Fermenter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11015155-B2
Application number	US-201816189028-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2018
Priority date	Nov 15, 2017
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

A fermenter may include a fermentation container having a fermentation space in which a beverage is fermented and a first gas passage communicating with the fermentation space, and a fermentation lid opening and closing the fermentation container and having a second gas passage. When the fermentation lid closes the fermentation container, a gas chamber communicating with each of the first gas passage and the second gas passage is provided between the fermentation container and the fermentation lid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fermenter comprising:
a container having a first space in which a beverage is fermented and a first passage communicating with the first space;
a lid opening and closing the container and having a second passage, wherein a second space communicating with the first and second passages is provided between the container and the lid when the lid closes the container;
a third passage provided in the container and communicating with the first space in the container; and
a fourth passage provided in the lid and communicating with the third passage when the lid closes the container.

2. The fermenter of claim 1 , wherein the second space has a cross-sectional area greater than each of the cross-sectional areas of the first passage and the second passage.

3. The fermenter of claim 1 , further including a seal that prevents a gas within the second space from leaking between the lid and the container, wherein the seal is provided on at least one of the lid or the container.

4. The fermenter of claim 1 , wherein the first passage includes a plurality of passages provided in the container.

5. The fermenter of claim 1 , wherein each of the third passage and the fourth passage has a cross-sectional area greater than each of the cross-sectional areas of the first passage and the second passage, and less than a cross-sectional area of the second space.

6. The fermenter of claim 1 , wherein the third passage is spaced apart from the first passage, and the fourth passage is spaced apart from the second passage.

7. The fermenter of claim 5 , further including a seal preventing a fluid from leaking between the third passage and the fourth passage, wherein the seal is provided on at least one of the lid or the container.

8. The fermenter of claim 7 , wherein the first passage is provided between the third passage and an outer circumference of the container.

9. The fermenter of claim 7 , wherein each of the second passage and the fourth passage include a portion that is longitudinally disposed in a vertical direction, and the portion of the second passage is provided between the portion of the fourth passage and an outer circumference of the lid.

10. The fermenter of claim 1 , wherein the first and second passages are configured to allow a flow of gas, and the third and fourth passages are configured to allow a flow of a fluid that includes liquid.

11. A fermenter comprising:
a container having a space in which a beverage is fermented, and a first container passage communicating with the space;
an outer lid seated on the container; and
an inner lid which rotates with respect to the outer lid and having a first lid passage, wherein a chamber communicating with the first container passage and the first lid passage is provided between the container and the lid when the lid closes the container; and
a lock provided on the inner lid that couples to the container when the inner lid rotates.

12. The fermenter of claim 11 , further including a seal provided on at least one of the inner lid or the container, wherein the seal prevents gas within the chamber from leaking between the inner lid and the container.

13. The fermenter of claim 11 , further including a second lid passage provided in the outer lid that connects to the first lid passage of the inner lid and an external valve through which gas flowing in the second lid passage discharges from the fermenter.

14. A fermenter comprising:
a tank having an opening;
a pack including beverage making materials, a first space, and a first gas passage that communicates with the first space, wherein the pack is inserted into the tank through the opening;
a lid opening and closing the opening and having a second gas passage, wherein a second space communicating with each of the first gas passage and the second gas passage is defined between the pack and the lid when the lid closes the opening; and
a protrusion extending upward on the pack within the second space or communicating with the second space, wherein an inner surface of the protrusion defines a third space such that the third space is also provided within the second space.

15. The fermenter of claim 14 , further including a fourth space defined outside an outer surface of the protrusion within the second space and spaced apart from the third space, and further defined between the pack and the lid when the lid closes the opening.

16. The fermenter of claim 15 , further comprising:
a first seal preventing a gas within the third space from leaking to the fourth space; and
a second seal preventing a gas within the fourth space from leaking to the outside of the fermenter, wherein each of the first seal and the second seal is provided on at least one of the pack or the lid.

17. The fermenter of claim 16 , further including:
a first fluid passage spaced apart from the first gas passage provided in the pack;
a second fluid passage spaced apart from the second gas passage provided in the lid; wherein the first fluid passage and the second fluid passage communicate with each other when the fermentation lid closes the opening.

18. The fermenter of claim 16 , further including a third seal that seals a gap between the first fluid passage and the second fluid passage, wherein the third seal is provided on at least one of the pack or the lid.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Hong Jinpyo
• Lee Daewoong

Classifications

• C12C13/10 Primary

  Home brew equipment · CPC title

• C12C11/006

  Fermentation tanks therefor · CPC title

• A47J31/462

  with an intermediate liquid storage tank · CPC title

• C12G1/0206

  using a home wine making vessel · CPC title

• A47J31/4403

  Constructional details · CPC title