U.S. patent application number 16/546151 was filed with the patent office on 2020-02-20 for clothes care apparatus and control method thereof.
The applicant listed for this patent is Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Jeong Su HAN, Hyun Ku JEONG, KOYOUNGCHUL, Kyung Shin MOON, Sang Yeon PYO, Ja Yeon SEO, SuJin SEONG, Hye Soon YANG.
Application Number | 20200056321 16/546151 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 69523733 |
Filed Date | 2020-02-20 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200056321 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
JEONG; Hyun Ku ; et
al. |
February 20, 2020 |
CLOTHES CARE APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF
Abstract
A clothes care apparatus includes a chamber, an upper fan, a
lower fan, a first motor, a second motor, a filter, and a
controller. The upper fan is positioned above the chamber and
configured to move air in a down direction while the lower fan is
positioned below the chamber and configured to move air in an up
direction, The first motor is configured to rotate the upper fan
and the second motor is configured to rotate the lower fan. The
filter is configured to collect dust from the air within the
chamber. The controller is configured to control the first motor
and the second motor in a plurality of time sections. The plurality
of time sections include a first time section for driving any one
of the first motor and the second motor and a second time section
for driving both the first motor and the second motor.
Inventors: |
JEONG; Hyun Ku; (Suwon-si,
KR) ; SEO; Ja Yeon; (Suwon-si, KR) ; SEONG;
SuJin; (Suwon-si, KR) ; MOON; Kyung Shin;
(Suwon-si, KR) ; YANG; Hye Soon; (Suwon-si,
KR) ; KOYOUNGCHUL;; (Suwon-si, KR) ; PYO; Sang
Yeon; (Suwon-si, KR) ; HAN; Jeong Su;
(Suwon-si, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. |
Suwon-si |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
69523733 |
Appl. No.: |
16/546151 |
Filed: |
August 20, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 2103/00 20200201;
D06F 59/02 20130101; D06F 58/10 20130101; D06F 2105/30 20200201;
D06F 2101/20 20200201; D06F 58/36 20200201; D06F 73/02 20130101;
D06F 57/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
D06F 57/00 20060101
D06F057/00; D06F 59/02 20060101 D06F059/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 20, 2018 |
KR |
10-2018-0096963 |
Claims
1. A clothes care apparatus comprising: a chamber; an upper fan
positioned above the chamber and configured to move air in a down
direction of the chamber; a lower fan positioned below the chamber
and configured to move the air in an up direction of the chamber; a
first motor configured to rotate the upper fan; a second motor
configured to rotate the lower fan; a filter configured to collect
dust from the air within the chamber; and a controller configured
to control the first motor and the second motor in a plurality of
time sections, wherein the plurality of time sections include at
least one first time section for driving any one of the first motor
and the second motor and at least one second time section for
driving both the first motor and the second motor.
2. The clothes care apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an
inputter configured to receive information about an execution
course from a user, wherein, when the information about the
execution course indicates a dust removal course, the controller is
configured to control the first motor and the second motor in the
plurality of time sections.
3. The clothes care apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is
configured to control the first motor and the second motor such
that the first time section and the second time section appear
alternately in the plurality of time sections.
4. The clothes care apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is
further configured to: drive the first motor in the first time
section, drive both the first motor and the second motor in the
second time section after the first time section, and drive the
first motor in a third section after the second time section.
5. The clothes care apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an
upper heater configured to heat air moving by the upper fan; and a
lower heat exchanger configured to exchange air moving by the lower
fan with heat, wherein the controller drives at least one of the
upper heater and the lower heat exchanger in a least one time
section among the plurality of time sections.
6. The clothes care apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a
storage device configured to store driving information, wherein the
driving information includes a first set of information indicating
whether to drive the first motor and the second motor in each of
the plurality of time sections and a second set of information
indicating an rpm of the first motor and the second motor in each
of the plurality of time sections, wherein the controller is
configured to: determine whether to drive the first motor and the
second motor in each of the plurality of time sections, based on
the driving information, and change the rpm of the first motor and
the second motor in each of the plurality of time sections; based
on the driving information.
7. The clothes care apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is
configured to: periodically turn on and off the first motor and the
second motor during the first time section, and periodically turn
on and off the first motor or the second motor is during the second
time section.
8. The clothes care apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is
configured to change an rpm of at least one of the first motor and
the second motor when a time section changes.
9. The clothes care apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an
outlet configured to guide the air that is moved in the down
direction of the chamber by the upper fan; and a hanger positioned
in the inside of the chamber, wherein clothes are hung on the
hanger, wherein the hanger comprises a connection hole connected to
the outlet, and an inner outlet, wherein the connection hole is
configured to receive the air, and the inner outlet is configured
to discharge the air to an internal surface of the clothes, and
wherein the outlet comprises an outer outlet is configured to
discharge the air to an external surface of the clothes.
10. The clothes care apparatus of claim 1, wherein, based on a type
of clothes within the clothes care apparatus, the controller is
configured to: determine whether to drive the first motor and the
second motor in each of the plurality of time sections, and change
an rpm of the first motor and the second motor in each of the
plurality of time sections.
11. The clothes care apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a
communicator configured to receive information indicating the type
of the clothes from an external communicator, wherein the
controller is configured to determine the type of the clothes
located in the inside of the chamber based on the information about
the type of the clothes received from the external
communicator.
12. The clothes care apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a
dust measuring sensor positioned within the chamber and configured
to measure an amount of dust included in the air within the
chamber, wherein the controller is configured to change an
execution time of each of the plurality of time sections based on
the amount of dust measured by the dust measuring sensor.
13. A control method of a clothes care apparatus, the clothes care
apparatus including a chamber, an upper fan positioned above the
chamber, a lower fan positioned below the chamber, and a filter,
the control method comprising: driving any one of a first motor and
a second motor during at least one first time section among a
plurality of time sections, the first motor rotating the upper fan
to move air in a down direction of the chamber, the second motor
rotating the lower fan to move the air in an up direction of the
chamber; and driving both the first motor and the second motor
during at least one second time section among the plurality of time
sections.
14. The control method of claim 13, further comprising: receiving
information about an execution course from a user; and when the
information about the execution course indicates a dust removal
course, controlling the first motor and the second motor in the
plurality of time sections.
15. The control method of claim 13, further comprising: controlling
the first motor and the second motor such that the first time
section and the second time section appear alternately in the
plurality of time sections.
16. The control method of claim 13, further comprising: driving at
least one of an upper heater for heating the air moved by the upper
fan and a lower heat exchanger for exchanging heat of the air
moving by the lower fan, in at least one time section among the
plurality of time sections.
17. The control method of claim 13, further comprising: determining
whether to drive the first motor and the second motor in each of
the plurality, of time sections, based on driving information, and
changing an rpm of the first motor and the second motor in each of
the plurality of time sections, based on the driving information
wherein the driving information includes a first set of information
indicating a driving state the first motor and the second motor in
each of the plurality of time sections and a second set of
information indicating the rpm of the first motor and the second
motor in each of the plurality of time sections.
18. The control method of claim 13, wherein based on a type of
clothes within the chamber, further comprising: determining whether
to drive the first motor and the second motor in each of the
plurality, of time sections, and changing an rpm of the first motor
and the second motor in each of the plurality of time sections.
19. The control method of claim 13, further comprising: measuring
an amount of dust included in the air within the chamber by using a
dust measuring sensor positioned within the chamber, and changing
an execution time of each of the plurality of time sections based
on the amount of dust measured by the dust measuring sensor.
20. A clothes care apparatus comprising: a chamber; an upper fan
positioned above the chamber and configured to move air in a down
direction of the chamber; a lower fan positioned below the chamber
and configured to move the air in an up direction of the chamber; a
first motor configured to rotate the upper fan; a second motor
configured to rotate the lower fan; a filter configured to collect
dust from the air within the chamber; and a controller configured
to: drive the first motor to move the air in the down direction of
the chamber during a first time section, drive both the first motor
and the second motor to move the air in the up and down directions
of the chamber during a second time section, and drive the first
motor to move the air in the down direction of the chamber during a
third time section.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is based on and claims priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn. 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0096963,
filed on Aug. 20, 2018 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office,
the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its
entirety.
BACKGROUND
1. Field
[0002] The disclosure relates to a clothes care apparatus for
removing dust gathered on clothes or the smell of the clothes.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0003] A clothes care apparatus is equipment for clothes care, such
as drying wet clothes, removing dust gathered on clothes or smell
permeated in clothes, and smoothing out the wrinkles of
clothes.
SUMMARY
[0004] Therefore, it is an aspect of the disclosure to provide a
clothes care apparatus for controlling a plurality of blowers
installed on various sides of a chamber provided in a main body to
remove dust gathered on clothes and collecting dust existing in the
inside air of the chamber by using a dust collecting filter; and a
control method of the clothes care apparatus.
[0005] Additional aspects of the disclosure will be set forth in
part in the description which follows and may be learned by
practice of the disclosure.
[0006] According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided
a clothes care apparatus including: a chamber; an upper fan
positioned above the chamber and configured to move air in a down
direction of the chamber; a lower fan positioned below the chamber
and configured to move air in an up direction of the chamber; a
first motor configured to rotate the upper fan; a second motor
configured to rotate the lower fan; a filter configured to collect
dust included in inside air of the chamber; and a controller
configured to control the first motor and the second motor in a
plurality of time sections, wherein the plurality of time sections
include at least one first time section in which any one of the
first motor and the second motor is driven and at least one second
time section in which both the first motor and the second motor are
driven.
[0007] The clothes care apparatus may further include an inputter
figured to receive information about an execution course from a
user, wherein, when the information about the execution course
indicates a dust removal course, the controller controls the first
motor and the second motor in the plurality of time sections.
[0008] The controller may control the first motor and the second
motor such that the at least one first time section and the at
least one second time section appear alternately in the plurality
of time sections.
[0009] The controller may drive the first motor in the first tune
section, drive both the first motor and the second motor in the
second time section after the first time section, and drive the
first motor in a third time section after the second time
section.
[0010] The clothes care apparatus may further include: an upper
heater configured to heat air moving by the upper fan; and a lower
heat exchanger configured to exchange air moving by the lower fan
with heat, wherein the controller drives at least one of the upper
heater and the lower heat exchanger in a least one time section
among the plurality of time sections.
[0011] The clothes care apparatus may further include a storage
device storing driving information including information about
whether to drive the first motor and the second motor in each of
the plurality of time sections and information about rpms of the
first motor and the second motor in each of the plurality of time
sections, wherein the controller determines whether to drive the
first motor and the second motor in each of the plurality of time
sections and changes rpms of the first motor and the second motor
in each of the plurality of time sections, based on the driving
information.
[0012] The controller may control the first motor and the second
motor such that the first motor and the second motor are
periodically turned on and off in the first time section and the
first motor or the second motor is periodically turned on and off
in the second time section.
[0013] The controller may change rpm of at least one of the first
motor and the second motor when a time section changes.
[0014] The clothes care apparatus may further include: an outlet
guiding air moving by the upper fan in the down direction of the
chamber; and a hanger positioned in the inside of the chamber,
wherein clothes are hung on the hanger, wherein the hanger
comprises a connection hole connected to the outlet to receive air,
and an inner outlet discharging air to the inside of the clothes,
and wherein the outlet comprises an outer outlet discharging air to
the outside of the clothes.
[0015] The controller may determine whether to drive the first
motor and the second motor in each of the plurality of time
sections and change rpms of the first motor and the second motor in
each of the plurality of time sections, based on a type of
clothes.
