KR20170041483A - Method for controlling process in washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

According to an aspect of the present invention, a method of controlling a washing machine includes: a first-stage dewatering step of rotating a drum loaded with laundry for dewatering the laundry; a second-stage dewatering step of rotating the drum to a target speed for dewatering the laundry; and a non-stop rinsing step of forming a rotational speed of 1 to 130 rpm, performed between the first-stage dewatering step and the second-stage dewatering step, wherein hot water is sprayed into a tub to shorten a dewatering time for the laundry in the non-stop rinsing step. According to the washing machine and the control method thereof of the present invention, the hot water is sprayed into the tub in a dewatering process, so that the washing water is more effectively removed from the laundry, and the dewatering time is remarkably shortened while consuming the same level of power as the conventional method.

Description

METHOD FOR CONTROLLING PROCESS IN WASHING MACHINE [0001]

The present invention relates to a control method of a washing machine.

Generally, a washing machine is an apparatus for washing clothes using an emulsifying action of a detergent, a water flow action caused by the rotation of the washing tub or the laundry blades, and a shock action applied by the laundry blades, and uses laundry detergent and water Washing, rinsing or dewatering process is performed so as to remove the contamination on the surface (hereinafter referred to as "foam").

The washing machine is roughly divided into an agitator type, a pulsator type, and a drum type washing machine.

In the agitation type, the washing rods rising in the center of the washing tub are washed by rotating the washing rods to the left and right, and the swirl type washing is performed by using the frictional force of the water stream and the vagrant, Wash the drum with water, detergent and cloth.

In the conventional washing machine, the drum is rotated in a dewatering process to squeeze the wash water absorbed in the laundry. In other words, the washing machine according to the prior art has a problem of dehydrating depending on only the rotational force of the drum in the spinning cycle.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2013-0015207

A problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a control method of a washing machine capable of maximizing a dewatering effect by using hot water in a dewatering stroke.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hot water ratio capable of maximizing the dehydration effect.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hot water temperature capable of maximizing the dewatering effect.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hot water injection timing that can maximize the dehydration effect in the dehydration process.

The problems of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method for a washing machine, including: a first stage dehydration for rotating a drum loaded with laundry for dehydration of laundry; Two-stage dehydration for rotating the drum to a target speed for dewatering laundry; And a non-stop rinse section disposed between the first stage dehydration and the second stage dehydration and forming a rotational speed between 1 and 130 rpm. In the non-stop rinse section, hot water is sprayed into the tub to shorten the dehydration time of the laundry .

The hot water sprayed from the non-stop rinse section may be formed at a temperature of 120 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

The hot water sprayed from the non-stop rinse section may be formed at 54.6 ° C.

The ratio of the hot water in the wash water sprayed in the non-stop rinse section is 59% and the cold water ratio is 41%.

The hot water sprayed in the non-stop rinse section is formed at a temperature of 120 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, the ratio of the hot water in the sprayed washing water is 59% and the cold water ratio is 41%.

The washing machine according to the present invention comprises a casing forming an outer appearance; A tub disposed inside the casing and storing wash water; A drum disposed inside the tub, rotated in the tub, and loaded with laundry; A driving module for rotating the drum; A water supply module for supplying at least one of cold water and hot water into the tub; A spray nozzle installed in the casing and supplied with cold water or hot water from the water supply module to spray the water into the tub; And a controller for controlling the water supply module such that hot water having a temperature of 120 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit is sprayed through the spray nozzle when the laundry is dewatered.

The water supply module includes a cold water supply valve and a hot water supply valve, and a cold water hose connected to the cold water supply module; A hot water hose connected to the hot water supply valve; A common hose connected to the injection nozzle; And a branch pipe connecting the cold water hose, the hot water hose, and the common hose.

It is possible to prevent reverse flow of wash water from the cold water hose to the hot water hose or from the hot water hose to the cold water hose.

The ratio of the hot water in the washing water sprayed from the spray nozzle is 59% and the ratio of the cold water is 41%.

According to the washing machine and its control method of the present invention, one or more of the following effects can be obtained.

First, the washing machine and its control method of the present invention are advantageous in that the hot water is sprayed into the tub in the dewatering process, and the washing water can be more effectively dewatered in the laundry.

Second, the washing machine and its control method of the present invention have the advantage that the dehydration time can be drastically shortened while consuming the same level of power consumption as the conventional one.

