KR20210012460A - Clothes care apparatus and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

An aspect of the disclosed invention is to provide a clothing care apparatus for supplying and heating a minimum amount of water required for steam generation, and a method for controlling the same. According to the disclosed aspect of the present invention, the clothing care apparatus comprises: a water supply container for storing water; a steam generating device including a case for receiving water from the water supply container, a heater for heating the water of the case, and a water level sensor for detecting the water level in the case; a water supply unit which moves the water stored in the water supply container to the case; an input unit for receiving one steam course among a plurality of steam courses from a user; and a control unit which controls the water supply unit when one steam course is input so that the supply of water at a water level corresponding to the one steam course starts from the reference water level of the case, and controls the heater to heat the water in the case.

Description

Clothing manager and its control method {CLOTHES CARE APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF}

The disclosed invention relates to a clothing manager and a control method for removing dust attached to clothing or odor of clothing.

The clothes manager is a device that performs clothes care such as drying wet clothes, removing dust attached to clothes or odors from clothes, and reducing wrinkles of clothes.

The clothes manager may have a heat exchange device that supplies hot air to a management room in which clothes are accommodated to dry clothes, and a steam generator configured to perform a refresh function such as wrinkle removal, odor removal, static electricity removal, etc. It can be provided.

In this case, the steam generating device may include a case configured to receive water therein, and a water level sensor that is detachable from the case to sense a level of water accommodated in the case.

In the conventional steam generator, after sufficiently storing water in a case, the entire stored water is heated, and a part of the heated water is used to generate steam.

However, according to the conventional steam generating apparatus, there is a problem in that energy is wasted because water that is not required for generating steam is heated.

An aspect of the disclosed invention is to provide a clothing manager for supplying and heating a minimum amount of water required for steam generation, and a control method thereof.

Clothing manager according to an aspect of the disclosed invention is a water supply container for storing water; A steam generating device including a case receiving water from the water supply container, a heater heating the water in the case, and a water level detection sensor sensing a level of water contained in the case; A water supply unit for moving water stored in the water supply container to the case; An input unit for receiving one of a plurality of steam courses from a user; And a controller configured to control the water supply unit so that supply of water at a water level corresponding to the one steam course starts from a reference water level of the case when the one steam course is input, and controls the heater to heat water in the case. Includes.

The control unit senses that the water level of the case is a reference water level at which water supply starts, and controls the driving time of the water supply unit so that the water level of the case reaches a target water level corresponding to the one steam course from the reference water level. can do.

The control unit may control the water supply unit to supply water to the case during the driving time.

The clothes manager according to an embodiment further includes a memory for storing a driving time of the water supply unit according to the type of the steam course, and the control unit may control the water supply unit to supply water during the stored driving time.

The clothes manager according to an embodiment further includes a steam injection unit for injecting steam generated by the steam generating device into the chamber, wherein the control unit includes steam generated from water supplied by the steam injection unit during a driving time of the water supply unit. Can be controlled to spray.

When the control unit detects that the water level of the case reaches the reference level from the target level, the control unit may stop the steam injection of the steam injection unit.

The water level sensor may include a housing coupled to the case; And a plurality of electrodes supported by the housing, wherein the plurality of electrodes include a first electrode for sensing a high water level and a second electrode for sensing a low water level, and the first electrode is a reference water level at which water supply starts Is sensed, and the second electrode may detect a safety level.

The control unit detects that the water level of the case is the reference water level through the first electrode, and determines the driving time of the water supply unit so that the water level of the case reaches a target water level corresponding to the one steam course from the reference water level. Can be controlled.

The control unit may control the water supply unit to supply water to the case during the driving time.

The clothes manager according to an embodiment further includes a memory for storing a driving time of the water supply unit according to the type of the steam course, and the control unit may control the water supply unit to supply water during the stored driving time.

The clothes manager according to an embodiment further includes a steam injection unit for injecting steam generated by the steam generating device into the chamber, wherein the control unit includes steam generated from water supplied by the steam injection unit during a driving time of the water supply unit. Can be controlled to spray.

When the control unit detects that the water level of the case reaches the reference level from the target level, the control unit may stop the steam injection of the steam injection unit.

A method for controlling a clothing manager according to an aspect disclosed includes: receiving one steam course from among a plurality of steam courses from a user; Sensing the water level of the case; And controlling a water supply unit such that when the one steam course is input, supply of water at a water level corresponding to the one steam course starts from the reference water level of the case. And controlling the heater to heat water in the case.

The step of detecting the water level of the case includes detecting that the water level of the case is a reference water level at which the supply of water is started, and the controlling of the water supply unit includes the water level of the case being at the reference level. It may include controlling a driving time of the water supply unit to reach a target water level.

The controlling of the water supply unit may include controlling the water supply unit to supply water to the case during the driving time.

The controlling of the water supply unit may include controlling the water supply unit to supply water during a pre-stored driving time for each type of the steam course.

The control method of the clothing manager according to an embodiment may further include controlling the steam injection of the steam injection unit to inject steam generated from the water supplied during the driving time of the water supply unit.

The controlling of steam injection of the steam injection unit may include stopping the steam injection of the steam injection unit when detecting that the water level of the case reaches a reference water level from a target water level.

Clothing manager according to another aspect of the disclosed invention is a water supply container for storing water; A steam generating device including a case receiving water from the water supply container, a heater heating the water in the case, and a water level detection sensor sensing a level of water contained in the case; A water supply unit for moving water stored in the water supply container to the case; A discharge unit discharging the water of the case to the outside; An input unit for receiving one of a plurality of steam courses of the user; And when the one steam course is input and the water level of the case exceeds the reference water level at which the supply of water starts, controlling the discharge unit to discharge the water of the case to the outside to reach the reference level, and the one And a control unit for controlling the water supply unit to supply water at a water level corresponding to the steam course of the case to the case, and controlling the heater to heat the water in the case.

The water level sensor may include a housing coupled to the case; And a plurality of electrodes supported by the housing, wherein the plurality of electrodes include a first electrode for sensing a high water level, a second electrode for sensing a low water level, and a third electrode for sensing a full water level, and the first electrode A reference water level at which the supply of silver water is started may be sensed, the second electrode may sense a safety level, and the third electrode may sense that the reference water level is exceeded.

According to an aspect of the disclosed invention, since water not used for steam generation is not heated, only a required amount of water is heated, so that energy waste can be prevented.

1 is a perspective view of a clothing manager according to an embodiment.
2 is an exploded perspective view of a clothing manager according to an embodiment.
3 is a side cross-sectional view of a clothing manager according to an embodiment.
4 is a perspective view of a steam generating device of a clothes manager according to an exemplary embodiment.
5 is a cross-sectional view of a steam generating device of a clothes manager according to an exemplary embodiment.
6 is a perspective view of a water level sensor of a clothing manager according to an exemplary embodiment.
7 is a control block diagram of a clothing manager according to an exemplary embodiment.
8 is a flowchart of a method for controlling a clothing manager according to an exemplary embodiment.
9 is a table for determining water supply time for each steam course.

The same reference numerals refer to the same elements throughout the specification. This specification does not describe all elements of the embodiments, and general content in the technical field to which the disclosed invention belongs or content overlapping between the embodiments will be omitted. The term'unit, module, member, block' used in the specification may be implemented as software or hardware, and according to embodiments, a plurality of'units, modules, members, blocks' may be implemented as one component, It is also possible for one'unit, module, member, block' to include a plurality of components.

Throughout the specification, when a part is said to be "connected" with another part, this includes not only the case of being directly connected, but also the case of indirect connection, and the indirect connection includes connection through a wireless communication network. do.

In addition, when a part "includes" a certain component, it means that other components may be further included rather than excluding other components unless specifically stated to the contrary.

Throughout the specification, when a member is said to be positioned "on" another member, this includes not only the case where a member is in contact with another member, but also the case where another member exists between the two members.

Terms such as first and second are used to distinguish one component from other components, and the component is not limited by the above-described terms.

Singular expressions include plural expressions, unless the context clearly has exceptions.

In each step, the identification code is used for convenience of explanation, and the identification code does not describe the order of each step, and each step may be implemented differently from the specified order unless a specific sequence is clearly stated in the context. have.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the disclosed invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a perspective view of a clothes manager according to an embodiment, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a clothes manager according to an embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of a clothes manager according to an embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the clothes manager 1 has a main body 10, a chamber 12a provided inside the main body 10 to receive and manage clothes, and rotates in the main body 10 It includes a door 20 that is coupled to be possible to open and close the chamber 12a, and a coat hanger 30 provided inside the chamber 12a to hang clothes.

The main body 10 is disposed between the outer frame 11, the inner frame 12 disposed in the outer frame 11, and the outer frame 11 and the inner frame 12 to guide air to circulate air. It may include upper ducts 13 and 14.

The outer frame 11 may be provided in a rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open front surface to have an inner space 11a.

The inner frame 12 may be disposed in the inner space 11a of the outer frame 11. The inner frame 12 may be disposed in the inner space 11a to partition the machine room 11b. The inner frame 12 may include a chamber 12a whose front surface is open and provided to accommodate clothes.

The machine room 11b is a part of the inner space 11a and may be separated from the chamber 12a by the inner frame 12. The machine room 11b may be formed under the chamber 12a.

Referring to FIG. 3, the machine room 11b may include a lower heat exchanger 60 constituting a refrigeration cycle. The lower heat exchanger 60 may accommodate a compressor 61, heat exchangers 62 and 63, and an expansion valve (not shown). The heat exchangers 62 and 63 may include a condenser 62 and an evaporator 63.

In addition, the machine room 11b may include a lower blowing device 153 provided to suck air into the machine room 11b and introduce air into the chamber 12a from a lower portion of the chamber 12a.

The lower blowing device 153 may include a lower motor 152 generating rotational force and a lower fan 151 provided to rotate by the lower motor 152.

In addition, the machine room 11b may accommodate the lower ducts 55 and 56 provided to guide the air sucked by the lower fan 151, and accommodate the steam generator 180 provided to generate steam. I can.

The lower fan 151 may be provided as a centrifugal fan that sucks air in the axial direction and discharges the air outward in the radial direction, but is not limited thereto.

In addition, although one lower fan 151 is illustrated as being provided, it is not limited thereto, and a plurality of lower fans may be provided according to design.

In addition, the air flowing through the lower fan 151 may be dried through the lower heat exchanger 60, and through this, clothes located in the chamber 12a receive the dried air from the lower part of the chamber 12a. I can.

The door 20 may be rotatably installed on one side of the front side of the main body 10. The door 20 may rotate to open and close the chamber 12a.

The door 20 may include an input unit 110 provided for a user to select an operation of the clothing manager 1. The input unit 110 may be disposed in front of the door. The input unit 110 may include a button 110a provided to select an operation of the clothing manager 1 by touching or pushing the user, and a display unit 110b displaying an operation state of the clothing manager 1, etc. have. Alternatively, the input unit 110 may be provided as a display capable of a touch input without distinction between a button and a display unit.

The input unit 110 according to an embodiment may receive a command for selecting a user's steam course. Here, the command for selecting a steam course indicates a user's selection input according to a desired function among a plurality of steam courses. For example, the steam course may be classified into various standards such as standard, fine dust, school uniform, and padding, and refer to FIG. 10 for various types of steam courses. When the input unit 110 receives one steam course among a plurality of steam courses from the user, the input unit 110 transmits the received one steam course to the control unit 200, and the control unit 200 provides water with a capacity corresponding to the single steam course. Is controlled to be supplied to the steam generating device 130.

The inner frame 12 includes a chamber 12a with an open front side, an upper cover portion 12b forming a space in which the upper blowing device 40 is accommodated, and the front side of the chamber 12a. It may include a lower cover portion 12c extending downward from the lower end and provided to cover the front of the machine room 11b.

That is, the upper blowing device 40 may be provided above the chamber 12a, and may be disposed behind the upper cover part 12b. The upper blowing device 40 is to accommodate an upper motor 41 generating a rotational force, a pair of upper fans 42 and a pair of upper fans 42 provided to rotate by the upper motor 41. It may include a pair of provided fan cases 43.

The upper motor 41 has its shaft protruding in both sides, and upper fans 42 may be coupled to both ends of the shaft. Through this structure, a pair of upper fans 42 can be rotated with one driving motor 41.

The pair of upper fans 42 may be provided as centrifugal fans that suck air in the axial direction and discharge air outward in the radial direction, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

In addition, the upper fans 42 are shown to be provided in a pair, but are not limited thereto, and a plurality of upper fans may be provided according to design.

The pair of fan cases 43 are provided with suction ports (not shown) on both sides and discharge ports (not shown) on the front side, and guide air sucked from both sides to the front side.

The water supply bottle 58 and the drainage bottle 59 may be detachably installed on the lower cover part 12c. The water supply container 58 and the drainage container 59 may be separated from the lower cover part 12c, respectively. The water supply container 58 and the drainage container 59 may be coupled to the lower cover part 12c, respectively. The water supply tank 58 may supply water to the steam generating device 130. The drainage canister 59 may store water condensed while the humid air passes through the refrigeration cycle. The positions of the water supply container 58 and the drainage container 59 can be changed.

Referring to FIG. 3, a first inlet 12d may be provided at a rear surface of the chamber 12a to allow air from the chamber 12a to flow into the upper ducts 13 and 14. A dust collecting filter 12e for collecting foreign substances such as dust may be provided at the front or rear of the first inlet 12d.

