Laundry dryer including drainage pump and control method thereof

Abstract

A laundry dryer of the present disclosure may include: a first water container in which condensed water generated according to execution of a drying operation is stored; the drainage pump is driven by the BLDC motor; and a control unit for determining a rotational speed of the drainage pump. The control unit alternately operates and stops the drainage pump a preset number of times at a first rotational speed in response to a start of the bubble removal operation to remove bubbles from the condensed water in the first water container, and alternately operates and stops the drainage pump a preset number of times at a second rotational speed in response to an end of the bubble removal operation. A drainage operation of operating the drainage pump at a second rotational speed higher than the first rotational speed for a predetermined driving period of time is started.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various embodiments of this disclosure relate to a clothes dryer, and more specifically, to a control method for reducing noise generated by the operation of a drain pump. Background Technology

[0002] A clothes dryer is a household appliance used to dry wet clothes (hereinafter referred to as the items to be dried) with hot, dry air. A clothes dryer removes moisture contained in the items by rotating a drum containing the items during a drying cycle and supplying hot, dry air into the drum.

[0003] The humid air that has passed through the object to be dried can be transformed into low-temperature dry air by an evaporator included in the heat pump, and the moisture contained in the air can be discharged as condensate. The condensate can be stored in a water tray container along the lower part of the dryer (e.g., the base) and discharged by a drain pump.

[0004] Furthermore, the presence of air in the condensate pumped by the drain pump increases the power required for drainage and the speed of the drain pump impeller. Consequently, the user experience may be degraded due to the noise generated when water and air are introduced together at the inlet point of the drain pump during drainage. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Technical issues Various embodiments of this disclosure may provide a method for controlling a drain pump by operating the drain pump under predetermined conditions to remove air present in the condensate located in the drain pump and suction pipe before discharging the condensate.

[0006] Technical solution A clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a first water container in which condensate generated during a drying cycle is stored; a drain pump driven by a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor; and a controller configured to, in response to the start of a bubble removal cycle, alternately drive the drain pump at a first rotational speed and stop the drain pump a predetermined number of times to remove bubbles from the condensate stored in the first water container, and in response to the end of the bubble removal cycle, start a drain cycle in which the drain pump is operated at a second rotational speed greater than the first rotational speed for a predetermined driving time period.

[0007] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the direction along which condensate is introduced into the inlet of the drain pump and the direction along which condensate is discharged through the outlet of the drain pump can be parallel to the direction along which the rotating shaft of the drain pump extends, and the rotating shaft can be perpendicular to the lower surface of the clothes dryer.

[0008] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the controller may also be configured to: operate the drain pump at a primary first rotational speed during a first operating time to perform a first bubble removal cycle, thereby lowering the level of condensate in the first water container and raising the level of condensate from the discharge section to a first predetermined height by pumping condensate from the discharge section by the drain pump; and stop the operation of the drain pump during a first shutdown time.

[0009] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the controller may also be configured to: in response to the end of the first bubble removal cycle, operate the drain pump at a secondary first rotational speed during a second operating time to perform a second bubble removal cycle, thereby lowering the level of condensate in the first water container and raising the level of condensate from the discharge section to a second predetermined height by pumping condensate from the discharge section by the drain pump; and stop the operation of the drain pump during a second shutdown time, wherein the secondary first rotational speed is greater than or equal to the primary first rotational speed.

[0010] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the first predetermined height and the second predetermined height may be lower than the height to which the condensate will rise when the condensate in the first water container is discharged from the first water container by the operation of the drain pump, and the first predetermined height is lower than or equal to the second predetermined height.

[0011] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the second rotational speed may include: a primary second rotational speed corresponding to the rotational speed of a second water container pumping condensate from a first water container into the body of the clothes dryer, and a secondary second rotational speed corresponding to the rotational speed of pumping condensate from the first water container to the outside of the clothes dryer.

[0012] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the clothes dryer may further include: a connector connected to the end of the discharge section to guide condensate from a first water container to a second water container or to guide condensate from the first water container to the outside of the clothes dryer.

[0013] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the controller may also be configured to: identify the location where condensate will be discharged from a position sensor in the connector, and determine, based on the identified location where condensate will be discharged, to operate the drain pump at one of a primary second rotational speed and a secondary second rotational speed.

[0014] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the primary first rotational speed and the secondary first rotational speed can be from 1300 revolutions per minute (rpm) to 3000 rpm. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the second rotational speed can be less than or equal to 3300 rpm.

[0015] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the controller may also be configured to initiate a bubble removal cycle in response to the level of condensate in the first water container exceeding a threshold level.

[0016] A method for using a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the clothes dryer including a first water container storing condensate generated during a drying cycle, a drain pump driven by a brushless DC motor, and a controller, the method including: via the controller, in response to the start of a bubble removal cycle, alternately driving the drain pump at a first rotational speed and stopping the drain pump a predetermined number of times to remove air bubbles from the condensate stored in the first water container; and in response to the end of the bubble removal cycle, starting a drain cycle, in which the drain pump is operated at a second rotational speed greater than the first rotational speed for a predetermined driving time period.

[0017] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the direction in which condensate is introduced into the inlet of the drain pump and the direction in which condensate is discharged through the outlet of the drain pump can be parallel to the direction in which the rotating shaft of the drain pump extends, and the rotating shaft can be perpendicular to the lower surface of the clothes dryer.

[0018] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a bubble removal cycle may include a first bubble removal cycle, which includes: operating a drain pump at a primary first rotational speed during a first operating time to raise the level of condensate water from the discharge point to a first predetermined height, and stopping the operation of the drain pump during a first shutdown time to lower the level of condensate water from the discharge point.

[0019] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a bubble removal cycle may include a second bubble removal cycle that begins in response to the end of a first bubble removal cycle. The second bubble removal cycle may include: operating a drain pump at a secondary first rotational speed during a second operating time to raise the level of condensate water from the discharge point to a second predetermined height, and stopping the operation of the drain pump during a second shutdown time to lower the level of condensate water from the discharge point.

[0020] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the first predetermined height and the second predetermined height may be lower than the height to which the condensate will rise when it is discharged from the first water container by the operation of the drain pump, and the first predetermined height may be lower than or equal to the second predetermined height.

[0021] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the second rotational speed may include: a primary second rotational speed corresponding to the rotational speed of a second water container pumping condensate from a first water container into the body of the clothes dryer; and a secondary second rotational speed corresponding to the rotational speed of pumping condensate from the first water container to the outside of the clothes dryer.

[0022] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the clothes dryer may further include: a connector connected to the end of the discharge section of a drain pump to guide condensate from a first water container to a second water container or to guide condensate from the first water container to the outside of the clothes dryer; the method may further include: identifying the location where condensate will be discharged from a position sensor in the connector via a controller; and determining, based on the location where condensate will be discharged, to operate the drain pump at one of a primary second rotational speed and a secondary second rotational speed.

[0023] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the primary first rotational speed and the secondary first rotational speed can be from 1300 rpm to 3000 rpm, and the second rotational speed can be less than or equal to 3300 rpm.

[0024] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the method may further include: initiating a bubble removal cycle via a controller in response to the level of condensate in the first water container exceeding a threshold level.

[0025] Beneficial effects The clothes dryer according to embodiments of the present disclosure can reduce the level of noise generated by the drain pump when condensate is discharged.

[0026] The clothes dryer according to embodiments of the present disclosure can reduce noise by improving drainage efficiency and reducing the rotational speed per minute required for the drain pump to discharge condensate. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a front perspective view showing a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 This is a rear perspective view showing a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view showing a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view showing a base according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 5 This is a perspective view showing a first water container according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view showing a first water container according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 7 This is a perspective view showing a drainage pump according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of a drainage pump according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating an operation for removing air present in condensate from a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating an operation for removing air present in condensate from a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 12 It is a graph showing the rotational speed of the drive cycle of the drain pump according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional view showing a washing machine with a drain pump applied according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view showing a washing machine with a drain pump applied according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 15 This is a cross-sectional view showing a garment care device employing a drain pump according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and Figure 16 This is a cross-sectional view showing a dishwasher using a drain pump according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Throughout the specification and drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used to refer to the same or similar elements. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in a manner readily practiced by one of ordinary skill in the art. However, this disclosure may be implemented in various other forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Throughout the specification and drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used to refer to the same or similar elements. Furthermore, for clarity and brevity, well-known functions and configurations are not described in the drawings and related descriptions.

[0035] According to an embodiment, a clothes dryer (e.g., Figure 1 The clothes dryer 1 can perform a drying cycle on a damp object to be dried. The clothes dryer 1 can perform a drying cycle and supply dry, hot air to the object to be dried. Therefore, water vapor included in the humid air can be discharged as water through an evaporator included in the heat pump. This water will be referred to as "condensate". The condensate can flow down a base forming the bottom of the clothes dryer 1 (e.g., ...). Figure 3 The base 90) is stored in the first water container (e.g., Figure 4 In the first water container 50). The first water container 50 may be referred to as the "condensate container".

[0036] According to an embodiment, the first water container 50 may include a drain pump (e.g., Figure 4 The drain pump 100 can pump the condensate stored in the first water container 50 and move the condensate to a predetermined location. The condensate can be moved to a second water container located at the upper front end of the clothes dryer 1 (e.g., Figure 1 The condensate stored in the first water container 50 can be discharged to the outside of the clothes dryer 1 via the second water container 200, or it can be discharged through the drain pump 100. Furthermore, in order for the drain pump 100 to pump the condensate stored in the first water container 50, the motor included in the drain pump 100 can operate at a predetermined rotational speed. This predetermined rotational speed will be referred to as the "threshold rotational speed".

[0037] According to an embodiment, condensate can move to the inlet of the drain pump 100 in response to operation of the drain pump 100. An impeller included in the drain pump 100 can rotate the condensate and move it to the discharge end of the drain pump 100. Due to the internal structure of the drain pump 100 and / or the rotation of the impeller, air bubbles may be generated in the condensate near the inlet. This can be referred to as cavitation or air bubbles. Due to cavitation, the air bubbles (or air bubbles) generated near the inlet can increase the threshold rotational speed and can increase the noise level generated by the drain pump 100.

