Clothing treatment apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12497722-B2
Application number	US-202117911961-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2021
Priority date	Mar 16, 2020
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

A clothing treatment apparatus includes a tub for providing a space in which washing water is accommodated; a drum rotatably provided inside the tub; a motor for rotating the drum; and an induction heater which is arranged on the outer surface of the tub and which heats the drum. The motor can rotate the drum at a first rotational speed at which laundry accommodated inside the drum is rotated while adhered to the inner circumferential surface of the drum, during heating of the drum by the induction heater.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A clothing treatment apparatus comprising:
a tub having a space for accommodating washing water; a drum rotatably located inside the tub, the drum being configured to accommodate laundry therein; a motor configured to rotate the drum; an induction heater located at an outer surface of the tub, the induction heater being configured to heat the drum; a water supply valve configured to control a water supply line connecting an external water source to the tub; a laundry weight sensor configured to sense an amount of the laundry accommodated in the drum; and a controller configured to:
control the induction heater to heat the drum while controlling the motor to rotate the drum at a first rotational speed at which the laundry accommodated in the drum is rotated to adhere to an inner circumferential surface of the drum; and
control the water supply valve to supply water in an amount corresponding to twice a weight of the laundry accommodated in the drum,
wherein the controller is further configured to control the motor to repeatedly rotate and stop while the drum is heated, and wherein a sum of times for which the motor is rotated while the drum is heated is greater than a sum of times for which the motor is stopped.

2 . The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, when the drum is heated and rotated at the first rotational speed, a water level of the tub is lower than a lower part of the drum.

3 . The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a water level sensor,
wherein the controller is further configured to control the water supply valve to supply water to the tub before the drum is rotated at the first rotational speed, and wherein the water level sensor is configured to sense a water level of the tub after the drum is rotated at the first rotational speed.

4 . The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to, when the water level of the tub is less than or equal to a set water level after the drum is rotated at the first rotational speed, control the water supply valve to supply water in an amount sufficient for the water level of the tub to reach the set water level.

5 . The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to stop the motor after rotating the drum at the first rotational speed, and
wherein the water level sensor is configured to sense the water level of the tub while the drum is decelerated from the first rotational speed or stopped.

6 . The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a circulation nozzle configured to spray water into the drum; a circulation pump configured to supply water discharged from the tub to the circulation nozzle; and a circulation passage connecting the tub and the circulation pump and connecting the circulation pump and the circulation nozzle.

7 . The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to drive the circulation pump while the drum is heated and rotated at the first rotational speed.

8 . A clothing treatment apparatus comprising:
a tub having a space for accommodating washing water, a drum rotatably located inside the tub, the drum being configured to accommodate laundry therein; a motor configured to rotate the drum; an induction heater located at an outer surface of the tub, the induction heater being configured to heat the drum; a water supply valve configured to control a water supply line connecting an external water source to the tub; and a controller configured to:
control the induction heater to heat the drum while controlling the motor to rotate the drum at a first rotational speed at which the laundry accommodated in the drum is rotated to adhere to an inner circumferential surface of the drum; and
control the water supply valve to supply water such that, when the drum is heated and rotated at the first rotational speed, a water level of the tub is lower than a lower part of the drum,
wherein the controller is further configured to control the motor to repeatedly rotate and stop while the drum is heated, and wherein a sum of times for which the motor is rotated while the drum is heated is greater than a sum of times for which the motor is stopped.

9 . The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a water level sensor,
wherein the controller is further configured to control the water supply valve to supply water to the tub before the drum is rotated at the first rotational speed, and wherein the water level sensor is configured to sense the water level of the tub after the drum is rotated at the first rotational speed.

10 . The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to, when the water level of the tub is less than or equal to a set water level after the drum is rotated at the first rotational speed, control the water supply valve to supply water in an amount sufficient for the water level of the tub to reach the set water level.

11 . The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to stop the motor after rotating the drum at the first rotational speed, and
wherein the water level sensor is configured to sense the water level of the tub while the drum is decelerated from the first rotational speed or stopped.

12 . The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a circulation nozzle configured to spray washing water into the drum; a circulation pump configured to supply water discharged from the tub to the circulation nozzle; and a circulation passage connecting the tub and the circulation pump and connecting the circulation pump and the circulation nozzle.

13 . The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to drive the circulation pump while the drum is heated and rotated at the first rotational speed.

14 . A clothing treatment apparatus comprising:
a tub having a space for accommodating washing water; a drum rotatably located inside the tub, the drum being configured to accommodate laundry therein; a motor configured to rotate the drum; an induction heater located at an outer surface of the tub, the induction heater being configured to heat the drum; a water supply valve configured to control a water supply line connecting an external water source to the tub; a water level sensor; and a controller configured to:
control the induction heater to heat the drum while controlling the motor to rotate the drum at a first rotational speed at which the laundry accommodated in the drum is rotated to adhere to an inner circumferential surface of the drum; and
control the water supply valve to supply water to the tub before the drum is rotated at the first rotational speed,
wherein the water level sensor is configured to sense a water level of the tub after the drum is rotated at the first rotational speed, wherein the controller is further configured to control the motor to repeatedly rotate and stop while the drum is heated, and wherein a sum of times for which the motor is rotated while the drum is heated is greater than a sum of times for which the motor is stopped.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Changoh
• Kim Woore
• Hong Sangwook

Classifications

• H05B6/10

  Induction heating apparatus, other than furnaces, for specific applications · CPC title

• D06F39/083

  Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements · CPC title

• D06F39/04 Primary

  Heating arrangements · CPC title

• D06F34/16

  Imbalance · CPC title

• D06F33/34

  of water filling · CPC title