Laundry treating apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed is a laundry treating apparatus. The laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a cabinet; a tub which is provided in the cabinet and accommodates water; a drum provided in the tub to be rotatable and accommodating laundry; a detergent storage unit which is provided in the cabinet and stores detergent; a detergent discharge unit which is connected to the detergent storage unit to be supplied with the detergent, and discharges the detergent along with the water into the tub; and a detergent sensing unit which is provided in the detergent discharge unit and senses the detergent provided in the detergent discharge unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub disposed inside the cabinet and accommodating water therein;   a drum rotatably disposed inside the tub and accommodating laundry therein;   a detergent storage disposed in the cabinet and storing detergent therein;   a detergent outlet connected to the detergent storage to receive the detergent, wherein the detergent outlet discharges the detergent along with water into the tub; and   a detergent detector disposed in the detergent outlet, wherein the detergent detector is configured to detect the detergent present in the detergent outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the detergent outlet includes a detergent inlet hole allowing the detergent to be introduced therethrough and a detergent discharge hole allowing the detergent and water to be discharged into the tub,
 wherein the detergent detector is disposed on a flow path where the detergent introduced into the detergent inlet hole flows toward the detergent discharge hole.   
     
     
         3 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the detergent storage includes a plurality of storage spaces divided from each other to store respective detergents therein,
 wherein the respective detergents stored in the plurality of storage spaces are supplied to the detergent outlet,   wherein the detergent detector is disposed in the detergent outlet on a flow path where the respective detergents introduced from the plurality of storage spaces gather and flow.   
     
     
         4 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the detergent outlet includes a first bottom, a second bottom located downwardly of the first bottom, and a step wall connecting the first bottom with the second bottom in a stepwise manner,
 wherein the detergent introduced into the detergent inlet hole flows to sequentially pass the first bottom, the step wall, and the second bottom and reaches the detergent discharge hole,   wherein the detergent detector is disposed on the step wall.   
     
     
         5 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the detergent outlet further includes a detergent guide wall having at least a portion positioned facing the step wall, wherein the detergent guide wall allows the detergent delivered from the first bottom to flow between the step wall and the detergent guide wall. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the detergent outlet allows at least a portion of introduced water to flow toward the detergent detector. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the detergent outlet includes:
 a detergent inlet hole allowing the detergent to be introduced therethrough;   a water inlet hole allowing water to be introduced therethrough; and   a water guide allowing at least a portion of water introduced via the water inlet hole to flow toward the detergent inlet hole.   
     
     
         8 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the water guide includes a water guide rib having one end facing the water inlet hole and the other end facing the detergent inlet hole. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the detergent outlet further includes a water diffuser disposed between a bottom thereof and the water inlet hole to diffuse water introduced via the water inlet hole and discharge water to the bottom, wherein the water diffuser includes a water guide. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the water inlet hole is located in a ceiling of the detergent outlet and discharges water into the detergent outlet,
 wherein the water diffuser is disposed to cross an area between the bottom and the ceiling of the detergent outlet, wherein the water diffuser includes a plurality of water delivery holes allowing water introduced via the water inlet hole to be discharged to the bottom.   
     
     
         11 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the detergent outlet includes a first space where the detergent inlet hole is located and a second space where the water inlet hole and a detergent discharge hole are located,
 wherein the water diffuser crosses the first space and the second space together, and the water guide is located in the first space.   
     
     
         12 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the detergent outlet is formed as the first space protrudes rearward from the second space. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the detergent detector includes a pair of electrodes in contact with the detergent inside the detergent outlet. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the detergent detector is configured to detect the detergent mixed in water when water and the detergent are mixed with each other. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the detergent detector includes an electrode sensor,
 wherein the laundry treating apparatus further includes a controller connected in a signal manner to the electrode sensor and configured to determine whether the detergent is mixed in water based on a measured value of the electrode sensor.   
     
     
         16 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cabinet is equipped with a laundry inlet defined in a top surface thereof, wherein the laundry is put into the laundry inlet,
 wherein the tub and the drum have open top surfaces to accommodate water and the laundry therein, respectively,   wherein the detergent outlet is located upwardly of the tub and discharges water and the detergent into the tub and the drum.   
     
     
         17 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub disposed inside the cabinet and accommodating water therein;   a drum rotatably disposed inside the tub and accommodating laundry therein;   a detergent outlet disposed inside the cabinet, wherein the detergent outlet mixes water supplied from outside with detergent to form a mixture and discharges the mixture into the tub; and   a detergent detector disposed in the detergent outlet and configured to detect the detergent mixed with water inside the detergent outlet.