[0038] The clothes dryer 1 described below can remove air present in the condensate before draining the condensate stored in the first water container 50, thereby reducing the threshold rotational speed and noise required for drainage. In the following text, the cycle for removing air (or bubbles) present in the condensate will be referred to as the "bubble removal cycle".

[0039] In the following text, x1 can be defined as the right direction when viewed from the front of the clothes dryer 1, y1 can be defined as the front direction when viewed from the front of the clothes dryer 1, and z1 can be defined as the upward direction when viewed from the front of the clothes dryer 1. The terms "front-back direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" used below are defined relative to the accompanying drawings, and the shape and position of each component are not limited thereto.

[0040] Figure 1 This is a front perspective view of a clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment.

[0041] Figure 2 This is a rear perspective view showing a clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment.

[0042] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view showing a clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment. In other words, Figure 2 Is Figure 1 A cross-sectional view taken at a point parallel to the xz plane.

[0043] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The clothes dryer 1 heats the air circulating within it to dry the items to be dried. The clothes dryer 1 can be categorized as a heater type, a heat pump type, or a hybrid type based on the method of heating the air. A hybrid type may, for example, use heater-type and heat pump-type methods together or alternately to heat the air.

[0044] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 may include a body 10. The body 10 may form the outer surface of the clothes dryer 1. The body 10 may be formed of at least one of metal or plastic. The clothes dryer 1 may be configured in various shapes, but may be configured in a generally cuboid shape.

[0045] According to an embodiment, the main body 10 may include a front surface 13, a top cover 11, a side cover, a rear cover, or a lower surface. Components included in the main body 10 may be configured individually or integrally. For example, the side cover and rear cover included in the main body 10 may be integrally formed to form a side-rear cover 12. The inner housing may be provided by the front surface 13, top cover 11, side-rear cover 14, or lower surface included in the main body 10. The inner housing may include an internal space in which various components constituting the clothes dryer 1 can be stored or installed.

[0046] According to an embodiment, a second water container 200 may be disposed in the main body 10. The second water container 200 may be disposed on the upper part of the main body 10. The second water container 200 may be assembled in a recess formed at a point on the upper part of the front cover 11. The second water container 200 may be detachably fixed from the recess. The second water container 200 may be configured to collect condensate generated by the cooling cycle of the clothes dryer 1.

[0047] According to an embodiment, the main body 10 may include a user interface. The user interface may include a user input section for receiving user input and a user output section for visually or audibly transmitting information to the user. The user output section may be implemented as a display.

[0048] According to an embodiment, the user interface can be disposed on a panel 15 located at the upper end of the main body 10. A circuit board can be disposed on the rear surface of the panel 15. The circuit board can be located inside the clothes dryer 1. A display or sensor can be mounted in at least a portion of the space provided on the circuit board. A controller (e.g., Figure 9 The processor (e.g., control device or storage device) of the controller 910 can be installed in at least a portion of the space provided on the circuit board.

[0049] According to an embodiment, the user input section may include a dial button. The dial button may be implemented as a dial or a shuttle. The dial button may have a wheel structure. The dial button can receive user input by rotating clockwise or counterclockwise.

[0050] According to an embodiment, the user output unit may include a display and a speaker. The display can visually output information to be transmitted to the user. The speaker can audibly output information to be transmitted to the user.

[0051] According to an embodiment, a dryness sensor 18 can be provided to detect the moisture content of the object to be dried placed in the drum 20. The dryness sensor 18 can be positioned below the outlet 16.

[0052] According to an embodiment, the main body 10 may include a base 90. The base 90 may be disposed below the main body 10 to form a bottom surface within the internal housing of the main body 10. Legs for supporting the main body 10 may be disposed on the bottom surface. The legs may space the main body 10 from the floor surface by a predetermined distance. For example, multiple legs may be disposed on the bottom surface to stably support the main body 10.

[0053] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 may include a drum 20 in an inner housing configured to receive items to be dried. The drum 20 may include an inlet for inserting the items to be dried. The drum 20 may be rotatably disposed within the inner housing of the main body 10.

[0054] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 may include a drive configured to rotate the drum 20. The drive may include a drive motor 31 mounted on a base 90, a pulley 32, or a belt 33. The pulley 32 can be rotated by the drive motor 31. The belt 33 can connect the pulley 32 to the drum 20 to transmit power from the drive motor 31 to the drum 20.

[0055] According to the embodiment, one or more drive motors 31 may be provided.

[0056] For example, when a drive motor 31 is provided, the drive motor 31 can be connected to the roller 20 and the blower fan 43. The drive motor 31 can drive the roller 20 and the blower fan 43 together.

[0057] For example, when multiple drive motors 31 are provided, the drive motors 31 can be connected to the roller 20 and the blower fan 43 respectively. For example, the drive motor 31 may include a first motor and a second motor. The first motor can be connected to the roller 20, and the second motor can be connected to the blower fan 43. The first motor can drive the roller 20, and the second motor can drive the blower fan 43.

[0058] According to an embodiment, the roller 20 may include: an inlet 22 through which air flows into the roller 23; and an outlet 16 through which air flows out of the roller 23. The inlet 22 may be formed on one side of the roller 20, and the outlet 16 may be formed on the other side of the roller 20. The inlet 22 may be, for example, a rear opening of the roller 20. The outlet 16 may be, for example, a front opening of the roller 20. For example, the front opening of the roller 20 may be configured as the inlet of the roller.

[0059] According to an embodiment, hot dry air can be introduced into the drum 20 through inlet 22 to dry the object to be dried contained in the drum 20. The air used to dry the object can escape from the drum 20 through outlet 16. The air leaving the drum 20 through outlet 16 may contain a large amount of moisture.

[0060] According to an embodiment, multiple lifters 21 may be arranged inside the drum 20. The lifters 21 can raise or lower the object to be dried to contact the hot air while the object floats in the space inside the drum 20.

[0061] According to an embodiment, a door 30 for opening and closing the roller inlet can be mounted on the front surface of the body 10. The door 30 can be configured to be rotatable by being hinged to one side of the roller inlet.

[0062] According to an embodiment, the base 90 can be positioned below the roller 20. (See reference...) Figure 4 A heat pump that forms a refrigerant cycle can be mounted on a base 90. The heat pump may include an evaporator 81, a condenser 82, a compressor, or an expansion device. A blower fan 43 or a drive motor 31 may be mounted on the base 90. A base cover may be provided on the base 90 to cover the components including the heat pump. For example, the base cover may form a piping structure together with the base 90.

[0063] According to an embodiment, the blower fan 43 can be mounted on the base 90. The blower fan 43 can generate a blowing force based on the power transmitted by the drive motor 31 to form an airflow path. For example, the blower fan 43 can also exhaust air radially. For this purpose, the blower fan 43 may include a rotating shaft formed in a central portion and a plurality of blades formed in a circumferential direction around the rotating shaft.

[0064] According to an embodiment, a refrigerant cycle for heating and condensing air can be formed by a heat pump. The refrigerant cycle can correspond to a series of cyclic processes including compression-condensation-expansion-evaporation. The main body 10 may include an evaporator 81, a condenser 82, a compressor, and an expansion device for forming the refrigerant cycle. The evaporator 81 and the condenser 82 can exchange heat with air. The evaporator 81 and the condenser 82 can be collectively referred to as a heat exchanger.

[0065] According to an embodiment, when the clothes dryer 1 performs a drying cycle or an anti-wrinkle cycle, a closed flow path can be formed inside the main body 10. Here, the closed flow path can be understood as an air movement path (see...). Figure 3 (As indicated by the arrow in the diagram), the air movement path is configured to circulate the air inside the drum 20 via a heat pump and the drum 20. A closed flow path can be formed such that air outside the body 10 does not flow into the drum 20, or air inside the drum 20 does not flow out of the body 10. In other words, the air flow can form a closed loop.

[0066] The airflow described above can be caused by, for example, a blower fan 43 installed below the inlet duct 41.

[0067] According to an embodiment, a discharge pipe 42 may be disposed in front of the roller 20 to guide the discharge of hot and humid air passing through the interior of the roller 20. A filter (not shown) may be installed in the discharge pipe 42 to filter out foreign matter such as lint.

[0068] According to an embodiment, the inlet pipe 41 can be located behind the roller 20 and can communicate with the interior of the roller 20 through the hot air inlet 22 formed in the roller 20.

[0069] According to an embodiment, the refrigerant can exchange heat with the air while the heat pump is circulating.

[0070] According to an embodiment, the refrigerant can circulate while undergoing a series of phase changes including compression-condensation-expansion-evaporation. The condenser 82 and evaporator 81 can be implemented as heat exchangers capable of exchanging heat with air.

[0071] According to an embodiment, the compressor compresses and discharges refrigerant under high temperature and high pressure, and the discharged refrigerant flows into the condenser 82. The condenser 82 can condense the compressed refrigerant and dissipate heat to the surrounding environment through the condensation process. Further, the expansion device expands the refrigerant condensed by the condenser 82 under high temperature and high pressure to a low pressure state. The evaporator 81 can evaporate the expanded refrigerant and remove heat from the surrounding environment through the evaporation process.

[0072] According to an embodiment, the expansion device can be implemented as an electronic expansion valve (EEV) (hereinafter referred to as an expansion valve). The expansion valve can regulate the flow rate of refrigerant by adjusting its opening degree using an electrical signal.

[0073] According to an embodiment, the hot and humid air discharged from the drum 20 can pass through the evaporator 81. Therefore, since the hot and humid air discharged from the drum 20 is cooled as it passes through the evaporator 81, it can become low-temperature dry air. In this case, condensate can be generated while the hot and humid air is being cooled in the evaporator 81. The condensate can accumulate along the bottom surface of the base 70.

