Patent Grant
11725327
The present subject matter relates generally to laundry appliances, such as washing machine appliances and clothes dryer appliances, and in particular to such appliances with sanitization features and methods of sanitizing such appliances.
Various laundry appliances generally include a laundry vessel therein which defines a treatment chamber for, e.g., washing and/or drying articles. For example, washing machine appliances generally include a tub for containing water or wash fluid, e.g., water and detergent, bleach, and/or other wash additives. A laundry vessel in the form of a basket is rotatably mounted within the tub and defines a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing. During normal operation of such washing machine appliances, the wash fluid is directed into the tub and onto articles within the wash chamber of the basket. The basket can rotate at various speeds to agitate articles within the wash chamber, to wring wash fluid from articles within the wash chamber, etc.
As another example, the laundry vessel may be a drum of a clothes dryer appliance. A conventional appliance for drying articles such as a clothes dryer (or laundry dryer) for drying clothing articles typically includes a cabinet having a rotating drum for tumbling clothes and laundry articles therein. One or more heating elements heat air prior to the air entering the drum, and the warm air is circulated through the drum as the clothes are tumbled to remove moisture from laundry articles in the drum. Gas or electric heating elements may be used to heat the air that is circulated through the drum.
As yet another example, the laundry vessel may be a wash basket of a combination laundry appliance. Combination laundry appliances, sometimes also referred to as washer/dryer appliances, provide both washing and drying functions in a single unit. For example, a combination laundry appliance typically includes a wash tub and basket, similar to those described above for a washing machine appliance, in combination with one or more heating elements, such as a heat pump or any other suitable heat source, similar to those described above for a clothes dryer appliance.
Some laundry appliances include features or operations for sanitizing the appliance and/or articles within the treatment chamber thereof. Such sanitizing features and operations typically are performed as a separate and additional operation from other operations or cycles of the laundry appliance. Additionally, such sanitizing features and operations typically require the use of heated water, e.g., steam, to provide sanitization.
Accordingly, improved methods and apparatuses for sanitizing laundry appliances are desired.
Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In one exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, a method of sanitizing a laundry appliance is provided. The laundry appliance includes a cabinet that defines an opening with a laundry vessel mounted within the cabinet. The laundry vessel defines a treatment chamber. The laundry appliance also includes an electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator spaced apart from the laundry vessel and upstream of the treatment chamber with respect to a flow of cold water through the laundry appliance. The electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator includes an inlet coupled to a water supply line. The flow of cold water enters the electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator at the inlet. The electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator also includes a reaction chamber defined in a body of the electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator downstream of the inlet, an electrode positioned in the reaction chamber, and an outlet downstream of the reaction chamber. The method includes opening a valve upstream of the electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator to provide the flow of cold water through the laundry appliance. The method also includes confirming the presence of the cold water in the laundry appliance after opening the valve. The method further includes activating the electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator after confirming the presence of the cold water in the laundry appliance.
In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, a laundry appliance is provided. The laundry appliance defines a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction that are mutually perpendicular to one another. The laundry appliance includes a cabinet that defines an opening with a laundry vessel mounted within the cabinet. The laundry vessel defines a treatment chamber. The laundry appliance also includes an electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator spaced apart from the laundry vessel and upstream of the treatment chamber with respect to a flow of cold water through the laundry appliance. The electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator includes an inlet coupled to a water supply line. The flow of cold water enters the electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator at the inlet. The electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator also includes a reaction chamber defined in a body of the electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator downstream of the inlet, an electrode positioned in the reaction chamber, and an outlet downstream of the reaction chamber. The laundry appliance also includes a controller. The controller is configured for opening a valve upstream of the electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator to provide the flow of cold water through the laundry appliance. The controller is also configured for confirming the presence of the cold water in the laundry appliance after opening the valve. The controller is further configured for activating the electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator after confirming the presence of the cold water in the laundry appliance.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
In order to aid understanding of this disclosure, several terms are defined below. The defined terms are understood to have meanings commonly recognized by persons of ordinary skill in the arts relevant to the present invention. The terms “includes” and “including” are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” Similarly, the term “or” is generally intended to be inclusive (i.e., “A or B” is intended to mean “A or B or both”). The terms “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one element from another and are not intended to signify location or importance of the individual elements.
As used herein, terms of approximation, such as “generally,” or “about” include values within ten percent greater or less than the stated value, unless otherwise specified. When used in the context of an angle or direction, such terms include within ten degrees greater or less than the stated angle or direction, unless otherwise specified. For example, “generally vertical” includes directions within ten degrees of vertical in any direction, e.g., clockwise or counter-clockwise.
The present disclosure relates to laundry appliances, where “laundry appliances” is to be understood as encompassing washing machine appliances, dryer appliances, and/or combination washer-dryer appliances. As used herein, the terms “articles,” “clothing,” or “laundry” include but need not be limited to fabrics, textiles, garments, linens, papers, or other items which may be cleaned and/or treated in a washing machine appliance. Furthermore, the term “load” or “laundry load” refers to the combination of clothing that may be washed together in a washing machine appliance or dried together in a dryer appliance (e.g., clothes dryer) and may include a mixture of different or similar articles of clothing of different or similar types and kinds of fabrics, textiles, garments and linens within a particular laundering process.
In some embodiments, e.g., as illustrated in
As may be seen in
A wash basket 120 is received within wash tub 124 and defines a wash chamber 126 that is configured for receipt of articles for washing. More specifically, wash basket 120 is rotatably mounted within wash tub 124 such that it is rotatable about an axis of rotation A. According to the illustrated embodiment, the axis of rotation is substantially parallel to the transverse direction T. In this regard, washing machine appliance 100 is generally referred to as a “horizontal axis” or “front load” washing machine appliance 100. However, it should be appreciated that aspects of the present subject matter may be used within the context of a vertical axis or top load washing machine appliance as well.
Wash basket 120 may define one or more agitator features that extend into wash chamber 126 to assist in agitation and cleaning of articles disposed within wash chamber 126 during operation of washing machine appliance 100. For example, as illustrated in
Washing machine appliance 100 includes a motor assembly 122 that is in mechanical communication with wash basket 120 to selectively rotate wash basket 120 (e.g., during an agitation or a rinse cycle of washing machine appliance 100). According to the illustrated embodiment, motor assembly 122 is a pancake motor. However, it should be appreciated that any suitable type, size, or configuration of motor may be used to rotate wash basket 120 according to alternative embodiments.
Referring generally to
In some embodiments, a window 136 in door 134 permits viewing of wash basket 120 when door 134 is in the closed position (e.g., during operation of washing machine appliance 100). Door 134 also includes a handle (not shown) that, for example, a user may pull when opening and closing door 134. Further, although door 134 is illustrated as mounted to front panel 130, it should be appreciated that door 134 may be mounted to another side of cabinet 102 or any other suitable support according to alternative embodiments. Additionally or alternatively, a front gasket or baffle 138 may extend between tub 124 and the front panel 130 about the opening 132 covered by door 134, further sealing tub 124 from cabinet 102.
As illustrated for example in
In some embodiments, washing machine appliance 100 includes an additive dispenser or spout 150. For example, spout 150 may be in fluid communication with a water supply (not shown) in order to direct fluid (e.g., clean water) into wash tub 124. Spout 150 may also be in fluid communication with the sump 142. For example, pump assembly 144 may direct wash fluid disposed in sump 142 to spout 150 in order to circulate wash fluid in wash tub 124.
As illustrated, a detergent drawer 152 may be slidably mounted within front panel 130. Detergent drawer 152 receives a wash additive (e.g., detergent, fabric softener, bleach, or any other suitable liquid or powder) and directs the fluid additive to wash chamber 126 during operation of washing machine appliance 100. According to the illustrated embodiment, detergent drawer 152 may also be fluidly coupled to spout 150 to facilitate the complete and accurate dispensing of wash additive.
In optional embodiments, a bulk reservoir 154 is disposed within cabinet 102. Bulk reservoir 154 may be configured for receipt of fluid additive for use during operation of washing machine appliance 100. Moreover, bulk reservoir 154 may be sized such that a volume of fluid additive sufficient for a plurality or multitude of wash cycles of washing machine appliance 100 (e.g., five, ten, twenty, fifty, or any other suitable number of wash cycles) may fill bulk reservoir 154. Thus, for example, a user can fill bulk reservoir 154 with fluid additive and operate washing machine appliance 100 for a plurality of wash cycles without refilling bulk reservoir 154 with fluid additive. A reservoir pump 156 is configured for selective delivery of the fluid additive from bulk reservoir 154 to wash tub 124.
A control panel 160 including a plurality of input selectors 162 is coupled to front panel 130. Control panel 160 and input selectors 162 collectively form a user interface input for operator selection of machine cycles and features. For example, in one embodiment, a display 164 indicates selected features, a countdown timer, or other items of interest to machine users.
Operation of washing machine appliance 100 is controlled by a controller or processing device 166 that is operatively coupled to control panel 160 for user manipulation to select washing machine cycles and features. In response to user manipulation of control panel 160, controller 166 operates the various components of washing machine appliance 100 to execute selected machine cycles and features.
Controller 166 may include a memory (e.g., non-transitive memory) and microprocessor, such as a general or special purpose microprocessor operable to execute programming instructions or micro-control code associated with a wash operation. The memory may represent random access memory such as DRAM, or read only memory such as ROM or FLASH. In one embodiment, the processor executes programming instructions stored in memory. The memory may be a separate component from the processor or may be included onboard within the processor. Alternatively, controller 166 may be constructed without using a microprocessor (e.g., using a combination of discrete analog or digital logic circuitry, such as switches, amplifiers, integrators, comparators, flip-flops, AND gates, and the like) to perform control functionality instead of relying upon software. Control panel 160 and other components of washing machine appliance 100, such as motor assembly 122, may be in communication with controller 166 via one or more signal lines or shared communication busses. It should be noted that controllers as disclosed herein are capable of and may be operable to perform any methods and associated method steps as disclosed herein. For example, in some embodiments, methods disclosed herein may be embodied in programming instructions stored in the memory and executed by the controller.
In exemplary embodiments, during operation of washing machine appliance 100, laundry items are loaded into wash basket 120 through opening 132, and a wash operation is initiated through operator manipulation of input selectors 162. For example, a wash cycle may be initiated such that wash tub 124 is filled with water, detergent, or other fluid additives (e.g., via spout 150). One or more valves (not shown) can be controlled by washing machine appliance 100 to provide for filling wash basket 120 to the appropriate level for the amount of articles being washed or rinsed. By way of example, once wash basket 120 is properly filled with fluid, the contents of wash basket 120 can be agitated (e.g., with ribs 128) for an agitation phase of laundry items in wash basket 120. During the agitation phase, the basket 120 may be motivated about the axis of rotation A at a set speed (e.g., a tumble speed). As the basket 120 is rotated, articles within the basket 120 may be lifted and permitted to drop therein.
After the agitation phase of the washing operation is completed, wash tub 124 can be drained. Laundry articles can then be rinsed (e.g., through a rinse cycle) by again adding fluid to wash tub 124, depending on the particulars of the cleaning cycle selected by a user. Ribs 128 may again provide agitation within wash basket 120. One or more spin cycles may also be used. In particular, a spin cycle may be applied after the wash cycle or after the rinse cycle in order to wring wash fluid from the articles being washed. During a spin cycle, basket 120 is rotated at relatively high speeds. For instance, basket 120 may be rotated at one set speed (e.g., a pre-plaster speed) before being rotated at another set speed (e.g., a plaster speed). As would be understood, the pre-plaster speed may be greater than the tumble speed and the plaster speed may be greater than the pre-plaster speed. Moreover, agitation or tumbling of articles may be reduced as basket 120 increases its rotational velocity such that the plaster speed maintains the articles at a generally fixed position relative to basket 120.
After articles disposed in wash basket 120 are cleaned (or the washing operation otherwise ends), a user can remove the articles from wash basket 120 (e.g., by opening door 134 and reaching into wash basket 120 through opening 132).
Referring now to
Cabinet 12 includes a front panel 14, a rear panel 16, a pair of side panels 18 and 20 spaced apart from each other by front and rear panels 14 and 16, a bottom panel 22, and a top cover 24. Within cabinet 12, an interior volume 29 is defined. A drum or container 26 is mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis within the interior volume 29. Drum 26 defines a chamber 25 for receipt of articles of clothing for tumbling and/or drying. Drum 26 extends between a front portion 37 and a back portion 38. Drum 26 also includes a back or rear wall 34, e.g., at back portion 38 of drum 26. A supply duct 41 may be mounted to rear wall 34 and receives heated air that has been heated by a heating assembly or system 40.
A motor 31 is provided in some embodiments to rotate drum 26 about the horizontal axis, e.g., via a pulley and a belt (not pictured). Drum 26 is generally cylindrical in shape, having an outer cylindrical wall 28 and a front flange or wall 30 that defines an opening 32 of drum 26, e.g., at front portion 37 of drum 26, for loading and unloading of articles into and out of chamber 25 of drum 26. A plurality of lifters or baffles 27 are provided within chamber 25 of drum 26 to lift articles therein and then allow such articles to tumble back to a bottom of drum 26 as drum 26 rotates. Baffles 27 may be mounted to drum 26 such that baffles 27 rotate with drum 26 during operation of dryer appliance 10.
Drum 26 includes a rear wall 34 rotatably supported within main housing 12 by a suitable fixed bearing. Rear wall 34 can be fixed or can be rotatable. Rear wall 34 may include, for instance, a plurality of holes that receive hot air that has been heated by a heating assembly or system 40, as will be described further below. Motor 31 is also in mechanical communication with an air handler 48 such that motor 31 rotates a fan 49, e.g., a centrifugal fan, of air handler 48. Air handler 48 is configured for drawing air through chamber 25 of drum 26, e.g., in order to dry articles located therein. In alternative example embodiments, dryer appliance 10 may include an additional motor (not shown) for rotating fan 49 of air handler 48 independently of drum 26.
Drum 26 is configured to receive heated air that has been heated by a heating assembly 40, e.g., via holes in the rear wall 34 as mentioned above, in order to dry damp articles disposed within chamber 25 of drum 26. For example, heating assembly 40 may include any suitable heat source, such as a gas burner, an electrical resistance heating element, or heat pump, for heating air. As discussed above, during operation of dryer appliance 10, motor 31 rotates drum 26 and fan 49 of air handler 48 such that air handler 48 draws air through chamber 25 of drum 26 when motor 31 rotates fan 49. In particular, ambient air enters heating assembly 40 via an inlet 51 due to air handler 48 urging such ambient air into inlet 51. Such ambient air is heated within heating assembly 40 and exits heating assembly 40 as heated air. Air handler 48 draws such heated air through supply duct 41 to drum 26. The heated air enters drum 26 through a plurality of outlets of supply duct 41 positioned at rear wall 34 of drum 26.
Within chamber 25, the heated air may accumulate moisture, e.g., from damp clothing disposed within chamber 25. In turn, air handler 48 draws moisture-saturated air through a screen filter (not shown) which traps lint particles. Such moisture-statured air then enters an exit duct 46 and is passed through air handler 48 to an exhaust duct 52. From exhaust duct 52, such moisture-statured air passes out of dryer appliance 10 through a vent 53 defined by cabinet 12. After the clothing articles have been dried, they are removed from the drum 26 via opening 32. A door 33 (
As illustrated in
In some embodiments, one or more selector inputs 70, such as knobs, buttons, touchscreen interfaces, etc., may be provided or mounted on a cabinet 12 (e.g., on a backsplash 71 of the cabinet 12) and are in operable communication (e.g., electrically coupled or coupled through a wireless network band) with a processing device or controller 90. A display 56 may also be provided on the backsplash 71 and may also be in operable communication with the controller 90. Controller 90 may also be provided in operable communication with motor 31, air handler 48, and/or heating assembly 40. In turn, signals generated in controller 90 direct operation of motor 31, air handler 48, and/or heating assembly 40 in response to the position of inputs 70. In the example illustrated in
Controller 90 is a “processing device” or “controller” and may be embodied as described herein. As used herein, “processing device” or “controller” may refer to one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICS), or semiconductor devices and is not restricted necessarily to a single element. The controller 90 may be programmed to operate dryer appliance 10 by executing instructions stored in memory (e.g., non-transitory media). The controller 90 may include, or be associated with, one or more memory elements such as RAM, ROM, or electrically erasable, programmable read only memory (EEPROM). For example, the instructions may be software or any set of instructions that when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations. Controller 90 may include one or more processor(s) and associated memory device(s) configured to perform a variety of computer-implemented functions and/or instructions (e.g. performing the methods, steps, calculations and the like and storing relevant data as disclosed herein). It should be noted that controllers as disclosed herein are capable of and may be operable to perform any methods and associated method steps as disclosed herein. For example, in some embodiments, methods disclosed herein may be embodied in programming instructions stored in the memory and executed by the controller.
In various embodiments, the laundry appliance may include a sanitization device 200, such as a hypochlorous acid (HOCl) generator. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the HOCl generator 200 may be an electrolytic HOCl generator which catalyzes a reaction with chlorine in the water to produce the HOCl. As may be seen, e.g., in
In various embodiments, the HOCl generator 200 is positioned upstream of the treatment chamber with respect to a flow of water, e.g., cold water, through the laundry appliance, where the treatment chamber may be, e.g., the wash chamber 126 in embodiments where the laundry appliances is a washing machine appliance or chamber 25 of dryer appliance 10 in embodiments where the laundry appliance is a dryer appliance. The flow of water through the laundry appliance may be regulated by a valve (not shown), sometimes referred to as a supply valve and, in at least some embodiments a cold water supply valve, such that the controller, e.g., controller 90 or controller 166, of the laundry appliance may be configured for and/or a method of operating the laundry appliance may include opening the valve to provide the flow of water, e.g., cold water, through the laundry appliance. Thus, the valve is upstream of other components of the laundry appliance, in particular the HOCl generator 200 and the treatment chamber 126 or 25. The structure and function of such valves are understood by those of ordinary skill in the art and, as such, are not shown or described in further detail herein for the sake of brevity and clarity.
As mentioned, the water which flows through the laundry appliance may be or include cold water. Cold water may include water having a temperature based on the water source(s) from which the water is obtained. Further, “cold” water as used herein to include a wide range of temperatures that are not hot. For example, cold water, as used herein, may be between approximately 35 degrees Fahrenheit and approximately 120 degrees Fahrenheit, such as between approximately 40 degrees Fahrenheit and approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit, such as between approximately 45 degrees Fahrenheit and approximately 100 degrees Fahrenheit, such as between approximately 55 degrees Fahrenheit and approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit, such as between approximately 65 degrees Fahrenheit and approximately 80 degrees Fahrenheit, such as between approximately 40 degrees Fahrenheit and approximately 60 degrees Fahrenheit, such as approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit, or approximately 80 degrees Fahrenheit, or approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thus, when the HOCl generator 200 is activated, e.g., by supplying electric power thereto such as in embodiments where the HOCl generator 200 is an electrolytic HOCl generator, the liquid flowing to the treatment chamber 25 or 126 (which is downstream of the HOCl generator 200) will include hypochlorous acid (HOCl), such as a solution of water and HOCl. Further, it should be understood that the liquid, e.g., “water,” may also include additional constituents, e.g., minerals, laundry treatment chemicals such as detergents, perfumes, etc., and other substances.
As generally seen in
As discussed above, in some embodiments, the inlet 208 of the electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator 200 that is coupled to the water supply line is the only inlet into the reaction chamber 204 of the electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator 200, whereby the reaction which produces the HOCl in the reaction chamber 204 consumes only background chlorine already present in the cold water 1000. In alternative embodiments, e.g., as illustrated in
Embodiments which include an additional inlet 212 for receiving additive may advantageously provide stronger disinfection due to the higher ppm of HOCl in the output 1001. However, such embodiments may also be more sensitive to the pH of the solution. For example, the higher levels of chlorine provided by the additive may result in generation of undesirable quantities of chlorine gas if the solution is too acidic (pH is too low) or hypochlorite ions if the solution is too basic (pH too high) instead of the desired HOCl. Embodiments which include only the single inlet coupled to the water supply line advantageously provide a simpler structure, not only of the HOCl generator 200 itself, but of the sanitization system overall, e.g., in that the additive reservoir and associated pump or injection system is not required or included in such embodiments. Further, in the single-inlet embodiments although the proportion of chlorine present in the tap water (the flow of cold water) 1000 is relatively low, e.g., as compared to the level of chlorine in the additive 1003 in other embodiments which include the second inlet 212, the relatively large volume of the water 1000 (again, as compared to the volume of additive 1003) generally provides sufficient total chlorine for sanitizing the laundry appliance.
Referring now to
The method 300 may then include confirming the presence of the cold water in the laundry appliance after opening the valve, e.g., as illustrated at 320 in
Also as illustrated in
As will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art, the laundry appliance, e.g., washing machine appliance, may be configured to perform a variety of operations or cycles, such as a wash operation comprising a wash stage, a drain stage, and a rinse stage, etc., or a self-clean cycle. In various embodiments, the laundry appliance may be configured for performing the sanitizing method, e.g., method 300, during a preexisting operation or cycle (e.g., as opposed to a stand-alone operation or cycle) and/or the method of sanitizing the laundry appliance may be incorporated into a preexisting method of, e.g., washing and/or drying articles in the laundry appliance, also, for example, in contrast to as a stand-alone method. In such embodiments, the sanitizing operation or method may advantageously be incorporated into the existing fill of the, e.g., wash operation or self-clean cycle, without increasing the overall time or water consumed during the preexisting operation or method. For example, the step 310 of opening the valve upstream of the electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator to provide the flow of cold water through the laundry appliance may be providing all or a portion of a cold water fill for a self-clean cycle of the appliance, and the volume of water used in the cold water fill of the self-clean cycle may, in such embodiments, be the same as a volume of water used in a cold water fill of a self-clean cycle in the same appliance that does not include the method of sanitizing the laundry appliance. As another example, the step 310 of opening the valve upstream of the electrolytic hypochlorous acid generator to provide the flow of cold water through the washing machine appliance may be providing all or a portion of a cold water fill for a rinse cycle of the washing machine appliance, and the volume of water used in the cold water fill of the rinse cycle is the same as a volume of water used in a cold water fill of a rinse cycle in the same appliance that does not include the method of sanitizing the washing machine appliance. As mentioned above, the rinse cycle may be a rinse stage of a wash operation in a washing machine appliance.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20080307667 | Ikemizu | Dec 2008 | A1 |
| 20130152969 | Seong | Jun 2013 | A1 |
| 20170314179 | Arai | Nov 2017 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 100470583 | Mar 2005 | KR |
| 100476295 | Mar 2005 | KR |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20220349108 A1 | Nov 2022 | US |
