Liquid dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12187593-B2
Application number	US-202217709707-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2022
Priority date	Apr 13, 2021
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

A dispenser includes a water supply flow path to guide water supplied from a water supply source toward a filter; an auxiliary flow path to branch off at the first point of the water supply flow path and then to merge into a second point located downstream of the first point; a flow switching valve installed at the first point to control a flow from the water supply flow path to the auxiliary flow path; a water ejection nozzle through which filtered is ejected; a hot water module forming a heating flow path and configured to heat the purified water into hot water; a hot water flow path configured to guide the hot water passing through the hot water module toward the water ejection nozzle; and a controller to control the flow switching valve and the hot water module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid dispenser which ejects hot liquid and purified liquid at an ambient temperature, the liquid dispenser comprising:
a housing forming a storage space;
a filter provided inside the housing to purify liquid supplied from an external liquid supply source;
a liquid supply flow path configured to guide liquid supplied from the liquid supply source toward the filter;
an auxiliary flow path configured to branch off at a first point of the liquid supply flow path and then to merge into a second point of the liquid supply flow path located downstream of the first point;
a flow switching valve installed at the first point and configured to control a flow of liquid from the liquid supply flow path to the auxiliary flow path;
a liquid ejection nozzle provided on the outside of the housing and through which liquid passing through the filter is ejected;
a heating module included in a heating flow path through which purified liquid from the filter passes and configured to heat liquid passing along the heating flow path into hot liquid;
a hot liquid flow path configured to guide hot liquid from the heating module toward the liquid ejection nozzle;
a controller configured to control operation of the flow switching valve and the heating module, and
an auxiliary heater configured to heat liquid flowing through the auxiliary flow path and installed in the auxiliary flow path.

2. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the flow switching valve so that the liquid in the liquid supply flow path passes through the auxiliary flow path when hot liquid is ejected from the liquid ejection nozzle.

3. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the flow switching valve so that the liquid in the liquid supply flow path flows only through the liquid supply flow path.

4. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising a flow rate adjusting valve installed in the auxiliary flow path.

5. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the auxiliary heater such that liquid passing through the auxiliary heater is heated to form a sterilizing hot liquid that passes through the filter and then flows toward the liquid ejection nozzle.

6. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising:
a liquid ejection flow path having a first side connected to the hot liquid flow path and a second side connected to the liquid ejection nozzle; and
a liquid ejection valve configured to control a flow of liquid flowing toward the liquid ejection nozzle and installed in the liquid ejection flow path.

7. The liquid dispenser of claim 6 , wherein the liquid ejection valve is provided as a three-way valve, and a drain flow path is connected to the liquid ejection valve, and
wherein the liquid ejection valve flows the liquid flowing thereinto toward the liquid ejection nozzle or to the drain flow path.

8. The liquid dispenser of claim 7 , wherein, when hot liquid is to be ejected from the liquid ejection nozzle, the liquid ejection valve is opened toward the liquid ejection nozzle, and
wherein, when ejection of hot liquid is finished, the liquid ejection valve is opened toward the drain flow path to drain remaining liquid.

9. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , wherein, when purified liquid at the ambient temperature is to be ejected from the liquid ejection nozzle, the controller is configured to turn off the heating module, and the purified liquid at the ambient temperature is discharged from the heating module and to the liquid ejection nozzle through the hot liquid flow path.

10. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , wherein, when hot liquid is to be ejected from the liquid ejection nozzle, the controller is configured to turn on the heating module, and hot liquid discharged from the heating module is ejected to the liquid ejection nozzle through the hot liquid flow path.

11. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising:
an intermediate flow path having a first end connected to an outlet side of the filter and a second end connected to an inlet side of the heating module to guide filtered liquid from the filter and toward the heating module;
a cold liquid flow path having a first side branched from the intermediate flow path and a second side merged into the liquid ejection flow path connected to the liquid ejection nozzle; and
a cooling module installed in the cold liquid flow path to cool purified liquid passing through the cold liquid flow path to form cold liquid.

12. The liquid dispenser of claim 11 , wherein a cold and hot liquid valve is installed at a branch point of the cold liquid flow path in the intermediate flow path,
wherein, when hot liquid or purified liquid at an ambient temperature is to be ejected from the liquid ejection nozzle, the cold and hot liquid valve is opened to guide purified liquid toward the heating module, and
wherein, when cold liquid is ejected, the cold and hot liquid valve is opened to guide purified liquid toward the cold liquid flow path.

13. The liquid dispenser of claim 12 , wherein after hot liquid is ejected, when purified liquid at an ambient temperature is to be ejected within a first hour, the cold and hot liquid valve is opened toward the heating module and the cold liquid flow path.

14. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising, in the water supply flow path, at least one of a pressure reducing valve configured to adjust the liquid pressure of liquid flowing thereinto from the liquid supply source or a flow rate sensor configured to check a flow rate of liquid passing through the liquid supply flow path.

15. A liquid dispenser comprising:
a housing forming a storage space;
a liquid supply flow path configured to guide liquid supplied from the liquid supply source;
an auxiliary flow path configured to branch off at a first point of the liquid supply flow path and then to merge into a second point of the liquid supply flow path located downstream of the first point;
a flow switching valve installed at the first point and configured to control a flow of liquid from the liquid supply flow path to the auxiliary flow path;
an auxiliary heater installed in the auxiliary flow path and configured to heat liquid flowing through the auxiliary flow path to form a sterilizing hot liquid that flows toward the liquid ejection nozzle;
a liquid ejection nozzle provided on the outside of the housing and through which liquid is ejected;
a heating module included in a heating flow path through which liquid passes from the liquid supply flow path, the heating module being configured to heat liquid passing along the heating flow path into hot liquid;
a hot liquid flow path configured to guide hot liquid from the heating module toward the liquid ejection nozzle; and
a controller configured to control operation of the flow switching valve, the heating module, and the auxiliary heater.

16. The liquid dispenser of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to control the flow switching valve so that the liquid in the liquid supply flow path passes through the auxiliary flow path when hot liquid is to be ejected from the liquid ejection nozzle.

17. The liquid dispenser of claim 15 , further comprising
a liquid ejection flow path having a first side connected to the hot liquid flow path and a second side connected to the liquid ejection nozzle; and
a liquid ejection valve configured to control a flow of liquid flowing toward the liquid ejection nozzle and installed in the liquid ejection flow path,
wherein th

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Ji Jingyu
• Roh Keunho
• Jang Munjae
• Kim Hyeonggeun
• Shin Jiyeon
• Nam Myeonghwan

Classifications

• B67D2210/0001

  for liquid · CPC title

• B67D1/1277

  Flow control valves · CPC title

• B67D1/0895

  Heating arrangements · CPC title

• B67D1/0014

  the beverage being supplied from water mains · CPC title

• B67D2210/00047

  Piping · CPC title