Laundry processing apparatus and control method thereof
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorYonggyung Bae
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a laundry processing apparatus and a control method thereof. A laundry processing apparatus operated by means of a motor, which has a plurality of washing units for performing washing independently of each other, charges a current generated during braking of a motor provided in each of the first washing unit and the second washing unit in a battery provided therein and uses the charged power at the next driving of the motor, thereby preventing the wasting of energy and reducing energy consumption even when power consumption is increased due to a simultaneous operation of the first washing unit and the second washing unit.
Claims18
A laundry processing apparatus comprising:
- a first washing unit which has a first tub and a first motor for operating the first tub;
- and
- a second washing unit which has a second tub and a second motor for operating the second tub, and operates independently of the first washing unit,
- wherein the first washing unit comprises:
- a battery which is charged by a current generated from the first motor, when the first motor is braked;
- a voltage detection unit which detects a voltage of the battery;
- a controller which enables the battery to be charged when the first motor is braked, determines a charging state of the battery in response to a voltage detected by the voltage detection unit, and controls charging power of the battery to be supplied to the first motor, when the first and second washing units operate simultaneously;
- a regeneration driving unit which supplies the current to the battery to charge the battery, or supplies the charging power to the first motor, according to a control command of the controller;
- and
- a motor driving unit which receives commercial power or the charging power to operate the first motor according to the control command of the controller.
A method for controlling a laundry processing apparatus laundry processing apparatus comprising a first washing unit which has a first tub and a first motor for operating the first tub, and a second washing unit which has a second tub and a second motor for operating the second tub and operates independently of the first washing unit, the method comprising:
- braking the first motor which is in operation;
- charging a battery by using a current generated from the first motor;
- determining a charging state of the battery by measuring a voltage of the battery;
- supplying a charging power of the battery to the first motor when the voltage of the battery is equal to or higher than a preset voltage and the first washing unit and the second washing unit operate simultaneously;
- and
- operating the first motor by the charging power.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.