[0074] According to an embodiment, condensate can be discharged via a drain pump (e.g., Figure 5 The drain pump 100 moves to the second water container 200 or discharges to the outside of the main body 10. The drain pump can pump condensate to the second water container 200 or to the connecting pipe provided towards the outside of the main body 10. In addition, the low-temperature dry air after passing through the evaporator 81 can pass through the condenser 82. Therefore, since the low-temperature dry air discharged from the evaporator 81 is heated while passing through the condenser 82, it can be changed to high-temperature dry air. The dry hot air can be introduced into the drum 20 through the inlet 22 to dry the object to be dried. As the object to be dried is dried, the humid hot air containing a large amount of moisture can be discharged through the outlet 16. The discharged air can pass through the evaporator 81 again. In other words, the air can circulate inside the main body 10 while drying the object to be dried contained in the drum 20.

[0075] According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 can discharge condensate stored in the first water container 50, and the condensate can be moved to the connector 240 connected to the discharge section 107 of the drain pump 100.

[0076] According to an embodiment, connector 240 can be configured to guide a path for moving condensate to a second water container 200 or externally. Connector 240 may include a first output terminal 241, a first input terminal 243, and a second output terminal 245.

[0077] According to an embodiment, the first output terminal 241 can be coupled to the first connecting pipe 251 to guide the condensate stored in the first water container 50 to move along the path of the second water container 200.

[0078] According to an embodiment, the first input terminal 243 can be coupled to the second connecting pipe 253, which is configured to move condensate from the second water container 200 to the first water container 50.

[0079] According to an embodiment, the second output terminal 245 can be coupled to a connecting pipe to guide the movement path, so that the condensate stored in the first water container 50 can be discharged to the outside.

[0080] According to an embodiment, a position sensor (e.g., Figure 9 The position sensor 923 can be located at at least one of the first output terminal 241 or the second output terminal 245. The position sensor can identify whether the connecting tube is coupled to the first output terminal 241 or the second output terminal 245. When the connecting tube is assembled and coupled to the first output terminal 241 and / or the second output terminal 245, the position sensor can transmit the connection status to the controller 910.

[0081] For example, position sensor 923 can be located only at the second output terminal 245. The clothes dryer 1 can identify whether the connecting pipe is coupled to the second output terminal 245. The clothes dryer 1 can determine the drainage method based on whether the connecting pipe is coupled to the first output terminal 241 or the second output terminal 245.

[0082] For example, when the first connecting pipe 251 is coupled to the first output terminal 241 but not coupled to the second output terminal 245, the clothes dryer 1 can pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the second water container 200 during the drainage cycle.

[0083] For example, when the first connecting pipe (e.g., Figure 2 When the first connecting pipe 251 is not coupled to the first output terminal 241 but is coupled to the second output terminal 245, the clothes dryer 1 can pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the outside.

[0084] For example, when the first connecting pipe (e.g., Figure 2 When the first connecting pipe 251 is coupled to the first output terminal 241 and the connecting pipe is also coupled to the second output terminal 245, the clothes dryer 1 can begin a drainage cycle from the first water container 50 to the second water container 200 or a predetermined point outside during the drainage cycle. Optionally, the clothes dryer 1 can determine the drainage point through user input.

[0085] Figure 4 This illustrates a base 90 according to an embodiment (e.g., Figure 3 Cross-sectional view of the base (90). Figure 4 This can be understood as a cross-sectional view showing hot air being supplied to the object to be dried and then condensate being collected along the bottom surface of the base 90 into the first water container 50.

[0086] Reference Figure 4 The first water container 50 may be formed at the rear of the main body 10. Optionally, the first water container 50 may be installed at the rear of the main body 10.

[0087] According to an embodiment, a portion of the rear surface of the first water container 50 may be open to form an inlet 95. The inlet 95 can serve as a channel through which condensate generated in the base body 91 is introduced into the first water container 50. In the base body 91, an outlet may be formed at a portion corresponding to the inlet 95 to serve as a channel through which condensate can be introduced from the base body 91 into the first water container 50. A recess 55 corresponding to the inlet 95 may be formed below the first water container 50 to facilitate the introduction of condensate into the first water container 50 through the inlet 95.

[0088] According to an embodiment, the bottom of the base body 91 can be inclined so that condensate can flow toward the inlet 95. The base 90 can also be inclined so that the direction in which the first water container 50 is disposed is lower.

[0089] According to an embodiment, a water level sensor 150 (e.g., Figure 5 Water level sensor 150 or Figure 9 A water level sensor 921 is used to detect the water level in the first water container 50. The water level sensor 150 may include a floating member 140. A drain pump 110 can pump condensate based on the detected condensate level.

[0090] According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 can be configured to pump condensate collected in the first water container 50. When the rotating shaft 103 is rotated by the motor 101, the drain pump 100 can pump condensate from the inlet 106 to the outlet 107, and the impeller 105 provided at the lower end of the rotating shaft 103 rotates by the rotation.

[0091] According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 can be driven by a BLDC motor. The rotational speed of the drain pump 100 can be controlled by a controller (e.g., Figure 9 The controller 910) controls the system.

[0092] According to an embodiment, the discharge section 107 can be connected to the connecting pipe 121. The connecting pipe 121 can be connected to a connector (e.g., Figure 2 One end of the connector 240.

[0093] According to the embodiment, the direction in which the inlet portion 106 of the drain pump 100 faces and the direction in which the outlet portion 107 faces can be formed to be substantially the same as the direction in which the rotation shaft 103 of the drain pump 100 extends. The direction in which the rotation shaft 103 extends can be, for example, substantially perpendicular to the lower surface of the clothes dryer 1.

[0094] According to an embodiment, condensate can move to the inlet of the drain pump 100 in response to operation of the drain pump 100. An impeller included in the drain pump 100 can rotate the condensate and move it to the discharge end of the drain pump 100. Due to the internal structure of the drain pump 100 and / or the rotation of the impeller, air bubbles can be generated in the condensate near the inlet 106. The air bubbles generated near the inlet 106 can increase the threshold rotational speed and increase the level of noise generated by the drain pump 100.

[0095] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can turn the drain pump 100 on and off a predetermined number of times before starting the drainage cycle, thereby removing air bubbles present in the condensate stored in the first water container 50, and then start the drainage cycle.

[0096] Figure 5 This is a perspective view showing the first water container 50 according to an embodiment. Figure 5 It can be understood as a perspective view of the first water container viewed downwards from the z1 axis.

[0097] Reference Figure 5 The drain pump 100 or the water level sensor 150 can be installed in the first water container 50.

[0098] According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 may include a discharge section 107. The discharge section 107 may be connected to a connecting pipe 121. The connecting pipe 121 may be connected to a connector (e.g., Figure 2 One end of the connector 240.

[0099] According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 may include a connection port 109. The connection port 109 may be configured to allow the drain pump 100 to be electrically connected to the clothes dryer 1. For example, the drain pump 100 may be electrically connected to a controller 910 or to a water level sensor 150.

[0100] According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 may include a rotating shaft 103. At least a portion of the rotating shaft 103 may be exposed at the upper end of the drain pump 100.

[0101] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view showing the first container 50 according to an embodiment. Figure 6 This can be understood as showing the section taken along axis A-A' Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the first water container.

[0102] Reference Figure 6 The drain pump 100 and the water level sensor 150 may be disposed in the first water container 50. The drain pump 100 may operate in response to the water level of the first water container 50 detected by the water level sensor 150. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the drain pump 100 may operate separately from the water level sensor 150.

[0103] According to an embodiment, the first water container base plate 57 can be installed below the first water container 50. The first water container 50 may include a first water container side portion integrally formed with the rear surface of the main body 10, a first water container cover 51 separately formed from the rear surface of the main body 10, and the first water container base plate 57.

[0104] According to an embodiment, the floating member 140 can be mounted on the bottom plate 57 of the first water container. A floating guide 132 can be formed, allowing the floating member 140 to rise or fall to a predetermined position according to the position of the condensate. The floating member 140 can be accommodated in the floating guide 132. A flow hole 133 can be formed in the floating guide 132, allowing the condensate to be easily introduced and discharged. The floating member 140 can be provided with the floating member 142, allowing the floating member 140 to float easily by the buoyancy of the condensate. A conductor 141 can be coupled to the upper part of the floating member 142. The conductor 141, together with the floating member 142, can rise or fall according to the water level of the condensate.

[0105] According to an embodiment, when a large amount of condensate has been collected and fully filled the first water container 50, the condensate needs to be removed from the first water container 50. In this case, the floating member 140 can rise and be positioned at a high position according to the water level of the condensate, so that the conductor 141 can be electrically connected through the contact electrode 151.

[0106] According to an embodiment, when conductor 141 is electrically connected to electrode 151, drain pump 100 is controlled by a controller (e.g., Figure 9 The controller 910 operates in this manner. In this case, the condensate in the first water container 100 can be pumped out by the drain pump 100. The pumped condensate can be discharged along the discharge section 107 to the outside or the second water container 200, so that the water level of the condensate in the first water container 50 can be lowered. In response to the decrease in the water level of the condensate, the float member 140 can also be in a low position according to the water level of the condensate. As described above, when the float member 140 is in the low position, the conductor 141 is spaced apart from the electrode 151, and the drain pump 100 does not operate.

[0107] According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 can be operated to generate noise. When the drain pump 100 is operated, condensate and air can be introduced together into the impeller 105, thereby generating noise due to the rotation of the impeller 105.

[0108] Figure 7 This is a perspective view showing a drain pump 100 according to an embodiment.

[0109] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of a drainage pump 100 according to an embodiment. Figure 8 This can be understood as intercepting along line B-B'. Figure 7 Cross-sectional view of the drainage pump 100.

[0110] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8 The drain pump 100 can be driven by a BLDC motor. The rotational speed of the drain pump 100 can be controlled by a controller (e.g., Figure 9The controller 910) controls the system.

