Apparatus for producing carbonated water, and refrigerator including the same and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9702616-B2
Application number	US-201514788959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2015
Priority date	Jul 4, 2014
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus for producing carbonated water includes a gas cylinder configured to store carbon dioxide gas, a cold water storage unit configured to store cold water, a producing tank defining a closed space where the carbonated water is produced, a water supply passage configured to connect the cold water storage unit to the producing tank, the water supply passage including a water supply valve that controls supply of the cold water, a gas supply passage connecting the gas cylinder to the producing tank, the gas supply passage including a gas valve that controls supply of the carbon dioxide, a first relief valve provided along the gas supply passage, the first relief valve configured to control the discharge of the carbon dioxide gas, a dispensing passage connecting the producing tank to a dispensing member, and the dispensing member configured to dispense the carbonated water from a front surface of a refrigerator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for producing carbonated water, the apparatus comprising:
a gas cylinder configured to store carbon dioxide gas;
a cold water storage unit configured to store cold water;
a producing tank defining a closed space where the carbonated water is produced;
a water supply passage configured to connect the cold water storage unit to the producing tank, the water supply passage comprising a water supply valve that controls supply of the cold water;
a gas supply passage connecting the gas cylinder to the producing tank, the gas supply passage comprising a gas valve that controls supply of the carbon dioxide;
a first relief valve provided along the gas supply passage, the first relief valve configured to control the discharge of the carbon dioxide gas;
a dispensing passage connecting the producing tank to a dispensing member;
the dispensing member configured to dispense the carbonated water from a front surface of a refrigerator, the dispensing passage comprising a dispensing valve that controls flow of the carbonated water;
a second relief valve in communication with an upper portion of the producing tank, the second relief valve configured to control discharge of air within the producing tank; and
a controller configured to control operation of the first relief valve and the second relief valve, wherein the controller is configured to control the gas valve to remain in an opened position until the carbonated water in the producing tank meets a preset concentration,
wherein the second relief valve is configured to have a preset pressure that is greater than the atmospheric pressure and less than the pressure of the first relief valve, and wherein the carbon dioxide gas is continuously injected into the producing tank based on the second relief valve being oriented in an opened position, wherein the second relief valve is provided in the producing tank.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an exhaust passage connected to an upper portion of the producing tank and comprising an exhaust valve that controls exhaust of air within the producing tank,
wherein the second relief valve is provided in the exhaust passage.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more regulator configured to maintain pressure of the supplied carbon dioxide and the dispensed carbonated water, at least one of the one or more regulators being provided in each of the gas supply passage and the dispensing passage.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an injection nozzle that is configured to inject the carbon dioxide gas and that is provided on a first end of the gas supply passage,
wherein the injection nozzle is positioned to be immersed in the cold water based on the cold water of the producing tank being at a full level state.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a water level detection device provided on an outer surface of the producing tank,
wherein the water level detection device is configured to detect a variation in capacitance to detect a water level within the producing tank.

6. An apparatus for producing carbonated water, the apparatus comprising:
a gas cylinder configured to store carbon dioxide gas;
a cold water storage unit configured to store cold water;
a producing tank defining a closed space where the carbonated water is produced;
a water supply passage configured to connect the cold water storage unit to the producing tank, the water supply passage comprising a water supply valve that controls supply of the cold water;
a gas supply passage connecting the gas cylinder to the producing tank, the gas supply passage comprising a gas valve that controls supply of the carbon dioxide;
a first relief valve provided along the gas supply passage, the first relief valve configured to control the discharge of the carbon dioxide gas;
a dispensing passage connecting the producing tank to a dispensing member;
a connection passage that is in communication with the producing tank and that is provided in a lower portion of the producing tank;
the dispensing member configured to dispense the carbonated water from a front surface of a refrigerator, the dispensing passage comprising a dispensing valve that controls flow of the carbonated water;
a second relief valve in communication with an upper portion of the producing tank, the second relief valve configured to control discharge of air within the producing tank; and
a controller configured to control operation of the first relief valve and the second relief valve, wherein the controller is configured to control the gas valve to remain in an opened position until the carbonated water in the producing tank meets a preset concentration,
wherein the second relief valve is configured to have a preset pressure that is greater than the atmospheric pressure and less than the pressure of the first relief valve, and wherein the carbon dioxide gas is continuously injected into the producing tank based on the second relief valve being oriented in an opened position,
wherein the connection passage, the water supply passage, and the dispensing passage are connected to a switching valve configured to selectively connect the passages to each other.

7. An apparatus for producing carbonated water, the apparatus comprising:
a gas cylinder configured to store carbon dioxide gas;
a cold water storage unit configured to store cold water;
a producing tank defining a closed space where the carbonated water is produced;
a water supply passage configured to connect the cold water storage unit to the producing tank, the water supply passage comprising a water supply valve that controls supply of the cold water;
a gas supply passage connecting the gas cylinder to the producing tank, the gas supply passage comprising a gas valve that controls supply of the carbon dioxide;
a first relief valve provided along the gas supply passage, the first relief valve configured to control the discharge of the carbon dioxide gas;
a dispensing passage connecting the producing tank to a dispensing member;
a connection passage that is in communication with the producing tank and that is provided in a lower portion of the producing tank;
the dispensing member configured to dispense the carbonated water from a front surface of a refrigerator, the dispensing passage comprising a dispensing valve that controls flow of the carbonated water;
a second relief valve in communication with an upper portion of the producing tank, the second relief valve configured to control discharge of air within the producing tank; and
a controller configured to control operation of the first relief valve and the second relief valve, wherein the controller is configured to control the gas valve to remain in an opened position until the carbonated water in the producing tank meets a preset concentration,
wherein the second relief valve is configured to have a preset pressure that is greater than the atmospheric pressure and less than the pressure of the first relief valve, and wherein the carbon dioxide gas is continuously injected into the producing tank based on the second relief valve being oriented in an opened position,
wherein the producing tank is injection-molded using a plastic material to define a space therein.

8. An apparatus for producing carbonated water, the apparatus comprising:
a gas cylinder configured to store carbon dioxide gas;
a cold water storage unit configured to store cold water;
a producing tank defining a closed space where the carbonated water is produced;
a water supply passage configured to connect the cold water storage unit to the producing tank, the water supply passage comprising a water supply valve tha

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Yonghyun
• You Jimin
• An Siyeon
• Kim Sungkyoung

Classifications

• F25D23/126 Primary

  Water cooler · CPC title

• B67D1/0014

  the beverage being supplied from water mains · CPC title

• A23L2/54

  Mixing with gases · CPC title

• B67D1/0071

  Carbonating by injecting CO2 in the liquid · CPC title

• B01F3/04815

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic