Provided are an apparatus for and a driving method of driving a washing machine in which a washing tub is rotated by an inertial force in a freewheeling condition or at a low power driving mode, and a pulsator is reversely rotated, in a state where the pulsator and the washing tub are rotated in one direction. When driving the pulsator and the washing tub in the opposite directions, the inner rotor and the outer rotor are driven in a first direction where the washing tub is rotated, to then set the inner rotor to any one of a free-wheeling mode, an intermittent driving mode, and a low power driving mode, to thus rotate the washing tub, and the outer rotor is driven in one direction opposing the first direction to thus reversely rotate the pulsator.

The present invention relates to a washing machine and a spin-drying control method for the same, the washing machine including an inner tub, a drain pump, a motor and a control unit that controls the drain pump and the motor and carries out a spin-drying cycle including a sub spin-drying cycle and a main spin-drying cycle. The control unit changes a preset rotation time of the inner tub in the main spin-drying cycle according to the rotation speed of the inner tub during the sub spin-drying cycle, or determines whether to change the spin-drying time of the main spin-drying cycle according to a current value of the drain pump during the main spin-drying cycle, thereby improving spin-drying efficiency.

A washer includes a drum, a motor connected to the drum, a motor drive connected to the motor and configured to supply a driving current to the motor to rotate the drum, and a processor connected to the motor drive. The processor is configured to control the motor drive to supply the driving current to the motor to rotate the motor at a target speed and to determine a magnitude of a load accommodated in the drum while controlling a rotational speed of the motor within a predetermined range.

A motor system can include a motor configured to be operated according to at least a portion of an operation cycle specifying at least one target speed for the motor and a controller configured to obtain an estimated winding resistance of the motor, wherein the estimated winding resistance is determined based at least in part on an estimator gain factor, and wherein the estimator gain factor is inversely dependent on a speed of the motor; wherein the at least one target speed comprises at least one low speed such that at least a portion of the operation cycle is a low speed portion of the operation cycle, the at least one low speed having a speed of less than about 10 percent of a maximum speed of the operation cycle.

An axial air gap motor comprises: a frame; a stator that is arranged in an outer side of the frame in a radial direction; a first rotor that is spaced from one side of the stator in an axial direction, that has an air gap therebetween, and that is rotatably arranged in one side of the frame; and a second rotor that is spaced from the other side of the stator in the axial direction, that has an air gap therebetween, that is rotatably arranged in the other side of the frame, and that is connected with the first rotor in the axial direction.

A laundry appliance includes a tub contained within an outer cabinet. A motor assembly is attached to the tub having a first rotor and a second rotor that operate about a common rotational axis. A drum is disposed within the tub and coupled with the first rotor to rotationally operable about the common rotational axis. A blower is coupled to the second rotor and disposed within the tub to rotationally operate about the common rotational axis to deliver process air through an airflow path that includes a processing space defined within the drum. The blower is positioned within a blower housing that is positioned between the tub and the drum.

A method of controlling a washing machine that includes a drum rotatably provided in a tub that receives water, at least one nozzle spraying water into the drum, a washing motor rotating the drum, and a circulation pump circulating water within the washing machine, the method including: operating the washing motor to rotate the drum in a first rotational direction while repeatedly alternating between an acceleration and a deceleration of the drum so that laundry in the drum alternates between maintaining contact with an inner surface of the drum during acceleration, and separates from the inner surface of the drum during deceleration; and operating a circulation pump motor in the circulation pump, while the drum rotates in the first rotational direction, to accelerate a pump speed of the circulation pump during the acceleration of the drum, and to decelerate the pump speed during deceleration of the drum.

A washing machine includes a drum, a drum motor coupled to the drum; a driving circuit and a processor. The driving circuit is configured to supply a driving current to the drum motor so that the drum motor rotates. The processor is configured to control the driving circuit to accelerate the drum motor from the first rotational speed to a second rotational speed based on a gradient of the fluctuating magnitude of the driving current supplied to the drum motor while controlling the driving circuit to rotate the drum motor at a first rotational speed.

A driving device for a washing machine includes: a shaft including an inner shaft and an outer shaft surrounding the inner shaft; a motor assembly including a stator, a rotor that surrounds the stator, a modulator that surrounds the rotor, and a magnetic gear rotating body that surrounds the modulator; a first fixation body that connects between the inner shaft and the magnetic gear rotating body; a second fixation body having one end connected to the stator and the other end connected to a tub; and an electronic clutch that disconnects the outer shat and the rotor or connects the inner shaft and the rotor according to an operation mode of the washing machine. The modulator adjusts a speed and torque of the magnetic gear rotating body. The driving device may make a motor drive area highly efficient and may reduce electric consumption.

An autonomous system for washing and drying household laundry includes a plurality of autonomous combination washer and dryers each including a perforated drum disposed within a tub mated thereto at a drive end opposite an opening. A first air orifice is disposed through the tub. A detachable door includes a second air orifice configured to receive an air conduit such that air flows through the first and second air orifices during a drying cycle while the door seals the opening. A controller is configured to instruct a drive motor to spin the drum about a spin axis extending between the drive end and the opening. A driven carrier in operable communication with the controller slides along a raised rail disposed adjacent the plurality autonomous combination washer and dryers and retrieves, holds, and reseats a door in an opening of one of the plurality of autonomous combination washer and dryers.