Abstract:
A washing machine having a wireless communicating controller therein is disclosed, by which electric wires used for a controller in the washing machine are reduced and by which a main control unit is separated from an input unit or a display unit to secure a free movement and by which an installation position of an input unit or a display unit can be easily changed.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of the Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0003932, filed on Jan. 13, 2006, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference as if fully set forth herein.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a laundry machine such as a washing machine or a clothes dryer, and more particularly, to a laundry machine having a wireless communicating controller therein. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for configuring a controller with a main control unit and an input or display unit separated from the main control unit and performing wireless data communications between the main control unit and the input unit or the display unit.  
         [0004]     2. Discussion of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Generally, a washing machine is a mechanical device that performs a washing cycle, a rinsing cycle, a dewatering cycle, and the like by rotating a drum or pulsator via a driving force of a motor. After laundry and water have been put into a drum, they are agitated to perform washing using the frictions between the laundry, water and drum.  
         [0006]     Washing machines can be classified into a pulsator type washing machine, an agitator type washing machine, a drum type washing machine, and the like.  
         [0007]     The drum type washing machine is a device that performs washing using a friction between a washing drum and laundry while a detergent, water and laundry are put into the washing drum. In this case, the washing drum is rotated by receiving a driving force of a driving part. Hence, the drum type washing machine is advantageous in causing less damage on the laundry, preventing the ravel of the laundry, and bringing washing effects of beating and rubbing.  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram of a drum type washing machine according to a related art.  
         [0009]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a controller  3  is provided to an upper part of a front side of a body of a drum type washing machine. In this case, the controller  3  includes function input keys for user&#39;s washing controls and a display unit displaying a remaining time and the like.  
         [0010]     A plurality of buttons  31 , a display window  32 , an LED window  33  and a rotary knob  50  are provided to the controller  3 . Each of the buttons  31  and the rotary knob  50  are input tools to operate the washing machine. A user manipulates the buttons  31  and the knob  50  to input a specific washing course and time and the like in selecting a washing time, a washing type, a dewatering type, a drying type, etc.  
         [0011]     The LED window  33  informs a user of various kinds of washing information such as a washing progress status, a remaining time and the like via flickering. And, the display window  32  informs a user of various kinds of washing information such as a washing progress status, a remaining time and the like via characters and symbols.  
         [0012]     If a user selects the washing type or the like via the rotary knob  50  and/or the buttons  31 , a main control unit of the controller  3  controls washing associated information to be displayed on the LWD window  33  or the display window  32  and controls the washing machine to be operated according to the inputted information.  
         [0013]     Meanwhile, a clothes dryer is a mechanical device that automatically dries wet clothes after completion of washing. And, like the drum type washing machine shown in  FIG. 1 , a clothes dryer according to a related art is provided with a controller including an input means, a display means, a main control unit and the like.  
         [0014]     Since the controller is provided to an upper part of a body of the related art washing machine or clothes dryer, if the washing machine or clothes dryer is installed at a high level far from a position where a user stands, the user has difficulty in accessing the controller. Hence, the user is inconvenient in using the controller. And, there is another inconvenience for a user to view a display unit by raising his head to observe a corresponding state displayed on the display unit  
         [0015]     In case that the washing machine and the clothes dryer are arranged parallel to each other at a relatively lower place, the user will not have trouble using the controllers which are located to the upper part of the machines. However, if one of the washing machine and the clothes dryer is placed at a high place, for example on top of the other, the user is expected to have trouble using the controller of the one which is placed at a high place.  
         [0016]     Besides, in the controller of the related art washing machine or clothes dryer, data communications between the main control unit and input unit or the display unit are carried out by wire communication. In the related art, communication lines are mandatory for the wire communication. And, the wire communication also makes the arrangement of the communication lines so complicated that the main control unit, the input unit, and the display unit are preferred to be put near one another.  
         [0017]     With the wire communication, 29 electric wires are generally necessarily used for making electrical connections among them. It is very time-consuming to put the number of wires in electrical connection to the units.  
         [0018]     After completion of connecting the electric wires to assemble the controller, it is very inconvenient to treat the controller, since the units of the controller need to be moved together. Sometimes, it is necessary to remove from the machine one unit of the controller. In this case, the wires cause inconvenience, too. In particular, in case that one unit of the controller needs to be moved, the inconvenience becomes worse. Moreover, if the input unit or the display unit moves to be placed in another position, the wire communication system is inappropriate.  
         [0019]     Besides, since the washing machine or the clothes dryer is in a close relation to water, the electric wires within the machines should be treated to prevent short circuit by water.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a laundry machine having a wireless communicating controller therein that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.  
         [0021]     An object of the present invention is to provide a laundry machine having a wireless communicating controller therein, by which electric wires used for a controller in the washing machine are reduced and by which it is easy to separate and move an input unit or a display unit from a main control unit.  
         [0022]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine having a wireless communicating controller therein, by which a mounting position of an input unit or a display unit can be easily changed.  
         [0023]     Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.  
         [0024]     To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a laundry machine according to the present invention includes a main control unit controlling an operation of the laundry machine and a user-interface unit having an input unit or a display unit. The input unit receives from a user an input of a command for an operation and the display unit displays information associated with the operation. The user-interface unit can be detached from the machine easily disconnected electrically from the main control unit. The user-interface unit wirelessly communicates data with the main control.  
         [0025]     In a washing machine as an example for the laundry machine, a drum accommodating a laundry therein, a motor rotating the drum, a water supply valve adjusting a water supply of water, a drain pump for a water drain and the like are provided within a washing machine body. And, a controller includes a main control unit controlling the motor, the water supply valve, the drain pump and the like according to an installed washing course, an input unit receiving a user&#39;s selection of a washing course, and a display unit displaying information associated with the operation of the laundry machine to the user.  
         [0026]     Preferably, the user-interface unit includes both of the input unit and the display unit.  
         [0027]     More preferably, the display unit and the input unit are built in one body.  
         [0028]     In this case, ‘the display unit and the input unit are built in one body’ means that the display unit and the input unit can be moved in one body but does not always mean that the display unit and the input unit are unified into one on a PCB or the like in detail configurations.  
         [0029]     For instance, the display unit and the input unit are provided to a panel such as a housing that accommodates the respective detailed elements, thereby moving together.  
         [0030]     Preferably, if possible, detailed elements of the display unit and the input unit are built in one body. For instance, PCBs of the display unit and the input unit are unified into one PCB.  
         [0031]     If one element of the input unit is a touchscreen type via an LCD window, the LCD window can be used for displaying as well. So, the display unit and the input unit can be unified into one body.  
         [0032]     The machine body can be provided with an upper attachment structure provided to an upper part of the body and a lower attachment structure under the upper part of the body to enable the user-interface unit to be selectively and detachably attached to a first or second position.  
         [0033]     If an external input unit is provided and available at a place easily accessible, a user is able to conveniently manipulate the laundry machine by using the external input unit even without using the input unit mounted to the body. In this case, the user-interface unit can have the display unit only.  
         [0034]     Preferably, when the user-interface unit is attached to one of the attachment structures, a cover panel is attached to the other. To attach the cover panel, the upper or lower attachment structure can be used or other attachment structure, such as a screw locking hole and the like, provided for only the cover panel can be used. What should be noted here is that the cover panel is attached to the other side where the user-interface unit is not attached. And, this does not mean that the upper or lower attachment structure is naturally used for the attachment of the cover panel.  
         [0035]     In the present invention, the attachment structures can have any type and any shape, if they can function as needed. The attachment structures are not restricted to a specific shape. And, a related art attachment structure can be used intact. Unless deviating from the objects of the present invention, any kind of attachment structure can be employed as the attachment structure of the present invention. It is preferred to use specific attachment structures which can make the attachment of the user-interface unit easily attached and detached.  
         [0036]     Alternatively, without providing the attachment structures to the body, magnets can be provided to the user-interface unit so that the unit can be attached to the body by the magnetic forces. Even in this case, it is more preferable that the body has attachment structures so as to provide at least places for housing the user-interface unit.  
         [0037]     In the present invention, the body has a relative meaning to the controller. It indicates a part that performs original functions of the machine by being controlled by the controller. For instance, the washing machine body can include a drum accommodating laundry therein and a driving unit (e.g., motor, etc.) driving the drum, wherein the driving unit is controlled by the controller. Besides, a dryer body can include a drum accommodating laundry to be dried therein and a driving unit driving the drum.  
         [0038]     In the laundry machine according to the present invention, the main control unit and the user-interface unit exchange data with each other by wireless communication. For this, communication means are provided to the main control unit and the user-interface unit.  
         [0039]     The user-interface unit is provided with a microcomputer controlling input means such as buttons and the like or display means such as an LCD window and the like.  
         [0040]     The microcomputer provided to the user-interface unit exchanges data with another microcomputer provided to the main control unit by wireless communications.  
         [0041]     In case of the input unit, if a user inputs a command, the command is inputted to the microcomputer of the user-interface unit. The microcomputer then transmits the command to the microcomputer of the main control unit by wireless communications. If so, the main control unit controls the elements of the laundry machine according to the received command to perform a job.  
