Patent Application
20250075388
The disclosure relates to a clothes care apparatus including a drying device and a method for controlling the same.
A clothes care apparatus is an apparatus for treating and/or caring for clothes. The clothes care 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 uses a driving force of a drive motor to agitate laundry, water, and detergent together in a tub, thereby washing by mutual friction.
Processes performed by a dryer combined washing machine may include a washing process of supplying a detergent and water to a tub in which laundry is accommodated and washing the laundry while rotating a drum, a rinsing process of supplying water to the tub and rinsing the laundry by rotating the drum, and a spin-drying process of discharging water from the tub and removing water from the laundry by rotating the drum.
The processes performed by the dryer combined washing machine may include a drying process to dry the laundry by blowing hot air generated from a dryer into a receiving space where the laundry is accommodated. The dryer combined washing machine may include a dryer to perform the drying process.
A clothes care apparatus such as a dryer combined washing machine may include various components and/or devices that may malfunction. Existing clothes care apparatuses may not detect the failure of the components and/or devices thereof.
The disclosure provides a clothes care apparatus and a method for controlling the same that may use a sensor capable of detecting a water level in a tub to determine failure of various components and/or devices of the clothes care apparatus. Failure may also be described by a variety of terms, such as abnormality, malfunction, or defect.
The disclosure provides a clothes care apparatus and a method for controlling the same that may automatically clean a heat exchanger, and detect an abnormal state of a water supply valve, a drain line, and a nozzle used for cleaning the heat exchanger.
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a clothes care apparatus may include: a tub; a water level sensor configured to detect a water level in the tub; a heat exchanger disposed above the tub; a nozzle configured to spray water to the heat exchanger; a water supply valve configured to open or close a water supply flow path for supplying water to the nozzle; a drain line configured to guide condensate water generated by the heat exchanger or the water sprayed by the nozzle to the tub; and a controller. The controller may be configured to detect a change in the water level in the tub based on a signal transmitted from the water level sensor, and sequentially determine a state of each of the water supply valve, the drain line, and the nozzle based on the change in the water level in the tub.
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a method for controlling a clothes care apparatus may include: detecting a change in a water level in a tub using a water level sensor; determining a state of a water supply valve connected to a nozzle configured to spray water to a heat exchanger based on the change in the water level in the tub; determining a state of a drain line configured to guide condensate water generated by the heat exchanger or the water sprayed by the nozzle to the tub, based on the change in the water level in the tub; and determining a state of the nozzle based on the change in the water level in the tub.
According to the disclosure, a clothes care apparatus and a method for controlling the same may determine failure of various components and/or devices of the clothes care apparatus by using a sensor capable of detecting a water level in a tub.
According to the disclosure, a clothes care apparatus and a method for controlling the same may automatically clean a heat exchanger and detect an abnormal state of a water supply valve, a drain line, and a nozzle used for cleaning the heat exchanger.
Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION below, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term “or,” is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like; and the term “controller” means any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware or software, or some combination of at least two of the same. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely.
Moreover, various functions described below can be implemented or supported by one or more computer programs, each of which is formed from computer readable program code and embodied in a computer readable medium. The terms “application” and “program” refer to one or more computer programs, software components, sets of instructions, procedures, functions, objects, classes, instances, related data, or a portion thereof adapted for implementation in a suitable computer readable program code. The phrase “computer readable program code” includes any type of computer code, including source code, object code, and executable code. The phrase “computer readable medium” includes any type of medium capable of being accessed by a computer, such as read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), a hard disk drive, a compact disc (CD), a digital video disc (DVD), or any other type of memory. A “non-transitory” computer readable medium excludes wired, wireless, optical, or other communication links that transport transitory electrical or other signals. A non-transitory computer readable medium includes media where data can be permanently stored and media where data can be stored and later overwritten, such as a rewritable optical disc or an erasable memory device.
Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases.
For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts:
Embodiments described in the specification and configurations shown in the accompanying drawings are merely examples of the disclosure, and various modifications may replace the embodiments and the drawings of the disclosure at the time of filing of the application.
Like reference numerals or symbols denoted in the drawings of the specification are members or components that perform the substantially same functions.
A singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one item or a plurality of the items unless context clearly indicates otherwise.
As used herein, each of the expressions “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 one or all possible combinations of the items listed together with a corresponding expression among the expressions.
The term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of a plurality of associated listed items.
It will be understood that the terms “first”, “second”, or the like, may be used only to distinguish one component from another, not intended to limit the corresponding component in other aspects (e.g., importance or order).
When it is said that one (e.g., first) component is “coupled” or “connected” to another (e.g., second) component, with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicatively”, it means that one component may be connected to the other component directly (e.g., by wire), wirelessly, or through a third component.
It will be understood that when the terms “includes,” “comprises,” “including,” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated 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.
An expression that one component is “connected”, “coupled”, “supported”, or “in contact” with another component includes a case in which the components are directly “connected”, “coupled”, “supported”, or “in contact” with each other and a case in which the components are indirectly “connected”, “coupled”, “supported”, or “in contact” with each other through a third component.
It will also be understood that when one component is referred to as being “on” or “over” another component, it may be directly on the other component or intervening components may also be present.
A washing machine according to various embodiments of the disclosure may perform washing, rinsing, spin-drying, and drying processes. The washing machine is an example of a clothes care apparatus, and the clothes care apparatus may be a concept including an apparatus capable of washing clothes (objects to be washed, and objects to be dried), an apparatus capable of drying clothes, and an apparatus 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 withdrawing 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 that is in a loading type other than the top-loading washing machine and the front-loading washing machine.
In the top-loading washing machine, laundry may be washed using water current generated by a rotating body such as a pulsator. In 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 for supplying high-temperature air into the drum and a condenser for removing moisture from air discharged from the drum. For example, the dryer combined washing machine may include a heat pump. The washing machine according to various embodiments may include a washing machine using a washing method other than the above-described washing method.
The washing machine according to various embodiments may include a housing accommodating various components therein. The housing may be provided in the form of a box including a laundry inlet on one side thereof.
The washing machine 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 to be seen.
The washing machine may include a tub arranged inside the housing to store water. The tub may be formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with a tub opening formed at one side thereof. The tub may be disposed inside the housing in such a way that the tub opening corresponds to the laundry inlet.
The tub may be connected to the housing by a damper. The damper may absorb vibration generated when the drum rotates, and the damper may reduce vibration transmitted to the housing.
The washing machine may include a drum to accommodate laundry.
The drum may be disposed inside the tub in such a way that a drum opening provided at one side of the drum corresponds to the laundry inlet and the tub opening. Laundry may pass through the laundry inlet, the tub opening, and the drum opening, sequentially and then be accommodated in the drum or withdrawn from the drum.
The drum may perform each operation according to washing, rinsing, and/or spin-drying while rotating inside the tub. A plurality of through holes may be formed in a cylindrical wall of the drum to allow water stored in the tub to be introduced into or to be discharged from the drum.
The washing machine may include a driver configured to rotate the drum. The driver 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 to be connected to the drum.
The driver may perform respective operations according to washing, rinsing, and/or spin-drying, or drying processes by rotating the drum in a forward or reverse direction.
The washing machine may include a water supply configured to supply water to the tub. The water supply may include a water supply pipe and a water supply valve disposed in 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 a detergent supply and/or the tub. Water may be supplied to the tub through the detergent supply. Alternatively, water may be supplied to the tub without passing through the detergent supply.
The water supply valve may open or close the water supply pipe in response to an electrical signal of a controller. The water supply valve may allow or block the supply of water to the tub from an external water supply source. The water supply valve may include a solenoid valve configured to open and close in response to an electrical signal.
The washing machine may include the detergent supply configured to supply detergent to the tub. The detergent supply may include a manual detergent supply that requires a user to input detergent to be used for each washing, and an automatic detergent supply that stores a large amount of detergent and automatically inputs a predetermined amount of detergent during washing. The detergent supply may include a detergent box for storing detergent. The detergent supply may supply detergent into the tub during a water supply process. Water supplied through the water supply pipe may be mixed with detergent via the detergent supply. Water mixed with detergent may be supplied into the tub. The term “detergent” may include, for example, detergent for pre-washing, detergent for main washing, fabric softener, bleach, and the like. The detergent box may be partitioned into a storage region for the pre-washing detergent, a storage region for the main washing detergent, a storage region for the fabric softener, and a storage region for the bleach.
