Flow control device for dispenser of refrigerator

Abstract

Disclosed is a dispenser installed on a door of a refrigerator to dispense a liquid or an ice. The dispenser for the refrigerator supplies a fluid to a fluid container or an ice maker from a fluid supply member W through an operation process of a plurality of supply lines and regulation valves. An outlet line of the fluid container is divided into a main outlet line and an auxiliary outlet line, in which the main outlet line and the auxiliary outlet line are equipped with a main switching button and the auxiliary switching button, respectively, which are operated in response to an output signal of a flow rate measuring device. The discharge amount of the fluid can be constantly maintained by selecting either of the main outlet line and the auxiliary outline provided in the fluid container of the refrigerator, irrespective of the pressure in the fluid supply system, thereby improving its use convenience and solving the inconvenience of overflowing and delay.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a conventional dispenser installed in a refrigerator;

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an operation system of a conventional dispenser;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an operation system of a conventional dispenser;

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating an operation system of a dispenser according to the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a flow control device installed in a dispenser according to the present invention.

Claims

1. A dispenser for a refrigerator for supplying a fluid to a fluid container or an ice maker from a fluid supply member through an operation process of a plurality of supply lines and regulation valves, wherein an outlet line of the fluid container is divided into a main outlet line and an auxiliary outlet line, in which the main outlet line and the auxiliary outlet line are equipped with a main switching button and an auxiliary switching button, respectively, which are operated in response to an output signal of a flow rate measuring device; andeither of the main switching button and the auxiliary switching button is selectively operated in response to the signal of the flow rate measuring device.