Beverage maker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11560538-B2
Application number	US-201916710265-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2019
Priority date	Dec 17, 2018
Publication date	Jan 24, 2023
Grant date	Jan 24, 2023

Abstract

A beverage maker may include a fermenter having an opening; a fermentation lid hinged to the fermenter and configured to open and close the opening from above; a hinge shaft connected to the fermentation lid and configured to rotate with the fermentation lid; a rotary gear connected to the hinge shaft; and a gear damper provided at the fermenter and engaged with the rotary gear.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage maker, comprising:
a fermenter having an opening;
a fermentation lid hinged to the fermenter and configured to open and close the opening from above;
a hinge shaft connected to the fermentation lid and configured to rotate with the fermentation lid;
a rotary gear connected to the hinge shaft;
a gear damper provided at the fermenter and engaged with the rotary gear; and
a gas discharge valve disposed outside of the fermenter and the fermentation lid and configured to discharge gas from a fermentation space in the fermenter through a gas discharge channel, wherein the hinge shaft includes:
a shaft hole in which the gas discharge channel is inserted, and
a channel through-hole that communicates with the shaft hole, formed to extend toward the fermentation lid, and through which the gas discharge channel passes.

2. The beverage maker of claim 1 , wherein the fermentation lid includes:
a lid body; and
a hinge portion positioned outside of the lid body and connected with the hinge shaft, and wherein the fermenter includes:
a lid seat body in which the lid body is seated and on which the gear damper is installed; and
a pair of shaft supports formed on the lid seat body and that support the hinge shaft with the hinge portion therebetween such that the hinge shaft rotates.

3. The beverage maker of claim 2 , further comprising a damper mount provided on an outer surface of the lid seat body and on which the gear damper is mounted.

4. The beverage maker of claim 2 , wherein the hinge shaft includes:
a shaft portion positioned inside of the hinge portion;
a pair of extending portions that extends from both ends of the shaft portion and is positioned inside of the pair of shaft supports; and
a gear connecting portion that extends from any one of the pair of extending portions, is positioned outside of the pair of shaft supports, and is connected with the rotary gear.

5. The beverage maker of claim 4 , further comprising a bushing provided between an inner circumference of the pair of shaft supports and an outer circumference of the pair of extending portions.

6. The beverage maker of claim 2 , further comprising a fluid supply module disposed outside of the fermenter and the fermentation lid and configured to supply a fluid into the fermentation space in the fermenter through a main channel.

7. The beverage maker of claim 2 , further comprising a material supplier disposed outside of the fermenter and the fermentation lid and configured to supply a material into the fermentation space in the fermenter through a main channel.

8. The beverage maker of claim 2 , further comprising an air injector disposed outside of the fermenter and the fermentation lid and configured to inject air into the fermentation space in the fermenter through a main channel.

9. The beverage maker of claim 2 , further comprising a beverage dispenser disposed outside of the fermenter and the fermentation lid and configured to release a beverage made in the fermentation space in the fermenter through a main channel.

10. The beverage maker of claim 1 , wherein an opening that communicates with the channel through-hole is formed at the fermentation lid.

11. The beverage maker of claim 10 , wherein the fermentation lid further includes a channel connecting portion positioned inside of the lid body, that communicates with the fermentation space, and is connected with the gas discharge channel through the opening.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Hong Jinpyo
• Kim Youngjoon
• Lee Kyungbin

Classifications

• B67D3/00

  Apparatus or devices for controlling flow of liquids under gravity from storage containers for dispensing purposes (separating and dispensing metered quantities of liquids G01F) · CPC title

• C12C11/006 Primary

  Fermentation tanks therefor · CPC title

• B65D2251/1066

  Actuating means · CPC title

• A47J31/4407

  Lids, covers or knobs · CPC title

• B65D43/163

  the container and the lid being made separately (B65D43/161 takes precedence) · CPC title