CLOTHES TREATING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME
A clothes treating apparatus is provided. The clothes treating apparatus includes a tub, a drum rotatable in the tub, at least one inlet formed on a surface of the tub, at least one valve configured to open or close the at least one inlet, an intake motor connected to the at least one inlet, a drying device configured to provide hot air to an inside of the drum, a first sensor disposed in the drum and configured to output a first sensing value, a second sensor disposed on the at least one inlet and configured to output a second sensing value, and a processor.
This application is a continuation application, claiming priority under 35 U.S.C. § 365(c), of an International application No. PCT/KR 2025/020827, filed on Dec. 5, 2025 which is based on and claims the benefit of a Korean patent application number 10-2024-0194734, filed on Dec. 23, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe disclosure relates to a clothes treating apparatus including a drying device, and a method for controlling the clothes treating apparatus.
BACKGROUND ARTA clothes treating apparatus is an apparatus for treating and/or caring for clothes. The clothes treating apparatus includes a washing machine and a dryer. The washing machine may include a dryer combined washing machine (a washer-dryer combo).
A dryer combined washing machine is a device that uses a driving force of a drive motor to agitate laundry, water, and detergent together in a tub, thereby washing by mutual friction.
A dryer combined washing machine may perform various processes. For example, the processes performed by a dryer combined washing machine may include a washing process of supplying a detergent and water to a tub and washing the laundry while rotating a drum, a rinsing process of supplying water and/or rinsing aid to the tub and rinsing the laundry by rotating the drum, a spin-drying process of discharging water and/or rinsing aid from the tub and removing water from the laundry by rotating the drum, and a drying process of drying the laundry. The dryer combined washing machine may perform the drying process by controlling a drying device that supplies hot air to a space where the laundry is accommodated.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the disclosure.
DISCLOSUREAspects of the disclosure are to address at least the above-mentioned problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of the disclosure is to provide a clothes treating apparatus that shortens a drying time of laundry by using a hot air supply method and an air intake method, and a method for controlling the clothes treating apparatus.
Another aspect of the disclosure is to provide a clothes treating apparatus that minimizes an amount of detergent remaining in laundry, and a method for controlling the same.
Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments.
In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, a clothes treating apparatus is provided. The clothes treating apparatus includes a tub, a drum rotatable in the tub, at least one inlet formed on a surface of the tub, at least one valve configured to open or close the at least one inlet, an intake motor connected to the at least one inlet, a drying device configured to provide hot air to an inside of the drum, a first sensor disposed in the drum and configured to output a first sensing value, a second sensor disposed on the at least one inlet and configured to output a second sensing value, memory, comprising one or more storage media, storing instructions, and one or more processors, communicatively coupled to the at least one valve, the intake motor, the drying device, the first sensor, the second sensor and the memory, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the clothes treating apparatus, to operate the drying device to dry laundry accommodated in the drum in response to a start of a drying process, identify a dryness level of the laundry corresponding to the first sensing value of the first sensor, operate the intake motor based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a reference dryness level, identify a concentration of a detergent drawn into the at least one inlet based on the second sensing value of the second sensor, and determine whether to end the drying process based on the dryness level of the laundry and the concentration of the detergent.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a method performed by a clothes treating apparatus including a tub, a drum rotatable in the tub, at least one inlet formed on a surface of the tub, at least one valve configured to open or close the at least one inlet, an intake motor connected to the at least one inlet, and a drying device configured to provide hot air to an inside of the drum is provided. The method includes operating the drying device to dry laundry accommodated in the drum in response to a start of a drying process, identifying a dryness level of the laundry corresponding to a first sensing value of a first sensor disposed in the drum, operating the intake motor based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a reference dryness level, identifying a concentration of a detergent drawn into the at least one inlet based on a second sensing value of a second sensor disposed on the at least one inlet, and determining whether to end the drying process based on the dryness level of the laundry and the concentration of the detergent.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing one or more computer programs including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a clothes treating apparatus individually or collectively, cause the clothes treating apparatus to perform operations are provided. The clothes treating apparatus including a tub, a drum rotatable in the tub, at least one inlet formed on a surface of the tub, at least one valve configured to open or close the at least one inlet, an intake motor connected to the at least one inlet, and a drying device configured to provide hot air to an inside of the drum, the operations include operating the drying device to dry laundry accommodated in the drum in response to a start of a drying process, identifying a dryness level of the laundry corresponding to a first sensing value of a first sensor disposed in the drum, operating the intake motor based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a reference dryness level, identifying a concentration of a detergent drawn into the at least one inlet based on a second sensing value of a second sensor disposed on the at least one inlet, and determining whether to end the drying process based on the dryness level of the laundry and the concentration of the detergent.
According to the disclosure, a clothes treating apparatus and a method for controlling the same shorten a drying time of laundry and improve drying efficiency by using a hot air supply method and an air intake method. Because the drying time is shortened without significantly increasing a temperature of hot air, damage to laundry is prevented, and user convenience is also improved.
In addition, the clothes treating apparatus and the method for controlling the same minimize an amount of detergent remaining in laundry, and thus an impact of residual detergent on a user is minimized.
Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses various embodiments of the disclosure.
The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain embodiments of the disclosure will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals will be understood to refer to like parts, components, and structures.
MODES OF THE DISCLOSUREThe following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of various embodiments of the disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents. It includes various specific details to assist in that understanding but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the various embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.
The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various embodiments of the disclosure is provided for illustration purpose only and not for the purpose of limiting the disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
It is to be understood that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a component surface” includes reference to one or more of such surfaces.
In the disclosure, phrases, such as “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, “at least one of A or B”, “A, B or C”, “at least one of A, B and C”, and “at least one of A, B, or C” may include any one or all possible combinations of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase among the phrases.
As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Terms such as “1st”, “2nd”, “primary”, or “secondary” may be used simply to distinguish an element from other elements, without limiting the element in other aspects (e.g., importance or order).
When an element (e.g., a first element) is referred to as being “(functionally or communicatively) coupled” or “connected” to another element (e.g., a second element), the first element may be connected to the second element, directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third element.
It will be understood that when the terms “includes”, “comprises”, “including”, and/or “comprising” are used in the disclosure, they specify the presence of the specified features, figures, steps, operations, components, members, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, figures, steps, operations, components, members, or combinations thereof.
When a given element is referred to as being “connected to”, “coupled to”, “supported by” or “in contact with” another element, it is to be understood that it may be directly or indirectly connected to, coupled to, supported by, or in contact with the other element. When a given element is indirectly connected to, coupled to, supported by, or in contact with another element, it is to be understood that it may be connected to, coupled to, supported by, or in contact with the other element through a third element.
It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on” another element, it may be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present.
A washing machine according to various embodiments may perform washing, rinsing, spin-drying, and drying processes. The washing machine is an example of a clothes treating apparatus, and the clothes treating apparatus is a concept including a device capable of washing clothes (objects to be washed, and objects to be dried), a device capable of drying clothes, and a device capable of washing and drying clothes.
The washing machine according to various embodiments may include a top-loading washing machine in which a laundry inlet for inserting or removing laundry is provided to face upward, or a front-loading washing machine in which a laundry inlet is provided to face forward. The washing machine according to various embodiments may include a washing machine of a loading type other than the top-loading washing machine and the front-loading washing machine.
For the top-loading washing machine, laundry may be washed using water current generated by a rotating body such as a pulsator. For the front-loading washing machine, laundry may be washed by repeatedly lifting and lowering laundry by rotating a drum. The front-loading washing machine may include a dryer combined washing machine capable of drying laundry stored in a drum. The dryer combined washing machine may include a hot air supply device for supplying high-temperature air into the drum and a condensing device for removing moisture from air discharged from the drum. For example, the dryer combined washing machine may include a heat pump device. The washing machine according to various embodiments may include a washing machine using a washing method other than the above-described washing method.
Although a dryer combined washing machine is described as an example of a clothing treating apparatus 1, the disclosure are not limited to the dryer combined washing machine, and may be applied to various apparatuses for treating and/or caring for clothes.
Terms such as “front,” “rear,” “left,” and “right” are defined based on the drawings, and the shape and position of each component are not limited by these terms. For example, the X-axis direction may be defined as the front-back direction, the Y-axis direction may be defined as the left-right direction, and the Z-axis direction may be defined as the up-down direction.
It should be appreciated that the blocks in each flowchart and combinations of the flowcharts may be performed by one or more computer programs which include instructions. The entirety of the one or more computer programs may be stored in a single memory device or the one or more computer programs may be divided with different portions stored in different multiple memory devices.
Any of the functions or operations described herein can be processed by one processor or a combination of processors. The one processor or the combination of processors is circuitry performing processing and includes circuitry like an application processor (AP, e.g. a central processing unit (CPU)), a communication processor (CP, e.g., a modem), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU) (e.g., an artificial intelligence (AI) chip), a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) chip, a Bluetooth® chip, a global positioning system (GPS) chip, a near field communication (NFC) chip, connectivity chips, a sensor controller, a touch controller, a finger-print sensor controller, a display driver integrated circuit (IC), an audio CODEC chip, a universal serial bus (USB) controller, a camera controller, an image processing IC, a microprocessor unit (MPU), a system on chip (SoC), an IC, or the like.
Referring to
The clothes treating apparatus 1 may include a door for opening and closing the laundry inlet. The door may be rotatably mounted to the housing by a hinge. At least a portion of the door may be transparent or translucent to allow the inside of the housing 10 to be visible.
The clothes treating apparatus 1 may include a tub 20 disposed within the housing 10 to store water. The tub 20 may be formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with a tub opening formed at one side thereof, and may be disposed inside the housing 10 in such a way that the tub opening corresponds to the laundry inlet.
The tub 20 may be connected to the housing 10 by a damper. The damper may absorb vibration generated when a drum rotates, and may reduce vibration transmitted to the housing 10.
The clothes treating apparatus 1 may include a drum 30 provided to accommodate laundry. At least one lifter may be provided inside the drum 30 to perform washing by lifting and lowering laundry.
The drum 30 may be disposed inside the tub 20 such that a drum opening provided at one side of the drum corresponds to the laundry inlet and the tub opening. Laundry may sequentially pass through the laundry inlet, the tub opening, and the drum opening, and then be received in the drum 30 or removed from the drum 30.
The drum 30 may perform each operation according to washing, rinsing, spin-drying, and drying while rotating in the tub 20. A plurality of through holes may be formed in a cylindrical wall of the drum 30. Detergent and/or water flowing into the tub 20 may be introduced into the drum 30 or discharged from the drum 30 through the plurality of through holes.
The washing process may refer to a process of washing laundry by supplying washing detergent and/or water to the tub 20 and rotating the drum 30. The rinsing process may refer to a process of rinsing the laundry by supplying water and/or a rinsing aid (e.g., softener) to the tub 20 and rotating the drum 30. The spin-drying process may refer to a process of removing moisture from the laundry by discharging water and/or rinsing aid from the tub 20 and rotating the drum 30. The drying process may refer to a process of drying the laundry by circulating air into a drying device 70 and the drum 30 and rotating the drum 30.
The clothes treating apparatus 1 may include a driving device 40 configured to rotate the drum 30. The driving device 40 may include a drive motor and a rotating shaft for transmitting a driving force generated by the drive motor to the drum. The rotating shaft may penetrate the tub 20 to be connected to the drum 30. The driving device 40 may perform respective operations according to washing, rinsing, spin-drying, and/or drying processes by rotating the drum 30 in a forward or reverse direction.
The clothes treating apparatus 1 may include a water supply device 50 configured to supply water to the tub 20. The water supply device 50 may include a water supply pipe and a water supply valve for opening and closing the water supply pipe. The water supply pipe may be connected to an external water supply source. The water supply pipe may extend from an external water supply source to the tub 20 and/or a detergent supply device 80. Water may be supplied to the tub 20 through the detergent supply device 80 or may be supplied to the tub 20 without passing through the detergent supply device 80. The water supply device 50 may be controlled not to supply water to the tub 20 and/or the detergent supply device 80 during a washing course that does not use water (e.g., a dry cleaning course) among various operation courses of the clothes treating apparatus 1.
The clothes treating apparatus 1 may include at least one inlet 21a and 21b formed on a surface of the tub 20 and an intake device 60 connected to the at least one inlet 21a and 21b. The at least one inlet 21a and 21b and the intake device 60 may be connected through a first pipe P1.
The intake device 60 may include an intake motor. As the intake device 60 operates, air in the drum 30 may be drawn into the at least one inlet 21a and 21b. The air drawn in through the at least one inlet 21a and 21b may be supplied to the drying device 70. The intake device 60 may be connected to a second pipe P2. The air drawn in through the at least one inlet 21a and 21b and the first pipe P1 may move to the drying device 70 through the second pipe P2. The first pipe P1 and the second pipe P2 may be provided as a duct or a hose. The first pipe P1 may have a T-shape.
The at least one inlet 21a and 21b may include a first inlet 21a and a second inlet 21b spaced apart from each other. The at least one inlet 21a and 21b may be formed at positions corresponding to areas where laundry falls along a wall surface of the drum 30 in order to minimize damage to the laundry due to suction. For example, when viewing the tub 20 from the front of the tub 20, the first inlet 21a may be located at an upper right side (e.g., 2 o'clock direction) of the tub 20. The second inlet 21b may be located at an upper left side (e.g., 10 o'clock direction) of the tub 20.
Although the first inlet 21a and the second inlet 21b are illustrated, the number and position of inlets are not limited to the above example. One or three or more inlets may be provided.
The clothes treating apparatus 1 may include at least one valve V1 and V2 for opening and closing the at least one inlet 21a and 21b. For example, the at least one valve V1 and V2 may include a first valve V1 for opening and closing the first inlet 21a, and a second valve V2 for opening and closing the second inlet 21b. Opening the first valve V1 opens the first inlet 21a, and closing the first valve V1 closes the first inlet 21a. Opening the second valve V2 opens the second inlet 21b, and closing the second valve V2 closes the second inlet 21b.
The number of valves for opening and closing the inlets of the tub 20 is not limited to the above example. The number of valves for opening and closing the inlets may correspond to the number of inlets. For example, in the clothes treating apparatus 1, the second inlet 21b and the second valve V2 may be omitted.
The clothes treating apparatus 1 may include the drying device 70 for drying the laundry accommodated in the drum 30. The drying device 70 may be configured to heat air and supply the heated air to the inside of the tub 20. The drying device 70 may be configured to dry and heat the air discharged from the tub 20, and circulate the dried and heated air inside the tub 20 to dry the clothes in the drum 30. The drying device 70 according to various embodiments may be disposed above the tub 20.
The drying device 70 may be provided as a heat pump type. The drying device 70 may include a compressor 71, a condenser 72, an evaporator 73, a fan 74, and a lint filter 75. In addition, the drying device 70 may include a refrigerant pipe connecting the compressor 71, the condenser 72, and the evaporator 73, and an expansion valve for expanding a refrigerant. The drying device 70 may be formed as a single module.
The fan 74 may move air. The fan 74 may be of various types. For example, the fan 74 may include a sirocco fan. As the fan 74 operates, air in the drum 30 may be introduced into the drying device 70 through a discharge flow path P3. In addition, according to the operation of the fan 74, air heated by the drying device 70 may be supplied into the drum 30. The air introduced into the drying device 70 may be heated while sequentially passing through the lint filter 75, the evaporator 73, and the condenser 72. The air heated by the drying device 70 may be supplied to the drum 30 through a hot air flow path P4. The discharge flow path P3 and the hot air flow path P4 may be provided as a pipe, a duct, and/or a hose.
