Washing machine

Abstract

A washing machine includes a weight sensor configured to detect a weight of laundry and installed on a suspension bar configured to suspend an outer tub of the washing machine. In the washing machine, while a driver is rotating the washing tub to spin-dry the laundry, the weight sensor measures the weight of the laundry, and spin-drying of the laundry is ended based on a weight measurement value obtained as a result of the measurement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A washing machine comprising:
 a washing tub into which laundry is received;   an outer tub configured to accommodate the washing tub;   a motor configured to rotate the washing tub; and   a sensor,   wherein the sensor is configured to detect a weight (C 0 ) of the laundry while the driver is rotating the washing tub to spin-dry the laundry, and the motor is configured to selectively end spin-drying of the laundry based on the weight (C 0 ) of the laundry.   
     
     
         2 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is provided at the motor. 
     
     
         3 . The washing machine of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor measures a force of the motor when rotating the washing tub. 
     
     
         4 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a suspension bar configured to suspend the outer tub, wherein the sensor is provided on the suspension bar. 
     
     
         5 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the weight (C 0 ) of the laundry during spin drying is determined while the motor is rotating the washing tub based on a first speed (VM 1 ) to spin-dry the laundry. 
     
     
         6 . The washing machine of  claim 5 , wherein another weight (Ct) of the laundry is determined after additional spin drying, and
 wherein the motor ends spin-drying of the laundry based on a reduction rate ((C 0 −C 0 /C 0 ) of the weight of the laundry being less than a first reference value (X 1 ).   
     
     
         7 . The washing machine of  claim 6 , wherein a dry weight (A) of the laundry is determined before the laundry is washed, and
 wherein the motor ends spin-drying of the laundry based on the reduction rate ((C 0 −C 0 /C 0 ) of the weight of the laundry being less than the first reference value (X 1 ), and a ratio (C 0 /A) of the weight of the laundry to the dry weight of the laundry being less than or equal to a second reference value (X 2 ).   
     
     
         8 . The washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein when the ratio (C 0 /A) of the weight of the laundry to the dry weight of the laundry exceeds the second reference value, the first speed (VM 1 ) is adjusted according to the weight (C 0 ) of the laundry during spin drying, and
 wherein the first speed (VM 1 ) is adjusted to be inversely proportional to the weight (C 0 ) of the laundry during spin drying.   
     
     
         9 . The washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein a wet weight (B) of the laundry is determined before the laundry is spin-dried, and
 wherein the motor ends spin-drying of the laundry based on the reduction rate ((C 0 −C 0 /C 0 ) of the weight of the laundry is being less than the first reference value (X 1 ), and a ratio ((C 0 −Ct)/B) of a reduction amount of the weight of the laundry to the wet weight of the laundry being less than a third reference value (X 3 ).   
     
     
         10 . The washing machine of  claim 9 ,
 wherein when the ratio ((C 0 −Ct)/B) of the reduction amount of the weight of the laundry to the wet weight of the laundry exceeds the third reference value (X 3 ), the first speed (VM 1 ) is adjusted according to the weight (C 0 ) of the laundry, and wherein the first speed (VM 1 ) is set to be inversely proportional to the weight (C 0 ) of the laundry.   
     
     
         11 . The washing machine of  claim 5 , wherein a dry weight (A) of the laundry is determined before the laundry is washed, and
 wherein the motor ends spin-drying of the laundry based on a ratio (C 0 /A) of the weight of the laundry to the weight of the dry laundry being less than or equal to a second reference value (X 2 ).   
     
     
         12 . The washing machine of  claim 6 , wherein a wet weight (B) of the laundry is determined before the laundry is spin-dried, and
 wherein the motor ends spin-drying of the laundry based on a ratio ((C 0 −Ct)/B) of a reduction amount of the weight of the laundry to the wet weight of the laundry being less than a third reference value (X 3 ).   
     
     
         13 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein a dry weight (A) of the laundry is determined before the laundry is washed,
 wherein when motor ends spin-drying of the laundry, a weight of the spin-dried laundry is determined and information is transmitted to at least one of a terminal or a dryer, and   wherein the transmitted information includes a ratio of the weight of the spin-dried laundry to the dry weight (A) of the laundry.   
     
     
         14 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein a wet weight (B) of the laundry is determined before the laundry is spin-dried,
 wherein when the motor ends spin-drying of the laundry, a weight of the spin-dried laundry is determined, and information is transmitted to at least one of a terminal or a dryer, and   wherein the transmitted information includes a ratio of the weight of the spin-dried laundry to the wet weight (B) of the laundry.   
     
     
         15 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the weight (C 0 ) of the laundry is determined after spin drying the laundry, and another weight (Ct) of the laundry is determined after additional spin drying for a period of time (t),
 wherein the washing tub is rotated at a maximum spin-drying rotation speed (VM 1 ) during spin drying, and   wherein the maximum spin-drying rotation speed (VM 1 ) is set to be inversely proportional to a reduction rate ((C 0 −C 0 /C 0 ) of the weight of the laundry.   
     
     
         16 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the weight (C 0 ) of the laundry is determined after spin drying the laundry, and another weight (Ct) of the laundry is determined after additional spin drying for a period of time (t), and
 wherein a fabric characteristic of the laundry is determined based on a reduction rate ((C 0 −C 0 /C 0 ) of the weight of the laundry.   
     
     
         17 . An appliance comprising:
 a tub into which laundry is loaded;   a motor configured to rotate the tub; and   a controller configured to:
 determine a change in a weight of the laundry during a first spin-drying at a first rotational speed, 
 determine, based on the change in the weight of the laundry during the first spin-drying, a maximum rotational speed for the laundry, and 
 manage the motor to rotate the tub based on the maximum rotational speed during a second spin-drying. 
   
     
     
         18 . The appliance of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a suspension bar configured to suspend the tub; and   a sensor provided on the suspension bar and configured to detect the weight of the laundry.   
     
     
         19 . The appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine a fabric type of the laundry based on the change in the weight of the laundry during the first spin-drying, and   determine the maximum rotational speed for the laundry based on the fabric type of the laundry.   
     
     
         20 . The appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine when to stop the second spin-drying based on a weight of the laundry during the second spin-drying.