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US 2009/0013699 A1Published application
Dispenser related technology
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorsSeong Jae KIM, Nam Gi LEE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A food storing apparatus dispenses a content stored in the apparatus. The food storing apparatus includes a button tray that functions as a switch to control dispensing of different contents in accordance with different moved positions of the button tray, but also functions as a tray to receive a residual content discharged after dispensing the content.
Claims25
An appliance comprising:
- a compartment;
- a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the compartment;
- a dispenser that is positioned on a surface of the door and having at least one dispenser outlet, the dispenser being configured to dispense at least first and second types of content;
- a button tray configured to move, at least partially toward and away from the surface of the door, in response to application of force against the button tray;
- and
- a controller configured to respond to repositioning of the button tray by controlling a type of content dispensed by the dispenser based on a position of the button tray that results from movement of the button tray, the controller being configured to control the dispenser to dispense the first type of content in response to the button tray being moved to a first position and being configured to control the dispenser to dispense the second type of content in response to the button tray being moved to a second position that is different than the first position.
3 more elements
A method for controlling an appliance, comprising:
- enabling movement of a button tray at least partially toward and away from a compartment of the appliance in response to application of force against the button tray;
- controlling a dispenser, which has at least one dispenser outlet and which is configured to dispense at least first and second types of content, to dispense the first type of content in response to the button tray being moved to a first position;
- and
- controlling the dispenser to dispense the second type of content in response to the button tray being moved to a second position that is different than the first position.
1 more element
An appliance comprising:
- a compartment;
- a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the compartment;
- a dispenser that is positioned on a surface of the door and having at least one dispenser outlet, the dispenser being configured to dispense at least first and second types of content;
- means for enabling movement of a button tray at least partially toward and away from the compartment of the appliance in response to application of force against the button tray;
- means for controlling the dispenser to dispense the first type of content in response to the button tray being moved to a first position;
- and
- means for controlling the dispenser to dispense the second type of content in response to the button tray being moved to a second position that is different than the first position.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.