# US 12,180,634 B2 · Washing apparatus and method for controlling same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,180,634 B2 - Document ID: US12180634B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/971,881 - Filed: 2019-02-20 - Published: 2021-03-25 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-22 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Changoh Kim; Seulgi Park; Sangwook Hong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12180634B2 ## CPC - D06F 33/34: of water filling - D06F 33/36: of washing - D06F 39/04: Heating arrangements - D06F 39/08: Liquid supply or discharge arrangements (supply of soap or other washing agents D06F39/02) - D06F 39/083: {Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements} - D06F 2103/18: Washing liquid level - D06F 2105/02: Water supply - D06F 2105/10: Temperature of washing liquids; Heating means therefor - Y02B 40/00: Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract Provided is a washing apparatus equipped with an induction heater to heat a drum and a method of controlling the washing apparatus. The method includes a water supply step of supplying washing water to the tub via a water valve, a soaking step of soaking laundry by driving the drum while circulating washing water with the circulation pump after the water supply step ends, a heating step of heating the drum by driving the induction module after the soaking step ends, and a main washing step of washing the laundry by driving the drum after the heating step ends, wherein in the heating step, a water level is below a lower end of the drum, and the drum, the circulation pump, and the induction module are driven to operate, thereby heating the drum, the washing water, and the laundry. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling a washing apparatus including a tub, a drum, an induction module disposed on a surface of the tub and configured to heat the drum through electromagnetic induction, and a circulation pump that pumps washing water into the drum from the tub, the method comprising: a water supply step of supplying washing water to the tub via a water valve; a soaking step of soaking laundry by driving the drum while circulating the washing water with the circulation pump; a heating step of heating the drum by driving the induction module while operating the drum; and a main washing step of performing washing by driving the drum after the heating step ends, wherein the heating step comprises: operating the drum for a time period while driving the induction module and the circulation pump, controlling the induction module not to operate outside of the time period of operating the drum, and based on detecting that the drum is overheated while operating the drum for the time period, stopping operation of the induction module and maintaining operation of the drum and the circulation pump. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein in the water supply step, the washing water is supplied until a water level of the washing water reaches a level at which a lower portion of the drum is immersed in the washing water. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein in the water supply step, the washing water is supplied via the water valve multiple times so that the water level rises stepwise. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the soaking step comprises a measuring step of measuring a water level of the washing water, and wherein an additional water supply step is performed when the water level measured in the measuring step is lower than a circulation water level that is preset. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the circulation water level is less than or equal to an amount of washing water required to fill a circulation channel for driving the circulation pump, and the circulation water level is a level where a lower end of the drum is not immersed in the washing water. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the amount of washing water corresponding to the circulation water level is 1.5 liters or smaller. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the additional water supply step is performed until the washing water reaches the circulation water level. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the drum and the circulation pump do not operate in the measuring step and the additional water supply step. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein in the soaking step, operation of the drum includes a tumbling operation and a filtration operation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein in the soaking step, the tumbling operation and the filtration operation are sequentially and repeatedly performed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein in the soaking step, the drum performs a cyclic operation in which a tumbling operation is seamlessly followed by a filtration operation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein in the soaking step, the cyclic operation of the drum repeats multiple times, and the cyclic operation is interlocked with the driving of the circulation pump. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein an event of turning on a motor for the cyclic operation of the drum coincides with an event of turning on the circulation pump, and an event of turning off the motor for stopping the cyclic operation coincides with an event of turning off the circulation pump. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein in the cyclic operation, a time period for the tumbling operation is longer than a time period for the filtration operation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein in the heating step and the main washing step, the washing water is not additionally supplied via the water valve. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the soaking step ends when a water level of the washing water does not change after the drum and the circulation pump are operated. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein the soaking step ends when the water level is a circulation water level or below, the circulation water level being less than or equal to an amount of washing water for filling a circulation channel to drive the circulation pump, and wherein the heating step and the main washing step is performed at the circulation water level. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the washing water in the heating step is a water level at which a lower end of the drum is not immersed in the washing water. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein in the heating step, the water level is a circulation water level or below, the circulation water level being less than or equal to an amount of washing water required to fill a circulation channel to drive the circulation pump. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein in the heating step, the amount of washing water corresponding to the circulation water level in the tub is equal to or smaller than 1 liter. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein in the heating step, the drum, the circulation pump, and the induction module are driven. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein the heating step further comprises: operating the circulation pump for the time period of operating the drum, and controlling the circulation pump not to operate outside of the time period of operating the drum. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein in the heating step, a net acting ratio of the drum is 80% or higher. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein in the heating step, operation of the drum includes a tumbling operation and a filtration operation. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method according to claim 24, wherein in the heating step, the drum performs a cyclic operation in which the tumbling operation is followed by the filtration operation seamlessly. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein in the soaking step, the drum performs a tumbling operation in a first half of an operation period of the circulation pump and a filtration operation in a second half of the operation period of the circulation pump. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a water level at an end of the water supply step is higher than a water level at an end of the soaking step.