Granted Patent B2

US 12,209,036 · App. 18/380,738 · Granted Jan 28, 2025

Inventors: Jewook Jeon (Seoul, KR); Dongkoo Han (Seoul, KR); Jingyu Ji (Seoul, KR); Sangnam Kim (Seoul, KR); Jongwon Yun (Seoul, KR); Junki Yeo (Seoul, KR); Youngseok Kim (Seoul, KR)

Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.

C02F1/46104C02F1/003C02F1/467E03C1/0404C02F2201/4614C02F2303/04C02F2307/10

Abstract

Claims (26)

1. A liquid dispensing device comprising: a casing having an inner space to receive a liquid, the casing having an inlet and an outlet; a inflow tube coupled to the inlet to introduce the liquid into the inner space of the casing; at least one electrode provided in the inner space and configured to produce sterilized liquid through electrolysis of the liquid introduced into the inner space; a controller to control to activate or deactivate the at least one electrode such that sterilized liquid is produce when the at least one electrode is activated; a discharge tube coupled to the outlet and configured to discharge the sterilized liquid when the at least one electrode is activated or to discharge liquid passing through the inner space from the inflow tube when the at least one electrode is deactivate; and a first valve having a valve inlet and a first valve outlet and configured to pass the liquid from the discharge tube between the valve inlet and the first valve outlet when the at least one electrode is deactivated or to pass the sterilized liquid from the discharge tube between the valve inlet and the first valve outlet when the at least one electrode is activated;

wherein when the controller receives a command for the sterilized liquid, the controller activates the at least one electrode for a first prescribed period of time such that a first prescribed quantity of sterilized liquid flows between the valve inlet and the first valve outlet, and deactivates the at least one electrode to allow the liquid to flow through the inner space of the casing and the liquid to flow between the valve inlet and the first valve outlet for a second prescribed period of time.

2. The liquid dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the first valve further includes a second valve outlet, and after the second prescribed period of time, the controller controls the first valve to stop the liquid from flowing between the valve inlet and the first valve outlet and the liquid flows between the valve inlet and the second valve outlet for a third prescribed period of time.

3. The liquid dispensing device of claim 1 , further comprising a liquid dispenser coupled to pass liquid or sterilized liquid flowing out of the first valve outlet.

4. The liquid dispensing device of claim 2 , wherein the second valve outlet is coupled to a drain pipe.

5. The liquid dispensing device of claim 2 , further comprising a second valve configured to be couple to an external source to provide liquid to the inflow tube.

6. The liquid dispensing device of claim 5 , wherein the liquid from the external source is raw liquid.

7. The liquid dispensing device of claim 5 , wherein the controller controls the second valve to allow the liquid to flow to the inflow tube until an end of the third prescribed period of time.

8. The liquid dispensing device of claim 6 , further comprising a liquid purifier to provide purified liquid to an inlet of the second valve, and an outlet of the second valve coupled to inflow tube.

9. The liquid dispensing device of claim 5 further comprising a third valve coupled between the discharge tube and the valve inlet of the first valve.

10. The liquid dispensing device of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to control the third valve to allow sterilized liquid to pass to the first valve for the first prescribed period of time and the liquid that has passed through the inner space to the first valve for the second prescribed period of time.

11. The liquid dispensing device of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to control the third valve to allow the liquid to pass to the first valve until an end of the third prescribed period of time.

12. The liquid dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the first prescribed quantity corresponds to a preset amount of sterilized liquid selected by a user.

13. The liquid dispensing device of claim 3 , wherein the liquid dispenser includes first and second nozzles, the first nozzle configured to dispense raw liquid or purified water, and the second nozzle is configured to dispense sterilized liquid during the first prescribed period of time and liquid that has passed through the inner space during the second prescribed period of time.

14. The liquid dispensing device of claim 5 , wherein the controller controls the second valve to allow the liquid to flow to the inflow tube until an end of the first prescribed period of time.

15. The liquid dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrode includes:

a first electrode; and

a second electrode positioned to be spaced apart from and extending parallel to the first electrode to face the first electrode.

16. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 15 , wherein the second electrode is provided in a bent shape of which one side and another side face each other, and

the first electrode is provided in a flat plate shape.

17. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 16 , wherein the second electrode includes:

a pair of electrode plates which are positioned to face each other, each of the electrode plates having a flat plate shape; and

a bent section configured to connect sides of the electrode plates to each other.

18. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 17 , wherein the first electrode is positioned between the electrode plates.

19. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the casing has an extended flat box shape.

20. The liquid dispensing device of claim 13 , further comprising a heater configured to provide heated raw liquid or heated purified liquid to the first nozzle.

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (120)