Washing method using steam, and washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10544535-B2
Application number	US-201716070270-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2017
Priority date	Jan 14, 2016
Publication date	Jan 28, 2020
Grant date	Jan 28, 2020

Abstract

A washing method using steam and a washing machine are provided. The method includes: feeding water into an outer drum, and stopping feeding the water when a water inflow level reaches a preset water level, the preset water level is determined based on a position of an outer drum heating device and a position of a bottom of an inner drum, heating the water inside the outer drum, and stopping heating the water when it is heated for preset time or heated to a preset temperature, and performing a steam washing of the clothes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing method using steam, comprising:
feeding water into an outer drum, and stopping feeding the water when a water inflow level reaches a preset water level, wherein the preset water level is determined based on a position of an outer drum heating device and a position of a bottom of an inner drum;
heating the water inside the outer drum, and stopping heating when the water is heated for preset time or heated to a preset temperature; and
performing a steam washing;
wherein the performing the steam washing comprises driving, by a driving motor, the inner drum to rotate at a preset rotation speed and a rotation-to-stop ratio; wherein the driving motor drives the inner drum to rotate at the preset rotation speed and the rotation-to-stop ratio simultaneously with step of heating the water inside the outer drum; and
wherein after the performing the steam washing, the method further comprises:
re-feeding the water to perform a pre-washing; wherein the pre-washing is a washing process that removes dirty stains or larger particles from clothes before a main washing is performed; and
stopping the pre-washing and draining after the pre-washing is performed for preset washing time.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the feeding the water into the outer drum, and the stopping feeding the water when the water inflow level reaches the preset water level, comprises:
determining preset water inflow time based on the preset water level and a measured flow of the water and stopping feeding the water when the water inflow time reaches the preset water inflow time.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the feeding the water into the outer drum, and the stopping feeding the water when the water inflow level reaches the preset water level, comprises:
determining a preset total water inflow amount based on the preset water level, and stopping feeding the water when a total water inflow amount reaches the preset total water inflow amount.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the feeding the water into the outer drum, and the stopping feeding the water when the water inflow level reaches the preset water level, comprises:
determining whether the water inflow level reaches the preset water level based on feedback of a water level switch, and stopping feeding the water when the water inflow level reaches the preset water level.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the preset water level is provided between a bottom of the outer drum and the bottom of the inner drum, and the outer drum heating device is submerged by the water at the preset water level.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein after performing the steam washing or the stopping the pre-washing and the draining, the method further comprises:
re-feeding the water and heating the fed water to perform the main washing.

7. A washing machine, comprising an inner drum, an outer drum, an outer drum heating device, a water inflow valve, a driving motor and a controller, wherein
the outer drum is configured to receive water injected into the outer drum after the water inflow valve is opened;
the controller is configured to stop feeding the water when a water inflow level reaches a preset water level, wherein the preset water level is determined based on a position of the outer drum heating device and a position of a bottom of the inner drum;
the outer drum heating device is configured to heat the water in the outer drum so as to generate steam; and
the controller is further configured to control the outer drum heating device to stop heating when the water is heated for preset time or heated to a preset temperature, and control the driving motor to drive the inner drum to perform a steam washing.

8. The washing machine according to claim 7 , wherein
the preset water level is provided between a bottom of the outer drum and the bottom of the inner drum, and the outer drum heating device is submerged by the water at the preset water level.

9. The washing machine according to claim 8 , wherein the water inflow valve is a solenoid valve.

10. The washing machine according to claim 8 , wherein the outer drum heating device is a heating tube.

11. The washing machine according to claim 8 , further comprising: a water temperature sensor disposed at the bottom of the outer drum.

12. The washing machine according to claim 7 , further comprising: a liquid flow meter disposed at the position where the water inflow valve is disposed.

13. The washing machine according to claim 9 , further comprising: a liquid flow meter disposed at the position where the water inflow valve is disposed.

Assignees

• Qingdao Haier Drum Washing Machine Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jiang Yuliang
• Gong Xizhan
• Zhao Xinyu

Classifications

• D06F17/12

  solely by gases, e.g. air or steam, introduced into the washing liquid · CPC title

• D06F39/087

  Water level measuring or regulating devices · CPC title

• D06F39/006

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic

• D06F33/02

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic

• D06F39/008 Primary

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic