Water purifier

Abstract

A water purifier according to the present invention enables an existing water purifier in use to extract beverages from capsules by installing a capsule holder assembly onto same. The capsule holder assembly provided in the water purifier of the present invention comprises: a pump module which includes a water pump; and a holder mounting module to which a capsule holder can be mounted and which is coupled to an outlet duct.

Description

water purifier

[0001] The present invention relates to a water purifier, and more particularly, to a water purifier having a new type of capsule holder assembly that enables extraction of a capsule beverage from the water purifier.

[0002] Generally, a water purifier is a device that removes impurities contained in water using a filter and then supplies water.

[0003] Depending on the type, these water purifiers can provide only filtered water, or can selectively provide both purified water and hot or cold water. For example, water purifiers with heaters can selectively provide purified water and hot water, while water purifiers with coolers can selectively provide purified water and cold water.

[0004] Recently, technology has been provided to extract capsule beverages from water purifiers.

[0005] For example, in the case of domestic public utility model No. 20-2011-0006136 (prior document 1), a technology is provided that provides a water pump and a pressurized water heater within a water purifier so that beverage in a capsule can be extracted at high temperature and high pressure through the operation of the water pump and the operation of the pressurized water heater.

[0006] In addition, in the case of domestic patent publication No. 10-2015-0083335 (prior document 2), a technology is provided regarding the arrangement of each component to solve the problem that arises when integrating a water purifier and a beverage extraction device.

[0007] In addition, in the case of domestic patent registration No. 10-1595475 (prior document 3), a technology is provided for extracting coffee inside a capsule with high-temperature and high-pressure extraction water by providing a pump and a heater, and then additionally supplying hot water for dilution to produce diluted coffee.

[0008] However, the conventional water purifiers provided in the aforementioned prior art documents 1 to 3 have a pump or heater integrated into the water purifier for extracting capsule beverages. In other words, in order to smoothly extract capsule beverages, a certain water pressure or higher must be provided, but since the pump is not provided in typical water purifiers, they cannot provide extraction water with sufficient water pressure to extract capsule beverages.

[0009] Accordingly, existing water purifiers that do not provide a pump or heater for extracting the capsule beverage were unable to perform the function of extracting the capsule beverage.

[0010] In addition, the conventional water purifiers provided in the aforementioned prior art documents 1 to 3 are provided with a capsule holder for the capsule to be placed, which is integrated into the manufacturing process of the water purifier. In other words, the conventional technologies were not provided as an additional technology to the water purifier already in use in the household, but were provided as an integral technology only to new water purifiers.

[0011] As a result, consumers who already have water purifiers have expressed dissatisfaction, saying that they have no choice but to purchase a separate, dedicated extraction machine to extract capsule beverages or to purchase a new water purifier with a capsule beverage extraction function.

[0012] In addition, in the case of the conventional water purifiers provided in the aforementioned prior art documents 2 and 3, hot water or purified water is also supplied to the outlet for extracting capsule beverages. Accordingly, the water purifiers of the aforementioned prior art documents 2 and 3 have problems such as water flowing to the surroundings during the process of discharging water through the beverage outlet because the pump pumps at the same water pressure as when extracting capsule beverages even when supplying hot water or purified water.

[0013] The purpose of the present invention is to enable users to easily and selectively install a new type of capsule holder assembly in a water purifier currently in use at home.

[0014] In addition, an object of the present invention is to enable a function for extracting a capsule beverage to be performed even in an existing water purifier that is not provided with a pump for extracting a capsule beverage.

[0015] In addition, the purpose of the present invention is to enable hot water, purified water, or extracted beverages to be selectively provided through the same outlet, while preventing the problem of drinking water flowing to the surroundings due to excessive water pressure when providing hot water or purified water.

[0016] According to the water purifier of the present invention, a holder mounting module detachably installed in an outlet duct of the water purifier can be provided.

[0017] According to the water purifier of the present invention, a pump module for pumping drinking water within a flow line may be provided as a detachable module attached to the water purifier.

[0018] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the pump module can be modularized and provided in a separate case.

[0019] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the pump module can pump drinking water to reach a set water pressure.

[0020] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the pump module may include a heater.

[0021] According to the water purifier of the present invention, a heater may be provided within a cabinet of the water purifier.

[0022] According to the water purifier of the present invention, a first connecting line for guiding drinking water to a water pump can be connected to the pump module.

[0023] According to the water purifier of the present invention, a second connecting line may be connected to the pump module to provide high-pressure drinking water passing through the water pump to the flow line.

[0024] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the pump module can be coupled to the outer surface of the cabinet.

[0025] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the pump module can be installed inside the cabinet.

[0026] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the holder mounting module can be optionally equipped with a capsule holder.

[0027] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the holder mounting module may be provided with a water outlet nozzle connected to a discharge nozzle in an outlet duct.

[0028] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the discharge nozzle and the water outlet nozzle can be directly connected or connected using a separate connecting nozzle.

[0029] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the holder mounting module may be provided with a duct coupling portion coupled to an outlet duct.

[0030] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the duct joint of the holder mounting module can be formed into a structure having an upper surface, a peripheral wall, and a lower surface, and providing an installation space inside.

[0031] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the holder mounting module may include a hook having one end positioned within the duct joint and the other end sequentially penetrating the upper surface of the duct joint and the lower surface of the outlet duct to be bound to the outlet duct.

[0032] According to the water purifier of the present invention, a plurality of hanging hooks may be provided and positioned respectively on both sides of the duct joint.

[0033] According to the water purifier of the present invention, push buttons for manually pressing the hanging hook may be provided on both side walls of the duct joint.

[0034] According to the water purifier of the present invention, a rotation prevention projection and a rotation prevention groove may be formed to interlock with each other on the opposing surfaces between the outlet duct and the duct joint to prevent rotation of the duct joint.

[0035] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the rotation prevention projection and the rotation prevention groove are provided in multiple numbers to prevent the duct joint from rotating.

[0036] According to the water purifier of the present invention, a receiving hole open upwardly may be formed in the duct joint to receive the end of the discharge nozzle when coupled with the outlet duct.

[0037] According to the water purifier of the present invention, one end of the water outlet nozzle may be exposed into the receiving hole and received into the discharge nozzle, and the other end may protrude from the bottom by penetrating the bottom surface of the duct joint.

[0038] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the water outlet nozzle is characterized in that one end and the other end are formed on different vertical lines.

[0039] According to the water purifier of the present invention, a protruding joint may be formed on the bottom surface of the duct joint.

[0040] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the protruding joint can be formed as a ring-shaped block that surrounds the circumference of the water discharge nozzle on the bottom surface of the duct joint.

[0041] According to the water purifier of the present invention, an elevating groove may be formed on the outer surface of the protruding joint to guide the elevating movement of the capsule holder while gradually sloping upward toward the side.

[0042] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the holder mounting module may include a holder coupling portion to which a capsule holder is coupled.

[0043] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the holder mounting module may include a lifting guide that is coupled to the protruding joint and is raised and lowered along the protruding joint by a rotation operation in the horizontal direction.

[0044] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the lifting guide and the capsule holder can be formed to rotate together.

