Drying machine and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8931186-B2
Application number	US-70643507-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2007
Priority date	Feb 20, 2006
Publication date	Jan 13, 2015
Grant date	Jan 13, 2015

Abstract

A drying machine is disclosed. The drying machine includes a selectively rotatable drum receiving an object to be dried, a steam supply member having one side connected to a steam generator and the other side connected to the drum, and a swirler installed in the steam supply member at a predetermined position for swirling steam flowing through the steam supply member. A method for controlling the drying machine includes heating a drum, supplying steam generated in a steam generator into the drum, and supplying hot air into the drum. The drying machine having the above described configuration can efficiently eliminate creases of clothes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a drying machine including a drum, a steam generator, a pump, a water source provided independently from a connection to a faucet, comprising:
heating the drum;
supplying steam generated in the steam generator into the drum during a predetermined period of time, the supply of steam comprising:
operating the pump to supply water from the water source including a detachable water container located within a cabinet of the drying machine and detachably placed in a drawer which is provided in a control panel forming a front surface of the laundry machine, the pump to supply water contained in the detachable water container to the steam generator, wherein the detachable water container includes an opening for allowing a user to manually supply water therein, the detachable water container is removed through an opening within the cabinet to be filled with water by pulling out the drawer and inserted through the opening within the cabinet after being filled with water by pushing in the drawer, the detachable water container is placed in communication with the steam generator based on a pushing force applied to the drawer in order to push the detachable water container against a connector between the container and pump, and the detachable water container is disconnected from communication with the steam generator based on a pulling force applied to the drawer in order to remove the detachable water container from said connector; and
operating a heater of the steam generator to heat the supplied water to generate the steam, wherein operation of the heater is stopped when the predetermined period of time has been reached; and
supplying hot air into the drum.

2. The method for controlling the drying machine according to claim 1 , further comprising: cooling the drum.

3. The method for controlling the drying machine according to claim 1 , further comprising, after completing the supply of steam, discharging water remaining in the steam generator.

4. The method for controlling the drying machine according to claim 3 , wherein, the discharging of water comprises operating the pump in reverse to discharge the remaining water to the detachable water container.

5. The method for controlling the drying machine according to claim 1 , wherein, during the supply of steam, the drum is tumbled.

6. The method for controlling the drying machine according to claim 1 , wherein the steam generator generates steam based on water from the detachable water container.

7. The method for controlling the drying machine according to claim 1 , wherein the opening within the cabinet is closed when the drawer is pushed into the cabinet and the opening within the cabinet is opened when the drawer is pulled out of the cabinet.

8. A method for controlling a drying machine including a drum, a steam generator, a pump, a water source provided independently from a connection to a faucet, comprising:
heating the drum;
supplying steam generated in the steam generator into the drum during a predetermined period of time, the supply of steam comprising:
operating the pump to supply water from the water source including a detachable water container located within a cabinet of the drying machine and detachably placed in a drawer which is provided in a control panel forming a front surface of the laundry machine, the pump to supply water contained in the detachable water container to the steam generator, wherein the detachable water container includes an opening for allowing a user to manually supply water therein, the detachable water container is removed through an opening within the cabinet to be filled with water by pulling out the drawer and inserted through the opening within the cabinet after being filled with water by pushing in the drawer, the detachable water container is placed in communication with the steam generator based on a pushing force applied to the drawer in order to push the detachable water container against a connector between the container and pump, such that the detachable water container is indirectly coupled to the connector as the drawer is pushed, the detachable water container is disconnected from communication with the steam generator based on a pulling force applied to the drawer in order to remove the detachable water container from said connector, such that the detachable water container is indirectly separated from the connector as the drawer is pulled;
operating a heater of the steam generator to heat the supplied water to generate the steam, wherein operation of the heater is stopped when the predetermined period of time has been reached; and
supplying hot air into the drum.

9. The method for controlling the drying machine according to claim 8 , further comprising: cooling the drum.

10. The method for controlling the drying machine according to claim 8 , further comprising, after completing the supply of steam, discharging water remaining in the steam generator.

11. The method for controlling the drying machine according to claim 10 , wherein, the discharging of water comprises operating the pump in reverse to discharge the remaining water to the detachable water container.

12. The method for controlling the drying machine according to claim 8 , wherein, during the supply of steam, the drum is tumbled.

13. The method for controlling the drying machine according to claim 8 , wherein the steam generator generates steam based on water from the detachable water container.

14. The method for controlling the drying machine according to claim 8 , wherein the opening within the cabinet is closed when the drawer is pushed into the cabinet and the opening within the cabinet is opened when the drawer is pulled out of the cabinet.

Assignees

• Choi Chul Jin
• Yang Dae Bong
• Ryu Chong
• Wee Jea Hyuk
• Kim Young Soo
• Bae Sang Hun
• Son Chang Woo
• Kim Dong Hyun
• Son Young Bok
• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Choi Chul Jin
• Yang Dae Bong
• Ryu Chong
• Wee Jea Hyuk
• Kim Young Soo
• Bae Sang Hun
• Son Chang Woo
• Kim Dong Hyun
• Son Young Bok

Classifications

• D06F58/30

  Drying processes  (controlling a series of operations in domestic laundry dryers D06F58/32) · CPC title

• D06F58/203 Primary

  Laundry conditioning arrangements · CPC title

• D06F58/28

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic

• D06F58/04

  Details  (controlling or regulating devices D06F34/00) · CPC title