Water ejecting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11230468-B2
Application number	US-202016895902-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2020
Priority date	Apr 23, 2019
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

A water ejecting apparatus includes a case and a water ejection unit connected to one side of the case. The water ejection unit includes a first lifting cover having a lifting gear extending in an up-down direction, a second lifting cover movably accommodated inside the first lifting cover, a lifting motor coupled to the second lifting cover and configured to interwork with the lifting motor, a water ejection nozzle installed at a lower end of the second lifting cover and configured to eject water, and a light source disposed inside the second lifting cover and configured to output light to a lower side or a side surface of the second lifting cover.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
a case; and
a liquid ejector at least partially protruding from the case and comprising:
a first lifting cover including a lifting gear;
a second lifting cover received inside the first lifting cover and having an upper surface, a lower surface, a front surface, and a side surface, wherein (i) the upper surface, the lower surface, and the side surface extend from the case, (ii) the front surface and the side surface extend between the upper surface and the lower surface, and (iii) the lower surface is configured to be closer to a liquid receiving container than the upper surface;
a lifting motor coupled to the second lifting cover and engaged with a gear assembly;
a liquid ejection nozzle disposed at an end of the second lifting cover and configured to eject liquid into the liquid receiving container; and
a light source disposed in the second lifting cover and configured to output light at the lower surface or the side surface of the second lifting cover, and

wherein the lifting motor comprises:
a motor shaft; and
a motor gear connected to the motor shaft,
wherein the gear assembly comprises:
a first gear engaged with the motor gear;
a second gear coaxially disposed with the first gear;
a third gear engaged with the second gear; and
a fourth gear coaxially disposed with the third gear and engaged with the lifting gear.

2. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second lifting cover includes:
an opening at the lower surface or the side surface; and
a diffusion member made of a light-transmissive material and disposed at the opening.

3. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the diffusion member is disposed around the liquid ejection nozzle.

4. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the diffusion member is made of a mixture of a transparent plastic and a diffusion pigment.

5. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the diffusion member comprises:
a diffusion plate received in the second lifting cover and having a shape that corresponds to the front surface or the side surface of the second lifting cover; and
a diffusion projection extending outward along a circumference of a first end of the diffusion plate and exposed at the lower surface of the second lifting cover.

6. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the diffusion member comprises:
a step portion at a second end of the diffusion plate along an inner circumference of the diffusion plate, the second end opposite to the first end,
wherein the light source is disposed such that at least a portion of the light source overlaps the step portion.

7. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light source printed circuit board (PCB) disposed in the second lifting cover,
wherein the light source includes a light emitting diode (LED) and is mounted on a first surface of the light source PCB.

8. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the light source includes a plurality of LEDs that are disposed at the first surface of the light source PCB.

9. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the light source includes a plurality of LEDs that output light of different colors.

10. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the liquid ejector further comprises:
a liquid ejection top cover extending from a top cover of the case and covering the first lifting cover, the top cover forming an upper surface of the case; and
an input device included in the liquid ejection top cover and configured to receive an input of a predetermined command.

11. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the input device comprises a lifting input control, and
wherein the liquid ejecting apparatus further comprises:
a controller configured to move the liquid ejection nozzle by controlling the lifting motor based on an input via the lifting input control.

12. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to turn on the light source based on the lifting motor operating.

13. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to turn on the light source until the second lifting cover moves from a first position and subsequently returns to the first position.

14. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotator coupled to the case and rotatable, wherein the first and second lifting covers and the liquid ejection nozzle are rotated based on rotation of the rotator.

15. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gear assembly comprises:
a gear bracket coupled to the second lifting cover; and
a gear rotatably mounted at the gear bracket and engaged with the lifting gear,
wherein the gear rotates along the lifting gear based on operation of the lifting motor so that the second lifting cover moves with respect to the first lifting cover.

16. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein rotating shafts of the first gear, the second gear, the third gear, and the fourth gear are located above the motor shaft of the motor with respect to a direction in which the second lifting cover moves with respect to the first lifting cover.

17. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first lifting cover has a first side and a second side opposite to the first side with respect to the motor shaft of the motor,
wherein the lifting gear is fixed at the first side of the first lifting cover, and
wherein the rotating shafts of the first gear, the second gear, the third gear, and the fourth gear are located at the first side in a staggered manner.

18. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotating shafts of the third gear and the fourth gear are arranged in a staggered manner with respect to the rotating shafts of the first gear and the second gear.

19. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second lifting covers has a convex shape extending away from the case, and wherein the lifting motor is disposed in the second lifting cover further away from the case than the first, second, third, and fourth gears, and the first, second, third, and fourth gears are disposed closer to the case than the lifting motor.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Minho
• Yoon Heesang
• Jang Hoon
• Han Dongkoo
• Kim Hyeonggeun
• Roh Keunho
• Park Jongho
• Song Younggwan

Classifications

• B67D2210/00041

  Doors · CPC title

• F21V19/0015

  Fastening arrangements intended to retain light sources · CPC title

• B67D1/0888 Primary

  Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means) · CPC title

• B67D2210/0001

  for liquid · CPC title

• B67D2210/00031

  Housing · CPC title