Cold water tank assembly

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cold water tank assembly with improved cooling efficiency.

Description

Cold water tank assembly

[0001] The present invention relates to a cold water tank assembly.

[0002]

[0003] A water purifier is a general term for any device that receives raw water, processes it into a desired state, and then provides it to the user. Water purifiers utilize various types of filters to filter raw water before providing it to the user.

[0004] Recently, water purifiers have been developed and are being used to provide users with hot water, cold water, and ice, in addition to simply filtering raw water to provide purified water.

[0005] Water purifiers designed to dispense cold water are equipped with a cold water tank to hold the cold water and a cooling unit to cool the cold water contained in the tank. Unlike water purifiers with direct cooling, water purifiers equipped with a cooling tank have the advantage of being able to dispense large volumes of cold water simultaneously.

[0006] However, conventional cold water tanks have the disadvantage of not being able to evenly cool all the water contained within the cold water tank, but rather preferentially cooling the cold water located adjacent to the cooling unit. This makes it difficult to utilize all of the water stored in the cold water tank as cold water. In other words, only cold water less than the actual capacity of the cold water tank can be used.

[0007] Meanwhile, conventional cold water tanks are equipped with insulation to improve cooling efficiency. However, these tanks take up a significant amount of space within the water purifier, increasing the size of the purified water itself. Furthermore, even with insulation, heat is released to the outside, preventing sufficient cooling of the cold water to the desired temperature.

[0008]

[0009] (Prior art literature)

[0010] (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2024-0047631 (April 12, 2024)

[0011] (Patent Document 2) Korean Registered Patent Document No. 10-1693803 (January 6, 2017)

[0012]

[0013] According to the present invention, the purpose is to provide a cold water tank assembly that can produce a large amount of cold water in a short time compared to existing cold water tank assemblies while reducing the size of the product itself by using a vacuum housing without using an insulating material, and has excellent insulation performance so that cold water can be sufficiently cooled to a desired temperature. In addition, the purpose is to provide a cold water tank assembly in which cooling efficiency is improved because the flow path formed between the bulkheads in the internal space of the housing has a long length due to the position of the through hole formed in the bulkhead installed in the internal space of the housing.

[0014] In addition, the purpose is to provide a cold water tank assembly with a low risk of deformation even when high pressure is applied because the housing is provided in a cylindrical shape.

[0015] In addition, the purpose is to provide a cold water tank assembly in which cooling efficiency is improved because the cooling member is positioned at a location with the largest contact area with the internal space of the housing.

[0016] In addition, the purpose is to provide a cold water tank assembly in which the cooling efficiency is improved by arranging the bulkheads so that the area of ​​the passage where the cooling member is located is as wide as possible.

[0017] In addition, the purpose is to provide a cold water tank assembly in which the contact area with the cooling member is increased by including a curved structure in which the upper and lower baffles having a small area of ​​the euro are positioned, thereby improving cooling efficiency.

[0018] In addition, the purpose is to provide a cold water tank assembly in which a sealing configuration is applied to surround the components that are joined to the open side of the housing, thereby solving the problem of fluid leakage between the joint gaps between the components.

[0019] In addition, the purpose is to provide a cold water tank assembly in which the bulkhead, inlet pipe, outlet pipe, and sealing part can be formed as a single member, thereby improving the convenience of manufacturing.

[0020] In addition, the purpose is to provide a cold water tank assembly in which deformation of shape is prevented even when a large internal pressure is applied in the opening direction, as the clamp is fastened to the housing in an up-down direction perpendicular to the opening direction.

[0021] In addition, the purpose is to provide a cold water tank assembly in which a third bulkhead is positioned between the first bulkhead and the second bulkhead, thereby preventing the gap between the bulkheads from changing due to internal pressure.

[0022]

[0023] In order to solve the above-described problem, one aspect of the present invention provides a cold water tank assembly, which comprises a housing (100) having an inner wall (110) and an outer wall (120) surrounding the inner wall (110), and having an open side, wherein a vacuum is formed between the inner wall (110) and the outer wall (120), a cooling member (200) positioned at the open side of the housing (100) to cool the side (100), a plurality of partition walls (300) spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction in the inner space (101) of the housing (100) and having through holes formed at the side, an inlet pipe (400) fluidly connected to the inner space (101) of the housing (100) and through which fluid is introduced from the outside, and an outlet pipe (500) fluidly connected to the inner space (101) of the housing (100) and through which fluid is discharged toward the outside.

