KR102476288B1 - Laundry Treating Apparatus and Method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a laundry treatment apparatus and a control method thereof, and relates to a water level sensor for detecting a level of wash water, a drain pump for operating in a low-noise mode, and a drain unit for discharging the wash water to the outside, and the wash water During drainage, the drainage state is determined based on the water level detected through the water level sensor and the time required for drainage, and if drainage is not normally performed within the set time, the low noise mode is temporarily released and the speed of the drainage pump and a controller that resets the drain pump to operate in a low-noise mode to minimize noise and vibration during drainage, and to change the setting of the drain pump with priority to the drainage capacity when drainage is not normally performed, thereby facilitating washing water. It can be drained properly and prevent residual water from occurring.

Description

Laundry treatment apparatus and control method {Laundry Treating Apparatus and Method thereof}

The present invention relates to a laundry treatment apparatus and a control method thereof.

In general, a laundry treatment device separates contaminants from clothing, bedding, etc. (hereinafter abbreviated as 'laundry') by using chemical decomposition of water and detergent and physical action such as friction between water and laundry. to name the device.

This laundry treatment apparatus repeatedly supplies and drains wash water to a drum to remove contamination from laundry.

When the wash water is drained, the drain pump is operated so that the wash water in the tub is drained.

However, there is a problem in that washing water is not completely drained and residual water is generated. In particular, when a building's drain pipe is installed at a certain height or higher, washing water may remain in the drain hose.

There was a problem in that the intensity of drainage cannot be adjusted because the operation of the conventional drainage pump is turned on and off, but the speed is not changed.

If some of the washing water remains in the drain hose, etc., foreign substances may accumulate in the drain hose, and may cause a freeze accident in winter.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a laundry treatment apparatus and a control method for draining all of the wash water without remaining by controlling the drain pump when the wash water is drained.

In order to achieve the above object, a laundry treatment apparatus according to the present invention includes a tub for providing a space for storing wash water, a drum rotatably provided inside the tub,

A water level sensor for detecting the water level of the wash water, a drain pump including a drain pump operating in a low noise mode, and a drain unit for discharging the wash water to the outside, and the water level sensed through the water level sensor while the wash water is being drained A control unit for determining the draining state based on the time required for draining, and temporarily releasing the low-noise mode and resetting the speed of the drain pump when draining is not normally performed within the set time, and It operates at a first speed in the mode, and operates at a second speed higher than the first speed when the low noise mode is released.

When the target water level is not reached within a set time, the controller maintains the low noise mode when the current water level detected through the water level sensor is below the set water level.

The controller may maintain the low noise mode to retry draining, and if the target water level is not reached, release the low noise mode and reset the speed of the drain pump to the second speed.

The present invention, after washing or rinsing, operates a drain pump set to a low noise mode to drain the wash water, counts the drain time and detects the level of the wash water, and if the target water level is not reached within the set time, the current Detecting the water level, canceling the low noise mode and resetting the speed of the drain pump in response to the current water level, draining wash water at the changed speed by the drain pump, and draining completed when the target water level is reached Including the step of stopping draining by determining as.

In the present invention, the drain pump operates at a first speed to drain the wash water in a low noise mode, and when the speed is reset, the drain pump operates at a second speed faster than the first speed to drain the wash water. contains more

When the target water level is not reached within the set time, if the current water level is less than or equal to the set water level, the step of maintaining the low noise mode is further included.

The method may further include changing a speed of the drain pump to a second speed that is a maximum speed when the current water level exceeds the set water level when the target water level is not reached within the set time.

In the laundry treatment apparatus and control method according to the present invention configured as described above, wash water is drained with low noise while draining, and the operation of the drain pump is controlled by checking the drain state so that all wash water is drained without remaining.

According to the present invention, residual water can be effectively drained by variably controlling the drain pump according to the drainage state while minimizing noise caused by the drain pump.

The present invention allows draining to be performed according to the installation environment so that draining is effectively performed without residual water.

1 is a perspective view of a laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram briefly illustrating a control configuration of a laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a diagram illustrating a signal flow of a laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the pump driving unit of FIG. 3;
5 is a diagram referenced to describe a connection state of a drain hose of a laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a flowchart illustrating a drainage method of the laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Advantages and features of the present invention, and methods of achieving them, will become clear with reference to the detailed description of the following embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in various different forms, and only these embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and common knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to completely inform the person who has the scope of the invention, and the present invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. Like reference numbers designate like elements throughout the specification. In addition, the control unit and each unit of the present invention may be implemented with one or more processors or hardware devices.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to drawings for explaining a laundry treatment apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention.

