WO2009054646A2 - Apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle - Google Patents

Apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2009054646A2
WO2009054646A2 PCT/KR2008/006096 KR2008006096W WO2009054646A2 WO 2009054646 A2 WO2009054646 A2 WO 2009054646A2 KR 2008006096 W KR2008006096 W KR 2008006096W WO 2009054646 A2 WO2009054646 A2 WO 2009054646A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
bottle
liquid
refrigerant
liquid bottle
cooling
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/KR2008/006096
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2009054646A3 (en
Inventor
Hee-Jong Yoon
Original Assignee
Winix Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Winix Inc. filed Critical Winix Inc.
Publication of WO2009054646A2 publication Critical patent/WO2009054646A2/en
Publication of WO2009054646A3 publication Critical patent/WO2009054646A3/en

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D31/00—Other cooling or freezing apparatus
    • F25D31/002—Liquid coolers, e.g. beverage cooler
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D11/00—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D3/00—Apparatus or devices for controlling flow of liquids under gravity from storage containers for dispensing purposes
    • B67D3/0009—Apparatus or devices for controlling flow of liquids under gravity from storage containers for dispensing purposes provided with cooling arrangements
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D19/00—Arrangement or mounting of refrigeration units with respect to devices or objects to be refrigerated, e.g. infrared detectors
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
    • F25B39/00—Evaporators; Condensers
    • F25B39/02—Evaporators
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D17/00—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2331/00—Details or arrangements of other cooling or freezing apparatus not provided for in other groups of this subclass
    • F25D2331/80—Type of cooled receptacles
    • F25D2331/803—Bottles
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2331/00—Details or arrangements of other cooling or freezing apparatus not provided for in other groups of this subclass
    • F25D2331/80—Type of cooled receptacles
    • F25D2331/806—Dispensers
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
    • F28D1/00—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, in which the other heat-exchange medium is a large body of fluid, e.g. domestic or motor car radiators
    • F28D1/06—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, in which the other heat-exchange medium is a large body of fluid, e.g. domestic or motor car radiators with the heat-exchange conduits forming part of, or being attached to, the tank containing the body of fluid

