Dryer Vent Monitoring and Lint Cleaning System

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide homeowners with an autonomous alerting and dryer vent cleaning bidirectional robotic device that can operate in a small diameter dryer vent and clean the dryer vent as the real-time blockage is detected without waiting on the homeowner. This will enable efficient drying of clothes, less usage of fossil fuels by running the dryer longer, and reduce the fire hazard from the lint-clogged clothes dryer vent. The present invention also aims to detect and alert the presence of hazardous air pollutants including carcinogens emitted from the dryer vent correlating the pollutants emitted to the detergent used for washing clothes. This educates homeowners about the choices of laundry products that they are making and allows them to buy more eco-friendly and chemically safe detergents.

Claims

1. A device for a dryer vent comprising: a sensor node having a plurality of sensors placed inside a sensor node housing, said sensor node housing placed at a exit of said dryer vent; a base node placed inside a building, said base node receives a data transmission package from said sensor node; a robotic device placed inside a robotic device housing, said robotic device housing placed at said exit of said dryer vent, said robotic device is capable of receiving said data transmission package from said base node and said robotic device is capable of traversal inside said dryer vent of 3 inch diameter to clean said dryer vent; a lint basket placed inside said robotic device housing, said lint basket is used by said robotic device to store a lint removed from said dryer vent during a cleaning cycle; and a latch placed inside said robotic device housing, said latch receives said data transmission package from said base node to allow said robotic device to enter or exit said robotic device housing during said cleaning cycle.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said sensor node using said plurality of sensors detects air properties including a hazardous air pollutants and carcinogens emitted in said dryer vent during a clothes dryer cycle, and said sensor node sends said data transmission package to said base node.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said base node on a determination of blockage in said dryer vent using said plurality of sensors of said sensor node, using said data transmission package received from said sensor node, sends said data transmission package to open said latch of said robotic device housing to allow said robotic device to enter said dryer vent for said cleaning cycle, and upon completion of said cleaning cycle said robotic device returns to said robotic device housing and sends said data transmission package to said base node, said base node sends said data transmission package to close said latch of said robotic device housing.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said base node on a determination of blockage in said dryer vent using said plurality of sensors of said sensor node, using said data transmission package received from said sensor node, sends said data transmission package to activate said robotic device to traverse out of said robotic device housing to start said cleaning cycle.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said robotic device when activated by said base node to start said cleaning cycle and said robotic device detects and removes said lint from said dryer vent and carries said lint to said lint basket filling said lint basket with said lint collected during said cleaning cycle, said robotic device repeatedly cleans till said dryer vent is clean and returns to said robotic device housing, wherein said lint basket when full sends said data transmission package to said base node to send a alert to a homeowner to clean said lint basket.

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said base node on a determination of blockage in said dryer vent, using said data transmission package received from said sensor node using said plurality of sensors, sends said data transmission package to open said latch of said robotic device housing and activate said robotic device to traverse out of said robotic device housing, wherein said latch, once open, allows said robotic device to enter said dryer vent for said cleaning cycle, said robotic device detects and removes said lint from said dryer vent and carries said lint to said lint basket, filling said lint basket with said lint collected during said cleaning cycle, said robotic device repeatedly cleans till said dryer vent is clean and returns to said robotic device housing and upon completion of said cleaning cycle sends said data transmission package to said base node, said base node sends said data transmission package to close said latch of said robotic device housing, wherein said lint basket when full sends said data transmission package to said base node to send a alert to a homeowner to clean said lint basket.

9. A device for a dryer vent comprising: a app on smartphone for a homeowner to input a laundry detergent brand name used in a clothes wash cycle before switching on a clothes dryer cycle; a plurality of sensors placed inside a housing at a exit of said dryer vent; and a base node to receive a data transmission package from said plurality of sensors.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said plurality of sensors detects a hazardous air pollutants and carcinogens emitted in said dryer vent during said clothes dryer cycle, wherein said base node, using said data transmission package sent by said plurality of sensors, associates said hazardous air pollutants and carcinogens released in said dryer vent during said clothes dryer cycle to said laundry detergent brand name, and said base node sends a alert to said app on smartphone for said homeowner.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view as an embodiment of the invention showing the sensor node having a plurality of sensors and a radio module to send data to the base node. The base node triggers the robotic device to clean the dryer vent. A means for the homeowner to input the laundry detergent used for washing in the clothes wash cycle and a plurality of sensors detecting hazardous chemicals in the laundry detergent.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the autonomous bi-directional lint-removing robotic device traversing in the dryer vent as an embodiment of the invention.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the chassis of the robotic device mounted with wheels.

[0017] FIG. 4 is the perspective view of the microcontroller for the robotic device attached to the servo motor, camera, buzzer, and ultrasonic sensor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The invention shown in FIG. 1 consists of a sensor node 1 placed inside a sensor node housing 2 at the exit of the dryer vent 6. The sensor node 1 has a plurality of sensors 5 exposed to the inside of the dryer vent 6. The sensor node 1 sends real-time data transmission packages to a base node 3 using radio waves. The base node 3 is placed inside the building and receives real-time data transmission packages from the sensor node 1. A robotic device 8 is placed inside a robotic device housing 4 at the exit of the dryer vent 6. The robotic device housing 4 consists of a lint basket 9 used by the robotic device 8 to store collected lint during the cleaning cycle. The robotic device housing 4 has a latch 7 to allow the robotic device 8 to traverse in and out of the robotic device housing 4. The base node 3 on determining a blockage, using the data transmission packages received from the sensor node 1, sends a real-time message to open the latch 7 of the robotic device housing 4 and activates the robotic device 8. The robotic device 8 is capable of autonomous bi-directional traversal inside a 3 inch or more diameter dryer vent 6 to remove lint and clean the dryer vent 6. The real-time message from the base node 3 activates the robotic device 8 which traverses out of the robotic device housing 4 into the dryer vent 6. The robotic device 8 detects and removes the lint, and traverses back to put the collected lint in the lint basket 9. The cycle is repeated till the dryer vent 6 is clean and no more lint is detected by the robotic device 8. At the end of the cleaning cycle the robotic device 8 returns to the robotic device housing 4 and sends a message to base node 3 that cleaning is complete. The base node 3 then sends a message to close the latch 7. When the lint basket 9 is full a message is sent to the base node 3 to alert the homeowner to clean the lint basket 9.

[0019] As seen in FIG. 1, the invention additionally provides homeowners with a means to input the laundry detergent 10 used in the clothes wash cycle before starting the clothes dryer cycle. This inputted data is sent to the base node 3. The sensor node 1 placed inside the sensor node housing 2 at the exit of the dryer vent 6 has a plurality of sensors 5 to detect hazardous air pollutants including carcinogens emitted during the dryer cycle. The base node 3 is placed inside the building and receives real-time data transmission packages from the sensor node 1. The sensor node 1 sends the real-time data transmission packages of hazardous air pollutants including carcinogens emitted in real-time to the base node 3. The base node 3 correlates the hazardous air pollutants including carcinogens released in the dryer vent 6 during the clothes dryer cycle to the laundry detergent input 10 provided by the homeowner. The base node 3 determines when hazardous gases exceed acceptable limits and sends a real-time alert to the homeowner through the app 11. The base node 3 makes data and alerts available to the homeowner through the app 11.

[0020] As seen in FIG. 2, the invention is designed with very lightweight materials for the robotic device 8. The robotic device 8 is autonomous and is capable of moving bidirectionally and stopping at a pre-configured distance from an obstacle when the ultrasonic sensor 15 detects lint, and makes a buzzing sound. The robotic arm 14 will then close to pick up the lint. The robotic device 8 will then traverse back to the robotic device housing 4 to drop the lint in the lint basket 9. A light 17 is mounted on the robotic device 8. The robotic arm 14 size needs to be such that it can operate in the small diameter of the dryer vent 6, in addition to being very lightweight. Additionally, the robotic arm 14 has foam around the tips of robotic arm 14 to ensure it does not scrape the inner surface of the dryer vent 6, and to have a better grip on the lint. The robotic arm 14 provides predictable parallel motion and can grasp lint.

[0021] FIG. 3 represents the base of the chassis 13, which is mounted by four wheels 12.

[0022] FIG. 4 shows a microcontroller 18 used by the robotic device 8 which is powered by a 9V power supply module with a step-down function. The microcontroller 18 is connected to a camera 16 that can send images or live video to the app 11. An ultrasonic sensor 15 is mounted to detect lint. As the robotic device 8 moves, the transmitter on the ultrasonic sensor 15 continuously emits ultrasonic pulses and the receiver listens for the reflected waves to bounce back from lint. The ultrasonic sensor 15 is configured to stop at a preconfigured distance on detection of lint. The piezoelectric buzzer 19 will buzz when lint has been detected. The robotic arm 14 is controlled by a servo motor 20.

[0023] The described embodiment is illustrative only and is not restrictive to the use described here and the scope of the invention is therefore indicated by the claims rather than by the description above.