Clothes treatment apparatus

Abstract

A method for controlling a drum washing course of a clothes treating apparatus including a cabinet having an opening at a front portion, a water supply portion connected to a water supply source provided outside the cabinet, a tub provided inside the cabinet and storing water supplied from the water supply portion, a drum rotatably provided inside the tub, communicating with the tub, having a clothes inlet at a position corresponding to the opening, and providing an accommodation space for accommodating clothes, and a driving unit providing power for rotating the drum, includes a water supply step for supplying water to a height lower than a lower end of the clothes inlet, and an additional washing step for repeatedly rotating and stopping the drum.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a garment processing device. Background Technology

[0002] Clothing handling equipment refers to equipment capable of washing, drying, or washing and drying clothes (items to be washed or dried), and includes washing machines, dryers, and washer-dryer combos.

[0003] When detergent, fabric softener, and other substances used with a washing machine are not completely flushed out, they deposit on the drum and tub, accumulating and becoming contaminants. These contaminants adhere to the items being washed, thus reducing washing performance. Therefore, to remove these contaminants accumulated on the drum and tub, a strong water flow can be used.

[0004] Conventional washing machines perform a drum sterilization or drum cleaning process to clean their interior. However, because conventional drum sterilization or drum cleaning processes use a large amount of water and it is difficult to increase the drum's rotation speed, they consume a lot of time and energy.

[0005] Furthermore, since a general-purpose cleaner is used and therefore foam generation is not suppressed, the load applied to the drive due to the foam makes it difficult to make the roller rotate at a high speed, thus making it difficult to shorten the time.

[0006] Therefore, suppressing foam generation is related to reducing the time and energy required for drum sterilization or drum cleaning processes in laundry handling equipment, and reducing time and energy becomes an important task in cleaning the inside of washing machines. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Technical issues

[0008] The purpose of this application is to input a special cleaning agent and perform a drum cleaning process to wash the drum and drum with a small amount of water.

[0009] The purpose of this application is to shorten the time of the drum cleaning process by introducing a special cleaning agent and performing the drum cleaning process while the drum is rotating at high speed.

[0010] The purpose of this application is to input a special cleaning agent and perform a bucket cleaning process while heating water, so as to maximize the efficiency of the special cleaning agent.

[0011] Technical solution

[0012] A method for controlling a garment handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. The garment handling apparatus includes: a cabinet having an opening defined in its front surface; a water supply unit connected to a water source disposed outside the cabinet; a tub disposed inside the cabinet and configured to receive and store water from the water supply unit; a roller rotatably disposed inside and communicating with the tub, and having a garment inlet at a position corresponding to the opening to provide a accommodating space for accommodating garments; and a drive providing power for rotating the roller. The method includes: a water supply step of supplying water to a vertical height lower than the lower end of the garment inlet; and an additional washing step in which the roller repeats the rotation and stopping of the roller.

[0013] In a method for controlling a garment handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an additional washing step may be configured such that the duration of the drum's stop time is shorter than the duration of the drum's rotation time.

[0014] In a method for controlling a garment handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an additional washing step may be configured such that the duration of the drum's stop time is equal to or less than half the duration of the drum's rotation time.

[0015] In a method for controlling a garment handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an additional washing step may be configured such that the rotation direction of the drum is switched when the drum accelerates after it has stopped.

[0016] In a method for controlling a garment handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an additional washing step may be configured such that the drum repeatedly rotates and stops at a first speed, and the first speed may be the speed at which water supplied in the water supply step moves to a vertical height higher than the vertical height of the drum's rotation axis.

[0017] In a method for controlling a garment handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first speed may be the speed at which water supplied in the water supply step moves to the front surface of the drum.

[0018] In a method for controlling a garment handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first speed may be the speed at which water supplied in the water supply step moves to the upper surface of the drum.

[0019] A method for controlling a garment handling apparatus according to embodiments of the present disclosure may include: a water permeation washing step performed after a water supply step, wherein the drum is rotated at a first speed, at which water supplied in the water supply step is moved to a vertical height higher than the vertical height of the rotation axis of the drum; and an additional water supply step performed after the water permeation washing step, wherein water is supplied in the additional water supply step such that the height reaches a vertical height higher than the lower end of the garment inlet, and wherein the additional washing step may be configured such that the drum repeatedly rotates and stops at a second speed, the second speed being a speed at which water remaining in the drum after the additional water supply step moves to form a water flow throughout the drum, and the additional washing step may be performed after the additional water supply step.

[0020] In a method for controlling a garment processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the water permeation washing step may include an alternating step of switching the rotation direction of the drum.

[0021] In a method for controlling a garment processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the garment processing apparatus may further include a heater disposed between the bottom surface of a tub and the bottom surface of a roller and configured to heat water stored in the tub, and the method may include a heating step that heats the water supplied in the water supply step to a predetermined temperature.

[0022] In a method for controlling a garment processing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in the water supply step, water may be supplied such that the heater is submerged in water.

[0023] In the method for controlling a garment processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the water permeation washing step can be performed after the heating step has ended.

[0024] In a method for controlling a garment processing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the heating step may heat the water supplied in the water supply step to 40 degrees Celsius or higher.

