Laundry care appliance with a control device

Abstract

The invention relates to a laundry care appliance 100 comprising a dispenser tray 101 for holding laundry care substance, a tub 105 for holding washing liquid, a fresh water supply device 118-1, with which the laundry care substance held in the dispenser tray 101 is conveyed with the fresh water into the tub 105, a laundry drum 107 arranged in the tub 105, a laundry drum drive 109, and a controller 119, which is designed to activate the fresh water supply device 118-1 during a supply period to supply a predetermined partial amount of fresh water into the dispenser tray 101, wherein the partial amount is less than the total amount of fresh water required for a laundry care process, and to convey the laundry care substance held in the dispenser tray 101 together with the partial amount of fresh water into the tub 105.and during the feed period, to activate the drum drive 109 to rotate the laundry drum 107 at a predetermined expulsion speed and to set the fresh water in the tub 105 in motion by the rotating laundry drum 107 and to dissolve the laundry care substance absorbed in the fresh water to obtain washing liquid, wherein the predetermined expulsion speed corresponds to the speed at which penetration of the fresh water into the laundry is reduced and / or the fresh water is expelled from the laundry.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a laundry care appliance with a control system.

[0002] When a conventional laundry appliance's drum is fully loaded with laundry, it may not always be possible to ensure that all areas of the laundry are optimally cleaned. For example, the laundry core often lacks a sufficiently high concentration of laundry care substances due to the reduced movement and flow of washing liquid. This can be particularly problematic when a large volume of fresh water results in a reduced concentration of laundry care substances in the washing liquid.

[0003] EP 2 348 151 A1 describes a supply of washing liquid into the tub with subsequent activation of a recirculation device in order to achieve effective mixing of the laundry with washing liquid.

[0004] DE 10 2019 119 096 A1 describes a washing machine and a method for operating the washing machine, in which a quantity of water is supplied to a tub with the addition of detergent, laundry is moistened with the supplied quantity of water and a drum is rotated at a speed higher than an application speed to expel the quantity of water from the laundry.

[0005] EP 2 228 478 A1 describes a drum washing machine which is designed to supply water and detergent to a tub, to dissolve the supplied detergent in the water by rotating a drum and to produce highly concentrated foam with detergent and to moisten the laundry with the foam.

[0006] KR 2008 0 079 805 A describes a washing machine and a method for operating the washing machine, which is intended to reduce laundry damage caused by incompletely dissolved detergent. In this method, water containing detergent is added to a tub until a water level dependent on a measured load is reached. Once the water level is reached, the detergent is dissolved in the water by rotating a drum at a predetermined speed for a predetermined time. The dissolved detergent water is then sprayed into the drum.

[0007] The object underlying the invention is to provide a laundry care appliance that ensures effective laundry care in all areas of the laundry contained in the drum. In particular, the laundry care appliances known in the prior art and their operating methods are to be further improved using simple means.

[0008] This object is achieved by the subject matter having the features according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims, the description, and the drawings.

[0009] According to a first aspect, the object of the invention is achieved by a laundry care appliance, comprising a dispenser tray for receiving laundry care substance, a tub for receiving washing liquid, wherein the tub is fluidically connected to the dispenser tray, a fresh water supply device which is designed to supply fresh water to the dispenser tray and to convey the laundry care substance received in the dispenser tray together with the fresh water into the tub, a laundry drum for receiving laundry, wherein the laundry drum is arranged in the tub, a drum drive for rotating the laundry drum, and a control which is connected to the fresh water supply device and the drum drive for control purposes, wherein the control is designedduring a supply period, to activate the fresh water supply device to supply a predetermined partial amount of fresh water into the dispenser tray and to convey the laundry care substance received in the dispenser tray together with the predetermined partial amount of fresh water into the tub, wherein the control is designed to activate the drum drive to rotate the laundry drum at a predetermined output speed during the supply period and to set the supplied partial amount of fresh water in motion in the tub by the rotating laundry drum and to dissolve the laundry care substance received in the fresh water in order to obtain washing liquid, wherein the predetermined output speed corresponds to the speed at which the force acting through the rotating laundry drum, in particular the centrifugal force, is sufficiently large,to reduce the penetration of fresh water into the laundry in the drum and / or to expel the fresh water from the laundry.

[0010] This achieves the technical advantage that a washing liquid is obtained in the tub in which the laundry care substance is dissolved, and wherein the washing liquid has a high concentration of laundry care substance.

