Liquid dispenser having fan housing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12193422-B2
Application number	US-201916574368-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2019
Priority date	Sep 19, 2018
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

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, comprising:
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 on the container to cover the upper opening and having a hole through which liquid discharged from the pump flows; and
a base to support the container, the base including:
a fan having an intake and an outtake,
a suction grill through which ambient air is suctioned via the intake of the fan,
a plurality of exhaust vents through which air from the outtake of the fan is discharged, and
a fan housing to which the fan is mounted, the fan housing having a pair of vertical walls, and at least one inclined surface which is provided between the pair of vertical walls and is inclined outward from a top end to a bottom end, the bottom end being closer to the exhaust vents than the top end,

wherein an end of the at least one inclined surface is connected to one of the pair of vertical walls, and another end of the at least one inclined surface is connected to another one of the pair of vertical walls,
wherein the liquid dispenser further comprises a heat sink provided on the at least one inclined surface and between the pair of vertical walls,
wherein the at least one inclined surface includes first and second inclined surfaces that are provided at a first side of the fan housing and a second side of the fan housing opposite the first side,
wherein the pair of vertical walls are provided at a third side of the fan housing and a fourth side of the fan housing opposite the third side,
wherein the exhaust vents are provided in a side surface of the base, and both the first and second inclined surfaces of the fan housing face the exhaust vents,
wherein the heat sink is placed on the fan housing so as to have a vertical position corresponding to a vertical position of the exhaust vents provided in the base,
wherein the liquid dispenser further comprises a Peltier device mounted on the heat sink,
wherein the heat sink comprises a heat dissipation plate, and radiating fins connected to the heat dissipation plate,
wherein the radiating fins overlap with the exhaust vents in a horizontal direction, and
wherein the radiating fins are positioned on top of both the first and second inclined surfaces.

2. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the base has a discharge opening, and the bottom end of one of the first and second inclined surfaces of the fan housing is provided to be adjacent to the discharge opening to guide liquid dropped in the base toward the discharge opening.

3. The liquid dispenser of claim 2 , wherein the discharge opening is formed in an outer portion of a bottom surface of the base.

4. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , wherein a height of one of the first and second inclined surfaces of the fan housing is less than or equal to a height of the exhaust vents.

5. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the Peltier device is mounted on the heat dissipation plate of the heat sink.

6. The liquid dispenser of claim 5 , further comprising a metal plate and an opening formed in a bottom of the container, wherein the metal plate is provided on top of the Peltier device and is exposed through the opening of the container.

7. The liquid dispenser of claim 6 , wherein the base includes a center plate having an opening and the fan housing includes cut-out portions formed in upper ends of the pair of vertical walls, the center plate is placed within the cut-out portions to be spaced apart from the heat dissipation plate of the heat sink, and the metal plate on the Peltier device is exposed through the opening of the center plate.

8. The liquid dispenser of claim 7 , wherein the metal plate includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion being configured to insert into the opening of the center plate, and the upper portion being configured to insert into the opening of the container.

9. The liquid dispenser of claim 7 , wherein a vertical distance between the top end of one of the first and second inclined surfaces of the fan housing and bottom ends of the cut-out portions is equal to a distance from a bottom of the heat sink to a top of the Peltier device.

10. A liquid dispenser, comprising:
a container configured to store liquid for dispensing outside the container; and
a base configured to support the container, the base including:
a lower frame having a side wall and a bottom, the bottom including a suction grill;
a fan provided above the suction grill;
an upper frame covering the fan and having a side wall coupled to the side wall of the lower frame, the side wall of the upper frame including an exhaust vent; and
a fan housing surrounding a shroud of the fan, wherein a distance from the bottom of the lower frame to a top of the fan is less than or equal to a distance from the bottom of the lower frame to a lower end of the exhaust vent,

wherein the fan housing includes a first inclined surface provided at a first side of the fan housing, the first inclined surface being inclined from the top of the fan outward toward the bottom of the lower frame,
wherein a second inclined surface is provided at a second side of the fan housing opposite the first side, the fan being provided between the first and second inclined surfaces,
wherein a third side of the fan housing includes a first vertical wall, and a fourth side of the fan housing opposite the third side includes a second vertical wall,
wherein a heat sink is provided on the fan housing between the first and second vertical walls,
wherein the heat sink vertically overlaps with the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface,
wherein an end of the first and second inclined surfaces is connected to the first vertical wall, and another end of the first and second inclined surfaces is connected to the second vertical wall,
wherein the exhaust vent is provided in a side surface of the base, and both the first and second inclined surfaces of the fan housing face the exhaust vent,
wherein the heat sink is placed on the fan housing so as to have a vertical position corresponding to a vertical position of the exhaust vent provided in the base, and
wherein the liquid dispenser further comprises a Peltier device mounted on the heat sink,
wherein the heat sink comprises a heat dissipation plate and radiating fins connected to the heat dissipation plate,
wherein the radiating fins overlap with the exhaust vent in a horizontal direction, and
wherein the radiating fins are positioned on top of both the first and second inclined surfaces.

11. The liquid dispenser of claim 10 , wherein a discharge slot is provided in the bottom of the lower frame, a bottom end of the first inclined surface of the fan housing is adjacent to the discharge slot, and positions of the discharge slot and exhaust vent are configured such that, when liquid enters the exhaust vent, the liquid is guided to the discharge slot by the first inclined surface of the fan housing.

12. The liquid dispenser of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of radiating fins extend parallel to the first and second vertical walls of the fan housing such that ends of the plurality of radiating fins align with the exhaust vent.

13. The liquid dispenser of claim 10 , further comprising an opening in the upper frame, an opening in the container, and a metal plate provided on the Peltier device,
wherein the Peltier device, metal plate, and upper frame of the base are configured such that the metal plate extends upward through the openings of the upper frame and the container.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G01S13/08

  Systems for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S13/46) · CPC title

• B67D1/1202

  Flow control, e.g. for controlling total amount or mixture ratio of liquids to be dispensed · CPC title

• B67D1/0888

  Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means) · CPC title

• B67D1/0871

  Level gauges for beverage storage containers (level indicators in general G01F) · CPC title

• B67D1/0878

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