[0111] According to an embodiment, the rotating shaft 103 can be driven by a motor (e.g., Figure 5 The motor 101 rotates in a predetermined direction (e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise). The impeller 105, located below the drain pump 100, can rotate via the rotation of the rotating shaft 103. Condensate can enter the inlet 106 via the rotation of the impeller 105. The condensate entering the inlet 106 can move along the discharge section 107. The discharge section 107 can be formed as a discharge pipe and can be connected via a connecting pipe (e.g., ...). Figure 4 The connecting pipe 121) discharges to the outside or a second water container (e.g., Figure 1 The second water container 200).

[0112] According to an embodiment, a first housing 111 and a second housing 112 may form the outer surface of the drain pump 100. The first housing 111 may form the lower outer surface of the drain pump 100, and the second housing 112 may form the upper outer surface of the drain pump 100. The first housing 111 may surround the impeller 105. An inlet portion 106 and a discharge portion 107 may be formed by the first housing 111.

[0113] According to an embodiment, the direction along which condensate enters through inlet 106 can be defined as a first direction d1, and the direction along which condensate is discharged through outlet 107 can be defined as a second direction d2. The first direction d1 and the second direction d2 can be substantially the same. The first direction d1 and the second direction d2 can extend along the height direction of the rotation axis 103 (e.g., Figure 1 The first direction d1 and the second direction d2 can be set in a direction substantially perpendicular to the lower surface of the clothes dryer 1.

[0114] According to an embodiment, when the bubble removal cycle begins, the clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a predetermined selected speed to raise at least a portion of the condensate present in the first water container 50 to a predetermined height. The predetermined height is, for example, a point where the condensate is not discharged, and can be understood as a point separated from the discharge section 107 by a predetermined height in the vertical direction. The clothes dryer 1 can stop the drain pump 100 to allow the condensate at the predetermined height to fall back into the first water container 50. Therefore, the air bubbles present in the condensate stored in the first water container 50 can be removed.

[0115] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can begin a drainage cycle after removing air bubbles present in the condensate, thereby reducing the level of noise generated by air bubbles during the drainage cycle.

[0116] Figure 9 This illustrates a clothes dryer 900 according to an embodiment (e.g., Figure 1 A block diagram of a clothes dryer 1).

[0117] Reference Figure 9 The controller 910 can count the time used to perform a bubble removal cycle or a drying cycle. For this purpose, the controller 910 may include a timer module. The timer module may be implemented integrally with the controller 910, or it may be implemented as a separate module. In the following, this disclosure assumes that the timer module is implemented integrally with the controller 910, such that the controller 910 performs the counting function.

[0118] According to an embodiment, the controller 910 may include a storage device for recording or storing programs or data for generating control signals for controlling the operation of the clothes dryer 900. The storage device may be implemented as a memory. The storage device may include temporary memory and / or non-temporary memory.

[0119] According to an embodiment, the controller 910 can control the rotational speed of the drain pump 930 while performing a bubble removal cycle or a drying cycle. The controller 910 can retrieve from a storage device the rotational speed of the drain pump 930 that will be operated during the execution of the bubble removal cycle or drying cycle. The storage device can store information indicating the selected speed of the drain pump 930 that will be controlled during the bubble removal or drying operation in a database (DB). The control table may include information about whether the drain pump 930 should be operated at a predetermined speed based on the duration of the bubble removal operation.

[0120] According to an embodiment, the control table can be stored in a storage device in the form of Table 1.

[0121] [Table 1]

[0122] According to the embodiment, Table 1 can be understood as a configuration table of the rotation speed, operation time and downtime of the drain pump 930 corresponding to the interval when the clothes dryer 900 performs the bubble removal operation.

[0123] According to an embodiment, in the first gap (e.g., Figure 12 In the process from t1 to t2, the clothes dryer 900 can operate the drain pump 930 p1 at a rotational speed of r1 to raise the condensate water to a predetermined point, and then stop the operation of the drain pump 930 p1' to allow the condensate water to drop. Here, r1 can be set to 1300 rpm, p1 can be set to 6 seconds, and p1' can be set to 4 seconds.

[0124] According to an embodiment, in the second gap (e.g., Figure 12In the process from t2 to t3, the clothes dryer 900 can operate the drain pump 930 p2 at a rotational speed of r2 to raise the condensate water to a predetermined point, and then stop the operation of the drain pump 930 p2' to allow the condensate water to drop. Here, r2 can be set to 1820 rpm, p2 can be set to 6 seconds, and p2' can be set to 4 seconds.

[0125] According to an embodiment, in the third gap (e.g., Figure 12 From t3 to t4), the clothes dryer 900 can operate the drain pump 930 p3 at a rotation speed of r3 to raise the condensate water to a predetermined point, and then stop the operation of the drain pump 930 p3' to allow the condensate water to drop. Here, r3 can be set to 1980 rpm, p3 can be set to 6 seconds, and p3' can be set to 4 seconds.

[0126] According to an embodiment, in the fourth gap (e.g., Figure 12 In step t4 to t5, the clothes dryer 900 can operate the drain pump 930 p4 at a rotational speed of r4 to raise the condensate water to a predetermined point, and then stop the operation of the drain pump 930 p4' to allow the condensate water to drop. Here, r4 can be set to 2020 rpm, p4 can be set to 6 seconds, and p4' can be set to 4 seconds.

[0127] According to an embodiment, in the fifth gap (e.g., from...) Figure 12 In steps t5 to t6, the clothes dryer 900 can operate the drain pump 930 at a rotational speed of r5 to raise the condensate water to a predetermined point, and then stop the operation of the drain pump 930 at p5' to allow the condensate water to drop. Here, r5 can be set to 2060 rpm, p5 can be set to 6 seconds, and p5' can be set to 4 seconds.

[0128] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 900 can minimize air bubbles in the condensate stored in the first water container 50 by performing an air bubble removal cycle before starting the drainage cycle, thereby reducing the rotational speed of the drain pump 930 during the drainage cycle and resulting in minimal noise generation.

[0129] According to an embodiment, the controller 910 can obtain information about the rotational speed, operating time, and downtime of the drain pump 930 from a storage device while performing the drainage operation. This information can be stored in the form of a control table.

[0130] For example, information about the drainage cycle can be stored as instructions for the drainage pump 930 to rotate at a predetermined speed every predetermined interval (e.g., 4 minutes). The predetermined speed can be relatively higher than the speed of the drainage pump 930 during the bubble removal cycle. The predetermined speed can be in the range of, for example, 2060 rpm to 3000 rpm, but is not limited thereto.

[0131] According to an embodiment, sensor 920 can detect multiple pieces of information required for clothes dryer 900 to perform bubble removal or drainage cycles.

[0132] According to an embodiment, sensor 920 may include water level sensor 921 (e.g., Figure 5 The water level sensor 150 and the position sensor 923.

[0133] According to an embodiment, the water level sensor 921 can sense the amount of condensate stored in the first water container 50. The water level sensor 921 can transmit water level information corresponding to the height of the floating member 140 floating on the surface of the condensate to the controller 910.

[0134] According to an embodiment, the position sensor 923 may be disposed on the connector (e.g., Figure 2 One end of connector 240 is used to detect the coupling of the connecting tube to the first output terminal of connector 240 (e.g., Figure 2 The first output terminal 241) or the second output terminal (e.g., Figure 2 (Second output terminal 245). In response to the position sensor 923 detecting whether the connecting pipe is coupled, the clothes dryer 900 can select a drainage method.

[0135] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 900 can determine the rotational speed, operation time, and shutdown time of the drain pump 930 during the bubble removal cycle or drainage operation, corresponding to the drainage method. A control table for the drain pump 930 corresponding to the drainage method can be stored in the storage device of the controller 910.

[0136] For example, when condensate is discharged from the first water container 50 to the outside, the clothes dryer 900 can operate the drain pump 930 at a relatively low rotational speed according to the control table in Table 1, or the target cycle for operating the drain pump 930 can be set to a low value. Therefore, a relatively low noise level can be maintained when the clothes dryer 900 is discharging water to the outside.

[0137] According to an embodiment, Table 2 below is a table indicating the sound quality (SQ) index of the noise generated by different types of drain pumps 930. Table 2 is a table of the noise generated by the drain pump 930, excluding the noise generated by other components of the clothes dryer 900.

[0138] [Table 2]

[0139] According to the embodiment, the vertical axis is a series of indices that can indicate numerical values ​​for sound quality or volume. On the horizontal axis, SQ#1 indicates the noise level when a drain pump equipped with an AC motor is driven at a rotational speed of 3600 rpm, and SQ#2 indicates the noise level when a drain pump 930 equipped with a BLDC motor is driven at a rotational speed of 3000 rpm. When the absolute value of the difference between SQ#1 and SQ#2 is greater than the minimum perceptible difference, it can be understood that the user can audibly perceive the change in noise.

[0140] According to the embodiment, in A-weighted sound pressure level I#1, ISO532B loudness I#2, ISO532B sharpness I#3, and roughness I#4, it can be understood that there is a significant change in the level of noise generated by the drainage pump equipped with the BLDC pump.

[0141] According to an embodiment, Table 3 below is a table indicating the sound quality (SQ) index of the noise generated by different types of drain pumps 930. Table 3 includes the noise generated by another component (e.g., blower fan) when the clothes dryer 900 is operating. Figure 2 A table showing the noise generated by the blower fan 43). For example, it is a table showing the noise generated by the drain pump 930 when the blower fan is rotating at 1600 rpm.

[0142] [Table 3]

[0143] According to an embodiment, the noise level generated by the blower fan 43 during pump pauses is indicated by SQ#3.

[0144] According to the embodiment, among A-weighted sound pressure level I#1, ISO532B loudness I#2, ISO532B sharpness I#3, and vibration I#5, it can be understood that there is a significant change in the level of noise generated by the drainage pump equipped with the BLDC pump.

[0145] As shown in Tables 2 and 3, it can be determined that the noise level generated in the clothes dryer 900 can be reduced by minimizing air bubbles present in the condensate through a bubble removal cycle before initiating the drainage cycle. For example, the clothes dryer 900 can reduce noise by 10 dB or more by performing a bubble removal cycle.

