Control method of clothes treatment apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016177490-A1
Application number	US-201514972680-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 17, 2015
Priority date	Dec 19, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A control method of a clothes treatment apparatus including a cabinet, a steam unit that is located in the cycle chamber and that is configured to supply steam to the treatment chamber, a water supply tank, a water supply pump, and a lower rack. The control method includes sensing a water level in the water supply tank. The control method further includes, based on sensing the water level in the water supply tank, determining that the water level in the water supply tank is below a first particular water level. The control method further includes, in response to determining that the water level in the water supply tank is below the first particular water level, moving residual water stored in the receiving space to the steam unit by operating the water supply pump.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A control method of a clothes treatment apparatus comprising:
a cabinet that is partitioned into:
a treatment chamber that is configured to receive clothes,
a cycle chamber that is configured to house machinery, and
a tank installation space that is configured to house a removable tank;
a steam unit that is located in the cycle chamber and that is configured to supply steam to the treatment chamber; a water supply tank that is located in the tank installation space, that is connected to the steam unit, and that is configured to supply water to the steam unit; a water supply pump that is configured to supply water in the water supply tank to the steam unit; a lower rack that is located in the tank installation space and that is configured to couple to the water supply tank; and a receiving space that is defined by the lower rack, that is configured to connect to the steam unit, that is configured to supply water to the steam unit, and that is configured to store residual water discharged based on removing the water supply tank, wherein the control method comprises:
sensing a water level in the water supply tank;
based on sensing the water level in the water supply tank, determining that the water level in the water supply tank is below a first particular water level; and
in response to determining that the water level in the water supply tank is below the first particular water level, moving residual water stored in the receiving space to the steam unit by operating the water supply pump.

2 . The control method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
after sensing the water level in the water supply tank and before moving residual water stored in the receiving space to the steam unit by operating the water supply pump, outputting a water replenishment alarm.

3 . The control method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
after moving residual water stored in the receiving space to the steam unit by operating the water supply pump, outputting a water replenishment alarm.

4 . The control method according to claim 1 , wherein moving residual water stored in the receiving space to the steam unit by operating the water supply pump comprises operating the water supply pump for only a predetermined period of time.

5 . The control method according to claim 1 , wherein moving residual water stored in the receiving space to the steam unit by operating the water supply pump comprises:
determining that all water in the water supply tank has moved to the steam unit; and based on determining that all water in the water supply tank has moved to the steam unit, stopping operation of the water supply pump.

6 . The control method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
sensing a water level in the steam unit; and based on sensing the water level in the steam unit and before sensing the water level in the water supply tank, determining whether the water level in the steam unit is below a second particular water level.

7 . The control method according to claim 6 , wherein sensing the water level in the water supply comprises sensing the water level in the water supply tank in response to determining that the level of water in the steam unit is below the second particular water level.

8 . The control method according to claim 1 , wherein the receiving space connects to the tank installation space.

9 . The control method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the lower rack further comprises a water pocket that protrudes into the tank installation space and that is configured to support the water supply tank based on the water supply being mounted on the water pocket, and an inside of the water pocket further defines the receiving space.

10 . The control method according to claim 9 , wherein:
the lower rack further comprises a water barrier that protrudes upward from the water pocket, and the inside of the water barrier further defines the receiving space.

11 . The control method according to claim 1 , wherein the lower rack comprises:
a lower base that is configured to mount, on the lower base, a drainage tank that is configured to store condensed water and the water supply tank; a lower back that is connected to the lower base and that, along with the tank module frame, partitions the cycle chamber from the tank installation space; and a lower partition wall that partitions a first installation part that is configured to allow the water supply tank to be mounted on the first installation part from a second installation part that is configured to allow the drainage tank to be mounted on the second installation part, wherein the first installation part further defines the receiving space.

12 . A control method of a clothes treatment apparatus comprising:
a cabinet that is partitioned into:
a treatment chamber that is configured to allow clothes to be hung in the treatment chamber,
a cycle chamber that is configured to allow machinery to be installed in the cycle chamber, and
a tank installation space that is configured to allow a removable tank to be installed in the tank installation space;
a steam unit that is located in the cycle chamber and that is configured to supply steam to the treatment chamber; a water supply tank that is located in the tank installation space, that is connected to the steam unit, and that is configured to supply water to the steam unit; a water supply pump that is configured to supply water in the water supply tank to the steam unit; a lower rack that is located in the tank installation space and that is configured to separably couple to the water supply tank; and a receiving space that is defined by the lower rack, that is configured to connect to the steam unit, that is configured to supply water to the steam unit, and that is configured to store residual water discharged based on removing the water supply tank, wherein the control method comprises:
sensing a water level in the steam unit;
based on sensing the water level in the steam unit, determining whether the water level in the steam unit is below a first particular water level;
sensing a water level in the water supply tank;
based on sensing the water level in the water supply tank, determining that the water level in the water supply tank is below a second particular water level; and
in response to determining that the water level in the water supply tank is below the second particular water level, moving all residual water stored in the receiving space to the steam unit and all water stored in the water supply tank to the steam unit by operating the water supply pump.

13 . A control method of a clothes treatment apparatus comprising:
a cabinet that is partitioned into:
a treatment chamber that is configured to receive clothes,
a cycle chamber that is configured to house machinery, and
a tank installation space that is configured to house a removable tank;
a steam unit that is located in the cycle chamber and that is configured to supply steam to the treatment chamber; a water supply tank that is located in the tank installation space, that is connected to the steam unit, and that is configured to supply water to the steam unit; a water supply pump that is configured to supply water in the water supply tank to the steam unit; a lower rack that is located in the cabinet and that is configured to couple to the water supply tank; and a water pocket that is defined by the lower rack, that is configured to couple to the water pocket, that defines a receiving space that is configured to store residual water that is discharged during removal of the water supply tank, an

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Hyoungsup
• Doh Youngjin
• Park Sunghoo

Classifications

• D06F58/22

  Lint collecting arrangements · CPC title

• D06F58/24

  Condensing arrangements · CPC title

• D06F58/50

  Responding to irregular working conditions, e.g. malfunctioning of blowers · CPC title

• D06F58/10

  Drying cabinets or drying chambers having heating or ventilating means · CPC title

• D06F37/26

  Casings; Tubs · CPC title