Laundry machine and control method thereof

• US 20080168679A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Dong Hyun, Bae, Sang Hun, Son, Young Bok, Kim, Heung Jae, Son, Chang Woo, Choi, Chul Jin
• Granted Patent: US 7,997,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/497
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/36 Flow or velocity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/62 related to systems for water or steam used for conditioning or finishing
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/08 Draining of washing liquids
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/24 Flow or velocity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/04 Details controlling or regulating devices D06F34/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/203 Laundry conditioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/44 of conditioning or finishing, e.g. for smoothing or removing creases

Abstract

The present invention relates to a laundry machine and a control method thereof. The control method includes supplying steam, generated by a steam generator, into a drum, and supplying hot air into the drum to dry clothes wetted by the steam. According to the present invention, it is possible to effectively removing wrinkles on clothes.

Claims

1. A control method of a laundry machine, comprising:

supplying steam into a drum; and

supplying hot air into the drum to dry clothes wetted by the steam.

2. The control method according to claim 1, further comprising:

heating the interior of the drum before the step of supplying steam into a drum is carried out.

3. The control method according to claim 2, wherein the step of heating the interior of the drum includes

supplying hot air, generated by a hot air heater, into the drum.

4. The control method according to claim 3, wherein the step of heating the interior of the drum includes

operating the hot air heater for a predetermined period of time after the supply of water to a steam generator is completed or when a heater of the steam generator is turned on.

5. The control method according to claim 4, wherein the step of heating the interior of the drum includes

operating the hot air heater when the water level in the steam generator reaches a high water level.

6. The control method according to claim 5, wherein the step of heating the interior of the drum includes

stopping the operation of the hot air heater before the steam is supplied into the drum.

7. The control method according to claim 5, wherein the step of heating the interior of the drum includes

stopping the operation of the hot air heater after the hot air heater is operated for a predetermined period of time.

8. The control method according to claim 5, wherein the step of heating the interior of the drum includes

rotating the drum.

9. The control method according to claim 3, wherein the step of heating the interior of the drum includes

operating the hot air heater to supply an less amount of heat than when operating to dry clothes wetted by the steam.

10. The control method according to claim 9, wherein the operating includes operating the hot air heater to generate lower strength of heat to supply the less amount of heat.

11. The control method according to claim 10, wherein the step of heating the interior of the drum includes

stopping the operation of the hot air heater before the steam begins to be supplied into the drum.

12. The control method according to claim 10, wherein the step of heating the interior of the drum includes

stopping the operation of the hot air heater after the hot air heater is operated for a predetermined period of time.

13. The control method according to claim 3, wherein the step of supplying steam, generated by a steam generator, into a drum includes

rotating the drum.

14. The control method according to claim 13, wherein the drum is intermittently rotated.

15. The control method according to claim 14, wherein the stop time of the drum is greater than the rotation time of the drum.

16. The control method according to claim 3, further comprising:

cooling the drum.

17. The control method according to claim 16, wherein the supplying of steam includes generating steam by a steam generator and the control method further comprises:

collecting water remaining in the steam generator to discharge the remaining water to the outside after the supplying of steam is completed.

18. The control method according to claim 17, wherein the step of collecting water remaining in the steam generator includes

pumping the remaining water in the steam generator to the outside.

19. The control method according to claim 3, wherein the steam supply time at the step of supplying steam into a drum and the hot air supply time at the step of supplying hot air into the drum to dry clothes wetted by the steam vary with a selected mode.

20. The control method according to claim 19, wherein the steam supply time and the hot air supply time for sterilization are greater than the steam supply time and the hot air supply time for removal of wrinkles.

21. The control method according to claim 19, wherein the steam supply time and the hot air supply time for fluffing are less than the steam supply time and the hot air supply time for removal of wrinkles.

22. The control method according to claim 18, wherein the operation of the pump is controlled based on the temperature of the remaining water in the steam generator.