A first discharge port 12f may be provided on an upper surface of the chamber 12a to discharge air from the upper ducts 13 and 14 to the chamber 12a.

When the upper fan 42 rotates, air inside the chamber 12a may flow into the first upper duct 13 through the first inlet 12d. When the air inside the chamber 12a flows into the first upper duct 13, foreign substances such as fine dust existing in the air inside the chamber 12a may be removed by the dust collecting filter 12e.

Air introduced into the first upper duct 13 may move upward along the first upper duct 13 and sucked into the upper fan 42. The air discharged from the upper fan 42 moves along the second upper duct 14 and may be introduced into the chamber 12a through the first discharge port 12f provided on the upper surface of the chamber 12a.

That is, the first upper duct 13 is installed so that its lower part is connected to the rear lower part of the chamber 12a and its upper end covers the upper air blower 40. The second upper duct 14 is installed so that its rear end is connected to the upper air blower 40 and its front end covers the outer upper surface of the chamber 12a, and is connected to the first discharge port 12f.

The hanger 30 is illustrated as being provided as one, but is not limited thereto, and a plurality of hangers may be provided according to design, and may be provided so that clothes can be caught in the chamber 12a. The first discharge ports 12f are provided between the first internal discharge ports for discharging air into the interior of each of the hangers, and at both sides of the first internal discharge ports, respectively, to discharge air to both sides of the clothes hung on the respective hangers. It may include external outlets.

A second inlet 53, a second outlet 54, and a steam outlet 184 may be provided on an upper surface of the machine room 11b, that is, a lower surface of the chamber 12a. The second inlet 53 may be disposed in front of the lower surface of the chamber 12a, and the second discharge port 54 and the steam outlet 184 may be disposed behind the lower surface of the chamber 12a. The arrangement of the second inlet 53, the second outlet 54, and the steam outlet 184 can be changed.

Air inside the chamber 12a may be introduced into the first lower duct 55 through the second inlet 53. One end of the first lower duct 55 may be connected to the second inlet 53, and the other end of the first lower duct 55 may be connected to the lower fan 151 of the lower blowing device 153. Air introduced into the first lower duct 55 may move to the second lower duct 56 through the lower fan 151.

An evaporator 63 and a condenser 62 of the lower heat exchanger 60 may be disposed inside the second lower duct 56. The evaporator 63 may absorb heat from the air of the second lower duct 56. Moisture in the air is condensed while passing through the evaporator 63, and the condensed water may be stored in the drainage container 59 through a predetermined path.

The condenser 62 may be disposed downstream of the evaporator 63 in the air passage. The air whose humidity is lowered while passing through the evaporator 63 is heated while passing through the condenser 62. The temperature of the air passing through the evaporator 63 and the condenser 62 increases and the humidity decreases. This high-temperature dry air may be introduced into the chamber 12a through the second discharge port 54.

That is, the lower heat exchanger 60 according to an embodiment removes humidity in the air flowing by the lower fan 151 using the condenser 62 and the evaporator 63 disposed in the second lower duct 56 can do. Through this, high-temperature dry air may be introduced into the chamber 12a from the lower portion of the chamber 12a.

As described above, the air inside the chamber 12a may be introduced into the second inlet 53 and be discharged through the second outlet 54 after passing through a refrigeration cycle. Through this process, the inside of the chamber 12a may be dehumidified and clothes may be dried.

The machine room 11b may accommodate the compressor 61 of the lower heat exchanger 60.

In addition, the machine room 11b may accommodate the steam generating device 130. According to an embodiment of the disclosed invention, the steam generating device 130 generates steam to be supplied to the chamber 12a, and supplies the generated steam to the chamber 12a to remove wrinkles, remove odors, sterilize, etc. Can perform the functions of.

The steam generating device 130 may include a water supply container 58 for storing water, and the water supply container 58 is detachably installed through the lower cover part 12c described above.

In addition, the steam generating device 130 is connected to the water supply tank 58 to receive water to generate steam, and a steam supply pipe that guides the generated steam to the steam injection unit 140 ( 142) may be included. The steam injection unit 140 may be disposed below the rear surface of the chamber 12a. A heater 131 is installed inside the steam generator 181 to heat water.

Steam generated by the steam generating device 130 moves to the steam injection unit 140 through the steam supply pipe 142 and may be supplied to the chamber 12a through the steam outlet 184. In this case, the steam discharge port 184 may be disposed below the rear surface of the chamber 12a, and may be disposed above the second discharge port 54.