Because the air introduced into the drying device 70 through the discharge flow path P3 has passed through the inside of the drum 30 and the tub 20, the air may contain a relatively large amount of moisture and/or gaseous detergent (detergent in a gas state). The drying device 70 may remove the moisture and/or detergent from the introduced air and may heat the air.
The compressor 71 may supply a refrigerant. The compressed high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant may move from the compressor 71 to the condenser 72, and the refrigerant discharged from the condenser 72 may move to the evaporator 73. The condenser 72 may cool the refrigerant to transfer heat to the surrounding air. The heated air may flow into the drum 30 to dry the laundry.
The condenser 72 and the evaporator 73 correspond to a heat exchanger. The condenser 72 may be referred to as a ‘first heat exchanger’. The evaporator 73 may be referred to as a ‘second heat exchanger’. The refrigerant expanded through the expansion valve may absorb heat in the evaporator 73 and cool the surrounding air. The evaporator 73 may cool the hot and humid air that has passed through the inside of the drum 30. As the air cools, moisture and/or gaseous detergent in the air may be condensed. Water and/or liquid detergent (detergent in a liquid state) generated in the evaporator 73 may be discharged to the outside of the drying device 70. The air that has passed through the evaporator 73 passes through the condenser 72, and may be heated while exchanging heat with the refrigerant passing through the condenser 72. In other words, the condenser 72 may heat the air that has passed through the evaporator 73. The hot air flow path P4 may guide the air heated while passing through the condenser 72 into the drum 30.
The lint filter 75 may filter out foreign substances, such as lint, contained in the air introduced via the discharge flow path P3. The lint filter 75 may include various types of filters.
Referring to
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A second check valve CV2 for preventing a backflow of air may be provided in the discharge flow path P3 connected to the tub 20. When air is drawn in from the tub 20 through the at least one inlet 21a and 21b as the intake device 60 operates, the second check valve CV2 may prevent the drawn air from flowing back to the tub 20 through the discharge flow path P3.
The clothes treating apparatus 1 may include a drain line DL for guiding water and/or liquid detergent discharged from the drying device 70 to a water absorption device 91 and/or a chamber 81 of the detergent supply device 80. The drain line DL may be provided as a flexible hose, a plastic pipe, or a metal pipe. The water and/or liquid detergent discharged from the drying device 70 may be guided to the water absorption device 91 through the drain line DL.
The water absorption device 91 may include a device capable of separating water and detergent. In addition, the water absorption device 91 may include a moisture absorbent for absorbing and/or removing water. A user may replace the moisture absorbent. In addition, the water absorption device 91 may store water. A user may separate the water absorption device 91 from the clothes treating apparatus 1, empty the stored water, and then couple the water absorption device 91 back to the clothes treating apparatus 1.
The water absorption device 91 may operate to absorb water, or not to absorb water, depending on an operation course of the clothes treating apparatus 1. For example, in a case where the clothes treating apparatus 1 operates in an operation course that does not use water (e.g., a dry cleaning course), the water absorption device 91 may operate to absorb water. In a case where the clothes treating apparatus 1 operates in an operation course that uses water (e.g., a standard course), the water absorption device 91 may not operate to absorb water.
In a case where the clothes treating apparatus 1 operates in an operation course that does not use water (e.g., a dry cleaning course), water may not be supplied to the tub 20. Although water is not supplied to the tub 20, a small amount of water may be discharged from the drying device 70 during a drying process due to moisture in the air and/or moisture contained in the laundry. In this case, the water absorption device 91 may absorb water from the water and liquid detergent (e.g., dry cleaning detergent) discharged from the drying device 70, and supply the liquid detergent to the chamber 81 of the detergent supply device 80. The detergent recovered into the chamber 81 may be supplied to the tub 20 again when a washing process is performed later.
In a case where the clothes treating apparatus 1 operates in an operation course that uses water (e.g., a standard course), water may be supplied to the tub 20. Because water is used for washing the laundry, a large amount of water may be discharged from the drying device 70 during a drying process. In this case, the large amount of water discharged from the drying device 70 may not be absorbed by the water absorption device 91 and may flow directly into the chamber 81. The water flowing into the chamber 81 may be discharged to the outside of the clothes treating apparatus 1 through a drainage device 92 connected to the chamber 81.
The clothes treating apparatus 1 may include the detergent supply device 80 for supplying detergent to the tub 20. The detergent supply device 80 may accommodate various types of detergent. For example, the detergent may include a washing detergent and/or a washing aid (e.g., fabric softener, bleach, etc.). The washing detergent may include a general detergent and/or a dry cleaning detergent. The type of detergent is not limited to the above examples.
Dry cleaning refers to washing laundry without using water. The dry cleaning detergent may be an eco-friendly solvent, for example, a silicone-based solvent. Comparing the eco-friendly solvent and water, because the eco-friendly solvent has a relatively high boiling point and a relatively high molecular weight, the evaporation rate of the eco-friendly solvent may be relatively slow. In a case where the eco-friendly solvent is used for washing laundry, the drying time may increase to remove the solvent that has penetrated the laundry, and a small amount of solvent may remain in the laundry even after drying is completed. Accordingly, when the eco-friendly solvent is used, reducing the drying time may be required.
To reduce the drying time, the clothes treating apparatus 1 may control the drying device 70 that supplies hot air into the drum 30 and the intake device 60 that draws in air through the at least one inlet 21a and 21b formed on the tub 20 during a drying process.
According to various embodiments, the clothes treating apparatus 1 may include two or more detergent supply devices. For example, the clothes treating apparatus 1 may include a detergent supply device for accommodating a general detergent and another detergent supply device for accommodating a dry cleaning detergent.
The detergent supply device 80 may include the chamber 81 for storing detergent. The detergent supply device 80 may include a first pump 82 for moving the detergent stored in the chamber 81 to the outside of the chamber 81. The detergent supply device 80 may include a first filter 83 for filtering foreign substances contained in the detergent discharged from the chamber 81. The first filter 83 may filter foreign substances having a relatively small size. The detergent supply device 80 may supply detergent into the tub 20 during a washing process and/or rinsing process.
The detergent supply device 80 may include a switching valve Vs. The switching valve Vs may be controlled to guide the detergent discharged from the chamber 81 by the operation of the first pump 82 to a return flow path RP or a supply flow path SP. The return flow path RP and the supply flow path SP may be provided as a pipe, a duct, or a hose. The return flow path RP may be connected to the chamber 81, and may guide the detergent discharged from the first filter 83 to the chamber 81. The supply flow path SP may be connected to the tub 20, and may guide the detergent discharged from the first filter 83 to the tub 20.
During the washing process and/or the rinsing process, because detergent requires to be supplied to the tub 20 for washing the laundry, the switching valve Vs may be controlled to open the supply flow path SP and close the return flow path RP. During a spin-drying process and a drying process, because detergent does not need to be supplied to the tub 20, the switching valve Vs may close the supply flow path SP and open the return flow path RP to allow the detergent to circulate through the chamber 81, the first pump 82, and the first filter 83. The clothes treating apparatus 1 may purify the detergent by circulating the detergent through the return flow path RP during the spin-drying process and the drying process where the detergent is not used.
A drain valve Vd may be provided at a drain hole of the tub 20. Opening the drain valve Vd may discharge water and/or detergent stored in the tub 20 to the detergent supply device 80. The drain valve Vd may be closed while water and/or detergent is supplied into the tub 20.
The clothes treating apparatus 1 may include a second filter 84 for filtering foreign substances contained in the water and/or detergent discharged from the tub 20, and a second pump 85 for moving the water and/or detergent discharged from the tub 20 to the chamber 81. The second filter 84 may filter foreign substances having a relatively large size. The size of foreign substances filtered by the second filter 84 may be relatively larger than that of foreign substances filtered by the first filter 83.
