RU2836528C1 - Method of controlling linen treatment device (embodiments) - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: textile.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a method of controlling a device for treating linen and to a method of controlling a linen treatment device, which can perform an operation of drying linen placed in a drum. Method for controlling a linen treatment device includes an operation for increasing efficiency and an operation for maintaining efficiency, wherein the efficiency improvement operation includes a first efficiency improvement operation, wherein the controller controls the first drive unit such that the drum rpm corresponds to the first drum revolutions per minute, and controls the second drive unit so that the number of revolutions per minute of the fan corresponds to the first number of revolutions per minute of the fan to perform the first efficiency improvement process, and a second efficiency increase operation, in which, after the first efficiency improvement operation, the controller controls the first drive unit such that the drum rpm corresponds to the first drum revolutions per minute, and controls the second drive unit so that the fan rpm corresponds to the second fan rpm, higher than the first fan rpm, to perform the second efficiency improvement process.

EFFECT: higher efficiency of linen drying.

27 cl, 18 dwg

Description

Field of technology

[1] The present invention relates to a method for controlling a laundry processing device and to a method for controlling a laundry processing device that can perform an operation of drying laundry placed in a drum.

State of the art

[2] A laundry treatment device, which is a device for treating laundry introduced into a casing, includes a washing machine, a dryer, a freshener, etc. The freshener is a device that removes dust, germs, etc. from clothes, etc. after wearing.

[3] A dryer, which is one of the laundry processing devices in which the drying operation of laundry can be performed, can remove moisture from the laundry placed in a drum in a casing. A scheme in which air is heated and then the moisture in the laundry evaporates and is removed from the laundry as the heated air passes through the laundry can be used for a dryer.

[4] The dryer can be classified into an exhaust dryer or a circulation dryer based on the air heating pattern or air flow. An exhaust dryer can be designed so that the air is heated by a heater, and the air that passes through the laundry is exhausted to the outside. A circulation dryer can be designed so that the air is heated through a fluid circulator including a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator, and the air that passes through the laundry is recirculated in the dryer.

[5] In one example, the drying operation in a cleaning and treating device in which the drying operation can be performed may be divided into a plurality of processes. Prior art document KR 10-2006-0023715 A discloses a laundry treating device in which the drying operation is performed, including a plurality of drying sections.

[6] The laundry processing device in the prior art document KR 10-2006-0023715 A discloses a structure in which a plurality of drying sections are distinguished by determining the moisture content through changing the temperature of air discharged from the drum, and an exhaust drying scheme using an electric heater is used.

[7] However, in a heat pump drying system that includes a compressor, etc., it is difficult to relate the differences in drying sections using changes in air temperature to changes in drying efficiency and

energy efficiency and is difficult to relate to the establishment of an appropriate control strategy for the various drive devices included in the laundry processing device.

[8] In other words, a scheme that separates drying processes based on the change in air temperature at the outlet of the drum based on an exhaust type laundry treatment device using a heater as a heat source is difficult to use in a heat pump type laundry treatment device with different characteristics of the drying mechanism, i.e., in a condensing type laundry treatment device.

[9] In one example, prior art document EP 03143190 B1 discloses a laundry treating device that performs a drying operation including a stabilizing process for a various driving device included in the laundry treating device.

[10] The laundry treatment device according to the prior art document EP 03143190 B1 defines a stabilizing section in which each driving device is stabilized when the drying operation is performed, and the stabilizing section is identified by measuring the temperature of the fluid of the heat pump system.

[11] However, the stabilization section is directly related to the stabilization of each system of the laundry processing device, and has little direct relationship with the changes in drying efficiency and energy efficiency for efficient drying. In the drying operation, processes other than the stabilization section may not be different.

[12] In one example, prior art document EP 3 124 680 B1 discloses a laundry treatment device in which the drying operation is divided into a plurality of processes, and whether or not to operate the drum and fan simultaneously, as well as the direction of rotation of the fan, are specified for each process.

[13] Prior art document EP 3124680 B1 discloses a drying operation limited to a small laundry load. The drying operation is divided into a plurality of processes only based on the improvement of the distribution of the laundry or the temperature of the fluid in the heat pump and is not directly related to changes in the drying efficiency and energy efficiency. In addition, the drum and the fan cannot have different changes in the rpm in a situation of simultaneous driving of the drum and the fan, so that it is difficult to establish a more advantageous control strategy from the viewpoint of energy efficiency and drying efficiency.

[14] Therefore, in a laundry processing device in which a drying operation can be performed, dividing the drying operation into a plurality of processes based on drying efficiency, energy efficiency, etc., identifying the plurality of processes in an efficient scheme, and efficiently establishing a control strategy for each driving device for each of the plurality of processes in order to improve drying efficiency and energy efficiency becomes an important problem in this technical field.

The essence of the invention

Technical task

[15] Embodiments of the present invention should provide a method for controlling a laundry processing device that can efficiently perform a drying operation by dividing the laundry drying operation into a plurality of drying processes based on drying efficiency.

[16] In addition, embodiments of the present invention should provide a method for controlling a laundry processing device that can efficiently set a control strategy for each driving device even when a change in drying efficiency is not reflected in real time by dividing the laundry drying operation into a plurality of drying processes based on the behavioral tendency of the drying efficiency.

[17] In addition, embodiments of the present invention should provide a method for controlling a laundry processing device that can efficiently perform a drying operation by efficiently setting transition conditions for each of a plurality of drying processes constituting the laundry drying operation.

[18] In addition, embodiments of the present invention should provide a method for controlling a laundry processing device that can effectively improve energy efficiency by effectively operating each driving device for each of a plurality of processes included in a laundry drying operation.

Solution to the problem

[19] One embodiment of the present invention can divide a drying operation in which laundry is dried in a laundry processing device into a plurality of processes based on a sensor generally applied, and allow the operating conditions of a compressor, a fan, a drum, etc. corresponding to a main driving device to be distinguished based on the evaporation and drying characteristics of the laundry in the drying processes, thereby improving energy efficiency.

[20] One embodiment of the present invention can perform an efficient drying operation by dividing the operation of drying laundry based on the drying efficiency, and the drying operation may include an efficiency enhancing process for enhancing the drying efficiency, an efficiency maintaining process for effectively maintaining the drying efficiency enhanced in the efficiency enhancing process, and an efficiency reducing process for ending the drying operation while effectively reducing the drying efficiency after the efficiency maintaining process.

[21] One embodiment of the present invention can effectively separate a drying operation using a humidity sensor that can measure the amount of humidity of air that passes through a drum in a condensation laundry treating device in which evaporation of moisture and dehumidification of air are performed while air is circulating.

[22] In addition, although the conventional case has a structure in which the drum and the fan are rotated through one electric motor, one embodiment of the present invention can control the RPM of the drum and the RPM of the fan at different rates of change of the drying operation processes and effectively improve the drying efficiency and the energy efficiency of the drying operation through different operating states of the drum, the fan and the compressor as the drum and the fan receive rotational forces from different actuators.

[23] For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, a drive unit for rotating a drum and a fan may include a first drive unit and a second drive unit, the first drive unit may rotate the drum, the second drive unit may rotate the fan, and the controller may control the first and second drive units independently of each other to set different drive strategies.

[24] A method for controlling a laundry treating device according to an embodiment of the present invention described above relates to a method for controlling a laundry treating device including a casing, a drum rotatably disposed in the casing, wherein the drum accommodates laundry to be washed, a fluid circulator including a condenser, a compressor and an evaporator for circulating a fluid therethrough, an air circulator including a fan for flowing air heated through the fluid circulator into the drum, a driving unit including a first driving unit for rotating the drum and a second driving unit for rotating the fan, and a controller that performs an operation of drying the laundry by controlling the compressor and the driving unit.

[25] One embodiment of the present invention includes an efficiency enhancing operation in which the controller performs an efficiency enhancing process to enhance the drying efficiency in the drum during the drying operation, and an efficiency maintaining operation in which, after the efficiency enhancing operation, the controller performs an efficiency maintaining process to maintain the drying efficiency during the drying operation.

[26] The efficiency improving operation includes a first efficiency improving operation and a second efficiency improving operation. In the first efficiency improving operation, the controller controls the first driving unit such that the drum RPM corresponds to the first drum RPM, and controls the second driving unit such that the fan RPM corresponds to the first fan RPM, so as to perform the first efficiency improving process.

[27] In the second efficiency improving operation, after the first efficiency improving operation, the controller controls the first drive unit such that the drum rpm corresponds to the first drum rpm, and controls the second drive unit such that the fan rpm corresponds to the second fan rpm, higher than the first fan rpm, to perform the second efficiency improving process.

[28] The controller may control the compressor and the drive unit such that the rate of increase in the drying efficiency is higher in the first efficiency increase operation than in the second efficiency increase operation.

[29] The controller may control the compressor and the drive unit such that the rate of increase of the measured value of the compressor sensor located in the fluid circulator to measure the temperature of the fluid passing through the compressor is greater in the first efficiency increasing operation than in the second efficiency increasing operation.

[30] The controller may control the compressor such that the frequency of the compressor corresponds to the first frequency in the first efficiency increasing operation and in the second efficiency increasing operation.

[31] The controller may control the compressor such that the frequency of the compressor corresponds to a second frequency, lower than the first frequency, in the efficiency maintaining operation. The controller may control the first drive unit such that the RPM of the drum corresponds to the first RPM of the drum in the efficiency maintaining operation.

[32] The controller may control the second drive unit such that the fan rpm corresponds to the second fan rpm in the efficiency maintaining operation. The efficiency improving operation may further include an operation of determining a transition to the second efficiency improving process.

[33] The operation of determining a transition to the second efficiency improvement process may be performed before the second efficiency improvement operation, and the controller may determine whether the duration of the first efficiency improvement operation is equal to or greater than the execution time of the first efficiency improvement operation in the operation of determining a transition to the second efficiency improvement process. The second efficiency improvement operation may be performed when the duration is determined to be equal to or greater than the execution time of the first efficiency improvement operation in the operation of determining a transition to the second efficiency improvement process.

[34] The method may further include an operation of determining a transition to an efficiency maintenance process, performed before the efficiency maintenance operation, in which the controller determines whether or not the conditions for transition to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied using a measured value of a humidity sensor located in the air circulator to measure the humidity of the air passing through the drum. The efficiency maintenance operation may be performed when it is determined in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency maintenance process that the conditions for transition to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied.

[35] The humidity sensor may include a first humidity sensor for measuring the humidity of air flowing into the drum and a second humidity sensor for measuring the humidity of air flowing out of the drum, and in the operation of determining the transition to the efficiency maintenance process, the controller may determine that the conditions for the transition to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied when the drying efficiency extracted from the measured values of the first humidity sensor and the second humidity sensor reaches the drying efficiency at the transition to the efficiency maintenance process.

[36] The method may further include an operation of determining a transition to an efficiency maintenance process, performed before the efficiency maintenance operation, in which the controller determines whether or not a measured value of a compressor sensor located in the fluid circulator to measure a temperature of a fluid passing through the compressor matches a value of the compressor sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency maintenance process.

[37] The efficiency maintenance operation may be performed when the measured value of the compressor sensor satisfies the value of the compressor sensor when shifting to the efficiency maintenance process in the efficiency maintenance process shift determination operation.

[38] The controller may adjust the value of the compressor sensor when switching to the efficiency maintenance process to a higher value as the measured value of the outside air temperature sensor for measuring the air temperature outside the casing is higher in the operation of determining the transition to the efficiency maintenance process.

[39] The method may further include an efficiency reduction operation in which, after the efficiency maintaining operation, the controller performs an efficiency reduction process to reduce the drying efficiency during the drying operation, and the efficiency reduction operation may include a first efficiency reduction operation.

[40] In the first efficiency reduction operation, the controller may control the first drive unit such that the drum rpm corresponds to the first drum rpm, and control the second drive unit such that the fan rpm corresponds to the third fan rpm, lower than the second fan rpm, to perform the first efficiency reduction process.

[41] The controller may control the compressor such that the frequency of the compressor corresponds to the second frequency in the efficiency maintaining operation, and the controller may control the compressor such that the frequency of the compressor corresponds to a third frequency, lower than the second frequency, in the first efficiency reducing operation.

[42] The efficiency enhancing operation may further include a laundry amount determining operation performed before the first efficiency enhancing operation, in which the controller determines the laundry amount while rotating the drum in the laundry amount determining operation.

[43] In the first efficiency reduction operation, the controller may adjust the third fan rpm to a value equal to the second fan rpm and adjust the third frequency to a value equal to the second frequency when the laundry amount determined in the laundry amount determination operation is equal to or greater than the reference value for the large amount.

[44] The method may further include an operation of determining a transition to an efficiency reduction process performed before the efficiency maintenance operation, in which the controller determines whether or not the rate of change of the measured value of the humidity sensor located in the air circulator for measuring the humidity of the air passing through the drum corresponds to the rate of change of the humidity during the transition to the efficiency reduction process in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency reduction process.

[45] The efficiency reduction operation may be performed when the rate of change of the measured value of the humidity sensor corresponds to the rate of change of the humidity when switching to the efficiency reduction process in the operation of determining the transition to the efficiency reduction process.

[46] The method may further include an operation of determining a transition to an efficiency reduction process, performed before the operation of maintaining efficiency, in which the controller determines whether or not the rate of change of the measured value of the evaporator sensor located in the fluid circulator for measuring the temperature of the fluid passing through the evaporator corresponds to the rate of change for the transition to the efficiency reduction process in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency reduction process.

[47] The efficiency reduction operation may be performed when the change rate of the measured value of the evaporator sensor reaches the change rate for transition to the efficiency reduction process in the efficiency reduction process transition determination operation.

[48] The method may further include an operation of determining a transition to an efficiency reduction process performed before the efficiency reduction operation, in which the controller determines whether or not the measured value of the electrode sensor disposed in the drum to measure the amount of moisture in contact with the laundry reaches the value of the electrode sensor when the transition to the efficiency reduction process occurs in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency reduction process, and the efficiency reduction operation may be performed when the measured value of the electrode sensor reaches the value of the electrode sensor when the transition to the efficiency reduction process occurs in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency reduction process.

[49] The efficiency enhancing operation may further include a laundry amount determining operation performed before the first efficiency enhancing operation, in which the controller determines the laundry amount while rotating the drum in the laundry amount determining operation.

[50] In the operation of determining the transition to the efficiency reduction process, the controller may determine whether or not the measured value of the electrode sensor reaches the value of the electrode sensor when the laundry amount determined in the operation of determining the laundry amount is equal to or greater than the reference value for a small amount.

[51] The efficiency reduction operation may further include a second efficiency reduction operation, in which, after the first efficiency reduction operation, the controller controls the first drive unit such that the drum RPM corresponds to a second drum RPM, below the first drum RPM, and controls the second drive unit such that the fan RPM corresponds to a fourth fan RPM, below the third fan RPM, to perform the second efficiency reduction process.

[52] The controller may control the compressor and the drive unit such that the rate of decrease in drying efficiency is greater in the first efficiency decrease operation than in the second efficiency decrease operation.

[53] The controller may control the compressor such that the frequency of the compressor corresponds to a third frequency in the first efficiency reduction operation, and the controller may control the compressor such that the frequency of the compressor corresponds to a fourth frequency, lower than the third frequency, in the second efficiency reduction operation.

[54] In the second efficiency reduction operation, the second drum RPM may have a value greater than 0, and the fourth fan RPM and the fourth frequency may correspond to 0, and therefore the driving of the fan and the compressor may be terminated.

[55] The efficiency reduction operation may further include an operation of determining a transition to a second efficiency reduction process, and in the operation of determining a transition to the second efficiency reduction process, the controller may determine whether or not a measured value of an electrode sensor provided in the drum for measuring an amount of moisture in contact with the laundry corresponds to a value of the electrode sensor when the transition to the second efficiency reduction process occurs within a preset observation time, when the laundry amount determined in the laundry amount determination operation is equal to or greater than a reference value for a small amount.

[56] The second efficiency reduction operation may be performed when the measured value of the electrode sensor corresponds to the value of the electrode sensor when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process during the observation time in the operation of determining shifting to the second efficiency reduction process.

[57] The controller may determine whether the duration of the first efficiency reduction operation is equal to or greater than the execution time of the first efficiency reduction operation when the laundry amount determined in the laundry amount determination operation is less than the reference value for a small amount in the operation of determining a transition to a second efficiency reduction process, and the second efficiency reduction operation may be performed when the duration of the first efficiency reduction operation is equal to or greater than the execution time of the first efficiency reduction operation in the operation of determining a transition to a second efficiency reduction process.

[58] In the second efficiency reduction operation, the controller may terminate the second efficiency reduction operation when the duration of the second efficiency reduction operation is equal to or greater than the execution time of the second efficiency reduction operation.

[59] In one example, a method for controlling a laundry treating device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an efficiency maintaining operation in which the controller performs an efficiency maintaining process to maintain the drying efficiency in the drum during the drying operation, and an efficiency reducing operation in which, after the efficiency maintaining operation, the controller performs an efficiency reducing process to reduce the drying efficiency during the drying operation.

[60] The controller may control the first drive unit such that the drum RPM corresponds to the first drum RPM, and control the second drive unit such that the fan RPM corresponds to the second fan RPM in the efficiency maintaining operation in the efficiency maintaining operation.

[61] The efficiency reduction operation may include a first efficiency reduction operation, and in the efficiency reduction operation, the controller may control the first drive unit such that the drum RPM corresponds to the first drum RPM, and control the second drive unit such that the fan RPM corresponds to the third fan RPM, lower than the second fan RPM, to perform the first efficiency reduction process.

Advantages of the invention

[62] Embodiments of the present invention may provide a method for controlling a laundry processing device that can efficiently perform a drying operation by dividing the laundry drying operation into a plurality of drying processes based on drying efficiency.

[63] In addition, embodiments of the present invention can provide a method for controlling a laundry processing device that can efficiently set a control strategy for each driving device even when a change in drying efficiency is not reflected in real time by dividing the laundry drying operation into a plurality of drying processes based on the behavioral tendency of the drying efficiency.

[64] In addition, embodiments of the present invention may provide a method for controlling a laundry processing device that can efficiently perform a drying operation by efficiently setting transition conditions for each of a plurality of drying processes constituting the laundry drying operation.

[65] In addition, embodiments of the present invention may provide a method for controlling a laundry processing device that can effectively improve energy efficiency by effectively operating each driving device for each of a plurality of processes included in a laundry drying operation.

Brief description of the drawings

[66] Fig. 1 is a view showing a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[67] Fig. 2 is a view showing the interior of a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[68] Fig. 3 is a view showing a fluid circulator and an air circulator of a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[69] Fig. 4 is a view showing the operating relationship between the fluid circulator and the air circulator in the laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[70] Fig. 5 is a graph showing a measured value of a humidity sensor in a laundry drying operation in a laundry processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[71] Fig. 6 is a graph showing the evaporation amount in the drum obtained as a result of the laundry drying operation in the laundry treating apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[72] Fig. 7 is a view showing a change in the amount of moisture in laundry obtained as a result of a drying operation of the laundry in a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[73] Fig. 8 is a view showing a change in drying efficiency obtained as a result of a laundry drying operation in a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[74] Fig. 9 is a graph showing a measured value of a compressor sensor in a laundry drying operation in a laundry processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[75] Fig. 10 is a graph showing a measured value of an electrode sensor in a laundry drying operation in a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[76] Fig. 11 is a graph showing a measured value of an evaporator sensor in a laundry drying operation in a laundry processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[77] Fig. 12 is a graph showing a change in the value of the sensor for transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process based on a change in the outside air temperature in the laundry treating device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[78] Fig. 13 is a graph showing changes in the operation of the drum, the fan, and the compressor in a laundry drying operation in a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in a normal load mode.

[79] Fig. 14 is a graph showing changes in the operation of a drum, a fan, and a compressor in a laundry drying operation in a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in a heavy load mode.

[80] Fig. 15 is a flow chart schematically illustrating a method for controlling a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[81] Fig. 16 is a flow chart specifically illustrating an efficiency enhancing operation in a method for controlling a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[82] Fig. 17 is a flow chart of a method specifically illustrating an efficiency reduction operation in a method for controlling a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[83] Fig. 18 is a flow chart specifically illustrating a method for controlling a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The best mode of carrying out the invention

[84] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention is described in detail in this document with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily implement the embodiment.

[85] However, the present invention can be implemented in various forms and is not limited to the embodiment described herein. In addition, in order to clearly describe the present invention, components that are not relevant to the description are omitted from the drawings. In addition, like reference numerals are assigned to like components throughout the detailed description.

