Method of controlling laundry treating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11319663-B2
Application number	US-201715608467-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2017
Priority date	May 31, 2016
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method of controlling a laundry treating apparatus, if a user selects a uniform course, including performing a preheating operation of a heater to generate steam, performing a first cooling operation to operate a blower unit and a moving hanger after the preheating operation has been terminated, performing a steam operation to operate the blower unit and a steam unit and to circulate steam to a treating chamber after the first cooling operation has been terminated, performing a standby operation to operate the blower unit after the steam operation has been terminated, performing a second cooling operation to operate the blower unit after the standby operation has been terminated, and performing a drying operation to operate the blower unit and a heat pump unit and to provide heat to the treating chamber to dry the treating chamber after the second cooling operation has been terminated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a laundry treating apparatus, the laundry treating apparatus having a case provided with a treating chamber and a cycle chamber, a moving hanger disposed in the treating chamber, a blower unit disposed in the cycle chamber, a steam unit disposed in the cycle chamber configured to heat initially a heater and then generate steam to supply the treating chamber, and a heat pump unit disposed in the cycle chamber, wherein the moving hanger provides vibration to clothing hung thereon, the blower unit circulates air of the treating chamber, the steam unit supplies steam to the treating chamber, and the heat pump unit generates heat through a refrigeration cycle using a refrigerant, the method comprising:
performing a preheating operation by supplying power to the steam unit to initially heat the heater;
performing, after the preheating operation has been terminated, a first cooling operation to operate the blower unit and the moving hanger;
performing, after the first cooling operation has been terminated, a steam operation to operate the steam unit to generate steam and supply to the treating chamber;
performing, after the steam operation has been terminated, a standby operation to operate the blower unit;
performing, after the standby operation has been terminated, a second cooling operation to operate the blower unit; and
performing, after the second cooling operation has been terminated, a drying operation to operate the blower unit and the heat pump unit and to provide heat generated by the heat pump unit to the treating chamber to dry the treating chamber,
wherein during the first cooling operation, the blower unit is operated at a first cooling rpm,
wherein during the steam operation, the blower unit is operated at a steam rpm,
wherein during the standby operation, the blower unit is operated at a standby rpm, and
wherein the first cooling rpm is greater than the steam rpm and the standby rpm.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the moving hanger is operated during the second cooling operation.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the moving hanger is operated during the drying operation.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first cooling operation is performed for a first cooling time,
wherein the second cooling operation is performed for a second cooling time, and
wherein the first cooling time is greater than the second cooling time.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein, during the drying operation:
a control unit controls operation of the heat pump unit based on a preheating inlet temperature measured by an inlet temperature sensor of the blower unit during the preheating operation,
wherein the heat pump unit includes a compressor to compress the refrigerant and a condenser to exchange heat between the refrigerant compressed by the compressor and air drawn into the blower unit, and
wherein the control unit operates:
the compressor at a predetermined first operating speed if the preheating inlet temperature is lower than a predetermined reference inlet temperature; and the compressor at a predetermined second operating speed if the preheating inlet temperature is higher than or equal to the predetermined reference inlet temperature,
wherein the second operating speed is less than the first operating speed.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a course performing the method is a uniform course or a school uniform course.

7. A method of controlling a laundry treating apparatus, the laundry treating apparatus having a case provided with a treating chamber and a cycle chamber, a moving hanger disposed in the treating chamber, a blower unit disposed in the cycle chamber, a steam unit disposed in the cycle chamber configured to heat initially a heater and then generate steam to supply to the treating chamber, and a heat pump unit disposed in the cycle chamber, wherein the moving hanger provides vibration to clothing hung thereon, the blower unit circulates air of the treating chamber, the steam unit supplies steam to the treating chamber, and the heat pump unit generates heat through a refrigeration cycle using a refrigerant, the method comprising:
performing a first cooling operation to operate the blower unit and the moving hanger;
performing, during performance of the first cooling operation, a preheating operation of a heater to generate steam by supplying power to the steam unit;
performing, after the preheating operation has been terminated, a steam operation to operate the steam unit to generate steam and supply to the treating chamber;
performing, after the steam operation has been terminated, a standby operation to operate the blower unit;
performing, after the standby operation has been terminated, a second cooling operation to operate the blower unit; and
performing, after the second cooling operation has been terminated, a drying operation to operate the blower unit and the heat pump unit and to provide heat generated by the heat pump unit to the treating chamber to dry the treating chamber,
wherein during the first cooling operation, the blower unit is operated at a first cooling rpm,
wherein during the steam operation, the blower unit is operated at a steam rpm,
wherein during the standby operation, the blower unit is operated at a standby rpm, and
wherein the first cooling rpm is greater than the steam rpm and the standby rpm.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the moving hanger is operated during the second cooling operation.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the moving hanger is operated during the drying operation.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first cooling operation is performed for a first cooling time,
wherein the second cooling operation is performed for a second cooling time, and
wherein the first cooling time is greater than the second cooling time.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Choi Hongki
• Kim Mikyung
• Jeong Deokjoon

Classifications

• D06F58/206

  Heat pump arrangements · CPC title

• D06F58/12

  having conveying means for moving clothes, e.g. along an endless track · CPC title

• D06F2105/30

  Blowers · CPC title

• D06F58/44 Primary

  of conditioning or finishing, e.g. for smoothing or removing creases · CPC title

• D06F2105/26

  Heat pumps · CPC title