CONTROLLED HUMIDITY RELEASE SYSTEM

Abstract

A system for controllably releasing humid air including a washing unit having a housing; a washing drum within the housing; a port defining a first opening operable to intake air from an outside atmosphere into an internal cavity of the washing drum; a vent defining a second opening operable to direct the air to flow out of the internal cavity of the washing drum; and a release pipe with a first end coupled to the vent and a second end terminating on an exterior of the washing unit to enable the air to flow out of the vent to an exterior of the housing. The system also includes a damper positioned within the release pipe operable to open or close the release pipe to release humidity to the outside atmosphere and a processor configured to communicate with an external measurement device and operable to selectively open or close the damper.

Claims

1. A system for controllably releasing humid air, the system comprising: a washing unit, the washing unit further comprising: a housing; a washing drum positioned within the housing; a port defining a first opening in the washer drum operable to intake air from an outside atmosphere into an internal cavity of the washing drum; a vent defining a second opening in the washer drum operable to direct the air to flow out of the internal cavity of the washing drum; a release pipe with a first end coupled to the vent and a second end terminating on an exterior of the washing unit to enable the air to flow out of the vent to an exterior of the housing; a damper positioned within the release pipe and operable to selectively open or close the release pipe to release humidity to the outside atmosphere; and a processor configured to communicate with one or more external measurement devices and operable to selectively open or close the damper.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a condensing unit in operative communication with the vent and a drain coupled to the condensing unit to remove a liquid condensate from the washing unit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the release pipe is positioned along an airflow path between the washing drum and the condensing unit.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more wireless communication devices operable to transmit and receive a humidity data between the processor and the one or more external measurement devices.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the one or more external measurement devices is an independent relative humidity sensor.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the one or more external measurement devices is one of a thermostat or an air conditioning unit.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the one or more external measurement devices is one of a humidifier or dehumidifier.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more wireless communication devices operable to transmit and receive a humidity data between the processor and one or more servers.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the humidity data comprises a local weather information from the one or more servers.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the port further comprises at least one fan to direct an airflow and the vent further comprises at least one fan to direct the airflow.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an on-board relative humidity sensor.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor further comprises a comparison module to validate a measurement of the onboard relative humidity sensor against a communicated humidity data from the one or more external measurement devices.

13. A method for selectively releasing humidity from a washing unit comprising: directing a dry air input from an outside atmosphere through a port to enter a washing drum during a drying process of the washing unit; directing a humid air output from an internal cavity of the washing drum through a vent to exit the internal cavity; directing the humid air output through the vent to a release pipe coupled to the vent; measuring a humidity value using one or more external measurement devices and communicating the humidity value to a processor; opening a damper operatively coupled to the release pipe when the measured humidity value is below a threshold value to release a first portion of the humid air output to the outside atmosphere; closing the damper when the measured humidity value is above the threshold value; and directing a second portion of the humid air output to a condenser to remove and drain a remaining moisture content.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the washing unit further comprises a wireless communication device to enable the one or more external measurement devices to directly communicate the humidity value to the processor.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the washing unit further comprises a wireless communication device in operative communication with a server to enable the server to aggregate the humidity values from the one or more external measurement devices and communicate the aggregated humidity values to the processor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating the humidity value to the processor further comprises transmitting a weather data to the processor from the server.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more external measurement devices is an independent relative humidity sensor.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more external measurement devices is one of a thermostat or an air conditioning unit.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more external measurement devices is one of a humidifier or a dehumidifier.

20. A method for selectively releasing humidity from a washing unit comprising: directing a dry air input from an outside atmosphere through a port to enter a washing drum during a drying process of the washing unit; directing a humid air output from an internal cavity of the washing drum through a vent to exit the internal cavity; directing the humid air output to an release pipe coupled to the vent; measuring a first humidity value of the outside atmosphere using an on-board relative humidity sensor and communicating the first humidity value to a processor; measuring a second humidity value of the outside atmosphere using one or more external devices and communicating the second humidity value to the processor; comparing the first humidity value and the second humidity value using a comparison module of the processor to determine a verified humidity value; opening a damper operatively coupled to the release pipe when the verified humidity value is below a threshold value to release a portion of the humid air output to the outside atmosphere; closing the damper when the verified humidity value is above the threshold value; and directing a remaining portion of the humid air output to a condenser to remove and drain a remaining moisture content.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative and exemplary in nature and not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments can be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which:

