CLOTHES TREATING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME
A clothes treating apparatus and a method for controlling the same can prevent a safety incident caused by steam and hot air and improve the safety of the clothes treating apparatus by preventing the door from being opened and closed randomly in the steam step and the dry step.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clothes treating apparatus and a method for controlling the same, and more particularly, to a clothes treating apparatus, which can improve the safety of the clothes treating apparatus, and a method for controlling the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, a clothes treating apparatus is an apparatus for regenerating clothes. That is, the clothes treating apparatus performs the function of removing creases and smells of clothes kept inside using stream and hot air.
Such a clothes treating apparatus firstly supplies steam into a casing to treat clothes, and then supplies dry air into the casing to dry the clothes. Hence, the clothes treating apparatus has the advantage of clothes ironing effect, as well as reducing the number of washing times by eliminating contamination sources on clothes.
However, the clothes treating apparatus according to the prior art uses steam and hot air upon regenerating clothes, and this may lead to the problem of a safety incident caused by high-temperature steam and hot air in the event a user arbitrarily opens the door provided on the casing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide a clothes treating apparatus, which can prevent a safety incident caused by steam and hot air and improve safety by preventing the door from being opened and closed randomly in the operation of the clothes treating apparatus, and a method for controlling the same.
Additionally, it is another object of the present invention to provide a clothes treating apparatus, which can prevent a safety incident and improve safety by restrictively supplying steam or hot air as the door is opened and closed in the operation of the clothes treating apparatus, and can put or take out clothes in or from the clothes treating apparatus at any time.
In an aspect of the present invention, a clothes treating apparatus comprises: a casing having a clothes treating space and a doorway, through which clothes are put into and taken out of the clothes treatment space—; a clothes treatment device that treats clothes disposed within the clothes treatment space; a door that opens and closes the doorway; an opening and closing detection sensor that detects the opening and closing of the door; and a controller that stops a certain operation of the clothes treatment device when the opening of the door is detected by the opening and closing detection sensor.
In another aspect of the present invention, a clothes treating apparatus comprises: a casing having a clothes treatment space and a doorway, through which clothes are put into and taken out of the clothes treatment space; a clothes treatment device that treats clothes disposed within the clothes treatment space; a door that opens and closes the doorway; a locking device that locks the door to the casing; and a controller that locks the door to the casing using the locking device during a certain operation of the clothes treatment device.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a clothes treating apparatus comprises: a casing having a doorway, through which clothes are put in and taken out, and defining a clothes treatment space where clothes are kept; a door for opening and closing the doorway; a locking device for locking the door to the casing; and a control unit for locking the door by operating the locking device if the temperature of the clothes treatment space is higher than a set temperature.
In still another aspect of the present invention, A method for controlling a clothes treating apparatus, the clothes treating apparatus comprising a casing having a clothes treatment space and a doorway, through which clothes are put into and taken out of the clothes treatment space and a door that opens and closes the doorway, the method comprising: treating clothes disposed in the clothes treatment space by operating a clothes treatment device; and locking the door using a locking device during the clothes treating step.
In still another aspect of the present invention, A method for controlling a clothes treating apparatus, the clothes treating apparatus comprising a casing having a clothes treatment space and a doorway, through which clothes are put into and taken out of the clothes treatment space and a door that opens and closes the doorway, the method comprising: treating clothes disposed in the clothes treatment space by operating a clothes treatment device; and stopping a certain operation of the clothes treatment device by a controller if an opening and closing detection sensor detects that the door is opened during the clothes treating step.
The clothes treating apparatus and method for controlling the same according to the present invention can prevent a safety incident caused by steam and hot air and improve the safety of the clothes treating apparatus by preventing the door from being opened and closed randomly in the steam step and the dry step.
Furthermore, the method for controlling the clothes treating apparatus according to the present invention can prevent a safety incident and improve safety by repeating the stopping and re-operating of the dry air supply device or the steam supply device as the door is opened and closed in the preheating step and the cooling step.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:
Referring to
An opening and closing sensor 113 for detecting the opening and closing of the door 112 is disposed on the door 112 and the outer casing 110. The opening and closing sensor 113 includes a first contact 113a formed on the back face of the door 112 and a second contact 113b formed on the front face of the outer casing so as to correspond to the first contact 113a. Anode power and cathode power are supplied to the first contact 113a and the second contact 113b, respectively. Thus, the opening and closing of the door 112 is detected depending upon the presence of current passing through the first and second contacts 113a and 113b. However, the opening and closing sensor 113 is not limited to this embodiment, but various structures may be applied. For instance, a contact switch disposed at a detachable region of at least one of the door 112 and the outer casing 110 or a position sensor for detecting the position coordinate of the door 112 may be used.
