Beverage maker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10968420-B2
Application number	US-201816193769-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2018
Priority date	Nov 17, 2017
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

A beverage maker includes: a water supply module configured to supply water used by the beverage maker; an ingredient supplier connected to the water supply module, the ingredient supplier including a plurality of ingredient holders each of which has an inlet and an outlet; a fermentation module connected to the ingredient supplier and configured to receive ingredients from the ingredient supplier and water from the water supply module; at least one connection channel configured to connect the outlet of a first ingredient holder among the plurality of the ingredient holders to the inlet of a second ingredient holder among the plurality of the ingredient holders; and a support holder located in the ingredient supplier and configured to support the connection channel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage maker comprising:
a water supply module configured to supply water used by the beverage maker;
an ingredient supplier connected to the water supply module, the ingredient supplier comprising a plurality of ingredient holders, each ingredient holder having an inlet and an outlet;
a fermentation module connected to the ingredient supplier and configured to receive ingredients from the ingredient supplier and water from the water supply module;
at least one connection channel configured to connect the outlet of a first ingredient holder among the plurality of the ingredient holders to the inlet of a second ingredient holder among the plurality of the ingredient holders; and
a support holder located in the ingredient supplier and configured to support the connection channel.

2. The beverage maker according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ingredient holders are spaced apart from each other, and
wherein the support holder is located at a position between the first ingredient holder and the second ingredient holder, and extends in a vertical direction.

3. The beverage maker according to claim 1 , wherein the inlet and the outlet of each ingredient holder protrude from the ingredient holder in a same direction.

4. The beverage maker according to claim 1 , wherein the connection channel comprises:
an outlet fitting configured to couple to the outlet of the first ingredient holder;
an inlet fitting configured to couple to the inlet of the second ingredient holder; and
a hose part that connects the outlet fitting to the inlet fitting, and
wherein the support holder is configured to support at least one of the outlet fitting, the inlet fitting, or the hose part.

5. The beverage maker according to claim 4 , wherein the outlets of the plurality of ingredient holders are arranged along a first straight line that passes through the plurality of ingredient holders, and
wherein the inlets of the plurality of ingredient holders are arranged along a second straight line that is parallel to the first straight line and that passes through the plurality of ingredient holders.

6. The beverage maker according to claim 5 , wherein the ingredient supplier further comprises a guide plate that is located at an outer bottom surface of each ingredient holder and that extends in a direction parallel to a longitudinal direction of the hose part of the connection channel.

7. The beverage maker according to claim 6 , wherein the guide plate is located between the inlet and outlet of each ingredient holder.

8. The beverage maker according to claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the guide plate is disposed between the inlet of the first ingredient holder and the inlet of the second ingredient holder.

9. The beverage maker according to claim 1 , wherein the ingredient supplier comprises:
an ingredient accommodating body that includes the plurality of ingredient holders and the support holder; and
a lid module configured to open and close at least a portion of the plurality of ingredient holders.

10. The beverage maker according to claim 9 , wherein the support holder comprises:
a support part configured to support a lower portion of the connection channel; and
a pair of extension parts that extend from each of both ends of the support part and that are configured to couple to the ingredient accommodating body.

11. The beverage maker according to claim 10 , wherein each of the pair of extension parts comprises a hook part located at an end of each of the pair of extension parts, and
wherein the ingredient accommodating body comprises a hook catching part configured to couple to the hook part.

12. The beverage maker according to claim 10 , wherein a distance between the pair of extension parts at the ingredient accommodating body is greater than a distance between the pair of extension parts at the lower portion of the connection channel.

13. The beverage maker according to claim 1 , wherein the inlets and the outlets of the plurality of ingredient holders are arranged along a straight line that passes through the plurality of ingredient holders.

14. The beverage maker according to claim 13 , wherein the inlets and the outlets of the plurality of ingredient holders are alternately disposed along the straight line.

15. The beverage maker according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a main channel that connects the water supply module to the ingredient supplier; and
an ingredient supply valve configured to open and close at least a portion of the main channel,
wherein the ingredient supplier defines an ingredient supply valve mounting part configured to mount the ingredient supply valve.

16. A beverage maker comprising:
a water supply module configured to supply water used by the beverage maker;
an ingredient supplier connected to the water supply module through a first main channel, the ingredient supplier comprising a plurality of ingredient holders, each ingredient holder having an inlet and an outlet; and
a fermentation module connected to the ingredient supplier through a second main channel and configured to receive ingredients from the ingredient supplier and water from the water supply module,
wherein the plurality of ingredient holders are connected in series to each other to enable fluid to pass through the plurality of ingredient holders in series.

17. The beverage maker according to claim 16 , further comprising one or more connection channels configured to connect the outlet of one ingredient holder to the inlet of anther ingredient holder among the plurality of the ingredient holders,
wherein the plurality of ingredient holders comprise:
an initial ingredient holder comprising an initial inlet connected to the first main channel;
a final ingredient holder comprising a final outlet connected to the second main channel; and
at least one intermediate ingredient holder disposed between the initial ingredient holder and the final ingredient holder, the intermediate ingredient holder comprising an inlet and an outlet that are connected to different connection channels among the one or more connection channels.

18. The beverage maker according to claim 17 , further comprising a support holder configured to support the one or more connection channels,
wherein the ingredient supplier comprises:
an ingredient accommodating body that includes the plurality of ingredient holders and the support holder; and
a lid module configured to open and close at least a portion of the plurality of ingredient holders.

19. The beverage maker according to claim 17 , wherein the plurality of ingredient holders are located vertically above the one or more connection channels.

20. The beverage maker according to claim 16 , wherein the inlet of one ingredient holder is configured to receive fluid from the outlet of another ingredient holder.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Heo Jeongik
• Yoon Shic

Classifications

• B67D1/0831

  combined with valves · CPC title

• C12C13/10 Primary

  Home brew equipment · CPC title

• B67D2001/0814

  for upside down use · CPC title

• B67D1/0808

  Closing means, e.g. bungholes, barrel bungs · CPC title

• B67D1/0802

  Dip tubes · CPC title