[0146] Figure 10 and Figure 11 This illustrates a clothes dryer according to an embodiment (e.g., Figure 1 Clothes dryer 1 or Figure 9The flowchart for the operation of the 900-type clothes dryer (controlling bubble removal circulation or drainage circulation) is shown. References can be omitted as needed. Figure 10 and Figure 11 The described operations can be repeated, or the order can be changed as needed.

[0147] Reference Figure 10 The clothes dryer 1 can store condensate in a first water container of a predetermined capacity in response to condensate (e.g., Figure 5 The bubble removal function is activated by the first water container 50. The clothes dryer 1 can be activated by a water level sensor (e.g., Figure 6 The water level sensor 150 obtains the volume of condensate stored in the first water container 50.

[0148] According to an embodiment, in operation 1010, the clothes dryer 1 can start a bubble removal cycle to remove air present in the condensate stored in the first water container 50.

[0149] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump at a predetermined rotation speed per minute (e.g., Figure 4 The drain pump 100 is scheduled to operate for a predetermined time to raise the condensate stored in the first water container 50 to a predetermined height.

[0150] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a first rotational speed per minute for a first operating time (e.g., ...). Figure 12 The first operating time (p1) is used to raise the condensate stored in the first water container to a first height. For example, the first rotational speed can be set to 1300 rpm, and the first operating time (p1) can be set to 6 seconds. The first height can be understood as the height in the vertical direction (e.g., Figure 1 (in the z1 axis direction) and the discharge pipe of the drain pump 100 (e.g., Figure 4 The discharge pipe 107) is spaced at a predetermined height at one end.

[0151] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can be shut down during a first downtime (e.g., Figure 12 During the first downtime p1', the condensate that has risen to a first height by operating the drain pump 100 is reduced. For example, the first downtime p1' can be set to 4 seconds.

[0152] According to the embodiment, the first operation time p1 and the first shutdown time p1' can be collectively referred to as the first gap.

[0153] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can determine whether a preset target cycle has been reached. Here, the target cycle can be defined as the number of times a series of operations are performed to remove air bubbles by operating the drain pump 100 to raise and then lower the condensate. The clothes dryer 1 can be controlled by a controller (e.g., Figure 9 The storage device (e.g., memory) in the controller 810 obtains information about the target cycle.

[0154] According to an embodiment, in response to failure to reach a predetermined target cycle, the clothes dryer 1 may operate the drain pump 100 at a second rotation speed per minute for a second operating time (e.g., Figure 12 The second operating time p2 is used to raise the condensate stored in the first water container to a second height. For example, the second rotational speed per minute can be set to 1820 rpm, and the second operating time p2 can be set to 6 seconds. The first height can be understood as the height along the vertical direction (e.g., Figure 1 (in the z1 axis direction) and the discharge pipe of the drain pump 100 (e.g., Figure 4 The discharge pipe 107) is spaced at a predetermined height from one end. The second height can be understood as being relatively higher than or equal to the first height in the height direction.

[0155] According to an embodiment, the first rotational speed per minute and the second rotational speed per minute can be set to be relatively lower than or equal to the threshold rotational speed per minute required for discharging condensate. The first rotational speed per minute can be set to be relatively lower than or equal to the second rotational speed per minute.

[0156] According to an embodiment, the drain pump 100 can be shut down during a second downtime (e.g., Figure 12 The system is operated during the second shutdown time (p2') to reduce the condensate that has risen to the second height. For example, the second shutdown time (p2') can be set to 4 seconds.

[0157] According to the embodiment, the second operation time p2 and the second downtime p2' can be collectively referred to as the second gap.

[0158] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can determine whether a preset target cycle has been reached.

[0159] According to an embodiment, in operation 1020, in response to reaching a preset target cycle, the clothes dryer 1 can end the bubble removal cycle and start the drainage cycle.

[0160] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can drain condensate stored in the first water container 50 by operating the drain pump 100 at a threshold rotation speed per minute. The clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at the threshold rotation speed per minute for a predetermined period of time to drain the condensate stored in the first water container 50. The drain pump 100 can pump the condensate to a second water container (e.g., ...). Figure 1 The second water container 200) or pump is sent to the outside.

[0161] According to an embodiment, the threshold rotation speed per minute may include a first threshold rotation speed per minute or a second threshold rotation speed per minute. The first threshold rotation speed per minute can be understood as the rotation speed per minute required for the drain pump to pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the second water container 200. The second threshold rotation speed per minute can be understood as the rotation speed per minute required to pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the outside. Since the second water container 50 is positioned relatively high in the height direction compared to the outside, the first threshold rotation speed per minute may be relatively less than or equal to the second threshold rotation speed per minute. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and depending on the location of the point of discharge to the outside, the second threshold rotation speed per minute may be relatively higher than the first threshold rotation speed per minute.

[0162] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can remove air bubbles generated when condensate stored in the first water container 50 is pumped by the drain pump 100 by performing an air bubble removal cycle before the drainage cycle begins. Therefore, air bubbles can be prevented from forming during the drainage cycle due to air bubbles at the inlet of the drain pump 100 (e.g., Figure 4 Air bubbles in the inlet section 106 cause the threshold rotation speed to increase. Furthermore, by keeping the threshold rotation speed of the drain pump 100 at a low level, the level of noise generated during drainage can be reduced.

[0163] Reference Figure 11 In step 1120, the clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a first rotation speed per minute for a first operating time. For example, the first rotation speed per minute can be set to 1300 rpm, and the first operating time can be set to 6 seconds.

[0164] According to an embodiment, in operation 1130, the clothes dryer 1 can determine whether a target cycle has been reached. For example, it can be assumed that the target cycle is performed "five times", and it can be assumed that the operation time, the operation speed per minute, and the downtime of the drain pump 100 during the first to fifth intervals are preset.

[0165] According to an embodiment, in response to failure to reach the target cycle, in operation 1120, the clothes dryer 1 may respond to a first operation time (e.g., Figure 12After the first operation time p1) and the first downtime (e.g., Figure 12 The first downtime p1') and the second operation time (e.g., Figure 12 During the second operating time p2), the drain pump 100 can be operated, and during the second shutdown time (e.g., Figure 12 The drain pump 100 is stopped during the second stop time p2'. The second stop time p2' can be set to 4 seconds. The clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a second rotation speed per minute for the second operation time p2. For example, the second rotation speed per minute can be set to 1820 rpm, and the second operation time p2 can be set to 6 seconds.

[0166] According to an embodiment, in response to failure to reach the target cycle, in operation 1120, the clothes dryer 1 may respond to a second stop time p2' after a second operation time p2 and in a third operation time (e.g., Figure 12 The drain pump 100 can be operated during the third operation time (p3), and can also be operated during the third shutdown time (e.g., Figure 12 The operation of the drain pump 100 is stopped during the third stop time (p3'). The third stop time p3' can be set to 4 seconds. The clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a third rotation speed per minute for the third operation time p3. For example, the third rotation speed per minute can be set to 1980 rpm, and the third operation time p3 can be set to 6 seconds.

[0167] According to an embodiment, in response to failure to reach the target cycle, in operation 1120, the clothes dryer 1 may respond to a third stop time p3' after a third operation time p3 and in a fourth operation time (e.g., ... Figure 12 The drain pump 100 can be operated during the fourth operation time (p4), and can also be operated during the fourth shutdown time (e.g., Figure 12 The operation of the drain pump 100 is stopped during the fourth stop time (p4'). The fourth stop time p4' can be set to 4 seconds. The clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a fourth rotation speed per minute for the fourth operation time p4. For example, the fourth rotation speed per minute can be set to 2020 rpm, and the fourth operation time p4 can be set to 6 seconds.

[0168] According to an embodiment, in response to failure to reach the target cycle, during operation 1120, the clothes dryer 1 may, in response to a fourth stop time p4' following a fourth operation time p4, proceed to a fifth operation time (e.g., ...). Figure 12 The drain pump 100 can be operated during the fifth operation time (p5), and can also be operated during the fifth shutdown time (e.g., Figure 12The operation of the drain pump 100 is stopped during the fifth stop time (p5'). The fifth stop time p5' can be set to 4 seconds. The clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a fifth rotation speed per minute for a fifth operation time p5. For example, the fifth rotation speed per minute can be set to 2060 rpm, and the fifth operation time p5 can be set to 6 seconds.

[0169] According to the embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 is not limited to the rotation speed of the drain pump 100 according to the above-described target cycle, and the drain pump 100 can be controlled to perform a bubble removal cycle based on a preset rotation speed, operating time, and shutdown time. The clothes dryer 1 can obtain the preset rotation speed, operating time, and shutdown time of the drain pump 100 from the storage device of the controller 910.

[0170] According to an embodiment, in response to reaching the target cycle, in operation 1150, the clothes dryer 1 can start a drainage cycle to discharge the condensate stored in the first water container 50 by operating the drain pump 100 at a predetermined rotational speed.

[0171] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a threshold rotation speed for a predetermined period of time to drain the condensate stored in the first water container 50.

[0172] According to an embodiment, the threshold rotational speed per minute may include a first threshold rotational speed per minute and a second threshold rotational speed per minute. The first threshold rotational speed per minute can be understood as the rotational speed required for the drain pump 100 to pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the second water container 200. The second threshold rotational speed per minute can be understood as the rotational speed required for the drain pump 100 to pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the outside. Here, the outside can be defined as via a second output terminal connected to connector 240 (e.g., ...). Figure 2 The point from which the third connecting pipe (not shown) of the second output terminal 245 is discharged.

[0173] For example, because the height of the first water container 50 is relatively higher than the height of the point where it connects to the second output terminal 245 and where condensate is discharged to the outside, the first threshold rotational speed per minute can be relatively lower than the second threshold rotational speed per minute. However, this disclosure is not limited to this, and the second threshold rotational speed per minute can be relatively higher than or equal to the first threshold rotational speed per minute, corresponding to the location of the point of discharge through the third connecting pipe. In this disclosure, it is assumed that the location of the point of drainage through the third connecting pipe is set at a point lower than the height of the first water container 50.

