Cup washer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12582282-B2
Application number	US-202318372354-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2023
Priority date	Sep 26, 2022
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

A cup washer includes a base plate, a water tank disposed on the base plate and configured to store water for washing a cup, and a washing unit disposed above the water tank and configured to wash an accommodated cup, wherein a vertical length of the cup washer is formed to be larger than a length of the base plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cup washer comprising:
a base plate; a water tank disposed on the base plate to store water therein; and a washing unit disposed above the water tank, the washing unit being configured to wash a cup accommodated therein, the washing unit including a tub having a space to accommodate the cup therein, the tub having an opening in an upper portion thereof; and a door located at the tub, wherein the door is configured to rotate upward from the tub to open the opening.

2 . The cup washer of claim 1 , wherein the tub is located in an upper portion of the cup washer.

3 . The cup washer of claim 2 , wherein the washing unit further includes:
a sump connected to the tub, the sump being configured to store water received from the tub; and a circulation pump connecting the tub to the sump, the circulation pump being configured to circulate water between the tub and the sump.

4 . The cup washer of claim 3 , wherein the sump and the circulation pump are located between the tub and the water tank.

5 . The cup washer of claim 2 , further comprising:
a drying module connected to the tub, the drying module being configured to blow heated air into the tub; and a liquid input module configured to input at least one of detergent or rinse into the tub.

6 . The cup washer of claim 5 , wherein the drying module and the liquid input module are located behind the tub.

7 . The cup washer of claim 5 , wherein the liquid input module includes:
a detergent storage configured to store the detergent; a rinse storage disposed separately from the detergent storage, the rinse storage being configured to store the rinse; a detergent injector connecting the detergent storage to the tub, the detergent injector being configured to inject the detergent into the tub; a rinse injector connecting the rinse storage to the tub, the rinse injector being configured to inject the rinse into the tub; a detergent pump connected to the detergent injector, the detergent pump being configured to pump the detergent to the tub; and a rinse pump connected to the rinse injector, the rinse pump being configured to pump the rinse to the tub.

8 . The cup washer of claim 2 , further comprising:
an intermediate plate located above the water tank; a circuit board located behind the water tank, the circuit board including a controller configured to control an operation of the cup washer; and a board support coupled to the circuit board, the board support extending between the base plate and the intermediate plate.

9 . The cup washer of claim 8 , further comprising a supply pipe configured to supply at least one of detergent or rinse to the tub,
wherein the circuit board and the supply pipe are spaced apart from the water tank and the washing unit behind the water tank.

10 . The cup washer of claim 1 , further comprising a top cover located on the upper portion of the tub,
wherein the door is rotatably coupled to the top cover.

11 . The cup washer of claim 1 , wherein the washing unit further includes:
a rack located in the tub to support the cup accommodated therein; and a link connecting the rack to the door such that the rack is lifted upwards when the door is rotated upwards.

12 . The cup washer of claim 1 , further comprising:
a frame supported by the base plate; a front panel coupled to the frame to cover the water tank; and a rear panel coupled to the frame at a rear of the cup washer.

13 . The cup washer of claim 12 , wherein the frame includes:
a pair of front supports located at a front of the cup washer, the pair of front supports being coupled to the base plate; a pair of rear supports located at the rear of the cup washer, the pair of rear supports being coupled to the base plate; and a pair of intermediate supports located between the pair of front supports and the pair of rear supports, the pair of intermediate supports being coupled to the base plate.

14 . The cup washer of claim 13 , wherein the front panel includes:
a first wall defining a front of the cup washer; a pair of second walls extending from opposite ends of the first wall; first coupling protrusions protruding from free ends of each of the second walls, the first coupling protrusions being coupled to a corresponding rear support of the pair of rear supports; and second coupling protrusions protruding from upper end portions of the first wall and the second walls, the second coupling protrusions being configured to suppress separation of the front panel from the cup washer.

15 . The cup washer of claim 14 , wherein each of the second coupling protrusions includes:
a fitting portion; and a hook surrounded by the fitting portion, the hook having a V-shaped cross section, the hook being elastically deformable.

16 . A cup washer comprising:
a base plate; a water tank located on the base plate; a tub located above the water tank, the tub having a space to accommodate a cup therein, the tub having an opening in an upper portion thereof; a door located at the tub; and an intermediate plate located between the water tank and the tub to partition the water tank from the tub, the intermediate plate being configured to support the tub, wherein the door is configured to rotate upward from the tub to open the opening.

17 . The cup washer of claim 16 , further comprising:
a frame supported by the base plate, the frame being configured to support the intermediate plate; a front panel coupled to the frame to cover the water tank and the tub; a rear panel coupled to the frame at a rear of the cup washer; and at least one exterior part coupled to the rear panel.

18 . The cup washer of claim 17 , wherein the frame includes:
a pair of front supports located at a front of the cup washer, the pair of front supports being coupled to the base plate; and a pair of rear supports located at the rear of the cup washer, the pair of rear supports being coupled to the base plate, wherein the at least one exterior part includes two exterior parts configured to cover portions of the rear supports.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jung Taeyong
• Kim Miseong
• Park Hyo Keun
• Oh Sejae
• Jeon Gyeoung Jin
• Jin Jaewoo
• Sung Changwoo
• Park Charyeom

Classifications

• A47L15/506

  Arrangements for lifting racks for loading or unloading purposes · CPC title

• A47L15/48

  Drying arrangements · CPC title

• A47L15/46

  Devices for the automatic control of the different phases of cleaning {; Controlling devices (A47L15/449 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A47L15/4418

  in the form of liquids (A47L15/4409, A47L15/4436, A47L15/4445 take precedence) · CPC title

• A47L15/4272

  Supporting arrangements for the tub · CPC title