[0025] In a method for controlling a garment processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the garment processing apparatus may further include a drainage device configured to discharge water stored inside a drum to the outside, and the method may include: a drainage step that discharges water supplied in a water supply step and an additional water supply step to the outside; a rinse water supply step performed after the drainage step and supplying water to a vertical height higher than the garment inlet; a water permeation rinse step that rotates the drum at a third speed, at which the water supplied in the rinse water supply step forms a water flow in which water moves through the entire drum; and a rinse water drainage step that discharges water supplied in the rinse water supply step to the outside.

[0026] In a method for controlling a garment handling device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the third speed may be equal to the second speed.

[0027] Beneficial effects

[0028] This application may provide a garment processing device and a method for controlling the garment processing device, which inputs a special cleaning agent and performs a drum cleaning process to wash the drum and drum with a small amount of water.

[0029] This application can provide a garment processing device and a method for controlling the garment processing device, which inputs a special cleaning agent and performs a drum cleaning process while the drum rotates at high speed, so as to shorten the time of the drum cleaning process.

[0030] This application may provide a garment processing device and a method for controlling the garment processing device, which inputs a special cleaning agent and performs a tub cleaning process while heating water, so as to maximize the efficiency of the special cleaning agent. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 and Figure 2 This is a view illustrating an example of a garment handling device.

[0032] Figure 3 This is a graph illustrating the defoamer ratio of the special cleaning agent for the garment treatment equipment disclosed herein.

[0033] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the bucket cleaning process of the garment handling equipment disclosed herein.

[0034] Figure 5 This is a view illustrating the water level supplied during the drum cleaning process of the garment handling apparatus disclosed herein.

[0035] Figure 6This is a view illustrating the water level supplied during the drum cleaning process when the drum of the garment processing apparatus disclosed herein is set to an inclined state.

[0036] Figure 7 This is a view illustrating the formation of water flow in the space between the drum and the roller during the drum cleaning process of the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure, wherein Figure 7 View (a) in the image is an example of using a specialized cleaning agent, and Figure 7 (b) in the image is an example of a case where a general-purpose cleaner is used.

[0037] Figure 8 This is a view illustrating the formation of water flow in the space between the drum and the roller during the drum cleaning process of the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure, wherein Figure 8 (a) in the image is an example view showing that the water flow has not reached the upper jet nozzle, and Figure 8 (b) is an example view showing the water flow reaching the upper jet nozzle.

[0038] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating the RPM of the rollers at various steps in the drum cleaning process of the garment processing equipment disclosed herein. Detailed Implementation

[0039] In the following description, embodiments and methods of the garment processing apparatus will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The configurations or methods of the apparatus described below are only for explaining various embodiments of the garment processing apparatus and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals denote the same parts.

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, the garment processing device 100 can be configured to include: a cabinet 1 having an opening 11; a bucket 2 disposed inside the cabinet 1 to store water; and a roller 3 rotatably disposed inside the bucket to hold the object to be processed (hereinafter referred to as "garment").

[0041] The opening 11 can be defined in the front surface of the cabinet 1 and can be configured to be closed by a door 12 that is rotatably connected to the cabinet 1.

[0042] The control panel 13 can be installed on cabinet 1, and Figure 1 As an example, the control panel 13 is positioned above the opening 11 on the front surface of the cabinet 1.

[0043] The control panel 13 may be provided with an input unit 131 and a display unit 132. The input unit 131 is a means for receiving control commands from the user, and the display unit 132 may be a means for displaying control commands selectable by the user and execution information of the control commands selected by the user.

[0044] like Figure 2 As shown, the bucket 2 can be configured as a bucket body 21, which is disposed inside the cabinet 1 to provide space for storing water. The bucket body 21 is configured as a cylinder with an empty interior, and the bucket inlet 22 can be disposed on one surface of the cylinder.

[0045] The barrel 21 can be fixed inside the cabinet 1 by the support, and Figure 2 As an example, the support is provided as a spring 24 and a damper 25, with the spring 24 connecting the upper part of the circumferential surface of the barrel 21 to the cabinet 1 and the damper 25 connecting the lower part of the circumferential surface of the barrel 21 to the cabinet 1.

[0046] Furthermore, the drum 2 may be equipped with a spray nozzle 211, which is connected to an external water supply and configured to spray water into the interior of the drum 3 (see [link]). Figure 7 Multiple spray nozzles can be provided, and they can be arranged symmetrically about the center on the upper, lower, left, and right sides.

[0047] The barrel inlet 22 can be configured to connect to the opening 11 via a gasket 23. To prevent water stored inside the barrel 21 from leaking into the cabinet 1, the gasket 23 can be configured as a pipe connecting the opening 11 and the barrel inlet 22 to each other. Furthermore, to minimize the transmission of vibrations from the barrel 21 to the cabinet 1, the gasket 23 can be made of an elastic material such as rubber.

[0048] The roller 3 can be configured to include a roller body 31, which is disposed inside the tub body 21 to provide space for storing clothes.

[0049] The roller body 31 can be configured as a cylinder with an empty interior, and the garment inlet 32 ​​can be disposed on one surface of the cylinder (the surface facing the direction in which the inlet is located). The material of the roller body 31 is preferably a conductor.

