Method of controlling a washing machine

• US 20030154558A1
• Filed: 08/12/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Chan-Woo, Kim, Hyun-Sook, Park, Seon-Woo, Kim, Hyung-Kyoon, Lee, Myung-Gyu, Pyo, Sang-Yeon
• Granted Patent: US 7,171,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/158
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 13/08 wherein the agitator has a gyratory or orbital motion

Abstract

A method of controlling a washing machine is provided. The washing machine control method executes a washing process with a wobbling device. In the method, an operation of causing a washboard to wobble and an operation of rotating a spin-drying tub in the washing process are alternately performed. An operation of causing a washboard to wobble in a wobbling position and an operation of rotating a spin-drying tub in a washing process several times to mix laundry is performed, such that upper laundry and lower laundry can be uniformly washed, thus improving a laundry cleaning performance. Further, entangled laundry can be prevented from being rinsed by causing the washboard to wobble in the wobbling position before rinsing water is supplied.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a washing machine having a washboard, the washing machine executing a washing process with a wobbling device, comprising:

alternately performing an operation of causing the washboard to wobble and an operation of rotating a spin-drying tub in the washing process.

2. The washing machine control method according to claim 1, wherein the operation of causing the washboard to wobble includes the washboard wobbling upwardly and downwardly from a current position of the washboard with a predetermined amplitude in response to a rotating speed of an inclined rotary shaft.

3. The washing machine control method according to claim 1, wherein the washing process includes sensing a weight of laundry to be washed and supplying washing water in accordance with the sensed weight of the laundry.

4. The washing machine control method according to claim 1, wherein the operation of causing the washboard to wobble includes simultaneously inclining the washboard to an inclined position, with respect to a horizontal surface, and wobbling the washboard upwardly and downwardly from the inclined position.

5. A method of controlling a washing machine having a spin-drying tub and a washboard, the washing machine executing a washing process and a rinsing process with a wobbling device, comprising:

rotating the spin-drying tub after the washing process is completed;

causing the washboard to wobble after rotation of the spin-drying tub is completed; and

supplying water to be used in the rinsing process.

6. The washing machine control method according to claim 5, wherein the causing the washboard to wobble includes wobbling the washboard upwardly and downwardly from a current position of the washboard with a predetermined amplitude in response to a rotating speed of an inclined rotary shaft.

7. The washing machine control method according to claim 5, wherein upper and lower laundry are substantially uniformly washed.

8. The washing machine control method according to claim 5, wherein the causing the washboard to wobble includes simultaneously inclining the washboard to an inclined position, with respect to a horizontal surface, and wobbling the washboard upwardly and downwardly from the inclined position.

9. The washing machine control method according to claim 5, wherein said supplying water comprises:

sensing a water supply level;

calculating a target water level based on the sensed water supply level; and

determining whether to continuously supply washing water according to the calculated target water level.

10. The washing machine control method according to claim 5, wherein the rotating the spin-drying tub comprises leveling the wobbling device prior to rotation of the spin-drying tub.

11. The washing machine control method according to claim 10, wherein when the spin-drying tub, is rotated the wobbling device is prevented from wobbling by the leveling.

12. The washing machine control method according to claim 5, wherein the rotating the spin-drying tub and the causing the washboard to wobble are performed whenever the rinsing process is repeatedly executed.

13. A method of controlling a washing machine having a washboard, the washing machine executing a spin-drying process with a wobbling device, comprising:

causing the washboard to wobble using the wobbling device after the spin-drying process is completed.

14. The washing machine control method according to claim 13, wherein during the spin-drying process, the wobbling device is prevented from wobbling by leveling the wobbling device.

15. A method of controlling a washing machine having a spin-drying tub and a washboard, the washing machine executing a washing process, a rinsing process and a spin-drying process with a wobbling device, comprising:

alternately performing an operation of causing the washboard to wobble using the wobbling device and an operation of rotating the spin-drying tub in the washing process;

rotating the spin-drying tub after the washing process is completed;

causing the washboard to wobble after the rotating of the spin-drying tub is completed;

supplying water to be used in the rinsing process; and

causing the washboard to wobble after the spin-drying process is completed.

16. The washing machine control method according to claim 15, wherein both of the rotating the spin-drying tub and the causing the washboard to wobble after the rotating the spin-drying tub are performed whenever the rinsing process is repeatedly executed.

17. The washing machine control method according to claim 15, wherein the operation of causing the washboard to wobble includes the washboard wobbling upwardly and downwardly from a current position of the washboard with a predetermined amplitude in response to a rotating speed of an inclined rotary shaft.

18. The washing machine control method according to claim 15, wherein the operation of causing the washboard to wobble includes simultaneously inclining the washboard to an inclined position, with respect to a horizontal surface, and wobbling the washboard upwardly and downwardly from the inclined position.

19. A method of controlling a washing machine having a spin-drying tub and a washboard, the washing machine executing a washing process with a wobbling device, comprising:

performing a wobbling operation using the wobbling device, before rinsing water is supplied, to prevent laundry from being entangled if water is supplied after the spin-drying tub rotates.

20. A method of controlling a washing machine having a spin-drying tub and a washboard, the washing machine executing a washing process with a wobbling device, comprising:

performing a wobbling operation using the wobbling device causing the washboard to wobble, after the spin-drying operation is completed, to loosen laundry in the spin-drying tub.

21. A method of controlling a washing machine having a spin-drying tub and a washboard, the washing machine executing a shower rinsing process, a rinsing drying process and a main rinsing process with a wobbling device, comprising:

rotating the spin drying tub in the rinsing drying process after the shower rinsing process is complete;

causing the washboard to wobble using the wobbling device in the main rinsing process after the rinsing drying process is completed; and

rotating the spin-drying tub in the main rinsing process after causing the washboard to wobble.

22. The washing machine control method according to claim 21, further comprising:

causing the washboard to wobble using the wobbling device in the shower rinsing process after rotation of the spin-drying tub in the main rinsing process is completed;

rotating the spin-drying tub in the shower rinsing process after causing the washboard to wobble; and

supplying water in the shower rinsing process after rotating the spin-drying tub supplying water.

23. A method of controlling a washing machine having a spin-drying tub and a washboard, the washing machine executing a main rinsing process and a shower rinsing process with a wobbling device, comprising:

causing the washboard to wobble in the shower rinsing process using the wobbling device after rotation of the spin-drying tub in the main rinsing process is completed;

rotating the spin-drying tub in the shower rinsing process after causing the washboard to wobble; and

supplying water in the shower rinsing process after rotating the spin-drying tub supplying water.