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing cold water from a bottle by cooling the bottle filled with the liquid.
  • a water purifier is used at homes and offices where tap water is used as drinking water to filter off heavy metals and other harmful substances from the tap water.
  • a hot and cold water dispenser is used.
  • the hot and cold water dispenser is structured such that a bottle containing the water is turned upside down and located at an upper portion of a case, a cold water chamber having a cooling unit is located at an outlet side of the bottle, and a hot water chamber having a heating unit is located under the cold water chamber.
  • the cold and hot water chambers are located inside the case and securely fixed by, for example, screws.
  • the chambers are connected to the outlet of the bottle by a conduit along which the water flows.
  • the present invention has been made in an effort to address the problem of the related art. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for dispensing cold liquid from a bottle by directly cooling the bottle containing the liquid. It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that does not require a cooling chamber having a cooling unit that temporarily stores and cools the water.
  • an apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle includes: a case on which the bottle filled with the liquid is disposed such that an outlet of the bottle is oriented downward; a compressor compressing a refrigerant to a high temperature/high pressure state; a condenser liquefying the compressed refrigerant transferred from the compressor; a heat exchanger performing heat exchange by reducing pressure of the refrigerant transferred from the condenser; and a cooling unit cooling a portion around the outlet of the bottle by receiving the refrigerant from the heat exchanger and absorbing ambient heat.
  • the cooling unit is a conduit along which the refrigerant transferred from the heat exchanger flows and that is spirally provided on a seat portion of the case.
  • the cooling unit may be a cooling plate that is cooled by the refrigerant transferred from the heat exchanger.
  • the cooling unit may be a cooling fan directing cool air from the heat exchanger toward the outlet of the liquid bottle.
  • the seat portion of the case may be provided with a groove so that the liquid bottle can be stably disposed thereon.
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a major portion of the apparatus for dispensing liquid from the bottle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the major portion of the apparatus for dispensing liquid from the bottle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a view illustrating an entire structure of an apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a cool air supplying method of an apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooling device for a liquid bottle according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a major portion of FIG. 1
  • FIG. 3 is a cross- sectional view illustrating a state where a liquid bottle is disposed on the cooling device of the first exemplary embodiment, in which reference number 2 indicates a case.
  • the case 2 defines an overall exterior of a cooling device for a liquid bottle, and provides an interior space in which components of the cooling device are installed.
  • the case 2 includes a base 4 disposed on a floor and a support 6 that extends upward from the base 4 to support the liquid bottle P.
  • the base 4 and the support 6 are spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction.
  • the support 6 includes a seating portion 8 that is provided in the form of a groove so that the liquid bottle P can be stably disposed thereon, and a supporting step 9 supporting an outer surface of the liquid bottle P seated on the seating portion 8.
  • the seating portion 8 is provided with an insertion hole 10 through which an outlet side of the liquid bottle P passes.
  • the supporting step 9 functions to shield the seating portion 8 from the external side when the liquid bottle P is disposed on the seating portion 8 and thus improve cooling efficiency of the cooling device.
  • the seating portion 8 is designed to support the liquid bottle P while the outlet side of the liquid bottle contacts the seating portion.
  • the seating portion 8 is inclined downward so that the liquid bottle P can be stably disposed thereon.
  • Such a seating portion 8 is shaped to correspond to a shape of the liquid bottle P, i.e., a shape of the outlet side of the liquid bottle P.
  • the liquid bottle P that can be used for the cooling device of the present invention may be a typical mineral water container or may have a similar structure to the typical mineral water container.
  • the liquid bottle P may be filled with water, alcoholic beverages, or other beverages.
  • An outlet 12 through which the liquid contained in the liquid bottle P is discharged to an external side is formed at a side of the liquid bottle P.
  • a cock 14 is installed at an end of the outlet 12 to discharge the liquid contained in the liquid bottle P to the external side.
  • a typical cock that has been used for a cold and hot water dispenser may be used as the cock 14.
  • a flexible hose (not shown) is connected to the outlet side of the liquid bottle P, and an end portion or another appropriate portion of the hose is pressurizing by a separate pressurizing unit to realize discharge and cutting-off of the liquid.