[0045] According to the water purifier of the present invention, a coupling protrusion is formed on the outer surface of the lifting guide, and a coupling groove is formed on the capsule holder, so that the lifting guide can be rotated by rotation of the capsule holder.

[0046] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the holder mounting module may include a guide member having a guide projection for moving along the lifting groove while being coupled to the lifting guide.

[0047] According to the water purifier of the present invention, the capsule holder can be formed to be mounted horizontally in the holder coupling portion.

[0048] According to the water purifier of the present invention, an extension frame may be formed on the capsule holder so that the capsule holder can be mounted horizontally on the holder coupling portion.

[0049] According to the water purifier of the present invention, a guide groove for receiving an extension frame may be provided in the holder coupling portion so that the capsule holder can be mounted horizontally in the holder coupling portion.

[0050] According to the water purifier of the present invention, a fixed guide having a guide groove formed may be provided in the holder coupling portion.

[0051] According to the water purifier of the present invention, a blocking protrusion may be formed at the end of the extended edge of the capsule holder to prevent excessive insertion into the guide groove.

[0052] The water purifier of the present invention can have a capsule beverage extraction function by selectively applying a capsule holder assembly.

[0053] In addition, the water purifier of the present invention can be installed in an existing water purifier without changing the structure of the existing water purifier or by making a simple change when the capsule holder assembly is applied to the existing water purifier, so that the user can install it directly.

[0054] In addition, the water purifier of the present invention can perform the function of extracting capsule beverages by additionally providing a pump module even in an existing water purifier that does not provide a pump for extracting capsule beverages.

[0055] In addition, the water purifier of the present invention can selectively provide hot water, purified water, or extracted beverages through the same outlet, and since the water pump does not operate when providing hot water or purified water, the problem of drinking water flowing around due to excessive water pressure can be prevented.

[0056] Figure 1 is a side view of the internal state of the water purifier of the embodiment of the present invention, in which a capsule holder assembly is applied and a pump module is installed outside the cabinet.

[0057] Figure 2 is a front view of a state in which a holder mounting module forming a capsule holder assembly is coupled to a water purifier of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] Figure 3 is a front view of a state in which a holder mounting module forming a capsule holder assembly is combined with a water purifier of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the main parts for explaining the relationship between the pump module and the heater and holder mounting module installed outside the cabinet of the water purifier of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] Figure 5 is a side view of the internal state of the water purifier of the embodiment of the present invention with the pump module installed inside.

[0061] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the main parts for explaining the relationship between the pump module and the heater and holder mounting module installed inside the cabinet of the water purifier of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] Figure 7 is a side view for explaining the relationship between the pump module and the heater and holder mounting module installed inside the cabinet of the water purifier of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] Figure 8 is a perspective view for explaining the internal structure of the pump module provided in the water purifier of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] Figure 9 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating the configuration of a pump module provided in a water purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of a capsule holder assembly provided in a water purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view from the front showing a state in which a capsule holder assembly is installed in a water purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] Figure 12 is a perspective view of the combination of the holder mounting module provided in the water purifier of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0068] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of Figure 12.

[0069] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of Figure 12.

[0070] Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of Figure 12.

[0071] Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of a capsule holder provided in a water purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0072] Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of a state in which a capsule holder is initially connected to a holder mounting module mounted on a water purifier of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0073] Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view of a capsule holder completely attached to a holder mounting module mounted on a water purifier of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] Figure 19 is a flow circuit diagram that briefly shows the flow of the pump module when supplying purified water or hot water of the water purifier of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0075] Figure 20 is a flow circuit diagram that briefly shows the flow of the pump module when extracting a capsule beverage of the water purifier of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0076] Figure 21 is a schematic circuit diagram of a water purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention in which a heater is included in the pump module.

[0077] Figure 22 is a perspective view of the main parts for explaining the relationship between the pump module and the holder mounting module including the heater in the water purifier of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0078] Figure 23 is a side view of a state in which a pump module including a heater is installed on the outside of a water purifier according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0079] Figure 24 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a pump module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0080] Figure 25 is a flow circuit diagram showing another example of a pump module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0081] Before describing the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that when adding reference numerals to components in each drawing, identical components are given the same numerals as much as possible even if they are shown in different drawings.

[0082] In addition, when describing an embodiment of the present invention, if a detailed description of a related known configuration or function is judged to hinder understanding of the embodiment of the present invention, the detailed description is omitted.

[0083] Additionally, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used to describe components of embodiments of the present invention. These terms are only intended to distinguish the components from other components, and the nature, order, or sequence of the components are not limited by the terms. When it is described that a component is "connected," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but another component may also be "connected," "coupled," or "connected" between each component.

[0084] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a water purifier having a capsule holder assembly of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached FIGS. 1 to 25.

[0085] The attached drawing 1 is a side view of the internal state of the water purifier of the embodiment of the present invention, in which the capsule holder assembly is applied and the pump module is installed outside the cabinet.

[0086] In addition, FIGS. 2 and 3 are front views of a state in which a holder mounting module is coupled to a water purifier of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0087] As shown in these drawings, a water purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention is capable of extracting capsule beverages by additionally installing a capsule holder assembly to an existing water purifier.

[0088] A water purifier having a capsule holder assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail for each component.

[0089] First, the water purifier of the present invention includes a cabinet (10).

[0090] The above cabinet (10) may be defined as the exterior of a water purifier. The cabinet (10) may be formed as a box-shaped structure that provides installation space so that various components can be installed inside.

[0091] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, an outlet duct (11) is provided at one end of the cabinet (10). For example, the outlet duct (11) is positioned at the front of the cabinet (10) and serves as an area through which drinking water or beverages are discharged.

[0092] The above-described outlet duct (11) may be formed as a rectangular box structure with an open top and a bottom, positioned at the upper front side of the cabinet (10). Of course, although not shown, the above-described outlet duct (11) may also be formed as a circular box structure or other polygonal box structure. Although not shown, the above-described outlet duct (11) may also be formed as a pipe structure with both the top and bottom surfaces open.

[0093] A through hole (11a) (see Fig. 11) through which a discharge nozzle (12) passes can be formed in the center of the bottom surface of the above outlet duct (11).

[0094] The above discharge nozzle (12) is a portion from which drinking water guided by a flow line (20) to be described later is discharged.

[0095] The above discharge nozzle (12) may be installed at the end of the flow line (20) and positioned in the outlet duct (11). Thus, drinking water flowing through the flow line (20) may pass through the outlet duct (11) and be supplied to the cup (2) provided at the bottom of the outlet duct (11).

[0096] The above discharge nozzle (12) may be formed as either a simple discharge port (opening) formed in the outlet duct (11) or a nozzle coupled to the discharge port. In the water purifier of the embodiment of the present invention, the discharge nozzle (12) may be formed as a nozzle installed to penetrate the bottom surface of the outlet duct (11). At this time, the lower end of the discharge nozzle (12) may protrude downward by penetrating the bottom surface of the outlet duct.

[0097] Next, the water purifier of the present invention includes a flow line (20).

[0098] The above flow line (20) is a path that guides the flow of drinking water up to the discharge nozzle (12). That is, the flow line (20) may be defined as all or part of the path that guides the flow from the time raw water is supplied until it is discharged outside the water purifier. At this time, the flow line (20) may be provided by being divided into multiple parts, and in this case, each flow line (20) may be connected to each other by a fitting or may be connected to other components (e.g., a valve, a filter, a heater, etc.). At this time, at least one of the fittings may include a fitting for branching drinking water from the flow line (20).

[0099] The above flow line (20) can be formed as a pipe or tube made of metal, ceramic or synthetic resin.

[0100] The above flow line (20) may be connected to receive water supplied from outside while being provided within the cabinet (10). If, although not shown, a water tank is provided within the cabinet (10), the flow line (20) may be formed to guide the flow of water within the water tank while being connected to the water tank.

[0101] Meanwhile, the flow line (20) may be provided with a filter (30) for purifying drinking water passing through the flow line (20). The filters (30) may be provided in multiples and may be replaceably installed in any space within the cabinet (10). Thus, drinking water passing through the flow line (20) may be purified during the process of passing through the filter (30).

[0102] Next, the water purifier of the present invention includes a heater (40).

[0103] The above heater (40) can be defined as a structure or heating element provided to heat drinking water passing through the flow line (20).

[0104] The above heater (40) can be formed in various structures.

[0105] As an example, the heater (40) may be formed as a water block that is heated by the heat generated by a heating element (not shown). In this case, drinking water flowing along the flow line (20) is provided into the water block, heated by the heat generated by the heating element, and then discharged to the outside of the water block. At this time, the heating element may be built into the water block or installed so as to be in contact with the outer surface of the water block.

[0106] As another example, although not shown, the heater (40) may be formed as a coil heater or a surface heating element that surrounds the flow line (20). In this case, when the heater (40) is formed as a coil heater or a surface heating element, it is preferable to wrap the heater (40) with an insulating material to prevent external exposure.

[0107] Next, the water purifier of the present invention includes a pump module (100).

[0108] The above pump module (100) may be a combination of a water pump (110) and components including the same that pumps drinking water flowing along the flow line (20) to have a certain water pressure.

[0109] In conventional water purifiers, drinking water flows by the water pressure of the raw water line (not shown) connected to the inlet of the flow line (20). That is, conventional water purifiers do not provide a pump, and drinking water flows simply by opening and closing a valve. Therefore, the water pressure of drinking water flowing through conventional water purifiers cannot smoothly extract capsule beverages.

[0110] Considering this, the water purifier of the embodiment of the present invention additionally provides a water pump (110) that pumps drinking water passing through the flow line (20) to reach a set water pressure, thereby enabling smooth extraction of capsule beverages.

[0111] In particular, the pump module (100) is manufactured as a kit that is modularized and provided in a case (101) separate from the cabinet (10) and can be selectively installed in the cabinet (10).

[0112] That is, the pump module (100) may be installed either on the outside of the cabinet (10) or on the inside of the cabinet (10). For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the pump module (100) may be installed on the outer surface of the rear wall of the cabinet (10), or as illustrated in FIG. 5, it may be installed on the lower surface of the upper wall of the cabinet (10). At this time, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a main part for explaining the relationship between the pump module and the heater and holder mounting module in the installation state of FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a main part for explaining the relationship between the pump module and the heater and holder mounting module in the installation state of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a state diagram showing the relationship between the pump module and the heater and holder mounting module in more detail.

[0113] The installation location of the pump module (100) may be determined differently depending on the structure within the cabinet (10), the location where the water purifier is installed, or the type of pump module (100).

[0114] Meanwhile, the pump module (100) of the embodiment of the present invention can be configured to discharge water with high water pressure by passing through the water pump (110) or discharge water with normal water pressure without passing through the water pump (110).

[0115] That is, only when extracting a capsule beverage, the drinking water flowing into the pump module (100) passes through the water pump (110), and when supplying general purified water or hot water, it is discharged without passing through the water pump (110).

[0116] To this end, the pump module (100) of the embodiment of the present invention may include a first guide passage (120) and a first valve (121) for opening and closing the first guide passage (120), a second guide passage (130) and a second valve (131) for opening and closing the second guide passage, and a circuit board (140) (see FIG. 9) having a control unit for controlling each of the valves (121, 131), as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0117] The first guide passage (120) is formed so as to pass through the water pump (110), and the second guide passage (130) is formed so as not to pass through the water pump (110). Each of the guide passages (120, 130) and each valve (121, 131) may be provided within a single case (101) together with the water pump (110). Thus, the pump module (100) may be provided as a single kit.

[0118] The inlet of the first guide channel (120) and the inlet of the second guide channel (130) forming the pump module (100) are connected to an inlet line (102) through which drinking water flows into the pump module (100), and the outlet of the first guide channel (120) and the outlet of the second guide channel (130) are connected to an outlet line (103) through which drinking water flows out from the pump module (100).

[0119] At this time, the inlet of each of the above guide channels (120, 130) is connected to the first branch fitting (150) connected to the outlet of the inflow line (102), and the outlet of each of the above guide channels (120, 130) is connected to the second branch fitting (160) connected to the inlet of the outflow line (130).

[0120] In addition, the inlet of the inflow line (102) and the outlet of the outflow line (103) are connected to the first external connection fitting (104) and the second external connection fitting (105), which are installed so that a portion of each is exposed to the outside of the case (101) forming the pump module (100).

[0121] The first external connection fitting (104) and the second external connection fitting (105) are configured to be connected to the flow line (20) of the water purifier, respectively. In this case, the flow line (20) may be provided by dividing into a flow line (21) on the inlet side and a flow line (22) on the outlet side, and the flow line (21) on the inlet side is connected to the first external connection fitting (104) and the flow line (22) on the outlet side is connected to the second external connection fitting (105).

[0122] Accordingly, the pump module (100) can be easily connected to an existing water purifier.

[0123] And, only when high-pressure drinking water is required for extraction of capsule beverages, the drinking water in the flow line (20) flows into the first guide channel (120) in the pump module (100) and then passes through the water pump (110) to form a high pressure, and is operated. When supplying general purified water, the drinking water in the flow line (20) flows into the pump module (100) and then flows into the second guide channel (130) and is discharged without passing through the water pump (110).

[0124] Next, the water purifier of the present invention includes a holder mounting module (200).

[0125] As shown in Fig. 1, the holder mounting module (200) can be provided as a portion for mounting a capsule holder (300) containing a capsule (1).

[0126] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the holder mounting module (200) can be selectively coupled to an outlet duct (11) provided in a cabinet (10) of a water purifier. That is, the holder mounting module (200) is coupled to and used in a conventional water purifier together with the aforementioned pump module (100).

[0127] In Figures 10 to 15, the external structure and internal structure of the holder mounting module (200) are shown as viewed from each direction or each position.

[0128] As shown in these drawings, the holder mounting module (200) includes a duct coupling part (210) that is coupled to the outlet duct (11) of the cabinet (10). That is, the holder mounting module (200) can be selectively coupled to the outlet duct (11) of an existing water purifier by the structure of the duct coupling part (210).

[0129] The above duct joint (210) is formed as a box structure having an upper surface, a peripheral wall, and a lower surface and providing an installation space inside.