[0016] The clothes care apparatus may further include a
communicator configured to receive information about a type of the
clothes from an external communicator, wherein the controller
determines a type of the clothes located in the inside of the
chamber based on the information about the type of the clothes.
[0017] The clothes care apparatus may further include a dust
measuring sensor positioned in the inside of the chamber and
configured to measure an amount of dust included in inside air of
the chamber, wherein the controller changes an execution time of
each of the plurality of time sections based on the amount of dust
measured by the dust measuring sensor.
[0018] According to another aspect of the disclosure, there is
provided a control method of a clothes care apparatus, the clothes
care apparatus including a chamber, an upper fan positioned above
the chamber, a lower fan positioned below the chamber, and a filter
configured to collect dust included in inside air of the chamber,
the control method including: driving any one of a first motor and
a second motor in at least one first time section among the
plurality of time sections, the first motor rotating the upper fan
to move air in a down direction of the chamber, the second motor
rotating the lower fan to move air in an up direction of the
chamber; and driving both the first motor and the second motor in
at least one second time section among the plurality of time
sections.
[0019] The control method may further include: receiving
information about an execution course from a user; and controlling,
when the information about the execution course indicates a dust
removal course, the first motor and the second motor in the
plurality of time sections.
[0020] The control method may further include: controlling the
first motor and the second motor such that the at least one first
time section and the at least one second time section appear
alternately in the plurality of time sections.
[0021] The control method may further include driving at least one
of an upper heater for heating air moving by the upper fan and a
lower heat exchanger for exchanging air moving by the lower fan
with heat, in at least one time section among the plurality of time
sections.
[0022] The control method may further include determining whether
to drive the first motor and the second motor in each of the
plurality of time sections and changing rpms of the first motor and
the second motor in each of the plurality of time sections, based
on driving information including information about whether to drive
the first motor and the second motor in each of the plurality of
time sections and information about rpms of the first motor and the
second motor in each of the plurality of time sections.
[0023] The control method may further include determining whether
to drive the first motor and the second motor in each of the
plurality of time sections and changing rpms of the first motor and
the second motor in each of the plurality of time sections, based
on a type of clothes.
[0024] The control method may further include: measuring an amount
of dust included in inside air of the chamber by using a dust
measuring sensor positioned in the inside of the chamber, and
changing an execution time of each of the plurality of time
sections based on the amount of dust measured by the dust measuring
sensor.
[0025] According to another aspect of the disclosure, there is
provided a clothes care apparatus including: a chamber; an upper
fan positioned above the chamber and configured to move air in a
down direction of the chamber; a lower fan positioned below the
chamber and configured to move air in an up direction of the
chamber; a first motor configured to rotate the upper fan; a second
motor configured to rotate the lower fan; a filter configured to
collect dust included in air moving in the inside of the chamber;
and a controller configured to perform controls including a first
time section in which the first motor is driven to move air in the
down direction of the chamber, a second time section in which the
first motor and the second motor are driven to move air in the up
and down directions of the chamber, and a third time section in
which the first motor is driven to move air in the down direction
of the chamber.
[0026] Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION below, it may be
advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases
used throughout this patent document: the terms "include" and
"comprise," as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without
limitation; the term "or," is inclusive, meaning and/or; the
phrases "associated with" and "associated therewith," as well as
derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within,
interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or
with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with,
interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have,
have a property of, or the like; and the term "controller" means
any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one
operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware
or software, or some combination of at least two of the same. It
should be noted that the functionality associated with any
particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether
locally or remotely.
[0027] Moreover, various functions described below can be
implemented or supported by one or more computer programs, each of
which is formed from computer readable program code and embodied in
a computer readable medium. The terms "application" and "program"
refer to one or more computer programs, software components, sets
of instructions, procedures, functions, objects, classes,
instances, related data, or a portion thereof adapted for
implementation in a suitable computer readable program code. The
phrase "computer readable program code" includes any type of
computer code, including source code, object code, and executable
code. The phrase "computer readable medium" includes any type of
medium capable of being accessed by a computer, such as read only
memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), a hard disk drive, a
compact disc (CD), a digital video disc (DVD), or any other type of
memory. A "non-transitory" computer readable medium excludes wired,
wireless, optical, or other communication links that transport
transitory electrical or other signals. A non-transitory computer
readable medium includes media where data can be permanently stored
and media where data can be stored and later overwritten, such as a
rewritable optical disc or an erasable memory device.
[0028] Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided
throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art
should understand that in many, if not most instances, such
definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined
words and phrases.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] These and/or other aspects of the disclosure will become
apparent and more readily appreciated from the following
description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings of which:
[0030] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a clothes care
apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a clothes
care apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a clothes
care apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
[0033] FIG. 4 illustrates a control block diagram of a clothes care
apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
[0034] FIG. 5 illustrates dust removal rates according to driving
of an upper blower and a lower blower in a clothes care apparatus
according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
[0035] FIG. 6 illustrates driving information of an upper blower
and a lower blower in a dust removal course of a clothes care
apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
[0036] FIG. 7A illustrates a dust distribution when no dust
collecting filter exists in a clothes care apparatus according to
an embodiment of the disclosure;
[0037] FIG. 7B illustrates a dust distribution when a dust
collecting filter exists in a clothes care apparatus according to
an embodiment of the disclosure;
[0038] FIG. 8 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a clothes
care apparatus according to another embodiment of the
disclosure;
[0039] FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart showing a process of
controlling an upper blower and a lower blower in a control method
of a clothes care apparatus according to an embodiment of the
disclosure;
[0040] FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart showing a process of
controlling an upper blower and a lower blower in a control method
of a clothes care apparatus according to another embodiment of the
disclosure;
[0041] FIG. 11 illustrates a flowchart showing a process of
determining a type of clothes accommodated in a chamber to control
an upper blower and a lower blower, in a control method of a
clothes care apparatus according to another embodiment of the
disclosure; and
[0042] FIG. 12 illustrates a flowchart showing a process of
adjusting an execution time of a dust removal course of a clothes
care apparatus, in a control method of a clothes care apparatus
according to another embodiment of the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0043] FIGS. 1 through 12, discussed below, and the various
embodiments used to describe the principles of the present
disclosure in this patent document are by way of illustration only
and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the
disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the
principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any
suitably arranged system or device.
[0044] Configurations illustrated in the embodiments and the
drawings described in the present specification are only the
preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, and thus it is to
be understood that various modified examples, which may replace the
embodiments and the drawings described in the present
specification, are possible when filing the present
application.
[0045] It will be understood that when a component is referred to
as being "connected" to another component, it can be directly or
indirectly connected to the other component. When a component is
indirectly connected to another component, it may be connected to
the other component through a wireless communication network.
[0046] The terms used in the present specification are merely used
to describe particular embodiments, and are not intended to limit
the present disclosure. An expression used in the singular
encompasses the expression of the plural, unless it has a clearly
different meaning in the context. In the present specification, it
is to be understood that the terms such as "including" or "having",
etc., are intended to indicate the existence of the features,
numbers, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof
disclosed in the specification, and are not intended to preclude
the possibility that one or more other features, numbers,
operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof may exist or
may be added.
[0047] It will be understood that, although the terms "first",
"second", etc., may be used herein to describe various elements,
these elements should not be limited by these terms. The above
terms are used only to distinguish one component from another. For
example, a first component discussed below could be termed a second
component, and similarly, a second component may be termed a first
component without departing from the teachings of this
disclosure.
[0048] In addition, the terms "portion", "device", "block",
"member", and "module" used herein refer to a unit for processing
at least one function or operation. For example, the terms may mean
at least one process that may be processed by at least one hardware
such as field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or application
specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or at least one software or
processor stored in a memory.
[0049] Reference numerals used in operations are provided to
identify the operations, without describing the order of the
operations, and the operations can be executed in a different order
from the stated order unless a specific order is definitely
specified in the context.
[0050] The clothes care apparatus includes a main body having a
chamber in which clothes are accommodated and managed, and a door
for opening or closing the chamber. In the inside of the main body,
a compressor and a heat exchanger for supplying dry air to clothes
and a steam generator for supplying a steam to the clothes are
installed.
[0051] Accordingly, the clothes care apparatus performs a function
of supplying air or hot air generated by a blower to clothes to
remove dust gathered on the clothes or smell permeated in the
clothes, and a function of spraying a steam generated by the steam
generator to smooth out wrinkles from the clothes.
[0052] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be
described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0053] Hereinafter, an upper motor may indicate a first motor, and
a lower motor may indicate a second motor.
[0054] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a clothes care apparatus 1
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 2 is an
exploded perspective view of the clothes care apparatus 1 according
to an embodiment of the disclosure, and FIG. 3 is a side
cross-sectional view of the clothes care apparatus 1 according to
an embodiment of the disclosure.
[0055] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the clothes care apparatus 1 may
include a main body 10, a chamber 12a provided in the inside of the
main body 10 to accommodate and care clothes, a door 20 rotatably
coupled with the main body 10 and opening or closing the chamber
12a, and a hanger 30 provided in the inside of the chamber 12a to
hang clothes thereon.
[0056] The main body 10 may include an outer frame 11, an inner
frame 12 installed in the inside of the outer frame 11, and upper
ducts 13 and 14 positioned between the outer frame 11 and the inner
frame 12 to guide air to circulate.
[0057] The outer frame 11 may be in the shape of a rectangular
parallelepiped that opens at the front side to form an inside space
11a.
[0058] The inner frame 12 may be positioned in the inside space 11a
of the outer frame 11. The inner frame 12 may be positioned in the
inside space 11a to partition a machine room 11b. The inner frame
12 may include a chamber 12a that opens at the front side to
accommodate clothes.
[0059] The machine room 11b may be an area of the inside space 11a
and may be partitioned from the chamber 12a by the inner frame 12.
The machine room 11b may be positioned below the chamber 12a.
[0060] As shown in FIG. 3, the machine room 11b may include a lower
heat exchanger 180 constituting a cooling cycle. The lower heat
exchanger 180 may accommodate a compressor 181, a condenser 182 and
an evaporator 183, and an expansion valve (not shown). The lower
heat exchangers 180 may include a condenser 182 and an evaporator
183.
[0061] Also, the machine room 11b may include a lower blower 150
for inhaling air to the inside of the machine room 11b and causing
air to enter the inside of the chamber 12a from below the chamber
12a.
[0062] The lower blower 150 may include a lower motor 151 for
generating a rotatory force, and a lower fan 152 rotating by the
lower motor 151.
[0063] Also, the machine room 11b may accommodate lower ducts 55
and 56 (also, referred to as a first lower duct 55 and a second
lower duct 56) for guiding air inhaled by the lower fan 152, and
also accommodate a steam generator 57 for generating a steam.
[0064] The lower fan 152 may be a centrifugal fan for inhaling air
in an axial direction and discharging air outward in a radial
direction, although not limited thereto.
[0065] Also, a single lower fan 152 may be shown, however, a
plurality of lower fans may be provided according to design.
[0066] Also, air flowing through the lower fan 152 may be dried
through the lower heat exchanger 180, and therefore, clothes
located in the chamber 12a may receive the dried air from below the
chamber 12a. This will be described in detail, later.
[0067] The door 20 may be rotatably installed on one side of a
front portion of the main body 10, and the door 20 may rotate to
open or close the chamber 12a.
[0068] The door 20 may include an inputter 110 for enabling a user
to select an operation of the clothes care apparatus 1. The
inputter 110 may be positioned on a front surface of the door 20.
