Spray steam in drum type washer and control method

Abstract

A washing machine that performs a washing operation using eat high-temperature steam and a washing method of the same are disclosed. The washing method includes (a) driving a washing heater (40) mounted in a tub (56) to increase the interior temperature of the tub (56), and (b) driving a steam heater (74) mounted in a steam generation unit (70), such that high-temperature steam is generated and the high-temperature steam is supplied into the tub (56), to increase the interior temperature of the tub (56). A washing operation including the (a) step and the (b) step, which are combined either in the order of the (a) step->the (b) step->the (a) step or in the order of the (b) step->the (a) step->the (b) step, is carried out such that the interior temperature of the tub (56) is increased to a target temperature level. Consequently, the present invention has the effect of increasing the decomposition of detergent or contaminants by the provision of a washing algorithm, in which a washing water heating operation and a high-temperature steam injecting operation are combined, efficiently removing contaminants that are not removed only by heating the washing water, and, furthermore, increasing the sterilization efficiency.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.