Patent Abstract:
A clothes treating apparatus and a method for controlling the same can prevent a safety incident caused by steam and hot air and improve the safety of the clothes treating apparatus by preventing the door from being opened and closed randomly in the steam step and the dry step.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a clothes treating apparatus and a method for controlling the same, and more particularly, to a clothes treating apparatus, which can improve the safety of the clothes treating apparatus, and a method for controlling the same. 
         [0003]    2. Discussion of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Generally, a clothes treating apparatus is an apparatus for regenerating clothes. That is, the clothes treating apparatus performs the function of removing creases and smells of clothes kept inside using stream and hot air. 
         [0005]    Such a clothes treating apparatus firstly supplies steam into a casing to treat clothes, and then supplies dry air into the casing to dry the clothes. Hence, the clothes treating apparatus has the advantage of clothes ironing effect, as well as reducing the number of washing times by eliminating contamination sources on clothes. 
         [0006]    However, the clothes treating apparatus according to the prior art uses steam and hot air upon regenerating clothes, and this may lead to the problem of a safety incident caused by high-temperature steam and hot air in the event a user arbitrarily opens the door provided on the casing. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a clothes treating apparatus, which can prevent a safety incident caused by steam and hot air and improve safety by preventing the door from being opened and closed randomly in the operation of the clothes treating apparatus, and a method for controlling the same. 
         [0008]    Additionally, it is another object of the present invention to provide a clothes treating apparatus, which can prevent a safety incident and improve safety by restrictively supplying steam or hot air as the door is opened and closed in the operation of the clothes treating apparatus, and can put or take out clothes in or from the clothes treating apparatus at any time. 
         [0009]    In an aspect of the present invention, a clothes treating apparatus comprises: a casing having a clothes treating space and a doorway, through which clothes are put into and taken out of the clothes treatment space—; a clothes treatment device that treats clothes disposed within the clothes treatment space; a door that opens and closes the doorway; an opening and closing detection sensor that detects the opening and closing of the door; and a controller that stops a certain operation of the clothes treatment device when the opening of the door is detected by the opening and closing detection sensor. 
         [0010]    In another aspect of the present invention, a clothes treating apparatus comprises: a casing having a clothes treatment space and a doorway, through which clothes are put into and taken out of the clothes treatment space; a clothes treatment device that treats clothes disposed within the clothes treatment space; a door that opens and closes the doorway; a locking device that locks the door to the casing; and a controller that locks the door to the casing using the locking device during a certain operation of the clothes treatment device. 
         [0011]    In still another aspect of the present invention, a clothes treating apparatus comprises: a casing having a doorway, through which clothes are put in and taken out, and defining a clothes treatment space where clothes are kept; a door for opening and closing the doorway; a locking device for locking the door to the casing; and a control unit for locking the door by operating the locking device if the temperature of the clothes treatment space is higher than a set temperature. 
         [0012]    In still another aspect of the present invention, A method for controlling a clothes treating apparatus, the clothes treating apparatus comprising a casing having a clothes treatment space and a doorway, through which clothes are put into and taken out of the clothes treatment space and a door that opens and closes the doorway, the method comprising: treating clothes disposed in the clothes treatment space by operating a clothes treatment device; and locking the door using a locking device during the clothes treating step. 
         [0013]    In still another aspect of the present invention, A method for controlling a clothes treating apparatus, the clothes treating apparatus comprising a casing having a clothes treatment space and a doorway, through which clothes are put into and taken out of the clothes treatment space and a door that opens and closes the doorway, the method comprising: treating clothes disposed in the clothes treatment space by operating a clothes treatment device; and stopping a certain operation of the clothes treatment device by a controller if an opening and closing detection sensor detects that the door is opened during the clothes treating step. 
         [0014]    The clothes treating apparatus and method for controlling the same according to the present invention can prevent a safety incident caused by steam and hot air and improve the safety of the clothes treating apparatus by preventing the door from being opened and closed randomly in the steam step and the dry step. 
         [0015]    Furthermore, the method for controlling the clothes treating apparatus according to the present invention can prevent a safety incident and improve safety by repeating the stopping and re-operating of the dry air supply device or the steam supply device as the door is opened and closed in the preheating step and the cooling step. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    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: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a clothes treating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a side cross sectional view of the clothes treating apparatus as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view showing main parts of a dry air supply device and a steam supply device as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a partial exploded perspective view showing the dry air supply device and the steam supply device being mounted to a lower casing as shown in  FIG. 1 , in which some pipes are omitted; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of the steam supply device as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration for controlling the clothes treating apparatus as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a sequence view sequentially showing the step of controlling the clothes treating apparatus as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a sequence view showing a method for controlling the clothes treating apparatus in the steps of controlling of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a sequence view sequentially showing the steps of controlling the clothes treating apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  is a sequence view sequentially showing the method for controlling the clothes treating apparatus in the steps of controlling of  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]      FIGS. 1 to 5  illustrate a clothes treating apparatus  100  according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the clothes treating apparatus  100  includes an outer casing  110  and an inner casing  120  disposed within the outer casing  110  and defining a clothes treatment space  125 . The outer casing  110  has a doorway  111  formed on the front face, through which clothes are put in and taken out. A door  112  for opening and closing the doorway  111  is rotatably disposed at one side of the outer casing  110 . Top and bottom parts of the door  112  are hinged to the outer casing  110 . 
         [0029]    An opening and closing sensor  113  for detecting the opening and closing of the door  112  is disposed on the door  112  and the outer casing  110 . The opening and closing sensor  113  includes a first contact  113   a  formed on the back face of the door  112  and a second contact  113   b  formed on the front face of the outer casing so as to correspond to the first contact  113   a . Anode power and cathode power are supplied to the first contact  113   a  and the second contact  113   b , respectively. Thus, the opening and closing of the door  112  is detected depending upon the presence of current passing through the first and second contacts  113   a  and  113   b . However, the opening and closing sensor  113  is not limited to this embodiment, but various structures may be applied. For instance, a contact switch disposed at a detachable region of at least one of the door  112  and the outer casing  110  or a position sensor for detecting the position coordinate of the door  112  may be used. 
         [0030]    A locking device  114  for restraining the operation of the door  112  upon closing the door  112  is disposed on the door  112  and the outer casing  110 . The locking device  114  includes a door latch  114   a  formed on the back face of the door  112  and a door switch  114   b  formed on the front face of the outer casing  110  so as to correspond to the door latch  114   a . The door latch  114   a  is inserted into the door switch  114   b  upon closing the door  112 . The door switch  114   b  provides a latching force of a predetermined intensity upon inserting the door latch  114   a , and if necessary, holds the door latch  114   a  so as to avoid the door latch  114   a  from being separated. Of course, this embodiment is not limited to the locking device  114 , but various structures may be applied. 
         [0031]    A control panel  116  having an operating portion  115  for allowing a user to directly operate the clothes treating apparatus is disposed on at least one of the door  112  and the outer casing  110 . 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the inner casing  120  is smaller than the outer casing  110  by a predetermined size so as to be disposed within the outer casing  110 . The inner casing  120  includes both side portions  121  forming both side faces of the clothes treatment space  125 , a top portion  122  forming the top face of the clothes treatment space  125 , a bottom portion  123  forming the bottom face of the clothes treatment space  125 , and a back portion  124  forming the back face of the clothes treatment space  125 . 
         [0033]    Both opposite ends of a hanger  126  disposed in a lateral direction within the clothes treatment space  125  are fixed to the both side portions  121 . An air outlet  127  for discharging air or moisture within the clothes treatment space  125  is formed at the rear side of the top portion  122 . A condensing chamber  129  is formed between the back portion  124  and the outer casing  110 . An air inlet  128  is formed at a lower part of the back portion  124  for introducing air of the condensing chamber  129  to the clothes treatment space  125 . 
         [0034]    The condensing chamber  129  is a space in which wet air introduced through the air outlet  127  is condensed as it falls. Hence, the upper part of the condensing chamber  129  is connected to communicate with the air inlet  128 , and the lower part of the condensing chamber  129  is connected to communicate with the air inlet  128 . The air discharged through the air outlet  127  is dry air or wet air. By the way, when wet air is introduced to the condensing chamber  129  through the air outlet  127 , the wet air is condensed as it is heat-exchanged with outdoor air of a relatively low temperature by using the outer casing  110  as a heat exchange medium. The outer casing  110  is formed of a material having a high heat conductivity, such as steel or aluminum, in order to improve heat exchange performance with wet air. 
         [0035]    Optionally, a humidity sensor  130  for detecting a humidity within the clothes treatment space  125  may be disposed at one side of the inner surface of the inner casing  120 . 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the clothes treating apparatus  100  includes a steam supply device  140  disposed at one side of the bottom of the clothes treatment space  125 . The steam supply device  140  is a device for generating steam and supplying the steam into the clothes treatment space  125 . Therefore, creases or particles of contaminants on the clothes kept in the clothes treatment space  125  can be removed by the steam. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the steam supply device  140  includes a water tank  141  for storing a predetermined amount of water therein, a steam housing  142  for storing water supplied from the water tank  141 , a steam heater  143  disposed at an inner lower part of the steam housing  142  and for generating steam, a drainage tank  162  for collecting the water remaining in the steam housing  142 , and a water level sensor  145  for detecting the amount of water in the steam housing  142 . Further, the supply of water from the water tank  141  to the steam housing  142  may be conducted by a supply flow path  146 . A water supply valve  147  is placed on the supply flow path  146 , and the water supply valve  147  is opened and closed by a control signal of the water level sensor  145  or a control unit (not shown). 
         [0038]    The drainage tank  162  includes a storage unit  163  for collecting the water introduced from the steam housing  142 . A drainage flow path  148  connects the steam housing  142  and the drainage tank  162 . As a water discharge valve  149  is placed on the drainage flow path  148 , the water discharge valve  149  is opened and closed by a control signal of the control unit (not shown). Also, the drainage tank  162  may be installed so as to be attachable to and detachable from the outer casing  110  of the clothes treating apparatus  100 . The drainage tank  162  may be placed in a drawer type at the bottom of the outer casing  110 . A grip hole  162   b  may be formed on the drainage tank  162  for allowing a user to put his or her hand in and pull out. Therefore, in a case where the amount of water collected in the storage unit  163  reaches a saturated state, or the water in the drainage tank  162  is neglected for a predetermined period of time so that there is a concern of bacterial growth or the like, the user can easily empty the drainage tank  162  by putting his or her hand in the grip hole  162   b  and pulling out. Further, since the condensing space and the clothes treatment space are connected to the drainage tank  162 , a condensate water condensed is also introduced into the drainage tank  162 . A separate on-off valve may be placed on a flow path  178  connecting the condensing space and the clothes treatment space to the drainage tank  162 . 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the clothes treating apparatus  100  further includes a dry air supply device  150  disposed at a lower part of the clothes treatment space  125 . The dry air supply device  150  is a device which sucks air in the condensing chamber  129  or outdoor air, generates a high temperature dry air, and then supplies the dry air into the clothes treatment space  125 . Hereinafter, this embodiment is limited to a case in which the air in the condensing chamber  129  is sucked into the dry air supply device  150 . 
         [0040]    In other words, the dry air supply device  150  includes a dry housing  151  forming an air flow path between the air inlet  128  and the clothes treatment space  125 , a blower fan  152  disposed within the dry housing  151  to suck the air in the condensing chamber  129  through the air inlet  128  and then discharge it into the clothes treatment space  125 , and a dry heater (not shown) for heating the air discharged to the clothes treatment space  125  by the blower fan  152 . 
         [0041]    The dry housing  151  is a duct-shaped member storing the blower fan  152  and the dry heater therein. One end of the dry housing  151  is connected so as to communicate with the air inlet  128 , and the other side of the dry housing  151  is disposed within the clothes treating space  125 . A discharge opening  153  for discharging dry air into the clothes treatment space  125  is disposed at the other side of the dry housing  151 . 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a lower casing  160  having the steam supply device  140  and the dry air supply device  150  disposed therein is formed at one side of the lower part of the clothes treatment space  125 . Especially, the water tank  141  is detachably coupled to a supply tank coupling portion  161  formed on the top of the lower casing  160 . Therefore, if the water stored in the water tank is consumed, the water tank  141  is easily separated from the supply tank coupling portion  161 , thereby allowing the water tank  141  to perform re-supply conveniently. Alternatively, the water tank  141  may be connected to exterior water supply piping (not shown), and automatically filled by the operation of a valve (not shown). 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIGS. 6 to 8 , a method for controlling the clothes treating apparatus  100  will be described below. Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the method for controlling the clothes treating apparatus  100  includes the steam step S of supplying steam into a clothes treatment space  125  by operating a steam supply device  140  and the dry step D of supplying a high temperature dry air into the clothes treatment space  125  by operating a dry air supply device  150 . This will be discussed in detail below. 
         [0044]    In the steam step S, steam is supplied into the clothes treatment space  125  by the steam supply device  140  to regenerate clothes hung on a hanger  126  within the clothes treatment space  125 . In other words, when water is supplied from the water tank  141  into the steam housing  142  of the steam supply device  140 , the water in the steam housing  142  is heated by the steam heater  143  and phase-changed into steam, and the steam is supplied into the clothes treatment space  125 . Accordingly, the steam can remove contaminants on the clothes and smooth out creases on the clothes. 
         [0045]    In the dry step D, upon finishing the steam step S, dry air is supplied into the clothes treatment space  125  by the dry air supply device  150  to dry the clothes hung on the hanger  126  of the clothes treatment space  125 . In other words, when the blower fan  152  of the dry air supply device  150  is operated, dry air is introduced through the air inlet  128 , and the dry air is heated by a dry heater, turns into a high temperature dry air, and is discharged into the clothes treatment space  125  through a discharge opening  153  of the dry housing  151 . Wet air in the clothes treatment space  125  is discharged to the condensing chamber  129  through the air outlet  127  of the inner casing  120 , and the wet air is condensed while heat-exchanging with outdoor air, and the condensed air is supplied again into the dry housing  151  through the air inlet  128 . Accordingly, moisture of the clothes is removed by the dry air circulating through the dry air supply device  150  and the condensing chamber  129 . 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 8 , in the steam step S and the dry step D, the control unit  170  operates the locking device  114  to lock the door  122  to the outer casing  110  so as to keep the user from getting burned upon opening the door  112 . In other words, once the stem step S or the dry step D is started, the control unit  170  operates a door switch  114   b  of the locking device  114  to grip a door latch  114   a  inserted into the door switch  114   b . Hence, the door  112  is locked by the locking device  114 , being closed to the front face of the outer casing  110 . 
         [0047]    In the steam step S, a high temperature wet air is filled in the inner casing  120 , and thus latent heat of the wet air increases the risk of burning. Further, in the latter stage of the dry step, though most of the moisture in the inner casing  120  is removed, the inner casing  120  is in a state of being heated to quite a high temperature, thus increasing the risk of burning due to the sensible heat of the dry air. Accordingly, in the steam step S and the dry step D, the inside temperature of the inner casing  120  is very high, and thus the opening of the door  112  is prevented by the locking device  114 , thereby further improving the safety of the clothes treating apparatus  100 . 
         [0048]    However, this invention is not limited thereto. In the entire steps, as well as in the steam step S and the dry step D, if the temperature of the clothes treatment space  125  is higher than a set temperature, the door  112  may be locked by operating the locking device  114 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 7  specifically illustrates one example of a method of locking the door  112  in the steam step S and the dry step D. In other words, if the door  112  is detected to be in a closed state by the opening and closing sensor  113 , the control unit  170  determines whether the steam supply device  140  and the dry air supply device  150  are operated or not (S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , and S 4 ). 
         [0050]    If it is determined that, in the stem step S or the dry step D, the steam supply device  140  or the dry air supply device  150  is normally operated, the control unit  170  operates the locking device  114  to lock the door  112  in a state in which the door  112  is closed to the front face of the outer casing  110  (S 5 ). 
         [0051]    On the other hand, if both of the steam supply device  140  and the dry air supply device  150  are not normally operated, the control unit  170  determines that this step is neither the steam step S nor the dry step D, it stops the operation of the locking device  114  to release the locked state of the door  112 . 
         [0052]    Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , a method for controlling a clothes treating apparatus  100  according to another embodiment will be discussed. Like reference numerals as in the above-described embodiment designate like members. The following description will be made with respect to differences from the above-described embodiment. 
         [0053]    The method for controlling a clothes treating apparatus as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10  is different from the method for controlling a clothes treating apparatus as shown in  FIGS. 6 to 8 , in that the method further includes the preheating step P of supplying a high temperature dry air into the clothes treatment space for a predetermined time by operating the dry air supply device  150  before the steam step S and the cooling step C of supplying a low temperature dry air into the clothes treatment space  125  by the dry air supply device  150  upon finishing the dry step D. 
         [0054]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , in the preheating step P and the cooling step C, when the opening and closing sensor  113  detects the opening of the door  112 , the operation of the dry air supply device  150  is stopped (S 10 , S 11 , and S 13 ). On the contrary, in the preheating step P and the cooling step C, when the opening and closing sensor  113  detects the closing of the door  112 , the dry air supply device  150  can be re-operated (S 10 , S 11 , and S 12 ). 
         [0055]    That is to say, in the preheating step P and the cooling step C, as the door  112  is opened and closed, the dry air supply device  150  is stopped or re-operated. Thus, upon opening and closing the door  112 , the user is not directly exposed to the dry air from the dry air supply device  150 , and the indoor air in the inner casing  120  has only latent heat of a high temperature, thereby sharply decreasing the risk of burning unlike in the steam step S and the dry step D. Further, unlike the steam step S or the dry step D, the opening of the door  112  is possible. Hence, in the preheating step P and the cooling step C, it is possible to put more clothes in and take them from the clothes treatment space  125 . 
         [0056]    Meanwhile, in the preheating step P and the cooling step C, when the closing of the door  112  is detected by the opening and closing sensor  113 , the dry air supply device  150  can be re-operated by operating the operating portion  115 . That is, in the preheating step P and the cooling step C, the dry air supply device  150  may be automatically re-operated upon closing the door  112 , and alternatively the dry air supply device  150  may be re-operated by a manual operation whereby a user&#39;s start command is inputted. 
         [0057]    Although the method for controlling a clothes treating apparatus in accordance with the invention have been described with reference to the illustrated drawings, the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiment and drawings. It will be apparent that those skilled in the art that they can make various modifications and changes thereto within the scope of the invention defined by the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3