Apparatus for purifying water

Abstract

An apparatus for purifying water comprises: a cold water unit configured to store cold water therein; an ice making unit configured to make the cold water into ice cubes; a first heat exchanger configured to supply cold air to the ice making unit; and a second heat exchanger configured to supply cold air to the cold water unit. Since the heat exchangers are individually disposed at the cold water unit and the ice making unit, the temperature of the cold water supplied from the cold water unit may be easily controlled. Furthermore, this may allow the cold water to be supplied to a user with a uniform temperature.

1 . An apparatus for purifying water, comprising:
 a cold water unit configured to store cold water therein;   an ice making unit configured to make the cold water into ice cubes;   a first heat exchanger configured to supply cold air to the ice making unit; and   a second heat exchanger configured to supply cold air to the cold water unit.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second heat exchangers are serially connected to each other such that a refrigerant can be sequentially supplied thereto. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 2 , wherein the refrigerant is supplied to the second heat exchanger from the first heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second heat exchangers are connected to each other in parallel so that the refrigerant supply to the first and second heat exchangers can be individually controlled. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 4 , wherein the refrigerant supply to the first and second heat exchangers is controlled by a three-way valve. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 4 , wherein the first heat exchanger is supplied with the refrigerant only when the ice making unit is operated. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 4 , wherein whether to supply the refrigerant to the second heat exchanger or not is determined according to temperature of cold water. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 1 , wherein the ice making unit comprises:
 a purified water container configured to accommodate therein water;   ice cube makers formed as a refrigerant pipe of the first heat exchanger is bent, and immersed into the water accommodated in the purified water container; and   an ice cube storage portion configured to store ice cubes separated from the ice cube makers, and to selectively discharge out the ice cubes.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 8 , wherein the ice cube makers are configured to make ice cubes by freezing the peripheral water. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 8 , wherein the purified water container is disposed so as to have an opened upper surface, and is configured to be made to turn upside down so as to discharge remaining water after the ice cubes have been made, and
 wherein when the purified water container is made to turn upside down, the ice cubes are separated from the ice cube makers thus to be stored in the ice cube storage portion.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 10 , wherein the cold water unit comprises a cold water container disposed below the purified water container so as to accommodate the remaining water therein when the purified water container is made to turn upside down,
 wherein an upper surface of the cold water container is formed with an inclination angle so that the ice cubes can be guided to the ice cube storage portion, and   wherein a plurality of holes through which the remaining water passes are formed at the upper surface of the cold water container.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 11 , wherein the ice cube storage portion is positioned next to the cold water container. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 11 , wherein the second heat exchanger is implemented as a refrigerant pipe wound on an outer surface of the cold water container a plurality of times. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 11 , wherein the second heat exchanger is implemented as a refrigerant pipe disposed to contact the cold water stored in the cold water container, and bent a plurality of times. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 1 , wherein the ice making unit comprises:
 an ice making chamber partitioned into insulation spaces;   ice cube makers installed at the ice making chamber, and configured to make ice cubes; and   an ice cube storage portion configured to store the ice cubes made by the ice cube makers, and to selectively discharge out the ice cubes, and   wherein the first heat exchanger is attached to the ice cube makers so that heat transfer can occur by conduction.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 15 , wherein the cold water unit is implemented as a cold water container disposed outside the ice making chamber, and configured to cool introduced water, and
 wherein the second heat exchanger is implemented as a refrigerant pipe wound on an outer surface of the cold water container a plurality of times.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus for purifying water of  claim 15 , wherein the cold water unit is implemented as a cold water container disposed outside the ice making chamber, and configured to cool introduced water, and
 wherein the second heat exchanger is implemented as a refrigerant pipe disposed to contact the cold water stored in the cold water container, and bent a plurality of times.