Washing machine and method of controlling the same

• US 20040025263A1
• Filed: 04/03/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Seon-Woo, Kim, Hyung-Kyoon, Pyo, Sang-Yeon
• Granted Patent: US 7,322,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/159
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/20 Washing liquid condition, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/04 Signal transfer or data transmission arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/08 Control circuits or arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/14 Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/003 using electrochemical cells

Abstract

A disinfecting washing machine includes a disinfecting liquid dispenser, a drive unit and a control unit. The disinfecting liquid dispenser supplies a disinfecting liquid to disinfect laundry. The drive unit outputs first and second voltages to determine a concentration of the disinfecting liquid. The control unit detects the concentration of the disinfecting liquid and controlling the drive unit so that the disinfecting liquid has a concentration within a preset range.

Claims

1. A washing machine, comprising:

a disinfecting liquid dispenser supplying a disinfecting liquid to disinfect laundry;

a drive unit outputting first and second voltages to determine a concentration of the disinfecting liquid; and

a control unit detecting the concentration of the disinfecting liquid and controlling the drive unit so that the disinfecting liquid has a concentration within a preset range.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the drive unit using a pulse width modulation signal so that the drive unit outputs the first and second control voltages proportional to a duty ratio of the pulse width modulation signal.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the drive unit to repeat alternating phases of the first and second control voltages.

4. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the disinfecting liquid is a silver liquid produced by applying the first and second control voltages to two silver plates provided in the disinfecting liquid dispenser, respectively, and carrying out electrolysis in water.

5. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the concentration of the disinfecting liquid is proportional to levels of the first and second voltages.

6. The washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a current detection unit detecting an amount of current supplied from the drive unit to the disinfecting liquid dispenser,

wherein the control unit determines the concentration of the disinfecting liquid through the amount of the current detected by the current detection unit.

7. The washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a current limiter outputting an excessive current signal to the control unit when an amount of current supplied from the drive unit to the disinfecting liquid dispenser is greater than a preset reference value,

wherein the control unit controls the drive unit to decrease the concentration of the disinfecting liquid when the excessive current signal is received from the current limiter.

8. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit receives first and second switching signals having opposite phases from the control unit, the drive unit comprising:

a first switching unit turned on in response to the pulse width modulation signal and outputting the first control signal proportional to a duty ratio of the pulse width modulation signal when the first switching signal is at a preset voltage level, and

a second switching unit turned on in response to the pulse width modulation signal and outputting the second control signal proportional to the duty ratio of the pulse width modulation signal when the second switching signal is at the preset voltage level.

9. A washing machine with a disinfecting liquid dispenser therein and supplying a disinfecting liquid to disinfect laundry, comprising:

a control unit controlling by electrolysis a concentration of the disinfecting liquid so that the disinfecting liquid has a concentration within a preset range.

10. A washing machine with a disinfecting liquid dispenser therein and supplying a disinfecting liquid to disinfect laundry, comprising:

a control unit controlling by ion formation a concentration of the disinfecting liquid so that the disinfecting liquid has a concentration within a preset range.

11. A washing machine with a disinfecting liquid dispenser supplying a disinfecting liquid to disinfect laundry, and a drive unit generating the disinfecting liquid, comprising:

a control unit detecting a concentration of the disinfecting liquid and controlling the drive unit so that the disinfecting liquid has a concentration within a preset range.

12. The washing machine according to claim 11, wherein the control unit controls the drive unit using a pulse width modulation signal so that the drive unit outputs control voltages to control the drive unit.

13. The washing machine according to claim 12, wherein the control voltages are first and second control voltages and the first and second control voltages are proportional to a duty ratio of the pulse width modulation signal.

14. The washing machine according to claim 12, wherein a pulse width of the pulse width modulation signal is changed to change a concentration of the disinfecting liquid.

15. The washing machine according to claim 13, wherein the control unit controls the drive unit to repeatedly alternate phases of the first and second control voltages.

16. The washing machine according to claim 11, wherein the disinfecting liquid is a silver liquid comprising silver ions in water.

17. The washing machine according to claim 11, wherein the disinfecting liquid is a silver liquid produced by applying voltages to a plurality of silver plates in water to electrolyze the plurality of silver plates in the water.

18. The washing machine according to claim 13, wherein the concentration of the disinfecting liquid is proportional to levels of the first and second control voltages.

19. The washing machine according to claim 11, further comprising:

a current detection unit detecting an amount of current supplied from the drive unit to the disinfecting liquid dispenser,

wherein the control unit determines the concentration of the disinfecting liquid through the amount of the current detected by the current detection unit.

20. The washing machine according to claim 11, further comprising:

a current limiter outputting a signal to the control unit when an amount of current from the drive unit is greater than a preset value,

wherein the control unit controls the drive unit according to the outputted signal from the current limiter.