  • the liquid bottle P is formed of a hard material so that the shape of the liquid bottle P can be maintained even after the water filled therein is fully consumed, or of a soft material so that the volume of the liquid bottle P can be reduced by as much as an amount of discharged water.
  • the volume of the liquid bottle P is reduced as much as the amount of the water consumed. Therefore, since no space is formed in the liquid bottle P, an increase of the temperature of the liquid contained in the liquid bottle P can be prevented and thus the cooling efficiency can be further enhanced.
  • the liquid bottle P when the liquid bottle P is formed of the soft material, the liquid bottle P may be covered with a cover C.
  • the cover C has an opened side to cover the liquid bottle P and an end portion of the opened side is supported on the support 6 while contacting the support 6.
  • the cover C serves to protect the liquid bottle P disposed on the cooling device and prevents the liquid bottle P from falling down.
  • a cooling unit that is designed to cool the liquid contained in the liquid bottle P when the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle P that is disposed on the seating portion 8 is provided.
  • the cooling unit according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a cooling pipe 16 along which a refrigerant transferred through an expansion valve of a heat exchanger circulates to cool the portion around the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle P.
  • the cooling pipe 16 is located on the seating portion 8 and is spirally wound to increase a contact area around the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle P, to thus improve the cooling efficiency.
  • the heat exchanger is provided to supply the refrigerant to the cooling pipe 16.
  • the heat exchanger is provided inside the case 2 and includes a compressor 20 compressing the refrigerant to a high temperature/ high pressure, a condenser 22 receiving the compressed gas-phase refrigerant from the compressor 20 and liquefying the compressed gas-phase refrigerant, an expansion valve 24 reducing pressure of the condensed refrigerant so that the refrigerant can be easily vaporized, a refrigerant circulation conduit 26 directing the refrigerant from the expansion valve 24 to the cooling pipe 16, and a refrigerant recovering conduit 28 returning the refrigerant used for the heat-exchange to the compressor 20.
  • the refrigerant circulation conduit 26 is connected to a first end of the cooling pipe 16, and the refrigerant recovering conduit 28 is connected to a second end of the cooling pipe 16 so that the refrigerant can circulate.
  • the liquid bottle P of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention has the area around the outlet 12 contacting the cooling pipe 16 to absorb heat from the liquid contained in the liquid bottle P, thereby cooling the liquid.
  • the cooling device according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be referred to as a direct cooling type of cooling device.
  • the cooling pipe 6 may be formed as a plate, along an interior of which the refrigerant flows.
  • the above-described process continuously occurs, and thus the water around the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle P can be cooled.
  • the refrigerant which is vaporized through the heat absorption, is returned to the compressor 20 through the refrigerant recovering conduit 28 connected to the end portion of the cooling pipe 16 and the above-described process continues.
  • the liquid contained in the liquid bottle P is used by being discharged through the cock 14.
  • the above-described liquid cooling process is continued until the liquid stored in the liquid bottle P is fully consumed.
  • FIGS. 4 and 5 are views illustrating a cooling device for a liquid bottle according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Only different parts will be described in the second exemplary embodiment, and the same parts will be referred to by the same element numbers as in the first exemplary embodiment.
  • a cooling unit of a cooling device for a liquid bottle includes a vaporizer 30 receiving the refrigerant from the expansion valve 24 and converting the refrigerant into a low temperature refrigerant, and a fan 32 forcibly directing cool air generated by the vaporizer 30 toward the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle P.
  • the refrigerant circulation conduit 26 is connected to a first end of the vaporizer 30 and the refrigerant recovering conduit 28 is connected to a second end of the vaporizer 3 so that the refrigerant can circulate.
  • the seating portion 8 formed on the support 6 is provided with an air hole 34.
  • the liquid bottle P When the liquid bottle P is disposed on the seating portion 8, it is supported on the supporting step 9 and the outer surface of the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle P is spaced apart from the seating portion 8 to define a space therebetween. This is for directing the cool air supplied through the air hole 34 by the rotation of the fan 32 toward the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle P.
  • the refrigerant is supplied from the expansion valve 24 to the vaporizer 30 through the refrigerant circulation conduit 26 and subsequently circulates through the refrigerant recovering conduit 26.
  • the cooling device according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be referred to as an indirect cooling type of cooling device that cools the liquid using cool air.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)
  • Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)