[86] Duplicate descriptions of identical components are omitted from this document.

[87] In addition, it should be understood that when a component is referred to as "connected to" or "attached to" another component herein, it may be directly connected to or attached to the other component, or one or more intermediate components may be present. On the other hand, it should be understood that when a component is referred to as "directly connected to" or "directly attached to" another component herein, there are no other intermediate components.

[88] The terminology used in the detailed description is for the purpose of describing embodiments of the present invention only and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.

[89] When used in this document, singular forms include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[90] It should be understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and “including,” when used herein, indicate the presence of the features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described herein, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, or combinations thereof.

[91] In addition, in this detailed description, the term "and/or" includes a combination of a plurality of listed items or any one of a plurality of listed items. In this specification, "A or B" may include "A", "B", or "both A and B".

[92] Fig. 1 shows a laundry treating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 shows the inside of the laundry treating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[93] Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a laundry treating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a casing 10 and a drum 20. The casing 10 forms the appearance of the laundry treating device 1, and its shape can be varied.

[94] The control unit 30 may be located in the casing 10. At least a portion of the control unit 30 may be accessible from the outside of the casing 10, and the control unit 30 may be located above the front surface of the casing 10.

[95] The control unit 30 may include a display and a manipulation unit that can be manipulated by the user. The display may visually represent the operating state etc. of the laundry treating device 1. In addition, the display may further include a sound output unit that can output a sound and can inform the user regarding the operating state etc. of the laundry treating device 1 using the sound via the sound output unit.

[96] The manipulation unit may include a plurality of buttons or include a rotary control knob, a touch panel, etc., and a command input by the user through the manipulation unit may be transmitted to the controller 400. The controller 400, which controls the laundry processing device 1, may be provided in the control unit 30. The controller 400 may control the drive unit 300 and the fluid circulator 100, as described below.

[97] In one example, the laundry inlet 15 may be defined in the housing 10, and the laundry loading door 40 that opens and closes the laundry inlet 15 may be located on the housing 10. The laundry inlet 15 and the laundry loading door 40 may have different shapes at different locations on the housing 10.

[98] Fig. 1 shows a state in which the laundry inlet 15 and the laundry loading door 40 are respectively set and disposed on the front surface of the cabinet 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 discloses a laundry processing device 1 in the form of a front loader in which the laundry inlet 15 and the laundry loading door 40 are respectively set and disposed on the front surface of the cabinet 10, but a laundry processing device 1 with a top loader in which the laundry inlet 15 and the laundry loading door 40 are respectively set and disposed on the upper surface of the cabinet 10 is also possible.

[99] The drum 20 may be disposed in the casing 10. The drum 20 may be designed to be rotatable, and laundry may be placed in the drum 20. The drum 20 communicates with the laundry inlet 15, so that laundry introduced through the laundry inlet 15 may be placed in the drum 20.

[100] The drum 20 may have a cylindrical shape with a space defined therein, and one surface thereof may be open. The open surface may face the laundry inlet 15 of the casing 10. Therefore, the laundry introduced through the laundry inlet 15 may be placed in the drum 20 through the open surface of the drum 20.

[101] In one example, the drum 20 may include a pusher that can agitate the laundry by raising and lowering the laundry. A gasket for preventing penetration of laundry may be located between the inlet 15 for laundry of the casing 10 and the open surface of the drum 20.

[102] In one example, Fig. 2 shows an air circulator 200 located in a housing 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The air circulator 200 may include a predetermined flow channel along which air flows, and may include a fan 210 for flowing air.

[103] The air circulator 200 may be designed such that the air flowing inside the air circulator 200 circulates while passing through the drum 20. The air in the air circulator 200 may be heated while passing through the fluid circulator 100, which is described below. In other words, one embodiment of the present invention may correspond to the condensation device 1 for cleaning and processing.

[104] The air circulator 200 may include a section 240 for passing through the fluid circulator. The section 240 for passing through the fluid circulator may be designed to pass through at least a section of the fluid circulator 100 and may serve as a path along which the internal air is dried and heated when passing through the fluid circulator 100.

[105] The air circulator 200 may further include an air introduction section 220. The air introduction section 220 may correspond to an air passage that connects the section 240 of passing through the fluid circulator to the drum 20. The high-temperature, low-humidity air that passes through the section 240 of passing through the fluid circulator may flow along the air introduction section 220 and be supplied to the drum 20.

[106] The high-temperature, low-humidity air supplied to the drum 20 may come into contact with the laundry in the drum 20 or pass through the laundry. The moisture in the laundry may evaporate by means of the high-temperature, low-humidity air, and the air with increased humidity containing the evaporated moisture may be discharged from the drum 20.

[107] The air circulator 200 may further include an air discharge portion 230. The air discharge portion 230 may correspond to an air passage that connects the drum 20 with the fluid circulator passage portion 240. The air discharged from the drum 20 may flow along the air discharge portion 230 in order to reach the fluid circulator passage portion 240, then may be dried and heated while passing through the fluid circulator passage portion 240, and then pass through the air introduction portion 220 again in order to be supplied to the drum 20, so that drying of the laundry can continue.

[108] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the drive unit 300 may be designed to rotate the drum 20 and the fan 210. In other words, the drive unit 300 may be connected to the drum 20 and the fan 210 to provide a rotational force to the drum 20 and the fan 210.

[109] In one embodiment of the present invention, the drive unit 300 may consist of one electric motor or a plurality of electric motors. Fig. 2 shows the drive unit 300, including a first drive unit 310 connected to the drum 20, and a second drive unit 320 connected to the fan 210. The first drive unit 310 and the second drive unit 320 may correspond to electric motors that consume power in order to generate rotational forces.

[110] When the drive unit 300 includes the first drive unit 310 and the second drive unit 320, the first drive unit 310 and the second drive unit 320 may be in different operating states. For example, the controller 400 may be connected to the first drive unit 310 and the second drive unit 320 in such a way as to allow the RPM numbers of the first drive unit 310 and the second drive unit 320 to differ from each other, to allow one of the first drive unit 310 and the second drive unit 320 to operate, or to allow the rates of change of the RPM number of the first drive unit 310 and the second drive unit 320 to differ from each other.

[111] In one example, Fig. 3 shows a fluid circulator 100 and an air circulator 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 4 shows an operational relationship between the fluid circulator 100 and the air circulator 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[112] At least a portion of the fluid circulator 100 and the air circulator 200 may be disposed on a base disposed on a lower surface of the laundry treating device 1, and the fluid circulator 100 may circulate the fluid by repeating the endothermic process and the exothermic process.

[113] The fluid circulator 100 may include a condenser 110, a compressor 120, an expansion valve 140 and an evaporator 130, through which the fluid is circulated. Various types of fluids may be provided. The fluid may be compressed when passing through the compressor 120, then release heat to the outside when passing through the condenser 110, then undergo a pressure reduction when passing through the expansion valve 140 and then absorb heat from the outside when passing through the evaporator 130.

[114] In other words, the fluid in the fluid circulator 100 may repeat the circulation process by feeding into the compressor 120 again after completing the endothermic process and the exothermic process, by sequentially passing through the compressor 120, the condenser 110, the expansion valve 140 and the evaporator 130.

[115] The condenser 110 and the evaporator 130 of the fluid circulator 100 may be located in the section 240 passing through the fluid circulator of the air circulator 200. In other words, the air flowing along the section 240 passing through the fluid circulator in the air circulator 200 passes through the evaporator 130 and the condenser 110 of the fluid circulator 100.

[116] The temperature of the air in the air circulator 200 is reduced by the evaporator 130, which reduces the temperature of the air, and the moisture in the air is condensed and collected on the surface of the evaporator 130 and in the lower portion of the evaporator 130. As described above, the water generated by the evaporator 130 can be used for washing the inside of the laundry treating device 1, used during the drying operation, or discharged to the outside as needed.

[117] The air in the air circulator 200 may be heated by passing through the condenser 110, which increases the temperature of the air. The air heated after passing through the condenser 110 may be supplied to the drum 20 again. In other words, the air in the air circulator 200 may be subjected to an increase in humidity by passing the inside of the drum 20, then dehumidified by passing through the evaporator 130, further heated by passing through the condenser 110, and then supplied to the drum 20 again in a state of high temperature and low humidity. Fig. 4 conceptually shows the relationship between the fluid circulator 100 in which the fluid is circulated and the air circulator 200 in which the air is circulated.

[118] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the fluid circulator 100 may include a compressor sensor 150 that measures the temperature of the fluid discharged from the compressor 120. Fig. 3 shows the compressor sensor 150 located on the discharge flow channel of the compressor 120, and Fig. 4 conceptually shows the location of the compressor sensor 150 in the fluid circulator 100.

[119] The compressor sensor 150 may measure the temperature of the fluid discharged from the compressor 120. The compressor sensor 150 may be located in the compressor 120 or located on an outlet flow channel of the compressor 120 along which the fluid discharged from the compressor 120 flows.

[120] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may control the compressor 120 and the drive unit 300 so as to perform a drying operation for the laundry.

[121] The controller 400 may be provided in the control unit 30 or in the casing 10. The controller 400 may be connected to the control unit 30 to receive a command from the user, and may provide information regarding the actuation state to the user through the display of the control unit 30.

[122] The controller 400 may be connected to the fluid circulator 100 and the drive unit 300 in order to control the fluid circulator 100 and the drive unit 300. For example, the controller 400 may control the frequency at which the compressor 120 operates in the fluid circulator 100 or control the RPM of the drive unit 300.

[123] In one example, in the operation of drying laundry, the controller 400 may control the fluid circulator 100 and the driving unit 300 so as to perform a drying operation in which laundry is dried. The drying operation may be divided into a plurality of drying processes as described below, and the controller 400 may control the operating states of the fluid circulator 100 and the driving unit 300 based on each drying process.

[124] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the operation of drying the laundry may include an efficiency increasing process P10 for increasing the drying efficiency G3 in the drum 20, an efficiency maintaining process P20 for maintaining the drying efficiency G3, and an efficiency decreasing process P30 for decreasing the drying efficiency G3. In other words, one embodiment of the present invention may continue with the drying operation by dividing the operation of drying the laundry into a plurality of drying processes based on the drying efficiency G3.

[125] The drying efficiency G3 corresponds to the actual evaporation amount for the theoretical maximum evaporation amount that can occur in the drum 20. For the drying efficiency G3, the theoretical maximum evaporation amount can be calculated from the difference between the maximum absolute humidity for the current temperature of the air discharged from the drum 20 and the humidity amount of the air supplied to the drum 20, and the actual evaporation amount can be calculated from the difference between the actual absolute humidity of the air discharged from the drum 20 and the humidity amount of the air supplied to the drum 20.

[126] A case in which the drying operation continues for an excessively long time while the drying efficiency G3 is low, a case in which the power consumption of the driving unit 300, the compressor 120, etc. is set excessively although the drying efficiency G3 is the maximum that can be achieved in the current state, or a case in which the operating states of the driving unit 300, the compressor 120, etc. are controlled so as to maintain the drying efficiency G3 high despite the transition of the drying operation to the last part, are disadvantageous from the viewpoint of energy efficiency.

[127] In other words, in order to improve the energy efficiency of the laundry processing device 1, it is important to identify the change in the drying efficiency G3 in the laundry drying operation so as to effectively distinguish a plurality of drying processes, and to effectively control the drive unit 300, the compressor 120, etc. so as to provide proper drying efficiency G3 for each drying process.

[128] Fig. 6 is a graph showing the actual evaporation amount G1 in the drum 20 in the laundry drying operation according to the embodiment of the present invention. The horizontal axis of Fig. 6 represents time, and the vertical axis represents the actual evaporation amount G1. Referring to Fig. 6, the actual evaporation amount G1 due to the drying operation continuously increases at the beginning and the middle of the drying operation and then decreases in the latter part.

[129] It is obvious that the actual evaporation amount G1 decreases in the latter part of the drying operation because the moisture that can be evaporated under identical conditions directly decreases as the moisture in the laundry becomes equal to or less than a certain amount, and as the moisture of the laundry becomes equal to or less than a certain amount, so as to decrease the output of the drive unit 300 and the compressor 120 and thereby gradually decrease the temperature of the fluid and the air temperature.

[130] In one example, Fig. 7 is a graph showing the amount of G2 moisture of laundry in a laundry drying operation. The horizontal axis in Fig. 7 represents time, and the vertical axis represents the amount of G2 moisture. The graph in Fig. 7 is the result of calculating the amount of G2 moisture of laundry to the full load in the drum 20 as a ratio.

[131] Referring to Fig. 7, it can be noted that the amount of G2 moisture in the laundry decreases throughout the drying operation, but the rate of decrease in the amount of G2 moisture in the laundry increases from the beginning to the middle of the drying operation and then decreases again as the latter part continues.

[132] In other words, rapidly increasing the rate of decreasing the moisture amount G2 of the laundry at the beginning of the drying operation of the laundry is advantageous for improving the energy efficiency with an increase in the drying efficiency G3. In addition, flexibly decreasing the rate of decreasing the moisture amount G2 of the laundry at the last part of the drying operation is advantageous for improving the energy efficiency, since drying can be performed with an effective reduction in the power consumption of the drive unit 300 and the compressor 120.

[133] Fig. 8 is a graph showing the drying efficiency G3 calculated by the actual evaporation amount for the theoretical maximum evaporation amount that can occur in the drum 20 in the laundry drying operation according to the embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 8, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the drying efficiency G3.

[134] In one embodiment of the present invention, the drying operation may be divided into an efficiency enhancing process P10, an efficiency maintaining process P20, and an efficiency reducing process P30. The efficiency enhancing process P10 corresponds to the drying process for enhancing the drying efficiency G3.

[135] One embodiment of the present invention can reduce the total time required for a drying operation and improve energy efficiency by increasing the rate of change of the drying efficiency G3 through the efficiency improvement process P10 so as to reduce the time to achieve maximum drying efficiency.

[136] The efficiency maintaining process P20 is a drying process in which drying of the laundry is performed while maintaining the drying efficiency G3, which is rapidly increased by the efficiency increasing process P10. In reality, the efficiency maintaining process P20 can be performed while allowing the drying efficiency G3 to vary within a certain range as a result of changes in the outside air, the material of the laundry, the amount of laundry, etc.

[137] The laundry drying operation may reach a maximum region in which even when the temperature of the fluid in the fluid circulator 100 or the temperature of the air in the air circulator 200 is increased by controlling the drive unit 300 or the compressor 120, the drying efficiency G3 can no longer be increased under the corresponding conditions, or the amount of increase is insignificant.

[138] In one embodiment of the present invention, the efficiency maintenance process P20 is a process in which the drying efficiency G3 is maintained in a maximum region. The drying efficiency G3 in the efficiency maintenance process P20 may correspond to a value from a predetermined range instead of a specific value, and may be the maximum value in the corresponding condition or any value predetermined to replace the maximum value.

[139] One embodiment of the present invention can shorten the delay time for the drying efficiency G3 to reach the maximum value by rapidly increasing the drying efficiency G3 through the efficiency increasing process P10 and control the driving unit 300, the compressor 120, etc. without wasting unnecessary power through the efficiency maintaining process P20, so that the laundry can be dried while maintaining the maximum drying efficiency G3.

[140] In the efficiency reduction process P30, after the efficiency maintenance process P20, the moisture amount of the laundry becomes equal to or less than a certain level, so that the drying efficiency G3 gradually decreases even under identical conditions. One embodiment of the present invention can appropriately reduce the output of the driving unit 300 and the compressor 120 in the efficiency reduction process P30 and make it possible to complete the drying of the laundry with cooling of the fluid and air through the efficiency reduction process P30.

[141] The efficiency reduction process P30 is a drying process in which the drying efficiency G3 is reduced by reducing the moisture amount of the laundry itself, and is a drying process for completing the drying operation while minimizing the unnecessary power consumption of the drive unit 300 and the compressor 120 to improve the reduced drying efficiency G3.

[142] One embodiment of the present invention can divide the laundry drying operation into an efficiency increasing process P10, an efficiency maintaining process P20 and an efficiency decreasing process P30 based on the variation characteristics of the drying efficiency G3, and effectively adjust the drying efficiency G3 while minimizing unnecessary energy consumption so that it is suitable for each drying process, thereby effectively improving the energy efficiency.

[143] Returning to Figs. 2 and 4, in one embodiment of the present invention, the fluid circulator 100 may repeat the endothermic and exothermic processes as the fluid is circulated, and the air circulator 200 may further include a humidity sensor 250.

[144] The humidity sensor 250 can measure the humidity of the air passing through the drum 20. The humidity measured by the humidity sensor 250 corresponds to the absolute humidity, and the humidity sensor 250 can measure the air temperature together with the humidity.

[145] The humidity sensor 250 may be located in one of the air inlet section 220 or the air outlet section 230 of the air circulator 200. In addition, the humidity sensor 250 may be located in each of the air inlet section 220 and the air outlet section 230 of the air circulator 200.

[146] In other words, in one embodiment of the present invention, the humidity sensor 250 may measure the humidity of one of the air flowing into the drum 20 and the air flowing out of the drum 20, or measure the humidity of each of the air flowing into the drum 20 and the air flowing out of the drum 20.

[147] Figs. 2 and 4 show a state in which the humidity sensor 250 is disposed in each of the air introduction portion 220 and the air outlet portion 230 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In other words, the humidity sensor 250 includes a first humidity sensor 252 and a second humidity sensor 254. In addition, it is shown that the first humidity sensor 252 is disposed in the air introduction portion 220, and the second humidity sensor 254 is disposed in the air outlet portion 230.

[148] However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this. The humidity sensor 250 may include one of the first humidity sensor 252 and the second humidity sensor 254. For example, the humidity sensor 250 may be located in the air discharge section 230 in order to measure the humidity of the air discharged from the drum 20.

[149] The air introduction section 220 may be located near the compressor of the fluid circulator 100. Therefore, the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 may be unstable or unreliable due to the temperature of the compressor. Accordingly, in one embodiment of the present invention, the humidity sensor 250 may be located in the air discharge section 230 in order to measure the humidity of the air discharged from the drum 20.

[150] In one example, Fig. 5 shows a graph showing a humidity value corresponding to a measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 in a laundry drying operation according to one embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 5, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the humidity value G0.

[151] The measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 shown in Fig. 5 corresponds to the absolute humidity. The graph marked as "incoming" is the measured value of the first humidity sensor 252, which is located in the air introduction section 220 and measures the humidity of the air flowing into the drum 20. The graph marked as "outgoing" is the measured value of the second humidity sensor 254, which is located in the air outlet section 230 and measures the humidity of the air discharged from the drum 20. The deviation of the "incoming" and "outgoing" graphs in Fig. 5 may ultimately correspond to the graph of the amount of moisture evaporation shown in Fig. 6.

[152] In addition, as described above, in one embodiment of the present invention, the humidity sensor 250 may measure the air temperature so that the theoretical maximum evaporation amount at the corresponding temperature can be extracted.

[153] Thus, when the humidity sensor 250 includes the first humidity sensor 252 and the second humidity sensor 254, the controller 400 can extract the drying efficiency G3 of Fig. 8 from the measured values of the first humidity sensor 252 and the second humidity sensor 254.

[154] In addition, even when the humidity sensor 250 is composed of only one of the first humidity sensor 252 and the second humidity sensor 254, the controller 400 can extract the drying efficiency G3 corresponding to the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 based on the previously stored drying efficiency G3 graph.

[155] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may perform a drying operation while distinguishing the efficiency increasing process P10, the efficiency maintaining process P20, and the efficiency decreasing process P30 from each other using the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250.

[156] As described above, the measured value GO of the humidity sensor 250 may correspond to a main variable directly related to the drying efficiency G3, and therefore may represent the behavior of the drying efficiency G3 in the laundry drying operation.

[157] For example, the drying efficiency G3 may have a specific behavior in a laundry drying operation. The drying efficiency G3 at the time point of transition to the efficiency maintenance process P20 from the efficiency improvement process P10 or the transition to the efficiency reduction process P30 from the efficiency maintenance process P20 may have a different behavior than at other time points.

[158] In addition, similar to the drying efficiency G3, the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250, which is directly related to the drying efficiency G3, may also have a characteristic that is different from the characteristic at other time points at the time point of the transition to the efficiency maintenance process P20 from the efficiency increase process P10 or the transition to the efficiency decrease process P30 from the efficiency maintenance process P20.

[159] Accordingly, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may identify the switching time points between the efficiency increasing process P10, the efficiency maintaining process P20, and the efficiency decreasing process P30 and distinguish the drying processes from each other using the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250.

