Beverage maker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12209233-B2
Application number	US-201816616105-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2018
Priority date	May 25, 2017
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

A beverage maker is provided including a fermentation tank module in which an opening is defined, a fermentation lid configured to open and close the opening, a temperature controller configured to control a temperature within the fermentation tank module, and a gas discharging passage connected to at least one of the fermentation tank module or the fermentation lid. The fermentation tank module may include a fermentation case, a fermentation tank which is accommodated in the fermentation case and in which an inner space that communicates with the opening is defined, and an insulator disposed between the fermentation case and the fermentation tank. The insulator is configured to surround the fermentation tank.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A beverage maker, comprising:
a fermentation tank module in which an opening is defined;
a main passage configured to guide materials for a beverage;
a fermentation lid configured to open and close the opening and provided with a main passage connector connected to the main passage;
a beverage making pack accommodated in the fermentation tank module through the opening;
a temperature controller configured to control a temperature within the fermentation tank module; and
a gas discharging passage through which gas of the beverage making pack is discharged, wherein the fermentation tank module comprises:
a fermentation case;
a fermentation tank which is accommodated in the fermentation case and in which an inner space communicating with the opening is defined;
an insulator disposed between the fermentation case and the fermentation tank, the insulator being configured to surround the fermentation tank; and
a lid seated body arranged above the fermentation case, wherein the beverage making pack comprises:
a pack body seated on the fermentation tank module; and
a flexible container coupled to the pack body, wherein a lid seated space is formed in the lid seated body, wherein the fermentation lid is located in the lid seated space, wherein a pack body pressing device configured to downwardly press the pack body is formed in the fermentation lid, wherein the fermentation lid presses the beverage making pack in a state in which the beverage making pack is accommodated in the fermentation tank module, wherein a heat insulating member injecting hole is defined in a bottom surface of the fermentation case, wherein the heat insulating member injecting hole faces a portion between an outer circumference of the fermentation tank and an inner surface of the fermentation case, wherein a cover member that covers the heat insulating member injecting hole is provided in the fermentation case, wherein a plurality of foaming gas discharging holes is formed and is spaced apart from each other on the upper surface of the fermentation case by a predetermined distance along a circumferential direction of the fermentation case, wherein each of the plurality of foaming gas discharging holes has a diameter less than a diameter of the heat insulating member injecting hole, wherein a pack body main passage is formed in the pack body, wherein the pack body main passage communicates with the main passage connector when the fermentation lid closes the opening, wherein the fermentation case comprises:
a case body;
a lower bracket which is coupled to the case body and to which the fermentation tank is fastened; and
an upper bracket which is coupled to the lower bracket and to which the lid seated body is fastened, wherein the beverage maker further comprising:
 an air injection pump; and
 an air supplying passage through which air pumped by the air injection pump is guided between the fermentation tank and the beverage making pack, and wherein an air supplying passage connector to which the air supplying passage is connected is provided in the lower bracket.

2. The beverage maker according to claim 1 , wherein a gas discharging valve configured to open and close the gas discharging passage is installed in the gas discharging passage.

3. The beverage maker according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature controller comprises a refrigeration cycle device including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion mechanism, and an evaporator, through which a refrigerant circulates, and wherein the evaporator is wound around an outer surface of the fermentation tank and disposed between the fermentation tank and the insulator.

4. The beverage maker according to claim 3 , wherein the temperature controller further comprises a heater wound around the outer surface of the fermentation tank and disposed between the fermentation tank and the insulator, and wherein the heater is disposed below the evaporator.

5. The beverage maker according to claim 4 , wherein the fermentation case comprises:
an upper case body disposed to face the evaporator in a horizontal direction; and
a lower case body having a diameter less than a diameter of the upper case body and disposed to face the heater in the horizontal direction.

6. The beverage maker according to claim 1 , wherein a circumferential surface and a bottom surface of the fermentation tank are disposed to be spaced apart from an inner surface of the fermentation case.

7. The beverage maker according to claim 6 , wherein a protrusion that protrudes downward is disposed on the bottom surface of the fermentation tank, and wherein a temperature sensor is disposed on the protrusion.

8. The beverage maker according to claim 1 , wherein the lower bracket comprises:
an outer body fastened to the case body; and
an inner body disposed inside of the outer body in a radial direction of the lower bracket, the inner body being fastened to the fermentation tank.

9. The beverage maker according to claim 8 , wherein a plurality of first fastening holes fastened to the case body is defined in the outer body, and wherein a plurality of second fastening holes fastened to the fermentation tank is defined in the inner body.

10. The beverage maker according to claim 1 , wherein the lower bracket comprises:
an outer body fastened to the case body; and
an inner body disposed inside of the outer body in a radial direction of the lower bracket, the inner body being fastened to the fermentation tank, and wherein a plurality of fastening bosses fastened to the upper bracket is disposed on the inner body.

11. The beverage maker according to claim 1 , wherein a seat portion on which the beverage making pack is seated is disposed on the fermentation case.

12. The beverage maker according to claim 1 , wherein the beverage making pack further includes a tube connected to a lower portion of the pack body and accommodated in the flexible container.

13. The beverage maker according to claim 12 , wherein the tube is connected to the pack body main passage.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Daewoong
• MIN Kyungseok
• Lee Sungsub

Classifications

• C12C13/10 Primary

  Home brew equipment · CPC title

• C12C11/006 Primary

  Fermentation tanks therefor · CPC title