Refrigerator having a fluid director access door

• US 20050121467A1
• Filed: 01/25/2005
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Inventors: Crisp, Harry Lee III, Duff, Todd Erik
• Granted Patent: US 7,419,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/129.100
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0057 Carbonators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0858 using compression systems
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/082 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00036 for use with or in refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/0006 Manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/126 Water cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/023 Door in door constructions
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/803 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A refrigerator having a water supplier, fluid director and fluid director access door. The fluid director is removable. The fluid director access door enables users to remove, clean and replace the fluid director.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a housing including at least one compartment;

at least one compartment door connected to the housing, the compartment door having at least one wall that defines a recessed area, the compartment door movable between a closed position enclosing the compartment and an open position providing access to the compartment;

a water supply apparatus connected to the housing, the water supply apparatus including a water line, at least one water valve and at least one water valve actuator operable to actuate the water valve;

a fluid director removably positionable within the recessed area;

a fluid director access door connected to the compartment door, the fluid director access door positioned at or near the recessed area of the compartment door, the fluid director access door being movable between a closed position enclosing the fluid director and an open position providing access to the fluid director; and

a support member connected to the compartment door below the dispenser, the support member configured to support at least one collector.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, which includes means for pivotally connecting the fluid director access door to the wall of the compartment door.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1, which includes means for slidably connecting the fluid director access door to the wall of the compartment door.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the compartment door has an exterior side and an interior side, the recessed area being positioned at the exterior side of the compartment door.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the compartment door includes another wall positioned at the exterior side of the compartment door, said other wall defining another recessed area, a portion of said other wall including the support member, said other recessed area positioned below the recessed area where the fluid director is positioned.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1, which includes at least one requester connected to the housing, the requester enabling a user to cause water to flow through the fluid director into the collector.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6, which includes a processor operatively coupled to the water valve actuator and the requester.

8. A refrigerator comprising:

a housing including at least one compartment;

at least one compartment door connected to the housing, the compartment door having an exterior side and an interior side, the exterior side having at least one wall that defines a recessed area, the compartment door movable between a closed position enclosing the compartment and an open position providing access to the compartment;

a water supply apparatus connected to the housing, the water supply apparatus including a water line, at least one water valve and at least one water valve actuator operable to actuate the water valve;

a fluid director removably positionable within the recessed area;

a fluid director access door connected to the exterior side of the compartment door, the fluid director access door positioned at or near the recessed area of the compartment door, the fluid director access door being movable between a closed position enclosing the fluid director and an open position providing access to the fluid director; and

a support member connected to the compartment door below the fluid director, the support member configured to support at least one collector.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8, which includes means for pivotally connecting the fluid director access door to the wall of the exterior side of the compartment door.

10. The refrigerator of claim 8, which includes means for slidably connecting the fluid director access door to the wall of the exterior side of the compartment door.

11. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the compartment door includes another wall positioned at the exterior side of the compartment door, said other wall defining another recessed area, a portion of said other wall including the support member, said other recessed area positioned below the recessed area where the fluid director is positioned.

12. The refrigerator of claim 8, which includes at least one requester connected to the housing, the requester enabling a user to cause water to flow through the fluid director into the collector.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12, which includes a processor operatively coupled to the water valve actuator and the requester.

14. A refrigerator comprising:

a housing including at least one compartment;

at least one compartment door connected to the housing, the compartment door having an exterior side and an interior side, the exterior side having at least one wall that defines a first recessed area and a second recessed area, the second recessed area positioned below the first recessed area, the compartment door movable between a closed position enclosing the compartment and an open position providing access to the compartment;

a water supply apparatus connected to the housing, the water supply apparatus including a water line, at least one water valve and at least one water valve actuator operable to actuate the water valve;

a fluid director removably positionable within the first recessed area;

a fluid director access door connected to the compartment door, the fluid director access door positioned at or near the first recessed area of the compartment door, the fluid director access door being movable between a closed position enclosing the fluid director and an open position providing access to the fluid director; and

a support member connected to the exterior side of the compartment door, the support member including a portion of the wall of the compartment door, the support member positioned within the second recessed area of the compartment door, the support member configured to support at least one collector.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14, which includes means for pivotally connecting the fluid director access door to the wall of the exterior side of the compartment door.

16. The refrigerator of claim 14, which includes means for slidably connecting the fluid director access door to the wall of the exterior side of the compartment door.

17. The refrigerator of claim 14, which includes at least one requester connected to the housing, the requester enabling a user to cause water to flow through the fluid director into the collector.

18. The refrigerator of claim 14, which includes a processor operatively coupled to the water valve actuator and the requester.