Washing machine using steam and method for controlling the same

• US 7,946,140 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2009
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• 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): Barr; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): HECKERT, JASON MARK
• Application Number:
  US12/461,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20100031708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 68/120.1, 68/121.2, 68/121.8, 68/122.2, 68/122.3, 815/8
• US Class Current: 68/12.23
• 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 course) and a signal selected from the steam select part (430). The present invention has an advantageous effect that 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 configured to allow a user to select a course that uses steam from a plurality of courses;

a steam adjuster disposed on the control assembly, to select at least one factor of steam generation and configured to send a signal to adjust the at least one factor;

a steam generator; and

a controller configured to control the steam generator to generate steam when the selected course uses steam and to adjust the at least one factor based on the signal from the steam adjuster, thereby the selected course using steam can be differentiated.

2. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the steam adjuster is a push button which is configured to send at least one signal to the controller when the user pushes the push button.

3. The laundry machine of claim 2, wherein the controller determines various adjustments of steam generation based on the signals sent from the push button.

4. The laundry machine of claim 3, wherein each adjustment causes the controller to control the steam generator to generate a different amount of steam.

5. The laundry machine of claim 4, wherein the controller controls the steam generator to generate steam until a preset temperature is reached for at least one adjustment selected by the user through the push button.

6. The laundry machine of claim 1, further comprising an indicator that indicates which adjustment has been selected by the user.

7. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the laundry machine is a washing machine.

21. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one factor includes at least one of a starting time of steam generation, an amount of steam, a degree of steam injection, and a steam generation time is controlled to be adjusted.

8. A laundry machine comprising:

a control assembly;

a course selector configured to allow a user to select a course that uses steam from a plurality of courses;

a steam adjuster disposed on the control assembly separate from the course selector and configured to allow a user to select at least one factor of steam generation and configured to send a signal to adjust the at least one factor;

a steam generator; and

a controller configured to control the steam generator to generate steam when the selected course uses steam and to adjust the at least one factor based on the signal from the steam adjustor, thereby the selected course using steam can be differentiated.

9. The laundry machine of claim 8, wherein the steam adjuster is a push button which is configured to send at least one signal to the controller when the user pushes the push button.

10. The laundry machine of claim 9, wherein the controller determines various modes of different amounts of steam based on the signals sent from the push button.

11. The laundry machine of claim 10, wherein the controller controls the steam generator to generate steam until a preset temperature is reached for at least one mode selected by the user through the push button.

12. The laundry machine of claim 8, further comprising an indicator that indicates which adjustment has been selected by the user.

13. The laundry machine of claim 8, wherein the laundry machine is a washing machine.

22. The laundry machine of claim 8, wherein the at least one factor includes at least one of a starting time of steam generation, an amount of steam, a degree of steam injection, and a steam generation time is controlled to be adjusted.

14. A laundry machine comprising:

a control assembly;

a course selector disposed on the control assembly and configured to allow a user to select a course from a plurality of courses that use steam, wherein at least some of the plurality of courses that use steam are grouped together at the course selector;

a steam adjuster disposed on the control assembly and configured to allow a user to select at least one factor of steam generation and configured to send a signal to adjust the at least one factor;

a steam generator; and

a controller configured to control the steam generator to generate steam when the selected course uses steam and to adjust the at least one factor based on the signal from the steam adjuster, thereby the selected course using steam can be differentiated.

15. The laundry machine of claim 14, wherein the steam adjuster is a push button which is configured to send at least one signal to the controller when the user pushes the push button.

16. The laundry machine of claim 15, wherein the controller determines various options of steam generation based on the signals sent from the push button.

17. The laundry machine of claim 14, wherein the course selector is a rotation knob and each course that uses steam is printed at the control assembly in a vicinity of the rotation knob.

18. The laundry machine of claim 14, wherein the course selector is a touch panel.

19. The laundry machine of claim 14, further comprising an indicator that indicates which option has been selected by the user.

20. The laundry machine of claim 14, wherein the laundry machine is a washing machine.

23. The laundry machine of claim 14, wherein the at least one factor includes at least one of a starting time of steam generation, an amount of steam, a degree of steam injection, and a steam generation time is controlled to be adjusted.