The inputter 110 may include a button 110a to enable the user to
select an operation of the clothes care apparatus 1 by touching or
pushing the button 110a, and a display 110b displaying an operation
state, etc. of the clothes care apparatus 1. In contrast, the
inputter 110 may be implemented as a display capable of receiving
touch inputs, instead of being divided to a button and a
display.
[0069] The inner frame 12 may include the chamber 12a opening at
the front portion, an upper cover 12b positioned on a top of the
chamber 12a and forming a space in which an upper blower 140 is
accommodated, and a lower cover 12c extending downward from a front
lower end of the chamber 12a and covering the machine room 11b at
the front portion.
[0070] That is, the upper blower 140 may be provided above the
chamber 12a and positioned behind the upper cover 12b. The upper
blower 140 may include an upper motor 141 for generating a rotatory
force, a pair of upper fans 142 rotating by the upper motor 141,
and a pair of fan cases 143 accommodating the pair of upper fans
142.
[0071] The upper motor 141 may have a shaft protruding in both side
directions, and both ends of the shaft may be respectively coupled
with the upper fans 142. Through the structure, the pair of upper
fans 142 may rotate by the single driving motor 141.
[0072] The pair of upper fans 142 may be a centrifugal fan for
inhaling air in an axial direction and discharging air outward in a
radial direction, although not limited thereto.
[0073] Also, the pair of upper fans 142 may be shown, however, a
plurality of upper fans may be provided according to design.
[0074] The pair of fan cases 143 may include an inlet (not shown)
at both sides and an outlet (not shown) in a front direction to
guide air inhaled from the both sides toward the front
direction.
[0075] In the lower cover 12c, a water supply bucket 58 and a water
drain bucket 59 may be removably installed. The water supply bucket
58 and the water drain bucket 59 may be individually separated from
the lower cover 12c. The water supply bucket 58 and the water drain
bucket 59 may be coupled with the lower cover 12c. The water supply
bucket 58 may supply water to the steam generator 57. The water
drain bucket 59 may store water condensed when humid air passes
through a cooling cycle. The water supply bucket 58 and the water
drain bucket 59 may be installed at different positions.
[0076] Referring to FIG. 3, in a rear portion of the chamber 12a, a
first inlet 12d may be formed to cause inside air of the chamber
12a to enter the upper ducts 13 and 14. In a front or rear area of
the first inlet 12d, a dust collecting filter 12e for collecting
foreign materials such as dust may be installed. The dust
collecting filter 12e may be a high efficiency particulate air
(HEPA) filter, although not limited thereto.
[0077] Also, the dust collecting filter 12e according to an
embodiment may be made of polypropylene. Accordingly, the dust
collecting filter 12e may collect dust existing in inside air of
the chamber 12a without being deformed even in a high-temperature
and high-humidity environment.
[0078] Also, the dust collecting filter 12e according to an
embodiment may have a bent structure to reduce pressure loss.
[0079] In an upper portion of the chamber 12a, a first outlet 12f
for discharging inside air of the upper ducts 13 and 14 to the
chamber 12a may be provided.
[0080] When the upper fans 142 rotate, inside air of the chamber
12a may enter the first upper duct 13 through the first inlet 12d.
When the inside air of the chamber 12a enters the first upper duct
13, the dust collecting filter 12e may remove foreign materials
such as fine dust existing in the inside air of the chamber
12a.
[0081] The air entered the first upper duct 13 may move upward
along the first upper duct 13 to be inhaled in the upper fan 142.
Air discharged from the upper fan 142 may move along the second
upper duct 14, and enter the inside of the chamber 12a through the
first outlet 12f provided in the upper portion of the chamber
12a.
[0082] That is, a lower end of the first upper duct 13 may be
connected to a rear, lower portion of the chamber 12a, and an upper
end of the first upper duct 13 may cover the upper blower 140. A
rear end of the second upper duct 14 may be connected to the upper
blower 140, and a front end of the second upper duct 14 may cover
the outer, upper surface of the chamber 12a to be connected to the
first outlet 12f.
[0083] The first outlet 12f according to an embodiment may include
a first inner outlet (not shown) for discharging air to the inside
of the hanger 30, and a first outer outlet (not shown) positioned
at both sides of the first inner outlet (not shown) to discharge
air to both sides of clothes hung on the hanger 30.
[0084] A single hanger 30 may be shown, however, a plurality of
hangers 30 may be provided according to design. The first outlet
12f may include a plurality of first inner outlets for discharging
air to the insides of the individual hangers, and a plurality of
first outer outlets positioned between the first inner outlets and
at both sides of the first inner outlets to discharge air to both
sides of clothes hung on the individual hangers.
[0085] In the second upper duct 14 according to an embodiment, an
upper heater 170 may be installed to heat air. The upper heater 170
may heat air. When air flowing by the upper fan 142 passes through
the upper heater 170, hot air may enter the inside of the chamber
12a through the first outlet 12f. In FIG. 3, only the upper heater
170 is shown, however, the clothes care apparatus 1 according to an
embodiment may include a heat exchanger (not shown) for removing
moisture from air flowing by the upper fans 142, instead of the
upper heater 170. In this case, the heat exchanger may include
devices, such as a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator.
[0086] The hanger 30 according to an embodiment may be provided in
the inside of the chamber 12a to hang clothes thereon.
[0087] The hanger 30 may include a top hanger 31 for hanging a top
thereon, and a bottom hanger 32 connected to a lower portion of the
top hanger 31 to hang a bottom thereon. The hanger 30 according to
an embodiment may include only the top hanger 31.
[0088] The top hanger 31 may be in the shape of substantially a
triangle having a wider width at the lower portion, and include a
top hanging portion 31a on which clothes are hung, and a connection
tube 31b extending upward from an upper end of the top hanging
portion 31a and connected to the first outlet 12f.
[0089] Also, an upper portion of the connection tube 31b may be
connected to the first outlet 12f to form a connection hole (not
shown) receiving air from the first outlet 12f, and a bottom
portion of the top hanging portion 31a may include an inner outlet
(not shown) for discharging air to the inside of a top hung on the
top hanging portion 31a. Also, the top hanger 31 may include flow
paths 31e and 31f formed in the inside to guide air transferred
through the connection hole (not shown) to the inner outlet (not
shown).
[0090] The flow paths 31e and 31f may include a first flow path 31e
for guiding air to the inside of a body of a top hung on the top
hanger 31, and a pair of second flow paths 31f inclined downward at
both sides of the first flow path 31e to guide air to the insides
of both arms of the top hung on the top hanger 31.
[0091] Accordingly, air may be distributed to the insides of the
both arms of the top, as well as to the inside of the body of the
top, through the first flow path 31e and the second flow paths 31f,
thereby removing dust, smell and wrinkles of the both arms of the
top, as well as those of the body of the top.
[0092] The bottom hanger 32 may include a bottom hanging portion
32a which extends in a horizontal direction and on which a bottom
is hung, a filter accommodating portion 32b which is positioned
below the bottom hanging portion 32a and in which various
functional filters 33 are installed, and a connector 32c positioned
above the bottom hanger 32a and connecting the bottom hanger 32 to
the top hanger 31. Because the bottom hanger 32 is connected to the
lower portion of the top hanger 31 as described above, the bottom
hung on the bottom hanging portion 32a may be positioned in the
inside of the top hung on the top hanging portion 31a.
[0093] Accordingly, when air discharged to the inside of the top
through the second flow path 31f passes through the inside of the
body of the top, the air may also pass through the bottom hung on
the bottom hanging portion 32a to remove dust, smell, and wrinkles
of the bottom.
[0094] The bottom hanging portion 32a may include two wires
extending in the horizontal direction and spaced in parallel to
each other. Accordingly, when a bottom is hung on the bottom
hanging portion 32a, a space between the two wires may function as
a flow path through which air passes.
[0095] The filter accommodating portion 32b may be connected to a
lower portion of the bottom hanging portion 32a, and formed by
wires, like the bottom hanging portion 32a. In the filter
accommodating portion 32b, various kinds of functional filters 33,
such as a deodorant or an air fresher, may be selectively put by a
user.
[0096] Referring to FIG. 3, in an upper area of the machine room
11b, a second inlet 53 and a second outlet 54 may be positioned.
The second inlet 53 may be positioned in a bottom front portion of
the chamber 12a, and the second outlet 54 may be positioned in a
bottom rear portion of the chamber 12a. However, the second inlet
53 and the second outlet 54 may be positioned at different
locations.
[0097] Inside air of the chamber 12a may enter the first lower duct
55 through the second inlet 53. One end of the first lower duct 55
may be connected to the second inlet 53, and the other end of the
first lower duct 55 may be connected to the lower fan 152 of the
lower blower 150. Air entered the first lower duct 55 may move to
the second lower duct 56 via the lower fan 152.
[0098] In the inside of the second lower duct 56, the evaporator
183 and the condenser 182 of the lower heat exchanger 180 may be
positioned. The evaporator 183 may absorb heat from inside air of
the second lower duct 56. Moisture in the air may pass through the
evaporator 183 to be condensed to water, and the condensed water
may be stored in the water drain bucket 59 via a predetermined
path. Air passed through the condenser 182 may have low
humidity.
[0099] The condenser 182 may be positioned downstream from the
evaporator 183 on a flow path of air. Air with low humidity passed
through the evaporator 183 may pass through the condenser 182 to be
heated. Air passed through the evaporator 183 and the condenser 182
may become a high-temperature and low-humidity state. The
high-temperature dry air may enter the chamber 12a through the
second outlet 54.
[0100] That is, the lower heat exchanger 180 according to an
embodiment may remove moisture from air flowing by the lower fan
152 by using the condenser 182 and the evaporator 183 installed in
the second lower duct 56. Thereby, the high-temperature dry air may
enter the inside of the chamber 12a from below the chamber 12a.
[0101] As described above, inside air of the chamber 12a may enter
the second inlet 53 to pass through a cooling cycle and then be
discharged through the second outlet 54. Through the process, the
inside of the chamber 12a may be dehumidified to dry clothes.
[0102] Also, the machine room 11b may accommodate the compressor
181 of the lower heat exchanger 180.
[0103] According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the compressor
181 may be an inverter compressor capable of changing revolutions
per minute (rpm) or a compression capacity. The inverter compressor
may change the compression capacity by controlling the rpm, and
accordingly, control a heating value of the condenser 182.
[0104] Also, the machine room 11b may accommodate the steam
generator 57. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the
steam generator 57 may generate a steam that is to be supplied to
the chamber 12a, and supply the generated steam to the chamber 12a
to thereby remove wrinkles of clothes.
[0105] The steam generator 57 may include the water supply bucket
58 for storing water, a heater (not shown) for heating the water to
generate a steam, etc. The water supply bucket 58 may be removably
installed through the lower cover 12c described above. A steam
generated by the steam generator 57 may be transferred to the lower
blower 150 to be supplied to the chamber 12a through the lower
blower 150.
[0106] FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of the clothes care
apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
[0107] Referring to FIG. 4, the clothes care apparatus 1 according
to an embodiment may include the inputter 110 for receiving a
user's input, a communicator 120 for transmitting/receiving
information to/from an external communicator, a storage device 130
for storing driving information of the upper blower 140 and the
lower blower 150 of the clothes care apparatus 1, the upper motor
141 included in the upper blower 140 to rotate the upper fan 142 to
rotate the upper fans 142 to cause air to enter the inside of the
chamber 12a from above the chamber 12a, the lower motor 151
included in the lower blower 150 to rotate the lower fan 152 to
cause air to enter the inside of the chamber 12a from below the
chamber 12a, and a controller 160 for controlling driving and rpms
of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in each time section
of a dust removal course based on driving information.