Abstract

An apparatus for enabling a user to drink clean water by addressing a washing problem of cold and hot water chambers of a cold and hot water dispenser is disclosed. The apparatus includes a case on which a bottle filled with a liquid is disposed such that an outlet of the bottle is oriented downward, a compressor compressing refrigerant to a high temperature/ high pressure state, a condenser liquefying the compressed refrigerant from the compressor, a heat exchanger performing heat exchange by reducing pressure of the refrigerant transferred from the condenser, and a cooling unit cooling a portion around the outlet of the bottle by receiving the refrigerant from the heat exchanger and absorbing ambient heat.

Description

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING LIQUID FROM A BOTTLE
Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing cold water from a bottle by cooling the bottle filled with the liquid. Background Art
As water pollution is becoming more serious due to a variety of causes, most people avoid drinking tap water. Most people do not drink tap water but drink clean underground water that is being sold.
A water purifier is used at homes and offices where tap water is used as drinking water to filter off heavy metals and other harmful substances from the tap water. When the clean underground water that is packaged is used at home and office, a hot and cold water dispenser is used. The hot and cold water dispenser is structured such that a bottle containing the water is turned upside down and located at an upper portion of a case, a cold water chamber having a cooling unit is located at an outlet side of the bottle, and a hot water chamber having a heating unit is located under the cold water chamber.
The cold and hot water chambers are located inside the case and securely fixed by, for example, screws. The chambers are connected to the outlet of the bottle by a conduit along which the water flows.
However, when a predetermined time passes, the insides of the chambers get dirty or germs are propagated in the chambers. Therefore, there is a need to periodically or aperiodically wash the chambers.
In order to wash the chambers, the chambers have to be separated from the case. However, this is not at all an easy thing to do for most people. Therefore, the user frequently misses the washing timing for the cold and hot water chambers. In this case, the water contained in the chambers becomes contaminated. The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Technical Object
The present invention has been made in an effort to address the problem of the related art. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for dispensing cold liquid from a bottle by directly cooling the bottle containing the liquid. It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that does not require a cooling chamber having a cooling unit that temporarily stores and cools the water. Technical Solution
To achieve the objects, an apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle includes: a case on which the bottle filled with the liquid is disposed such that an outlet of the bottle is oriented downward; a compressor compressing a refrigerant to a high temperature/high pressure state; a condenser liquefying the compressed refrigerant transferred from the compressor; a heat exchanger performing heat exchange by reducing pressure of the refrigerant transferred from the condenser; and a cooling unit cooling a portion around the outlet of the bottle by receiving the refrigerant from the heat exchanger and absorbing ambient heat.
The cooling unit is a conduit along which the refrigerant transferred from the heat exchanger flows and that is spirally provided on a seat portion of the case.
In addition, the cooling unit may be a cooling plate that is cooled by the refrigerant transferred from the heat exchanger.
Further, the cooling unit may be a cooling fan directing cool air from the heat exchanger toward the outlet of the liquid bottle. The seat portion of the case may be provided with a groove so that the liquid bottle can be stably disposed thereon. Advantageous Effects According to the apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle of the present invention, since there is no need to install a separate cooling chamber, there is no need to wash the cooling chamber and thus a user can drink clean water that is not contaminated. In addition, since there is no need to install the cooling chamber as described above, an interior space can be enlarged and thus a mounting/ dismounting structure of the hot water chamber installed in the case can be conveniently realized. Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an entire structure of an apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a major portion of the apparatus for dispensing liquid from the bottle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the major portion of the apparatus for dispensing liquid from the bottle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a view illustrating an entire structure of an apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a cool air supplying method of an apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode
The following will describe an apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooling device for a liquid bottle according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a major portion of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross- sectional view illustrating a state where a liquid bottle is disposed on the cooling device of the first exemplary embodiment, in which reference number 2 indicates a case.
The case 2 defines an overall exterior of a cooling device for a liquid bottle, and provides an interior space in which components of the cooling device are installed. The case 2 includes a base 4 disposed on a floor and a support 6 that extends upward from the base 4 to support the liquid bottle P.
The base 4 and the support 6 are spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction. The support 6 includes a seating portion 8 that is provided in the form of a groove so that the liquid bottle P can be stably disposed thereon, and a supporting step 9 supporting an outer surface of the liquid bottle P seated on the seating portion 8.
The seating portion 8 is provided with an insertion hole 10 through which an outlet side of the liquid bottle P passes. The supporting step 9 functions to shield the seating portion 8 from the external side when the liquid bottle P is disposed on the seating portion 8 and thus improve cooling efficiency of the cooling device.
The seating portion 8 is designed to support the liquid bottle P while the outlet side of the liquid bottle contacts the seating portion. In this embodiment, the seating portion 8 is inclined downward so that the liquid bottle P can be stably disposed thereon.
Such a seating portion 8 is shaped to correspond to a shape of the liquid bottle P, i.e., a shape of the outlet side of the liquid bottle P.
The liquid bottle P that can be used for the cooling device of the present invention may be a typical mineral water container or may have a similar structure to the typical mineral water container. The liquid bottle P may be filled with water, alcoholic beverages, or other beverages.
An outlet 12 through which the liquid contained in the liquid bottle P is discharged to an external side is formed at a side of the liquid bottle P. In addition, a cock 14 is installed at an end of the outlet 12 to discharge the liquid contained in the liquid bottle P to the external side. A typical cock that has been used for a cold and hot water dispenser may be used as the cock 14.
Further, a flexible hose (not shown) is connected to the outlet side of the liquid bottle P, and an end portion or another appropriate portion of the hose is pressurizing by a separate pressurizing unit to realize discharge and cutting-off of the liquid.
The liquid bottle P is formed of a hard material so that the shape of the liquid bottle P can be maintained even after the water filled therein is fully consumed, or of a soft material so that the volume of the liquid bottle P can be reduced by as much as an amount of discharged water.
When the liquid bottle P is formed of the soft material, the volume of the liquid bottle P is reduced as much as the amount of the water consumed. Therefore, since no space is formed in the liquid bottle P, an increase of the temperature of the liquid contained in the liquid bottle P can be prevented and thus the cooling efficiency can be further enhanced.
