Washing machine and the control method of the same

• US 20070028397A1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Young, Chung, Bo, Yang, Young, Go, Seog, Choi, Gyoo, Park, Seok
• Granted Patent: US 7,971,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/158
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/02 Characteristics of laundry or load
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/16 Washing liquid temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/20 Washing liquid condition, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/24 Spin speed; Drum movements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/02 Water supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/08 Draining of washing liquids
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/42 Detergent or additive supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/52 Changing sequence of operational steps; Carrying out additional operational steps; Modifying operational steps, e.g. by extending duration of steps
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/37 of metering of detergents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/22 Condition of the washing liquid, e.g. turbidity

Abstract

Disclosed are a washing machine and a control method thereof, including the steps of (a) calculating the quantity of a detergent in a washing operation, (b) setting a washing pattern based on the calculated quantity of the detergent, and (c) performing a rinsing operation according to the set washing pattern, thereby improving rinsing capacity of the washing machine.

Claims

1. A control method of a washing machine comprising the steps of:

(a) calculating the quantity of a detergent in a washing operation;

(b) setting a washing pattern based on the calculated quantity of the detergent; and

(c) performing a rinsing operation according to the set washing pattern.

2. A control method of a washing machine comprising the steps of:

(I) setting a washing pattern based on the quantity of clothes;

(II) performing a washing operation according to the washing pattern set in step (I), calculating the quantity of a detergent, and resetting the washing pattern based on the calculated quantity of the detergent; and

(III) performing a rinsing operation according to the reset washing pattern.

3. The control method as set forth in claim 2, wherein step (II) includes the sub-steps of:

(i) supplying water and dissolving a detergent in the water according to the washing pattern set in step (I);

(ii) calculating the quantity of the detergent after sub-step (i), and resetting the washing pattern based on the calculated quantity of the detergent; and

(iii) performing the washing operation according to the washing pattern reset in sub-step (ii), recalculating the quantity of the detergent, and resetting the washing pattern based on the recalculated quantity of the detergent.

4. The control method as set forth in claim 2,

wherein the washing pattern includes at least one of washing intensity, supplied water level, washing time, rinsing frequency, rinsing time, and dehydrating time.

5. The control method as set forth in claim 2,

wherein step (II) includes the sub-steps of:

(i) selecting one table from a plurality of tables containing quantities of the detergent based on the hardness of the water calculated and stored in the previous operation of the washing machine;

(ii) measuring the conductivity and temperature of the water containing the detergent dissolved therein; and

(iii) calculating the quantity of the detergent by inputting the conductivity and temperature of the water containing the detergent dissolved therein to the selected table.

6. The control method as set forth in claim 2,

wherein in step (II), the measurement of the quantity of the detergent is displayed to the outside while the conductivity and temperature of the water containing the detergent dissolved therein are measured to calculate the quantity of the detergent.

7. The control method as set forth in claim 2,

wherein in step (III), the conductivity and temperature of the water are measured during a rinsing operation, and the hardness of the water is calculated based on the measured conductivity and temperature of the water and stored for the next operation of the washing machine.

8. The control method as set forth in claim 2,

wherein step (II) includes the sub-steps of:

(i) supplying a portion of water and dissolving a detergent in the supplied portion of the water according to the washing pattern set in step (I);

(ii) calculating the quantity of the detergent after sub-step (i), and resetting the washing pattern based on the calculated quantity of the detergent; and

(iii) supplying the residual portion of the water and performing the washing operation according to the washing pattern reset in sub-step (ii), recalculating the quantity of the detergent, and resetting the washing pattern based on the recalculated quantity of the detergent.

9. The control method as set forth in claim 8,

wherein sub-steps (i) to (iii) are repeated plural times such that the residual portion of the water is supplied through multiple stages.

10. The control method as set forth in claim 2,

wherein, after the washing pattern is set based on the quantity of clothes in step (I), washing, rinsing and dehydrating times are displayed on a display.

11. The control method as set forth in claim 2,

wherein, after the washing pattern is reset in step (II), the residual time according to the reset washing pattern is displayed on a display.

12. A control method of a washing machine, wherein, when a sensor assembly senses a state or characteristics of water, the sensed results are indicated to users through an indicator for informing the users of the sensed results.

13. The control method as set forth in claim 12,

wherein the sensor assembly senses the state or characteristics of water plural times, and the sensed results are indicated to the outside through the indicator only in an initial sensing operation of the sensor assembly out of the above plural sensing operations.

14. The control method as set forth in claim 12,

wherein, in case that the indicator includes one LED, the LED is turned off only when the sensor assembly performs the initial sensing operation, and is turned on when the sensor assembly does not perform the initial sensing operation.

15. The control method as set forth in claim 12,

wherein, in case that the indicator includes a plurality of LEDs, all of the plural LEDs are turned off only when the sensor assembly performs the initial sensing operation, and at least one of the plural LEDs is turned on when the sensor assembly does not perform the initial sensing operation.

16. The control method as set forth in claim 12,

wherein, in case that the indicator includes a dual LED expressing a plurality of colors, the dual LED is turned off such that the colors expressed by the dual LED are sequentially turned off when the sensor assembly performs the initial sensing operation, and is turned on in a single color when the sensor assembly does not perform the initial sensing operation.

17. A control method of a washing machine, comprising the steps of:

(I) sensing a state or characteristics of water by a sensor assembly;

(II) comparing the sensed results obtained by step (I) to predetermined values; and

(III) displaying the obtained results obtained by the comparison of step (II) through an indicator.

18. The control method as set forth in claim 17,

wherein, in case that the indicator includes a dual LED expressing a plurality of colors, the dual LED is turned on in different colors based on whether or not the sensed state or characteristics of water is proper.

19. A washing machine comprising:

a sensor assembly for sensing a state or characteristics of water contained in the washing machine;

an indicator installed in the washing machine for indicating the operation of the sensor assembly to the outside; and

a microcomputer for controlling, when the sensor assembly is sensing the state or characteristics of water, the indicator to indicate the sensing operation of the sensor assembly to the outside.

20. The washing machine as set forth in claim 19,

wherein the indicator includes one LED.

21. The washing machine as set forth in claim 19,

wherein the indicator includes a plurality of LEDs.

22. The washing machine as set forth in claim 19,

wherein the indicator includes a dual LED emitting a plurality of colors.

23. A washing machine comprising:

a sensor assembly for sensing a state or characteristics of water contained in the washing machine;

an indicator installed in the washing machine for indicating data, regarding the state or characteristics of water sensed by the sensor assembly, to the outside; and

a microcomputer for controlling the indicator based on the sensed results of the sensor assembly.