A locking device 114 for restraining the operation of the door 112 upon closing the door 112 is disposed on the door 112 and the outer casing 110. The locking device 114 includes a door latch 114a formed on the back face of the door 112 and a door switch 114b formed on the front face of the outer casing 110 so as to correspond to the door latch 114a. The door latch 114a is inserted into the door switch 114b upon closing the door 112. The door switch 114b provides a latching force of a predetermined intensity upon inserting the door latch 114a, and if necessary, holds the door latch 114a so as to avoid the door latch 114a from being separated. Of course, this embodiment is not limited to the locking device 114, but various structures may be applied.
A control panel 116 having an operating portion 115 for allowing a user to directly operate the clothes treating apparatus is disposed on at least one of the door 112 and the outer casing 110.
Referring to
Both opposite ends of a hanger 126 disposed in a lateral direction within the clothes treatment space 125 are fixed to the both side portions 121. An air outlet 127 for discharging air or moisture within the clothes treatment space 125 is formed at the rear side of the top portion 122. A condensing chamber 129 is formed between the back portion 124 and the outer casing 110. An air inlet 128 is formed at a lower part of the back portion 124 for introducing air of the condensing chamber 129 to the clothes treatment space 125.
The condensing chamber 129 is a space in which wet air introduced through the air outlet 127 is condensed as it falls. Hence, the upper part of the condensing chamber 129 is connected to communicate with the air inlet 128, and the lower part of the condensing chamber 129 is connected to communicate with the air inlet 128. The air discharged through the air outlet 127 is dry air or wet air. By the way, when wet air is introduced to the condensing chamber 129 through the air outlet 127, the wet air is condensed as it is heat-exchanged with outdoor air of a relatively low temperature by using the outer casing 110 as a heat exchange medium. The outer casing 110 is formed of a material having a high heat conductivity, such as steel or aluminum, in order to improve heat exchange performance with wet air.
Optionally, a humidity sensor 130 for detecting a humidity within the clothes treatment space 125 may be disposed at one side of the inner surface of the inner casing 120.
Referring to
Referring to
The drainage tank 162 includes a storage unit 163 for collecting the water introduced from the steam housing 142. A drainage flow path 148 connects the steam housing 142 and the drainage tank 162. As a water discharge valve 149 is placed on the drainage flow path 148, the water discharge valve 149 is opened and closed by a control signal of the control unit (not shown). Also, the drainage tank 162 may be installed so as to be attachable to and detachable from the outer casing 110 of the clothes treating apparatus 100. The drainage tank 162 may be placed in a drawer type at the bottom of the outer casing 110. A grip hole 162b may be formed on the drainage tank 162 for allowing a user to put his or her hand in and pull out. Therefore, in a case where the amount of water collected in the storage unit 163 reaches a saturated state, or the water in the drainage tank 162 is neglected for a predetermined period of time so that there is a concern of bacterial growth or the like, the user can easily empty the drainage tank 162 by putting his or her hand in the grip hole 162b and pulling out. Further, since the condensing space and the clothes treatment space are connected to the drainage tank 162, a condensate water condensed is also introduced into the drainage tank 162. A separate on-off valve may be placed on a flow path 178 connecting the condensing space and the clothes treatment space to the drainage tank 162.
Referring to
In other words, the dry air supply device 150 includes a dry housing 151 forming an air flow path between the air inlet 128 and the clothes treatment space 125, a blower fan 152 disposed within the dry housing 151 to suck the air in the condensing chamber 129 through the air inlet 128 and then discharge it into the clothes treatment space 125, and a dry heater (not shown) for heating the air discharged to the clothes treatment space 125 by the blower fan 152.
The dry housing 151 is a duct-shaped member storing the blower fan 152 and the dry heater therein. One end of the dry housing 151 is connected so as to communicate with the air inlet 128, and the other side of the dry housing 151 is disposed within the clothes treating space 125. A discharge opening 153 for discharging dry air into the clothes treatment space 125 is disposed at the other side of the dry housing 151.
