KR20090077392A - Water Purification System and Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a water purification system and a refrigerator having the same, in which water entering the water filter is prevented from flowing back to the water supply source even when the water pressure from the water supply source changes.

A refrigerator according to the present invention is a refrigerator having a water purifier in a main body, wherein the water purifier includes a water filter for filtering water, a water supply flow path which is detachably coupled to the water filter, and connected to a water supply source, and purified water from the water filter. And a check valve provided in the filter head to prevent a backflow from the purified water filter to the water supply source.

Description

Purification system and refrigerator havving the same

The present invention relates to a water purification system and a refrigerator having the same, and more particularly, to a water purification system which prevents water entering the water filter from flowing back to the water supply source even when the water pressure from the water supply fluctuates. It's about the refrigerator.

Refrigerator is a device that allows the storage of food stored in the storage room for a long time by using the freezing cycle to keep the temperature inside the storage room lower than room temperature. Recently, an automatic ice making device automatically makes ice in the storage room for the user's convenience. In some cases, a water supply device may be provided to receive cold water so as not to open the door.

Such a refrigerator is used after the water supply pipe connected to the water supply source is connected to the refrigerator main body and purified through a water filter supplied from the refrigerator for continuous water supply.

Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-2005-51993 discloses a refrigerator having a dispenser and an ice maker inside a main body and a water purifier installed to purify water to be supplied to the ice maker and the dispenser.

However, such a water purification device does not have a structure for preventing backflow, and when the water pressure is changed by directly connecting the water filter and the water supply pipe, the water of the water source is lower than the internal water pressure of the refrigerator so that the purified water flows back toward the water supply pipe.

When such a reverse flow occurs, water is purified and the water stored in the refrigerator exits to the outside of the refrigerator, and the inside of the refrigerator may not be in a water shortage state. Also, the contaminants accumulated in the filter are filtered during the water purification process during the reverse flow, and the water supply pipe There was a problem that could contaminate the water supply while exiting.

The present invention has been made to solve this problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a water purification system and a refrigerator having the same so that the water supplied for water purification is prevented from flowing back to the water source even when the water pressure of the water source is lowered To provide.

A refrigerator according to the present invention is a refrigerator having a water purifier in a main body, wherein the water purifier includes a water filter for filtering water, a water supply flow path which is detachably coupled to the water filter, and connected to a water supply source, and purified water from the water filter. And a check valve provided in the filter head to prevent a backflow from the purified water filter to the water supply source.

The check valve is characterized in that provided on the water supply passage.

The check valve includes a first check valve and a second check valve disposed in series with the first check valve.

The first check valve and the second check valve is characterized in that formed integrally.

The water purification system according to the present invention includes a water filter for filtering water, a filter head having a water supply passage connected to the water filter detachably and connected to a water source, and a drainage passage through which the purified water is discharged from the water filter. And a check valve provided in the filter head to prevent a backflow from the purified water filter to the water supply source.

The check valve is characterized in that provided on the water supply passage.

The water purification system according to the present invention includes a filter housing having a water supply port and a water outlet, a filter member provided inside the filter housing, and the water supply port and the filter member to prevent water in the filter housing from flowing back into the water supply port. And a check valve provided on the water supply flow path formed therebetween.

According to the present invention, even when the water pressure of the water supply source decreases, the water purified by the water filter is prevented from flowing back to the water supply source again.

Therefore, as the water flows back toward the water supply source, the contaminants accumulated in the water filter are discharged, and the phenomenon that the water supply source is contaminated and the water purification system is in a water shortage state are prevented.

In addition, since the check valve for preventing the backflow is built in the filter head or the filter itself, the connection point between the pipes forming the flow path is reduced compared to the case where the check valve is separately provided and connected to the flow path, thereby significantly reducing the possibility of leakage. There is.

Referring to FIG. 1, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 10 divided into a freezer compartment on the left side and a freezer compartment on the right side by an intermediate partition (not shown), In order to open and close the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, a freezer compartment door 11 and a refrigerating compartment door 12 are respectively provided on both sides of the front part of the main body 10. Although not shown in the figure, a cooling device for cooling the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment is installed in the main body 10. This cooling device includes an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, an expansion valve, and the like like a conventional refrigerator.

The freezing chamber door 11 is provided with a water intake space 13 to allow the user to withdraw water from the outside. The water intake space 13 is recessed in a predetermined depth from the front of the freezer door 11 toward the rear. In the illustrated embodiment, the water intake space 13 is provided in the freezer compartment 11, but the water intake space 13 may be provided in the refrigerating compartment door 12.