The washing machine may include a drainage configured to discharge water contained in the tub to the outside. The drainage may include a drain pipe extending from a bottom of the tub to the outside of the housing, a drain valve disposed on the drain pipe to open and close the drain pipe, and a pump disposed on the drain pipe. The pump may pump water from the drain pipe to the outside of the housing.
The washing machine may include a control panel disposed on one side of the housing. The control panel may provide a user interface for interaction between a user and the washing machine. The user interface may include at least one input interface and at least one output interface.
The at least one input interface may convert sensory information received from a user into an electrical signal. The at least one input interface may include a power button, an operation button, a course selection dial (or a course selection button), and a washing/rinsing/spin-drying setting button. The at least one input interface may include, for example, 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 may visually or audibly transmit information related to the operation of the washing machine to a user. For example, the at least one output interface may transmit information related to a washing process, operation time of the washing machine, and washing/rinsing/spin-drying settings to the user. Information about the operation of the washing machine may be output through a screen, an indicator, or voice. The at least one output interface may include, for example, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel, a Light Emitting Diode (LED) panel, or a speaker.
The washing machine may include a communication module for wired and/or wireless communication with an external device.
The communication module may include at least one of a short-range wireless communication module or a long-range wireless communication module.
The communication module may transmit data to an external device (e.g., a server, a user device, and/or a home appliance) or receive data from the external device. For example, the communication module may establish communication with a server and/or a user device and/or a home appliance, and transmit and receive various types of data.
For the communication, the communication module may establish a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between external devices, and support the performance of the communication through the established communication channel. According to an embodiment, the communication module may include a wireless communication module (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module, or a power line communication module). Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module may communicate with an external device through a first network (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network such as a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., LAN or WAN). These various types of communication modules may be integrated as one component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as a plurality of separate components (e.g., multiple chips).
The short-range wireless communication module may include a Bluetooth communication module, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication module, a near field communication module, a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication module, a Zigbee communication module, an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) communication module, a Wi-Fi Direct (WFD) communication module, an ultrawideband (UWB) communication module, an Ant+ communication module, a microwave (uWave) communication module, etc., but is not limited thereto.
The long-range wireless communication module may include a communication module that performs various types of long-range wireless communication, and may include a mobile communication circuitry. The mobile communication circuitry transmits and receives radio signals with at least one of a base station, an external terminal, or a server on a mobile communication network.
According to an embodiment, the communication module may communicate with an external device such as a server, a user device and other home appliances through an access point (AP). The access point (AP) may connect a local area network (LAN), to which a washing machine or a user device is connected, to a wide area network (WAN) to which a server is connected. The washing machine or the user device may be connected to the server through the wide area network (WAN). The controller may control various components of the washing machine (e.g., the drive motor, and the water supply valve). The controller may control various components of the washing machine to perform at least one operation including water supply, washing, rinsing, and/or spin-drying according to a user input. For example, the controller may control the drive motor to adjust a rotational speed of the drum or control the water supply valve of the water supply to supply water to the tub.
The controller may include hardware such as a CPU or memory, and software such as a control program. For example, the controller may include at least one memory for storing an algorithm and program-type data for controlling the operation of components in the washing machine, and at least one processor configured to perform the above-mentioned operation by using the data stored in the at least one memory. The memory and the processor may each be implemented as separate chips. The processor may include one or more processor chips or may include one or more processing cores. The memory may include one or more memory chips or one or more memory blocks. Alternatively, the memory and the processor may be implemented as a single chip.
Hereinafter, a clothes care apparatus according to various embodiments of the disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter, a dryer combined washing machine (a washer-dryer combo) is described as an example of the clothes care apparatus, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. A variety of apparatuses for treating and/or caring for clothes may be used as the clothes care apparatus.
The terms “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” etc., used in the following description are defined based on the drawings, and the shape and position of each component are not limited by these terms.
For example, an X-axis direction may be defined as a front-to-back direction, a Y-axis direction may be defined as a left-right direction, and a Z-axis direction may be defined as an up-down direction.
Referring to
The clothes care apparatus 1 may include a laundry door 17 for opening and closing the laundry inlet 11. The laundry door 17 may be rotatably mounted to the housing 10 by a hinge. At least a portion of the laundry door 17 may be transparent or translucent to allow the inside of the housing to be seen. For example, the laundry door 17 may include tempered glass.
The clothes care apparatus I may include a lower door 18 to provide access to a lower detergent supply 60. The clothes care apparatus 1 may include an upper door 19 to provide access to an upper detergent supply 50 and a filter 95.
The clothes care apparatus 1 may include a tub 20 arranged inside the housing 10 to store water. The tub 20 may be formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with a tub opening 21 formed at one side thereof. The tub may be disposed inside the housing 10 in such a way that the tub opening 21 corresponds to the laundry inlet 11. The tub opening 21 may be provided to substantially face forward.
The tub 20 may be connected to the housing 10 by a damper 25. The damper 25 may absorb vibration generated when a drum 30 rotates, and the damper 25 may reduce vibration transmitted to the housing 10.
The clothes care apparatus 1 may include the drum 30 to accommodate laundry. At least one lifter 33 may be installed in the drum 30 to lift and drop laundry to wash the laundry.
The drum 30 may be disposed inside the tub 20 in such a way that a drum opening 31 corresponds to the laundry inlet 11 and the tub opening 21. Laundry may sequentially pass through the laundry inlet 11, the tub opening 21, and the drum opening 31, and then be accommodated in the drum 30 or withdrawn from the drum 30. The drum opening 31 may be provided to substantially face forward.
The drum 30 may perform each operation according to washing, rinsing, and/or spin-drying while rotating inside the tub 20. A plurality of through holes 32 may be formed in a cylindrical wall of the drum 30 to allow water stored in the tub 20 to be introduced into or to be withdrawn from the drum 30.
The clothes care apparatus 1 may include a driver 36 configured to rotate the drum 30. The driver 36 may include a drive motor 36a and a rotating shaft for transmitting a driving force generated by the drive motor 36a to the drum 30. The rotating shaft may penetrate the tub 20 to be connected to the drum 30.
The driver 36 may perform respective operations according to washing, rinsing, and/or spin-drying, or drying processes by rotating the drum 30 in a forward or reverse direction.
The clothes care apparatus 1 may include a water supply 40 to supply water to the tub 20. The water supply 40 may include water supply valves 41 and 42 that may be connected to an external water supply source. For example, the water supply valves 41 and 42 may include the hot water supply valve 41 for supplying hot water and the cold water supply valve 42 for supplying cold water.
The water supply 40 may include water supply pipes 43 and 44. The water supply pipes 43 and 44 may be provided as a flexible hose, plastic pipe, or metal pipe. The water supply pipes 43 and 44 may be connected to the water supply valves 41 and 42. For example, the water supply pipes 43 and 44 may include the hot water supply pipe 43 connected to the hot water supply valve 41 and the cold water pipe 44 connected to the cold water supply valve 42.
At least one of the water supply pipes 43 and 44 may guide water from the water supply valves 41 and 42 to the tub 20. At least one of the water supply pipes 43 and 44 may extend from the water supply valve 42 to the tub 20. Water may be supplied to the lower detergent supply 60 through the tub 20. Water may be supplied to the lower detergent supply 60 without passing through the tub 20.
The water supply valves 41 and 42 may open or close the water supply pipes 43 and 44. The water supply valves 41 and 42 may allow or block the supply of water to the tub 20 from an external water supply source. For example, the water supply valves 41 and 42 may include a solenoid valve configured to be open and closed in response to an electrical signal.
The clothes care apparatus 1 may include the detergent supply s 50 and 60 to supply detergent to the tub 20. The detergent supplies 50 and 60 may include the upper detergent supply 50 and the lower detergent supply 60. The term “detergent” may include, for example, detergent for pre-washing, detergent for main washing, fabric softener, bleach, and the like.
The upper detergent supply 50 may be positioned above the tub 20. The upper detergent supply 50 may be located above the tub 20 in a vertical direction. The upper detergent supply 50 may include a manual detergent supply that requires a user to input detergent to be used for each washing, or an automatic detergent supply that stores a large amount of detergent and automatically inputs a predetermined amount of detergent during washing. The upper detergent supply 50 may be connected to the tub 20 through a detergent connection pipe 51. For example, the upper detergent supply 50 may supply solid laundry detergent and/or softener to the tub 20. However, the type of detergent is not limited to the above examples.
The lower detergent supply 60 may be positioned below the tub 20. The lower detergent supply 60 may be located below the tub 20 in a vertical direction. The lower detergent supply 60 may include a manual detergent supply that requires a user to input detergent to be used for each washing, or an automatic detergent supply that stores a large amount of detergent and automatically inputs a predetermined amount of detergent during washing. For example, the lower detergent supply 60 may supply liquid laundry detergent and/or softener to the tub 20. However, the type of detergent is not limited to the above examples.
The clothes care apparatus 1 may include a drainage 70 to discharge water contained in the tub 20 to the outside. The drainage 70 may include a drain pump 71 to discharge the water in the tub 20 to the outside of the housing 10.
The clothes care apparatus 1 may include a circulation pump 76 to circulate water in the tub 20 back to the tub 20 through the lower detergent supply 60.
The drainage 70 may be connected to the tub 20 through a tub connection pipe 72. The drainage 70 may discharge water from the tub 20 to the outside of the housing 10 through a drain pipe 73.
The clothes care apparatus 1 may include a water level sensor 200 for detecting a water level of the tub 20. The water level sensor 200 may be located outside the tub 20. For example, the water level sensor 200 may be installed below the upper detergent supply 50. The position of the water level sensor 200 is not limited thereto.
The water level sensor 200 may be connected to a connection hose 201 extending from a branch pipe 72a of the tub connection pipe 72. The water level sensor 200 may be installed at an end of the connection hose 201 connected to the tub connection pipe 72. A water level of the connection hose 201 may be the same as that of the tub 20.
As the water level in the tub 20 increases, the water level in the connection hose 201 increases. An increase in the water level in the connection hose 201 may increase a pressure in the connection hose 201. The water level sensor 200 may detect pressure changes in the connection hose 201 and may detect the water level in the tub 20 corresponding to the pressure in the connection hose 201. The water level sensor 200 may generate an electrical signal corresponding to the pressure in the connection hose 201. A frequency of the electrical signal generated by the water level sensor 200 may vary depending on pressure changes in the connection hose 201.
In another example, the water level sensor 200 may be installed inside the tub 20. As the water level in the tub 20 increases, a pressure applied to the water level sensor 200 may increase. The water level sensor 200 may detect the water level in the tub 20 corresponding to the pressure.
The clothes care apparatus 1 may include a control panel 100 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 care apparatus 1. The user interface may include at least one input interface 101 and at least one output interface 102.
For example, 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 a power button, an operation button, a course selection dial (or a course selection button), and a washing/rinsing/spin-drying setting button. The at least one input interface 101 may include 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 or audibly transmit information related to the operation of the clothes care apparatus 1 to a user. For example, the at least one output interface 102 may transmit information related to a washing process, operation time of the clothes care apparatus 1, and washing/rinsing/spin-drying settings to the user. Information about the operation of the clothes care apparatus 1 may be output through a screen, an indicator, or voice. The at least one output interface 102 may include, for example, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel, a Light Emitting Diode (LED) panel, or a speaker.
The clothes care apparatus 1 may include a dryer 80 to dry the laundry accommodated in the drum 30. The dryer 80 may heat air and supply the heated air to the inside of the tub 20. The dryer 80 may dry and heat the air discharged from the tub 20, and circulate the dried and heated air inside the tub 20 to dry the laundry in the drum 30. The dryer 80 according to various embodiments may be disposed above the tub 20.
The dryer 80 may include a drying case 81. The drying case 81 may include a drying base 81a and a drying cover 81b coupled to the drying base 81a to form a flow path through which air may pass. The drying cover 81b may cover an open upper surface of the drying base 81a.
Referring to
The dryer 80 may be configured as a heat pump type. The dryer 80 may include a fan 87a, a compressor 91, a condenser 92, an evaporator 93, an expansion valve, and a refrigerant pipe 94 for allowing a refrigerant to circulate. The compressor 91, the condenser 92, the evaporator 93, and the expansion valve, that constitute the heat pump, may be disposed in the drying case 81. For example, the dryer 80 may further include a cooling fan 91a for cooling the compressor 91. For example, the dryer 80 may be formed as a single module.
The compressor 91 may compress the refrigerant, and the compressed high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant may move to the condenser 92. The condenser 92 may cool the refrigerant to heat the surrounding air. The heated air may flow into the drum 30 to dry laundry.
The refrigerant expanded through the expansion valve may absorb heat from the evaporator 93 and cool the surrounding air. That is, the evaporator 93 may remove moisture by cooling the high-temperature and humid air that has passed through the inside of the drum 30. The air from which moisture has been removed may pass through the condenser 92, and may be heated again while exchanging heat with the refrigerant in the condenser 92. That is, the condenser 92 may heat the air that has passed through the evaporator 93. The condenser 92 and the evaporator 93 may correspond to a heat exchanger. The condenser 92 may correspond to a ‘first heat exchanger’. The evaporator 93 may correspond to a ‘second heat exchanger’.
For example, the dryer 80 may further include a drying heater 99. The drying heater 99 may increase a drying efficiency of the dryer 80. The heat pump components of the dryer 80 may be replaced with the drying heater 99.
The drying heater 99 may heat the air introduced into the dryer 80. The drying heater 99 may be disposed in a heating flow path 86. The drying heater 99 may be disposed downstream of the condenser 92 along a flow of air passing through the dryer 80. In addition, the drying heater 99 may be provided in a relatively small size to reduce flow path resistance. For example, the drying heater 99 may be a sheath heater.
The dryer 80 according to various embodiments may be disposed above the tub 20. An inlet flow path 85 into which the air discharged from the tub 20 flows may be formed in the dryer 80. The heating flow path 86 may be formed in the dryer 80 for heat exchange of the air introduced into the dryer 80 through the inlet flow path 85. The dryer 80 may be provided with a supply flow path 87 through which the air heat-exchanged while passing through the heating flow path 86 is supplied to the tub 20.
The inlet flow path 85 may allow the air passing through the inside of the tub 20 to flow into the dryer 80. The inlet flow path 85 may be disposed above the tub 20. The inlet flow path 85 may communicate with an exhaust flow path P formed at the rear of the tub 20.
The dryer 80 may include an inlet guide 84 connected to the tub 20. The inlet guide 84 may guide the air discharged from the tub 20 to the inlet flow path 85. The inlet flow path 85 may communicate with the exhaust flow path P formed in the tub 20 through the inlet guide 84. The air that has passed through the exhaust flow path P may flow into the inlet flow path 85 of the dryer 80 through the inlet guide 84.
The filter 95 may be disposed in the inlet flow path 85 to filter out foreign substances, such as lint, contained in the air flowing in from the tub 20 through the exhaust flow path P. The air flowing into the inlet flow path 85 may flow into the heating flow path 86 after passing through the filter 95. The filter 95 may be located on a flow path through which air flowing into the dryer 80 moves to the evaporator 93 and the condenser 92.
The heat exchangers 92 and 93 may be disposed on the heating flow path 86. The heat exchangers 92 and 93 may include the condenser 92 and the evaporator 93. Because the air flowing into the heating flow path 86 has already passed through the inside of the tub 20, the introduced air may be humid. The humid air may be cooled in the evaporator 93 disposed in the heating flow path 86 to remove moisture. The air from which moisture has been removed in the evaporator 93 may pass through the condenser 92 and may be heated again.
The dryer 80 may include a nozzle 96 to clean the heat exchangers 92 and 93. The nozzle 96 may be arranged in the heating flow path 86. The nozzle 96 may receive water from the water supply 40 and may spray water toward the heat exchangers 92 and 93. The water sprayed from the nozzle 96 may clean one side of the heat exchangers 92 and 93.
Meanwhile, the clothes care apparatus 1 may include a drain line 97 to guide the water discharged from the dryer 80 to the tub 20. The drain line 97 may be provided as a flexible hose, plastic pipe, or metal pipe. The drain line 97 may guide condensate water generated in the heat exchangers 92 and 93 of the dryer 80 to the outside of the dryer 80. The drain line 97 may guide the water sprayed by the nozzle 96 for cleaning the heat exchangers 92 and 93 to the outside of the dryer 80.