1 is a perspective view of a laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in (a) of FIG. 1, the laundry treatment device according to the present embodiment has a front loading method (1a) in which clothes are put into the device through an inlet provided on the front side, and an upper portion of the device as shown in (b) of FIG. It can be divided into a top-loading method (1b) in which clothes are put into the device through an inlet provided on the surface.

The present invention can be applied to either the top loading method or the front loading method.

Such a laundry treatment apparatus has a basic structure in which a drum accommodating laundry is rotatably installed, and as the drum accommodating laundry rotates, washing, rinsing, spin-drying and/or drying steps of laundry are sequentially or selectively performed. Laundry is processed.

In the laundry treatment apparatus 1, a control panel is provided on the top of the cabinet. The control panel includes a control panel for inputting washing settings such as a washing course and a display for displaying an operating state.

The laundry treatment apparatus 1 includes a tub (not shown) disposed inside to provide a space for storing wash water, a drum (not shown) rotatably provided inside the tub to provide a space for storing laundry, and laundry in the tub. A water supply unit (not shown) for supplying water and a drain unit (not shown) for discharging wash water stored in the tub to the outside of the cabinet 11 may be included.

The drum is rotatably disposed inside the tub. The drum according to this embodiment has a cylindrical shape with an open upper side. The open upper side of the drum is disposed below the clothing entrance of the tub.

A plurality of communication holes (not shown) are formed on the bottom surface and the circumferential surface of the drum to communicate the inside of the drum and the tub. The drum rotates inside the tub by a driving unit (not shown). At least one washing protrusion (not shown) protruding from the bottom surface is formed on the bottom surface of the drum according to the present embodiment to form water flow when the drum rotates.

2 is a block diagram briefly illustrating a control configuration of a laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the laundry treatment apparatus 1 includes a control unit 180, an output unit 170, a sensor unit 160, a motor drive unit 130, a water supply unit 150, a drainage unit 140, It includes a memory 120 and a control unit 110 that controls overall operations.

In addition, the laundry treatment apparatus 1 may further include a communication unit (not shown) for transmitting and receiving data by connecting a plurality of communication modules to a terminal or an external server. The communication unit may transmit/receive data by including communication modules such as Wi-Fi and WiBro as well as short-range wireless communication such as ZigBee and Bluetooth.

The control panel 180 includes at least one button installed on the control panel 13, a switch, and an input means such as a touch pad. The control unit 180 inputs operation settings including settings such as power input, operation mode, laundry type, washing course, water level, and temperature. When the type of laundry is selected and the power key is input, the control unit 180 inputs operation setting data to the control unit 110 .

The output unit 170 outputs information about operation settings and operating states. The output unit 170 displays data on a screen in combination with at least one of letters, number icons, images, and special characters, a lamp indicating an operating state according to whether or not lighting is turned on, and a speaker or buzzer outputting a predetermined sound effect or warning sound. includes

The display may include a menu screen for operation setting and operation control of the laundry treatment apparatus, and may output a guide message or warning consisting of a combination of at least one of letters, numbers, and images with respect to operation setting or operation status.

The output unit 170 may output a warning sound when an abnormality occurs during operation, and may output an error code for the generated abnormality.

The memory 120 stores control data for controlling the operation of the laundry treatment apparatus, input operation setting data, data for operation time calculated according to settings, data for a laundry course, and data for determining whether an error has occurred. .

In addition, the memory 120 stores data generated while the laundry treatment apparatus is operating or sensed through the sensor unit 160 and data transmitted and received through the communication unit 390 .

The memory 120 stores data that can be read by a microprocessor, and may include ROM, RAM, and flash memory, and may include a hard disk drive (HDD), solid state disk (SSD), and SDD (Silicon Disk Drive), , CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, and optical data storage devices.

In addition, the laundry treatment apparatus 1 includes a power supply unit (not shown) that converts supplied commercial power to supply operating power. The power supply unit cuts off overcurrent, rectifies and smooths the supplied power, generates operating power of a predetermined size, and supplies it to each unit.

The sensor unit 160 may include a plurality of sensors to measure voltage or current inside the laundry treatment apparatus 1, detect the temperature and water level of washing water, and detect the rotational speed of the motor 135. . In addition, the sensor unit 160 may further include a laundry detection sensor (not shown) for detecting a state or material of laundry. A temperature sensor (not shown) detects the temperature of the inside of the laundry treatment device 1 and the water temperature. When a heater is provided in the laundry treatment apparatus, the temperature of the heater may be sensed. A plurality of temperature sensors are provided and installed at different locations to sense the temperature. The water level detection unit (water level sensor) detects the height (water level) of water supplied to the tub. The current sensor may detect current applied to the motor 135 and the door sensor may detect whether the door is opened or closed.

The motor driver 130 applies current to the motor 135 and controls the motor to rotate. The motor driving unit 130 controls the operation of the motor by converting power supplied through the power supply unit into power for the rotation of the motor 135 and applying the applied power. The motor driving unit may include an inverter for driving the motor.

The motor driver 130 controls the rotation direction, rotation angle, and rotation speed of the motor 135 according to the control command of the controller 110 . Motor 135 is a motor 135 . The motor driving unit 130 controls the motor 135 to operate differently according to the set washing course and washing, rinsing, and spin-drying. The motor driving unit 130 differently controls the rotational direction, rotational angle, and rotational speed of the driving unit so that the washing water in the drum forms a specific type of water flow.

The water supply unit 150 supplies cold and hot water according to the washing and rinsing cycles. The water supply unit 150 controls the opening and closing of a water supply valve (not shown) to control the amount of water supplied.

The water supply unit 150 continuously supplies water or stops supplying water for a predetermined time depending on the time of execution, that is, whether washing or rinsing is in progress or the operation pattern of the drum.

The drainage unit 140 is disposed below the tub and includes a drain pipe (not shown) forming a drain passage and a drain pump (not shown) for pumping wash water flowing through the drain passage to the outside of the laundry treatment apparatus 1. can include The drain unit 140 controls the opening and closing of a drain valve (not shown) and controls the operation of the drain pump so that water is discharged to the outside through the drain hose.

The controller 110 controls a series of washing processes such as washing, rinsing, spin-drying, and drying. Hereinafter, performing washing refers to all operations including a washing operation, a rinsing operation, a spin-drying operation, and a drying operation. In the case of the drying cycle, it may be applied differently depending on whether or not the laundry treatment device includes a drying function.

The control unit 110 stores input operation settings in the memory 120 and controls the operation by calling water level and temperature settings and control patterns according to the washing course in response to the data stored in the memory. The control unit 110 outputs an operation setting or operating state through the output unit 170 .

The control unit 110 controls the water supply unit 150 and the drain unit 140 to supply and drain water to and from the tub according to operation settings, and applies a control command to the motor driving unit 130 to perform operation of the driving unit. The drum rotates to allow washing to take place. In addition, the controller 110 applies a control command to a heater (not shown) so that the heater operates to heat wash water or to perform a drying process.

The control unit 110 controls the motor driving unit 130 so that the drum operates according to a predetermined pattern, and the motor driving unit 130 drives the motor to generate a water current in a predetermined shape so that the laundry flows.

When draining water, the controller 110 controls the water draining unit so that wash water is discharged to the outside. The control unit may determine the drainage state in response to the detected water level and temporarily release the low-noise mode according to the sphere.

The drain unit operates with low noise, but the low noise mode is temporarily released according to the control command of the control unit and the drain pump operates at the maximum speed to discharge residual water.

That is, the residual water level may be sensed when a predetermined time elapses after the start of drainage, and the speed of the drain pump may be varied and controlled according to the residual water level.

The control unit controls the drainage unit in response to the drainage condition and outputs an error corresponding to the drainage error when a drainage error occurs.

FIG. 3 is a diagram referenced to describe an unwinding operation of a laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the control unit 110 determines the drainage state based on input data and controls the drainage unit 140 accordingly.

The water level detecting unit 161 included in the sensor unit 160 senses the water level in the washing tub and inputs the detected water level to the control unit 110. The timer 105 counts time according to the control command of the control unit.

The control unit 110 determines the drainage state according to the detected water level and the lapse of time.

The controller 110 may determine an error when the water level is not reached within a set time. The control unit 110 may determine whether or not to set the drain flag according to the drain state and set the drain flag. When setting the drainage flag, the control unit 110 may determine whether or not there is a drainage error by checking the next progress state.

In addition, the control unit 110 applies a control signal to the drain unit according to the draining state so that the drain pump operates in a low noise mode or releases the low noise mode.

The controller 110 may cancel the low noise mode according to whether the drain flag is set, the remaining water level, the number of failures, and the like.

The control unit 110 determines whether or not a designated target water level is reached during the set time, determines whether or not there is a drainage error, and then changes the setting of the drain pump.

The controller 110 may set a drain flag when the target water level is not reached within a set time. In addition, the control unit resets the speed of the drain pump when setting the drain flag. The drain unit stops the operation of the drain pump and operates the drain pump according to the changed settings.

Since the drain hose becomes U-shaped, residual water may occur in the drain hose, so drain it.

The control unit maintains the current speed or resets the speed of the drain pump after checking whether the previous drain flag is set when the remaining water level is below the set level among cases where the target water level is not reached within the set time.

When the remaining water level is below the set water level, the control unit sets a drain flag, maintains the current speed, that is, the first speed of the low noise mode, and changes the setting of the drain pump at the next determination. Even if the remaining water level is below the set water level, the control unit resets the drain pump when the drain flag has already been set and the drain flag has been set.

The setting time may be changed according to the size of the tub and the drainage capacity of the drainage pump, but is set to the time required for normal drainage to be completed in the corresponding laundry treatment device. At this time, the set water level is a water level higher than the target water level or a level at which washing water is almost discharged. It is preferable that the target water level is an air water level.

The pump driver 141 operates the drain pump 142 in response to a control command from the controller 110 .

The pump driver 141 supplies predetermined operation power to the drain pump so that the drain pump 142 operates in a low noise mode. In addition, the pump driving unit 141 allows the drain pump to operate at the maximum speed when the low noise mode is released by the control unit.

The drain pump 142 drains water at a designated speed according to the low noise mode, and operates at a settable maximum speed when the low noise mode is released.

The pump driving unit 141 changes the operating speed of the drainage pump 142 through PWM control. The pump driving unit includes an inverter (not shown) having a plurality of switching elements (not shown) for PWM control, and a pump control unit (not shown).

The pump driver 141 controls the switching element of the inverter on and off according to the switching control signal of the pump control unit, and accordingly, the power applied to the drain pump motor (not shown) is varied so that the drain pump operates at a specified speed. do.

As the speed of the drain pump is varied, all wash water remaining in the washing tub or drain hose may be discharged.

The control unit 110 may determine a drainage error when the drainage is repeated for a certain period of time or a set number of times, output a corresponding warning through the output unit, and stop the operation in some cases.

If drainage is not completed within the reference time, the controller 110 may determine a drainage error.

4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the pump driving unit of FIG. 3;

The pump driving unit 141 includes a dc stage capacitor (C), an inverter 144, and a pump control unit 143, and the drain pump 142 is composed of a drain motor (M) 145.

In addition, the pump driving unit 141 includes a converter (not shown), a dc stage voltage detector (not shown), a dc stage capacitor (C), an output current detector (E), an input current detector (not shown), and a reactor (not shown). etc. may be further included.

The converter converts commercial AC power that has passed through the reactor into DC power and outputs it. Commercial AC power may be a single-phase AC power or a three-phase AC power. Depending on the type of commercial AC power source, the internal structure of the converter also differs. Meanwhile, the converter may be made of a diode or the like without a switching element and may perform a rectification operation without a separate switching operation. When the converter includes a switching element, a voltage boosting operation, power factor improvement, and DC power conversion may be performed by a switching operation of the corresponding switching element.

The dc stage capacitor (C) smooths the input power and stores it. In the drawing, one element is exemplified as a dc-stage capacitor (C), but a plurality of elements may be provided to secure element stability. On the other hand, the dc terminal capacitor is exemplified as being connected to the output terminal of the converter, but is not limited thereto, and direct current power may be directly input. On the other hand, since DC power is stored at both ends of the dc terminal capacitor (C), it may be referred to as a dc terminal or a dc link terminal.

The dc terminal voltage detection unit may detect the dc terminal voltage (Vdc) at both ends of the dc terminal capacitor (C). To this end, the dc short voltage detector B may include a resistance element, an amplifier, and the like. The detected dc terminal voltage (Vdc) may be input to the pump control unit 143 as a discrete signal in the form of a pulse.