Hereinafter, the steam generating device 130 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, and the water level sensor 132 which is a configuration of the steam generating device 130 will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

The steam generating device 130 may include a case 72 configured to store water therein and a heater 131 disposed inside the case 72 to heat water stored in the case 72. The heated water is generated by steam, but, in addition to water, various solutions capable of enhancing the steam function may be included.

The case 72 may receive water from the water supply tank 58 through the hose 121. The case 72 may include a lower case 72b accommodating water and an upper case 72a detachably coupled to an upper portion of the lower case 72b. The case 72 may be formed to have a volume capable of accommodating a predetermined amount of water therein. The case 72 may have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, but is not limited thereto.

The heater 131 may be installed at a position adjacent to the bottom surface of the case 72 or on the bottom surface of the case 72 so as to heat water regardless of the level of water contained in the case 72. Accordingly, the heater 131 may directly heat water while the water is submerged when water flows into the case 72.

For example, the heater 131 may be a sheath heater that has high thermal efficiency and can heat water in a relatively short time, or a coil heater that heats water stored in the case 72 outside the case 72. However, it is not limited thereto.

The water supply unit 120 may be connected to the hose 121 to supply water into the case 72. Here, the water supply unit 120 may be a pump that moves the water inside the water supply tank 58 to the case 72 by a pressure action. However, it is not limited thereto.

The discharge unit 150 is installed at the bottom of the case 72 to discharge water contained in the case 72. For example, the discharge unit 150 may be a device capable of discharging fluid to the outside by opening and closing, such as a solenoid valve.

The steam supply pipe 142 forms a space in which the water supplied to the inside of the case 72 is heated by the heater 131 to move the generated steam, and the steam injection unit 140 transfers the generated steam into the chamber. Make it possible to spray steam.

The steam generating device 130 may include a separate temperature sensor (not shown) for measuring the temperature of water accommodated in the case 72, and the heater 131 is overheated to prevent damage to the heater 131. To prevent, a heater temperature sensor (not shown) such as a thermo-fuse may be installed on the heater 131.

The steam generating device 130 may be equipped with a water level detection sensor 132 for measuring the water level of the case 72. Here, the water level refers to the level of water stored in the case 72. Since the case 72 has a certain accommodation space, the control unit can determine the amount of water supplied and stored in the case 72 based on the level of water measured by the water level sensor 132. In conclusion, the amount of water in the case 72 is determined according to the water level.

The water level detection sensor 132 can supply water when the water level of the water stored inside the case 72 is lower than the reference value, and when the water level stored therein is higher than the reference value, the control unit and the control unit to stop supply or discharge the stored water. Can be connected.

The water level sensor 132 may support an electrode portion and an electrode portion extending toward the bottom surface of the lower case 72b and may include a housing 133 detachably coupled to the upper case 72a.

The housing 133 may be fixed with a bolt or the like outside of the upper case 72a, and a socket portion 134 for electrical connection with the outside may be provided on the upper side of the housing 133. The socket unit 134 may be inserted into a connector (not shown) configured to be connected to the control unit of the electrode unit clothing manager.

The electrode unit may be installed with an appropriate height from the bottom surface of the lower case 72b to sense the level of water stored or supplied in the case 72. When water is supplied to the inside of the case 72, electricity is transmitted to the electrode unit due to water, and the control unit senses this, so that the water level inside the case 72 can be measured. The electrode portion may be formed of a conductive material through which current can flow.

The electrode unit may include a plurality of electrodes. As shown in FIG. 6, the plurality of electrodes may include a first electrode 1321 for sensing a high water level and a second electrode 1322 for sensing a low water level.

The first electrode 1321 is positioned higher than the second electrode 1322 to detect the reference water level. Here, the reference water level refers to the water level before the case 72 is additionally supplied with water. When the water in the case 72 increases from the reference water level to the target water level, the steam generating device 130 heats only the amount of water corresponding to the target water level, and sprays only water as much as the difference between the target water level and the reference water level as steam. do.

The first electrode 1321 may be installed at a higher position than the second electrode 1322 and may extend from the upper case 72a by a predetermined length. In this case, when the first electrode 1321 is installed in a position close to the upper case 72a, the first electrode 1321 may sense that the water inside the case 72 is at full water level. In contrast, when the first electrode extends from the upper case 72a by a predetermined length (for example, when the length of the first electrode 1321 is more than half the length of the second electrode 1322), the first electrode 1321 may detect the reference water level before the water inside the case 72 reaches full water level.

The second electrode 1322 is positioned lower than the first electrode 1321 to detect a safety level. Here, the safe water level refers to the minimum water level inside the case 72 required to protect the heater 131 installed in the case 72. The second electrode 1322 may include a pair of electrodes, and a safety level may be sensed by sensing that the pair of electrodes is immersed in water and energized.

