Water purifier and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11518670-B2
Application number	US-202117517931-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2021
Priority date	Jan 11, 2018
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

Provided is a water purifier. The water purifier includes a water purifier body provided with a filter, purifying raw water supplied from the outside, and supplying purified water, a water discharge module of which at least a portion is coupled to protrude to the front of the water purifier body so that at least a portion thereof rotates or is elevated with respect to the water purifier body and which is provided with a water discharge nozzle, which supplies the purified water supplied from the water purifier body to a user, in a lower end thereof, a driving unit providing power providing power required for the rotation and elevation of the water discharge module, a detection unit installed in the water purifier body or the water discharge module to recognize a position and size of a container placed around the water purifier body, and a control unit receiving position information and size information of the container from the detection unit to control the driving unit so that the water discharge nozzle moves above the container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid purifier comprising:
a liquid purifier body including a filter to purify a liquid;
a liquid discharge module, at least a portion thereof protruding at a front of the liquid purifier body and being at least one of rotated, raised, or lowered with respect to the liquid purifier body, and the liquid discharge module including, at a lower end thereof, a liquid discharge nozzle which supplies the purified liquid;
at least one driving motor that provides force to rotate, raise, and lower the liquid discharge module;
a sensor installed in at least one of the liquid purifier body or the liquid discharge module to detect at least one of a position or a size of a container placed around the liquid purifier body; and
a controller to operate, based on the position or the size of the container, the driving motor to at least one of rotate, raise, or lower the liquid discharge nozzle, and
wherein a plurality of the sensors that are provided in a transverse direction on at least one of a front cover covering a front surface of the liquid purifier body or a side panel defining a side surface of the liquid purifier body.

2. The liquid purifier according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of a proximity sensor or a camera.

3. The liquid purifier according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid purifier comprises a plurality of the sensors that are provided along a longitudinal direction on at least one of a front cover covering a front surface of the liquid purifier body or a side panel defining a side surface of the liquid purifier body.

4. The liquid purifier according to claim 1 , wherein the front cover has a shape that protrudes forward, and the plurality of sensors are provided along a circumferential direction of the front cover.

5. The liquid purifier according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is installed on a lower end of the liquid discharge module or the liquid discharge nozzle.

6. The liquid purifier according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid discharge module includes:
a rotator rotatably mounted inside the liquid purifier body to rotate with respect to the liquid purifier body; and
an elevation unit fixed to the rotator to rotate together with the rotator and varying a height of the liquid discharge nozzle.

7. The liquid purifier according to claim 6 , wherein the elevation unit includes:
a fixed cover that is fixed to the outside of the rotator, has an elevation space therein in a vertical direction, and is opened downward;
an elevation cover to which the liquid discharge nozzle is fixed and which is accommodated in the elevation space of the fixed cover to allow the liquid discharge nozzle to vary in height; and
a guide guiding a vertical movement of the elevation cover.

8. The liquid purifier according to claim 7 , wherein the guide includes:
a guide groove defined in the fixed cover along a vertical direction and having gear teeth therein; and
a first pinion gear rotatably coupled to the elevation cover and inserted into the guide groove.

9. The liquid purifier according to claim 8 , wherein the driving motor includes a first driving motor connected to a first rotation shaft of the first pinion gear to provide rotation power.

10. The liquid purifier according to claim 9 , wherein the controller changes a rotation direction of the first driving motor to raise or lower the elevation cover.

11. The liquid purifier according to claim 6 , wherein the liquid purifier body includes:
a front cover having a shape that protrudes forward, having an opening that extends in a circumferential direction in an upper portion thereof, and defining an outer appearance of a front surface of the liquid purifier body;
a base defining a bottom surface of the liquid purifier body;
a top plate defining a top surface of the liquid purifier body; and
a filter bracket which is provided rear of the front cover, having an upper end disposed at a height corresponding to the opening, and on which the filter is mounted,
wherein the rotator is rotatably mounted on the upper end of the filter bracket and covers the opening.

12. The liquid purifier according to claim 11 , wherein the front cover includes:
a lower cover extending from the base up to a lower end of the opening to cover the filter bracket; and
an upper cover spaced apart from the lower cover to extend from an upper end of the opening up to the top plate and rotatably coupled to an upper end of the rotator.

13. The liquid purifier according to claim 11 , wherein the filter bracket includes:
a rotator mounting wall having a curvature corresponding to an outer surface of the rotator and supporting a lower end of the rotator;
a bottom wall spaced downward from the rotator mounting wall and mounted on the base; and
a filter accommodation wall connecting the rotator mounting wall to the bottom wall and providing a space in which the filter is accommodated.

14. The liquid purifier according to claim 13 , wherein a second pinion gear is rotatably mounted on a lower end of an inside of the rotator,
an internal gear is provided on the rotator mounting wall in a circumferential direction, and
when the rotator rotates, the second pinion gear moves along the internal gear.

15. The liquid purifier according to claim 14 , wherein the driving motor includes a second driving motor connected to a second rotation shaft of the second pinion gear to provide rotation power.

16. The liquid purifier according to claim 15 , wherein the controller manages a rotation direction of the second driving motor to cause the rotator to rotate in one or more directions.

17. A method for controlling a liquid dispenser including a body; a liquid discharge module that is movably provided on the body and includes a liquid discharge nozzle at a lower end thereof to supply liquid; a driving motor that provides force to cause the liquid discharge module to move relative to the body; a sensor to detect a container placed at the body; and a controller to manage the driving motor to provide the force to move the liquid discharge module, the method comprising:
operating the driving motor by the controller so that the liquid discharge module is at an initial position;
detecting, by the sensor, at least one of a position or a height of the container when the container is received at the body;
operating the driving motor to cause the liquid discharge module to rotate or descend from the initial position so that the liquid discharge nozzle is positioned adjacent to an upper portion of the container; and
dispensing of liquid from the liquid discharge nozzle after the liquid discharge nozzle is positioned adjacent to the upper portion of the container, and
wherein the sensor detects the position of the container when the container is received at the body, and the controller operates the driving motor to cause the liquid discharge module to rotate from the initial position to the container.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein
after the liquid discharge module rotates to the container, the sensor secondarily detects the height of the container, and the controller operates the driving motor to cause the liquid discharge module to descend to the container.

19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein, when the dispensing of liquid from the liquid discharge nozzle is completed, the controller operates the driving motor to cause the liquid discharge module to return to the initial position.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Minho
• Kim Youngseok
• Yun Jongwon
• Jang Hoon
• Jeon Jewook
• Jung Soonki
• Ji Jingyu

Classifications

• B67D2001/1483

  electrically or electro-mechanically operated · CPC title

• B67D1/0859

  the evaporator being in direct heat contact with the beverage, e.g. placed inside a beverage container · CPC title

• B67D2001/009

  operated by cup detection · CPC title

• B67D1/0081

  Dispensing valves · CPC title

• B01D35/04

  Plug, tap, or cock filters {filtering elements mounted in or on a faucet} · CPC title