[160] Various schemes may be provided using the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250. For example, the controller 400 may determine whether or not the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 corresponds to a specific value corresponding to each time point of transition to each drying process, determine whether or not the rate of change of the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 corresponds to a specific rate of change corresponding to each time point of transition, and extract another index with the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 as a variable and use the index value.

[161] For example, as described below, the controller 400 may directly extract the drying efficiency G3 from the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 and determine whether or not the drying efficiency G3 corresponds to the corresponding time point of the drying efficiency W2 when switching to the efficiency maintenance process or the drying efficiency W6 when switching to the efficiency reduction process.

[162] One embodiment of the present invention uses the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250, thereby accurately and efficiently distinguishing a plurality of drying processes constituting the operation of drying laundry from each other. In addition, since efficient control of the compressor 120, the first driving unit 310 and the second driving unit 320 can be performed for each drying process distinguished as described above, energy efficiency can be efficiently improved.

[163] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may identify a time point for completing the efficiency improvement process P10 and a time point for transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process P20 using the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 in the efficiency improvement process P10.

[164] Referring to Fig. 5 and 8, in one embodiment of the present invention, as the efficiency improvement process P10 continues, the drying efficiency G3 gradually increases. When the drying efficiency G3 reaches the preset drying efficiency W2 when moving to the efficiency maintenance process, the controller 400 may terminate the efficiency improvement process P10 and perform the efficiency maintenance process P20.

[165] The drying efficiency W2 at the transition to the efficiency maintenance process may correspond to the efficiency maintenance value for the drying efficiency G3 maintained in the efficiency maintenance process P20, or may be strategically determined to be a value similar to it.

[166] In one example, the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 increases as a whole in the efficiency increase process P10 and in the efficiency maintenance process P20. In the controller 400, the humidity value at the time point of the transition to the efficiency maintenance process P20 may be preset as the value W1 of the humidity sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process.

[167] In this case, when the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 reaches the value W1 of the humidity sensor when switching to the efficiency maintenance process, the controller 400 may terminate the efficiency improvement process P10 and perform the efficiency maintenance process P20 even when the drying efficiency G3 is not extracted.

[168] By using the humidity sensor 250 as described above, the drying efficiency G3, which is a direct index that distinguishes a plurality of drying processes that make up a laundry drying operation from each other, can be directly extracted, or the drying processes can be distinguished from each other using the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250, which is closely related to the drying efficiency G3, so that switching to each drying process with high accuracy is possible.

[169] In particular, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 reaches the preset value W1 of the humidity sensor when moving to the efficiency maintenance process in the efficiency improvement process P10, the controller 400 may terminate the efficiency improvement process P10 and perform the efficiency maintenance process P20.

[170] As described above, the measured value of the humidity sensor 250 at the time point at which the drying efficiency G3 reaches the drying efficiency W2 when shifting to the efficiency maintenance process for shifting to the efficiency maintenance process P20 may be preset, and the measured value may be stored in advance in the controller 400 as the value W1 of the humidity sensor when shifting to the efficiency maintenance process.

[171] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 reaches the preset value W1 of the humidity sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process, the controller 400 may terminate the efficiency increasing process P10 and perform the efficiency maintenance process P20 identical to when the drying efficiency G3 transitions to the drying efficiency W2 when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process.

[172] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the humidity sensor 250 may include a first humidity sensor 252 that measures the humidity of air flowing into the drum 20 and a second humidity sensor 254 that measures the humidity of air flowing out of the drum 20, and the controller 400 may calculate the drying efficiency G3 from the measured values of the first humidity sensor 252 and the second humidity sensor 254 and complete the efficiency improvement process P10 and perform the efficiency maintenance process P20 when the drying efficiency G3 reaches the preset drying efficiency W2 when moving to the efficiency maintenance process.

[173] As described above, the humidity sensor 250 may include a first humidity sensor 252 in the air introduction portion 220 and a second humidity sensor 254 in the air outlet portion 230. In this case, the controller 400 can directly extract the drying efficiency G3 shown in Fig. 8 using the measured values of the first humidity sensor 252 and the second humidity sensor 254.

[174] Accordingly, when the first humidity sensor 252 and the second humidity sensor 254 are arranged, the controller 400 may calculate the drying efficiency G3 from the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 including the first humidity sensor 252 and the second humidity sensor 254, and perform the efficiency maintenance process P20 when completing the efficiency improvement process P10, when the drying efficiency G3 reaches the preset drying efficiency W2 when moving to the efficiency maintenance process.

[175] The drying efficiency W2 at the transition to the efficiency maintenance process may represent the maximum drying efficiency G3, relative to which the drying efficiency G3 can no longer be increased in the relevant environment, or a value strategically determined to correspond to it.

[176] In one embodiment of the present invention, the direct index for dividing the operation of drying the laundry into a plurality of drying processes corresponds to the drying efficiency G3. Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 directly extracts the drying efficiency G3 to distinguish the efficiency improving process P10 and the efficiency maintaining process P20 from each other, so that a very accurate distinction becomes possible.

[177] In one example, Fig. 9 is a graph showing a measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 in a laundry drying operation according to an embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 9, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the temperature of the fluid discharged from the compressor 120 as the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150.

[178] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 reaches the preset value V1 of the compressor sensor when moving to the efficiency maintenance process in the efficiency improvement process P10, the controller 400 may terminate the efficiency improvement process P10 and perform the efficiency maintenance process P20.

[179] In one embodiment of the present invention, even when the humidity sensor 250 fails or is removed, another measured value that may represent a specific drying efficiency state G3 may be used to separate the drying operation of the laundry.

[180] In particular, an embodiment of the present invention may identify a time point for completing the efficiency enhancing process P10 and moving to the efficiency maintaining process P20 using the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150. For example, one embodiment of the present invention may indicate the drying efficiency G3 for moving to the efficiency maintaining process P20 as the drying efficiency W2 when moving to the efficiency maintaining process and indicate the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 as the value VI of the compressor sensor when moving to the efficiency maintaining process in a state in which the drying efficiency G3 reaches the drying efficiency W2 when moving to the efficiency maintaining process.

[181] In other words, in one embodiment of the present invention, even when the direct identification of the drying efficiency G3 is omitted, when the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 reaches the preset value V1 of the compressor sensor when shifting to the efficiency maintenance process, the controller 400 can properly control the drive unit 300 and the compressor 120 by shifting to the efficiency maintenance process P20 when the efficiency improvement process P10 is completed.

[182] Referring to Fig. 9, it can be noted that the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 has a relatively linear change in the drying operation process. Therefore, it is advantageous to indicate the measured value for identifying the time point for transition to the efficiency maintenance process P20, which represents the drying efficiency G3. Fig. 9 shows the value VI of the compressor sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[183] In addition, in the efficiency improving process P10, the compressor 120 operates at a high frequency, as described below, to increase the fluid temperature of the fluid circulator 100 and the air temperature of the air circulator 200. Thus, in the efficiency improving process P10, the outlet temperature of the compressor 120 can become an index preferably representing changes in the temperature of the fluid circulator 100 and the air circulator 200.

[184] Therefore, from the point of view of accuracy, it is preferable to use the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 by replacing the drying efficiency G3 for the time point for completing the efficiency improvement process P10 and moving to the efficiency maintenance process P20.

[185] Finally, one embodiment of the present invention can use the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 arranged to control the fluid circulator 100, even in a situation in which the humidity sensor 250 fails to identify the condition to complete the efficiency improvement process P10 and move to the efficiency maintenance process P20 with high reliability.

[186] In one example, Fig. 4 schematically shows the location of the evaporator sensor 160 in the laundry treating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 11 shows a graph showing the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 in a laundry drying operation. In Fig. 11, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the temperature of the fluid discharged from the evaporator 130 as the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160.

[187] In one embodiment of the present invention, the fluid circulator 100 may further include an evaporator sensor 160 for measuring the temperature of the fluid flowing into and flowing out of the evaporator 130. The controller 400 may perform the efficiency maintenance process P20 when the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 reaches the preset value V2 of the evaporator sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process in a state in which the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 reaches the value V1 of the compressor sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process.

[188] The evaporator sensor 160 may be located in the inlet or outlet of the evaporator 130 to measure the temperature of the fluid passing through the evaporator 130. The evaporator sensor 160 may be located in the evaporator 130 or located in the inlet duct or the outlet duct of the evaporator 130.

[189] The evaporator sensor 160 may be located in one of the inlet duct and the outlet duct of the evaporator 130 or may be located in each of the inlet duct and the outlet duct of the evaporator 130. The graph shown in Fig. 11 shows the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 located in the outlet duct of the evaporator 130 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[190] In one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may terminate the efficiency enhancing process P10 and perform the efficiency maintaining process P20 when the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 reaches the evaporator sensor value V2 when transitioning to the efficiency maintaining process in a state in which the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 reaches the compressor sensor value V1 when transitioning to the efficiency maintaining process. The evaporator sensor value V2 when transitioning to the efficiency maintaining process may correspond to the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 when the drying efficiency G3 corresponds to the drying efficiency W2 when transitioning to the efficiency maintaining process.

[191] One embodiment of the present invention may set the value V1 of the compressor sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process and the value V2 of the evaporator sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process as transition conditions for transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process P20 to transition to the efficiency maintenance process P20, thereby further improving the accuracy by checking whether or not to transition to the efficiency maintenance process P20 multiple times.

[192] In addition, when the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 shows an abnormal behavior, or a failure of the compressor sensor 150 is identified, instead of determining the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150, the controller 400 may determine whether or not to proceed to the efficiency maintenance process P20 using the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160, thereby improving the stability of the drying operation.

[193] In other words, one embodiment of the present invention can use at least one of the measured value of the humidity sensor 250, the drying efficiency G3, the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150, and the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 with overlapping or replacement to distinguish a plurality of drying processes, thereby significantly improving the accuracy and stability.

[194] In one example, Fig. 2 schematically shows an outside air temperature sensor 50 located in a laundry treating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 12 shows a graph showing a measured value G4 of a compressor sensor 150 and a measured value G5 of an evaporator sensor 160 corrected based on a change in the outside air temperature according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[195] In Fig. 12, the horizontal axis represents the outside air temperature as the measured value G6 of the outside air temperature sensor 50, and the vertical axis corresponds to the correction values for the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 and the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160.

[196] Referring to Figs. 2 and 12, one embodiment of the present invention may further include an outside air temperature sensor 50 for measuring the temperature of the air outside the casing 10, and the controller 400 may adjust the value V1 of the compressor sensor when switching to the efficiency maintenance process and the value V2 of the evaporator sensor when switching to the efficiency maintenance process by larger values as the measured value G6 of the outside air temperature sensor 50 is higher.

[197] The outside air temperature sensor 50 may measure the temperature of the air outside the casing 10. The outside air temperature sensor 50 may be arranged such that at least a portion thereof is accessible from outside the casing 10, or may be arranged in the casing 10.

[198] Changes in the outside air may affect the density of the fluid, the operating state of the fluid circulator 100, the theoretical maximum evaporation amount which is a variable for the drying efficiency G3, and the like. Therefore, when the above-mentioned value V1 of the compressor sensor when switching to the efficiency maintenance process and the value V2 of the evaporator sensor when switching to the efficiency maintenance process are adjusted based on the state of the outside air, it becomes possible to more accurately determine the time point of switching to the efficiency maintenance process P20.

[199] In one example, in Fig. 12, the horizontal axis corresponds to the measured value G6 of the outside air temperature sensor 50, and the vertical axis corresponds to the temperature value. The measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 shown in Fig. 12 corresponds to the above-described value VI of the compressor sensor when switching to the efficiency maintenance process, and the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 corresponds to the above-described value V2 of the evaporator sensor when switching to the efficiency maintenance process.

[200] Referring to Fig. 12, an embodiment of the present invention may adjust the value V1 of the compressor sensor when switching to the efficiency maintenance process and the value V2 of the evaporator sensor when switching to the efficiency maintenance process by larger values as the outside air temperature increases.

[201] An increase in the outside air temperature may increase the above-mentioned theoretical maximum evaporation amount in the drum 20, and therefore the drying efficiency G3 may decrease. Accordingly, in order to achieve, through the drying efficiency G3, the preset drying efficiency W2 when switching to the efficiency maintenance process, it is necessary to adjust the value V1 of the compressor sensor when switching to the efficiency maintenance process and the value V2 of the evaporator sensor when switching to the efficiency maintenance process by larger values.

[202] One embodiment of the present invention can efficiently determine a transition time point to each drying process without adding a sensor using the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 or the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160, which can represent a specific value or a specific range of the drying efficiency G3, and can determine a highly reliable transition time point to the efficiency maintenance process P20 or a transition time point to the efficiency reduction process P30 despite changes in the outside air using the outside air temperature sensor 50. In addition, the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250, that is, the value W1 of the humidity sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process and the like, can be corrected using the measured value G6 of the outside air temperature sensor 50.

[203] Returning to Fig. 8, in one embodiment of the present invention, the laundry drying operation may include a first efficiency improving process P12 and a second efficiency improving process P14. In other words, the efficiency improving section may include the first efficiency improving process P12 and the second efficiency improving process P14 performed after the first efficiency improving process P12 is completed.

[204] The controller 400 may control the drive unit 300 and the fluid circulator 100, for example, the compressor 120, such that the rate of increase in the drying efficiency G3 is higher in the first efficiency increase process P12 than in the second efficiency increase process P14.

[205] In particular, the embodiment of the present invention can divide the efficiency improving process P10 into the first efficiency improving process P12 and the second efficiency improving process P14, quickly increase the temperature of the fluid circulator 100 in the first efficiency improving process P12, and stabilize the operating states of the fluid circulator 100 and the air circulator 200 in the second efficiency improving process P14, so as to ensure that the drying efficiency G3 can stably reach the drying efficiency W2 when shifting to the efficiency maintaining process.

[206] Referring to Fig. 8, it can be noted that the rate of increase in the drying efficiency G3 is higher in the first efficiency increasing process P12 than in the second efficiency increasing process P14. It can be noted that the drying efficiency G3 gradually reaches the drying efficiency W2 when moving to the efficiency maintaining process while showing a relatively low rate of increase in the second efficiency increasing process P14.

[207] The efficiency enhancing process P10 rapidly enhances the drying efficiency G3 so as to shorten the delay time before the time point of transition to the efficiency maintaining process P20 and further shorten the total time of the drying operation. However, when the second efficiency enhancing process P14 is omitted and the drying efficiency G3 rapidly enhances before transition to the efficiency maintaining process P20, after transition to the efficiency maintaining process P20, sudden changes in the operating states of the driving unit 300 and the compressor 120 may lead to instability of the circulation cycles of the fluid circulator 100 and the air circulator 200.

[208] Accordingly, unstable fluctuations in the G3 drying efficiency may occur during the transition to the P20 efficiency maintenance process, which may deteriorate the drying effect of the laundry throughout the P20 efficiency maintenance process.

[209] Therefore, one embodiment of the present invention can effectively ensure the overall stability of the execution of the drying operation of the laundry as the controller 4 00 executes the second efficiency improving process P14, which can give stability to the fluid circulator 100 and the air circulator 200, with an increase in the drying efficiency G3 that is more moderate than in the first efficiency improving process P12, after the first efficiency improving process P12 is executed to quickly improve the drying efficiency G3.

[210] The controller 400 controls the drive unit 300 and the fluid circulator 100 in different circuits to perform the drying operation while allowing a lower rate of increase in the drying efficiency G3 in the second efficiency increasing process P14 than the rate of increase in the drying efficiency G3 in the first efficiency increasing process P12.

[211] For example, as described below, the controller 400 may control the drive unit 300 such that the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 is higher in the second efficiency improvement process P14 than in the first efficiency improvement process P12, while maintaining the frequency G9 of the compressor 120.

[212] The G8 rpm of the fan 210 in the efficiency maintaining process P20 may be higher than the G8 rpm of the fan 210 in the efficiency improving process P10. Therefore, the G8 rpm of the fan 210 in the second efficiency improving process P14, which has a larger value than that in the first efficiency improving process P12, may reduce the rate of increasing the temperature of the fluid of the fluid circulator 100 and ultimately reduce the rate of increasing the drying efficiency G3. In addition, the G8 rpm of the fan 210 in the second efficiency improving process P14 may have a value relatively close to the G8 rpm of the fan 210 in the efficiency maintaining process P20, thereby contributing to the stability of the drying operation.

[213] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may execute the second efficiency improvement process P14 after executing the first efficiency improvement process P12 for a predetermined execution time T1 of the first efficiency improvement process.

[214] In other words, when the execution time T1 of the first efficiency improving process is preset and the laundry drying operation is performed, the controller 400 may proceed to the second efficiency improving process P14 after executing the first efficiency improving process P12 for the execution time T1 of the first efficiency improving process.

[215] In the first efficiency improving process P12, since the fluid circulator 100 and the air circulator 200 in the state of stopping the operation operate with the ability to quickly improve the drying efficiency G3, random fluctuations of the compressor sensor 150 or the evaporator sensor 160 may occur. Therefore, one embodiment of the present invention may execute the first efficiency improving process P12 for a predetermined time in order to promote the overall stabilization of the operation of the laundry treating device 1 and effectively execute the first efficiency improving process P12.

[216] However, if necessary, the drying efficiency G3 of the second efficiency improvement process P14 for switching to the second efficiency improvement process P14 may be determined, and the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 or the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 corresponding to the drying efficiency G3 of the second efficiency improvement process P14 may be used.

[217] In particular, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 reaches the preset value W3 of the humidity sensor when shifting to the second efficiency improving process, the controller 400 may terminate the first efficiency improving process and perform the second efficiency improving process. Fig. 5 shows the value W3 of the humidity sensor when shifting to the second efficiency improving process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[218] In one embodiment of the present invention, the drying efficiency W4 at the transition to the second efficiency improving process, previously set to complete the first efficiency improving process and to transition to the second efficiency improving process, may be determined. When the drying efficiency G3 is the drying efficiency W4 at the transition to the second efficiency improving process, the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 may be determined as the value W3 of the humidity sensor at the transition to the second efficiency improving process.

[219] In this case, when the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 reaches the preset value W3 of the humidity sensor when shifting to the second efficiency improvement process, the controller 4 00 can execute the second efficiency improvement process P14 when completing the first efficiency improvement process P12. The use of the humidity sensor 250 can be performed by distinguishing the first efficiency improvement process and the second efficiency improvement process from each other more accurately than when executing the first efficiency improvement process by using the predetermined execution time T1 of the first efficiency improvement process.

[220] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the humidity sensor 250 may include a first humidity sensor 252 and a second humidity sensor 254. The controller 400 may calculate the drying efficiency G3 from the measured values of the first humidity sensor 252 and the second humidity sensor 254 and may terminate the first efficiency improving process P12 and perform the second efficiency improving process P14 when the drying efficiency G3 reaches the preset drying efficiency W4 when moving to the second efficiency improving process.

[221] Fig. 8 shows the drying efficiency W4 in the transition to the second efficiency improving process, preset for the transition to the second efficiency improving process P14 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[222] As described above, the humidity sensor 250 may include the first humidity sensor 252 and the second humidity sensor 254. In this case, the controller 400 may extract the drying efficiency G3 from the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250. Therefore, when the drying efficiency G3 extracted from the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 reaches the drying efficiency W4 when moving to the second efficiency improving process, the controller 400 may terminate the first efficiency improving process P12 and perform the second efficiency improving process P14.

[223] Directly extracting the drying efficiency G3 and using the drying efficiency G3 to proceed to the second efficiency improvement process P14 can have very high reliability because the drying efficiency G3 is used, which is a direct index to distinguish the first efficiency improvement process P12 and the second efficiency improvement process P14 from each other.

[224] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, in the first efficiency improvement process P12, the increase rate of the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 may be greater than in the second efficiency improvement process P14. In other words, the controller 400 may control the drive unit 300 and the compressor 120 such that the increase rate of the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 in the first efficiency improvement process P12 is greater than the increase rate of the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 in the second efficiency improvement process P14.

[225] Fig. 9 shows the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 in the first efficiency increasing process P12 and in the second efficiency increasing process P14. The increase rate of the measured value may be the increase rate at the corresponding time point or may correspond to the average increase rate of each drying process. The average increase rate may be extracted from the difference between the measured value during the transition and the measured value at the time of completion of each drying process.

[226] In other words, in one embodiment of the present invention, the total amount of increase in the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 through the first efficiency improvement process P12 may be greater than the total amount of increase in the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 through the second efficiency improvement process P14.

[227] The controller 400 may control the drive unit 300 and the compressor 120 to ensure that the increase rate of the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 in the first efficiency improvement process P12 is greater than in the second efficiency improvement process P14. However, this does not necessarily mean that the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 in the first efficiency improvement process P12 is greater than in the second efficiency improvement process P14.

