Device and Method For Washing Machine

• US 20080196170A1
• Filed: 07/18/2005
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Soungbong
• Application Number:
  US10/556,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20080196170A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/137
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/00 User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/00 Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/04 Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/06 Type or material
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/16 Washing liquid temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/02 Water supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/10 Temperature of washing liquids; Heating means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/34 of water filling
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/36 of washing
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/18 Condition of the laundry, e.g. nature or weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 93/005 Marking arrangements

Abstract

The present invention relates to washing apparatus and washing method, more particularly, a washing apparatus of a new structure, and a washing method thereof, which enables not to leave out pieces of laundry sensing of which is not possible, or not sensed yet among pieces of laundry introduced to an inside of a drum, and which makes automatic sensing and providing properties of pieces of laundry introduced to the inside of the drum for a user to make reference in setting operation.

Claims

1. A washing apparatus comprising:

a body having a drum and driving units for driving the drum;

a reader unit for receiving a signal from an information tag on each piece of laundry introduced to an inside of the drum, to obtain information stored in the information tags;

a display unit for displaying various kinds of information obtained by the reader unit;

an interface unit for providing an input environment for having various particulars selected by the user, or receiving additional information from the user; and

a control unit for receiving information obtained by the reader unit, and information provided to the interface unit, setting operation of various kinds of cycles by using the information received thus, and controlling the driving units with reference to the setting, for performing washing.

2. A washing method comprising:

an information obtaining step for obtaining information on washing of pieces of laundry from information tags respectively of entire laundry introduced to an inside of a drum;

an information determining step for displaying information on particulars of the pieces of laundry in the information obtained thus, and requesting the user to determine whether the particulars displayed thus is the same with particulars of laundry having the user introduced thereto actually, or not;

an information revising step for receiving revised particulars of the pieces of laundry which are not same from the user in a case particulars of the pieces of laundry responded on the request are not the same with each other; and

an operation setting step for setting operation of each cycle with reference to the revised particulars, and the information on washing of the pieces of laundry obtained thus.

3. The washing method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the information on washing includes at least one of weights of respective pieces of laundry, and washing water temperatures of performing preferably operation of each cycle.

4. The washing method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the information determining step includes the step of inducing the user to select a specific button for confirmation of the particulars of the laundry the same or not.

5. The washing method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a step of setting operation of each cycle with reference only to information on washing of each piece of laundry obtained already in a case the particulars responded on the request in the information determining step are determined to be the same.

7. The washing method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the information revising step includes the step of revising a difference between a number of pieces of laundry introduced to the inside of the drum actually, and a number of pieces of laundry obtained by the reader unit.

8. The washing method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the step of having the washing water levels set thus compensated for the weight determined based on the revised number of pieces of laundry.

24. The washing method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the operation setting step includes at least one of setting of washing water temperatures for performing operation of each cycle, and setting of washing water levels for each cycle for a weight of entire laundry.

6. The washing method as claimed in claim, wherein the operation setting step includes at least one of setting of washing water temperatures for performing operation of each cycle, and setting of washing water levels for each cycle for a weight of entire laundry.

9. A washing apparatus comprising:

a reader unit for receiving a signal from an information tag on each piece of laundry, to obtain information on properties of each piece of laundry stored in the information tags;

a display unit for displaying various kinds of information; and

a control unit for receiving information on properties of the piece of laundry from the reader unit, retrieving information on matters to be attended to in washing according to the properties of the piece of laundry or recommendable information on setting of operation in washing with reference to the information received thus, and giving a notice on the information retrieved thus to the user through a display unit.

10. The washing apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a memory having information to be attended to in washing for each property of each piece of laundry stored therein

11. The washing apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a memory having recommendable information on selection of setting of each cycle for each property of each piece of laundry stored therein.

12. A control method comprising:

an information obtaining step for obtaining information on properties of each piece of laundry from an information tag on the piece of laundry introduced to an inside of a drum by using a reader unit;

an information retrieving step for retrieving information to be attended to in washing from the information on properties obtained thus; and

a noticing step for giving a notice on the information retrieved thus to a user.

13. The control method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the information on properties of each piece of laundry includes information on material of the piece of laundry.

14. The control method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the information on properties of each piece of laundry includes at least one kind of information selected from information on a cycle temperature, information on usable detergent, information whether a beaching agent can be used or not.

15. The control method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the information on properties of each piece of laundry includes main use of the piece of laundry.

16. The control method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the information retrieving step includes the step of obtaining information corresponding to the properties of the piece of laundry from information to be attended to in washing pieces of laundry for each property stored in the memory.

17. The control method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the information to be attended to in washing includes at least one kind of information selected from information on kinds of detergent which should not be used, and information on ranges of temperature in which a cycle should not be performed.

18. A control method comprising:

an information obtaining step for obtaining information on properties of each piece of laundry from an information tag on the piece of laundry introduced to an inside of a drum by using a reader unit;

an information retrieving step for retrieving recommendable information on setting operation of each cycle from the information on properties obtained thus; and

a noticing step for giving a notice on the information retrieved thus to a user.

19. The control method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the information on properties of each piece of laundry includes information on material of the piece of laundry.

20. The control method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the information on properties of each piece of laundry includes at least one kind of information selected from information on a cycle temperature, information on usable detergent, information whether a beaching agent can be used or not.

21. The control method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the information on properties of each piece of laundry includes main use of the piece of laundry.

22. The control method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the information retrieving step includes the step of obtaining information corresponding to properties of the piece of laundry from recommendable information on setting operation of each cycle for each property of each piece of laundry stored in a memory.

23. The control method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the recommendable information on selection of setting of each cycle includes at least one kind of information selected from a preferable cycle time period, a preferable cycle temperature, and a preferable kind of detergent.