Water purifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10864468-B2
Application number	US-201715586529-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2017
Priority date	May 4, 2016
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

A water purifier that includes: a filter unit that is configured to purify water; a cooling unit that is configured to cool water purified by the filter unit using cooling water; a water discharge unit that is configured to discharge water cooled by the cooling unit; a cold water flow path that couples the cooling unit to the water discharge unit and through which water cooled by the cooling unit passes; a cold water discharge valve that is coupled to a first side of the cooling unit and that is configured to control water flow inside the cold water flow path; and a check fitting unit that is coupled to a first side of the water discharge unit and that is configured to block pressure change inside the cold water flow path is disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A water purifier comprising:
a filter unit that is configured to purify water;
a purified water flow path that is coupled to the filter unit and that is configured to guide purified water;
a cold water flow path that is divided from a first division point of the purified water flow path;
a cooling unit that is located at the cold water flow path and that is configured to cool water purified by the filter unit using cooling water;
a hot water flow path that is divided from a second division point of the purified water flow path, the second division point being located upstream of the first division point;
a heating unit that is located at the hot water flow path and that is configured to heat water purified by the filter unit;
a cold water discharge valve that is located between the first division point and the cooling unit at the cold water flow path and that is configured to, based on a pressure change in the cold water flow path, control water flow inside the cold water flow path;
a main body that extends in a vertical direction and accommodates the filter unit, the cooling unit, and the heating unit therein;
a water discharge unit assembly that comprises a rotation part and a water discharge unit extending in a front direction from the rotation part to an outside of the water purifier, the rotation part being configured to rotate the water discharge unit in left and right directions about a center line of the rotation part within a predetermined angle, the center line extending parallel to the vertical direction of the main body;
a first check valve located between the cooling unit and the water discharge unit and configured to block water flow inside the cold water flow path; and
a second check valve that is installed at the purified water flow path, that is located between the first division point and the second division point, and that is configured to control water flow inside the purified water flow path.

2. The water purifier of claim 1 , further comprising:
a check fitting unit that is coupled to a first side of the water discharge unit and that is configured to block a pressure change in the cold water flow path.

3. The water purifier of claim 2 , further comprising:
a cooling water tank assembly that is coupled to the cooling unit and that is configured to store cooling water to cool water purified by the filter unit.

4. The water purifier of claim 2 , wherein the heating unit comprises:
a hot water tank assembly that is configured to store hot water; and
an induction heater that includes a working coil and that is configured to inductively heat water in the hot water tank assembly using the working coil, and
wherein the hot water flow path couples the purified water flow path to the water discharge unit and through which hot water heated by the hot water tank assembly passes.

5. The water purifier of claim 4 , further comprising:
a control module that is configured to control a frequency of the induction heater to control a discharge temperature of hot water.

6. The water purifier of claim 5 , further comprising:
a water supplying valve (i) that is configured to control a flow of water that is purified by the filter unit and (ii) that is located at a first side of the filter unit.

7. The water purifier of claim 6 , further comprising:
a purified water discharge valve that is installed at the purified water flow path, that is located downstream of the first division point, and that is configured to, based on a pressure change in the purified water flow path, control water flow inside the purified water flow path,
wherein the control module is configured to control timings to open or close the water supplying valve, the purified water discharge valve, and the cold water discharge valve.

8. The water purifier of claim 7 , wherein the control module is configured to (i) close the water supplying valve earlier than closure of the purified water discharge valve or the cold water discharge valve and (ii) open the water supplying valve later than opening of the purified water discharge valve or the cold water discharge valve.

9. The water purifier of claim 6 , wherein the first side of the filter unit is an output side of the filter unit.

10. The water purifier of claim 2 , further comprising:
a purified water discharge valve that is installed at the purified water flow path, that is located downstream of the first division point, and that is configured to, based on a pressure change in the purified water flow path, control water flow inside the purified water flow path,
wherein the cold water flow path is connected to a rejoin point of the purified water flow path between the purified water discharge valve and the water discharge unit.

11. The water purifier of claim 10 , wherein the rejoin point of the purified water flow path is located between the water discharge unit and the first division point.

12. The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the water discharge unit includes:
a faucet body;
a first faucet part that is located inside the faucet body and that is coupled to an output water flow path at which the cold water flow path and the purified water flow path join together; and
a second faucet part that is located inside the faucet body and that is coupled to the hot water flow path.

13. The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit includes a cooling coil.

14. The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the second check valve is configured to prevent residual water in the purified water flow path and the cold water flow path from being discharged through the water discharge unit.

15. The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the water purifier is a direct water type purifier that is configured to directly discharge water outside of the water purifier without storing the water in a water tank.

16. A water purifier comprising:
a water supply flow path that is configured to guide water and through which water is provided;
a filter unit that is coupled to the water supply flow path and that is configured to purify water provided from the water supply flow path;
a purified water flow path that is coupled to the filter unit and that is configured to guide water purified by the filter unit;
a cold water flow path that is coupled to the purified water flow path and that is configured to guide a first portion of water from the purified water flow path,
a hot water flow path that is coupled to the purified water flow path and that is configured to guide a second portion of water from the purified water flow path;
a 3-directions connection pipe (i) that is coupled to the purified water flow path and configured to receive purified water from the purified water flow path, (ii) that is coupled to the cold water flow path and configured to receive cold water from the cold water flow path, and (iii) that couples the purified water flow path and the cold water flow path to a single output water flow path and configured to provide the purified water and the cold water to the single output water flow path;
a water discharge faucet that accommodates the single output water flow path and the hot water flow path, that is configured to receive the purified water and the cold water provided through the single output water flow path, and that is configured to receive hot water provided through the hot water flow path;
a main body that extends in a vertical direction and accommodates the filter unit therein; and
a water discharge unit assembly that comprises a rotation part and a water discharge unit extending in a front direction f

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jeon Jewook
• Choi Kobong
• Kim Yonghyun

Classifications

• B67D2210/0001

  for liquid · CPC title

• B67D1/0895

  Heating arrangements · CPC title

• B67D1/0884

  Means for controlling the parameters of the state of the liquid to be dispensed, e.g. temperature, pressure · CPC title

• B67D1/0009 Primary

  the beverage being stored in an intermediate container connected to a supply · CPC title

• B67D2210/00047

  Piping · CPC title