Washing machine having drying function and method for controlling the same

Abstract

A washing machine having a drying function and a method for controlling the same. The washing machine includes a tub for containing wash water; a drum rotatably placed in the tub for containing laundry, and provided with through holes for circulating the wash water or air therethrough; a drying device provided with a circulation fan and a heater for drying the laundry in the drum; and a pumping device for pumping the wash water in the tub so that the wash water in the tub is circulated into the drum or heated by the air passing through the drying device, and is then circulated into the drum. The washing machine performs washing of laundry without any additional heater for heating the wash water, thereby having low production costs and a simple structure of the tub.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a washing machine having a drying function, which performs a drying operation as well as a washing operation, and more particularly to a washing machine having a drying function, in which wash water is heated by a drying device without an additional heater for heating the wash water, and a method for controlling the washing machine. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Generally, washing machines are apparatuses for eliminating contaminants from laundry using actions of a detergent and wash water, and are divided into an agitator type washing machine, a pulsator type washing machine, and a drum type washing machine. [0005] The agitator type washing machine washes laundry by rotating a washing rod, protruded from the center of a tub, in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction, the pulsator type washing machine washes laundry using friction between a water current and th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0022] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a washing machine having a drying function, which comprises one heater for drying laundry and heating wash water, thereby having low production costs.

[0023] It is another object of the present invention to provide a washing machine having a drying function, which has simple structure and assembly process.

[0024] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling a washing machine having a drying function, which controls wash water such that the wash water is circulated into a drying device or is sprayed to the inside of a drum, thereby improving washing or rinsing capacity.

[0038] The washing machine of the present invention heats the wash water using the heater of the drying device so that washing of laundry at a high temperature is performed without any additional heater for heating the wash water, thereby having low production costs and a simple structure of the tub.

[0039] The washing machine of the present invention uniformly sprays the wash water to the inside of the drum without heating as well as pumps the wash water to the inside of the drying device, heats the wash water, and sprays the wash water to the inside of a drum, thereby improving washing and rinsing capacities and decreasing the quantity of the wash water in use.

[0042] The method for controlling the washing machine of the present invention causes a portion of wash water to be heated by air having passed through a heater and the remainder of the wash water to be sprayed to the inside of a drum, or the wash water to be alternately heated by the air having passed through the heater and sprayed to the inside of the drum, thereby simultaneously improving washing and rinsing capacities by means of a high temperature and washing and rinsing capacities by means of the spraying of the wash water.

Problems solved by technology

The conventional washing machine having the drying function separately comprises the heater 22 for heating the wash water (w) in the washing or rinsing mode and the drying device 30 for drying the laundry (m), thereby having high production costs.

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