Refrigerator and beverage supplying method using the same

Abstract

A refrigerator having a storage unit disposed on the inside of a door and capable of dispensing beverage from a beverage container stored in the storage unit. A supporting unit is disposed on the storage unit for supporting the beverage container downward. The supporting unit has a first mounting hole. A valve is coupled to a mouth of the beverage container for selectively allowing beverage contained in the beverage container to be dispensed. At least a portion of the valve is located in the first mounting hole. A lever is disposed under the supporting unit and coupled to the valve. When an external force is applied to the lever, the valve is open and allows the beverage to be supplied to the outside of the beverage container through the mouth of the beverage container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a door; and   a storage unit located the door for storing a beverage container, wherein the storage unit comprises:
 a supporting unit for supporting the beverage container, the supporting unit comprising a first mounting hole; 
 a valve operable to be coupled to a mouth of the beverage container for selectively enabling beverage contained in the beverage container to be dispensed from the beverage container, wherein at least a portion of the valve is located in the first mounting hole; and 
 a lever disposed under the supporting unit and coupled to the valve, wherein, when an external force directed in the outward direction of the door is applied to the lever, the valve enables the beverage to be dispensed from the beverage container through the mouth of the beverage container. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the supporting unit comprises a fixing recess; and   an end of the mouth of the beverage container is inserted into the fixing recess.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the valve comprises an insertion recess on an upper end of the valve;   the mouth comprises an outer circumferential surface having a thread; and   the insertion recess comprises a spiral portion coupled to a thread on an inner circumferential surface of the insertion recess.   
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper end of the valve is located higher than a lower end of the supporting unit; and a lower end of the valve is located lower than the lower end of the supporting unit. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 an outer diameter of the upper end of the valve is greater than a diameter of the first mounting hole;   an outer diameter of the lower end of the valve is less than the diameter of the first mounting hole; and   the valve is supported upward by the supporting unit when the valve is inserted into the first mounting hole from above.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises:
 a stationary unit directly coupled to the mouth, the stationary unit comprising a flow channel and disposed in the first mounting hole;   a moving unit configured to move upward and downward for selectively opening and closing the flow channel; and   an elastic body configured to provide a downward elastic force to the moving unit when the moving unit moves upward, and   wherein the lever is coupled to the moving unit.   
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein, when the external force directed in the outward direction of the door is applied to the lever, the lever is operable to push the moving unit upward to open the flow channel and dispense beverage from the beverage container through the flow channel. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the lever turns when the external force directed in the outward direction of the door is applied to one portion of the lever; and the other portion of the lever pushes the moving unit upward when the lever turns.   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein the lever comprises:
 a first portion comprising a second mounting hole, wherein one end of the first portion located in an inward direction of the door is turnably coupled to one side of the refrigerator; and   a second portion extending downward from another end of the first portion, wherein the external force directed in the outward direction of the door is applied to the second portion, and wherein the moving unit extends through the second mounting hole from top to bottom, wherein further an outer diameter of an upper end of the moving unit is greater than a diameter of the second mounting hole, and wherein further an outer diameter of a lower end of the moving unit is less than the diameter of the second mounting hole.   
     
     
         10 . A beverage supplying, the method comprising:
 coupling a valve disposed in a refrigerator to a mouth of a beverage container;   after the coupling, storing the beverage container in a storage unit formed on an inside of a door of a refrigerator;   applying an external force directed in an outward direction of the door to a lever coupled to the valve;   opening the valve in response to the applied external force directed in the outward direction of the door; and   dispensing beverage from the beverage container to an outside of the beverage container when the valve is open.   
     
     
         11 . The beverage supplying method according to  claim 10 , wherein the beverage container is stored in the storage unit with the mouth directed downward. 
     
     
         12 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a door; and   a beverage dispenser disposed on an inside of the door, the beverage dispenser comprising:
 a supporting unit for supporting a beverage container, the supporting unit comprising a first mounting hole; and 
 a valve installed in the supporting unit, 
   wherein the value is operable to be coupled to a mouth of the beverage container for selectively dispensing beverage therefrom to an outside of the beverage container, and wherein further at least a portion of the valve is disposed in the first mounting hole.   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the beverage dispenser further comprises:
 a lever disposed under the supporting unit and coupled to the valve, wherein, when the lever is subject to an external force, the valve enables the beverage to be dispensed from the beverage container through a mouth of the beverage container.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the valve comprises an insertion recess on an upper end of the valve;   the mouth comprises an outer circumferential surface with a thread; and   the insertion recess comprises a spiral portion coupled to a thread on an inner circumferential surface of the insertion recess.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the upper end of the valve is located higher than a lower end of the supporting unit; and a lower end of the valve is located lower than the lower end of the supporting unit.   
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 an outer diameter of the upper end of the valve is greater than a diameter of the first mounting hole;   an outer diameter of the lower end of the valve is less than the diameter of the first mounting hole; and   the valve is supported upward by the supporting unit when the valve is inserted into the first mounting hole from above.   
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the valve comprises:
 a stationary unit directly coupled to the mouth, the stationary unit comprising a flow channel and disposed in the first mounting hole;   a moving unit configured to move upward and downward for selectively opening and closing the flow channel; and   an elastic body configured to apply a downward elastic force to the moving unit when the moving unit moves upward, and   wherein the lever is coupled to the moving unit.   
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator according to  claim 17 , wherein, when the external force directed in the outward direction of the door is applied to the lever, the lever pushes the moving unit upward to open the flow channel and dispense the beverage from the beverage container through the flow channel. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the lever is configured to turn when the external force directed in the outward direction of the door is applied to one portion of the lever; and the other portion of the lever is configured to push the moving unit upward when the lever turns.   
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator according to  claim 17 , wherein the lever comprises:
 a first portion comprising a second mounting hole, wherein one end of the first portion located in an inward direction of the door is rotatably coupled to one side of the refrigerator; and   a second portion extending downward from the other end of the first portion, wherein the external force directed in the outward direction of the door is applied to the second portion, and   wherein the moving unit extends through the second mounting hole from top to bottom, wherein an outer diameter of an upper end of the moving unit is greater than a diameter of the second mounting hole, and wherein further an outer diameter of a lower end of the moving unit is less than the diameter of the second mounting hole.