The third electrode 1323 is positioned higher than the second electrode 1322 so that the case may sense that the case reaches the full water level so that water in the case does not overflow to the outside.

Meanwhile, the reference water level may be set according to various criteria. For example, the reference water level may be set with reference to the length of the electrode. For example, when the length of the first electrode 1321 is 5 cm and the length of the second electrode 1322 is 8 cm (here, the length of the electrode is based on the lower end of the housing 133), a reference. The water level may be set to a position that is 4 cm away from the lower end of the housing 133 or exceeds the position so that the amount of water contained in the case 72 does not exceed half. However, the above-described example is only an example, and the reference water level may be set to various water levels by changing the volume of the case 72 and changing the length of the electrode.

Meanwhile, in the above, the components of the clothing manager according to the disclosed invention and operations of the components have been described. Hereinafter, various control operations will be described in detail based on the above-described components.

7 is a control block diagram of a clothing manager according to an exemplary embodiment.

The input unit 110 may receive a user's course command, and the control unit 200 may control at least one of the water supply unit 120, the steam generator 130, and the steam injection unit 140 according to the received course command. To be.

The control unit 200 includes a memory 220 for storing and/or storing programs, instructions, and data for controlling the operation of the clothing manager 1, and programs, instructions and programs stored and/or stored in the memory 220 It may include a processor 210 that generates a control signal for controlling the operation of the clothing manager 1 based on the data. The processor 210 and the memory 220 may be implemented as separate chips, or may be implemented as a single chip. Also, the control unit 200 may include a plurality of processors and a plurality of memories.

The processor 210 is hardware and may include a logic circuit and an operation circuit. The processor 210 may process data according to a program and/or instruction provided from the memory 220 and generate a control signal according to the processing result. For example, when a user manipulates the input unit 110 to input a command for selecting a course command, the clothes manager 1 may manage clothes corresponding to the selected course command.

The memory 220 is a volatile memory such as S-RAM (Static Random Access Memory) and D-RAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) for temporarily storing data and a ROM (Read Only Memory), Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory: EEPROM), etc. may be included.

The memory 220 may store a table regarding a water supply method for each course command. Accordingly, when the user inputs the selection of a course command, the memory 220 enables the controller 200 to select a water supply method corresponding to the course command by referring to the stored table. In FIG. 9, an example of data regarding a table stored in the memory 220 can be seen. However, it is not limited to the table shown in FIG. 9, of course, and the water supply method for each course command may be changed according to various variables such as the volume of the case 72 or the performance of the water supply unit 120.

The control unit 200 controls the driving of the water supply unit 120 according to the user's course command received by the input unit 110. Specifically, the control unit 200 may adjust the water level of the case 72 by controlling the driving time of the water supply unit 120. In other words, the control unit 200 may control the capacity of water supplied to the case 72 based on the driving time of the water supply unit 120.

The water supply unit 120 may move water stored in the water supply container 58 to supply water to the case 72 through the hose 121. For example, the water supply unit may be a pump that moves a fluid through a pressure action, but is not limited thereto, and may correspond to various devices such as a solenoid valve capable of moving the fluid. In this case, when the water supply unit 120 is an electromagnetic valve, the supply amount of water may be adjusted by adjusting the opening/closing cycle of the valve.

For example, when the water supply unit 120 is a pump, the water supply amount per second of the pump may be 0.067 liters. The controller 200 may determine the amount of water supplied to the case 72 by controlling the driving time of the pump based on the water supply amount per second of the pump. However, the water supply amount per second of the above-described pump is only an example, and of course, the water supply amount per second may vary depending on the type of pump. At this time, the control unit 200 sets a separate driving time suitable for the water supply amount per second.

According to an embodiment, the controller 200 may control the driving of the water supply unit 120 so that the water level of the case 72 reaches a target water level corresponding to the course command transmitted from the input unit 110. Here, the driving of the water supply unit 120 may be a driving time of the pump and a pumping strength of the pump. Accordingly, the steam generating device 130 may receive an amount of water required for a user's course command prior to heating to generate steam.

Meanwhile, as described with reference to FIG. 6, the control unit 200 may detect the level of water through the level detection sensor 132 including a plurality of electrodes. Specifically, among the plurality of electrodes, the first electrode 1321 detects the reference water level by sensing the high water level inside the case 72, and the second electrode 1322 detects the low water level inside the case 72, The water level is sensed, and the third electrode 1323 detects the full water level inside the case 72 to prevent water from overflowing in the case 72.

