Laundry treatment apparatus and control method thereof

Abstract

A laundry treatment apparatus includes a tub that receives water and having a tub opening; a drum rotatably disposed in the tub; a detergent introduction unit disposed in a top cover of the laundry treatment apparatus and configured to receive an additive; a water supply unit that selectively allows and interrupts a supply of water to the tub and to the detergent introduction unit; and a controller configured to: control a rotation of the drum in a state in which water is supplied to the tub; control the water supply unit to allow and interrupt at least a portion of water to be supplied to the tub to the detergent introduction unit; and control the water supply unit to supply water to the detergent introduction unit by performing a water supply operation having a plurality of water supply periods that clear water from the detergent introduction unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:
 a tub that defines a space therein configured to receive water, the tub defining a tub opening at an upper surface of the tub;   a drum rotatably disposed in the tub;   a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the tub opening;   a top cover that is disposed along an outer circumference of the door and that is spaced apart from the door;   a detergent introduction unit disposed in the top cover and configured to receive an additive;   a water supply unit that is configured to allow a supply of water to the tub and to the detergent introduction unit and that is configured to interrupt the supply of water to the tub and to the detergent introduction unit; and   a controller configured to:
 control a rotation of the drum in a state in which water is supplied to the tub; 
 control the water supply unit to allow and interrupt a supply of at least a portion of water to be supplied to the tub to the detergent introduction unit; and 
 control the water supply unit to supply water to the detergent introduction unit by performing a water supply operation comprising a plurality of water supply periods that are set to clear water from the detergent introduction unit. 
   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 control the water supply unit to repeatedly alternate between supplying water to the detergent introduction unit for a first duration and interrupting the supply of water to the detergent introduction unit for a second duration.   
     
     
         3 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the detergent introduction unit is configured to discharge water and the additive to the tub based on a siphon phenomenon. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to interrupt supply of water to the detergent introduction unit for a duration in which water is introduced from the detergent introduction unit into the tub. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim  1 , wherein the water supply unit comprises:
 a water supply valve configured to allow and interrupt supply of water to the tub;   a water supply pipe that is connected to the water supply valve and that defines a flow channel that extends to the tub;   a water supply channel that extends from the water supply pipe and that is configured to guide at least a portion of water from the water supply pipe to the detergent introduction unit; and   a first valve disposed in the water supply channel and configured to allow and interrupt supply of water to the detergent introduction unit.   
     
     
         6 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 transmit a control command to the water supply unit to open and close at least one of the water supply valve or the first valve.   
     
     
         7 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 control the water supply unit to open the water supply valve after opening the first valve; and   control the water supply unit to close the first valve after closing the water supply valve.   
     
     
         8 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the detergent introduction unit comprises:
 an introduction bowl that is configured to be disposed at the top cover, that is recessed downward from the top cover, and that defines an additive space configured to receive the additive; and   a detergent housing configured to be mounted at the top cover and to accommodate the introduction bowl, and   wherein the detergent introduction unit is disposed at least one front corner of the top cover.   
     
     
         9 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the introduction bowl defines a plurality of introduction holes that allow flow of water and the additive between the detergent housing and the introduction bowl, and
 wherein the detergent introduction unit further comprises an introduction pipe that is disposed at least one of the introduction bowl or the detergent housing and that is configured to discharge a mixture of water and the additive from the detergent introduction unit to the tub by a siphon phenomenon.   
     
     
         10 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 control supply of water to the tub based on a plurality of periods; and   at each of the plurality of periods, control the water supply unit to supply or interrupt supply of water to the detergent introduction unit.   
     
     
         11 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, after water is supplied to the detergent introduction unit:
 interrupt supply of water to the detergent introduction unit for a duration that is greater than or equal to a predetermined time set to allow a mixture of water and the additive in the detergent introduction unit to be introduced into the tub.   
     
     
         12 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to set a water supply duration for which water is supplied to the detergent introduction unit,
 wherein the detergent introduction unit is configured to discharge, by a siphon phenomenon, water from the detergent introduction unit to the tub for a water introduction duration until a level of water in the detergent introduction unit reaches a bottom level of detergent introduction unit,   wherein the water supply duration is greater than a pre-siphon time that is between (i) a start point at which water starts to be supplied to the detergent introduction unit and (ii) a siphon start point at which water starts to be introduced into the tub by the siphon phenomenon, and   wherein a difference in time between the water supply duration and the pre-siphon time is less than or equal to the water introduction duration.   
     
