U.S. patent application number 10/811851 was filed with the patent office on 2005-02-03 for drum washing machine and method of controlling the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Joo, Ki Hun, Kim, Hyun Sook.
Application Number | 20050022564 10/811851 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33536466 |
Filed Date | 2005-02-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050022564 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim, Hyun Sook ; et
al. |
February 3, 2005 |
Drum washing machine and method of controlling the same
Abstract
A drum washing machine including a water tub, a rotary tub
rotatably provided in the water tub, a pumping unit to pump water
contained in a lower portion of the water tub into the rotary tub,
and a control unit to control the pumping unit, wherein the control
unit controls the pumping unit to pump the water contained in the
lower portio of the water tub into the rotary tub while determining
an amount of a laundry load.
Inventors: |
Kim, Hyun Sook; (Suwon-City,
KR) ; Joo, Ki Hun; (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-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
33536466 |
Appl. No.: |
10/811851 |
Filed: |
March 30, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
68/12.04 ;
68/12.12; 68/12.21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 34/18 20200201;
D06F 2103/04 20200201; D06F 2105/52 20200201; D06F 2101/06
20200201; D06F 2105/06 20200201; D06F 2103/06 20200201; D06F
2103/18 20200201; D06F 2103/14 20200201; D06F 2105/02 20200201 |
Class at
Publication: |
068/012.04 ;
068/012.12; 068/012.21 |
International
Class: |
D06F 033/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 31, 2003 |
KR |
2003-53153 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A drum washing machine, comprising: a water tub; a rotary tub
rotatably provided in the water tub; a pumping unit to pump water
contained in a lower portion of the water tub into the rotary tub;
and a control unit to control the pumping unit; wherein the control
unit controls the pumping unit to pump the water contained in the
lower portion of the water tub into the rotary tub while
determining an amount of a laundry load.
2. The drum washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the
pumping unit comprises: a circulating pipe having a first end
coupled to an inside of the water tub and a second end disposed at
an inlet of the rotary tub; a pump to pump the water contained in
the water tub into the rotary tub; and a spray nozzle disposed at
the second end of the circulating pipe.
3. The drum washing machine according to claim 2, further
comprising a motor to rotate the rotary tub, wherein the control
unit controls the motor to rotate the rotary tub in opposite
directions while controlling an operation of the pumping unit.
4. The drum washing machine according to claim 3, further
comprising a water level sensor to detect a water level of the
rotary tub, wherein the control unit determines the water level
from the water level sensor in response to the pump and the motor
being simultaneously stopped.
5. The drum washing machine according to claim 1, further
comprising a key input unit to receive washing courses according to
materials of the laundry load, wherein the control unit operates
the pump according to ON-OFF periods corresponding to the washing
courses.
6. The drum washing machine according to claim 5, wherein the key
input unit is provided with washing course buttons for one or more
of cotton fabrics, mixed fabrics, woolen fabrics, and synthetic
fibers.
7. The drum washing machine according to claim 6, wherein the
ON-OFF periods of the pump are set according to a chosen one of the
washing course buttons.
8. The drum washing machine according to claim 7, wherein durations
of OFF periods of the ON-OFF periods increase from the cotton
fabrics, to the mixed fabrics, to the woolen fabrics, to the
synthetic fibers.
9. A method of controlling a drum washing machine, the drum washing
machine having a water tub, a rotary tub, and a pumping unit to
pump water contained in a lower portion of the water tub into the
rotary tub, the method comprising: feeding a set amount of water
according to a selected washing course; and operating the pumping
unit to pump the water contained in a lower portion of the water
tub into the rotary tub while determining an amount of a laundry
load.
10. The drum washing machine control method according to claim 9,
further comprising operating a motor to rotate the rotary tub in
opposite directions while controlling an operation of the pumping
unit.
11. The drum washing machine control method according to claim 10,
further comprising determining a water level of the rotary tub
through a water level sensor, which detects the water level of the
rotary tub, in response to the pumping unit and the motor being
simultaneously stopped.
12. The drum washing machine control method according to claim 9,
wherein the pumping unit is designed so that a time duration of
pumping operations thereof is preset according to materials of the
laundry load.
13. The drum washing machine control method according to claim 12,
wherein the time duration of pumping operations of the pumping unit
increases from a cotton fabrics washing course, to a mixed fabrics
washing course, to a woolen fabrics washing course, to a synthetic
fiber washing course.
14. A drum washing machine, comprising: a control unit to control a
time duration of water pumping operations according to a
determination of a type of fabric in a laundry load; wherein the
control unit determines a load amount of the laundry load by
determining the number of the water pumping operations required to
reach a predetermined water level.