An intake port 25 through which water is discharged is provided above the intake space 13, and a water supply system 100 for supplying water to the intake port 25 is provided in the main body 10 and the freezer door 11.

The water supply system 100 includes first to third water supply pipes 31, 32, and 33 for guiding water supplied from an external water supply source 36 to the intake port 25, and a water filter 110 for purifying water. And a filter head 120 coupled thereto, a water tank 40 for storing purified water in a cooled state, and a water supply valve 24 for opening and closing the intake port 25 for water supply.

The first water supply pipe 31 is connected to the external water supply source 36 (faucet, etc.) and the connecting pipe 34. The water filter 110 is detachably mounted to the filter head 120 provided in the upper portion of the refrigerating chamber (not shown). The filter head 120 is connected to the first water supply pipe 31 so that the water supplied from the outside is introduced into the water filter 110 and purified through the water filter 110, and then through the second water supply pipe 32. Drained.

The second water supply pipe 32 is connected between the filter head 120 and the water tank 40 so that the water purified by the purified water filter is introduced into the water tank 40 and stored. A third water supply pipe 33 is connected between the water tank 40 and the intake port 25, and the water stored in the water tank 40 is kept in a cooled state, and the water intake port 25 is provided through the third water supply pipe 33. Can be discharged through.

The water supply valve 24 is installed at the intake port 25 above the water intake space 13. The water supply valve 24 allows water to be discharged to the intake port 25 by opening the intake port 25 when the user manipulates the operation lever 14 provided in the intake space 13.

1 shows only the water tank 40 connected to the intake port 25 through the third water supply pipe 33, but in the case of a refrigerator in which an ice maker (not shown) is installed inside the freezer compartment, the water tank 40 A separate water supply pipe (not shown) and a water supply valve (not shown) may be installed to supply water to the ice making device.

2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the water filter and the filter head. The purified water system 100 includes a purified water filter 110 for filtering water and a filter head 120 detachably coupled to the upper portion of the purified water filter 110.

The water filter 110 includes a filter housing 111 in which an inlet 111b and an outlet 111a are formed, and a filter member (not shown) provided inside the filter housing 111. The inlet 111b and the outlet 111a are disposed above the water filter 110, and the outlet 111b is spaced apart from the inlet 111a by a predetermined height.

The filter head 120 includes an outer case 121 and an inner case 122. The filter head 120 is fixed to the main body side through the fixing bracket 130, and the outer case 121 and the inner case 122 communicate with the inlet 111a and outlet 111b of the water filter 110, respectively. Water inlets 121a and 122a and water outlets 121b and 122b connected to the first water supply pipe 31 and the second water supply pipe 32, respectively, are formed.

The water inlets 121a and 122a form a water supply passage that guides the water introduced from the first water supply pipe 31 to the inlet, and the outlets 121b and 122b remove the water purified by the water filter 110. A drain flow path for guiding the secondary water supply pipe 32 is formed. The water inlets 121a and 122a and the water outlets 121b and 122b are formed in the outer case 121 and the inner case 122, respectively.

In addition, the inner case 122 is coupled to the structure surrounding the outlet 111b and the inlet 111a of the water filter 110, for this purpose, the locking step 111c is formed in the water filter 110.

When the water filter 11 is coupled to the inner case 122, when the water filter 110 is rotated while being inserted into the inner case 120, the water filter 110 is connected to the inner case by the catching jaw 111c. 122) It is fixed inside.

In addition, the inner case 122 is rotatably coupled inside the outer case 121. Therefore, when the water filter 110 is rotated in a state coupled to the inner case 122, the inner case 122 also rotates together.

As such, the filter head 120 has a dual structure including an outer case 121 and an inner case 122, and the inner case 122 is rotatable to separate the water filter 110 from the filter head 120. In order to prevent the water supply flow path and the drain flow path by a coupling relationship between the inner case 122 and the outer case 121 in order to prevent leakage.

That is, the water supply passage and the drainage passage only when the positions of the water supply port 122a and the water outlet 122b formed on the inner case 122 coincide with the positions of the water supply port 121b and the water outlet 121b of the outer case 121. Is opened so that water flows into and out of the water filter 110, and thus the water filter 121a and 122a and the water outlet 121b and 122b have the same position as the water filter 110. ) Is completely fixed.