[0024] In another aspect of the present invention, the plurality of partition walls (300) include a first partition wall (310) having a first through hole (311) formed on the left side and a second partition wall (320) having a second through hole (321) formed on the right side, and the first partition wall (310) and the second partition wall (320) can be alternately arranged in the vertical direction.

[0025] In another aspect of the present invention, the first through hole (311) may be formed at the left edge of the first partition wall (310), and the second through hole (321) may be formed at the right edge of the second partition wall (320).

[0026] In another aspect of the present invention, one of the first through hole (311) and the second through hole (321) may be formed at a position close to the open side, and the other through hole may be formed at a position close to the opposite side opposite to the open side.

[0027] In another aspect of the present invention, a third partition wall (330) connecting the first partition wall (310) and the second partition wall (320) and having a third through hole (331) formed therein may be further included.

[0028] In another aspect of the present invention, the first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320) include flow partition protrusions (312, 322) extending to a position facing the opposite side opposite the open side, and the third bulkhead (330) may be disposed at a position spaced apart from the opposite side by a predetermined distance toward the open side.

[0029] In another aspect of the present invention, the housing (100) may be provided in a cylindrical shape.

[0030] In another aspect of the present invention, the circular side of the cylindrical body can be opened.

[0031] In another aspect of the present invention, the cooling member (200) may further include a heat conducting plate (210) disposed at the center of the side.

[0032] In another aspect of the present invention, the cooling member (200) may further include a cooling module (220) that cools the heat conducting plate (210).

[0033] In another aspect of the present invention, the cooling module (220) may be equipped with a thermoelectric device.

[0034] In another aspect of the present invention, the closer the bulkhead is to the center of the side, the longer the spacing between the bulkheads may be.

[0035] In another aspect of the present invention, the first partition wall (310) or the second partition wall (320) located at the uppermost end may include a portion that is bent toward the center of the side, and the first partition wall (310) or the second partition wall (320) located at the lowermost end may include a portion that is bent toward the center of the side.

[0036] In another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of fourth partition walls (340) may be further included, which are positioned above and below the first partition wall (310) or the second partition wall (320) located at the uppermost and lowermost ends, and have a fourth through hole (341) formed on the side thereof.

[0037] In another aspect of the present invention, one side of the plurality of fourth partition walls (340) may face an opposite side opposite to the open side, and an upper side or a lower side may face an inner wall of the housing (100).

[0038] In another aspect of the present invention, the housing (100) is provided in a cylindrical shape, and the third partition wall (330) close to the center of the side may have a larger size of the third through hole (331) than the third partition wall (330) farther from the center of the side.

[0039] In another aspect of the present invention, the inlet pipe (400) may be fluidly connected to the bottom of the internal space (101), and the outlet pipe (500) may be fluidly connected to the top of the internal space (101).

[0040] In another aspect of the present invention, the inlet pipe (400) may be fluidly connected to the upper portion of the internal space (101), and the outlet pipe (500) may be fluidly connected to the lower portion of the internal space (101).

[0041]

[0042] In another aspect of the present invention, a first sealing portion (610) may be further included to seal the space between the open side of the housing (100) and the cooling member (200).

[0043] In another aspect of the present invention, a clamp (700) may be further included that surrounds and connects the outer side of the housing (100) and the sealing portion (600).

[0044] In another aspect of the present invention, a heat conductive plate cover (260) may be further included that surrounds the cooling member (200) and is coupled to the housing.

[0045] In another aspect of the present invention, the plurality of partition walls (300), the first sealing portion (610), the inlet pipe (400) and the outlet pipe (500) may be provided as a single member.

[0046]

[0047] The cold water tank assembly according to the present invention uses a vacuum housing without using insulation, so that the size of the product itself is reduced, while a large amount of cold water can be produced in a shorter time compared to existing cold water tank assemblies, and has excellent insulation performance.

[0048] In addition, because the path formed between the partition walls in the internal space of the housing has a long length due to the location of the through hole formed in the partition wall installed in the internal space of the housing, there is an effect of improving cooling efficiency.

[0049] Additionally, since the housing is cylindrical, there is a low risk of deformation even when high pressure is applied.

[0050] Additionally, since the cooling member is positioned at the location with the largest contact area with the internal space of the housing, there is an effect of improving cooling efficiency.

[0051] Additionally, the baffles are arranged so that the area of ​​the duct where the cooling member is located is as wide as possible, which has the effect of improving cooling efficiency.

[0052] In addition, the contact area with the cooling member is increased by including a curved structure of the baffles located at the upper and lower portions with a small area of ​​the euro, which has the effect of improving cooling efficiency.

[0053] Additionally, a sealing configuration is applied to surround the components that are joined to the open side of the housing, which has the effect of solving the problem of fluid leakage between the joint gaps between the components.

[0054] In addition, the bulkhead, inlet pipe, outlet pipe, and sealing part can be formed as a single member, which has the effect of improving the convenience of manufacturing.

[0055] In addition, since the clamp is fastened to the housing in an up-down direction perpendicular to the opening direction, there is an effect of preventing deformation of the shape even if a large internal pressure is applied in the opening direction.

[0056] Additionally, a third bulkhead is positioned between the first and second bulkheads, which has the effect of preventing the gap between the bulkheads from changing due to internal pressure.

[0057]

[0058] FIG. 1 is a side view of a cold water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] FIG. 2 is a drawing of a cold water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention viewed from another side.

[0060] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a cold water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] Figure 4 is a drawing for explaining the housing.

[0062] Figure 5 is a drawing for explaining an embodiment in which the bulkhead, the inlet pipe, the outlet pipe, and the first sealing portion are formed as a single member.

[0063] Figure 6 is a drawing of the single member of Figure 5 viewed from another side.

[0064] Figure 7 illustrates each of the first to fourth bulkheads constituting the bulkhead.

[0065] Figure 8 is a drawing for explaining a Euro partition protrusion formed on a bulkhead.

[0066] Figure 9 is a drawing for explaining the clamp.

[0067] Figure 10 is a drawing for explaining the appearance of a bulkhead, an inlet pipe, an outlet pipe, a first sealing portion, and a clamp combined in a housing.

[0068]

[0069] In some cases, to avoid obscuring the concept of the present invention, well-known structures and devices may be omitted or illustrated in block diagram form focusing on the core functions of each structure and device.

[0070] Throughout the specification, when a part is said to "comprising" (or including) a certain component, this does not mean that other components are excluded, but rather that other components can be included, unless specifically stated otherwise. In addition, terms such as "part," "unit," and "module" described in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. In addition, the words "a" or "an," "one," "the," and similar related words may be used in the context of describing the present invention (especially in the context of the claims below) to include both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context.

[0071] When describing embodiments of the present invention, detailed descriptions of known functions or configurations will be omitted if they are deemed to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the invention. Furthermore, the terms described below are defined in light of their functions in the embodiments of the present invention and may vary depending on the intent or custom of the user or operator. Therefore, their definitions should be based on the overall content of this specification.

[0072]

[0073] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0074]

[0075] Referring to FIG. 1, a cold water tank assembly (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing (100), a cooling member (200), a plurality of bulkheads (300), an inlet pipe (400), and an outlet pipe (500).

[0076]

[0077] The housing (100) includes an inner wall (110) and an outer wall (120), and an internal space (101) capable of accommodating a fluid to be cooled is formed.

[0078] The outer wall (120) is formed to surround the outer side of the inner wall (110) and can be positioned to be spaced apart from the outer side of the inner wall (110) by a predetermined distance. Meanwhile, the space formed between the inner wall (110) and the outer wall (120) can be in a vacuum state, and since the space formed with the vacuum is located on the outer side of the inner wall (110), it is possible to implement insulation performance without a separate insulation material.

[0079] The housing (100) may be a three-dimensional structure with open sides. Referring to FIG. 4, the housing (100) may be a cylindrical structure, but may also be a three-dimensional structure such as a hexahedron. Due to the open sides, a portion of the internal space (101) may be exposed to the outside, and the cooling member (200) is positioned at the open sides of the housing (100) to cool the fluid to be cooled located in the internal space (101).

[0080] In an embodiment in which the housing (100) is cylindrical, the circular side may be opened. A cylindrical shape is a three-dimensional structure in which two circles and one square are connected to each other. In a state in which the housing (100) is arranged such that the two circles face the side, one of the circular side may be opened. That is, the housing (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention is a three-dimensional structure in which one circle and one square are connected to each other.

[0081] In one embodiment of the present invention, the housing (100) may be manufactured from a stainless steel material.

[0082]

[0083] The cooling member (200) includes a heat conducting plate (210), a cooling module (220), a cooling pipe (230), a heat sink (240), a cooling cover (250), and a heat conducting plate cover (260).

[0084]

[0085] The thermal conductive plate (210) covers the open side of the housing (100). Specifically, the thermal conductive plate (210) may include a first thermal conductive plate (211) connected to the cooling module (220) and a second thermal conductive plate (212) connected to the first thermal conductive plate (211) and covering the open side of the housing (100).