         [0042]     In case of the display unit, the microcomputer of the main control unit transmits data to the microcomputer of the user-interface unit by wireless communications. If so, the microcomputer of the user-interface unit controls the display means according to the transmitted information to display prescribed information externally.  
         [0043]     The wireless communications can be implemented in various ways. For instance, there are infrared communications used for a television remote controller or the like, radio frequency communications, blue-tooth, etc.  
         [0044]     First of all, IrDA (Infrared Data Association) for the infrared communications was established in 1993 as an organization supported by industries to prepare international standards for hardware and software used for infrared communication link. In the infrared communications as a special type of wireless transmissions, a light beam focused within infrared frequency spectrum measured in tera- or trillion-hertz is modulated into information to be sent to a receiver within a relatively short distance. And, the infrared irradiation is carried out the same technique as used in controlling TV with a remote controller.  
         [0045]     Infrared data communications play an important role in wireless data communications nowadays according to the popularization of laptops, PDAs, digital cameras, mobile phones, radio pagers, etc.  
         [0046]     In the infrared communications, there should be transceivers provided to both sides, respectively. And, special microchips are provided for the function. In addition, special software is necessary for one or more devices to synchronize the communications. For example, there is a special support for IR in MS Window 95 operating system. In IrDA-1.1 standard, a length of the transmittable longest data is 2.048 bytes and a maximum data rate is 4 Mbps.  
         [0047]     IR is usable for mutual connections in an approximately long distance and has mutual connection possibility within LAN. A maximum valid distance is about 1.5 mile and a maximum designed bandwidth is 16 Mbps. IR is carried by transmitting visible rays. So, IR is very sensitive to such an atmospheric condition as mist and the like.  
         [0048]     Meanwhile, a terminology, radio frequency (RF), indicates an alternate current having a characteristic that an electromagnetic field suitable for radio broadcasting or communications is generated if an input entering an antenna is a current. Theses frequencies ranges between 9 kHz (lowest frequency assigned to radio communications: belonging to audible range) and several-thousand GHz to cover important parts of electromagnetic irradiation spectrum.  
         [0049]     If a radio frequency current is supplied to an antenna, an electromagnetic field propagating through a space is generated. The magnetic field is called a radio frequency magnetic field or a radio wave. Every radio frequency magnetic field has a wavelength inverse-proportional to a frequency. If a frequency and a wavelength are set to ‘f’ and ‘s’, respectively, it results in s=300/f. A radio frequency signal is inverse-proportion to a quantity corresponding to an electromagnetic wavelength. A free space wavelength at 9 kHz is about 33 km. An electromagnetic wavelength at the highest radio frequency is about 1 mm. As a frequency increases over a radio frequency spectrum, electromagnetic energy becomes infrared rays, visible rays, ultraviolet rays, gamma rays, etc.  
         [0050]     Most of the radio equipments use radio frequency magnetic fields. Cordless phones, mobile phones, radio or TV broadcasting stations, satellite communication systems, interactive radiotelegraphs and the like work within the radio frequency spectrum. Some of the radio equipments work in IR or visible ray frequency having an electromagnetic wavelength shorter than that of a radio frequency magnetic field. For example, there are TV remote controllers, wireless keyboards, wireless mouse, wireless headphone sets, etc.  
         [0051]     The radio frequency spectrum is divided into several kinds of bands. Except a lowest frequency band, each zone means a frequency ascent according to an order of size (power of 10). Eight bands within a radio frequency band are described in the following table, which shows a frequency and a range of bandwidth. SHF and EHT bands are often called a ultra high frequency spectrum.  
         [0052]     Bluetooth is the specification of computer and communication industries, which facilitates mobile phones, computers, PDAs and the like to be connected to phones and computers of home or office that uses wireless LAN. Bluetooth is the name of the legendary Danish King. Bluetooth was developed by the consortium of five companies, Intel, IBM, Nokia, Ericsson and the like. To use this technique, each device needs a cheap transceiver chip.  
         [0053]     Each device is equipped with a microchip transceiver capable of transmission/reception at 2.45 GHz that is a globally available frequency band (yet, some countries may use different frequency bands). Audio channels can be used as many as three except data channel. Each device has a unique 48-bit address from IEEE 802 standard. Point-to-point access or point-to-multipoint access is possible. And, a maximum communication available range is 10 m. And, a data rate is 1 Mbps (maximum 2 Mbps by the second generation technique). A frequency hop design enables communication in an area experiencing massive electromagnetic hindrance. And, loaded encryption and verification functions are provided.  
