Drinking water supply device and method of controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10501303-B2
Application number	US-201615757742-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2016
Priority date	Sep 23, 2015
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

A method of controlling a drinking water supply device includes inputting a water discharge signal through an input lever, opening a first valve such that drinking water flows through a first channel and measuring the amount of drinking water flowing through the first channel using a flow rate sensor, opening a second valve for a predetermined time to discharge minerals when the amount of drinking water measured by the flow rate sensor reaches a first predetermined amount, and, opening the second valve again for the predetermined time to further discharge minerals when a second predetermined amount of drinking water is measured by the flow rate sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a drinking water supply device, the method comprising:
receiving a water discharge signal through a lever configured to be pushed, the water discharge signal being generated when the lever is pushed;
opening a first valve such that water flows through a first channel;
sensing a flow rate by a flow rate sensor to determine an amount of water flowing through the first channel;
opening a second valve to discharge minerals to be combined with the water when the amount of water reaches a first predetermined amount;
closing the second valve after a first predetermined amount of time to prevent discharge of minerals while the first valve is open for flow of water;
reopening the second valve to discharge minerals to be combined with the water when the amount of water reaches a second predetermined amount, the second predetermined amount being greater than the first predetermined amount; and
closing the second valve after a second predetermined amount of time.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further including reopening the second valve after an interval of the second predetermined amount, wherein the second predetermined amount is measured from the first predetermined amount, and the second predetermined amount is an amount of water that is set to be mixed with the minerals discharged for the second predetermined time at each interval of the second predetermined amount.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein a number of times that the second valve is opened and minerals are discharged is equal to a value obtained by dividing a total amount of water sensed by the flow rate sensor by the second predetermined amount.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the opening of the second valve is repeated each time the flow rate sensor measures the second predetermined amount of water until the water discharge signal is interrupted.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a water discharge end signal is generated when a pushed state of the lever is released.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein a total amount of water to be discharged is dictated by the water discharge end signal.

7. A drinking water supply device comprising:
a first channel through which water flows, the first channel including a first valve that opens and closes the first channel and a flow rate sensor that senses a flow rate of the drinking water through the first channel;
a water discharge channel connected downstream of the first channel and configured to discharge the water;
a connection pipe that connects the first channel to the water discharge channel;
a second channel through which minerals are supplied to the connection pipe, the second channel including a second valve that opens and closes the second channel;
a mineral container connected to the second channel and provided upstream of the second valve to receive minerals;
a lever configured to generate a water discharge signal when the lever is pushed and configured to generate a water discharge end signal when a pushed state of the lever is released; and
a controller configured to open the second valve for a first predetermined time to discharge minerals upon receiving the water discharge signal and determining that an amount of water has reached a first predetermined amount and a second predetermined amount that is greater than the first predetermined amount.

8. The drinking water supply device according to claim 7 , wherein the controller reopens the second valve for a second predetermined time to further discharge minerals when the amount of water has reached the second predetermined amount.

9. The drinking water supply device according to claim 7 , wherein the second valve is reopened after an interval of the second predetermined amount, and the second predetermined amount is an amount of water that is set to be mixed with the minerals discharged for the second predetermined time after each interval of the second predetermined amount.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Myounghoon
• Hong Jinpyo
• Yu Kiwon

Classifications

• B67D1/0043

  Mixing devices for liquids · CPC title

• B67D2210/00005

  Filters · CPC title

• B67D1/1234

  to determine the total amount · CPC title

• B67D1/0046

  Mixing chambers · CPC title

• B67D2001/0098

  using a gas · CPC title