U.S. patent application number 10/235892 was filed with the patent office on 2003-11-27 for method of controlling rinsing process of washing machine.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Jung, Jung-Ran.
Application Number | 20030217417 10/235892 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29546319 |
Filed Date | 2003-11-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030217417 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jung, Jung-Ran |
November 27, 2003 |
Method of controlling rinsing process of washing machine
Abstract
A method of controlling a rinsing operation of a washing machine
having a pulsator to wash laundry, the method includes a wrinkle
prevention rinsing process. During the wrinkle prevention rinsing
process, the pulsator is stopped for a pulsator stopping time which
is set to be longer than a pulsator driving time, thereby forming
wrinkle preventing water flows to minimize wrinkles in the laundry.
The wrinkle preventing rinsing process may be performed before a
final spin-drying operation is performed. The wrinkle preventing
rinsing process may be performed after a general rinsing process,
which is performed at least once. The wrinkle preventing rinsing
process may be performed for a wrinkle preventing rinsing time that
is set to be longer than a general rising time for the general
rinsing process.
Inventors: |
Jung, Jung-Ran; (Suwon-City,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
SUITE 700
1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
Suwon-City
KR
|
Family ID: |
29546319 |
Appl. No.: |
10/235892 |
Filed: |
September 6, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
8/158 ; 68/12.12;
8/159 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 35/006 20130101;
D06F 35/007 20130101; Y02B 40/00 20130101; D06F 35/005
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
8/158 ; 8/159;
68/12.12 |
International
Class: |
D06F 033/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 21, 2002 |
KR |
2002-28079 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of controlling a rinsing operation of a washing machine
having a pulsator to wash laundry, the method comprising performing
a wrinkle prevention rinsing process which includes: driving the
pulsator for a pulsator driving time; and stopping the pulsator for
a pulsator stopping time, wherein: the pulsator stopping time is
longer than the pulsator driving time, and the driving and stopping
of the pulsator generate wrinkle preventing water flows which
minimize wrinkles in the laundry.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wrinkle preventing
rinsing process is performed before performing a final spin-drying
operation of the washing machine.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the wrinkle preventing
rinsing process is performed after performing at least one
operation of a general rinsing process of the rinsing
operation.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein: the wrinkle preventing
rinsing process is performed for a wrinkle preventing rinsing time,
and the wrinkle preventing rinsing time is set to be longer than a
general rinsing time for the general rinsing process.
5. The method according to claim 3, wherein: the pulsator driving
time is shorter than a general pulsator driving time for the
general rinsing process, and the pulsator stopping time is longer
than a general pulsator stopping time for the general rinsing
process.
6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the general rinsing
process of the rinsing operation comprises: discharging wash water
contained in the washing machine; spin-drying the laundry to remove
the wash water absorbed into the laundry; and rinsing the laundry
by rotating the laundry, in new wash water, in opposite
directions.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the rinsing operation
is performed after a washing operation of the washing machine.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the driving and
stopping of the pulsator in the wrinkle prevention rinsing process
is performed more than once.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the driving and
stopping of the pulsator in the wrinkle prevention rinsing process
disentangles the laundry and allows a fabric of the laundry to
absorb wash water contained in the washing machine.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the performing of the
wrinkle prevention rinsing process further includes: discharging
wash water contained in the washing machine; spin-drying the
laundry to remove the wash water absorbed into the laundry; and
supplying new wash water to the washing machine, wherein the
driving of the pulsator rotates the laundry, in the new wash water,
in opposite directions.
11. A method of controlling a washing machine having a pulsator to
wash laundry, the method comprising performing one or more driving
and stopping operations of the pulsator, wherein: the stopping
operation of the pulsator is longer than the driving operation of
the pulsator, and the driving and stopping of the pulsator generate
wrinkle preventing wash water flows of wash water contained in the
washing machine and disentangle the laundry.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: the wrinkle
preventing wash water flows minimize wrinkles in the laundry, and
the stopping of the pulsator allows a fabric of the laundry to
absorb wash water contained in the washing machine.
13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the performing of the
one or more driving and stopping operations of the pulsator is
performed before performing a final spin-drying operation of the
washing machine.
14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the performing of the
one or more driving and stopping operations of the pulsator is
performed after performing a general rinsing operation of the
washing machine.
15. The method according to claim 11, wherein: the driving of the
pulsator is shorter than a driving pulsator operation of the
general rinsing operation, and the stopping of the pulsator is
longer than a stopping pulsator operation of the general rinsing
operation.
