Drinking-water supply device and method for controlling same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10894727-B2
Application number	US-201716466881-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2017
Priority date	Dec 9, 2016
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for controlling a drinking-water supply device, the method comprising: a first step of connecting a guide pipe of a case separable from a cabinet to form a channel through which water moves from the case to the cabinet; a second step of supplying the cabinet with sterile water electrolyzed by an electrolytic module included in the case; and a third step of supplying the cabinet with water which has not passed through the electrolytic module included in the case, wherein the sterilization water and the water are supplied to the cabinet from the case via the guide pipe in the second step and the third step.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid dispenser comprising:
a liquid receiving path;
a first module connected to the liquid receiving path to change a temperature of received liquid to a first temperature;
a first valve to open or close a first path for discharging liquid at the first temperature;
an electrolyzer to electrolyze liquid;
an electrolysis valve to open and close an electrolysis path through which liquid is supplied to the electrolyzer;
an electrolysis bypass valve to open and close a bypass path through which liquid is supplied to the guide pipe without passing through the electrolyzer; and
a guide pipe connecting the electrolyzer to the liquid receiving path,
wherein, during a cleaning operation, liquid passes through the electrolyzer before being received in the first module, and wherein, during a normal operation, liquid bypasses the electrolyzer via the bypass path coupled to the guide path before being received in the first module, and
wherein a first controller repeatedly opens and closes the electrolysis bypass valve during the cleaning operation.

2. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , wherein liquid is supplied to the first module as liquid at the first temperature is discharged through the first valve.

3. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , further including:
a second module connected to the liquid receiving path to change a temperature of received liquid to a second temperature;
a second valve to open or close a second path for discharging liquid at the second temperature;
a discharge path connected to the first and second paths; and
a discharge valve to open and close the discharge path to discharge liquid from the first and second paths.

4. The liquid dispenser of claim 3 , further including a second controller to control the first, second, and discharge valves and the first and second modules, wherein the second controller opens the first valve when liquid passes through the electrolyzer.

5. The liquid dispenser of claim 4 , further including:
a third valve to open and close a third path for discharging liquid at a third temperature, wherein the second controller controls the third valve to be opened when liquid passes through the electrolyzer.

6. The liquid dispenser of claim 4 , wherein the second controller controls the discharge valve to be opened when the second controller opens the first and second valves.

7. The liquid dispenser of claim 5 , further comprising:
a divergence pipe connecting the liquid receiving path and the first and second modules;
a cabinet enclosing the first and second modules, the first and second valves, the liquid receiving path, the first and second paths, the discharge path, and the discharge path;
a case enclosing the electrolyzer, wherein the guide pipe is configured to selectively couple the case to the cabinet.

8. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the first controller opens the electrolysis valve and closes the electrolysis bypass valve when the first controller controls the electrolyzer to be driven.

9. The liquid dispenser of claim 8 , wherein the first controller repeatedly opens and closes the electrolysis valve when the electrolysis bypass valve is closed and the electrolyzer is driven.

10. The liquid dispenser of claim 8 , wherein the first controller closes the electrolysis valve and opens the electrolysis bypass valve when the first controller controls the electrolyzer to not be driven.

11. The liquid dispenser of claim 10 , wherein the first controller repeatedly opens and closes the electrolysis bypass valve during the cleaning operation when the electrolysis valve is closed and the electrolyzer is not driven.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yu Kiwon
• Kim Youngjin
• Oh Kyungsoo

Classifications

• C02F9/20

  Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems · CPC title

• C25B1/04

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• B67D2001/075

  Sanitising or sterilising the apparatus · CPC title

• B67D1/0895

  Heating arrangements · CPC title

• B67D1/0857

  Cooling arrangements (cooling systems per se F25B) · CPC title