The inverter 144 is provided with a plurality of inverter switching elements, and converts the voltage (Vdc) of the DC power source smoothed by the on/off operation of the switching elements into three-phase AC power sources (va, vb, vc) of a predetermined frequency. , can be output to the three-phase synchronous motor (M).

In the inverter 144, the upper and lower arm switching elements Sa, Sb, and Sc and the lower arm switching elements S'a, S'b, and S'c connected in series to each other form a pair, and a total of three pairs of upper and lower arms. The switching elements are connected in parallel (Sa&S'a, Sb&S'b, Sc&S'c) to each other. Diodes are connected in anti-parallel to each of the switching elements Sa, S'a, Sb, S'b, Sc, and S'c.

The switching elements in the inverter 144 perform an on/off operation of each switching element based on the inverter switching control signal Sic from the pump control unit 143 . As a result, three-phase AC power having a predetermined frequency is output to the three-phase synchronous motor M of the drainage pump 142 .

The pump controller 143 may control the switching operation of the inverter 144 based on a sensorless method. To this end, the pump controller 143 may receive the output current i _o detected by the output current detector E.

The pump controller 143 outputs an inverter switching control signal Sic to the inverter 144 to control the switching operation of the inverter 144 . The inverter switching control signal Sic is a pulse width modulation (PWM) switching control signal, which is generated and output based on the output current _io detected by the output current detector.

The output current detection unit E detects the output current i _o flowing between the inverter 144 and the motor 145 . That is, the current flowing through the motor 145 is detected. The output current detector E may be positioned between the inverter 144 and the motor 145, and a current transformer (CT), a shunt resistor, or the like may be used to detect the current.

When shunt resistors are used, three shunt resistors are located between the inverter 144 and the motor 145, or the three lower arm switching elements S'a, S'b, and S'c of the inverter 144 It is possible for one end to be connected to each. On the other hand, using three-phase equilibrium, it is also possible that two shunt resistors are used. Meanwhile, when one shunt resistor is used, the corresponding shunt resistor may be disposed between the aforementioned capacitor C and the inverter 144 .

The detected output current (i _o ) may be applied to the pump control unit 143 as a discrete signal in the form of a pulse, and an inverter switching control signal (Sic) is generated based on the detected output current ( _io ). is created Hereinafter, the detected output current (i _o ) may be described in parallel as a three-phase output current (ia, ib, ic).

The motor (M) 145 includes a stator and a rotor, and AC power of each phase of a predetermined frequency is applied to the coils of the stator of each phase (phases a, b, and c) to rotate the rotor. will do

Such a motor (M) 145 is, for example, a surface-mounted permanent-magnet synchronous motor (SMPMSM), an interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (IPMSM), and a synchronous reluctance motor (Synchronous Reluctance Motor; Synrm). Among them, SMPMSM and IPMSM are Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) applied with permanent magnet, and Synrm is characterized by no permanent magnet.

The converter current Icv output from the converter is divided into a dc link current Icdc flowing through the dc link capacitor C and an inverter current Iiv flowing through the inverter 144. By subtracting the inverter current Iiv from the converter current Icv, the dc link current Icdc flowing through the dc link capacitor C is calculated.

The pump control unit 143 may set duty cycles for the switching elements Sa, S'a, Sb, S'b, Sc, and S'c based on the set speed of the drain pump 142.

5 is a diagram referenced to describe a connection state of a drain hose of a laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the laundry treatment apparatus 1, a drain hose 18 is connected to a rear surface 19 so that wash water is discharged to the outside.

At this time, when the drain pipe 20 in the building is located at a certain height or higher as shown, when the drain hose 18 is connected, the drain hose maintains a U-shape, so that some of the washing water remains in the drain hose. can The water level detection unit may detect that the water level has not been reached.

Accordingly, the drain unit controls the speed of the drain pump so that the washing water is drained into the drain pipe without residual water.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 6 , when washing or rinsing, the laundry treatment apparatus 1 supplies wash water, and drains the wash water when washing or rinsing is completed.

The control unit 110 controls the operation by applying a control command to the water supply unit and the water drainage unit.

The drain unit 140 operates the drain pump 142 (S320) so that the washing water in the tub is discharged to the outside. The drainage unit may operate in a low noise mode to reduce generated noise and vibration. The drain pump 142 may operate at a first speed, which is 50 to 70% of the maximum speed in the low noise mode.