According to an embodiment, the control unit 200 detects that the water level of the case 72 is the reference level, and sets the driving time of the water supply unit 120 so that the water level of the case 72 reaches the target level from the reference level. Can be controlled. Here, the control unit 200 may detect that the water level inside the case 72 is the reference water level through the first electrode 1321. The amount of water inside the case 72 may be determined by the water level, and the control unit 200 detects that the water level is a reference level and controls the water to be supplied to the case 72 for a predetermined driving time, thereby providing the amount of water required for the course command. Is supplied, and the water level of the case 72 reaches the target level. That is, the control unit 200 controls the water supply unit 120 to supply water to the case 72 during the driving time.

According to an embodiment, the controller 200 may control the driving time of the water supply unit 120 by referring to a table on a water supply method for each course command stored in the memory 220. The control unit 200 may provide the case 72 with an amount of water suitable for steam purposes by controlling the amount of water supplied to the case 72 according to the driving time stored for each course command.

According to an embodiment, the control unit 200 determines that the water level of the case 72 has reached the target level after the driving time of the water supply unit 120 has elapsed, and controls the heater 131 to be turned on. . When the driving time of the water supply unit 120 elapses, the control unit 200 may determine that the driving of the water supply unit 120 is stopped and the supply of water into the case 72 is stopped. In this case, since only the amount of water required for the steam stroke is accommodated inside the case 72, the heater 131 performs heating for steam generation from the time when the water supply unit 120 is driven, so that efficient energy You can consume.

The clothes manager according to an embodiment may further include a steam injection unit 140 for injecting steam generated by the steam generating device 130 into the chamber. In this case, the control unit 200 controls the steam injection unit 140 to inject steam generated from the amount of water supplied during the driving time of the water supply unit 120. Since the steam injection unit 140 injects only steam corresponding to the supplied amount of water, water equal to the reference water level remains inside the case 72 again. At this time, in order to more accurately perform the control according to the present embodiment, when the controller 200 detects that the water level of the case 72 reaches the reference water level from the target water level, the steam injection unit 140 stops spraying the steam. Can be controlled to do.

8 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a clothes manager according to an exemplary embodiment. However, this is only a preferred embodiment for achieving the object of the present invention, and of course, some steps may be added or deleted as necessary.

When receiving one of the plurality of steam courses from the user (801 ), the controller 200 senses the water level of the case 72 in order to heat an appropriate amount of water (802 ).

At this time, if the water level of the case 72 is the reference water level (803), the control unit 200 allows the supply of water, and the control unit 200 allows the water level of the case 72 to reach the target water level from the reference level. The driving time of the pump is controlled (805). Specifically, the controller 200 determines the driving time of the water supply unit 120 and controls the water supply unit 120 to be turned on during the determined driving time.

The controller 200 determines that the water level of the case 72 has reached the target level after the driving time, and controls the heater to be turned on (806 ). The heater generates steam by heating the water inside the case 72.

The control unit 200 controls the steam injection unit to inject steam generated from the supplied amount of water (807).

If the water level of the case 72 is the reference level 808, the controller 200 determines that the added amount of water has been exhausted by steam injection, and stops the steam injection of the steam injection unit (809).

On the other hand, when water is supplied in a state in which the water level of the case 72 exceeds the reference level, the water is heated more than necessary, resulting in wasted energy. Therefore, when the controller 200 detects that the water level of the case 72 exceeds the reference water level (810), the water inside the case 72 is discharged so that the water level of the case 72 becomes the reference water level. . In this case, the water may be discharged through the discharge unit 150 provided in the case 72 or may be moved to the water supply container through a reverse flow action of the hose 121 connected to the water supply container. Here, when the controller 200 detects that the water level of the case 72 is the reference level, the control unit 200 controls to stop discharging and moving the water.

Meanwhile, the disclosed embodiments may be implemented in the form of a recording medium storing instructions executable by a computer. Instructions may be stored in the form of program codes, and when executed by a processor, a program module may be generated to perform operations of the disclosed embodiments. The recording medium may be implemented as a computer-readable recording medium.

Computer-readable recording media include all kinds of recording media in which instructions that can be read by a computer are stored. For example, there may be read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic tape, magnetic disk, flash memory, optical data storage device, and the like.

As described above, the disclosed embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains will understand that the present invention may be practiced in a form different from the disclosed embodiments without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention. The disclosed embodiments are illustrative and should not be construed as limiting.

