Washing machine and method of controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9822474-B2
Application number	US-201414169535-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2014
Priority date	Jan 31, 2013
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A washing machine that performs a washing course by heating wash water and a control method thereof are provided. The method includes supplying wash water up to a wash water level for generation of steam such that a portion of laundry received in an inner tub is saturated by the wash water. The wash water level may be above a bottom surface of the inner tub and below a wash water level for main washing. The method then includes heating the wash water to a first set temperature and driving a washing heater to generate steam from the wash water, and supplying the generated steam to the inner tub, and then supplying the wash water up to the wash water level for main washing, and driving the washing heater again to heat the wash water to a second set temperature, the second set temperature being lower than the first set temperature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a washing machine, the method comprising:
performing a first water supply step to supply water for generation of steam, comprising supplying wash water through an upper portion of an inner tub toward a bottom surface of the inner tub to wet the laundry accommodated in the inner tub up to a first water level, the first water level being between a bottom surface of the inner tub of the washing machine and a second water level at which a main washing process is performed such that part of the laundry items are wetted by the water;
performing a first heater driving step, comprising driving a heater provided at an outer tub in which the inner tub is received, and heating the wash water supplied during the first water supply step to a first set temperature and generating steam from the heated wash water;
performing a second water supply step to supply water for the main washing process, comprising supplying additional wash water up to the second water level after performing the first heater driving step;
performing a second heater driving step, comprising driving the heater and heating the wash water supplied during the second water supply step to a second set temperature, the second set temperature being lower than the first set temperature, and
performing the main washing process,
wherein the first heater driving step comprises rotating the inner tub and a pulsator provided in the inner tub together, periodically or repeatedly.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first water level is a level at which a portion of laundry items received in the inner tub are moistened by the water supplied for steam generation.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first set temperature is greater than or equal to 60 degrees Celsius and less than 70 degrees Celsius.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the second set temperature is greater than or equal to 50 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 60 degrees Celsius.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the main washing process comprises driving the pulsator after the second heater driving step is terminated and the wash water is heated to the second set temperature.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the pulsator is provided at the bottom surface of the inner tub, and wherein the second heater driving step comprises continuously driving the heater, and performing a churning step comprising driving the pulsator.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the pulsator is not driven while the heater is continuously driven in the second heater driving step, and the heater is not driven while the pulsator is driven in the churning step.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein continuously driving the heater and the churning step are performed sequentially and repeatedly.

9. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising receiving a washing course selection selected from a plurality of available washing courses, wherein the plurality of available washing courses includes a steam course, the steam course comprising sequentially performing the first water supply step, the first heater driving step, the second water supply step, the second heater driving step to generate steam, and the main washing process.

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising a water level determination step, comprising determining the second water level for the main washing process based on an amount of the laundry received in the inner tub and the selected washing course.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the first water level for generation of steam is lower than the second water level for the main washing process regardless of the amount of laundry received in the inner tub and the selected washing course.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first water level for generation of steam is a water level at which an upper portion of the pulsator provided at the bottom surface of the inner tub is submerged.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first water supply step comprises maintaining the inner tub and the pulsator in stopped states.

14. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein heating the wash water to the first set temperature and to the second set temperature comprises maintaining the wash water at a temperature that is greater than or equal to 55 degrees Celsius for an amount of time greater than or equal to 10 minutes prior to driving the washing heater again and heating the wash water to the second set temperature, and for an amount of time greater than or equal to 10 minutes after termination of driving the washing heater again and heating the wash water to the second set temperature.

15. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising receiving a selected washing course from a plurality of available washing courses,
wherein the plurality of available washing courses comprises a steam course, the steam course comprising sequentially supplying wash water up to the first water level, heating the wash water supplied to the first water level and generating steam, supplying additional wash water up to the second water level, heating the wash water to the second set temperature, and performing the main washing process.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising determining the second water level based on an amount of laundry received in the inner tub and the selected washing course.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the first water level is lower than the second water level regardless of the amount of laundry and the selected washing course.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Oh Youngkee
• Kim Kyounglan
• Ahn Ingeun

Classifications

• D06F33/00 Primary

  Control of operations performed in washing machines or washer-dryers  (D06F31/00 takes precedence; details of control systems therefor D06F34/00; control of operations performed in domestic laundry dryers D06F58/32) · CPC title

• D06F2204/086

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic

• D06F2202/085

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic

• D06F39/04

  Heating arrangements · CPC title

• D06F2204/084

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic