Patent Description:
A clothes care apparatus is a device that performs clothes care, such as drying wet clothes, removing dust attached to clothes or odors permeated in clothes, and reducing wrinkles of clothes.

In general, the clothes care apparatus includes a cabinet in which a clothes care room for accommodating clothes is formed, and a door provided to open and close the cabinet.

The clothes care apparatus may include a cycle module determining drying performance, a fan module generating airflow, a steam module generating steam, and a drain module collecting and draining residual water as main modules thereof.

Among the main modules, the steam module may be provided to perform a refresh function, such as wrinkle removal, odor removal, static electricity removal, and the like. The steam module is an important module that determines the performance of the clothes care apparatus, such as wrinkle performance and sterilization performance.

The steam module may include a pump and a valve that may supply water, a water level sensor that may check the amount of water supplied, a heater that boils water, a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the water, a steam container assembled to a counterpart while storing water, and hoses through which water is transferred to the steam container.

Water used in the steam module may contain a large amount of minerals in some regions, and scaling may occur when the minerals directly come in contact with a heater.

When the scale is attached to the water level sensor, energization may occur in the water level sensor, which may cause the water level sensor to erroneously operate, and disconnecting or malfunction of a heater introduced by the scale may cause a risk of fire.

In addition, the odor due to the scale may flow into the clothes care apparatus.

<CIT> discloses a steam generation device and a method for reducing scale in such steam generation device.

<CIT> discloses a laundry treating apparatus and the control method of the same.

<CIT> discloses a device for the regulation of a generator of a hot fluid in liquid or gaseous phase.

It is another object of the disclosure to provide a clothes care apparatus capable of cleaning scale generated in a steam device.

A clothes care apparatus according to claim <NUM> is provided.

As is apparent from the above, according to the embodiment of the disclosure, scale generated in the steam device can be cleaned.

In addition, product failure due to disconnecting of a heater caused by scale can be prevented, and fire due to malfunction of a sensor and a heater can be prevented.

The terms including ordinal numbers like "first" and "second" may be used to explain various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are only for the purpose of distinguishing a component from another. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the disclosure. Descriptions shall be understood as to include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items when the items are described by using the conjunctive term "~ and/or ~," or the like.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a clothes care apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure, <FIG> is a view illustrating an open state of a door of a clothes care apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure, <FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating a clothes care apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure, and <FIG> is an exploded perspective view illustrating a clothes care apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure,.

Referring <FIG>, a clothes care apparatus <NUM> includes a main body <NUM> forming the external appearance thereof, a door <NUM> rotatably coupled to the main body <NUM>, a clothes care room <NUM> provided in the main body <NUM> such that clothes are accommodated and cared therein, a clothes support member <NUM> provided in the clothes care room <NUM> to hold the clothes, and a machine room <NUM> provided with a heat exchange device <NUM> to heat or dehumidify air in the clothes care room <NUM>.

The main body <NUM> may be provided with the clothes care room <NUM> therein, and may have a rectangular parallelepiped shape with one side open. An opening 10a may be formed in the front surface of the main body <NUM>. A door <NUM> may be rotatably coupled to the opening 10a of the main body <NUM> to open and close the main body <NUM>. The door <NUM> may be installed to open and close the clothes care room <NUM>. The door <NUM> may be installed on the main body <NUM> through a connecting member, such as a hinge <NUM>.

The clothes care room <NUM> forms a space in which clothes are accommodated. The clothes support member <NUM> may be provided in the clothes care room <NUM> such that clothes may be mounted and supported thereon. The clothes support member <NUM> may be detachably mounted on an upper side of the clothes care room <NUM>. The clothes support member <NUM> may be provided in plural. The clothes support member <NUM> may be formed in the shape of a hanger so that clothes may be mounted thereon. The clothes support member <NUM> may be provided to allow air to flow therein. Dust or foreign substance on the clothes may be removed by the air supplied into the clothes support member <NUM>.

