Liquid dispenser having peltier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11570968-B2
Application number	US-201916574349-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2019
Priority date	Sep 19, 2018
Publication date	Feb 7, 2023
Grant date	Feb 7, 2023

Abstract

A liquid dispenser may include a container having an upper opening, a pump provided in the container, a pipe through which liquid discharged from the pump is transferred, a top plate having an upper surface over which liquid flows, a filter assembly provided below the top plate, a base provided below the container, and a thermoelectric element provided in the base to cool the liquid in the container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid dispenser, including:
a container configured to store liquid and having an upper opening;
a lid seated over the upper opening to close the upper opening and having a first hole;
a pump having an inlet to suction liquid stored in the container and an outlet to discharge the liquid through the first hole;
a metal plate provided at a bottom of the container;
a base to support the bottom of the container; and,
a Peltier device provided in the base, wherein the metal plate contacts the Peltier device and the liquid stored in the container.

2. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the metal plate is provided adjacent to the inlet of the pump so that liquid entering the pump through the inlet flows over the metal plate.

3. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the metal plate has a ridge pattern.

4. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the metal plate is exposed through a second hole in the bottom of the container, and a gasket is provided around the second hole to hold the metal plate in place and seal an inner space of the base where the Peltier device is provided.

5. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , further including a heat sink having a plate and a plurality of radiating fins extending downward from the plate, wherein the Peltier device is mounted on the plate.

6. The liquid dispenser of claim 5 , further including a fan provided below the heat sink.

7. The liquid dispenser of claim 6 , wherein a bottom of the base includes a plurality of openings provided below the fan and a plurality of openings provided in a side surface to align with ends of the plurality of radiating fins.

8. The liquid dispenser of claim 7 , further including a temperature sensor mounted on the heat sink and protruding into the container to contact liquid, wherein an operation of the fan and the Peltier device is based on a temperature of the liquid sensed by the temperature sensor.

9. A liquid dispenser, including:
a container configured to store liquid and having an upper opening;
a pump having an inlet to suction liquid stored in the container and an outlet to discharge the liquid;
a lid seated over the upper opening to cover the upper opening, wherein liquid discharged from the outlet of the pump is configured to flow over an upper surface of the lid; and
a Peltier device provided outside of the container, wherein the container further includes:
an opening formed in a bottom, and
a housing formed in the bottom and adjacent to the opening, wherein the pump is provided in the housing, and a metal plate contacting the Peltier device is provided through the opening.

10. The liquid dispenser of claim 9 , wherein a surface of the metal plate that contacts the liquid has at least one of a shape or pattern to increase a surface area contacting the liquid.

11. The liquid dispenser of claim 9 , wherein the metal plate has a ridge pattern.

12. The liquid dispenser of claim 9 , wherein the metal plate has an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion protrudes through the opening of the bottom of the container, and the lower portion has a cross-sectional area that is larger than cross-sectional areas of the upper portion of the metal plate and the opening.

13. The liquid dispenser of claim 9 , further including a temperature sensor to sense a temperature of the liquid in the container.

14. The liquid dispenser of claim 13 , wherein an operation of the Peltier device is based on a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.

15. The liquid dispenser of claim 9 , further comprising a heat sink having a plate, wherein a section of the container including the opening and the housing of the pump is recessed downward, the Peltier device is mounted on the plate, and the plate is provided below the section of the container that is recessed.

16. The liquid dispenser of claim 15 , further including a wiring hole provided in the container through which a wire of the pump is inserted to electrically connect to a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board provided below a section of the container that is not recessed.

17. A liquid dispenser, comprising:
an inner wall configured to store liquid and an outer wall surrounding the inner wall to create a gap between the inner and outer walls, at least one of the inner wall or the outer wall having an end defining an upper opening;
a lid configured to cover the upper opening;
a bottom having a recess and an outer section, the recess protruding downward from the outer section;
a metal plate sealed in and exposed through an opening of the recess;
a temperature sensor having a probe provided in the recess; and
a Peltier device provided below the metal plate and the bottom.

18. The liquid dispenser of claim 17 , further comprising a pump provided in the recess to pump liquid stored in the inner wall, wherein the liquid discharged from the pump flows across an upper surface of the lid.

19. The liquid dispenser of claim 18 , wherein the lid has an inclined outer wall and a filter, the inclined outer wall having a maximum diameter greater than a diameter of the upper opening, and the filter extending horizontally from the inclined outer wall to at least partially close the upper opening and having a plurality of through holes.

20. The liquid dispenser of claim 19 , wherein the filter has an opening which is smaller than the upper opening, and the lid includes a plate support provided below the upper surface of the lid and has a dimension greater than the opening of the filter such that the filter and plate support close the upper opening.

21. The liquid dispenser of claim 17 , further comprising a base to support the outer wall, the base housing the Peltier device, wherein an operation of the Peltier device is based on a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.

22. The liquid dispenser of claim 21 , wherein the base includes a heat sink and a fan, the fan being provided below the heat sink, and the heat sink being provided below the Peltier device.

23. The liquid dispenser of claim 21 , wherein the base includes an inner opening in which the recess of the bottom is inserted.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Youn Jekwang
• Kim Youngdon
• Yoo Hyunsun
• Chun Jaehung
• Eun Yousook
• Kim Joogyeorn
• Kim Sungkyung
• KIM Myongsun

Classifications

• A01K7/06

  actuated by the animal {(for poultry A01K39/0213)} · CPC title

• A01K7/022 Primary

  Pumps actuated by the drinking animal · CPC title

• A01K7/02 Primary

  Automatic devices · CPC title

• C02F1/325

  Irradiation devices or lamp constructions · CPC title

• B67D1/0878

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