[0050] A connecting hole 33 that connects the interior of the roller body 31 with the interior of the tub body 21 can be provided on the circumferential surface of the roller body 31, and a lifter that raises the clothes inside the roller body 31 during rotation can be provided on the circumferential surface of the roller body 31.

[0051] The roller body 31 can be rotatably fixed to the barrel body 21 by the driver 4.

[0052] The drive 4 can be configured to include: a stator 41 fixed to the rear surface of the barrel 21 and forming a rotating magnetic field when current is supplied; a rotor 42 located outside the barrel 21 to rotate by the rotating field; and a rotating shaft 43 extending through the rear surface of the barrel 21 and connecting the rotor 42 to the rear surface of the roller 31.

[0053] In addition, a sensing unit (not shown) may be included to sense the current applied to the driver 4. The sensing unit can sense the current applied to the driver and determine the amount of clothing, foam, etc., inside the drum 3. Since the current value applied to the driver varies depending on the amount of clothing or foam present inside the drum, the state inside the drum can be determined based on the current value.

[0054] However, the sensing unit is not limited to sensing current, and can also determine the state inside the drum by sensing vibration.

[0055] The barrel 21 receives water through the water supply unit 5, and the water stored in the barrel 21 can be discharged to the outside of the barrel 21 through the drainage device 6.

[0056] The water supply unit 5 may be configured to include: a water supply pipe 52 that connects the water source 51 to the tank 21; and a water supply valve 53 that controls the opening and closing of the water supply pipe 52.

[0057] The drainage device 6 may be configured to include: a pump 61; a first drain pipe 62 that connects the tank 21 to the pump 61; and a second drain pipe 63 that guides the water discharged from the pump 61 to the outside of the cabinet 1.

[0058] The laundry handling equipment 100 may also be provided with a detergent dispenser 7 for supplying detergent to the drum 21. The detergent dispenser 7 may be configured to include: a drawer that is retractable from the front surface of the cabinet 1; and a storage space defined in the drawer, in which the detergent is stored.

[0059] Figure 2 As an example, the storage space is configured to connect the water supply pipe 52 and the tank 21 to each other. In this case, the water supply pipe 52 can be configured as: a first water supply pipe 521, which guides water supplied from the water source 51 to the storage space; and a second water supply pipe 522, which guides detergent and water discharged from the storage space to the tank 21.

[0060] Furthermore, the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure may be equipped with a heater 8, which is disposed on the bottom surface of the tub to heat the water stored in the tub. The heater may be any device capable of supplying heat to the water.

[0061] The heater 8 can be positioned on the bottom surface of the drum 2 at intervals to avoid interference with the roller 3. This is to prevent damage to the heater caused by the rotation of the roller.

[0062] Figure 3 The example illustrates the defoamer content ratio of a special cleaning agent in the washing cycle of the laundry treatment equipment of this disclosure, which will be described later, for the drum cleaning process.

[0063] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the bucket cleaning process of the garment handling equipment disclosed herein.

[0064] The garment processing apparatus disclosed herein can perform a drum cleaning process to remove contaminants remaining on the drum 2 and roller 3.

[0065] The bucket cleaning process is performed by inputting a special cleaning agent, which can be a foam-preventing agent. For example, it can be a glycol ether-based cleaning agent.

[0066] Specialty cleaners work by penetrating between contaminants and the washing machine's surface to separate them. Typically, defoamers are used in cleaners to suppress foam, and the defoamers used in specialty cleaners are silicone-based. Their concentration varies depending on the cleaner's composition and intended use, and can range from 25 to 80 ppm to ensure proper operation of the water-penetrating wash cycle, which will be described later. The defoamer ratio in the water-penetrating wash cycle is as follows: Figure 3 As shown in (a) above. However, the content is not limited to this and can vary depending on the water supply, rotation speed, etc.

[0067] When the concentration is below 25 to 80 ppm, unsuppressed foam acts as a load during the water penetration wash cycle, and the drum may not achieve the desired RPM. When the concentration is above 25 to 80 ppm, the defoamer remains on the drum or roller after the cleaning process and affects the next wash, making it possible that no foam will be generated during the cycle.

[0068] In addition, for the washing cycle of the additional washing step, which will be described later, to function properly, a defoamer containing 10 to 30 ppm of a specialized detergent must be used. The defoamer ratio in the additional washing cycle is as follows: Figure 3 As shown in (b) above. However, the content is not limited to this and can vary depending on the water supply, rotation speed, etc.

[0069] Using the defoamer concentration described above can suppress foam as much as possible during the drive's on-time and quickly remove foam during the off-time. Therefore, a lower concentration of defoamer than that used in the water penetration washing step can be used.

[0070] By using a special cleaning agent, the generation of foam that acts as a load is prevented, making it possible for the roller 3 to rotate at high speed compared to using regular cleaning agents.

[0071] In addition, specialized cleaners can be those that do not produce more foam even when heated.

[0072] By using a specialized cleaning agent, the chemical force is increased, making it easier to remove accumulated contaminants. The use of a specialized cleaning agent also prevents the formation of foam that acts as a load, allowing roller 3 to rotate at high speed, thereby increasing mechanical force.

[0073] Due to the increased chemical and mechanical forces, pollutants can be effectively removed even in a short period of time.