[0108] Also, the clothes care apparatus 1 according to an
embodiment may include the upper heater 170 for heating air
entering the inside of the chamber 12a from above the chamber 12a
by the upper fans 142, and the lower heat exchanger 180 for
exchanging heat with air entering the inside of the chamber 12a
from below the chamber 12a by the lower fan 152 to remove moisture
from the air.
[0109] The inputter 110 according to an embodiment may receive an
input from a user. More specifically, the inputter 110 may receive
a command for an execution course of the clothes care apparatus 1
from the user.
[0110] The clothes care apparatus 1 may have various courses for
caring clothes. More specifically, the courses of the clothes care
apparatus 1 may include a standard course for providing a steam to
clothes to remove wrinkles of the clothes, to remove dust existing
in the clothes, and to sterilize the clothes.
[0111] The standard course according to an embodiment may supply a
steam generated by the steam generator 57 to the inside of the
chamber 12a before air enters the inside of the chamber 12a from
above and below the chamber 12a.
[0112] More specifically, the steam generated by the steam
generator 57 may be supplied to the inside of the chamber 12a
through the second outlet 54. That is, the clothes care apparatus 1
may provide a steam to clothes hung on the hanger 30 in the chamber
12a to remove wrinkles and smell of the clothes.
[0113] Also, after the steam is supplied, the upper blower 140 and
the lower blower 150 of the clothes care apparatus 1 may be driven
to remove dust existing in clothes hung on the hanger 30 in the
chamber 12a. At this time, the upper heater 170 and the lower heat
exchanger 180 may be driven so that dried air may enter the inside
of the chamber 12a from above and below the chamber 12a.
[0114] Thereby, the clothes hung on the hanger 30 in the chamber
12a may receive the dried air entered from above and below the
chamber 12a to be dried. Accordingly, wrinkles and smell of the
clothes may be removed and dust existing in the clothes may be
removed.
[0115] Thereafter, the upper blower 140 and the lower blower 150
may change the rpms to remove dust existing in inside air of the
chamber 12a. More specifically, the dust collecting filter 12e
provided on the first upper duct 13 along which air flowing by the
upper blower 140 moves may collect dust from the flowing air.
[0116] Also, the courses of the clothes care apparatus 1 may
include a dust removal course for providing air to clothes to
remove dust of the clothes. The clothes care apparatus 1 may have
other various courses than the above-described courses.
[0117] The courses may be performed simultaneously or sequentially,
and one of the courses may be performed alone by a user's
selection.
[0118] The controller 160 which will be described later may control
various devices of the clothes care apparatus 1 to perform an
execution course based on information about the execution course
input through the inputter 110. For example, when the controller
160 receives information about an execution course indicating the
dust removal course through the inputter 110, the controller 160
may control at least one of the upper motor 141, the lower motor
151, the upper heater 170, and the lower heat exchanger 180 to be
driven to perform the dust removal course.
[0119] Also, the inputter 110 according to an embodiment may
receive an input for a course execution time from the user, and
also receive inputs for overall operations of the clothes care
apparatus 1.
[0120] The communicator 120 according to an embodiment may
transmit/receive information to/from an external communicator
through wired/wireless communications. The external communicator
may be a remote controller for receiving an input for an operation
of the clothes care apparatus 1 from a user and transmitting the
input to the communicator 120 of the clothes care apparatus 1.
Also, the external communicator may be the user's mobile phone.
[0121] The wireless communication may use, as a cellular
communication protocol, at least one of 5th generation mobile
telecommunication (5G), long-term evolution (LTE), LTE advanced
(LTE-A), code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband CDMA
(WCDMA), universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS),
wireless broadband (WiBro), or global system for mobile
communications (GSM). Also, the wireless communication may include,
for example, a short-range communication. The short-range
communication may include at least one of wireless fidelity (WiFi),
Bluetooth, or near field communication (NFC).
[0122] The wired communication may include, for example, at least
one of a universal serial bus (USB), a high definition multimedia
interface (HDMI), recommended standard232 (RS-232), or a plain old
telephone service (POTS).
[0123] The communicator 120 may receive information about an
execution course of the clothes care apparatus 1 from the external
communicator. More specifically, the user may input information
about an execution course of the clothes care apparatus 1 through
the external communicator, and the information about the execution
course of the clothes care apparatus 1 may be transferred to the
controller 160 through the communicator 120. The controller 160
which will be described later may perform a course indicated by the
information based on the information about the execution course of
the clothes care apparatus 1 transferred through the communicator
120. This will be described in detail, later.
[0124] The communicator 120 may receive information about a type of
clothes located in the clothes care apparatus 1 from the external
communicator. More specifically, a user may input information about
a type of clothes located in the clothes care apparatus 1 to the
external communicator, and the information about the type of the
clothes may be transferred to the clothes care apparatus 1 from the
external communicator through the communicator 120.
[0125] The controller 160 which will be described later may receive
the information about the type of the clothes located in the
clothes care apparatus 1 from the external communicator through the
communicator 120, and control driving of the upper motor 141 and
the lower motor 151 in each time segment of the dust removal course
based on the information about the type of the clothes. This will
be described in detail, later.
[0126] The clothes care apparatus 1 according to an embodiment may
include, as described above, the upper blower 140 positioned above
the chamber 12a to cause air to enter the inside of the chamber 12a
from above the chamber 12a, and the lower blower 150 positioned
below the chamber 12a to cause air to enter the inside of the
chamber 12a from below the chamber 12a.
[0127] The upper blower 140 according to an embodiment may include
the upper fans 142 positioned above the chamber 12a to move air in
a down direction of the chamber 12a, and the upper motor 141 for
rotating the upper fans 142 to cause air to enter the inside of the
chamber 12a from above the chamber 12a.
[0128] The lower blower 150 according to an embodiment may include
the lower fan 152 positioned below the chamber 12a to move air in
an up direction of the chamber 12a, and the lower motor 151 for
rotating the lower fan 152 to cause air to enter the inside of the
chamber 12a from below the chamber 12a.
[0129] That is, the upper fans 142 may receive a rotatory force
from the upper motor 141 to move air in the down direction of the
chamber 12a, and the lower fan 152 may receive a rotatory force
from the lower motor 151 to move air in the up direction of the
chamber 12a.
[0130] The storage device 130 according to an embodiment may store
driving information of the upper blower 140 and the lower blower
150 of the clothes care apparatus 1. More specifically, the storage
device 130 may store driving information for the upper motor 141
and the lower motor 151 in a plurality of time sections of the dust
removal course.
[0131] The driving information stored in the storage device 130 may
include information about whether to drive the upper motor 141 and
the lower motor 151 in each of the plurality of time sections and
rpm information of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in
each of the plurality of time sections.
[0132] The plurality of time sections according to an embodiment
may include at least one time section in which both the upper motor
141 and the lower motor 151 are driven, and at least one time
section in which any one of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor
151 is driven.
[0133] Also, the driving information stored in the storage device
130 according to an embodiment may include information about
whether to drive the upper heater 170 and the lower heat exchanger
180 in each of the plurality of time sections.
[0134] Also, the storage device 130 may store various information
about the clothes care apparatus 1. To store the various
information, the storage device 130 may be implemented as at least
one among a non-volatile memory device, such as a cache, Read Only
Memory (ROM), Programmable ROM (PROM), Erasable Programmable ROM
(EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), and flash
memory, a volatile memory device such as Random Access Memory
(RAM), or a storage medium, such as Hard Disk Drive (HDD) and
CD-ROM, although not limited thereto.
[0135] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may control
the upper motor 141, the lower motor 151, the upper heater 170, the
lower heat exchanger 180, etc. to perform the dust removal course
based on information about an execution course received through the
inputter 110 or the communicator 120.
[0136] More specifically, the controller 160 may receive
information about an execution course input by a user from at least
one of the inputter 110 and the communicator 120. Also, the
controller 160 may control the upper motor 141, the lower motor
151, the upper heater 170, the lower heat exchanger 180, etc. to
perform the execution course indicated by the information about the
execution course, based on the information about the execution
course input by the user.
[0137] For example, when the execution course indicated by the
information about the execution course input by the user is the
dust removal course, the controller 160 may control the upper motor
141, the lower motor 151, the upper heater 170, the lower heat
exchanger 180, etc. to remove dust of clothes located in the
chamber 12a.
[0138] Hereinafter, a process in which the controller 160 controls
the upper motor 141, the lower motor 151, the upper heater 170, and
the lower heat exchanger 180 to perform the dust removal course
will be described in detail.
[0139] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may drive at
least one of the upper blower 140 and the lower blower 150 in a
plurality of time sections, based on driving information stored in
the storage device 130.
[0140] More specifically, the controller 160 may drive at least one
of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in a plurality of
time sections based on driving information. Thereby, the controller
160 may rotate the upper fans 142 to cause air to enter the inside
of the chamber 12a from above the chamber 12a, may rotate the lower
fan 152 to cause air to enter the inside of the chamber 12a from
below the chamber 12a, or may rotate both the upper fans 142 and
the lower fan 152 to cause air to enter the inside of the chamber
12a from above and below the chamber 12a, in each of the plurality
of time sections.
[0141] That is, the controller 160 may drive both the upper motor
141 and the lower motor 151 to rotate all the upper fans 142 and
the lower fan 152 in at least one time section of the plurality of
time sections, and may drive any one of the upper motor 141 and the
lower motor 151 to rotate any one of the upper fans 142 and the
lower fan 152 in at least one time section of the plurality of time
sections.
[0142] However, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
drive only the upper motor 141 to rotate only the upper fans 142
throughout the plurality of time sections of the dust removal
course, or may drive only the lower motor 151 to rotate only the
lower fan 152 throughout the plurality of time sections of the dust
removal course.
[0143] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
drive both the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 to rotate
all the upper fans 142 and the lower fan 152 throughout the
plurality of time sections of the dust removal course.
[0144] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
drive only the upper motor 141 to rotate only the upper fans 142 in
some time sections of the plurality of time sections of the dust
removal course, and may drive only the lower motor 151 to rotate
only the lower fan 152 in the other time sections of the plurality
of time sections.
[0145] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
change rpm of at least one of the upper motor 141 and the lower
motor 151 when a time section changes, based on driving
information.
[0146] That is, the controller 160 may set rpm of at least one of
the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in each time section,
based on driving information.
[0147] As such, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
determine whether to drive the upper blower 140 and the lower
blower 150 and rpms of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151,
in each of the plurality of time sections, based on driving
information.
[0148] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
control the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 such that at
least one time section in which both the upper motor 141 and the
lower motor 151 are driven and at least one time section in which
any one of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 is driven
appear alternately in the plurality of time sections.
[0149] Accordingly, the clothes care apparatus 1 may provide more
various air flows in the dust removal course. For example, in at
least one time section of the plurality of time sections of the
dust removal course, both the upper motor 141 and the lower motor
151 may be driven so that air enters the inside of the chamber 12a
from above and below the chamber 12a, and in at least one time
section, any one of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 may
be driven so that air enters the inside of the chamber 12a from
above or below the chamber 12a.
[0150] That is, clothes hung on the hanger 30 inside the chamber
12a of the clothes care apparatus 1 may be provided various air
flows according to the control of the controller 160, and
therefore, dust existing in the clothes hung on the hanger 30
inside the chamber 12a may be more efficiently removed. This will
be described in detail, later.
[0151] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may control
the upper motor 141 to be periodically turned on and off.
