Washing machine and method of controlling the same

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a washing machine, and the washing machine includes: a water supply unit which supplies washing water; a dissolving unit which stores air therein, and mixes the supplied washing water and the inside air so that the stored air is dissolved in the supplied washing water; a pressure pump which selectively pressurizes the washing water to be supplied into the dissolving unit from the water supply unit; a pressure sensor which detects pressure of the washing water supplied into the dissolving unit; and a control unit which controls the pressure pump based on information detected by the pressure sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A washing machine comprising:
 a water supply unit operable to supply washing water;   a dissolving unit operable to store air therein, and to mix washing water supplied thereto with stored air, wherein stored air is dissolved in the washing water supplied thereto;   a pressure pump operable to selectively pressurize the washing water to be supplied into the dissolving unit from the water supply unit;   a pressure sensor operable to detect pressure of the washing water supplied into the dissolving unit; and   a control unit operable to control the pressure pump responsive to information detected by the pressure sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a washing water detecting member which detects one of a flow rate and a level of the washing water supplied into the dissolving unit, and   wherein the control unit is further operable to control the water supply unit to supply washing water when information detected by the washing water detecting member is at a preset washing water level information value or less.   
     
     
         3 . The washing machine of  claim 2 , wherein the control unit is further operable to control the water supply unit to stop supplying washing water when the information detected by the washing water detecting member exceeds the preset washing water level information value. 
     
     
         4 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein when pressure of the washing water to be supplied into the dissolving unit, as detected by the pressure sensor, is at a preset washing water pressure information value or less, the control unit is operable to control the pressure pump to pressurize the washing water. 
     
     
         5 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is operable to stop operation of the pressure pump when pressure of the washing water to be supplied into the dissolving unit, as detected by the pressure sensor, exceeds a preset washing water pressure information value. 
     
     
         6 . The washing machine of  claim 4 , wherein the control unit is operable to stop operation of the pressure pump when pressure of the washing water to be supplied into the dissolving unit, as detected by the pressure sensor, exceeds the preset washing water pressure information value. 
     
     
         7 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a tub operable to store washing water; and   a bubble generating unit, disposed between the dissolving unit and the tub, and operable to generate bubbles by using washing water with dissolved air therein supplied from the dissolving unit, and to supply the bubbles into the tub.   
     
     
         8 . The washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein the bubble generating unit comprises:
 a bubble body having a bubble inlet port formed at one side thereof, and a bubble discharge port formed at the other side thereof;   a bubble nozzle disposed inside the bubble body, and forming a bubble flow path having an inner diameter that increases in size from the bubble inlet port to the bubble discharge port and wherein said bubble flow path is operable to generate bubbles; and   a bubble check valve disposed between the bubble inlet port and the bubble nozzle, and operable to guide the washing water with dissolved air therein, supplied from the bubble inlet port, to the bubble nozzle.   
     
     
         9 . The washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein the dissolving unit comprises:
 an outer body opened at one side and having a hollow interior;   an inner body opened at one side, and disposed in the outer body wherein an outer circumferential surface of the inner body is spaced apart from an inner circumferential surface of the outer body to form a dissolving flow path;   a dissolving cap coupled to the one side of the outer body, and having a dissolving inlet port formed wherein, washing water supplied from the water supply unit is supplied into the inner body;   a porous portion disposed in one area of the inner body; and   a dissolving guide port disposed in the outer body, and operable to guide water passing through the dissolving flow path to the bubble generating unit.   
     
     
         10 . The washing machine of  claim 9 , wherein the dissolving unit further comprises:
 a dissolving drain port disposed at a side of the outer body which is lower than the dissolving guide port in a longitudinal direction of the outer body; and   a discharge check valve operable to discharge washing water with dissolved air therein that remains in the dissolving unit to the outside of the dissolving unit when the supply of washing water by the water supply unit is stopped by the control unit.   
     
     
         11 . A washing machine comprising:
 a water supply unit operable to supply washing water;   a dissolving unit operable to store air therein, and to mix washing water supplied thereto with stored air wherein the stored air is dissolved in tire washing water supplied thereto;   a pressure pump operable to pressurize the washing water to be supplied into the dissolving unit from the water supply unit;   a washing water detecting member operable to detect one of a flow rate and a level of the washing water supplied into the dissolving unit; and   a control unit operable to control the water supply unit to supply the washing water into the dissolving unit when information detected by the washing water detecting member is at a preset washing water level information value or less.   
     
     
         12 . The washing machine of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a tub operable to store washing water; and   a bubble generating unit, disposed between the dissolving unit and the tub, and operable to generate bubbles by using washing water with dissolved air therein supplied from the dissolving unit, and to supply the bubbles into the tub.   
     
     
         13 . The washing machine of  claim 12 , wherein the bubble generating unit comprises:
 a bubble body having a bubble inlet port formed at one side thereof, and a bubble discharge port formed at the other side thereof;   a bubble nozzle disposed inside the bubble body, and forming a bubble flow path having an inner diameter that increases in size from the bubble inlet port to the bubble discharge port and wherein said bubble flow path is operable to generate bubbles; and   a bubble check valve disposed between the bubble inlet port and the bubble nozzle, and operable to guide the water with dissolved air therein, which is supplied from the bubble inlet port, to the bubble nozzle.   
     
     
         14 . A method of controlling a washing machine, the method comprising:
 supplying washing water into a dissolving unit;   detecting information about one of a flow rate and a level of the washing water supplied into the dissolving unit;   comparing detected information about the washing water in the dissolving unit to preset information about the washing water in the dissolving unit; and   controlling a supply of washing water into the dissolving unit based on the detected information about the washing water in the dissolving unit and the preset information about the washing water in the dissolving unit.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the controlling supply of washing water into the dissolving unit comprises:
 cutting off supply of washing water into the dissolving unit when the detected information about the washing water in the dissolving unit exceeds the preset information about the washing water in the dissolving unit; and   maintaining supply of washing water into the dissolving unit when the detected information about the washing water in the dissolving unit is equal to or less than the preset information about the washing water in the dissolving unit.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising:
 detecting a pressure of washing water to be supplied into the dissolving unit after the maintaining supply of the washing water into the dissolving unit;   comparing a detected washing water pressure information with, preset washing water pressure information; and   applying pressure to washing water to be supplied into the dissolving unit in accordance with the detected washing water pressure information and the preset washing water pressure information.