[0130] In addition, the holder mounting module (200) may be provided with an outlet nozzle (201) that is connected to a discharge nozzle (12) in an outlet duct (11). The discharge nozzle (12) and the outlet nozzle (201) may be directly connected or may be connected using a separate connecting nozzle. To this end, a receiving hole (211) is formed on the upper surface of the duct connecting portion (210) so that the end of the discharge nozzle (12) is received when connected to the outlet duct (11).

[0131] The above discharge nozzle (201) is formed so that one end is exposed into the receiving hole (211) while being positioned within the duct joint (210) and can be connected to the discharge nozzle (12), and the other end is formed so as to protrude downward by penetrating the bottom surface of the duct joint (210).

[0132] Meanwhile, the discharge nozzle (12) provided in the water purifier may be positioned at the center of the outlet duct (11), but may also be positioned at an eccentric location relative to the center of the outlet duct (11). Considering this, even if the discharge nozzle (12) is positioned at an eccentric location relative to the center of the outlet duct (11), by forming one end and the other end of the water outlet nozzle (201) to exist on different vertical lines, the outlet through which drinking water is supplied can be positioned at the center of the outlet duct (11) regardless of the inlet location. Accordingly, the outlet of the water outlet nozzle (201) can be stably maintained in combination with the phage cap (400) provided on the capsule holder (300).

[0133] If, although not shown, a water purifier having a structure in which the discharge nozzle (12) is located in the center of the outlet duct (11) may use an outlet nozzle (201) in which the inlet and outlet are located on the same vertical line.

[0134] Additionally, a hook (212) that is restrained within the outlet duct (11) is provided within the installation space of the duct joint (210).

[0135] The above-mentioned hook (212) is positioned at one end within the duct joint (210) and the other end is connected to the outlet duct (11) while sequentially penetrating the upper surface of the duct joint (210) and the lower surface of the outlet duct (11). The end of the hook (212) is fixed to the lower surface of the outlet duct (11) and remains connected to the outlet duct (11) until a separate folding operation occurs.

[0136] These hooks (212) may be provided in multiples and installed so as to penetrate both sides of the upper surface of the duct joint (210) and be exposed upward.

[0137] In particular, the above-mentioned hook (212) can be formed to enable a folding operation. Thus, when the duct joint (210) is joined to the outlet duct (11), the hook (212) can pass through the joining hole (11b) formed on the bottom surface of the outlet duct (11) and be joined to the bottom surface of the outlet duct (11).

[0138] In addition, when it is desired to separate the duct joint (210) from the outlet duct (11), a tilting operation (tilting operation) of the hook (212) is performed.

[0139] A push button (213) may be provided to enable easier folding operation of the hook (212). That is, the hook (212) can be folded by pressing the push button (213).

[0140] The above push button (213) can be installed to operate flexibly while penetrating one side wall of the duct joint (210). That is, when the push button (213) is pressed, one end of the catch hook (212) located within the duct joint (210) is bent, and the other end of the catch hook (212) can be separated from the connecting hole (11b) formed on the bottom surface of the outlet duct (11).

[0141] In particular, the above-mentioned hooks (212) may be provided in multiple numbers and positioned respectively on both sides of the duct joint (210). In this case, the push buttons (213) may be provided respectively on both side walls of the duct joint (210).

[0142] Meanwhile, considering that the above-described hook (212) is formed to be foldable, there is a risk that the duct joint (210) may rotate during the process of attaching the capsule holder (300) to the holder mounting module (200), which will be described later.

[0143] In consideration of this, a rotation prevention projection (214) and a rotation prevention groove (11c) may be formed to interlock with each other on the opposing surfaces between the outlet duct (11) and the duct joint (210) to prevent rotation of the duct joint (210). For example, a rotation prevention projection (214) may be formed to protrude on the upper surface of the duct joint (210), and a rotation prevention groove (11c) may be formed to penetrate or be recessed on the lower surface of the outlet duct (11). This allows the rotation prevention projection (214) and the rotation prevention groove (11c) to interlock with each other in an action of bringing the upper surface of the duct joint (210) into close contact with the lower surface of the outlet duct (11).

[0144] Although not shown, the anti-rotation groove (11c) formed in the outlet duct (11) may be formed during the manufacture of the water purifier, or a separate structure having the anti-rotation groove (11c) may be additionally provided and fixed to the outlet duct (11). That is, the outlet duct (11) is shaped so that the bottom surface is open, but the bottom surface may be provided as a separate structure. In this case, the structure may be formed so as to also provide a portion for penetration and fixation of the aforementioned fixing hook (11). At this time, the structure may be fixed to the outlet duct (11) in various ways, such as using an adhesive, adhesive tape, or screw fastening.

[0145] In particular, the above rotation prevention projection (214) and rotation prevention groove (11c) are provided in multiple numbers and formed at different locations, thereby preventing the duct joint (210) from being rotated unintentionally from the outlet duct (11).

[0146] A protruding joint (220) may be formed protrudingly on the bottom surface of the above duct joint (210).

[0147] The above protruding joint (220) can be formed integrally with the duct joint (210).

[0148] Specifically, the protruding joint (220) may be formed as a ring-shaped block that surrounds the circumference of the outlet nozzle (201) that protrudes downward from the bottom surface of the duct joint (210) and is exposed to the bottom surface of the duct joint (210) or a pipe structure with an empty interior.

[0149] A lifting groove (221) is formed on the outer surface of the above-described protruding joint (220). The lifting groove (221) is a structure provided for the lifting and lowering movement of the capsule holder (300) described later.

[0150] The above-mentioned lifting groove (221) can be formed into a spiral structure that gradually slopes upward in the direction of rotation of the capsule holder (300) (direction for perforating the capsule).

[0151] The above-mentioned lifting grooves (221) may be provided in two or more pluralities. In this case, each of the lifting grooves (221) may be formed at positions symmetrical to each other with respect to the axis center of the protruding joint (220).

[0152] Meanwhile, a pressing member (230) for pressing a phage cap (400) to be described later may be provided inside the protruding joint (220).

[0153] The above-mentioned pressurizing member (230) is positioned to pressurize the upper surface of the phage cap (400), and may be formed into a cylindrical structure with an empty interior and a height of a certain length so that a discharge nozzle (201) exposed to the lower surface of the duct joint (210) can be positioned therein.

[0154] The above-mentioned pressing member (230) can be coupled to the inside of the above-mentioned protruding joint (220). To this end, a catch (222) may be formed on the inner surface of the above-mentioned protruding joint (220), and a catch hook (232) that is selectively coupled to the catch (222) may be formed on the outer surface of the above-mentioned pressing member (230).

[0155] In addition, the pressurizing member (230) may be configured to move elastically up and down so as to push the phage cap (400) downward when the upward pressing force is released.

[0156] By this structure, the discharge nozzle (201) to be described later is bound to the phage cap (400) to be described later, thereby preventing the phage cap (400) from being smoothly separated.

[0157] In order to allow the above-mentioned pressure member (230) to move elastically, a restoring member (231) may be provided between the bottom surface of the duct joint (210) and the top surface of the above-mentioned pressure member (230). That is, the above-mentioned pressure member (230) may be pushed downward by the above-mentioned pressure member (231). At this time, the above-mentioned pressure member (231) may be, for example, a ring-shaped washer capable of elastic restoration, such as a spring washer or a wave washer.

[0158] Next, the holder mounting module (200) may include a holder coupling part (240) for coupling with a capsule holder (300).