Third, the washing machine and its control method of the present invention have an advantage of providing a hot water temperature and a hot water ratio which can shorten the dewatering time.

Fourth, the washing machine of the present invention has an advantage of preventing the hot water or the cold water from flowing backward from the spray nozzle for spraying hot water or cold water.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

1 is a perspective view of a washing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a side sectional view of a washing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a water supply valve according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a graph showing the dehydration process according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a graph of rinsing performance (%) according to the temperature of hot water to be sprayed.
6 is a graph of remaining moisture content (RMC) with temperature of hot water.
7 is a graph of RMC according to the amount of hot water used.
8 is a graph of IMEF according to the amount of hot water used.
Figure 9 is a graph of RMC and IMEF as a result of rinsing hot water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The advantages and features of the present invention, and the manner of achieving them, will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. To fully disclose the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification.

1 to 3, a washing machine according to the present embodiment will be described.

The washing machine according to the present embodiment includes a casing 10 forming an outer appearance, operation keys provided on the casing 10 to receive operation force from the user, and a display for displaying information on the operating state of the washing machine A drum 30 disposed inside the tub 30 for storing laundry and a drum 40 for washing laundry; and a control unit 40 for controlling the laundry 30, A driving module 50 disposed in the tub 30 for rotating the drum 40 to wash the laundry, a water supply module 60 for supplying washing water to the drum 40, A drain module 70 for discharging washing water stored in the tub 40 and a suspension module 80 for reducing or buffering vibration generated in the tub 30.

The casing 10 includes a main body 12 in which the tub 30 and the drum 40 are disposed, a top cover 14 disposed on the main body 12, And a door (7) arranged to open and close the inside of the casing (10).

The control module 20 includes an input unit 21 for receiving operation force from a user, and includes an operation button, a dial, etc., and a display unit (not shown) as a display unit 22 for transmitting various information of the washing machine to the user . In this embodiment, the control module 20 is disposed on the top cover 14.

The tub 30 is connected to the water supply module 60 to receive and store the wash water, and is connected to the drain module 70 to discharge the water stored therein.

The drum 40 is disposed inside the tub 30 and is relatively rotated in the forward or reverse direction with respect to the tub 30 in response to the driving force of the driving module 50.

The driving module 50 includes a motor 52 disposed below the tub 30, a driving shaft 54 connected to the drum 40 through the tub 30, And a pulsator (56) disposed inside the motor (40) and selectively rotated by receiving a driving force from the motor (52).

In this embodiment, the pulsator 56 is disposed inside the drum 40, and may be rotated in the forward direction or the reverse direction separately from the rotation of the drum 40.

The drainage module 70 includes a drain valve 71 connected to the tub 30 and a drainage passage 72 connected to the drainage valve 71.

The suspension module 80 is connected to the tub 30 and reduces vibrations generated in the tub 30 by using at least one of an elastic force and a damping.

The top cover 14 is provided with a spray nozzle 90 capable of spraying wash water into the tub 30.

In this embodiment, cold or hot water can be selectively injected through the injection nozzle 90. The injection nozzle 90 is connected to the water supply module 60.

In the present embodiment, the water supply module 60 includes a water supply valve 61 and a water supply flow path 62 disposed in the top cover 12. A plurality of the water supply valves (61) are disposed.

A cold water pipe (not shown) and a hot water pipe (not shown) are connected to the water supply valve 61.

A cold water feed valve 61a connected to the cold water pipe and a hot water feed valve 61b connected to the hot water pipe are connected to the injection nozzle 90. [

A plurality of injection nozzles 90 may be provided, but one injection nozzle 90 is used in this embodiment. The cold water supply valve 61a and the hot water supply valve 61b are connected to the injection nozzle 90 to supply cold water and hot water to one injection nozzle 90. [

A cold water hose 63 is connected to the cold water feed valve 61a and a hot water hose 64 is connected to the hot water feed valve 61b. A common hose (65) is connected to the injection nozzle (90). A branch pipe 66 connecting the cold water hose 63, the hot water hose 64 and the common hose 65 is provided.

A backflow prevention valve is installed in at least one of the cold water hose 63, the hot water hose 64 and the branch pipe 66 to prevent the reverse flow of the cold water or hot water. In the present embodiment, the check valve is a check valve.

In this embodiment, a check valve is provided in branch tube 66.

A check valve is provided at a portion of the branch pipe 66 connected to the cold water hose 63 and at a connecting portion of the hot water hose 64, respectively.

Since the check valve structure is a general technique to those skilled in the art, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The dewatering control method of the washing machine according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

Control methods for dewatering laundry are roughly classified into a first stage dewatering (S1) and a second stage dewatering (S2). A rest period S3 for stopping the motor 52 is disposed between the first stage dehydration S1 and the second stage dehydration S2. There is a resonance section of the washing machine between the first stage dehydration (S1) and the second stage dehydration (S2). If it is determined that the first stage dewatering (S1) is allowed to pass through the resonance section, the rotation speed of the drum (40) is rapidly increased after passing through the dormant section (S3) and the resonance section is exceeded.

In the first stage dewatering (S1), control such as forging, bubble dispersion, and the like can be repeatedly performed in order to proceed the second stage dewatering (S2). The first stage dewatering (S1) is variously implemented depending on the type of laundry and the laundry condition.

In this embodiment, hot water is sprayed onto the laundry to shorten the dehydration time of the laundry. Since dehydration is a stroke for removing washing water from laundry, it may be contradictory to spray additional washing water. However, when hot water is sprayed, the surface tension, the viscosity, and the capillary phenomenon of the washing water absorbed in the laundry fabric are lowered, so that the washing water can be more effectively separated.

The dehydration time lasts for a long time only in the conventional dehydration. As the dewatering time becomes longer, the power consumption of the washing machine is increased. Even when hot water is sprayed, the power consumption of the washing machine is increased. In this embodiment, a shorter dehydration time is provided by the power consumption used in the conventional dehydration.

That is, the power consumption is similarly consumed while providing a control method of reducing the dehydration time.

In this embodiment, the temperature of hot water to be sprayed is optimally provided. In this embodiment, the ratio of hot water to be sprayed is optimized and provided. In this embodiment, the zone in which the hot water is sprayed is optimized and provided.

5 is a graph of rinsing performance (%) according to the temperature of hot water to be sprayed. Referring to FIG. 5, it can be seen that the higher the temperature of the hot water sprayed into the laundry is, the better the performance is. However, since the higher the temperature of the hot water is, the larger the power consumption is, the temperature of the temperature that can minimize the power consumption is required.

As shown in the graph, it can be confirmed that the performance is improved by about 17% when hot water of 54.6 ° C is sprayed once. A 17% improvement in performance can shorten the time of about 13 seconds by 8lb.

6 is a graph of remaining moisture content (RMC) with temperature of hot water.

Referring to FIG. 6, it can be seen that as the temperature increases, the RMC of the fabric decreases. From 120 degrees Fahrenheit, it can be seen that RMC increases again even when the temperature increases.

In this embodiment, hot water of 120 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit is used. Calculated in degrees Celsius, it has a temperature range of 48.9 ° C to 65.6 ° C. 54.6 DEG C is used in this embodiment. Referring to FIG. 5, the higher the temperature is, the better the performance is.

7 is a graph of RMC according to the amount of hot water used. Referring to FIG. 7, it can be seen that RMC decreases as the amount of hot water used increases. The use of hot water can not be continuously increased to lower the RMC. This is because power consumption increases as the amount of hot water used increases.

8 is a graph of IMEF according to the amount of hot water used.

The integrated modified energy factor (IMEF) is calculated by dividing the capacity of the washing tub into cubic feet (cubic feet) divided by the sum of (1), (2), (3) and (4), expressed in kilowatt-hours . (1) the total weight of hot water consumed per cycle; (2) the total energy consumed weight of the washing machine per cycle; (3) energy consumption per dry weight to remove the water of the test laundry; (4) Energy consumption per standby and off mode per cycle.

IMEF was proposed by the US Department of Energy (DOE).

It is desirable to find the amount of water that can maximize the IMEF with the optimal RMC.

Referring to the graph of FIG. 8, it can be seen that the IMEF is 2.699 and the RMC is optimized to 36.11% when the warm water is 10 liters.

The ratio of cold water to hot water is 41% and 59%. A total of 17 liters of wash water is sprayed through the spray nozzle and 7 liters of hot water is used for 10 liters.

9 is a graph of a dehydration stroke including a first stage dehydration (S1), a second stage dehydration (S2) and a dormancy section (S3).