15. A drum washing machine, comprising: a pumping unit to pump
water; and a control unit to control the pumping unit to perform
supplemental pumping operations until a predetermined water level
is reached; wherein the control unit determines a laundry load
amount according to a total of the supplemental pumping operations.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 2003-53153, filed Jul. 31, 2003 in the Korean
Intellectual 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, in general, to drum washing
machines, and, more particularly, to a drum washing machine, and a
method of controlling the drum washing machine, which determines an
amount of load of laundry according to a number of water supplement
operations due to variations of a water level.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Generally, a drum washing machine is a device that washes
laundry using drops generated by rotation of a rotary tub having a
drum shape.
[0006] In a conventional drum washing machine, a set amount of
water is fed into a water tub, and then a rotary tub is rotated in
opposite directions so as to allow laundry to be uniformly soaked
with the water. Therefore, the laundry absorbs water and a current
water level is low compared to an initial water level due to
absorption of water by the laundry. Therefore, supplementary water
is fed to restore the current low water level to the initial water
level.
[0007] In the conventional drum washing machine, the amount of load
of laundry is determined according to the number of water
supplement operations. That is, if the number of water supplement
operations is large, it is determined that the amount of load of
laundry is large, while if the number of water supplement
operations is small, it is determined that the amount of load of
laundry is small in proportion to the number of water supplement
operations. The amount of load of laundry is used as basic data for
later washing, rinsing and drying processes.
[0008] Generally, times required for laundry to sufficiently absorb
water differ according to materials making up the laundry. Further,
even in the case of laundry made of similar materials, degrees to
which the laundry absorbs water and times in which the laundry
absorbs water differ according to states in which the laundry is
arranged. For example, if clothes of the laundry are overlapped or
massed, differences in the degrees and times will be large.
[0009] However, in the conventional drum washing machine, only the
rotary tub is rotated in opposite directions to allow water to be
absorbed in the laundry. Therefore, in the case where laundry
having a relatively low water absorptivity is arranged in the
rotary tub, or clothes of the laundry are overlapped or massed, the
laundry is not sufficiently and uniformly soaked with the water
within a short time. Consequently, there is a problem in that it is
difficult to precisely determine the amount of load of the laundry
within a short time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to
provide a drum washing machine, and a method of controlling the
drum washing machine, which precisely determines an amount of a
laundry load within a short time by allowing the laundry to be
sufficiently and uniformly soaked with water within a short
time.
[0011] Additional aspects and/or 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] The above and/or other aspects are achieved by providing a
drum washing machine comprising a water tub, a rotary tub rotatably
provided in the water tub, a pumping unit to pump water contained
in a lower portion of the water tub into the rotary tub, and a
control unit to control the pumping unit, wherein the control unit
controls the pumping unit to pump the water contained in the lower
portion of the water tub into the rotary tub while determining an
amount of a laundry load.
[0013] The pumping unit may include a circulating pipe having a
first end coupled to an inside of the water tub and a second end
disposed at an inlet of the rotary tub, a pump to pump the water
contained in the water tub into the rotary tub, and a spray nozzle
disposed at the second end of the circulating pipe.
[0014] The drum washing machine may include a motor to rotate the
rotary tub, wherein the control unit controls the motor to rotate
the rotary tub in opposite directions while controlling an
operation of the pumping unit.
[0015] The drum washing machine may include a water level sensor to
detect a water level of the rotary tub, wherein the control unit
determines the water level from the water level sensor in response
to the pump and the motor being simultaneously stopped.
[0016] The dram washing machine may include a key input unit to
receive washing courses according to materials of the laundry load,
wherein the control unit operates the pump according to ON-OFF
periods corresponding to the washing courses.
[0017] The key input unit may be provided with washing course
buttons for one or more of cotton fabrics, mixed fabrics, woolen
fabrics and synthetic fibers. The ON-OFF periods of the pump may be
set according to a chosen one of the washing course buttons.
Durations of OFF periods of the ON-OFF periods may increase from
the cotton fabrics, to the mixed fabrics, to the woolen fabrics, to
the synthetic fibers.
[0018] The above and/or other aspects may also be achieved by
providing a method of controlling a drum washing machine, the drum
washing machine having a water tub, a rotary tub, and a pumping
unit to pump water contained in a lower portion of the water tub
into the rotary tub, the method including feeding a set amount of
water according to a selected washing course, and operating the
pumping unit to pump the water contained in the lower portion of
the water tub into the rotary tub while determining an amount of a
laundry load.
[0019] The drum washing machine control method may include
operating a motor to rotate the rotary tub in opposite directions
while controlling an operation of the pumping unit.
[0020] The drum washing machine control method may include
determining a water level of the rotary tub through a water level
sensor, which detects the water level of the rotary tub, in
response to the pumping unit and the motor being simultaneously
stopped.
[0021] The pumping unit may be designed so that a time duration of
pumping operations thereof is preset according to materials of the
laundry load.
