Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-03
2001-07-03
Trieu, Van T. (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S517000, C340S589000, C068S012210, C008S159000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06255952
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for warning of an abnormal water supply in a washing machine which determines an abnormal water supply by using both a temperature of ambient air and a temperature of water supplied to a washing machine, and warns of the abnormal water supply to a user.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Generally, a washing machine is designed with two water supply hoses, both of which are directed to a common water supply port through which the water is fed into a water reserving drum.
FIG. 1
shows such a conventional washing machine.
A cool water supply hose
11
and a hot water supply hose
12
are respectively connected to corresponding taps and converged into one hose through respective water supply valves
13
and
14
. The converged hose extends inside a water supply tank
15
. Water directed into the water supply tank
15
through one or both of the cool and hot water supply hoses
11
and
12
and then through the converged hose is supplied into a water reserving drum through a water supply port formed on the water supply tank
15
.
Since the above-described conventional washing machine has only one water supply port while having two water supply hoses
11
and
12
, if the cool water supply hose
11
and the hot water supply hose
12
are inadvertently connected to the wrong taps (i.e., switched), a microcomputer cannot identify such an incorrect connection and unconditionally processes the washing operation upon identifying that washing water is supplied through the water supply port. Therefore, there is the possibility that water of the wrong temperature is supplied (i.e., cool water is supplied when hot water should be supplied and vice versa).
In addition, even when the cool and hot water supply hoses
11
and
12
are correctly connected to the taps, water supply problems may occur when the taps are turned off. That is, if the water supply valves
13
and
14
are opened, the microcomputer operates a pulsator to perform a washing operation even if the taps are turned off. As a result, the washing machine is operated in a state where washing water is not supplied.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, there is a need for a washing machine which is designed to sound an alarm to a user if operating conditions of a washing machine such as connections of water supply hoses are not satisfied.
To meet the above need, the present invention provides a method and system for warning of an abnormal water supply using both a temperature of ambient air and a temperature of water supplied to a washing machine.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for warning of an abnormal water supply in a washing machine comprises the steps of: determining whether each of the respective cool and hot water supply valves is opened or closed; detecting a temperature of water being supplied to the washing machine when at least one of the cool and hot water supply valves is opened; identifying a temperature type of water being supplied according to the detected temperature of the water; determining whether the water is normally or abnormally supplied by comparing the determined opened cool and/or hot water supply valves with the temperature type of water identified; and giving an alarm of an abnormal water supply when the water is abnormally supplied.
According to a first embodiment of the present invention, the step of detecting a temperature of water further comprises the steps of: counting a water supply time; determining whether the water supply time reaches a predetermined time or not; and detecting a temperature of the water when the water supply time reaches the predetermined time.
According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the step of detecting a temperature of water further comprises the steps of: detecting a temperature of water many times at a predetermined time interval; determining whether the number of temperature detecting times reaches to a predetermined number or not; and calculating a mean temperature when the number of temperature detecting times reaches to the predetermined number.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a system for giving an alarm of an abnormal water supply in a washing machine is provided. The washing machine includes a water drum, cool and hot water supply hoses for directing water into the water drum, cool and hot water supply valves mounted on the cool and hot water supply hoses, respectively, and a water supply port through which the water passing through the cool and hot water supply valves is supplied to the water drum. The system comprises: a temperature detecting sensor disposed in the vicinity of the water supply port which detects a temperature of an ambient air prior to opening of any water supply valve and of water being supplied through the water supply port after opening of any water supply valve; means for determining an abnormal water supply in accordance with the ambient air temperature and the water temperature detected by the temperature detecting sensor; and means for giving an alarm to a user when the means for determining determines the abnormal water supply.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4195500 (1980-04-01), Tobita et al.
patent: 4854498 (1989-08-01), Stayton
patent: 5299340 (1994-04-01), Moon
patent: 5388178 (1995-02-01), Moon
patent: 5449884 (1995-09-01), Lee
patent: 10-71297 (1998-03-01), None
Larson & Taylor PLC
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
Trieu Van T.
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