Laundry treatment method and apparatus

Abstract

Provided is a laundry treatment method and apparatus. First, a cleaning liquid with a detergent dissolved is sprayed. Waiting lasts for a certain time such that the sprayed cleaning liquid is absorbed into laundry. Steam generated by applying heat to flowing water is sprayed to laundry.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry treatment method using a steam spraying apparatus, comprising:
 spraying cleaning liquid with pre-mixed detergent onto laundry contained in a space for holding laundry;   waiting for a certain time interval such that the sprayed cleaning liquid is absorbed into said laundry; and   spraying steam generated by applying heat to flowing water to the detergent-absorbed laundry,   wherein the spraying of the cleaning liquid and the spraying of the steam are performed using the same nozzle.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treatment method of  claim 1 , wherein during the spraying of the cleaning liquid air is blown into the space holding laundry. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry treatment method of  claim 1 , wherein the spraying of the steam is performed such that the steam directly contacts laundry. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry treatment method of  claim 3 , wherein the spraying of the cleaning liquid comprises spraying steam at a spray angle of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry treatment method of  claim 1 , wherein in the spraying of the steam, an internal temperature of the space holding laundry is maintained at a temperature of about 35 degrees Celsius to about 40 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry treatment method of  claim 1 , wherein in the spraying of the steam, a spray rate of the steam ranges from about 70 cc per minute to about 120 cc per minute. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry treatment method of  claim 1 , wherein the certain time interval ranges from about 1 minute to about 4 minutes. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry treatment method of  claim 1 , wherein during the spraying of the steam hot air is separately blown into the space holding laundry. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry treatment method of  claim 1 , further comprising drying laundry after the spraying of the steam. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry treatment method of  claim 9 , wherein the drying of laundry comprises blowing hot air, preferably, for about 5 minutes to about 10 minutes into the space holding laundry. 
     
     
         11 . The laundry treatment method of  claim 1 , wherein in the spraying of the steam, a detergent supply to the nozzle is stopped. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry treatment method of  claim 1 , wherein in the spraying of the cleaning liquid and the spraying of the steam, water is supplied to the same nozzle via a detergent receiving unit holding the detergent, and in the spraying of the cleaning liquid, the detergent is emptied from the detergent receiving unit. 
     
     
         13 . A laundry treatment apparatus, comprising:
 a drum for receiving clothing, being rotatably disposed in a casing;   a steam spraying apparatus for generating and spraying steam into the drum; and   a water supply pipe for supplying water into the steam spraying apparatus,   wherein the steam spraying apparatus includes a nozzle configured for spraying cleaning liquid with pre-mixed detergent and steam therethrough.   
     
     
         14 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the water supply pipe is connected to the steam spraying apparatus via a detergent receiving unit for storing detergent therein, so as to provide the cleaning liquid with pre-mixed detergent to the steam spraying apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the detergent receiving unit is configured to stop detergent supply when the steam spraying apparatus generates steam.