The drain line 97 may be connected to the drainage 70. The drain line 97 may be connected to the drain pump 71. Water discharged from the dryer 80 may flow to the drainage 70 along the drain line 97. Water flowing into the drainage 70 through the drain line 97 may be guided to the tub 20. Condensate water flowing into the tub 20 may be discharged to the outside of the clothes care apparatus 1 by an operation of the drain pump 71.
The supply flow path 87 may supply the air, heated while passing through the condenser 92, back to the inside of the tub 20. The supply flow path 87 may communicate with the heating flow path 86 and extend downward to discharge the heated air toward an opening of the tub 20.
The fan 87a may be arranged on the supply flow path 87 to allow air to flow into the tub 20. That is, the fan 87a may supply air to the laundry in the drum 30. For example, the fan 87a may include a sirocco fan.
The inlet flow path 85, the heating flow path 86, and the supply flow path 87 may cause air to circulate into the inside of the tub 20 and the dryer 80.
In the clothes care apparatus 1, air discharged from the tub 20 may sequentially pass through the inlet flow path 85, the heating flow path 86, and the supply flow path 87 of the dryer 80 located above the tub 20, and then may be supplied into the tub 20.
The air heated in the dryer 80 may flow into the drum 30. In order to secure an area where the heated air supplied into the drum 30 comes into contact with the laundry, a tub exhaust port 27 may be disposed at a position opposite to an air inlet 26 through which the air heated in the dryer 80 flows into the tub 20. In order to increase a distance and/or time for the heated air to flow inside the drum 30 to allow the heated air to come into more contact with the laundry, the tub exhaust port 27 may be disposed at a position opposite to the air inlet 26 through which the air heated in the dryer 80 flows into the tub 20. The supply flow path 87 for supplying the heated air into the drum 30 and the tub exhaust port 27 may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other. By increasing the area of contact between the heated air and the laundry, drying efficiency may be improved.
The air inlet 26 and the tub exhaust port 27 may be arranged to maximize the use of heated air provided from the dryer 80. For example, the air inlet 26 may be located adjacent to the front of the tub 20, and the tub exhaust port 27 may be located adjacent to the rear of the tub 20.
The clothes care apparatus 1 according to various embodiments may further include the exhaust flow path P to allow the air discharged from the inside of the tub 20 to flow to the dryer 80. The exhaust flow path P may be arranged to allow air discharged from the tub exhaust port 27 to flow into the inlet flow path 85 of the dryer 80. The exhaust flow path P may be arranged to discharge the humid air that has passes through the tub 20. For example, the exhaust flow path P may be provided at the rear of the tub 20.
The air in the tub 20 may be discharged to a tub duct 28 through the tub exhaust port 27 formed at the rear of the tub 20. The air discharged to the tub duct 28 may flow along the exhaust flow path P and be supplied to the dryer 80.
The clothes care apparatus 1 according to various embodiments may include the tub duct 28 to form a portion of the exhaust flow path P. For example, the tub duct 28 may be formed integrally with the tub 20. For example, the tub 20 may include the tub duct 28. The tub duct 28 may surround the tub exhaust port 27.
The clothes care apparatus 1 according to various embodiments may include a duct cover 29 to form a portion of the exhaust flow path P. The duct cover 29 may cover an open rear side of the tub duct 28. For example, the tub 20 may include the duct cover 29. The duct cover 29 may form at least a portion of the exhaust flow path P through which the air discharged through the tub exhaust port 27 flows to the dryer 80.
In the clothes care apparatus 1 according to various embodiments, the exhaust flow path P may be formed by coupling the duct cover 29 and the tub duct 28.
The tub duct 28 according to an embodiment may include a recess 28a that forms a portion of the exhaust flow path P through which the air discharged from the inside of the tub 20 flows. A reinforcing rib 23 may be arranged on a rear surface of the tub 20 to reinforce a rigidity of the tub 20. The recess 28a may be recessed from an end of the reinforcing rib 23 protruding from the rear surface of the tub 20. The recess 28a may be a portion of the rear surface of the tub 20 where the reinforcing rib 23 is not formed. The tub exhaust port 27 may be formed in the recess 28a to discharge air from the inside of the tub 20. The tub duct 28 may include a partition rib 28d provided along a circumference of the recess 28a. The partition rib 28d may distinguish an area where the reinforcing rib 23 is formed and an area where the recess 28a is formed, in the rear surface of the tub 20.
The tub 20 according to an embodiment may include a duct connection 28b that forms another portion of the exhaust flow path P through which air passing through the recess 28a flows. The duct connection 28b may protrude outwardly in a radial direction from an outer circumferential surface of the tub 20. The duct connection 28b may protrude approximately upward from the outer circumferential surface of the tub 20. For example, the duct connection 28b may protrude upward from a rear end of the tub 20. However, the duct connection 28b is not limited thereto, and the duct connection 28b may be located at various positions depending on a location of the dryer 80.
The duct connection 28b may connect the tub duct 28 and the inlet guide 84 of the dryer 80. The duct connection 28b may extend the exhaust flow path P upward. The duct connection 28b may form a portion of the exhaust flow path P together with the recess 28a, the partition rib 28d, and the duct cover 29.
The duct connection 28b may be formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open top and rear surface. The duct cover 29 may cover an open rear side of the duct connection 28b. Only one side of the exhaust flow path may be formed by the duct cover 29, thereby facilitating coupling and sealing structure.
The duct cover 29 may cover the tub duct 28 and the duct connection 28b. The duct cover 29 may cover one open side of the tub duct 28 and the open rear side of the duct connection 28b. The duct cover 29 covers the recess 28a and the duct connection 28b, and thus the exhaust flow path P may be formed. Because the exhaust flow path P is connected to the inlet flow path 85, the air flowing into the exhaust flow path P through the tub exhaust port 27 may move along the exhaust flow path P, and may flow into the dryer 80 through the inlet flow path 85.
Although not illustrated, the duct connection 28b may be provided in a rectangular parallelepiped shape with only an upper surface open for air discharge and a rear surface closed. In this case, the duct cover 29 may cover only the tub duct 28.
Meanwhile, the duct connection 28b according to an embodiment of the disclosure may be included in the tub duct 28. The duct connection 28b of the tub duct 28 according to an embodiment may extend from the recess 28a to the inlet guide 84. The tub duct 28 may be connected to the inlet guide 84 by the duct connection 28b. Hereinafter, the duct connection 28b according to an embodiment of the disclosure may be described as being included in the tub duct 28.
The tub duct 28 may include a step portion 28c to expand a cross-sectional area of the exhaust flow path P. The exhaust flow path P may be provided in such a way that a width of an area formed by the duct connection 28b is larger than a width of an area formed in the recess 28a by the step portion 28c.
The arrangement of the water supply valves 41 and 42 of the clothes care apparatus 1 may be determined by using a remaining space due to the above-described mounting structure. In an embodiment, the water supply valves 41 and 42 may be mounted between the inlet guide 84 and a cooling fan 91a. The water supply valves 41 and 42 may be located in a center of the rear surface of the dryer 80. The water supply valves 41 and 42 may be located behind the condenser 92. The water supply valves 41 and 42 may be located in an area separated from a flow path through which dry air flows. The positions of the water supply valves 41 and 42 are not limited the above.
The clothes care apparatus 1 may include a wash water heater 24. The wash water heater 24 may be arranged below the tub 20 and may heat wash water during washing. In addition, the water supply 40 may supply a predetermined amount of water to a lower side of the tub 20 through the exhaust flow path P during a drying process. The wash water heater 24 may heat the water supplied into the tub 20 through the water supply 40, the exhaust flow path P, and the tub exhaust port 27 to generate steam. That is, the steam generated by the water supply 40 and the wash water heater 24 may come into contact with the laundry during the drying process, thereby preventing formation of wrinkles on the laundry.
That is, unlike existing dryers, the clothes care apparatus 1 as a dryer combined washing machine may include the wash water heater 24 for heating wash water, and may use the wash water heater 24 and the water supply 40 for cleaning the exhaust flow path P to generate steam, thereby preventing formation of wrinkles on the laundry during the drying process.
Referring to
The nozzle 96 may be connected to the water supply 40, and water may be supplied from the water supply 40 to the nozzle 96. The nozzle 96 may be connected to the water supply pipes 43 and 44. The water supply pipes 43 and 44 may form a water supply flow path for supplying water to the nozzle 96. The water supply valves 41 and 42 may open or close the water supply flow path.
