Washing machine having detergent supply device and method of controlling the same

• US 9,970,142 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2014
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Min Ji
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Spencer E
• Application Number:
  US14/313,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20150033479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/005 Methods for washing, rinsing or spin-drying
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/088 Liquid supply arrangements

Abstract

A washing machine that performs refresh washing in which smell or mold that permeates laundry can be removed, and a method of controlling the washing machine. When clothes that are kept for a long time without being worn or laundries that are hardly contaminated due to a short wearing time are washed, a refresh washing course in which various smell or mold that permeates laundry can be removed using a very small amount of detergent, is performed. Thus, overuse of detergent caused by an excessive use of detergent can be prevented, and since the necessity for rinsing is low due to the use of the very small amount of detergent, an intermediate dehydration operation may be omitted, or an intermediate dehydration revolutions per minute (rpm) may be reduced so that washing and rinsing operations do not need to be excessively performed and thus damage of laundry is reduced.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a washing machine operable in a plurality of pre-defined washing courses, the washing machine including a controller, a detergent supply device configured to store detergent input by a user, a tub, a drum installed in the tub, a motor to rotate the drum, and a water supply device, the method comprising:

receiving a user input selecting a refresh washing course among the plurality of pre-defined washing courses, the refresh washing course including at least a washing operation, a rinsing operation, and a dehydration operation, and having default settings assigned to the washing operation in the refresh washing course, the default settings including a first amount of detergent to be supplied into the tub for the washing operation in the refresh washing course, a first amount of water to be supplied by the water supply device for the washing operation in the refresh washing course, and an operating rate of the motor for the washing operation in the refresh washing course;

controlling, by the controller, the first amount of detergent to be supplied by the detergent supply device into the tub for the washing operation in the refresh washing course among the plurality of pre-defined washing courses for a load accommodated in the drum, the first amount of detergent being a smaller amount of detergent than a second amount of detergent that would be controlled by the controller to be supplied by the detergent supply device for a same load for a washing operation in a standard washing course among the plurality of pre-defined washing courses;

supplying the first amount of water by the water supply device for the washing operation in the refresh washing course for the load, the first amount of water being a larger amount of water than a second amount of water that would be supplied by the water supply device for the same load for the washing operation in the standard washing course; and

performing the washing operation in the refresh washing course by operating the motor at a lower operating rate than an operating rate that would be utilized for the same load for the washing operation in the standard washing course,

wherein, in the refresh washing course, the controller controls the detergent supply device to be operated for a predetermined reference time included in the default settings, regardless of a weight of the load, to supply the first amount of detergent by the detergent supply device into the tub, and

in the refresh washing course, the first amount of detergent to be supplied by the detergent supply device is a fixed uniform amount included in the default settings that does not change according to the weight of the load.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course by operating the motor at an operating rate which is less than an operating rate that would be utilized for the same load for a rinsing operation in the standard washing course,

wherein

an operating rate of the motor in the washing operation in the refresh washing course is about 30% to 40% less than an operating rate of the motor that would be utilized for the same load for the washing operation in the standard washing course,

an operating rate of the motor in the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course is about 30% to 40% less than an operating rate of the motor that would be utilized for the same load for the rinsing operation in the standard washing course, and

the refresh washing course has default settings assigned to the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course which include the operating rate of the motor for the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein

the dehydration operation in the refresh washing course includes an intermediate dehydration operation and a final dehydration operation, and

the method further comprises:

performing the intermediate dehydration operation in the refresh washing course between completion of the washing operation in the refresh washing course and a final rinsing of the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course; and

performing the final dehydration operation in the refresh washing course upon completion of the final rinsing of the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course,

wherein

a number of revolutions per minute of the motor in the intermediate dehydration operation in the refresh washing course is about half a number of revolutions per minute of the motor that would be utilized for the same load for an intermediate dehydration operation in the standard washing course performed between completion of the washing operation in the standard washing course and a final rinsing of the rinsing operation in the standard washing course, and

the refresh washing course has default settings assigned to the dehydration operation which include the number of revolutions per minute of the motor in the intermediate dehydration operation in the refresh washing course.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a time to perform the washing operation in the refresh washing course is a fixed uniform amount of time that is included in the default settings, and is set without regard to a weight of the load.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the fixed uniform amount of time to perform the washing operation in the refresh washing course is less than half an amount of time to perform the washing operation in the standard washing course for the same load.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pre-defined washing courses further include a delicate washing course and a wool washing course, the delicate washing course and the wool washing course each having different default settings from each other and from the refresh washing course and the standard washing course.