[0174] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can be connected from a first output terminal (e.g., provided at the connector 240) Figure 2Position sensors 923 at the first output terminal 241 and the second output terminal 245 identify whether the connecting pipe is coupled. When the connecting pipe is assembled and coupled to the first output terminal 241 and / or the second output terminal 245, the position sensors can transmit the coupling status to the controller 910. For example, the position sensor 923 can be located only at the second output terminal 245. The clothes dryer 1 can identify whether the connecting pipe is coupled to the second output terminal 245 and can discharge condensate from the first water container 50 to the outside only when the connecting pipe is coupled to the second output terminal 245.

[0175] For example, when the first connecting pipe (e.g., Figure 2 When the first connecting pipe 251 is coupled to the first output terminal 241 and the connecting pipe is not coupled to the second output terminal 245, the clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a first threshold rotation speed per minute to pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the second water container 200 during the drain cycle.

[0176] For example, when the first connecting pipe (e.g., Figure 2 When the first connecting pipe 251 is not coupled to the first output terminal 241 and the connecting pipe is coupled to the second output terminal 245, the clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a second threshold rotation speed per minute to pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the outside during the drain cycle.

[0177] For example, when the first connecting pipe (e.g., Figure 2 When the first connecting pipe 251 is coupled to the first output terminal 241 and the connecting pipe is also coupled to the second output terminal 245, the clothes dryer 1 can begin a drainage cycle from the first water container 50 to the second water container 200 or a predetermined point outside during the drainage cycle. Optionally, the clothes dryer 1 can determine the drainage point through user input.

[0178] Figure 12 This illustrates a drainage pump (e.g., according to an embodiment) Figure 4 100 or drainage pump Figure 9 A graph showing the rotational speed of the drive cycle of the drainage pump 930.

[0179] Reference Figure 12 In response to the start of the bubble removal cycle, the clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a predetermined rotational speed. The predetermined rotational speed can be relatively lower than the threshold rotational speed at which the drain pump 100 will be operated to drain the condensate.

[0180] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a first rotational speed r1 from time point t1 to time point t1'. The first rotational speed r1 can be set to 1300 rpm. Time point t1 to time point t1' can be defined as a first operating time p1. During the first operating time p1, the drain pump 100 can drain water stored in a first water container (e.g., Figure 4 The condensate in the first water container 50 rises to a first height. The first height can be understood as the height from the discharge section (e.g., Figure 4 The distance from the discharge section 107 to the predetermined point. The first operation time p1 can be set to 6 seconds.

[0181] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can stop the operation of the drain pump 100 from time point t1' to time point t2. Time point t1' to time point t2 can be defined as a first stop time p1'. During the first stop time p1', condensate at a first height can fall into the first water container 50. Therefore, at least some of the air bubbles present in the condensate can be removed. The first stop time p1' can be set to 4 seconds, but is not limited to this.

[0182] According to an embodiment, in response to failure to reach the target drive cycle, the clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a second rotational speed r2 from time point t2 to time point t2'. The time point t2 to time point t2' can be defined as the second operating time p2. The second rotational speed r2 can be set to be relatively faster than the first rotational speed r1. The second rotational speed r2 can be set to 1820 rpm, and the second operating time p2 can be set to 6 seconds, but is not limited thereto.

[0183] According to an embodiment, during the second operation time p2, the drain pump 100 can raise the condensate stored in the first water container 50 to a second height. The second height can be understood as the distance from the discharge section 107 to a predetermined point in the height direction. The second height can be set at a position that is relatively higher than the initial height in the height direction.

[0184] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can stop the operation of the drain pump 100 from time point t2' to time point t3. Time point t2' to time point t3 can be defined as a second stop time p2'. The second stop time p2' can be set to 4 seconds, but is not limited to this. During the second stop time p2', condensate at a first height can fall into the first water container 50. Therefore, at least some of the air bubbles present in the condensate can be removed.

[0185] According to an embodiment, in response to failure to reach the target drive cycle, the clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a third rotational speed r3 from time point t3 to time point t3'. The time point t3 to time point t3' can be defined as the third operating time p3. The third rotational speed r3 can be set to a speed relatively faster than the second rotational speed r2. The third rotational speed r3 can be set to, for example, 1980 rpm, and the third operating time p3 can be set to 6 seconds, but is not limited thereto.

[0186] According to an embodiment, during the third operation time p3, the drain pump 100 can raise the condensate stored in the first water container 50 to a third height. The third height can be understood as the distance from the discharge section 107 to a predetermined point in the height direction. The third height can be set at a position that is relatively higher than the second height in the height direction.

[0187] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can stop the operation of the drain pump 100 from time point t3' to time point t4. Time point t3' to time point t4 can be defined as a third stop time p3'. The third stop time p3' can be set to 4 seconds, but is not limited to this. During the third stop time p3', condensate at a third height can fall into the first water container 50. Therefore, at least some of the air bubbles present in the condensate can be removed.

[0188] According to an embodiment, in response to failure to reach the target drive cycle, the clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a fourth rotational speed r4 from time point t4 to time point t4'. Time point t4 to time point t4' can be defined as the fourth operating time p4. The fourth rotational speed r4 can be set to a speed relatively faster than the third rotational speed r3. The fourth rotational speed r4 can be set to, for example, 2020 rpm, and the fourth operating time p4 can be set to 6 seconds, but is not limited thereto.

[0189] According to an embodiment, during the fourth operation time p4, the drain pump 100 can raise the condensate stored in the first water container 50 to a fourth height. The fourth height can be understood as the distance from the discharge section 107 to a predetermined point in the height direction. The fourth height can be set at a position relatively higher than the third height in the height direction.

[0190] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can stop the operation of the drain pump 100 from time point t4' to time point t5. Time point t4' to time point t5 can be defined as a fourth stop time p4'. The fourth stop time p4' can be set to 4 seconds, but is not limited to this. During the fourth stop time p4', condensate at a fourth height can fall into the first water container 50. Therefore, at least some of the air bubbles present in the condensate can be removed.

[0191] According to an embodiment, in response to failure to reach the target drive cycle, the clothes dryer 1 can operate the drain pump 100 at a fifth rotational speed r5 from time point t5 to time point t5'. Time point t5 to time point t5' can be defined as the fifth operation time p5. The fifth rotational speed r5 can be set to be relatively faster than the fourth rotational speed r4. The fifth rotational speed r5 can be set, for example, to 2060 rpm, and the fifth operation time p5 can be set to 6 seconds, but is not limited thereto.

[0192] According to an embodiment, during the fifth operation time p5, the drain pump 100 can raise the condensate stored in the first water container 50 to a fifth height. The fifth height can be understood as the distance from the discharge section 107 to a predetermined point in the height direction. The fifth height can be set at a position relatively higher than the fourth height in the height direction.

[0193] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can stop the operation of the drain pump 100 from time point t5' to time point t6. Time point t5' to time point t6 can be defined as a fifth stop time p5'. The fifth stop time p5' can be set to 4 seconds, but is not limited to this. During the fourth stop time p5', condensate at a fourth height can fall into the first water container 50. Therefore, at least some of the air bubbles present in the condensate can be removed.

[0194] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can initiate a drainage cycle from time point t6 in response to reaching a target drive cycle. The clothes dryer 1 can discharge condensate stored in the first water container 50 by operating the drain pump 100 at a threshold rotation speed r6 for a predetermined time period.

[0195] According to an embodiment, the second rotational speed r2, the third rotational speed r3, the fourth rotational speed r4, and the fifth rotational speed r5 can be set to 3300 rpm or less. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the second rotational speed r2, the third rotational speed r3, the fourth rotational speed r4, and the fifth rotational speed r5 can be set to various values ​​based on the structure of the drain pump 100 (e.g., the structure of the inlet 106 and / or the outlet 107, the internal structure of the drain pump 100), the output of the drain pump 100, the amount of condensate stored in the drain pump 100, or the location of the point where the condensate is discharged.

[0196] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 can reduce the level of the threshold rotational speed required to discharge condensate during the drainage cycle by performing a bubble removal cycle before the drainage cycle begins, thereby reducing the level of noise generated by the drain pump 100 during the drainage cycle.

[0197] Figure 13 This illustrates the application of a drain pump 1310 according to an embodiment (e.g., Figure 4 100 or drainage pump Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of a washing machine 1300 (with drain pump 930). The washing machine 1300 can be understood as a front-loading washing machine using the drain pump 1310 of this disclosure. The drain pump 1310 may at least partially or wholly correspond to... Figure 7 The drain pump 100. The drain pump 1310 can be driven by a BLDC motor, to be controlled by a controller (e.g., Figure 9 The controller 910 adjusts the rotation speed.

[0198] Reference Figure 13 The washing machine 1300 may include a drain pump 1310 for draining wash water to the outside after washing the target clothes placed in the drum. The washing machine 1300 may include a controller for controlling the drive of the drain pump 1310.

[0199] According to an embodiment, washing water can flow into the drain pump 1310 along the lower surface of the drum through the first connecting pipe 1320. The inlet of the drain pump 1310 can be substantially in the same height direction as the rotation axis of the drain pump 1310.

[0200] According to an embodiment, by driving the drain pump 1310, washing water can be discharged through the second connecting pipe 1330. The discharge portion of the drain pump 1310 can be substantially in the same height direction as the rotation axis of the drain pump 1310.

[0201] According to an embodiment, due to the air present in the washing water, air bubbles can be generated in the washing water near the inlet by the operation of the drain pump 1310, thereby increasing the rotational speed required for the drain pump 1310 to drain. Therefore, a high level of noise can be generated by the operation of the drain pump 1310.

[0202] According to an embodiment, the washing machine 1300 can initiate an air bubble removal cycle by opening and closing the drain pump 1310 at a predetermined rotation speed. The washing machine 1300 can operate and stop the drain pump 1310 at a predetermined rotation speed a predetermined number of times to raise the wash water to a predetermined point and then lower the wash water to remove air bubbles present in the wash water.

