Granted Patent B2

US 12,747,529 · App. 18/773,849 · Granted Sep 29, 2026

Inventors: Zoohyeong Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Daegeon Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Jongwon Park (Suwon-si, KR); Jonghun Sung (Suwon-si, KR); Jaewan Hong (Suwon-si, KR)

D06F25/00D06F33/54D06F33/56D06F33/57D06F33/58D06F33/60D06F33/68D06F33/69D06F37/04D06F37/28D06F39/02D06F39/088D06F58/203D06F58/206D06F58/24D06F58/45F28G1/166F28G15/003D06F2105/02D06F2105/36D06F2105/42D06F2105/54

Abstract

Claims (79)

1 . A clothes care apparatus, comprising:

a tub;

an upper detergent supply device above the tub;

a heat exchanger above the tub;

a nozzle device configured to spray water to the heat exchanger to clean the heat exchanger;

a water supply device fluidly connected to an external water supply source including:

a first pipe configured to guide water supplied from the external water supply source to the upper detergent supply device,

a second pipe configured to guide water supplied from the external water supply source to the nozzle device, and

a third pipe configured to guide water supplied from the external water supply source to the tub, and

a controller configured to control the water supply device to supply water to at least one of the first pipe to be guided to the upper detergent supply device, the second pipe to be guided to the nozzle device, or the third pipe to be guided to the tub, so as to perform at least one of a washing process, a rinsing process, a spin-drying process, or a drying process.

2 . The clothes care apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the water supply device to:

so as to perform of the washing process,

supply water to the third pipe to be guided to the tub,

block water from being supplied to the first pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to the upper detergent supply device, and

block water from being supplied to the second pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to the nozzle device.

3 . The clothes care apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the water supply device to:

so as to perform the rinsing process,

supply water to the first pipe to be guided to the upper detergent supply device, to

supply water to the third pipe to be guided to the tub, and to

block water from being supplied to the second pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to the nozzle device.

4 . The clothes care apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a door configured to open and close a laundry inlet on a side of the tub,

wherein the third pipe is further configured to guide water supplied by the water supply device to the door for cleaning the door, and

the controller is further configured to control the water supply device to:

so as to clean the door based on a start of the spin-drying process,

supply water to the third pipe to be guided to the door for cleaning the door,

block water from being supplied to the first pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to the upper detergent supply device, and to

block water from being supplied to the second pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to the nozzle device for a door cleaning time.

5 . The clothes care apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to;

so as to prevent moisture in the tub from leaking out of the tub based on entering the drying process,

control the water supply device to:

supply water to the first pipe to be guided to the upper detergent supply device,

block water from being supplied to the third pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to the tub, and

block water from being supplied to the second pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to the nozzle device for a period of time.

6 . The clothes care apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a connection pipe having a U-shape and configured to connect the upper detergent supply device and the tub.

7 . The clothes care apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the water supply device to:

so as to prevent water from being supplied to the upper detergent supply device for a heat exchanger cleaning time before completion of the drying process,

supply water to the second pipe to be guided to the nozzle device, to

block water from being supplied to the third pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to tub, and

block water from being supplied to the first pipe.

8 . The clothes care apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the water supply device further includes:

a first valve connected to the first; pipe,

a second valve connected to the second pipe, and

a third valve connected to the third pipe, and

the controller is further configured to control the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve to supply water to at least one of the first pipe to be guided to the upper detergent supply device, the second pipe to be guided to the nozzle device, or the third pipe to be guided to the tub.

9 . The clothes care apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether to perform at least one of the washing process, the rinsing process, the spin-drying process, or the drying process, based on an operation course selected by a user.

10 . A method for controlling a clothes care apparatus having a tub, an upper detergent supply device above the tub, a heat exchanger above the tub, a nozzle device configured to spray water to the heat exchanger to clean the heat exchanger, a water supply device connected to an external water supply source including a first pipe configured to guide water supplied from the external water supply source to the upper detergent supply device, a second pipe configured to guide water supplied from the external water supply source to the nozzle device, and a third pipe configured to guide water supplied from the external water supply source to the tub, and a controller, the method comprising:

by the controller,

determining an operation course of the clothes care apparatus based on a user input;

determining to perform at least one of a washing process, a rinsing process, a spin-drying process, or a drying process, based on the determined operation course;

controlling the water supply device to supply water to at least one of the first pipe to be guided to the upper detergent supply device, the second pipe to be guided to the nozzle device, or the third pipe to be guided to the tub, so as to perform the at least one of the washing process, the rinsing process, the spin-drying process, or the drying process that was determined to be performed.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the controlling the water supply device further includes controlling the water supply device to:

so as to perform the washing process,

supply water to the third pipe to be guided to the tub,

block water from being supplied to the first pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to the upper detergent supply device, and

block water from being supplied to the second pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to the nozzle device.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the controlling the water supply device further includes controlling the water supply device to:

so as to perform the rinsing process,

supply water to the third pipe to be guided to the tub,

supply water to the first pipe to be guided to the upper detergent supply device, and

block water from being supplied to the second pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to the nozzle device.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the clothes care apparatus further includes a door configured to open and close a laundry inlet on a side of the tub and the third pipe is further configured to guide water supplied by the water supply device to the door for cleaning the door, and

the controlling the water supply device further includes controlling the water supply device to:

so as to clean the door based on a start of the spin-drying process,

supply water to the third pipe to be guided to the door for cleaning the door,

block water from being supplied to the second pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to the nozzle device, and

block water from being supplied to the first pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to the upper detergent supply device for a door cleaning time.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the controlling the water supply device further includes;

so as to prevent moisture in the tub from leaking out of the tub based on entering the drying process,

controlling the water supply device to:

supply water to the first pipe to be guided to the upper detergent supply device,

block water from being supplied to the third pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to the tub, and to

block water from being supplied to the second pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to the nozzle device for a period of time.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the controlling the water supply device further includes controlling the water supply device to:

so as to prevent water from being guided to the upper detergent supply device for a heat exchanger cleaning time before completion of the drying process,

supply water to the second pipe to be guided to the nozzle device,

block water from being supplied to the third pipe so as to prevent water from being guided to the tub, and

block water from being supplied to the first pipe.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (16)