[0086]

[0087] The cooling module (220) is connected to the heat conduction plate (210) and cools the heat conduction plate (210). In one embodiment, the cooling module (220) may be equipped with a thermoelement, and may be electrically connected to an external control power source (not shown) to receive power and a control signal to perform cooling of the heat conduction plate (210). The thermoelement is one of the electronic elements in which one surface is cooled by a transmitted power signal and the opposite surface opposite to the one surface is heated.

[0088] When one side of the cooling module (220) is cooled, the first heat conducting plate (211) in contact with one side of the cooling module (220) is cooled, and the open side of the housing (100) can be cooled through the second heat conducting plate (212) in contact with the first heat conducting plate (211). Therefore, cold water cooling can be achieved through heat exchange with a fluid in contact with the open side.

[0089] The opposite surface of the cooling module (220) can be covered by a cooling pipe installation part (231), and a cooling pipe (230) is positioned between the cooling pipe installation part (231) and the cooling cover (250). The cooling pipe (230) is connected to a heat sink (240) to release heat generated in the cooling module (220) to the outside.

[0090]

[0091] The heat conduction plate cover (260) is configured to cover at least a portion of the heat conduction plate (210) that is exposed to the outside. Since at least a portion of the heat conduction plate (210) is covered by the heat conduction plate cover (260), the externally exposed area of ​​the heat conduction plate (210) is minimized, thereby improving the cold water cooling efficiency.

[0092] In addition, the heat conductive plate cover (260) can be mutually connected to the heat conductive plate (210) and the clamp (700) to strengthen the bonding force between the cooling member (200) and the housing (100).

[0093]

[0094] The bulkhead (300) is located within the internal space (101) of the housing (100), and includes a first bulkhead (310) and a second bulkhead (320) that are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction in the internal space (101).

[0095] The first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320) are arranged across the internal space (101) to divide the internal space (101) into a plurality of spaces (102, 103, 104, 105).

[0096] The first bulkhead (310) may have a first through hole (311) formed on the left side, and the second bulkhead (320) may have a first through hole (321) formed on the right side. More specifically, the first through hole (311) may be formed on the left edge of the first bulkhead (310), and the second through hole (321) may be formed on the right edge of the second bulkhead (320). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the first through hole (311) may be formed on the right edge of the first bulkhead (310), and the second through hole (321) may be formed on the left edge of the second bulkhead (320).

[0097] In addition, the first through hole (311) may be formed at the left edge of the first bulkhead (310), but may be formed at a position close to the opposite side facing the open side of the housing (110). And, the second through hole (321) may be formed at the right edge of the second bulkhead (320), but may be formed at a position close to the open side of the housing (110). In other words, the first through hole (311) may be formed at the rear left edge of the first bulkhead (310), and the second through hole (321) may be formed at the front right edge of the second bulkhead (320). However, as long as they are positioned diagonally, such as when the first through hole (311) is formed at the front right edge of the first bulkhead (310), and the second through hole (321) is formed at the rear left edge of the second bulkhead (320), the present invention is not particularly limited thereto.

[0098] The first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320) can be arranged alternately vertically in the internal space (101) of the housing (100).

[0099] The first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320) may have a width and length shorter than the width and length of the internal space (101) in which they are installed, and a flow partition protrusion (312, 322) that is in contact with the inner surface of the inner wall (110) is formed at the edges of the first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320). As a result, the internal space (101) can be completely partitioned into a plurality of spaces (102, 103, 104, 105). Accordingly, the fluid introduced into the internal space (101) through the inlet pipe (400) can only flow through the through holes (311, 321) formed in the first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320) and head toward the outlet pipe (500).

[0100] The first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320) may be arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction, but in another embodiment, the bulkheads closer to the center of the housing (100) may be arranged so that the separation distance is longer. Due to the nature of the cylindrical housing (100), the closer the bulkheads are to the center, the larger the area they have, and the contact area with the cooling member (200) also increases. In addition, by increasing the size of the passage itself that comes into contact with the cooling member (200), the cooling efficiency can be further improved.

[0101] Meanwhile, the first partition wall (310) or the second partition wall (320) located at the uppermost and lowermost ends may include a portion that is curved toward the center of the housing (100). As described above, due to the shape of the housing (100), the closer it is to the center, the greater the contact area with the cooling member (200). In other words, this means that the contact area with the cooling member (200) decreases as it moves upward or downward away from the center of the housing (100). In this case, the heat exchange area between the fluid flowing in the passage located at the upper or lower end and the cooling member (200) may not be sufficient, thereby lowering the cooling efficiency. Therefore, in the present invention, by forming a portion that is curved toward the center of the housing (100) on the first partition wall (310) or the second partition wall (320), it is possible to increase the size of the passage formed by the corresponding partition wall, thereby improving the cooling efficiency.

