EP-4737637-A1 - WASHING MACHINE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

Abstract

The purpose of the present disclosure is to determine a time point at which a drying process is to be terminated, on the basis of the weight of objects to be dried in a washing machine that has a drying function. To this end, the washing machine may comprise: a heater for heating dry air to be supplied into a drum; a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the dry air; and a control unit for controlling the operation of the heater in response to activation of the drying function. Various other embodiments are possible.

Inventors

• KIM, DAEHWAN
• HAHM, Jungyoon
• KANG, Minhee
• PARK, DongGeun
• SHIN, Sunggyu
• LEE, SONGJAE

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240620

Claims (15)

1. A washing machine (1, 100), comprising: a heater (44) heating dry air to be supplied into an interior of a drum (12); a temperature sensor (123) sensing a temperature of the dry air; and a controller (110) controlling operation of the heater (44) in response to activation of a drying function, wherein the controller (110): controls (330) whether to operate the heater (44) to maintain constant the temperature of the dry air with respect to a target control temperature in case that a drying cycle is initiated by the activation of the drying function, and terminates (340) the drying cycle in response to arrival of a drying termination time within a preset reference operation section for initiation or termination of the drying cycle, and wherein the drying termination time is identified by a weight of a drying object obtained in response to the activation of the drying function.
2. The washing machine (1, 100) of claim 1, wherein the controller (110) determines that the drying termination time has arrived in case that a cumulative operation time of the heater (44) measured after the drying cycle is initiated reaches a threshold cumulative operation time, and wherein the threshold cumulative operation time is set by the obtained weight of the drying object.
3. The washing machine (1, 100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller (110) determines (450) whether to resume the drying cycle based on a drive rate of the heater (44) upon terminating (340) the drying cycle.
4. The washing machine (1, 100) of claim 3, wherein the controller (110) determines (460) to resume the drying cycle in case that the drive rate of the heater (44) exceeds a predetermined threshold.
5. The washing machine (1, 100) of claim 4, wherein the controller (110) obtains the drive rate according to a ratio of a unit operation section of the heater (44) to a unit idle section of the heater (44), wherein the unit idle section is continuous with the unit operation section, wherein the unit operation section is an elapsed time between a start time and an end time indicating a unit section in which the heater (44) operates, and wherein the unit idle section is one of an elapsed time between the end time and a start time indicating a unit section in which the heater (44) does not operate, or an elapsed time between the end time and the drying termination time.
6. The washing machine (1, 100) of claim 4, wherein the controller (110) obtains the drive rate according to a ratio of a unit operation section of the heater (44) to a unit idle section of the heater (44), wherein the unit operation section is continuous with the unit idle section, wherein the unit idle section is an elapsed time between an end time and a start time indicating a unit section in which the heater (44) does not operate, and wherein the unit operation time is an elapsed time between the start time and an end time indicating a unit section in which the heater (44) operates.
7. The washing machine (1, 100) of claim 3 or 4, wherein the controller (110) terminates the resumed drying cycle at an end time of the preset reference operation section.
8. The washing machine (1, 100) of claim 4, wherein the controller (110) terminates the resumed drying cycle in case that the drive rate is less than the predetermined threshold.
9. The washing machine (1, 100) of claim 1, wherein the controller (110): measures the weight of the drying object in case that a weight sensing cycle is initiated by the activation of the drying function; and initiates the drying cycle in case that the weight sensing cycle is completed.
10. The washing machine (1, 100) of claim 1, wherein the controller (110): controls the heater (44) to operate in case that the temperature of the dry air is substantially lower than the target control temperature; and controls operation of the heater (44) to stop in case that the temperature of the dry air is substantially higher than the target control temperature.
11. A method for a washing machine (1, 100) to control operation of a heater (44) in response to activation of a drying function, the method comprising: controlling (330) whether to operate the heater (44) to maintain constant a temperature of dry air with respect to a target control temperature in case that a drying cycle is initiated by the activation of the drying function; and terminating (340) the drying cycle in response to arrival of a drying termination time within a preset reference operation section for initiation or termination of the drying cycle, wherein the drying termination time is identified (320) by a weight of a drying object obtained in response to the activation of the drying function.
12. The method of claim 11, comprising determining (340) that the drying termination time has arrived in case that a cumulative operation time of the heater (44) measured after the drying cycle is initiated reaches a threshold cumulative operation time, wherein the threshold cumulative operation time is set by the obtained weight of the drying object.
13. The method of claim 11 or 12, comprising determining (450) whether to resume the drying cycle based on a drive rate of the heater (44) upon terminating (340, 440) the drying cycle.
14. The method of claim 13, comprising determining (460) to resume the drying cycle in case that the drive rate of the heater (44) exceeds a predetermined threshold.
15. The method of claim 14, comprising obtaining the drive rate according to a ratio of a unit operation time of the heater (44) to a unit idle section of the heater (44), wherein the unit idle section is continuous with the unit operation time, wherein the unit operation time is an elapsed time between a start time and an end time indicating a unit section in which the heater (44) operates, and wherein the unit idle section is one of an elapsed time between the end time and a start time indicating a unit section in which the heater (44) does not operate, or an elapsed time between the end time and the drying termination time.

