Beverage making apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11111467-B2
Application number	US-201715598681-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2017
Priority date	May 18, 2016
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A beverage-making apparatus includes a fermentation tank assembly including a fermentation tank having an opening formed therein and a fermentation tank cover configured to open and close the opening. The beverage-making apparatus also includes a refrigeration cycle apparatus including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator. The refrigeration cycle apparatus is configured to circulate a refrigerant therethrough and to control a temperature of the fermentation tank as the evaporator is disposed at the fermentation tank. The beverage-making apparatus further includes a heat insulating wall surrounding both the fermentation tank and the evaporator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage-making apparatus comprising:
a fermentation tank that has an opening and that defines a space therein;
a beverage ingredient pack configured to be selectively accommodated in the space of the fermentation tank through the opening;
a fermentation tank cover configured to, based on the beverage ingredient pack being accommodated in the space of the fermentation tank, close the opening of the fermentation tank;
a supplier located outside the fermentation tank and configured to supply an additive;
a water supply flow path that is located outside the fermentation tank and that is connected to the supplier;
a main flow path that connects the supplier to the beverage ingredient pack;
a main valve installed in the main flow path;
a beverage extraction path branched from the main flow path;
an air pump configured to supply air in a space between an inside wall of the fermentation tank and an outside surface of the beverage ingredient pack;
a refrigerant tube wound around an outer surface of the fermentation tank; and
a heat insulating wall that surrounds the fermentation tank and the refrigerant tube,
wherein the beverage extraction path has a first connecting part that is connected to the main flow path,
wherein the main flow path has a second connecting part that is connected to the beverage ingredient pack,
wherein the main valve is provided between the first connecting part and the second connecting part, and
wherein the main valve is opened based on a liquid being extracted from the beverage ingredient pack.

2. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the beverage ingredient pack accommodates beverage-making ingredients therein.

3. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a seat part, formed in the fermentation tank, configured to mount the beverage ingredient pack.

4. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:
an air supply flow path connecting the air pump and the inside of the fermentation tank; and
an air control valve installed in the air supply flow path.

5. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a through-hole is formed, in the heat insulating wall, through which the air supply flow path passes.

6. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a water tank configured to hold water therein;
a water supply pump configured to pump water from the water tank; and
a water supply heater configured to heat the water pumped by the water supply pump,
wherein the supplier is connected to the water supply heater through the water supply flow path.

7. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:
a base; and
a water tank supporter disposed at the base and configured to support the water tank to be spaced apart from the base,
wherein at least one of the water supply heater, or the water supply pump is disposed between the base and the water tank.

8. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:
a compressor connected to the refrigerant tube;
a condenser connected to the compressor; and
an expansion device connected to both the condenser and the refrigerant tube,
wherein a space is formed between the heat insulating wall and the water tank, and
wherein the space faces the condenser.

9. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the water tank is spaced apart from the heat insulating wall in a horizontal direction.

10. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the supplier is disposed between the fermentation tank cover and the water tank.

11. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the supplier comprises:
a capsule accommodation body comprising at least one capsule accommodation part in which a capsule containing the additive is attachably and detachably accommodated; and
a lid module covering the capsule accommodation part.

12. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a bypass flow path, connected to the water supply flow path and the main flow path, through which water bypasses the capsule accommodation part.

13. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the lid module comprises:
a lid that is hinge-connected to the capsule accommodation body; and
at least one water supply body disposed at the lid,
wherein an inner water supply flow path connected to the water supply flow path through a supplier entrance flow path is formed in the water supply body.

14. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 13 , comprising:
a valve installed in the supplier entrance flow path and configured to open and close the supplier entrance flow path, the valve located under the capsule accommodation body; and
a center cover configured to cover a front of the valve.

15. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an air injection flow path connected to at least one of the water supply flow path or the main flow path; and
an air injection pump configured to pump air to the air injection flow path.

16. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a beverage extraction valve configured to regulate a flow within the beverage extraction path,
wherein the beverage extraction path is connected to the main flow path and the beverage extraction valve.

17. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a gas extraction flow path connected to the fermentation tank cover;
a pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure in the gas extraction flow path; and
a gas extraction valve configured to regulate a flow within the gas extraction flow path.

18. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat insulating wall comprises:
a lower heat insulating wall having an opened top surface, the lower heat insulating wall having a space formed therein; and
an upper heat insulating wall disposed at a top of the lower heat insulating wall, the upper heat insulating wall having a top surface in which a heat insulating wall opening surrounding an upper portion of the fermentation tank is formed.

19. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a heat insulating wall cover surrounding a circumferential surface and a top surface of the heat insulating wall,
wherein an upper through-hole is formed at an upper portion of the heat insulating wall cover, and
wherein a portion of the fermentation tank cover passes through the upper through-hole.

20. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the fermentation tank cover is located on top of the heat insulating wall cover.

21. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the fermentation tank cover is connected to the heat insulating wall cover via a hinge.

22. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant tube is in contact with the outer surface of the fermentation tank.

23. The beverage-making apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant tube is wrapped around the outer surface of the fermentation tank a plurality of times.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Chong Chungook
• Kim Heeyeon
• Park Sunyoung

Classifications

• B67D1/0431

  power-operated · CPC title

• B67D1/0078

  Ingredient cartridges · CPC title

• B67D2001/075

  Sanitising or sterilising the apparatus · CPC title

• B67D1/0016

  the beverage being stored in an intermediate container before dispensing, i.e. pre-mix dispensers · CPC title

• B67D2210/0012

  related to concentrate handling · CPC title