As described above, when the liquid bottle P is formed of the soft material, the liquid bottle P may be covered with a cover C. The cover C has an opened side to cover the liquid bottle P and an end portion of the opened side is supported on the support 6 while contacting the support 6. The cover C serves to protect the liquid bottle P disposed on the cooling device and prevents the liquid bottle P from falling down.
A cooling unit that is designed to cool the liquid contained in the liquid bottle P when the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle P that is disposed on the seating portion 8 is provided. The cooling unit according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a cooling pipe 16 along which a refrigerant transferred through an expansion valve of a heat exchanger circulates to cool the portion around the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle P.
The cooling pipe 16 is located on the seating portion 8 and is spirally wound to increase a contact area around the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle P, to thus improve the cooling efficiency.
The heat exchanger is provided to supply the refrigerant to the cooling pipe 16. In the present exemplary embodiment, the heat exchanger is provided inside the case 2 and includes a compressor 20 compressing the refrigerant to a high temperature/ high pressure, a condenser 22 receiving the compressed gas-phase refrigerant from the compressor 20 and liquefying the compressed gas-phase refrigerant, an expansion valve 24 reducing pressure of the condensed refrigerant so that the refrigerant can be easily vaporized, a refrigerant circulation conduit 26 directing the refrigerant from the expansion valve 24 to the cooling pipe 16, and a refrigerant recovering conduit 28 returning the refrigerant used for the heat-exchange to the compressor 20.
The refrigerant circulation conduit 26 is connected to a first end of the cooling pipe 16, and the refrigerant recovering conduit 28 is connected to a second end of the cooling pipe 16 so that the refrigerant can circulate.
The liquid bottle P of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention has the area around the outlet 12 contacting the cooling pipe 16 to absorb heat from the liquid contained in the liquid bottle P, thereby cooling the liquid.
Accordingly, the cooling device according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be referred to as a direct cooling type of cooling device.
In the above, the cooling pipe 6 may be formed as a plate, along an interior of which the refrigerant flows.
Describing the operation of the cooling device for the liquid bottle according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, power is first connected to drive the compressor 20. Then, the refrigerant in the compressor 20 is compressed to the high temperature/high pressure state and is transferred to the condenser 2 to be phase-changed into a lower temperature liquid-phase refrigerant. This refrigerant is supplied to the cooling pipe 16 along the refrigerant circulation conduit 26 via the expansion valve 24. Then, the refrigerant passes through the spirally wound cooling pipe 16, in the course of which the refrigerant absorbs heat around the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle P, and thus the liquid contained in the liquid bottle P is cooled.
The above-described process continuously occurs, and thus the water around the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle P can be cooled. The refrigerant, which is vaporized through the heat absorption, is returned to the compressor 20 through the refrigerant recovering conduit 28 connected to the end portion of the cooling pipe 16 and the above-described process continues.
The liquid contained in the liquid bottle P is used by being discharged through the cock 14. The above-described liquid cooling process is continued until the liquid stored in the liquid bottle P is fully consumed.
FIGS. 4 and 5 are views illustrating a cooling device for a liquid bottle according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Only different parts will be described in the second exemplary embodiment, and the same parts will be referred to by the same element numbers as in the first exemplary embodiment.
A cooling unit of a cooling device for a liquid bottle according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a vaporizer 30 receiving the refrigerant from the expansion valve 24 and converting the refrigerant into a low temperature refrigerant, and a fan 32 forcibly directing cool air generated by the vaporizer 30 toward the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle P.
In the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerant circulation conduit 26 is connected to a first end of the vaporizer 30 and the refrigerant recovering conduit 28 is connected to a second end of the vaporizer 3 so that the refrigerant can circulate.
In addition, the seating portion 8 formed on the support 6 is provided with an air hole 34. When the liquid bottle P is disposed on the seating portion 8, it is supported on the supporting step 9 and the outer surface of the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle P is spaced apart from the seating portion 8 to define a space therebetween. This is for directing the cool air supplied through the air hole 34 by the rotation of the fan 32 toward the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle P.
According to the cooling device for a liquid bottle of the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerant is supplied from the expansion valve 24 to the vaporizer 30 through the refrigerant circulation conduit 26 and subsequently circulates through the refrigerant recovering conduit 26.
At this point, the cool air generated from the vaporizer 30 is continuously supplied toward the outlet 12 of the liquid bottle through the air hole 34 of the seating portion 8 by the driving of the fan 32 installed behind the vaporizer 30, thereby cooling the liquid around the outlet 12. The cooling device according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be referred to as an indirect cooling type of cooling device that cools the liquid using cool air.
While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CALIMED IS
1. An apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle, comprising: a case on which the bottle filled with the liquid is disposed such that an outlet of the bottle is oriented downward; a compressor compressing a refrigerant to a high temperature/ high pressure state; a condenser liquefying the compressed refrigerant from the compressor; a heat exchanger performing heat exchange by reducing pressure of the refrigerant transferred from the condenser; and a cooling unit cooling a portion around the outlet of the bottle by receiving the refrigerant from the heat exchanger and absorbing ambient heat.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the case comprises a base disposed on a floor and a support that extends upward from the base to support the liquid bottle, wherein the support is provided with a seating portion formed in a groove shape so that the liquid bottle can be stably disposed thereon.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the support is provided with a supporting step supporting an outer surface of the liquid bottle disposed on the seating portion.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid bottle is formed of a hard material such that the shape of the liquid bottle is maintained even when the liquid filled in the liquid bottle is fully consumed.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid bottle is covered with a cover.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid bottle is formed of a soft material such that the entire volume of the liquid bottle is reduced by as much as an amount of liquid consumed.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooling unit is formed of a cooling pipe or plate along which the refrigerant transferred from the heat exchanger circulates.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooling unit comprises a vaporizer receiving the refrigerant from an expansion valve of the heat exchanger and converting the refrigerant into a low temperature liquid- phase refrigerant, and a fan forcedly directing cool air generated from the vaporizer toward the outlet of the liquid bottle.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the cooling pipe is spirally wound to increase a contact area.
10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the seating portion is provided with an air hole.
PCT/KR2008/006096 2007-10-25 2008-10-16 Apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle WO2009054646A2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
KR1020070107547A KR100915322B1 (en) 2007-10-25 2007-10-25 Cooling apparatus for drinking liquid
KR10-2007-0107547 2007-10-25