[228] For example, one embodiment of the present invention may vary the RPM number G8 of the fan 210 while maintaining the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 constant to allow a higher rate of increase in the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 in the first efficiency improvement process P12 than in the second efficiency improvement process P14.

[229] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the drying operation may further include an efficiency reduction process P30, which is performed after the efficiency maintenance process P20, as described above. The controller 400 may control the drive unit 300 and the compressor 120 such that the drying efficiency G3 in the efficiency reduction process P30 is lower than in the efficiency maintenance process P20.

[230] For example, the controller 400 may reduce at least one of the RPM of the drive unit 300 or the frequency G9 of the compressor 120, at least in a portion of the efficiency reduction process P30, so as to allow a lower drying efficiency G3 of the efficiency reduction process P30 than in the efficiency maintenance process P20.

[231] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may identify a time point for completing the efficiency maintenance process P20 and a time point for transitioning to the efficiency reduction process P30 using the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250.

[232] For example, the controller 400 may determine whether or not the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 corresponds to the preset value of the humidity sensor 250 for switching to the efficiency reduction process, and may determine whether or not the drying efficiency G3 calculated from the humidity sensor 250 corresponds to the preset drying efficiency W6 when switching to the efficiency reduction process.

[233] The scheme using the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 can be varied as necessary, and therefore the characteristics of the humidity sensor 250 can also be varied. One embodiment of the present invention can effectively identify the time point of completing the efficiency improvement process P10 and the time point of transition to the efficiency reduction process P30 using the measured value of the humidity sensor 250, which is a direct index for extracting the drying efficiency G3.

[234] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the rate of change of the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 reaches a preset rate of change of humidity W5 when shifting to the efficiency reduction process, the controller 400 may terminate the efficiency maintenance process P20 and perform the efficiency reduction process P30. Fig. 5 shows the rate of change of humidity W5 when shifting to the efficiency reduction process, preset according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[235] In particular, when the moisture amount of the laundry becomes equal to or lower than a certain level, the drying efficiency G3 becomes naturally reduced even under identical conditions. The present invention can appropriately control the drive unit 300 and the fluid circulator 100 by distinguishing such a process of reducing the drying efficiency G3 as a process of reducing the efficiency P30.

[236] As described above, in the efficiency reduction process P30, since the moisture evaporation amount of the laundry decreases, the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 shown in Fig. 5 also gradually decreases. Therefore, the change rate of the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 can become an index representing the transition time point to the efficiency reduction process P30.

[237] The rate W5 of change in humidity during the transition to the efficiency reduction process can be set in various ways as needed. In Fig. 5, the rate W5 of change in humidity during the transition to the efficiency reduction process is marked on the measured value of the humidity sensor 250 of the air discharged from the drum 20. The rate W5 of change in humidity during the transition to the efficiency reduction process is marked as having a negative value.

[238] However, such a rate of change of humidity W5 during the transition to the process of decreasing efficiency can have not only a negative value, but also 0 or a positive value, which can be strategically determined in different ways as needed. By using the rate of change of humidity, it becomes possible to more accurately identify the time point of the transition to the process of decreasing efficiency P30.

[239] In one example, the humidity sensor 250 may include a first humidity sensor 252 and a second humidity sensor 254. The controller 400 may calculate the drying efficiency G3 from the measured values of the first humidity sensor 252 and the second humidity sensor 254 and complete the efficiency maintenance process P20 and perform the efficiency reduction process P30 when the drying efficiency G3 reaches the preset drying efficiency W6 when moving to the efficiency reduction process.

[240] In this case, since the drying efficiency G3, which is a criterion for distinguishing the efficiency maintaining process P20 and the efficiency reducing process P30 from each other, is directly calculated, the controller 400 can clearly identify the time point of transition to the efficiency reducing process P30, which is advantageous. Fig. 8 shows the drying efficiency W6 in the transition to the efficiency reducing process corresponding to the transition condition to the efficiency reducing process P30 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[241] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the rate of change of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 reaches a preset rate of change V3 for transition to the efficiency reduction process, the controller 400 may terminate the efficiency maintenance process P20 and perform the efficiency reduction process P30. Fig. 11 shows a graph labeled with the rate of change V3 for transition to the efficiency reduction process.

[242] When the moisture amount of the laundry becomes equal to or less than a certain amount in the efficiency maintenance process P20, the amount of humidity of the air discharged from the drum 20 begins to decrease. Accordingly, the amount of water condensed in the evaporator 130 also decreases. In addition, as the amount of humidity decreases, the heat absorption amount of the fluid in the evaporator 130, which absorbs heat by the process of condensing water, also decreases, resulting in a decrease in temperature.

[243] In other words, the time point at which the rate of change of the temperature of the fluid discharged from the evaporator 130, measured by the evaporator sensor 160, has a negative value or the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 at the corresponding time point, may represent a time point of transition to the efficiency reduction section, in which the drying efficiency G3 decreases as the drying of the laundry continues above a certain level.

[244] The temperature of the fluid passing through the evaporator 130 may vary due to various factors. However, in the efficiency reduction process P30, the increase and decrease of the temperature of the fluid of the evaporator 130 relatively accurately reflects the change in the humidity value. Thus, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the rate of change of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 reaches the preset rate of change V3 for switching to the efficiency reduction process, the efficiency reduction process P30 can be performed by the controller 4 00.

[245] However, the rate of change V3 for transition to the efficiency reduction process is not necessarily limited to a negative value. Even 0 or a positive value close to 0 for the slope of the graph of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 can be determined as the rate of change V3 for transition to the efficiency reduction process as needed.

[246] In addition, referring to Fig. 11, an instantaneous change in the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 may occur due to various reasons. Accordingly, the graph of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 microscopically includes noise. One embodiment of the present invention can remove the noise using various schemes and identify the rate of change of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160.

[247] For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 4 00 may extract an average value for each section of the block for the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 and may determine whether or not the rate of change of the average value corresponds to the rate of change V3 for entering the efficiency reduction process.

[248] Such an average scheme may be advantageous in removing the insignificant variation measured in the measured value of G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 and extracting the practically significant measured value and rate of change.

[249] In one example, in the efficiency reduction process P30, a decrease in the temperature of the fluid circulator 100 occurs due to the evaporator 130. Thus, one embodiment of the present invention can determine the efficiency reduction process P30 with excellent reliability using the rate of change of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 representing the temperature change in the efficiency reduction process P30, by replacing the drying efficiency G3.

[250] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may terminate the efficiency maintenance process P20 and perform the efficiency reduction process P30 when the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 reaches the preset value V4 of the compressor sensor when transitioning to the efficiency reduction process. Fig. 9 shows a graph labeled with the value V4 of the compressor sensor when transitioning to the efficiency reduction process.

[251] In the fluid circulator 100, as the fluid circulates through the evaporator 130 and the compressor 120, the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 may exhibit a similar behavior to the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160. For example, as shown in Fig. 9, the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 exhibits a decreasing behavior when moving to the efficiency reduction process P30.

[252] Therefore, the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 becomes having a specific value at the time point of transition to the efficiency reduction process P30. One embodiment of the present invention may set the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 at the time point of transition to the efficiency reduction process P30 to be equal to the value V4 of the compressor sensor when transitioning to the efficiency reduction process.

[253] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the drum 20 comprises an electrode sensor 25 for measuring the amount of moisture, which is in contact with the laundry. The controller 400 may terminate the efficiency maintenance process P20 and perform the efficiency reduction process P30 when the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 reaches the preset value V5 of the electrode sensor when moving to the efficiency reduction process.

[254] In other words, one embodiment of the present invention includes a drum 20 rotatably disposed in a casing 10 and including an electrode sensor 25 for measuring a moisture amount of laundry placed therein, and a fluid circulator 100 including a condenser 110, a compressor 120 and an evaporator 130 along which a fluid circulates. The drying operation includes an efficiency maintenance process P20 for maintaining a drying efficiency G3 in the drum 20 and an efficiency reduction process P30 for reducing the drying efficiency G3. The controller 400 may terminate the efficiency maintenance process P20 and perform the efficiency reduction process P30 when the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 reaches a preset value V5 of the electrode sensor when moving to the efficiency reduction process.

[255] In particular, the electrode sensor 25 may be disposed in the drum 20, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to measure the amount of moisture of the laundry placed in the drum 20. For example, the electrode sensor 25 may include a pair of electrodes and may measure the amount of moisture of the laundry by analyzing conductivity characteristics generated in the pair of electrodes when in contact with the laundry.

[256] Fig. 10 shows a graph indicating a measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 in a laundry drying operation in one embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 10, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis is the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 and is related to the moisture amount of the laundry. The measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 may correspond to a resistance value measured in a state in which a current flows in the presence of moisture.

[257] For example, the lower the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 in Fig. 10, the higher the amount of moisture in the laundry, and the higher the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25, the lower the amount of moisture in the laundry.

[258] The measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 shows slight fluctuations when the moisture amount of the laundry is equal to or greater than a certain amount, and shows an increasing behavior as the moisture amount of the laundry becomes less than a certain amount.

[259] In one embodiment of the present invention, the time point at which the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 increases is similar to the time point at which the rate of change of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 corresponds to the rate of change V3 for transition to the efficiency reduction process. Therefore, one embodiment of the present invention may determine that the efficiency reduction process P30 starts when the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 increases and reaches the drying efficiency G3 when transition to the efficiency reduction process or the value V5 of the electrode sensor when transition to the efficiency reduction process representing the rate of change V3 for transition to the efficiency reduction process.

[260] One embodiment of the present invention can determine the efficiency reduction process P30 and control the drive unit 300, the compressor 120, etc. by using the electrode sensor 25 and the temperature sensor, which can be widely used for the operation of the laundry treating device 1, thereby effectively improving the energy efficiency.

[261] In this regard, one embodiment of the present invention may use at least one of the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250, the drying efficiency G3, the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150, the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160, and the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 with overlapping or replacement, thereby effectively switching to the efficiency reduction process P30 in various situations.

[262] In one example, an embodiment of the present invention may use measured values from various sensors together to more reliably determine the transition time point to the P30 efficiency degradation process.

[263] In particular, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the change rate of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 reaches the preset change rate V3 for transition to the efficiency reduction process, or the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 reaches the preset value V4 of the compressor sensor when transitioning to the efficiency reduction process in a state in which the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 reaches the value V5 of the electrode sensor when transitioning to the efficiency reduction process, the controller 4 00 may terminate the efficiency maintenance process P20 and perform the efficiency reduction process P30.

[264] In this regard, one embodiment of the present invention may determine a time point of transition to the P30 efficiency decline process using measured values measured by a plurality of sensors in several ways, thereby increasing the accuracy and robustness of the determination of the P30 efficiency decline process.

[265] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the drying operation may include a laundry amount determination process P11 in which the controller 400 controls the drive unit 300 so as to rotate the drum 20 and determines the amount of laundry in the drum 20.

[266] The laundry amount determination process P11 is a process for determining the amount of laundry placed in the drum 20. The controller 400 may control the drive unit 300 so as to determine the amount of laundry in the drum 20 while rotating the drum 20 in a preset pattern.

[267] For example, the driving unit 300 may rotate the drum 20 at a preset rpm in one direction and the other direction, and the controller 400 may determine the amount of laundry by identifying the counter electromotive force or the like of the driving unit 300 generated during the rotation, and stop the processes of the drum 20.

[268] The laundry amount identified through the laundry amount determination process P11 can be used in various schemes. Specifically, the controller 400 can execute the efficiency reduction process P30 when the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 reaches the value V5 of the electrode sensor when shifting to the efficiency reduction process, in a case in which the laundry amount is equal to or greater than a preset reference value for a small amount.

[269] The electrode sensor 25 may be disposed on the drum 20 to measure the amount of moisture of the laundry in contact with the laundry, and may be disposed in the region of the inner surface of the drum 20. For example, the electrode sensor 25 may be disposed near the front portion of the drum 20, i.e., the open surface of the drum 20.

[270] When the drum 20 rotates in the drying operation, the laundry tends to move in such a way that it is distributed to one side of the drum 20. In general, when the drum 20 rotates, the laundry may tend to move toward the front portion of the drum 20, i.e., toward the open surface of the drum 20.

[271] Based on such a tendency for the laundry to move, the electrode sensor 25 may be disposed near the open surface of the drum 20 to cause contact with the laundry. However, when the amount of laundry is equal to or less than a certain level, contact between the contact sensor and the laundry may not be established or may be unstable despite the tendency for the laundry to move.

[272] Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention sets the laundry amount at which the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 becomes unreliable, by means of a relationship based on poor contact between the electrode sensor 25 and the laundry, in advance as a reference value for a small amount. The measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 shown in Fig. 10 is a value measured with the laundry amount equal to or greater than the reference value for a small amount.

[273] The reference value for a small amount may be set by identifying a change in the behavior of the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 based on the amount of laundry. For example, when the maximum amount of laundry accommodated in the drum 20 is determined to be 16 kg according to calculation, a 3-kg load may be set as the reference value for a small amount when the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 cannot correspond to a change in the moisture amount of the laundry, with the amount of laundry equal to or less than 3 kg. However, different specific values may be provided for the maximum amount of laundry or the reference value for a small amount.

[274] One embodiment of the present invention can determine a time point of transition to the efficiency reduction process P30 using the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 in a state in which the controller 400 identifies that the laundry amount is equal to or greater than a reference value for a small amount, thereby effectively increasing the reliability of determining the conditions for transition to the efficiency reduction process P30 using the electrode sensor 25.

[275] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the amount of laundry is less than the reference value for a small amount, the controller 400 may terminate the efficiency maintenance process P20 and perform the efficiency reduction process P30 when the rate of change of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 reaches the preset rate of change V3 for switching to the efficiency reduction process, or the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 reaches the preset value V4 of the compressor sensor when switching to the efficiency reduction process.

[276] As described above, when the laundry amount is less than the reference value for a small amount, determining the transition time point to the efficiency reduction process P30 using the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 may have low reliability and efficiency. Therefore, one embodiment of the present invention can determine the transition time point to the efficiency reduction process P30 using the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 or the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 when the laundry amount is less than the reference value for a small amount.

[277] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the efficiency reduction process P30 may include a first efficiency reduction process P32 and a second efficiency reduction process P34 performed after the first efficiency reduction process P32 is completed. The controller 4 00 may control the drive unit 300 and the compressor 120 such that the rate of reduction of the drying efficiency G3 in the first efficiency reduction process P32 is lower than in the second efficiency reduction process P34.

[278] Fig. 8 shows the first efficiency reduction process P32 and the second efficiency reduction process P34 and shows that the rate of reduction of the drying efficiency G3 in the first efficiency reduction process P32 is lower than the rate of reduction of the drying efficiency G3 in the second efficiency reduction process P34.

[279] Unlike the P20 efficiency maintenance process, the P30 efficiency reduction process is a drying process in which the G3 drying efficiency naturally decreases as the moisture content of the laundry becomes equal to or less than a certain level. Therefore, the P30 efficiency reduction process may correspond to the latter part of the drying process of the laundry and may mean that the drying of the laundry progresses beyond a certain level.

[280] However, referring to Fig. 7, even when the efficiency reduction process P30 starts, the moisture of the laundry still exists, so it is necessary to continue the drying operation. Therefore, even when the drying efficiency reduction G3 occurs, it is necessary to continuously remove the moisture from the laundry by continuing the drying.

[281] In one embodiment of the present invention, the efficiency reduction process P30 may include a first efficiency reduction process P32 in which the drying efficiency G3 gradually decreases and the drying of the laundry continues above a certain level, and a second efficiency reduction process P34 that prepares for the completion of the operation of the fluid circulator, the air circulator 200, etc. and performs a cooling process after the first efficiency reduction process P32.

[282] One embodiment of the present invention may perform a first efficiency reduction process P32 in which the drying of the laundry continues in such a manner that the drying operation of the laundry can be fully performed even in the efficiency reduction process P30, and perform a second efficiency reduction process P34 in which the air and fluid cooling process and the preparation process for completing the operation of each driving device are performed after the first efficiency reduction process P32, thereby performing an efficient drying operation based on the change in the drying efficiency G3.

[283] The controller 400 may control the driving unit 300, the compressor 120, etc. so as to execute the first efficiency reduction process P32 and the second efficiency reduction process P34. The control strategies of the driving unit 300, the compressor 120, etc. in the first efficiency reduction process P32 and in the second efficiency reduction process P34 may be different.

[284] For example, the controller 400 may allow the output of the driving unit 300 and the compressor 120 to be lower in the first efficiency reduction process P32 than in the efficiency maintenance process P20, and allow the output of the driving unit 300 and the compressor 120 to be lower in the second efficiency reduction process P34 than in the first efficiency reduction process P32, or terminate the output of the driving unit 300 and the compressor 120. Accordingly, the controller 400 may control the driving unit 300, the compressor 120, etc. such that the rate of reduction of the drying efficiency G3 is lower in the second efficiency reduction process P34 than the rate of reduction of the drying efficiency G3 in the first efficiency reduction process P32.

[285] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may determine a time point for completing the first efficiency reduction process P32 and a time point for transitioning to the second efficiency reduction process P34 using the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250.

[286] For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 reaches the preset value W7 of the humidity sensor when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process in the first efficiency reduction process P32, the controller 400 may terminate the first efficiency reduction process P32 and perform the second efficiency reduction process P34. Fig. 5 shows the value W7 of the humidity sensor when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process, preset according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[287] In the first efficiency reduction process P32, the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 is continuously reduced, as shown in Fig. 5, by reducing the amount of evaporation of moisture of the laundry and the control strategies of the driving unit 300 and the fluid circulator 400. Accordingly, the measured value G0 of the humidity sensor 250 can become an index representing the time point of transition to the second efficiency reduction process P34.

[288] The value W7 of the humidity sensor at the transition to the second efficiency reduction process can be set in various ways as necessary. Fig. 5 shows the value W7 of the humidity sensor at the transition to the second efficiency reduction process, marked on the measured value of the humidity sensor 250 of the air discharged from the drum 20.

[289] In one example, the humidity sensor 250 may include a first humidity sensor 252 and a second humidity sensor 254, and the controller 400 may calculate a drying efficiency G3 from the measured values of the first humidity sensor 252 and the second humidity sensor 254 and terminate the first efficiency reduction process P32 and perform the second efficiency reduction process P34 when the drying efficiency G3 reaches the preset drying efficiency W8 when moving to the second efficiency reduction process.

[290] In this case, since the drying efficiency G3, which is a criterion for distinguishing the first efficiency reduction process P32 and the second efficiency reduction process P34 from each other, is directly calculated, the controller 4 00 can clearly identify the time point of transition to the second efficiency reduction process P34, which is advantageous. Fig. 8 shows the drying efficiency W8 when transitioning to the second efficiency reduction process corresponding to the transition condition to the second efficiency reduction process P34 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[291] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 in the first efficiency reduction process P32 corresponds to the preset value V6 of the electrode sensor when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process during the preset observation time T4, the controller 400 may terminate the first efficiency reduction process P32 and perform the second efficiency reduction process P34. Fig. 10 shows a graph of the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25, which indicates the value V6 of the electrode sensor when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process and the observation time T4.

[292] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transition to the second efficiency reduction process P34 may be performed using the electrode sensor 25. Since the electrode sensor 25 measures the amount of moisture remaining in the laundry, it is advantageous in determining the time point of completion of the first efficiency reduction process P32, at which the drying of the laundry is substantially complete.

[293] For example, the drying efficiency G3 in a state in which moisture of the laundry is removed sufficiently to complete drying may be set as the drying efficiency W8 when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process, and the time point at which the current drying efficiency G3 reaches the drying efficiency W8 when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process may be identified by determining a graph of the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25.

[294] In one example, as shown in Fig. 10, in the electrode sensor 25, it is difficult to measure the fluctuation of the resistance value in a state in which the moisture amount of the laundry is too large, so that the measured value G10 appears to be almost constant. Even in a state in which the moisture amount of the laundry is too small, it is difficult to measure the fluctuation of the resistance value, so that the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 appears to be almost constant.

[295] Taking into account such characteristics of the electrode sensor 25, when the drying efficiency G3 decreases such that it is equal to or lower than a certain level in the efficiency reduction process P30, the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 does not show a fluctuation sufficient to distinguish the second efficiency reduction process P34. Thus, one embodiment of the present invention can determine the time point of transition to the second efficiency reduction process P34 from the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 by reflecting the observation time T4.

[296] For example, when the drying efficiency G3 in a state in which the moisture of the laundry is removed sufficiently to complete the first efficiency reduction process P32 is set as the drying efficiency W8 of the transition to the second efficiency reduction process, even when the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 already reaches the maximum value or a preset specific value before the current drying efficiency G3 reaches the drying efficiency W8 of the transition to the second efficiency reduction process, a time required for the drying efficiency G3 to reach the drying efficiency of the transition to the second efficiency reduction process after reaching the specific value may be specified. The embodiment of the present invention may determine such a time required as the observation time T4 in advance, and reflect the observation time T4 in the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25, thereby determining the time point of the transition to the second efficiency reduction process P34.

[297] In other words, one embodiment of the present invention may set a maximum value measurable by the electrode sensor 25 or a specific value that may be the same value as the electrode sensor value V6 when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process, and determine a time point at which the observation time T4 has elapsed after the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 reaches the electrode sensor value V6 when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process as a time point of shifting to the second efficiency reduction process P34.

[298] When the observation time T4 elapses after the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 reaches the value V6 of the electrode sensor when the second efficiency reduction process is switched to, the drying efficiency G3 may already reach the drying efficiency W8 when the second efficiency reduction process is switched to.

[299] As described above, one embodiment of the present invention can determine the time point of transition to the second efficiency reduction process P34 through the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25, which can directly indicate the moisture amount of the laundry, so that reliability can be improved. In addition, even in a situation in which the moisture amount of the laundry is outside the measurable range of the electrode sensor 25, the time point of transition to the second efficiency reduction process P34 can be effectively identified by introducing the observation time T4.

[300] In one example, when the laundry amount identified in the laundry amount determination process P11 is equal to or greater than a preset reference value for a small amount, one embodiment of the present invention can ensure the reliability of determining the transition time point to each drying process using the electrode sensor 25 as described above.

[301] In other words, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the laundry amount is equal to or greater than a preset reference value for a small amount, the controller 400 may execute the second efficiency reduction process P34 when the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 reaches the value V6 of the electrode sensor when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process.

[302] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the amount of laundry is less than the reference value for a small amount, the controller 400 may execute the second efficiency reduction process P34 after executing the first efficiency reduction process P32 for a preset execution time T2 of the first efficiency reduction process.

[303] For example, when the amount of laundry in the drum 20 is less than the reference value for a small amount, and therefore the reliability of the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 decreases, one embodiment of the present invention may determine a time point of transition to the efficiency reduction process P30 using the measured value G4 of the evaporator sensor 160 or the compressor sensor 150, as described above.

[304] In addition, based on the change in the drying efficiency G3, the time required from the time point of transition to the efficiency reduction process P30 to the time point of transition to the second efficiency reduction process P34 can be set as the execution time T2 of the first efficiency reduction process in advance, so that the time point of transition to the second efficiency reduction process P34 can be effectively determined even when it is difficult to use the electrode sensor 25.

[305] Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention can effectively perform the first efficiency reduction process P32 and the second efficiency reduction process P34, which differ based on the drying efficiency G3, even without additional inclusion of an expensive sensor or the like.

[306] In one example, the controller 400 may execute the second efficiency reduction process P34 for a predetermined second efficiency reduction process execution time T3 after executing the first efficiency reduction process P32.

[307] The second efficiency reduction process P34 is a drying process for completing the working cycle of each component of the laundry treatment device 1 and performing the cooling process. Thus, instead of being performed based on the change in the drying efficiency G3 and the like, the second efficiency reduction process P34 may be terminated after performing the second efficiency reduction process for a preset time T3.

[308] The time T3 for performing the second efficiency reduction process may be defined in various ways as a period during which the cooling of the fluid of the fluid circulator 100 or the air of the air circulator 200 ends when the temperature of the said becomes equal to or less than a predetermined level, and the actuation of each actuation device is stably completed.

[309] In one example, Figs. 13 and 14 show graphs showing changes in the RPM number G7 of the drum 20, the RPM number G8 of the fan 210, and the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 in each drying process of the drying operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[310] In Fig. 13 and 14, the horizontal axis corresponds to time, and the vertical axis corresponds to the numbers G7 and G8 of revolutions per minute of the drum 20 and the fan 210 and the frequency (Hz) G9 of the compressor.

[311] Fig. 13 corresponds to a case in which the amount of laundry in the drum 20 is less than a preset reference value for a large amount, and Fig. 14 corresponds to a case in which the amount of laundry in the drum 20 is equal to or greater than the reference value for a large amount.

[312] In other words, Fig. 13 corresponds to the normal load mode based on the amount of laundry, and Fig. 14 corresponds to the heavy load mode. The details of the normal load mode and the heavy load mode are described below.

[313] Referring to Figs. 13 and 14, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may control the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 such that it is higher in the efficiency enhancing process P10 than in the efficiency maintaining process P20.

[314] The efficiency enhancing process P10 is a drying process that requires a rapid increase in the drying efficiency G3. Therefore, the temperature of the fluid of the fluid circulator 100 must be increased rapidly. Accordingly, the controller 400 can control the compressor 120 such that the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 in the efficiency enhancing process P10 is higher than in the efficiency maintaining process P20.

[315] In one example, the controller 400 may control the drive unit 300 such that the G8 rpm of the fan 210 in the first efficiency improvement process P12 is lower than in the second efficiency improvement process P14.

[316] In the efficiency improving process P10, the first efficiency improving process P12 corresponds to a process of rapidly increasing the temperature of the fluid of the fluid circulator 100. The second efficiency improving process P14 may be performed in order to stabilize the working cycles of the fluid circulator 100 and the air circulator 200 with a relatively moderate increase in the temperature of the fluid.

[317] Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention may reduce the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 to reduce the amount of heat transferred from the fluid of the fluid circulator 100 to the air of the air circulator 200 in the first efficiency improvement process P12, and may control the fan 210 at a higher rpm number than the rpm number in the second efficiency improvement process P14, so that the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 in the second efficiency improvement process P14 is identical to the rpm number in the efficiency maintenance process P20.

[318] In this regard, one embodiment of the present invention can control the drive unit 300 based on the characteristics of the first efficiency improving process P12 and the second efficiency improving process P14, thereby more efficiently performing the efficiency improving process P10 and effectively improving the energy efficiency.

[319] In one example, the controller 400 may control the compressor 120 such that the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 is constant in the efficiency improvement process P10. In other words, the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 may be maintained identical in the first efficiency improvement process P12 and in the second efficiency improvement process P14.

[320] For the fluid circulator 100, the stabilization time based on the fluctuation of the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 is important. Therefore, one embodiment of the present invention can control the rate of change of the drying efficiency G3 by changing the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 while maintaining the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 despite changes in the first efficiency improving process P12 and the second efficiency improving process P14, thereby effectively performing the efficiency improving process P10.

[321] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the drive unit 300 may include a first drive unit 310 rotating the drum 20 and a second drive unit 320 rotating the fan 210. Figs. 2-4 show the drive unit 300 including the first drive unit 310 rotating the drum 20 and the second drive unit 320 rotating the fan 210.

[322] The operation of the first drive unit 310 and the second drive unit 320 may be controlled by the controller 400 and may be controlled independently of each other. For example, the controller 400 may control only one of the first drive unit 310 and the second drive unit 320, may control the RPM numbers of the first drive unit 310 and the second drive unit 320 such that they differ from each other, and may control the rates of change of the RPM number of the first drive unit 310 and the second drive unit 320 such that they differ from each other.

[323] Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention can control the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 and the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 required in each drying process independently of each other, so that the driving of the drum 20 and the fan 210 corresponding to each drying process can be particularly performed, and the energy efficiency can be effectively improved.

[324] In one example, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may control the first drive unit 310 such that the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 is identical in the first efficiency improvement process P12 and in the second efficiency improvement process P14, and may control the second drive unit 320 such that the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 is lower in the second efficiency improvement process P14 than in the first efficiency improvement process P12.

[325] When performing the efficiency improving process P10, changing the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 to improve the drying efficiency G3 may provide little benefit and may instead cause a delay in stabilization resulting from the fluctuation in the rpm number G7 of the drum 20. Thus, one embodiment of the present invention maintains the same target rpm number of the drum 20 in the first efficiency improving process P12 and in the second efficiency improving process P14. Furthermore, in order to stabilize the drying operation, the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 in the efficiency improving process P10 may be controlled as a value identical to the value in the efficiency maintaining process P20.

[326] In one example, as described above, the G8 rpm number of the fan 210 is related to the air flow rate and air speed, and the air flow rate and air speed are related to the amount of heat lost from the fluid in the fluid circulator 100. Thus, in order to effectively increase the temperature of the fluid of the fluid circulator 100, the G8 rpm number of the fan 210 is set lower in the first efficiency improving process P12 than in the second efficiency improving process P14, thereby contributing to a rapid improvement in the drying efficiency G3.

[327] As described above, one embodiment of the present invention adjusts the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 so that it coincides with the characteristics of the rapid efficiency improvement process G3 of the drying and the temperature of the fluid of the fluid circulator 100 in the first efficiency improvement process P12, and adjusts the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 independently of the rpm number G8 of the fan 210, thereby effectively improving the energy efficiency while effectively implementing the characteristics of each drying process.

[328] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may control the drive unit 300 such that the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 is constant in the first efficiency enhancing process P12 after the laundry amount determining process PH.

[329] In other words, one embodiment of the present invention may perform the above-described laundry amount determining process P11 together with the execution of the first efficiency improving process P12. For example, when the laundry drying operation is performed, the laundry amount determining process P11 may be performed first, and the first laundry efficiency improving process P12 may constantly maintain the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 after the laundry amount determining process P11 is performed, by turning on the laundry amount determining process P11.

[330] In Fig. 13 and 14, the laundry amount determination process P11 performed by controlling, by means of the controller 400, the driving unit 300 according to the embodiment of the present invention is expressed in the number G7 of revolutions/min of the drum 20.

[331] One embodiment of the present invention can control the drum 20 and the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 independently of each other in circuits including a circuit in which the driving unit 300 includes the first driving unit 310 and the second driving unit 320, even when the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 changes for the laundry amount determination process P11 as described above, thereby performing an unnecessary fluctuation of the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 for the laundry amount determination process P11.

[332] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may control the drive unit 300 such that the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 and the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 are constant in the second efficiency enhancing process P14 and in the efficiency maintaining process P20.

[333] Since the second efficiency improving process P14 is a drying process performed after the first efficiency improving process P12 to stabilize each driving device and the cycle to proceed to the efficiency maintaining process P20, the controller 400 can control the driving unit 300 such that the RPM numbers G7 and G8 of the drum 20 and the fan 210 in the second efficiency improving process P14 are, respectively, identical to the RPM numbers G7 and G8 of the drum 20 and the fan 210 in the efficiency maintaining process P20.

[334] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may control the RPM of the drive unit 300 and the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 in the first efficiency reduction process P32 such that they are equal to or less than the values in the efficiency maintenance process P20, and control the RPM of the drive unit 300 and the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 in the second efficiency reduction process P34 such that they are lower than the values in the first efficiency reduction process P32.

[335] Referring to Figs. 13 and 14, in the first efficiency reduction process P32, the rpm of the drive unit 300, i.e. the rpm numbers G7 and G8 of the drum 20 and the fan 210, may be controlled such that they are equal to or less than the values in the efficiency maintenance process P20. For example, the rpm numbers G7 and G8 of the drum 20 and the fan 210 in the first efficiency reduction process P32 may be equal to or less than the values in the efficiency maintenance process P20.

[336] In other words, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may control the drive unit 300 such that the RPM numbers G7 and G8 of the drum 20 and the fan 210 in the first efficiency reduction process P32 become equal to or less than the values in the efficiency maintenance process P20, so as to prevent additional energy consumption to improve the drying efficiency G3.

[337] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the second efficiency reduction process P34 may control the RPM of the driving unit 300 and the G9 frequency of the compressor 120 such that they are lower than the values in the first efficiency reduction process P32. In other words, the controller 400 may stop the driving unit 300 and the compressor 120 in the second efficiency reduction process P34 or control the driving unit 300 and the compressor 120 with a lower output compared to the output in the first efficiency reduction process P32.

[338] Since the second efficiency reduction process P34 is a process of relatively moderately stopping the operation of the laundry treating device 1 to complete the drying operation instead of completely completing the drying operation, the drive unit 300 and the compressor 120 can still operate at least in a portion of the second efficiency reduction process P34.

[339] Referring to Figs. 13 and 14, it can be noted that in the second efficiency reduction process P34, the controller 400 stops the operation of the drive unit 300, i.e. the operation of the fan 210 and the compressor 120, and rotates the drum 20 at a lower rpm G7 than in the first efficiency reduction process P32.

[340] In the second efficiency reduction process P34, a cooling process for the fluid and air may be performed. Figs. 13 and 14 show the cooling process. It can be noted that in the cooling process, the drum 20 rotates at a lower rpm G7 than in the first efficiency reduction process.

[341] When the laundry drying operation is completed, the user of the laundry treating device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention can take out the laundry from inside the drum 20. In this case, it may be inconvenient for the user to take out the laundry due to the temperature of the laundry increased by the laundry drying operation.

[342] Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention can still rotate the drum 20 at a predetermined rpm so that cooling of the laundry can be performed, as well as a decrease in the temperature of the fluid and air in the second efficiency reduction process P34. The rotation of the drum 20 can be advantageous in lowering the temperature of the laundry by allowing the laundry to uniformly dissipate heat.

[343] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the amount of laundry is equal to or greater than a preset reference value for a large amount, the controller 4 00 may control the RPM of the drive unit 300 and the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 in the first efficiency reduction process P32 identical to the efficiency maintenance process P20.

[344] In particular, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the laundry amount identified through the laundry amount determination process P11 is equal to or greater than a preset reference value for a large amount, the controller 400 may continue with the drying operation based on the heavy load mode.

[345] The reference value for a large amount may mean the amount of laundry with the amount of moisture remaining in the laundry to be washed equal to or greater than a certain level even after the P20 efficiency maintenance process is performed, and the reference value for a large amount may be determined in various ways based on repeated experimental results and theoretical results.

[346] The control strategy of the drive unit 300 and the compressor 120 based on the heavily loaded mode corresponds to the graph of Fig. 14. In the heavily loaded mode, the controller 400 may maintain the RPM of the drive unit 300 and the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 in the first efficiency reduction process P32 identical to the RPM and frequency in the efficiency maintenance process P20.

[347] The heavy load mode can be understood as a situation in which the amount of moisture in the laundry is still large even when the amount of moisture in the laundry is reduced through the efficiency maintenance process P20, and the efficiency reduction process P30 in which the drying efficiency G3 is reduced is started. Accordingly, the drying effect of the laundry can be maintained sufficiently so that the drying operation result can be sufficiently satisfactory for the user.

[348] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the amount of laundry is less than the reference value for a large amount, the controller 400 may control the compressor 120 such that the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 is lower in the first efficiency reduction process P32 than in the efficiency maintenance process P20.

[349] In other words, when the laundry amount is less than the reference value for a large amount, the controller 400 controls the compressor 120 and the driving unit 300 based on the normal load mode. Such a strategy for controlling the driving unit 300 and the compressor 120 based on the normal load mode is represented in the graph of Fig. 13.

[350] The normal load mode may be understood as a mode that prioritizes energy efficiency instead of increasing the drying effect of the laundry compared to the heavy load mode. The normal load mode may be understood as a mode in which the amount of moisture in the laundry can be removed sufficiently even when the overall first efficiency reduction process P32 is performed after the efficiency maintenance process P20 is performed.

[351] When comparing the heavy load mode with the normal load mode with reference to Figs. 13 and 14, the heavy load mode can control the RPM of the driving unit 300 and the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 similarly to the efficiency maintaining process P20 so that the drying effect of the laundry in the first efficiency reducing process P32, that is, the amount of water evaporation from the laundry, can be improved.

[352] Even when the drive unit 300 and the compressor 120 are controlled in the first efficiency reduction process P32 similarly to the efficiency maintenance process P20, the drying efficiency G3 becomes such that it gradually decreases by reducing the moisture amount of the laundry.

[353] In one example, the normal load mode may control the output of the drive unit 300 and the compressor 120 in the first efficiency reduction process P32 such that it is equal to or less than the output in the efficiency maintenance process P20, so that the energy efficiency based on the energy consumption of the drive unit 300 and the compressor 120 may be improved.

[354] For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the amount of laundry is less than the reference value for a large amount, the controller 400 may control the first driving unit 310 in the first efficiency reduction process P32 to control the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 such that it is identical to the rpm number in the efficiency maintenance process P20, and control the second driving unit 320 to control the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 such that it is lower than the value in the efficiency maintenance process P20.

[355] Referring to Fig. 13, in the normal load mode in which the laundry amount is less than the reference value for a large amount, the controller 400 may maintain the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 identical to the efficiency maintenance process P20 and control the first driving unit 310 and the second driving unit 320 such that the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 becomes lower than the value in the efficiency maintenance process P20.

[356] Since the rotation of the drum 20 is provided in the effect of drying the laundry and reducing the temperature of the laundry, even in the first process of reducing the efficiency, it may be advantageous to maintain the same rpm with the efficiency maintaining process P20. In one example, the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 may be controlled such that it is lower than the value in the efficiency maintaining process P20, so as to reduce energy consumption.

[357] In this regard, one embodiment of the present invention can independently and effectively control the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 and the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 through separate control of the first drive unit 310 and the second drive unit 320, thereby effectively improving the drying efficiency G3 of the drying operation along with improving the energy efficiency.

[358] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may control the driving unit 300 in the second efficiency reduction process P34 so as to control the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 as equal to the rpm number for cooling, lower than the rpm number in the efficiency maintenance process P20 during the preset cooling time, and to control the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 as equal to a value lower than the rpm number for cooling described above after the cooling time has elapsed. The cooling time may be set in various ways as necessary. After the cooling time, the driving unit 300 may be controlled so that the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 corresponds to 0.

[359] In one embodiment of the present invention, cooling of the laundry continues as the drum 20 rotates during the cooling time also in the second efficiency reduction process P34 by setting the cooling time. After the cooling process is performed, as the rotation of the drum 20 is completed, the drying operation may end.

[360] In one example, the controller 400 may control the first drive unit 310 such that the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 corresponds to the rpm number for cooling during the cooling time in the second efficiency reduction process P34, and may control the second drive unit 320 such that the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 is constant in the second efficiency reduction process P34.

[361] As described above, cooling of the laundry may be performed while the drum 20 is rotating at a low RPM, below the RPM in the first efficiency reduction process P32 during the cooling process, and the rotation of the fan 210 may be terminated in advance, so that each system in the laundry treating device 1 can be stably terminated.

[362] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first driving unit 310 and the second driving unit 320 operate independently such that the rotation of the drum 20 can be completed with the rotation of the drum 20 in the second efficiency reduction process P34 as described above, so that the energy efficiency in the laundry drying operation can be improved.

[363] Hereinafter, this document describes in detail a method for controlling a laundry treating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. However, overlapping content regarding the laundry cleaning and treating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is omitted as much as possible.

[364] Fig. 13 and 14 show graphs showing changes in the rpm number G7 of the drum 20, the rpm number G8 of the fan 210, and the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 in a method for controlling the laundry treating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 15 schematically illustrates a method for controlling the laundry treating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[365] As described above, in one embodiment of the present invention, the laundry treating device 1 may include a casing 10, a drum 20 that is rotatably disposed in the casing 10 and accommodates laundry to be washed, a fluid circulator 100 in which a fluid circulates along a condenser 110, a compressor 120 and an evaporator 130, an air circulator 200 that includes a fan 210 for flowing air heated through the fluid circulator 100 into the drum 20, a driving unit 300 that includes a first driving unit 310 for rotating the drum 20 and a second driving unit 320 for rotating the fan 210, and a controller 400 that controls the compressor 120 and the driving unit 300 so as to perform an operation of drying the laundry.

[366] In one example, referring to Fig. 15, a method for controlling a laundry treating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an efficiency enhancing operation (S100) and an efficiency maintaining operation (S300).

[367] The efficiency improving operation (S100) is an operation in which the above-described efficiency improving process P10 is performed. The efficiency maintaining operation S300 may be an operation in which the above-described efficiency maintaining process P20 is performed. In other words, in the efficiency improving operation (S100), the controller 400 executes the efficiency improving process P10 to improve the drying efficiency G3 in the drum 20 during the drying operation. In the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), after the efficiency improving operation (S100), the controller 400 executes the efficiency maintaining process P20 to maintain the drying efficiency G3 during the drying operation.