[0011] This is achieved by ensuring that the laundry care substance required for the laundry care process and introduced into the dispenser tray is not flushed into the tub with the entire amount of fresh water required for a laundry care process. Instead, during the feed period, the laundry care substance is only flushed into the tub with the predetermined portion of fresh water. This ensures that, after the laundry care substance has dissolved, a higher concentration of laundry care substance is present in the washing liquid due to the small liquid volume. By providing the washing liquid with the high concentration of laundry care substance, the cleaning effect can be advantageously increased after the washing liquid has come into contact with the laundry.

[0012] The amount of fresh water required for a laundry care process is understood to mean, in particular, the total amount of fresh water supplied in a washing phase of the laundry care process, whereby the washing phase is intended for treating the laundry with the washing liquid containing the laundry care substance. The washing phase is therefore understood to be the period of a laundry care process between the time at which washing liquid is first added to the tub and the time at which the added washing liquid is first drained from the tub. The amount of fresh water required for a washing process depends in particular on the selected laundry care process, such as colored laundry, easy-care laundry or wool, and the type and quantity of laundry to be treated.

[0013] The predetermined partial amount of fresh water supplied during the supply period is less than the total amount of fresh water required for the laundry care process. In particular, the predetermined partial amount of fresh water supplied during the supply period is insufficient to achieve complete wetting of the laundry contained in the laundry.

[0014] In order to prevent the correspondingly small predetermined partial quantity of fresh water from being absorbed completely, or for the most part, by the laundry in the laundry drum before the laundry care substance has been completely dissolved in the fresh water, for example due to the penetration of washing liquid through flood holes on a wall of the laundry drum through which washing liquid can enter and exit, the laundry drum is rotated during the feed time period, preferably during the entire feed time period, at the predetermined discharge speed, at which the force acting on the fresh water due to the movement of the drum and / or the centrifugal force acting on the laundry drum is sufficiently large that the supplied partial quantity of fresh water cannot penetrate, or can only penetrate to a small extent, as far as the laundry in the laundry drum.the centrifugal force acting on the laundry in the washing drum is sufficiently large to expel any fresh water present in the laundry.

[0015] This is achieved by the rotation of the drum when it comes into contact with the fresh water, or by an air flow generated by the rotation of the drum in the tub, which carries the fresh water along in the direction of the drum's rotation. This creates a force on the washing liquid that deflects the washing liquid and thus reduces the penetration of the washing liquid through, for example, flood holes in the drum wall. Tests can be used to determine the speed at which the penetration of the washing liquid is sufficiently reduced. In particular, the speed of the drum is sufficiently high to generate a flow of the washing liquid along the plane of the opening of a flood hole, whereby the washing liquid is guided past the flood hole before it can penetrate through a flood hole.In addition, any washing liquid that has entered the washing drum is immediately pumped out of the drum by the outward centrifugal force, thereby reducing or preventing the washing liquid from penetrating the laundry.

[0016] Particularly preferably, the control system is configured to activate the drum drive to rotate the laundry drum at the predetermined discharge speed before the start of the supply period and to operate the drum drive continuously at the predetermined discharge speed during the supply period. This has the advantage that, when the fresh water is supplied, a sufficiently large force can be applied immediately to deflect it. Furthermore, downtimes during which fresh water and undissolved laundry care substances could enter the laundry drum through convection are avoided.

[0017] In particular, the rotation of the laundry drum at the predetermined discharge speed ensures during the supply period that the already small predetermined portion of fresh water supplied is not absorbed by the laundry, but is used to dissolve the laundry care substance carried along by the fresh water. The rotation of the laundry drum at the discharge speed sets the supplied fresh water into vigorous motion within the tub and, through the supplied mechanical energy, facilitates the dissolution of the laundry care substance in the predetermined portion of fresh water. As a result, even with a relatively small volume of the supplied portion of fresh water, advantageous dissolution of the laundry care substance can be achieved, and a highly concentrated washing liquid can be provided after the supply period.In particular, a complete dissolution of the laundry care substance can be achieved, which advantageously prevents undissolved laundry care substance from coming into contact with the laundry and causing local laundry damage, for example through local bleaching.

[0018] In particular, the controller is configured to keep the drum drive activated for a predetermined period of time during the feed period before the drum drive is deactivated. The predetermined period of time is preferably determined such that complete dissolution of the laundry care substance in the fresh water is achieved. This has the advantage that wetting of the laundry with the highly concentrated washing liquid is only possible after dissolution.

[0019] A correspondingly highly concentrated washing liquid can then be added to the laundry in the drum, ensuring particularly effective laundry care, especially in the core of the laundry. No additional components such as valves are required; instead, the dissolution and transport of the material occurs solely through the movement of the drum and the convection occurring in the washing liquid, for example, through existing flood holes in the drum wall.