When the drainage starts, the control unit 110 counts the time through the timer 105 (S330).

In addition, the water level detection unit 161 detects the level of wash water in the tub (S340).

The control unit 110 determines whether or not a target water level is reached within a set time during drainage (S350 and S360).

When the target water level is reached within the set time, the control unit 110 determines that the washing water has been drained and stops draining (S390). If necessary, after operating the drain pump for a predetermined time in consideration of the possibility of unsensed residual water, the drain may be stopped.

On the other hand, if the target water level is not reached within the set time, the controller 110 determines whether there is a drainage error (S370).

The controller 110 may determine a drainage error based on the remaining water level and the elapsed time. For example, the controller 110 may determine a drainage error according to whether drainage is completed based on a reference time set longer than the set time. In addition, the controller 110 may determine a water drainage error when 30% to 50% or more of wash water remains after the set time has elapsed.

If it is not a drainage error in a state where the target water level has not been reached within the set time, the control unit 110 changes the setting of the drainage pump (S380), and operates the drainage pump again for a predetermined time. At this time, the predetermined time is shorter than the set time.

If the target water level is not reached even after resetting the drain pump, the control unit determines that it is a drain error and outputs a drain error (S400).

7 is a flowchart illustrating a drainage method of the laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 7, when drainage starts, the drainage pump operates (ON) (S410). The drain pump is operated in a low noise mode at a different first speed to discharge wash water.

The timer 105 counts the time (S420), and the water level detection unit 430 detects the water level (S430).

The control unit determines whether or not the target water level is reached within the set time (S440, S450), and if the target water level is reached within the set time, it is determined that drainage is normal and drainage is complete, and the water is stopped (S550). Accordingly, the pump driving unit stops the drain pump. In some cases, the pump driving unit may operate the drain pump for a predetermined period of time and then stop the drain pump. Accordingly, washing water may be drained without residual water.

When drainage is completed, the control unit performs the next set operation. For example, the control unit causes dehydration to start after draining is completed.

On the other hand, if the target water level is not reached within the set time, the controller 110 determines whether a drainage error has occurred by determining whether the reference time has elapsed (S460).

If it is not a drainage error, that is, if the reference time has not been reached, the control unit determines whether the current water level is less than or equal to the set water level (S470).

If the current water level is less than the set water level, it is checked whether a drainage flag has been previously set (S480). If the set water level is not reached within the set time, the drain flag is set. Therefore, the fact that the drain flag is set means that the water has already been drained at least once and has not reached the set water level within the set time.

When the current water level is less than the set water level and the drain flag is not set, the control unit 110 sets the drain flag (S490) and causes the drain pump to maintain the current setting and continue draining (S500).

The controller operates the drain pump for a certain period of time according to the current settings. At this time, the predetermined time is preferably set shorter than the previously set set time, but may be set the same according to circumstances.

Meanwhile, the control unit sets a drain flag when the set water level is not reached during the set time (S510) and resets the drain pump setting. The control unit cancels the low noise mode for the drain pump.

The pump driving unit 141 stops the drain pump 142 (S520) and resets the drain pump to the maximum speed (S530). The pump driving unit 141 re-drives the drainage pump at the changed speed (S540). Accordingly, the drain pump is operated at the maximum speed and the washing water is discharged.

After resetting the speed, the control unit 100 causes the drainage pump to operate for a predetermined period of time.

While the drain pump is operating, the timer counts the time, and the water level sensor detects the water level of the washing water.

If the target water level is not reached even after a certain period of time has elapsed, the control unit 110 compares the total elapsed time with the reference time to determine whether there is a drainage error (S460).

If the reference time has not been reached, it is determined whether the current water level is less than or equal to the set water level (S470).

However, if there is no change in water level even if the standard time has not been reached, if the water level change is less than the set value even if there is a change in water level, or if the water level remains 30-50%, it can be judged as a drainage error.

If it is below the set water level, it is determined whether the drainage flag is set (S480). When the drain flag is set, the drain pump is stopped (S520), the speed of the drain pump is reset, and then the drain pump is operated (S540).

On the other hand, if it is higher than the set water level or lower than the set water level and the drain flag is set, check the current drain pump setting and maintain the current state because there is no need to reset the speed if it is operating at the maximum speed.

In some cases, when the speed of the drain pump is increased in stages, the speed of the drain pump may be increased in stages by checking the remaining water level in units of a predetermined time.