[368] In one example, referring to Fig. 16, the efficiency improving operation (S100) may include a first efficiency improving operation (S110) and a second efficiency improving operation (S130). Fig. 18 shows a detailed flow chart of a method for controlling the laundry treating device 1, including the first efficiency improving operation (S110) and the second efficiency improving operation (S130).

[369] In the first efficiency improving operation (S110), the controller 400 may control the first driving unit 310 such that the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 corresponds to the first rpm number D1 of the drum, and control the second driving unit 320 such that the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 corresponds to the first rpm number F1 of the fan, so as to perform the first efficiency improving process P12.

[370] In the second efficiency improving operation (S130), after the first efficiency improving operation (S110), the controller 400 may control the first driving unit 310 such that the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 corresponds to the first rpm number D1 of the drum, and control the second driving unit 320 such that the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 corresponds to the second rpm number F2 of the fan, higher than the first rpm number F1 of the fan, to perform the second efficiency improving process P14.

[371] Hereinafter, the functional characteristics of the drum 20 and the fan 210 in the first efficiency improving operation (S110) and the second efficiency improving operation (S130) are described with reference to Figs. 13 and 14 as follows.

[372] In the first efficiency improving operation (S110), the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 may correspond to the first rpm number D1 of the drum. In the second efficiency improving operation (S130), the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 may be maintained equal to the first rpm number D1 of the drum. In other words, in the first efficiency improving operation (S110) and the second efficiency improving operation (S130), the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 may be maintained constantly equal to the first rpm number D1 of the drum.

[373] The first drum rpm number D1 may be maintained identical to the rpm number in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), as described below. The drum 20 has a large unnecessary power consumption due to the rpm fluctuations caused by its own loading and the laundry loading. In one embodiment of the present invention, the first drum rpm number D1 is maintained as the first drum rpm number D1 throughout the efficiency improving operation (S100) and the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), so as to ensure the stability in driving and the mechanical stability of the drying operation. The first drum rpm number D1 may be set to different values as needed.

[374] In one example, the controller 400 may control the second drive unit 320 such that the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 corresponds to the first rpm number F1 of the fan in the first efficiency improving operation (S110), and the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 corresponds to the second rpm number F2 of the fan in the second efficiency improving operation (S130). The second rpm number F2 of the fan may be set to a value greater than the first rpm number F1 of the fan. In other words, in the second efficiency improving operation (S130), the fan 210 may rotate at a higher speed than in the first efficiency improving operation (S110).

[375] The first efficiency improving process P12 performed in the first efficiency improving operation (S110) is a process for rapidly increasing the temperatures of the fluid and the air in order to promote a stable drying process to increase the rates of increasing the temperatures of the fluid and the air; one embodiment of the present invention may determine that the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 in the first efficiency improving operation (S110) is lower than the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 in the second efficiency improving operation (S130).

[376] In addition, in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), the second rpm number F2 of the fan in the second efficiency improving operation (S130) may be identical to the rpm number G8 of the fan 210, or may have a value closer to the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300) than to the first rpm number F1 of the fan. In other words, in the second efficiency improving operation (S130), the controller 400 may set the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 to the second rpm number F2 of the fan in order to maintain the rpm number G8 of the fan 210, which is identical to or similar to the rpm number in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), thereby stabilizing the air circulation of the air circulator 200 taking into account the efficiency maintaining operation (S300).

[377] One embodiment of the present invention controls the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 and the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 independently of each other because the drive unit 300 includes the first drive unit 310 and the second drive unit 320, thereby effectively increasing the drying efficiency G3 and effectively increasing the energy efficiency.

[378] In other words, one embodiment of the present invention may maintain the rpm number G7 of the drum 20, which fluctuates relatively hard, equal to the first rpm number D1 of the drum in both the first efficiency improving operation (S110) and the second efficiency improving operation (S130), and set the rpm number G8 of the fan 210, which fluctuates relatively easy and plays a major role in increasing the temperature of the fluid and the air, equal to the first rpm number F1 of the fan in the first efficiency improving operation (S110) and the second rpm number F2 of the fan in the second efficiency improving operation (S130), thereby effectively causing the temperature of the fluid and the air to increase in the first efficiency improving operation (S110) and promoting the stabilization of the system in the second efficiency improving operation (S130).

[379] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may control the compressor 120 and the drive unit 300 such that the rate of increase in the drying efficiency G3 in the first efficiency increase operation (S110) is greater than the rate of increase in the drying efficiency G3 in the second efficiency increase operation (S130).

[380] As described above, in the first efficiency improving operation (S110), the temperatures of the fluid and the gas may be rapidly increased to enable the drying efficiency G3 to rapidly approach the normalized drying efficiency G3 in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300). In addition, in the second efficiency improving operation (S130), the rate of increasing the drying efficiency G3 may be reduced such that it is lower than in the first efficiency improving operation (S110), and stabilization of the system of the laundry treating device 1 including the fluid circulator 100 and the air circulator 200 may be achieved.

[381] Accordingly, the controller 400 may control the driving unit 300 and the compressor 120 such that the rate of increase of the drying efficiency G3 is high in the first efficiency increasing operation (S110), and may control the driving unit 300 and the compressor 120 such that the rate of increase of the drying efficiency G3 has a positive value but is lower in the second efficiency increasing operation (S130) than in the first efficiency increasing operation (S110).

[382] In one example, referring to Fig. 9, in a method for controlling a laundry treating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, a controller 400 may control a compressor 120 and a driving unit 300 such that an increase rate of a measured value G4 of a compressor sensor 150 located in a fluid circulator 100 and measuring a temperature of a fluid passing through the compressor 120 is greater in a first efficiency improving operation (S110) than in a second efficiency improving operation (S130).

[383] The measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 may represent the temperature of the fluid circulating in the fluid circulator 100. In other words, in one embodiment of the present invention, the rate of increase of the temperature of the fluid in the first efficiency improving operation (S110) may be higher than the rate of increase of the temperature of the fluid in the second efficiency improving operation (S130).

[384] For example, as described above, the controller 400 controls the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 to be equal to the first rpm number F1 of the fan in the first efficiency improving operation (S110), but controls the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 to be equal to the second rpm number F2 of the fan in the second efficiency improving operation (S130), so that the amount of heat transferred from the fluid to the air is reduced using the first rpm number F1 of the fan in the first efficiency improving operation (S110), and the amount of heat is increased using the second rpm number F2 of the fan equal to or similar to the rpm number in the normal state in the second efficiency improving operation (S130), thereby stabilizing the fluid circulator 100 and the air circulator 200.

[385] The first fan rpm number F1 may be determined as various values, and the second fan rpm number F2 may be determined in various ways as a value greater than the first fan rpm number F1. The deviation between the first fan rpm number F1 and the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300) may be greater than the deviation between the second fan rpm number F2 and the rpm number of the fan 210 in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300).

[386] In one embodiment of the present invention, various schemes may be provided for controlling the driving unit 300 and the compressor 120 to improve the drying efficiency G3. For example, the controller 400 may maintain the same rpm number G7 of the drum 20, but maintain the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 equal to the first rpm number F1 of the fan in the first efficiency improvement operation (S110), but change the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 to the second rpm number F2 of the fan in the second efficiency improvement operation (S130), thereby adjusting the rates of increase of the temperatures of the fluid and air.

[387] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may control the compressor 120 such that the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 corresponds to the first frequency C1 in the first efficiency improving operation (S110) and in the second efficiency improving operation (S130).

[388] In other words, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may control the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 to be equal to the same value in the first efficiency improving operation (S110) and the second efficiency improving operation (S130).

[389] The fluctuation of the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 is sensitive to changes in the pressure or flow rate of the fluid. Accordingly, frequent fluctuations or large fluctuations of the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 may have a negative effect on the stability of the fluid circulator 100.

[390] Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may maintain the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 at the first frequency C1 in the first efficiency increasing operation (S110) that relatively significantly increases the drying efficiency G3 and in the second efficiency increasing operation (S130) that relatively moderately increases the drying efficiency G3, but change the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 from the first rpm number F1 of the fan to the second rpm number F2 of the fan, thereby effectively adjusting the rate of increasing the temperature of the fluid or the rate of increasing the drying efficiency G3.

[391] In one example, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, in one embodiment of the present invention, in the efficiency maintenance operation (S300), the controller 400 may control the compressor 120 such that the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 corresponds to the second frequency C2, lower than the first frequency C1.

[392] Specifically, the first efficiency improving operation (S110) and the second efficiency improving operation (S130) generally correspond to processes for increasing the temperature of the fluid to a normal state, that is, to a temperature of the fluid for performing the efficiency maintaining operation (S300). Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention may set the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 higher in the efficiency improving operation (S100) than in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300).

[393] However, in order to minimize unnecessary fluctuations in the frequency G9 of the compressor 120, as described above, in the first efficiency improving operation (S110) and the second efficiency improving operation (S130), the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 may be maintained at the first frequency C1.

[394] In one embodiment of the present invention, the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 may be controlled such that it constitutes the first frequency C1 in the efficiency enhancing operation (S100) to quickly increase the temperature of the fluid to advance the time point for the laundry drying operation so as to proceed to the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), and adjusted such that it constitutes the second frequency C2 corresponding to the normal state in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), thereby maintaining the drying efficiency G3 equal to the maximum while enhancing the energy efficiency.

[395] The first frequency C1 and the second frequency C2 may be determined to be different values and may be changed based on the amount of laundry, the material of the laundry, etc. However, the second frequency C2, which is a value lower than the first frequency C1, may correspond to a frequency in a normal state corresponding to the efficiency maintenance operation (S300) in which the drying efficiency G3 can be maintained at a maximum in the corresponding environment.

[396] In one example, in an embodiment of the present invention, in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), the controller 400 may control the first drive unit 310 such that the RPM number G7 of the drum 20 corresponds to the first RPM number D1 of the drum.

[397] As described above, the change in the RPM number G7 of the drum 20 may generate a large energy consumption through the loading of the drum 20 itself, the loading of laundry, etc., and may generate a large load in the connecting structure between the first drive unit 310 and the drum 20, so that frequent changes in the RPM number or large fluctuations in the RPM number of the drum 20 may be disadvantageous from the viewpoint of energy and structure.

[398] Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention makes it possible to perform the drying operation from the efficiency enhancing operation (S100) to the efficiency maintaining operation (S300) without changing the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 by setting the first rpm number D1 corresponding to the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 applied in the efficiency enhancing operation (S100) to be the same as the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 applied in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300). However, the first rpm number D1 may fluctuate due to the material of the laundry, the amount of laundry, etc. of the laundry accommodated in the drum 20.

[399] In one example, in an embodiment of the present invention, in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), the controller 400 may control the second drive unit 320 such that the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 corresponds to the second rpm number F2 of the fan. Figs. 13 and 14 show the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 having the same value in the second efficiency improving operation (S130) and in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300).

[400] As described above, the controller 4 00 may control the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 to be equal to the first rpm number F1 of the fan in the first efficiency improving operation (S110) to quickly increase the temperature of the fluid, and the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 may have a value identical to the value in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), which is the second rpm number F2 of the fan in the second efficiency improving operation (S130), to stabilise the air circulator 200 to perform the efficiency maintaining operation (S300).

[401] One embodiment of the present invention can realize a rapid increase in the drying efficiency G3 by changing the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 in the first efficiency increasing operation (S110) and the second efficiency increasing operation (S130), and, at the same time, by achieving stabilization of the system such as the fluid circulator 100 and the like by setting the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 identical in the second efficiency increasing operation (S130) and the efficiency maintaining operation (S300).

[402] Additionally, the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 is maintained equal to the same first rpm number D1 of the drum in the efficiency enhancing operation (S100) and in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), so as to enhance energy efficiency and ensure mechanical stability. In addition, the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 is controlled to be equal to the first frequency C1 in the efficiency enhancing operation (S100) and to be equal to the second frequency C2 in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), so as to effectively regulate the drying efficiency G3 while minimizing unnecessary frequency fluctuations.

[403] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the efficiency improving operation (S100) may further include an operation of determining a transition to a second efficiency improving process (S120). The operation of determining a transition to the second efficiency improving process (S120) may be performed before the second efficiency improving operation (S130), and the controller 400 may determine whether the duration of the first efficiency improving operation (S110) is equal to or greater than the execution time T1 of the first efficiency improving operation.

[404] The second efficiency improving operation (S130) may be performed when it is determined in the operation of determining a transition to the second efficiency improving process (S120) that the duration is equal to or greater than the execution time T1 of the first efficiency improving operation. Fig. 16 is a flow chart specifically illustrating the efficiency improving operation (S100) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[405] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first efficiency improving operation (S110) may be performed during a predetermined execution time T1 of the first efficiency improving operation. As described above, the execution time T1 of the first efficiency improving operation or the execution time of the first efficiency improving process P12 may be set to different values in consideration of the second efficiency improving operation (S130) and the efficiency maintaining operation (S300).

[406] Referring to Fig. 16, in the operation of determining a transition to the second efficiency improving process (S120), the controller 400 may determine whether the duration during which the first efficiency improving operation (S110) is executed is equal to or greater than the execution time T1 of the first efficiency improving operation, may continue the first efficiency improving operation (S110) when the duration is less than the execution time T1 of the first efficiency improving operation, and terminate the first efficiency improving operation (S110) and execute the second efficiency improving operation (S130) when the duration is equal to or greater than the execution time of the second efficiency improving operation (S130).

[407] In one example, Figs. 15 and 18 show an operation of determining a shift to the efficiency maintenance process (S200) performed before the efficiency maintenance operation (S300). The operation of determining a shift to the efficiency maintenance process (S200) may be performed before the efficiency maintenance operation (S300), and the controller 400 may determine whether or not the conditions for shifting to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied using a measured value of the humidity sensor 250 located in the air circulator 200 and measuring the humidity of the air passing through the drum 20. The efficiency maintenance operation (S300) may be performed when it is determined that the conditions for shifting to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied in the operation of determining a shift to the efficiency maintenance process (S200).

[408] The operation of determining the transition to the efficiency maintenance process (S200) may be understood as an operation independent of the operation of improving the efficiency (S100), and may be understood as a part of the operation of improving the efficiency (S100). In the operation of determining the transition to the efficiency maintenance process (S200), the controller 400 may determine whether or not the conditions for the transition to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied using the measured value of the humidity sensor 250.

[409] Various conditions for transition to the efficiency maintenance process may be provided. The conditions for transition to the efficiency maintenance process may include the W1 value of the humidity sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process, the W2 efficiency of the drying when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process, the V1 value of the compressor sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process, the V2 value of the evaporator sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process, and the like described above.

[410] When using the humidity sensor 250, the controller 400 may determine whether or not the measured value of the humidity sensor 250 corresponds to the value W1 of the humidity sensor when switching to the efficiency maintenance process, or determine whether or not the drying efficiency G3 extracted by using the first humidity sensor 252 and the second humidity sensor 254 corresponds to the drying efficiency W2 when switching to the efficiency maintenance process.

[411] The controller 400 may determine whether one of a plurality of conditions for transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process is satisfied or not, or repeatedly determine whether at least two of them are satisfied or not, thereby determining whether the conditions for transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied or not.

[412] For example, the controller 400 may determine that the conditions for transition to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied and perform the efficiency maintenance operation (S300) when the measured value of the humidity sensor 250 corresponds to the value W1 of the humidity sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process, or may perform the efficiency maintenance operation (S300) when the measured value of the humidity sensor 250 corresponds to the value W1 of the humidity sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process, and at least one of the remaining of the plurality of conditions for transition to the efficiency maintenance process is satisfied.

[413] For example, the controller 4 00 may determine that the conditions for transition to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied only when the value of the humidity sensor 250 for transition to the efficiency maintenance process is satisfied, and the value V1 of the compressor sensor at transition to the efficiency maintenance process and/or the value V2 of the evaporator sensor at transition to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied using the compressor sensor 150 and/or the evaporator sensor 160 together in addition to the humidity sensor 250.

[414] One embodiment of the present invention may determine whether or not the conditions for transition to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied through the measured value of the humidity sensor 250, the change rate of the measured value of the humidity sensor 250, or the drying efficiency G3 extracted from the measured value of the humidity sensor 250, and may terminate the efficiency improving operation (S100) and perform the efficiency maintaining operation (S300) when the conditions for transition to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied.

[415] In particular, in one embodiment of the present invention, the humidity sensor 250 may include a first humidity sensor 252 that measures the humidity of air flowing into the drum 20 and a second humidity sensor 254 that measures the humidity of air flowing out of the drum 20.

[416] In addition, in the operation of determining the transition to the efficiency maintenance process (S200), the controller 400 may determine that the conditions of the transition to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied when the drying efficiency G3 extracted from the measured values of the first humidity sensor 252 and the second humidity sensor 254 reaches the drying efficiency W2 when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process.

[417] In one embodiment of the present invention, the efficiency improving operation (S100) and the efficiency maintaining operation (S300) may be distinguished from each other based on the characteristics of the drying efficiency G3. When determining whether or not to proceed to the efficiency maintaining operation (S300) through the drying efficiency W2 when proceeding to the efficiency maintaining process, the efficiency improving operation (S100) and the efficiency maintaining operation (S300) may be distinguished from each other accurately, which is advantageous.

[418] In one example, in an embodiment of the present invention, in the operation of determining the transition to the efficiency maintenance process (S200), the controller 400 may determine whether or not the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150, which is located in the fluid circulator 100 and measures the temperature of the fluid passing through the compressor 120, corresponds to the value V1 of the compressor sensor when the transition to the efficiency maintenance process is made. The operation of maintaining the efficiency (S300) may be performed when the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 satisfies the value V1 of the compressor sensor when the transition to the efficiency maintenance process is made in the operation of determining the transition to the efficiency maintenance process (S200).

[419] In other words, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may determine whether or not the conditions for transition to the efficiency maintenance process are met using the compressor sensor 150 by replacing the humidity sensor 250 or together with the humidity sensor 250. When using the compressor sensor 150, the controller 400 may determine whether or not the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 matches the value V1 of the compressor sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process during the condition for transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process.

[420] When determining whether or not the conditions for transition to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied using the compressor sensor 150 and the value V1 of the compressor sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process, even when the humidity sensor 250, which is relatively expensive, is excluded, the time point of transition to the efficiency maintenance operation (S300) can be determined relatively accurately, which is advantageous.

[421] In one example, in the method for controlling the laundry treating device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, in the operation of determining the transition to the efficiency maintenance process (S200), the controller 400 may adjust the value V1 of the compressor sensor when transitioning to the efficiency maintenance process to a larger value as the measured value of the outside air temperature sensor 50, which measures the air temperature outside the casing 10, is higher.

[422] As described above, the laundry treating device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention may further include an outside air temperature sensor 50, and the outside air temperature G6 may affect the compressor sensor value V1 when shifting to the efficiency maintenance process, the evaporator sensor value V2 when shifting to the efficiency maintenance process, and the like to shift to the efficiency maintenance operation (S300).

[423] Accordingly, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 adjusts the value of the compressor sensor V1 when switching to the efficiency maintenance process to a larger value as the measured value of the outside air temperature sensor 50 is higher, thereby more accurately identifying the change in the drying efficiency G3 and the time points of switching to the efficiency maintenance operation (S300) and to the efficiency reduction operation (S500).

[424] In one example, Fig. 15 schematically shows an efficiency reduction operation (S500) according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figs. 17 and 18 are detailed flow charts of a method for the efficiency reduction operation (S500).

[425] One embodiment of the present invention may further include an efficiency reduction operation (S500). In the efficiency reduction operation (S500), the controller 4 00 may execute the efficiency reduction process P30 to reduce the drying efficiency G3 during the drying operation after the efficiency maintenance operation (S300).

[426] The efficiency reduction operation (S500) may include a first efficiency reduction operation (S510). Referring to Figs. 17 and 18, in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), the controller 400 may control the first driving unit 310 such that the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 corresponds to the first rpm number D1 of the drum, and control the second driving unit 320 such that the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 corresponds to the third rpm number F3 of the fan, lower than the second rpm number F2 of the fan, thereby executing the first efficiency reduction process P32.

[427] In the method for controlling the laundry treating device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, in the efficiency reduction operation (S500), the above-mentioned efficiency reduction process P30 may be executed, and the efficiency reduction process P30 may continue to dry the laundry while decreasing the drying efficiency G3 and may control the drive unit 300 and the compressor 120 such that the laundry drying operation is eventually completed stably.

[428] In addition, the efficiency reduction operation (S500) may include a first efficiency reduction operation (S510). In the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), the controller 400 may perform the above-described first efficiency reduction process P32. In the first efficiency reduction process P32, the controller 400 ensures that the drying of the laundry continues in the drying efficiency reduction process G3, and thus sufficient drying is performed.

