Back to results
US 2024/0409388 A1Published application
Refrigerator having dispenser
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorsO Min KWON, Hyungkyu PARK
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator may be provided with a dispenser which includes a nozzle pipe; a light source that radiates ultraviolet light from one end of the nozzle pipe to an inner space of the nozzle pipe, a window that is provided between the one end of the nozzle pipe and the light source, and a liquid supplying hose barb connected to the nozzle pipe via an elbow. Liquid exiting the elbow swirls as ultraviolet light is irradiated onto the liquid.
Claims20
A refrigerator, comprising:
- a cabinet having a storage space;
- and
- a door configured to open or close the storage space, the door having a dispenser,
- wherein the dispenser comprises:
- a dispenser housing that has a nozzle coupling hole;
- and
- a liquid discharge member to couple to the dispenser housing,
- wherein the liquid discharge member includes:
- a nozzle part to be inserted in the nozzle coupling hole, and the nozzle part to have a window pocket;
- a window that covers the window pocket;
- an ultraviolet (UV) light emitting diode (LED) that mounts on a substrate and faces the window, and the UV LED is configured to sterilize the nozzle part;
- a connector disposed on the substrate and is disposed at a first side of the nozzle part;
- a power cable configured to supply power via the connector to the UV LED;
- a liquid-supplying hose barb disposed at a second side of the nozzle part and that extends from the nozzle part;
- and
- a hose to couple to the liquid-supplying hose barb.
13 more elements
A refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet having a storage space;
- a door configured to open or close the storage space;
- and
- a dispenser comprising:
- a dispenser housing that has a nozzle coupling hole;
- and
- a liquid discharge apparatus to couple to the dispenser housing,
- wherein the liquid discharge apparatus includes:
- a nozzle part to be inserted in the nozzle coupling hole, and the nozzle part to have a pocket;
- a window that covers the pocket;
- an ultraviolet (UV) light device disposed on a substrate to face the window, and configured to sterilize the nozzle part;
- a substrate base to accommodate the substrate, and to extend away from the nozzle part in a first direction;
- a connector disposed on the substrate;
- a power supply device configured to supply power via the connector to the UV light device;
- and
- a liquid-supplying connecting pipe to extend away from the nozzle part in a second direction, different from the first direction, with the pocket between the liquid-supplying connecting pipe and the substrate base.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.