[0008] FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of an example system for controlled humidity release, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0009] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic diagram of an example system for controlled humidity release in communication with an external server and at least one external measurement device, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0010] FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of an example method to be performed by the controlled humidity release system, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein; and

[0011] FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of an example method to be performed by the controlled humidity release system, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Traditional laundry washing and drying devices can initiate washing and drying cycles to clean and dry laundry. During the drying cycle of a dedicated drying machine or a combination washer/dryer unit, hot air is supplied to the washing/drying drum to evaporate and remove moisture absorbed within the laundry or otherwise trapped within the washing unit. Once the water content has evaporated into the air, the resulting humid air is then vented out of the washing drying/drum to be treated. Typically, the humid air is either directly vented out of the consumer's home or it is directed to a condensation unit to be dehumidified. The condensation unit cools the air, captures the liquid condensate, drains the liquid condensate, and releases the conditioned dry air through an exhaust.

[0013] However, traditional laundry washing and drying devices typically treat water content and humidity as a waste product that needs to be disposed of rather than a resource that can be repurposed for other beneficial uses. In particular, large numbers of residential homes in cold or arid locations make use of humidifiers to provide moisture to exceptionally dry environments within the home. Humidifiers work by a similar principle as drying units: heating dry air to accept evaporated water and expelling the resulting humid air from the unit. Therefore, releasing portions of humid air generated during the drying process of a washing/drying system can achieve the same results as a humidifier without the need for redundant energy consumption. However, an uncontrolled release of humid air from the washer/dryer unit can have adverse effects by releasing too much moisture at once or releasing moisture into a crowded space.

[0014] According to the present disclosure, the controlled humidity release system taught herein provides benefits over traditional washing units. The controlled humidity release system provides for a system that can communicate with external measurement devices within a user's home to measure the relative humidity value, communicate the humidity data to the washing unit, and selectively release humid air accordingly. This system has the added benefit of enabling the processor to make a more robust analysis of the humidity levels within a user's home, rather than merely relying on a single local humidity measurement in the vicinity of the washing unit that may misrepresent the humidity levels in the residential area as a whole.

[0015] Embodiments of the controlled humidity release system will now be described in additional detail herein. The following will now describe these systems, and methods with reference to the drawings, where like numbers refer to like structures.

[0016] As depicted in FIG. 1, the controlled humidity release system 100 for selectively releasing humid air includes a washing unit 101. The washing unit 101 includes a housing 101A defining an exterior surface of the washing unit 101. The housing 101A may be made from a metal, plastic, or any other suitable material to retain some or all of the constituent components of the washing unit 101. The housing 101A may completely enclose the washing unit 101 or it may include spaces, gaps, vents, or other openings to partially enclose the washing unit 101 and enable access to one or more components therein. The washing unit 101 further includes a washing drum 102 positioned within the housing 101A and defining an internal cavity 104 sized to accept laundry or other materials to be washed and/or dried. In embodiments, the washing unit 101 may be a combination washer/dryer unit configured to initiate a washing cycle to wash the contents of the washing drum 102 within the internal cavity 104, and subsequently initiate a drying cycle to dry the contents of the washing drum 102 within the internal cavity 104. In embodiments, the washing unit 101 may further include one or more springs, bracket, supports, or similar hardware to mount or support the washing drum 102 within the housing 101A. The washing unit 101 may also include a door positioned on the housing 101A, corresponding to the positon of the washing drum 102 to open and close the front side of the washing drum 102. Furthermore, the washing unit 101 may include a motor or any other mechanical means for rotating the washing drum 102 during the washing and/or drying cycles. In some embodiments, the washing unit 101 may be a dedicated laundry washing machine. In other embodiments, the washing unit 101 may be a dedicated laundry drying machine.