[0020] In particular, the control is designed not to activate an optionally present pump of the laundry care appliance for pumping the supplied partial quantity of fresh water during the supply period in order to prevent the supplied partial quantity of fresh water from being bound by the laundry.

[0021] A laundry care appliance is a device used for laundry care, such as a washing machine or a washer-dryer. In particular, such a laundry care appliance is a household laundry care appliance. That is, a laundry care appliance used in household management and with which laundry is treated in normal household quantities.

[0022] In an advantageous embodiment, the predetermined partial quantity of fresh water supplied to the tub by the fresh water supply device during the supply period is less than the total quantity of fresh water required to wet the laundry held in the laundry drum, wherein the predetermined partial quantity of fresh water supplied is selected in particular such that complete wetting of the laundry held in the laundry drum is not achieved.

[0023] This achieves the technical advantage that the predetermined partial quantity of fresh water is sufficiently small to ensure a high concentration of laundry care substance after dissolving the laundry care substance.

[0024] In particular, the predetermined partial quantity of fresh water supplied during the supply period is between 1 litre and 15 litres, in particular between 2 and 4 litres.

[0025] In particular, the predetermined partial quantity of fresh water supplied during the supply period ensures that the fill level of the fresh water in the tub reaches the lowest edge of the laundry drum accommodated in the tub. Particularly preferably, the partial quantity is dimensioned such that the liquid level established in the tub reaches exactly to the lowest edge of the laundry drum. This has the advantage that at such a level, the washing liquid cannot penetrate significantly into the laundry drum, but sufficient contact between the washing liquid and the laundry drum is nevertheless provided so that the washing liquid can be set in motion by the rotation of the laundry drum. The movement of the washing liquid is also supported by the air flow in the tub generated by the rotation of the laundry drum.

[0026] In an advantageous embodiment, the output speed is between 30 revolutions per minute and 500 revolutions per minute, in particular between 40 revolutions per minute and 150 revolutions per minute.

[0027] This achieves the technical advantage that the discharge speed advantageously ensures that the supplied partial quantity of fresh water is not absorbed by the laundry in the washing drum, but can be effectively moved in the tub by the rotation of the washing drum in order to dissolve the laundry care substance.

[0028] In an advantageous embodiment, the laundry care appliance has a heating element for heating the washing liquid held in the tub, wherein the control is connected to the heating element in terms of control technology, wherein the control is designed to activate the heating element for heating the fresh water during the supply period and / or the heating element for heating the washing liquid after the supply period.

[0029] This achieves the technical advantage that the dissolution of laundry care substances can be improved by heating the fresh water or the washing liquid.

[0030] In an advantageous embodiment, the laundry care appliance has a fill level sensor for detecting a fill level of washing liquid in the tub, wherein the controller is designed to activate the heating element when the detected fill level of washing liquid exceeds a minimum fill level threshold value.

[0031] This achieves the technical advantage of ensuring that when the heating element is activated there is sufficient washing liquid in the lower area of ​​the tub to prevent the heating element from running dry.

[0032] In an advantageous embodiment, the control is designed, when the heating element is activated, to activate the drum drive to rotate the laundry drum at a speed which is below a maximum drum speed in order to ensure that the heating element is covered with washing liquid.

[0033] This achieves the technical advantage that the maximum drum speed defines an upper threshold value above which the washing liquid or fresh water, agitated by the rotation of the laundry drum, is set in motion so vigorously that the heating element can no longer be covered with washing liquid. By limiting the drum speed to a value below the maximum drum speed, sufficient coverage of the heating element with washing liquid can be ensured to prevent the heating element from running dry.

[0034] In an advantageous embodiment, the tub has a drain opening and a feed element, and the laundry care appliance has a pump which is fluidly connected to the drain opening and the feed element and is designed to pump washing liquid out of the drain opening and to feed the pumped-out washing liquid back into the tub through the feed element in order to circulate the washing liquid, and the controller is designed to activate the pump for circulating washing liquid after the feed period.

[0035] This achieves the technical advantage that, after the laundry care substance has been dissolved during the feed period, the resulting highly concentrated washing liquid can advantageously be fed back into the laundry during the pumping process following the feed period in order to achieve effective wetting of all areas of the laundry with the highly concentrated washing liquid.

[0036] In an advantageous embodiment, the control is designed to activate the pump for pumping the washing liquid after the laundry drum has rotated at the discharge speed.

