Washing machine and control method of same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11505889-B2
Application number	US-202016845975-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2020
Priority date	Apr 12, 2019
Publication date	Nov 22, 2022
Grant date	Nov 22, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a washing machine and a control method of the same. The washing machine includes: a detergent supply device which supplies a liquid additive to the tub; and a controller which controls the operation of the detergent supply device. The detergent supply device includes: a plurality of cartridges which contain the additive respectively; an electrode sensor which detects conductivity of the additive contained in the plurality of cartridges; and a pump which extracts the additive contained in the cartridge. The controller determines a type of additive contained in the cartridge based on a detection value of the electrode sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine comprising:
a tub configured to receive water;
a drum provided inside the tub and configured to accommodate laundry therein;
a detergent supply device configured to supply an additive to the tub;
a controller configured to control the detergent supply device; and
a memory,
wherein the detergent supply device comprises:
a plurality of cartridges configured to contain the additive,
a plurality of electrode sensors configured to detect conductivity of the additive contained in the plurality of cartridges, respectively,
a pump configured to extract the additive contained in the plurality of cartridges,

wherein the memory is configured to store conductivity data corresponding to a type of the additive to be stored in the plurality of cartridges, and
wherein the controller is configured to:
compare the detected conductivity from at least one of the plurality of electrode sensors with the conductivity data stored in the memory, and
determine, based on the detected conductivity corresponding to the conductivity data stored in the memory, the additive contained in the plurality of cartridges to be the corresponding type of the additive.

2. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the detergent supply device further comprises a cartridge housing within which the plurality of cartridges are configured to be detachably arranged.

3. The washing machine of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of electrode sensors comprise an electrode plate located in at least one of the plurality of cartridges, and
wherein the electrode plate comprises a first surface that is configured to come in contact with the additive contained in the at least one of the plurality of cartridges.

4. The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein the electrode plate further comprises a second surface that is opposite to the first surface and that is exposed to an outside of the plurality of cartridges, and
wherein the plurality of electrode sensors further comprise a terminal that is located in the cartridge housing and that faces the second surface of the electrode plate.

5. The washing machine of claim 4 , wherein the electrode plate is configured, based on the plurality of cartridges being arranged inside the cartridge housing, to make contact with the terminal.

6. The washing machine of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of electrode sensors comprise:
a plurality of electrode plates that are located in the plurality of cartridges, respectively; and
a plurality of terminals that are located in the cartridge housing and that face the plurality of electrode plates, respectively, and
wherein, the plurality of electrode plates are configured, based on the plurality of cartridges being arranged inside the cartridge housing, to make contact with the plurality of terminals, respectively.

7. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the conductivity data stored in the memory includes voltage data.

8. The washing machine of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to:
detect a voltage that is applied on an electrode of the plurality of electrode sensors by applying a current through the plurality of electrode sensors, and
based on the detected voltage matching the voltage data stored in the memory, determine the additive contained in the plurality of cartridges to be the corresponding type of the additive.

9. The washing machine of claim 7 , further comprising a communication unit configured to:
transmit data detected from the plurality of electrode sensors to a server, and
receive data related to the conductivity of the additive from the server.

10. The washing machine of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to update the memory based on the received data that is related to the conductivity of the additive.

11. The washing machine of claim 1 , further comprising an input unit configured to receive a washing course,
wherein the controller is configured to:
select the additive to be input to the tub according to the received washing course, and
establish fluid communication between the pump and one of the plurality of the cartridges that contains the selected additive.

12. The washing machine of claim 11 , wherein the detergent supply device further comprises:
an inlet flow path that includes a plurality of flow paths that are connected to the plurality of cartridges, respectively; and
a flow path switching valve configured to selectively communicate the pump with one of the plurality of flow paths of the inlet flow path.

13. The washing machine of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to control the flow path switching valve to communicate the pump with the one of the flow paths that are connected to the one of the plurality of cartridges containing the selected additive.

14. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to extract a determined additive by the pump.

15. The washing machine of claim 1 , further comprising a display unit configured to display the determined type of the additive contained in each of the plurality of cartridges.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Chae Kyosoon
• Kim Hyundong
• Oh Sooyoung

Classifications

• D06F33/37 Primary

  of metering of detergents or additives · CPC title

• D06F34/18

  Condition of the laundry, e.g. nature or weight · CPC title

• D06F2101/20

  Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programs, service modes or refreshment cycles · CPC title

• D06F33/57

  of metering of detergents or additives · CPC title

• G01N27/04

  by investigating resistance · CPC title