A chamber valve Vc may be provided on a pipe connecting the chamber 81 and the first pump 82. Opening the chamber valve Vc may allow water and/or detergent stored in the chamber 81 to flow into the first pump 82. In a case where the water and/or detergent stored in the chamber 81 is discharged to the outside of the clothes treating apparatus 1 through the drainage device 92, the chamber valve Vc may be closed.
The opening and closing of each of the drain valve Vd and the chamber valve Vc may be controlled differently depending on the operation course of the clothes treating apparatus 1. For example, in a case where the clothes treating apparatus 1 operates in an operation course that does not use water (e.g., a dry cleaning course), both the drain valve Vd and the chamber valve Vc may be opened to allow the detergent to circulate through the chamber 81, the tub 20, and the second filter 84 during the washing process and the rinsing process, and to allow the detergent to circulate through the chamber 81 and the first filter 83 during the spin-drying process and the drying process.
In a case where the clothes treating apparatus 1 operates in an operation course that uses water (e.g., a standard course), both the drain valve Vd and the chamber valve Vc may be opened to allow water and detergent to circulate through the chamber 81, the tub 20, and the second filter 84 during the washing process and the rinsing process. However, during the spin-drying process and the drying process, the drain valve Vd may be opened, and the chamber valve Vc may be closed to discharge the water stored in the tub 20 to the outside of the clothes treating apparatus 1. By opening the drain valve Vd and closing the chamber valve Vc, the water stored in the tub 20 may be discharged to the outside of the clothes treating apparatus 1 via the chamber 81 and the drainage device 92.
The drainage device 92 may discharge water and/or detergent stored in the chamber 81 to the outside of the clothes treating apparatus 1. The drainage device 92 may include a drain pump.
The clothes treating apparatus 1 may include various sensors. For example, the clothes treating apparatus 1 may include a first sensor S1 disposed in the drum 30 and outputting a first sensing value, and a second sensor S2 disposed on the at least one inlet 21a and 21b and outputting a second sensing value.
The first sensor S1 may include a weight sensor for measuring a weight of laundry, or an electrical conductivity sensor for measuring an electrical conductivity of laundry. The second sensor S2 may be disposed in the first pipe P1 connected to the at least one inlet 21a and 21b. The second sensor S2 may also be disposed on each of the at least one inlet 21a and 21b. The second sensor S2 may include a gas sensor for detecting a concentration of gaseous detergent.
In addition, the clothes treating apparatus 1 may include a temperature sensor S3 for detecting a temperature of air discharged from the drum 30 to the drying device 70. The temperature sensor S3 may be disposed on the discharge flow path P3.
Referring to
For example, when the drum 30 rotates clockwise, the first inlet 21a may be opened, and the second inlet 21b may be closed. When the drum 30 rotates clockwise, laundry in the drum 30 may stick to the inner wall of the drum 30 near the second inlet 21b, and may fall near the first inlet 21a. Because the laundry located near the second inlet 21b may interfere with a flow of air through the second inlet 21b, drawing in air through the first inlet 21a may be more efficient for drying the laundry.
When the drum 30 rotates counterclockwise, the second inlet 21b may be opened, and the first inlet 21a may be closed. When the drum 30 rotates counterclockwise, laundry in the drum 30 may stick to the inner wall of the drum 30 near the first inlet 21a, and may fall near the second inlet 21b. Because the laundry located near the first inlet 21a may interfere with a flow of air through the first inlet 21a, drawing in air through the second inlet 21b may be more efficient for drying the laundry.
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The controller 300 may include a processor 310 and memory 320. The memory 320 may include volatile memory (e.g., static random access memory (S-RAM) and dynamic random access memory (D-RAM)) and non-volatile memory (e.g., read only memory (ROM) and erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM)). The processor 310 and the memory 320 may be implemented as separate chips or as a single chip. In addition, a plurality of processors and a plurality of memories may be provided.
The processor 310 may process various data and signals using instructions, data, programs, and/or software stored in the memory 320. The processor 310 may include a single core or a plurality of cores. The processor 310 may generate a control signal to control the components of the clothes treating apparatus 1.
The processor 310 may be configured to perform various operations of the clothes treating apparatus 1. The processor 310 may perform the operations of the clothes treating apparatus 1 according to various embodiments by executing at least one instruction, algorithm, program, and/or software stored in the memory 320. The processor 310 may control one or any combination of the components of the clothes treating apparatus 1.
The processor 310 may include various types of circuits. For example, the processor 310 may include at least one of a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an accelerated processing unit (APU), a many integrated core (MIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a neural processing unit (NPU), a hardware accelerator, or a machine learning accelerator.
The processor 310 may control various components of the clothes treating apparatus 1 to perform at least one process including washing, rinsing, spin-drying, and/or drying. The processor 310 may control the control panel 100 to output various information about an operation of the clothes treating apparatus 1. For example, the control panel 100 may visually and/or audibly output information about an operation course, operation time, washing settings, rinsing settings, spin-drying settings, and/or drying settings of the clothes treating apparatus 1. In addition, the control panel 100 may output information about an abnormal condition of the clothes treating apparatus 1.
The processor 310 may be electrically connected to various components and/or devices of the clothes treating apparatus 1, and may control the various components and/or devices. For example, the processor 310 may control the driving device 40, the intake device 60, the detergent supply device 80, various valves (e.g., the first valve V1 and the second valve V2), and various sensors (e.g., the first sensor S1 and the second sensor S2). In addition, the processor 310 may control the water supply device 50, the water absorption device 91, the drainage device 92, the control panel 100, and the communication interface 150.
The control panel 100 may be disposed on one side of the housing 10. The control panel 100 may provide a user interface for interaction between a user and the clothes treating apparatus 1. The user interface may include at least one input interface 101 and at least one output interface 102. The control panel 100 may obtain various user inputs, and may output various information about an operation of the clothes treating apparatus 1.
The at least one input interface 101 may convert sensory information received from a user into an electrical signal. The at least one input interface 101 may include various buttons and/or a dial. For example, the input interface 101 may include a power button, a start/stop button, a course selection dial (or a course selection button), and a washing setting button, a rinsing setting button, a spin-drying setting button, and/or a drying setting button.
The at least one input interface 101 may include various input devices, such as a tact switch, a push switch, a slide switch, a toggle switch, a micro switch, a touch switch, a touch pad, a touch screen, a jog dial, and/or a microphone.
The at least one output interface 102 may visually and/or audibly transmit information related to the operation of the clothes treating apparatus 1 to a user. For example, the at least one output interface 102 may provide information related to a washing course, operation time, washing settings, rinsing settings, spin-drying settings, and/or drying settings. Information about the operation of the clothes treating apparatus 1 may be output as an image, text, an indicator, and/or voice. In addition, the output interface 102 may display a graphical user interface (GUI) that enables control of the clothes treating apparatus 1. That is, a display may display a user interface element, such as an icon.
The at least one output interface 102 may include at least one of a display or a speaker. The display may be provided as various types of display panels. For example, the display may include a liquid crystal display panel (LCD) panel, a light emitting diode (LED) panel, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel, or a micro LED panel. The display may also be used as an input device by including a touch screen.
The controller 300 may control an operation of the clothes treating apparatus 1 based on a user input obtained via the control panel 100. For example, the controller 300 may turn the clothes treating apparatus 1 on or off based on a user input for turning the clothes treating apparatus 1 on or off. The controller 300 may determine an operation course of the clothes treating apparatus 1 based on a user input for setting the operation course of the clothes treating apparatus 1. A variety of operation courses of the clothes treating apparatus 1 may be provided. For example, the operation course of the clothes treating apparatus 1 may be broadly classified into a washing course and a drying course.