The clothes care room <NUM> may include a first airflow inlet 11a, a second airflow inlet 12a, a first airflow outlet 11b, a second airflow outlet 12b, and a steam outlet 43a. The clothes care room 11The first airflow inlet 11a and the first airflow outlet 11b may be formed on a lower surface of the clothes care room <NUM>. The clothes care room 11The first airflow inlet 11a may be disposed in a front portion of the lower surface of the clothes care room <NUM>, and the first airflow outlet 11b may be disposed in a rear portion of the lower surface of the clothes care room <NUM>. The second airflow inlet 12a may be formed on a rear surface of the clothes care room <NUM>. The second airflow outlet 12b may be formed in the center of the upper surface of the clothes care room <NUM>. The second airflow inlet 12a and the second airflow outlet 12b may be disposed adjacent to each other.

The first airflow outlet 11b may be provided with an exhaust grille <NUM> for allowing airflow to spread effectively inside the clothes care room <NUM>.

The second airflow outlet 12b of the clothes care room <NUM> may be connected to the clothes support member <NUM>. Air discharged through the second airflow outlet 12b is transmitted to the clothes mounted on the clothes support member <NUM> through an air hole <NUM> formed in the clothes support member <NUM>.

A drain water container 15a and a supply water container 15b provided to be detachable from the main body <NUM> may be installed at a lower side of the main body <NUM>. The drain water container 15a and the supply water container 15b may be disposed at a lower side of the clothes care room <NUM>. The drain water container 15a is provided to facilitate handling of condensate. The supply water container 15b stores water required to generate steam in a steam generating device <NUM>, which will be described below. Water from the supply water container 15b is supplied to the steam generating device <NUM> and is used to form steam. The supply water container 15b may be installed to be detachable from the main body <NUM> to facilitate water replenishment. The drain water container 15a and the supply water container 15b may be provided in front of the machine room <NUM>. The machine room <NUM> is provided at a lower side of the main body <NUM>. The supply water container 15b and the drain water container 15a will be described below.

The machine room <NUM> is provided at a lower side of the clothes care room <NUM>. The machine room <NUM> may include a heat exchange device <NUM> provided to dehumidify and heat air inside the clothes care room <NUM> as needed.

Inside the machine room <NUM>, a blower fan <NUM>, the heat exchange device <NUM>, and the steam generating device <NUM> may be disposed.

The heat exchange device <NUM> is installed to supply hot air into the clothes care room <NUM>. The heat exchange device <NUM> includes an evaporator <NUM>, a compressor <NUM>, and a condenser <NUM>, through which a refrigerant circulates, and is provided to dehumidify and heat air.

A refrigerant, while being evaporated in the evaporator <NUM> of the heat exchange device <NUM>, absorbs latent heat of surrounding air to condensate and remove moisture in the air. In addition, when the refrigerant is condensed in the condenser <NUM> after passing through the compressor <NUM>, the refrigerant is caused to release latent heat toward the surrounding air, thereby heating the surrounding air. That is, the evaporator <NUM> and the condenser <NUM> serve as a heat exchanger, and the air flowing into the machine room <NUM> by the blower fan <NUM> is sequentially dehumidified and heated through the evaporator <NUM> and the condenser <NUM>.

The heat exchange device <NUM> installed in the machine room <NUM> includes a first duct <NUM> connecting the evaporator <NUM>,the condenser <NUM>, and the blower fan <NUM>, and the first duct <NUM> is connected to the clothes care room <NUM> to form a first circulation passage <NUM> circulating between the clothes care room <NUM> and the first duct <NUM>.

The first duct <NUM> may be connected to the first airflow inlet11a and the first airflow outlet 11b of the clothes care room <NUM>. Air from the clothes care room <NUM> is introduced into the first duct <NUM> through the first airflow inlet 11a, in which the air is dehumidified and then is discharged back to the clothes care room <NUM> through the clothes care room 11b.

The first duct <NUM> is provided to dehumidify the air introduced through the first airflow inlet 11a and then discharge the dehumidified air to the clothes care room 11b. The blower fan <NUM> is provided on the first duct <NUM> to suck air from the clothes care room <NUM> into the first duct <NUM>.

Air from the clothes care room <NUM> may be introduced into the first circulation passage <NUM> through the first airflow inlet 11a. The introduced air passes through the heat exchange device <NUM> to be dehumidified and heated, and the dehumidified and heated air may be discharged back to the clothes care room <NUM> through the first airflow outlet 11b.

The door <NUM> may include a door guide <NUM> for guiding movement of condensed water. The door guide <NUM> is provided to guide condensed water formed by condensation on a rear surface of the door <NUM>. The door guide <NUM> may be formed to be inclined downward toward the clothes care room <NUM> from the rear surface of the door <NUM>. The condensed water introduced through the first airflow inlet 11a may be moved to the drain water container 15a by a sump <NUM>.

The sump <NUM> may be disposed in the first duct <NUM>. Condensed water introduced through the first airflow inlet 11a of the clothes care room <NUM> may be stored in the sump <NUM> disposed in a lower portion of the first duct <NUM>.

The clothes care room <NUM> may include a blower device <NUM> for flowing air in the clothe care room <NUM>. The clothes care room <NUM> may include a second duct <NUM>, and the blower device <NUM> may be installed inside the second duct <NUM>. The second duct <NUM> may be provided to communicate with the clothes care room <NUM> to form a second circulation passage <NUM> that circulates the clothes care room <NUM> and the second duct <NUM>. The blowing device <NUM> may be disposed on the second circulation passage <NUM>. The second duct <NUM> may be formed behind the second airflow inlet 12a of the clothes care room <NUM>. The second duct <NUM> may be provided on a rear upper side of the clothes care room <NUM> and may include a filter member <NUM> therein.

The second duct <NUM> may be connected to the second airflow inlet 12a and the second airflow outlet 12b of the clothes care room <NUM>. The second airflow outlet 12b may be connected to the clothes support member <NUM> so that air from the second duct <NUM> is transmitted to the clothes support member <NUM>.

When air inside the clothes care room <NUM> is introduced into the second duct <NUM>, the air may be filtered by the filter member <NUM> of the second airflow inlet 12a. Air flowing into the second duct <NUM> may have dust and odors filtered by the filter member <NUM>.

Meanwhile, in the machine room <NUM>, the steam generating device <NUM> may be provided to supply steam into the clothes care room <NUM>. With the steam supplied into the clothes care room <NUM>, foreign substances, such as dust, that are attached to clothes may be removed, and viruses and bacteria may be sterilized.

The steam generating device <NUM> may receive water from the supply water container 15b to form steam. The steam generating device <NUM> may include a steam container <NUM> connected to the supply water container 15b to receive water and generate steam, a steam supply pipe <NUM> guiding the steam generated in the steam container <NUM> to a steam injector <NUM>, and the steam injector <NUM> connected to the steam supply pipe <NUM> and provided to inject steam into the clothes care room <NUM>. The steam injector <NUM> may include a steam injection port 43a formed to inject steam into the clothes care room <NUM>.

The steam supply pipe <NUM> may be connected to an upper portion of the steam container <NUM>. The steam supply pipe <NUM> may be connected to a rear upper portion of the steam container <NUM>. The steam injector <NUM> is disposed at an end of the steam supply pipe <NUM> and installed in the clothes care room <NUM>. The steam injector <NUM> may be disposed on at least a portion of the rear surface of the clothes care room <NUM>. In the embodiment of the disclosure, the steam injector is illustrated as being formed on a portion of the rear surface of the clothes care room, but the concept of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

Water supplied to the steam container <NUM> is delivered through the supply water container 15b. In general, water contains a small amount of minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Water containing minerals is referred to as hard water. Such hard water may cause scale to be generated in the steam container <NUM>, and may cause malfunction of a product. A scale cleaning device <NUM> according to the disclosure is provided to clean scale generated in the steam container <NUM>.

<FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a steam generating device according to an embodiment of the disclosure, and <FIG> is a view schematically illustrating a flow of a wash liquid for cleaning scale of a steam generating device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the steam generating device <NUM> includes a wash liquid injecting part <NUM> provided to inject a wash liquid for removing scale in the steam container <NUM>, a heating part <NUM> provided to heat the wash liquid, and a wash liquid discharge part <NUM> provided to discharge the wash liquid having cleaned scale using heat received from the heating part120.

The steam generating device <NUM> is disposed in the machine room <NUM> of the clothes care apparatus <NUM>. The steam container <NUM> of the steam generating device <NUM> may be disposed on a frame <NUM> disposed in the machine room <NUM>.

The wash liquid injecting part <NUM> of the steam generating device <NUM> includes the supply water container 15b provided to supply water to the steam container <NUM>, a first pump <NUM> provided to move a wash liquid introduced into the supply water container 15b to the steam container <NUM>, a first connecting member <NUM> connecting the first pump <NUM> to the steam container <NUM>, and a first valve <NUM> disposed on a path of the first connecting member <NUM>.

The supply water container 15b of the wash liquid injecting part <NUM> may be connected to the first pump <NUM> by a supply water connecting pipe <NUM>. The supply water connecting pipe <NUM> may be connected to a lower end of the supply water container 15b. A supply water container connector 15d may be provided on the supply water container 15b so that the supply water connecting pipe <NUM> is connected to the supply water container 15b.

The first connecting member <NUM> of the wash liquid injecting part <NUM> may include a first connecting pipe 117a connecting the first pump <NUM> to the first valve <NUM> and a second connecting pipe 117b connecting the first valve <NUM> to the steam container <NUM>. The first valve <NUM> is provided to supply water from the supply water container 15b to the steam container <NUM>.

That is, the wash liquid injected into the supply water container 15b of the wash liquid injecting part <NUM> is pumped together with water by the first pump <NUM> and then is supplied to the steam container <NUM> through the first connecting member <NUM>.

The steam container <NUM> may be provided with a water level sensor <NUM> for checking the amount of water supplied. The water level sensor <NUM> may be disposed at an inner upper side of the steam container <NUM>. The water level sensor <NUM> senses the amount of water inside the steam container <NUM> and allows water from the supply water container 15b to be supplied to the steam container <NUM> by the first valve <NUM> and the first pump <NUM>.

The heating part <NUM> of the steam generating device <NUM> may include a heater <NUM>. The heater <NUM> may be installed inside the steam container <NUM>. The heater <NUM> is provided to increase the temperature of water by heating the inside of the steam container <NUM>. The heater <NUM> is provided to heat the water in the steam container <NUM> to form steam. Water mixed with a wash liquid that is supplied to the steam container <NUM> may be heated by the heater <NUM> to remove scale inside the steam container <NUM>.

The wash liquid or water having cleaned the scale of the steam container <NUM> is discharged through the wash liquid discharge part130.

The steam generating device <NUM> may include a second pump <NUM> provided to discharge the wash liquid having cleaned the scale using heat received from the heater <NUM> inside the steam container <NUM>. The second pump <NUM> may include a function of a valve. The second pump <NUM> may include a valve-pump.

The second pump <NUM> may be installed on the frame <NUM> of the machine room <NUM>. The second pump <NUM> may be disposed at a lateral side of the steam container <NUM>. The second pump <NUM> may be located at a position lower than that of the steam container <NUM>. The second pump <NUM> may be installed on a side surface of the frame <NUM>. The second pump <NUM> may be disposed behind the machine room <NUM> for after-sales service.

The second pump <NUM> may be connected to the steam container <NUM> through a connecting pipe <NUM>. The connecting pipe <NUM> may be connected to a lower portion of the steam container <NUM>. The connecting pipe <NUM> may be connected to a lower portion of the second pump <NUM>. The steam container <NUM> may be provided at a lower surface thereof with a wash liquid outlet 41a that is to be connected with the connecting pipe <NUM>. The connecting pipe <NUM> may connect the lower end of the steam container <NUM> to the lower end of the second pump <NUM>.

The second pump <NUM> is provided to pump the wash liquid or water having removed the scale inside the steam container <NUM>.

The steam generating device <NUM> may include the sump <NUM> provided to accommodate a wash liquid or water having cleaned the scale that is discharged from the second pump <NUM>. The second pump <NUM> may be connected to the sump <NUM>. The steam generating device <NUM> may further include a second connecting member <NUM> connecting the second pump <NUM> to the sump <NUM>. The second connecting member <NUM> connects the second pump <NUM> to the sump <NUM>. The second connecting member <NUM> is provided to deliver the wash liquid or water having cleaned the scale of the steam container <NUM> that is pumped by the second pump <NUM> to the sump <NUM>.

The wash liquid or water having cleaned the scale of the steam container <NUM> that is delivered to the sump <NUM> through the second connecting member <NUM> is stored in the sump <NUM> together with the condensed water generated in the clothes care room <NUM>.

The wash liquid discharging part <NUM> of the steam generating device <NUM> includes a third pump <NUM> connected to the sump <NUM> to drain the wash liquid cleaned the scale and the drain water container 15a configured to receive water of the sump <NUM> that is discharged from the third pump <NUM>. The drain water container 15a is provided to receive the condensed water and the wash liquid or water having cleaned the scale, which are stored in the sump <NUM>, by the third pump <NUM>.

The drain water container 15a is connected to the third pump <NUM> through a connecting bracket <NUM>. The connecting bracket <NUM> includes an insertion tube 134a protruding toward the drain water container 15a. The drain water container 15a is formed with an insertion hole 15c into which the insertion tube 134a of the connecting bracket <NUM> is inserted. At least a portion of the connecting bracket <NUM> is connected to the sump <NUM> to transfer water flowing back from the sump <NUM> to the drain water container 15a.

The drain water container 15a is provided to be detachable from the sump <NUM> or the main body <NUM>.

Accordingly, when the condensate water and the wash liquid or water having cleaned the scale of the steam container <NUM> are delivered from the sump <NUM> to the drain water container 15a in a certain amount, a user may separate the drain water container 15a and empty the drain water container 15a.

An operation of removing scale by the steam generating device <NUM> according to the disclosure will be described below.

A wash liquid is injected into the supply water container 15b to remove scale in the steam container <NUM>, and water A mixed with the wash liquid is transferred to the steam container <NUM> by the first pump <NUM> and the first valve <NUM>.

Water A mixed with the wash liquid that is supplied into the steam container <NUM> is heated to an appropriate temperature by the heater <NUM> to remove scale inside the steam container <NUM> to clean the steam container <NUM>.

Wash liquid having removed the scale or water B mixed with the wash liquid is pumped by the second pump <NUM> to be transferred to the sump <NUM> through the wash liquid outlet 41a formed at the lower portion of the steam container <NUM>.

In this case, the second pump <NUM> serves as a valve to prevent the water in the steam container <NUM> from flowing backward.

The wash liquid having removed the scale or the water B mixed with the wash liquid which is transferred to the sump <NUM> may be mixed with condensed water generated in the clothes care room <NUM> and stored in the sump <NUM>.

Part of the condensed water, the wash liquid having cleaned the scale, or the water mixed with the wash liquid, which are stored in the sump <NUM>, may be delivered to the drain water container 15a by the third pump <NUM>, and the user may separate the drain water container 15a from the main body <NUM> and empty the drain water container 15a.

<FIG> is a control block diagram illustrating a clothes care apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

The clothes care apparatus <NUM> according to the embodiment may include an inputter <NUM>, a display <NUM>, a controller <NUM>, and the scale cleaning device <NUM>.

The scale cleaning device <NUM> may include the heating part <NUM>, the wash liquid injecting part <NUM>, the wash liquid discharging part <NUM>, and the water level sensor <NUM>.

The wash liquid injecting part 110may be provided such that a wash liquid for removing scale is injected.

The wash liquid injecting part <NUM> may include a supply water container, and the user may inject the wash liquid into the supply water container as described below.

The wash liquid discharging part <NUM> may be provided to discharge the wash liquid cleaned the scale using heat received from the heating part <NUM>. The wash liquid discharging part <NUM> may include a drain water container for receiving the wash liquid.

The heating part <NUM> may be provided in the interior of the steam container provided in the steam generating device to heat the wash liquid.

The inputter <NUM> includes a hardware device for a user input, such as various buttons, switches, pedals, keyboards, mouse, track-balls, various levers, handles, sticks, and the like.

In addition, the inputter <NUM> may include a graphical user interface (GUI), such as a touch pad, for a user input, that is, a software device. The touch pad may be implemented as a touch screen panel (TSP) to form a mutual layer structure together with a display (not shown).

The user may input a command to start an operation of removing scale of the water level sensor through the inputter <NUM>.

The display <NUM> may output an image that guides removal of scale by the user, an image that guides removal of the wash liquid after removing of the scale, and the like.

The display <NUM> includes a cathode ray tube (CRT), a digital light processing (DLP) panel, a plasma display panel, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, an Electro Luminescence (EL) panel, an Electrophoretic Display (EPD) panel, an Electrochromic Display (ECD) panel, a Light Emitting Diode (LED) panel, an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) panel, and the like, but is not limited thereto.

The controller <NUM> may determine whether scaling has occurred on the water level sensor <NUM> based on a comparison between a reference sensor value corresponding to a predetermined clothes care course and an output signal of the water level sensor <NUM>.

That is, the controller <NUM> may store an appropriate water level of the steam container corresponding to a clothes care stroke in advance, and in response to a predicted amount of water in the steam container in the corresponding stroke being significantly different from the amount of water in the steam container, may determine that an abnormality has occurred in the water level sensor <NUM>.

For example, the controller <NUM> may determine that an abnormality has occurred in the water level sensor <NUM> in response to the amount of water in the steam container not changing and constant when the user inputs a command to generate strong steam for a long time through the clothes care apparatus.

The controller <NUM> may control the scale cleaning device such that the wash liquid is discharged through the steam container based on a user command received through the inputter <NUM>.

Specifically, the controller <NUM> may control the first pump and the first valve included in the wash liquid injecting part110 to inject the wash liquid from the supply water container to the steam container.

In addition, the controller <NUM> may control the third pump included in the wash liquid discharging part <NUM> and the second pump included in the scale cleaning device so that the wash liquid is discharged via the steam container.

When the amount of change in the output signal is less than a predetermined value and water is introduced into the steam container, the controller <NUM> may determine that scaling has occurred on the water level sensor <NUM>.

In addition, the controller <NUM>, upon determining that water exists in the steam container based on an output signal at a time when a predetermined time has elapsed since an operation of supplying steam into the clothes care room starts, may determine that scaling has occurred on the water level sensor <NUM>.

A detailed operation of the controller <NUM> determining that scaling has occurred on the water level sensor <NUM> will be described below.

The controller <NUM>, upon determining that scaling has occurred on the water level sensor <NUM>, may heat the wash liquid through the heating part <NUM> based on a user command. According to an embodiment, the wash liquid may be heated to <NUM> or higher in order to efficiently remove the scale generated on the water level sensor <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> may stop discharging the wash liquid when the temperature of the wash liquid exceeds a predetermined temperature.

The temperature of the wash liquid may be obtained by at least one temperature sensor provided in the clothes care apparatus.

Meanwhile, the controller <NUM>, upon determining that scaling has occurred on the water level sensor <NUM>, may output an image on the display to guide removal of the scale.

The controller <NUM>, in response to a predetermined time having elapsed since an operation of removing the scale starts, may output an image to guide removal of the drain water container included in the wash liquid discharging part <NUM>. Details thereof will be described with reference to the following drawings.

The controller <NUM>, upon determining that scaling has occurred on the water level sensor <NUM>, may inject the wash liquid into the steam container for a predetermined minimum time. When scaling occurs on the water level sensor <NUM>, it is difficult to accurately measure the amount of liquid inside the steam container. In order to prevent the steam container from overflowing, the controller <NUM> may supply a predetermined minimum amount of detergent to the steam container.

The controller <NUM>, upon determining that the amount of the wash liquid included in the steam container being excessing the capacity of the steam container based on an output signal of another sensor included in the clothes care apparatus, may stop injecting the wash liquid.

According to the embodiment, the sump included in the clothes care apparatus may include another sensor capable of measuring the amount of moisture. Therefore, even when scaling occurs on the water level sensor and thus water level information of the steam container is not accurately obtained, the controller <NUM> may determine whether the amount of the wash liquid contained in the steam container exceeds the capacity of the steam container based on the sensor provided in the sump, Therefore, in this case, the controller <NUM> may stop supply of the wash liquid.

The controller <NUM> may include a memory (not shown) for storing data regarding an algorithm for controlling the operations of the components of the clothes care apparatus or a program that represents the algorithm, and a processor (not shown) that performs the above described operations using the data stored in the memory. In this case, the memory and the processor may be implemented as separate chips. Alternatively, the memory and the processor may be implemented as a single chip.

At least one component may be added or omitted to correspond to the performances of the components of the clothes care apparatus shown in <FIG>. In addition, the mutual positions of the components may be changed to correspond to the performance or structure of the system.

Meanwhile, some of the components shown in <FIG> may refer to a software component and/or a hardware component, such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC).

<FIG> is a view for describing a process in which scale is generated in a water level sensor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the water level sensor <NUM> may include a plurality of electrodes <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>.

The water level sensor <NUM> may determine the level of a liquid in the steam container through energization of the liquid inside the steam container.

For example, as the clothes care apparatus performs a clothes care course for supplying steam, moisture in the steam container is consumed.

The controller <NUM> may store the reference sensor value for determining whether a low level of moisture exists in the steam container.

However, when scale is generated on the water level sensor, energization with the scale may occur in the water level sensor <NUM>.

In this case, the water level sensor <NUM> may generate an output signal that indicating that a large amount of moisture exists in the steam container even when the steam supply course proceeds.

In detail, energization may occur in the upper electrode <NUM>-<NUM> of the water level sensor <NUM>, and thus the water level sensor <NUM> may generate an output signal.

In this case, the controller <NUM> may determine that scaling has occurred in the water level sensor <NUM> and perform an operation of removing the scale.

According to another embodiment, upon determining that the amount of change in the output signal of the water level sensor <NUM> is less than a predetermined value, and water flows into the steam container based on an output signal of another sensor included in the clothes care apparatus, the controller <NUM> may determine that scaling has occurred on the water level sensor <NUM>.

Specifically, various sensors other than the water level sensor <NUM> may be provided inside the clothes care apparatus, and it may be determined that water flows into the steam container based on the sensors.

When the actual amount of change in the value of the water level sensor <NUM> is small, the controller <NUM> may determine that energization of the water level sensor <NUM> caused by the scale leads to no change of the output signal.

In this case, the controller <NUM> may determine that scaling has occurred on the water level sensor <NUM> and perform an operation of removing the scale.

According to still another embodiment, the controller <NUM>, upon determining that water exists in the steam container based on the output signal at a time when a predetermined time has elapsed since an operation of supplying steam into the clothes care room starts.

Specifically, when the clothes care apparatus starts the steam supplying course to supply steam using the moisture in the steam container, the moisture provided in the steam container is consumed, and eventually exhausted. However, when the water level sensor <NUM> generates an output signal indicating that water exists in the steam container even after a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of supplying steam, that is, even after a sufficient time to consume the moisture in the steam container, the controller <NUM> may determine that an abnormality has occurred in the water level sensor <NUM>.

That is, since the output signal of the water level sensor <NUM> is a signal output by energization with the scale, the controller <NUM> may determine that scaling has occurred on the water level sensor <NUM>.

<FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> are views illustrating interfaces provided to remove scale according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the controller <NUM>, upon determining that scaling has occurred in the water level sensor <NUM>, may output an image I9-<NUM> on the display to guide removal of scale.

Referring to <FIG>, the controller <NUM> may determine that scaling has occurred in the water level sensor <NUM>, and output an image I9-<NUM> including a phrase, such as" Sensor contamination has occurred. Do you want to start sensor cleaning?" on the display <NUM>. In addition, the controller <NUM> may output a user interface I9-<NUM> for receiving an input of a user command. In <FIG>, it can be seen that a button for a user to select a command starting an operation of removing the scale is output. The user may input a user command through the inputter <NUM>. The inputter <NUM> may be provided in the form of a touch panel together with the display <NUM> or may be provided as a physical button, such as a separate button.

When the user inputs a user command by selecting "Yes", the controller <NUM> may output guide images I10-<NUM> and I10-<NUM> as shown in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, the controller <NUM> may output an image for guiding injection of a wash liquid. In <FIG>, it can be seen that a guide image I10-<NUM> stating "Please inject a wash liquid" is output.