[0159] This holder coupling part (240) functions to move the capsule holder (300) upward by the left and right tilting motion of the capsule holder (300) when the capsule holder (300) described later is coupled.

[0160] To this end, the holder coupling portion (240) includes an elevation guide (241) coupled to the protruding coupling portion (220), and the capsule holder (300) to be described later can be configured to rotate the elevation guide (241). That is, the elevation guide (241) can be rotated by the manipulation of the capsule holder (300) and moved upward along the protruding coupling portion.

[0161] Here, the lifting guide (241) is formed to be lifted along the protruding joint (220) by rotating in the horizontal direction while being joined to the protruding joint (220) of the duct joint (210).

[0162] In order to rotate the above-mentioned lifting guide (241), a coupling protrusion (241a) is formed on the outer surface of the above-mentioned lifting guide (241), and a coupling groove (303) into which the coupling protrusion (241a) is inserted and coupled is formed in the above-mentioned capsule holder (300). Thus, the above-mentioned lifting guide (241) is rotated by an operation of rotating the capsule holder (300) while the coupling protrusion (241a) of the above-mentioned lifting guide (241) is coupled to the coupling groove (303) of the above-mentioned capsule holder (300). At this time, the coupling groove (301) is formed on the axial side formed by the handle (310) of the above-mentioned capsule holder (300). This allows a user to easily couple the coupling protrusion (241a) to the coupling groove (303).

[0163] In addition, the lifting guide (241) is installed in the duct joint (210) so as to be rotatable and move up and down. That is, the lifting guide (241) is provided with a guide protrusion (242a) that moves along an lifting groove (221) formed on the outer surface of the protruding joint (220) of the duct joint (210), thereby enabling the lifting guide (241) to move up and down by rotation.

[0164] The above guide protrusion (242a) is formed to protrude on a guide member (242) provided separately from the lifting guide (241), and the guide member (242) is coupled to a part of the lifting guide (241). As a result, the lifting guide (241) can be rotated and raised by moving the guide protrusion (242a) along the lifting groove (221) by rotating the lifting guide (241).

[0165] In particular, the lifting groove (221) is formed so that the lower end does not reach the bottom surface of the protruding joint (220). That is, the lifting groove (221) does not open to the bottom surface of the protruding joint (220). This can prevent the guide projection (242a) from being unintentionally separated from the lifting groove (221).

[0166] In addition, the holder mounting module of the embodiment of the present invention may further include a structure for preventing tilting of the capsule holder (300). That is, by moving the capsule holder (300) forward and backward, the coupling protrusion (410) of the phage cap (400) provided within the capsule holder (300) and the water outlet nozzle (201) located at the duct coupling portion can be precisely aligned vertically.

[0167] To this end, an outwardly folded extension frame (304) is formed on the upper periphery of the capsule holder (300), and a holder coupling portion (240) of the holder mounting module (200) may further include a fixed guide (243) having a guide groove (243a) formed therein to guide the extension frame (304) to be received in the front-back direction. At this time, the guide groove (243a) may be formed by folding the end periphery of the fixed guide (243) in multiple stages.

[0168] That is, by enabling the above-mentioned expansion frame (304) to be combined in a drawer-like manner with the guide groove (243a), the combination projection (241a) of the lifting guide (241) can be easily and accurately engaged with the combination groove (303) of the capsule holder (300), and the capsule holder (300) is prevented from tilting.

[0169] The above fixed guide (243) can be coupled to the lower end of the above lifting guide (241). The upper end of the fixed guide (243) and the lower end of the above lifting guide (241) can be coupled to each other in a screw-like manner. That is, a spiral protrusion (243b) is formed on the upper outer surface of the above fixed guide (243), and a spiral groove (241b) is formed on the lower inner surface of the above lifting guide (241), so that a screw-like coupling can be achieved.

[0170] At this time, an insertion groove (243c) is formed on the upper end of the fixed guide (243) into which a part of the guide member (242) is inserted and coupled, and a passage groove (243d) is formed on the upper surface of the fixed guide (243) so that a guide projection (242a) protruding from the guide member (242) passes through it. With this structure, even if both ends of the elevation groove (221) formed on the protruding connection portion (220) are not opened, it is possible to insert the guide projection (242a) into the elevation groove (221).

[0171] Meanwhile, a blocking protrusion (305) may be formed at both ends of the expansion frame (304) formed on the capsule holder (300) to prevent excessive insertion into the guide groove (243a) of the fixed guide (243). The blocking protrusion (305) is formed to have a width or height greater than the guide groove (243a). This prevents the capsule holder (300) from being coupled in a state where it is rotated to one side.

[0172] Next, the water purifier of the present invention includes a capsule holder (300).

[0173] The above capsule holder (300) forms a capsule holder assembly together with the aforementioned holder mounting module (200). That is, by adding the capsule holder assembly to an existing water purifier, it becomes possible to extract capsule beverages using the water purifier.

[0174] This capsule holder (300) can be defined as a device or assembly in which a beverage is extracted from the capsule (1) while the capsule (1) is received.

[0175] Fig. 10 illustrates the external structure of the capsule holder (300), and Fig. 16 illustrates the internal structure of the capsule holder (300).

[0176] As shown in these drawings, the capsule holder (300) may be formed to provide a receiving space in which the capsule (1) is received. The receiving space may be formed to be open toward the top, so that the capsule (1) may be received from the open top.

[0177] In addition, the protruding connection part (220) of the holder mounting module (100) can be accommodated in the accommodation space. That is, the capsule (1) is accommodated in the lower part of the accommodation space, and the protruding connection part (220) is positioned in the upper part of the accommodation space.

[0178] A discharge port (302) is formed on the bottom surface of the capsule holder (300) for discharging the beverage extracted from within the receiving space. Preferably, the bottom surface within the receiving space may be formed to gradually slope downward toward the location where the discharge port (302) is located.

[0179] A handle (310) may be provided on the circumference of the capsule holder (300). This allows the capsule holder (300) to be easily rotated by operating the handle.

[0180] In particular, it is preferable that the longitudinal position of the handle (310) be formed to match the position of the coupling groove (or coupling protrusion on the outer surface of the lifting guide) (303) formed in the capsule holder (300). This enables precise alignment of the coupling groove (303) and the coupling protrusion (241a) based on the position of the handle (310).

[0181] In addition, a support (340) on which a capsule (1) is placed may be provided within the receiving space of the capsule holder (300). The support (340) is provided to break the film (1a) sealing the capsule (1) while allowing the capsule (1) to remain placed in the correct position. At this time, the capsule (1) is provided such that the film (1a) is placed on the upper surface of the support (340).

[0182] A rupture projection (341) may be formed protrudingly on the upper surface of the above-mentioned support (340). The rupture projection (341) is provided to rupture the film (1a) of the capsule (1) placed on the upper surface of the support (340). The rupture projection (341) may be formed in a structure that becomes sharper as it goes upward.

[0183] In addition, a plurality of extraction holes (342) penetrating the upper and lower portions of the base (340) may be formed. The extraction holes (342) are provided to guide the extracted beverage flowing out from within the capsule (1) to flow down to the lower surface within the receiving space of the capsule holder (300).