Claims (20)

A water reservoir to store water;
A steam generating device including a case receiving water from the water supply container, a heater heating water in the case, and a water level detection sensor detecting a level of water contained in the case;
A water supply unit for moving water stored in the water supply container to the case;
An input unit for receiving one of a plurality of steam courses from a user; And
When the one steam course is input, the control unit controls the water supply so that the supply of water at a water level corresponding to the one steam course starts from the reference water level of the case, and controls the heater to heat the water in the case; Including clothing manager. The method of claim 1,
The control unit,
A clothing manager that senses that the water level of the case is a reference water level at which water is supplied, and controls the driving time of the water supply unit so that the water level of the case reaches a target water level corresponding to the one steam course from the reference water level . The method of claim 2,
The control unit,
A clothing manager controlling the water supply unit to supply water to the case during the driving time. The method of claim 2,
Further comprising; a memory for storing the driving time of the water supply unit for each type of the steam course,
The control unit,
A clothing manager that controls the water supply unit to supply water during the stored driving time. The method of claim 2,
Further comprising a; steam injection unit for injecting the steam generated by the steam generating device into the chamber,
The control unit,
A clothing manager for controlling the steam injection unit to inject steam generated from water supplied during a driving time of the water supply unit. The method of claim 5,
The control unit,
When it is detected that the water level of the case reaches the reference level from the target level, the clothes manager stops the steam injection of the steam injection unit. The method of claim 1,
The water level detection sensor,
A housing coupled to the case; And
Including a plurality of electrodes supported by the housing,
The plurality of electrodes includes a first electrode for sensing a high water level and a second electrode for sensing a low water level, and the first electrode detects a reference water level at which water is supplied, and the second electrode detects a safety level. Clothing manager. The method of claim 7,
The control unit,
Clothing that senses that the water level of the case is a reference water level through the first electrode, and controls the driving time of the water supply unit so that the water level of the case reaches a target water level corresponding to the one steam course from the reference water level Manager. The method of claim 8,
The control unit,
A clothing manager controlling the water supply unit to supply water to the case during the driving time. The method of claim 8,
Further comprising; a memory for storing the driving time of the water supply unit for each type of the steam course,
The control unit,
A clothing manager that controls the water supply unit to supply water during the stored driving time. The method of claim 8,
Further comprising a; steam injection unit for injecting the steam generated by the steam generating device into the chamber,
The control unit,
A clothing manager for controlling the steam injection unit to inject steam generated from water supplied during a driving time of the water supply unit. The method of claim 11,
The control unit,
When detecting that the water level of the case reaches the reference water level from the target water level, the clothes manager to stop the steam injection of the steam injection unit. Receiving one of a plurality of steam courses from a user;
Sensing the water level of the case; And
When the one steam course is input, controlling a water supply unit so that supply of water at a water level corresponding to the one steam course starts from a reference water level of the case; And
Controlling the heater to heat the water in the case. The method of claim 13,
The step of detecting the water level of the case,
And detecting that the water level of the case is a reference level at which the supply of water starts,
The step of controlling the water supply unit,
And controlling a driving time of the water supply unit so that the water level of the case reaches the target water level from the reference water level. The method of claim 14,
The step of controlling the water supply unit,
And controlling the water supply unit to supply water to the case during the driving time. The method of claim 14,
The step of controlling the water supply unit,
And controlling the water supply unit to supply water during a driving time stored in advance for each type of the steam course. The method of claim 14,
Controlling the steam injection of the steam injection unit to inject steam generated from the water supplied during the driving time of the water supply unit. The method of claim 17,
Controlling the steam injection of the steam injection unit,
And stopping the steam injection of the steam injection unit when detecting that the water level of the case reaches the reference water level from the target water level. A water reservoir to store water;
A steam generating device including a case receiving water from the water supply container, a heater heating water in the case, and a water level detection sensor detecting a level of water contained in the case;
A water supply unit for moving water stored in the water supply container to the case;
A discharge unit discharging the water of the case to the outside;
An input unit for receiving one of a plurality of steam courses of the user; And
When the one steam course is input and the water level of the case is greater than the reference water level at which the supply of water is started, the discharge unit is controlled to reach the reference water level by discharging the water of the case to the outside, and the one And a control unit controlling the water supply unit to supply water at a water level corresponding to the steam course to the case, and controlling the heater to heat the water in the case. The method of claim 19,
The water level detection sensor,
A housing coupled to the case; And
Including a plurality of electrodes supported by the housing,
The plurality of electrodes include a first electrode sensing a high water level, a second electrode sensing a low water level, and a third electrode sensing a full water level, and the first electrode senses a reference water level at which water supply starts, and the first electrode The second electrode detects a safety level, and the third electrode detects that the reference level is exceeded.

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