Water ejecting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11273463-B2
Application number	US-202016896732-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2020
Priority date	Apr 23, 2019
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A water ejecting apparatus includes a case and a water ejection unit coupled to one side of the case. The water ejection unit includes a rotator rotatably seated on an inner side of the front of the case, a first lifting cover coupled to one side of the rotator and allowing a lifting gear extending in an up-down direction to be fixed thereto, 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 water ejection pipe having one end accommodated in the second lifting cover and connected to the water ejection nozzle and the other end extending to the inside of the case by way of the rotator.

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 rotator disposed in the case;
a first lifting cover connected to the rotator and fixing a lifting gear;
a second lifting cover received in the first lifting cover;
a lifting motor connected to the second lifting cover and configured to engage with a gear assembly;
a liquid ejection nozzle disposed at an end of the second lifting cover and configured to eject liquid; and
a liquid ejection pipe having (i) a first end disposed in the second lifting cover and connected to the liquid ejection nozzle and (ii) a second end opposite to the first end and disposed in the case, wherein the liquid ejection pipe extends through the rotator between the first end and the second end.

2. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the liquid ejection pipe is made of a flexible material.

3. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the liquid ejection pipe comprises:
a first liquid ejection pipe configured to deliver liquid having a first temperature; and
a second liquid ejection pipe configured to deliver at least one of liquid having a second temperature or purified liquid, the second temperature lower than the first temperature.

4. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first lifting cover and the second lifting cover are configured to rotate along with the rotator with respect to the case, and
wherein the second lifting cover is configured to move with respect to the first lifting cover in a direction along a rotational axis of the rotator.

5. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the second lifting cover moves between a first position and a second position with respect to the first lifting cover, the second position being closer to a liquid receiving container that is placed relative to the liquid ejecting apparatus than the first position,
wherein the liquid ejection pipe has at least a first portion configured to bend inside the rotator based on the second lifting cover being located in the first position, and
wherein the first portion is straightened and moves along with the second lifting cover as the second lifting cover moves from the first position to the second position.

6. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the liquid ejection pipe has at least a second portion configured to bend to become convex based on the second lifting cover being in the first position.

7. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the liquid ejection pipe has at least a third portion configured to bend inside the rotator based on the second lifting cover being located in a first rotational position relative to the case, and
wherein the third portion is straightened and moves along with the second lifting cover as the second lifting cover rotates from the first rotational position to a second rotational position relative to the case.

8. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the liquid ejection pipe has at least a fourth portion configured to bend along an inner circumferential surface of the rotator based on the second lifting cover being located in the first rotational position.

9. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
a T connector disposed in the rotator and having a first port, a second port, and a third port,
wherein the first port is configured to fluidly connect to a cold liquid pipe,
wherein the second port is opposite to the first port and configured to fluidly connect to a purified liquid pipe, and
wherein the third port is disposed between the first port and the second port and configured to fluidly connect to an end of the liquid ejection pipe.

10. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
a rotating pipe configured to fluidly connect the cold liquid pipe with the purified liquid pipe through the T connector.

11. 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.

12. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first lifting cover further comprises:
a guide rail spaced apart from the lifting gear and extending in a first direction, the guide rail including a plurality of seating recesses that are spaced apart in the first direction, and
wherein the gear bracket comprises a guide rail projection configured to contact the guide rail and insert into the plurality of seating recesses as the gear bracket moves in the first direction.

13. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first lifting cover comprises:
a liquid ejection opening defined between the lifting gear and the guide rail, and
wherein the liquid ejection pipe is routed from an interior of the case through the liquid ejection opening and fluidly connected to the liquid ejection nozzle.

14. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lifting motor comprises:
a motor shaft; and
a motor gear engaged with the motor shaft, and
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.

15. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 14 , 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 lifting motor with respect to a direction in which the second lifting cover moves relative to the first lifting cover.

16. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 14 , 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 lifting 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.

17. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 14 , 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 gear.

18. 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.

19. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising:
an input device included in the liquid ejection top cover and configured to receive an input of a predetermined command.

20. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the input device comprises a lifting input control, and
wherein the liquid ejecting apparatus further comprises:
a controller configured to control the lifting motor based on an input of the lifting input control to move the liquid ejection nozzle.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B67D2210/00062

  Pipe joints · CPC title

• B67D2210/00049

  Pipes · CPC title

• B67D1/08

  Details · CPC title

• B67D1/0085 Primary

  electro-mechanical · CPC title

• B67D1/0014

  the beverage being supplied from water mains · CPC title