Automatic water supply device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10858235-B2
Application number	US-201615742776-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2016
Priority date	Jul 6, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

An embodiment relates to an automatic water supply device comprising: a container seating portion, one side of which is open such that a container is placed; a water intake member arranged on the upper portion of the container seating portion so as to supply the container with a liquid; a container height measuring unit and a water level measuring unit arranged to be adjacent to the water intake member, respectively; and a control unit for comparing the height of the container, which is measured by the container height measuring unit, and the water level, which is measuring by the water level measuring unit, thereby checking whether the water level inside the container reaches a preset height or not, and adjusting the water level inside the container using the result of the checking, wherein the container height measuring unit comprises a plurality of first optical sensors for sensing both ends of the upper end of the container, and can measure the height of the container in response to the result of sensing by the first optical sensors.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automatic water supply device comprising:
a container seating portion having one open side such that a container can be placed thereon;
a water intake member arranged at an upper portion of the container seating portion so as to supply a liquid to the container;
a container height measurement unit and a water level measurement unit arranged adjacent to the water intake member; and
a control unit to check whether or not a level of the liquid in the container reaches a predetermined height by comparing a height of the container, measured by the container height measurement unit, with the level of the liquid, measured by the water level measurement unit, and to adjust the level of the liquid in the container based on a result of checking,
wherein the container height measurement unit comprises a plurality of first optical sensors to sense both ends of an upper end of the container, and measures the height of the container in response to a result of sensing by the first optical sensors,
wherein the water level measurement unit comprises a second optical sensor to sense the level of the liquid in the container, and
wherein an exit angle of light emitted by the second optical sensor to the liquid varies according to a height of the container seating portion.

2. The automatic water supply device according to claim 1 , wherein an exit angle of light from one first optical sensor is different from an exit angle of light from another first optical sensor.

3. The automatic water supply device according to claim 2 , wherein one of the first optical sensors and the second optical sensor comprises a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor.

4. The automatic water supply device according to claim 3 , wherein the Time of Flight (ToF) sensor is a sensor calculating a distance by measuring a time taken to emit light and then to receive reflected light.

5. The automatic water supply device according to claim 4 , wherein the first optical sensors of the container height measurement unit have different exit angles of light.

6. The automatic water supply device according to claim 5 , wherein the first optical sensors are disposed adjacent to the water intake member.

7. The automatic water supply device according to claim 1 , wherein an exit angle of light emitted by the second optical sensor to the liquid is 5° to 7°.

8. The automatic water supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the container height measurement unit is arranged on at least one surface of the container seating portion.

9. The automatic water supply device according to claim 8 , wherein the container height measurement unit senses at least one of an upper end and a lower end of the container.

10. The automatic water supply device according to claim 9 , wherein the container height measurement unit is arranged on a lower surface of the container seating portion.

11. The automatic water supply device according to claim 9 , wherein the container height measurement unit comprises:
a first measurement unit arranged on an upper surface of the container seating portion; and
a second measurement unit arranged on a lower surface of the container seating portion,
wherein an extension line of a point, where the first measurement unit is arranged, in the vertical direction and an extension line of a point, where the second measurement unit is arranged, in the vertical direction are spaced apart from each other.

12. The automatic water supply device according to claim 8 , wherein the container height measurement unit comprises:
light emitting units arranged on one side surface of the container seating portion in the length direction of the container; and
light receiving units arranged so as to correspond to the light emitting units.

13. The automatic water supply device according to claim 12 , wherein the light emitting units are arranged in parallel on a first side surface of the container seating portion, and the light receiving units are arranged in parallel on a second side surface of the container seating portion facing the first side surface.

14. The automatic water supply device according to claim 12 , wherein the light emitting units are disposed in parallel on a third side surface of the container seating portion, and the light receiving units are disposed in parallel adjacent to the light emitting units on the third side surface of the container seating portion.

15. The automatic water supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the container height measurement unit and the water level measurement unit include a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor.

16. An automatic water supply device comprising:
a container seating portion having one open side such that a container can be placed thereon;
a water intake member arranged at an upper portion of the container seating portion so as to supply a liquid to the container;
a container height measurement unit and a water level measurement unit arranged adjacent to the water intake member; and
a control unit to check whether or not a level of the liquid in the container reaches a predetermined height by comparing a height of the container, measured by the container height measurement unit, with the level of the liquid, measured by the water level measurement unit, and to adjust the level of the liquid in the container based on a result of checking,
wherein the container height measurement unit comprises a plurality of first optical sensors to sense both ends of an upper end of the container, and measures the height of the container in response to a result of sensing by the first optical sensors,
wherein the water level measurement unit comprises a second optical sensor to sense the level of the liquid in the container,
wherein an exit angle of light from one first optical sensor is different from an exit angle of light from another first optical sensor,
wherein one of the first optical sensors and the second optical sensor comprises a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor,
wherein the Time of Flight (ToF) sensor is a sensor calculating a distance by measuring a time taken to emit light and then to receive reflected light,
wherein the first optical sensors of the container height measurement unit have different exit angles of light,
wherein the first optical sensors are disposed adjacent to the water intake member, and
wherein an exit angle of light emitted by the second optical sensor to the liquid varies according to a height of the container seating portion, and comprising the container disposed on the height of the container seating portion.

17. The automatic water supply device according to claim 16 , wherein the exit angle of light emitted when the height of the container seating portion is low is greater than the exit angle of light emitted when the height of the container seating portion is high.

18. An automatic water supply device comprising:
a container seating portion having one open side such that a container can be placed thereon;
a water intake member arranged at an upper portion of the container seating portion so as to supply a liquid to the container;
a container height measurement unit and a water level measurement unit arranged adjacent to the water intake member; and
a control unit to check whether or not a level of the liquid in the container reaches a predetermined height by comparing a height of the container, measured by the container height measurement unit, with the level of the liquid, measured by the water level measurement unit, and to adjust the level of the liquid in the container based on a result of checking,

Assignees

• Lg Innotek Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jung Jae Wook
• Kang Lee Im
• Lee Chang Hyuck

Classifications

• B67D1/08

  Details · CPC title

• G01F22/00

  Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B67D1/06

  Mountings or arrangements of dispensing apparatus in or on shop or bar counters (shop or bar counters per se A47F9/00) · CPC title

• B67D3/00

  Apparatus or devices for controlling flow of liquids under gravity from storage containers for dispensing purposes (separating and dispensing metered quantities of liquids G01F) · CPC title

• B67D1/12

  Flow or pressure control devices or systems {, e.g. valves, gas pressure control, level control in storage containers} · CPC title