Control method for laundry treatment apparatus

Abstract

A control method for a laundry treatment apparatus, which includes a first reservoir configured to hold water and defining a first opening to receive laundry therethrough, a second reservoir placed inside the first reservoir and defining a second opening, and a pulsator rotatably provided inside the second reservoir, includes supplying water to the first reservoir and performing primary washing of the first and second reservoirs by rotating at least one of the pulsator or the second reservoir. The primary washing step includes performing a first motion by rotating the pulsator to produce a water stream inside the first and second reservoirs, and performing a second motion by rotating the second reservoir to cause water to move upward along a space between an inner circumferential surface of the first reservoir and an outer circumferential surface of the second reservoir and then be introduced into the second reservoir through the second opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control method for a laundry treatment apparatus, the laundry treatment apparatus comprising a first reservoir placed inside a cabinet, the first reservoir being configured to hold water and defining a first opening configured to receive laundry therethrough, a second reservoir placed inside the first reservoir and configured to rotate about a rotating shaft perpendicular to a bottom surface of the first reservoir, the second reservoir being configured to receive laundry therein and defining a second opening, the second opening being located under the first opening, and a pulsator rotatably provided inside the second reservoir, the control method comprising:
 supplying water to the first reservoir; and   performing primary washing of the first reservoir and the second reservoir by rotating at least one of the pulsator or the second reservoir,   wherein the primary washing step includes:
 performing a first motion by rotating the pulsator to thereby produce a water stream inside the first and second reservoirs, and 
 performing a second motion by rotating the second reservoir to thereby cause water to move upward along a space between an inner circumferential surface of the first reservoir and an outer circumferential surface of the second reservoir and then to be introduced into the second reservoir through the second opening. 
   
     
     
         2 . The control method according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary washing step is initiated only when no laundry is in the first reservoir. 
     
     
         3 . The control method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first motion and the second motion are alternately repeated. 
     
     
         4 . The control method according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary washing step is implemented as a sequence where the first motion is followed by the second motion. 
     
     
         5 . The control method according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary washing step is implemented as a sequence where the second motion is followed by the first motion. 
     
     
         6 . The control method according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary washing step is implemented as a sequence where the second motion is followed by the first motion and then followed by the second motion. 
     
     
         7 . The control method according to  claim 1 , further comprising performing secondary washing of the first reservoir and the second reservoir after completion of the primary washing step,
 wherein the secondary washing step includes:
 spraying water that is supplied from a water source to an inside of the second reservoir; 
 discharging the sprayed water in the second reservoir to an outside of the first reservoir; and 
 rotating the second reservoir. 
   
     
     
         8 . The control method according to  claim 7 , wherein the secondary washing step includes implementing the spraying, the discharging, and the rotating steps simultaneously. 
     
     
         9 . The control method according to  claim 7 , further comprising draining the water stored in the first reservoir after completion of the primary washing step,
 wherein the secondary washing step is initiated after completion of the draining step.   
     
     
         10 . The control method according to  claim 7 , further comprising dehydrating the second reservoir by rotating the second reservoir after completion of the secondary washing step. 
     
     
         11 . The control method according to  claim 7 , wherein the spraying is performed via a sprayer that is configured to spray water supplied from the water source to the circumferential surface of the second reservoir. 
     
     
         12 . The control method according to  claim 7 , wherein the spraying is performed via a sprayer that is configured to spray water to the circumferential surface of the second reservoir and a bottom surface of the second reservoir. 
     
     
         13 . The control method according to  claim 7 , wherein the spraying step includes spraying water to cover a region ranging from a first point to a second point, the first point being located between a corner at which the circumferential surface of the second reservoir and a bottom surface of the second reservoir meet each other and a center of rotation of the second reservoir, and the second point being located between the corner and the second opening. 
     
     
         14 . The control method according to  claim 7 , wherein the spraying is performed via a connection pipe and a nozzle, the connection pipe being secured to the cabinet and connected to the water source, and the nozzle being configured to spray the water supplied from the connection pipe to the circumferential surface of the second reservoir and a bottom surface of the second reservoir, a cross sectional area of the nozzle increasing with increasing distance from the connection pipe. 
     
     
         15 . A control method for a laundry treatment apparatus, the laundry treatment apparatus comprising a first reservoir placed inside a cabinet, the first reservoir being configured to hold water and defining a first opening configured to receive laundry therethrough, a second reservoir placed inside the first reservoir and configured to rotate about a rotating shaft perpendicular to a bottom surface of the first reservoir, the second reservoir being configured to receive laundry therein and defining a second opening, the second opening being located under the first opening, and a pulsator rotatably provided inside the second reservoir, the control method comprising:
 supplying water to the first reservoir;   performing primary washing of the first reservoir and the second reservoir by rotating the pulsator so as to produce a water stream; and   performing secondary washing of the first reservoir and the second reservoir after completion of the primary washing step,   wherein the secondary washing step includes:
 spraying water, supplied from a water source, to an inside of the second reservoir, 
 discharging the water inside the first reservoir to an outside of the first reservoir, and 
 rotating the second reservoir. 
   
     
     
         16 . The control method according to  claim 15 , wherein the secondary washing step includes implementing the spraying, the discharging, and the rotating steps simultaneously. 
     
     
         17 . The control method according to  claim 15 , wherein the spraying is performed via a sprayer configured to spray water to the circumferential surface of the second reservoir and a bottom surface of the second reservoir. 
     
     
         18 . The control method according to  claim 15 , wherein the spraying is performed via a connection pipe and a nozzle, the connection pipe being secured to the cabinet and connected to the water source, and the nozzle being configured to spray the water supplied from the connection pipe to the circumferential surface of the second reservoir and a bottom surface of the second reservoir, a cross sectional area of the nozzle increasing with increasing distance from the connection pipe.