CLOTHING DRYER INCLUDING DRAIN PUMP AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME

Abstract

The disclosure of a clothing dryer may comprise: a first water container in which condensate generated as a drying cycle is performed is stored, a drain pump driven by a brushless direct current motor, and a controller configured to: alternately drive the drain pump at a first rotational speed and stop the drain pump a predetermined number of times in response to a start of a bubble removal cycle to remove bubbles from the condensate stored in the first water container, and start a drainage cycle in which the drain pump is operated at a second rotational speed which is greater than the first rotational speed for a predetermined driving period in response to termination of the bubble removal cycle.

Description

BACKGROUND

Field

Various embodiments of the disclosure relate to a clothing dryer, and more particularly, to a control method for reducing noise generated by an operation of a drain pump.

Description of Related Art

A clothing dryer is a home appliance that serves to dry wet laundry (hereinafter referred to as a dried object) with hot and dry air. The clothing dryer may remove moisture contained in the dried object by spinning the drum in which the dried object is accommodated and supplying hot and dry air into the drum during the drying cycle.

The humid air that has passed through the dried object may be changed into low-temperature dry air by an evaporator included in the heat pump, and moisture contained in the air may be discharged in the form of condensate. The condensate may be stored in a water tray container along a lower portion (e.g., a base) of the dryer and discharged by a drain pump.

Meanwhile, due to the air present in the condensate pumped by the drain pump, the output to be operated during drainage and the speed at which the impeller of the drain pump rotates may increase, and thus the user experience may be deteriorated due to the noise generated when water and air are introduced together at the inflow point of the drain pump during the drainage process.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments of the disclosure may propose a method of controlling a drain pump for removing air present in the condensate positioned in the drain pump and the suction pipe before draining the condensate by operating the drain pump under a predetermined condition.

A clothing dryer according to an embodiment of the disclosure may comprise a first water container in which condensate generated as a drying cycle is performed is stored, a drain pump driven by a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor, and a controller configured to alternately drive the drain pump at a first rotational speed and stop the drain pump a predetermined number of times in response to a start of a bubble removal cycle to remove bubbles from the condensate stored in the first water container, and start a drainage cycle in which the drain pump is operated at a second rotational speed which is greater than the first rotational speed for a predetermined driving period in response to termination of the bubble removal cycle

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a direction in which the condensate is introduced into an inlet portion of the drain pump and a direction in which the condensate is discharged through a discharge portion of the drain pump may be parallel to a direction in which a rotation shaft of the drain pump extends, and the rotation shaft may be perpendicular to a lower surface of the clothing dryer.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the controller may be further configured to: operate the drain pump at a primary first rotational speed during a first operation time to perform a first bubble removal cycle so that, a level of the condensate in the first water container is lowered, and a level of the condensate from the discharge portion is raised to a first predetermined height, by the condensate being pumped by the drain pump from the discharge portion, and stop operation of the drain pump during a first rest time to lower the level of the condensate from the discharge portion.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the controller may be further configured to: operate the drain pump at a secondary first rotational speed during a second operation time to perform a second bubble removal cycle so that, the level of the condensate in the first water container is lowered, and the level of the condensate from the discharge portion is raised to a second predetermined height, by the condensate being pumped by the drain pump from the discharge portion, in response to termination of the first bubble removal cycle, and stop operation of the drain pump during a second rest time to lower the level of the condensate from the discharge portion, and the secondary first rotational speed is greater than or equal to the primary first rotational speed.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the first predetermined height and the second predetermined height may be lower than a height to which the condensate is to be raised when the condensate in the first water container is drained from the first water container by operation of the drain pump, and the first predetermined height is lower than or equal to the second predetermined height.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the second rotational speed may include: a primary second rotational speed corresponding to a rotational speed to pump the condensate from the first water container to a second water container in a main body of the clothing dryer, and a secondary second rotational speed corresponding to a rotational speed to pump the condensate from the first water container to an outside of the clothing dryer.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the clothing dryer may further include: a connector connected to an end of the discharge portion to guide the condensate from the first water container to a second water container, or to guide the condensate from the first water container to an outside of the clothing dryer.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the controller may be further configured to: identify, from a position sensor in the connector, a location where the condensate is to be discharged, and determine to operate the drain pump at one of a primary second rotational speed and a secondary second rotational speed based on the identified location where the condensate is to be discharged.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the primary first rotational speed and the secondary first rotational speed may be 1300 rpm to 3000 rpm.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the second rotational speed may be less than or equal to 3300 rpm.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the controller may be further configured to: start the bubble removal cycle in response to a level of the condensate in the first water container exceeding a threshold level.

A method of a clothing dryer comprising a first water container in which condensate generated as a drying cycle is performed is stored, a drain pump driven by a brushless direct current motor, and a controller, according to an embodiment of the disclosure, may include: by the controller, alternately driving the drain pump at a first rotational speed and stopping the drain pump a predetermined number of times in response to a start of a bubble removal cycle to remove bubbles from the condensate stored in the first water container, and starting a drainage cycle in which the drain pump is operated at a second rotational speed which is greater than the first rotational speed for a predetermined driving period in response to termination of the bubble removal cycle.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, t direction in which the condensate is introduced into an inlet portion of the drain pump and a direction in which the condensate is discharged through a discharge portion of the drain pump may be parallel to a direction in which a rotation shaft of the drain pump extends, and the rotation shaft may be perpendicular to a lower surface of the clothing dryer.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the bubble removal cycle may include a first bubble removal cycle including: operating the drain pump at a primary first rotational speed during a first operation time to raise a level of the condensate from the discharge portion to a first predetermined height, and stopping operation of the drain pump during a first rest time to lower the level of the condensate from the discharge portion.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the bubble removal cycle may include a second bubble removal cycle starting in response to termination of the first bubble removal cycle, the second bubble removal cycle may include: operating the drain pump at a secondary first rotational speed during a second operation time to raise the level of the condensate from the discharge portion to a second predetermined height, and stopping operation of the drain pump during a second rest time to lower the level of the condensate from the discharge portion.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the first predetermined height and the second predetermined height may be lower than a height to which the condensate is to be raised when the condensate is drained from the first water container by operation of the drain pump, and the first predetermined height may be lower than or equal to the second predetermined height.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the second rotational speed may include: a primary second rotational speed corresponding to a rotational speed to pump the condensate from the first water container to a second water container in a main body of the clothing dryer; and a secondary second rotational speed corresponding to a rotational speed to pump the condensate from the first water container to an outside of the clothing dryer.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the clothing dryer may further include a connector connected to an end of a discharge portion of the drain pump to guide the condensate from the first water container to a second water container, or to guide the condensate from the first water container to an outside of the clothing dryer, the method may further include: by the controller, identifying, from a position sensor in the connector, a location where the condensate is to be discharged; and determining to operate the drain pump at one of the primary second rotational speed and the secondary second rotational speed based on the location where the condensate is to be discharged.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the primary first rotational speed and the secondary first rotational speed may be 1300 rpm to 3000 rpm, and the second rotational speed may be less than or equal to 3300 rpm.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the method may further include: by the controller, starting the bubble removal cycle in response to a level of the condensate in the first water container exceeding a threshold level.

The clothing dryer according to an embodiment of the disclosure may reduce the level of the noise generated by the drain pump when the condensate is drained.

The clothing dryer according to an embodiment of the disclosure may reduce noise by increasing drainage efficiency and reducing rpm required for the drain pump to drain condensate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain embodiments of the disclosure will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view illustrating a clothing dryer according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view illustrating a clothing dryer according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a clothing dryer according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a base according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a first water container according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a first water container according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a drain pump according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a drain pump according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a clothing dryer according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation for removing air present in condensate by a clothing dryer according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an operation for removing air present in condensate by a clothing dryer according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 12 is a graph illustrating a rotational speed according to a driving cycle of a drain pump according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a washer to which a drain pump is applied according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a washer to which a drain pump is applied according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a clothing care device to which a drain pump is applied, according to an embodiment of the disclosure; and

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a dishwasher to which a drain pump is applied, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

The same or similar reference denotations may be used to refer to the same or similar elements throughout the specification and the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the disclosure are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings in such a detailed manner as to be easily practiced by one of ordinary skill in the art. However, the disclosure may be implemented in other various forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The same or similar reference denotations may be used to refer to the same or similar elements throughout the specification and the drawings. Further, for clarity and brevity, no description is made of well-known functions and configurations in the drawings and relevant descriptions.

According to an embodiment, a clothing dryer (e.g., the clothing dryer 1 of FIG. 1) may perform a drying cycle on a dried object in a wet state. The clothing dryer 1 may perform a drying cycle and supply hot and dry air to the dried object. As a result, the water vapor contained in the humid air may be discharged as the water by the evaporator included in the heat pump. The water will be referred to as “condensate.” The condensate may be stored in a first water container (e.g., the first water container 50 of FIG. 4) along a base (e.g., the base 90 of FIG. 3) forming a bottom portion of the clothing dryer 1. The first water container 50 may be referred to as a “condensate container”.

According to an embodiment, the first water container 50 may include a drain pump (e.g., the drain pump 100 of FIG. 4). The drain pump 100 may pump condensate stored in the first water container 50 and move the condensate to a predetermined position. The condensate may be moved to a second water container (e.g., the second water container 200 of FIG. 1) positioned at an upper front end of the clothing dryer 1, or may be discharged to the outside of the clothing dryer 1 by the drain pump 100. Meanwhile, for the drain pump 100 to pump the condensate stored in the first water container 50, the motor included in the drain pump 100 may operate at a predetermined rotational speed. The predetermined rotational speed will be referred to as a “threshold rpm”.

