Water ejecting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11518666-B2
Application number	US-202016898327-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2020
Priority date	Apr 23, 2019
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A water ejecting apparatus includes a case and a water ejection unit connected to the case. The water ejection unit includes a fixed cover connected to the case, having atop dead point and a bottom dead point, and including a lifting gear provided between the top dead point and the bottom dead point, a lifting cover movably coupled to the fixed cover, a lifting motor coupled to the lifting cover and a gear module interworking with the lifting motor and the lifting gear, a water ejection nozzle for ejecting water, a signal detecting unit that detects a frequency generation (FG) signal generated by the lifting motor during an operation of the lifting motor, and a controller configured to control the operation of the lifting motor upon determining that the lifting cover reaches the top dead point or the bottom dead point based on the FG signal.

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 lifting gear connected to the case;
a lifting cover connected to the case and movable with respect to the case;
a gear assembly including a lifting motor that is coupled to the lifting cover, wherein the gear assembly is configured to engage with the lifting motor and the lifting gear;
a liquid ejection nozzle disposed at an end of the lifting cover and configured to eject liquid;
a signal detecting unit configured to detect a frequency generation (FG) signal generated by the lifting motor based on operation of the lifting motor;
a touch bar at least partially received in the lifting cover and configured to move based on contact with a liquid receiving container that is placed below the liquid ejection nozzle;
a detection sensor received in the lifting cover and configured to detect movement of the touch bar; and
a controller connected to the signal detecting unit and the detection sensor and configured to control the lifting motor.

2. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the liquid ejector further comprises:
a fixed cover connected to the case and including the lifting gear,
wherein the lifting cover is at least partially received in the fixed cover and configured to move relative to the fixed cover.

3. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first cover includes the top dead point and the bottom dead point, and
wherein the lifting gear is disposed between the top dead point and the bottom dead point.

4. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
determine that the detection sensor does not detect the movement of the touch bar;
determine that the lifting cover reaches the bottom dead point based on the FG signal detected by the lifting motor; and
based on a determination that the detection sensor does not detect the movement of the touch bar and a determination that the lifting cover reaches the bottom dead point, stop the lifting motor.

5. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
determine that the detection sensor detects the movement of the touch bar;
based on a determination that the detection sensor detects the movement of the touch bar, determine that an end of the touch bar becomes to contact with a liquid receiving container;
based on a determination that the end of the touch bar contacts with the liquid receiving container, stop the lifting motor; and
based on a determination that the end of the touch bar contacts with the liquid receiving container, control the lifting motor to move the lifting cover away from the liquid receiving container by a preset height and subsequently stop the lifting motor,
wherein the controller is configured to store information of an n th rotation amount of the lifting motor after moving toward the liquid receiving container n times, and
wherein the information of the n th rotation amount is used to predict a distance to the top dead point when the lifting cover moves.

6. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to store at least one of information of a first rotation amount of the lifting motor that causes the lifting cover to move from the top dead point to the bottom dead point or information of a second rotation amount of the lifting motor that causes the lifting cover to move from the bottom dead point to the top dead point.

7. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive a rotation amount of the lifting motor based on the FG signal from the lifting motor;
compare the received rotation amount of the lifting motor with the first rotation amount or the second rotation amount, as the lifting motor operates to move the lifting cover toward the bottom dead point;
based on the received rotation amount being equal to the first rotation amount or the second rotation amount, determine that the lifting cover reaches the bottom dead point; and
based on a determination that the lifting cover reaches the bottom dead point, stop the lifting motor,
wherein the controller is configured to, based on the lifting cover approaching the bottom dead point, lower a rotation speed of the lifting motor.

8. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to, based on the lifting motor being stopped, open a liquid ejection valve to deliver liquid to the liquid ejection nozzle.

9. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive a rotation amount of the lifting motor based on the FG signal from the lifting motor;
compare the received rotation amount of the lifting motor with the first rotation amount or the second rotation amount, as the lifting motor operates to move the lifting cover toward the top dead point; and
based on the received rotation amount being equal to the first rotation amount or the second rotation amount, determine that the lifting cover reaches the top dead point.

10. The liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lifting motor includes a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor, and
wherein the controller is configured to adjust a speed of the lifting motor through duty control.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B67D1/0014

  the beverage being supplied from water mains · CPC title

• B67D1/0006 Primary

  based on the timed opening of a valve · CPC title

• B67D2210/00065

  related to the use of drinking cups or glasses · CPC title

• B67D1/0042 Primary

  Details of specific parts of the dispensers · CPC title

• B67D1/0878

  Safety, warning or controlling devices (B67D1/12 takes precedence) · CPC title