Steam laundry machine

Abstract

A steam laundry machine for washing or drying laundry using steam is disclosed. The steam laundry machine includes a drum to store the laundry, a steam generating device to generate steam, and a control panel including a course selection part constituted to enable a user to select courses and a steam option selection part constituted to enable a user to select a point of time at which steam is supplied to the drum during operation of the course selected by a user.

1 . A steam laundry machine comprising:
 a drum to store laundry;   a steam generating device to generate steam; and   a control panel including a course selection part constituted to enable a user to select courses, and a steam option selection part constituted to enable a user to select a point of time at which steam is supplied to the drum during operation of the course selected by a user.   
   
   
       2 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the steam option selection part is constituted to be selected before the course selected by a user is performed. 
   
   
       3 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the courses is a steam inclusion course in which a steam process of supplying steam to the drum is automatically performed. 
   
   
       4 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the courses is a steam exclusion course in which a steam process of supplying steam to the drum is unable to be performed. 
   
   
       5 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the courses is a steam selection course in which a steam process of supplying steam to the drum can be performed. 
   
   
       6 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 5 , wherein when a user selects the steam option selection part, the steam process is performed in the steam selection course. 
   
   
       7 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 6 , wherein the steam selection course includes at least one of a washing process and a rinsing process. 
   
   
       8 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 7 , wherein the steam option selection part is constituted to enable a user to select whether the steam process is performed during operation of the washing process or the rinsing process. 
   
   
       9 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 7 , wherein the steam option selection part includes:
 a steam washing option selection part constituted to enable a user to select a mode in which the steam process is performed during operation of the washing process; and   a steam rinsing option selection part provided separately from the steam washing option selection part, the steam rinsing option selection part being constituted to enable a user to select a mode in which the steam process is performed during operation of the rinsing process.   
   
   
       10 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 9 , wherein when a user selects the steam rinsing option selection part, the rinsing process includes a warm-water rinsing process in which laundry is rinsed by warm water. 
   
   
       11 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the control panel includes a process selection part constituted to enable a user to select a mode in which at least one of a washing process, a rinsing process and a drying process is performed. 
   
   
       12 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 11 , wherein the steam option selection part is constituted to enable a user to select a mode in which a steam process of supplying steam to the drum is performed in the process selected through the process selection part by a user. 
   
   
       13 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the steam option selection part includes:
 a steam washing option selection part constituted to enable a user to select a mode in which the steam process is performed in the washing process; and   a steam rinsing option selection part constituted to enable a user to select a mode in which the steam process is performed in the rinsing process.   
   
   
       14 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 12 , wherein when a user selects the steam rinsing option selection part, the rinsing process includes a warm-water rinsing process in which laundry is rinsed by warm water. 
   
   
       15 . A steam laundry machine comprising:
 a drum to store laundry;   a steam generating device to generate steam to be supplied to the drum; and   a control panel including a course selection part constituted to enable a user to select a steam selection course in which a steam process of supplying steam to the drum can be performed, the steam selection course including a rinsing process, and a steam rinsing option selection part constituted to enable a user to select whether the steam process is performed during operation of the rinsing process.   
   
   
       16 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 15 , wherein when a user selects the steam rinsing option selection part, the rinsing process includes a warm-water rinsing process in which laundry is rinsed by warm water. 
   
   
       17 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 16 , wherein the rinsing process is terminated in a cool-water rinsing process in which laundry is rinsed by cool water. 
   
   
       18 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 15 , wherein the course selection part is constituted to enable a user to select a steam inclusion course in which the steam process is automatically performed or a steam exclusion course in which the steam process is unable to be performed. 
   
   
       19 . The steam laundry machine according to  claim 15 , wherein the control panel further includes an LCD window to display a subject selected through the course selection part and the steam rinsing option selection part. 
   
   
       20 . A steam laundry machine comprising:
 a drum to store laundry;   a steam generating device to generate steam to be supplied to the drum; and   a control panel including a course selection part constituted to enable a user to select a steam selection course in which a steam process of supplying steam to the drum can be performed, the steam selection course including a washing process and a rinsing process, a steam washing option selection part constituted to enable a user to select whether the steam process is performed during operation of the washing process, and a steam rinsing option selection part constituted to enable a user to select whether the steam process is performed during operation of the rinsing process.