Washing apparatus and control system and method therefor

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a dishwasher or other washing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a spin-dry control system therefor, including a sensor unit configured to detect a weight of one or more objects in a spin-dry tub, and an amount of eccentricity and a speed of the spin-dry tub; a driving unit configured to balance or rotate the spin-dry tub; and a control unit configured to determine an operation state of the driving unit according to information from the sensor unit. Accordingly, a separate spin-dry function can be added to the dishwasher or other washing apparatus to maximize spatial efficiency, and the dishwasher can control a spin-dry function with optimal efficiency by automatically detecting a change in weight of object(s) in the spin-dry tub and the speed of the spin-dry tub, thereby maximizing spin-dry efficiency.

1 . A dishwasher, comprising:
 a spin-dry tub inside a washing tub;   a sensor unit configured to detect or determine a weight of one or more objects in the spin-dry tub, and an amount of eccentricity and a speed of the spin-dry tub;   a driving unit configured to balance or drive the spin-dry tub; and   a control unit configured to determine an operation state of the driving unit according to information from the sensor unit.   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor unit includes:
 a weight sensor configured to detect or determine the weight of the object(s) in the spin-dry tub;   a two-axis sensor configured to detect the amount of eccentricity of the spin-dry tub; and   a speed sensor configured to detect the speed and/or rotation rate of the spin-dry tub.   
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit operates the driving unit to balance the object(s) in the spin-dry tub when the amount of eccentricity of the spin-dry tub exceeds a reference amount of eccentricity, and operates the driving unit to rotate the spin-dry tub when the amount of eccentricity is equal to or smaller than the reference amount of eccentricity. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein when the weight of the object(s) and the speed of the spin-dry tub are maintained or stable for a predetermined time during a spin-dry operation, the control unit stops the driving unit. 
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , further comprising an alarm unit configured to generate an alarm when rotation of the spin-dry tub is stopped. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the speed of the spin-dry tub is a speed or a rotational, translational or angular speed of the spin-dry tub. 
     
     
         7 . A method of controlling a dishwasher, comprising:
 detecting a weight of one or more objects in a spin-dry tub;   detecting an amount of eccentricity of the spin-dry tub;   balancing the object(s) in the spin-dry tub or rotating the spin-dry tub according to a result of detecting the amount of eccentricity of the spin-dry tub;   measuring a change in the weight of the object(s) and a speed of the spin-dry tub while rotating the spin-dry tub; and   stopping rotation of the spin-dry tub according to a result of measuring the change in the weight of the object(s) and the speed of the spin-dry tub.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the spin-dry tub is rotated when the amount of eccentricity is equal to or smaller than a reference amount of eccentricity; and   the object(s) are balanced in the spin-dry tub when the amount of eccentricity detected in the eccentricity amount detection step exceeds the reference amount of eccentricity.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein balancing includes:
 re-disposing the object(s) by rotating the spin-dry tub on an axis; and   re-detecting the amount of eccentricity of the spin-dry tub in which the object(s) have been re-disposed.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the spin-dry tub is rotated when the re-detected amount of eccentricity is equal to or smaller than the reference amount of eccentricity. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the rotation of the spin-dry tub is stopped when the weight of the object(s) and the speed of the spin-dry tub are maintained or stable for a predetermined time. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising generating an alarm when the rotation of the spin-dry tub is stopped.