[0102]

[0103] A third bulkhead (330) is arranged between the first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320). While the first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320) are positioned in the internal space (101) in the front-back direction, the third bulkhead (330) is positioned in the internal space (101) in the vertical direction and is arranged to connect the first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320).

[0104] A third through hole (331) is formed in the third bulkhead (330), and the closer the third bulkhead (330) is to the internal space (101) with a large area, the larger the size of the third through hole (331) can be formed.

[0105] The third bulkhead (330) may be disposed adjacent to the opposite side facing the open side of the housing (100) and may be disposed at a position spaced apart from the inner surface of the housing (100) by a predetermined distance. As a result, a predetermined space is formed between the inner surface of the housing (100) and the third bulkhead (330), and a single flow path may be formed that connects the first through hole (311) of the first bulkhead (310), the space between the first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320), the third through hole (331), and the second through hole (321) of the second bulkhead (320). That is, the fluid introduced into the inner space (101) through the inlet pipe (400) flows along the flow path and is cooled by the cooling member (200).

[0106] Due to the fluid flow in the internal space (101), the cold water tank assembly (1) may be subjected to considerable pressure in the direction in which the housing (100) opens (for example, in the rearward direction in FIG. 10), and in this process, phenomena such as deformation of the bulkhead may occur. In one embodiment of the present invention, the third bulkhead (330) is positioned between the first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320), thereby preventing the first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320) from being deformed by the pressure. In other words, the third bulkhead (330) may serve to connect the flow paths formed between the first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320), while also serving to prevent the first bulkhead (310) and / or the second bulkhead (320) from being deformed due to the internal pressure, thereby maintaining the shape and / or area of ​​the flow path.

[0107] Meanwhile, in the embodiment of the present invention, the first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320) are connected to the first sealing portion (610) at a position adjacent to the open side of the housing (100) (see FIGS. 3 and 5), and are connected to each other by the third bulkhead (330) at the opposite side opposite to the open side, so that the gap between the first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320) is maintained at both ends of the first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320), and thus the effect of preventing deformation of the flow path can be further improved.

[0108] The flow path formed by the bulkheads can have a relatively long length within the limited space of the internal space (101). In other words, the first through hole (311) and the second through hole (321) are positioned diagonally, and the fluid can only flow toward the outlet pipe (500) through the first through hole (311) and the second through hole (321). That is, the fluid introduced into the internal space (101) through the inlet pipe (400) comes into contact with the cooling member (200) multiple times while flowing toward the outlet pipe (500), and can be cooled to a desired temperature by the cooling member (200) through heat exchange during the process of making multiple contacts, so that even if the cooling member (200) cools only the open side of the housing (100), the fluid can be sufficiently cooled.

[0109]

[0110] The cold water tank assembly (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include one or more fourth bulkheads (340) positioned above and below the first bulkhead (310) or the second bulkhead (320) positioned at the uppermost and lowermost ends, and having a fourth through hole (341) formed on the side thereof.

[0111]

[0112] The formation location of the fourth through hole (341) may vary depending on the type of the bulkhead closest to the fourth bulkhead (340). For example, if the second bulkhead with the second through hole (321) formed at the rear right edge is the closest bulkhead, the fourth through hole (341) may be formed at the front left edge diagonally thereto, and the fourth through hole (341) may be formed diagonally from the through hole formed at the closest bulkhead.

[0113] The fourth bulkhead (340) forms a single flow path surrounded by the fourth bulkhead (340) and the inner surface of the housing (100). To this end, one side of the fourth bulkhead (340) faces the side opposite the open side of the housing (100), and the upper or lower side faces the inner wall of the housing (100). As will be described later, the flow path formed by the fourth bulkhead (340) is connected to the inlet pipe (400) and the outlet pipe (500).

[0114]

[0115] The inlet pipe (400) may be connected to the bottom of the internal space (101), and the outlet pipe (500) may be connected to the top of the internal space (101). In a cold water tank assembly (1) according to another embodiment of the present invention, the inlet pipe (400) may be connected to the top of the internal space (101), and the outlet pipe (500) may be connected to the bottom of the internal space (101).

[0116] The purified water filtered through the inlet pipe (400) can be introduced into the internal space (101) of the housing (100), and the purified water cooled in the internal space (101) can be discharged through the outlet pipe (500) so that the user can receive cold water.

[0117]

[0118] The cold water tank assembly (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a sealing portion (600) that seals the space between the housing (100) and the cooling member (200).

[0119]

[0120] The sealing portion (600) may include a first sealing portion (610) having a peripheral portion (611) covering a portion of an open side of the housing (100) and a sealing portion (612) connected to the peripheral portion (611) and inserted into the internal space (101).

[0121] The peripheral portion (611) may be hollow so that the space between the partition walls (300) is exposed to the outside, and the contact portion (612) may include a plurality of contact surfaces (612a) on the outside that contact the inner wall of the housing (100), and may include a step portion (612b) on the inside that is coupled with the partition wall (300).

[0122] The contact surface (612a) can be in close contact with the inner wall of the housing (100) to seal the gap between the housing (100) and the first sealing portion (610).

[0123] The step portion (612b) may include a structure in which, for example, the diameter of the hollow portion of the circumferential portion (611) on the inner side of the step portion (612b) decreases as it moves from the opposite side of the housing (100) toward the open side. One side of the first bulkhead (310), the second bulkhead (320), and the fourth bulkhead (340) is coupled to the step portion (612b).

[0124] A temperature sensor installation portion (613) in which a cold water sensor (S) is installed can be formed through the circumference (611). The temperature sensor (S) installed through the temperature sensor installation portion (613) is positioned in the internal space (101), thereby being able to measure the temperature of the fluid within the internal space (101).

[0125] When the first sealing portion (610) is coupled to the housing (100), the space between the housing (100) and the cooling member (200) is sealed, so that the fluid flowing in the internal space (101) may not leak to the outside.

[0126]

[0127] The sealing portion (600) according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a second sealing portion (620) that seals between the heat conducting plate (210) and the open side of the housing (100), and the phenomenon of external leakage of the fluid flowing in the internal space (101) can be more reliably prevented due to the second sealing portion (620).

[0128]

[0129] Meanwhile, in a cold water tank assembly (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of partition walls (300), an inlet pipe (400), an outlet pipe (500), and a sealing portion (600) may be provided as a single member. In another embodiment of the present invention, the partition walls (300), the inlet pipe (400), the outlet pipe (500), and the sealing portion (600) may be provided as a single member through injection molding and may be manufactured from synthetic resin. As a result, the weight and manufacturing cost of the entire cold water tank assembly (1) may be reduced, and manufacturing convenience may be improved.

[0130]

[0131] The cold water tank assembly (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a clamp (700) that surrounds and connects the housing (100) and the outside of the first sealing portion (610).

[0132] The clamp (700) may include a first clamp (710) and a second clamp (720) that are mutually coupled.

[0133] The first clamp (710) and the second clamp (720) may each be a semicircular three-dimensional structure that can surround the outside of the cylindrical housing (100).

[0134] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first clamp (710) and the second clamp (720) may be structured to be mutually fastened through a fitting connection. Specifically, the first coupling protrusion (711) of the first clamp (710) may be fitted into the first coupling groove (721) of the second clamp (720), and the second coupling protrusion (722) of the second clamp (720) may be fitted into the second coupling groove (712) of the first clamp (710), thereby being mutually fastened. The first coupling protrusion (711) and the first coupling groove (721) may be provided on the front side of the clamp (700), and the second coupling protrusion (722) and the second coupling groove (712) may be provided on the rear side of the clamp (700), thereby more firmly connecting the housing (100) and the first sealing portion (610), thereby solving the problem of external leakage of the fluid located in the internal space (101).

[0135] Referring to FIG. 10, the clamp (700) may be coupled to the housing (100) in an up-down direction perpendicular to the forward-backward direction, rather than being coupled to the housing (100) in a direction that surrounds the open side of the housing (100) and the open opposite side (front-back direction in FIG. 10).

[0136] The cold water tank assembly (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention has internal pressure applied in the front-back direction of the housing (100). Since the clamp (700) is coupled to the housing (100) in an up-down direction perpendicular to the front-back direction, it can withstand the internal pressure more strongly than the comparative example in which it is coupled in the front-back direction.

[0137]

[0138] The process of cooling a fluid by a cold water tank assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention described above is as follows.

[0139]

[0140] First, fluid flows into the internal space (101) of the housing (100) through the inlet pipe (400). The fluid flowing in through the inlet pipe (400) may be purified water purified through a separate filter, but raw water may also flow in through the inlet pipe (400).

[0141] The fluid introduced into the internal space (101) passes through a through hole formed in a partition wall (300) located in the internal space (101) due to hydraulic pressure (e.g., raw water pressure) and heads toward the outlet pipe (500). The through holes formed in the partition wall (300) are arranged diagonally to each other and are formed at a position where the length of the flow path of the internal space (101) is maximized, so it is possible to form a long cooling flow path even with a housing (100) having a relatively small volume.

[0142] The fluid moving along the path comes into contact with the cooling member (200) located on the open side of the housing (100) and is cooled through heat exchange. For example, the cooling module (220) may be equipped with a thermoelectric element, and the cooling surface of the cooling module (220) is arranged to come into contact with the heat conduction plate (210) covering the open side of the housing (100), so that cooling can be achieved through heat exchange with the fluid coming into contact with the heat conduction plate (210). The heat transferred from the heating surface of the cooling module (220) is released to the outside by the cooling pipe (230) and the heat sink (240).

[0143] In this way, the fluid cooled through heat exchange while in contact with the heat conducting plate (210) passes through the fourth through hole (341) of the fourth bulkhead (340) located at the top and heads toward the outlet pipe (500). The fluid discharged through the outlet pipe (500) is connected to the discharge port of the water purifier, so that the user can receive cold water through the discharge port.

[0144]

[0145] According to the cold water tank assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the following effects are achieved.

[0146] First, by using a vacuum housing without using insulation, the product itself is compact in size, yet it can produce a large amount of cold water in a shorter time than conventional cold water tank assemblies, and has excellent insulation performance.

[0147] Second, cooling efficiency is improved because the flow path formed between the bulkheads in the internal space of the housing has a long length due to the location of the through holes formed in the bulkheads installed in the internal space of the housing.

[0148] Third, since the housing is cylindrical, there is a low risk of deformation even when high pressure is applied.

[0149] Fourth, cooling efficiency is improved because the cooling member is placed in the location with the largest contact area with the internal space of the housing.

[0150] Fifth, the cooling efficiency is improved by arranging the bulkheads so that the area of ​​the duct where the cooling element is located is as wide as possible.

[0151] Sixth, the contact area with the cooling member is increased by including a curved structure of the baffles located at the upper and lower parts with a small area of ​​the euro, thereby improving cooling efficiency.

[0152] Seventh, a sealing configuration is applied to surround the components that are joined to the open side of the housing, thereby solving the problem of fluid leakage between the joint gaps between the components.

[0153] Eighth, the bulkhead, inlet pipe, outlet pipe, and sealing part can be formed as a single member, thereby improving the convenience of manufacturing.

[0154] Ninth, since the clamp is fastened to the housing in an up-down direction perpendicular to the opening direction, deformation of the shape is prevented even if a large internal pressure is applied in the opening direction.

[0155] Tenth, a third bulkhead is positioned between the first and second bulkheads to prevent the gap between the bulkheads from changing due to internal pressure.

[0156]

[0157] While the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings to facilitate understanding and reproduction by those skilled in the art, these are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent embodiments are possible based on the embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be defined by the claims.

[0158]

[0159] (Explanation of symbols)

[0160] 1: Cold water tank assembly

[0161] 100: Housing

[0162] 101: Interior Space

[0163] 102, 103, 104, 105: Compartment space

[0164] 110: Inner wall

[0165] 120: Exterior wall

[0166] 200: Cooling element

[0167] 210: Thermal Conductive Plate

[0168] 211: First heat conducting plate

[0169] 212: Second heat conducting plate

[0170] 220: Cooling module

[0171] 230: Cooling pipe

[0172] 231: Cooling pipe installation section

[0173] 240: Heat sink

[0174] 250: Cooling cover

[0175] 260: Thermal conductive plate cover

[0176] 300: Bulkhead

[0177] 310: First bulkhead

[0178] 311: First through hole

[0179] 320: Second bulkhead

[0180] 321: Second through hole

[0181] 330: Third bulkhead

[0182] 331: Third through hole

[0183] 340: 4th bulkhead

[0184] 341: 4th penetration hole

[0185] 400: Inlet pipe

[0186] 500: Outlet pipe

[0187] 600: Sealing part

[0188] 610: First sealing section

[0189] 611: Perimeter 612: Adhesive

[0190] 612a: Adhesive surface

[0191] 612b: Step section

[0192] 613: Temperature sensor installation section

[0193] 620: Second sealing section

[0194] 700: Clamp

[0195] 710: First clamp

[0196] 711: First joining projection

[0197] 712: Second Combination Home

[0198] 720: Second Clamp

[0199] 721: First combination home

[0200] 722: Second joining projection

[0201] S: Temperature sensor

Claims

1. A housing (100) including an inner wall (110) and an outer wall (120) surrounding the inner wall (110), and having an open side, wherein a vacuum is formed between the inner wall (110) and the outer wall (120); A cooling member (200) positioned on the open side of the housing (100) to cool the side (100); A plurality of partition walls (300) spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction in the internal space (101) of the housing (100) and having through holes formed on the sides; An inlet pipe (400) that is fluidly connected to the internal space (101) of the housing (100) and through which fluid is introduced from the outside; and Including a discharge pipe (500) that is fluidly connected to the internal space (101) of the housing (100) and through which fluid is discharged to the outside; Cold water tank assembly.

