Dishwasher

The present disclosure relates to a dishwasher, and more particularly, to a dishwasher capable of changing a washing course to a low noise-level course during a washing cycle of a dishwasher.

The dishwasher is an apparatus for washing dishes by spraying washing water in which detergent is dissolved to the dishes having food wastes and oil attached thereto after meal, thereby removing the food wastes and oil therefrom. Specifically, the washing water is sprayed to an inner space of the tub at a high pressure, and the sprayed washing water collides with the dishes so that foreign substances such as food waste on the surface of the dish are washed away.

A process of washing dishes using the dishwasher includes various steps including spraying the washing water in which detergent is dissolved, rather than including only the spraying the washing water in which detergent is dissolved.

The dishwasher may operate in a preliminary washing cycle, a washing cycle, a rinsing cycle, a heating rinsing cycle, and a drying cycle.

However, a situation may occur in which when the user watches the TV in the living room, operation noise of the dishwasher generated in the kitchen space interferes with the user.

Thus, in order to change the washing course of the dishwasher to the low noise-level course, the user has to move to the kitchen space, and stop the washing operation, turn off the power, and then turn on the power again and then set the washing course to the low noise-level course.

A purpose of the present specification is to provide a dishwasher in which a user is capable of simply changing, in a real-time manner, a washing course from a standard washing course to a low-noise course or a low noise-level mode during a washing cycle of the dishwasher using a user's voice, a remote controller manipulation, a user terminal, or the like.

Purposes according to the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned purpose. Other purposes and advantages according to the present disclosure that are not mentioned may be understood based on following descriptions, and may be more clearly understood based on embodiments according to the present disclosure. Further, it will be easily understood that the purposes and advantages according to the present disclosure may be realized using means shown in the claims or combinations thereof.

In order to achieve the above purpose, a dishwasher according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include an input unit for receiving a course change signal instructing the dishwasher to change a washing course to a low noise-level course having a lower noise-level than a noise-level of the washing course; storage for storing therein, as data, a rotation speed of a washing motor in each washing cycle of the low noise-level course corresponding to each washing cycle of the washing course; and a controller configured to: upon receiving the course change signal, recognize a washing cycle of the washing course; and change a rotation speed of the washing motor in the recognized washing cycle of the washing course to a rotation speed of the washing motor in a washing cycle of the low noise-level course corresponding to the recognized washing cycle, thereby controlling the washing cycle of the low noise-level course.

Furthermore, the dishwasher according to the present disclosure may further include: a casing constituting an outer appearance and having an open front; a door sealing the open front of the casing; a tub receiving washing water therein; and a rack positioned inside the tub and accommodating therein dishes.

The input unit may include: a voice input unit configured to receive a voice signal as the course change signal; a communication unit configured to receive the course change signal from a user terminal or a management server through a communication network; and a remote receiver configured to wirelessly receive the course change signal from a remote controller.

Further, the washing cycle of the washing course may be one of a preliminary washing cycle, a main washing cycle, a rinsing cycle, a heating rinsing cycle, and a drying cycle.

Further, the storage may store therein a washing time duration and a washing water temperature of each washing cycle of the low noise-level course corresponding to each washing cycle of the washing course as data.

Furthermore, upon receiving the course change signal during a main washing cycle of the washing course, the controller may be configured to: change a rotation speed of the washing motor to be lower than a rotation speed of the washing motor in the washing course such that the washing course is changed to the low noise-level course in a real-time manner at one of initial, middle, and end timings of the main washing cycle, thereby controlling the washing cycle of the low noise-level course.

Furthermore, upon receiving the course change signal during a rinsing cycle of the washing course, the controller may be configured to: change a rotation speed of the washing motor to be lower than a rotation speed of the washing motor in the washing course such that the washing course is changed to the low noise-level course in a real-time manner at one of initial, middle, and end timings of the rinsing cycle, thereby controlling the washing cycle of the low noise-level course.

Furthermore, upon receiving the course change signal during a heating rinsing cycle of the washing course, the controller may be configured to: change a rotation speed of the washing motor to be lower than a rotation speed of the washing motor in the washing course such that the washing course is changed to the low noise-level course in a real-time manner at one of initial, middle, and end timings of the heating rinsing cycle, thereby controlling the washing cycle of the low noise-level course.

