Clothing treating apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a clothing treating apparatus which provides various optimized drum motion combinations capable of preventing damage to or shrinking of clothing in each of a preheating section, a constant rate drying section, a reduced rate drying section, and a cooling section.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling a laundry treating apparatus including a drum configured to accommodate laundry therein, a driver configured to rotate the drum, a circulation flow channel providing a space where air of the drum is circulated or moisture contained in air is condensed, and a heat exchanger assembly configured to heat air flowing through the circulation flow channel, the method comprising:
 an air supply step of supplying heated air to the drum via the heat exchanger assembly; and   a rotation step of rotating the drum during the air supply,   wherein the rotation step includes a hanging motion where a high-speed period where the laundry rotates in a state of being attached to an inner wall of the drum, and a low-speed period where the laundry rotates while falling from the inner wall of the drum are periodically performed.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drum is provided to rotate at least once in the high-speed period,
 wherein the drum is provided to rotate at least once in the low-speed period.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a duration of the high-speed period is set to be equal to or longer than a duration of the low-speed period. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the air supply step is divided into a preheating period, a constant-rate drying period, and a falling-rate drying period,
 wherein the constant-rate drying period is entered when a temperature of a refrigerant of the heat exchanger assembly reaches a reference value in the preheating period or when the heat exchanger assembly operates for a reference time,   wherein the hanging motion is performed in the constant-rate drying period.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the hanging motion is performed when dryness of the laundry is provided to reach a reference value in the constant-rate drying period. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the rotation step further includes a tumbling motion for rotating the drum such that the laundry falls from a point lower than a high point of the drum,
 wherein the hanging motion is performed after the tumbling motion in the constant-rate drying period.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the hanging motion is performed when the tumbling motion is performed for a reference time. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the rotation step further includes a shaking motion of changing a rotation speed of the drum,
 wherein the hanging motion is performed before the shaking motion in the constant-rate drying period.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the hanging motion is terminated when dryness of the laundry reaches a target value. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the hanging motion is terminated when being performed for a specific time in the constant-rate drying period. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the air supply step is divided into a preheating period, a constant-rate drying period, and a falling-rate drying period,
 wherein the falling-rate drying period is entered when a discharge temperature of the circulation flow channel rises to a temperature equal to or higher than a reference temperature or dryness of the laundry reaches a set value,   wherein the hanging motion is performed in the falling-rate drying period.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the hanging motion is performed when the dryness of the laundry reaches a specific value in the falling-rate drying period. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein when the hanging motion is performed, the hanging motion continues until the falling-rate drying period is terminated. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the rotation includes a rolling motion of rotating the drum such that the laundry falls from a point lower than a center of the drum,
 wherein the hanging motion is performed after the rolling motion in the falling-rate drying period.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein a duration of the hanging motion is set shorter than a duration of the rolling motion. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the rolling motion is performed starting from a time point of entering the falling-rate drying period until the dryness of the laundry reaches a target value. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rotation step includes a pulling motion where a high-speed period where the laundry rotates in the state of being attached to the inner wall of the drum, and a low-speed period where the laundry rotates while falling from the inner wall of the drum are periodically performed, wherein a period of the pulling motion is shorter than a period of the hanging motion, is performed after the pulling motion is performed. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the high-speed period is set to be longer than the low-speed period in the pulling motion,
 wherein the high-speed period of the hanging motion is set to be longer than the high-speed period of the pulling motion.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the low-speed period of the hanging motion is set to be longer than the high-speed period of the pulling motion. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the low-speed period of the pulling motion includes:
 a constant-speed period where the drum rotates such that the laundry falls from a point between a high point of the drum and a center of the drum; and   a deceleration period where a rotation speed of the drum is lower than in the constant-speed period,   wherein a duration of the deceleration period is shorter than a duration of the constant-speed period.   
     
     
         21 . A method for controlling a laundry treating apparatus including a drum configured to accommodate laundry therein, a driver configured to rotate the drum, a circulation flow channel providing a space where air of the drum is circulated or moisture contained in air is condensed, and a heat exchanger assembly configured to heat air flowing through the circulation flow channel, the method comprising:
 an air supply step of supplying heated air to the drum via the heat exchanger assembly; and   a rotation step of rotating the drum during the air supply,   wherein the rotation step includes a hanging motion where a high-speed period of rotating the drum at a first speed for a first time period, and a low-speed period of rotating the drum at a second speed lower than the first speed for a second time period are repeatedly performed.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first time period is set to be equal to or longer than the second time period. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the hanging motion disposes a preparation period or rotating the drum at a third speed lower than the second speed for a third time period between the high-speed period and the low-speed period. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the third time period is set shorter than the second time period. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the third time period is set to be longer than a time period for the drum to rotate once.