses of microwave energy at least into part of the drum.

A clothes dryer comprises a body, a first drying container installed in the body and configured to include a rotary drum configured to be rotatable, and a second drying container installed in the body but separated from the first drying container, and the second drying container includes an electrode plate configured to include a plurality of electrode regions, a controller configured to select an electrode region where an electric field is to be applied, among the plurality of electrode regions and an electric field is applied to the electrode region selected by the controller.

Provided are a dryer and method for controlling the same, which may appropriately and efficiently dry objects thrown into a receiving space by using high frequency electric fields and heated air. In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure a dryer includes a main body, a drum rotationally placed inside the main body, a driver provides rotational force to the drum, an electrode part produces an electric field inside the drum, a power supplier supplies power to the electrode part, an air heater heats air, a blower supplies heated air into the drum and a controller controls the power supplier to block power supplied to the electrode part depending on a dried state of an object contained in the drum, controls the driver to rotate the drum, and controls the air heater and the blower to supply heated air into the drum.

An RF laundry dryer includes, amongst other things, an RF generator, an RF applicator having a perforated body supporting anode and cathode elements, a fan arranged relative to the perforated body to flow or draw air through the perforated body and an electromagnetic shield protecting the fan from the e-field. Both anode and cathode elements are operably coupled to the RF generator to generate an e-field between the anode and cathode upon the energizing of the RF generator.