[0152] The controller 160 may control the clothes care apparatus 1
by driving the upper motor 141 for a predetermined time section of
the plurality of time sections to rotate the upper fans 142 to thus
cause air to enter the inside of the chamber 12a from above the
chamber 12a. That is, the controller 160 may control the clothes
care apparatus 1 to move air in the down direction of the chamber
12a.
[0153] The controller 160 may control the upper motor 141 to be
periodically turned on and off in a predetermined time section for
which air enters the inside of the chamber 12a from above the
chamber 12a.
[0154] More specifically, the controller 160 may control the upper
motor 141 such that the rpm of the upper motor 141 rises and falls
sharply by periodically turning on and off the upper motor 141.
Therefore, air may enter the inside of the chamber 12a
instantaneously from above the chamber 12a to apply a physical
impact to clothes located in the chamber 12a.
[0155] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
control the lower motor 151 to be periodically turned on and off,
like the upper motor 141.
[0156] The controller 160 may control the lower motor 151 to be
periodically turned on and off in a predetermined time section for
which air enters the inside of the chamber 12a from below the
chamber 12a.
[0157] More specifically, the controller 160 may control the lower
motor 151 such that the rpm of the lower motor 151 rises and falls
sharply by periodically turning on and off the lower motor 151.
Therefore, air may enter the inside of the chamber 12a
instantaneously from below the chamber 12a to apply a physical
impact to clothes located in the chamber 12a.
[0158] That is, the clothes care apparatus 1 may provide a physical
impact to clothes located in the chamber 12a through air entering
instantaneously, thereby more efficiently removing dust existing in
the clothes.
[0159] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
determine a type of clothes located in the chamber 12a. The
controller 160 may determine whether to drive the upper motor 141
and the lower motor 151 in each of the plurality of time sections
and change rpms of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in
each of the plurality of time sections, based on the type of the
clothes.
[0160] Also, the controller 160 may determine a type of clothes
based on an output from at least one sensor installed in the
chamber 12a or based on information about the type of the clothes
received from an external communicator through the communicator
120. This will be described in detail, later.
[0161] According to driving of the upper blower 140 and the lower
blower 150, dust existing in clothes may be discharged into inside
air of the chamber 12a.
[0162] The inside air including the discharged dust may flow by the
upper fans 142 to enter the first upper duct 13, and the dust
included in the inside air may be collected in the dust collecting
filter 12e provided in the first upper duct 13.
[0163] Accordingly, the clothes care apparatus 1 may collect dust
existing in the inside air of the chamber 12a according to driving
of the upper blower 140.
[0164] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
determine an amount of dust included in the inside air of the
chamber 12a, and change an execution time for each of the plurality
of time sections of the dust removal course based on the determined
amount of dust.
[0165] That is, when an amount of dust included in the inside air
of the chamber 12a is small, the controller 160 according to an
embodiment may decrease an execution time of the dust removal
course. Thereby, clothes of a low degree of contamination may be
cared more quickly, and clothes of a high degree of contamination
may be cared more satisfactorily. This will be described in detail,
later.
[0166] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
control the upper heater 170 for heating air entering the inside of
the chamber 12a from above the chamber 12a by the upper fans 142
and the lower heat exchanger 180 for exchanging air entering the
inside of the chamber 12a from below the chamber 12a by the lower
fan 152 with heat to remove moisture in the air.
[0167] More specifically, the controller 160 may drive the upper
heater 170 and the lower heat exchanger 180 based on driving
information stored in the storage device 130.
[0168] That is, the controller 160 may drive the upper heater 170
for heating air entering the inside of the chamber 12a from above
the chamber 12a by the upper fans 142 in at least one time section
of the plurality of time sections of the dust removal course, and
may drive the lower heat exchanger 180 for exchanging air entering
the inside of the chamber 12a from below the chamber 12a by the
lower fan 152 with heat in at least one time section of the
plurality of time sections of the dust removal course.
[0169] That is, the controller 160 may drive at least one of the
upper heater 170 and the lower heat exchanger 180 for at least one
time section of the dust removal course to heat air entering the
inside of the chamber 12a from above the chamber 12a by the upper
fans 142 or to remove moisture from air entering the inside of the
chamber 12a from below the chamber 12a by the lower fan 152.
[0170] Accordingly, clothes hung on the hanger 30 inside the
chamber 12a may be supplied air from which moisture has been
removed, and accordingly, an adhesive force between the clothes and
dust due to moisture may be reduced, so that dust existing in the
clothes may be more efficiently removed.
[0171] The controller 160 may include at least one memory storing a
program for performing the above-described operations and
operations which will be described later, and at least one
processor for executing the stored program. When a plurality of
memories and a plurality of processors are provided, the memories
and processors may be integrated into a single chip or positioned
at physically separated locations.
[0172] FIG. 5 shows dust removal rates according to driving of the
upper blower 140 and the lower blower 150 in the clothes care
apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, and FIG.
6 shows driving information of the upper blower 140 and the lower
blower 150 in a dust removal course of the clothes care apparatus 1
according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
[0173] Referring to FIG. 5, a dust removal rate in a case of
driving only the upper blower 140 so that air enters the inside of
the chamber 12a from above the chamber 12a is compared with a dust
removal rate in a case of driving both the upper blower 140 and the
lower blower 150 so that air enters the inside of the chamber 12a
from above and below the chamber 12a.
[0174] Herein, the dust removal rate mean a removal rate of dust
existing in clothes hung on the hanger 30 in the chamber 12a. That
is, amounts of dust existing in clothes before and after the dust
removal course is performed may be compared to acquire dust removal
rates.
[0175] Referring to a graph shown in FIG. 5, it is seen that the
dust removal rate in the case of driving only the upper blower 140
is lower than the dust removal rate in the case of driving both the
upper blower 140 and the lower blower 150.
[0176] More specifically, when the rpm of the upper motor 141 is
set to 2300 rpm, a dust removal rate in the case of driving only
the upper blower 140 is 45.2%, whereas a dust removal rate in the
case of driving both the upper blower 140 and the lower blower 150
is 63.6%. Therefore, it is seen that the dust removal rate in the
case of driving both the upper blower 140 and the lower blower 150
is higher than the dust removal rate in the case of driving only
the upper blower 140. At this time, the lower blower 150 may be
driven at 1800 rpm of the lower motor 151.
[0177] The reason may be because clothes hung on the hanger 30
inside the chamber 12a move more freely due to air flows when air
enters the inside of the chamber 12a from above and below the
chamber 12a rather than when air enters the inside of the chamber
12a from above the chamber 12a.
[0178] More specifically, when air enters the inside of the chamber
12a from above the chamber 12a, clothes hung on the hanger 30
inside the chamber 12a may be limited to left and right movements
due to the flow of the air entered from above, whereas when air
enters the inside of the chamber 12a from above and below the
chamber 12a, clothes hung on the hanger 30 inside the chamber 12a
may move in left, right, up, and down directions due to the flow of
the air entered from above and below. As a result, the clothes may
move more freely.
[0179] The dust removal rate in the case of driving both the upper
blower 140 and the lower blower 150 may be higher than the dust
removal rate in the case of driving only the upper blower 140.
[0180] Also, it is confirmed from FIG. 5 that, when both the upper
blower 140 and the lower blower 150 are driven for air to enter the
inside of the chamber 12a from above and below the chamber 12a,
dust removal rates change depending on rpms of the upper motor 141
and the lower motor 151.
[0181] The reason may be because, when air enters the inside of the
chamber 12a from above and below the chamber 12a, degrees of
reinforcement and interference in flow of air entering from above
the chamber 12a are different from those in flow of air entering
from below the chamber 12a. Optimal rpms of the upper motor 141 and
the lower motor 151 for dust removal may be set by an experiment.
The rpm of the upper motor 141 may be set to be higher than that of
the lower motor 151 in consideration of dust removal through the
dust collecting filter 12e.
[0182] Accordingly, in at least one time section of the plurality
of time sections of the dust removal course, both the upper blower
140 and the lower blower 150 may be driven.
[0183] That is, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
drive both the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 to rotate
all the upper fans 142 and the lower fan 152 in at least one time
section of the plurality of time sections, and the controller 160
may drive any one of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 to
rotate any one of the upper fans 142 and the lower fan 152 in at
least one time section of the plurality of time sections.
[0184] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
change the rpm of at least one of the upper motor 141 and the lower
motor 151 when a time section changes, based on driving
information. That is, the controller 160 may set the rpm of at
least one of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in each
time section based on driving information.
[0185] As such, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
determine whether to drive the upper blower 140 and the lower
blower 150 and rpms of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151
in each time section of the plurality of time sections, based on
driving information.
[0186] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
control the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 such that at
least one time section in which both the upper motor 141 and the
lower motor 151 are driven and at least one time section in which
any one of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 is driven
appear alternately.
[0187] However, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
drive only the upper motor 141 to rotate only the upper fans 142
throughout the plurality of time sections of the dust removal
course, or may drive only the lower motor 151 to rotate only the
lower fan 152 throughout the plurality of time sections of the dust
removal course.
[0188] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
drive both the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 to rotate
all the upper fans 142 and the lower fan 152 throughout the
plurality of time sections of the dust removal course.
[0189] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
drive only the upper motor 141 to rotate only the upper fans 142 in
some time sections of the plurality of time sections of the dust
removal course, and may drive only the lower motor 151 to rotate
only the lower fan 152 in the other time sections.
[0190] Accordingly, the clothes care apparatus 1 may provide
various air flows in the dust removal course. For example, in at
least one time section of the plurality of time sections of the
dust removal course, both the upper motor 141 and the lower motor
151 may be driven so that air enters the inside of the chamber 12a
from above and below the chamber 12a, and in at least one time
section, any one of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 may
be driven so that air enters the inside of the chamber 12a from
above or below the chamber 12a.
[0191] That is, clothes located inside the chamber 12a of the
clothes care apparatus 1 may be provided various air flows
according to the control of the controller 160, and therefore, dust
existing in the clothes located inside the chamber 12a may be more
efficiently removed.
[0192] For the controller 160 to determine whether to drive the
upper blower 140 and the lower blower 150 and rpms of the upper
motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in the plurality of time sections
of the dust removal course based on driving information, the
driving information may be stored in the storage device 130.
[0193] The driving information may be stored in the storage device
130 when the clothes care apparatus 1 is manufactured. The driving
information may be received from an external communicator through
the communicator 120 to be stored in the storage device 130.
[0194] The driving information stored in the storage device 130 may
include information about the number of time sections included in
the plurality of time sections, driving time information of each of
the plurality of time sections, information about whether to drive
the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in each of the
plurality of time sections, and information about rpms of the upper
motor 141 and the lower motor 151.
[0195] More specifically, the driving information may include
information about the number of time sections included in the
plurality of time sections that are performed in the dust removal
course. That is, the driving information may include number
information for time sections included in the plurality of time
sections that are performed in the dust removal course. The
plurality of time sections may include two or more time sections,
and the number of the plurality of time sections is not
limited.
[0196] Also, the driving information may include driving time
information for each time section. The driving time information for
each time section may be information about a duration time of the
time section.
[0197] Also, the driving information may include information about
whether to drive the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in
each of the plurality of time sections. Information about whether
to drive the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 for at least
one time section may represent that both the upper motor 141 and
the lower motor 151 are driven or that any one of the upper motor
141 and the lower motor 151 is driven.
[0198] Also, the driving information may include information about
rpms of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in each of the
plurality of time sections.
[0199] Also, the driving information may include information about
rpms of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in at least one
time section for which both the upper motor 141 and the lower motor
151 are driven, and information about rpm of the upper motor 141 or
information about rpm of the lower motor 151 in at least one time
section for which any one of the upper motor 141 and the lower
motor 151 is driven.