For example, the water supply 40 may include the hot water supply valve 41, the cold water supply valve 42, the hot water supply pipe 43, and the cold water pipe 44. The hot water supply valve 41 may be referred to as a ‘first water supply valve’. The cold water supply valve 42 may be referred to as a ‘second water supply valve’. The hot water supply pipe 43 may be referred to as a ‘first water supply pipe’. The cold water pipe 44 may be referred to as a ‘second water supply pipe’.
The nozzle 96 may be connected to the cold water pipe 44. Once the cold water supply valve 42 is opened, cold water may be supplied to the nozzle 96 via the cold water pipe 44 from an external water source. In contrast, the nozzle 96 may be connected to the hot water supply pipe 43. Once the hot water supply valve 41 is opened, hot water may be supplied to the nozzle 96 via the hot water supply pipe 43.
Referring to
The nozzle case 110 may include a nozzle base 111 with an open side, and a nozzle cover 116 arranged to cover the open side of the nozzle base 111. The nozzle cover 116 may be coupled to the nozzle base 111. For example, the nozzle cover 116 may be coupled to the nozzle base 111 by heat fusion. To this end, the nozzle base 111 may include a base fusion portion 115, and the nozzle cover 116 may include a cover fusion portion 118. The method of coupling the nozzle cover 116 to the nozzle base 111 is not limited thereto, and the nozzle cover 116 may also be coupled to the nozzle base 111 by a fastening member.
The nozzle base 111 may include a water supply port 112 connectable to the water supply pipes 43 and 44 of the water supply 40. The water supply port 112 may be positioned at one end along a longitudinal direction of the nozzle 96. Water flowing into the nozzle 96 through the water supply port 112 may be provided to an end opposite to the one end along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle 96.
The nozzle base 111 may include a nozzle outlet 113 to discharge water flowing into the nozzle 96. The nozzle outlet 113 may be arranged to face the heat exchangers 92 and 93. The nozzle outlet 113 may extend along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle 96. The nozzle outlet 113 may be provided as a slit. The nozzle outlet 113 may also be provided as a hole.
The nozzle base 111 may include a nozzle receiver 114 to receive a sprayer 121. The nozzle receiver 114 may extend in the same direction as the nozzle outlet 113 extends. The nozzle receiver 114 may be arranged to allow a spray seal 131 to which the sprayer 121 is coupled to be seated. The nozzle outlet 113 may be provided in the nozzle receiver 114.
The nozzle cover 116 may include a fixing rib 117 arranged to fix the sprayer 121 in a state where the nozzle cover 116 is coupled to the nozzle base 111. The fixing rib 117 may extend in a direction where the nozzle cover 116 is coupled to the nozzle base 111. Referring to
The nozzle 96 may include the sprayer 121 received in the nozzle case 110. The sprayer 121 may be received in the nozzle receiver 114 of the nozzle case 110. The sprayer 121 may extend in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle 96. The sprayer 121 may have a plate shape. The sprayer 121 may be inserted into the spray seal 131.
Referring to
The nozzle 96 may include the spray seal 131. The spray seal 131 may prevent water supplied to the inside of the nozzle case 110 from leaking out of the nozzle case 110. The spray seal 131 may be received in the nozzle receiver 114.
The spray seal 131 may be coupled to the sprayer 121. The spray seal 131 may cover an edge of the sprayer 121. The spray seal 131 may be provided with an insertion portion 132 to allow the sprayer 121 to be inserted therein. The sprayer 121 may be inserted into the insertion portion 132 of the spray seal 131.
The spray seal 131 may include a spray opening 133 to expose the plurality of spray holes 121a of the sprayer 121 in a state where the sprayer 121 is coupled to the spray seal 131. The spray opening 133 may be arranged to correspond to the plurality of spray holes 121a of the sprayer 121. The spray opening 133 may be arranged to correspond to the nozzle outlet 113. Water discharged from the plurality of spray holes 121a of the sprayer 121 may be discharged to the outside of the nozzle 96 through the spray opening 133 of the spray seal 131 and the nozzle outlet 113 of the nozzle case 110.
The nozzle 96 may include a case seal 141. The case seal 141 may seal between the nozzle 96 and the drying case 81 when the nozzle 96 is mounted to the drying case 81. The case seal 141 may prevent water flowing into the nozzle 96 from leaking out of the nozzle 96. The case seal 141 may seal between the nozzle base 111 and the nozzle cover 116. The case seal 141 may be located adjacent to the water supply port 112 of the nozzle case 110.
Due to the above configuration, in the nozzle 96, water supplied from the water supply 40 may flow into the inside of the nozzle case 110 through the water supply port 112, and may be discharged toward the heat exchangers 92 and 93 at an increased flow rate through the plurality of spray holes 121a, the spray opening 133, and the nozzle outlet 113.
Referring to
The controller 300 may include a processor 310 and a memory 320. The memory 320 may include volatile memory (e.g., a static random access memory (S-RAM) and a dynamic random access memory (D-RAM)) and a non-volatile memory (e.g., a read only memory (ROM) and an 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 or a plurality of processing cores. The processor 310 may generate a control signal to control the components of the clothes care apparatus 1.
The driver 36 may rotate the drum 30 under the control of the controller 300. The driver 36 may include the drive motor 36a. The controller 300 may control the drive motor 36a to adjust a rotation speed of the drum 30.
The water supply 40 may selectively supply water to the tub 20 and the nozzle 96. The water supply 40 may include the water supply pipes 43 and 44 connected to an external water supply source and the water supply valves 41 and 42 for opening and closing the water supply pipes. The water supply 40 may include the first water supply valve 41 and the second water supply valve 42. As described above, the first water supply valve 41 may correspond to a hot water valve, and the second water supply valve 42 may correspond to a cold water supply valve. The water supply pipes 43 and 44 may include a first water supply pipe corresponding to the hot water supply pipe 43, and a second water supply pipe corresponding to the cold water pipe 44.
The controller 300 may control an opening and closing of each of the first water supply valve 41 and the second water supply valve 42. The controller 300 may adjust an opening degree of each of the first water supply valve 41 and the second water supply valve 42. The first water supply valve 41 may open or close the first water supply pipe based on an electrical signal transmitted from the controller 300. The second water supply valve 42 may open or close the second water supply pipe based on an electrical signal transmitted from the controller 300.
The water supply pipes 43 and 44 may form a water supply flow path for supplying water to the nozzle 96. For example, the nozzle 96 may be connected to the first water supply pipe and/or the second water supply pipe. In a case where the nozzle 96 is connected to the first water supply pipe, water may flow into the nozzle 96 in response to opening of the first water supply valve 41. In a case where the nozzle 96 is connected to the second water supply pipe, water may flow into the nozzle 96 in response to opening of the second water supply valve 42.
The drain pump 71 may discharge water in the tub 20 to the outside of the housing 10. The controller 300 may control the drain pump 71 to discharge water in the tub 20 to the outside through the drain pipe 73.
The circulation pump 76 may allow the water in the tub 20 to flow to the lower detergent supply 60. The water that has passed through the circulation pump 76 and the lower detergent supply 60 may return to the tub 20. The controller 300 may control the circulation pump 76 to allow the water in the tub 20 to pass through the lower detergent supply 60 and circulate.
The dryer 80 may remove moisture from the air, heat the air, and supply the heated air to the tub 20. The controller 300 may operate the dryer 80 to dry the laundry in the drum 30. To generate dry and heated air, the dryer 80 may include the fan 87a, the compressor 91, the heat exchangers 92 and 93, and the expansion valve.
The controller 300 may control the fan 87a, the compressor 91, and the expansion valve included in the dryer 80. The controller 300 may operate the fan 87a to supply dry and heated air into the drum 30. The controller 300 may adjust a rotation speed of the fan 87a. A flow rate of air supplied into the drum 30 may vary depending on the rotation speed of the fan 87a.
The compressor 91 may discharge high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant by compressing low-temperature and low-pressure gaseous refrigerant. For example, the compressor 91 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 92. The controller 300 may adjust an operating frequency and/or Revolution Per Minute (RPM) of the compressor 91. As the operating frequency and/or RPM of the compressor 91 increases, the heat discharged around the condenser 92 may increase. The controller 300 may adjust an opening degree of the expansion valve. The expansion valve may be provided as an electronic expansion valve whose opening may be adjusted by an electric signal and a capillary tube for controlling a pressure of liquid refrigerant. Two-phase refrigerant of low-temperature and low-pressure that has passed through the expansion valve may flow into the evaporator 93.