[429] In one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may control the first driving unit 310 and the second driving unit 320 in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510) to perform the second efficiency reduction process P34. The controller 400 may control the first driving unit 310 such that the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 corresponds to the first rpm number D1 of the drum, and control the second driving unit 320 such that the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 corresponds to the third rpm number F3 of the fan, lower than the second rpm number F2 of the fan, thereby performing the first efficiency reduction process P32.

[430] In the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 may be controlled as the first rpm number D1 of the drum identically to the efficiency maintaining operation (S300). In other words, the drum 20 may be controlled at the identical rpm number in the efficiency improving operation (S100), the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), and the first efficiency reduction operation (S510).

[431] In one example, the fan 210 may be controlled at a third fan rpm number F3 corresponding to an rpm number lower than the rpm number in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300). In other words, the fan 210 may be controlled at a first fan rpm number F1 in the first efficiency improving operation (S110), controlled at a second fan rpm number F2 having a value greater than the first fan rpm number F1 in the second efficiency improving operation (S130) and in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), and controlled at a third fan rpm number F3 having a value lower than the second fan rpm number F2 in the first efficiency reducing operation (S510).

[432] The third fan rpm number F3 may correspond to a larger value than the first fan rpm number F1. Accordingly, in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 does not contribute to the increase in the temperature of the fluid as in the first efficiency improvement operation (S110), but is controlled so that it is close to the rpm number in the efficiency maintenance operation (S300), so as to ensure that the drying process can be performed sufficiently.

[433] In the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), the amount of dry laundry becomes equal to or greater than a certain level, that is, the amount of moisture remaining in the laundry to be washed becomes equal to or less than a certain level, and the drying efficiency G3 begins to decrease. In order to correspond to the natural decrease in the drying efficiency G3, the number G8 rpm of the fan 210 is also reduced to ensure energy efficiency.

[434] One embodiment of the present invention can effectively improve the drying efficiency G3 while effectively improving the energy efficiency by effectively controlling the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 and the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 through independent control of the first driving unit 310 and the second driving unit 320. Furthermore, in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), one embodiment of the present invention can control the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 to be equal to the first rpm number D1 of the drum, which is the same in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), so as to enable the laundry to be completely dried further, and control the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 to a third rpm number F3 of the fan, lower than the second rpm number F2 of the fan, in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), so as to continue the drying process while reducing the energy consumption.

[435] In one example, in an embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may control the compressor 120 such that the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 corresponds to the second frequency C2 in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), and the controller 400 may control the compressor 120 such that the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 corresponds to the third frequency C3, lower than the second frequency C2, in the first efficiency reducing operation (S510).

[436] As described above, the compressor 120 may be controlled at the first frequency C1 in the efficiency increasing operation (S100) and may be controlled at the second frequency C2, lower than the first frequency C1, in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300). In addition, in the first efficiency decreasing operation (S510), the compressor 120 may be controlled at the third frequency C3, lower than the second frequency C2.

[437] In the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), the compressor 120 is controlled at the third frequency C3, so that the temperature and the like of the fluid gradually decrease to match the natural reduction in drying efficiency G3. Accordingly, as the drying process of the laundry continues, the power consumption of the fluid circulator 100 can decrease, and it is possible to approach a state of finally stopping the operation of the fluid circulator 100.

[438] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the efficiency enhancing operation (S100) may further include a laundry amount determining operation (S50). The laundry amount determining operation (S50) may be performed before the first efficiency enhancing operation (S110), and the controller 400 may determine the laundry amount when the drum 20 is rotated.

[439] In the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), when the laundry amount determined in the laundry amount determination operation (S50) is equal to or greater than the reference value for a large amount, the controller 400 may adjust the third fan rpm number F3 to a value equal to the second fan rpm number F2 and adjust the third frequency C3 to a value equal to the second frequency C2.

[440] Specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, the laundry amount detection process described above may be performed in the laundry amount detection operation (S50). In other words, in the laundry amount detection operation (S50), the controller 400 may measure the laundry amount in the drum 20, that is, the laundry amount through the load, the amount of current, etc., applied to the first driving unit 310, while properly rotating the drum 20 by controlling the first driving unit 310.

[441] In the method for controlling the laundry treating device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the laundry amount determining operation (S50) may correspond to a part of the efficiency improving operation (S100) as shown in Fig. 16, or may be set independently of the efficiency improving operation (S100).

In other words, the laundry amount determination operation (S50) may be performed before the efficiency improvement operation (S100) is performed. The specific relationship between the laundry amount determination operation (S50) and the efficiency improvement operation (S100) may be determined in various ways as necessary, and the laundry amount determination operation (S50) may be included in the efficiency maintenance operation (S300) or the efficiency reduction operation (S500) as necessary.

[442] In one example, the controller 400 may determine whether the laundry amount identified in the laundry amount determination operation (S50) is equal to or greater than a reference value for a large amount. The reference value for a large amount may be preset in the controller 400 and may be set to different values as needed.

[443] As described above, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may perform a large load mode when the amount of laundry is equal to or greater than the reference value for a large amount, and may perform a normal load mode when the amount of laundry is less than the reference value for a large amount.

[444] In the case of the normal load mode, in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), the controller 400 may control the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 to be equal to the third rpm number F3 of the fan, lower than the second rpm number F2 of the fan, and may control the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 to be equal to the third frequency C3, lower than the second frequency C2, as described above.

[445] In one example, when in the laundry amount determination operation (S50) it is determined that the laundry amount in the drum 20 is equal to or greater than the reference value for a large amount, that is, in the case of a heavy load mode, the controller 400 may correct the third fan rpm number F3 and the third frequency C3 in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510).

[446] Specifically, in the case of a heavy load mode, in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), the controller 400 may adjust the third fan rpm number F3 to a value equal to the second fan rpm number F2 in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), and adjust the third frequency C3 to a value equal to the second frequency C2 in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300).

[447] In other words, when the laundry amount is equal to or greater than the reference value for the large amount in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), the controller 400 may control the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 to be equal to the third corrected rpm number identical to the second rpm number F2 of the fan, and control the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 to be equal to the third corrected frequency identical to the second frequency C2. In other words, the controller 400 may control the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 such that it is identical to the rpm number in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), and control the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 such that it is identical to the frequency in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300).

[448] When the amount of laundry is equal to or greater than the reference value for a large amount, even after the overall efficiency maintaining operation (S300) is completed, the absolute amount of moisture remaining in the laundry to be washed is relatively large. Accordingly, a large moisture evaporation amount G1 required in the first efficiency reducing operation (S510) may be required.

[449] One embodiment of the present invention can perform efficient drying by correcting the third fan rpm number F3 and the third frequency C3 in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510) based on the heavy load mode, so that the power consumption is effectively reduced by effectively controlling the fan 210 and the compressor 120, and the drying quality of the laundry based on the amount of laundry is sufficiently ensured. The reference value for a large amount can be determined as different values by reflecting the results of several experiments and strategic decisions.

[450] In one example, referring to Fig. 15, the method for controlling the laundry treating device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention may further include an operation of determining a transition to an efficiency reduction process (S400). The operation of determining a transition to an efficiency reduction process (S400) may be performed before the efficiency maintenance operation (S300), and the controller 400 may determine whether or not the rate of change of the measured value of the humidity sensor 250, which is located in the air circulator 200 and measures the humidity of the air passing through the drum 20, corresponds to the rate of change of the humidity W5 when the transition to the efficiency reduction process occurs.

[451] The efficiency reduction operation (S500) can be performed when the change rate of the measured value of the humidity sensor 250 in the efficiency reduction process transition determination operation (S400) corresponds to the humidity change rate W5 when transitioning to the efficiency reduction process.

[452] The operation of determining the transition to the efficiency reduction process (S400) may be performed between the operation of maintaining the efficiency (S300) and the first operation of reducing the efficiency (S510). In the operation of determining the transition to the efficiency reduction process (S400), the controller 400 may determine whether or not the conditions of the transition to the efficiency reduction process are satisfied. When it is determined that the conditions of the transition to the efficiency reduction process are satisfied, the operation of maintaining the efficiency (S300) may be terminated, and the first operation of reducing the efficiency (S510) may be continued.

[453] Various conditions for transition to the efficiency reduction process may be provided. For example, the conditions for transition to the efficiency reduction process may include the W5 rate of change of humidity when transitioning to the efficiency reduction process, the W6 efficiency of drying when transitioning to the efficiency reduction process, the V3 rate of change for transitioning to the efficiency reduction process, the V4 value of the compressor sensor when transitioning to the efficiency reduction process, and the V5 value of the electrode sensor when transitioning to the efficiency reduction process.

[454] The controller 400 can determine whether or not the rate of change of the measured value of the humidity sensor 250 corresponds to the rate of change W5 of the humidity when switching to the efficiency reduction process, whether or not the drying efficiency G3, which can be extracted from the measured value of the humidity sensor 250, corresponds to the drying efficiency W6 when switching to the efficiency reduction process, whether or not the rate of change of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 corresponds to the rate of change V3 for switching to the efficiency reduction process, and whether or not the measured value G4 of the compressor sensor 150 corresponds to the value V5 of the electrode sensor when switching to the efficiency reduction process.

[455] The controller 400 may terminate the efficiency maintaining operation (S300) and perform the first efficiency reducing operation (S510) when one of the plurality of conditions for transition to the efficiency reducing process is satisfied, and may terminate the efficiency maintaining operation (S300) and perform the first efficiency reducing operation (S510) when at least two of the plurality of conditions for transition to the efficiency reducing process are satisfied.

[456] In one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may determine whether or not the change rate of the measured value of the humidity sensor 250 corresponds to the change rate of the humidity W5 when shifting to the efficiency reduction process in the operation of determining shifting to the efficiency reduction process (S400), and terminate the efficiency maintaining operation (S300) and perform the efficiency reduction operation (S500), that is, the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), when the change rate of the measured value of the humidity sensor 250 corresponds to the change rate of the humidity W5 when shifting to the efficiency reduction process.

[457] At the point in time at which the moisture amount of the laundry in the drum 20 decreases above a certain level and the drying efficiency G3 begins to decrease significantly, that is, at the point in time at which the efficiency maintaining operation (S300) ends and the efficiency reducing operation (S500) begins, the measured value of the humidity sensor 250 may also decrease at a decrease rate equal to or lower than the certain level.

[458] Accordingly, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the change rate of the measured value of the humidity sensor 250 corresponds to the preset humidity change rate W5 when shifting to the efficiency reduction process, the controller 400 may determine that the conditions for shifting to the efficiency reduction process are satisfied and terminate the efficiency maintaining operation (S300) and perform the first efficiency reduction operation (S510).

[459] In the present invention, switching between the efficiency increasing operation (S100), switching the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), and switching the efficiency decreasing operation (S500) may correspond to time points at which the control values of the compressor 120 and the driving unit 300 change.

[460] Fig. 5 shows a graph showing a measured value of the humidity sensor 250 measured in the laundry treating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The rate of change W5 of the humidity at the transition to the efficiency reduction process may correspond to the slope indicated by the graph at the starting time point of the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), and may have a negative value.

[461] One embodiment of the present invention identifies a time point of transition to the first efficiency reduction operation (S510) using a rate of change of the measured value of the humidity sensor 250 sensitively related to the change in the drying efficiency G3, thereby identifying a relatively precise time point of the first efficiency reduction operation (S510). It is also possible to determine whether or not the conditions for transition to the efficiency reduction process are satisfied by whether or not the drying efficiency G3 extracted using the first humidity sensor 252 and the second humidity sensor 254 corresponds to the drying efficiency W6 when transitioning to the efficiency reduction process.

[462] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may determine whether or not the rate of change of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 reaches the rate of change V3 for transition to the efficiency reduction process in the operation of determining transition to the efficiency reduction process (S400). The efficiency reduction operation (S500) may be performed when the rate of change of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 reaches the rate of change V3 for transition to the efficiency reduction process in the operation of determining transition to the efficiency reduction process (S400).

[463] As described above, one embodiment of the present invention may determine whether or not the transition conditions to the efficiency reduction process are satisfied through various conditions in the operation of determining the transition to the efficiency reduction process (S400). In other words, one embodiment of the present invention may determine whether or not the transition conditions to the efficiency reduction process are satisfied through the change rate of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 in the operation of determining the transition to the efficiency reduction process (S400). FIG. 11 shows a graph showing the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[464] As described above, when the moisture amount of the laundry decreases above a certain level and the efficiency maintenance operation (S300) ends, the amount of moisture contained in the air or the humidity of the air discharged from the drum 20 decreases. Accordingly, the amount of moisture that causes the phase change in the evaporator 130 of the fluid circulator 100 also decreases rapidly. Accordingly, the amount of heat obtained by the fluid passing through the evaporator 130 from the phase change of the water decreases, so that the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 can decrease.

[465] For example, when the time point for completing the efficiency maintenance operation (S300) as described above occurs, the rate of change of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 may have a value of 0, a negative value, or a value close to 0.

[466] Using the behavioral characteristics of the change rate of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may compare the change rate of the measured value G5 of the evaporator sensor 160 with the change rate V3 for transition to the efficiency reduction process in the operation of determining transition to the efficiency reduction process (S400), thereby effectively determining whether or not the conditions for transition to the efficiency reduction process are satisfied and whether or not to perform the first efficiency reduction operation (S510).

[467] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may determine whether the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 reaches the electrode sensor value V5 when shifting to the efficiency reduction process. The efficiency reduction operation (S500) may be performed when the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 reaches the electrode sensor value V5 when shifting to the efficiency reduction process in the efficiency reduction process shift determining operation (S400).

[468] As described above, the electrode sensor 25 exhibits a behavior in which its measured value rapidly increases when the moisture amount of the laundry becomes equal to or less than a certain level. In one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may determine whether or not the conditions for transition to the efficiency reduction process are satisfied by using the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 in the operation of determining transition to the efficiency reduction process (S400).

[469] Fig. 10 shows a graph showing a measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 in one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 10 shows the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 corresponding to the time point of transition to the efficiency reduction operation S500, i.e., the value V5 of the electrode sensor at the transition to the efficiency reduction process.

[470] In one embodiment of the present invention, in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency reduction process (S400), the controller 400 may determine whether or not the conditions for transition to the efficiency reduction process are satisfied by comparing the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 with the electrode sensor value V5 when transitioning to the efficiency reduction process. When the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 satisfies the electrode sensor value V5 when transitioning to the efficiency reduction process, the controller 400 may terminate the efficiency maintaining operation (S300) and perform the first efficiency reduction operation (S510).

[471] However, the above-described plurality of conditions for transition to the efficiency reduction process do not necessarily represent an alternative relationship, one may be selected, or the plurality of conditions for transition to the efficiency reduction process are selected together for use in the operation of determining transition to the efficiency reduction process (S400).

[472] In one example, a method for controlling a laundry treating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an operation of determining an amount of laundry (S50). In the operation of determining a shift to an efficiency reduction process (S400), when the amount of laundry determined in the operation of determining an amount of laundry (S50) is equal to or greater than a reference value for a small amount, the controller 400 may determine whether or not the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 reaches the value V5 of the electrode sensor when shifting to the efficiency reduction process.

[473] As described above, the electrode sensor 25 generates a measurement value proportional or inversely proportional to the moisture amount of the laundry through contact with the laundry. When the amount of laundry in the drum 20 is too small, since the contact between the electrode sensor 25 and the laundry is unstable, the measurement value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 may have poor reliability, or the measurement may not be performed.

[474] Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention may determine in advance a minimum amount of laundry of which the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 is not reliable, and set the minimum amount of laundry as a reference value for a small amount in the controller 4 00 in advance. When the amount of laundry determined in the laundry amount determining operation (S50) is equal to or greater than the reference value for a small amount, the controller 4 00 may compare the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 with the value V5 of the electrode sensor when shifting to the efficiency reduction process.

[475] As described above, one embodiment of the present invention may identify in advance an environment that can use the electrode sensor 25, and set a condition accordingly to use the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency reduction process (S400), thereby effectively determining a time point of transition to the efficiency reduction operation (S500).

[476] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the efficiency reduction operation (S500) may further include a second efficiency reduction operation (S530). After the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), in the second efficiency reduction operation (S530), the controller 400 may control the first driving unit 310 such that the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 corresponds to the second rpm number D2 of the drum, lower than the first rpm number D1 of the drum, and may perform the second efficiency reduction process P34 by controlling the second driving unit 320 such that the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 corresponds to the fourth rpm number F4 of the fan, lower than the third rpm number F3 of the fan.

[477] Figs. 17 and 18 show flow charts of the process flow for the efficiency reduction operation (S500) including the second efficiency reduction operation (S530), and Figs. 13 and 14 show the rpm number G7 of the drum 20, the rpm number G8 of the fan 210, and the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 in the second efficiency reduction operation (S530).

[478] The second efficiency reduction operation (S530) is a preparation process for completing the laundry drying operation after the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), and is an operation for stabilizing the completion of the fluid circulator and the air circulator 200. In the second efficiency reduction operation (S530), the second efficiency reduction process P34 can be performed, which reduces the temperatures of not only the fluid and air, but also the laundry in the drum 20, in order to stabilise the system and make it easier for the user to remove the laundry.

[479] The second efficiency reduction operation (S530) may be performed after the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), and the drying operation may be completed after the second efficiency reduction operation (S530). In the second efficiency reduction operation (S530), the controller 400 may control the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 to be equal to the second rpm number D2 of the drum, lower than the first rpm number D1 of the drum, in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510).

[480] In other words, in one embodiment of the present invention, after controlling the first driving unit 310 to control the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 to be equal to the first rpm number D1 of the drum in the efficiency increasing operation (S100), the efficiency maintaining operation (S300) and the first efficiency decreasing operation (S510), the controller 400 may control the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 to be equal to the second rpm number D2 of the drum in the second efficiency decreasing operation (S530).

[481] In the second efficiency reduction operation (S530), the controller 400 may control the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 to be equal to the fourth rpm number F4 of the fan, lower than the third rpm number F3 of the fan, in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510). In other words, the controller 400 may control the driving unit wp2 to control the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 to be equal to the first rpm number F1 of the fan in the first efficiency improvement operation (S110), to be equal to the second rpm number F2 of the fan in the second efficiency improvement operation (S130) and in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), to be equal to the third rpm number F3 of the fan in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), and to be equal to the fourth rpm number F4 of the fan in the second efficiency reduction operation (S530).

[482] In one embodiment of the present invention, the drying process of the laundry is substantially completed after the first efficiency reduction process P32, and stabilization of each system for completing the drying operation of the laundry is performed by decreasing the temperature of the laundry through the second efficiency reduction process P34. The second drum rpm number D2 may correspond to the above-mentioned rpm number for cooling.

[483] In one example, in the second efficiency reduction operation (S530), the fan 210 may be controlled at the fourth fan rpm number F4 by the controller 400, and the fourth fan rpm number F4 may correspond to a value lower than the third fan rpm number F3 in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510). In other words, in the second efficiency reduction operation (S530) after the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), one embodiment of the present invention may minimize the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 and may ensure that the air flow is stably stopped.

[484] In one example, referring to Fig. 8, in one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 400 may control the compressor 120 and the drive unit 300 such that the rate of decrease in the drying efficiency G3 in the first efficiency decrease operation (S510) is greater than the rate of decrease in the drying efficiency G3 in the second efficiency decrease operation (S530).

[485] In the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), in contrast to the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), the drying efficiency G3 decreases, but the control for drying the laundry can still be performed. In one example, since the second efficiency reduction operation (S530) is an operation for completing the operation for drying the laundry, cooling the laundry and stably stopping the air circulator 200 and the fluid circulator 100, in contrast to the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), the rate of decrease in the drying efficiency G3 in the second efficiency reduction operation (S530) may be greater than the rate of decrease in the drying efficiency G3 in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510). In other words, the drying efficiency G3 in the second efficiency reduction operation (S530) may decrease to a greater extent than the drying efficiency G3 in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510).

[486] In one example, referring to Figs. 13 and 14, in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510), the controller 400 may control the compressor 120 such that the G9 frequency of the compressor 120 corresponds to the third frequency C3. In the second efficiency reduction operation (S530), the controller 400 may control the compressor 120 such that the G9 frequency of the compressor 120 corresponds to the fourth frequency C4, lower than the third frequency C3.

[487] Similar to the fan 210, the compressor 120 may be controlled at a frequency lower in the second efficiency reduction operation (S530) than in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510). In other words, the compressor 120 may be controlled at a third frequency C3 in the first efficiency reduction operation (S510) and controlled at a fourth frequency C4, lower than the third frequency C3, in the second efficiency reduction operation (S530).