16. A method of operating a washing machine having a pulsator to
wash laundry, the method comprising: performing a washing operation
of the washing machine to wash the laundry; performing one or more
rinsing operations of the washing machine to rinse the laundry;
performing a wrinkle prevention operation, wherein the wrinkle
prevention operation comprises: one or more operations of driving
and stopping the pulsator, wherein: the stopping of the pulsator is
longer than the driving of the pulsator, and the driving and
stopping of the pulsator allow a fabric of the laundry to absorb
wash water contained in the washing machine and generate wrinkle
preventing wash water flows of the wash water; and performing a
spin-drying operation of the washing machine to spin-dry the
laundry.
17. A washing machine to wash laundry, comprising: a water tub
having a wash tub rotatably disposed therein; a pulsator which
rotates the wash tub; a wash motor which drives the pulsator; and a
control unit which controls driving and stopping of the pulsator,
wherein the control unit generates wrinkle preventing wash water
flows of wash water contained in the washing machine by stopping
the pulsator for a longer period of time than driving the pulsator
to disentangle the laundry.
18. The washing machine according to claim 17, wherein the control
unit generates the wrinkle preventing wash water flows after a
general rinsing operation of the washing machine and before a final
spin-drying operation of the washing machine.
19. The washing machine according to claim 17, further comprising:
a function selection unit which selects a washing function of the
washing machine; a temperature sensor unit which senses a
temperature of the wash water supplied to the water tub; a water
level detecting unit which detects a water level of the water tub;
a weight detecting unit which detects a weight of the laundry; and
a rotation number detecting unit which detects a rotation number of
the wash motor, wherein the control unit communicates with the
function selection, temperature sensor, water level detecting,
weight detecting, and rotation number detecting units.
20. The washing machine according to claim 18, further comprising:
a water supply value drive unit which selectively opens a water
supply valve of the washing machine; a water discharge valve drive
unit which selectively opens a water discharge valve of the washing
machine; a display unit which displays operating information of the
washing machine; and a washing motor drive unit which drives the
wash motor, wherein the control unit controls the water supply
value drive, water discharge valve drive, display, and washing
motor drive units.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 2002-28079 filed on May 21, 2002, in the Korean
Industrial Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated
herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more
particularly to a method of controlling a rinsing operation of a
washing machine.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Generally, a washing machine is an apparatus which performs
a washing operation of laundry by rotating a pulsator in forward
and reverse directions to cause wash water therein to impact
against the laundry.
[0006] A conventional washing machine performs washing, rinsing and
spin-drying operations. Factors, such as a washing time, a rinsing
time, a spin-drying time, wash water levels, and the number of
times the rinsing operation is repeated are preset according to the
amount and kind of laundry. The rinsing operation includes, in
order, wash water discharging, spin-drying and rinsing processes,
and is repeated two to five times at a preset water level.
[0007] In the rinsing operation, used wash water is first
discharged from a water tub, and the wash water absorbed into
laundry is removed by rotating a wash tub at a high-speed for a
preset spin-drying time. Afterwards, water is supplied to the water
tub until a reference water level, which is preset according to the
amount and kind of the laundry, is reached, and the laundry is
rinsed by forward and reverse rotations of the pulsator. The
rinsing operation removes bubbles and detergent remnants contained
in the laundry.
[0008] In the conventional rinsing process of the rinsing
operation, the water is simply supplied to the water tub and,
thereafter, the laundry is rinsed. In such a case, the laundry
adhered to a wall of the wash tub during the spin-drying process of
the rinsing operation falls to a center portion of an interior of
the wash tub. Accordingly, since the rinsing process of the rinsing
operation is performed while the laundry is still entangled, the
entanglement of the laundry is not eliminated and the laundry is
lumped into a body.
[0009] Therefore, where the spin-drying operation is performed in
such a state, the laundry is wrinkled by the high-speed rotation of
the wash tub during the spin-drying operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a method of controlling a rinsing operation of a washing
machine, which prevents entanglement of laundry, so as to perform a
spin-drying operation of the laundry without wrinkling the
laundry.
[0011] Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be
set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,
will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice
of the invention.
[0012] To achieve the above and other objects of the present
invention, there is provided a method of controlling a rinsing
operation of a washing machine having a pulsator to wash laundry,
the method comprising performing a wrinkle prevention rinsing
process which includes driving the pulsator for a pulsator driving
time and stopping the pulsator for a stopping time, wherein the
pulsator stopping time is longer than the pulsator driving time,
and the driving and stopping of the pulsator generate wrinkle
preventing water flows which minimize wrinkles in the laundry.