         [0054]     Meanwhile, a dual laundry machine according to the present invention includes a pair of laundry machines arranged parallel with or vertical to each other. At least one of a pair of the laundry machines includes a main control unit controlling an operation of the laundry machine and a user-interface unit having an input unit receiving an input of a command for an operation from a user or a display unit displaying information associated with the operation. The user-interface unit can be detached from the machine easily disconnected electrically from the main control unit. The user-interface unit wirelessly communicates data with the main control.  
         [0055]     In the laundry machine, the number of electric wires used for the controller is minimized. The main control unit and the user-interface unit are separated from each other to enable free movements. Since the user-interface unit can be easily disconnected from the main control unit and detached from the machine body, maintenance for the user-interface unit can be carried out easily.  
         [0056]     In addition, due to the wireless communication, the place exchange of the user-interface unit between the first position and the second position can be achieved easily.  
         [0057]     The selectively place exchangeable user-interface unit provides many effects as follows.  
         [0058]     Wherever, even at a high place, the laundry machine is placed, it can be conveniently used. So, less limitation is put on the place where the machine is located than the conventional laundry machine.  
         [0059]     In the dual laundry machine including a dryer and a washing machine, a user can arrange the dryer and the washing machine not only parallel but also vertically. The arrangement diversity brings affirmative effects and enables less limitation to be put on an installation place and space.  
         [0060]     Meanwhile, the laundry machine according to the present invention can be more usefully used by a launderette that commercially uses many dryers and washing machines. For instance, if a user-interface unit of one of a plurality of dryers is out of order, a user-interface unit of another dryer is disassembled to be assembled to the out-of-order dryer for a temporary solution. If a body of one dryer is out of order and if a user-interface unit of another dryer is out of order, the user-interface unit of the latter dryer can be replaced by a user-interface unit of the former dryer to complete one dryer that works normally.  
         [0061]     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0062]     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:  
         [0063]      FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram of a drum type washing machine according to a related art;  
         [0064]      FIG. 2  is a perspective diagram of a dryer according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0065]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective diagram of a user-interface unit assembled to a body in the dryer shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0066]      FIG. 4  is a perspective diagram of the dryer shown in  FIG. 2  to show enlarged cross-sections of a user-interface unit attached to a body;  
         [0067]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective diagram of the dryer shown in  FIG. 2  to show a cover panel assembled to a body;  
         [0068]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a main control unit, an input unit and a display unit to explain wireless communications therebetween;  
         [0069]      FIG. 7  is a perspective diagram of a dual laundry machine according to one embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0070]      FIG. 8  is a perspective diagram of a dual laundry machine according to another embodiment of the present invention, which shows a dryer is installed on a washing machine. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0071]     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.  
         [0072]      FIG. 2  is a perspective diagram of a dryer according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0073]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a user-interface unit  110  of a controller is provided to an upper part of a dryer body  100  and a cover panel  120  is provided to a lower part of the dryer body  100 .  
         [0074]     The user-interface unit  110  and the cover panel  120  are detachably provided to the body  100  and can be easily detached from the body  100 . And, installed positions of the user-interface unit  110  and the cover panel  120  can be mutually switched. In more detail, the user-interface unit  110  is detached from the body  100  and then provided to the lower part of the body  100  where the cover panel  120  was provided. And, the cover panel  120  is attached to the upper part of the body  100  where the user-interface unit  110  was attached.  
         [0075]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective diagram of a user-interface unit assembled to a body in the dryer shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0076]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the user-interface unit  110  will be attached to the upper part of the body  100 .  
         [0077]     First of all, in the present embodiment, a main control unit  130  of a controller is provided within the body  100 . And, the user-interface unit  110  includes an input unit and display unit built in one body.  
         [0078]     The user-interface unit  110 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , is provided with various buttons and a knob as an input unit to input drying conditions for the laundry drying and the like. And, the user-interface unit  110  is also provided with an LCD window or an LED as a display unit to display a signal received from the main control unit  130 .  
         [0079]     The various buttons, knob, LCD, LED and the like are provided to a the user-interface unit PCB (not shown in the drawing). And, the user-interface unit PCB is fixed to a user-interface unit panel  113 . In this case, the user-interface unit PCB is configured with an input unit PCB for the input unit only and a display unit PCB separated from the input unit PCB for the display unit only. Preferably, the input unit PCB and the display unit PCB are unified into one PCB to be built in one body.  
         [0080]     A screw locking hole  115  and a projection  177  for a locking are provided to both sides of the user-interface unit panel  113  to be attached to upper attachment structures  103  and  104  and lower attachment structures  143  and  144 , respectively.  