[0017] The washing unit 101 may initiate a washing cycle by placing laundry within the internal cavity 104 of the washing drum 102 and closing the door to seal the washing drum 102. Water may be introduced to the washing drum 102 via a water pipe and or a plurality of entrance holes disposed along the interior of the washing drum 102 to enable fluid communication into the internal cavity 104. Once water has entered the washing drum 102, the washing drum 102 is rotated via the motor or other comparable mechanical means to stir the laundry within the internal cavity 104 and cause a water and soap mixture to interact with and clean the laundry. Once the washing cycle has completed, any standing water within the internal cavity 104 may be directed out of the washing drum 102 via one or more drains to exit the washing unit 101 via at least one standard plumbing connection. In some embodiments, the washing unit 101 may subsequently initiate a spin cycle to further treat the laundry and remove an additional water content still present in the internal cavity 104. The spin cycle may be performed by actuating the motor to rotate the washing drum 102 at a relatively higher speed than the speed of the washing cycle to remove absorbed water within the laundry via an imparted centrifugal force. After completion of the spin cycle any additional standing water within the internal cavity 104 may also be directed out of the washing drum 102 via one or more drains to exit the washing unit 101 via at least one standard plumbing connection.

[0018] Additionally, the washing unit 101 may initiate a drying cycle to remove a remaining water content from the laundry within the washing drum 102. In embodiments, the washing unit 101 includes at least one fan 105 positioned to direct dry air from an outside atmosphere 130 into the washing drum 102 to interact with the laundry within the internal cavity 104. Furthermore, the washing unit 101 may also include a heater 107 positioned within the housing 101A and communicatively coupled to the internal cavity 104 to heat the air entering the washing drum 102, thereby raising the temperature within the internal cavity 104 and promoting the evaporation of the remaining moisture within the washing drum 102. The motor may be engaged to rotate the washing drum 102 to cause the laundry to tumble within the internal cavity 104, striking the interior surface of the washing drum 102 and directing the remaining moisture out of the wet laundry. Due to the tumbling of the laundry and the introduction of heated, dry air from the outside atmosphere 130, the dry air may pass over the wet laundry, absorbing the remaining moisture to create humid air within the internal cavity 104. The humid air can subsequently be directed out of the internal cavity 104 to remove the remaining moisture from the washing drum 102 and leave dry laundry for the user to remove.

[0019] Still referring to FIG. 1, to direct airflow into the washing drum 102, the washing unit 101 includes a port 106 defining a first opening 108 in the washing drum 102 operable to intake dry air from the outside atmosphere 130 into the internal cavity 104. The port 106 may have a first end extending through the housing 101A to define an entrance for the outside atmosphere 130 and a second end coupled with the washing drum 102, defining the first opening 108. It should be understood that the placement of the port 106 is not intended to be limited to any particular portion of the housing 101A, and that the port 106 can extend from any surface of the housing 101A to the washing drum 102. In embodiments, the port 106 may be a single tube, pipe, or comparable duct to allow the passage of air from the outside atmosphere 130 into the internal cavity 104. In other embodiments, the port 106 may include two or more tubes, pipes, or comparable ducts to allow the passage of air from the outside atmosphere 130 into the internal cavity 104. In embodiments, the port 106 may include a single entrance to accept the outside atmosphere 130, but the port 106 may have a first opening 108 that includes a plurality of holes, slots, or openings positioned along the interior surface of the washing drum 102 to enable air to enter the internal cavity 104. Furthermore, the washing unit 101 may include a fan 105 positioned within the port 106 to direct airflow of the outside atmosphere 130 from the exterior of the washing unit 101 through the port 106 and into the internal cavity 104 to interact with the laundry.

[0020] To direct airflow out of the washing drum 102, the washing unit 101 includes a vent 110 defining a second opening 112 in the washing drum 102 operable to direct the humid air to flow out of the internal cavity 104 of the washing drum 102. The vent 110 may have a first end coupled with the washing drum 102, defining the second opening 112 and a second end extending within the washing unit 101 toward an exhaust 118. It should be understood that the placement of the vent 110 is not intended to be limited to any particular portion of the washing unit, and that the vent 110 can extend from any portion of the washing drum 102 to the exhaust 118. In embodiments, the vent 110 may be a single tube, pipe, or comparable duct to allow the passage of air from the internal cavity 104 of the washing drum 102 to an exterior of the washing unit 101. In other embodiments, the vent 110 may include two or more tubes, pipes, or comparable ducts to allow the passage of air from the internal cavity 104 of the washing drum 102 to an exterior of the washing unit 101. In embodiments, the vent 110 may have a second opening 112 that includes a plurality of holes, slots, or openings positioned along the interior surface of the washing drum 102 to enable humid air to exit the internal cavity 104 and proceed through the vent 110 to an exhaust 118. Furthermore, the washing unit 101 may include one or more fans 105 positioned within the vent 110 to direct humid airflow from the internal cavity 104 of the washing drum 102 through the vent 110 to exit the washing unit 101.