[0074] In other words, by using specialized cleaning agents, the cleaning power of the bucket cleaning process can be increased while shortening the cleaning time.

[0075] The drum cleaning process can begin when the user inputs the detergent into the drum 3 via the detergent input step. When the detergent input step is performed, the drum cleaning process can be executed as follows: a water supply step S100, supplying water to a vertical height lower than the lower end of the clothes inlet 32; a heating step S200, performed during or after the water supply step, heating the water supplied in the water supply step to a predetermined temperature; a water penetration washing step S300, performed after the heating step S200, rotating the drum at a first speed to generate water flow; an additional water supply step S400, supplying water to a vertical height higher than the lower end of the clothes inlet; and an additional washing step S500, rotating the drum at a second speed, at which the water supplied in the additional water supply step forms a water flow pattern through the entire drum. The process includes: a flow and drainage step, performed after the additional washing step, to drain the water stored in the drum to the outside; a rinse water supply step S600, performed after the drainage step, to supply water to a vertical height higher than the vertical height of the lower end of the garment inlet; a water penetration rinsing step S700, in which the drum is rotated at a third speed, and at the third speed, the water supplied in the rinse water supply step forms a water flow in which the water moves through the entire drum; a rinse water drainage step S700, after the water penetration rinsing step, to drain the water remaining in the drum to the outside; and a final dehydration step S800, after the rinse water drainage step, in which the drain valve is opened while the drum is rotating at high speed to drain the water remaining in the drum to the outside.

[0076] The water supply step may include a detergent supply step, in which a first water supply pipe and a second water supply pipe are opened simultaneously to supply detergent to the tank, and the detergent may be a special cleaning agent.

[0077] In other words, the special detergent can be supplied in the detergent input step, where the user directly supplies the special detergent; or the special detergent can be input in the detergent supply step, where the detergent dispenser supplies the detergent to the tank during the water supply step.

[0078] Figure 5 The water supply is illustrated according to each step.

[0079] Reference Figure 5 The water supply step S100 can supply water to a vertical height lower than the vertical height of the lower end H2 of the clothing inlet 32. By using a special cleaning agent, no foam is generated even when the roller 3 rotates at high speed, so that the amount of load applied to the drive 4 can be relatively smaller compared to high-speed rotation using a general cleaning agent.

[0080] Therefore, effective cleaning can be performed even with a small amount of water, and the water supply time can be shortened due to the small water supply, thereby shortening the overall time and preventing damage to drive 4.

[0081] In the water supply step S100, the vertical height of the water supplied can be equal to or greater than the vertical height H1 of the heater 8 submerged in water. When the heater is not submerged, it is exposed to air during heating and may be damaged. When water is supplied to a height higher than the vertical height H2 of the lower end of the clothes inlet 32, the drive 4 may be overloaded in the subsequent water penetration washing step S300. Therefore, by supplying water to a vertical height lower than the vertical height H2 of the lower end of the clothes inlet, damage to the heater and overload of the drive can be prevented.

[0082] The heating step S300 may be performed during the execution of the water supply step S100 or after the water supply step ends.

[0083] The heating step S300 can heat the washing water mixed with the special detergent to increase the chemical power of the washing water. Since the chemical power of the washing water increases with increasing temperature, and high cleaning power can be expected at 40 degrees Celsius or higher, the heating step S200 can heat the washing water to 40 degrees Celsius or higher to increase the chemical power.

[0084] Furthermore, in the heating step S200, water can come into contact with the high-temperature heater 8 to generate steam, and the generated steam diffuses into the interior of the barrel 2 and the drum 3 to soak the contaminants accumulated on the barrel and the drum, thereby making it easier to remove the contaminants.

[0085] In one embodiment of the heating step S200, the heater 8 may be driven for 6 minutes or longer, or until the temperature of the water stored inside the tank 2 reaches 58 degrees Celsius.

[0086] Since the activity of the special cleaning agent increases at a temperature of 58 degrees Celsius, the heating step S200 can end when the water temperature reaches 58 degrees Celsius.

[0087] Furthermore, considering the typical performance of the heater 8 used in the washing machine, the washing water temperature can reach 58 degrees Celsius after the heater 8 has been running for approximately 6 minutes, at which temperature the activity of the specialized detergent is highest. Therefore, the heater 8 can run for 6 minutes, but can be stopped before 6 minutes when the water temperature reaches 58 degrees Celsius. In other words, the heater can stop running after 6 minutes or when the washing water reaches 58 degrees Celsius.

[0088] When the heating step S200 ends, the water penetration washing step S300 can be performed. During the water penetration washing step, water circulates and the water level decreases, which could damage the heater if exposed. Therefore, the water penetration washing step can be performed after the heating step ends. That is, the water level supplied in the water supply step S100 can be higher than the immersion height H1 of the heater 8 and lower than the vertical height H2 of the lower end of the clothing inlet 32.

[0089] In the water penetration washing step S300, physical force is applied to the water stored in the drum 2 by the rotation of the drum 3, and the water stored in the drum 2 can be moved by physical force.