[0013] The wrinkle preventing rinsing process may be performed
before performing a final spin-drying operation of the washing
mcahine.
[0014] The wrinkle preventing rinsing process may be performed
after performing at least one operation of a general rinsing
process of the rinsing operation.
[0015] The wrinkle preventing rinsing process may be performed for
a wrinkle preventing rinsing time that is set to be longer than a
general rising time for the general rising process.
[0016] The pulsator may be driven for a pulsator driving time that
is shorter than a pulsator driving time for the general rinsing
process, and stopped for a pulsator stopping time that is longer
than a pulsator stopping time for the general rising process.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] These and other objects and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from
the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings of which:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a washing machine to which the
present method of controlling a rinsing operation is applied;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an apparatus which controls a
rinsing operation of the washing machine shown in FIG. 1, in
accordance with the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 3A is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling
the rising operation of the washing machine shown in FIG. 1
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 3B is a flowchart illustrating a wrinkle preventing
rinsing process of FIG. 3A; and
[0022] FIG. 4 is a timing chart for a pulsator at a general rinsing
process and the wrinkle preventing rinsing process of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of
the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the
like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in
order to explain the present invention by referring to the
figures.
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a washing machine to which
the present method of controlling a rinsing operation is
applied.
[0025] The washing machine includes a water tub 2 which is
positioned in the interior of a housing 1. A wash tub 3 is
rotatably disposed in the water tub 2. A pulsator 4 is rotatably
mounted on a bottom of the interior of the wash tub 3. A wash motor
5 is mounted beneath a peripheral portion of the bottom of the
water tub 2, and rotates in forward and reverse directions. The
wash motor 5 is connected to a clutch mechanism 8 via pulleys 6 and
a belt 7.
[0026] The clutch mechanism 8 receives a rotating force of the wash
motor 5 to rotate the pulsator 4 in the forward and reverse
directions during washing and rinsing operations, and to rotate the
wash tub 3 at a high speed in a forward direction during a
spin-drying operation.
[0027] A water supply conduit 9 is installed in an upper portion of
the housing 1 to be connected to an outside water pipe (not shown).
A water supply valve 10 is disposed in the water supply conduit 9
to control a water supply.
[0028] A water discharge valve 11 is disposed under the water tub 2
to discharge the water contained in the water tub 2, and connected
to a water discharge conduit 12.
[0029] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an apparatus which controls a
rinsing operation of the washing machine shown in FIG. 1.
[0030] The apparatus includes a function selecting switch 20, a
temperature sensor 21, a water level detecting unit 22, a weight
detecting unit 23, and a rotation number detecting unit 24 which
are electrically connected to an input side of a control unit 30.
The control unit 30 controls the overall operation of the washing
machine. The function selecting switch 20 selects a desired washing
function, such as a washing, rinsing or spin-drying function. The
temperature sensor 21 senses a temperature of water supplied to the
water tub 2. The water level detecting unit 22 detects a water
level of the water tub 2. The weight detecting unit 23 detects a
weight of laundry. The rotation number detecting unit 24 detects a
rotation number of the wash motor 5.
[0031] In addition, a water supply valve drive unit 40, a water
discharge valve drive unit 41, a display 42, and a washing motor
drive unit 43 are electrically connected to an output side of the
control unit 30. The water supply valve drive unit 40 selectively
opens and closes the water supply valve 10. The water discharge
valve drive unit 41 selectively opens and closes the water
discharge valve 11. The display 42 displays various information
including a current operating state of the washing machine. The
washing motor drive unit 43 drives the wash motor 5.
[0032] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG S. 3A and 3B, a method of
controlling the rinsing operation of the washing machine shown in
FIG. 1 will be described.
[0033] FIG. 3A shows a flowchart illustrating the method of
controlling the rising operation of the washing machine shown in
FIG. 1.
[0034] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the control unit 30
supplies wash water to the water tub 2 up to a water level preset
by a user, and drives the wash motor 5 through the washing motor
drive unit 43 in forward and reverse directions to rotate the
pulsator 4 according to the kind and weight of laundry and the
preset water level. Accordingly, the laundry is washed by water
flows formed by the forward and reverse rotations of the pulsator 4
in a washing operation 100.
[0035] Where the washing operation 100 is completed, the control
unit 30 performs washing water discharging, spin-drying and rinsing
processes for a preset rinsing time, for example, 13 minutes.
[0036] That is, the control unit 30 controls the water discharge
drive unit 41 so as to open the water discharge valve 41 to
discharge the used wash water from the water tub 2 to the outside.
In addition, the control unit 30 rotates the wash tub 3 at a high
speed to remove the wash water absorbed into the laundry, and
controls the water supply valve drive unit 40 so as to open the
water supply valve 10 to supply fresh wash water to the water tub
2. Furthermore, the control unit 30 controls the washing motor
drive unit 43 so as to rotate the wash motor 5 in forward and
reverse directions to rotate the pulsator 4 in forward and reverse
directions, thereby performing a rinsing process 101 of the rinsing
operation.
[0037] Thereafter, the control unit 30 repeatedly performs the
rinsing process for a preset number of times, for example, four
times, in processes 102, 103, and 104.
[0038] Where the last rinsing process, for example, the rinsing
process 104 is performed, the control unit 30 performs a wrinkle
preventing rinsing process 105 by disentangling the laundry so as
to have a fabric of the laundry absorb wash water and prevent
wrinkles from forming in the laundry.
[0039] After performing the wrinkle preventing process 105, the
control unit 30 completely discharges the wash water from the water
tub 2 and spin-dries the laundry by rotating the wash tub 3 at a
high-rotation speed to remove the wash water absorbed into the
laundry in a spin-drying operation 106.
[0040] After performing the spin-drying operation 106, the control
unit 30 controls the washing motor drive unit 43 so as to stop the
wash motor 5 to end an overall washing procedure.
[0041] FIG. 3B is a flowchart showing the wrinkle preventing
rinsing process 105 of FIG. 3A.
[0042] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, where the wrinkle
preventing rinsing process is started, the control unit 30 performs
washing water discharging, spin-drying and rinsing sub-processes
for a set rinsing time.
[0043] That is, the control unit 30 controls the water discharging
valve drive unit 41 so as to open the water discharging valve 11 to
discharge the used wash water from the water tub 2 to the outside
in a washing water discharging sub-process 200.
[0044] Where the wash water is discharged to the outside, the
control unit 30 spin-dries the laundry by rotating the wash tub 3
at a high speed to remove the wash water absorbed into the laundry
in a spin-drying sub-process 201.
[0045] Where the laundry is spin-dried, the control unit 30
controls the water supply drive unit 40 so as to open the water
supply valve 10 to supply wash water to the water tub 2 to a preset
water level in a washing water supplying sub-process 202.
[0046] Where the supplying of the wash water is completed, the
control unit 30 controls the washing motor drive unit 43 so as to
drive the wash motor 5 to rotate the pulsator 4 in forward and
reverse directions for a first preset time (for example, one
minute) in a sub-process 203.
[0047] Where the first preset time elapses, the control unit 30
stops the rotation of the pulsator 4 for a second preset time (for
example, four minutes) which is set to be longer than the first
preset time in a sub-process 204. As a result, the laundry is
disentangled by wrinkle preventing water flows formed by a starting
and stopping operations of the pulsator 4. Accordingly, the
formation of wrinkles in the laundry is minimized.
[0048] Where the second preset time elapses, the control unit 30
may repeat the above-described sub-processes 203 and 204 once more
in sub-processes 205 and 206. Accordingly, the entanglement of the
laundry is further eliminated, and the formation of the wrinkles in
the laundry is further minimized.
[0049] FIG. 4 shows a timing chart for the pulsator 4 at a general
rinsing process and a wrinkle preventing rinsing process of the
present invention.
[0050] As depicted in FIG. 4, a rinsing time T for the wrinkle
preventing rinsing process is set to be longer than a rinsing time
To for the general rinsing process (such as rinsing 1, rinsing 2,
rinsing 3 and rinsing 4 of FIG. 3A).
[0051] During the wrinkle preventing rinsing process, the pulsator
4 is driven for a pulsator driving time T.sub.1, and the pulsator
is stopped for a pulsator stopping time T.sub.2 which is set to be
longer than the pulsator driving time T.sub.1, thereby
disentangling the laundry and allowing a fabric of the laundry to
absorb the wash water. This, in effect, prevents the wrinkles from
forming in the laundry.
[0052] As described above, the present invention provides a method
of controlling a rinsing operation of a washing machine, wherein
the method allows a spin-drying operation to be performed after an
entanglement of laundry is eliminated, so as to minimize the
formation of wrinkles in the laundry.
[0053] Although a few embodiments of the present invention have
been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled
in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without
departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the
scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their
equivalents.
* * * * *