[0021] In embodiments, the washing unit 101 may include a condensing unit 120 in operative communication with the vent 110 and the exhaust 118. The condensing unit 120 may function by flowing a coolant within one or more coils disposed within the condensing unit 120. Humid air may pass from the vent 110 into the condensing unit 120 to interface with the coils and separate a water condensate from the humid air. The water condensate can be collected in a tray or tub before being expelled from the condensing unit 120 via a drain 122 in fluid communication with the condensing unit 120 and at least one plumbing connection leading to an exterior of the washing unit 101. As such, moisture is pulled from the humid air and removed from the washing unit 101 through the drain 122 as a liquid condensate, while the treated dry air is released through the exhaust 118 with little or no humidity.

[0022] Referring again to FIG. 1, in some instances, it is desirable to direct air to bypass the condensing unit 120 to intentionally release humid air into a user's home to increase the relative humidity therein. This has multiple benefits, as the release of humid air minimizes energy consumption during the condensing process of the dryer and releasing humid air to the consumer's home can create more desirable living conditions without the need for engaging a humidifier. To accomplish this functionality, the washing unit 101 further includes a release pipe 114 with a first end 114A coupled to the vent 110 and a second end 114B terminating on an exterior of the housing 101A of the washing unit 101 to enable humid air to flow out of the vent 110 to exit the washing unit 101 and humidify a user's home. It should be understood that the placement of the release pipe is not intended to be limited to any particular portion of the washing unit 101, and that the release pipe 114 can extend from the vent 110 to any portion of the housing 101A to release humid air to the outside atmosphere 130. The washing unit 101 further includes a damper 116 positioned within the release pipe 114 and operable to selectively open or close the release pipe 114 to release humid air to the outside atmosphere 130. The damper 116 may be controlled by various mechanical mechanisms like a stepper motor, a linear motor, a pneumatic actuator, a hydraulic system, or any other comparable mechanism for selectively opening or closing the release pipe 114. In embodiments, the processor 124 may transmit electrical signals to the various mechanical mechanisms to dictate the position of the damper 116. The release pipe 114 may be positioned along the air flow path within the washing unit 101 between the washing drum 102 and the condensing unit 120 so that humid air can bypass the condensing unit 120 and exit the washing unit 101 before having the moisture removed from the air as a liquid condensate. In embodiments, the humid air exiting the release pipe 114 can be mixed with dry air to achieve a humid air output with a desired relative humidity level. In some embodiments, the release pipe 114 can join with the exhaust 118 to mix humid and dry air to achieve a desired humidity output. In embodiments, the release pipe 114 and the exhaust 118 may be a single duct to enable air to flow to the condensing unit 120. In such embodiments, the condensing unit can be cycled on or off to allow humid air to pass the condensing unit 120 while it is off and leave the washing unit 101 through the exhaust 118. Accordingly, the humidity release system 100 may release pulses of humid air through the exhaust 118 as the condensing unit 120 is engaged and disengaged.

[0023] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the system 100 includes a processor 124 configured to communicate with one or more external measurement devices 140 and operable to selectively open or close the damper 116 according to a measured humidity value communicated by the one or more external measurement devices 140. The processor 124 may be a controller, an integrated circuit, a microchip, a computer, or any other computing device. The processor 124 may be configured to perform operations, make calculations or execute one or more executable programs stored on a memory device. The processor 124 may be any suitable device known to those of ordinary skill in the art such as a processing device, computing device, or combinations thereof, including, for example, a multi-core processor, a microprocessor, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The processor 124 may further auxiliary processing components configured to receive and execute operations, instructions, or programs. In embodiments, the processor 124 may execute one or more software applications that enable cloud based inputs or remote communications with the one or more external measurement devices 140 or one or more other components of the system 100.

