US-12624490-B2 - Detergent supply device and clothes treating apparatus

US12624490B2US 12624490 B2US12624490 B2US 12624490B2US-12624490-B2

Abstract

A clothes treating apparatus including a main body; a tub arranged inside the main body; a detergent container configured to store detergent; a detergent container housing configured to accommodate the detergent container; a pump connected to the detergent container housing so as to discharge the detergent stored in the detergent container; a latch device configured to detachably connect the detergent container to the detergent container housing so as to close the detergent container, and to disconnect the detergent container from the detergent housing so as to open the detergent container; and a controller configured to control the latch device to disconnect the detergent container from the detergent container housing so as to open the detergent container in response to a completion of a washing operation.

Inventors

Hyounyoung LEE
Bongjin KO
Younghyun Kim
Junho Kim
Seulgi Lee

Assignees

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230109
Priority Date: 20220315

Claims (12)

1 . A clothes treating apparatus, comprising: a main body; a tub arranged inside the main body; a detergent container configured to store detergent; a detergent container housing configured to accommodate the detergent container; a pump connected to the detergent container housing so as to discharge the detergent stored in the detergent container; a latch device configured to detachably connect the detergent container to the detergent container housing so as to close the detergent container, and to disconnect the detergent container from the detergent container housing so as to open the detergent container; and a controller configured to control the latch device to disconnect the detergent container from the detergent container housing so as to open the detergent container in response to a lack of detergent in the detergent container upon completion of a washing operation, wherein the detergent container housing is configured with a lower surface that is inclined downwardly forward so that the detergent container slides forward along the lower surface when the detergent container is disconnected from the detergent container housing by the latch device.
2 . The clothes treating apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a sensor configured to detect a remaining amount of detergent or fabric softener in the detergent container, wherein the controller is configured to control the latch device to disconnect the detergent container from the detergent container housing so as to open the detergent container in response to the sensor detecting the lack of the detergent or fabric softener.
3 . The clothes treating apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a sensor configured to detect an open and closed state of the detergent container, wherein the controller is configured to control the latch device to disconnect the detergent container from the detergent container housing so as to open the detergent container in response to the sensor detecting a closed state of the detergent container upon the completion of the washing operation.
4 . The clothes treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, the latch device includes: a first latch member arranged on the detergent container; and a second latch member arranged in the detergent container housing, wherein the second latch member is configured to lock the first latch member to, and unlock the first latch member from, the second latch member.
5 . The clothes treating apparatus of claim 4 , wherein, the first latch member includes: a first latch body in which a locking hole is formed to be locked to, and unlocked from, at least a part of the second latch member.
6 . The clothes treating apparatus of claim 5 , wherein, the first latch body includes: a pressing member configured to be in contact with at least a part of the second latch member.
7 . The clothes treating apparatus of claim 5 , wherein, the second latch member includes: a latch unit including a latch configured to: be moved to lock the locking hole to lock the first latch member to the second latch member, and be moved to unlock the locking hole to unlock the first latch member from the second latch member; and a driving unit configured to move the latch.
8 . The clothes treating apparatus of claim 7 , wherein, the latch unit includes: a latch unit case; a second latch body configured to be moved back and forth inside the latch unit case; an elastic member arranged between the second latch body and the latch unit case and configured to elastically support the second latch body to be movable back and forth; and a guide provided to guide movement of the second latch body, wherein the latch is rotatably coupled to the second latch body.
9 . The clothes treating apparatus of claim 8 , wherein, the second latch body includes: a rail groove forming a movement path of the guide, wherein the guide is coupled to the rail groove.
10 . The clothes treating apparatus of claim 9 , wherein, the second latch member further includes: a plate provided to elastically press the guide to be moved along the rail groove in response to back and forth movement of the second latch body.
11 . The clothes treating apparatus of claim 8 , wherein, the driving unit includes: a motor including a rotation shaft; a gear connected to the rotation shaft of the motor; and a pusher engaged with the gear and configured to convert a rotational motion into a linear motion so as to press and move at least a part of the guide.
12 . The clothes treating apparatus of claim 11 , wherein, the pusher is arranged horizontally with the guide.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) This application is a continuation of International Application PCT/KR2022/019694, filed Dec. 6, 2022, and is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0031930, filed on Mar. 15, 2022, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties BACKGROUND 1. Field The disclosure relates to a clothes treating apparatus, and more particularly, to a detergent supply device and a clothes treating apparatus including the same. 2. Description of Related Art In general, a clothes treating apparatus includes a washing machine in which clothes and detergent put into a rotary tub are rotated by using a driving force of a motor and the clothes are washed by a mutual friction thereof, and a dryer in which a rotary tub receiving an object to be dried is rotated so as to dry the object. The clothes treating apparatus may include a detergent supply device provided in a cabinet. The detergent supply device is a device configured to supply detergent to an inside of a tub. The detergent supply device may include a detergent container and a detergent pump docked with the detergent container so as to supply the detergent in the detergent container to the tub. The detergent supply device of the clothes treating apparatus is convenient because the detergent is automatically supplied by the detergent pump. However, a user cannot notice a lack of detergent although the detergent is insufficient, and thus the user cannot replenish the detergent. Accordingly, the user can start a washing operation in a state in which there is a lack of detergent. In addition, after the washing operation is completed, the detergent supply device is maintained in a closed state, and thus there is no ventilation, which may cause the growth of mold inside the detergent supply device. SUMMARY Aspects of embodiments of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a clothes treating apparatus may include a main body; a tub arranged inside the main body; a detergent container configured to store detergent; a detergent container housing configured to accommodate the detergent container; a pump connected to the detergent container housing so as to discharge the detergent stored in the detergent container; a latch device configured to detachably connect the detergent container to the detergent container housing so as to close the detergent container, and to disconnect the detergent container from the detergent housing so as to open the detergent container; and a controller configured to control the latch device to disconnect the detergent container from the detergent container housing so as to open the detergent container in response to a completion of a washing operation. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the controller is configured to control the latch device to disconnect the detergent container from the detergent container housing so as to open the detergent container in response to a lack of detergent in the detergent container. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the clothes treating apparatus further includes a sensor configured to detect a remaining amount of detergent or fabric softener in the detergent container, wherein the controller is configured to control the latch device to disconnect the detergent container from the detergent container housing so as to open the detergent container in response to the sensor detecting of a lack of the detergent or fabric softener. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the clothes treating apparatus further includes a sensor configured to detect an open and closed state of the detergent container, wherein the controller is configured to control the latch device to disconnect the detergent container from the detergent container housing so as to open the detergent container in response to the sensor detecting a closed state of the detergent container upon the completion of the washing operation. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the latch device includes a first latch member arranged on the detergent container; and a second latch member arranged in the detergent container housing, wherein the second latch member is configured to lock the first latch member to, and unlock the first latch member from, the second latch member. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the first latch member includes a first latch body in which a locking hole is formed to be locked to, and unlocked from, at least a part of the second latch member. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the first latch body includes a pressing member configured to be in contact with at least a part of the second latch member. According to an embodiment of the d