Laundry handling apparatus and control method therefor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a laundry handling apparatus and a control method therefor, the laundry handling apparatus being provided with multiple laundry units performing laundry independently of each other. If a first laundry unit and a second laundry unit simultaneously perform laundry and if laundry is not collected after any one laundry unit has completed laundering, the laundry handling apparatus operates with added laundry time according to the laundry time of the other laundry unit, thereby preventing the laundry from creasing and being damaged, and changes the laundry time such that the first and second laundry units finish laundering at the same time, thereby having the effect of facilitating laundry collection.

1 . A laundry handling apparatus comprising:
 a first laundry unit having a first tub; and   a second laundry unit which has a second tub, and operates independently of the first laundry unit;   a first controller for controlling the first laundry unit; and   a second controller for controlling the second laundry unit,   wherein the first controller outputs an operation finish notification when operation of the first laundry unit is completed, in a state where the first laundry unit and the second laundry unit are operated simultaneously, and adds laundry time of the first laundry unit when laundry in the first tub is not collected within a set time so that the first laundry unit performs added operation.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry handling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first controller adds the laundry time of the first laundry unit to further operate the first laundry unit so that the first laundry unit is finished before laundry time of the second laundry unit is finished. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry handling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first controller adds the laundry time of the first laundry unit so that the first laundry unit and the second laundry unit finish operation at the same time. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry handling apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first controller receives laundry time information of the second laundry unit in operation from the second controller and adds the laundry time of the first laundry unit. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry handling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first controller determines that the laundry is collected when a door of the first laundry unit is opened. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry handling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first controller controls a motor connected to the first tub so that the first tub rotates at certain time intervals during added laundry time, and performs a creasing prevention operation for preventing creasing of the laundry accommodated in the first tub. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry handling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first controller displays a notification of the added operation. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry handling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first controller calculates an average of previously stored laundry collection time and adds the laundry time of the first laundry unit in response to the average. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry handling apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first controller accumulates and stores the laundry collection time after the operation of the first laundry unit is finished. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry handling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first controller counts the number of times of laundry collection according to laundry collection time after the operation of the first laundry unit is finished, and adds the laundry time of the first laundry unit in response to laundry collection time of high collection frequency. 
     
     
         11 . The laundry handling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first controller compares a finish time of the first laundry unit and a finish time of the second laundry unit, before finishing laundering, and adds the laundry time of the first laundry unit when a difference between the finish times is equal to or less than a certain time so that the first laundry unit and the second laundry unit finish operation simultaneously. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry handling apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the first controller enables to display at least one of an icon, a message, and a symbol indicating that the first laundry unit and the second laundry unit are set to finish operation simultaneously, on a screen. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry handling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second laundry unit and the first laundry unit are disposed vertically. 
     
     
         14 . A method for controlling a laundry handling apparatus comprising a first laundry unit having a first tub, and a second laundry unit which has a second tub and operates independently of the first laundry unit, the method comprising:
 completing operation of the first laundry unit while the first laundry unit and the second laundry unit operate simultaneously;   outputting an operation finish notification to the first laundry unit;   counting a time of collecting laundry in the first tub;   adding laundry time of the first laundry unit, when the laundry in the first tub is not collected within a set time; and   performing added operation by the first laundry unit during added laundry time.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving laundry time information of the second laundry unit; and   performing the added operation by the first laundry unit so that the first laundry unit finishes operation before laundry time of the second laundry unit is finished.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving laundry time information of the second laundry unit; and   performing the added operation by the first laundry unit to finish operation simultaneously with the second laundry unit.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising, after the laundry time is added, rotating the first tub at certain time intervals and performing a creasing prevention operation for preventing creasing of the laundry by the first laundry unit. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising calculating an average of previously stored laundry collection time,
 wherein the laundry time of the first laundry unit is added in response to the average.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising counting the number of times of laundry collection for each laundry collection time,
 wherein the laundry time of the first laundry unit is added in response to laundry collection time of high collection frequency.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein adding laundry time comprises comparing a finish time of the first laundry unit and a finish time of the second laundry unit, before the first laundry unit finishes laundering, and adding the laundry time of the first laundry unit when a difference between the finish times is equal to or less than a certain time so that the first laundry unit and the second laundry unit finish operation simultaneously.