Laundry treating apparatus having a cleaning nozzle and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017191208-A1
Application number	US-201615388490-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 22, 2016
Priority date	Jan 5, 2016
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a laundry treating apparatus having a cleaning nozzle and a method for controlling the cleaning nozzle. The laundry treating apparatus may include a main body having a tub, and a circulation path formed outside the tub to circulate air from the tub along the circulation path outside the tub. A cleaning nozzle may be provided at the circulation path, and configured to inject water. A water supply passage may be provided having one side connected to a water supply source and another side connected to the cleaning nozzle. A water supply valve may be provided to open and close the water supply passage. A controller may control the water supply valve to supply water to the cleaning nozzle. The controller may control the water supply valve to supply water to the cleaning nozzle during a drain course among a plurality of drain courses.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A laundry treating apparatus, comprising:
a main body having a tub; a circulation path formed outside the tub to circulate air from the tub along the circulation path outside the tub; a cleaning nozzle provided at the circulation path, and configured to inject water; a water supply passage having one side connected to a water supply source and another side connected to the cleaning nozzle; a water supply valve to open and close the water supply passage; and a controller configured to control the water supply valve to supply water to the cleaning nozzle, wherein the controller controls the water supply valve to supply water to the cleaning nozzle during a drain course among a plurality of drain courses.

2 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the water supply valve to supply water to the cleaning nozzle during a drain course of a washing course.

3 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the water supply valve such that water is supplied to the cleaning nozzle during a drain course of a final rinsing course.

4 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the water supply valve such that water is supplied to the cleaning nozzle during a drain course of a rinsing course.

5 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circulation path includes:
a lint filter that collects lint from the air which moves along the circulation path; and a heat pump having a heat exchanger to undergo heat exchange with the air which moves along the circulation path, wherein the cleaning nozzle includes:
a lint filter nozzle that injects water to the lint filter; and
a heat exchanger nozzle that injects water to the heat exchanger,
wherein the water supply passage includes:
a first water supply passage having one side connected to the water supply source and another side connected to the lint filter nozzle; and
a second water supply passage having one side connected to the water supply source and another side connected to the heat exchanger nozzle, and
wherein the water supply valve includes:
a first water supply valve provided at the first water supply passage; and
a second water supply valve provided at the second water supply passage.

6 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the circulation path is provided with an inlet connected to the tub,
wherein the lint filter is disposed at the inlet, and wherein the lint filter nozzle is disposed above the lint filter to inject water downward towards the lint filter.

7 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the circulation path is provided with a heat exchange duct portion to accommodate the heat exchanger, and
wherein the heat exchanger nozzle is provided at an upper region of an upstream side of the heat exchanger in a direction of air flow in the circulation path, such that water is injected downward toward the heat exchanger.

8 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller determines an rpm of a drum inside the tub the drying course, and
when the rpm of the drum is more than a prescribed rpm, the controller controls the first water supply valve to supply water to the lint filter nozzle and controls the second water supply valve to supply water to the heat exchanger nozzle.

9 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a circulation fan provided at the circulation path and configured to circulate the air through the circulation path; and an input current sensor that senses an input current of the circulation fan, wherein when the input current of the circulation fan sensed by the input current sensor is less than a prescribed current value during a drying cooling course of a drying course, the controller controls the first water supply valve to supply water to the lint filter nozzle.

10 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a cleaning prohibition time point is set to be a prescribed time interval prior to a termination time point of the drying cooling course, and the controller controls the first water supply valve such that water supply to the lint filter nozzle is interrupted at the cleaning prohibition time point.

11 . A laundry treating apparatus, comprising:
a main body having a tub, a circulation path formed outside the tub to circulate air from the tub along the circulation path outside the tub; a cleaning nozzle provided at the circulation path, and configured to inject water; a water supply passage having one side connected to a water supply source and another side connected to the cleaning nozzle; a water supply valve to open and close the water supply passage; and a controller configured to control the water supply valve to supply water to the cleaning nozzle, wherein the controller controls the water supply valve to supply water to the cleaning nozzle during a water supplying course or during at least one drain course among a drain course in a washing course, a drain course in a rinsing course, and a drain course in a final rinsing course.

12 . A laundry treating apparatus, comprising:
a main body having a tub, a circulation path formed outside the tub to circulate air from the tub along the circulation path outside the tub; a cleaning nozzle provided at the circulation path, and configured to inject water; a water supply passage having one side connected to a water supply source and another side connected to the cleaning nozzle; a water supply valve to open and close the water supply passage; and a controller configured to control the water supply valve to supply water to the cleaning nozzle, wherein the controller controls the water supply valve to supply water to the cleaning nozzle during at least one drain course among a drain course in a washing course, a drain course in a rinsing course and a drain course in a final rinsing course, or during a drying course.

13 . A method for controlling a cleaning nozzle of a laundry treating apparatus, the laundry treating apparatus comprising a main body having a tub, a circulation path formed outside the tub to circulate air from the tub along the circulation path outside the tub, a cleaning nozzle provided at the circulation path and configured to inject water, a water supply passage having one side connected to a water supply source and another side connected to the cleaning nozzle, and a water supply valve configured to open and close the water supply passage, the method comprising:
checking, by a controller, whether to perform a drain course; and when it is determined that the drain course is to be performed, controlling the water supply valve such that water is supplied to the cleaning nozzle.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
sensing an rpm of a drum during a drying course; comparing the sensed rpm of the drum with a prescribed rpm; and when the sensed rpm of the drum is greater than the prescribed rpm, controlling the water supply valve to supply water to the cleaning nozzle.

15 . A method for controlling a cleaning nozzle of a laundry treating apparatus, the laundry treating apparatus comprising a main body having a tub, a circulation path provided outside the tub to circulate air from the tub along the circulation path outside the tub, a circulation fan provided at the circulation path and configured to accelerate an air flow, a lint filter configured to collect lint from the air which moves along the circulation path, a heat pump having a heat exchanger for heat exchange with the air wh

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Taewan
• Choi Hyunchul
• Kim Wonjong

Classifications

• D06F58/22 Primary

  Lint collecting arrangements · CPC title

• D06F58/50

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

• D06F2103/38

  Time, e.g. duration · CPC title

• D06F37/22

  in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis · CPC title

• D06F2232/10

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic