Dishwasher and method for controlling the same

• US 20050000544A1
• Filed: 06/17/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Cho, In Haeng, Kim, Joung Hun
• Granted Patent: US 7,371,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/18
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0021 Regulation of operational steps within the washing processes, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending from the detergent nature or from the condition of the crockery
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0049 Detection or prevention of malfunction, including accident prevention arrangements to prevent clogging of filters A47L15/4208; safety arrangements for preventing water damage A47L15/421
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4297 Arrangements for detecting or measuring the condition of the washing water, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/10 Water cloudiness or dirtiness, e.g. turbidity, foaming or level of bacteria
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/30 Variation of electrical, magnetical or optical quantities
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/01 Water supply, e.g. opening or closure of the water inlet valve
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/02 Water discharge, e.g. opening or closure of discharge valve
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/26 Indication or alarm to the controlling device or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/30 Regulation of machine operational steps within the washing process, e.g. performing an additional rinsing phase, shortening or stopping of the drying phase, washing at decreased noise operation conditions

Abstract

A dishwasher and a method for controlling the same, performing a main washing cycle depending upon an amount of food residue on used dishes or a pollution level thereof, are disclosed. The method includes supplying washing water to the dishwasher, detecting for an N number of times a pollution level of the supplied washing water during a preliminary washing cycle, and comparing the detected pollution levels with a reference pollution level, and carrying out a main washing cycle depending upon a comparison result between the detected pollution levels and the reference pollution level.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a dishwasher, comprising:

supplying washing water to the dishwasher;

detecting for an N number of times a pollution level of the supplied washing water during a preliminary washing cycle; and

comparing the detected pollution levels with a reference pollution level, and carrying out a main washing cycle depending upon a comparison result between the detected pollution levels and the reference pollution level.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an initial pollution level of the supplied washing water prior to the preliminary washing cycle; and

determining the initial pollution level of the supplied washing water as the reference pollution level.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising draining the supplied washing water out of the dishwasher, when the detected initial pollution level exceeds a predetermined pollution level range, and resupplying washing water to the dishwasher.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pollution level of the supplied washing water is periodically detected during the preliminary washing cycle.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the comparing the detected pollution levels with a reference pollution level comprises:

calculating an average value of the detected pollution levels; and

calculating a difference value between the initial pollution level and the average value of the detected pollution levels.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the calculating an average value of the detected pollution levels comprises excluding at least one of a highest pollution level and at least one of a lowest pollution level, when calculating the average value of the detected pollution levels.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the comparing a plurality of the detected pollution levels with a reference pollution level comprises:

calculating the difference values between the reference pollution level and each of the detected pollution levels; and

calculating an average value of the difference values.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of a plurality of predetermined courses of the main washing cycle is selected depending upon a comparison result between the detected pollution levels and the reference pollution level.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein at least one of an amount of washing water, a washing time, a temperature of washing water, a number of turns for heating washing water, a level of washing water jet, and an amount of detergent corresponding to each of the predetermined courses of the main washing cycle is different from one another.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a plurality of parameters of the main washing cycle is controlled depending upon a comparison result between the detected pollution levels and the reference pollution level.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the parameters of the main washing cycle include an amount of washing water, a washing time, a temperature of washing water, a number of turns for heating washing water, a level of washing water jet, and an amount of detergent corresponding to each of the predetermined courses of the main washing cycle is different from one another.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising notifying a user of a problem in a pollution level sensor sensing the pollution level of the washing water, when the pollution level detected from the washing water is not within the predetermined pollution level range.

13. A dishwasher, comprising:

a sensor detecting a plurality of pollution levels of washing water in the dishwasher during a preliminary washing cycle; and

a controller comparing the detected pollution levels with a reference pollution level, and carrying out a main washing cycle depending upon a comparison result between each of the detected pollution levels and the reference pollution level.

14. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the sensor is formed of a photo coupler sensing a light transmissivity of the washing water.

15. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the reference pollution level is an initial pollution level of the washing water in the dishwasher detected by the sensor prior to the preliminary washing cycle.

16. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the controller calculates an average value of the detected pollution levels, and calculates a difference value between the reference pollution level and the calculated average value.

17. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the controller calculates difference values between the reference pollution level and each of the detected pollution levels, and calculates an average value of the difference values.

18. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the controller selects one of a plurality of predetermined courses of the main washing cycle depending upon a comparison result between the detected pollution levels and the reference pollution level.

19. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the controller controls at least one of a plurality of parameters of the main washing cycle depending upon a comparison result between the detected pollution levels and the reference pollution level.

20. The dishwasher according to claim 13, further comprising a display notifying a user of a problem in the sensor, when the pollution level detected from the washing water is not within the predetermined pollution level range.

21. A method for controlling a dishwasher, comprising:

supplying washing water to the dishwasher, and detecting a first turbidity level of the supplied washing water prior to a preliminary washing cycle;

detecting a second turbidity level of the supplied washing water for at least one (1) time during the preliminary washing cycle; and

carrying out a main washing cycle depending upon the first and second turbidity levels and a reference turbidity level.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising draining the supplied washing water out of the dishwasher, when the first turbidity level exceeds a predetermined turbidity level range, and resupplying washing water to the dishwasher.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the carrying out a main washing cycle depending upon the first and second turbidity levels and a reference turbidity level comprises:

dividing the reference turbidity level by the first turbidity level, and multiplying the divided value by the second turbidity level; and

carrying out the main washing cycle depending upon a calculated difference value between the reference turbidity level and the multiplied value.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein one of a plurality of predetermined courses of the main washing cycle is selected depending upon a difference value between the reference turbidity level and the multiplied value.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein at least one of an amount of washing water, a washing time, a temperature of washing water, a number of turns for heating washing water, a level of washing water jet, and an amount of detergent corresponding to each of the predetermined courses of the main washing cycle is different from one another.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein at least one of a plurality of parameters of the main washing cycle is controlled depending upon a difference value between the reference turbidity level and the multiplied value.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the parameters of the main washing cycle include an amount of washing water, a washing time, a temperature of washing water, a number of turns for heating washing water, a level of washing water jet, and an amount of detergent corresponding to each of the predetermined courses of the main washing cycle is different from one another.

28. A dishwasher, comprising:

a sensor detecting a first turbidity level of washing water in the dishwasher prior to a preliminary washing cycle, and detecting a second turbidity level of the washing water in the dishwasher during the preliminary washing cycle; and

a controller carrying out a main washing cycle depending upon the first and second turbidity levels and a reference turbidity level.

29. The dishwasher according to claim 28, wherein the controller drains the supplied washing water out of the dishwasher, when the first turbidity level exceeds a predetermined turbidity level range, and resupplies washing water to the dishwasher.

30. The dishwasher according to claim 28, wherein the controller divides the reference turbidity level by the first turbidity level, and multiplies the divided value by the second turbidity level.

31. The dishwasher according to claim 30, wherein the controller selects one of a plurality of predetermined courses of the main washing cycle depending upon a difference value between the reference turbidity level and the multiplied value.

32. The dishwasher according to claim 30, wherein the controller controls at least one of a plurality of parameters of the main washing cycle depending upon a difference value between the reference turbidity level and the multiplied value.

33. The dishwasher according to claim 28, wherein the controller divides the reference turbidity level by the first turbidity level, multiplies the divided value by an average value of the second turbidity levels, and calculates a difference value between the reference turbidity level and the multiplied value.