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2009054646A2 true WO2009054646A2 (en) 2009-04-30
WO2009054646A3 WO2009054646A3 (en) 2009-07-16

Family

ID=40580227

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/KR2008/006096 WO2009054646A2 (en) 2007-10-25 2008-10-16 Apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle

Country Status (2)

Country Link
KR (1) KR100915322B1 (en)
WO (1) WO2009054646A2 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2020211418A1 (en) * 2019-04-19 2020-10-22 佛山市顺德区美的饮水机制造有限公司 Water passage system of water dispenser, cooling tank assembly, heating tank assembly, and water dispenser

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR20130143421A (en) * 2012-06-21 2013-12-31 주식회사 위닉스 Apparatus to cool drinking water
CN102973153B (en) * 2012-12-17 2016-04-13 奇迪电器集团有限公司 Water dispenser and water dispenser temperature control system control device

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR20020040195A (en) * 2000-11-24 2002-05-30 전연호 a support structure for water pail of an apartment with hot and cold water
KR20040107936A (en) * 2003-06-16 2004-12-23 주식회사 크로버 Bottled Water Station with Removable Reservoir

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR200261487Y1 (en) * 1999-01-09 2002-01-24 홍상철 A cooling device for a water apparatus of coldness and warmth
KR100922215B1 (en) * 2003-12-15 2009-10-20 엘지전자 주식회사 Cold water dispenser

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR20020040195A (en) * 2000-11-24 2002-05-30 전연호 a support structure for water pail of an apartment with hot and cold water
KR20040107936A (en) * 2003-06-16 2004-12-23 주식회사 크로버 Bottled Water Station with Removable Reservoir

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2020211418A1 (en) * 2019-04-19 2020-10-22 佛山市顺德区美的饮水机制造有限公司 Water passage system of water dispenser, cooling tank assembly, heating tank assembly, and water dispenser

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2009054646A3 (en) 2009-07-16
KR100915322B1 (en) 2009-09-03
KR20090041840A (en) 2009-04-29

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US7043934B2 (en) Device for collecting water from air
US8230692B2 (en) Water dispenser and method of purifying water
CN103225931B (en) Compressor, refrigerator, equipment
US20060150637A1 (en) Alcohol beverage dispensing apparatus
US11034593B2 (en) Liquid dispenser
US7237390B1 (en) Compact portable beverage cooling system
CN1376254A (en) Stirling cooler and methods of use
WO2008156287A1 (en) Hot/cold water supplier having ice-making function
JP2009249043A (en) Water supplying machine
US8495893B2 (en) Hybrid apparatus for cooling water and air and heating water
WO2009054646A2 (en) Apparatus for dispensing liquid from a bottle
JP2007285611A (en) Heat pump type hot water supplier
JP2006327593A (en) Water dispenser
US2365786A (en) Refrigeration apparatus
CN101187508B (en) Apparatus for cooling quickly of water put in bag in box
WO2006092783A2 (en) Drinking water dispenser
EP2049856A2 (en) A domestic beverage dispensing apparatus comprising an adsorbent cooling device
KR100487816B1 (en) Water Dispenser
KR20030068981A (en) Semiconductor cooling device for water purifier
KR200446958Y1 (en) Apparatus for drawing draft beer
JPH0870995A (en) Distilled water making pot
KR200370685Y1 (en) Water cooling and heating unit for home
KR100860929B1 (en) Personal water cooler
WO2018100013A1 (en) Dispensing apparatus provided with a cooling unit
JP2006021824A (en) Instant cooling type beverage dispenser

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 08843268

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A2

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 08843268

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A2