Patent ID: 7614408

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling a washing flow of a dishwasher, the apparatus comprising: a motor configured to control a spray force for washing; a pump rotated by the motor to discharge washing water; a flow control valve positioned at a branch flow passage communicating with a discharge flow passage of the pump, the flow control valve having a plurality of inlets and a plurality of outlets receiving the washing water discharged by the pump and discharging the washing water to a discharge flow passage of a lower arm and/or an upper arm; and a rotation controller configured to control rotation of the flow control valve in accordance with a washing method determined by a washing amount, wherein communication of the plurality of outlets with the discharge flow passage of at least one of the lower arm and the upper arm is determined based upon a selective communication of one of the plurality of inlets with the discharge flow passage of the pump, wherein when the one of the plurality of inlets communicates with the discharge flow passage of the pump, another of the plurality of the inlets is closed, wherein when the one of the plurality of inlets communicates with the discharge flow passage of the pump, at least one of the plurality of outlets communicates with the discharge flow passage of the lower arm or the upper arm, and wherein when another of the plurality of inlets communicates with the discharge flow passage of the pump, one of the plurality of outlets communicates with the discharge flow passage of the lower arm and another of the plurality of outlets communicates with the discharge flow passage of the upper arm.