Decompression mechanism and beverage maker having decompression mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11427455-B2
Application number	US-201916506015-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2019
Priority date	Jul 10, 2018
Publication date	Aug 30, 2022
Grant date	Aug 30, 2022

Abstract

A decompression mechanism may include a decompression case having an inlet that receives a beverage and an outlet that discharges the beverage; a decompression inner member including an inner body positioned inside of the decompression case and a guide formed in a spiral shape on an outer circumference of the inner body and in contact with an inner face of the decompression case; and a decompression channel defined between the decompression case and the decompression inner member. The decompression channel may have an input opening in communication with the inlet and an output opening in communication with the outlet, and a cross-sectional area of the decompression channel may increase as the decompression channel extends from the input opening to the output opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage maker, comprising:
a fermenting module;
a beverage discharge channel in communication with the fermenting module;
a beverage discharge valve installed on the beverage discharge channel;
a decompression mechanism that receives a beverage from the beverage discharge valve;
a dispenser that receives the beverage from the decompression mechanism and discharges the beverage; and
a front cover having the dispenser disposed on a front face thereof, wherein the decompression mechanism includes:
a decompression case having an inlet in communication with the beverage discharge valve and an outlet in communication with the dispenser;
a decompression inner member including an inner body positioned inside of the decompression case and a guide formed in a spiral shape on an outer circumference of the inner body in a lengthwise direction of the inner body and in contact with an inner face of the decompression case; and
a decompression channel defined between the decompression case and the decompression inner member, wherein the decompression channel is in communication with the inlet and the outlet, and wherein a cross-sectional area of the decompression channel increases as the decompression channel extends in a direction from the inlet to the outlet, wherein the beverage discharge valve is mounted on a rear face of the front cover, and wherein the beverage maker further comprising:
a first fitting that connects the beverage discharge valve with the inlet; and
a second fitting that connects the dispenser with the outlet, wherein the first fitting and the second fitting support the decompression mechanism.

2. The beverage maker of claim 1 , wherein the decompression mechanism is closer to the beverage discharge valve than to the dispenser in a flow direction of the beverage.

3. The beverage maker of claim 1 , wherein the beverage discharge valve and the decompression mechanism are disposed at a rear of the front cover.

4. The beverage maker of claim 1 , wherein an inner diameter of the decompression case decreases as the decompression case extends in a direction from the inlet toward the outlet.

5. The beverage maker of claim 1 , wherein the decompression case has an open portion defined therein into which the decompression inner member is inserted, and wherein the open portion is closer to the inlet than to the outlet.

6. The beverage maker of claim 5 , wherein the decompression inner member further includes a cover that blocks the open portion.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Hong Jinpyo
• Kim Youngjoon

Classifications

• B67D1/1272

  preventing froth · CPC title

• F16K47/06

  with a throttle in the form of a helical channel · CPC title

• B67D2210/00031

  Housing · CPC title

• B67D1/145

  comprising a valve shutter movable in a direction perpendicular to the valve seat · CPC title

• C12C11/006

  Fermentation tanks therefor · CPC title