According to an embodiment, condensate may move to the inlet portion of the drain pump 100 in response to the operation of the drain pump 100. The impeller included in the drain pump 100 may rotate the condensate and move the condensate to the discharge portion of the drain pump 100. Due to the internal structure of the drain pump 100 and/or the rotation of the impeller, air bubbles may be generated in the condensate near the inlet portion. This may be called a cavity phenomenon or a cavitation. Due to the cavitation, air bubbles (or bubbles) generated near the inlet portion may increase the threshold rpm and increase the level of the noise generated by the drain pump 100.

The clothing dryer 1, which is described below, may remove air present in the condensate before draining the condensate stored in the first water container 50, thereby reducing the threshold rpm required for drainage and noise. Hereinafter, a cycle of removing air (or bubbles) present in the condensate will be referred to as a “bubble removal cycle”.

Hereinafter, x1 may be defined as a right direction when the clothing dryer 1 is viewed from the front, y1 may be defined as a front direction when the clothing dryer 1 is viewed from the front, and z1 may be defined as an upper direction when the clothing dryer 1 is viewed from the front. The terms “front and rear direction”, “left and right direction”, and “upper and lower direction” to be used below are defined with respect to the illustrated drawings, and the shape and position of each component are not limited thereto.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view illustrating a clothing dryer 1 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view illustrating a clothing dryer 1 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a clothing dryer 1 according to an embodiment. In other words, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken in parallel with the x-z plane at one point of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the clothing dryer 1 may heat air circulating therein to dry the dried object. The clothing dryer 1 may be divided into a heater type, a heat pump type, or a hybrid type based on the method of heating air. The hybrid type may heat air, e.g., using the heater type and the heat pump type together or alternately.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may include a main body 10. The main body 10 may form an exterior of the clothing dryer 1. The main body 10 may be formed of at least one of metal or plastic. The clothing dryer 1 may be provided in various shapes, but may be provided in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.

According to an embodiment, the main body 10 may include a front surface 13, a top cover 11, a side cover, a rear cover, or a lower surface. The components included in the main body 10 may be configured individually or integrally. For example, the side cover and the rear cover included in the main body 10 may be integrally formed to form a side and rear cover 12. An inner housing may be provided by the front surface 13, the top cover 11, the side and rear cover 14, or the lower surface included in the main body 10. The inner housing may include an inner space in which various components constituting the clothing dryer 1 may be stored or mounted.

According to an embodiment, a second water container 200 may be provided in the main body 10. The second water container 200 may be provided at an upper portion of the main body 10. The second water container 200 may be assembled in a recessed portion formed at a point of an upper portion of the front cover 11. The second water container 200 may be detachably fixed from the recessed portion. The second water container 200 may be provided to collect condensate generated by the refrigerant cycle of the clothing dryer 1.

According to an embodiment, the main body 10 may include a user interface. The user interface may include an user input for receiving the user's input and an user output for visually or audibly transferring information to the user. The user output may be implemented as a display.

According to an embodiment, the user interface may be provided on the panel 15 positioned on an upper end of the main body 10. A circuit board may be provided on the rear surface of the panel 15. The circuit board may be positioned inside the clothes dryer 1. The display or sensors may be mounted in at least a portion of the space provided on the circuit board. A processor (e.g., a control device or a storage device) constituting a controller (e.g., the controller 910 of FIG. 9) may be mounted in at least a partial space provided on the circuit board.

According to an embodiment, the user input may include a dial button. The dial button may be implemented as a dial or a jog shuttle. The dial button may have a wheel structure. The dial button may receive a user input by rotating clockwise or counterclockwise.

According to an embodiment, the user output may include a display and a speaker. The display may visually output information to be transferred to the user. The speaker may audibly output information to be transferred to the user.

According to an embodiment, a dryness sensor 18 may be provided to detect the amount of moisture contained in the dried object put into the drum 20. The dryness sensor 18 may be positioned below the outlet 16.

According to an embodiment, the main body 10 may include a base 90. The base 90 may be provided under the main body 10 to form a bottom surface in the inner housing of the main body 10. A leg for supporting the main body 10 may be provided on the lower surface. The leg may space the main body 10 apart from the bottom surface by a predetermined distance. For example, a plurality of legs may be provided on the lower surface to stably support the main body 10.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may include the drum 20 provided to accommodate the dried object in the inner housing. The drum 20 may include an inlet of the drum into which the dried object is put. The drum 20 may be rotatably disposed in the inner housing of the main body 10.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may include a driver configured to rotate the drum 20. The driver may include a driving motor 31, a pulley 32, or a belt 33 seated on the base 90. The pulley 32 may be rotated by the driving motor 31. The belt 33 may connect the pulley 32 and the drum 20 to transfer power of the driving motor 31 to the drum 20.

According to an embodiment, one or more driving motors 31 may be provided.

For example, when one driving motor 31 is provided, the driving motor 31 may be connected to the drum 20 and the blower fan 43. The driving motor 31 may drive the drum 20 and the blower fan 43 together.

For example, when a plurality of driving motors 31 are provided, the driving motors 31 may be connected to the drum 20 and the blower fan 43, respectively. For example, the driving motors 31 may include a first motor and a second motor. The first motor may be connected to the drum 20, and the second motor may be connected to the blower fan 43. The first motor may drive the drum 20, and the second motor may drive the blower fan 43.

According to an embodiment, the drum 20 may include an inlet 22 through which air flows into the drum 23 and an outlet 16 through which air flows out of the drum 23. The inlet 22 may be formed on one side of the drum 20, and the outlet 16 may be formed on the other side of the drum 20. The inlet 22 may be, e.g., a rear opening of the drum 20. The outlet 16 may be, e.g., a front opening of the drum 20. For example, the front opening of the drum 20 may be provided as an entrance of the drum.

According to an embodiment, hot and dry air may be introduced into the drum 20 through the inlet 22 to dry the dried object accommodated in the drum 20. Air used for drying the dried object may escape out of the drum 20 through the outlet 16. The air exiting the drum 20 through the outlet 16 may contain a large amount of moisture.

According to an embodiment, a plurality of lifters 21 may be disposed inside the drum 20. The lifter 21 may raise or drop the dried object to contact hot air while the dried object is floating in the space inside the drum 20.

According to an embodiment, a door 30 for opening and closing the entrance of the drum may be installed on the front surface of the main body 10. The door 30 may be provided to be rotatable by being hinged to one side of the entrance of the drum.

According to an embodiment, the base 90 may be disposed under the drum 20. Referring to FIG. 4, a heat pump forming a refrigerant cycle may be seated on the base 90. The heat pump may include an evaporator 81, a condenser 82, a compressor, or an expansion device. The blower fan 43 or the driving motor 31 may be seated on the base 90. A base cover may be provided on the base 90 to cover components including the heat pump. For example, the base cover may form a duct structure together with the base 90.

According to an embodiment, the blower fan 43 may be provided on the base 90. The blower fan 43 may generate a blowing force based on the power transferred by the driving motor 31 to form a flow path of air. For example, the blower fan 43 may discharge air radially. To that end, the blower fan 43 may include a rotation shaft formed in a central portion and a plurality of blades formed in a circumferential direction about the rotation shaft.

According to an embodiment, a refrigerant cycle for heating and condensing air may be formed by the heat pump. The refrigerant cycle may correspond to a series of circulation processes including compression-condensation-expansion-evaporation. The main body 10 may include an evaporator 81, a condenser 82, a compressor, and an expansion device to form a refrigerant cycle. The evaporator 81 and the condenser 82 may exchange heat with air. The evaporator 81 and the condenser 82 may be collectively referred to as a heat exchanger.

According to an embodiment, while the clothing dryer 1 performs a drying cycle or an anti-wrinkle cycle, a closed flow path may be formed inside the main body 10. Here, the closed flow path may be understood as a movement path (see arrow in FIG. 3) of air configured to circulate the air inside the drum 20 through the heat pump and the drum 20. The closed flow path may form a flow path so that air outside the main body 10 does not flow into the drum 20 or air inside the drum 20 does not flow out of the main body 10. In other words, the flow of air may form a closed loop.

The air flow as described above may be caused by, e.g., the blower fan 43 installed below the inlet duct 41.

According to an embodiment, the discharge duct 42 may be disposed in front of the drum 20 to guide discharge of hot and humid air passing through the inside of the drum 20. A filter (not shown) may be installed in the discharge duct 42 to filter foreign substances such as lint.

According to an embodiment, the inlet duct 41 may be disposed behind the drum 20 and may communicate with the inside of the drum 20 through the hot air inlet 22 formed in the drum 20.

According to an embodiment, the refrigerant may exchange heat with air while circulating the heat pump.

According to an embodiment, the refrigerant may circulate while performing a series of phase changes including compression-condensation-expansion-evaporation. The condenser 82 and the evaporator 81 may be implemented as a heat exchanger capable of exchanging heat with air.

According to an embodiment, the compressor compresses and discharges the refrigerant in a high-temperature and high-pressure state, and the discharged refrigerant flows into the condenser 82. The condenser 82 may condense the compressed refrigerant and emit heat to the surroundings through the condensation process. Further, the expansion device expands the refrigerant in the high-temperature and high-pressure state condensed by the condenser 82 to a low-pressure state. The evaporator 81 may evaporate the expanded refrigerant and take away surrounding heat through the evaporation process.

According to an embodiment, the expansion device may be implemented as an electronic expansion valve (EEV) (hereinafter referred to as an expansion valve). The expansion valve may adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant by adjusting the opening rate through an electrical signal.

According to an embodiment, the hot and humid air discharged from the drum 20 may pass through the evaporator 81. Accordingly, since the hot and humid air discharged from the drum 20 is cooled while passing through the evaporator 81, it may be changed to low-temperature and dry air. In this case, condensate may be generated while the hot and humid air is cooled in the evaporator 81. The condensate may be accumulated along the bottom surface of the base 70.