[0090] The first speed in the water penetration washing step S300 can be the speed at which a physical force can be applied to move the water supplied in the water supply step S100 to a position higher than the rotation axis 43 of the drum 3, or the speed at which a physical force can be applied to move the water located at the rear of the drum to the front of the drum, or the speed at which a physical force can be applied to move the water stored in the bucket 2 to the upper surface of the drum.

[0091] However, since water can move to the upper surface of the drum 3 in the additional washing step S500, which will be described later, and in order to prevent excessive load from being applied to the drive 4, the speed at which physical force is applied to cause movement to the upper surface of the drum can be excluded from the first speed in the water penetration washing step S300.

[0092] The first speed can be defined as the maximum speed at which foam production is suppressed when using a specialized cleaning agent. In other words, even when using a specialized cleaning agent, a large amount of foam may be generated when the roller rotates at a speed equal to or greater than the first speed.

[0093] For example, to move water stored in tank 2, drive 4 can be driven in the range of 400 RPM to 600 RPM. The higher the RPM of the drive, the wider the radius of movement of the water stored in the tank.

[0094] Considering the typical performance of drive 4, when the drive's RPM is below 400 RPM, the water flow may not be smooth, and the cleaning range of the water flow reaching the bucket 2 and roller 3 may be reduced. In addition, the water flow velocity may decrease, and the mechanical force impacting the accumulated contaminants may be reduced.

[0095] At speeds above 600 RPM, strain may be applied to drive 4.

[0096] In the water penetration washing step S300, when the drum 3 rotates at a first speed, the washing water mixed with the special detergent located at the rear of the drum can move to the front of the drum, and the washing water that has moved to the front surface of the drum can wash the tub 2 and the front of the drum.

[0097] The first speed can be equal to or lower than the RPM at which the spin cycle is performed during a typical washing process when the clothes are contained in drum 3. The RPM at which the spin cycle is performed can refer to the RPM at which the clothes are attached to the inner circumferential surface of the drum and rotate.

[0098] In addition, the washing water can be scattered into the drum 2 through the connecting hole 33 provided in the drum 3 and connected to the drum 2, and the washing water scattered through the connecting hole can remove the contaminants accumulated on the drum 2.

[0099] During the execution of the water penetration washing step S300, circulating water can be sprayed into the interior of the drum 3 through the spray nozzle 211 provided in the drum 2 to wash the sides of the drum.

[0100] In addition, circulating water can be used to maintain the water level in the tank 2 during the execution of the water permeation washing step S300.

[0101] In the water penetration washing step S300, the water stored in the drum 2 moves, and the water level in the drum may decrease during the rotation of the drum 3.

[0102] Therefore, the physical force caused by the rotation of drum 3 may not be able to act on the water stored in tub 2, making the water flow formation potentially unsmooth. To address this, when circulating water is introduced, the lowered water level can be raised again by the washing water that forms the water flow therein, and when the water level rises, the circulating water forms a water flow through the physical force caused by the rotation of the drum, thereby preventing the cleaning range of the drum and tub from decreasing.

[0103] Furthermore, the water penetration washing step S300 can be performed two or more times, and the water penetration washing step can include an alternating step of switching the rotation direction so that the drum rotates alternately in the forward and reverse directions.

[0104] For example, the roller can initially rotate in the forward direction, then stop, and then rotate in the reverse direction again. Therefore, since the direction of water flow changes depending on the direction of rotation, a wide range of cleaning can be performed. The aforementioned direction switching can be performed two or more times.

[0105] Because the drum cleaning process of this disclosure uses a specialized cleaning agent, less foam is generated and less load is produced. Therefore, compared with the conventional drum cleaning process that uses a general-purpose cleaning agent (percarbonate-based) instead of a specialized cleaning agent, the drum can rotate at a first speed in the water penetration washing step S300. As a result, the drum cleaning process time can be significantly reduced.

[0106] In contrast, when a general-purpose cleaner is applied and the drum rotates at its initial speed, foam is generated inside the drum (see...). Figure 8 The increased resistance caused by foam increases the load applied to drive 4 and may cause damage to the drive.

[0107] When the water permeation washing step S300 ends, the additional water supply step S400 can be performed.

[0108] The additional water supply step S400 can supply water to the level at which water forms a flow throughout the entire tub 2 and drum 3 in the additional washing step S500.

[0109] For example, the additional water supply step S400 may additionally supply water to a vertical height H2 above the lower end of the clothing inlet 32. The water supplied in the additional water supply step is 8 to 15 L, and the water level may be above the vertical height H2 of the lower end of the clothing inlet and below the vertical height H3, which is the midpoint between the vertical height of the rotation axis 43 and the vertical height of the bottom surface of the bucket 2.

[0110] In the additional water supply step S400, when the height is higher than the vertical height H3, water may flow back in the subsequent additional washing step S500, and when the height is lower than the vertical height H2, water flow may not form throughout the entire drum 3, and the entire drum may not be cleaned.

[0111] In the additional water supply step S400, the additional water supplied may not undergo the heating step S200. This is because the water volume is increased compared to the water permeation washing step S300, thus requiring a significant amount of time and increasing energy consumption for heating the water. However, this disclosure is not limited to this and does not exclude the possibility of performing a heating step to heat the water supplied in the additional water supply step.

