Laundry treatment apparatus and control method for laundry treatment apparatus
A laundry treatment apparatus includes a drum, a steam generator, a steam flow path to the drum, a water supply pump, a water supply tank, a connection pipe which connects the steam generator to the water supply pump, a water level sensor which senses a water level inside the steam generator, a water supply pipe which connects the steam generator to a water supply source, and a water supply valve for opening and closing the water supply pipe. A control method for the laundry treatment apparatus includes operating the water supply pump for a preset first reference time period, sensing the water level inside the steam generator while operating the water supply pump, and setting the water supply through the water supply tank to a default water supply mode when the water level inside the steam generator is changed while operating the water supply pump.
1 . A method of controlling a laundry treating apparatus having a laundry receiving unit providing a space for receiving laundry therein, a steam generator generating steam, a steam passage supplying the steam discharged from the steam generator to the laundry receiving unit, a water supply tank detachably coupled to a water supply pump, a connection pipe connecting the steam generator and the water supply pump, a water level sensor sensing a water level inside the steam generator, a water supply pipe connecting the steam generator and a water supply source, and a water supply valve opening/closing the water supply pipe, the method comprising:
a pump controlling step of operating the water supply pump;
a first water level sensing step of sensing the water level inside the steam generator by the water level sensor during the pump controlling step; and
a water supply mode setting step of setting, based on the water level inside the steam generator being changed during the pump controlling step, a water supply operation through the water supply tank as a default water supply mode that is configured to be applied for subsequent water supply operations.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
a valve controlling step of opening the water supply pipe by controlling the water supply valve based on the water level inside the steam generator not being changed during the pump controlling step; and
a second water level sensing step of sensing the water level inside the steam generator by the water level sensor during the valve controlling step,
wherein, based on the water level inside the steam generator being changed during the valve controlling step, the water supply mode setting step sets a water supply operation through the water supply source as the default water supply mode.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the pump controlling step is terminated based on (i) the water level inside the steam generator reaching a preset reference water level or (ii) an operation time of the water supply pump reaching a preset first reference time.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the preset first reference time is set based on a time interval during which the water level inside the steam generator changes, by operation of the water supply pump, from an empty state to a highest level detectable by the water level sensor.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the valve controlling step is terminated based on (i) the water level inside the steam generator reaching the preset reference water level or (ii) an operation time of the water supply valve reaching a preset second reference time.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the preset second reference time is set based on a time interval during which the water level inside the steam generator changes, by operation of the water supply valve, from an empty state to a highest level detectable by the water level sensor.
7 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the preset reference water level is set based on a highest level detectable by the water level sensor.
8 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising a receiving step of receiving a control command for requesting setting of a water supply mode through an input unit configured to receive an input of a control command from a user,
wherein the pump controlling step, the first water level sensing step, the valve controlling step, the second water level sensing step, and the water supply mode setting step are executed after completion of the receiving step.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising an initial water level sensing step of sensing the water level inside the steam generator by the water level sensor before initiation of the pump controlling step after completion of the receiving step,
wherein the pump controlling step, the first water level sensing step, the valve controlling step, the second water level sensing step, and the water supply mode setting step are executed based on the water level measured in the initial water level sensing step being less than a reference water level.
10 . A method of controlling a laundry treating apparatus having a laundry receiving unit providing a space for receiving laundry therein, a steam generator generating steam, a steam passage connecting the steam generator and the laundry receiving unit, a water supply pipe connecting the steam generator and a water supply source, a water supply valve opening and closing the water supply pipe, a water supply pump, a water supply tank storing water and detachably coupled to the water supply pump, a connection pipe connecting the steam generator and the water supply pump, and a water level sensor sensing a water level inside the steam generator, the method comprising:
a valve controlling step of operating the water supply valve for a preset valve control reference time; and
a water supply mode setting step of setting, based on the water level inside the steam generator being changed during the valve controlling step, a water supply operation through the water supply source as a default water supply mode that is configured to be applied for subsequent water supply operations.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising a pump controlling step of operating the water supply pump for a preset pump control reference time based on the water level inside the steam generator not being changed during the valve controlling step,
wherein, based on the water level inside the steam generator being changed during the pump controlling step, the water supply mode setting step sets a water supply operation through the water supply tank as the default water supply mode.