On the other hand, if the drainage is not completed to reach the reference period, the controller determines that it is a drainage error and outputs a drainage error (S560).

The control unit outputs a drainage error because there may be a case in which drainage is not normally performed due to foreign substances in the drainage filter or foreign substances in the drainage hose. In addition, since the water level may not be normally sensed due to a problem with the water level sensing unit, the control unit may output an error accordingly.

Therefore, according to the present invention, wash water can be effectively discharged by changing and controlling the drain pump by determining the drain state based on time and the water level while minimizing noise during drainage. Further, in the present invention, when residual water is generated due to the installation environment, wash water may be discharged without residual water by changing the setting of the drainage pump based on drainage performance rather than noise generation.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and in the technical field to which the present invention belongs without departing from the gist of the present invention claimed in the claims. Various modifications and implementations are possible by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or perspective of the present invention.

1: laundry treatment device
110: control unit 120: memory
130: motor driving unit 135: motor
140: drainage unit 141: pump drive unit
142: drain pump 150: water supply
160: sensor unit 161: water level detection unit

Claims (16)

a tub providing a space for storing wash water;
a drum rotatably provided inside the tub;
a water level sensing unit for sensing the water level of the wash water;
a drainage unit including a drainage pump operating in a low-noise mode and discharging the washing water to the outside; and
While the washing water is being drained, the drain state is determined based on the water level detected through the water level sensor and the time required for draining. Including a control unit for resetting the speed of the pump,
The drainage pump operates at a first speed in the low noise mode, and operates at a second speed higher than the first speed when the low noise mode is released,
The control unit maintains the low noise mode when the current water level detected through the water level sensor is below the set water level when the target water level is not reached within the set time,
The control unit maintains the low noise mode to retry drainage, and when the target water level is not reached, releases the low noise mode and resets the speed of the drain pump to the second speed. Device. According to claim 1,
The control unit sets the second speed to the maximum speed of the drain pump. delete delete According to claim 1,
The control unit resets the speed of the drain pump to the second speed when the current water level detected through the water level detection unit exceeds the set water level when the target water level is not reached within the set time . According to claim 2 or 5,
Laundry treatment apparatus, characterized in that the drain pump is driven again at the reset speed after stopping the operation when the speed is reset. According to claim 1,
Laundry treatment apparatus, characterized in that the drain unit sets the first speed in the range of 50% to 70% of the maximum speed of the drain pump. According to claim 1 or 5,
When the set time elapses, the control unit determines a drainage state according to whether or not the target water level is reached and sets a drainage flag,
Laundry treatment apparatus for resetting the speed of the drain pump regardless of the current water level when the drain flag is set. According to claim 1,
The controller determines a drainage error and outputs an error when the target water level is not reached within a predetermined reference time, when there is no change in water level, when the water level change is below a set value, or when the remaining water level is above a predetermined value, and outputs an error. Device. After washing or rinsing, draining the wash water by operating a drain pump set to a low noise mode;
Counting the drainage time and detecting the water level of wash water;
detecting the current water level when the target water level is not reached within the set time;
releasing the low noise mode and resetting a speed of the drain pump in response to the current water level;
draining wash water at the changed speed by the drain pump; and
When the target water level is reached, determining that drainage is complete and stopping drainage; include,
draining the wash water by operating the drainage pump at a first speed in the low noise mode;
draining the washing water by operating at a second speed higher than the first speed when the speed is reset;
If the target water level is not reached within the set time,
setting a drainage flag; and
After re-watering, determining a drainage state, and resetting a speed of the drainage pump regardless of the current water level when the drainage flag is set. delete According to claim 10,
If the target water level is not reached within the set time, if the current water level is less than or equal to the set water level, maintaining the low noise mode. According to claim 10,
If the target water level is not reached within the set time, if the current water level exceeds the set water level, changing the speed of the drainage pump to a second speed that is the maximum speed. According to claim 10,
When resetting the speed of the drain pump,
stopping the drain pump from operating; and
Control method of the laundry treatment apparatus further comprising the step of re-driving at the changed speed.
delete According to claim 10,
The step of outputting an error by determining a drainage error in any one of cases where the target water level is not reached within a reference time, when there is no change in water level or when the change in water level is less than or equal to a set value, and when the remaining water level is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. Control method of the laundry treatment apparatus further comprising.

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