[0112] When the additional water supply step S400 ends or while water is being supplied in the additional water supply step S400, the additional washing step S500 can be performed.

[0113] In the additional washing step S500, the second speed can be the speed at which the water supplied in the additional water supply step S400 forms a water flow that passes through the entire drum 3 and tub 2. That is, the second speed can be the speed at which water moves to the vertical height where the spray nozzle 211 is located. Therefore, the insertion portion of the spray nozzle can also be washed. For example, the second speed can be set to 230 RPM.

[0114] The second speed can be lower than the first speed. This may be because the water level is raised during the additional washing step S400. Therefore, even at a speed lower than the first speed, water flow can be formed throughout the drum 3, and the amount of water flowing in the additional washing step S400 is greater than the amount of water flowing in the water penetration washing step S300, resulting in a greater load applied to the drive 4.

[0115] Because the additional water supply step S400 uses a special cleaning agent, foam generation is suppressed, and a smaller load can be applied compared to using a general-purpose cleaning agent. Therefore, the roller 3 can be driven at a relatively higher speed compared to using a general-purpose cleaning agent.

[0116] In addition, the additional washing step S500 may include a foam removal step that stops the rotation of the drum 3 and accelerates the rotation of the drum at a second speed.

[0117] In the foam removal step, the direction of rotation of the roller can be switched during the process of repeatedly stopping the rotation of the roller and accelerating the rotation of the roller at a second speed.

[0118] The foam removal step can refer to the step of stopping the rotation of the drum to remove the foam generated while the drum is accelerating, in order to reduce the load caused by the foam.

[0119] Therefore, the shorter the time during which roller 3 stops, the more foam may not be removed but may accumulate and overflow, or the load applied to drive 4 by the foam may increase.

[0120] However, in the foam removal step of this disclosure using a specialized cleaner containing ingredients that inhibit foam generation, even when the time of the rotation stop of the roller 3 is set to be significantly shorter than the time of the rotation acceleration of the roller, foam may not overflow, and the amount of load applied to the drive 4 by the foam may not increase. For example, the actual running rate (acceleration time / stop time) can be set to 50% or more, and the duration of the roller stop time can be from 4 seconds to 10 seconds.

[0121] The additional washing step S500 may consist of only a foam removal step.

[0122] When the additional washing step S500 ends, the draining step can be performed.

[0123] The drainage step can be performed after the additional washing step S500 is completed by operating pump 61 and opening the first drain pipe 62 and the second drain pipe 63 to drain the water remaining in the bucket 2 to the outside.

[0124] After the drainage step is completed, the rinsing water supply step S600 can be performed.

[0125] The rinsing water supply step S600 is a step of supplying water to remove contaminants that were not removed in the additional washing step S500, and may refer to the step of supplying water to a vertical height H2 above the lower end of the garment inlet 32, so that a water flow is formed throughout the tub 2 and the drum 3. That is, the amount of water in the rinsing water supply step S600 can be supplied in the same amount as the amount of water supplied in the additional water supply step S400.

[0126] When the rinsing water supply step S600 ends, the water penetration rinsing step S700 can be performed.

[0127] The water penetration rinsing step S700 can refer to the step of rinsing the tub without introducing a special cleaning agent or a general cleaning agent into the water supplied in the rinsing water supply step S600.

[0128] In the water penetration rinsing step S700, the drum can be rotated at a third speed, at which the water supplied in the rinsing water supply step S600 forms a water flow in which the water moves through the entire drum.

[0129] In other words, the amount of water supplied in the rinsing water supply step S600 is equal to the amount of water supplied in the additional water supply step S400, and the water flow formed in the water penetration rinsing step S700 is the same as the water flow formed in the additional washing step S500, so that the third speed can be equal to the second speed.

[0130] When the water penetration rinsing step S700 is completed, the rinsing water drainage step can be performed.

[0131] The rinsing water drainage step can be performed by operating pump 61 and opening the first drain pipe 62 and the second drain pipe 63 to drain the water remaining in the bucket 2 to the outside.

[0132] Even when the rinsing water draining step is finished, water may remain inside the drum 2 or the roller 3, and the final dewatering step S800 can be performed to remove this water.

[0133] The final dehydration step can be performed by operating pump 61 and opening the first drain pipe 62 and the second drain pipe 63 while the drum is rotating at a speed equal to the first speed, thereby draining the water remaining in the bucket 2 to the outside. The water remaining in the bucket or drum can be completely removed by the centrifugal force generated by the high-speed rotation.

[0134] The additional washing step S500 according to the embodiment of the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure can be performed after the water supply step S100 and the heating step S200 have ended. That is, the water penetration washing step S300 can be omitted, and the additional washing step S500 can be performed instead of the water penetration washing step S300.

[0135] In other words, in the drum cleaning process of the garment processing apparatus according to the present disclosure, after the water supply step S100 and the heating step S200 are completed, an additional washing step S500 can be performed, and after the additional washing step is completed, an additional water supply step S400 can be performed, and then the additional washing step S500 can be performed again. When the additional washing step is completed, a rinsing water supply step S600, a water penetration rinsing step S700, and a final dehydration step S800 can be performed.

[0136] The additional washing step S500, performed after the water supply step S100 and the heating step S200, may include a foam removal step in which the drum repeats its rotation and stops.