A variety of washing courses may be provided according to a type of laundry (e.g., clothing, bedclothes, underwear, etc.) and a material of laundry (e.g., cotton, wool, nylon, etc.). For example, the washing course may include at least one of a standard course, intense course, delicate clothes course, bedclothes course, baby clothes course, towel course, boiling course, and dry cleaning course. Each of the plurality of washing courses may include different washing settings (e.g., washing temperature, number of times of rinsing, strength of spin-drying, and the like). In response to a selection of one of the plurality of washing courses through the control panel 100 or an external user device, the controller 300 may control the clothes treating apparatus 1 to perform a washing process, a rinsing process, and a spin-drying process corresponding to the selected washing course. In addition, the washing course may include a rinsing and spin-drying course, a rinsing course, and a spin-drying course that do not include a washing process. The washing courses are not limited to the above examples.
A variety of drying courses may also be provided according to a type of an object to be dried (e.g., clothing, bedclothes, underwear, etc.) and a material of an object to be dried (e.g., cotton, wool, nylon, etc.). For example, the drying course may include at least one of a standard drying, intense drying, delicate clothes drying, bedclothes drying, baby clothes drying, towel drying, and outdoor clothes drying. Each of the plurality of drying courses may include different drying settings (e.g., drying temperature, drying time, and the like). In response to a selection of one of the plurality of drying courses through the control panel 100 or an external user device, the controller 300 may control the clothes treating apparatus 1 to perform a drying process corresponding to the selected drying course. The drying courses are not limited to the above examples.
The communication interface 150 may include various communication circuits for performing a wired communication and/or wireless communication with an external device (e.g., a server, a user device, and/or other home appliances). A user device may include various electronic devices, such as a smartphone, a laptop, a smart watch, a stationary type tablet, and a speaker. A user input may be obtained not only through the control panel 100 but also through a user device.
The communication interface 150 may include at least one of a short-range communication module (short-range communication circuit), a long-range communication module (long-range communication circuit), or a wireless communication interface (wireless communication circuit). The communication interface 150 may transmit data to an external device or receive data from the external device. For example, the communication interface 150 may support cellular communication, wireless local area network, home radio frequency (HomeRF), infrared communication, Ultra-wide band (UWB) communication, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, ad-hoc, and/or Zigbee. Communication technologies supported by the communication interface 150 are not limited to the above examples.
The communication interface 150 may transmit data to or receive data from an external device (e.g., a server, a user device, and/or a home appliance). For example, the communication interface 150 may establish communication with a server and/or a user device and/or a home appliance, and transmit and receive various types of data. The communication interface 150 may support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between external devices, and the performance of communication through the established communication channel.
The communication interface 150 may also communicate with an external device through an access point (AP). The access point may connect a local area network (LAN) to which the clothes treating apparatus 1 is connected to a wide area network (WAN) to which a server is connected. The clothes treating apparatus 1 may be connected to the server through the wide area network (WAN).
The driving device 40 may rotate the drum 30 under the control of the processor 310. The driving device 40 may include a drive motor. The processor 310 may control the driving device 40 to adjust a rotation speed of the drum 30.
The water supply device 50 may supply water to the tub 20. The water supply device 50 may include a water supply valve that opens or closes a water supply pipe connected to an external water supply source. The processor 310 may control the opening and closing of the water supply valve. The processor 310 may adjust an opening degree of the water supply valve. The processor 310 may stop an operation of the water supply device 50 so as not to supply water to the tub 20 and/or the detergent supply device 80 during a washing course that does not use water (e.g., a dry cleaning course) among various operation courses of the clothes treating apparatus 1.
The intake device 60 may draw in air through the at least one inlet 21a and 21b formed on the tub 20. The intake device 60 may include an intake motor. The processor 310 may adjust a suction power of the intake device 60. For example, the processor 310 may adjust the suction power of the intake device 60 according to changes in dryness level of the laundry accommodated in the drum 30. The processor 310 may decrease the suction power of the intake device 60 as the dryness level of the laundry increases.
The drying device 70 may remove moisture contained in air, heat the air, and supply the heated air to the tub 20. The processor 310 may operate the drying device 70 to dry the laundry located in the drum 30. The processor 310 may control the drying device 70 to generate dry and heated air.
The processor 310 may control the fan 74, the compressor 71, and the expansion valve included in the drying device 70. The processor 310 may operate the fan 74 to supply dry and heated air to the inside of the drum 30. The processor 310 may adjust a rotation speed of the fan 74. A flow rate of air supplied into the drum 30 may vary depending on the rotation speed of the fan 74.
The compressor 71 compresses low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant and discharges high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. For example, the compressor 71 may compress the refrigerant by a reciprocating motion of a piston or a rotating motion of a rotor. The discharged gaseous refrigerant may be delivered to the condenser 72. The processor 310 may adjust an operating frequency and/or revolution per minute (RPM) of the compressor 71. As the operating frequency and/or RPM of the compressor 71 increases, the heat discharged around the condenser 72 may increase.
The processor 310 may adjust an opening degree of the expansion valve. The expansion valve may be provided as a capillary tube for controlling a pressure of liquid refrigerant and an electronic expansion valve whose opening may be adjusted by an electric signal. Two-phase refrigerant of low-temperature and low-pressure that has passed through the expansion valve may flow into the evaporator 73.
The clothes treating apparatus 1 may include various valves. For example, the clothes treating apparatus 1 may include the first valve V1 for opening and closing the first inlet 21a formed on the tub 20, and the second valve V2 for opening and closing the second inlet 21b. The processor 310 may control the opening and closing of each of the first valve V1 and the second valve V2. For example, the processor 310 may control the first valve V1 and the second valve V2 to open the first inlet 21a or the second inlet 21b according to a rotation direction of the drum 30. The processor 310 may control the first valve V1 and the second valve V2 to alternately open the first inlet 21a and the second inlet 21b, in response to the rotation direction of the drum 30 being periodically reversed.
In addition, as described above, the clothes treating apparatus 1 may further include the switching valve Vs for guiding the detergent discharged from the chamber 81 of the detergent supply device 80 to the return flow path RP or the supply flow path SP, the drain valve Vd for opening and closing a drain hole of the tub 20, and the chamber valve Vc for opening and closing a pipe connecting the chamber 81 and the first pump 82. The clothes treating apparatus 1 may also further include the first check valve CV1 for preventing air from flowing back to the second pipe P2 connected to the intake device 60, and the second check valve CV2 for preventing air from flowing back to the discharge flow path P3 connected to the tub 20. The processor 310 may control the opening and closing of each of the switching valve Vs, the drain valve Vd, the chamber valve Vc, the first check valve CV1, and the second check valve CV2.
The processor 310 may control the opening and closing of each of the drain valve Vd and the chamber valve Vc differently depending on an operation course of the clothes treating apparatus 1. For example, in a case where the clothes treating apparatus 1 operates in a washing course that does not use water (e.g., a dry cleaning course), the processor 310 may open both the drain valve Vd and the chamber valve Vc to allow the detergent to circulate through the chamber 81, the tub 20, and the second filter 84 during a washing process and a rinsing process, and to allow the detergent to circulate through the chamber 81 and the first filter 83 during a spin-drying process and a drying process.
In a case where the clothes treating apparatus 1 operates in a washing course that uses water (e.g., a standard course), the processor 310 may open both the drain valve Vd and the chamber valve Vc to allow water and detergent to circulate through the chamber 81, the tub 20, and the second filter 84 during a washing process and a rinsing process. To discharge the water stored in the tub 20 to the outside of the clothes treating apparatus 1 during a spin-drying process and a drying process, the processor 310 may open the drain valve Vd and close the chamber valve Vc. By opening the drain valve Vd and closing the chamber valve Vc, the water stored in the tub 20 may be discharged to the outside of the clothes treating apparatus 1 via the chamber 81 and the drainage device 92.
The various valves in the clothes treating apparatus 1 are not limited to the above examples. At least one of the above-described valves may be omitted, or another valve may be added.
