Patent Application
20170307252
The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0050259, filed Apr. 25, 2016, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.
The present invention relates generally to a hot water barrel structure for a water dispenser. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hot water barrel structure for a water dispenser, wherein the barrel structure is capable of preventing hot water from not being properly supplied to a user when the user continuously dispenses hot water from a cold and hot water dispenser.
In general, a cold and hot water dispenser is configured such that a heater and a cooling system are provided therein, a water bottle seating part into which a cylindrical water bottle is received in an upside down position is installed at an upper portion of thereof, and a tap is provided at a front side thereof, thereby enabling a user to conveniently dispense cold or hot water. In other words, by mounting cold water and hot water taps on the front side of the dispenser, cold water is dispensed when the user presses the cold water tap, and hot water is dispensed when the user presses the hot water tap.
However, a conventional cold and hot water dispenser is problematic in that when a certain amount of hot water is dispensed from the hot water tap, soon after lukewarm water is dispensed rather than hot water, so it is difficult to dispense a desired amount of hot water. For example, when a user wishes to dispense an amount of hot water sufficient for making three cups of coffee, lukewarm water is dispensed rather than hot water such that the coffee cannot be properly dissolved in the lukewarm water. Thus, there is a problem in that hot water is not properly dispensed even when only a small amount of hot water is used, thereby causing user inconvenience and customer complaints.
The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present invention, and is not intended to mean that the present invention falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art.
(Patent Document 1) Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0357515 (2004 Jul. 2019)
(Patent Document 2) Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0400754 (2005 Nov. 2002)
(Patent Document 3) Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0459856 (2012 Apr. 2009)
(Patent Document 4) Korean Patent No. 10-1041276 (2011 Jun. 2007)
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the related art, and the present invention is intended to propose a hot water barrel structure for a water dispenser, wherein the barrel structure is capable of preventing hot water from not being properly supplied to a user by implementing a structure in which a hot water barrel is continuously filled with hot water even when the user continuously dispenses hot water from a cold and hot water dispenser.
In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hot water barrel structure for a water dispenser, the hot water barrel structure including: a hot water barrel having a water reservoir therein; a partition plate provided in the hot water barrel and dividing the water reservoir into an upper water reservoir part and a lower water reservoir part; an inlet pipe supplying water that is to be heated to the lower water reservoir part of the hot water barrel; a heater provided at the hot water barrel and heating water introduced to the lower water reservoir part to produce hot water; and a hot water pipe provided at the upper water reservoir part of the hot water barrel and guiding hot water to be discharged to a place where hot water is dispensed.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a circumference of the partition plate dividing the water reservoir into the upper and lower water reservoir parts may be spaced apart from an inner circumferential surface of the hot water barrel by a predetermined distance, such that a flow hole through which hot water is supplied from the lower water reservoir part to the upper water reservoir part may be secured.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the partition plate may be provided with a pipe connection hole that communicates with both surfaces thereof, and the inlet pipe may include: a linear pipe portion vertically extending through inside the water reservoir of the hot water barrel; and the coil pipe portion connected to the linear pipe portion, wherein the coil pipe portion may be placed in the lower water reservoir part divided by the partition plate.
The present invention can prevent hot water from not being properly supplied to a user by implementing the structure in which the hot water barrel is continuously filled with hot water even when the user continuously dispenses hot water from the cold and hot water dispenser, thereby preventing user inconvenience and resolving customer complaints received when hot water is not properly dispensed.
Further, when the inlet pipe is provided with the coil pipe portion provided in the lower water reservoir part that is divided by the partition plate, raw water entering into the inlet pipe flows in the coil pipe portion for a long time. In this process, efficiency of heat transfer with heat generated from the heater is further increased, thereby increasing efficiency of converting raw water to hot water in the lower water reservoir part of the hot water barrel, and hot water heated with high heat transfer efficiency is supplied to the upper water reservoir part, thereby reliably preventing lukewarm water from being dispensed from the cold and hot water dispenser.
The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Hereinbelow, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals will refer to the same or like parts. In the following description, it is to be noted that, when the functions of conventional elements and the detailed description of elements related with the present invention may make the gist of the present invention unclear, a detailed description of those elements will be omitted.
Further, when describing the components of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a) or (b) may be used. Since these terms are provided merely for the purpose of distinguishing the components from each other, they do not limit the nature, sequence or order of the components. It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “coupled” or “connected” to another element, it can be directly coupled or connected to the other element or intervening elements may be present therebetween.
With reference to drawings, a hot water barrel structure for a water dispenser includes: a hot water barrel 10 having a water reservoir therein; a partition plate 20 provided in the hot water barrel 10 and dividing the water reservoir into an upper water reservoir part 12 and a lower water reservoir part 14; an inlet pipe 30 supplying water that is to be heated to the lower water reservoir part 14 of the hot water barrel 10; a heater 40 provided at the hot water barrel 10 and heating water introduced to the lower water reservoir part 14 to produce hot water; and a hot water pipe 50 provided in the upper water reservoir part 12 of the hot water barrel 10.
The hot water barrel 10 has the water reservoir therein, and is formed into a cylindrical shape without being limited thereto. A drain pipe connection hole (not shown) is provided at a bottom portion of the hot water barrel 10, and an inlet pipe passage hole (not shown) and a hot water pipe connection hole (not shown) are provided on an upper surface portion of the hot water barrel 10.
A drain pipe 16 is connected to the lower water reservoir part 14 of the hot water barrel 10. Specifically, the drain pipe 16 is connected to the bottom portion of the hot water barrel 10 that comprises the lower water reservoir part 14. Here, an end of the drain pipe 16 is coupled with the drain pipe connection hole of the bottom portion of the hot water barrel 10.
The partition plate 20 is provided in the water reservoir of the hot water barrel 10. In the present invention, the hot water barrel 10 has a cylindrical shape, and thereby the partition plate 20 has a disc shape. The partition plate 20 divides the water reservoir of the hot water barrel 10 into the upper water reservoir part 12 and the lower water reservoir part 14. Further, the partition plate 20 is provided with a flow hole 22 that communicates with both surfaces thereof at a location adjacent to a circumference thereof. A plurality of flow holes 22 is formed along the circumference of the partition plate 20 with respect to a center of the partition plate 20 at regular intervals. Further, the partition plate 20 is provided with a pipe fitting hole 20H that communicates with both surfaces thereof.
The circumference of the partition plate 20 is spaced apart from an inner circumferential surface of the hot water barrel 10 by a predetermined distance, such that an outer flow hole 24 through which hot water flows from the lower water reservoir part 14 to the upper water reservoir part 12 is secured. Here, hot water flows from the lower water reservoir part 14 to the upper water reservoir part 12 also through the flow holes 22 of the partition plate 20.
The inlet pipe 30 is provided in the water reservoir of the hot water barrel 10. The inlet pipe 30 includes a water supply connection pipe portion 32, and a linear pipe portion 34 to which an upper end of the water supply connection pipe portion 32 is connected. The water supply connection pipe portion 32 is installed outside the hot water barrel 10, and the linear pipe portion 34 is provided in the water reservoir of the hot water barrel 10 while passing through the inlet pipe passage hole provided on the upper surface portion of the hot water barrel 10. The linear pipe portion 34 is installed in the hot water barrel 10 in a vertical direction. The linear pipe portion 34 of the inlet pipe 30 is coupled with the pipe fitting hole 20H of the partition plate 20. In other words, the linear pipe portion 34 of the inlet pipe 30 is inserted into the pipe fitting hole 20H of the partition plate 20 in a state where the linear pipe portion 34 is vertically erected in the water reservoir of the hot water barrel 10. The linear pipe portion 34 of the inlet pipe 30 is fixed to the pipe fitting hole 20H of the partition plate 20 by welding, etc. such that the partition plate 20 can be supported by the inlet pipe 30 in such a manner as to be installed in the water reservoir of the hot water barrel 10 in a horizontal direction. Accordingly, the partition plate 20 divides the water reservoir of the hot water barrel 10 into the upper and lower water reservoir parts 12 and 14, respectively.
A lower end portion of the linear pipe portion 34 of the inlet pipe 30 is provided in the lower water reservoir part 14 divided by the partition plate 20. In other words, a start end of the inlet pipe 30 is connected to a water supply part (cold water supply part, not shown), and a terminal end of the inlet pipe 30 is placed in the lower water reservoir part 14 divided by the partition plate 20. Here, the terminal end of the inlet pipe 30 is placed at a position substantially adjacent to the bottom portion of the hot water barrel 10 that comprises the lower water reservoir part 14. The lower end portion of the linear pipe portion 34 of the inlet pipe 30 represents the terminal end of the inlet pipe 30, such that a lower end portion of the inlet pipe 30 is provided in the lower water reservoir part 14 of the hot water barrel 10 divided by the partition plate 20.
Accordingly, raw water (namely, cold water that will be heated) entering into the inlet pipe 30 passes the upper water reservoir part 12 of the hot water barrel 10 and is supplied to the lower water reservoir part 14 below the partition plate 20. Here, the lower end portion of the inlet pipe 30 (namely, the terminal end) is placed substantially adjacent to the bottom portion of the hot water barrel 10, such that raw water fills the lower water reservoir part 14 from the bottom thereof.
Meanwhile, the circumference of the partition plate 20 that divides the water reservoir of the hot water barrel 10 into the upper water reservoir part 12 and the lower water reservoir part 14 is spaced apart from the inner circumferential surface of the hot water barrel 10 by the predetermined distance, such that the outer flow hole 24 through which hot water is supplied from the lower water reservoir part 14 to the upper water reservoir part 12 is secured with a predetermined width. Here, a diameter of the inlet pipe 30 is smaller than that of the hot water barrel 10, such that the outer flow hole 24 may be formed with a predetermined width between the circumference of the partition plate 20 and the inner circumferential surface of the hot water barrel 10 in the state where the partition plate 20 is installed in the horizontal direction by being supported by the inlet pipe 30. Here, the outer flow hole 24 secured between the circumference of the partition plate 20 and the inner circumferential surface of the hot water barrel 10 has an annular shape when viewed from the top of the hot water barrel 10. Of course, if the hot water barrel 10 has a shape other than the cylindrical shape, and correspondingly the partition plate 20 has a shape other than the disc shape, the outer flow hole 24 may have a shape other than the annular shape.
In addition, the circumference of the partition plate 20 is further provided with a linear partition plate portion 21 that extends from the circumference thereof at least in a direction toward the lower water reservoir part 14. The outer flow hole 24 is secured with the predetermined width between the partition plate 20 and the inner circumferential surface of the hot water barrel 10.
Here, the outer flow hole 24 between the partition plate and the inner circumferential surface of the hot water barrel 10 may be configured as a band-shaped flow hole having an increased vertical width by the linear partition plate portion 21. In the present invention, the linear partition plate portion 21 may be configured to extend in two directions of the upper and lower water reservoir parts 12 and 14. In this case, a vertical width of the linear partition plate portion 21 may be increased twice.
The present invention includes the heater 40 provided in the hot water barrel 10. The heater 40 serves as a heating source that heats water introduced to the lower water reservoir part 14 of the hot water barrel 10 to produce hot water. A heater 40 is provided in the lower water reservoir part 14 of the hot water barrel 10 divided by the partition plate 20. Here, the heater 40 is configured as a coil heater so that a surface area of heat transfer with water (raw water) introduced to the lower water reservoir part 14 of the hot water barrel 10 is increased. Of course, the heater 40 may be provided on an outer circumferential surface of the hot water barrel 10 so as to be installed at a circumference of the lower water reservoir part 14, rather than being provided in the lower water reservoir part 14 of the hot water barrel 10. Further, the heater 40 may be provided in the lower water reservoir part 14 of the hot water barrel 10 and at the same time may be provided on the outer circumferential surface of the hot water barrel 10. In other words, the hot water barrel 10 is further provided with an outer heater 42 on the outer circumferential surface thereof such that the outer heater 42 is placed on a circumference of the lower water reservoir part 14. Here, the outer heater 42 is configured as a band heater. The outer heater 42 may be the band heater having a predetermined width relative to a vertical direction of the hot water barrel 10.
The hot water pipe 50 is provided at the upper water reservoir part 12 of the hot water barrel 10. The hot water pipe 50 is connected at a first end thereof to the hot water pipe connection hole provided on the upper surface portion of the hot water barrel 10, and at a second end thereof to a hot water tap (valve, not shown) of a cold and hot water dispenser. The first end of the hot water pipe 50 represents a start end and the second end thereof represents a terminal end, such that the start end of the hot water pipe 50 is connected to the upper water reservoir part 12 of the hot water barrel 10, and the terminal end of the hot water pipe 50 is connected to the hot water tap of the cold and hot water dispenser. Here, the outer heater 42 may be fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the hot water barrel 10 by fixing means (not shown) such as a bracket, a bolt, etc.
According to the present invention having the above-described configuration, raw water (cold water that is to be heated) entering into the inlet pipe 30 is introduced to the lower water reservoir part 14 of the hot water barrel 10 divided by the partition plate 20, and is heated by heat of the heater 40. Then, the hot water produced in the lower water reservoir part 14 is supplied to the upper water reservoir part 12 through the flow holes 22 that communicate with both surfaces of the partition plate 20 and through the outer flow hole 24. Thus, the upper water reservoir part 12 above the partition plate 20 of the hot water barrel 10 is filled with hot water.
Meanwhile, the upper water reservoir part 12 of the hot water barrel 10 is filled with hot water and at the same time the lower water reservoir part 14 below the partition plate 20 is filled with hot water heated by the heater 40.
In this state, when the hot water tap of the cold and hot water dispenser is opened, firstly the hot water filled in the upper water reservoir part 12 is dispensed through the hot water tap, and at the same time hot water is continuously supplied from the lower water reservoir part 14 in such a manner as to refill the upper water reservoir part 12 with hot water by the amount of hot water discharged therefrom. When hot water is supplied from the lower water reservoir part 14 to the upper water reservoir part 12, raw water (namely, cold water) by the amount of hot water supplied from the lower water reservoir part 14 to the upper water reservoir part 12 is introduced to the bottom of the lower water reservoir part 14 through the inlet pipe 30. Here, since specific gravity of hot water is lower than that of cold water, hot water is placed at a relatively upper portion of the lower water reservoir part 14 and is supplied to the upper water reservoir part 12 above the partition plate 20, and cold water introduced to a relatively lower portion of the lower water reservoir part 14 is heated by the heater 40 and is supplied from the relatively upper portion of the lower water reservoir part 14, whereby a hot water supply circulation system is implemented. Thus, it is possible to prevent lukewarm water from being dispensed even when a user continuously dispenses hot water by opening the hot water tap of the cold and hot water dispenser.
In other words, in the present invention, the partition plate 20 divides the water reservoir of the hot water barrel 10 into the upper and lower water reservoir parts 12 and 14, respectively, such that even when hot water is continuously discharged from the upper water reservoir part 12, it is possible that hot water is continuously supplied from the lower water reservoir part 14 to the upper water reservoir part 12 by the amount of hot water dispensed by a user. Thus, it is possible to prevent cold and hot water from being mixed with each other too quickly and discharged in a lukewarm state. Thus, even when a user continuously dispenses hot water from the cold and hot water dispenser, it is possible to prevent lukewarm water having a too low temperature from being dispensed rather than hot water having a sufficiently desired temperature. In the absence of the partition plate 20, cold water introduced to the inlet pipe 30 is quickly mixed with hot water heated to a high temperature, such that lukewarm water is supplied rather than hot water having the sufficiently desired temperature. Meanwhile, in the present invention, the partition plate 20 divides the water reservoir of the hot water barrel 10 into the upper and lower water reservoir parts 12 and 14, respectively, such that cold water is quickly heated to hot water in the lower water reservoir part 14 in a continuous manner, and the lower water reservoir part 14 is filled with hot water by the amount of hot water discharged from the upper water reservoir part 12. Thus, it is possible to prevent lukewarm water from being supplied when a user continuously dispenses hot water from the cold and hot water dispenser.
In other words, raw water (cold water) quickly enters into the lower water reservoir part 14 through the inlet pipe 30 and is subsequently heated by the heater 40, such that even when a user continuously dispenses hot water from the hot water tap of the cold and hot water dispenser, lukewarm water can be prevented from being supplied and hot water having the sufficiently desired temperature can be continuously supplied to the user.
As a result, even when a user continuously dispenses hot water from the cold and hot water dispenser, it is possible to prevent hot water from being not properly supplied to the user by implementing a structure in which hot water can continuously fill the hot water barrel 10 of the dispenser. Thus, it is possible to prevent user inconvenience and resolve customer complaints received when hot water is not supplied properly.
In addition, hot water flows from the lower water reservoir part 14 to the upper water reservoir part 12 through the outer flow hole 24 secured between the circumference of the partition plate 20 and the inner circumferential surface of the hot water barrel 10 as well as the flow holes 22 of the partition plate 20, such that it is possible to prevent inconvenience to a user, which is caused when hot water is supplied from the lower water reservoir part 14 too late such that hot water supply is reduced during use of hot water in the cold and hot water dispenser. In other words, the outer flow hole 24 between the circumference of the partition plate 20 and the inner circumferential surface of the hot water barrel 10 is meaningful in that hot water supply can be controlled so as not to be reduced even when the user continuously dispenses hot water from the cold and hot water dispenser.
Furthermore, the linear partition plate portion 21 is provided at the circumference of the partition plate 20, such that the outer flow hole 24 is formed as the band-shaped flow hole having an increased band (width) by the linear partition plate portion 21 between the circumference of the partition plate 20 and the inner circumferential surface of the hot water barrel 10. Here, heat is added while hot water passes through the band-shaped flow hole, and thus it is possible to more reliably prevent lukewarm water from being supplied when the user continuously dispenses hot water from the cold and hot water dispenser.
Further, the heater 40 is configured as a coil heater so as to increase a contact area with raw water, such that raw water that introduced to the lower water reservoir part 14 is warmed up more quickly. Thus, it is possible to more reliably prevent cold water from being converted to water (namely, lukewarm water) that does not have a sufficiently desired temperature when cold water is supplied from the lower water reservoir part 14 to the upper water reservoir part 12.
Moreover, when the hot water barrel 10 is further provided with the outer heater 42 on the outer circumferential surface of, hot water is produced in the lower water reservoir part 14 of the hot water barrel 10 by the heater 40 and the outer heater 42 of the hot water barrel 10, and thus a speed at which cold water is converted to hot water can be increased at least more than twice.
Here, the outer heater 42 is configured as a band heater having a predetermined width in a vertical direction of the hot water barrel 10, such that heat is applied from an entire surface of the outer heater 42 without heat loss, thereby improving efficiency of producing hot water in the hot water barrel 10. Further, since the outer heater 42 is the band heater, the outer heater 42 can be more conveniently installed to be in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the hot water barrel 10.
Meanwhile, in another embodiment of the present invention, a part of the inlet pipe 30 is configured as a coil pipe portion 36 so as to be provided in the lower water reservoir part 14 of the hot water barrel 10. Specifically, the inlet pipe 30 includes: a water supply connection pipe portion 32; a linear pipe portion 34 connected to the water supply connection pipe portion 32 at an upper end thereof; and a coil pipe portion 36 connected to the linear pipe portion 34 at an upper end thereof, and the coil pipe portion 36 is provided in the lower water reservoir part 14 of the hot water barrel 10.
In this embodiment, raw water entering into the inlet pipe 30 flows in the coil pipe portion 36 for a long time. In this process, efficiency of heat transfer with heat generated from the heater 40 is further increased, thereby increasing efficiency of heating raw water in the lower water reservoir part 14 of the hot water barrel 10. Hot water heated with high heat transfer efficiency is supplied to the upper water reservoir part 12, thereby preventing lukewarm water from being dispensed from the cold and hot water dispenser. By preventing lukewarm water from being dispensed during continued dispense of hot water from the cold and hot water dispenser, it is possible to reliably prevent user inconvenience and customer complaints. In other words, raw water can be heated in a sufficient time while flowing in the coil pipe portion 36 of the inlet pipe 30, and thus hot water is surely produced by heating raw water for the sufficient time.
Here, a heater 40 is provided in the lower water reservoir part 14 so as to be placed in an inner area of the coil pipe portion 36 of the inlet pipe 30, and the heater 40 is configured as a coil heater. In this case, raw water is allowed to stay in the coil pipe portion 36 for a sufficiently long time while flowing therein, and the heater 40 heats raw water intensively, such that the speed of heating cold water can be further enhanced.
Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.
Therefore, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention described above are provided for allowing those skilled in the art to more clearly comprehend the scope of the present invention, and it should be understood that the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described for illustrative purposes, and should not be construed as being restrictive.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2016-0050259 | Apr 2016 | KR | national |
