Drying machine

Claim 2

A drying machine, comprising: a) a drum having a drying chamber, for containing clothes to be dried; b) means for heating air supplied to the chamber during a drying operation; c) means for determining a degree of dryness of the clothes in the drying chamber; d) display means for indicating a status of the drying operation, including an indication that the drying operation is not completed; e) preset means for setting in advance a time when the drying operation is to be completed; and f) control means, responsive to the dryness determining means, for determining the drying operation being completed based on the determination of the dryness determining means, and when the drying operation is not completed at the time set by the preset means, for controlling the heating means to supply heat and for controlling the display means to display an indication other than a time as the indication that the drying operation is not completed.

Claim 3

A drying machine according to claim 1, wherein the control means determines the drying operation being completed when a fixed period passes after the dryness determining means reaches a predetermined dryness value.

Claim 4

A drying machine according to claim 1, wherein the control means energizes the heating means a predetermined time before the time set by the preset means.

Claim 5

A drying machine according to claim 1, wherein the display means indicates a remaining time until the time set by the preset means.

Claim 6

A drying machine according to claim 4, wherein the display means changes the remaining time to a specific display even though the et time is up when the drying operation is not completed, so that a user can easily recognize that the drying operation continues.

Claim 7

A drying machine having an improved display function, comprising: a) a drum constituting a drying chamber, for holding clothes to be dried; b) means for selectively heating and supplying air to the chamber during a drying operation; c) means for determining a degree of dryness of the clothes in the drying chamber; d) time setting means, for allowing a user to set in advance a preset time, which is a time when the drying operation is requested to be completed; e) display means for displaying information about the state of operation of the dryer; and f) control means, responsive to the dryness determining means and time setting means, for: determining a time to start drying the clothes responsive to said preset time, and drying the clothes by commanding said heating means to supply air to the chamber at said time to begin the drying operation, commanding the display means to display a number indicative of a parameter of the preset operation while drying the clothes, determining if the drying operation is completed by monitoring the dryness determining means, and if so stopping the drying operation and commanding the display means to terminate the display, determining a state wherein the dryness determining means determines that the clothes are not sufficiently dried at and after the preset time, and for controlling the drying operation to continue until the clothes are sufficiently dried, and for controlling the display means to display an indication other than a number, to indicate that the drying operation is not completed even though the preset time has passed.

Claim 8

A drying machine having an improved display function, comprising: a) a drum constituting a drying chamber, for holding clothes to be dried; b) means for selectively heating and supplying air to the chamber during a drying operation; c) means for determining a degree of dryness of the clothes in the drying chamber; d) time setting means, for allowing a user to set in advance a preset time, which is a time when the drying operation is requested to be completed; e) display means for displaying information about the state of operation of the dryer; and f) control means, responsive to the dryness determining means and time setting means, for: determining a time to start drying the clothes responsive to said preset time, and drying the clothes by commanding said heating means to supply air to the chamber at said time to begin the drying operation, commanding the display means to display a number indicative of a parameter of the preset operation while drying the clothes, determining if the drying operation is completed by monitoring the dryness determining means, and if so stopping the drying operation and commanding the display means to terminate the display, determining a state wherein the dryness determining means determines that the clothes are not sufficiently dried at and after the preset time, and for controlling the drying operation to continue until the clothes are sufficiently dried, and for controlling the display means to display an indication other than a number, to indicate that the drying operation is not completed even though the preset time has passed.

Claim 9

A drying machine as in claim 6, wherein said indication other than a number is a display with all letters.