[0022] The time duration of pumping operations of the pumping unit
may increase from a cotton fabrics washing course, to a mixed
fabrics washing course, to a woolen fabrics washing course, to a
synthetic fiber washing course.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the
following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an internal structure
of a drum washing machine, according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0025] FIG. 2 is a control flowchart of a method of controlling the
drum washing machine, according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0026] FIGS. 3A and 3B are timing diagrams showing a procedure of
reading a water level value from a water level sensor so as to
detect a current water level of a rotary tub in FIG. 2;
[0027] FIG. 4 is a control flowchart showing a method of setting an
ON-OFF period of a pump according to washing course buttons which
are chosen by a user based on materials of laundry; and
[0028] FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are timing diagrams showing the ON-OFF
period of the pump according to buttons of FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] Reference will now be made in detail to the present
preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which
are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like
reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. The
embodiments are described below to explain the present invention by
referring to the figures.
[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an internal structure
of a drum washing machine, according to an embodiment of the
present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the drum washing machine of
the present invention includes a water tub 10 and a rotary tub 11
rotatably provided in the water tub 10.
[0031] A water feed pipe 12 is mounted at the water tub 10 to guide
a flow of water flowing from an external water supply pipe into the
water tub 10. A water feed valve 13 is mounted at the water feed
pipe 12 to control the flow of water. A detergent container 14 is
mounted at the water feed pipe 12.
[0032] A drain pipe 15 is disposed between a bottom of the water
tub 10, containing water flowing through the water feed pipe 12 in
a lower portion thereof, and a drain-outlet. A drain pump 16 and a
drain valve 17 are mounted at the drain pipe 15 to pump the water
contained in the lower portion of the water tub 10.
[0033] A circulating pipe 18, branched from the drain pipe 15, is
disposed at a portion of the drain pipe 15 between the drain pump
16 and the drain valve 17. The circulating pipe 18 is constructed
so that one end thereof is connected to an inside of the water tub
10, and a remaining end thereof is provided at an inlet of the
rotary tub 11 so as to circulate the water contained in the water
tub 10 to the rotary tub 11. Further, a spray nozzle 18a is
disposed at the remaining end of the circulating pipe 18 to spray
the circulated water into the rotary tub 11. Further, a circulating
valve 19 is mounted at the circulating pipe 18 to prevent water
from flowing into the circulating pipe 18 when draining. The
circulating pipe 18, the drain pump 16, the spray nozzle 18a, and
the circulating valve 19 form a pumping unit.
[0034] Moreover, a reversible motor 20 is coupled to the rotary tub
11, which is rotated by an operation of the motor 20. Further,
although not shown in FIG. 1, a water level sensor is mounted in
the rotary tub 11 to detect a water level of the rotary tub 11.
[0035] The water feed valve 13, the motor 20, the drain pump 16,
the drain valve 17, the circulating valve 19, and the water level
sensor are electrically connected to a control unit that performs
an entire control operation of the drum washing machine.
[0036] Further, an input side of the control unit is connected to
washing course buttons (not shown) to receive information on
materials of laundry, such as cotton fabrics, woolen fabrics, and
synthetic fibers, from a user. As will be described later, the
control unit controls the number of pumping operations of the drain
pump 16 to be varied by setting an ON-OFF period of the drain pump
16 in response to signals received from the buttons.
[0037] Hereinafter, a method of controlling the drum washing
machine of the present invention is described through a detailed
operating process of the drum washing machine.
[0038] FIG. 2 is a control flowchart of a method of controlling the
drum washing machine, according to an embodiment of the present
invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the water feed valve 13 is turned
on for a certain period, so that water is fed into the water tub 10
until a level of the water reaches a preset water level in
operation 100. Accordingly, water flowing from the water feed pipe
12 fills a lower portion of the water tub 10 through the detergent
container 14.
[0039] After the water is fed up to the preset water level, the
control unit controls the reversible motor 20 to rotate in forward
and reverse directions so as to rotate the rotary tub 11 in
opposite directions, and thus allow laundry to be sufficiently and
uniformly soaked with water, in response to a signal indicating
that a water level detected by the water level sensor reaches the
preset water level in operation 110. Simultaneously, the control
unit controls the drain pump 16 to allow water contained in the
lower portion of the water tub 10 to be circulated into the rotary
tub 11, and then sprayed onto the laundry, in operation 110.
[0040] Accordingly, although clothes of the laundry contained in
the rotary tub 11 may be overlapped or massed, overlapped or massed
states of the laundry are removed by the opposite directional
rotation of the rotary tub 11 and the water circulation and spray
operation. Therefore, the laundry is sufficiently and uniformly
soaked with water within a short time.
