Washing machine using steam and method for controlling the same

• US 7,797,969 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2009
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ahn, In Geun, Park, Seog Kyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson; Frankie L
• Application Number:
  US12/458,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20090314040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 68/15, 68/3.R
• US Class Current: 68/15
• 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 2101/20 Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programs, service modes or refreshment cycles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/60 Audible signals
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/32 Control of operational steps, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/40 Steam generating arrangements

Abstract

A washing machine using steam and a method for controlling the same is disclosed. The washing machine with a steam generator (100) selectively supplying steam inot a drum (30) according to the present invention includes a course select part (420) for a user to select a wash course, a steam select part (430) for a user to select whether steam washing is operated and a controller (440) for controlling the steam generator (100) based on a wash course selected from the course select part (420) (an inputted wash vourse) and a signal selected from the steam select part (430). The present invention has an advantageous effect thtat convenience is improved for a user to use the washing machine using steam as well as washing performance is improved, because disadvantages due to malfunctions of a steam generator are prevented.

Claims

1. A laundry machine comprising:

a control assembly;

a course selector allowing a user to select a course from a plurality of courses;

a steam selector disposed on the control assembly separate from the course selector and allowing a user to select to use steam together with a selected course that uses steam, wherein activating the steam selector sends a signal to add steam during the selected course that uses steam, and not activating the steam selector prevents steam during the selected course that uses steam; and

a controller to control a steam generator for the selected course that uses steam when the signal is received, and the controller does not control the steam generator even when the steam selector is activated if the course from the plurality of courses is a course that does not permit the use of steam.

2. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is enabled to receive the signal from the steam selector when the course from the plurality of courses is a course that uses steam.

3. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the steam selector is enabled to send the signal to the controller when the course from the plurality of courses is a course that uses steam.

4. The laundry machine of claim 1, further comprising a display to indicate whether the steam is being used during operation of the course that uses steam.

5. The laundry machine of claim 1, further comprising a first indicator disposed on the control assembly to alert the user that steam may be used with the course that uses steam.

6. The laundry machine of claim 5, wherein the first indicator includes a lamp or a light emitting device (LED).

7. The laundry machine of claim 5, wherein the first indicator is part of the steam selector.

8. The laundry machine of claim 5, wherein the first indicator surrounds the steam selector.

9. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the course that uses steam includes at least one of a standard course, a tub/drum wash course, and a freshen-up course.

10. The laundry machine of claim 1, further comprising a second indicator to indicate which course among the plurality of courses allows steam to be used.

11. The laundry machine of claim 10, wherein the second indicator includes at least one of an LCD, a light emitting diode (LED), a lamp, and a print.

12. A laundry machine comprising:

a control assembly;

a course selector allowing a user to select a course from a plurality of courses;

a steam selector disposed on the control assembly separate from the course selector and allowing a user to select to use steam together with a selected course; and

a controller to control a steam generator which is disposed in the laundry machine;

wherein the steam generator is operated to generate and introduce steam during the selected course, on condition that the selected course is a predetermined course that can receive steam and the steam selector is selected.

13. The laundry machine of claim 12, wherein the controller is enabled to receive the signal from the steam selector when the course from the plurality of courses is a course that uses steam.

14. The laundry machine of claim 12, wherein the steam selector is enabled to send the signal to the controller when the course from the plurality of courses is a course that uses steam.

15. The laundry machine of claim 12, wherein the controller does not respond to a signal from the steam selector when the selected course does not permit the use of steam.

16. The laundry machine of claim 12, wherein the controller causes an alarm to sound when the steam selector is selected when the selected course is a course that does not permit the use of steam.

17. The laundry machine of claim 12, further comprising a first indicator disposed on the control assembly to alert the user that steam may be used with the course that uses steam.

18. The laundry machine of claim 17, wherein the first indicator includes a lamp or a light emitting device (LED).

19. The laundry machine of claim 17, wherein the first indicator is part of the steam selector.

20. The laundry machine of claim 17, wherein the first indicator surrounds the steam selector.

21. The laundry machine of claim 12, further comprising a second indicator to indicate which course among a plurality of courses allows steam to be used.

22. The laundry machine of claim 21, wherein the second indicator includes at least one of an LCD, a light emitting diode(LED), a lamp and a print.

23. The laundry machine of claim 12, further comprising a display to indicate whether the steam is being used during operation of the course that uses steam.

24. A laundry machine comprising:

a control assembly;

a course selector allowing a user to select a course from a plurality of courses;

a steam selector disposed on the control assembly separate from the course selector and allowing a user to select to use steam together with a selected course; and

a controller to control a steam generator which is disposed in the laundry machine,

the steam generator is controlled to operate during the selected course based on both a first signal inputted from the course selector and a second signal inputted from the steam selector, and the steam generator is not operated to generate steam either if the selected course is not a course that can permit to use steam, or if the steam selector is not selected to use steam.

25. The laundry machine of claim 24, wherein the steam generator is operated to generate steam both if the selected course is a course that can permit to use steam, and if the steam selector is selected to use steam.

26. The laundry machine of claim 24, wherein the controller is enabled to receive the signal from the steam selector when the course from the plurality of courses is a course that uses steam.

27. The laundry machine of claim 26, wherein the steam selector is enabled to send the signal to the controller when the course from the plurality of courses is a course that uses steam.

28. The laundry machine of claim 24, wherein the controller does not respond to a signal from the steam selector when the selected course does not permit the use of steam.

29. The laundry machine of claim 24, wherein the controller causes an alarm to sound when the steam selector is selected when the selected course is a course that does not permit the use of steam.

30. The laundry machine of claim 24, further comprising a first indicator to alert the user that steam may be used with the course that uses steam.

31. The laundry machine of claim 30, wherein the first indicator includes a lamp or a light emitting device (LED).

32. The laundry machine of claim 30, wherein the first indicator is part of the steam selector.

33. The laundry machine of claim 30, wherein the first indicator surrounds the steam selector.

34. The laundry machine of claim 24, further comprising a second indicator to indicate which course among a plurality of courses allows steam to be used.

35. The laundry machine of claim 34, wherein the second indicator includes at least one of an LCD, a light emitting diode(LED), a lamp and a print.

36. The laundry machine of claim 24, further comprising a display to indicate whether the steam is being used during operation of the course that uses steam.

37. A laundry machine comprising:

a control assembly;

a course selector allowing a user to select a course from a plurality of courses;

a steam selector disposed on the control assembly separate from the course selector and allowing a user to select to use steam together with a selected course; and

a controller to control a steam generator which is disposed in the laundry machine, the steam generator is controlled to operate during the selected course based on both a first signal inputted from the course selector and a second signal inputted from the steam selector; and

a first indicator disposed on the control assembly to alert the user that steam may be used with the course that uses steam.