The controller 300 may control the water supply valves 41 and 42 to clean the heat exchangers 92 and 93 of the dryer 80. As at least one of the first water supply valve 41 or the second water supply valve 42 is opened, water may be sprayed from the nozzle 96 to the heat exchangers 92 and 93.
The control panel 100 may obtain various user inputs and may output various information about an operation of the clothes care apparatus 1. The control panel 100 may include the input interface 101 and the output interface 102.
The controller 300 may control an operation of the clothes care apparatus 1 based on a user input obtained via the control panel 100. For example, the controller 300 may turn the clothes care apparatus 1 on or off based on a user input for turning the clothes care apparatus 1 on or off. The controller 300 may determine an operation course of the clothes care apparatus 1 based on a user input for setting the operation course of the clothes care apparatus 1.
A variety of operation courses of the clothes care apparatus 1 may be provided. For example, the operation course of the clothes care apparatus 1 may be broadly classified into a washing course, a drying course, and a heat exchanger cleaning 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 washing course, intense washing course, delicate clothes washing course, bedclothes washing course, baby clothes washing course, towel washing course, boiling washing course, or outdoor clothes washing 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 care apparatus 1 to perform a washing process, a rinsing process, or a spin-drying process corresponding to the selected washing course. In addition, the washing courses may include a rinsing-spin-drying course excluding a washing process, a rinsing course, and a spin-drying course. The washing courses are not limited the above examples.
A variety of drying courses may 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, or 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 care apparatus 1 to perform a drying process corresponding to the selected drying course. The drying courses are not limited the above examples.
Meanwhile, the controller 300 may automatically clean the heat exchangers 92 and 93 included in the dryer 80 before completing the drying process. The clothes care apparatus 1 according to the disclosure may clean the heat exchangers 92 and 93 each time a drying process is performed, thereby removing contamination (e.g., dust, lint) from the heat exchangers 92 and 93, and keeping the heat exchangers 92 and 93 clean. The heat exchanger cleaning may be performed during a set heat exchanger cleaning time. The drying process may be terminated after the heat exchanger cleaning is complete.
A heat exchanger cleaning course may also be provided to clean the heat exchangers 92 and 93 separately, regardless of whether a drying process is performed. In response to a selection of the heat exchanger cleaning course through the control panel 100 or an external user device, the controller 300 may clean the heat exchangers 92 and 93.
The controller 300 may control the control panel 100 to output various information about an operation of the clothes care 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 care apparatus 1. In addition, the control panel 100 may output information about an abnormal state of the clothes care apparatus 1.
The communication interface 150 may include various communication circuits for performing a wired communication and/or wireless communication with an external device (e.g., servers, user devices, and/or other home appliances). A user device may include various electronic devices, such as smartphones, laptops, smart watches, stationary type tablets, and speakers. 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 circuit or a long-range communication circuit. The communication interface 150 may transmit data to or receive data from an external device. For example, the communication interface 150 may support cellular communication, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Home Radio Frequency (HomeRF), infrared communication, Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) communication, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, and ad-hoc and/or Zigbee. Communication technologies supported by the communication interface 150 are not limited to the above.
The communication interface 150 may communicate with an external device through an Access Point (AP). The AP may connect a Local Area Network (LAN) to which the clothes care apparatus 1 is connected to a Wide Area Network (WAN) to which a server is connected. The clothes care apparatus 1 may be connected to the server through the WAN.
The water level sensor 200 may detect a water level in the tub 20. The water level sensor 200 may transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the water level in the tub 20 to the controller 300. The controller 300 may determine the water level in the tub 20 based on the signal transmitted from the water level sensor 200. The controller 300 may determine the water level in the tub 20 based on a frequency value of the signal transmitted from the water level sensor 200.
Factors affecting the water level in the tub 20 may vary. For example, once the water supply flow path that supplies water to the nozzle 96 is opened to clean the heat exchangers 92 and 93 of the dryer 80, water may be sprayed from the nozzle 96 toward the heat exchangers 92 and 93. The water sprayed from the nozzle 96 to the heat exchangers 92 and 93 may flow into the tub 20 through the drain line 97. That is, the water level in the tub 20 may be increased due to the water sprayed from the nozzle 96.
In addition, in a case where the water supply valves 41 and 42 are opened to supply water to the tub 20, the water level in the tub 20 may also increase.
The water supply flow path that supplies water to the tub 20 and/or the nozzle 96 may be opened inadvertently. For example, in the event of a failure of the water supply valves 41 and 42 connected to the nozzle 96 through the water supply pipes 43 and 44, i.e., in the event of water leakage in the water supply valves 41 and 42, the water level in the tub 20 may rise inadvertently.
In the case where the water leakage occurs in the water supply valves 41 and 42, the water level in the tub 20 may continue to increase. In this case, a user may be endangered in addition to the failure of the clothes care apparatus 1.
The clothes care apparatus 1 according to the disclosure may detect a failure of the water supply valve and may provide appropriate measures in response to the failure of the water supply valve. The controller 300 of the clothes care apparatus 1 according to an embodiment may determine that the water supply valves 41 and 42 leak based on an increase in the water level in the tub 20 within a predetermined waiting time after the clothes care apparatus 1 is turned on. That is, the controller 300 may identify whether at least one of the first water supply valve 41 or the second water supply valve 42 related to the supply of water to the tub 20 or the nozzle 96 leaks.
In addition, the controller 300 may stop the operation of the clothes care apparatus 1 based on a determination that the water supply valves 41 and 42 fail. The controller 300 may provide error information corresponding to the failure of the water supply valves 41 and 42 through a user interface. The error information may be provided as at least one of text, image, or sound.
The controller 300 may control the communication interface 150 to transmit the error information corresponding to the failure of the water supply valves 41 and 42 to a user device. By providing the error information of the clothes care apparatus 1 through the user device, a user may confirm whether the clothes care apparatus 1 has failed regardless of a user's location.
In a case where no change in the water level in the tub 20 is detected even though an increase in the water level in the tub 20 is expected, a failure of the clothes care apparatus 1 may be suspected.
For example, condensate water may be generated by the evaporator 93 of the dryer 80 during a drying process. The condensate water may flow into the tub 20 through the drain line 97, and an increase in the water level in the tub 20 due to the inflow of condensate water may be expected. However, in a case where the drain line 97 is blocked (clogged), the condensate water may not flow to the tub 20, and thus the water level in the tub 20 may not increase. The condensate water not discharged through the drain line 97 may cause the dryer 80 to fail.
The clothes care apparatus 1 according to the disclosure may detect a blockage of the drain line 97 and may provide appropriate measures in response to the blockage of the drain line 97. The controller 300 of the clothes care apparatus 1 according to an embodiment may determine that the drain line 97 is blocked (clogged) based on maintaining the water level in the tub 20 constant for a predetermined water level detection time after the drying process starts.
In addition, the controller 300 may stop an operation of the clothes care apparatus 1 based on the determination that the drain line 97 is blocked. The controller 300 may provide error information corresponding to the blockage of the drain line 97 through the user interface. The error information may be provided as at least one of text, image, or sound.
The controller 300 may control the communication interface 150 to transmit the error information corresponding to the blockage of the drain line 97 to the user device. By providing the error information of the clothes care apparatus 1 through the user device, the user may confirm whether the clothes care apparatus 1 has failed regardless of a user's location.
In a case where the drying process is not performed or an increase in the water level in the tub 20 is not expected despite the drying process being performed, determining whether the drain line 97 fails may be suspended. For example, the controller 300 may suspend (withhold) determination of a state of the drain line 97 according to an operation course of the clothes care apparatus 1 selected by the user.
In a case where a drying process is performed according to a course for drying clothes made of a material that holds relatively little water (e.g., delicate clothes or outdoor clothes), almost no condensate water is generated in the dryer 80 even though the drying process is performed. In a case where the amount of condensate water generated in the dryer 80 is small, a change in the water level in the tub 20 may not be detected, and thus whether the drain line 97 is blocked may not be determined. In this case, determination of the state of the drain line 97 may be suspended.
In addition, in a case of a drying object (an object to be dried) made of a material that may be damaged by heat, a drying process may not be allowed. In a case where the drying process is not performed, condensate water is not generated by the dryer 80, and thus whether the drain line 97 is blocked may not be determined. In this case, determination of the state of the drain line 97 may also be suspended.
The heat exchanger cleaning course may not include a drying process. In a case where cleaning of the heat exchangers 92 and 93 is performed without the drying process in response to a selection of the heat exchanger cleaning course, condensate water is not generated in the dryer 80, and thus the controller 300 may suspend the determination of the state of the drain line 97.
In a case where the heat exchanger cleaning is performed, an increase in the water level in the tub 20 may be expected due to water sprayed from the nozzle 96. However, in a case where the nozzle 96 is blocked, water may not be sprayed from the nozzle 96, and thus the water level in the tub 20 may not increase. In the event of the failure of the nozzle 96, the heat exchangers 92 and 93 may be incompletely cleaned or may not be cleaned.
The clothes care apparatus 1 according to the disclosure may detect the blockage of the nozzle 96 and provide appropriate measures in response to the blockage of the nozzle 96. The controller 300 of the clothes care apparatus 1 according to an embodiment may determine that the nozzle 96 is blocked based on detecting that the water level in the tub 20 is lower than a target water level after the heat exchanger cleaning time has elapsed.
In addition, the controller 300 may stop an operation of the clothes care apparatus 1 based on the determination that the nozzle 96 is blocked. The controller 300 may provide error information corresponding to the blockage of the nozzle 96 through the user interface. The error information may be provided as at least one of text, image, or sound.
The controller 300 may control the communication interface 150 to transmit the error information corresponding to the blockage of the nozzle 96 to the user device. By providing the error information of the clothes care apparatus 1 through the user device, the user may confirm whether the clothes care apparatus 1 has failed regardless of a user's location.
The controller 300 may determine that the nozzle 96 is blocked based on detecting that the water level in the tub 20 is lower than the target water level after performing heat exchanger cleaning a predetermined threshold number of times. The threshold number of times may be two or more, and may vary depending on the design. Because water is sprayed through the nozzle 96 for a short period of time while cleaning the heat exchangers, a blockage of the nozzle 96 may not be accurately determined by performing the heat exchanger cleaning only once. The clothes care apparatus 1 according to the disclosure may more accurately determine whether the nozzle 96 is blocked by performing the heat exchanger cleaning multiple times.
In addition, in a case where the heat exchanger cleaning is performed the predetermined threshold number of times, the controller 300 may increase the heat exchanger cleaning time before performing a next heat exchanger cleaning after performing the heat exchanger cleaning. In a case where a water pressure of an external water supply source is relatively low, the water level in the tub 20 may not increase within a short period of time. The clothes care apparatus 1 according to the disclosure may more accurately determine whether the nozzle 96 is blocked by performing the heat exchanger cleaning multiple times while increasing the heat exchanger cleaning time.
Referring to
The controller 300 may determine the state of the drain line 97 in a case where the water supply valves 41 and 42 are in a normal state. In a case where the water supply valves 41 and 42 are in an abnormal state, a water level in the tub 20 increases due to water leakage from the water supply valves 41 and 42, and thus the state of the drain line 97 may not be determined.
The controller 300 may determine the state of the nozzle 96 in a case where the water supply valves 41 and 42 and the drain line 97 are in a normal state. In a case where the drain line 97 is in an abnormal state, the water level in the tub 20 does not increase even though water comes out from the nozzle 96. Accordingly, the state of the nozzle 96 may not be determined.
Referring to
The controller 300 may determine that the water supply valves 41 and 42 fail based on an increase in the water level in the tub 20 within the predetermined waiting time after the clothes care apparatus 1 is turned on (1303). The controller 300 may identify whether at least one of the first water supply valve 41 or the second water supply valve 42 related to the supply of water to the tub 20 or the nozzle 96 leaks.
The controller 300 may stop the operation of the clothes care apparatus 1 based on the determination that the water supply valves 41 and 42 fail, and may control the control panel 100 to provide first error information corresponding to the failure of the water supply valves 41 and 42 (1304). The first error information may be provided as at least one of text, image, or sound.
The controller 300 may determine that the water supply valves 41 and 42 are in a normal state based on no increase in the water level in the tub 20 for a predetermined waiting time after the clothes care apparatus 1 is turned on (1305). In a case where the water supply valves 41 and 42 are in a normal state, there is no water leakage, and thus the water level in the tub 20 may not change. In other words, in a case where the water level in the tub 20 remains constant for the predetermined waiting time after the clothing treatment device 1 is turned on, it may be determined that the water supply valves 41 and 42 are in a normal state.
The controller 300 may perform a drying process based on the water supply valves 41 and 42 being in a normal state (1306). To perform the drying process, the controller 300 may operate the dryer 80. That is, the controller 300 may operate the fan 87a and the compressor 91 to dry an object to be dried in the drum 30. In addition, the controller 300 may further operate the drying heater 99.
Condensate water may be generated by the evaporator 93 of the dryer 80 during the drying process. The controller 300 may identify a change in the water level in the tub 20 for a predetermined water level detection time after the drying process starts (1307).
The controller 300 may determine that the drain line 97 is blocked based on no increase in the water level in the tub 20 for the predetermined water level detection time after the drying process starts (1308). In the case of blockage of the drain line 97, condensate water may not flow into the tub 20, and thus no change in the water level in the tub 20 occurs due to the condensate water. In other words, in a case where the water level in the tub 20 remains constant for the predetermined water level detection time after the start of the drying process, it may be determined that the drain line 97 is in an abnormal state.
The controller 300 may stop the operation of the clothes care apparatus 1 based on the determination that the drain line 97 is blocked, and may control the control panel 100 to provide second error information corresponding to the blockage of the drain line 97 (1309). The second error information may be provided as at least one of text, image, or sound.
The controller 300 may determine that the drain line 97 is in a normal state based on an increase in the water level in the tub 20 within the predetermined water level detection time after the start of the drying process (1310).
The controller 300 may perform heat exchanger cleaning (1311) based on the water supply valves 41 and 42 and the drain line 97 being in a normal state. To clean the heat exchangers, the controller 300 may control the water supply valves 41 and 42 to allow water to be sprayed from the nozzle 96 to the heat exchangers 92 and 93 for the heat exchanger cleaning time. The controller 300 may automatically clean the heat exchangers 92 and 93 before completing the drying process. In a case where determination of a state of the drain line 97 is suspended, the heat exchanger cleaning may be performed based on the water supply valves being in a normal state.
The controller 300 may identify whether the water level in the tub 20 increases after the heat exchanger cleaning time has elapsed (1312). The controller 300 may determine that the nozzle 96 is blocked based on detecting that the water level in the tub 20 is lower than a target water level after the heat exchanger cleaning time has elapsed (1313).
The controller 300 may stop the operation of the clothes care apparatus 1 based on the determination that the nozzle 96 is blocked, and may control the control panel 100 to provide third error information corresponding to the blockage of the nozzle 96 (1314). The third error information may be provided as at least one of text, image, or sound.
In a case where the water level in the tub 20 is detected to be higher than or equal to the target water level after the heat exchanger cleaning time has elapsed, the controller 300 may determine that the nozzle 96 is in a normal state (1315).
As such, the clothes care apparatus 1 according to the disclosure may sequentially determine the state of each of the water supply valves 41 and 42, the drain line 97, and the nozzle 96. In addition, the clothes care apparatus 1 according to the disclosure may provide the user with error information corresponding to the failure of each of the water supply valves 41 and 42, the drain line 97, and the nozzle 96. Accordingly, the convenience of repairing the clothes care apparatus 1 may be improved.
Referring to
In a case where the water level in the tub 20 is detected to be higher than or equal to a target water level after the heat exchanger cleaning time has elapsed, the controller 300 may determine that the nozzle 96 is in a normal state (1402, 1403).
The controller 300 may identify whether the number of times of heat exchanger cleaning corresponds to a predetermined threshold number of times (1404), based on detecting that the water level in the tub 20 is lower than the target water level after the heat exchanger cleaning time has elapsed. The threshold number of times may be two or more, and may vary depending on the design.
In a case where the number of times of heat exchanger cleaning does not correspond to the predetermined threshold number of times, the clothes care apparatus 1 may increase the heat exchanger cleaning time (1405), and may perform heat exchanger cleaning again (1401). In other words, in a case where the water level in the tub 20 is detected to be lower than the target water level after performing the heat exchanger cleaning, the controller 300 may increase the heat exchanger cleaning time before performing a next heat exchanger cleaning. The clothes care apparatus 1 according to the disclosure may perform the heat exchanger cleaning multiple times while increasing the heat exchanger cleaning time, thereby more accurately determining whether the nozzle 96 is blocked.
The clothes care apparatus 1 may perform heat exchanger cleaning multiple times without changing the heat exchanger cleaning time. That is, operation 1405 may be omitted.
In a case where the number of times of heat exchanger cleaning corresponds to the predetermined threshold number of times, the controller 300 may determine that the nozzle 96 is blocked (1406). In other words, the controller 300 may determine that the nozzle 96 is blocked, based on detecting that the water level in the tub 20 is lower than the target water level after performing the heat exchanger cleaning the predetermined threshold number of times. The clothes care apparatus 1 according to the disclosure may perform the heat exchanger cleaning multiple times, thereby more accurately determining whether the nozzle 96 is blocked.
Referring to
Once the clothes care apparatus 1 is turned on and an operation course is determined, the controller 300 of the clothes care apparatus 1 may identify a state of the water supply valves 41 and 42 (1502). A method of identifying the state of the water supply valves 41 and 42 corresponds to operations 1302, 1303, 1304, and 1305 described in
The controller 300 may determine whether to suspend (withhold) determination of a state of the drain line 97 according to the operation course of the clothes care apparatus 1 (1503).
For example, the controller 300 may suspend the determination of the state of the drain line 97 based on a selection of a course for drying clothes made of a material that holds relatively little water (e.g., delicate clothes or outdoor clothes). In a case where the amount of condensate water generated in the dryer 80 is small, a change in the water level in the tub 20 may not be detected, and thus whether the drain line 97 is blocked may not be determined. In addition, the controller 300 may suspend the determination of the state of the drain line 97 based on a selection of an operation course that does not include a drying process. In a case where the drying process is not performed, condensate water is not generated by the dryer 80, and thus whether the drain line 97 is blocked may not be determined.
In a case where the water supply valves 41 and 42 are in a normal state and the determination of the state of the drain line 97 is not suspended, the controller 300 may identify the state of the drain line 97 (1504). A method of identifying the state of the drain line 97 corresponds to operations 1306, 1307, 1308, 1309, and 1310 described in
In a case where the water supply valves 41 and 42 are in a normal state and the determination of the state of the drain line 97 is suspended, the controller 300 may identify a state of the nozzle 96 (1505). A method of identifying the state of the nozzle 96 corresponds to operations 1311, 1312, 1313, 1314, and 1315 described in
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a clothes care apparatus 1 may include: a tub; a water level sensor configured to detect a water level in the tub; a heat exchanger disposed above the tub; a nozzle configured to spray water to the heat exchanger; a water supply valve configured to open or close a water supply flow path for supplying water to the nozzle; a drain line configured to guide condensate water generated by the heat exchanger or the water sprayed by the nozzle to the tub; and a controller. The controller may be configured to detect a change in the water level in the tub based on a signal transmitted from the water level sensor, and sequentially determine a state of each of the water supply valve, the drain line, and the nozzle based on the change in the water level in the tub.
The controller may be configured to determine that the water supply valve leaks based on an increase in the water level in the tub within a predetermined waiting time after the clothes care apparatus is turned on.
The controller may be configured to determine that the water supply valve is in a normal state based on maintaining the water level in the tub constant for a predetermined waiting time after the clothes care apparatus is turned on.
The controller may be configured to perform a drying process based on the water supply valve being in a normal state, and determine that the drain line is blocked based on maintaining the water level in the tub constant for a predetermined water level detection time after the drying process starts.
The controller may be configured to perform a drying process based on the water supply valve being in a normal state, and determine that the drain line is in a normal state based on an increase in the water level in the tub within a predetermined water level detection time after the drying process starts.
The controller may be configured to, based on the water supply valve and the drain line being in a normal state, perform a heat exchanger cleaning for a heat exchanger cleaning time by controlling the water supply valve to allow water to be sprayed to the heat exchanger, and determine that the nozzle is blocked based on detecting that the water level in the tub is lower than a target water level after the heat exchanger cleaning time has elapsed.
The controller may be configured to determine that the nozzle is blocked based on detecting that the water level in the tub is lower than the target water level after performing the heat exchanger cleaning a predetermined threshold number of times.
The controller may be configured to increase the heat exchanger cleaning time before performing a next heat exchanger cleaning after performing the heat exchanger cleaning.
The controller may be configured to stop an operation of the clothes care apparatus based on a determination of a failure of the water supply valve, a blockage of the drain line, or a blockage of the nozzle. The controller may be configured to provide a first error message corresponding to the failure of the water supply valve, a second error message corresponding to the blockage of the drain line, or a third error message corresponding to the blockage of the nozzle via a user interface.
The controller may be configured to suspend determination of a state of the drain line according to an operation course of the clothes care apparatus selected by a user.
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a method for controlling a clothes care apparatus 1 may include: detecting a change in a water level in a tub using a water level sensor; determining a state of a water supply valve connected to a nozzle configured to spray water to a heat exchanger based on the change in the water level in the tub; determining a state of a drain line configured to guide condensate water generated by the heat exchanger or the water sprayed by the nozzle to the tub, based on the change in the water level in the tub; and determining a state of the nozzle based on the change in the water level in the tub.
The determining of the state of the water supply valve may include determining that the water supply valve leaks based on an increase in the water level in the tub within a predetermined waiting time after the clothes care apparatus is turned on.
The state of the water supply valve may be determined to be in a normal state based on maintaining the water level in the tub constant for a predetermined waiting time after the clothes care apparatus is turned on.
The determining of the state of the drain line may include: performing a drying process based on the water supply valve being in a normal state; and determining that the drain line is blocked based on maintaining the water level in the tub constant for a predetermined water level detection time after the drying process starts.
The determining of the state of the drain line may include: performing a drying process based on the water supply valve being in a normal state; and determining that the drain line is in a normal state based on an increase in the water level in the tub within a predetermined water level detection time after the drying process starts.
The determining of the state of the nozzle may include: based on the water supply valve and the drain line being in a normal state, performing a heat exchanger cleaning for a heat exchanger cleaning time by controlling the water supply valve to allow water to be sprayed to the heat exchanger; and determining that the nozzle is blocked based on detecting that the water level in the tub is lower than a target water level after the heat exchanger cleaning time has elapsed.
The determining of the blockage of the nozzle may be based on detecting that the water level in the tub is lower than the target water level after performing the heat exchanger cleaning a predetermined threshold number of times.
The determining of the blockage of the nozzle may include increasing the heat exchanger cleaning time before performing a next heat exchanger cleaning after performing the heat exchanger cleaning.
The method may further include: stopping an operation of the clothes care apparatus based on a determination of a failure of the water supply valve, a blockage of the drain line, or a blockage of the nozzle; and providing a first error message corresponding to the failure of the water supply valve, a second error message corresponding to the blockage of the drain line, or a third error message corresponding to the blockage of the nozzle via a user interface.
The determining of the state of the drain line may be suspended according to an operation course of the clothes care apparatus selected by a user.
As is apparent from the above, a clothes care apparatus and a method for controlling the same may determine failure of various components and/or devices of the clothes care apparatus by using a sensor capable of detecting a water level in a tub.
The clothes care apparatus and the method for controlling the same may automatically clean a heat exchanger and detect an abnormal state of a water supply valve, a drain line, and a nozzle used for cleaning the heat exchanger.
The disclosed embodiments may be implemented in the form of a recording medium that stores instructions executable by a computer. The instructions may be stored in the form of program codes, and when executed by a processor, the instructions may create a program module to perform operations of the disclosed embodiments.
The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 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.
According to an embodiment, the method according to the 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 a memory of a server of a manufacturer, a server of an application store, or a relay server.
Although disclosure has been shown and described in relation to specific embodiments, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and scope of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
Although the present disclosure has been described with various embodiments, various changes and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the present disclosure encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2023-0115797 | Aug 2023 | KR | national |
| 10-2024-0001046 | Jan 2024 | KR | national |
This application is a Bypass Continuation application of International Application No. PCT/KR2024/009189, filed Jul. 1, 2024, which claims priority to Korea Patent Application No. 10-2023-0115797 filed Aug. 31, 2023, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0001046 filed Jan. 3, 2024, in the Korean intellectual property office, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/KR2024/009189 | Jul 2024 | WO |
| Child | 18799477 | US |