[0200] Also, the driving information stored in the storage device
130 according to an embodiment may include information about
whether to drive the upper heater 170 and the lower heat exchanger
180 in each of the plurality of time sections.
[0201] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may control
the upper heater 170 for heating air entering the inside of the
chamber 12a from above the chamber 12a by the upper fans 142 and
the lower heat exchanger 180 for exchanging air entering the inside
of the chamber 12a from below the chamber 12a by the lower fan 152
with heat to remove moisture in the air.
[0202] More specifically, the controller 160 may drive the upper
heater 170 and the lower heat exchanger 180 based on the driving
information stored in the storage device 130.
[0203] That is, the controller 160 may drive the upper heater 170
for heating air entering the inside of the chamber 12a from above
the chamber 12a by the upper fans 142 in at least one time section
of the plurality of time sections of the dust removal course, and
drive the lower heat exchanger 180 for exchanging air entering the
inside of the chamber 12a from below the chamber 12a by the lower
fan 152 with heat to remove moisture in the air in at least one
time section of the plurality of time sections of the dust removal
course.
[0204] That is, the controller 160 may drive at least one of the
upper heater 170 and the lower heat exchanger 180 for at least one
time section of the dust removal course to heat air entering the
inside of the chamber 12a from above the chamber 12a by the upper
fans 142 or to dry air entering the inside of the chamber 12a from
below the chamber 12a by the lower fan 152.
[0205] Accordingly, clothes hung on the hanger 30 inside the
chamber 12a may be supplied air from which moisture has been
removed, and accordingly, an adhesive force between the clothes and
dust due to moisture may be reduced, so that dust existing in the
clothes may be more efficiently removed.
[0206] Referring to FIG. 6, driving information 600 may include
information about whether to drive the upper blower 140 and the
lower blower 150, information about rpms of the upper motor 141 and
the lower motor 151, and information about whether to drive the
upper heater 170 and lower heat exchanger 180, for three time
sections of the dust removal course.
[0207] More specifically, the driving information 600 may represent
that the dust removal course includes three time sections and that
the time sections appear for 5 minutes, 15 minutes, and 5 minutes,
respectively.
[0208] Also, the driving information 600 may represent that, during
a first time section, only the upper blower 140 is driven and the
upper motor 141 rotates at 2300 rpm.
[0209] Also, the driving information 600 may represent that, during
a second time section, both the upper blower 140 and the lower
blower 150 are driven, the upper motor 141 rotates at 2700 rpm, and
the lower motor 151 rotates at 1700 rpm.
[0210] Also, the driving information 600 may represent that, during
a third time section, only the upper blower 140 is driven and the
upper motor 141 rotates at 2300 rpm.
[0211] Also, the driving information 600 may represent that neither
the upper heater 170 nor the lower heat exchanger 180 are driven in
the first time section, at least one of the upper heater 170 and
the lower heat exchanger 180 is driven in the second time section,
and neither the upper heater 170 nor the lower heat exchanger 180
are driven in the third time section.
[0212] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may drive only
the upper motor 141 during the first time section to rotate the
upper motor 141 at 2300 rpm, drive both the upper motor 141 and the
lower motor 151 during the second time section to rotate the upper
motor 141 at 2700 rpm and the lower motor 151 at 1700 rpm, and
drive only the upper motor 141 during the third time section to
rotate the upper motor 141 at 2300 rpm, based on the driving
information 600.
[0213] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may drive only
the upper motor 141 to first remove dust existing in inside air of
the chamber 12a, before driving both the upper motor 141 and the
lower motor 151 to remove dust existing in clothes.
[0214] That is, the controller 160 may drive only the upper motor
141 during the first time section to remove dust existing in inside
air of the chamber 12a through the dust collecting filter 12e
provided in the first upper duct 13 through which air flowing by
the upper fans 142 passes, according to the driving information
600.
[0215] The reason may be to first remove dust existing in the
inside air of the chamber 12a, before both the upper motor 141 and
the lower motor 151 are driven to cause air to enter the inside of
the chamber 12a from above and below the chamber 12a to remove dust
existing in clothes, in order to more efficiently remove dust
existing in the clothes.
[0216] Thereby, the clothes care apparatus 1 may prevent the
clothes from being contaminated with dust existing in the inside
air of the chamber 12a, before air enters the inside of the chamber
12a from above and below the chamber 12a to remove dust existing in
the clothes.
[0217] Also, the controller 160 may drive the upper motor 141 and
the lower motor 151 in the second time section to remove dust
existing in the clothes through air entered the inside of the
chamber 12a from above and below the chamber 12a, and then again
drive the upper motor 141 in the third time section to remove dust
existing in the inside air of the chamber 12a through the dust
collecting filter 12e after the dust existing in the clothes is
removed.
[0218] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may drive
neither the upper heater 170 nor the lower heat exchanger 180 in
the first time section, drive at least one of the upper heater 170
and the lower heat exchanger 180 in the second time section, and
drive neither the upper heater 170 nor the lower heat exchanger 180
in the third time section, based on the driving information
600.
[0219] That is, the controller 160 may drive at least one of the
upper heater 170 and the lower heat exchanger 180 in the second
time section for which air enters the inside of the chamber 12a
from above and below the chamber 12a to remove dust existing in the
clothes, thereby drying the air entered the inside of the chamber
12a from above and/or below the chamber 12a.
[0220] That is, the controller 160 may drive at least one of the
upper heater 170 and the lower heat exchanger 180 for the second
time section of the dust removal course to heat air entering the
inside of the chamber 12a from above the chamber 12a by the upper
fans 142 or to dry air entering the inside of the chamber 12a from
below the chamber 12a by the lower fan 152.
[0221] Accordingly, clothes hung on the hanger 30 inside the
chamber 12a may be supplied air from which moisture has been
removed, and accordingly, an adhesive force between the clothes and
dust due to moisture may be reduced, so that dust existing in the
clothes may be more efficiently removed.
[0222] However, the driving information 600 shown in FIG. 6 is an
example of driving information, and the number of time sections, a
driving time of each time section, whether to drive the upper
blower 140 and the lower blower 150 for each time section, rpms of
the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 for each time section,
and whether to drive the upper heater 170 and the lower heat
exchanger 180 for each time section may be provided variously
according to an experiment.
[0223] FIG. 7A shows a dust distribution when the dust collecting
filter 12e does not exist in the clothes care apparatus 1 according
to an embodiment of the disclosure, and FIG. 7B shows a dust
distribution when the dust collecting filter 12e exists in the
clothes care apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the
disclosure.
[0224] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may drive both
the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in at least time
section of the plurality of time sections. Accordingly, the upper
fans 142 and the lower fan 152 may rotate so that air enters the
inside of the chamber 12a from above and below the chamber 12a.
[0225] That is, the upper fans 142 may receive a rotatory force
from the upper motor 141 to move air in the down direction of the
chamber 12a, and the lower fan 152 may receive a rotatory force
from the lower motor 151 to move air in the up direction of the
chamber 12a.
[0226] Also, the controller 160 may drive any one of the upper
motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in at least one time section of
the plurality of time sections. Accordingly, the upper fans 142 or
the lower fan 152 may rotate so that air enters the inside of the
chamber 12a from above or below the chamber 12a.
[0227] As air enters the inside of the chamber 12a from above and
below the chamber 12a, clothes hung on the hanger 30 inside the
chamber 12a may move freely according to the flow of the air, and
dust existing in the clothes may be removed according to the free
movements of the clothes.
[0228] As the dust existing in the clothes is removed, inside air
of the chamber 12a may be contaminated with the dust shook off from
the clothes. Accordingly, when the dust existing in the inside air
of the chamber 12a is not removed, the dust may be again gathered
on the clothes.
[0229] Also, when the door 20 is opened, a user may be exposed to
the dust existing in the inside air of the chamber 12a, and in this
case, air of a space where the clothes care apparatus 1 is
installed may be contaminated.
[0230] Accordingly, the clothes care apparatus 1 may include the
dust collecting filter 12e for collecting dust existing in the
inside air of the chamber 12a in the inside of the chamber 12a.
[0231] Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, it is confirmed that an amount
of dust in the chamber 12a measured when the dust collecting filter
12e is installed in the inside of the clothes care apparatus 1 is
lower than an amount of dust in the chamber 12a measured when the
dust collecting filter 12e is not installed in the inside of the
clothes care apparatus 1.
[0232] More specifically, FIG. 7A is a graph showing an amount of
dust in the chamber 12a when the dust collecting filter 12e is not
installed in the inside of the clothes care apparatus 1. Referring
to FIG. 7A, it is confirmed that, when dust existing in clothes is
removed by the flow of air, various sizes of dust may be generated
to increase an amount of dust in the chamber 12a, and it takes a
predetermined time to reduce the amount of dust in the chamber
12a.
[0233] FIG. 7B is a graph showing an amount of dust in the chamber
12a when the dust collecting filter 12e is installed in the inside
of the clothes care apparatus 1. Referring to FIG. 7B, it is
confirmed that, when dust is removed by the flow of air, an amount
of dust in the chamber 12a is reduced as soon as it increases. That
is, it is confirmed that a time taken for an amount of dust in the
chamber 12a to be reduced when the dust collecting filter 12e is
installed is not longer than that taken for an amount of dust in
the chamber 12a to be reduced when the dust collecting filter 12e
is not installed.
[0234] The dust collecting filter 12e may be positioned at the
first inlet 12d of the first upper duct 13 through which air
flowing by the upper fans 142 moves, and collect dust in the air
passing through the first upper duct 13.
[0235] More specifically, in the rear portion of the chamber 12a,
the first inlet 12d may be formed to cause inside air of the
chamber 12a to enter the upper ducts 13 and 14. In the front or
rear area of the first inlet 12d, the dust collecting filter 12e
for collecting foreign materials such as dust may be installed.
[0236] Inside air of the chamber 12a including dust may flow by the
upper fans 142 to enter the first upper duct 13, and dust in the
air passing through the first upper duct 13 may be collected by the
dust collecting filter 12e installed at the first inlet 12d.
[0237] That is, dust removed from clothes by air flow and included
in the inside air of the chamber 12a may be collected by the dust
collecting filter 12e and removed. Thereby, the inside air of the
chamber 12a may be prevented from including a large amount of dust,
and also, dust removed from clothes may be prevented from being
again gathered on the clothes or from being discharged to the
outside of the chamber 12a when the door 20 is opened.
[0238] FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of the clothes care
apparatus 1 according to another embodiment of the disclosure.
[0239] Referring to FIG. 8, the clothes care apparatus 1 according
to an embodiment may further include a weight sensor 210 positioned
in the inside of the chamber 12a to measure a weight of clothes
hung on the hanger 30 located in the chamber 12a, and a camera 220
positioned in the inside of the chamber 12a to photograph the
inside of the chamber 12a.
[0240] More specifically, the weight sensor 210 according to an
embodiment may be positioned at the top hanging portion 31a of the
hanger 30. Therefore, the weight sensor 210 may measure a weight of
clothes hung on the hanger 30. However, the position of the weight
sensor 210 is not limited to this, and the weight sensor 210 may be
positioned at any other location at which a weight of clothes hung
on the hanger 30 may be measured.
[0241] The camera 220 according to an embodiment may be positioned
on one surface of the door 20 to photograph the inside of the
chamber 12a. Therefore, the camera 220 may photograph clothes hung
on the hanger 30 in the inside of the chamber 12a. However, the
location of the camera 220 is not limited to this, and the camera
220 may be positioned at any other location at which it may
photograph clothes hung on the hanger 30. Also, FIG. 8 shows a
single camera, however, the clothes care apparatus 1 may include a
plurality of cameras installed at different locations in the inside
of the chamber 12a.