[0024] Additionally, the system 100 may also include one or more wireless communication devices 126 coupled with the processor 124 and operable to transmit and receive measured humidity data between the processor 124 and the one or more external measurement devices 140. Communication between the wireless communication device 126 and the one or more external measurement devices 140 may be achieve by any medium that is capable of transmitting a signal such as, for example, conductive wires, conductive traces, optical waveguides, or the like. In some embodiments, the wireless communication may facilitate the transmission of wireless signals, such as WiFi, Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), and the like. Moreover, the wireless communication may be achieved by a combination of mediums capable of transmitting signals. Additionally, it is noted that the term signal means a waveform (e.g., electrical, optical, magnetic, mechanical, or electromagnetic), such as DC, AC, sinusoidal wave, triangular wave, square-wave, vibration, and the like, capable of traveling through a medium.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 2, system 100 includes one or more external measurement devices 140 to make relative humidity measurements at various positions within a user's house. The external measurement devices 140 can transmit a respective measured humidity value to the processor 124 to enable the processor 124 to construct a more complete analysis of the relative humidity level, not only in a local proximity of the washing unit 101, but throughout the user's home. As such, the processor 124 can more accurately dictate an amount of humid air to be released from the release pipe 114 to condition the entirety of the user's home based on the received humidity values. In embodiments, the one or more external measurement devices 140 may be dedicated, independent relative humidity sensors positioned at various positions within the user's home. In embodiments, the one or more external measurement devices 140 may include an air conditioning unit or an associated thermostat positioned on the wall of a user's home. For instance, a home may possess a central air conditioning system that can make independent relative humidity measurements and communicate those values to the processor 124. Additionally, the one or more external measurement devices 140 may be a humidifier or a dehumidifier device with an onboard relative humidity sensor. Likewise, the one or more external measurement devices 140 may be an air filter or other air treatment device capable of making a relative humidity measurement. In embodiments, the one or more external measurement devices 140 may include one or more of each of the types of devices listed hereinabove to form a group of external measurement devices 140 located at various positions within a user's home to more accurately capture the relative humidity levels throughout the residence. Each external measurement device 140 may include wireless communication hardware 142 or other comparable communication hardware 142 to communicate each respective measured humidity value directly the processor 124 or to a remote server 150.

[0026] As depicted in FIG. 2, the system 100 further includes one or more wireless communication devices 126 operable to transmit and receive a humidity data between the processor 124, the one or more external measurement devices 140, and the one or more servers 150. The one or more servers 150 may include corresponding communication hardware 152 to enable the transmission of humidity data or other relevant environmental data between the processor 124 or the one or more external measurement devices 140 to the one or more servers 150. In embodiments, the humidity data includes local weather information from the server 150. In further embodiments, the system 100 may include hardware components such has as transceiver to place the processor 124 and the external measurement devices 140 in communication with the one or more servers 150. In embodiments, the one or more servers 150 may include, without limitation, one or more of cloud servers, smartphones, tablets, telematics servers, application servers, Internet of Things (IoTs) servers, or any server with the capability to transmit data with home appliances. Wireless communication between the one or more servers 150 and the processor 124 and/or external measurement devices 140 may include the use of one or more computer networks (e.g., a personal area network, a local area network, or a wide area network), cellular networks, satellite networks and/or combinations thereof. Accordingly, the processor 124, the external measurement devices 140, and the servers 150 can wirelessly transfer data via a wide area network, via a local area network, via a personal area network, via a cellular network, via a satellite network, etc. Suitable local area networks may include wired Ethernet and/or wireless technologies such as, for example, Wi-Fi. Suitable personal area networks may include wireless technologies such as, for example, IrDA, Bluetooth, Wireless USB, Z-Wave, ZigBee, and/or other near-field communication protocols. Suitable cellular networks include, but are not limited to, technologies such as LTE, WiMAX, UMTS, CDMA, and GSM. In some embodiments, the system 100 may directly communicate via a home automation network, and various communication protocols may be supported, including various types of home automation communication protocols.