[0184] To this end, the bottom surface of the above-mentioned pedestal (340) is placed apart from the bottom surface within the above-mentioned receiving space to provide a space for the beverage to flow between them.

[0185] Additionally, a phage cap (400) may be additionally provided within the capsule holder (300).

[0186] The above-mentioned phage cap (400) is provided to phage and perforate a capsule (1) located in the receiving space within the capsule holder (300).

[0187] As illustrated in Fig. 16, this phage cap (400) is formed into a cap structure that surrounds the capsule (1) within the receiving space while being received within the receiving space of the capsule holder (300).

[0188] The inner surface of the above-mentioned phage cap (400) is formed to be identical to the outer surface of the capsule (1) and to be in close contact with the outer surface of the capsule (1). At this time, the upper surface within the phage cap (400) is formed to be spaced apart from the capsule (1). Drinking water for extraction is supplied to the space created by this spaced-off portion.

[0189] The upper surface of the above-mentioned phage cap (400) is coupled with a discharge nozzle (201) exposed at the bottom of a duct coupling portion (210) forming a holder mounting module (200). To this end, a coupling protrusion (410) for coupling the above-mentioned discharge nozzle (201) is formed on the upper surface of the above-mentioned phage cap (400).

[0190] The above-mentioned connecting protrusion (410) is formed to receive the end of the water discharge nozzle (201) and communicate with the inside of the phage cap (400). At this time, the portion of the connecting protrusion (410) where the water discharge nozzle (201) is received and connected is formed to communicate with the space inside the phage cap (400) through a communication hole (411).

[0191] The above-mentioned connecting protrusion (410) can be formed at the center of the upper surface of the phage cap (400). As a result, drinking water sprayed from the water outlet nozzle (201) can be supplied to the upper center of the phage cap (400) through the connecting protrusion (410).

[0192] In addition, one or more perforation projections (420) for perforating the capsule (1) are formed on the upper surface within the phage cap (400). The perforation projections (420) may be provided on the peripheral portion of the communication hole (411) that connects the connecting projection (410) and the space within the phage cap (400) on the upper surface within the phage cap (400).

[0193] A support rib (430) may be formed on the upper surface of the above-mentioned phage cap (400) to prevent damage to the above-mentioned connecting protrusion (410) and to serve as a portion pressed by the pressing member (230). The support rib (430) is formed in a radial direction centered on the connecting protrusion (410) to prevent bending deformation of the above-mentioned connecting protrusion (410).

[0194] In particular, the support rib (430) may be formed to be pressurized by the pressure member (230) installed in the holder mounting module (100). That is, when the capsule holder (300) is mounted on the holder mounting module (100) and moves upward, the lower surface of the pressure member (230) presses the upper surface of the support rib (430), allowing the perforation projection (420) of the phage cap (400) to perforate the outer surface of the capsule (1). Of course, although not shown, the pressure member (230) may be configured to press the upper surface of the phage cap (400) instead of the support rib (430).

[0195] Meanwhile, while drinking water is supplied through the connecting protrusion (410) of the phage cap (400), the inside of the phage cap (400) must be able to achieve a high pressure state. That is, considering that the extraction pressure can be an important factor in the taste of the beverage extracted from the capsule (1), it is desirable to prevent pressure leakage.

[0196] In order to prevent pressure leakage during the extraction of such beverages, a sealing ring (202) may be provided on at least one of the outer surface of the water outlet nozzle (201) or the inner surface of the coupling protrusion (410). That is, when the end of the water outlet nozzle (201) is inserted into the coupling protrusion (410), the coupling portions can be sealed by the sealing ring (202).

[0197] In addition, in order to prevent pressure leakage during the extraction of the beverage, the opposing surfaces between the support (340) and the phage cap (400) may be formed to interlock with each other.

[0198] For example, a receiving groove (343) may be formed around the upper surface of the pedestal (340), and a receiving projection (440) that is received and engages with the receiving groove (343) may be formed on the lower surface of the phage cap (400). In particular, a sealing member (441) may be provided on the phage cap (400) so as to surround the lower end of the phage cap (400) and the receiving projection (440), and to be hermetically sealed against the receiving groove (343) of the pedestal (340).

[0199] Below, the process of applying a capsule holder assembly to the aforementioned water purifier is described.

[0200] First, a holder mounting module (200) and a capsule holder (300) forming a holder assembly for a capsule are provided. The holder mounting module (200) and the capsule holder (300) can be purchased and prepared separately from the water purifier.

[0201] And, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the holder mounting module (200) is combined with a water purifier to which a capsule beverage function is to be added.

[0202] To this end, the duct coupling part (210) forming the holder mounting module (200) is coupled to the outlet duct (11) of the water purifier. That is, the duct coupling part (210) and the outlet duct (11) can be coupled to each other by penetrating the hook (212) that protrudes partially from the upper surface of the duct coupling part (210) into the lower surface of the outlet duct (11).

[0203] In particular, when the duct joint (210) is aligned with the outlet duct (11), the anti-rotation protrusion (214) formed on the upper surface of the duct joint (210) is coupled to the anti-rotation groove (11c) formed in the outlet duct (11).

[0204] Accordingly, the duct joint (210) can be vertically and horizontally restrained to the outlet duct (11), and unwanted rotation of the duct joint (210) can be prevented. This is as illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 15.

[0205] If the water purifier is not provided with a water pump that pumps hot water at high pressure, a separately provided pump module (100) is connected to either the outside or inside of the cabinet (10) of the water purifier.

[0206] At this time, the flow line (20) of the water purifier is connected to each external connection fitting (104, 105) provided to the pump module (100). That is, the flow line (21) on the inlet side is connected to the first external connection fitting (104), and the flow line (22) on the outlet side is connected to the second external connection fitting (105).

[0207] In addition, the circuit board (140) of the pump module (100) is connected to a circuit board (omitted from the drawing) for controlling the water purifier so that they can be interconnected. At this time, each circuit board can be connected using a separate wire connector.

[0208] This gives the water purifier the ability to extract capsule beverages.

[0209] The following describes the process of extracting capsule beverages using the water purifier.

[0210] When a user wishes to extract a capsule beverage, the desired type of beverage capsule (1) is installed in the receiving space of the capsule holder (300). At this time, the beverage capsule (1) is inserted into the receiving space of the capsule holder (300) in a state where the area sealed with the film (1a) faces downward. As a result, the film (1a) of the beverage capsule (1) is placed on the upper surface of the support (340) provided in the receiving space.

[0211] Once the above capsule mounting is completed, a phage cap (400) is additionally mounted. At this time, the phage cap (400) is mounted so as to cover the capsule (1) seated on the capsule holder (300). As a result, the connecting protrusion (410) formed on the outer surface of the phage cap (400) is positioned to protrude upward.

[0212] Next, the capsule holder (300) equipped with the capsule (1) and the phage cap (400) is coupled to the holder coupling portion (240) of the holder mounting module (200). To this end, the expansion frame (304) of the capsule holder (300) is inserted into the guide groove (243a) of the fixing guide (243). As a result, the coupling protrusion (410) formed on the phage cap (400) in the capsule holder (300) is positioned directly below the water discharge nozzle (201), and the coupling groove (303) of the capsule holder (300) is aligned with the coupling protrusion (241a) of the lifting guide (241). At this time, since the expansion frame (304) is moved in a drawer-like manner within the guide groove (243a) and is joined, the operation of aligning the joining protrusion (410) directly below the water discharge nozzle (201) can be easily and accurately performed. This state is as illustrated in the attached Fig. 17.