         [0081]     The upper attachment structures  103  and  104  provided to the body  100  include the screw locking hole  103  provided to one side of an upper frame  102  of the body  100  and the slot  104  locked to the projection  117  provided to the user-interface unit panel  113 .  
         [0082]      FIG. 4  is a perspective diagram of the dryer shown in  FIG. 2  to show enlarged cross-sections of a user-interface unit attached to a body.  
         [0083]     How to attach the user-interface unit  110  to the body  100  is explained with reference to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 3  as follows.  
         [0084]     First of all, the upper frame  102  is assembled to a front cabinet  101  of the body  100 . While the state of the body  100  is maintained, the user-interface unit  110  is misaligned in a slightly right direction with the upper frame  102  and then slides to move in a right direction. If so, the projection  117  provided to the user-interface unit panel  113  is fitted into the slot  104  provided to the upper frame  102  to be locked thereto. In this case, one side of the projection  117 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , is configured to be bent and the slot  104  is bent to correspond to the configuration of the projection  117 . So, once the projection  117  and the slot  104  are locked together, the user-interface unit  110  is prevented from being separated from the body  100  in a front direction.  
         [0085]     After completion of this assembly, screws are fitted into the screw locking hole  103  provided to the upper frame  102  and the screw locking hole  115  provided to the user-interface unit panel  113 , respectively. Hence, the attachment of the user-interface unit  110  is secured.  
         [0086]     While the user-interface unit  110  is attached to the upper part of the body  100 , a deco-plate can be further provided for an exterior.  
         [0087]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective diagram of the dryer shown in  FIG. 2  to show the cover panel  120  assembled to a lower part of the body  100 .  
         [0088]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , like the user-interface unit panel  113 , a screw locking hole  121  and a projection (not shown in the drawing) are preferably provided to the cover panel  120 . Alternatively, it is a matter of course that the attachment structure of the cover panel  120  can be configured different from that of the user-interface unit panel  113 .  
         [0089]     A lower frame is provided to the lower part of the body  100  to correspond to the upper frame  102 . Like the upper frame  102 , the lower fame is provided with a slot  144  and a screw locking hole  143 .  
         [0090]     How to assemble the cover panel  120  to the lower frame is the same as assembling the user-interface unit  110 , and more particularly, the user-interface unit panel  113  to the upper frame  102 , which is omitted in the following description.  
         [0091]     Communications between the user-interface unit  110  and the main control unit  130  mounted in the body  100  are explained with reference to  FIG. 6  as follows.  
         [0092]     First of all, if a user inputs commands using input keys of the input unit  170 , the input unit  170  transmits the inputted commands to the main control unit  130  via a transmitter.  
         [0093]     The main control unit  170  controls a dryer operation according to the commands sent from the input unit  170  and then transfers associated information to the display unit  180  via a transmitter.  
         [0094]     The display unit  180  receives the information transmitted by the main control unit  130  and then displays the associated information according to the received information.  
         [0095]     The main control unit  130  generally includes a microcomputer and a memory. The main control unit  130  controls a motor to drive a drum, a heater to heat air to be supplied within the drum, a blower to blow the air heated by the heater into the drum, thereby enabling the dryer to perform a drying course.  
         [0096]     Meanwhile, the embodiment shown in the drawing is just exemplary and can be modified in various ways that can be easily implemented by those skilled in the art.  
         [0097]     For instance, unlike the embodiment described above, the input unit and the display unit can be separately configured from each other so that the attaching positions of the respective units can be switched independently.  
         [0098]     A dual laundry machine according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 7  or  FIG. 8 .  
         [0099]      FIG. 7  shows that a dryer  150  is provided next to a washing machine  160  in parallel.  FIG. 8  shows that the dryer  150  shown in  FIG. 2  is placed on the washing machine  160 .  
         [0100]     The dryer  150  shown in  FIG. 7  or  FIG. 8  corresponds to the former dryer shown in  FIG. 2  and the washing machine corresponds to the related art washing machine. So, detailed explanations of the dryer  150  and the washing machine  160  are omitted in the following description.  
         [0101]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , in case that the dryer  150  and the washing machine  160  are arranged parallel with each other, the user-interface unit  110  of the dryer  150  is assembled to the upper part of the body  100 .  
         [0102]     Referring to  FIG. 8 , if the dryer  150  is placed on the washing machine  160 , the user-interface unit  110  is assembled to the lower part of the body  100 .  
         [0103]     Hence, a user is facilitated to perform a manipulation of the user-interface unit  100  if the dryer  150  is arranged next to the washing machine  160  in parallel or even if the dryer  150  is placed on the washing machine  160 .  
         [0104]     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.