Water purifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11040894-B2
Application number	US-202016889480-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2020
Priority date	May 13, 2016
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

A water purifier that includes: a water storage tank that includes an interior area and a first opening to the interior area; a cover unit that is configured to cover the first opening and that includes: a frame body that includes a second opening, and a water storage tank cover that is coupled to the frame body and that is configured to rotate about an axis such that the water storage tank cover opens or closes the second opening; a sterilizer that is configured to sterilize water in the water storage tank; a switching module that is configured to control electric power supply to the sterilizer; and an operation member that is configured to control the switching module based on the water storage tank cover being opened or closed is disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A water purifier comprising:
a water storage tank that defines an interior area configured to store water and that defines a first opening in communication with the interior area;
a cover unit that is configured to cover the first opening, the cover unit comprising:
a frame body configured to couple to the water storage tank and to surround the first opening, the frame body defining a second opening configured to communicate with the first opening, and
a water storage tank cover that is coupled to the frame body and that is configured to rotate relative to the frame body to thereby open and close the second opening;

a sterilizer located at the water storage tank cover and configured to sterilize water in the water storage tank;
a switching module coupled to the frame body, the switching module comprising a switch configured to control electric power to be supplied to the sterilizer; and
an operation member located at the water storage tank cover and configured to control the switch based on the water storage tank cover being opened or closed,
wherein the operation member comprises a pressing protrusion that protrudes from the water storage tank cover and that is configured to, based on the water storage tank cover being opened or closed, contact the switch to thereby control the electric power to be supplied to the sterilizer.

2. The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the frame body defines a recess that is recessed from a surface of the frame body and that accommodates the switching module.

3. The water purifier of claim 1 , further comprising an extension portion coupled to the water storage tank cover, wherein the pressing protrusion protrudes from the extension portion.

4. The water purifier of claim 3 , wherein the extension portion extends outward from a lateral side edge of the water storage tank cover and covers the switching module.

5. The water purifier of claim 3 , wherein the pressing protrusion protrudes downward from a bottom surface of the extension portion.

6. The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the switching module further comprises:
a switch case that accommodates the switch; and
a switch cover that covers the switch case and that defines a third opening in communication with an inside of the switch case.

7. The water purifier of claim 6 , wherein the pressing protrusion is configured to press the switch through the third opening.

8. The water purifier of claim 7 , wherein the switch comprises a switch lever that is configured to be pressed by the pressing protrusion.

9. The water purifier of claim 1 , further comprising:
a hinge that couples an edge of the water storage tank cover to the frame body,
wherein the water storage tank cover is configured to rotate about an axis extending along the hinge.

10. The water purifier of claim 9 , further comprising:
a wire that passes through the hinge and that connects the sterilizer and the switching module to each other.

11. The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the pressing protrusion is configured to separate from the switch to thereby turn off the switch based on the water storage tank cover being opened.

12. The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the pressing protrusion is configured to contact the switch to thereby turn on the switch based on the water storage tank cover being closed.

13. The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the sterilizer is configured to emit ultraviolet light.

14. The water purifier of claim 13 , wherein the sterilizer comprises an ultraviolet light lamp that is configured to face the water storage tank, and that is located vertically below the water storage tank cover, and that is configured to emit the ultraviolet light to the water storage tank.

15. A water purifier comprising:
a water storage tank that defines an interior area configured to store water and that defines a tank opening in communication with the interior area;
a body that defines an outer appearance of the water purifier and is configured to house the water storage tank therein;
a frame body that is configured to couple to the water storage tank and that defines a frame opening configured to communicate with the tank opening, and
a water storage tank cover that is coupled to the frame body and that is configured to rotate relative to the frame body to thereby open and close the frame opening;
a sterilizer located at the water storage tank cover and configured to sterilize water in the water storage tank;
a protrusion that protrudes from the water storage tank cover toward the frame body; and
a switch disposed at the frame body and configured to control electric power to be supplied to the sterilizer based on a distance between the protrusion and the switch.

16. The water purifier of claim 15 , wherein the protrusion is configured to contact the switch based on the water storage tank cover being closed.

17. The water purifier of claim 15 , wherein the switch is configured to, based on a decrease of the distance between the protrusion and the switch, be turned on to thereby supply the electric power to the sterilizer.

18. The water purifier of claim 17 , wherein the switch is configured to, based on an increase of the distance between the protrusion and the switch, be turned off to thereby cut off the electric power supplied to the sterilizer.

19. The water purifier of claim 15 , further comprising:
a switch case that is disposed at the frame body and that accommodates the switch; and
a switch cover that covers the switch case and that defines a through-hole configured to receive the protrusion based on rotation of the water storage tank cover.

20. The water purifier of claim 19 , wherein the frame body defines a recess that is recessed from an upper surface of the frame body and that accommodates the switch case and the switch cover.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Myounggon
• Kim Youngjin
• Baek Kowoon
• Lee Changgeun
• Park Jongho

Classifications

• C02F1/325 Primary

  Irradiation devices or lamp constructions · CPC title

• B01D35/16 Primary

  Cleaning-out devices {, e.g. for removing the cake from the filter casing or for evacuating the last remnants of liquid} · CPC title

• B01D35/18

  Heating or cooling the filters · CPC title

• B01D35/14

  Safety devices specially adapted for filtration (preventing or minimising fires or explosions A62C); Devices for indicating clogging (incorporated in a throw-away filter B01D27/10) · CPC title

• C02F2303/04

  Disinfection · CPC title