Washing machine

Abstract

The washing machine according to an embodiment of the disclosure may include a cabinet. The washing machine may include a tub in the cabinet. The washing machine may include a detergent supply device for supplying a detergent to the tub. The washing machine may include a detergent cartridge accommodating the detergent, configured to be drawn in or out the detergent supply device and a cartridge identification member storing information about the detergent accommodated in the detergent cartridge. The washing machine may include a cartridge identification device positioned to, with the detergent cartridge drawn into the detergent supply part, recognize the cartridge identification member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A washing machine, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub in the cabinet;   a detergent supply part for supplying a detergent to the tub;   a detergent cartridge accommodating the detergent, configured to be drawn in or out the detergent supply part, and including a cartridge identification member storing information about the detergent accommodated in the detergent cartridge; and   a cartridge identification device positioned to, with the detergent cartridge drawn into the detergent supply part, recognize the cartridge identification member.   
     
     
         2 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller configured, with the detergent cartridge drawn into the detergent supply part, to obtain the information about the detergent accommodated in the detergent cartridge stored in the cartridge identification member through the cartridge identification device, and change a use setting of the detergent cartridge based on the obtained information.   
     
     
         3 . The washing machine of  claim 2 , wherein the use setting of the detergent cartridge includes a setting regarding an input amount of the detergent accommodated in the detergent cartridge and a type of the detergent accommodated in the detergent cartridge. 
     
     
         4 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein
 the information about the detergent accommodated in the detergent cartridge includes a type of the detergent and a standard input amount of the detergent, and   the standard input amount of the detergent corresponds to a detergent input amount according to a washing load.   
     
     
         5 . The washing machine of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the detergent cartridge includes:
 a main body including a first space configured to accommodate air and a second space configured to accommodate the detergent, 
 a partition plate horizontally movable inside the main body and partitioning the first space and the second space, and 
 a nozzle device including a flow path selectively communicating with the second space to discharge the detergent to an outside of the detergent cartridge. 
   
     
     
         6 . The washing machine of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a nozzle pressurizer configured to be horizontally movable to selectively contact the nozzle device to pressurize the nozzle device,   wherein the nozzle device is configured to discharge the detergent to the outside of the detergent cartridge as the flow path and the second space communicate with each other when pressurized according to a horizontal movement of the nozzle pressurizer.   
     
     
         7 . The washing machine of  claim 5 , wherein the main body includes a pair of electric lines extending from the first space to the second space along an inner surface of the main body and spaced apart from each other. 
     
     
         8 . The washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein the detergent cartridge includes a connector on a side of the partition plate facing the first space and electrically connecting the pair of electric lines. 
     
     
         9 . The washing machine of  claim 8 , wherein
 the detergent supply part includes a detergent supply part housing including an opening through which the detergent cartridge is drawable into and drawable out from the detergent supply part, and a space to accommodate the detergent cartridge, and   the washing machine further includes:
 a current sensor on a surface of the detergent supply part housing and that electrically connects to the electric lines of the detergent cartridge when the detergent cartridge is drawn into the detergent supply part and accommodated in the space of the detergent supply part, to measure a resistance of the electric lines. 
   
     
     
         10 . The washing machine of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a controller configured to determine whether the detergent cartridge is drawn into the detergent supply part based on the resistance measured through the current sensor.   
     
     
         11 . The washing machine of  claim 9 , wherein
 the connector moves in a direction away from the first space when the detergent accommodated in the second space is discharged, and   the washing machine further comprises:
 a controller configured to detect a change in the resistance of the electric lines according to a movement of the connector through the current sensor and measure a remaining amount of the detergent based on the detected change in the resistance. 
   
     
     
         12 . The washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein the pair of electric lines are bent multiple times so as to have an irregular pattern or a wavy pattern. 
     
     
         13 . A washing machine, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub in the cabinet;   a detergent supply part for supplying a detergent to the tub; and   a detergent cartridge accommodating the detergent and configured to be drawn in or out the detergent supply part,   wherein the detergent cartridge includes:
 a main body including a first space configured to accommodate air and a second space configured to accommodate a detergent, 
 a partition plate horizontally movable inside the main body and partitioning the first space and the second space, 
 a pair of electric lines extending from the first space to the second space along an inner surface of the main body and spaced apart from each other, and 
 a connector on a side of the partition plate facing the first space and electrically connecting the pair of electric lines; and 
   with the detergent cartridge drawn into the detergent supply part, the detergent accommodated in the second space is suppliable to the tub.   
     
     
         14 . The washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein
 the detergent supply part includes a detergent supply part housing including an opening through which the detergent cartridge is drawable into and drawable out from the detergent supply part, and a space to accommodate the detergent cartridge, and   the washing machine further comprises:
 a current sensor on a surface of the detergent supply part housing and that electrically connects to the electric lines of the detergent cartridge when the detergent cartridge is drawn into the detergent supply part and accommodated in the space of the detergent supply part, to measure a resistance of the electric lines. 
   
     
     
         15 . The washing machine of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a controller configured to determine whether the detergent cartridge is drawn into the detergent supply part based on the resistance measured through the current sensor.   
     
     
         16 . The washing machine of  claim 14 , wherein
 the connector moves in a direction away from the first space when the detergent accommodated in the second space is discharged, and   the washing machine further comprises:
 a controller configured to detect a change in the resistance of the electric lines according to a movement of the connector through the current sensor and measure a remaining amount of the detergent based on the detected change in the resistance. 
   
     
     
         17 . The washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein the pair of electric lines are bent multiple times so as to have an irregular pattern or a wavy pattern. 
     
     
         18 . A method for controlling a washing machine including a tub, a detergent supply part for supplying a detergent to the tub, a detergent cartridge accommodating the detergent therein, configured to be drawn in or out the detergent supply part, and including a cartridge identification member storing information about the detergent accommodated in the detergent cartridge, and a cartridge identification device positioned to, with the detergent cartridge drawn into the detergent supply part, recognize the cartridge identification member, the method comprising:
 with the detergent cartridge drawn into the detergent supply part, recognizing the cartridge identification member through the cartridge identification device;   obtaining the information about the detergent accommodated in the detergent cartridge stored in the cartridge identification member from the recognized cartridge identification member; and   changing a use setting of the detergent cartridge based on the obtained information about the detergent accommodated in the detergent cartridge.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the use setting of the detergent cartridge includes a setting regarding an input amount of the detergent accommodated in the detergent cartridge and a type of the detergent accommodated in the detergent cartridge. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the detergent cartridge includes a first space configured to accommodate air, a second space configured to accommodate the detergent, and a pair of electric lines extending from the first space to the second space and spaced apart from each other, and the method further comprising:
 measuring a resistance of the electric lines; and   determining whether the detergent cartridge is drawn into the detergent supply part based on the measured resistance.