[0037] This achieves the technical advantage of ensuring that the laundry drum does not rotate at the discharge speed during the pumping process, so that the pumped washing liquid remains in the laundry and is not immediately expelled again.

[0038] In an advantageous embodiment, the control is designed to activate the drum drive to rotate the laundry drum at a constant output speed or at different output speeds during the feed time period.

[0039] This achieves the technical advantage that, depending on the application, either a constant rotation of the laundry drum or an alternating rotation of the laundry drum with different output speeds achieves an advantageous dissolution of the laundry care substance.

[0040] In an advantageous embodiment, the control is designed to activate the fresh water supply device for supplying at least a further predetermined amount of fresh water into the tub after the supply period, in particular after the washing liquid has been pumped around by the pump.

[0041] This achieves the technical advantage that the partial amount of fresh water supplied during the supply period does not ensure a sufficiently large volume for complete wetting of the laundry, so that the single or repeated supply of a further predetermined amount of fresh water ensures complete wetting of the laundry with washing liquid.

[0042] In an advantageous embodiment, the sum of the predetermined partial quantity of fresh water supplied during the supply period and the at least one further predetermined quantity of fresh water supplied after the supply period corresponds to the total quantity of fresh water supplied during a laundry care program of the laundry care appliance, wherein in particular the sum corresponds to the total quantity of fresh water required to wet the laundry accommodated in the laundry drum.

[0043] This achieves the technical advantage that after the single or repeated addition of the further predetermined amount of fresh water, complete wetting of the laundry with washing liquid is ensured.

[0044] In an advantageous embodiment, the control is designed to activate the drum drive for rotating the laundry drum at a speed which is below the discharge speed or which is above the discharge speed during the supply of the at least one further predetermined amount of fresh water.

[0045] This achieves the technical advantage of ensuring that at a speed below the expulsion speed the additional amount of fresh water supplied is not immediately expelled from the laundry, or that at a speed above the expulsion speed the additional amount of fresh water supplied is immediately expelled from the laundry.

[0046] According to a second aspect, the object of the invention is achieved by a method for dissolving laundry care substance in fresh water in a laundry care appliance, wherein the laundry care appliance has a dispenser tray for receiving laundry care substance, a tub for receiving washing liquid, wherein the tub is fluidically connected to the dispenser tray, a fresh water supply device which is designed to supply fresh water to the dispenser tray and to convey the laundry care substance received in the dispenser tray together with the fresh water into the tub, a laundry drum for receiving laundry, wherein the laundry drum is arranged in the tub, a drum drive for rotating the laundry drum, and a controller which is control-technically connected to the fresh water supply device and the drum drive, wherein the method comprises the following method steps:Activating the fresh water supply device during a supply period by the controller to supply a predetermined partial amount of fresh water into the dispenser tray and to convey the laundry care substance held in the dispenser tray together with the predetermined amount of fresh water into the tub, wherein the predetermined partial amount of fresh water supplied to the tub by the fresh water supply device during the supply period is less than the total amount of fresh water required for a laundry care process, Activating the drum drive during the supply period by the controller to rotate the laundry drum at a predetermined output speed and to set the fresh water in motion in the tub by the rotating laundry drum and to dissolve the laundry care substance held in the fresh water to obtain washing liquid,wherein the predetermined expulsion speed corresponds to the speed at which the force acting through the rotating laundry drum, in particular the centrifugal force, is sufficiently large to reduce the penetration of fresh water into the laundry held in the laundry drum and / or to expel the fresh water from the laundry.

[0047] This achieves the technical advantage of achieving an advantageous dissolution of the laundry care substance in the predetermined portion of fresh water.

[0048] In an advantageous embodiment, the predetermined partial quantity of fresh water supplied to the tub by the fresh water supply device during the supply period is less than the total fresh water quantity required to wet the laundry held in the laundry drum, wherein the predetermined partial quantity of fresh water supplied is selected in particular such that complete wetting of the laundry held in the laundry drum is not achieved.

[0049] This provides the technical advantage of producing a particularly highly concentrated washing liquid.

[0050] In an advantageous embodiment, the laundry care appliance has a heating element for heating the washing liquid held in the tub, wherein the controller is connected to the heating element in terms of control technology, wherein the method comprises the further step: activating the heating element by the controller during or after the supply period for heating the fresh water or the washing liquid.

[0051] The embodiments identified as advantageous embodiments for the laundry care appliance according to the first aspect are also advantageous embodiments for the method according to the second aspect and vice versa.

[0052] Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are described in more detail below.