[0027] Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, each external measurement device 140 may measure its respective relative humidly value and communicate the measured humidity data directly to the processor 124 to be evaluated by the system 100. In other embodiments, the one or more external measurement devices 140 may measure their respective relative humidly values and communicate the measured humidity data directly to the one or more servers 150. The one or more servers 150 can aggregate the humidity data communicated from the plurality of external measurement devices 140 and communicate the aggregated data to the processor 124. The processor 124 may evaluate the communicated humidity data from the one or more external measurement devices 140 or the one or more servers 150 to compare the measured relative humidity value within the user's home against a programmed threshold humidity value. If the measured relative humidity value within the user's home is below the programmed threshold humidity value the processor 124 may selectively operate the damper 116 to open the release pipe 114 and direct humid air into the interior of the user's home. Based on the calculated difference between the measured humidity value and the threshold humidity value, the processor 124 may open the damper 116 for a calculated period of time to ensure that humid air can spread evenly to areas of the user's home that the processor 124 has identified as requiring additional humid air input based on the humidity data from the one or more external measurement devices 140. In some embodiments, the server 150 may be capable of making equivalent functions as described hereinabove for the processor 124 using cloud computing. Additionally, the processor 124 may open the damper 116 until a measured quantity of humid air has exited the release pipe 114 to reach the threshold relative humidity level throughout the user's home. In other embodiments, the external measurement devices 140 may communicate continuously with the processor 124 to provide real-time relative humidity measurements to allow the processor 124 to dynamically open or close the damper 116 according to the communicated measurements. In an exemplary embodiment, the processor 124 may aggregate the relative humidity data from multiple external measurement devices 140 and selectively open the damper 116 until each of the external measurement devices 140 communicates a measured humidity value that is greater than the programmed threshold value.

[0028] In embodiments, the programmed threshold humidity value may be a default setting of the system 100 and may be unchanged by the user. The threshold humidity value may be a relative humidity value that is greater than or equal to 10%, greater than or equal to 20%, greater than or equal to 30%, greater than or equal to 40%, greater than or equal to 50%, greater than or equal to 60%, or even greater than or equal to 70%, including any intermediate values occurring between the endpoints described herein. In other embodiments, the programmed threshold humidity value may be preferred humidity level programmed by the user. For instance, the washing unit 101 may include a user interface to enable the user to dictate a desired relative humidity level to be maintained throughout their home. In some embodiments, the system 100 may enable a user to program the threshold humidity level from one or more of the external measurement devices 140, a smart phone, a computer, or any other external device operable to communicate the desired humidity level to the processor 124 either directly or via the server 150. In non-limiting embodiments, the system 100 may enable the user to program localized threshold humidity values corresponding to the specific location of one or more of the external measurement devices 140. The processor 124 may selectively open or close the damper 116 to direct humid air to a particular portion of the user's home corresponding to the humidity measurements of one or more of the external measurement devices 140. In some embodiments, the system 100 may communicate with one or more humidifiers to dictate the output of humid air from the washing unit 101 and the humidifier to selectively target the release of humid air to particular areas of a user's house without producing unwanted humidity.

[0029] In embodiments, the washing unit 101 further includes an on-board relative humidity sensor 128 to make localized relative humidity measurements in the vicinity of the washing unit 101. The on-board relative humidity sensor 128 may be positioned on an exterior of the housing 101A or it may be positioned within the housing 101A. In embodiments, the humidity data measured by the on-board relative humidity sensor 128 may be communicated to the processor 124 for the processor 124 to aggregate the humidity data from the on-board relative humidity sensor 128 with the humidity data communicated by the one or more external measurement devices 140 and selectively open or close the damper 116 according to the combined humidity data measurements. In embodiments, the processor 124 further comprises a comparison module 125 to validate the humidity measurement of the on-board relative humidity sensor 128 against the communicated humidity data from the one or more external measurement devices 140 to determine a verified humidity measurement. In so doing, the processor 124 and the comparison module 125 may ensure the accuracy of the measurements by the on-board relative humidity sensor 128. In addition, the processor 124 and comparison module 125 can also verify and calculate the difference in relative humidity measurements across the user's house to enable to the processor 124 to selectively release humid air according to a calculated relative humidity gradient throughout the user's house.

[0030] FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of an example method 200 performed by the controlled humidity release system 100. FIG. 3 may reference and incorporate any of the above constituent components and corresponding disclosure explained above with respect to FIGS. 1-2.

[0031] At block 202, the system 100 is configured to direct a dry air input from an outside atmosphere 130 through the port 106 to enter the washing drum 102 during the drying process of the washing unit 101. In embodiments, the washing unit 101 may further include the wireless communication device 126 to enable the one or more external measurement devices 140 to directly communicate the humidity value to the processor 124. In embodiments, the washing unit 101 includes the wireless communication device 126 that is in operative communication with a server 150 to enable the server 150 to aggregate the humidity values from the one or more external measurement devices 140 and communicate the aggregated humidity values to the processor 124. In some embodiments, the server 150 may transmit local weather data to the processor 124 to inform the controlled operation of the damper 116.

