Washing method of washing machine and apparatus thereof

• US 7,934,278 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2004
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jin-Woong, Oh, Soo-Young, Jeon, Si-Moon, Woo, Kyung-Chul
• Primary Examiner(s): Markoff; Alexander
• Application Number:
  US10/751,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20050034249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,673 Days
• Field of Search: 814/91, 814/92, 814/93, 68/5.R, 68/5.C
• US Class Current: 8/149.3
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/18 Washing liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/02 Water supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/34 of water filling
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/36 of washing
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/006 for washing or rinsing only
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/40 Steam generating arrangements

Abstract

Disclosed are a washing method of a washing machine capable of preventing a phenomenon that remaining detergent is collected into a space where a heater is positioned or a specific space during a washing operation of laundry, capable of minimizing a generation of washing water unnecessarily supplied to the washing machine, and capable of fast heating corresponding laundry before a washing operation for an efficient washing operation, and an apparatus thereof. To this end, the method comprises the steps of: generating steam by heating washing water supplied into a washing machine; injecting the generated steam into laundry inside of a drum of the washing machine; and rotating the drum after injecting the steam into the laundry and thereby washing the laundry.

Claims

1. A method of washing laundry for a drum-type washing machine including a tub, a drum located inside the tub, and the drum including a plurality of lifts formed on an inner surface of the drum, the method comprising:

opening a water supply valve to supply water into the drum, the water being received in a washing water receiving space that includes a space between the drum and the tub;

closing the water supply valve to stop supplying water into the drum;

rotating the drum to soak the laundry located in the drum with the supplied water in the washing water receiving space, wherein the laundry is tumbled by being lifted and dropped by the plurality of lifts as the drum is rotated;

repeating the opening of the water supply valve;

the closing of the water supply valve; and

the rotating of the drum until a certain amount of water is maintained at the washing water receiving space indicating that the laundry is soaked;

while maintaining the water supply valve closed after the certain amount of water is maintained until the start of a water washing cycle,

injecting steam into the drum to heat the laundry using a steam generator located between an outer cabinet and the drum, wherein the water supplied to the steam generator is independent from the water in the washing water receiving space; and

after injecting the steam, starting the washing cycle to wash the laundry with the laundry being lifted and dropped by the plurality of lifts as the drum is rotated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein rotating the drum to soak laundry with the supplied water comprises circulating the water received in the washing water receiving space into the drum.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a level of the water received in the washing water receiving space; and

if the detected level of the water reaches a preset upper limitation level, driving a circulation pump thereby circulating the water received in the washing water receiving space into the drum.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein rotating the drum to soak laundry with the supplied water comprises circulating the water received in the washing water receiving space into the drum for a preset time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a level of the water received in the washing water receiving space; and

if the detected level of the water reaches a preset lower limitation level, stopping a circulation pump for circulating the water, and then re-supplying water into the drum, the re-supplied water being received in the washing water receiving space.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising re-circulating the water received in the washing water receiving space by driving the circulation pump when the level of water received in the washing water receiving space reaches an upper limitation level.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein injecting steam into the drum further comprises:

supplying water into a container of the steam generator, the water being stored in the container of the steam generator; and

detecting a level of the water stored in the container; and

if the detected level of the water reaches a preset upper-limitation level, driving a heater of the steam generator.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the washing cycle is started right after injecting steam into the drum.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein injecting steam into the drum further comprises:

supplying water into the steam generator; and

generating steam by heating the water supplied to the steam generator using a heater.