Water purifier and controlling method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025228391-A1
Application number	US-202519171940-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 7, 2025
Priority date	Sep 27, 2023
Publication date	Jul 17, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A water purifier includes: a main body; a water supply assembly connected to the main body and configured to release water supplied from the main body; and a nozzle assembly detachably coupled to the water supply assembly and comprising a water supply path, where the water supply path includes: an inflow port through which water is configured to flow from the water supply assembly to the nozzle assembly; and a plurality of outflow ports through which water is configured to flow from the nozzle assembly, where an area of the inflow port is larger than an area of the plurality of outflow ports.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A water purifier comprising:
a main body; a water supply assembly connected to the main body and configured to release water supplied from the main body; and a nozzle assembly detachably coupled to the water supply assembly and comprising a water supply path, wherein the water supply path comprises:
an inflow port through which water is configured to flow from the water supply assembly to the nozzle assembly; and
a plurality of outflow ports through which water is configured to flow from the nozzle assembly, and
wherein an area of the inflow port is larger than an area of the plurality of outflow ports.

2 . The water purifier of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle assembly further comprises:
a case; a flow path member in the case and defining the water supply path; and a fixer protruding from the flow path member and fixing the nozzle assembly to the water supply assembly.

3 . The water purifier of claim 2 , wherein the water supply assembly comprises:
a housing; a pipe in the housing and connected to the flow path member, and a plurality of fixing members between the pipe and the flow path member in a radial direction of the pipe, and wherein the fixer is between the plurality of fixing members in a state in which the nozzle assembly is coupled to the water supply assembly.

4 . The water purifier of claim 2 , wherein the nozzle assembly further comprises a contact projection protruding from an inner surface of the case to the flow path member and contacting a side of the flow path member.

5 . The water purifier of claim 2 , wherein the case comprises:
a first case comprising a mounting groove; and a second case comprising a mounting projection accommodated in the mounting groove in a state in which the second case is coupled to the first case, wherein the flow path member is in the first case and the second case, and wherein the first case and the second case are coupled by rotation.

6 . The water purifier of claim 1 , further comprising:
a heat exchanger in the main body and configured to cool or heat water; a communicator configured to communicate with an external device; a user interface device comprising an input interface and an output interface; and a processor configured to control the water supply assembly and the heat exchanger based on one of a coffee brewing recipe received from the external device through the communicator or a coffee brewing recipe selected through the user interface device.

7 . The water purifier of claim 6 , further comprising:
a memory storing a plurality of coffee brewing recipes, wherein the input interface of the user interface device comprises at least one button, and wherein the processor is further configured to control the user interface device to output a user interface for selecting one of the plurality of coffee brewing recipes stored in the memory, based on an operation of the at least one button.

8 . The water purifier of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the user interface device to output a water supply operation user interface to guide a water supply operation according to the coffee brewing recipe.

9 . The water purifier of claim 6 , further comprising:
a memory; and a detector configured to detect a coupling between the nozzle assembly and the water supply assembly, wherein the processor is further configured to, based on the coupling between the nozzle assembly and the water supply assembly being detected by the detector, receive the coffee brewing recipe from the external device and store the coffee brewing recipe received from the external device in the memory.

10 . The water purifier of claim 6 , further comprising:
a detector configured to detect a coupling between the nozzle assembly and the water supply assembly; and a memory storing a plurality of coffee brewing recipes, wherein the processor is further configured to control the user interface device to output a recipe selection user interface for receiving a selection of one of the plurality of coffee brewing recipes stored in the memory based on the coupling between the nozzle assembly and the water supply assembly being detected by the detector.

11 . The water purifier of claim 6 , further comprising:
a memory; and a camera configured to obtain an image of an object, wherein the processor is further configured to:
obtain information about a brewed coffee type based on an identification code recognized from an image obtained by the camera,
determine a coffee brewing recipe based on the information about the brewed coffee type, and
store the determined coffee brewing recipe in the memory.

12 . The water purifier of claim 6 , wherein the water supply assembly further comprises a water supply valve, and
wherein the processor is further configured to:
count a number of coupling times as a number of times the nozzle assembly and the water supply assembly are coupled, and
perform control to wash the water supply valve for the nozzle assembly based on the number of coupling times corresponding to a preset number.

13 . The water purifier of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the user interface device to output a washing cycle notification based on the number of coupling times corresponding to the preset number.

14 . A method of controlling a water purifier including a heat exchanger arranged in a main body and configured to cool or heat water, a water supply assembly connected to the main body and configured to release water supplied from the heat exchanger, a nozzle assembly detachably coupled to the water supply assembly and configured to release water to an outside of the water purifier, a communicator configured to communicate with an external device, and a user interface device including an input interface and an output interface, the method comprising:
receiving a coffee brewing recipe from the external device through the communicator or from a selection through the user interface device, and controlling the water supply assembly and the heat exchanger based on the received coffee brewing recipe.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the water purifier further includes a memory configured to store a plurality of coffee brewing recipes,
wherein the input interface of the user interface device includes at least one button, and wherein the method further comprises:
controlling the user interface device to output a user interface for selecting one of the plurality of coffee brewing recipes stored in the memory based on an operation of the at least one button.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
controlling the user interface device to output a water supply operation user interface for guiding a water supply operation according to the coffee brewing recipe.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the water purifier further includes a memory configured to store a plurality of coffee brewing recipes, and
wherein the method further comprises:
detecting a coupling between the nozzle assembly and the water supply assembly; and
controlling the user interface device to output a recipe selection UI for receiving the selection of one of the plurality of coffee brewing recipes stored in the memory based on the detection of the coupling between the nozzle assembly and the water supply assembly.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the water purifier further includes a memory, and a camera configured to obtain an image of an object, and
wherein the metho

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Seonjeong
• Yu Jimin
• Kim Bumseup
• Kim Seokuk
• Lee Junggeun
• Jang Doyun

Classifications

• A47J31/56

  having water-level controls; having temperature controls · CPC title

• A47J31/605

  Water filters · CPC title

• A47J31/461

  Valves, e.g. drain valves · CPC title

• A23F5/26

  Extraction of water soluble constituents {(A23F5/246 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A47J31/52 Primary

  Alarm-clock-controlled mechanisms for coffee- or tea-making apparatus {; Timers for coffee- or tea-making apparatus; Electronic control devices for coffee- or tea-making apparatus} · CPC title