# US 11,999,927 B2 · Beverage maker > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,999,927 B2 - Document ID: US11999927B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/509,565 - Filed: 2019-07-12 - Published: 2020-01-16 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-12 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Shic Yoon; Jinpyo Hong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999927B2 ## CPC - C12C 13/10: Home brew equipment - B67D 1/1202: {Flow control, e.g. for controlling total amount or mixture ratio of liquids to be dispensed} - C12C 11/006: {Fermentation tanks therefor} - C12C: BEER; PREPARATION OF BEER BY FERMENTATION (ageing or ripening by storing C12H1/22; methods for reducing the alcohol content after fermentation C12H3/00; methods for increasing the alcohol content after fermentation C12H6/00; venting devices for casks, barrels or the like C12L9/00); PREPARATION OF MALT FOR MAKING BEER; PREPARATION OF HOPS FOR MAKING BEER - 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 beverage maker may include a water tank storing water; a water supply pump provided below the water tank to receive water from the water tank, a water supply channel connected to the water supply pump to guide water discharged from the water supply pump, an air removing channel connected to the water supply channel, an air removing valve or cap connected to the air removing channel, and a controller maintaining the water supply pump in an off state when the air removing valve is opened. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A beverage maker comprising: a tank that stores liquid; a pump provided below the tank to pump liquid from the tank; a liquid channel connected to the pump and guiding liquid discharged from the pump; a gas channel connected to the liquid channel and through which gas from the pump flows; a heater that heats liquid in the liquid channel; an air pump that injects air into the heated liquid; a valve connected to the gas channel to discharge gas from the gas channel; and a controller maintaining the pump in an off state when the valve is opened, wherein the pump is located below a lower end of the tank, wherein the valve is located above the pump, the heater, and the air pump, and the valve is located above the lower end of the tank, wherein, while the pump is turned off, the controller opens the valve such that liquid from the tank flows down to the pump from the tank, and gas flows from the pump through the valve due to liquid from the tank flowing to the pump, wherein, when the valve is opened for a predetermined period of time or more, the controller closes the valve, and wherein the controller turns on the pump after the valve is closed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The beverage maker of claim 1, wherein the gas channel includes a vertical channel extending in a vertical direction and connected to the valve. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The beverage maker of claim 2, wherein the tank includes a frame to support and position the vertical channel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The beverage maker of claim 1, wherein a joint connecting the gas channel and the liquid channel is positioned below the tank. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The beverage maker of claim 1, wherein the controller turns off the pump if liquid stored in the tank is equal to or less than a predetermined amount. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The beverage maker of claim 1, wherein the controller opens the valve if the liquid stored in the tank is greater than a predetermined amount. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The beverage maker of claim 1, further comprising a fermenter that receives liquid from the liquid channel and that is spaced apart from the tank, wherein the valve is positioned in a space between the fermenter and the tank. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The beverage maker of claim 7, further comprising a main frame coupled to each of the fermenter and the tank, wherein the valve is mounted on the main frame. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The beverage maker of claim 1, further comprising: a base provided below the tank and the pump; and a material supplier provided above and spaced apart from the base that receives liquid flowing in the liquid channel, wherein the valve is provided between the base and the material supplier. ### Claim 10 A beverage maker comprising: a first tank that stores liquid; a pump provided below the first tank to pump liquid from the first tank; a liquid channel connected to the pump and guiding liquid discharged from the pump; a gas channel connected to the liquid channel through which gas from the pump flows; a valve connected to the gas channel to discharge gas from the gas channel; a second tank that receives liquid from the liquid channel to form the beverage; a temperature module that adjusts a temperature of liquid in the second tank, the temperature module including a compressor provided below the first tank; and a controller configured to manage the pump and the valve, wherein the pump is located below a lower end of the first tank, wherein the valve is located above the pump, the compressor, and the lower end of the first tank, wherein the valve is opened while the pump is turned off such that liquid from the tank flows to the pump due to hydraulic pressure, and gas flows from the pump to the valve due to liquid from the tank flowing to the pump, wherein after the valve is opened for at least a predetermined period of time, the controller closes the valve and turns on the pump. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The beverage maker of claim 10, wherein the gas channel includes a vertical channel extending in a vertical direction and connected to the valve. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The beverage maker of claim 11, wherein the first tank includes a frame to support and position the vertical channel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The beverage maker of claim 10, wherein a joint connecting the gas channel and the liquid channel is positioned below the first tank. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The beverage maker of claim 10, wherein the controller turns off the pump when less than a predetermined amount of liquid is stored in the first tank. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The beverage maker of claim 10, wherein the controller opens the valve when more than a predetermined amount of liquid is stored in the first tank. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The beverage maker of claim 10, wherein the valve is positioned in a space between the first tank and the second tank. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The beverage maker of claim 16, further comprising a main frame coupled to each of the first tank and the second tank, wherein the valve is mounted on the main frame. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The beverage maker of claim 10, further comprising: a base provided below the first tank, the pump, and the second tank; and a material supplier provided above and spaced apart from the base, the material supplier including a plurality of holders that store respective materials, inlets to receive to liquid flowing in the liquid channel, respectively, into the holders, and outlets to output, respectively, liquid from the holders that is mixed with the materials, wherein the valve is provided between the base and the material supplier. ### Claim 19 A beverage maker comprising: a first tower including: a tank that stores liquid; and a pump provided below the tank to receive liquid from the tank; a liquid channel that receives liquid discharged from the pump; a gas channel connected to the liquid channel to receive gas in the liquid channel; a valve that is connected to the gas channel and discharges gas when opened; a second tower including a fermenter; and a material supplier provided between the first tower and the second tower, the material supplier supplying an ingredient to liquid in the liquid channel liquid, and the fermenter receiving liquid containing the ingredient, wherein the valve is positioned between the first tower and the second tower, below the material supplier, and higher than a lower end of the tank, wherein, before the pump is turned on, the valve opens such that liquid from the tank flows to the pump without operation of the pump, and gas flows to the valve from the pump due to liquid from the tank flowing to the pump, and wherein valve closes after being opened for at least a predetermined period of time, and the pump turns on after the valve closes. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The beverage maker of claim 19, wherein the material supplier includes: a plurality of holders that store respective materials, a plurality of inlets to receive to liquid flowing in the liquid channel, respectively, into the plurality of holders, and a plurality of outlets to output, respectively, liquid from the plurality of holders that is mixed with the materials.