Washing machine and method for controlling washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017159221-A1
Application number	US-201415307193-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 29, 2014
Priority date	Apr 30, 2014
Publication date	Jun 8, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a washing machine and a method for controlling a washing machine. The washing machine may include: a body; a tub provided inside of the body to store water; a detergent supply unit disposed adjacent to the tub to supply detergent to the tub during an operating mode for washing laundry and to receive water during a cleaning mode; and a controller configured to allow a cleaning of the detergent supply unit to be performed by controlling a flow of water of the detergent supply unit and the tub during the cleaning mode of the detergent supply unit.
The present disclosure may be possible to keep the washing machine clean by automatically cleaning a detergent supply unit. In addition, it may be possible to improve the quality and the reliability of the product by automatically cleaning a detergent supply unit by using an input.

First claim

1 . A washing machine comprising:
a body; a tub provided inside of the body to store water; a detergent supply unit disposed adjacent to the tub to supply detergent to the tub during an operating mode for washing laundry and to receive water during a cleaning mode; and a controller configured to allow a cleaning of the detergent supply unit to be performed by controlling a flow of water of the detergent supply unit and the tub during the cleaning mode of the detergent supply unit.

2 . The washing machine of claim 1 wherein
the detergent supply unit comprises a detergent storage having a housing fixedly installed in the body; a detergent container placed inside of the housing to store the detergent and provided with an opening; and a cover configured to open and close the opening; and
a detergent discharge unit configured to discharge the detergent of the detergent storage based on a command of the controller.

3 . The washing machine of claim 2 further comprising
a door configured to open and close an inlet formed in the tub;
a first detector configured to detect whether the door is closed or not; and
a second detector configured to detect whether the detergent container is separated or not,
wherein, when controlling cleaning the detergent supply unit, the controller determines whether the door is closed, based on a detection signal of the first detector and determines whether the detergent container is separated, based on a detection signal of the second detector, and when it is determined that the door is closed and the detergent container is separated from the housing, the controller controls cleaning of the detergent supply unit.

4 . The washing machine of claim 3 further comprising:
an input configured to receive an input of a cleaning mode for cleaning of the detergent supply unit, wherein the controller controls cleaning of the detergent supply unit when the cleaning mode is input.

5 . The washing machine of claim 2 wherein
the detergent discharge unit comprises a first motor configured to allow a first detergent stored in the detergent storage to be discharged and a second motor configured to allow a second detergent stored in the detergent storage to be discharged, wherein the controller controls driving of the first motor and the second motor in order when performing the cleaning.

6 . The washing machine of claim 5 further comprising:
a pump configured to pump water inside of the tub, wherein the controller controls driving of the pump when performing the cleaning.

7 . The washing machine of claim 1 further comprising:
a display configured to display information, wherein the controller controls the display so that preparation information for preparing the cleaning is displayed on the display prior to performing the cleaning of the detergent supply unit.

8 . A method for controlling a washing machine having a body, a tub, a drum and a detergent supply unit, comprising:
determining whether a present mode is a cleaning mode of the detergent supply unit; and performing cleaning of the detergent supply unit when the present mode is the cleaning mode.

9 . The method of claim 8 further comprising:
determining whether a door is opened based on a detection signal of a first detector;
determining whether a detergent container is separated based on a detection signal of a second detector; and
starting cleaning the detergent supply unit when it is determined that the door is closed and the detergent container is separated from a housing.

10 . The method of claim 8 wherein
determining of whether the present mode is a cleaning mode comprises at least one of determining whether a cleaning mode is input on an input and determining whether the present time is a cleaning time of the detergent supply unit.

11 . (canceled)

12 . The method of claim 8 wherein
performing cleaning comprises driving a pump configured to pump water in the tub and driving sequentially a first motor, which is configured to discharge a first detergent stored in a detergent storage of the detergent supply unit, and a second motor, which is configured to discharge a second detergent stored in the detergent storage.

13 . The method of claim 12 further comprising:
displaying preparation information prior to cleaning on a display when it is determined to be the cleaning mode.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein
the preparation information comprises supplying water to the tub, supplying water to the detergent supply unit and separation of the detergent container from the housing of the detergent supply unit.

15 . A washing machine comprising:
a body; a tub provided inside of the body to store water; a drum rotatably coupled to the inside of the tub; a door configured to open and close an inlet formed on the drum; a connection unit configured to connect one side of the tub to one side of the drum and configured to allow the door to be seated thereon; a detergent supply unit disposed in the connection unit to supply detergent to the tub during an operating mode for washing and to receive water during a cleaning mode; and a controller configured to control a flow of water in the tub and the detergent supply unit during the cleaning mode of the detergent supply unit.

16 . The washing machine of claim 15 wherein
the detergent supply unit comprises a detergent storage having a housing fixedly installed in the inside of the connection unit; a detergent container placed inside of the housing to store the detergent and provided with an opening; and a cover configured to open and close the opening; and
a detergent discharge unit provided with a first motor configured to discharge a first material stored in the detergent storage and a second motor configured to discharge a second material stored in the detergent storage.

17 . The washing machine of claim 16 wherein
the controller performs a cleaning by alternately driving the first motor and the second motor.

18 . The washing machine of claim 17 further comprising:
a pump configured to pump water in the tub,
wherein the controller controls driving of the pump when performing the cleaning.

19 . The washing machine of claim 18 further comprising:
a first flow path connected to between the tub and the pump to deliver water in the tub to the pump;
a detergent flow path connected to between the first flow path and the detergent supply unit to deliver water in the detergent supply unit to the first flow path during the cleaning mode;
a second flow path connected to between the tub and the pump to deliver water pumped by the pump to the tub; and
a water discharge pipe configured to discharge the water in the tub to the outside.

20 . The washing machine of claim 16 further comprising:
a first detector configured to detect whether the door is closed,
wherein, when controlling cleaning of the detergent supply unit, the controller determines whether the door is closed, based on a detection signal of the first detector and controls the cleaning of the detergent supply unit when it is determined that the door is closed.

21 . The washing machine of claim 16 further comprising:
a second detector configured to detect whether the detergent container is separated,
wherein, when controlling cleaning of the detergent supply unit, the controller determines whether the detergent container is separated, based on a detection signal of the second detector and controls the cleaning of the detergent supply unit

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Hyun Gu
• Jo Young Chul
• Ryu Koang Hun

Classifications

• D06F39/02

  Devices for adding soap or other washing agents · CPC title

• D06F39/085

  Arrangements or adaptations of pumps · CPC title

• D06F37/04

  adapted for rotation or oscillation about a horizontal or inclined axis · CPC title

• D06F39/005

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic

• D06F2202/085

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic