# US 10,119,750 B2 · Dispenser assembly for refrigerator

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- Number: US 10,119,750 B2
- Document ID: US10119750B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/471,916
- Filed: 2017-03-28
- Published: 2017-10-26
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-04-26
- Assignees: Dongbu Daewoo Electronics Corporation
- Applicants: Dongbu Daewoo Electronics Corporation
- Inventors: Dong Sun Kim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119750B2

## CPC

- F25D 23/126: {Water cooler}
- F25C 5/22: {particularly adapted for household refrigerators}
- F25D 23/028: {Details}
- B67D 1/0009: {the beverage being stored in an intermediate container connected to a supply}
- B67D 2210/00036: for use with or in refrigerators
- F25D 2500/02: Geometry problems
- F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B)
- F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F)

## Abstract

A dispenser assembly for a refrigerator including a removable discharge nozzle. The dispenser assembly includes a dispenser body, a water supply flow path and a removable discharge nozzle removably supported by a storage part formed in the dispenser body. The removable discharge nozzle is coupled to an extension hose can be pulled out of the dispenser body by a user for dispensing water. The removable discharge nozzle includes a discharge flow path, a rotating shaft installed in the discharge flow path, an opening/closing member, and a discharge button for user manipulation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A dispenser assembly for a refrigerator, the dispenser assembly comprising:
a dispenser body comprising an accommodation portion;
a fixed discharge unit fixedly installed in the dispenser body and configured to selectively discharge water supplied from a water supply flow path;
a removable discharge nozzle removably installed in the accommodation portion and configured to selectively discharge water supplied from the water supply flow path;
an extension hose configured to interconnect the water supply flow path and the removable discharge nozzle,
wherein the removable discharge nozzle comprises:
a discharge flow path operable to communicate with the extension hose;
a rotating shaft installed in the discharge flow path; an opening/closing member fixed to the rotating shaft and operable to control an opening of the discharge flow path;
a discharge button configured to rotate the opening/closing member to open the discharge flow path;
an elastic member configured to maintain the opening/closing member in a closed state;
an opening/closing bar protruding from the opening/closing member, wherein the opening/closing member is operable to open the discharge flow path responsive to the opening/closing bar being pushed by the discharge button; and
a sealing member disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the opening/closing member.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The dispenser assembly of claim 1, wherein the fixed discharge unit comprises:
a fixed discharge port disposed in the dispenser body and coupled to the water supply flow path; and
a water discharge lever operable to open and close the fixed discharge port.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The dispenser assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a winding accommodation portion provided in the dispenser body to accommodate the extension hose; and
a winding roller installed at the winding accommodation portion and configured to wind the extension hose.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The dispenser assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
an ice supply flow path disposed in the dispenser body; and
an ice discharge unit fixedly installed in the dispenser body and configured to selectively discharge ice supplied from the ice supply flow path.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The dispenser assembly of claim 4, wherein the ice discharge unit comprises:
an ice discharge port disposed in the dispenser body;
an ice guide installed at an end of the ice discharge port; and
an ice discharge lever operable to selectively discharge ice from the ice discharge port.

### Claim 6

A refrigerator comprising:
a door operable to seal a storage space; and
a dispenser assembly coupled to the door and comprising:
a dispenser body comprising an accommodation portion;
a fixed discharge unit fixedly installed in the dispenser body and configured to selectively discharge water supplied from a water supply flow path;
a removable discharge nozzle removably installed in the accommodation portion and configured to discharge water supplied from the water supply flow path; and
an extension hose configured to interconnect the water supply flow path and the removable discharge nozzle,
wherein the removable discharge nozzle comprises:
a discharge flow path that communicates with the extension hose;
a rotating shaft installed in the discharge flow path; an opening/closing member fixed to the rotating shaft and operable to control an opening of the discharge flow path;
a discharge button configured to rotate the opening/closing member to open the discharge flow path;
an elastic member configured to maintain the opening/closing member in a closed state;
an opening/closing bar protruding from the opening/closing member, wherein the opening/closing member is operable to open the discharge flow path responsive to the opening/closing bar being pushed by the discharge button; and
a sealing member disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the opening/closing member.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the fixed discharge unit comprises:
a fixed discharge port disposed in the dispenser body and coupled to the water supply flow path; and
a water discharge lever operable to open and close the fixed discharge port.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the dispenser assembly further comprises:
a winding accommodation portion provided in the dispenser body to accommodate the extension hose; and
a winding roller installed at the winding accommodation portion and configured to wind the extension hose.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The refrigerator of claim 6 further comprising:
an ice supply flow path disposed in the dispenser body; and
an ice discharge unit fixedly installed in the dispenser body and configured to selectively discharge ice supplied from the ice supply flow path.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The dispenser assembly of claim 9, wherein the ice discharge unit comprises:
an ice discharge port disposed in the dispenser body;
an ice guide installed at an end of the ice discharge port; and
an ice discharge lever operable to selectively discharge ice from the ice discharge port.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The dispenser assembly of claim 1, wherein the ice discharge lever is a push button configured to activate or deactivate an ice discharge operation, and
wherein the ice discharge unit further comprises:
a switch disposed at a rear side of the ice discharge lever, the switch being configured to generate a push sensing signal to open the ice discharge port when the pushing of the ice discharge lever is sensed; and
a spring configured to automatically restore the ice discharge lever to an original position when the ice discharge lever is released.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The dispenser assembly of claim 1, wherein an opening of the discharge flow path does not exposed outside when the removable discharge nozzle installed in the accommodation of the dispenser body.