Description

[Technical Field] Various embodiments of the disclosure relate to a washing machine equipped with a drying device, and more particularly to a washing machine and a method thereof that adaptively performs a drying cycle based on a weight of a drying object. [Background Art] A drying device is a device that dries clothes by rotating a drum including wet clothes (drying objects) at low speed while supplying hot air heated by a heater into the drum. Recently, a washing machine with a drying device capable of both drying and washing may perform a drying cycle alone or perform a drying cycle after completion of spinning in connection with a washing cycle. A washing machine may determine when a drying cycle is performed and terminated according to a type of drying object or a type of washing cycle (washing course). Further, a washing machine may adjust an output of a drying device while a drying cycle is being performed. A washing machine may obtain information for performing a drying cycle and determining a termination point. Meanwhile, in case that a drying object is not sufficiently dried, user experience may deteriorate due to insufficient drying. In case that a drying object is excessively dried, damage to the drying object may occur, an interior of the washing machine may overheat, and unnecessary power consumption may occur. [DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION] [Technical Problem] Various embodiments of the disclosure may propose a washing machine and a control method that provides optimal drying performance and drying efficiency based on a weight of a drying object during a drying cycle. [Solution to Problems] A washing machine according to an embodiment of the disclosure may include a heater heating dry air to be supplied into an interior of a drum, a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the dry air, and a controller controlling operation of the heater in response to activation of a drying function. The controller may control whether to operate the heater to maintain constant the temperature of the dry air with respect to a target control temperature in case that a drying cycle is initiated by the activation of the drying function, and terminate the drying cycle in response to arrival of a drying termination time within a preset reference operation section for initiation or termination of the drying cycle. The drying termination time may be identified by a weight of a drying object obtained in response to the activation of the drying function. A method for controlling operation of a heater in response to activation of a drying function in a washing machine according to an embodiment of the disclosure may include controlling whether to operate the heater to maintain constant a temperature of dry air with respect to a target control temperature in case that a drying cycle is initiated by the activation of the drying function, and terminating the drying cycle in response to arrival of a drying termination time within a preset reference operation section for initiation or termination of the drying cycle. The drying termination time may be identified by a weight of a drying object obtained in response to the activation of the drying function. [Advantageous Effects] A washing machine according to an embodiment of the disclosure may minimize power required for performing a drying cycle. A washing machine according to an embodiment of the disclosure may provide drying performance independently of conditions required for drying components or target drying objects. [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a washing machine according to an embodiment of the disclosure;FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a washing machine according to an embodiment of the disclosure;FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart for a washing machine to control a drying cycle according to an embodiment of the disclosure;FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart for a washing machine to control a drying cycle according to an embodiment of the disclosure;FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart for a washing machine to control a drying cycle according to an embodiment of the disclosure; andFIG. 6 is a graph illustrating a current of a switching signal for operating a heater during a drying cycle and a graph illustrating temperature change of dry air according to an embodiment of the disclosure. In relation to the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for the same or similar components. [MODE FOR THE INVENTION] Hereinafter, embodiments of the disclosure are described in detail with reference to the drawings so that those skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains may easily practice the disclosure. However, the disclosure may be implemented in other various forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The same or similar reference denotations may be used to refer to the same or similar elements throughout the specification and the drawings. Further, for clarity