[488] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, in the second efficiency reduction operation (S530), the second drum RPM number D2 may have a value greater than 0, and the fourth fan RPM number F4 and the fourth frequency C4 may correspond to a value of 0, so that the driving of the fan 210 and the compressor 120 may be completed.

[489] In particular, in one embodiment of the present invention, the second efficiency reduction operation (S530) may correspond to an operation of cooling the laundry in the drum 20 and the fluid and air so as to promote the completion of each system.

Therefore, the fan 210 and the compressor 120 may no longer operate and its operation may be terminated.

[490] In one example, the laundry in the drum 20 may be subjected to an active cooling process through the second operation of reducing the efficiency (S530) in order to improve the user's comfort. Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention may set the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 to a value of 0 to terminate the operation of the fan 210, set the frequency G9 of the compressor 120 to a value of 0 to stop the operation of the compressor 120, but set the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 to a value greater than 0 to cause contact between the laundry and air with rotation of the drum 20, thereby causing the laundry to be cooled.

[491] In one example, referring to Figs. 17 and 18, in one embodiment of the present invention, the efficiency reduction operation (S500) may further include an operation of determining a shift to a second efficiency reduction process (S520). In the operation of determining a shift to the second efficiency reduction process (S520), when the laundry amount determined in the laundry amount determination operation (S50) is equal to or greater than a reference value for a small amount, the controller 400 may determine whether or not the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25, which is located in the drum 20 and is in contact with the laundry to measure the amount of moisture, corresponds to the value V6 of the electrode sensor when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process within a preset observation time T4.

[492] The second performance reduction operation (S530) may be performed when the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 corresponds to the value V6 of the electrode sensor when shifting to the second performance reduction process during the observation time T4 in the shift determination operation to the second performance reduction process (S520).

[493] Specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, in the operation of determining a transition to the second efficiency reduction process (S520), the controller 400 may determine whether or not the conditions for transition to the second efficiency reduction process are satisfied, and terminate the first efficiency reduction operation (S510) and perform the second efficiency reduction operation (S530) when it is determined that the conditions for transition to the second efficiency reduction process are satisfied.

[494] Various conditions for transition to the second efficiency reduction process may be provided. For example, the conditions for transition to the second efficiency reduction process may include the value W7 of the humidity sensor when transitioning to the second efficiency reduction process, the drying efficiency W8 when transitioning to the second efficiency reduction process, the value V6 of the electrode sensor when transitioning to the second efficiency reduction process, the execution time of transitioning to the second efficiency reduction process, and the like.

[495] For example, the controller 400 may determine whether or not the conditions for shifting to the second efficiency reduction process are satisfied by determining whether or not the measured value of the humidity sensor 250 corresponds to the humidity sensor value W7 when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process, whether or not the drying efficiency G3 extracted via the humidity sensor 250 corresponds to the drying efficiency W8 when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process, whether or not the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 corresponds to the electrode sensor value V6 when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process, whether or not the duration of the first efficiency reduction operation (S510) satisfies the execution time of shifting to the first efficiency reduction process, and the like.

[496] In the operation of determining a transition to a second efficiency reduction process (S520), the controller 400 may determine whether or not the conditions for transition to the second efficiency reduction process are satisfied using one of a plurality of conditions for transition to the second efficiency reduction process as a representative, or determine whether or not the conditions for transition to the second efficiency reduction process are satisfied using two or more of the plurality of conditions for transition to the second efficiency reduction process redundantly.

[497] For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, in the operation of determining the transition to the second efficiency reduction process (S520), the controller 400 may determine whether or not the conditions for the transition to the second efficiency reduction process are satisfied by determining whether or not the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 corresponds to the preset value W7 of the humidity sensor when the transition to the second efficiency reduction process occurs.

[498] In order to use the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25, the controller 400 may determine whether the laundry amount identified in the laundry amount determination operation (S50) is equal to or greater than a preset reference value for a small amount, and may compare the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 with the value V6 of the electrode sensor when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process in the shift determination operation to the second efficiency reduction process (S520) when the laundry amount is determined to be equal to or greater than the reference value for a small amount.

[499] However, in the operation of determining the transition to the second performance reduction process (S520), the controller 400 may determine that the conditions of the transition to the second performance reduction process are satisfied when the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 adheres to the electrode sensor value V6 when the transition to the second performance reduction process occurs for a preset observation time T4.

[500] Referring to Fig. 10, the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 can increase rapidly after the transition to the efficiency reduction operation (S500) and can output a constant value without further large fluctuations after the moisture amount of the laundry is reduced sufficiently. For example, the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 can maintain the maximum value after the moisture amount of the laundry is reduced sufficiently.

[501] One embodiment of the present invention may terminate the first efficiency reduction operation (S510) and perform the second efficiency reduction operation (S530) in a state in which the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 does not show further fluctuations as the moisture amount of the laundry is reduced sufficiently. In other words, one embodiment of the present invention may set the maximum value for the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 or a value strategically determined as replacing it as the electrode sensor value V6 when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process, and terminate the first efficiency reduction operation (S510) and perform the second efficiency reduction operation (S530) when the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 reaches the electrode sensor value V6 when shifting to the second efficiency reduction process.

[502] However, as the moisture amount of the laundry decreases, the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 becomes fluctuating sharply, and the temporal reliability of the measured value becomes lower. Therefore, one embodiment of the present invention can set the observation time T4 in advance in order to improve the reliability of the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25, and determine that the conditions for transition to the second efficiency reduction process are satisfied when the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 corresponds to or is greater than the value V6 of the electrode sensor when transitioning to the second efficiency reduction process during the observation time T4.

[503] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, when it is necessary to determine a time point of transition to the second efficiency reduction operation (S530) using the electrode sensor 25, when the laundry amount detected in the laundry amount detection operation (S50) is less than a reference value for a small amount, the controller 4 00 may determine whether the duration of the first efficiency reduction operation (S510) is equal to or greater than the execution time T2 of the first efficiency reduction operation. The second efficiency reduction operation (S530) may be performed when the duration of the first efficiency reduction operation (S510) is equal to or greater than the execution time T2 of the first efficiency reduction operation in the operation of determining transition to the second efficiency reduction process (S520).

[504] As described above, the measured value G10 of the electrode sensor 25 has sufficient reliability when the laundry amount is equal to or greater than the reference value for a small amount. Accordingly, when the laundry amount is less than the reference value for a small amount, the determination condition excluding the electrode sensor 25 can be used.

[505] Specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the amount of laundry is less than the reference value for a small amount in the operation of determining a transition to the second efficiency reduction process (S520), the controller 400 may determine whether the duration of the first efficiency reduction operation (S510) is equal to or greater than a preset execution time T2 of the first efficiency reduction operation, and may terminate the first efficiency reduction operation (S510) and execute the second efficiency reduction operation (S530) when the duration is equal to or greater than the execution time T2 of the first efficiency reduction operation.

[506] In other words, when the amount of laundry is less than the reference value for a small amount, one embodiment of the present invention may perform the first efficiency reduction operation (S510) for a preset time T2 of performing the first efficiency reduction operation and proceed to the second efficiency reduction operation (S530).

[507] The execution time T2 of the first efficiency reduction operation may be determined through repeated experiments under various conditions and may be determined as various values from the viewpoint of control strategies. In one example, when the laundry amount is less than the reference value for a small amount, the operation of determining the transition to the second efficiency reduction process (S520) may determine whether or not the conditions for the transition to the second efficiency reduction process are satisfied by using the value W7 of the humidity sensor when the transition to the second efficiency reduction process or the drying efficiency W8 when the transition to the second efficiency reduction process is made in addition to the execution time T2 of the first efficiency reduction operation.

[508] In addition, the time T2 of performing the first efficiency reduction operation, previously set in the controller 400, can be adjusted in various ways based on the amount of laundry, the outside air temperature G6, or an input signal from the user, etc., input through the manipulation unit.

[509] In one example, in one embodiment of the present invention, in the second efficiency reduction operation (S530), the controller 400 may terminate the second efficiency reduction operation (S530) when the duration of the second efficiency reduction operation (S530) is equal to or greater than the execution time T3 of the second efficiency reduction operation.

[510] In one example, a method for controlling a laundry treating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an efficiency maintaining operation (S300) in which the controller 400 executes an efficiency maintaining process P20 to maintain the drying efficiency G3 in the drum 20 during the drying operation, and an efficiency reducing operation (S500) in which the controller 400 executes an efficiency reducing process P30 to reduce the drying efficiency G3 during the drying operation after the efficiency maintaining operation (S300).

[511] In addition, in the efficiency maintaining operation (S300), the controller 400 may control the first drive unit 310 such that the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 corresponds to the first rpm number D1 of the drum, and the controller 400 may control the second drive unit 320 such that the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 corresponds to the second rpm number F2 of the fan.

[512] In addition, the efficiency reduction operation (S500) may include a first efficiency reduction operation (S510), in which the controller 400 controls the first driving unit 310 such that the rpm number G7 of the drum 20 corresponds to the first rpm number D1 of the drum, and controls the second driving unit 320 such that the rpm number G8 of the fan 210 corresponds to the third rpm number F3 of the fan, lower than the second rpm number F2 of the fan, to perform the first efficiency reduction process P32.

[513] Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with respect to a specific embodiment, it should be understood that the present invention can be improved and changed in various ways within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention provided by the appended claims. This should be obvious to those skilled in the art.

Claims (33)

1. A method for controlling a laundry processing device, which includes a casing, a drum rotatably located in the casing and accommodating laundry for washing, a fluid circulator including a condenser, a compressor and an evaporator for circulating a fluid through them, an air circulator including a fan for flowing air heated through the fluid circulator into the drum, a drive unit including a first drive unit rotating the drum and a second drive unit rotating the fan, and a controller configured to perform a laundry drying operation by controlling the compressor and the drive unit, wherein the method includes: an efficiency enhancing operation in which the controller is configured to perform an efficiency enhancing operation to enhance the drying efficiency in the drum during the drying operation; and an efficiency maintenance operation, in which, after the efficiency enhancement operation, the controller is configured to perform an efficiency maintenance operation to maintain the drying efficiency during the drying operation, wherein the efficiency enhancement operation includes: a first efficiency enhancing operation, in which the controller is configured to control the first drive unit such that the drum RPM corresponds to the first drum RPM, and to control the second drive unit such that the fan RPM corresponds to the first fan RPM, so as to perform the first efficiency enhancing process; and a second efficiency enhancing operation, in which, after the first efficiency enhancing operation, the controller is configured to control the first drive unit such that the drum revolutions per minute correspond to the first drum revolutions per minute, and to control the second drive unit such that the fan revolutions per minute correspond to the second fan revolutions per minute, which is higher than the first fan revolutions per minute, in order to perform the second efficiency enhancing process. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the compressor and the drive unit in such a way that the rate of increase in drying efficiency in the first efficiency increase operation exceeds the rate of increase in drying efficiency in the second efficiency increase operation. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to control the compressor and the drive unit in such a way that the rate of increase of the measured value of the compressor sensor located in the fluid circulator in order to measure the temperature of the fluid passing through the compressor is greater in the first efficiency increasing operation than in the second efficiency increasing operation. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to control the compressor such that the frequency of the compressor corresponds to the first frequency in the first efficiency increasing operation and in the second efficiency increasing operation. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to control the compressor such that the frequency of the compressor corresponds to a second frequency that is lower than the first frequency, in the efficiency maintenance operation. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the first drive unit such that the number of revolutions per minute of the drum corresponds to the first number of revolutions per minute of the drum in the efficiency maintenance operation. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the second drive unit such that the number of revolutions per minute of the fan corresponds to the second number of revolutions per minute of the fan in the efficiency maintenance operation. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the efficiency enhancing operation further includes an operation of determining a transition to a second efficiency enhancing process, performed before the second efficiency enhancing operation, in which the controller is configured to determine whether the duration of the first efficiency enhancing operation is equal to or greater than the execution time of the first efficiency enhancing operation in the operation of determining a transition to the second efficiency enhancing process, wherein the second efficiency enhancing operation is performed when the duration is determined to be equal to or greater than the execution time of the first efficiency enhancing operation in the operation of determining a transition to the second efficiency enhancing process. 9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an operation of determining a transition to an efficiency maintenance process, performed before the efficiency maintenance operation, in which the controller is configured to determine whether or not the conditions for transition to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied, using a measured value of a humidity sensor located in the air circulator to measure the humidity of the air passing through the drum, wherein the efficiency maintenance operation is performed when in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency maintenance process it is determined that the conditions for transition to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied. 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the humidity sensor includes a first humidity sensor for measuring the humidity of air flowing into the drum and a second humidity sensor for measuring the humidity of air flowing out of the drum, wherein in the operation of determining the transition to the efficiency maintenance process, the controller is configured to determine that the conditions for the transition to the efficiency maintenance process are satisfied when the drying efficiency extracted from the measured values of the first humidity sensor and the second humidity sensor reaches the drying efficiency at the transition to the efficiency maintenance process. 11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an operation of determining a transition to the efficiency maintenance process, performed before the efficiency maintenance operation, in which the controller is configured to determine whether or not a measured value of a compressor sensor located in the fluid circulator to measure the temperature of the fluid passing through the compressor corresponds to a value of the compressor sensor at the transition to the efficiency maintenance process in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency maintenance process, wherein the efficiency maintenance operation is performed when the measured value of the compressor sensor satisfies the value of the compressor sensor at the transition to the efficiency maintenance process in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency maintenance process. 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the value of the compressor sensor when switching to the efficiency maintenance process by a greater value as the measured value of the outside air temperature sensor for measuring the air temperature outside the casing exceeds the measured value in the operation of determining the transition to the efficiency maintenance process. 13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an efficiency reduction step, in which, after the efficiency maintenance step, the controller is configured to perform an efficiency reduction step to reduce the drying efficiency during the drying step, wherein the efficiency reduction step includes a first efficiency reduction step, in which the controller is configured to control the first drive unit such that the drum RPM corresponds to the first drum RPM, and to control the second drive unit such that the fan RPM corresponds to the third fan RPM, which is lower than the second fan RPM, in order to perform the first efficiency reduction process. 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to control the compressor such that the frequency of the compressor corresponds to the second frequency in the efficiency maintenance operation, and the controller is configured to control the compressor such that the frequency of the compressor corresponds to a third frequency, which is lower than the second frequency, in the first efficiency reduction operation. 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the efficiency increasing operation further comprises a laundry amount determination operation performed before the first efficiency increasing operation, in which the controller is configured to determine the laundry amount when the drum rotates in the laundry amount determination operation, wherein in the first efficiency decreasing operation the controller is configured to adjust the third fan RPM to a value equal to the second fan RPM and adjust the third frequency to a value equal to the second frequency when the laundry amount determined in the laundry amount determination operation is equal to or greater than the reference value for a large amount. 16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising an operation of determining a transition to an efficiency reduction process, performed before the operation of maintaining the efficiency, in which the controller is configured to determine whether or not the rate of change of the measured value of the humidity sensor located in the air circulator to measure the humidity of the air passing through the drum corresponds to the rate of change of the humidity during the transition to the efficiency reduction process in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency reduction process, wherein the operation of reducing the efficiency is performed when the rate of change of the measured value of the humidity sensor corresponds to the rate of change of the humidity during the transition to the efficiency reduction process in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency reduction process. 17. The method according to claim 13, further comprising an operation of determining a transition to an efficiency reduction process, performed before the operation of maintaining the efficiency, in which the controller is configured to determine whether or not the rate of change of the measured value of the evaporator sensor located in the fluid circulator to measure the temperature of the fluid passing through the evaporator corresponds to the rate of change for transition to the efficiency reduction process in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency reduction process, wherein the operation of reducing the efficiency is performed when the rate of change of the measured value of the evaporator sensor reaches the rate of change for transition to the efficiency reduction process in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency reduction process. 18. The method according to claim 13, further comprising an operation of determining a transition to an efficiency reduction process, performed before the efficiency reduction operation, in which the controller is configured to determine whether or not the measured value of the electrode sensor located in the drum to measure the amount of moisture in contact with the laundry reaches the value of the electrode sensor when transitioning to the efficiency reduction process in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency reduction process, wherein the efficiency reduction operation is performed when the measured value of the electrode sensor reaches the value of the electrode sensor when transitioning to the efficiency reduction process in the operation of determining a transition to the efficiency reduction process. 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the efficiency increasing operation further comprises a laundry amount determination operation performed before the first efficiency increasing operation, in which the controller is configured to determine the laundry amount when the drum is rotated in the laundry amount determination operation, wherein in the operation of determining the transition to the efficiency decreasing process, the controller is configured to determine whether or not the measured value of the electrode sensor reaches the value of the electrode sensor when the transition to the efficiency decreasing process occurs, when the laundry amount determined in the laundry amount determination operation is equal to or greater than the reference value for a small amount. 20. The method according to claim 13, wherein the efficiency reduction step further comprises a second efficiency reduction step, in which after the first efficiency reduction step, the controller is configured to control the first drive unit such that the drum RPM corresponds to a second drum RPM, which is lower than the first drum RPM, and to control the second drive unit such that the fan RPM corresponds to a fourth fan RPM, which is lower than the third fan RPM, in order to perform the second efficiency reduction process. 21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to control the compressor and the drive unit in such a way that the rate of decrease in drying efficiency is greater in the first efficiency reduction operation than in the second efficiency reduction operation. 22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to control the compressor such that the frequency of the compressor corresponds to a third frequency in the first efficiency reduction operation, and the controller is configured to control the compressor such that the frequency of the compressor corresponds to a fourth frequency, which is lower than the third frequency, in the second efficiency reduction operation. 23. The method according to claim 22, wherein in the second operation of reducing the efficiency the second number of revolutions per minute of the drum has a value greater than 0, and the fourth number of revolutions per minute of the fan and the fourth frequency correspond to 0, and by virtue of this the actuation of the fan and the compressor is completed. 24. The method according to claim 20, wherein the efficiency enhancing operation further comprises a laundry amount determining operation performed before the first efficiency enhancing operation, in which the controller is configured to determine the laundry amount when the drum is rotated in the laundry amount determining operation, wherein the efficiency reducing operation further comprises a transition detection operation to a second efficiency reducing process, in which the controller is configured to determine whether or not a measured value of an electrode sensor arranged in the drum to measure the moisture amount in contact with the laundry corresponds to the value of the electrode sensor when transitioning to the second efficiency reducing process during a preset observation time, when the laundry amount determined in the laundry amount determining operation is equal to or greater than the reference value for a small amount, wherein the second efficiency reducing operation is performed when the measured value of the electrode sensor corresponds to the value of the electrode sensor when transitioning to the second efficiency reducing process during the observation time in the transition detection operation to the second efficiency reducing process. 25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the duration of the first efficiency reduction operation is equal to or greater than the execution time of the first efficiency reduction operation when the laundry amount determined in the laundry amount determination operation is less than the reference value for a small amount in the operation of determining the transition to the second efficiency reduction process, wherein the second efficiency reduction operation is performed when the duration of the first efficiency reduction operation is equal to or greater than the execution time of the first efficiency reduction operation in the operation of determining the transition to the second efficiency reduction process. 26. The method according to claim 20, wherein in the second efficiency reduction operation the controller is configured to terminate the second efficiency reduction operation when the duration of the second efficiency reduction operation is equal to or greater than the execution time of the second efficiency reduction operation. 27. A method for controlling a laundry processing device, which includes a casing, a drum rotatably located in the casing and accommodating laundry for washing, a fluid circulator including a condenser, a compressor and an evaporator for circulating a fluid through them, an air circulator including a fan for flowing air heated through the fluid circulator into the drum, a drive unit including a first drive unit for rotating the drum and a second drive unit for rotating the fan, and a controller configured to perform a laundry drying operation by controlling the compressor and the drive unit, wherein the method includes: an efficiency maintenance operation in which the controller is configured to perform an efficiency maintenance operation to maintain the drying efficiency in the drum during the drying operation; and an efficiency reduction operation, in which after the efficiency maintenance operation the controller is configured to perform an efficiency reduction operation for reducing the drying efficiency during the drying operation, wherein the controller is configured to control the first drive unit such that the drum RPM corresponds to the first drum RPM, and to control the second drive unit such that the fan RPM corresponds to the second fan RPM in the efficiency maintenance operation, wherein the efficiency reduction operation includes a first efficiency reduction operation, in which the controller is configured to control the first drive unit such that the drum RPM corresponds to the first drum RPM, and to control the second drive unit such that the fan RPM corresponds to the third fan RPM, which is lower than the second fan RPM, in order to perform the first efficiency reduction process.