[0032] In embodiments, at least one of the one or more external measurement devices 140 is an independent relative humidity sensor. In embodiments, at least one of the one or more external measurement devices 140 is an air conditioning unit. In embodiments, at least one of the one or more external measurement devices 140 is a humidifier.

[0033] At block 204, the system 100 is configured to direct the humid air output from the internal cavity 104 of the washing drum 102 through the vent 110 to exit the internal cavity 104.

[0034] At block 206, the system 100 is configured to direct the humid air output through the vent 110 to the release pipe 114 coupled to the vent 110.

[0035] At block 208, the system 100 is configured to measure the humidity value using one or more external measurement devices 140 and communicate the humidity value to the processor 124.

[0036] At block 210, the system 100 is configured to open the damper 116 operatively coupled to the release pipe 114 when the measured relative humidity value is below a threshold value to release a first portion of the humid air output to the outside atmosphere 130.

[0037] At block 212, the system 100 is configured to close the damper 116 when the measured humidity value is above the threshold value.

[0038] At block 214, the system 100 is configured to direct a second portion of the humid air output to the condensing unit 120 to remove and drain a remaining moisture content.

[0039] FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of an example method 300 performed by the controlled humidity release system 100. At block 302, the system 100 is configured to direct a dry air input from the outside atmosphere 130 through the port 106 to enter the washing drum 102 during the drying process of the washing unit 101.

[0040] At block 304, the system 100 is configured to direct the humid air output from the internal cavity 104 of the washing drum 102 through the vent 110 to exit the internal cavity 104.

[0041] At block 306, the system 100 is configured to direct the humid air output through the vent 110 to the release pipe 114 coupled to the vent 110.

[0042] At block 308, the system 100 is configured to measure the first humidity value of the outside atmosphere 130 using an on-board relative humidity sensor 128 and communicating the first humidity value to the processor 124.

[0043] At block 310, the system 100 is configured to measure the second humidity value of the outside atmosphere 130 using one or more external measurement devices 140 and communicate the second humidity value to the processor 124.

[0044] At block 312, the system 100 is configured to compare the first humidity value and the second humidity value using a comparison module 125 of the processor 124 to determine a verified humidity value.

[0045] At block 314, the system 100 is configured to open the damper 116 operatively coupled to the release pipe 114 when the verified humidity value is below the threshold value to release a first portion of the humid air output to the outside atmosphere 130.

[0046] At block 316, the system 100 is configured to close the damper 116 when the verified humidity value is above the threshold value.

[0047] At block 318, the system 100 is configured to direct a second portion of the humid air output to the condensing unit 120 to remove and drain the remaining moisture content.

[0048] Further aspects of the embodiments described herein are provided by the subject matter of the following clauses:

[0049] Clause 1: A system for selectively releasing humid air, the system comprising: a washing unit, the washing unit further comprising: a housing; a washing drum positioned within the housing; a port defining a first opening in the washer drum operable to intake air from an outside atmosphere into an internal cavity of the washing drum; a vent defining a second opening in the washer drum operable to direct the air to flow out of the internal cavity of the washing drum; a release pipe with a first end coupled to the vent and a second end terminating on an exterior of the washing unit to enable the air to flow out of the vent to an exterior of the housing; a damper positioned within the release pipe and operable to selectively open or close the release pipe to release humidity to the outside atmosphere; and a processor configured to communicate with one or more external measurement devices and operable to selectively open or close the damper.

[0050] Clause 2: The system of any preceding claim, further comprising a condensing unit in operative communication with the vent and a drain coupled to the condensing unit to remove a condensed liquid from the washing unit.

[0051] Clause 3: The system of any preceding claim, wherein the release pipe is positioned between the washing drum and the condensing unit.

[0052] Clause 4: The system of any preceding claim, further comprising one or more wireless communication devices operable to transmit and receive a humidity data between the processor and the one or more external measurement devices.

[0053] Clause 5: The system of any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the one or more external measurement devices is an independent relative humidity sensor.

[0054] Clause 6: The system of any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the one or more external measurement devices is one of a thermostat or an air conditioning unit.