[0041] Thereafter, to determine whether feeding of supplementary
water is required, a water level is read from the water level
sensor to detect a current water level of the rotary tub 11 in
operation 120. At this time, the water level is read during an
interval when both the motor and the pump are simultaneously turned
off so as to detect a precise water level.
[0042] It is determined whether the feeding of supplementary water
is required, depending on the read water level, in operation 130.
That is, if the read water level of the rotary tub 11 is lower than
the preset water level, it is determined that the feeding of
supplementary water is required. On the contrary, if the read water
level of the rotary tub 11 is not lower than the preset water
level, it is determined that the feeding of supplementary water is
not required.
[0043] If the current water level of the rotary tub 11 is lower
than the preset water level, and it is therefore determined that
the feeding of supplementary water is required in operation 130,
the water feed valve 13 is turned on to feed supplementary water so
as to increase the current water level to the preset water level in
operation 140.
[0044] Thereafter, the control unit repeatedly performs a series of
operations in which laundry is allowed to be soaked with water and
the supplementary water is fed, depending on the variations of the
water level, for a preset period.
[0045] Further, the control unit determines whether the preset
period has elapsed in operation 150. If the preset period has not
elapsed in operation 150, the control unit performs operation 110
and repeats the operations of allowing the laundry to be soaked
with water and feeding the supplementary water depending on the
variations of the water level.
[0046] Morevoer, if the preset period has elapsed in operation 150,
the number of water supplement operations performed during the
preset period is determined in operation 160.
[0047] Further, the amount of load of the laundry is determined
depending on the determined number of water supplement operations
in operation 170. That is, if the number of water supplement
operations is large, it is determined that the amount of load of
the laundry is large, while if the number of water supplement
operations is small, it is determined that the amount of load of
the laundry is small.
[0048] FIGS. 3A and 3B are timing diagrams showing a procedure of
reading a water level from the water level sensor so as to detect a
current water level of the rotary tub, as in operation 120 in FIG.
2. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the motor 20 and the drain pump 16
have different ON-OFF periods. However, the ON-OFF periods of the
motor 20 and the drain pump 16 are set to have intervals T.sub.1
during which the motor 20 and the drain pump 16 are simultaneously
turned off.
[0049] The control unit reads a water level from the water level
sensor during the intervals T.sub.1 when the motor 20 and the drain
pump 16 are simultaneously turned off, so as to detect a precise
water level.
[0050] FIG. 4 is a control flowchart showing a method of setting
the ON-OFF period of the pump according to washing course buttons,
which are chosen by a user based on the materials of the laundry.
FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are timing diagrams showing the ON-OFF period
of the pump according to the washing course buttons of FIG. 4.
[0051] Referring to FIGS. 5A-5C, with FIG. 4 taken into
consideration, the ON-OFF period of the pump is set according to
the washing courses classified by the materials of the laundry,
such as cotton fabrics, mixed fabrics, woolen fabrics and synthetic
fibers.
[0052] For example, in the case of cotton fabrics having a
relatively large amount of load and high absorptivity, the ON-OFF
period of the pump is set to be shorter than those for other
fabrics, so that the number of pumping operations of the pump is
increased, thereby enabling laundry to be sufficiently soaked with
water within a short time.
[0053] Further, in the case of mixed fabrics having a similar
amount of load, but low absorptivity compared to the cotton
fabrics, the ON-OFF period of the pump is set to be next to that
for the cotton fabrics in ON-OFF periods set in order from shortest
to longest, thus reducing the number of pumping operations of the
pump compared to the cotton fabrics.
[0054] Meanwhile, the woolen fabrics have a small amount of load
compared to the cotton fabrics and the mixed fabrics, but have very
high absorptivity according to material and texture properties of
the woolen fabrics. Further, the synthetic fibers have a small
amount of load, small volume, small thickness, and low absorptivity
compared to the cotton fabrics and mixed fabrics, so that the
amount of water required for washing is small. Therefore, in the
case of the woolen fabrics and the synthetic fibers, the ON-OFF
period of the pump is set to be relatively longer than those for
the cotton fabrics and the mixed fabrics, thus reducing the number
of pumping operations of the pump compared to the cotton fabrics
and mixed fabrics.
[0055] As is apparent from the above description, the present
invention provides a drum washing machine, and a method of
controlling the drum washing machine, which circulates water
contained in a water tub into a rotary tub to be sprayed onto
laundry simultaneously with the rotation of the rotary tub in
opposite directions, so that the laundry is sufficiently and
uniformly soaked with water within a short time, and then the
amount of load of the laundry is precisely determined, thus rapidly
determining the amount of load of the laundry and improving
reliability of the determination.
[0056] Further, the present invention is advantageous in that it
controls the number of water circulation and spray operations
performed by a pump according to the materials of the laundry, thus
precisely determining the amount of load of laundry within a short
time.
[0057] Although a few embodiments of the present invention have
been shown and described, it would 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 claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *