Washing machine and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10273620-B2
Application number	US-201514794031-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2015
Priority date	Mar 7, 2014
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

The disclosure provides a washing machine and method for controlling the same. An embodiment of the washing machine includes an auxiliary washing unit placed below a door arranged on top of a main body; an input unit for receiving instructions to start and stop auxiliary washing; and a water supply unit for supplying water to the auxiliary washing unit if the instruction to start water supply is input, and stopping supplying water to the auxiliary washing unit if the instruction to stop water supply is input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of control by a washing machine that includes a main body having an opening, a tub inside the main body and having a first washing space to receive laundry through the opening to be machine washed by the washing machine, a door configured to open and close the opening, an auxiliary washing unit having a second washing space, the auxiliary washing unit being seatable on the main body so that, when the auxiliary washing unit is seated on the main body, the auxiliary washing unit is positioned over the opening with the second washing space opening upward and extending below the opening so that the second washing space is thereby positioned to contain water to hand wash laundry in the second washing space, and a water supply unit configured to supply water into the second washing space, the tub being configured to contain water discharged from the second washing space, the method comprising:
by the washing machine:
determining whether to start supplying water into the second washing space of the auxiliary washing unit;
controlling the water supply unit to start supplying water into the second washing space of the auxiliary washing unit when the determining whether to start determines that the supplying water is to be started;
determining whether to stop the supplying water by the water supply unit into the second washing space of the auxiliary washing unit;
detecting whether the opening is closed by the door; and
controlling the water supply unit to stop supplying water into the second washing space of the auxiliary washing unit when the determining whether to stop determines that the supplying water is to be stopped,
wherein the determining whether to stop determines that the supplying water is to be stopped when the detecting detects that the opening is closed by the door.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the determining whether to start determines that supplying water is to be started when a water supply start signal is input to the washing machine by a user of the washing machine.

3. A method of control by a washing machine that includes a main body having an opening, a tub inside the main body and having a first washing space to receive laundry through the opening to be machine washed by the washing machine, an auxiliary washing unit having a second washing space and being seatable on the main body so that, when the auxiliary washing unit is seated on the main body, the auxiliary washing unit is positioned over the opening with the second washing space opening upward and extending below the opening so that the second washing space is thereby positioned to contain water to hand wash laundry in the second washing space, the tub being configured to contain water discharged from the second washing space of the auxiliary washing unit, a drainage unit configured to drain the water contained in the tub, an input unit configured to receive, from a user, an instruction to drain water and an instruction to reuse water, a drainage indicator to indicate when water in the tub is being drained, and a reuse indicator to indicate when water in the tub is being reused, the method comprising:
by the washing machine:
receiving, by the input unit, an instruction from the user;
draining, from the tub, water discharged from the second washing space and contained in the tub, and displaying the drainage indicator, when the received instruction is the instruction to drain water; and
blocking drainage, from the tub, of water discharged from the second washing space and contained in the tub, and displaying the reuse indicator, when the received instruction is the instruction to reuse water,
wherein the water contained in the second washing space and discharged from the second washing space is water provided to the second washing space from an external water source without having been provided to the tub prior to being provided to the second washing space.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the draining includes entirely draining, from the tub, the water discharged from the second washing space and contained in the tub, when the received instruction is the instruction to drain water.

5. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
by the washing machine:
stopping the draining when the instruction to reuse water is received by the input unit while the water discharged from the second washing space and contained in the tub is being drained.

6. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
by the washing machine:
receiving an indication of a water level at which water is to be contained in the tub when the instruction to reuse water is received by the input unit.

7. A method of control by a washing machine that includes a main body having an opening, a tub inside the main body and having a first washing space to receive laundry through the opening to be machine washed by the washing machine, a door configured to open and close the opening, an auxiliary washing unit having a second washing space, the auxiliary washing unit being seatable on the main body so that, when the auxiliary washing unit is seated on the main body, the auxiliary washing unit is positioned over the opening with the second washing space opening upward and extending below the opening so that the second washing space is thereby positioned to contain water to hand wash laundry in the second washing space, and a water supply unit configured to supply water into the second washing space, the tub being configured to contain water discharged from the second washing space, the method comprising:
by the washing machine:
determining whether to start supplying water into the second washing space of the auxiliary washing unit;
controlling the water supply unit to start supplying water into the second washing space of the auxiliary washing unit when the determining whether to start determines that the supplying water is to be started;
detecting whether the opening is closed by the door; and
controlling the water supply unit to stop supplying water into the second washing space of the auxiliary washing unit when the detecting detects that the opening is closed by the door.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Yeon Woo

Classifications

• D06F31/00 Primary

  Washing installations comprising an assembly of several washing machines or washing units, e.g. continuous flow assemblies · CPC title

• D06F39/083

  Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements · CPC title

• D06F23/04

  and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis · CPC title

• D06F1/04

  the tub walls or bottom having corrugations · CPC title

• D06F39/087

  Water level measuring or regulating devices · CPC title