[0055] Clause 7: The system of any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the one or more external measurement devices is one of a humidifier or a dehumidifier.

[0056] Clause 8: The system of any preceding claim, further comprising one or more wireless communication devices operable to transmit and receive a humidity data between the processor and one or more servers.

[0057] Clause 9: The system of any preceding claim, wherein the humidity data comprises a local weather information from the server.

[0058] Clause 10: The system of any preceding claim, wherein the port further comprises at least one fan to direct an airflow and the vent further comprises at least one fan to direct the airflow.

[0059] Clause 11: The system of any preceding claim, further comprising an on-board relative humidity sensor.

[0060] Clause 12: The system of any preceding claim, wherein the processor further comprises a comparison module to validate a measurement of the onboard relative humidity sensor against a communicated humidity data from the one or more external measurement devices.

[0061] Clause 13: A method for selectively releasing humidity from a washing unit comprising: directing a dry air input from an outside atmosphere through a port to enter a washing drum during a drying process of the washing unit; directing a humid air output from an internal cavity of the washing drum through a vent to exit the internal cavity; directing the humid air output through the vent to an release pipe coupled to the vent; measuring a humidity value using one or more external measurement devices and communicating the humidity value to a processor; opening a damper operatively coupled to the release pipe when the measured humidity value is below a threshold value to release a first portion of the humid air output to the outside atmosphere; closing the damper when the measured humidity value is above the threshold value; and directing a second portion of the humid air output to a condenser to remove and drain a remaining moisture content.

[0062] Clause 14: The method of any preceding claim, wherein the washing unit further comprises a wireless communication device to enable the one or more external measurement devices to directly communicate the humidity value to the processor.

[0063] Clause 15: The method of any preceding claim, wherein the washing unit further comprises a wireless communication device in operative communication with a server to enable the server to aggregate the humidity values from the one or more external measurement devices and communicate the aggregated humidity values to the processor.

[0064] Clause 16: The method of any preceding claim, wherein communicating the humidity value to the processor further comprises transmitting a weather data to the processor from the server.

[0065] Clause 17: The method of any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the one or more external measurement devices is an independent relative humidity sensor.

[0066] Clause 18: The method of any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the one or more external measurement devices is one of a thermostat or an air conditioning unit.

[0067] Clause 19: The method of any preceding claim, wherein the external measurement device is one of a humidifier or dehumidifier.

[0068] Clause 20: A method for selectively releasing humidity from a washing unit comprising: directing a dry air input from an outside atmosphere through a port to enter a washing drum during a drying process of the washing unit; directing a humid air output from an internal cavity of the washing drum through a vent to exit the internal cavity; directing the humid air output to an release pipe coupled to the vent; measuring a first humidity value of the outside atmosphere using an on-board relative humidity sensor and communicating the first humidity value to a processor; measuring a second humidity value of the outside atmosphere using an external device and communicating the second humidity value to the processor; comparing the first humidity value and the second humidity value using a comparison module of the processor to determine a verified humidity value; opening a damper operatively coupled to the release pipe when the verified relative humidity value is below a threshold value to release a portion of the humid air output to the outside atmosphere; closing the damper when the verified humidity value is above the threshold value; and directing a remaining portion of the humid air output to a condenser to remove and drain a remaining moisture content.

[0069] While several embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0070] All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms.

[0071] The indefinite articles a and an, as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean at least one.

[0072] The phrase and/or, as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean either or both of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with and/or should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., one or more of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the and/or clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to A and/or B, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as comprising can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.

[0073] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, or should be understood to have the same meaning as and/or as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, or or and/or shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as only one of or exactly one of, or, when used in the claims, consisting of, will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term or as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. one or the other but not both) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as either, one of, only one of, or exactly one of. Consisting essentially of, when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

[0074] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase at least one, in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase at least one refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, at least one of A and B (or, equivalently, at least one of A or B, or, equivalently at least one of A and/or B) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

[0075] It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited.

[0076] In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as comprising, including, carrying, having, containing, involving, holding, composed of, and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases consisting of and consisting essentially of shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03.

[0077] It is to be understood that the embodiments are not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Unless limited otherwise, the terms connected, coupled, in communication with, and mounted, and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. In addition, the terms connected and coupled and variations thereof are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.

[0078] The foregoing description of several embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise steps and/or forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.