[0053] They show: Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a laundry care appliance; Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of a laundry care appliance with a control system; and Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of a method for dissolving laundry care substance in fresh water in a laundry care appliance.

[0054] Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a general laundry care appliance 100, such as a washing machine. The laundry care appliance 100 includes a dispenser tray 101 into which laundry care substance, in particular detergent or other liquid substances, can be poured. The laundry care appliance 100 has an appliance housing 102. The laundry care appliance 100 includes an appliance door 103 for loading the laundry care appliance 100 with laundry.

[0055] Fig. 2shows a schematic view of a laundry care appliance with a control system. The laundry care appliance 100 has a tub 105 for holding washing liquid and a laundry drum 107 for holding laundry. The laundry drum 107 is arranged in the tub 105. The laundry care appliance 100 has a drum drive 109 for rotating the laundry drum 107.

[0056] An optional pumping system of the laundry care appliance 100 is described below, which is used in the Fig. 2existing embodiment, which, however, does not necessarily have to be present to carry out the present invention. The tub 105 has a drain opening 111. The laundry care appliance 100 has a feed element 113. The drain opening 111 is fluidically connected to the feed element 113 by a liquid line 115, wherein a pump 117 for pumping washing liquid through the liquid line 115 is arranged in the liquid line 115. The pump 117 can pump washing liquid through the drain opening 111 from the tub 105 during a Fig. 2pumping process (not shown) into the liquid line 115 and resupply the washing liquid through the liquid line 115 and through the supply element 113 to the tub 105 and the laundry drum 107. This allows the washing liquid to be effectively pumped through the liquid line 115 during a laundry care process and resupplied to the laundry in the laundry drum 107. Thus, an effective optional pumping system is realized in the laundry care appliance 100.

[0057] The laundry care appliance 100 further comprises a Fig. 2 only schematically shown dispenser tray 101, into which the user of the laundry care appliance 100 fills laundry care substance, and the laundry care appliance 100 further comprises a Fig. 2 only schematically shown fresh water supply device 118-1, which is fluidically connected to a Fig. 2fresh water connection (not shown) of the laundry care appliance 100. The dispenser tray 101 is fluidly connected to the tub 105 by a supply line 118-2. The fresh water supply device 118-1 is fluidly connected to the dispenser tray 101 by a fresh water line 118-3. The fresh water supply device 118-1 is thus designed to flush the laundry care substance held in the dispenser tray 101 into the tub 105 using the supplied fresh water.

[0058] The laundry care appliance 100 further comprises a heating element 123 arranged in the tub 105, in particular in a lower region of the tub 105, which is designed to heat the fresh water or washing liquid held in the tub 105.

[0059] The laundry care appliance 100 further comprises a controller 119, which is connected to the pump 117, to the drum drive 109, to the fresh water supply device 118-1, and to the heating element 123, each by a control connection 121.

[0060] The laundry care appliance 100 further comprises an outlet line 125, which is fluidically connected to the liquid line 115. The pump 117 is designed to pump Fig. 2 not shown, to pump washing liquid through the drain opening 111 from the tub 105, through the liquid line 115 and through the outlet line 125 from the laundry care appliance 100. It is also possible for two pumps 117 to be present, one of the pumps 117 being used to pump the washing liquid out of the outlet line 125 and the other of the pumps 117 being used to pump washing liquid in the liquid line 115.

[0061] The laundry care appliance 100 further comprises in particular a Fig. 2 not shown fill level sensor for detecting a fill level of washing liquid in the tub 105.

[0062] In order to ensure advantageous dissolution of laundry care substance in the supplied fresh water, the controller 119 is designed to activate the fresh water supply device 118-1 during a supply period to supply a predetermined partial amount of fresh water into the dispenser tray 101 and to convey the laundry care substance received in the dispenser tray 101 together with the predetermined partial amount of fresh water into the tub 105.

[0063] The predetermined partial amount of fresh water supplied to the tub 105 by the fresh water supply device 118-1 during the supply period corresponds to only a portion of the total amount of fresh water supplied during a laundry care program of the laundry care appliance 100. In particular, the predetermined partial amount of fresh water is less than the total amount of fresh water required to completely wet the laundry held in the laundry drum 107.

[0064] According to the present embodiment, the controller 119 is designed to activate the drum drive 109 during the supply period to rotate the laundry drum 107 at a predetermined output speed and to set the supplied fresh water in the tub 105 in motion by the rotating laundry drum 107 and to dissolve the laundry care substance absorbed in the fresh water in order to obtain washing liquid.