Referring to
Referring to
In the steam step S, steam is supplied into the clothes treatment space 125 by the steam supply device 140 to regenerate clothes hung on a hanger 126 within the clothes treatment space 125. In other words, when water is supplied from the water tank 141 into the steam housing 142 of the steam supply device 140, the water in the steam housing 142 is heated by the steam heater 143 and phase-changed into steam, and the steam is supplied into the clothes treatment space 125. Accordingly, the steam can remove contaminants on the clothes and smooth out creases on the clothes.
In the dry step D, upon finishing the steam step S, dry air is supplied into the clothes treatment space 125 by the dry air supply device 150 to dry the clothes hung on the hanger 126 of the clothes treatment space 125. In other words, when the blower fan 152 of the dry air supply device 150 is operated, dry air is introduced through the air inlet 128, and the dry air is heated by a dry heater, turns into a high temperature dry air, and is discharged into the clothes treatment space 125 through a discharge opening 153 of the dry housing 151. Wet air in the clothes treatment space 125 is discharged to the condensing chamber 129 through the air outlet 127 of the inner casing 120, and the wet air is condensed while heat-exchanging with outdoor air, and the condensed air is supplied again into the dry housing 151 through the air inlet 128. Accordingly, moisture of the clothes is removed by the dry air circulating through the dry air supply device 150 and the condensing chamber 129.
Referring to
In the steam step S, a high temperature wet air is filled in the inner casing 120, and thus latent heat of the wet air increases the risk of burning. Further, in the latter stage of the dry step, though most of the moisture in the inner casing 120 is removed, the inner casing 120 is in a state of being heated to quite a high temperature, thus increasing the risk of burning due to the sensible heat of the dry air. Accordingly, in the steam step S and the dry step D, the inside temperature of the inner casing 120 is very high, and thus the opening of the door 112 is prevented by the locking device 114, thereby further improving the safety of the clothes treating apparatus 100.
However, this invention is not limited thereto. In the entire steps, as well as in the steam step S and the dry step D, if the temperature of the clothes treatment space 125 is higher than a set temperature, the door 112 may be locked by operating the locking device 114.
If it is determined that, in the stem step S or the dry step D, the steam supply device 140 or the dry air supply device 150 is normally operated, the control unit 170 operates the locking device 114 to lock the door 112 in a state in which the door 112 is closed to the front face of the outer casing 110 (S5).
On the other hand, if both of the steam supply device 140 and the dry air supply device 150 are not normally operated, the control unit 170 determines that this step is neither the steam step S nor the dry step D, it stops the operation of the locking device 114 to release the locked state of the door 112.
Referring to
The method for controlling a clothes treating apparatus as shown in
Referring to
That is to say, in the preheating step P and the cooling step C, as the door 112 is opened and closed, the dry air supply device 150 is stopped or re-operated. Thus, upon opening and closing the door 112, the user is not directly exposed to the dry air from the dry air supply device 150, and the indoor air in the inner casing 120 has only latent heat of a high temperature, thereby sharply decreasing the risk of burning unlike in the steam step S and the dry step D. Further, unlike the steam step S or the dry step D, the opening of the door 112 is possible. Hence, in the preheating step P and the cooling step C, it is possible to put more clothes in and take them from the clothes treatment space 125.
Meanwhile, in the preheating step P and the cooling step C, when the closing of the door 112 is detected by the opening and closing sensor 113, the dry air supply device 150 can be re-operated by operating the operating portion 115. That is, in the preheating step P and the cooling step C, the dry air supply device 150 may be automatically re-operated upon closing the door 112, and alternatively the dry air supply device 150 may be re-operated by a manual operation whereby a user's start command is inputted.
Although the method for controlling a clothes treating apparatus in accordance with the invention have been described with reference to the illustrated drawings, the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiment and drawings. It will be apparent that those skilled in the art that they can make various modifications and changes thereto within the scope of the invention defined by the claims.
Claims
1. A clothes treating apparatus, comprising:
- a casing having a clothes treating space and a doorway, through which clothes are put into and taken out of the clothes treatment space—;
- a clothes treatment device that treats clothes disposed within the clothes treatment space;
- a door that opens and closes the doorway;
- an opening and closing detection sensor that detects the opening and closing of the door; and
- a controller that stops a certain operation of the clothes treatment device when the opening of the door is detected by the opening and closing detection sensor.
2. The clothes treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the clothes treatment device comprises:
- a steam supply device that supplies steam into the clothes treatment space; and
- a dry air supply device that supplies dry air into the clothes treatment space, wherein the controller stops operation of the steam supply device or the dry air supply device when the opening of the door is detected by the opening and closing detection sensor.
3. The clothes treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opening and closing detection sensor comprises a first contact positioned on the door and a second contact positioned on the casing.
4. The clothes treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a locking device that locks the door to the casing during the certain operation of the clothes treatment device.
5. The clothes treating apparatus of claim 4, wherein the locking device comprises a latch formed on one of the door and the casing and a corresponding opening formed on the other of the door and the casing.
6. A clothes treating apparatus, comprising:
- a casing having a clothes treatment space and a doorway, through which clothes are put into and taken out of the clothes treatment space;
- a clothes treatment device that treats clothes disposed within the clothes treatment space;
- a door that opens and closes the doorway;
- a locking device that locks the door to the casing; and
- a controller that locks the door to the casing using the locking device during a certain operation of the clothes treatment device.
7. The clothes treating apparatus of claim 6, wherein the clothes treatment device comprises:
- a steam supply device that supplies steam into the clothes treatment space; and
- a dry air supply device that supplies dry air into the clothes treatment space, wherein the controller locks the door to the casing using the locking device during operation of the steam supply device or the dry air supply device.
8. The clothes treating apparatus of claim 6, wherein the locking device comprises a latch formed on one of the door and the casing and a corresponding opening formed on the other of the door and the casing.
9. A method for controlling a clothes treating apparatus, the clothes treating apparatus comprising a casing having a clothes treatment space and a doorway, through which clothes are put into and taken out of the clothes treatment space and a door that opens and closes the doorway, the method comprising:
- treating clothes disposed in the clothes treatment space by operating a clothes treatment device; and
- locking the door using a locking device during the clothes treating step.
10. The method of claims 9, wherein treating clothes disposed in the clothes treatment space by operating a clothes treatment device comprises:
- supplying steam into the clothes treatment space by operating a steam supply device; and
- supplying dry air into the clothes treatment space by operating a dry air supply device, wherein locking the door using the locking device during the clothes treating step comprises locking the door using the locking device during the steam supplying step or the dry air supplying step.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising supplying a low temperature dry air into the clothes treatment space by operating the dry air supply device after finishing the dry air supplying step, wherein, in the low temperature air supplying step, when the door is opened, the operation of the dry air supply device is stopped.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein, in the low temperature air supplying step, when the door is closed again, the dry air supply device is re-operated.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein the clothes treating apparatus further comprises an operating portion which allows a user to operate the clothes treating apparatus, and wherein, in the low temperature air supplying step, when the door is closed again, the operating portion receives an operation signal from the user to re-operate the dry air supply device.
14. The method of claim 10, further comprising preheating clothes treatment space by operating the dry air supply device before the steam supplying step, wherein, in the preheating step, when the door is opened, operation of the dry air supply device is stopped.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein, in the preheating step, when the door is closed again, the dry air supply device is re-operated.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein the clothes treating apparatus further comprises an operating portion which allows a user to operate the clothes treating apparatus, and wherein, in the preheating step, when the door is closed again, the operating portion receives an operation signal from the user to re-operate the dry air supply device.
17. The method of claim 9, wherein locking the door using the locking device during the clothes treating step comprises locking the door if a temperature within the clothes treatment space is higher than a set temperature.
18. A method for controlling a clothes treating apparatus, the clothes treating apparatus comprising a casing having a clothes treatment space and a doorway, through which clothes are put into and taken out of the clothes treatment space and a door that opens and closes the doorway, the method comprising:
- treating clothes disposed in the clothes treatment space by operating a clothes treatment device; and
- stopping a certain operation of the clothes treatment device by a controller if an opening and closing detection sensor detects that the door is opened during the clothes treating step.
19. The method of claims 18, wherein treating clothes disposed in the clothes treatment space by operating a clothes treatment device comprises:
- supplying steam into the clothes treatment space by operating a steam supply device; and
- supplying dry air into the clothes treatment space by operating a dry air supply device, wherein stopping the certain operation of the clothes treating device comprises stopping operation of the steam supply device or the dry air supply device by the controller if the opening and closing detection sensor detects that the door is opened during the steam supplying step or the dry air supply step, respectively.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising supplying a low temperature dry air into the clothes treatment space by operating the dry air supply device after finishing the dry air supplying step, wherein, in the low temperature air supplying step, when the door is opened, operation of the dry air supply device is stopped.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 27, 2007
Publication Date: Jul 3, 2008
Inventors: Sog Kie HONG (Seoul), Jong Seok Kim (Seoul)
Application Number: 11/965,047
International Classification: D06F 33/00 (20060101);