Accordingly, the user may inject the wash liquid into the clothes care apparatus and select the interface I10-<NUM> stating "injection of wash liquid is completed" to thereby initiate an operation of removing scale.

Thereafter, the controller <NUM> may control the wash liquid injecting part <NUM> to cause the wash liquid to be injected into the steam container.

In addition, the controller <NUM> may control the heating part <NUM> to heat the wash liquid to a predetermined temperature range.

In addition, the controller may heat the wash liquid for a predetermined time through the heating part.

Here, the predetermined temperature range may be determined from <NUM> degrees C° to <NUM> degrees C?.

In addition, the predetermined time may be determined to a time between <NUM> minutes and <NUM> minutes.

Meanwhile, the controller may control the heating part as the above, to prevent evaporated wash liquid from spreading to other components.

When the scale removal through the wash liquid is completed, the controller may discharge the wash liquid to the outside using the wash liquid discharge part <NUM>.

On the other hand, referring to <FIG>, the controller <NUM>, in response to a predetermined time having elapsed since the operation of removing the scale from the water level sensor <NUM> starts, may output images I11-<NUM> and I11-<NUM> for guiding removal of the drain water container included in the wash liquid discharging part <NUM>.

The elapsing of the predetermined time since the start of removing the scale represents that the controller <NUM> has completed the operation of removing the scale.

In this case, the controller may determine that the wash liquid has been discharged to the drain water container through the steam container, and output an image I11-<NUM> stating "Sensor cleaning is completed. Please separate the drain water container and remove the wash liquid".

Meanwhile, when the images are output, the user may separate the drain water container and remove the wash liquid.

On the other hand, after separating the drain water container, removing the wash liquid, coupling the drain water container to the clothes care apparatus again, the user may select the image I11-<NUM> stating "Wash liquid removal is completed" to complete the scale removal.

The images and interfaces output on the display shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> are only one embodiment of the disclosure, and the form of images and interfaces in which the controller <NUM> guides the user to remove the scale and complete the scale removal is not limited thereto.

<FIG> is a flow chart according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the controller <NUM>, upon determining that scaling has occurred on the water level sensor <NUM> during use of the clothes care apparatus (<NUM>), may output an image on the display to guide scale removal (<NUM>).

Meanwhile, based on a user inputting a scale removal command in response to the output image (<NUM>), the controller <NUM> may perform a scale removal operation (<NUM>).

The scale removal operation may be performed by discharging a wash liquid through the steam container and heating the wash liquid as described above.

Meanwhile, upon completion of such an operation, the controller <NUM> may output an image that guides an operation of separating the drain water container and removing the wash liquid (<NUM>). The user may complete removal of the wash liquid to complete the scale removal (<NUM>).

Meanwhile, the disclosed embodiments may be embodied in the form of a recording medium storing instructions executable by a computer. The instructions may be stored in the form of program code and, when executed by a processor, may generate a program module to perform the operations of the disclosed embodiments. The recording medium may be embodied as a computer-readable recording medium.

The computer-readable recording medium includes all kinds of recording media in which instructions which may be decoded by a computer are stored, for example, a Read Only Memory (ROM), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a magnetic tape, a magnetic disk, a flash memory, an optical data storage device, and the like.

Claim 1:
A clothes care apparatus (<NUM>) comprising:
a main body (<NUM>) including a clothes care room (<NUM>); and
a steam generating device (<NUM>) provided to supply steam into the clothes care room, wherein the steam generating device includes:
a steam container (<NUM>);
a wash liquid injecting part (<NUM>) provided to inject a wash liquid for removing scale in the steam container;
a heating part (<NUM>) provided inside the steam container to heat the wash liquid; and
a wash liquid discharging part (<NUM>) provided to discharge the wash liquid having cleaned the scale using heat received from the heating part;
wherein the wash liquid injecting part (<NUM>) includes:
a supply water container (15b) provided to supply water to the steam container (<NUM>);
a first pump (<NUM>) provided to move the wash liquid introduced into the supply water container (15b) to the steam container (<NUM>);
a first connecting member (<NUM>) connecting the first pump (<NUM>) to the steam container (<NUM>); and
a first valve (<NUM>) provided on a path of the first connecting member (<NUM>).