21. The disinfecting unit for a washing machine, comprising:

a disinfecting liquid dispenser supplying a disinfecting liquid to laundry;

a drive outputting voltages to determine a concentration of the disinfecting liquid; and

a controller controlling the drive unit so that the disinfecting liquid has a concentration within a preset range.

22. The disinfecting unit according to claim 21, further comprising:

water contained in the disinfecting liquid dispenser;

first and second silver plates provided in the water in the disinfecting liquid dispenser; and

a drive circuit applying first and second voltages to the two silver plates, respectively, to carry out electrolysis.

23. The disinfecting unit according to claim 21, further comprising:

a current detector detecting an amount of current supplied from the drive to the disinfecting liquid dispenser,

wherein the controller determines the concentration of the disinfecting liquid through the amount of the current detected by the current detector.

24. The disinfecting unit according to claim 21, further comprising:

a current limiter to limit current supplied from the drive to decrease the concentration of the disinfecting liquid when an amount of the current supplied from the drive to the disinfecting liquid dispenser is greater than a preset reference value.

25. The disinfecting unit according to claim 21, wherein the drive circuit comprises:

a first switching unit turned on in response to a pulse width modulation signal and outputting a first control signal proportional to a duty ratio of the pulse width modulation signal when a first switching signal is at a preset voltage level; and

a second switching unit turned on in response to the pulse width modulation signal and outputting a second control signal proportional to the duty ratio of the pulse width modulation signal when the second switching signal is at the preset voltage level, wherein;

the first and second switching units respectively receive the first and second switching signals having opposite phases from the controller.

26. A method of disinfecting laundry for a washing machine, comprising:

generating a disinfecting liquid;

supplying the generated disinfecting liquid;

detecting a concentration of the disinfecting liquid; and

controlling the concentration of the disinfecting liquid to within a preset range.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the controlling comprises:

outputting first and second control voltages in response to a pulse width modulation signal to change the concentration of the disinfecting liquid.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein the controlling comprises:

changing a pulse width of a pulse width modulation signal to change the concentration of the disinfecting liquid.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the first and second control voltages are proportional to a duty ratio of the pulse width modulation signal.

30. The method according to claim 27, wherein the controlling comprises:

repeatedly alternating phases of the first and second control voltages.

31. The method according to claim 26, wherein the generating comprises:

forming ions in water as the disinfecting liquid.

32. The method according to claim 26, wherein the generating comprises:

forming silver ions in water as the disinfecting liquid.

33. The method according to claim 26, wherein the generating comprises:

electrolyzing silver ions in water to form the disinfecting liquid.

34. The method according to claim 26, wherein the controlling comprises:

applying voltages to a plurality of silver plates; and

electrolyzing the plurality of silver plates in water to produce the disinfecting liquid as a silver liquid.

35. The method according to claim 27, wherein the controlling further comprises:

proportioning the concentration of the disinfecting liquid according to levels of the first and second control voltages.

36. The method according to claim 26, further comprising:

supplying current to the disinfecting liquid dispenser; and

detecting an amount of the current supplied to the disinfecting liquid dispenser,

wherein the controlling comprises;

determining the concentration of the disinfecting liquid according to the amount of the current detected in the detecting.

37. The method according to claim 26, further comprising:

outputting a signal when an amount of current from a drive unit is greater than a preset value, wherein the controlling comprises;

controlling the drive unit according to the outputted signal.

38. A drive for a washing machine to supply a disinfecting liquid to disinfect laundry, comprising:

first and second series circuits, connected in parallel, between first and second voltages, respectively,

the first series circuit comprising;

first and second switches connected in series between the first and second voltages, and

the second series circuit comprising;

third and fourth switches connected in series between the first and second voltages;

a first metallic plate connected to a first node of the first and second switches;

a second metallic plate connected to a second node of the third and fourth switches, the first and second metallic plates being disposed in water; and

a control unit controlling the first through fourth switches to repeatedly and alternately produce a voltage between the first and second metallic plates to electrolyze the metallic plates to form the disinfecting liquid.

39. The drive according to claim 38, wherein the switches are transistor switches.

40. The drive according to claim 38, wherein the metallic plates are made of silver.

41. A method of disinfecting laundry for a washing machine, comprising:

generating a disinfecting liquid by repeatedly alternating polarities of first and second control voltages so as to provide a preset concentration of the disinfecting liquid;

supplying the generated disinfecting liquid;

detecting the concentration of the disinfecting liquid; and

controlling the concentration of the disinfecting liquid to within a preset range.

42. A washing machine with a disinfecting liquid dispenser therein and supplying a disinfecting liquid to disinfect laundry, comprising:

a control unit controlling a concentration of the disinfecting liquid by repeatedly alternating polarities of first and second control voltages and preventing only one of the two electrolyzing plates from being consumed.