KR101313440B1 - Automatic Water Dispenser for Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic water supply device for a refrigerator in which a container guide is mounted, the water container being provided with a container seating part having an open side, and provided with at least one nozzle on the container seating part; A vessel guide provided in the water supply; A vessel and a water level detection unit for transmitting an ultrasonic wave to the vessel seated on the vessel seating unit, and detecting a reflected ultrasonic wave to generate a signal; It is configured to include a control unit for receiving a signal from the container and the water level detection unit to control the water supply through the nozzle of the water supply, to provide a user convenience that can be easily seated in the correct position of the container for water supply as well as during water supply There is an effect that can prevent the leakage in advance.

Refrigerator, automatic water supply, vessel guide, identification mark, ultrasonic

Description

Automatic Water Dispenser for Refrigerator

1 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator provided with a water supply according to the prior art.

2 is a perspective view showing an automatic water supply unit for a refrigerator equipped with a container guide unit according to the present invention.

3 is a bottom view illustrating a container and a water level detector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a schematic perspective view showing a container, a water level detection unit, and a container guide unit according to the present invention.

5 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a relationship between a sensor module and a container guide unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

<< Explanation of symbols for main part of drawing >>

210: water supply 211: container seating portion

213: nozzle 215: water tank

217: Euro switch 219: Euro

230: container guide 231: identification mark

233: light source

250: container and water level detection unit 251: printed circuit board

253: Ultrasonic Transducer for Transmission

255, 257, 259: ultrasonic transducer for reception

270 control unit

V: container

The present invention relates to an automatic water dispenser for a refrigerator having a container guide for allowing a user to easily identify a normal seating position of a container to be watered.

In general, the water supply unit is installed in a refrigerator, a water purifier, or the like so that the user can easily take out the liquid.

In particular, the water supply unit installed in the refrigerator is configured to take out the liquid inside the refrigerator through the water supply unit installed outside the refrigerator without opening the door of the refrigerator.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a water purifier according to a related art is installed in a refrigerator. A water dispenser 120 is installed on a front surface of a door 110 of a refrigerator 100.

The water supply unit 120 is provided with a container seating unit 130, the discharge key (not shown) for discharging water is provided in the water supply unit 120.

Therefore, the user inserts the container 140 into the container seating portion 130 of the water supply 120 installed in the front of the door 110 of the refrigerator 100, and presses the discharge key only to drink water for the time the liquid discharge key is pressed. It can be thrown into the container 140.

In this case, when the water dispenser is installed in the refrigerator, there is no need to open the door, so that the cold air in the refrigerator compartment can be prevented from flowing out, thereby reducing power consumption of the refrigerator and maintaining freshness of foods stored in the refrigerator.

The current water supply has a problem that the user should pay attention to the completion of the water supply, the development of the automatic water supply is attempted, the automatic water supply is being developed with an emphasis on the convenience of the user. In the case of this automatic water supply, water may leak out of the container depending on the user's attention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention created to solve the above problems is to provide an automatic water supply device for a refrigerator having a container guide part which can prevent water leakage at the time of water supply by normally seating the container during water supply.

The object of the present invention, the container seating portion is formed with one side open, the water supply unit provided with at least one nozzle on the container seating portion; A vessel guide provided in the water supply; A vessel and a water level detection unit for transmitting an ultrasonic wave to the vessel seated on the vessel seating unit, and detecting a reflected ultrasonic wave to generate a signal; Receiving a signal from the container and the water level detection unit may be achieved by an automatic water supply for a refrigerator having a container guide configured to include a control unit for controlling the water supply through the nozzle of the water supply.

Preferably, the vessel guide of the present invention is an identification mark provided on the bottom surface of the water supply.

More preferably, the identification mark is a waterproof material that can be visually identified.

More preferably, the container guide portion further includes a plurality of light sources provided at an inner lower portion of the identification mark to blink in accordance with a control signal of the controller.

Preferably, the vessel and the water level detector of the present invention comprises a transmitting ultrasonic transducer and at least one receiving ultrasonic transducer.

More preferably, the area of the identification mark of the present invention is larger than the projected area of the entire placement space of the nozzle, the transmitting ultrasonic transducer and the water level receiving transducer, wherein the projection surface of the placement space is located inside However, it is smaller than the floor area of the minimum size of the containers as specified by the specification.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing an automatic water supply for a refrigerator equipped with a container guide according to the present invention, Figure 3 is a bottom view showing a container and a water level detection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 is a container according to the present invention And a schematic perspective view showing the water level detection unit and the container guide unit.

2 to 4, the automatic water supply for a refrigerator having a container guide according to the present invention includes a water supply 210, a container guide 230, a container and a water level detector 250, and a controller 270. It is composed.

The water supply 210 is provided at the front of the refrigerator (not shown), and a container seat 211 in which the container V is mounted is formed. The container seating part 211 is a constant space in which one side surface of the front surface of the refrigerator is open and a flat horizontal surface is formed inside so that the container V can be seated.

The water supply 210 communicates with the water tank 215 in which water is contained and the flow path 219, and a nozzle 213, which is at least one water inlet, is provided on the container seating portion 211.

The body of the flow path switch 217 is an actuator such as a solenoid interposed between the water tank 215 and the flow path 219 communicating with the water supply 210 to open and close the flow path 219 by an electrical signal.

The container guide portion 230 is composed of an identification mark 231 and a light source 233.

The identification mark 231 of the container guide portion 230 is provided so that the user can easily identify the naked eye so that the container V can be easily placed at the correct position. The surface of the container guide part 230 is smudged like color or hologram. A material of color that is distinct from the bottom of the tape or container seat 211 is preferred. In addition, the identification mark 231 preferably has good reflectivity in response to ultrasonic transmission of the vessel and the water level detection unit 250 described later. Here, the identification mark 231 according to the present invention is shown and described as being mounted on the container seating portion 211, but is not limited thereto, and may be modified in a fixed type.

