Beverage maker and method for making beverage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11365380-B2
Application number	US-201816192413-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2018
Priority date	Nov 17, 2017
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

A beverage maker apparatus including a fermentation tank having a space in which a beverage is made, a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the fermentation tank, a temperature controller configured to control the temperature of the fermentation tank, and a controller configured to operate when yeast is put into the beverage that is being made so that a fermentation process comprising a pre-fermentation process of controlling the temperature controller on the basis of a first setting temperature and a main-fermentation process of controlling the temperature controller on the basis of a second setting temperature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage maker apparatus comprising:
a fermentation tank having a space formed therein in which a beverage is made;
a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the fermentation tank;
a temperature controller configured to control the temperature of the fermentation tank;
a gas discharger configured to control a pressure within the fermentation tank, wherein the gas discharger comprises:
a gas pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure within the fermentation tank, and
a gas discharge valve configured to open and close a gas discharge channel connected to the fermentation tank; and
a controller configured to control a fermentation process when yeast is added to the beverage that is being made in the fermentation tank, the fermentation process comprising:
a pre-fermentation process of controlling the temperature controller on the basis of a first set temperature, and a main-fermentation process of controlling the temperature controller on the basis of a second set temperature,
wherein the pre-fermentation process includes a process for activating yeast added to the fermentation container,
wherein the fermentation process includes a process in which alcohol and carbonic acid are formed by the activated yeast, and
wherein the controller is further configured to close the gas discharge valve and control the gas discharge valve based on a degree of activation of the yeast,
wherein the gas discharger further comprises:
a safety valve connected to the gas discharge channel,
a pressure release valve connected to the gas discharge channel, and
a noise reducing device mounted on the pressure release valve.

2. The beverage maker apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first set temperature is greater than the second set temperature.

3. The beverage maker apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a timer configured to measure a pre-fermentation progress time when the pre-fermentation process is performed, and
when the pre-fermentation progress time is greater than a pre-fermentation set time, the main-fermentation process is performed.

4. The beverage maker apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the temperature controller comprises:
a heater for increasing the temperature of the fermentation tank; and
a refrigerant cycle device for decreasing the temperature of the fermentation tank.

5. The beverage maker apparatus of claim 4 , wherein, in the pre-fermentation process,
the controller is configured to drive the heater when the temperature of the fermentation tank, which is detected through the temperature sensor, is below a lower limit value of the first set temperature, and
the controller is configured to drive the refrigerant cycle device when the temperature of the fermentation tank is above an upper limit value of the first set temperature.

6. The beverage maker apparatus of claim 4 , wherein, in the main-fermentation process, the controller is configured to drive the heater when the temperature of the fermentation tank, which is detected through the temperature sensor, is below a lower limit value of the second set temperature, and
the controller is configured to drive the refrigerant cycle device when the temperature of the fermentation tank is above an upper limit value of the second set temperature.

7. The beverage maker apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, in the pre-fermentation process, the controller is configured to open the gas discharge valve.

8. The beverage maker apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the main-fermentation process comprises a first main-fermentation process and a second main-fermentation process,
whereby a pressure within the fermentation tank in the second main-fermentation process is maintained to be greater than a pressure within the fermentation tank in the first main-fermentation process.

9. The beverage maker apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the gas discharge valve is in an opened state when the first main-fermentation process is performed, and
the controller is configured to repeatedly perform opening and closing operations of the gas discharge valve when a progress time of the first main-fermentation process is greater than a predetermined time, measure a pressure within the fermentation tank by using the gas pressure sensor when the gas discharge valve is opened, and perform the second main-fermentation process when the measured pressure is at a first main-fermentation set pressure.

10. The beverage maker apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to close the gas discharge valve when the second main-fermentation process is performed, measure a pressure within the fermentation tank by using the gas pressure sensor, open the gas discharge valve when the measured pressure is greater than an upper limit value of a second main-fermentation set pressure, and close the gas discharge valve when the measured pressure is less than a lower limit value of the second main-fermentation set pressure.

11. The beverage maker according to claim 10 , wherein the controller operates to end the second main-fermentation process when a variation in pressure within the fermentation tank, which is measured by the gas pressure sensor, per unit time is less than a reference variation.

12. The beverage maker apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, in the pre-fermentation process, the controller is configured to close the gas discharge valve, measure the pressure within the fermentation tank by using the gas pressure sensor, calculate a variation in pressure by measuring the pressure within the fermentation tank after a predetermined time elapses, and end the pre-fermentation process when the calculated pressure variation is greater than a reference value.

13. The beverage maker apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a water supply module configured to supply water to the fermentation tank; and
an ingredient feeder disposed between the water supply module and the fermentation tank to accommodate the yeast.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Sunyoung
• Kang Wonchul
• MIN Kyungseok

Classifications

• B67D1/0884

  Means for controlling the parameters of the state of the liquid to be dispensed, e.g. temperature, pressure · CPC title

• C12C13/10 Primary

  Home brew equipment · CPC title

• C12C11/02

  Pitching yeast · CPC title

• C12C11/006

  Fermentation tanks therefor · CPC title

• B67D1/0858

  using compression systems · CPC title