Level measuring device for a wall mounted drum type washing machine and method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9322123-B2
Application number	US-201414157436-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2014
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

A level measuring device for a wall mounted drum type washing machine and a level measuring method thereof, in which water levels of the left side and the right side of a tub of the wall mounted drum type washing machine are measured by first and second level measuring units, a control unit determines whether the washing machine is level from the measured water levels of the left and right sides of the tub, and a display unit displays a result of determining whether the washing machine is level, thereby reducing the installation time to install and level the washing machine, and allow a consumer to easily identify and maintain the level washing machine during use, thereby reducing vibrations and noise that occur during operation of the wall mounted drum type washing machine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A level measuring device for a wall mounted drum type washing machine including a tub, a case or housing, and a drum between the tub and the case or housing, the level measuring device comprising:
a first level measuring unit at a first side of the washing machine, between the tub and the case or housing;
a second level measuring unit at a second side of the washing machine, between the tub and the case or housing; and
a control unit configured to determine whether the washing machine is level from the first level measuring unit and the second level measuring unit.

2. The level measuring device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display unit configured to display whether the washing machine is level.

3. The level measuring device of claim 2 , wherein the first level measuring unit comprises:
a first water level sensor configured to measure a water level of the first side of the tub; and

a first hose having one end connected to the first side of the tub and another end connected to the first water level sensor.

4. The level measuring device of claim 3 , wherein the second level measuring unit comprises:
a second water level sensor configured to measure a water level of the second side of the tub; and
a second hose having one end connected to the second side of the tub and another end connected to the second water level sensor.

5. The level measuring device of claim 4 , wherein the control unit comprises:
a signal receiving unit configured to receive signals from the first water level sensor and the second water level sensor; and
a level determination unit configured to determine whether the washing machine is level by comparing the water level on the first side and the water level on the second side of the tub, respectively, based on the signals received by the signal receiving unit.

6. The level measuring device of claim 5 , wherein the control unit comprises a level measurement result transmission unit configured to transmit a result of the level determination unit to the display unit.

7. The level measuring device of claim 2 , wherein the display unit comprises an LCD panel.

8. The level measuring device of claim 7 , wherein the LCD panel is configured to display numbers, letters, graphs, or a combination thereof.

9. The level measuring device of claim 8 , wherein the LCD panel displays a graph indicating whether the water level on the first side is higher, the water level on the second side is higher, or that the washing machine is level.

10. The level measuring device of claim 4 , wherein the first water level sensor is at an upper left portion of the washing machine and measures the water level of the left side of the tub through the first hose, and the second water level sensor is at an upper right portion of the washing machine and measures the water level of the right side of the tub through the second hose.

11. A method of measuring a water level in a wall mounted drum type washing machine, comprising:
filling a tub with water from a water supply unit;
measuring a water level of a first side of the tub using a first water level sensor;
measuring a water level of a second side of the tub using a second water level sensor; and
determining whether the washing machine is level using signals representing the water levels of the first and second sides of the tub transmitted by the first water level sensor and the second water level sensor, respectively.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
after determining whether the washing machine is level, displaying a level determination result on a display unit.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein displaying the level determination result comprises displaying one or more numbers, letter, graphs or combinations thereof on the display unit.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein displaying the level determination result comprises displaying the graph.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the graph indicates that the water level on the first side is higher, the water level on the second side is higher, or that the washing machine is level.

16. The level measuring method of claim 11 , wherein measuring the water level on the first side of the tub comprises sensing a pressure through a first hose, and measuring the water level on the second side of the tub comprises sensing a pressure though a second hose.

17. The level measuring method of claim 11 , wherein the first side of the tub is a left side, and the second side of the tub is a right side.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising receiving the signals from the first and second water level sensors in a control unit.

19. The level measuring method of claim 18 , wherein the control unit determines whether the washing machine is level.

Assignees

• Dongbu Daewoo Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Bae Sang Iii

Classifications

• D06F37/267

  Tubs specially adapted for mounting thereto components or devices not provided for in preceding subgroups (D06F37/206 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01F23/14

  by measurement of pressure · CPC title

• D06F2216/00

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic

• D06F2202/085

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic

• G01C9/20 Primary

  the indication being based on the inclination of the surface of a liquid relative to its container · CPC title