US 11,926,955 B2
Laundry dryer and method for controlling the same
Juhan Yoon, Seoul (KR); Manseok Lee, Seoul (KR); and Hyojin Joo, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG Electronics Inc., Seoul (KR)
Filed by LG Electronics Inc., Seoul (KR)
Filed on Mar. 3, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/191,147.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2020-0027321 (KR), filed on Mar. 4, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0277587 A1, Sep. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. D06F 58/44 (2020.01); D06F 58/20 (2006.01); D06F 103/62 (2020.01); D06F 105/60 (2020.01); D06F 105/62 (2020.01)
CPC D06F 58/44 (2020.02) [D06F 58/203 (2013.01); D06F 2103/62 (2020.02); D06F 2105/60 (2020.02); D06F 2105/62 (2020.02)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A laundry dryer comprising:
a cabinet;
a drum disposed in the cabinet and configured to receive hot air or steam or both;
a steam unit disposed in the cabinet and configured to generate the steam;
a storage tank disposed in the cabinet and configured to store water;
a supply pump disposed between the steam unit and the storage tank, the supply pump being configured to supply the water stored in the storage tank to the steam unit; and
a steam controller configured to:
operate the steam unit based on receiving a steam supply command for supplying the steam to the drum,
determine a water level of water in the steam unit or the storage tank,
based on completion of supply of steam into the drum, operate the supply pump to thereby supply water in the storage tank to the steam unit to a predetermined target water level of the steam unit,
determine a water shortage state of the storage tank based on the water level in the steam unit being less than the predetermined target water level after supplying the water to the steam unit for a predetermined time from an operation start time of the supply pump, and
based on the water level of water in the steam unit or the storage tank being less than or equal to the predetermined target water level, output a water shortage notification.