Drum-type washing machine

Abstract

A drum-type washing machine including at least one lifter for supplying wash water from the outside of a drum to the inside of the drum, and a controller for controlling water supply operations and washing operations based on the angle of rotation of the drum sensed by an angle sensing device. The controller positions the lifter under a water supply pipe so that the wash water is directly supplied from the outside of the drum to the inside of the drum through the lifter. Thus, laundry loaded in the drum is uniformly and rapidly wetted with the wash water. The controller also causes the laundry carried by the lifter to fall from the top position of the drum to maximize dropping power in a wash mode.

1 . A drum-type washing machine comprising: 
 a drum;    an angle sensing device which senses the angle of rotation of the drum;    a drum motor rotating the drum;    a motor-driving unit driving the drum motor; and    a controller controlling water supply operations and washing operations based on the angle of rotation of the drum sensed by the angle sensing device.    
   
   
       2 . The drum-type washing machine according to  claim 1 , comprising: 
 at least one lifter,    wherein the at least one lifter supplies wash water to the inside of the drum, and    wherein the controller recognizes the position of the at least one lifter using the angle sensing device and thereby controls the rotational position of the drum such that the drum can receive the wash water from the at least one lifter.    
   
   
       3 . The drum-type washing machine according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one lifter includes a main body, incoming holes formed through the main body for receiving the supplied wash water, and spray holes formed through the main body for spraying the wash water into the drum.  
   
   
       4 . The drum-type washing machine according to  claim 1 , comprising: 
 at least one lifter,    wherein the at least one lifter carries laundry loaded in the drum, and    wherein the controller recognizes the position of the laundry carried by the at least one lifter using the angle sensing device and thereby controls the rotational speed of the drum.    
   
   
       5 . The drum-type washing machine according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller decreases the rotational speed of the drum before the laundry reaches a top position so that the laundry falls from the top position.  
   
   
       6 . The drum-type washing machine according to  claim 2 , wherein the angle sensing device is an encoder outputting different pulse signals based on the rotational position of the drum, and the encoder outputs a standard pulse signal when the drum is in a predetermined standard position and outputs another pulse signal when the drum is not in the predetermined standard position.  
   
   
       7 . The drum-type washing machine according to  claim 6 , wherein the standard pulse signal has a higher intensity than that of another pulse signal.  
   
   
       8 . The drum-type washing machine according to  claim 4 , wherein the angle sensing device is an encoder outputting different pulse signals based on the rotational position of the drum, and the encoder outputs a standard pulse signal when the drum is in a predetermined standard position and outputs another pulse signal when the drum is not in the predetermined standard position.  
   
   
       9 . The drum-type washing machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the standard pulse signal has a higher intensity than that of another pulse signal.  
   
   
       10 . A drum-type washing machine comprising: 
 a rotary drum;    a motor rotating the rotary drum;    a motor-driving unit driving the motor;    at least one lifter lifting laundry and supplying wash water to the inside of the drum;    a sensing device which detects the position of the lifter; and    a controller that places the lifter at a first predetermined position to supply the wash water to the inside of the drum, and reduces the rotational speed of the drum when the lifter rotated along the rotational direction of the drum reaches a second predetermined position.    
   
   
       11 . The drum-type washing machine according to  claim 10 , wherein the lifter includes a main body, incoming holes formed through the main body for receiving the supplied wash water, and spray holes formed through the main body for spraying the wash water into the drum.  
   
   
       12 . The drum-type washing machine according to  claim 10 , wherein the sensing device is an encoder outputting different pulse signals based on the rotational position of the drum corresponding to the position of the lifter, and the encoder outputs a standard pulse signal when the drum is in a predetermined standard position and outputs another pulse signal having a lower intensity than that of the standard pulse signal when the drum is not in the predetermined standard position.  
   
   
       13 . The drum-type washing machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the first determined position is a top position of the drum having the highest level in the drum, and the second determined position is a position of a level lower than that of the top position.  
   
   
       14 . A drum-type washing machine comprising: 
 a drum;    means for sensing the angle of rotation of the drum;    a drum motor for rotating the drum;    means for driving the drum motor; and    means for controlling water supply operations and washing operations based on the angle of rotation of the drum sensed by the angle sensing means.