According to an embodiment, the condensate may be moved to the second water container 200 or drained to the outside of the main body 10 by a drain pump (e.g., the drain pump 100 of FIG. 5). The drain pump may pump condensate to the second water container 200 or a connection pipe provided toward the outside of the main body 10. Further, air dried at a low temperature after passing through the evaporator 81 may pass through the condenser 82. Accordingly, since the low-temperature dry air discharged from the evaporator 81 is heated while passing through the condenser 82, it may be changed into high-temperature dry air. The hot and dry air may be introduced into the drum 20 through the inlet 22 to dry the dried object. As the dried object is dried, hot and humid air containing a large amount of moisture may be discharged through the outlet 16. The discharged air may pass through the evaporator 81 again. In other words, the air may circulate inside the main body 10 while drying the dried object accommodated in the drum 20.

According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 may drain condensate stored in the first water container 50, and the condensate may move to the connector 240 connected to the discharge portion 107 of the drain pump 100.

According to an embodiment, the connector 240 may be provided to guide a path for moving the condensate to the second water container 200 or the outside. The connector 240 may include a first output end 241, a first input end 243, and a second output end 245.

According to an embodiment, the first output end 241 may be coupled to the first connection pipe 251 to guide a path along which condensate stored in the first water container 50 moves to the second water container 200.

According to an embodiment, the first input end 243 may be coupled to a second connection pipe 253 provided to move condensate from the second water container 200 to the first water container 50.

According to an embodiment, the second output end 245 may be coupled to the connection pipe to guide the movement path so that the condensate stored in the first water container 50 may be discharged to the outside.

According to an embodiment, a position sensor (e.g., the position sensor 923 of FIG. 9) may be provided at at least one of the first output end 241 or the second output end 245. The position sensor may identify whether the connection pipe is coupled to the first output end 241 or the second output end 245. When the connection pipe is fitted and coupled to the first output end 241 and/or the second output end 245, the position sensor may transfer whether the connection pipe is coupled to the controller 910.

For example, the position sensor 923 may be provided only at the second output end 245. The clothing dryer 1 may identify whether the connection pipe is coupled to the second output end 245. The clothing dryer 1 may determine a drainage method based on whether the connection pipe is coupled to the first output end 241 or the second output end 245.

For example, when the first connection pipe 251 is coupled to the first output end 241 and the connection pipe is not coupled to the second output end 245, the clothing dryer 1 may pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the second water container 200 during the drainage cycle.

For example, when the first connection pipe (e.g., the first connection pipe 251 of FIG. 2) is not coupled to the first output end 241 and the connection pipe is coupled to the second output end 245, the clothing dryer 1 may pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the outside.

For example, when the first connection pipe (e.g., the first connection pipe 251 of FIG. 2) is coupled to the first output end 241 and the connection pipe is also coupled to the second output end 245, the clothing dryer 1 may start the drainage cycle from the first water container 50 to a predetermined point of the second water container 200 or the outside during the drainage cycle. Alternatively, the clothing dryer 1 may determine the drain point by a user input.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a base 90 (e.g., the base 90 of FIG. 3) according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 may be understood as a cross-sectional view illustrating that hot air is supplied to the dried object and then condensate is collected into the first water container 50 along the bottom surface of the base 90.

Referring to FIG. 4, the first water container 50 may be formed behind the main body 10. Alternatively, the first water container 50 may be mounted behind the main body 10.

According to an embodiment, a portion of the rear surface of the first water container 50 may be open to form an inlet 95. The inlet 95 may be a passage through which condensate generated in the base body 91 is introduced into the first water container 50. In the base body 91, an outlet may be formed at a portion corresponding to the inlet 95 to be a passage through which condensate may be introduced into the first water container 50 from the base body 91. A recessed portion 55 may be formed under the first water container 50 corresponding to the inlet 95 to guide condensate to be easily introduced into the first water container 50 through the inlet 95.

According to an embodiment, the bottom of the base body 91 may be formed to be inclined so that condensate may flow toward the inlet 95. In the base 90, an inclination may be formed so that the direction in which the first water container 50 is provided is lower.

According to an embodiment, the water level sensor 150 (e.g., the water level sensor 150 of FIG. 5 or the water level sensor 921 of FIG. 9) may be provided to detect the water level of the first water container 50. The water level sensor 150 may include a floating member 140. The drain pump 110 may pump the condensate according to the detected water level of the condensate.

According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 may be provided to pump condensate collected in the first water container 50. The drain pump 100 may pump condensate from the inlet portion 106 to the discharge portion 107 as the rotation shaft 103 rotates by the motor 101, and the impeller 105 provided at the lower end of the rotation shaft 103 rotates by the rotation.

According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 may be driven by a BLDC motor. The rotational speed of the drain pump 100 may be controlled by a controller (e.g., the controller 910 of FIG. 9).

According to an embodiment, the discharge portion 107 may be connected to the connection pipe 121. The connection pipe 121 may be connected to one end of a connector (e.g., the connector 240 of FIG. 2).

According to an embodiment, the direction in which the inlet portion 106 of the drain pump 100 faces and the direction in which the discharge portion 107 faces may be formed as substantially the same direction as the direction in which the rotation shaft 103 of the drain pump 100 extends. The direction in which the rotation shaft 103 extends may be, e.g., a direction substantially perpendicular to the lower surface of the clothing dryer 1.

According to an embodiment, condensate may move to the inlet portion of the drain pump 100 in response to the operation of the drain pump 100. The impeller included in the drain pump 100 may rotate the condensate and move the condensate to the discharge portion of the drain pump 100. Due to the internal structure of the drain pump 100 and/or the rotation of the impeller, air bubbles may be generated in the condensate near the inlet portion 106. The air bubbles generated near the inlet portion 106 may increase the threshold rpm and increase the level of the noise generated by the drain pump 100.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may turn on and off the drain pump 100 for a predetermined number of times before starting the drainage cycle, thereby removing air bubbles present in the condensate stored in the first water container 50, and then start the drainage cycle.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a first water container 50 according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 may be understood as a perspective view illustrating the first water container viewed downward from the z1 axis.

Referring to FIG. 5, a drain pump 100 or a water level sensor 150 may be provided in the first water container 50.

According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 may include a discharge portion 107. The discharge portion 107 may be connected to the connection pipe 121. The connection pipe 121 may be connected to one end of a connector (e.g., the connector 240 of FIG. 2).

According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 may include a connection port 109. The connection port 109 may be provided to allow the drain pump 100 to be electrically connected to the clothing dryer 1. For example, the drain pump 100 may be electrically connected to the controller 910 or may be electrically connected to the water level sensor 150.

According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 may include a rotation shaft 103. At least a portion of the rotation shaft 103 may be exposed to an upper end of the drain pump 100.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a first container 50 according to an embodiment. FIG. 6 may be understood as a cross-sectional view illustrating the first water container of FIG. 5 taken along the axis A-A′.

Referring to FIG. 6, the drain pump 100 and the water level sensor 150 may be provided in the first water container 50. The drain pump 100 may operate in response to the water level of the first water container 50 detected by the water level sensor 150. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the drain pump 100 may operate separately from the water level sensor 150.

According to an embodiment, a first water container bottom plate 57 may be mounted under the first water container 50. The first water container 50 may include a first water container side portion integrally formed with the rear surface of the main body 10, a first water container cap 51 formed separately from the rear surface of the main body 10, and a first water container bottom plate 57.

According to an embodiment, the floating member 140 may be mounted on the first water container bottom plate 57. A floating guide 132 may be formed so that the floating member 140 may ascend or descend according to the position of the condensate at a predetermined position. The floating member 140 may be accommodated in the floating guide 132. A flow hole 133 may be formed in the floating guide 132 so that condensate may be easily introduced and discharged. The floating member 140 may be provided with a floating member 142 so that the floating member 140 may be easily floated by the buoyancy of the condensate. A conductor 141 may be coupled to an upper portion of the floating member 142. The conductor 141, together with the floating member 142, may ascend or descend according to the water level of the condensate.

According to an embodiment, when a large amount of condensate is collected to sufficiently fill the first water container 50, it is necessary to remove the condensate from the first water container 50. In this case, the floating member 140 may ascend according to the water level of the condensate and be positioned at a high position, so that the conductor 141 may be electrically connected by contacting the electrode 151.

According to an embodiment, when the conductor 141 and the electrode 151 are electrically connected, the drain pump 100 is operated by a controller (e.g., the controller 910 of FIG. 9). In this case, the condensate inside the first water container 100 may be pumped by the drain pump 100. The pumped condensate may be discharged to the outside or the second water container 200 along the discharge portion 107, so that the water level of the condensate in the first water container 50 may be lowered. In response to the decrease in the water level of the condensate, the floating member 140 may also be positioned at a low position according to the water level of the condensate. When the floating member 140 is positioned at a low position as described above, the conductor 141 may be spaced apart from the electrode 151 and the drain pump 100 may not operate.

According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 may be operated to cause noise. When the drain pump 100 is operated, condensate and air may be together introduced into the impeller 105, thereby generating noise due to rotation of the impeller 105.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a drain pump 100 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a drain pump 100 according to an embodiment. FIG. 8 may be understood as a cross-sectional view illustrating the drain pump 100 of FIG. 7 taken along line B-B′.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the drain pump 100 may be driven by a BLDC motor. The rotational speed of the drain pump 100 may be controlled by a controller (e.g., the controller 910 of FIG. 9).

According to an embodiment, the rotation shaft 103 may be rotated in a predetermined direction (e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise) by a motor (e.g., the motor 101 of FIG. 5). The impeller 105 provided under the drain pump 100 may rotate by the rotation of the rotation shaft 103. Condensate may enter the inlet portion 106 by rotation of the impeller 105. The condensate entering the inlet portion 106 may move along the discharge portion 107. The discharge portion 107 may be formed as a discharge pipe and may be drained to the outside or the second water container (e.g., the second water container 200 of FIG. 1) through a connection pipe (e.g., the connection pipe 121 of FIG. 4).

According to an embodiment, the first case 111 and the second case 112 may form the exterior of the drain pump 100. The first case 111 may form a lower exterior of the drain pump 100, and the second case 112 may form an upper exterior of the drain pump 100. The first case 111 may surround the impeller 105. The inlet portion 106 and the discharge portion 107 may be formed by the first case 111.

According to an embodiment, the direction in which the condensate enters through the inlet portion 106 may be defined as a first direction d1, and the direction in which the condensate is discharged through the discharge portion 107 may be defined as a second direction d2. The first direction d1 and the second direction d2 may be substantially the same direction. The first direction d1 and the second direction d2 may extend in a height direction (e.g., the z1 axis direction of FIG. 1) in which the rotation shaft 103 extends. Further, the first direction d1 and the second direction d2 may be disposed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the lower surface of the clothing dryer 1.

According to an embodiment, as the bubble removal cycle is started, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at a predetermined rotational speed to raise at least a portion of the condensate present in the first water container 50 to a predetermined height. The predetermined height is, e.g., a point at which condensate is not drained, and may be understood as a point separated from the discharge portion 107 by a predetermined height in the height direction. The clothing dryer 1 may stop the drain pump 100 to drop the condensate positioned at the predetermined height to the first water container 50. Accordingly, air bubbles present in the condensate stored in the first water container 50 may be removed.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may start a drainage cycle after removing air bubbles present in the condensate, thereby reducing the level of the noise generated by the air bubbles during the drainage cycle.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a clothing dryer 900 (e.g., the clothing dryer 1 of FIG. 1) according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 9, the controller 910 may count a time for performing a bubble removal cycle or a drying cycle. To that end, the controller 910 may include a timer module. The timer module may be implemented integrally with the controller 910 or may be implemented as a separate module. Hereinafter, in the disclosure, it is assumed that the timer module is integrally implemented with the controller 910 so that the controller 910 performs the counting function.

According to an embodiment, the controller 910 may include a storage device for recording or storing a program or data for generating a control signal for controlling the operation of the clothing dryer 900. The storage device may be implemented as memory. The storage device may include a transitory memory and/or a non-transitory memory.

According to an embodiment, the controller 910 may control the rotational speed of the drain pump 930 while performing the bubble removal cycle or the drying cycle. The controller 910 may increase the rotational speed of the drain pump 930 to be operated while performing the bubble removal cycle or the drying cycle from the storage device. The storage device may store, in a database (DB), information indicating the rotational speed of the drain pump 930 to be controlled during the bubble removal or drying operation. The control table may include information about whether to operate the drain pump 930 at a predetermined speed according to the time during which the bubble removal operation is performed.

According to an embodiment, the control table may be stored in the storage device in the form of Table 1.

	TABLE 1
	Rotational speed	Operation time	Rest time
	(rpm)	(seconds)	(seconds)
First interval	r1	p1	p1′
Second interval	r2	p2	p2′
Third interval	r3	p3	p3′
Fourth interval	r4	p4	p4′
Fifth interval	r5	p5	p5′
. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .

According to an embodiment, Table 1 may be understood as a configuration table for the rotational speed, the operation time, and the rest time of the drain pump 930 corresponding to the interval while the clothing dryer 900 performs the bubble removal operation.

According to an embodiment, in a first interval (e.g., from t1 to t2 in FIG. 12), the clothing dryer 900 may operate the drain pump 930 at a rotational speed of r1 for p1 to raise the condensate to a predetermined point, and then stop the operation of the drain pump 930 for p1′ to drop the condensate. Here, r1 may be set to 1300 rpm, p1 may be set to 6 seconds, and p1′ may be set to 4 seconds.

According to an embodiment, in a second interval (e.g., from t2 to t3 in FIG. 12), the clothing dryer 900 may operate the drain pump 930 at a rotational speed of r2 for p2 to raise the condensate to a predetermined point, and then stop the operation of the drain pump 930 for p2′ to drop the condensate. Here, r2 may be set to 1820 rpm, p2 may be set to 6 seconds, and p2′ may be set to 4 seconds.

According to an embodiment, in a third interval (e.g., from t3 to t4 in FIG. 12), the clothing dryer 900 may operate the drain pump 930 at a rotational speed of r3 for p3 to raise the condensate to a predetermined point, and then stop the operation of the drain pump 930 for p3′ to drop the condensate. Here, r3 may be set to 1980 rpm, p3 may be set to 6 seconds, and p3′ may be set to 4 seconds.

According to an embodiment, in a fourth interval (e.g., from t4 to t5 in FIG. 12), the clothing dryer 900 may operate the drain pump 930 at a rotational speed of r4 for p4 to raise the condensate to a predetermined point, and then stop the operation of the drain pump 930 for p4′ to drop the condensate. Here, r4 may be set to 2020 rpm, p4 may be set to 6 seconds, and p4′ may be set to 4 seconds.

According to an embodiment, in a fifth interval (e.g., from t5 to t6 in FIG. 12), the clothing dryer 900 may operate the drain pump 930 at a rotational speed of r5 for p5 to raise the condensate to a predetermined point, and then stop the operation of the drain pump 930 for p5′ to drop the condensate. Here, r5 may be set to 2060 rpm, p5 may be set to 6 seconds, and p5′ may be set to 4 seconds.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 900 may minimize the bubbles in the condensate stored in the first water container 50 by performing the bubble removal cycle before starting the drainage cycle, thereby reducing the rotational speed of the drain pump 930 during the drainage cycle, with the result of minimized noise generation.

According to an embodiment, the controller 910 may retrieve information about the rotational speed, the operation time, and the rest time of the drain pump 930 from the storage device while performing the drainage operation. The information may be stored in the form of a control table.

For example, the information about the drainage cycle may be stored as information indicating the drain pump 930 rotates at a predetermined rotational speed every predetermined interval (e.g., 4 minutes). The predetermined rotational speed may be relatively higher than the rotational speed of the drain pump 930 during the bubble removal cycle. The predetermined rotational speed may range from, e.g., 2060 rpm to 3000 rpm, but is not limited thereto.

According to an embodiment, the sensor 920 may detect pieces of information necessary for the clothing dryer 900 to perform a bubble removal cycle or a drainage cycle.

According to an embodiment, the sensor 920 may include a water level sensor 921 (e.g., the water level sensor 150 of FIG. 5) and a position sensor 923.

According to an embodiment, the water level sensor 921 may sense the amount of condensate stored in the first water container 50. The water level sensor 921 may transfer water level information corresponding to the height of the floating member 140 floating on the water surface of the condensate to the controller 910.

According to an embodiment, the position sensor 923 may be provided at one end of the connector (e.g., the connector 240 of FIG. 2) to detect whether the connection pipe is coupled to the first output end (e.g., the first output end 241 of FIG. 2) or the second output end (e.g., the second output end 245 of FIG. 2) of the connector 240. In response to whether the connection pipe is coupled, detected by the position sensor 923, the clothing dryer 900 may select a drainage method.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 900 may determine the rotational speed, the operation period, and the rest period of the drain pump 930 during the bubble removal cycle or the drainage operation, corresponding to the drainage method. The control table of the drain pump 930 corresponding to the drainage method may be stored in the storage device of the controller 910.

For example, when the condensate is drained from the first water container 50 to the outside, the clothing dryer 900 may operate the drain pump 930 at a relatively low rotational speed with respect to the control table of Table 1, or may set a target cycle for operating the drain pump 930 to be low. Accordingly, when the clothing dryer 900 is drained to the outside, a relatively lower noise level may be maintained.

According to an embodiment, Table 2 below is a table indicating the sound quality (SQ) index for noise generated by the type of the drain pump 930. Table 2 is a table according to noise generated by the drain pump 930 except for the noise generated by other components of the clothing dryer 900.

	TABLE 2
				Just
	AC pump	BLDC pump	(SQ#1) −	noticeable
	(SQ#1)	(SQ#2)	(SQ#2)	difference
A-weighted	38.7	29.6	−9.1	1
SPL(I#1) [dBA]
ISO532B	2.4	0.9	−1.5	0.5
loudness(I#2) [sone]
ISO532B	1.203	0.968	−0.235	0.08
sharpness(I#3)
[acum]
roughness(I#4)	0.299	0.128	−0.171	0.04
[asper]
fluctuation(I#5)	0.223	0.231	0.008	0.012
strength [vacil]

According to an embodiment, the vertical axis is a list of indexes capable of indicating the numerical value for sound quality or sound volume. On the horizontal axis, SQ #1 indicates the noise level when the drain pump provided with an AC motor is driven at a rotational speed of 3600 rpm, and SQ #2 indicates the noise level when the drain pump 930 provided with a BLDC motor is driven at a rotational speed of 3000 rpm. When the absolute value of the difference between SQ #1 and SQ #2 is larger than a just noticeable difference, it may be understood that the user may audibly perceive a change in noise.

According to an embodiment, in the A-weighted SPL I #1, ISO532B loudness I #2, ISO532B sharpness I #3, and roughness I #4, it may be understood that there is a significant change in the level of the noise generated by the drain pump provided with the BLDC pump.

According to an embodiment, Table 3 below is a table indicating the sound quality (SQ) index for noise generated by the type of the drain pump 930. Table 3 is a table including noise generated by another component (e.g., a blower fan (e.g., the blower fan 43 of FIG. 2) while the clothing dryer 900 operates. For example, it is a table showing noise generated by the drain pump 930 as the blower fan rotates at 1600 rpm.

	TABLE 3
	When
	pump	AC	BLDC		Just
	rests	pump	pump	(SQ#1) −	noticeable
	(SQ#3)	(SQ#1)	(SQ#2)	(SQ#2)	difference
A-weighted	39.1	41.8	39.5	−2.3	1
SPL(I#1) [dBA]
ISO532B	3.1	3.9	3.3	−0.6	0.5
loudness(I#2) [sone]
ISO532B sharp-	0.721	0.891	0.723	−0.168	0.08
ness(I#3)[acum]
roughness(I#4)	0.109	0.14	0.113	−0.027	0.04
[asper]
fluctuation(I#5)	0.07	0.136	0.058	−0.078	0.012
strength [vacil]

According to an embodiment, the level of the noise generated by the blower fan 43 during pump pause is indicated by SQ #3.

According to an embodiment, in the A-weighted SPL I #1, ISO532B loudness I #2, ISO532B sharpness I #3, and fluctuation I #5, it may be understood that there is a significant change in the level of the noise generated by the drain pump provided with the BLDC pump.

As shown in Table 2 and Table 3, it may be identified that the level of the noise generated in the clothing dryer 900 may be reduced by minimizing the air bubbles present in the condensate through the bubble removal cycle in advance and then starting the drainage cycle. For example, the clothing dryer 900 may reduce noise of 10 decibels (dB) or more by performing a bubble removal cycle.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are flowcharts illustrating an operation in which a clothing dryer (e.g., the clothing dryer 1 of FIG. 1 or the clothing dryer 900 of FIG. 9) according to an embodiment controls a bubble removal cycle or a drainage cycle. Operations described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 may be omitted as necessary, the same operation may be repeated, or the order may be changed as necessary.

Referring to FIG. 10, the clothing dryer 1 may activate the bubble removal function in response to the condensate being stored in a first water container (e.g., the first water container 50 of FIG. 5) by a predetermined capacity. The clothing dryer 1 may obtain the capacity of condensate stored in the first water container 50 from a water level sensor (e.g., the water level sensor 150 of FIG. 6).

According to an embodiment, in operation 1010, the clothing dryer 1 may start a bubble removal cycle for removing air present in the condensate stored in the first water container 50.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump (e.g., the drain pump 100 of FIG. 4) at a predetermined rpm for a predetermined operation time to raise the condensate stored in the first water container 50 to a predetermined height.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may raise the condensate stored in the first water container to the first height by operating the drain pump 100 at the first rpm for the first operation time (e.g., the first operation time p1 of FIG. 12). For example, the first rpm may be set to 1300 rpm, and the first operation time p1 may be set to 6 seconds. The first height may be understood as a point spaced apart from one end of the discharge pipe (e.g., the discharge pipe 107 of FIG. 4) of the drain pump 100 by a predetermined height in a height direction (e.g., the z1-axis direction of FIG. 1).

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may lower the condensate, which has risen to the first height, by operating the drain pump 100 during a first rest time (e.g., the first rest time p1′ of FIG. 12). For example, the first rest time p1′ may be set to 4 seconds.

According to an embodiment, the first operation time p1 and the first rest time p1′ may be collectively referred to as a first interval.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may determine whether a preset target cycle has been reached. Here, the target cycle may be defined as the number of times of performing a series of operations for removing air bubbles by raising and then lowering the condensate by operating the drain pump 100. The clothing dryer 1 may obtain information about the target cycle from a storage device (e.g., memory) included in a controller (e.g., the controller 810 of FIG. 9).

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at the second rpm for the second operation time (e.g., the second operation time p2 of FIG. 12) to raise the condensate stored in the first water container to a second height, in response to failing to reach the predetermined target cycle. For example, the second rpm may be set to 1820 rpm, and the second operation time p2 may be set to 6 seconds. The first height may be understood as a point spaced apart from one end of the discharge pipe (e.g., the discharge pipe 107 of FIG. 4) of the drain pump 100 by a predetermined height in a height direction (e.g., the z1-axis direction of FIG. 1). The second height may be understood as being relatively higher than or equal to the first height in the height direction.

According to an embodiment, the first rpm and the second rpm may be set to be relatively lower than or equal to the threshold rpm required for the condensate to be discharged. The first rpm may be set to be relatively lower than or equal to the second rpm.

According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 may be operated during the second rest time (e.g., the second rest time p2′ of FIG. 12) to lower the condensate that has risen to the second height. For example, the second rest time p2′ may be set to 4 seconds.

According to an embodiment, the second operation time p2 and the second rest time p2′ may be collectively referred to as a second interval.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may determine whether a preset target cycle has been reached.

According to an embodiment, in operation 1020, in response to reaching the preset target cycle, the clothing dryer 1 may end the bubble removal cycle and start the drainage cycle.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may discharge the condensate stored in the first water container 50 by operating the drain pump 100 at the threshold rpm. The clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at the threshold rpm for a predetermined period to discharge condensate stored in the first water container 50. The drain pump 100 may pump the condensate to a second water container (e.g., the second water container 200 of FIG. 1) or to the outside.

According to an embodiment, the threshold rpm may include a first threshold rpm or a second threshold rpm. The first threshold rpm may be understood as an rpm required for the drain pump to pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the second water container 200. The second threshold rpm may be understood as an rpm required to pump from the first water container 50 to the outside. Since the second water container 50 is provided at a relatively higher position in the height direction compared to the outside, the first threshold rpm may be relatively smaller than or equal to the second threshold rpm. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the second threshold rpm may be relatively higher than the first threshold rpm depending on the position of the point where it is drained to the outside.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may remove air bubbles generated when the condensate stored in the first water container 50 is pumped by the drain pump 100 by performing the bubble removal cycle before the drainage cycle is started. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the threshold rpm from increasing due to the air bubbles in the inlet portion (e.g., the inlet portion 106 of FIG. 4) of the drain pump 100 during the drainage cycle. Further, by maintaining the threshold rpm of the drain pump 100 at a low level, the level of the noise generated during drainage may be reduced.

Referring to FIG. 11, in operation 1120, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at the first rpm for the first operation time. For example, the first rpm may be set to 1300 rpm, and the first operation time may be set to 6 seconds.

According to an embodiment, in operation 1130, the clothing dryer 1 may determine whether the target cycle is reached. For example, it may be assumed that the target cycle is performed “five times”, and it may be assumed that the operation time, the operation rpm, and the rest time for which the drain pump 100 is to be operated during the first to fifth intervals are preset.

According to an embodiment, in response to the failure to reach the target cycle, in operation 1120, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 during the second operation time (e.g., the second operation time p2 of FIG. 12) and may stop the drain pump 100 during the second rest time (e.g., the second rest time p2′ of FIG. 12) in response to the passage of the first rest time (e.g., the first rest time p1′ of FIG. 12) after the first operation time (e.g., the first operation time p1 of FIG. 12). The second rest time p2′ may be set to 4 seconds. The clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at the second rpm for the second operation time p2. For example, the second rpm may be set to 1820 rpm, and the second operation time p2 may be set to 6 seconds.

According to an embodiment, in response to the failure to reach the target cycle, in operation 1120, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 during the third operation time (e.g., the third operation time p3 of FIG. 12) and may stop the operation of the drain pump 100 during the third rest time (e.g., the third rest time p3′ of FIG. 12) in response to the passage of the second rest time p2′ after the second operation time p2. The third rest time p3′ may be set to 4 seconds. The clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at the third rpm for the third operation time p3. For example, the third rpm may be set to 1980 rpm, and the third operation time p3 may be set to 6 seconds.

According to an embodiment, in response to the failure to reach the target cycle, in operation 1120, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 during the fourth operation time (e.g., the fourth operation time p4 of FIG. 12) and may stop the operation of the drain pump 100 during the fourth rest time (e.g., the fourth rest time p4′ of FIG. 12) in response to the passage of the third rest time p3′ after the third operation time p3. The fourth rest time p4′ may be set to 4 seconds. The clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at the fourth rpm for the fourth operation time p4. For example, the fourth rpm may be set to 2020 rpm, and the fourth operation time p4 may be set to 6 seconds.

According to an embodiment, in response to the failure to reach the target cycle, in operation 1120, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 during the fifth operation time (e.g., the fifth operation time p5 of FIG. 12) and may stop the operation of the drain pump 100 during the fifth rest time (e.g., the fifth rest time p5′ of FIG. 12) in response to the passage of the fourth rest time p4′ after the fourth operation time p4. The fifth rest time p5′ may be set to 4 seconds. The clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at the fifth rpm for the fifth operation time p5. For example, the fifth rpm may be set to 2060 rpm, and the fifth operation time p5 may be set to 6 seconds.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 is not limited to the rotational speed of the drain pump 100 according to the above-described target cycle, and may control the drain pump 100 to perform the bubble removal cycle based on a preset rotational speed, operation time, and rest time. The clothing dryer 1 may obtain the preset rotational speed, operation time, and rest time of the drain pump 100 from the storage device of the controller 910.

According to an embodiment, in response to reaching the target cycle, in operation 1150, the clothing dryer 1 may start a drainage cycle of discharging condensate stored in the first water container 50 by operating the drain pump 100 at a predetermined rotational speed.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at the threshold rpm for a predetermined period to discharge condensate stored in the first water container 50.

According to an embodiment, the threshold rpm may include a first threshold rpm and a second threshold rpm. The first threshold rpm may be understood as a rotational speed required for the drain pump 100 to pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the second water container 200. The second threshold rpm may be understood as a rotational speed required for the drain pump 100 to pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the outside. Here, the outside may be defined as a point where it is drained through a third connection pipe (not shown) connected to a second output end (e.g., the second output end 245 of FIG. 2) of the connector 240.