[0065] By rotating the laundry drum 107 at the predetermined discharge speed, the fresh water supplied to the tub 105 is mechanically set in motion in such a way that undissolved components of the laundry care substance advantageously dissolve in the moving fresh water, and thus washing liquid is obtained.

[0066] Due to the small predetermined portion of the supplied fresh water used, the washing liquid obtained during the supply period has a significantly higher concentration of laundry care substance than is achieved, for example, in a conventional laundry care process.

[0067] The subsequent introduction of correspondingly highly concentrated, especially heated, washing liquid into the laundry benefits the laundry core in particular, as this leads to an improved laundry care result due to lower mechanical forces and lower flow in the laundry core.

[0068] In addition, no additional water path is required in the laundry care appliance 100 for dissolving the laundry care substance, but the transport of the highly concentrated, in particular heated, washing liquid takes place via the drum movement and / or convection, ie the movement of the washing liquid.

[0069] Since the predetermined partial quantity of the fresh water supplied is less than the quantity required to completely wet the laundry, it must be ensured that the fresh water supplied either does not come into contact with the laundry at all or only to a small extent, or that corresponding fresh water bound by the laundry is expelled from the laundry again.

[0070] For this reason, the laundry drum 107 is rotated by the controller 119 at the predetermined expulsion speed during the feed period. The predetermined expulsion speed corresponds to the speed at which the force acting on the fresh water due to the movement of the drum and / or the centrifugal force acting due to the rotating laundry drum 107 is sufficiently large to reduce the penetration of the fresh water into the laundry held in the laundry drum 107 and / or to expel the fresh water from the laundry.

[0071] This ensures that a sufficiently large amount of free fresh water, i.e. fresh water not bound by the laundry, is available in the tub 105 to completely dissolve the laundry care substance in the fresh water.

[0072] In particular, the output speed is between 30 and 500 revolutions per minute, especially between 40 and 150 revolutions per minute.

[0073] The controller 119 is in particular designed to activate the drum drive 109 during the feed time period to rotate the laundry drum 107 at a constant output speed or at different output speeds.

[0074] To further improve the dissolution of the laundry care substance in the moving fresh water, the controller 119 is particularly configured to activate the heating element 123 to heat the fresh water or the washing liquid during or after the supply period. By heating the fresh water during the supply period, or by heating the washing liquid after the supply period, it can be ensured that the dissolution of the laundry care substance can be improved.

[0075] In particular, the laundry care appliance 100 has a fill level sensor for detecting a fill level of washing liquid in the tub 105, wherein the controller 119 is configured to activate the heating element 123 when the detected fill level of washing liquid exceeds a minimum fill level threshold. The minimum fill level threshold corresponds to a fill level of washing liquid that is located just above the heating element 123 in the tub 105 in order to prevent the heating element 123 from running dry.

[0076] The controller 119 is further configured, in particular, to activate the drum drive 109 to rotate the laundry drum 107 at a speed below a maximum drum speed when the heating element 123 is activated, in order to ensure that the heating element 123 is covered with washing liquid. The maximum drum speed corresponds to the speed of the laundry drum 107 at which the fresh water moving through the laundry drum 107 still partially covers the heating element 123, thus preventing the heating element 123 from running dry.

[0077] After the laundry care substance has dissolved, the controller 119 activates, in particular, the pump 117 and pumps the washing liquid out of the drain opening 111. The pumped-out washing liquid is then returned to the tub 105 through the feed element 113 to recirculate the washing liquid. This ensures complete and effective wetting of the laundry with the correspondingly highly concentrated, particularly heated, washing liquid, thus ensuring the aforementioned advantages.

[0078] The control 119 is designed in particular to activate the pump 117 for pumping the washing liquid after the laundry drum 107 has rotated at the discharge speed.

[0079] After the washing liquid has been pumped around by the pump 117, the controller 119 activates, in particular, the fresh water supply device 118-1 to supply at least a further predetermined amount of fresh water into the tub 105. This may comprise a single supply of a further predetermined amount of fresh water or a repeated supply of a further predetermined amount of fresh water.

[0080] The supplied at least one further predetermined amount of fresh water, together with the predetermined partial amount of fresh water already supplied during the supply period, is sufficient to ensure that a sufficiently large volume of washing liquid is present to achieve complete wetting of the laundry held in the laundry drum 107.

[0081] The controller 119 is in particular designed to activate the drum drive 109 to rotate the laundry drum 107 at a speed which is below the discharge speed during the supply of the at least one further predetermined amount of fresh water, so that the washing liquid remains in the laundry.

[0082] This results in an advantageous laundry care process.

[0083] Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of a process for dissolving laundry care substance in fresh water in a laundry care appliance.

[0084] The method 200 comprises, as a first method step, the activation 201 of the fresh water supply device 118-1 during a supply period by the controller 119 to supply a predetermined partial amount of fresh water into the dispenser tray 101 and to convey the laundry care substance received in the dispenser tray 101 together with the predetermined partial amount of fresh water into the tub 105.

[0085] The method 200 comprises, as a second method step, the activation 203 of the drum drive 109 during the feed time period by the controller 119 to rotate the laundry drum 107 at a predetermined expulsion speed and to set the fresh water in the tub 105 in motion by the rotating laundry drum 107 and to dissolve the laundry care substance absorbed in the fresh water in order to obtain washing liquid, wherein the predetermined expulsion speed corresponds to the speed at which the force acting on the fresh water by the movement of the drum and / or the centrifugal force acting by the rotating laundry drum 107 is sufficiently large to reduce penetration of the fresh water into the laundry received in the laundry drum 107 and / or to expel the fresh water from the laundry.

[0086] All features explained and shown in connection with individual embodiments of the invention can be provided in different combinations in the subject matter according to the invention in order to simultaneously realize their advantageous effects.

[0087] The scope of the present invention is given by the claims and is not limited by the features explained in the description or shown in the figures. List of reference symbols

[0088] 100 Laundry care appliance 101 Dispensing tray 102 Appliance housing 103 Appliance door 105 Soil container 107 Laundry drum 109 Drum drive 111 Drain opening 113 Feed element 115 Liquid line 117 Pump 118-1 Fresh water supply device 118-2 Feed line 118-3 Fresh water line 119 Control system 121 Control connection 123 Heating element 125 Outlet line 200 Method for wetting laundry 201 First method step: Activating the fresh water supply device 203 Second method step: Activating the drum drive

Claims

1. A laundry care appliance (100) comprising a dispenser tray (101) for holding laundry care substance, a tub (105) for holding washing liquid, wherein the tub (105) is fluidically connected to the dispenser tray (101), a fresh water supply device (118-1) which is designed to supply fresh water to the dispenser tray (101) and to convey the laundry care substance held in the dispenser tray (101) together with the fresh water into the tub (105), a laundry drum (107) for holding laundry, wherein the laundry drum (107) is arranged in the tub (105), a drum drive (109) for rotating the laundry drum (107), and a controller (119) which is control-technically connected to the fresh water supply device (118-1) and the drum drive (109), characterized in thatthe controller (119) is designed to activate the fresh water supply device (118-1) during a supply period to supply a predetermined partial amount of fresh water into the dispenser tray (101) and to convey the laundry care substance held in the dispenser tray (101) together with the predetermined partial amount of fresh water into the tub (105), wherein the predetermined partial amount of fresh water supplied to the tub (105) by the fresh water supply device (118-1) during the supply period is less than the total amount of fresh water required for a laundry care process, that the controller (119) is designed,during the supply period, to activate the drum drive (109) to rotate the laundry drum (107) at a predetermined expulsion speed and to set the supplied partial quantity of fresh water in the tub (105) in motion by the rotating laundry drum (107) and to dissolve the laundry care substance absorbed in the fresh water in order to obtain washing liquid, wherein the predetermined expulsion speed corresponds to the speed at which the force acting by the rotating laundry drum (107), in particular the centrifugal force, is sufficiently large to reduce the penetration of the fresh water into the laundry held in the laundry drum (107) and / or to expel the fresh water from the laundry.

2. Laundry care appliance (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined partial quantity of fresh water supplied to the tub (105) by the fresh water supply device (118-1) during the supply period is less than the total quantity of fresh water required to wet the laundry accommodated in the laundry drum (107), wherein the predetermined partial quantity of fresh water supplied is selected in particular such that complete wetting of the laundry accommodated in the laundry drum (107) is not achieved.

3. Laundry care appliance (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the output speed is between 30 revolutions per minute and 500 revolutions per minute, in particular between 40 revolutions per minute and 150 revolutions per minute.

4. Laundry care appliance (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatthe laundry care appliance (100) has a heating element (123) for heating the washing liquid held in the tub (105), wherein the controller (119) is connected to the heating element (123) in terms of control technology, wherein the controller (119) is designed to activate the heating element (123) for heating the fresh water during the supply time period and / or the heating element (123) for heating the washing liquid after the supply time period.

