Drinking liquid supply device and method for controlling same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11046570-B2
Application number	US-201716461210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2017
Priority date	Dec 9, 2016
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 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 separated 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 hot water heated by a second hot water module included in the case; and a third step of supplying the cabinet with water which has not passed through the second hot water module included in the case, wherein a first hot water module, included in the cabinet, for heating water is not driven in the second step and the third step.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid dispenser comprising:
at least one liquid path through which a liquid flows;
at least one extraction valve configured to dispense the liquid;
a first liquid heating module provided upstream from the at least one extraction valve and configured to heat the liquid;
a second liquid heating module provided upstream from the at least one extraction valve and configured to heat the liquid;
at least one valve configured to guide the liquid into the second liquid heating module;
a guide pipe configured to guide the liquid which has passed through the second liquid heating module into the at least one liquid path; and
a bypass path that bypasses the second liquid heating module,
wherein during a first cleaning operation, the at least one valve is repeatedly opened and closed to supply the liquid to the second liquid heating module, and
wherein the at least one valve includes a first valve provided upstream from the second liquid heating module and a second valve provided in the bypass path, and during a second cleaning operation, the first valve is closed and the second valve is repeatedly opened and closed to supply the liquid to the at least one extraction valve.

2. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising a first controller configured to control the at least one extraction valve to be opened or closed.

3. The liquid dispenser of claim 2 , wherein the at least one extraction valve includes a room temperature extraction valve, a cold extraction valve, and a hot extraction valve, and
wherein the first controller opens each of the room temperature extraction valve, the hot extraction valve, and the cold extraction valve during the first or second cleaning operation.

4. The liquid dispenser of claim 3 , further comprising:
a cold liquid module provided on the at least one liquid path upstream from the cold extraction valve,
wherein the first liquid heating module is provided upstream from the hot extraction valve.

5. The liquid dispenser of claim 4 , further comprising a divergence pipe that diverts the liquid toward at least one of the room temperature extraction valve, the cold liquid module, or the first liquid heating module.

6. The liquid dispenser of claim 4 , wherein the at least one liquid path includes a hot liquid path including the first liquid heating module and the hot extraction valve and a cold liquid path including the cold liquid module and the cold extraction valve, and
wherein the hot liquid path and the cold liquid path are in parallel to each other.

7. The liquid dispenser of claim 6 , further comprising a first filter and a second filter configured to be detachable from the at least one liquid path, wherein the first filter and the second filter are arranged upstream from the cold liquid path and the hot liquid path.

8. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising a first filter and a second filter configured to be detachable from the at least one liquid path, wherein the first filter is configured to be attached either upstream or downstream from the second liquid heating module.

9. The liquid dispenser of claim 8 , further comprising a second controller configured to control the first valve and the second valve.

10. The liquid dispenser of claim 9 , wherein the second controller opens the first valve and closes the second valve when the second liquid heating module is driven.

11. The liquid dispenser of claim 9 , wherein the second controller closes the first valve and opens the second valve when the second liquid heating module is not driven.

12. The liquid dispenser of claim 11 , wherein the second controller repeatedly opens and closes the second valve within a predetermined time when the first valve is closed.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yu Kiwon
• Kim Youngjin
• Baek Kowoon
• Oh Kyungsoo

Classifications

• B67D2210/00049

  Pipes · CPC title

• B67D2210/00034

  Modules · CPC title

• C02F1/003 Primary

  using household-type filters for producing potable water, e.g. pitchers, bottles, faucet mounted devices (C02F9/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B67D2001/075

  Sanitising or sterilising the apparatus · CPC title

• B67D1/0895

  Heating arrangements · CPC title