For example, because the height at which the first water container 50 is positioned is relatively higher than the height at the point at which it is connected to the second output end 245 and the condensate is discharged to the outside, the first threshold rpm may be relatively lower than the second threshold rpm. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the second threshold rpm may be relatively higher than or equal to the first threshold rpm corresponding to the position of the point where it is drained through the third connection pipe. In the disclosure, it is assumed that the position of the point where it is drained through the third connection pipe is provided at a point lower than the height of the first water container 50.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may identify whether the connection pipe is coupled from the position sensor 923 provided at the first output end (e.g., the first output end 241 of FIG. 2) and the second output end 245 of the connector 240. When the connection pipe is fitted and coupled to the first output end 241 and/or the second output end 245, the position sensor may transfer whether the connection pipe is coupled to the controller 910. For example, the position sensor 923 may be provided only at the second output end 245. The clothing dryer 1 may identify whether the connection pipe is coupled to the second output end 245, and may drain condensate from the first water container 50 to the outside only when the connection pipe is coupled to the second output end 245.

For example, when the first connection pipe (e.g., the first connection pipe 251 of FIG. 2) is coupled to the first output end 241 and the connection pipe is not coupled to the second output end 245, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at the first threshold rpm to pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the second water container 200 during the drainage cycle.

For example, when the first connection pipe (e.g., the first connection pipe 251 of FIG. 2) is not coupled to the first output end 241 and the connection pipe is coupled to the second output end 245, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at the second threshold rpm to pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the outside during the drainage cycle.

For example, when the first connection pipe (e.g., the first connection pipe 251 of FIG. 2) is coupled to the first output end 241 and the connection pipe is also coupled to the second output end 245, the clothing dryer 1 may start the drainage cycle from the first water container 50 to a predetermined point of the second water container 200 or the outside during the drainage cycle. Alternatively, the clothing dryer 1 may determine the drain point by a user input.

FIG. 12 is a graph illustrating a rotational speed according to a driving cycle of a drain pump (e.g., the drain pump 100 of FIG. 4 or the drain pump 930 of FIG. 9) according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 12, in response to starting the bubble removal cycle, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at a predetermined rotational speed. The predetermined rotational speed may be relatively lower than a threshold rpm at which the drain pump 100 is to be operated to drain condensate.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at the first rotational speed r1 from the time point t1 to the time point t1′. The first rotational speed r1 may be set to 1300 rpm. The time point t1 to the time point t1′ may be defined as a first operation time p1. During the first operation time p1, the drain pump 100 may raise the condensate stored in the first water container (e.g., the first water container 50 of FIG. 4) to a first height. The first height may be understood as a distance from the discharge portion (e.g., the discharge portion 107 of FIG. 4) to a predetermined point in the height direction. The first operation time p1 may be set to 6 seconds.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may stop the operation of the drain pump 100 from the time point t1′ to the time point t2. The time point t1′ to the time point t2 may be defined as a first rest time p1′. Condensate positioned at the first height during the first rest time p1′ may fall into the first water container 50. Therefore, at least some of the air bubbles present in the condensate may be removed. The first rest time p1′ may be set to 4 seconds, but is not limited thereto.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at the second rotational speed r2 from the time point t2 to the time point t2′ in response to failing to reach the target driving cycle. The time point t2 to the time point t2′ may be defined as a second operation time p2. The second rotational speed r2 may be set to be relatively faster than the first rotational speed r1. The second rotational speed r2 may be set to 1820 rpm, and the second operation time p2 may be set to 6 seconds, but is not limited thereto.

According to an embodiment, during the second operation time p2, the drain pump 100 may raise the condensate stored in the first water container 50 to a second height. The second height may be understood as a distance from the discharge portion 107 to a predetermined point in the height direction. The second height may be provided at a position relatively higher in the height direction than the height.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may stop the operation of the drain pump 100 from the time point t2′ to the time point t3. The time point t2′ to the time point t3 may be defined as a second rest time p2′. The second rest time p2′ may be set to 4 seconds, but is not limited thereto. Condensate positioned at the first height during the second rest time p2′ may fall into the first water container 50. Therefore, at least some of the air bubbles present in the condensate may be removed.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at the third rotational speed r3 from the time point t3 to the time point t3′ in response to failing to reach the target driving cycle. The time point t3 to the time point t3′ may be defined as a third operation time p3. The third rotational speed r3 may be set to a speed relatively faster than the second rotational speed r2. The third rotational speed r3 may be set to, e.g., 1980 rpm, and the third operation time p3 may be set to 6 seconds, but is not limited thereto.

According to an embodiment, during the third operation time p3, the drain pump 100 may raise the condensate stored in the first water container 50 to a third height. The third height may be understood as a distance from the discharge portion 107 to a predetermined point in the height direction. The third height may be provided at a position relatively higher in the height direction than the second height.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may stop the operation of the drain pump 100 from the time point t3′ to the time point t4. The time point t3′ to the time point t4 may be defined as a third rest time p3′. The third rest time p3′ may be set to 4 seconds, but is not limited thereto. Condensate positioned at the third height during the third rest time p3′ may fall into the first water container 50. Therefore, at least some of the air bubbles present in the condensate may be removed.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at the fourth rotational speed r4 from the time point t4 to the time point t4′ in response to failing to reach the target driving cycle. The time point t4 to the time point t4′ may be defined as a fourth operation time p4. The fourth rotational speed r4 may be set to a speed relatively faster than the third rotational speed r3. The fourth rotational speed r4 may be set to, e.g., 2020 rpm, and the fourth operation time p4 may be set to 6 seconds, but is not limited thereto.

According to an embodiment, during the fourth operation time p4, the drain pump 100 may raise the condensate stored in the first water container 50 to a fourth height. The fourth height may be understood as a distance from the discharge portion 107 to a predetermined point in the height direction. The fourth height may be provided at a position relatively higher in the height direction than the third height.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may stop the operation of the drain pump 100 from the time point t4′ to the time point t5. The time point t4′ to the time point t5 may be defined as a fourth rest time p4′. The fourth rest time p4′ may be set to 4 seconds, but is not limited thereto. Condensate positioned at the fourth height during the fourth rest time p4′ may fall into the first water container 50. Therefore, at least some of the air bubbles present in the condensate may be removed.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at the fifth rotational speed r5 from the time point t5 to the time point t5′ in response to failing to reach the target driving cycle. The time point t5 to the time point t5′ may be defined as a fifth operation time p5. The fifth rotational speed r5 may be set to be relatively faster than the fourth rotational speed r4. The fifth rotational speed r5 may be set to, e.g., 2060 rpm, and the fifth operation time p5 may be set to 6 seconds, but is not limited thereto.

According to an embodiment, during the fifth operation time p5, the drain pump 100 may raise the condensate stored in the first water container 50 to a fifth height. The fifth height may be understood as a distance from the discharge portion 107 to a predetermined point in the height direction. The fifth height may be provided at a position relatively higher in the height direction than the fourth height.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may stop the operation of the drain pump 100 from the time point t5′ to the time point t6. The time point t5′ to the time point t6 may be defined as a fifth rest time p5′. The fifth rest time p5′ may be set to 4 seconds, but is not limited thereto. Condensate positioned at the fourth height during the fourth rest time p5′ may fall into the first water container 50. Therefore, at least some of the air bubbles present in the condensate may be removed.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may start the drainage cycle from a time point t6 in response to reaching the target driving cycle. The clothing dryer 1 may drain the condensate stored in the first water container 50 by operating the drain pump 100 for a predetermined period at a threshold rpm r6.

According to an embodiment, the second rotational speed r2, the third rotational speed r3, the fourth rotational speed r4, and the fifth rotational speed r5 may be set to 3300 rpm or less. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the second to fifth rotational speeds r2, r3, r4, and r5 may be set to various values based on the structure of the drain pump 100 (e.g., the structure of the inlet portion 106 and/or the discharge portion 107, the structure inside the drain pump 100), the output of the drain pump 100, the amount of condensate stored in the drain pump 100, or the position of the point at which the condensate is drained.

According to an embodiment, the clothing dryer 1 may decrease the level of the threshold rpm required to discharge the condensate during the drainage cycle by performing the bubble removal cycle before the drainage cycle is started, thereby decreasing the level of the noise generated by the drain pump 100 during the drainage cycle.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a washer 1300 to which a drain pump 1310 (e.g., the drain pump 100 of FIG. 4 or the drain pump 930 of FIG. 9) is applied, according to an embodiment. The washer 1300 may be understood as a front-loading type washer to which the drain pump 1310 of the disclosure is applied. The drain pump 1310 may at least partially or entirely correspond to the drain pump 100 of FIG. 7. The drain pump 1310 may be driven by a BLDC motor to adjust the rotational speed by a controller (e.g., the controller 910 of FIG. 9).

Referring to FIG. 13, the washer 1300 may include a drain pump 1310 for draining washing water to the outside after washing the target laundry put into the drum. The washer 1300 may include a controller for controlling driving of the drain pump 1310.

According to an embodiment, the washing water may flow into the drain pump 1310 through the first connection pipe 1320 along the lower surface of the drum. The inlet portion of the drain pump 1310 may be substantially the same as the height direction in which the rotation shaft of the drain pump 1310 extends.

According to an embodiment, the washing water may be discharged through the second connection pipe 1330 by driving the drain pump 1310. The discharge portion of the drain pump 1310 may be substantially the same as the height direction in which the rotation shaft of the drain pump 1310 extends.

According to an embodiment, due to the air present in the washing water, air bubbles may be generated in the washing water near the inlet portion by the operation of the drain pump 1310, thereby increasing the rotational speed required for the drain pump 1310 to drain. Accordingly, a high level of noise may be generated by the operation of the drain pump 1310.

According to an embodiment, the washer 1300 may start a bubble removal cycle of turning on and off the drain pump 1310 at a predetermined rotational speed. The washer 1300 may operate and stop the drain pump 1310 at a predetermined rotational speed a predetermined number of times to raise the washing water to a predetermined point and then drop to remove air bubbles present in the washing water.

According to an embodiment, the washer 1300 may start the drainage cycle in response to the end of the bubble removal cycle. By removing air bubbles present in the washing water, the level of the noise generated while the drain pump 1310 is operated may be reduced.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a washer 1400 to which a drain pump 1410 (e.g., the drain pump 100 of FIG. 4 or the drain pump 930 of FIG. 9) is applied, according to an embodiment. The washer 1400 may be understood as a top-loading type washer.

Referring to FIG. 14, the washer 1400 may include a drain pump 1410 for draining washing water to the outside after washing the target laundry put into the drum. The washer 1400 may include a controller for controlling driving of the drain pump 1410.

According to an embodiment, the washing water may flow into the drain pump 1410 through the first connection pipe 1420 along the lower surface of the drum. The washing water may flow into the drain pump 1410 by a valve 1421 (e.g., the valve 940 of FIG. 10) provided at one end of the first connection pipe 1420. The inlet portion of the drain pump 1410 may be substantially the same as the height direction in which the rotation shaft of the drain pump 1410 extends.

According to an embodiment, the washing water may be discharged through the second connection pipe 1430 by driving the drain pump 1410. The discharge portion of the drain pump 1410 may be substantially the same as the height direction in which the rotation shaft of the drain pump 1410 extends.

According to an embodiment, due to the air present in the washing water, air bubbles may be generated in the washing water near the inlet portion by the operation of the drain pump 1410, thereby increasing the rotational speed required for the drain pump 1410 to drain. Accordingly, a high level of noise may be generated by the operation of the drain pump 1410.

According to an embodiment, the washer 1400 may start a bubble removal cycle of turning on and off the drain pump 1410 at a predetermined rotational speed. The washer 1400 may operate and stop the drain pump 1410 at a predetermined rotational speed a predetermined number of times to raise the washing water to a predetermined point and then drop to remove air bubbles present in the washing water.

According to an embodiment, the washer 1400 may start the drainage cycle in response to the end of the bubble removal cycle. By removing air bubbles present in the washing water, the level of the noise generated while the drain pump 1410 is operated may be reduced.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a clothing care device 1500 to which a drain pump 1510 (e.g., the drain pump 100 of FIG. 4 or the drain pump 930 of FIG. 9) is applied, according to an embodiment. FIG. 15 illustrates a drain container positioned at a lower portion of the clothing care device 1500 and a drain pump 1510 provided near the water supply container.

Referring to FIG. 15, the clothing care device 1500 may include a water supply container and a drain container. The water supply container may be provided to store a washing liquid to be moved to a steam container by storing the washing liquid. A first pump for pumping the washing liquid from the water supply container to the steam container may be provided. The drain container may be provided to store the washing liquid discharged from the clothing care device 1500 or condensate condensed from dry air. A second pump for pumping the washing liquid or condensate from the sump to the drain container may be provided. The clothing care device 1500 may include a controller for controlling driving of the first pump or the second pump.

According to an embodiment, the drain pump 1510 may be applied to at least one of the first pump and the second pump.

According to an embodiment, the washing water may flow into the drain pump 1510 through the first connection pipe 1520 along the lower surface of the drum. The inlet portion of the drain pump 1510 may be substantially the same as the height direction in which the rotation shaft of the drain pump 1510 extends.

According to an embodiment, the washing water may be discharged through the second connection pipe 1530 by driving the drain pump 1510. The discharge portion of the drain pump 1510 may be substantially the same as the height direction in which the rotation shaft of the drain pump 1510 extends.

According to an embodiment, due to the air present in the washing water, air bubbles may be generated in the washing water near the inlet portion by the operation of the drain pump 1510, thereby increasing the rotational speed required for the drain pump 1510 to drain. Accordingly, a high level of noise may be generated by the operation of the drain pump 1510.

According to an embodiment, the clothing care device 1500 may start a bubble removal cycle of turning on and off the drain pump 1510 at a predetermined rotational speed. The clothing care device 1500 may operate and stop the drain pump 1510 at a predetermined rotational speed a predetermined number of times to raise the washing water to a predetermined point and then drop to remove air bubbles present in the washing water.

According to an embodiment, the clothing care device 1500 may start a drainage cycle in response to the end of the bubble removal cycle. By removing air bubbles present in the washing water, the level of the noise generated while the drain pump 1510 is operated may be reduced.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a dish washer 1600 to which a drain pump 1620 (e.g., the drain pump 100 of FIG. 4 or the drain pump 930 of FIG. 9) is applied according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 16, the dishwasher 1600 may include a sump 1650 through which a washing liquid is collected along the base 1640. The sump 1650 may be provided under a tub forming an inner space of the dishwasher 1600 to facilitate collection of the washing liquid. The washing liquid collected in the sump 1650 may be pumped to a jetting device (not shown) by a circulation pump 1620. The jetting device may include a first jetting device provided at an upper end of the tub and a second jetting device provided at a middle end of the tub. The dishwasher 1600 may include a controller for controlling driving of the drain pump 1610.

According to an embodiment, the washing water may flow into the drain pump 1610 through a first connection pipe 1620 connected to one side of the sump. The inlet portion of the drain pump 1610 may be substantially the same as the height direction in which the rotation shaft of the drain pump 1610 extends.

According to an embodiment, the washing water may be discharged through the second connection pipe 1631 and/or the third connection pipe 1633 by driving the drain pump 1610. The discharge portion of the drain pump 1510 may be substantially the same as the height direction in which the rotation shaft of the drain pump 1510 extends. The second connection pipe 1631 may be connected to the first jetting device, and the third connection pipe 1633 may be connected to the second jetting device.

According to an embodiment, the washing water may be discharged through the second connection pipe 1530 by driving the drain pump 1510. The discharge portion of the drain pump 1510 may be substantially the same as the height direction in which the rotation shaft of the drain pump 1510 extends.

According to an embodiment, the discharge portion of the drain pump 1610 may be connected to a valve 1632 (e.g., the valve portion 940 of FIG. 9). The valve 1632 may be provided to guide the washing liquid to at least one of the second connection pipe 1631 and the third connection pipe 1633.

According to an embodiment, due to the air present in the washing water, air bubbles may be generated in the washing water near the inlet portion by the operation of the drain pump 1610, thereby increasing the rotational speed required for the drain pump 1610 to drain. Accordingly, a high level of noise may be generated by the operation of the drain pump 1610.

According to an embodiment, the dishwasher 1600 may start a bubble removal cycle of turning on and off the drain pump 1510 at a predetermined rotational speed. The dishwasher 1600 may operate and stop the drain pump 1510 at a predetermined rotational speed a predetermined number of times to raise the washing water to a predetermined point and then drop to remove air bubbles present in the washing water.

According to an embodiment, the dishwasher 1600 may start the drainage cycle in response to the end of the bubble removing operation. By removing air bubbles present in the washing water, the level of the noise generated while the drain pump 1610 is operated may be reduced.

A dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure may comprise a first water container 50 in which condensate generated as a drying cycle is performed is stored, a drain pump 100 or 930 driven by a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor, and a controller 910 determining a rotational speed of the drain pump 100 or 930. The controller 910 may alternately drive and stop the drain pump 100 or 930 by a predetermined number of times at a first rotational speed in response to start of a bubble removal cycle, and start a drainage cycle in which the drain pump 100 or 930 is operated at a second rotational speed for a predetermined driving period in response to termination of the bubble removal cycle. The first rotational speed may be relatively lower than the second rotational speed.

In the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, a direction in which the condensate is introduced into an inlet portion of the drain pump 100 or 930 and a direction in which the condensate is discharged to a discharge portion of the drain pump 100 or 930 may be disposed parallel to a direction in which a rotation shaft of the drain pump 100 or 930 extends. The rotation shaft may be disposed in a direction perpendicular to a lower surface of the dryer 1 or 900.

In the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the controller 910 may operate the drain pump 100 or 930 at a 1-1th rotational speed (e.g., a primary first rotational speed) during a first operation time to perform a first bubble removal cycle of raising the condensate from the discharge portion to a first height positioned at a predetermined height, and dropping the condensate by stopping the operation of the drain pump 100 or 930 during a 1-1th rest time (e.g., a first rest time).

In the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the controller 910 may operate the drain pump 100 or 930 at a 1-2th rotational speed (e.g., a secondary first rotational speed) during a second operation time to perform a second bubble removal cycle of dropping the condensate by raising the condensate to a second height in response to termination of the first bubble removal cycle and stopping the operation of the drain pump 100 or 930 during a 1-2th rest time (e.g., a second rest time). The 1-2th rotational speed may be higher than or equal to the 1-1th rotational speed.

In the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the first height and the second height may be lower than a height to which the condensate is to be raised to be drained, and the first height may be relatively lower than or equal to the second height.

In the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the second rotational speed may include a 2-1th rotational speed (e.g., a primary second rotational speed) required to pump the condensate from a first water container 50 to a second water container 200 provided in a main body, and a 2-2th rotational speed (e.g., a secondary second rotational speed) required to pump the condensate from the first water container 50 to an outside.

The dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure may further comprise a connector connected to one end of the discharge portion to guide the condensate from a first water container 50 to a second water container 200, or to guide the condensate from the first water container 50 to an outside.

In the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the controller 910 may identify a position where the condensate is to be discharged from a position sensor 923 provided in the connector and determine one of the 2-1th rotational speed and the 2-2th rotational speed based on the position where the condensate is to be discharged. The 1-1th rotational speed and the 1-2th rotational speed may be 1300 rpm to 3000 rpm.

In the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the second rotational speed may be less than or equal to 3300 rpm.

In the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the controller 910 may start the bubble removal cycle in response to a water level of the first water container 50 exceeding a threshold level.