[0203] According to an embodiment, the washing machine 1300 can begin a drain cycle in response to the end of the bubble removal cycle. By removing air bubbles present in the wash water, the level of noise generated during the operation of the drain pump 1310 can be reduced.

[0204] Figure 14 This illustrates the application of a drain pump 1410 according to an embodiment (e.g., Figure 4 100 or drainage pump Figure 9A cross-sectional view of washing machine 1400 (with drain pump 930). Washing machine 1400 can be understood as a top-loading washing machine.

[0205] Reference Figure 14 The washing machine 1400 may include a drain pump 1410 for draining wash water to the outside after washing the target clothes placed in the drum. The washing machine 1400 may include a controller for controlling the drive of the drain pump 1410.

[0206] According to an embodiment, washing water can flow along the lower surface of the drum into the drain pump 1410 through the first connecting pipe 1420. The washing water can also flow through a valve 1421 (e.g., located at one end of the first connecting pipe 1420) Figure 10 The water flows into the drain pump 1410 through valve 940. The inlet of the drain pump 1410 may be substantially in the same height direction as the rotating shaft of the drain pump 1410.

[0207] According to an embodiment, by driving the drain pump 1410, washing water can be discharged through the second connecting pipe 1430. The discharge portion of the drain pump 1410 can be substantially in the same height direction as the rotation axis of the drain pump 1410.

[0208] According to an embodiment, due to the air present in the washing water, air bubbles can be generated in the washing water near the inlet by the operation of the drain pump 1410, thereby increasing the rotational speed required for the drain pump 1410 to drain water. Therefore, a high level of noise can be generated by the operation of the drain pump 1410.

[0209] According to an embodiment, the washing machine 1400 can initiate an air bubble removal cycle by opening and closing the drain pump 1410 at a predetermined rotation speed. The washing machine 1400 can operate and stop the drain pump 1410 at a predetermined rotation speed a predetermined number of times to raise the wash water to a predetermined point and then lower the wash water to remove air bubbles present in the wash water.

[0210] According to an embodiment, the washing machine 1400 can begin a drain cycle in response to the end of the bubble removal cycle. By removing air bubbles present in the wash water, the level of noise generated during the operation of the drain pump 1410 can be reduced.

[0211] Figure 15 This illustrates the application of a drain pump 1510 according to an embodiment (e.g., Figure 4 100 or drainage pump Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of the garment care device 1500 (drain pump 930). Figure 15 A drain container located at the bottom of the garment care device 1500 and a drain pump 1510 located near the water supply container are shown.

[0212] Reference Figure 15 The garment care device 1500 may include a water supply container and a drain container. The water supply container may be configured to store detergent that will be moved to a steam container. A first pump may be provided for pumping detergent from the water supply container to the steam container. The drain container may be configured to store detergent discharged from the garment care device 1500 or condensate from dry air. A second pump may be provided for pumping detergent or condensate from the reservoir to the drain container. The garment care device 1500 may include a controller for controlling the drive of the first or second pump.

[0213] According to an embodiment, the drain pump 1510 can be applied to at least one of the first pump and the second pump.

[0214] According to an embodiment, washing water can flow into the drain pump 1510 along the lower surface of the drum through the first connecting pipe 1520. The inlet of the drain pump 1510 can be substantially in the same height direction as the rotation axis of the drain pump 1510.

[0215] According to an embodiment, by driving the drain pump 1510, washing water can be discharged through the second connecting pipe 1530. The discharge portion of the drain pump 1510 can be substantially in the same height direction as the rotation axis of the drain pump 1510.

[0216] According to an embodiment, due to the air present in the washing water, air bubbles can be generated in the washing water near the inlet by the operation of the drain pump 1510, thereby increasing the rotational speed required for the drain pump 1510 to drain water. Therefore, a high level of noise can be generated by the operation of the drain pump 1510.

[0217] According to an embodiment, the garment care device 1500 can initiate an air bubble removal cycle of the drain pump 1510 at a predetermined rotational speed. The garment care device 1500 can operate and stop the drain pump 1510 at a predetermined rotational speed a predetermined number of times to raise the wash water to a predetermined point and then lower the wash water to remove air bubbles present in the wash water.

[0218] According to an embodiment, the garment care device 1500 can initiate a drain cycle in response to the end of the bubble removal cycle. By removing air bubbles present in the wash water, the level of noise generated during the operation of the drain pump 1510 can be reduced.

[0219] Figure 16 This illustrates the application of a drain pump 1620 according to an embodiment (e.g., Figure 4 100 or drainage pump Figure 9 Cross-sectional view of dishwasher 1600 (drain pump 930).

[0220] Reference Figure 16The dishwasher 1600 may include a reservoir 1650 through which washing liquid is collected along a base 1640. The reservoir 1650 may be positioned below a tub forming the interior space of the dishwasher 1600 to facilitate the collection of washing liquid. The washing liquid collected in the reservoir 1650 may be pumped to a spray device (not shown) by a circulation pump 1620. The spray device may include a first spray device positioned at the upper end of the tub and a second spray device positioned at the middle end of the tub. The dishwasher 1600 may include a controller for controlling the drive of a drain pump 1610.

[0221] According to an embodiment, washing water can flow into a drain pump 1610 through a first connecting pipe 1620 connected to one side of a storage tank. The inlet of the drain pump 1610 can be substantially in the same height direction as the rotation axis of the drain pump 1610.

[0222] According to an embodiment, by driving the drain pump 1610, washing water can be discharged through the second connecting pipe 1631 and / or the third connecting pipe 1633. The discharge portion of the drain pump 1610 can be substantially in the same height direction as the rotation axis of the drain pump 1610. The second connecting pipe 1631 can be connected to the first spraying device, and the third connecting pipe 1633 can be connected to the second spraying device.

[0223] According to an embodiment, by driving the drain pump 1510, washing water can be discharged through the second connecting pipe 1530. The discharge portion of the drain pump 1510 can be substantially in the same height direction as the rotation axis of the drain pump 1510.

[0224] According to an embodiment, the discharge section of the drain pump 1610 can be connected to the valve 1632 (e.g., Figure 9 (Valve 940). Valve 1632 can be configured to direct washing liquid to at least one of the second connecting pipe 1631 and the third connecting pipe 1633.

[0225] According to an embodiment, due to the air present in the washing water, air bubbles can be generated in the washing water near the inlet by the operation of the drain pump 1610, thereby increasing the rotational speed required for the drain pump 1610 to drain water. Therefore, a high level of noise can be generated by the operation of the drain pump 1610.

[0226] According to an embodiment, the dishwasher 1600 can initiate an air bubble removal cycle by opening and closing the drain pump 1510 at a predetermined rotational speed. The dishwasher 1600 can operate and stop the drain pump 1510 at a predetermined rotational speed a predetermined number of times to raise the wash water to a predetermined point and then allow the wash water to drop to remove air bubbles present in the wash water.

[0227] According to an embodiment, the dishwasher 1600 can begin a drain cycle in response to the completion of the bubble removal operation. By removing air bubbles present in the wash water, the level of noise generated during the operation of the drain pump 1610 can be reduced.

[0228] The dryer 1 or 900 according to embodiments of the present disclosure may include: a first water container 50 in which condensate generated during a drying cycle is stored; a drain pump 100 or 930 driven by a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor; and a controller 910 for determining the rotational speed of the drain pump 100 or 930. The controller 910 may alternately drive and stop the drain pump 100 or 930 at a first rotational speed a predetermined number of times in response to the start of a bubble removal cycle, and may begin a drain cycle at a second rotational speed for a predetermined driving time period in response to the end of a bubble removal cycle. The first rotational speed may be relatively lower than the second rotational speed.

[0229] In the dryer 1 or 900 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the direction along which condensate is introduced into the inlet of the drain pump 100 or 930 and the direction along which condensate is discharged to the outlet of the drain pump 100 or 930 can be set parallel to the direction in which the rotating shaft of the drain pump 100 or 930 extends. The rotating shaft can be arranged in a direction perpendicular to the lower surface of the dryer 1 or 900.

[0230] In the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller 910 can operate the drain pump 100 or 930 at a first-1 rotational speed (e.g., a primary first rotational speed) during a first operating time to perform a first bubble removal cycle that raises the condensate from the discharge section to a first height at a predetermined height and lowers the condensate by stopping the operation of the drain pump 100 or 930 during a first-1 shutdown time (e.g., a first shutdown time).

[0231] In the dryer 1 or 900 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the controller 910 can operate the drain pump 100 or 930 at a first-second rotational speed (e.g., a secondary first rotational speed) during a second operating time to perform a second bubble removal cycle by raising the condensate to a second height in response to the end of the first bubble removal cycle, thereby lowering the condensate, and stopping the operation of the drain pump 100 or 930 during a first-second shutdown time (e.g., a second shutdown time). The first-second rotational speed can be higher than or equal to the first-first rotational speed.

[0232] In the dryer 1 or 900 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the first height and the second height may be lower than the height to which the condensate will be raised when it is discharged, and the first height may be relatively lower than or equal to the second height.

[0233] In the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second rotational speed may include a second-first rotational speed (e.g., a primary second rotational speed) required to pump condensate from the first water container 50 to a second water container 200 disposed in the body, and a second-second rotational speed (e.g., a secondary second rotational speed) required to pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the outside.

[0234] The dryer 1 or 900 according to embodiments of the present disclosure may further include: a connector connected to one end of the discharge section to guide condensate from the first water container 50 to the second water container 200 or to guide condensate from the first water container 50 to the outside.

[0235] In the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller 910 can identify the location where condensate will be discharged from the position sensor 923 disposed in the connector, and determine one of a second-first rotational speed (e.g., a primary second rotational speed) and a second-second rotational speed (e.g., a secondary second rotational speed) based on the location where condensate will be discharged.

[0236] In the dryer 1 or 900 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the first-1 rotational speed and the first-2 rotational speed can be from 1300 rpm to 3000 rpm.