In addition, the identification mark 231 has a circular shape in which the container V is provided on the upper surface, and can be easily removed because it is mounted on the container seating portion 211 of the water supply 210 that can be leaked. Waterproof materials are preferred.

In addition, the container guide part 230 is provided with at least one light source 233 in the center portion of the identification mark so that the user can more easily seat the container (V). In this case, the light source 233 is preferably an LED lamp. In addition, various kinds of light sources may be applied as well as an easy identification by the user, and an installation position of the light source is not necessarily limited.

In the drawings, the identification mark 231 and the light source 233 are exaggerated to protrude from the bottom surface of the container seating portion 211 and have a predetermined height, but this is to clearly show the configuration and actually the identification mark. 231 is very thin, it is preferable that the light source 233 is buried in the bottom surface of the container mounting portion 211 so that the light is projected on the bottom surface.

The vessel and water level detector 250 is a sensor module including a transmitting ultrasonic transducer 253 and at least one receiving transducer 255, 257, 259 provided on the printed circuit board 251. And a half arc-shaped nozzle installation groove on the printed circuit board 251 so that the above-described nozzle 213 can be located between the transmitting ultrasonic transducer 253 and the receiving ultrasonic transducer 255 adjacent to each other. 252 is formed.

In one embodiment of the printed circuit board 251 is a strip shape, the second and third receiving transducers 257 and 259 are based on the first ultrasonic transducer 253 for the first receiving transducer ( 255) are located apart from each other. As a result, the transducers 253, 255, 257, and 259 are provided in a row in the container and the water level detector 250 according to the present invention. However, the placement relationship of the ultrasonic transducers is fixed at the position where the outgoing ultrasonic transducer 253 and the level measuring ultrasonic transducer 255 are sandwiched between the nozzles 213, while the ultrasonic transducers 257,259 dedicated to the remaining vessel height measurement. ) May be horizontal or vertical, and the illustration of the invention is merely one embodiment.

Here, the height of the container (V) transmits the ultrasonic wave from the transmitting ultrasonic transducer 253 and the transmitted ultrasonic wave is reflected by the container (V) is determined by the first received signal among the receiving ultrasonic transducers (255, 257, 259).

The controller 270 receives a signal transmitted from the vessel and the water level detector 250 and supplies the vessel V to the preloaded program.

In addition, the controller 270 normally seats the container V on the container seating unit 211, and operates a function key for the automatic water supply provided in the refrigerator 200. ) To open the flow path switch 217 to correspond to the user set value. In addition, the container and the water level detector 250 transmit the water supply level of the container V to the controller 270 in real time.

The controller 270 closes the flow path 219 by controlling the flow switch 217 when the level value by the signal input from the container and the water level detector 250 is equal to or higher than the user's set value. When the user removes the container V from which the water supply is completed, the water supply process is completed.

3 to 5, an embodiment of the arrangement relationship between the vessel guide 230 and the transducers installed in the vessel and the water level detector 250 is illustrated.

The area of the identification mark 231 of the present invention is a circle consisting of a longest distance L connecting the outer edge of the transmitting ultrasonic transducer 253 and the first receiving ultrasonic transducer 255 adjacent thereto in a straight line. It must be wider than the area S. In addition, the area S1 of the projection surface made of the above-described circle should be located inside the identification mark 231.

Here, the area of the identification mark 231 must be smaller than the bottom area of the minimum container V set by the specification so as to be applicable and the arrangement relationship with the ultrasonic transducers 253 and 255 described above must be observed as described above. It is a necessary condition.

In addition, the above-described arrangement relationship may be applied to the case in which the container and the water level detection unit 250 are inclined, but in this case, the ultrasonic transducers 253 and 255 should be transmitted or received ultrasonically downward or vertically upward.

In addition, it is most preferable that the center of the circle made of the above-mentioned distance L coincides with the center of the identification mark 231 of the present invention.

Although the present invention described above is limited to the above-described embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention may be easily modified by those skilled in the art. It is obvious that it belongs to the technical idea of the.

The present invention having the above configuration has the effect of preventing the leakage during water supply as well as providing convenience for use that the user can easily seat the container to be watered in the correct position.

Claims (6)

Container seating portion formed on the front of the refrigerator so that one side is opened; A water feeder provided with at least one nozzle on an upper portion of the container seating portion; A container guide part disposed on a bottom surface of the container seating part and including an identification mark; A vessel and a water level detection unit including an outgoing ultrasonic transducer for transmitting ultrasonic waves to a vessel seated on an upper side of the vessel guide unit, and at least one receiving ultrasonic transducer for sensing the reflected ultrasonic waves; And And a control unit for receiving a signal from the container and the water level detection unit to control the water supply through the nozzle of the water supply. And the nozzle is disposed at a position proximate to the receiving ultrasonic transducer. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification mark, Automatic water supply for refrigerators, which are visually identifiable and composed of a material that is distinct from the bottom surface of the container seat or in the form of a flickering tape such as a hologram. delete The method of claim 1, And at least one light source disposed below the center of the identification mark and installed to blink in accordance with a control signal of the control unit. The method of claim 1, The container and the water level detecting unit comprises a transmitting ultrasonic transducer and at least one receiving ultrasonic transducer. The method according to any one of claims 1, 4, and 5, The identification mark is provided in a ring shape, The area of the identification mark is larger than the projected area of the entire placement space of the nozzle, the transmitting ultrasonic transducer and the water level receiving transducer, wherein the projection surface of the placement space is located therein and is presented by the specification. Automatic water dispenser for refrigerators smaller than the minimum floor area.

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