US 2022/0064837 A1Published application

Laundry treating apparatus

AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.

InventorHanbeom YEOM

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Abstract

A laundry treating apparatus include a tub, a water supply, a drum, and a rotator including a bottom portion positioned on a bottom surface of the drum, and a pillar protruding upward from the bottom portion, and a blade disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the pillar. The controller controls a driver such that the rotator performs a distribution motion after a water supply process and a washing motion after the distribution motion. An amount of rotation of the rotator in the distribution motion is less than an amount of rotation of the rotator in the washing motion. A driving load of the driver is reduced by reducing a moment of inertia acting on the rotator by separating laundry from the rotator. With the reduced driving load, the driver may be easily controlled, and a water flow for washing may be efficiently formed.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A laundry treating apparatus comprising:

a tub configured to receive water;
a water supply configured to supply water to the tub;
a drum disposed inside the tub, the drum having an open top surface configured to receive clothes therethrough;
a rotator rotatably disposed at a bottom surface of the drum, the rotator comprising a bottom portion disposed at the bottom surface of the drum, a pillar that protrudes from the bottom portion toward the open top surface of the drum, and a blade disposed at an outer circumferential surface of the pillar;
a driver configured to supply a rotational force to the rotator;
and
a controller configured to control the driver and operation of the laundry treating apparatus,
wherein the controller is configured to:
perform a washing process comprising a water supply process for supplying water into the tub through the water supply,
control, through the driver, the rotator to perform a distribution motion for separating the clothes from the blade after termination of the water supply process, and
control, through the driver, the rotator to perform a washing motion for generating a water flow after the distribution motion, and
wherein a rotation amount of the rotator in the distribution motion is less than a rotation amount of the rotator in the washing motion.

9 more elements

A method for controlling a laundry treating apparatus including a tub configured to receive water, a water supply configured to supply water to the tub, a drum that is disposed inside the tub and has an open top surface configured to receive clothes therethrough, a rotator rotatably disposed at a bottom surface the drum, a driver configured to supply a rotational force to the rotator, and a controller configured to control the driver, the rotator including a bottom portion disposed at the bottom surface of the drum, a pillar that protrudes from the bottom portion toward the open top surface of the drum, and a blade disposed at an outer circumferential surface of the pillar, the method comprising:

performing a washing operation, the washing operation comprising:
a water supply process for supplying water into the tub through the water supply, and
at least one of a cleaning operation for removing foreign substances from the clothes, a rinsing operation for discharging the foreign substances from the tub after the cleaning operation, or a dehydration operation for removing moisture from the clothes after the rinsing operation;
controlling, by the controller through the driver, the rotator to perform a distribution motion for separating the clothes from the blade after termination of the water supply process;
and
controlling, by the controller through the driver, the rotator to perform a washing motion for generating a water flow after the distribution motion,
wherein a rotation amount of the rotator in the distribution motion is less than a rotation amount of the rotator in the washing motion.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/406,661Filed 19 Aug 2021
Priority: KR 10-2020-010791426 Aug 2020
Published: 3 Mar 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

D06F 33/32
Control of washing machines characterised by the purpose or target of the control: control of operational steps, e.g. optimisation or improvement…
D06F 33/36
Control of operational steps, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry: of washing
D06F 23/04
Washing machines with receptacles, e.g. perforated, having a rotary movement, e.g. oscillatory movement, the receptacle serving both for washing…:…
D06F 37/30
Details specific to washing machines covered by groups D06F21/00 - D06F25/00: driving arrangements