Induction heating module and water purifier having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017321927-A1
Application number	US-201715473739-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 30, 2017
Priority date	May 4, 2016
Publication date	Nov 9, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A water purifier includes a hot water tank for receiving and heating received water by induction heating, a water outlet portion that is at least partially exposed to an outside of the water purifier for discharging hot water, a hot water line that is connected to the water outlet portion to communicate the hot water from the hot water tank to the water outlet portion, a hot water outlet valve that is located at the hot water line and that opens or closes the hot water line based on a control command, a connector that includes a hot water inlet connected to a water outlet pipe of the hot water tank and a hot water outlet connected to the hot water line, and a temperature sensor that is connected to the connector and that is configured to measure a temperature of the hot water that passes through the connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A water purifier, comprising:
a hot water tank that is configured to receive water and that is configured to heat the received water by induction heating; a water outlet portion that is at least partially exposed to an outside of the water purifier and that is configured to discharge hot water that has been heated in the hot water tank; a hot water line that is connected to the water outlet portion and that defines a water outlet passage that communicates the hot water from the hot water tank to the water outlet portion; a hot water outlet valve that is located at the hot water line and that is configured to open or close the hot water line based on a control command; a connector that includes a hot water inlet connected to a water outlet pipe of the hot water tank and that includes a hot water outlet connected to the hot water line; and a temperature sensor that is connected to the connector and that is configured to measure a temperature of the hot water that passes through the connector.

2 . The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the connector is located nearer to the hot water tank than to the hot water outlet valve.

3 . The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the connector is located between the hot water outlet valve and the hot water tank.

4 . The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein a distance between the connector and the water outlet pipe of the hot water tank is less than 200 mm.

5 . The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the connector defines a hole that is configured to receive the temperature sensor, and an end portion of the temperature sensor is passed through the hole and exposed to the hot water.

6 . The water purifier of claim 5 , wherein the temperature sensor has:
a first portion that has a first cross section that is smaller than a size of the hole, that is configured to be inserted into the hole, and that is configured to be exposed to the hot water passing through the connector; and a second portion that is stepped out radially from the first portion and that has a cross section that is larger than the size of the hole.

7 . The water purifier of claim 6 , wherein a stepped portion of the second portion contacts an upper surface of the connector around the hole.

8 . The water purifier of claim 5 , wherein the connector defines a temperature sensor support portion that is protruded from a circumference of the hole, and
the temperature sensor support portion is configured to receive the temperature sensor.

9 . The water purifier of claim 8 , wherein the connector comprises an O-ring that surrounds the temperature sensor and that is configured to restrict a leak of the hot water between the temperature sensor and the temperature sensor support portion.

10 . The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the water purifier further comprises a connecting portion that is configured to receive the connector and that is configured to fix the connector to the water purifier.

11 . The water purifier of claim 10 , wherein the connecting portion comprises a base that defines:
a first hole that is configured to receive a screw shaft configured to fasten the connector to the connecting portion, and a second hole that is configured to receive at least a part of the temperature sensor.

12 . The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises a safety outlet that is located at the connector, that is branched from the water outlet passage, and that is located between the hot water inlet and the hot water outlet.

13 . The water purifier of claim 12 , further comprising:
a drain that defines a drainage passage to an outside of the water purifier; a safety line that is connected to the safety outlet and the drain; and a safety valve that is located at the safety line and that is configured to open based on a pressure in a water passage of the water purifier increasing above a safety reference pressure.

14 . The water purifier of claim 12 , wherein the safety outlet is located between the temperature sensor and the hot water inlet.

15 . The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the induction heating is configured to be controlled based on the temperature of the hot water measured by the temperature sensor.

16 . The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the hot water inlet has a stepped portion inside the connector.

17 . The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the hot water outlet has a stepped portion inside the connector.

18 . A water purifier, comprising:
a hot water tank that is configured to receive a water and that is configured to heat the water by an induction heating; a water outlet portion that is exposed to an outside of the water purifier and that is configured to discharge a hot water heated from the hot water tank; a hot water line that is connected to the water outlet portion and that defines a water outlet passage that communicates the hot water from the hot water tank to the water outlet portion; a hot water outlet valve that is located at the hot water line and that is configured to open or close the hot water line based on a control command; a safety valve that is configured to be open based on a pressure in a water passage of the water purifier increasing above a safety reference pressure; and a connector that includes:
a hot water inlet that is connected to a water outlet pipe of the hot water tank,
a hot water outlet that is connected to the hot water line, and
a safety outlet that is connected to the safety valve.

19 . A water purifier, comprising:
a hot water tank that is configured to receive a water and that is configured to heat the water by an induction heating; a water outlet portion that is exposed to an outside of the water purifier and that is configured to discharge a hot water heated from the hot water tank; a hot water line that is connected to the water outlet portion and that defines a water outlet passage that communicates the hot water from the hot water tank to the water outlet portion; a hot water outlet valve that is located at the hot water line and that is configured to open or close the hot water line based on a control command; a temperature sensor that is configured to measure a water temperature between the hot water tank and the water outlet portion; a safety valve that is configured to open based on a pressure in a water passage of the water purifier increasing above a safety reference pressure; and a connector that includes:
a hot water inlet that is connected to a water outlet pipe of the hot water tank,
a hot water outlet that is connected to the hot water line,
a hole that is configured to receive a temperature sensor, and
a safety outlet that is connected to the safety valve.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jeon Jewook
• Choi Kobong
• Kim Yonghyun

Classifications

• C02F1/444

  by ultrafiltration or microfiltration · CPC title

• B67D1/0859

  the evaporator being in direct heat contact with the beverage, e.g. placed inside a beverage container · CPC title

• F25D31/003

  with immersed cooling element · CPC title

• B67D1/125

  Safety means, e.g. over-pressure valves · CPC title

• B67D1/0004

  the beverage being stored in a container, e.g. bottle, cartridge, bag-in-box, bowl · CPC title