5. Laundry care appliance (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that the laundry care appliance (100) has a fill level sensor for detecting a fill level of washing liquid in the tub (105), wherein the controller (119) is designed to activate the heating element (123) when the detected fill level of washing liquid exceeds a minimum fill level threshold value.

6. Laundry care appliance (100) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in thatthe controller (119) is designed, when the heating element (123) is activated, to activate the drum drive (109) to rotate the laundry drum (107) at a speed which is below a maximum drum speed in order to ensure that the heating element (123) is covered with washing liquid.

7. Laundry care appliance (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatthe tub (105) has a drain opening (111) and a feed element (113), that the laundry care appliance (100) has a pump (117) which is fluidically connected to the drain opening (111) and the feed element (113) and is designed to pump washing liquid out of the drain opening (111) and to feed the pumped-out washing liquid back into the tub (105) through the feed element (113) in order to circulate the washing liquid, and that the controller (119) is designed to activate the pump (117) for circulating washing liquid after the feed time period.

8. Laundry care appliance (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that the control (119) is designed to activate the pump (117) for pumping the washing liquid after the laundry drum (107) has rotated at the output speed.

9. Laundry care appliance (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatthe controller (119) is designed to activate the drum drive (109) to rotate the laundry drum (107) at a constant output speed or at different output speeds during the feed time period.

10. Laundry care appliance (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control (119) is designed to activate the fresh water supply device (118-1) for supplying at least a further predetermined amount of fresh water into the tub (105) after the supply period, in particular after the washing liquid has been pumped around by the pump (117).

11. Laundry care appliance (100) according to claim 10, characterized in thatthe sum of the predetermined partial quantity of fresh water supplied during the supply period and the at least one further predetermined quantity of fresh water supplied after the supply period corresponds to the total quantity of fresh water supplied during a laundry care program of the laundry care appliance (100), wherein in particular the sum corresponds to the total quantity of fresh water required to wet the laundry held in the laundry drum (107).

12. Laundry care appliance (100) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the controller (119) is designed to activate the drum drive (109) to rotate the laundry drum (107) at a speed which is below the discharge speed or which is above the discharge speed during the supply of the at least one further predetermined amount of fresh water.

13. Method (200) for dissolving laundry care substance in fresh water in a laundry care appliance (100), wherein the laundry care appliance (100) has a dispenser tray (101) for receiving laundry care substance, a tub (105) for receiving washing liquid, wherein the tub (105) is fluidically connected to the dispenser tray (101), a fresh water supply device (118-1) which is designed to supply fresh water to the dispenser tray (101) and to convey the laundry care substance received in the dispenser tray (101) together with the fresh water into the tub (105), a laundry drum (107) for receiving laundry, wherein the laundry drum (107) is arranged in the tub (105), a drum drive (109) for rotating the laundry drum (107), and a control (119) which is control-technically connected to the fresh water supply device (118-1), which is connected to the drum drive (109), characterized in thatthe method (200) comprises the following method steps: activating (201) the fresh water supply device (118-1) during a supply period by the controller (119) to supply a predetermined partial amount of fresh water into the dispenser tray (101) and to convey the laundry care substance held in the dispenser tray (101) together with the predetermined amount of fresh water into the tub (105), wherein the predetermined partial amount of fresh water supplied to the tub (105) by the fresh water supply device (118-1) during the supply period is less than the total amount of fresh water required for a laundry care process,Activating (203) the drum drive (109) during the feed period by the controller (119) to rotate the laundry drum (107) at a predetermined expulsion speed and to set the fresh water in the tub (105) in motion by the rotating laundry drum (107) and to dissolve the laundry care substance absorbed in the fresh water to obtain washing liquid, wherein the predetermined expulsion speed corresponds to the speed at which the force acting by the rotating laundry drum (107), in particular the centrifugal force, is sufficiently large to reduce the penetration of the fresh water into the laundry absorbed in the laundry drum (107) and / or to expel the fresh water from the laundry.

14. Method (200) according to claim 13, characterized in thatthe predetermined partial quantity of fresh water supplied to the tub (105) by the fresh water supply device (118-1) during the supply period is less than the total quantity of fresh water required to wet the laundry held in the laundry drum (107), wherein the predetermined partial quantity of fresh water supplied is selected in particular such that complete wetting of the laundry held in the laundry drum (107) is not achieved.

15. Method (200) according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in thatthe laundry care appliance (100) has a heating element (123) for heating the washing liquid held in the tub (105), wherein the controller (119) is control-technically connected to the heating element (123), wherein the method (200) comprises the further step: activating the heating element (123) by the controller (119) during or after the supply period for heating the fresh water or the washing liquid.

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