7. A method of controlling a washing machine operable in a plurality of pre-defined washing courses, the washing machine including a controller, a detergent supply device configured to store detergent input by a user, a tub, a drum installed in the tub, a motor to rotate the drum, and a water supply device, the method comprising:

receiving a user input selecting a refresh washing course among the plurality of pre-defined washing courses, the refresh washing course including at least a washing operation, a rinsing operation, and a dehydration operation, and having default settings assigned to the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course, the default settings including a first amount of fabric conditioner to be supplied into the tub for the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course, a first amount of water to be supplied by the water supply device for the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course, and an operating rate of the motor for the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course;

controlling, by the controller, the first amount of fabric conditioner to be supplied by the detergent supply device into the tub for the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course for a load accommodated in the drum, the first amount of fabric conditioner being a smaller amount of fabric conditioner than a second amount of fabric conditioner that would be controlled by the controller to be supplied by the detergent supply device for a rinsing operation in a standard washing course among the plurality of pre-defined washing courses;

supplying the first amount of water by the water supply device for the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course for the load, the first amount of water being a larger amount of water than a second amount of water that would be supplied by the water supply device for the same load for the rinsing operation in the standard washing course; and

performing the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course by operating the motor at a lower operating rate than an operating rate that would be utilized for the same load for the rinsing operation in the standard washing course,

wherein, in the refresh washing course, the controller controls the detergent supply device to be operated for a predetermined reference time included in the default settings, regardless of a weight of the load, to supply the first amount of fabric conditioner by the detergent supply device into the tub, and

in the refresh washing course, the first amount of fabric conditioner to be supplied by the detergent supply device is a fixed uniform amount included in the default settings that does not change according to the weight of the load.

8. A method of controlling a washing machine operable in a plurality of pre-defined washing courses, the washing machine including a controller, a detergent supply device configured to store detergent input by a user, a tub, a drum installed in the tub, a motor to rotate the drum, and a water supply device, the method comprising:

receiving a user input selecting a refresh washing course among the plurality of pre-defined washing courses, the refresh washing course including at least a washing operation, a rinsing operation, and a dehydration operation, and having default settings assigned to the washing operation in the refresh washing course, the default settings including a first amount of detergent to be supplied into the tub for the washing operation in the refresh washing course, a first amount of water to be supplied by the water supply device for the washing operation in the refresh washing course, and an operating rate of the motor for the washing operation in the refresh washing course;

controlling, by the controller, the first amount of detergent to be supplied by the detergent supply device into the tub for the washing operation in the refresh washing course among the plurality of pre-defined washing courses for a load accommodated in the drum, the first amount of detergent being a smaller amount of detergent than would be controlled by the controller to be supplied by the detergent supply device for a same load for a washing operation in a standard washing course among the plurality of pre-defined washing courses;

supplying the first amount of water by the water supply device for the washing operation in the refresh washing course for the load, the first amount of water being a larger amount of water than a second amount of water that would be supplied by the water supply device for the same load for the washing operation in the standard washing course;

performing the washing operation in the refresh washing course by operating the motor at a lower operating rate than an operating rate that would be utilized for the same load for the washing operation in the standard washing course;

draining at least a portion of the first amount of water when the washing operation in the refresh washing course is complete;

performing the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course by supplying a third amount of water by the water supply device, the third amount of water being equal to a fourth amount of water that would be supplied by the water supply device for the same load for the rinsing operation in the standard washing course; and

performing an intermediate dehydration operation in the refresh washing course after completion of at least one of the washing operation in the refresh washing course and the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course,

wherein

the intermediate dehydration operation is performed at a rotational speed that is about half a rotational speed that an intermediate dehydration operation in the standard washing course is performed at for the same load,

in the refresh washing course, the controller controls the detergent supply device to be operated for a predetermined reference time included in the default settings, regardless of a weight of the load, to supply the first amount of detergent by the detergent supply device into the tub, and

in the refresh washing course, the first amount of detergent to be supplied by the detergent supply device is a fixed uniform amount included in the default settings that does not change according to the weight of the load.

9. A method of controlling a washing machine operable in a plurality of pre-defined washing courses, the washing machine including a controller, a detergent supply device configured to store detergent input by a user, a tub, a drum installed in the tub, a motor to rotate the drum, and a water supply device, the method comprising:

receiving a user input selecting a refresh washing course among the plurality of pre-defined washing courses, the refresh washing course including at least a washing operation, a rinsing operation, and a dehydration operation, and having default settings assigned to the washing operation in the refresh washing course, the default settings including a first amount of detergent to be supplied into the tub for the washing operation, a first amount of water to be supplied by the water supply device for the washing operation, and an operating rate of the motor for the washing operation;

controlling, by the controller, the first amount of detergent to be supplied by the detergent supply device into the tub for the washing operation in the refresh washing course among the plurality of pre-defined washing courses for a load accommodated in the drum, the first amount of detergent being a smaller amount of detergent than a second amount of detergent that would be controlled by the controller to be supplied by the detergent supply device for a same load for a washing operation in a standard washing course among the plurality of pre-defined washing courses;

supplying the first amount of water by the water supply device for the washing operation in the refresh washing course for the load, the first amount of water being a larger amount of water than a second amount of water that would be supplied by the water supply device for the same load for the washing operation in the standard washing course;

performing the washing operation in the refresh washing course by operating the motor at an operating rate which is less than an operating rate that would be utilized for the same load for the washing operation in the standard washing course;

supplying a third amount of water by the water supply device for the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course for the load, the third amount of water being determined according to a weight of the load; and

performing the rinsing operation in the refresh washing course by operating the motor at an operating rate which is less than an operating rate that would be utilized for the same load for a rinsing operation in the standard washing course,

wherein

in the refresh washing course, the first amount of detergent to be supplied by the detergent supply device is a fixed uniform amount included in the default settings that does not change based on a weight of the load, and

in the refresh washing course, the first amount of water supplied for the washing operation by the water supply device corresponds to a fixed reference water level included in the default settings which is not determined according to the weight of the load.