[0213] Thereafter, the handle (310) is operated to rotate the capsule holder (300) in a horizontal direction. In this case, the fixed guide (243) to which the capsule holder (300) is coupled and the guide member (242) coupled to the fixed guide (243) are rotated, and thus the guide protrusion (242a) of the guide member (242) moves along the lifting groove (221) formed in the protruding coupling portion (220), and the holder coupling portion (240) and the capsule holder (300) coupled thereto are moved upward.

[0214] And, by rotating and moving upwards the capsule holder (300), the end of the discharge nozzle (201) is gradually inserted into the connecting protrusion (410) formed in the center of the upper surface of the phage cap (400).

[0215] At the same time, the support rib (430) formed around the upper surface of the phage cap (400) is pressed downward by the pressure of the pressure member (230) installed in the protruding joint (220) of the holder mounting portion (100) due to the rotation and upward movement of the capsule holder (300). As a result, the outer surface of the capsule (1) is gradually brought into close contact with the inner surface of the phage cap (400), and in this process, the perforation protrusion (420) in the phage cap (400) perforates the outer surface of the capsule (1). In addition, the rupture protrusion (341) formed on the upper surface of the support (340) ruptures the film (1a) of the capsule (1).

[0216] And, when the capsule holder (300) is completely moved upward with respect to the coupling protrusion (410), the receiving projection (440) formed on the lower surface of the phage cap (400) is received into the receiving groove (343) formed on the upper surface of the stand (340) and maintained in a state of airtight contact by the sealing member (441). At this time, the water discharge nozzle (201) is completely inserted into the coupling protrusion (410) of the phage cap (400) and maintained in a state of airtight contact by the sealing ring (202). This is as illustrated in Fig. 18.

[0217] Accordingly, the preparation for extraction of the capsule beverage is completed by the above-described process.

[0218] After the above extraction preparation is completed, high temperature pressurized water is provided by the user's operation.

[0219] That is, when a user performs an operation for extracting a capsule beverage, the water pump (110) forming the pump module (100) is operated. At this time, the first valve (121) is opened and the second valve (131) is closed, allowing drinking water to flow only through the first guide channel (120).

[0220] In this way, the drinking water in the flow line (20) is pumped by the operation of the water pump (110) and passes through the filter (30) in the cabinet (10) and then flows along the first guide path (120) in the pump module (100).

[0221] Continuing, the drinking water reaches a set water pressure while passing through the water pump (110), and then sequentially passes through the second external connection fitting (105) and the outlet flow line (22) connected thereto to be supplied to the outlet nozzle (201). This is as illustrated in Fig. 20.

[0222] And, the drinking water passes through the water outlet nozzle (201) and is supplied into the phage cap (400) through the communication hole (411) in the connecting protrusion (410) coupled thereto. At this time, since the inside of the phage cap (400) is sealed from the external environment, the drinking water supplied into the phage cap (400) flows into the capsule (1) through the perforated portion of the capsule (1) in the phage cap (400). As a result, the raw material stored in the capsule (1) is extracted by the drinking water.

[0223] And, the extracted beverage passes through the broken film (1a) of the capsule (1) and a number of extraction holes (342) formed in the stand (340), flows down to the bottom of the capsule holder (300), and then falls through the discharge port (302) and is placed in the cup (2) located directly below the capsule holder (300).

[0224] After the extraction of the above capsule beverage is completed, the capsule holder (300) is rotated in the opposite direction to the combining direction.

[0225] In this way, the guide projection (301) of the guide member rotates along the lifting groove (221) formed in the protruding joint (220), thereby gradually moving the capsule holder (300) downward.

[0226] And, in the process of the capsule holder (300) moving downward, the pressure member (230) in the protruding joint (220) pushes out the phage cap (400) coupled to the water discharge nozzle (201) by the restoring force of the restoring member (130).

[0227] Accordingly, the problem of the phage cap (400) not being separated from the discharge nozzle (201) is prevented, and the phage cap (400) and the capsule holder (300) can be separated together from the holder mounting portion (100).

[0228] Afterwards, when the capsule holder (300) is separated, the phage cap (400) is separated from the capsule holder (300). As a result, the capsule in the capsule holder (300) becomes dischargeable, and the user separates the capsule from the capsule holder (300) and discharges it.

[0229] Meanwhile, if you want to supply hot water or purified drinking water without extracting a capsule beverage, you can use the capsule holder (300) by separating it from the holder mounting module (200).

[0230] Of course, the capsule holder (300) may be used by mounting it on the holder mounting module (200) without providing the capsule (1) to the capsule holder (300).

[0231] When supplying the above hot water or purified drinking water, the operation of the water pump (110) forming the pump module (100) is stopped, the first valve (121) is blocked, and the second valve (131) is opened so that drinking water can flow only through the second guide passage (130). This is as illustrated in Fig. 19.

[0232] In this way, drinking water in the flow line (20) is supplied directly to the discharge nozzle (201) along the second guide path (130) without passing through the water pump (110), thereby enabling stable discharge.

[0233] As described above, the water purifier of the present invention can have a capsule beverage extraction function by selectively applying a capsule holder assembly.

[0234] In addition, the water purifier of the present invention can be installed in an existing water purifier without changing the structure of the existing water purifier or by making a simple change when the capsule holder assembly is applied to the existing water purifier, so that the user can install it directly.

[0235] In addition, the water purifier of the present invention can perform the function of extracting capsule beverages even in existing water purifiers that do not provide a pump for extracting capsule beverages by additionally providing a pump module (100).

[0236] In addition, the water purifier of the present invention can selectively provide hot water, purified water, or extracted beverages through the same outlet, and since the water pump (110) does not operate when providing hot water or purified water, the problem of drinking water flowing around due to excessive water pressure can be prevented.

[0237] Meanwhile, the capsule holder assembly forming the water purifier of the present invention can be implemented in a form different from the structure of the above-described embodiment.

[0238] For example, according to another embodiment of the capsule holder assembly of the water purifier of the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 21, the pump module (100) may further include a heater (170). That is, if a heater is not provided in the water purifier, high-temperature drinking water for extracting a capsule beverage can be provided by applying the pump module (100) including the heater (170) to the water purifier.

[0239] In this case, the heater (170) may be located between the rear end of the water pump (110) of the first guide channel (120) among the pump modules (100) and the outlet of the first guide channel (120).

[0240] Although not shown, the heater (170) may be provided as a separate module from the pump module (100).

[0241] When the heater (170) is added to the pump module (100), the pump module (100) may be larger than a product without the heater (170). Considering this, it may be preferable for the pump module (100) including the heater (170) to be installed outside the cabinet (10) as illustrated in FIG. 23.

[0242] According to another embodiment of the capsule holder assembly of the water purifier of the present invention, the capsule holder assembly may additionally be provided with a water recovery unit (180).