     
         13 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 set the water supply duration to be in a range from 16 to 18 seconds, and   set an interruption duration to be in a range from 16 to 20 seconds for which supply of water to the detergent introduction unit is stopped.   
     
     
         14 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 in a first period of the plurality of water supply periods, control the water supply unit to supply water to both of the tub and the detergent introduction unit until a tub water level in the tub reaches a predetermined water level, and stop supplying water based on the tub water level having reached the predetermined water level;   in a second period of the plurality of water supply periods, control the water supply unit to interrupt supply of water to the detergent introduction unit for a first time while maintaining supply of water to the tub;   in a third period of the plurality of water supply periods, control the water supply unit to supply water for a second time to both of the detergent introduction unit and the tub;   in a fourth period of the plurality of water supply periods, control the water supply unit to interrupt supply of water for a third time to both of the tub and the detergent introduction unit;   in a fifth period of the plurality of water supply periods, control the water supply unit to supply water for a fourth time to both of the tub and the detergent introduction unit; and   in a sixth period of the plurality of water supply periods, control the water supply unit to supply water to the tub to a target level.   
     
     
         15 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to, based on the water supply operation being temporarily stopped in any one of the first to sixth periods of the plurality of water supply periods, restart the water supply operation from an initial start point of each of the first to sixth periods. 
     
     
         16 . A control method of a laundry treatment apparatus, comprising:
 performing a water supply operation that comprises a plurality of water supply periods to supply or interrupt a supply of water to at least one of a tub of the laundry treatment apparatus or a detergent introduction unit of the laundry treatment apparatus, wherein performing the water supply operation comprises:
 in a first period of the plurality of water supply periods, supplying water to both of the tub and the detergent introduction unit until a tub water level in the tub reaches a predetermined water level, and stopping supply of water based on the tub water level having reached the predetermined water level; 
 in a second period of the plurality of water supply periods, interrupting supply of water for a first time to the detergent introduction unit while maintaining supply of water to the tub; 
 in a third period of the plurality of water supply periods, supplying water for a second time to both of the detergent introduction unit and the tub; 
 in a fourth period of the plurality of water supply periods, interrupting supply of water for a third time to both of the tub and the detergent introduction unit; 
 in a fifth period of the plurality of water supply periods, supplying water for a fourth time to both of the tub and the detergent introduction unit; and 
 in a sixth period of the plurality of water supply periods, supplying water to the tub until the tub water level reaches a target level, and then stopping supply of water based on the tub water level having reached the target level. 
   
     
     
         17 . The control method according to  claim 16 , wherein performing the water supply operation further comprises:
 based on a release from a stopped state in which the water supply operation is temporarily stopped in any one of the first to sixth periods, restarting the water supply operation from an initial start point of each of the first to sixth periods.   
     
     
         18 . The control method according to  claim 16 , wherein performing the water supply operation further comprises, in each of the first period, the third period, and the fifth period:
 opening or closing a first valve of the laundry treatment apparatus to control supply of water to the detergent introduction unit; and   opening or closing a water supply valve of the laundry treatment apparatus to allow or interrupt supply of water to the tub.   
     
     
         19 . The control method according to  claim 17 , wherein performing the water supply operation further comprises, in each of the second period, the fourth period, and the sixth period:
 interrupting supply of water to the detergent introduction unit for a duration that is greater than or equal to a predetermined time set to allow a mixture of water and a fabric softener in the detergent introduction unit to be introduced into the tub.   
     
     
         20 . The control method according to  claim 17 , wherein performing the water supply operation further comprises, in each of the third period and the fifth period:
 supplying water for a water supply duration that is set to be greater than a pre-siphon time that is between a supply start point at which water starts to be supplied to the detergent introduction unit and a siphon start point at which water starts to be introduced into the tub by a siphon phenomenon; and   discharging, by the siphon phenomenon, water from the detergent introduction unit to the tub for a water introduction duration until a level of water in the detergent introduction unit reaches a bottom level of the detergent introduction unit, and   wherein a difference in time between the water supply duration and the pre-siphon time is less than or equal to the water introduction duration.