Furthermore, upon receiving the course change signal during a preliminary washing cycle of the washing course, the controller may be configured to: change a rotation speed of the washing motor to be lower than a rotation speed of the washing motor in the washing course such that the washing course is changed to the low noise-level course in a real-time manner at one of initial, middle, and end timings of the preliminary washing cycle, thereby controlling the washing cycle of the low noise-level course.

Furthermore, the controller may be configured to change the washing time duration or the washing water temperature of the low noise-level course to control the washing cycle of the low noise-level course.

Furthermore, the controller may be configured to: adjust a washing time duration of the low-noise course to be larger than a washing time duration of the washing course; or adjust a washing water temperature of the low-noise course to be higher than a washing water temperature of the washing course, thereby controlling the washing cycle of the low noise-level course.

The controller may be configured to perform a first cycle, calculate a first temperature value of the dishes accommodated in the rack when the first cycle has been terminated, perform a second cycle, calculate a second temperature value of the dishes accommodated in the rack when the second cycle has been terminated, calculate an emissivity of the dishes accommodated in the rack based on the first temperature value and the second temperature value, and determine a third cycle based on the emissivity.

Furthermore, the first temperature value may be calculated from a first thermal image acquired through an optical sensor after the first cycle has been terminated, and the second temperature value may be calculated from a second thermal image acquired through the optical sensor.

In order to achieve the above purpose, a dishwasher according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include an input unit for receiving a course change signal instructing the dishwasher to change a washing course to a low noise-level course having a lower noise-level than a noise-level of the washing course; a function execution unit for executing a washing cycle according to the washing course or the low noise-level course; and a controller configured to: upon receiving the course change signal during execution of the washing course, change a parameter of the washing course to a parameter of the low noise-level course; and control the function execution unit to execute the washing cycle of the low noise-level course based on the parameter of the low noise-level course.

Furthermore, the washing course may include a standard course, a strong course, a delicate course, and a low noise-level course.

Furthermore, the parameter of the low noise-level course may be the same as or different from the parameter of the low noise-level mode.

Furthermore, the rotation speed of the washing motor in the low noise-level course may be the same as or different from the rotation speed of the washing motor of the low noise-level mode.

The parameter of the low noise-level course may include a washing water spray pressure, a washing time duration, a washing water temperature, and a rotation speed of a washing motor.

Furthermore, the controller may be configured to control the function execution unit to: lower a washing water spray pressure of the low noise-level course to a washable lowest spray pressure; adjust a washing time duration of the low noise-level course to be larger than a washing time duration of the washing course; adjust a washing water temperature of the low noise-level course to be higher than a washing water temperature of the washing course; and adjust a rotation speed of the washing motor of the low noise-level course to be lower than a rotation speed of the washing motor of the washing course, thereby executing the washing cycle of the low noise-level course.

The washing cycle may include a preliminary washing cycle, a main washing cycle, a rinsing cycle, a heating rinsing cycle, and a drying cycle.

Furthermore, an execution time duration of the rinsing cycle may be larger than an execution time duration of each of the main washing cycle and the heating rinsing cycle.

Furthermore, an execution time duration of the main washing cycle may be larger than an execution time duration of each of the rinsing cycle and the heating rinsing cycle.

Furthermore, upon receiving the course change signal during execution of the main washing cycle, the controller may be configured to: change the parameter of the washing course to the parameter of the low noise-level course at the course change signal receiving timing; control the function execution unit to execute the main washing cycle of the low noise-level course during a period from the course change signal receiving timing to an end timing of the main washing cycle based on the parameter of the low noise-level course; and subsequently, control the function execution unit to further execute the main washing cycle of the low noise-level course for a first time duration allocated to the main washing cycle of the low noise-level course.

Furthermore, upon receiving the course change signal during execution of the rinsing cycle, the controller may be configured to: change the parameter of the washing course to the parameter of the low noise-level course at the course change signal receiving timing; control the function execution unit to execute the rinsing cycle of the low noise-level course during a period from the course change signal receiving timing to an end timing of the rinsing cycle based on the parameter of the low noise-level course; and subsequently, control the function execution unit to further execute the rinsing cycle of the low noise-level course for a second time duration allocated to the rinsing cycle of the low noise-level course.