[0243] The above-mentioned water recovery unit (180) can perform the function of recovering and storing drinking water remaining in the passage connected from the water outlet nozzle (201) to the heater (40, 170). That is, the drinking water remaining in the passage cools down as its temperature decreases from the moment beverage extraction is stopped. Accordingly, when extracting a capsule beverage in the future, the cooled drinking water is discharged through the water outlet nozzle (201) until the heated drinking water passing through the heater (40, 170) is supplied to the water outlet nozzle (201).

[0244] Considering this, when the extraction of the capsule beverage is completed, the remaining water from the water outlet nozzle (201) to the heater (40, 170) is returned to the water recovery unit (180) and stored so that it can be heated and provided preferentially when extracting the capsule beverage later.

[0245] This recovery unit (180) may be additionally provided to the pump module (100).

[0246] For example, the water recovery unit (180) may be configured to store drinking water while flowing along the third guide channel (181). At this time, the inlet of the third guide channel (181) may be additionally connected to an inlet line (102) through which drinking water flows into the pump module (100), and the outlet of the third guide channel (181) may be connected to an outflow line (103) through which drinking water flows out.

[0247] In particular, the above recovery unit (180) may include a storage unit (182) for storing the residual water recovered through the third guide line (181).

[0248] It is preferable that the capacity of drinking water that the above storage unit (182) can store be formed to have a capacity that is at least equal to or greater than the capacity of drinking water from the heater (40, 170) to the water outlet nozzle (201).

[0249] The above storage unit (182) can be configured in various ways.

[0250] For example, as illustrated in Fig. 24, the storage unit (182) may be formed as a tube connected to the third guide line (181) or extending from the third guide line (181). That is, the recovered drinking water can be stored in the tubular storage unit (182).

[0251] To this end, the tubular storage portion (182) may be formed to have a length longer than the flow path from the heater (40, 170) to the water outlet nozzle (201). At this time, the tubular storage portion (182) may be formed to be wound around a certain portion or to extend along an empty space within the pump module (100).

[0252] As another example, as illustrated in FIG. 25, the storage unit (182) may be formed in a box shape in which the water is stored. That is, after the water is stored in the box-shaped storage unit (182), when hot water is used, the water in the box-shaped storage unit (182) is discharged and then reheated.

[0253] The above box-shaped storage unit (182) can be formed to a size that can store a set amount of recovery liquid.

[0254] In this way, the water purifier of the present invention or the capsule holder assembly provided in the water purifier can be implemented in various ways.

[0255] Although all components constituting the embodiments of the present invention have been described above as being combined or operating in combination, the present invention is not necessarily limited to these embodiments. That is, within the scope of the purpose of the present invention, all components may be selectively combined and operated one or more times. In addition, terms such as "include," "comprise," or "have" described above, unless specifically stated to the contrary, mean that the corresponding component may be inherent, and therefore should be interpreted as including other components rather than excluding other components. All terms, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, unless otherwise defined. Commonly used terms, such as terms defined in a dictionary, should be interpreted as being consistent with the contextual meaning of the related technology, and shall not be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal sense, unless explicitly defined in the present invention.

[0256] The above description is merely an illustrative illustration of the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are intended to illustrate, rather than limit, the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within a scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the rights of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cabinet having an outlet duct with a discharge nozzle positioned at one end while forming an exterior; A flow line provided within the cabinet to guide the flow of drinking water to the discharge nozzle; A heater for heating the drinking water; A pump module having a water pump for pumping the drinking water to reach a set water pressure, and provided modularly in a case separate from the cabinet; A holder mounting module having a water outlet nozzle for supplying drinking water, which is connected to the above outlet duct and to which the above discharge nozzle is connected; A water purifier including a capsule holder that provides a receiving space for accommodating a capsule while being selectively mounted on the holder mounting module and has a discharge port formed on the bottom surface.

2. In paragraph 1, The above pump module, A first connecting line connected to the above-mentioned flow line and guiding drinking water to the above-mentioned water pump, A water purifier including a second connecting line connected to supply high pressure drinking water passing through the water pump to the flow line.

3. In paragraph 1, A water purifier characterized in that the above heater is provided in the above pump module.

4. In paragraph 1, A water purifier characterized in that the above heater is provided separately from the above pump module.

5. In paragraph 1, A water purifier characterized in that the above pump module is coupled to the outer surface of the cabinet.

6. In paragraph 1, A water purifier characterized in that the above pump module is installed inside the cabinet.

7. In paragraph 1, The above holder mounting module A duct joint connected to the above outlet duct, A water purifier including a holder coupling part to which the capsule holder is coupled.

8. In paragraph 7, The above duct joint A water purifier characterized by being formed to have a top surface, a peripheral wall, and a bottom surface and to provide an installation space inside.

9. In paragraph 8, A water purifier including a hook, the first end of which is positioned within the duct joint and the other end of which sequentially penetrates the upper surface of the duct joint and the lower surface of the outlet duct and is restrained within the outlet duct.

10. In paragraph 9, A water purifier characterized in that the above-mentioned hanging hooks are provided in multiple numbers and installed so as to penetrate both sides of the upper surface of the duct joint.

11. In Article 10, A water purifier characterized in that a push button for manually pressing the hanging hook is provided on both side walls of the duct joint.

12. In paragraph 7, A water purifier characterized in that an anti-rotation projection and an anti-rotation groove are formed to interlock with each other on opposing surfaces between the outlet duct and the duct joint.

13. In paragraph 12, A water purifier characterized in that the above-mentioned anti-rotation protrusions and anti-rotation grooves are provided in multiple numbers to prevent rotation of the duct joint.

14. In paragraph 7, In the above duct joint, an opening is formed on the upper surface of the duct joint so that the end of the discharge nozzle is received when combined with the outlet duct. A water purifier characterized in that the above-mentioned outlet nozzle is formed so that one end is exposed into the receiving hole and is received into the discharge nozzle while being positioned within the duct joint, and the other end is formed so as to protrude downward by penetrating the bottom surface of the duct joint.

15. In paragraph 14, A water purifier characterized in that the above-mentioned water discharge nozzle is formed so that one end and the other end exist on different vertical lines.

16. In paragraph 7, A protruding joint is formed on the bottom surface of the above duct joint, A water purifier in which an ascending groove is formed on the outer surface of the protruding joint, and the upward slope gradually increases toward the side.

17. In paragraph 16, The above holder joint is, A lifting guide that is lifted and lowered along the protruding joint by rotating in the horizontal direction while being joined to the protruding joint, A water purifier characterized by including a guide member having a guide projection that is coupled to the above-mentioned lifting guide and moves along the lifting groove while being accommodated in the above-mentioned lifting groove.

18. In paragraph 17, A joining projection is formed on the outer surface of the above-mentioned lifting guide, A water purifier characterized in that the capsule holder has a joining groove formed into which the joining projection is inserted and joined, so that the lifting guide rotates by the rotation of the capsule holder.

19. In paragraph 17, An extension frame that is bent outward from the upper periphery of the capsule holder, A water purifier characterized in that it further includes a fixed guide that is coupled to the lower end of the above lifting guide and provides a guide groove so that both sides of the expansion frame of the capsule holder are received in the front-back direction.

20. In paragraph 19, A water purifier characterized in that a blocking protrusion is formed on both sides of the above-mentioned expansion frame to prevent the above-mentioned fixed guide from being inserted into the guide groove.

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