Washing machine

Abstract

A washing machine for minimizing damage to laundry and enabling effective washing of the laundry. The washing machine includes a water tub, a drum, and a control unit. The drum is installed in the water tub so as to rotate in a forward and/or a reverse direction. The control unit controls the rotation directions and angles of the rotation of the drum to cause an asymmetric swing motion of the drum.

1 . A washing machine comprising: 
 a water tub;    a drum in the water tub, the drum being rotatable in a forward rotation direction at a forward rotation angle and a reverse rotation direction opposite of the forward direction at a reverse rotation angle; and    a control unit adapted to control the rotation directions and angles to yield asymmetric swing motion of the drum.    
   
   
       2 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the rotation angles so that the forward angle of the drum is greater than the reverse angle of the drum during the asymmetric swing motion.  
   
   
       3 . A washing machine comprising: 
 a water tub;    a drum in the water tub, the drum being rotatable in a forward direction and a reverse rotation direction opposite of the forward direction; and    a control unit adapted to control the rotation of the drum to yield an asymmetric swing motion of the drum,    wherein during the asymmetric swing motion, the control unit controls forward and reverse rotation angles so that a reference position of the drum is displaced in the forward rotation direction.    
   
   
       4 . The machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the control unit controls the rotation angles so that the forward rotation angle is greater than the reverse rotation angle to cause gradual displacement of the reference position.  
   
   
       5 . A washing machine control method, comprising: 
 determining whether a set wash mode is an asymmetrical swing mode in which a drum is alternately rotated in a forward direction and a reverse direction by respective forward and reverse angles;    asymmetrically swinging the drum, when the set wash mode is the asymmetrical swing mode, so that the drum alternately rotates in the forward direction and the reverse direction by the respective forward and reverse rotation angles, the alternately rotating causing one of a net forward rotation of the drum and a net reverse rotation of the drum.    
   
   
       6 . The washing machine control method of  claim 5 , wherein the forward rotation angle is 60° and the reverse rotation angle is 45°.  
   
   
       7 . The washing machine control method of  claim 5 , wherein a difference between the forward and the reverse rotation angles is 15°.  
   
   
       8 . The washing machine control method of  claim 5 , wherein the one of the rotation angles is greater than the other of the angles.  
   
   
       9 . The washing machine control method of  claim 5 , wherein the alternately rotating yields continuous overturn of laundry in the drum.