2. In paragraph 1, The above plurality of bulkheads (300) are A first bulkhead (310) having a first through hole (311) formed on the left side; and A second bulkhead (320) having a second through hole (321) formed on the right side; The first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320) are alternately arranged in the vertical direction. Cold water tank assembly.

3. In paragraph 2, The above first through hole (311) is formed on the left edge of the first bulkhead (310), The above second through hole (321) is formed on the right edge of the second bulkhead (320). Cold water tank assembly.

4. In paragraph 2, One of the first through hole (311) and the second through hole (321) is formed at a position close to the open side, and the other through hole is formed at a position close to the opposite side opposite to the open side. Cold water tank assembly.

5. In paragraph 2, Further comprising a third partition wall (330) connecting the first partition wall (310) and the second partition wall (320) and having a third through hole (331) formed therein. Cold water tank assembly.

6. In paragraph 5, The first bulkhead (310) and the second bulkhead (320) include a sectional projection (312, 322) extending to a position facing the opposite side opposite to the open side, The third bulkhead (330) is positioned at a predetermined distance from the opposite side toward the open side. Cold water tank assembly.

7. In paragraph 1, The above housing (100) is provided in a cylindrical shape, Cold water tank assembly.

8. In paragraph 7, In the above cylindrical shape, the circular side is opened, Cold water tank assembly.

9. In paragraph 7, The above cooling member (200) is Further comprising a heat conducting plate (210) disposed at the center of the above side, Cold water tank assembly.

10. In paragraph 9, The above cooling member (200) is Further comprising a cooling module (220) for cooling the above heat conducting plate (210). Cold water tank assembly.

11. In paragraph 10, The above cooling module (220) is equipped with a thermoelectric device. Cold water tank assembly.

12. In paragraph 7, The closer the bulkhead is to the center of the above side, the longer the distance between the bulkheads. Cold water tank assembly.

13. In paragraph 7, The first bulkhead (310) or the second bulkhead (320) located at the top includes a portion that is bent toward the center of the side, The first bulkhead (310) or the second bulkhead (320) located at the bottom includes a portion that is bent toward the center of the side. Cold water tank assembly.

14. In paragraph 13, It further includes a plurality of fourth bulkheads (340) positioned above and below the first bulkhead (310) or the second bulkhead (320) positioned at the top and bottom, and having a fourth through hole (341) formed on the side. Cold water tank assembly.

15. In paragraph 14, One side of the above plurality of fourth bulkheads (340) faces the opposite side opposite the open side, and the upper or lower side faces the inner wall of the housing (100). Cold water tank assembly.

16. In paragraph 5, The above housing (100) is provided in a cylindrical shape, The third bulkhead (330) close to the center of the side has a larger size of the third through hole (331) than the third bulkhead (330) farther from the center of the side. Cold water tank assembly.

17. In paragraph 1, The above intake pipe (400) is connected to the bottom of the internal space (101) in a fluid communication manner, The above outlet pipe (500) is connected to the upper part of the internal space (101) in a fluid communication manner. Cold water tank assembly.

18. In paragraph 1, The above intake pipe (400) is connected to the upper part of the internal space (101) in a fluid communication manner, The above outlet pipe (500) is connected to the bottom of the internal space (101) in a fluid communication manner. Cold water tank assembly.

19. In paragraph 1, Further comprising a first sealing portion (610) sealing the space between the open side of the housing (100) and the cooling member (200); Cold water tank assembly.

20. In paragraph 19, Further comprising a clamp (700) that surrounds and connects the outer side of the housing (100) and the sealing portion (600); Cold water tank assembly.

21. In paragraph 20, Further comprising a heat conducting plate cover (260) that surrounds the cooling member (200) and is coupled to the housing; Cold water tank assembly.

22. In paragraph 19, The above plurality of bulkheads (300), the first sealing portion (610), the inlet pipe (400) and the outlet pipe (500) are provided as a single member. Cold water tank assembly.

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