Washing machine and washing control method of the same

Abstract

A washing machine and a washing control method of the same that squeeze detergent water from the laundry, heat the squeezed detergent water, and resupply the heated detergent water, thereby performing heated washing using a minimized amount of water. The washing machine includes a water tub, a rotary drum mounted in the water tub to receive laundry, and a circulation unit to supply water from the water tub into the rotary drum. The washing control method includes detecting an amount of a load according to a weight of the laundry, supplying an amount of water set according to the detected amount of load, supplying the water in the water tub into the rotary drum through the circulation unit to wet the laundry, separating the water from the laundry by rotating the rotary drum, and heating the separated water and resupplying the heated water into the rotary drum through the circulation unit.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2007-19123, filed on Feb. 26, 2007 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field[0003]The present invention relates to a washing machine and a washing control method of the same to perform heated washing using a small amount of water.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Generally, a washing machine (normally, a drum type washing machine) is a machine, including a water tub to receive water (wash water or rinse water) and a cylindrical rotary drum rotatably mounted in the water tub to receive laundry, that washes the laundry by lifting and dropping the laundry in the rotary drum along the inner surface of the rotary drum during the rotation of the rotary drum.[0006]This washing machine detects the weight of laundry (the amount of a load) to decide the amount of wash water according ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]In another aspect of the invention, a washing machine and a washing control method of the same supply water during the squeezing out of water from laundry by the rotation of a rotary drum at the minimum RPM at which the laundry is spin-dried, and heat the squeezed water when the squeezed water is below a heater safety water level, thereby securing the safety of heated washing.

[0011]In a further aspect of the invention, a washing machine and a washing control method of the same increase the temperature of water to a target temperature during the squeezing out of water from laundry, by the rotation of a rotary drum at the minimum RPM at which the laundry is spin-dried, and heat the squeezed water, and uniformly distribute the heated water throughout the laundry, thereby accomplishing uniform washing efficiency.

Problems solved by technology

As a result, a large amount of water is used, and therefore, a large amount of energy is required to increase the temperature of the water.

Also, as water consumption increases, a large amount of detergent is used to perform high-concentration washing.

Furthermore, when the amount of water supplied is small, the amount of water gathered in the water tub is also small, because the water is absorbed in the laundry during the wetting of the laundry.

As a result, the heater is exposed, and therefore, it is not possible to perform heated washing.

Although the water is gathered in the water tub, only the gathered water is heated, and therefore, the heated water does not reach the center of the laundry.

Consequently, the temperature of the laundry is not uniformly distributed, whereby the washing efficiency is variable.

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