IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0924332
(2007-10-25)
|
등록번호 |
US-7690403
(2010-05-20)
|
우선권정보 |
KR-10-2006-0109384(2006-11-07); KR-10-2007-0006047(2007-01-19); KR-10-2007-0018716(2007-02-23); KR-10-2007-0021464(2007-03-05) |
발명자
/ 주소 |
- You, Dong Joo
- Yun, Ju Hwan
- Kim, Jong Hwan
- Lee, Young Hyun
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
10 인용 특허 :
13 |
초록
▼
An automatic liquid dispenser and automatic liquid dispensing method are disclosed capable of transmitting ultrasonic to an upper surface of a receptacle, and receiving the ultrasonic reflected from the upper surface of the receptacle to detect a receptacle height, whereby the receptacle height may
An automatic liquid dispenser and automatic liquid dispensing method are disclosed capable of transmitting ultrasonic to an upper surface of a receptacle, and receiving the ultrasonic reflected from the upper surface of the receptacle to detect a receptacle height, whereby the receptacle height may be freely detected regardless of shape, material and surface state of the receptacle, and regardless of a position where the receptacle is placed.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. An automatic liquid dispenser comprising: a receptacle height measurer generating a first ultrasonic signal onto an upper surface of a receptacle and receiving the first ultrasonic signal reflected from the upper surface of the receptacle to generate a signal; a liquid level
What is claimed is: 1. An automatic liquid dispenser comprising: a receptacle height measurer generating a first ultrasonic signal onto an upper surface of a receptacle and receiving the first ultrasonic signal reflected from the upper surface of the receptacle to generate a signal; a liquid level detector generating a second ultrasonic signal having a mutually different frequency from that of the first ultrasonic signal to a content inside the receptacle, and receiving the second ultrasonic signal reflected from the content to generate a signal; a liquid ejector ejecting liquid into the receptacle; and a controller controlling the liquid ejector using the signals generated by the receptacle height measurer and the liquid level detector. 2. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receptacle height measurer and the liquid level detector comprise at least one or more ultrasonic devices for emitting the first ultrasonic signal or the second ultrasonic signal and at least more than two second ultrasonic devices for receiving the first ultrasonic signal or the second ultrasonic signal. 3. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the receptacle height measurer and the liquid level detector respectively comprise one first ultrasonic device for emitting the first ultrasonic signal or the second ultrasonic signal and three second ultrasonic devices for receiving the first ultrasonic signal or the second ultrasonic signal. 4. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein any one of the first ultrasonic devices and the second ultrasonic devices includes a noise absorbing material. 5. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second ultrasonic devices are formed in mutually different positions from the liquid ejector. 6. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first ultrasonic device is formed nearest to the liquid ejector. 7. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 5, wherein the level of liquid is detected by a signal received from one of the second ultrasonic devices that is the nearest to the liquid ejector among the second ultrasonic devices. 8. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein a gain value of one of the second ultrasonic devices is set to be lower than gain values of remaining second ultrasonic devices. 9. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a receptacle detector for detecting the receptacle. 10. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein a beam angle of the first ultrasonic device is in the range of approximately 60-150 degrees. 11. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein a measurement band of the receptacle height measurer and/or the liquid level measurer is in the range of approximately 2 cm-1 meter. 12. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein a measurement band of the receptacle height measurer and/or the liquid level measurer is in the range of approximately 2 cm-60 cm. 13. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an input unit for inputting a level of liquid to be ejected into the receptacle. 14. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the level value of liquid relative to a pre-stored receptacle height is higher than the level value of liquid relative to a receptacle height detected by the receptacle height measurer and the level detector, the controller outputs a control signal to the liquid ejector to end the liquid ejection of the liquid ejector. 15. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a receptacle accommodator to receive the receptacle therein. 16. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 15, wherein the receptacle accommodator comprises a marker for marking a receptacle accommodation point. 17. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 16, wherein the receptacle height measurer and the level detector comprise a first ultrasonic device and at least two or more second ultrasonic devices, and the marker is formed perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly below the first ultrasonic device. 18. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 16, wherein the receptacle height measurer and the level detector respectively comprise first ultrasonic devices for emitting the first ultrasonic signal or the second ultrasonic signal and at least two or more second ultrasonic devices, and the marker is formed perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly below any one of the second ultrasonic devices. 19. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 16, wherein the marker is formed perpendicularly beneath the liquid ejector. 20. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 16, wherein the receptacle height measurer and the level detector include at least one or more first ultrasonic devices and at least two or more second ultrasonic devices, and the marker has a radius of 80-150% of a radius of a circle including any one of the first ultrasonic devices, the liquid ejector and the second ultrasonic device. 21. An automatic liquid dispensing method comprising: emitting a first ultrasonic signal to an upper surface of a receptacle and receiving the first ultrasonic signal reflected from the upper surface of the receptacle to determine a receptacle height; ejecting liquid into the receptacle; generating a second ultrasonic signal having a mutually different frequency from that of the first ultrasonic signal to an upper surface of the liquid inside the receptacle, and receiving the second ultrasonic signal reflected from the upper surface of the liquid to determine a liquid level in the receptacle; and stopping the liquid ejection if the determined liquid level reaches a predetermined value. 22. The automatic liquid dispensing method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the step of stopping the liquid ejection is performed based on a comparison between a pre-stored liquid level value relative to a receptacle height and the determined liquid level value relative to the determined receptacle height. 23. The automatic liquid dispensing method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising: detecting whether the receptacle is present or absent. 24. The automatic liquid dispensing method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the receptacle height and the liquid level are determined based on an average value of receptacle heights and liquid levels obtained by repeating the determination at least twice. 25. The automatic liquid dispensing method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the receptacle height is determined based on signals of at least two differently-located ultrasonic reception sensors. 26. The automatic liquid dispensing method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the liquid level is determined based on a signal of an ultrasonic reception sensor nearest to a liquid ejector among a plurality of ultrasonic reception sensors. 27. The automatic liquid dispensing method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising: determining a liquid level desired by a user. 28. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receptacle height measurer is a first ultrasonic sensor, wherein the liquid level detector is a second ultrasonic sensor, and wherein the controller comprises: a receptacle height determiner determining the receptacle height by the signal generated by the first ultrasonic sensor; a liquid ejection height determiner determining the height of liquid ejectionable to the receptacle based on the receptacle height determined by the receptacle height determiner; a liquid height determiner determining the height of liquid to be ejected to the receptacle based on the signal generated by the second ultrasonic sensor; and a liquid ejection control unit stopping the liquid ejection by the liquid ejector if the liquid height determined by the liquid height determiner is higher than the height of liquid that is ejectable into the receptacle. 29. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 28, wherein the first ultrasonic sensor has a larger detection angle than that of the second ultrasonic sensor. 30. The automatic liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 28, wherein a detection angle of the first ultrasonic sensor is in the range of 60-120 degrees, while a detection angle of the second ultrasonic sensor is in the range of 30-60 degrees.
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