IP Library Granted Patent US 12692639
Granted Patent B2
US 12692639 · App. 18/300,270 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Washing machine and method of controlling the same

Inventors: Jeonggi Hong (Suwon-si, KR); Wonjae Han (Suwon-si, KR); Sungjong Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Hooijoong Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Hansol Youn (Suwon-si, KR); Sooyeon Jin (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
D06F33/48D06F23/04D06F33/36D06F33/40D06F33/42D06F33/44D06F34/22D06F37/245D06F37/304D06F39/083D06F2103/18D06F2105/08D06F2105/46
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12692639
App. No.
18/300,270
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a washing machine and a method of controlling the same, the washing machine including: a tub provided to accommodate water therein; a rotating tub rotatably installed inside the tub; a ball balancer provided in the rotating tub; a washing motor configured to rotate the rotating tub; a drain motor configured to drain water from the tub; and a controller configured to; based on completing a washing cycle or a rinsing cycle, drive the drain motor; based on a water level in the tub reaching a first water level threshold, drive the washing motor for a first period of time; and based on the first period of time elapsing, stop the washing motor and the drain motor.

Claims (24)

1 . A washing machine comprising:

a tub provided to accommodate water therein;

a rotating tub rotatably installed inside the tub;

a ball balancer provided in the rotating tub;

a washing motor configured to rotate the rotating tub;

a drain motor configured to drain water from the tub; and

a controller configured to:

based on completing a washing cycle or a rinsing cycle, drive the drain motor;

while the drain motor is being driven, based on a water level in the tub reaching a first water level threshold, drive the washing motor for a first period of time; and

based on the first period of time elapsing, stop the washing motor and the drain motor,

wherein the controller is configured to, based on bringing the washing motor to a stopped state, drive the drain motor for a second period of time, and

wherein the controller is configured to determine the first period of time based on an unbalance position of the rotating tub.

2 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:

based on the second period of time elapsing, stop the drain motor; and

based on bringing the washing motor and the drain motor to stopped states, drive the washing motor and the drain motor according to a dehydrating profile.

3 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to drive the washing motor for the first period of time at a velocity higher than a rotation velocity in a predetermined resonance band of the rotating tub.

4 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine, as the first period of time, a time required to compensate for unbalance by a vector sum of a mass and a position of balls inside the ball balancer as the balls are located at a phase opposite to the unbalance position.

5 . The washing machine of claim 1 , further comprising a water level sensor,

wherein the controller is configured to control the water level sensor to measure the water level in the tub after the washing motor is stopped.

6 . The washing machine of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the second period of time based on the water level measured by the water level sensor after the washing motor is stopped.

7 . The washing machine of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to:

drive the drain motor after the washing motor is stopped, and

based on the water level in the tub not reaching a second water level threshold within the second period of time, increase the second period of time.

8 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to, based on the water level in the tub reaching the first water level threshold in a process of entering a dehydrating cycle, while the drain motor is being driven, drive the washing motor for the first period of time.