[0137] Similarly, in this case, in the additional washing step S500, the time during which the drum 3 stops can be set to be shorter than the time during its rotation. For example, the time during which the drum stops rotating can be set to half or less of the time during the drum's rotation. Furthermore, when the drum accelerates after stopping, the direction of rotation can be switched.

[0138] However, in the additional washing step S500 performed after the water supply step S100 ends, the drum does not accelerate to the second speed and stop, but can repeatedly accelerate to the first speed and stop.

[0139] This is because the water level supplied in the water supply step S100 is lower than the vertical height H2 of the lower end of the clothes inlet 32, so the cleaning range narrows when the setting is to accelerate to the second speed and then stop. Therefore, in the additional washing step performed after the water supply step ends, the drum can be set to accelerate to the first speed and then stop.

[0140] Figure 6 This is a view illustrating the water level supplied in the water supply step, the additional water supply step, and the rinsing water supply step when the rear of the drum is set to be inclined lower than the front of the drum.

[0141] Reference Figure 6 H5 is the water level corresponding to H1, and can represent the water level H5 in which the heater 8 is submerged. Furthermore, it can represent the water level H5 in which at least a portion of the bottom surface of the drum 3 is submerged.

[0142] When water is supplied to a vertical height of H5 in the water supply step S100 while the drum 3 is set to an inclined state, and the drum 3 rotates at a first speed, the water located at the rear of the drum can move to the front of the drum, or move upward to the vertical height H8 where the rotation axis is located, or move to contact the upper surface of the drum.

[0143] H6 is the vertical height corresponding to H2, and it can represent the lower end of the clothing inlet 32. In other words, it can represent the water level H6 where the entire bottom surface of the roller is submerged in water.

[0144] When water is supplied at a level higher than H6 with drum 3 set to an inclined state and the drum rotates at a first speed, an excessive load is applied to drive 4, which may cause damage to the drive. Therefore, the water penetration washing step can be performed with water supplied at a level equal to or lower than H6.

[0145] H7 is the vertical height corresponding to H3, and can represent the water level H7, which is half the vertical height from the bottom surface of the bucket to the rotation axis H8.

[0146] When water is supplied at a level higher than H7 with drum 3 set to an inclined state and the drum rotates at a second speed, water may flow back. Therefore, the additional washing step can be performed with water supplied at a level equal to or lower than H7.

[0147] Figure 7 (a) illustrates the space between the bucket and the roller when using a special cleaning agent, and Figure 7 (b) illustrates the space between the bucket and the roller when using a general-purpose cleaner.

[0148] Reference Figure 7 In (a), by using a special cleaning agent, no foam is generated in the space between the tub 2 and the roller 3 even when the roller 3 rotates at the first speed to the third speed, so the resistance is reduced and the amount of load applied to the drive 4 can be reduced.

[0149] On the other hand, refer to Figure 7 In (b), by using a general-purpose cleaner, foam is generated in the space between the drum 2 and the drum 3 when the drum rotates at the first speed to the third speed, thus increasing the resistance and the amount of load applied to the drive 4.

[0150] Figure 8An example is shown where water circulates in the drum during an additional washing step, wherein Figure 8 (a) illustrates the water flow in the additional washing step when water is supplied to a level below H2 in the additional water supply step, and Figure 8 (b) illustrates the water flow in the additional washing step when water is supplied to a level above H2 in the additional water supply step.

[0151] Reference Figure 8 In (a), the spray nozzle 211 can be located at the lower and upper ends of the tub. When water is supplied to a vertical height below H2 in the additional water supply step S400 and the drum rotates at a second speed in the additional washing step S500, the resulting water flow cannot reach the spray nozzle 211, and therefore the spray nozzle cannot be washed.

[0152] Reference Figure 8 In (b), when water is supplied to a vertical height above H2 in the additional water supply step S400 and the drum rotates at a second speed in the additional washing step S500, the resulting water flow can reach the spray nozzle 211, so the spray nozzle can be washed.

[0153] Figure 9 The RPM of the rollers is illustrated at each step of the drum cleaning process.

[0154] The RPM corresponding to the first speed in the water penetration washing step S200 is the same as the RPM in the final dehydration step S800, and the RPM corresponding to the second speed in the additional washing step S400 and the RPM corresponding to the third speed in the water penetration rinsing step S700 can be lower than the RPM in the first speed and the final dehydration step.

[0155] Each step of rotating the drum can be repeated two or more times.

[0156] The drum cleaning process can be categorized into a first washing step, a second washing step, a rinsing step, and a final dehydration step.

[0157] The first washing step may include a water supply step S100, a heating step S200, and a water penetration washing step S300. In the first washing step, heating is performed after a small amount of water is supplied, and when a target time or temperature is reached, a high concentration of washing water is sprayed into the interior of the drum 3, and the water penetration washing step S300, in which the drum rotates at a high RPM, can be performed. The water penetration washing step may be performed two or more times, and the rotation directions may be different from each other, so that the cleaning portion can be compensated according to the rotation direction.

[0158] Once the first washing step is completed, the second washing step, which includes an additional water supply step S400, an additional washing step S500, and a draining step, can begin. Following the additional water supply, an additional washing process is performed by changing the rotation direction at 230 rpm without heating, creating a water flow through the entire tub 2 and the entire drum 3. In this respect, because a specialized detergent is used, no additional foam is generated, thus the stop time for the operation of the drive 4 can be minimized to 4 seconds.

[0159] Once the second washing step is complete, a rinsing step can begin, in which contaminants are drained from the drive and clean water is supplied to wash away any remaining detergent in the drive. During the rinsing step, water can be supplied as in the rinsing water supply step, and a penetrating rinse can be performed by spraying water into the interior of drum 3. When the penetrating rinse is complete, a draining step can be performed again.

[0160] Once the rinsing step is complete, the final dewatering step S800 can be performed to remove as much water as possible from inside the drum 2 and drum 3. During drainage while rotating at high rpm, the residual water in the drum 2 and drum 3 diffuses and is discharged through the dewatering holes, thus removing the residual water.

[0161] This disclosure can be modified and implemented in various forms, and its scope of claim is not limited to the embodiments described above. Therefore, when modified embodiments include elements of the claims of this disclosure, they should be considered to fall within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a garment processing device, the garment processing device comprising: A cabinet, wherein an opening is defined in the front surface of the cabinet; A water supply unit connected to a water source located outside the cabinet; a bucket located inside the cabinet and configured to receive water from the water supply unit and store the water in the bucket; a roller rotatably located inside the bucket, communicating with the bucket, and having a clothing inlet at a position corresponding to the opening to provide a storage space for storing clothing therein. and a drive, which provides power for rotating the roller. The method includes: Water supply steps: Supply water to a vertical height lower than the lower end of the clothing inlet; and Additional washing step: In the additional washing step, the drum repeats the rotation and stopping of the drum.

2. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 1, the method further comprising a detergent input step of supplying detergent to the drum. in, The detergent input step is performed before or during the water supply step.

3. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 2, wherein, The additional washing step is configured such that the duration of the drum's stop time is shorter than the duration of the drum's rotation time.

4. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 3, wherein, The additional washing step is configured such that the duration of the stop time of the drum is equal to or less than half the duration of the rotation time of the drum.

5. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 2, wherein, The additional washing step is configured such that when the drum accelerates after it has stopped, the direction of rotation of the drum is switched.

6. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 2, wherein, The additional washing step is configured such that the drum repeatedly rotates at a first speed and stops, and Wherein, the first speed is the speed at which the water supplied in the water supply step moves to a vertical height higher than the vertical height of the rotation axis of the drum.

7. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 2, wherein, The first speed is the speed at which the water supplied in the water supply step moves to the front surface of the drum.

8. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 2, wherein, The first speed is the speed at which the water supplied in the water supply step moves to a vertical height that is higher than the vertical height of the rotation axis of the drum and lower than the vertical height of the upper surface of the drum.

9. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 2, the method further comprising: Water permeation washing step: The water permeation washing step is performed after the water supply step ends, and the drum is rotated at a first speed, the first speed being the speed at which the water supplied in the water supply step moves to a vertical height higher than the vertical height of the rotation axis of the drum; and Additional water supply step: The additional water supply step supplies water after the water permeation washing step is completed. In the additional water supply step, water is supplied such that the water level reaches a vertical height higher than the lower end of the clothing inlet. The additional washing step is configured to cause the drum to repeatedly rotate and stop at a second speed, the second speed being the speed at which water remaining in the tub after the additional water supply step moves to form a water flow throughout the drum, and the additional washing step is performed after the additional water supply step ends.

10. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 9, wherein, in, The additional water supply step is configured to cut off the supply of detergent from the detergent dispenser.

11. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 9, wherein, The water penetration washing step includes an alternating step of switching the rotation direction of the drum.

12. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 2, wherein, The garment processing equipment also includes a heater disposed between the bottom surface of the tub and the bottom surface of the roller and configured to heat water stored in the tub. The method further includes a heating step: heating the water supplied in the water supply step to a predetermined temperature.

13. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 12, wherein, In the water supply step, water is supplied such that the heater is submerged in the water.

14. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 12, wherein, The water permeation washing step is performed after the heating step is completed.

15. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 12, wherein, The heating step heats the water supplied in the water supply step to 40 degrees Celsius or higher.

16. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 9, wherein, The garment processing equipment also includes a drainage device configured to drain water stored inside the bucket to the outside, and The method further includes: Drainage step: The water supplied in the water supply step and the additional water supply step is discharged to the outside; Rinse water supply step: The rinse water supply step is performed after the drainage step is completed, and water is supplied to a vertical height higher than the garment inlet; Water permeation rinsing step: The drum is rotated at a third speed, at which the water supplied in the rinsing water supply step forms a water flow that moves through the entire drum; and Rinse water drainage step: The water supplied in the rinse water supply step is drained to the outside.

17. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 16, wherein, The third speed is equal to the second speed.

18. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 1, wherein, The garment processing equipment also includes a detergent dispenser for supplying detergent to the tub, and The water supply step includes a detergent supply step, in which the detergent dispenser supplies detergent to the tank.

19. The method for controlling the garment processing equipment according to claim 2 or claim 18, wherein, The detergent has a defoamer content of 25 ppm or more and 80 ppm or less.

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