First to fifth sealing members 112, 113, 122c, and 122d to prevent leakage between the outer case 121 and the inner case 122 and between the inner case 122 and the water filter 110. 122e is installed. The first and second sealing members 112 and 113 are installed in the water filter 110 to partition the outlet 11b and the inlet 111a between the inner case 122 and the water filter 110. And four sealing members 122c and 122d are installed around the water inlet 122a and the outlet 122b of the inner case 122 to prevent leakage between the outer case 121 and the inner case 122. The fifth sealing member 122e is installed at the outer circumference of the inner case 122 to finally prevent leakage between the outer case 121 and the inner case 122.

On the other hand, a check valve 123 for preventing backflow is installed in the water supply port 122a of the outer case 121. The check valve 123 is open to always allow water supply to the inside of the water filter 110 through the water inlet 122a, but does not allow a reverse flow to the outside of the water filter 110 in the opposite direction. When the water pressure of the water supply source is reversed to lower than the pressure inside the water filter 110, the water source is contaminated as the water flows back toward the first water supply pipe 31 from the inside of the water filter 110 and the water supply system 100 as a whole. This is to prevent water shortage from occurring.

3 shows the structure of a check valve, the check valve 123 is a valve seat 123a having an orifice, a plunger 123b for opening and closing the orifice and moving forward and backward, and a plunger 123b for the valve. And an elastic member 123c elastically supporting toward the sheet 123a. Since the check valve 123 is to block the flow to the outside of the water filter 110 as described above, it is arranged in a structure that is open in the water filter 110 through the water supply passage.

In the illustrated embodiment, the check valve 123 is installed in the filter head, but may be installed on the first water supply pipe 31.

4 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. The water filter 140 includes a filter housing 141 having water outlets 141b and a water supply port 141a formed at both ends thereof, and water inside the filter housing 141. It includes a filter member 142, 143 for filtering.

In this case, the check valve 144 for preventing backflow is the same as that included in the water purification system, but the check valve 144 is included in the water filter 140. The check valve 140 is disposed in a water supply flow path formed between the filter members 142 and 143 and the water supply port 141a, and its structure and flow opening / closing operation are the same as in the above-described embodiment.

The installation of the check valve 144 is secured to a certain space, in the case of the filter in which the outlet port 141b and the water inlet 141a are formed at both ends, the internal flow path configuration is simple, so that the space is easily secured. It may be more advantageous to have a built-in check valve in the filter.

5 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the water purification system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The present embodiment differs from the previous embodiment in that one check valve 124 is further added to more reliably prevent backflow. That is, if the conventional check valve is called the first check valve 123, the check check valve 124 is disposed in series behind the check valve. Therefore, even when foreign matter is caught in the first check valve 123 or other reasons, the reverse flow may be blocked through the second check valve 124 which is preliminarily provided even when the reverse flow cannot be blocked.

The first check valve 123 and the second check valve 124 can operate independently, but are integrally manufactured by sharing a valve housing, a valve seat, etc. in order to reduce production costs and facilitate installation. And may be embedded in the filter head 120.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, this is merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention will be defined by the claims.

1 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator to which a water supply system according to the present invention is applied.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the interior of the filter head and the water filter according to the present invention.

3 is an enlarged view of a portion A of FIG.

4 is a cross-sectional view of a water filter according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the interior of the water purification system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

10: main body, 11: freezer door

12: refrigerator door, 100: water supply system,

110: water filter, 111: filter housing,

120: filter head, 123, 124: check valve

Claims (7)

A refrigerator having a water purification system in a main body, The water purification system includes a water filter for filtering water, a filter head having a water supply passage connected to the water filter detachably and connected to a water supply source, and a drainage passage through which the purified water is discharged from the water filter; And a check valve provided in the filter head to prevent a back flow from the filter to the water supply source. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the check valve is installed on the water supply passage. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the check valve includes a first check valve and a second check valve disposed in series with the first check valve. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the first check valve and the second check valve are integrally formed. A filter head which is provided with a water filter for filtering water, a water supply passage detachably coupled to the water filter and connected to a water supply source, and a drainage passage through which the purified water is discharged from the water filter; Water purification system including a check valve provided in the filter head to prevent backflow to the water supply source The water purification system according to claim 1, wherein the check valve is provided on the water supply passage. A filter housing having a water supply port and an outlet port, a filter member provided inside the filter housing, and a water supply flow path formed between the water supply port and the filter member to prevent water in the filter housing from flowing back into the water supply port. Water purification system including a check valve installed in.

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