Referring to FIG. 9, IMEF (RMC%) using existing cold water is 2.643 (39.5%). In the case of IMEF (RMC%), which is equivalent to that of the existing cold water, it can be confirmed that it is shortened from 1100 seconds to 620 seconds. IMEF (RMC%), which is shortened to 620 seconds, is 2.653 (40.47%).

The shortening time may vary depending on the amount of laundry to be dewatered or the course, but it can be confirmed that the use of hot water greatly shortens the dewatering time.

Taking the contents of the above graph together, the temperature of the hot water is 54.6 占 폚, and the ratio of the hot water in the sprayed washing water is 59%.

The temperature range or the ratio of the hot water may be discarded depending on the capacity of the washing machine, the washing level, and the like.

The order of spraying the hot water and the cold water is not particularly limited.

For example, after spraying 41% of cold water, 59% of hot water can be sprayed. Conversely, it is also possible to spray 41% of cold water after spraying 59% of hot water.

Hot water and cold water may be alternately sprayed.

The control method of the washing machine according to the present embodiment injects hot water into the dormant section S3 of the first stage dewatering S1, second stage dewatering S2 and dormant section S3.

When the hot water is sprayed, the rotation speed of the drum 40 through the motor 52 may be kept the same as before.

In this embodiment, the duration of the dewatering stroke is further shortened by controlling the dwell interval S3 differently from the conventional one.

As shown in FIG. 4, the dewatering control method according to the present embodiment controls the rotational speed of the motor 52 to between 1 and 130 rpm in the idle period S3.

If the rotational speed of the motor 52 is set at 1 to 130 rpm, the dehydration time can be further shortened while avoiding the horizontal and vertical resonance of the washing machine.

In this embodiment, the idle period S3 is defined as a non-stop rinse period S5.

The time required for the first stage dewatering (S1) is kept the same as in the prior art. However, when decelerating from the maximum speed of the first stage dehydration (S1) to the non-stop rinse period (S5), the deceleration slope is formed more gently than in the prior art.

The non-stop rinse interval S5 may be maintained at a constant rate between 1 and 130 rpm. The non-stop rinse period S5 can change the rotation speed but prevents the rotational speed of the drum 40 from becoming zero.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. It is therefore to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing detailed description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and the equivalents thereof are included in the scope of the present invention Should be interpreted.

10: Casing 20: Control module
30: tub 40: drum
50: drive module 60: water supply module
70: Drain module 80: Suspension module
90: injection nozzle

Claims (9)

A first stage dehydration for rotating the drum loaded with the laundry for dehydration of the laundry;
Two-stage dehydration for rotating the drum to a target speed for dewatering laundry;
A non-stop rinse section disposed between the first stage dehydration and the second stage dehydration and forming a rotational speed between 1 and 130 rpm,
A method for controlling the dewatering of a washing machine in which hot water is sprayed into the tub to shorten the dewatering time of laundry in the non-stop rinse section. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the hot water injected from the non-stop rinse section is formed at a temperature of 120 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. The method according to claim 1,
And the hot water sprayed in the non-stop rinse section is formed at 54.6 ° Celsius. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the ratio of the hot water in the wash water sprayed in the non-stop rinse section is 59% and the ratio of the cold water is 41%. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the hot water injected from the non-stop rinse section is formed at a temperature of 120 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, the ratio of hot water in the injected washing water is 59%, and the ratio of cold water is 41%. A casing forming an appearance;
A tub disposed inside the casing and storing wash water;
A drum disposed inside the tub, rotated in the tub, and loaded with laundry;
A driving module for rotating the drum;
A water supply module for supplying at least one of cold water and hot water into the tub;
A spray nozzle installed in the casing and supplied with cold water or hot water from the water supply module to spray the water into the tub;
And a controller for controlling the water supply module such that hot water having a temperature of 120 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit is sprayed through the spray nozzle when the laundry is dewatered. The method of claim 6,
Wherein the water supply module includes a cold water supply valve and a hot water supply valve,
A cold water hose connected to the cold water supply module; A hot water hose connected to the hot water supply valve; A common hose connected to the injection nozzle; And a branch pipe connecting the cold water hose, the hot water hose, and the common hose. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the branch pipe is provided with a check valve for preventing reverse flow of wash water from a cold water hose to a hot water hose or from a hot water hose to a cold water hose. The method of claim 7,
Wherein a ratio of hot water in the washing water sprayed from the spray nozzle is 59%, and a ratio of cold water is 41%.

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