Furthermore, upon receiving the course change signal during execution of the heating rinsing cycle, the controller may be configured to: change the parameter of the washing course to the parameter of the low noise-level course at the course change signal receiving timing; control the function execution unit to execute the heating rinsing cycle of the low noise-level course during a period from the course change signal receiving timing to an end timing of the heating rinsing cycle based on the parameter of the low noise-level course; and subsequently, control the function execution unit to further execute the heating rinsing cycle of the low noise-level course for a third time duration allocated to the heating rinsing cycle of the low noise-level course.

Furthermore, the controller may be configured to control the function execution unit to: control the rotation speed of the washing motor of the low noise-level course to be lower than that of the washing course so that the washing water spray pressure of the low noise-level course is the lowest washable spray pressure, and to control the washing water temperature of the low noise-level course to be higher than that of the washing course, thereby controlling the washing cycle of the low noise-level course.

Furthermore, among the first time duration, the second time duration, and the third time duration, the first time duration or the second time duration may be the longest, and the third time duration may be the shortest.

According to the present disclosure, when the operation noise of the dishwasher which is operating in the kitchen space interferes the user watching the TV in the living room, the user may control the operation of the dishwasher via the smartphone held in the hand of the user to change the current operation course of the dishwasher to the low noise-level course with low-level noise in a real-time manner.

Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, when the operation noise of the dishwasher which is operating in the kitchen space interferes the user sleeping in the bedroom, the user may execute an app ThinQ App through a smartphone next to or close to the user to change the current operation course of the dishwasher to the low noise-level course with low-level noise in a real-time manner.

Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, when a customer feels inconvenience due to washing hitting noise while the dishwasher which is operating, the user may execute an app ThinQ App through a smartphone to change the current operation course of the dishwasher to the low noise-level course with low-level noise in a real-time manner, thereby reducing the noise.

Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, even though the contaminant hitting spraying force is lowered in order to reduce the washing noise as the washing course is changed to the low noise-level course during the washing course operation, the washing performance of the low noise-level course may be equal to or greater than that of the washing course.

Furthermore, in the prior art, in order to change the washing course to the low noise-level course, a process of turning off the power during the operation and then turning on the power, and setting the operation course to the low noise-level course should be performed. However, according to the present disclosure, as soon as the user experiences discomfort due to the noise, the user may immediately change the washing course to the low noise-level course in a real-time manner through the execution of the app.

Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, when the standard washing course is changed to the low noise-level course, the dishwasher may be controlled such that the washing time duration of the low noise-level course may be larger than that of the washing course, and the washing water temperature of the low noise-level course may be higher than that of the washing course.

Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, the current operation course may be changed without stopping the currently operating washing course, and the operation course may be easily retuned to the previous washing course after the low noise-level course has been terminated.

Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, as soon as the user experiences discomfort due to the operation noise of the dishwasher, the user may change the course parameter through the app so that the operation noise-level of the dishwasher may operate under the lowest noise-level logic, thereby reducing the power consumption of the dishwasher.

Further, according to the present disclosure, in repose to that the user selects the low-noise course or the low noise-level mode with a simple manipulation of the user terminal, the dishwasher may automatically lower the hitting spray pressure, increase the washing time duration, and increase the washing water temperature (soaking energy) in the low-noise course or the low noise-level mode, thereby improving the convenience of the user.

In addition to the above-described effects, specific effects of the present disclosure will be further described with reference to the detailed descriptions as set forth below.

The above-described purposes, features, and advantages will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and thus, those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains may easily implement the technical spirit of the present disclosure.

In the following descriptions of the present disclosure, a detailed description of a known technology related to the present disclosure will be omitted when it is determined that the detailed description may make the gist of the present disclosure rather unclear.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present disclosure may be implemented in a variety of different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

In order to clearly describe the present disclosure, contents unrelated to the description have been omitted, and the same or similar components will be denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the specifications.

Further, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to illustrative drawings. When a reference numeral is added to each of the elements of the drawings, the same constituent element may have the same reference numeral even when the same constituent element is displayed on different drawings.