[0237] In the dryer 1 or 900 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the second rotational speed may be less than or equal to 3300 rpm.

[0238] In the dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller 910 may initiate a bubble removal cycle in response to the water level in the first water container 50 exceeding a threshold level.

[0239] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a method for draining water in a dryer 1 or 900 may include: alternately driving and stopping a drain pump 1010 or 930 a predetermined number of times at a first rotational speed in response to the start of a bubble removal cycle; and starting a drain cycle 1020 at a second rotational speed for a predetermined driving time period in response to the end of a bubble removal cycle. The first rotational speed may be relatively lower than the second rotational speed.

[0240] In the drainage method of the dryer 1 or 900 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the direction along which condensate is introduced into the inlet of the drain pump 100 or 930 and the direction along which condensate is discharged to the outlet of the drain pump 100 or 930 can be parallel to the direction in which the rotating shaft of the drain pump 100 or 930 extends. The rotating shaft can be arranged in a direction perpendicular to the lower surface of the dryer 1 or 900.

[0241] In a method for draining water in a dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a bubble removal cycle may include a first bubble removal cycle. The first bubble removal cycle may include: operating drain pumps 100 and 930 at a first-1 rotational speed (e.g., a primary first rotational speed) during a first operating time to raise condensate from the discharge section to a first height at a predetermined height; and allowing the condensate to drop by stopping the operation of drain pumps 100 and 930 during a first-1 shutdown time (e.g., a first shutdown time).

[0242] In a method for draining water in a dryer 1 or 900 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, a bubble removal cycle may include a second bubble removal cycle that begins in response to the end of a first bubble removal cycle. The second bubble removal cycle may include: operating drain pumps 100, 930 at a first-second rotational speed (e.g., a secondary first rotational speed) during a second operating time to raise the condensate to a second height; and allowing the condensate to decrease by stopping the operation of drain pumps 100, 930 during a first-second shutdown time (e.g., a second shutdown time).

[0243] In a method for draining water in a dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first height and the second height may be lower than the height to which the condensate will be raised when it is drained, and the first height may be relatively lower than or equal to the second height.

[0244] In a method for draining water in a dryer 1 or 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second rotational speed may include a second-first rotational speed (e.g., a primary second rotational speed) required to pump condensate from a first water container 50 to a second water container 200 disposed in the body, and a second-second rotational speed (e.g., a secondary second rotational speed) required to pump condensate from the first water container 50 to the outside.

[0245] The drainage method in the dryer 1 or 900 according to embodiments of the present disclosure may further include: identifying the location where the condensate will be discharged; and determining one of a second-1 rotational speed and a second-2 rotational speed based on the location where the condensate will be discharged.

[0246] In the method for draining water in dryer 1 or 900 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the first-1 rotational speed and the first-2 rotational speed may be from 1300 rpm to 3000 rpm.

[0247] In the method for draining water in dryer 1 or 900 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the second rotational speed may be less than or equal to 3300 rpm.

[0248] The drainage method in the dryer 1 or 900 according to embodiments of the present disclosure may further include rapidly initiating a bubble removal cycle in response to the water level in the first water container 50 exceeding a threshold level.

[0249] The terminology used herein is provided only to describe some embodiments thereof and is not intended to limit this disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “described” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, each of the phrases such as “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” “at least one of A or B,” “A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” and “at least one of A, B, or C” can include all possible combinations of the items listed together in the corresponding one of the phrases. As used herein, the term “and / or” should be understood to include any one or more of the listed items and all possible combinations thereof. As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “having,” and “including” are used only to specify the presence of a feature, component, part, or combination thereof described herein, but the use of such terms does not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, components, parts, or combinations thereof. As used herein, the terms “first” and “second” can modify various components regardless of importance and / or order, and are used to distinguish one component from another without limiting the component.

[0250] As used herein, the term “configured as” may be used interchangeably with the terms “suitable for,” “capable of,” “designed for,” “adapted to,” “manufactured as,” or “capable”, depending on the context. The term “configured as” does not inherently mean “specifically designed in hardware.” Rather, the term “configured as” can mean that a device can perform operations in conjunction with another device or component. For example, “device configured (or set) to perform A, B, and C” can be a dedicated device for performing the respective operations, or it can represent a general-purpose device capable of performing a variety of operations including the respective operations.

[0251] Furthermore, the terms “upper side,” “lower side,” and “front and rear direction” used in this disclosure are defined with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the shape and position of each component are not limited by these terms.

[0252] In this disclosure, specific embodiments have been described above, but this disclosure is not limited to such specific embodiments, but should be understood to cover all kinds of modifications, equivalents and / or substitutions of various embodiments.

Claims

1. A clothes dryer (1,900), comprising: The condensate generated during the drying cycle is stored in the first water container (50); The drainage pumps (100, 930) are driven by brushless DC (BLDC) motors. as well as The controller (910) is configured as follows: In response to the start of the bubble removal cycle, the drain pumps (100, 930) are alternately driven and stopped at a first rotational speed a predetermined number of times to remove bubbles from the condensate stored in the first water container; as well as In response to the end of the bubble removal cycle, a drainage cycle is started, in which the drainage pumps (100, 930) are operated at a second rotational speed greater than the first rotational speed for a predetermined driving time period.

2. The clothes dryer (1, 900) according to claim 1, wherein, The direction along which the condensate is introduced into the inlet of the drain pump (100, 930) and the direction along which the condensate is discharged through the outlet of the drain pump (100, 930) extend parallel to the direction of the rotation axis of the drain pump (100, 930). The rotating shaft is perpendicular to the lower surface of the clothes dryer (1, 900).

3. The clothes dryer (1, 900) according to claim 2, wherein, The controller (910) is also configured to: During the first operation time, the drain pumps (100, 930) are operated at a primary first rotational speed to perform a first bubble removal cycle, so as to reduce the level of the condensate in the first water container (50) and raise the level of the condensate from the discharge section to a first predetermined height by pumping the condensate from the discharge section by the drain pumps (100, 930). as well as During the first downtime, the operation of the drain pumps (100, 930) is stopped to reduce the level of the condensate from the discharge point.

4. The clothes dryer (1, 900) according to claim 3, wherein, The controller is also configured to: In response to the end of the first bubble removal cycle, during the second operation time, the drain pumps (100, 930) are operated at a secondary first rotational speed to perform a second bubble removal cycle, so as to reduce the level of the condensate in the first water container (50) and raise the level of the condensate from the discharge section to a second predetermined height by pumping the condensate from the discharge section by the drain pumps (100, 930). as well as During the second downtime, the operation of the drain pumps (100, 930) is stopped to lower the level of the condensate water relative to the discharge point. The secondary first rotational speed is greater than or equal to the primary first rotational speed.

5. The clothes dryer (1, 900) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, The first predetermined height and the second predetermined height are lower than the height to which the condensate will be raised when the condensate in the first water container (50) is discharged from the first water container by the operation of the drain pumps (100, 930), and The first predetermined height is lower than or equal to the second predetermined height.

6. The clothes dryer (1, 900) according to claim 1, wherein, The second rotational speed includes: The primary second rotational speed corresponds to the rotational speed of the second water container (200) that pumps the condensate from the first water container (50) into the main body of the clothes dryer (1, 900), and The secondary rotational speed corresponds to the rotational speed at which the condensate is pumped from the first water container (50) to the outside of the clothes dryer (1, 900).

7. The clothes dryer (1, 900) according to claim 2 further includes: A connector is attached to the end of the discharge section to guide the condensate from the first water container (50) to the second water container (200) or to guide the condensate from the first water container (50) to the outside of the clothes dryer (1, 900).

8. The clothes dryer (1, 900) according to claim 7, wherein, The controller (910) is also configured to: The location from which the condensate will be discharged is identified by the position sensor (923) in the connector; as well as Based on the identified location where the condensate will be discharged, the drain pump (100, 930) is operated at one of the primary second rotational speed and the secondary second rotational speed.

9. The clothes dryer (1, 900) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, The primary first rotational speed and the secondary first rotational speed are between 1300 rpm and 3000 rpm.

10. The clothes dryer (1, 900) according to claim 1, wherein, The second rotational speed is less than or equal to 3300 rpm.

11. The clothes dryer (1, 900) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The controller (910) is also configured to initiate the bubble removal cycle in response to the level of the condensate in the first water container (50) exceeding a threshold level.

12. A method for operating a clothes dryer (1, 900), said clothes dryer (1, 900) comprising a first water container for storing condensate generated during the execution of a drying cycle, a drain pump driven by a brushless DC motor, and a controller, said method comprising: The following operations are performed via the controller: In response to the start of the bubble removal cycle, the drain pump (100, 930) is alternately driven and stopped (1010) a predetermined number of times at a first rotational speed to remove bubbles from the condensate stored in the first water container; as well as In response to the end of the bubble removal cycle, a drainage cycle (1020) is started, in which the drainage pump is operated at a second rotational speed greater than the first rotational speed for a predetermined driving time period.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The direction in which the condensate is introduced into the inlet of the drain pump (100, 930) and the direction in which the condensate is discharged through the outlet of the drain pump (100, 930) are parallel to the direction in which the rotating shaft of the drain pump (100, 930) extends. The rotating shaft is perpendicular to the lower surface of the clothes dryer (1, 900).

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The bubble removal cycle includes a first bubble removal cycle, which includes: During the first operating time, the drain pumps (100, 930) are operated at a primary first rotational speed to raise the level of the condensate water from the discharge point to a first predetermined height, and During the first downtime, the operation of the drain pumps (100, 930) is stopped to reduce the level of the condensate from the discharge point.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, The bubble removal cycle includes a second bubble removal cycle that begins in response to the end of the first bubble removal cycle, the second bubble removal cycle including: During the second operation time, the drain pumps (100, 930) are operated at a secondary first rotational speed to raise the level of the condensate from the discharge point to a second predetermined height, and During the second downtime, the operation of the drain pumps (100, 930) is stopped to reduce the level of the condensate from the discharge point.

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