The clothes treating apparatus 1 may include various sensors. For example, the clothes treating apparatus 1 may include the first sensor S1 disposed in the drum 30 and outputting a first sensing value, and the second sensor S2 disposed on the at least one inlet 21a and 21b and outputting a second sensing value.
The first sensor S1 may include a weight sensor for measuring a weight of laundry or an electrical conductivity sensor for measuring an electrical conductivity of laundry. The first sensor S1 may transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the weight of the laundry or the electrical conductivity of the laundry to the processor 310 as the first sensing value. The processor 310 may identify a dryness level of the laundry based on the first sensing value transmitted from the first sensor S1.
For example, the more moisture contained in the laundry, the greater the weight of the laundry may be detected. During a drying process, the moisture in the laundry may be removed, and the weight of the laundry may decrease. The processor 310 may identify that the dryness level is higher as the weight of the laundry decreases. In addition, because water generally acts as a conductor, the more moisture contained in the laundry, the greater the electrical conductivity of the laundry may be detected. During the drying process, the moisture in the laundry may be removed, and the electrical conductivity of the laundry may decrease.
The second sensor S2 may include a gas sensor for detecting a concentration of gaseous detergent. The second sensor S2 may transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the concentration of the detergent to the processor 310 as the second sensing value. The processor 310 may identify the concentration of the detergent based on the second sensing value transmitted from the second sensor S2. During a drying process, the detergent remaining in the laundry is heated, and thus the liquid detergent may change to gaseous detergent. During the drying process, the detergent contained in the laundry may be removed, and the concentration of the detergent may decrease.
In addition, the clothes treating apparatus 1 may further include the temperature sensor S3 for detecting a temperature of air discharged from the drum 30 to the drying device 70. The temperature sensor S3 may transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the detected temperature of the air to the processor 310. The processor 310 may identify the temperature of the air discharged from the drum 30 based on the electrical signal transmitted from the temperature sensor S3. Based on the temperature of the air discharged from the drum 30 being higher than or equal to a reference temperature, the processor 310 may control the drying device 70 to allow the temperature of the air to be maintained at the reference temperature. In a case where the temperature in the drum 30 is higher than the reference temperature, the laundry may be damaged. The processor 310 may control the drying device 70 to allow the temperature in the drum 30 to be maintained at or below the reference temperature in order to prevent damage to the laundry.
The processor 310 may operate the intake device 60 based on the dryness level of the laundry reaching a reference dryness level. The processor 310 may operate the intake device 60 based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to the reference dryness level. By supplying hot air into the drum 30 according to the operation of the drying device 70, the laundry may be dried, and at the same time, the detergent remaining in the laundry may be vaporized. By operating the intake device 60, moisture and gaseous detergent in the drum 30 may be discharged to the outside of the drum 30 more quickly, and the drying efficiency of the laundry may be improved.
The processor 310 may operate the drying device 70 in response to the start of a drying process according to various washing courses and/or drying courses. During the drying process, the processor 310 may control the operation of the intake device 60 and the drying device 70 based on a dryness level of the laundry and a concentration of the detergent. In addition, the processor 310 may determine whether to end the drying process based on the dryness level of the laundry and the concentration of the detergent.
For example, the processor 310 may stop operating the drying device 70 and continue operating the intake device 60, based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a threshold dryness level and the concentration of the detergent being greater than a threshold concentration. The processor 310 may determine to end the drying process based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to the threshold dryness level and the concentration of the detergent being less than or equal to the threshold concentration. The processor 310 may stop both the operation of the intake device 60 and the drying device 70, based on determining to end the drying process.
The various sensors in the clothes treating apparatus 1 are not limited to the above examples. At least one of the above-described sensors may be omitted, or another sensor may be added.
The detergent supply device 80 may accommodate various types of detergent, and may supply detergent to the tub 20. For example, the processor 310 may control the detergent supply device 80 to supply detergent to the tub 20 during a washing process and/or rinsing process according to various washing courses. The processor 310 may operate the first pump 82 and control the switching valve Vs to open the supply flow path SP, in order to move the detergent stored in the chamber 81 of the detergent supply device 80 to the tub 20. When the supply flow path SP of the detergent is opened, the return flow path RP may be closed. The processor 310 may control the switching valve Vs to allow the detergent to circulate through the return flow path RP during a spin-drying process and drying process, without being supplied to the tub 20. In addition, the processor 310 may operate the second pump 85 of the detergent supply device 80 to move water and/or detergent discharged from the tub 20 to the chamber 81.
The water absorption device 91 may include a device capable of separating water and detergent. In addition, the water absorption device 91 may include a moisture absorbent for absorbing and/or removing water. The processor 310 may control the water absorption device 91 to absorb water, or not to absorb water, depending on an operation course of the clothes treating apparatus 1. For example, in a case where the clothes treating apparatus 1 operates in a washing course that does not use water (e.g., a dry cleaning course), the water absorption device 91 may operate to absorb water. In a case where the clothes treating apparatus 1 operates in a washing course that uses water (e.g., a standard course), the water absorption device 91 may not operate to absorb water.
In a case where the clothes treating apparatus 1 operates in a washing course that does not use water (e.g., a dry cleaning course), water may not be supplied to the tub 20. Although water is not supplied to the tub 20, a small amount of water may be discharged from the drying device 70 during a drying process due to moisture in the air and/or moisture contained in the laundry. In this case, the water absorption device 91 may operate to absorb water from the water and liquid detergent (e.g., dry cleaning detergent) discharged from the drying device 70, and supply the liquid detergent to the chamber 81 of the detergent supply device 80. The detergent recovered into the chamber 81 may be supplied to the tub 20 again when a washing process is performed later.
The drainage device 92 may discharge water and/or detergent stored in the chamber 81 to the outside of the clothes treating apparatus 1. The drainage device 92 may include a drain pump. The processor 310 may operate the drainage device 92 to discharge water stored in the chamber 81 of the detergent supply device 80 to the outside, in a case where the clothes treating apparatus 1 operates in a washing course that uses water (e.g., a standard course). In the case where the clothes treating apparatus 1 operates in a washing course that uses water, the processor 310 may operate the drainage device 92 in response to each completion of a washing process, a rinsing process, a spin-drying process, and a drying process.
Referring to
To perform the washing process at operation 601, the processor 310 of the clothes treating apparatus 1 may control the detergent supply device 80 to supply washing detergent to the tub 20. The processor 310 may control the driving device 40 to rotate the drum 30. In addition, the processor 310 may control the water supply device 50 to supply water to the tub 20 according to an operation course. For example, the processor 310 may control the water supply device 50 to supply water to the tub 20 during the washing process at operation 601, as a washing course that uses water (e.g., a standard course) is selected. The processor 310 may stop an operation of the water supply device 50, so as not to supply water to the tub 20 during the washing process at operation 601, as a washing course that does not use water (e.g., a dry cleaning course) is selected.
Once the washing process is completed, the clothes treating apparatus 1 may perform the rinsing process at operation 602. The rinsing process at operation 602 may be performed one or more times. The processor 310 may control the driving device 40 to rotate the drum 30. To perform the rinsing process at operation 602, the processor 310 may control the water supply device 50 to supply water or not to supply water to the tub 20, according to an operation course. For example, the processor 310 may control the water supply device 50 to supply water to the tub 20 during the rinsing process at operation 602, as a washing course that uses water (e.g., a standard course) is selected. The processor 310 may stop an operation of the water supply device 50 so as not to supply water to the tub 20 during the rinsing process at operation 602, as a washing course that does not use water (e.g., a dry cleaning course) is selected. In addition, in the washing course that does not use water (e.g., a dry cleaning course), the processor 310 may control the detergent supply device 80 to supply a rinsing aid to the tub 20.
Once the rinsing process is completed, the clothes treating apparatus 1 may perform the spin-drying process at operation 603. The processor 310 may control the drain valve Vd and the second pump 85 to discharge detergent and/or water from the tub 20. The processor 310 may rotate the drum 30 at a relatively high speed. Rapid rotation of the drum 30 may remove detergent and/or water from the laundry due to centrifugal force.
In addition, the processor 310 may open or close the chamber valve Vc during the spin-drying process at operation 603 according to an operation course. For example, the processor 310 may open the chamber valve Vc during the spin-drying process of a washing course that does not use water (e.g., a dry cleaning course). The processor 310 may close the chamber valve Vc and control the drainage device 92 to discharge water to the outside of the clothes treating apparatus 1 during the spin-drying process of a washing course that uses water (e.g., a standard course).
Once the spin-drying process is completed, the clothes treating apparatus 1 may perform the drying process at operation 604. To perform the drying process at operation 604, the processor 310 may control the intake device 60, that draws in air from the drum 30 through the at least one inlet 21a and 21b formed on the tub 20, and the drying device 70 that supplies hot air into the drum 30. In addition, the processor 310 may rotate the drum 30 at a relatively low speed.
The processor 310 may determine whether to end the drying process based on a dryness level of the laundry and a concentration of detergent. Once the drying process at operation 604 is completed, the processor 310 may stop the operation of the clothes treating apparatus 1 and turn the clothes treating apparatus 1 off.
Referring to
The processor 310 may identify a dryness level of the laundry corresponding to a first sensing value output by the first sensor S1 at operation 702. For example, the processor 310 may identify the dryness level of the laundry based on a weight of the laundry or an electrical conductivity of the laundry detected by the first sensor S1. The more moisture contained in the laundry, the greater the weight of the laundry may be detected. During the drying process, the moisture in the laundry may be removed, and the weight of the laundry may decrease. The processor 310 may identify that the dryness level is higher as the weight of the laundry decreases. In addition, because water generally acts as a conductor, the more moisture contained in the laundry, the greater the electrical conductivity of the laundry may be detected. During the drying process, the moisture in the laundry may be removed, and the electrical conductivity of the laundry may decrease.
The processor 310 may identify whether the dryness level of the laundry reaches a reference dryness level at operation 703. The processor 310 may operate the intake device 60, based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to the reference dryness level at operation 704. The processor 310 may detect a concentration of detergent drawn in through the at least one inlet 21a and 21b, based on a second sensing value output from the second sensor S2 at operation 705. By supplying hot air into the drum 30 according to the operation of the drying device 70, the laundry may be dried, and at the same time, the detergent remaining in the laundry may be vaporized. By operating the intake device 60, moisture and gaseous detergent in the drum 30 may be discharged to the outside of the drum 30 more quickly, and the drying efficiency of the laundry may be improved.
Based on the dryness level of the laundry being less than a threshold dryness level, the processor 310 may maintain the operation of the drying device 70 so that hot air continues to be supplied into the drum 30 at operations 706 and 707. Based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to the threshold dryness level, the processor 310 may stop operating the drying device 70 at operations 706 and 708.
Based on the concentration of the detergent being greater than a threshold concentration, the processor 310 may maintain the operation of the intake device 60 so that air continues to be drawn in through the at least one inlet 21a and 21b at operations 709 and 710. Based on the concentration of the detergent being less than or equal to the threshold concentration, the processor 310 may stop operating the intake device 60 at operation 711.
Although it has been described that stopping the operation of the drying device 70 based on the dryness level of the laundry and stopping the operation of the intake device 60 based on the concentration of the detergent are performed sequentially, the disclosure is not limited thereto. The clothes treating apparatus 1 may simultaneously identify the dryness level of the laundry and the concentration of the detergent drawn in through the at least one inlet 21a and 21b, while performing the drying process, and may also simultaneously stop the operation of the drying device 70 and the operation of the intake device 60.
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a clothes treating apparatus may include: a tub; a drum rotatable in the tub; at least one inlet formed on a surface of the tub; at least one valve configured to open or close the at least one inlet; an intake motor connected to the at least one inlet; a drying device configured to provide hot air to an inside of the drum; a first sensor disposed in the drum and configured to output a first sensing value; a second sensor disposed on the at least one inlet and configured to output a second sensing value; and a processor. The processor may be configured to: operate the drying device to dry laundry accommodated in the drum in response to a start of a drying process, identify a dryness level of the laundry corresponding to the first sensing value of the first sensor, operate the intake motor based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a reference dryness level, identify a concentration of a detergent drawn into the at least one inlet based on the second sensing value of the second sensor, and determine whether to end the drying process based on the dryness level of the laundry and the concentration of the detergent.
The first sensor may include a weight sensor configured to measure a weight of the laundry or an electrical conductivity sensor configured to measure an electrical conductivity of the laundry. The processor may be configured to identify a dryness level of the laundry corresponding to the weight of the laundry or the electrical conductivity of the laundry.
The processor may be configured to stop operating the drying device and continue operating the intake motor, based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a threshold dryness level and the concentration of the detergent being greater than a threshold concentration.
The processor may be configured to stop operating both the drying device and the intake motor and end the drying process, based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a threshold dryness level and the concentration of the detergent being less than or equal to a threshold concentration.
The at least one inlet may include a first inlet and a second inlet spaced apart from the first inlet. The at least one valve may include a first valve and a second valve configured to open and close the first inlet and the second inlet, respectively. The processor may be configured to control the first valve and the second valve to open the first inlet or the second inlet according to a rotation direction of the drum.
The processor may be configured to control the first valve and the second valve to alternately open the first inlet and the second inlet, in response to the rotation direction of the drum being periodically reversed.
The processor may be configured to adjust a suction power of the intake motor according to changes in the dryness level of the laundry.
The clothes treating apparatus may further include a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of air discharged from the drum to the drying device. The processor may be configured to control the drying device to allow the temperature of air to be maintained at a reference temperature, based on the temperature of air being higher than or equal to the reference temperature.
The second sensor may include a gas sensor configured to detect the concentration of the detergent in a gas state.
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, in a method for controlling a clothes treating apparatus including a tub, a drum rotatable in the tub, at least one inlet formed on a surface of the tub, at least one valve configured to open or close the at least one inlet, an intake motor connected to the at least one inlet, and a drying device configured to provide hot air to an inside of the drum, the method may include: operating the drying device to dry laundry accommodated in the drum in response to a start of a drying process; identifying a dryness level of the laundry corresponding to a first sensing value of a first sensor disposed in the drum; operating the intake motor based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a reference dryness level; identifying a concentration of a detergent drawn into the at least one inlet based on a second sensing value of a second sensor disposed on the at least one inlet; and determining whether to end the drying process based on the dryness level of the laundry and the concentration of the detergent.
The first sensor may include a weight sensor configured to measure a weight of the laundry or an electrical conductivity sensor configured to measure an electrical conductivity of the laundry. The identifying of the dryness level of the laundry may be based on the weight of the laundry or the electrical conductivity of the laundry.
The method may further include stopping operating the drying device based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a threshold dryness level and the concentration of the detergent being greater than a threshold concentration.
The determining of whether to end the drying process may include stopping operating both the drying device and the intake motor and ending the drying process, based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a threshold dryness level and the concentration of the detergent being less than or equal to a threshold concentration.
The at least one inlet may include a first inlet and a second inlet spaced apart from the first inlet. The at least one valve may include a first valve and a second valve configured to open and close the first inlet and the second inlet, respectively. The method may further include controlling the first valve and the second valve to open the first inlet or the second inlet according to a rotation direction of the drum.
The controlling of the first valve and the second valve may include controlling the first valve and the second valve to alternately open the first inlet and the second inlet, in response to the rotation direction of the drum being periodically reversed.
The method may further include adjusting a suction power of the intake motor according to changes in the dryness level of the laundry.
The method may further include: detecting a temperature of air discharged from the drum to the drying device by using a temperature sensor; and controlling the drying device to allow the temperature of air to be maintained at a reference temperature, based on the temperature of air being higher than or equal to the reference temperature.
According to the disclosure, the clothes treating apparatus and the method for controlling the same may shorten a drying time of laundry and improve drying efficiency by using a hot air supply method and an air intake method. Because the drying time may be shortened without significantly increasing a temperature of hot air, damage to laundry may be prevented, and user convenience may also be improved.
In addition, the clothes treating apparatus and the method for controlling the same may minimize an amount of detergent remaining in laundry, and thus an impact of residual detergent on a user may be minimized.
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 generate a program module to perform the operations of the disclosed embodiments.
The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. When a storage medium is referred to as “non-transitory”, it may be understood that the storage medium is tangible and does not include a signal (e.g., an electromagnetic wave), but rather that data is semi-permanently or temporarily stored in the storage medium. For example, a “non-transitory storage medium” may include a buffer in which data is temporarily stored.
The method according to various embodiments disclosed herein may be provided in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer as a product. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed (e.g., download or upload) through an application store (e.g., Play Store™) online or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product (e.g., downloadable app) may be stored at least semi-permanently or may be temporarily generated in a storage medium, such as memory of a server of a manufacturer, a server of an application store, or a relay server.
While the disclosure has been shown and described with reference to various embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A clothes treating apparatus, comprising:
- a tub;
- a drum rotatable in the tub;
- at least one inlet formed on a surface of the tub;
- at least one valve configured to open or close the at least one inlet;
- an intake motor connected to the at least one inlet;
- a drying device configured to provide hot air to an inside of the drum;
- a first sensor disposed in the drum and configured to output a first sensing value;
- a second sensor disposed on the at least one inlet and configured to output a second sensing value;
- memory, comprising one or more storage media, storing instructions; and
- one or more processors communicatively coupled to the at least one valve, the intake motor, the drying device, the first sensor, the second sensor and the memory,
- wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the clothes treating apparatus to: operate the drying device to dry laundry accommodated in the drum in response to a start of a drying process, identify a dryness level of the laundry corresponding to the first sensing value of the first sensor, operate the intake motor based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a reference dryness level, identify a concentration of a detergent drawn into the at least one inlet based on the second sensing value of the second sensor, and determine whether to end the drying process based on the dryness level of the laundry and the concentration of the detergent.
2. The clothes treating apparatus of claim 1,
- wherein the first sensor includes a weight sensor configured to measure a weight of the laundry or an electrical conductivity sensor configured to measure an electrical conductivity of the laundry, and
- wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the clothes treating apparatus to identify a dryness level of the laundry corresponding to the weight of the laundry or the electrical conductivity of the laundry.
3. The clothes treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the clothes treating apparatus to stop operating the drying device and continue operating the intake motor, based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a threshold dryness level and the concentration of the detergent being greater than a threshold concentration.
4. The clothes treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the clothes treating apparatus to stop operating both the drying device and the intake motor and end the drying process, based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a threshold dryness level and the concentration of the detergent being less than or equal to a threshold concentration.
5. The clothes treating apparatus of claim 1,
- wherein the at least one inlet includes a first inlet and a second inlet spaced apart from the first inlet,
- wherein the at least one valve includes a first valve and a second valve configured to open and close the first inlet and the second inlet, respectively, and
- wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the clothes treating apparatus to control the first valve and the second valve to open the first inlet or the second inlet according to a rotation direction of the drum.
6. The clothes treating apparatus of claim 5, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the clothes treating apparatus to control the first valve and the second valve to alternately open the first inlet and the second inlet, in response to the rotation direction of the drum being periodically reversed.
7. The clothes treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the clothes treating apparatus to adjust a suction power of the intake motor according to changes in the dryness level of the laundry.
8. The clothes treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
- a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of air discharged from the drum to the drying device,
- wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the clothes treating apparatus to control the drying device to allow the temperature of air to be maintained at a reference temperature, based on the temperature of air being higher than or equal to the reference temperature.
9. The clothes treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second sensor includes a gas sensor configured to detect the concentration of the detergent in a gas state.
10. A method performed by a clothes treating apparatus comprising a tub, a drum rotatable in the tub, at least one inlet formed on a surface of the tub, at least one valve configured to open or close the at least one inlet, an intake motor connected to the at least one inlet, and a drying device configured to provide hot air to an inside of the drum, the method comprising:
- operating the drying device to dry laundry accommodated in the drum in response to a start of a drying process;
- identifying a dryness level of the laundry corresponding to a first sensing value of a first sensor disposed in the drum;
- operating the intake motor based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a reference dryness level;
- identifying a concentration of a detergent drawn into the at least one inlet based on a second sensing value of a second sensor disposed on the at least one inlet; and
- determining whether to end the drying process based on the dryness level of the laundry and the concentration of the detergent.
11. The method of claim 10,
- wherein the first sensor includes a weight sensor configured to measure a weight of the laundry or an electrical conductivity sensor configured to measure an electrical conductivity of the laundry, and
- wherein the identifying of the dryness level of the laundry is based on the weight of the laundry or the electrical conductivity of the laundry.
12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
- stopping operating the drying device based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a threshold dryness level and the concentration of the detergent being greater than a threshold concentration.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining of whether to end the drying process comprises stopping operating both the drying device and the intake motor and ending the drying process, based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a threshold dryness level and the concentration of the detergent being less than or equal to a threshold concentration.
14. The method of claim 10,
- wherein the at least one inlet includes a first inlet and a second inlet spaced apart from the first inlet,
- wherein the at least one valve includes a first valve and a second valve configured to open and close the first inlet and the second inlet, respectively, and
- wherein the method further comprises controlling the first valve and the second valve to open the first inlet or the second inlet according to a rotation direction of the drum.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the controlling of the first valve and the second valve comprises controlling the first valve and the second valve to alternately open the first inlet and the second inlet, in response to the rotation direction of the drum being periodically reversed.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein a number of valves for opening and closing inlets correspond to a number of inlets of the at least one inlet.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the clothes treating apparatus further includes a switching valve for guiding the detergent discharged from a chamber of a detergent supply device to a return flow path or a supply flow path.
18. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing one or more computer programs including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a clothes treating apparatus individually or collectively, cause the clothes treating apparatus to perform operations, the clothes treating apparatus including a tub, a drum rotatable in the tub, at least one inlet formed on a surface of the tub, at least one valve configured to open or close the at least one inlet, an intake motor connected to the at least one inlet, and a drying device configured to provide hot air to an inside of the drum, the operations comprising:
- operating the drying device to dry laundry accommodated in the drum in response to a start of a drying process;
- identifying a dryness level of the laundry corresponding to a first sensing value of a first sensor disposed in the drum;
- operating the intake motor based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a reference dryness level;
- identifying a concentration of a detergent drawn into the at least one inlet based on a second sensing value of a second sensor disposed on the at least one inlet; and
- determining whether to end the drying process based on the dryness level of the laundry and the concentration of the detergent.
19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 18,
- wherein the first sensor includes a weight sensor configured to measure a weight of the laundry or an electrical conductivity sensor configured to measure an electrical conductivity of the laundry, and
- wherein the identifying of the dryness level of the laundry is based on the weight of the laundry or the electrical conductivity of the laundry.
20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 18, the operations further comprising
- stopping operating the drying device based on the dryness level of the laundry being greater than or equal to a threshold dryness level and the concentration of the detergent being greater than a threshold concentration.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 11, 2026
Publication Date: Jul 16, 2026
Inventors: Seongkuk CHO (Suwon-si), Sojeong KIM (Suwon-si), Kyuhwan NA (Suwon-si), Geonhyeong PARK (Suwon-si), Sangtak LEE (Suwon-si), Jungsoo LIM (Suwon-si), Seokmin CHOI (Suwon-si)
Application Number: 19/563,465
