Water supplier for a beverage dispensing apparatus of a refrigerator

• US 20050177481A1
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Inventors: Crisp, Harry Lee III
• Granted Patent: US 7,278,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• 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: B67D 3/0006 responsive to coded information provided on the neck or spout of the storage container, e.g. bar-code, magnets or transponder
• 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: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A carbonated and non-carbonated water supplier for a beverage dispensing apparatus for a residential refrigerator. The beverage dispensing apparatus includes a drink supplier including a drink supply canister holder for holding a plurality of drink supply canisters, a plurality of valve actuators for causing the drink supply to be selectively released from the drink supply canisters, the water supplier for selectively supplying carbonated water and non-carbonated water for producing the beverages, a gas supplier for supplying CO₂ gas to carbonate the carbonated water provided by the water supplier and for supplying CO₂ gas or other gas for pressurizing the drink supply canisters to provide a consistent flow rate of the drink supply from the drink supply canisters and one or more beverage requesters for enabling users to request one of a plurality of beverages.

Claims

1. A water supplier connectable to a refrigerator, the refrigerator having a housing that supports a gas supplier and at least one drink supply canister, the drink supply canister having a drink supply outlet wall defining a drink supply outlet, the water supplier comprising:

a water source;

a non-carbonated water line fluidly connected to the water source;

a carbonated water line fluidly connected to the water source, the carbonated water line fluidly connectable to the gas supplier;

at least one carbonated water valve fluidly connected to the carbonated water line;

at least one non-carbonated water valve fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line;

at least one actuator operable to actuate the carbonated water valve and the non-carbonated water valve;

at least one water dispenser fluidly connected to the water source, the water dispenser having at least one water outlet wall defining a water outlet; and

at least one connection member connected to the water dispenser, the connection member connectable to the housing, the connection member positioning the water outlet wall below the drink supply outlet wall when the water supplier is connected to the refrigerator.

2. The water supplier of claim 1, which includes:

(a) a plurality of carbonated water valves fluidly connected to the carbonated water line; and

(b) a plurality of non-carbonated water valves fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line.

3. The water supplier of claim 2, which includes a plurality of water dispensers fluidly connected to the carbonated water valves and the non-carbonated water valves.

4. The water supplier of claim 1, which includes a water filter fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line.

5. The water supplier of claim 1, which includes a water pump fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line.

6. The water supplier of claim 5, which includes a water pressure regulator fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line.

7. The water supplier of claim 1, which includes a cold transfer device fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line.

8. The water supplier of claim 1, which includes a carbonation tank fluidly connected to the carbonated water line.

9. A water supplier connectable to a refrigerator, the refrigerator having a housing that supports a gas supplier and at least one drink supply canister, the drink supply canister having a drink supply outlet wall defining a drink supply outlet, the water supplier comprising:

a water source;

a non-carbonated water line fluidly connected to the water source;

a carbonation tank fluidly connected to the water source, the carbonation tank fluidly connectable to the gas supplier;

a carbonated water line fluidly connected to the carbonation tank;

at least one carbonated water valve fluidly connected to the carbonated water line;

at least one non-carbonated water valve fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line;

at least one water dispenser fluidly connected to both the carbonated water valve and the non-carbonated water valve, the water dispenser having at least one water outlet wall defining a water outlet;

at least one connection member connected to the water dispenser, the connection member connectable to the housing, the connection member positioning the water outlet wall below the drink supply outlet wall when the water supplier is connected to the refrigerator; and

at least one actuator operable to actuate the carbonated water valve and the non-carbonated water valve.

10. The water supplier of claim 9, which includes:

(a) a plurality of carbonated water valves fluidly connected to the carbonated water line; and

(b) a plurality of non-carbonated water valves fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line.

11. The water supplier of claim 10, which includes a plurality of water dispensers fluidly connected to the carbonated water valves and the non-carbonated water valves.

12. The water supplier of claim 9, which includes a water filter fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line.

13. The water supplier of claim 9, which includes a water pump fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line.

14. The water supplier of claim 13, which includes a water pressure regulator fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line.

15. The water supplier of claim 9, which includes a cold transfer device fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line.

16. A water supplier connectable to a refrigerator, the refrigerator having a housing that supports a gas supplier and a plurality of drink supply canisters, each of the drink supply canisters having a drink supply outlet wall defining a drink supply outlet, the water supplier comprising:

a water source;

a non-carbonated water line fluidly connected to the water source;

a carbonation tank fluidly connected to the water source, the carbonation tank fluidly connectable to the gas supplier;

a carbonated water line fluidly connected to the carbonation tank;

a plurality of carbonated water valves fluidly connected to the carbonated water line;

a plurality of non-carbonated water valves fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line;

a plurality of water dispensers fluidly connected to the carbonated water valves and the non-carbonated water valves, each of the water dispensers having at least one water outlet wall defining a water outlet;

at least one connection member connected to the water dispensers, the connection member connectable to the housing, the connection member positioning the water outlets below the drink supply outlet walls when the water supplier is connected to the refrigerator; and

a plurality of actuators operable to actuate the carbonated water valves and the non-carbonated water valves.

17. The water supplier of claim 16, which includes a water filter fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line.

18. The water supplier of claim 17, which includes a water pump fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line.

19. The water supplier of claim 18, which includes a water pressure regulator fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line.

20. The water supplier of claim 18, which includes a cold transfer device fluidly connected to the non-carbonated water line.