Beverage maker with tank with cooling and heating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12146126-B2
Application number	US-202117327338-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2021
Priority date	Jun 10, 2020
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

A beverage maker includes a fermentation tank in which an internal space for fermentation is formed, a temperature controller configured to control a temperature of the fermentation tank and including an evaporator and a heater, and an insulation portion surrounding a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the fermentation tank. The fermentation tank may include a first chamber, in which the evaporator is disposed, and a second chamber configured to be in contact with the heater and coupled to the first chamber, and the insulation portion may be located between the first chamber and the evaporator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage maker comprising:
a fermentation tank defining an internal space;
a temperature controller that is configured to control a temperature of the fermentation tank and that includes an evaporator and a heater; and
an insulation portion surrounding a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the fermentation tank,
wherein the fermentation tank comprises (i) a first chamber in which the evaporator is disposed and (ii) a second chamber that is configured to contact the heater and that is coupled to the first chamber,
wherein the insulation portion is located between the first chamber and the evaporator, and
wherein the insulation portion comprises a plate defining an air layer along the outer circumferential surface of the fermentation tank.

2. The beverage maker of claim 1 , wherein the plate is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the fermentation tank.

3. The beverage maker of claim 2 ,
wherein the plate comprises both ends bent and extended toward the outer circumferential surface of the fermentation tank, and
wherein the outer circumferential surface of the fermentation tank and the both ends are in contact with each other.

4. The beverage maker of claim 1 ,
wherein the second chamber is coupled to a lower end of the first chamber, and
wherein the heater is disposed on a lower end of the second chamber.

5. The beverage maker of claim 1 , wherein the insulation portion comprises an insulation member disposed along an outer circumferential surface of the first chamber.

6. The beverage maker of claim 1 ,
wherein the evaporator comprises an evaporation tube defining a refrigerant flow path, through which refrigerant flows, and
wherein the evaporation tube is spirally wound on the outer surface of the fermentation tank.

7. The beverage maker of claim 1 , further comprising a fermentation case surrounding an outside of the fermentation tank with a predetermined gap,
wherein an insulation is accommodated between the fermentation case and the fermentation tank.

8. A beverage maker comprising:
a fermentation tank defining an internal space;
a temperature controller that is configured to control a temperature of the fermentation tank and that includes an evaporator and a heater; and
an insulation portion surrounding a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the fermentation tank,
wherein the fermentation tank comprises (i) a first chamber in which the evaporator is disposed and (ii) a second chamber that is configured to contact the heater and that is coupled to the first chamber,
wherein the insulation portion is located between the first chamber and the evaporator,
wherein the insulation portion comprises an insulation member disposed along an outer circumferential surface of the first chamber, and
wherein the insulation portion further comprises a heat conduction sheet surrounding the insulation member and the fermentation tank outside the insulation member.

9. The beverage maker of claim 8 , wherein the heat conduction sheet is a graphite sheet.

10. The beverage maker of claim 8 , wherein the heat conduction sheet surrounds outer circumferential surfaces of the first chamber and the second chamber.

11. The beverage maker of claim 8 , wherein a thickness of the insulation member in an outward direction of the fermentation tank is greater than that of the heat conduction sheet in the outward direction of the fermentation tank.

12. The beverage maker of claim 8 , wherein the heat conduction sheet and the heater are spaced apart from each other.

13. The beverage maker of claim 8 , further comprising a coupling portion in which a lower end of the first chamber and an upper end of the second chamber are in contact with each other,
wherein the heat conduction sheet surrounds the coupling portion.

14. The beverage maker of claim 8 ,
wherein a lower end of the first chamber is bent and extended outward, and
wherein the insulation member is in contact with the lower end of the first chamber.

15. The beverage maker of claim 8 , wherein a length of the heat conduction sheet in an upper-and-lower direction is greater than that of the insulation member in the upper-and-lower direction.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Hong Jinpyo
• An Kwangyong
• Kim Yongbum
• Cho Suchang
• Kim Youngjin

Classifications

• C12C13/10 Primary

  Home brew equipment · CPC title

• B67D2210/00099

  Temperature control · CPC title

• B67D1/0895

  Heating arrangements · CPC title

• A47J31/44

  Parts or details {or accessories} of beverage-making apparatus (filters or strainers A47J31/06) · CPC title

• B67D1/0884

  Means for controlling the parameters of the state of the liquid to be dispensed, e.g. temperature, pressure · CPC title