[0242] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may determine
a type of clothes based on an output from at least one of the
weight sensor 210 and the camera 220.
[0243] More specifically, the controller 160 may determine at least
one of a weight, length, and material of clothes hung on the hanger
30 based on an output from the weight sensor 210 and the camera
220.
[0244] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
receive information about a type of clothes hung on the hanger 30
based on at least one of a weight, length, and material of the
clothes, from an external communicator through the communicator
120.
[0245] That is, the communicator 120 according to an embodiment may
receive information about a type of clothes located in the clothes
care apparatus 1 from an external communicator. More specifically,
a user may input information about a type of clothes put in the
clothes care apparatus 1 to the external communicator, and the
input information about the type of clothes may be transferred to
the clothes care apparatus 1 from the external communicator through
the communicator 120.
[0246] Accordingly, the controller 160 may determine a type of the
clothes hung on the hanger 30 according to a weight, length, and
material of the clothes based on the information about the type of
the clothes received through the communicator 120.
[0247] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may determine
whether to drive the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 and
change rpms of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151, in each
of the plurality of time sections, based on the type of the clothes
according to the weight, length, and material of the clothes.
[0248] For example, when the controller 160 determines that at
least one of the weight and length of the clothes is greater than
or equal to an upper limit, the controller 160 may increase the
number of time sections from predetermined driving information and
increase rpms of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in
each time section.
[0249] Also, when the controller 160 determines that at least one
of the weight and length of the clothes is less than a lower limit,
the controller 160 may decrease the number of time section from the
predetermined driving information and decrease the rpms of the
upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in each time section.
[0250] However, the above-described example is an embodiment, and
the controller 160 may determine whether to drive the upper motor
141 and the lower motor 151 and change rpms of the upper motor 141
and the lower motor 151, in each of the plurality of time sections,
based on a type of clothes according to a weight, length, and
material of the clothes.
[0251] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may drive at
least one of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in each
time section based on the determination on whether to drive the
upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 and the changed rpms of the
upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151. Therefore, the clothes
care apparatus 1 according to an embodiment may more efficiently
remove dust existing in the clothes based on the type of the
clothes.
[0252] Also, the clothes care apparatus 1 according to an
embodiment may further include a dust measuring sensor 230
positioned in the inside of the chamber 12a to measure an amount of
dust included in the inside air of the chamber 12a.
[0253] The dust measuring sensor 230 according to an embodiment may
be positioned above the first inlet 12d through which inside air of
the chamber 12a flows. However, the dust measuring sensor 230 may
be positioned at any other location at which it may measure an
amount of dust in the inside air of the chamber 12a.
[0254] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may determine
an amount of dust included in the inside air of the chamber 12a
based on an output from the dust measuring sensor 230. That is, the
controller 160 may determine an amount of dust included in the
inside air of the chamber 12a when the dust removal course is
performed.
[0255] The controller 160 may change an execution time of each of
the plurality of time sections of the dust removal course based on
the determined amount of dust included in the inside air of the
chamber 12a.
[0256] When the amount of dust included in the inside air of the
chamber 12a is reduced to a predetermined threshold value or less,
the controller 160 according to an embodiment may reduce an
execution time of the dust removal course. That is, the controller
160 may reduce an execution time of each of the plurality of time
sections of the dust removal course to thereby reduce the entire
execution time of the dust removal course.
[0257] That is, in the case of clothes of a low degree of
contamination, an amount of dust removed from the clothes when the
dust removal course is performed may be small, and accordingly, an
amount of dust included in the inside air of the chamber 12a may
also be small. In this case, the controller 160 may determine that
an amount of dust included in the inside air of the chamber 12a is
less than the predetermined threshold value, and reduce an
execution time of the dust removal course.
[0258] Therefore, clothes with a low degree of contamination may be
cared more quickly, and clothes with a high degree of contamination
may be cared more satisfactorily.
[0259] Also, the clothes care apparatus 1 according to an
embodiment may further include a side fan (not shown) located on a
side surface of the chamber 12a and a side motor (not shown) for
rotating the side fan (not shown) to cause air to enter the inside
of the chamber 12a from the side of the chamber 12a.
[0260] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may drive all
of the upper motor 141, the lower motor 151, and the side motor
(not shown) for at least one time section of the plurality of time
sections, and drive at least one of the upper motor 141, the lower
motor 151, and the side motor (not shown) for at least one time
section of the plurality of time sections, based on driving
information.
[0261] The driving information stored in the storage device 130 may
include information about the number of time sections of the
plurality of time sections, information about a driving time of
each of the plurality of time sections, information about whether
to drive the upper motor 141, the lower motor 151, and the side
motor (not shown) in each of the plurality of time sections, and
information about rpms of the upper motor 141, the lower motor 151,
and the side motor (not shown).
[0262] Because the clothes care apparatus 1 according to an
embodiment includes the side fan (not shown) and the side motor
(not shown), a flow of air entering the inside of the chamber 12a
from the side of the chamber 12a, in addition of a flow of air
entering the inside of the chamber 12a from above and below the
chamber 12a by the upper fan 142 and the lower fan 152, may be
provided to clothes.
[0263] Therefore, flows of air may be provided in various
directions to clothes hung on the hanger 30 in the chamber 12a, and
accordingly, the clothes may move freely. As a result, as the
clothes move freely, dust existing in the clothes may be more
efficiently removed.
[0264] Hereinafter, a control method of the clothes care apparatus
1 according to an embodiment will be described. The control method
of the clothes care apparatus 1 which will be described below may
be applied to the clothes care apparatus 1 according to the
above-described embodiment. Accordingly, descriptions given above
with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8 will also be applied in the same way
to the control method of the clothes care apparatus 1 according to
an embodiment although specifically not stated.
[0265] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a process of controlling the
upper blower 140 and the lower blower 150 in a control method of
the clothes care apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the
disclosure.
[0266] Referring to FIG. 9, the controller 160 of the clothes care
apparatus 1 according to an embodiment may drive any one of the
upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in a first time section
based on stored driving information, in operation 910.
[0267] More specifically, the controller 160 according to an
embodiment may drive any one of the upper motor 141 and the lower
motor 151 to rotate any one of the upper fans 142 and the lower fan
152 in the first time section which is at least one time section of
a plurality of time sections.
[0268] Therefore, air may enter the inside of the chamber 12a from
above or below the chamber 12a, and clothes hung on the hanger 30
may move by a flow of the air. As the clothes moves by the flow of
the air, dust existing in the clothes may be removed, and the dust
removed from the clothes may be collected by the dust collecting
filter 12e on the first upper duct 13 through which air flowing by
the upper fans 142 passes.
[0269] Also, when the first time section has elapsed ("YES" in
operation 920), the controller 160 of the clothes care apparatus 1
according to an embodiment may drive both the upper motor 141 and
the lower motor 151 in a second time section based on the stored
driving information, in operation 930. When the second time section
has elapsed ("YES" in operation 940), the controller 160 may
terminate a dust removal course.
[0270] More specifically, the controller 160 according to an
embodiment may drive both the upper motor 141 and the lower motor
151 to rotate all the upper fans 142 and the lower fan 152 in the
second time section which is at least one time section of the
plurality of time sections.
[0271] Therefore, air may enter the inside of the chamber 12a from
above and below the chamber 12a, and clothes hung on the hanger 30
may move by a flow of the air. As the clothes moves by the flow of
the air, dust existing in the clothes may be removed, and the dust
removed from the clothes may be collected by the dust collecting
filter 12e on the first upper duct 13 through which air flowing by
the upper fan 142 passes.
[0272] Also, when a time section changes based on driving
information, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
change rpm of at least one of the upper motor 141 and the lower
motor 151. That is, the controller 160 may set rpm of at least one
of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in each time section
based on driving information.
[0273] As such, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
determine whether to drive the upper blower 140 and the lower
blower 150 and rpms of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151
in each of the plurality of time sections based on driving
information.
[0274] Accordingly, the clothes care apparatus 1 may provide
various flows of air in the dust removal course. For example, in at
least one time section of the plurality of time sections of the
dust removal course, both the upper motor 141 and the lower motor
151 may be driven to cause air to enter the inside of the chamber
12a from above and below the chamber 12a, and in at least one time
section, any one of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 may
be driven to cause air to enter the inside of the chamber 12a from
above or below the chamber 12a.
[0275] That is, clothes located in the inside of the chamber 12a of
the clothes care apparatus 1 may be provided various flows of air
according to the control of the controller 160, and therefore, dust
existing in the clothes located in the inside of the chamber 12a
may be more efficiently removed.
[0276] For the controller 160 to determine whether to drive the
upper blower 140 and the lower blower 150 and rpms of the upper
motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in the plurality of time sections
of the dust removal course based on driving information, the
driving information may be stored in the storage device 130.
[0277] The driving information may be stored in the storage device
130 when the clothes care apparatus 1 is manufactured. The driving
information may be received from an external communicator through
the communicator 120 to be stored in the storage device 130.
[0278] The driving information stored in the storage device 130 may
include information about the number of time sections included in
the plurality of time sections, driving time information of each of
the plurality of time sections, information about whether to drive
the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in each of the
plurality of time sections, and information about rpms of the upper
motor 141 and the lower motor 151.
[0279] More specifically, the driving information may include
information about the number of time sections included in the
plurality of time sections that are performed in the dust removal
course. That is, the driving information may include number
information for time sections included in the plurality of time
sections that are performed in the dust removal course. The
plurality of time sections may include two or more time sections,
and the number of the plurality of time sections is not
limited.
[0280] Also, the driving information may include driving time
information for each of the plurality of time sections. The driving
time information for each of the plurality of time sections may be
information about a time for which each of the plurality of time
sections appears.
[0281] Also, the driving information may include information about
whether to drive the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in
each of the plurality of time sections. Information about whether
to drive the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 for at least
one time section may represent that both the upper motor 141 and
the lower motor 151 are driven or that any one of the upper motor
141 and the lower motor 151 is driven.
[0282] Also, the driving information may include information about
rpms of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in each of the
plurality of time sections.
[0283] That is, the driving information may include information
about rpms of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in at
least one time section for which both the upper motor 141 and the
lower motor 151 are driven, and information about rpm of the upper
motor 141 or information about rpm of the lower motor 151 in at
least one time section for which any one of the upper motor 141 and
the lower motor 151 is driven.
[0284] Also, the driving information stored in the storage device
130 according to an embodiment may include information about
whether to drive the upper heater 170 and the lower heat exchanger
180 in each of the plurality of time sections.
[0285] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may control
the upper heater 170 for heating air entering the inside of the
chamber 12a from above the chamber 12a by the upper fans 142 and
the lower heat exchanger 180 for exchanging heat with air entering
the inside of the chamber 12a from below the chamber 12a by the
lower fan 152 to remove moisture in the air.
[0286] More specifically, the controller 160 may drive the upper
heater 170 and the lower heat exchanger 180 based on the driving
information stored in the storage device 130.
[0287] That is, the controller 160 may drive at least one of the
upper heater 170 and the lower heat exchanger 180 for at least one
time section of the dust removal course to heat air entering the
inside of the chamber 12a from above the chamber 12a by the upper
fans 142 or to dry air entering the inside of the chamber 12a from
below the chamber 12a by the lower fan 152.
[0288] Accordingly, clothes hung on the hanger 30 inside the
chamber 12a may be supplied air from which moisture has been
removed, and accordingly, an adhesive force between the clothes and
dust due to moisture may be reduced, so that dust existing in the
clothes may be more efficiently removed.
[0289] In FIG. 9, a case in which the first time section for which
any one of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 is driven is
earlier than the second time section for which both the upper motor
141 and the lower motor 151 are driven is shown. However, the
second time section for which both the upper motor 141 and the
lower motor 151 are driven may be earlier than the first time
section for which any one of the upper motor 141 and the lower
motor 151 is driven.
[0290] Also, in FIG. 9, a case in which the plurality of time
sections of the dust removal course is configured with the first
time section and the second time section is shown. However, the
dust removal course may be configured with a plurality of time
sections including two or more time sections in which different
determinations on whether to drive the upper motor 141 and the
lower motor 151 are made and the upper motor 141 and the lower
motor 151 are set to different rpms.
[0291] However, the plurality of time sections may include the
first time section in which any one of the upper motor 141 and the
lower motor 151 is driven and the second time section in which both
the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 are driven.
[0292] That is, the plurality of time sections may include at least
one first time section in which any one of the upper motor 141 and
the second motor 151 is driven and at least one second time section
in which both the upper motor 141 and the second motor 151 are
driven.
[0293] In this case, the controller 160 according to an embodiment
may control the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 such that
the at least one first time section and the at least one second
time section appear alternately.
[0294] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a process of controlling the
upper blower 140 and the lower blower 150 in a control method of
the clothes care apparatus 1 according to another embodiment of the
disclosure.
[0295] Referring to FIG. 10, the controller 160 of the clothes care
apparatus 1 according to an embodiment may control the upper blower
140 and the lower blower 150 based on the driving information 600
exemplified in FIG. 6.
[0296] The driving information 600 may include information about
whether to drive the upper blower 140 and the lower blower 150,
information about rpms of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor
151, and information about whether to drive the upper heater 170
and the lower heat exchanger 180, for three time sections of a dust
removal course.
[0297] More specifically, the driving information 600 may represent
that the dust removal course includes three time sections and the
time sections appear for 5 minutes, 15 minutes, and 5 minutes,
respectively.
[0298] Also, the driving information 600 may represent that, during
a first time section, only the upper blower 140 is driven and the
upper motor 141 rotates at 2300 rpm.
[0299] Also, the driving information 600 may represent that, during
a second time section, both the upper blower 140 and the lower
blower 150 are driven, the upper motor 141 rotates at 2700 rpm, and
the lower motor 151 rotates at 1700 rpm.
[0300] Also, the driving information 600 may represent that, during
a third time section, only the upper blower 140 is driven and the
upper motor 141 rotates at 2300 rpm.
[0301] Also, the driving information 600 may represent that neither
the upper heater 170 nor the lower heat exchanger 180 are driven in
the first time section, at least one of the upper heater 170 and
the lower heat exchanger 180 is driven in the second time section,
and neither the upper heater 170 nor the lower heat exchanger 180
are driven in the third time section.
[0302] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may drive the
upper motor 141 in the first time section based on the stored
driving information 600, in operation 1010.
[0303] More specifically, the controller 160 may drive only the
upper motor 141 such that the upper motor 141 rotates at 2300 rpm
for an execution time of 5 minutes corresponding to the first time
section.
[0304] When the first time section has elapsed ("YES" in operation
1020), the controller 160 according to an embodiment may drive at
least one of the upper heater 170 and the lower heat exchanger 180,
in operation 1030.
[0305] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
drive both the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in the
second time section based on the stored driving information 600, in
operation 1040.
[0306] More specifically, the controller 160 may drive both the
upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 for an execution time of 15
minutes corresponding to the second time section such that the
upper motor 141 rotates at 2700 rpm and the lower motor 151 rotates
at 1700 rpm.
[0307] That is, the controller 160 may drive both the upper motor
141 and the lower motor 151 in the second time section of the dust
removal course to cause air to enter the inside of the chamber 12a
from above and below the chamber 12a.
[0308] Also, the controller 160 may drive at least one of the upper
heater 170 and the lower heat exchanger 180 for the second time
section of the dust removal course to dry at least one of air
entering the inside of the chamber 12a from above the chamber 12a
by the upper fans 142 and air entering the inside of the chamber
12a from below the chamber 12a by the lower fan 152.
[0309] Therefore, clothes hung on the hanger 30 inside the chamber
12a may be supplied air from which moisture has been removed, and
accordingly, an adhesive force between the clothes and dust due to
moisture may be reduced, so that dust existing in the clothes may
be more efficiently removed.
[0310] When the second time section has elapsed ("YES" in operation
1050), the controller 160 according to an embodiment may control
the upper heater 170 and the lower heat exchanger 180 to be not
driven, in operation 1060.
[0311] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
drive the upper motor 141 in the third time section based on the
stored driving information 600, in operation 1070.
[0312] More specifically, the controller 160 may drive only the
upper motor 141 for the third time section such that the upper
motor 141 rotates at 2300 rpm.
[0313] When the third time section has elapsed ("YES" in operation
1080), the controller 160 may terminate the dust removal
course.
[0314] However, the control method of the clothes care apparatus 1
based on the driving information 600, as shown in FIG. 10, is an
example, and the number of time sections, a driving time of each
time section, whether to drive the upper blower 140 and the lower
blower 150 for each time section, rpms of the upper motor 141 and
the lower motor 151 for each time section, and whether to drive the
upper heater 170 and the lower heat exchanger 180 for each time
section may be provided variously according to an experiment.
[0315] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a process of determining a
type of clothes accommodated in the chamber 12a to control the
upper blower 140 and the lower blower 150, in a control method of
the clothes care apparatus 1 according to another embodiment of the
disclosure.
[0316] Referring to FIG. 11, the controller 160 of the clothes care
apparatus 1 according to an embodiment may determine a type of
clothes inside the chamber 12a, in operation 1110.
[0317] More specifically, the controller 160 may determine a type
of clothes hung on the hanger 30 inside the chamber 12a based on an
output from at least one sensor provided inside the chamber 12a and
information about the type of the clothes received from an external
communicator through the communicator 120.
[0318] The clothes care apparatus 1 according to an embodiment may
further include the weight sensor 210 positioned in the inside of
the chamber 12a to measure a weight of clothes hung on the hanger
30 located in the chamber 12a, and the camera 220 positioned in the
inside of the chamber 12a to photograph the inside of the chamber
12a.
[0319] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may determine
a type of clothes based on an output from at least one of the
weight sensor 210 and the camera 220.
[0320] More specifically, the controller 160 may determine a
weight, length, and material of clothes hung on the hanger 30 based
on outputs from the weight sensor 210 and the camera 220.
[0321] Also, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
receive information about a type of the clothes based on a weight,
length, and material of the clothes hung on the hanger 30, from an
external communicator through the communicator 120.
[0322] That is, the communicator 120 according to an embodiment may
receive information about a type of clothes located in the clothes
care apparatus 1 from an external communicator. More specifically,
a user may input information about a type of clothes put in the
clothes care apparatus 1 to the external communicator, and the
input information about the type of clothes may be transferred to
the clothes care apparatus 1 from the external communicator through
the communicator 120.
[0323] Accordingly, the controller 160 may determine a type of the
clothes hung on the hanger 30 according to a weight, length, and
material of the clothes based on the information about the type of
clothes received through the communicator 120.
[0324] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may determine
whether to drive the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 and
change rpms of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151, in each
of the plurality of time sections, based on the type of the
clothes, in operation 1120.
[0325] That is, the controller 160 according to an embodiment may
determine whether to drive the upper motor 141 and the lower motor
151 and change rpms of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151,
in each of the plurality of time sections, based on a type of
clothes according to a weight, length, and material of the
clothes.
[0326] For example, when the controller 160 determines that at
least one of the weight and length of the clothes is greater than
or equal to an upper limit, the controller 160 may increase the
number of time sections from predetermined driving information and
increase rpms of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in
each time section.
[0327] Also, when the controller 160 determines that at least one
of the weight and length of the clothes is less than a lower limit,
the controller 160 may decrease the number of time sections from
the predetermined driving information, and decrease the rpms of the
upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in each time section.
[0328] However, the above-described example is an embodiment, and
the controller 160 may determine whether to drive the upper motor
141 and the lower motor 151 and change rpms of the upper motor 141
and the lower motor 151, in each of the plurality of time sections,
based on a type of clothes according to a weight, length and
material of the clothes.
[0329] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may drive at
least one of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151, in each
time section, based on the determination on whether to drive the
upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 and the changed rpms of the
upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151, in operation 1130.
Therefore, the clothes care apparatus 1 according to an embodiment
may more efficiently remove dust existing in the clothes based on
the type of the clothes.
[0330] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a process of adjusting an
execution time of a dust removal course of the clothes care
apparatus 1, in a control method of the clothes care apparatus 1
according to another embodiment of the disclosure.
[0331] Referring to FIG. 12, the controller 160 of the clothes care
apparatus 1 according to an embodiment may determine an amount of
dust in the chamber 12a, in operation 1210.
[0332] More specifically, the controller 160 may determine an
amount of dust in the chamber 12a based on an output from the dust
measuring sensor 230 positioned in the inside of the chamber 12a to
measure an amount of dust included in the inside air of the chamber
12a. That is, the controller 160 may determine an amount of dust
included in the inside air of the chamber 12a when the dust removal
course is performed.
[0333] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may change an
execution time for each of the plurality of time sections based on
the determined amount of dust included in the inside air of the
chamber 12a, in operation 1220. That is, the controller 160 may
change an execution time for each of the plurality of time sections
of the dust removal course based on an amount of dust included in
the inside air of the chamber 12a.
[0334] More specifically, when the amount of dust in the inside air
of the chamber 12a is reduced to a predetermined threshold value or
less, the controller 160 may reduce an execution time of the dust
removal course. That is, the controller 160 may reduce an execution
time of each of the plurality of time section of the dust removal
course to thereby reduce the entire execution time of the dust
removal course.
[0335] That is, in the case of clothes of a low degree of
contamination, an amount of dust removed from the clothes when the
dust removal course is performed may be small, and accordingly, an
amount of dust included in the inside air of the chamber 12a may
also be small. In this case, the controller 160 may determine that
an amount of dust included in the inside air of the chamber 12a is
less than the predetermined threshold value, and reduce an
execution time of the dust removal course.
[0336] The controller 160 according to an embodiment may drive at
least one of the upper motor 141 and the lower motor 151 in each
time section based on the changed execution time, in operation
1230.
[0337] Therefore, clothes of a low degree of contamination may be
cared more quickly, and clothes of a high degree of contamination
may be cared more satisfactorily.
[0338] The clothes care apparatus and the control method thereof
according to an aspect may remove dust gathered on clothes and
collect dust existing in the inside air of the chamber.
[0339] Meanwhile, the disclosed embodiments may be implemented in
the form of a recording medium that stores instructions executable
by a computer. The instructions may be stored in the form of
program codes, and when executed by a processor, the instructions
may create a program module to perform operations of the disclosed
embodiments. The recording medium may be implemented as a
computer-readable recording medium.
[0340] The computer-readable recording medium may include all kinds
of recording media storing instructions that can be interpreted by
a computer. For example, the computer-readable recording medium may
be ROM, RAM, a magnetic tape, a magnetic disc, a flash memory, an
optical data storage device, etc.
[0341] Although a few embodiments of the present disclosure 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 disclosure, the
scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
[0342] Although the present disclosure has been described with
various embodiments, various changes and modifications may be
suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the
present disclosure encompass such changes and modifications as fall
within the scope of the appended claims
* * * * *