A method for draining in a dryer 1 or 900, according to an embodiment of the disclosure, may comprise alternately driving and stopping 1010 a drain pump 100 or 930 by a predetermined number of times at a first rotational speed in response to start of a bubble removal cycle, and starting 1020 a drainage cycle in which the drain pump 100 or 930 is operated at a second rotational speed for a predetermined driving period in response to termination of the bubble removal cycle. The first rotational speed may be relatively lower than the second rotational speed.

In the method for draining in the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, a direction in which the condensate is introduced into an inlet portion of the drain pump 100 or 930 and a direction in which the condensate is discharged to a discharge portion of the drain pump 100 or 930 may be disposed parallel to a direction in which a rotation shaft of the drain pump 100 or 930 extends. The rotation shaft may be disposed in a direction perpendicular to a lower surface of the dryer 1 or 900.

In the method for draining in the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the bubble removal cycle may include a first bubble removal cycle. The first bubble removal cycle may include operating the drain pump 100 or 930 at a 1-1th rotational speed (e.g., a primary first rotational speed) during a first operation time to raise the condensate from the discharge portion to a first height positioned at a predetermined height and dropping the condensate by stopping the operation of the drain pump 100 or 930 during a 1-1th rest time (e.g., a first rest time).

In the method for draining in the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the bubble removal cycle may include a second bubble removal cycle starting in response to termination of the first bubble removal cycle. The second bubble removal cycle may include operating the drain pump 100 or 930 at a 1-2th rotational speed (e.g., a secondary first rotational speed) during a second operation time to raise the condensate to a second height, and dropping the condensate by stopping the operation of the drain pump 100 or 930 during a 1-2th rest time (e.g., a second rest time).

In the method for draining in the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the first height and the second height may be lower than a height to which the condensate is to be raised to be drained, and the first height may be relatively lower than or equal to the second height.

In the method for draining in the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the second rotational speed may include a 2-1th rotational speed (e.g., a primary second rotational speed) required to pump the condensate from a first water container 50 to a second water container 200 provided in a main body, and a 2-2th rotational speed (e.g., a secondary second rotational speed) required to pump the condensate from the first water container 50 to an outside.

The method for draining in the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure may further comprise identifying a position where the condensate is to be discharged, and determining one of the 2-1th rotational speed and the 2-2th rotational speed based on the position where the condensate is to be discharged.

In the method for draining in the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the 1-1th rotational speed and the 1-2th rotational speed may be 1300 rpm to 3000 rpm.

In the method for draining in the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the second rotational speed may be less than or equal to 3300 rpm.

The method for draining in the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the disclosure may further comprise starting the bubble removal cycle in response to a water level of the first water container 50 exceeding a threshold level.

The terms as used herein are provided merely to describe some embodiments thereof, but are not intended to limit the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, each of such phrases as “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” “at least one of A or B,” “A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” and “at least one of A, B, or C,” may include all possible combinations of the items enumerated together in a corresponding one of the phrases. As used herein, the term ‘and/or’ should be understood as encompassing any and all possible combinations by one or more of the enumerated items. As used herein, the terms “include,” “have,” and “comprise” are used merely to designate the presence of the feature, component, part, or a combination thereof described herein, but use of the term does not exclude the likelihood of presence or adding one or more other features, components, parts, or combinations thereof. As used herein, the terms “first” and “second” may modify various components regardless of importance and/or order and are used to distinguish a component from another without limiting the components.

As used herein, the terms “configured to” may be interchangeably used with the terms “suitable for,” “having the capacity to,” “designed to,” “adapted to,” “made to,” or “capable of” depending on circumstances. The term “configured to” does not essentially mean “specifically designed in hardware to.” Rather, the term “configured to” may mean that a device can perform an operation together with another device or parts. For example, a ‘device configured (or set) to perform A, B, and C’ may be a dedicated device to perform the corresponding operation or may mean a general-purpose device capable of various operations including the corresponding operation.

Meanwhile, the terms “upper side”, “lower side”, and “front and rear directions” used in the disclosure are defined with respect to the drawings, and the shape and position of each component are not limited by these terms.

In the disclosure, the above-described description has been made mainly of specific embodiments, but the disclosure is not limited to such specific embodiments, but should rather be appreciated as covering all various modifications, equivalents, and/or substitutes of various embodiments.

Claims

1. A clothing dryer, comprising: a first water container in which condensate generated as a drying cycle is performed is stored;a drain pump driven by a brushless direct current motor; anda controller configured to: alternately drive the drain pump at a first rotational speed and stop the drain pump a predetermined number of times in response to a start of a bubble removal cycle to remove bubbles from the condensate stored in the first water container; andstart a drainage cycle in which the drain pump is operated at a second rotational speed which is greater than the first rotational speed for a predetermined driving period in response to termination of the bubble removal cycle.

2. The clothing dryer of claim 1, wherein a direction in which the condensate is introduced into an inlet portion of the drain pump and a direction in which the condensate is discharged through a discharge portion of the drain pump are parallel to a direction in which a rotation shaft of the drain pump extends, andthe rotation shaft is perpendicular to a lower surface of the clothing dryer.

3. The clothing dryer of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to: operate the drain pump at a primary first rotational speed during a first operation time to perform a first bubble removal cycle so that, a level of the condensate in the first water container is lowered, and a level of the condensate from the discharge portion is raised to a first predetermined height, by the condensate being pumped by the drain pump from the discharge portion, andstop operation of the drain pump during a first rest time to lower the level of the condensate from the discharge portion.

4. The clothing dryer of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to: operate the drain pump at a secondary first rotational speed during a second operation time to perform a second bubble removal cycle so that, the level of the condensate in the first water container is lowered, and the level of the condensate from the discharge portion is raised to a second predetermined height, by the condensate being pumped by the drain pump from the discharge portion, in response to termination of the first bubble removal cycle, andstop operation of the drain pump during a second rest time to lower the level of the condensate from the discharge portion, andthe secondary first rotational speed is greater than or equal to the primary first rotational speed.

5. The clothing dryer of claim 4, wherein the first predetermined height and the second predetermined height are lower than a height to which the condensate is to be raised when the condensate in the first water container is drained from the first water container by operation of the drain pump, andthe first predetermined height is lower than or equal to the second predetermined height.

6. The clothing dryer of claim 1, wherein the second rotational speed includes: a primary second rotational speed corresponding to a rotational speed to pump the condensate from the first water container to a second water container in a main body of the clothing dryer, anda secondary second rotational speed corresponding to a rotational speed to pump the condensate from the first water container to an outside of the clothing dryer.

7. The clothing dryer of claim 2, further comprising: a connector connected to an end of the discharge portion to guide the condensate from the first water container to a second water container, or to guide the condensate from the first water container to an outside of the clothing dryer.

8. The clothing dryer of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to: identify, from a position sensor in the connector, a location where the condensate is to be discharged, anddetermine to operate the drain pump at one of a primary second rotational speed and a secondary second rotational speed based on the identified location where the condensate is to be discharged.

9. The clothing dryer of claim 4, wherein the primary first rotational speed and the secondary first rotational speed are 1300 rpm to 3000 rpm.

10. The clothing dryer of claim 1, wherein the second rotational speed is less than or equal to 3300 rpm.

11. The clothing dryer of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: start the bubble removal cycle in response to a level of the condensate in the first water container exceeding a threshold level.

12. A method of a clothing dryer comprising a first water container in which condensate generated as a drying cycle is performed is stored, a drain pump driven by a brushless direct current motor, and a controller, the method comprising: by the controller, alternately driving the drain pump at a first rotational speed and stopping the drain pump a predetermined number of times in response to a start of a bubble removal cycle to remove bubbles from the condensate stored in the first water container; andstarting a drainage cycle in which the drain pump is operated at a second rotational speed which is greater than the first rotational speed for a predetermined driving period in response to termination of the bubble removal cycle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a direction in which the condensate is introduced into an inlet portion of the drain pump and a direction in which the condensate is discharged through a discharge portion of the drain pump are parallel to a direction in which a rotation shaft of the drain pump extends, andthe rotation shaft is perpendicular to a lower surface of the clothing dryer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the bubble removal cycle includes a first bubble removal cycle including: operating the drain pump at a primary first rotational speed during a first operation time to raise a level of the condensate from the discharge portion to a first predetermined height, andstopping operation of the drain pump during a first rest time to lower the level of the condensate from the discharge portion.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the bubble removal cycle includes a second bubble removal cycle starting in response to termination of the first bubble removal cycle, the second bubble removal cycle including: operating the drain pump at a secondary first rotational speed during a second operation time to raise the level of the condensate from the discharge portion to a second predetermined height, andstopping operation of the drain pump during a second rest time to lower the level of the condensate from the discharge portion.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first predetermined height and the second predetermined height are lower than a height to which the condensate is to be raised when the condensate is drained from the first water container by operation of the drain pump, andthe first predetermined height is lower than or equal to the second predetermined height.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the second rotational speed includes: a primary second rotational speed corresponding to a rotational speed to pump the condensate from the first water container to a second water container in a main body of the clothing dryer, anda secondary second rotational speed corresponding to a rotational speed to pump the condensate from the first water container to an outside of the clothing dryer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the clothing dryer further includes a connector connected to an end of a discharge portion of the drain pump to guide the condensate from the first water container to a second water container, or to guide the condensate from the first water container to an outside of the clothing dryer, the method further including: by the controller, identifying, from a position sensor in the connector, a location where the condensate is to be discharged; anddetermining to operate the drain pump at one of the primary second rotational speed and the secondary second rotational speed based on the location where the condensate is to be discharged.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the primary first rotational speed and the secondary first rotational speed are 1300 rpm to 3000 rpm, and the second rotational speed is less than or equal to 3300 rpm.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising: by the controller, starting the bubble removal cycle in response to a level of the condensate in the first water container exceeding a threshold level.