Water purifier and control method for water purifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11285441-B2
Application number	US-201716084116-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2017
Priority date	Mar 11, 2016
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a control method for a water purifier comprises the steps of: filtering inflowing water so as to generate purified water; extracting the generated purified water; measuring the flow rate of the purified water extracted per unit time; flushing a filter part by using purified water generated in the filter part, when the extraction of the purified water is complete; and draining the flushed water to the outside through a residential water outlet of the filter part, wherein, in the purified water generation step, discharging of residential water generated in the purified water generation step is blocked according to the accumulated flow rate during a one-time extraction of the purified water, calculated on the basis of the flow rate of the purified water.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control method for a water purifier comprising:
generating purified water by filtering inflowing water;
extracting the purified water;
measuring a flow rate of the purified water extracted per unit time;
when the extraction of purified water is completed, flushing a filter unit by using the purified water generated by the filter unit; and
draining the flushed water externally through a domestic water outlet of the filter unit,
wherein the generation of purified water shuts off a discharge of domestic water generated in the generation of purified water, depending on an accumulated flow rate calculated on the basis of the flow rate of the purified water extracted per unit time while the purified water is extracted once.

2. The control method according to claim 1 , wherein, in the generation of purified water, the discharge of domestic water is shut-off, when the accumulated flow rate is lower than a predetermined amount.

3. The control method according to claim 1 , wherein, in the generation of purified water, the shut-off of domestic water is released to discharge the domestic water, when the accumulated flow rate is equal to or larger than a predetermined amount.

4. The control method according to claim 1 , wherein the flushing the filter unit comprises:
storing purified water generated by the filter unit; and
supplying the stored purified water to a raw water inlet of the filter unit.

5. A water purifier comprising:
a filter unit configured to generate purified water by filtering water inflowing through a raw water inlet, discharge the purified water through a purified water outlet, and discharge domestic water generated during the generation of purified water through a domestic water outlet;
a flow rate sensor measuring a flow rate of purified water discharged through the purified water outlet per unit time;
a flushing portion connected to the purified water outlet and the raw water inlet, flushing the filter unit by using the purified water; and
a controller configured to extract purified water discharged through the purified water outlet according to a purified water extracting input, to flush the filter unit by providing the purified water to the flushing portion when the extraction of purified water is completed, and to shut off the discharge of domestic water depending on an accumulated flow rate calculated on the basis of the flow rate of the purified water extracted per unit time while the purified water is extracted once.

6. The water purifier according to claim 5 , wherein the controller shuts off the discharge of domestic water, when the accumulated flow rate is lower than a predetermined amount.

7. The water purifier according to claim 5 , wherein the controller releases the shut-off of domestic water to discharge the domestic water, when the accumulated flow rate is equal to or larger than a predetermined amount.

8. The water purifier according to claim 5 , wherein the flushing portion comprises:
a flushing tank storing purified water provided from the filter unit;
a first flow path switching valve switching a flow path to provide purified water discharged through the purified water outlet to the flushing tank, when the extraction of purified water is completed; and
a second flow path switching valve switching a flow path to provide purified water stored in the flushing tank to the filter unit.

9. The water purifier according to claim 5 , wherein the controller comprises:
a raw water shut-off valve shutting off water inflowing into the filter unit when the filter unit is flushed; and
a domestic water shut-off valve shutting off the discharge of the domestic water depending on the flow rate of purified water extracted per unit time discharged through the purified water outlet according to the purified water extracting input.

Assignees

• Coway Co Ltd

Inventors

• Moon Hyoung-Min
• Jeong Dae-Jung
• Lee Byoung-Phil
• Cho Sung-Kon
• Kang Sang-Hyeon
• Yun Sung-Han
• Eom Ju-Hyuk
• Kang Dae-Sik
• Lee Jung-Hun

Classifications

• B01D2313/903

  Integrated control or detection device · CPC title

• B01D61/08

  Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• B01D2313/243

  Pumps · CPC title

• C02F2209/40

  Liquid flow rate · CPC title

• C02F1/441 Primary

  by reverse osmosis · CPC title