Washing machine and washing control method of the same

• US 20080099052A1
• Filed: 08/22/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Sung Hoon, Pyo, Sang Yeon, Kim, Hyun Sook, Lee, Bo Ram, Oak, Seong Min
• Granted Patent: US 8,551,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/18
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/002 using bubbles

Abstract

A washing machine and a washing control method of the same that is capable of controlling laundry to be effectively washed with bubbles depending upon load of the washing machine and types of the laundry. The washing control method includes detecting the amount of load depending upon the weight of laundry, controlling the amount of wetting water according to the detected amount of load to wet the laundry, and generating bubbles to wash the laundry.

Claims

1. A washing control method of a washing machine to perform washing using bubbles, the method comprising:

detecting an amount of load depending upon a weight of laundry;

controlling an amount of wetting water according to the detected amount of load to wet the laundry; and

generating bubbles to wash the laundry.

2. The washing control method according to claim 1, wherein controlling the amount of wetting water according to the amount of load comprises increasing the amount of wetting water as the amount of load increases.

3. The washing control method according to claim 2, wherein increasing the amount of wetting water comprises increasing a number of wetting times to wet the laundry or increasing an amount of water to be supplied for one-time wetting operation.

4. The washing control method according to claim 1, wherein wetting the laundry comprises:

supplying wash water to wet the laundry, and

operating a rotary drum at an RPM and operation rate set depending upon the amount of load for a predetermined period of time.

5. The washing control method according to claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a washing course based on types of laundry, wherein

when the selected washing course is normal washing, the laundry is wetted before the bubble generation, and then the bubble washing is performed.

6. The washing control method according to claim 5, wherein, when the selected washing course is delicate washing, the bubble washing is performed without wetting the laundry.

7. The washing control method according to claim 1, wherein generating bubbles to wash the laundry comprises:

supplying wash water and detergent into a water tub;

heating concentrated detergent liquid including the wash water and the detergent mixed with each other;

generating and supplying bubbles into the water tub, when the temperature of the heated concentrated detergent liquid reaches a predetermined bubble generation temperature; and

washing the laundry with the supplied bubbles.

8. The washing control method according to claim 7, wherein supplying the wash water and the detergent into the water tub comprises supplying the wash water and the detergent into a space defined between a rotary drum, in which the laundry is put, and the water tub such that the wash water and the detergent are not brought into contact with the laundry.

9. The washing control method according to claim 7, further comprising:

detecting a water level of the concentrated detergent liquid including the wash water and the detergent mixed with each other.

10. The washing control method according to claim 9, wherein the water level of the concentrated detergent liquid is controlled to be maintained at a bubble generation water level at which the bubbles are generated while the concentrated detergent liquid is not in contact with the laundry.

11. The washing control method according to claim 10, wherein when the concentrated detergent liquid is at the bubble generation water level, the bubbles are generated.

12. The washing control method according to claim 11, wherein when the bubbles are generated exceeding a water level suitable for washing, a rotary drum, in which the laundry is put, is rotated.

13. The washing control method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the water level of the concentrated detergent liquid changed depending upon the bubble generation; and

when the detected water level reaches a second water level which is a minimum water level necessary for the bubble generation, resupplying wash water.

14. The washing control method according to claim 13, wherein the second water level is a heater safety water level necessary to drive a washing heater during hot water washing using bubbles.

15. The washing control method according to claim 13, further comprising:

setting a number of water resupplies to resupply wash water depending upon the amount of load, wherein

resupplying the wash water comprises controlling a water resupply action based on the set number of water resupplies.

16. The washing control method according to claim 7, further comprising:

driving a washing heater to heat the concentrated detergent liquid to a user-predetermined temperature, when the temperature of the concentrated detergent liquid reaches the bubble generation temperature, wherein

heating the concentrated detergent liquid to the user-predetermined temperature is carried out along with the bubble generation.

17. A washing machine, having a water tub and a rotary drum to receive laundry, to perform washing using bubbles, the washing machine comprising:

a water supply unit to supply wash water;

a bubble generation unit to generate bubbles; and

a control unit to control the water supply unit to directly supply the wash water into the water tub before bubble generation, to control the bubble generation unit to generate bubbles from the supplied wash water, and to perform the washing using the generated bubbles.

18. The washing machine according to claim 17, wherein the control unit detects the amount of load depending upon a weight of the laundry and controls the supply of wash water into the water tub to control the amount of wetting water suitable for wetting the laundry depending upon the detected amount of load.

19. The washing machine according to claim 18, wherein the control unit increases the amount of wetting water as the amount of load increases.

20. The washing machine according to claim 19, wherein the control unit increases a number of wetting times to wet the laundry or increases the amount of water to be supplied for a one-time wetting operation to increase the amount of wetting water.

21. The washing machine according to claim 17, further comprising:

an input unit to select a washing course depending upon types of the laundry, wherein

when the selected washing course is normal washing, the control unit controls the water supply unit to directly supply wash water into the water tub such that the laundry is wetted and then the bubble washing is performed.

22. The washing machine according to claim 21, wherein, when the selected washing course is delicate washing, the control unit controls the water supply unit to supply wash water and detergent into a space defined between the water tub and the rotary drum and performs the bubble washing without wetting the laundry.

23. The washing machine according to claim 17, further comprising:

a detergent supply unit to store detergent and a water supply pipe to supply wash water to the detergent supply unit, wherein

the water supply unit supplies the wash water to the detergent supply unit such that the detergent stored in the detergent supply unit is dissolved to form concentrated detergent liquid.

24. The washing machine according to claim 23, further comprising:

a water replenishment pipe diverging from the water supply pipe to replenish wash water, wherein

the water supply unit directly supplies the wash water into the water tub not through the detergent supply unit but through the water replenishment pipe.

25. The washing machine according to claim 24, wherein the control unit controls the water supply unit to directly supply the wash water into the water tub through the water replenishment pipe to wet the laundry before the wash water and the detergent are supplied into the space between the water tub and the rotary drum.

26. The washing machine according to claim 25, further comprising:

an air supply unit to supply air such that the laundry in the rotary drum is washed by bubbles.

27. The washing machine according to claim 26, wherein the air supply unit comprising:

an air motor mounted below the water tub to supply air;

an air supply pipe to forward the air supplied by the air motor; and

a porous member mounted at one end of the air supply pipe to disperse the supplied air, wherein the air supplied by the air motor passes through the porous member via the air supply pipe and the air is dispersed to generate bubbles in the detergent water including concentrated detergent liquid and wash water mixed with each other, to thereby wash the laundry only using the generated bubbles.

28. The washing machine according to claim 27, wherein the air dispersed by the porous member is introduced into the space between the water tub and the rotary drum through the air holes.