Water cooler

• US 5,469,708 A
• Filed: 09/23/1994
• Issued: 11/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Howard R. Harrison, Jeffrey R. Brown
• Original Assignee: Howard R. Harrison, Jeffrey R. Brown
• Inventors: Brown, Jeffrey R., Harrison, Howard R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US08/311,240
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 62/3.64, 62/394, 62/395, 222/146.6, 222/185
• US Class Current: 62/3.64
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/0009 provided with cooling arrangements cooling perse F25
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/02 using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/0251 by a gas
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 31/006 specially adapted for cooling receptacles, e.g. tanks

Abstract

A water cooler is disclosed suitable for standing on a counter top and to be used with standardized water bottles. The water cooler utilizes a thermoelectric device which cools by means of the Peltier effect. The cooling unit comprises a seat for the water bottle spaced and thermally insulated from a heat sink. The thermoelectric device is connected between the seat and a heat sink. Preferably the thermoelectric device is connected between a spacer block extending downwardly from the seat and the heat sink. A fan dissipates heat from the heat sink.

Claims

1. A counter-top cooler for liquid containers having an operable outlet for liquid, the outlet being positioned such that, when the container is oriented for dispensing liquid with the outlet open, liquid in the container flows out to substantially empty the container, the cooler comprising:

a thermally conductive support having an upper seat surface which is angled at a front edge about 5 degrees to the horizontal and shaped for intimate contact with at least a substantial part of a bottom surface of the container;

thermo electric cooling means connected to a lower surface of the seat to remove heat from the seat;

a heat sink for dispersion of heat removed from the seat;

insulating screen means to screen an underpart of the set for the heat sink;

a reservoir being located at the front edge of the thermally conductive seat for run off of condensation

a fan located to direct air flow to evaporate liquid in said reservoir in the heat sink to disperse heat therefrom.

2. A cooler as claimed in claim 1 in which an insulated housing is provided for the liquid container.

3. A cooler as claimed in claim 1 in which the thermoelectric cooling means in a thermoelectric device sealed in an inner layer of closed cell foam and an outer layer of waterproof sealant.

4. A cooler as claimed in claim 1 in which the heat sink comprises a finned plate.

5. A cooler as claimed in claim 4 in which fins of the finned plate run from the front to rear of the cooler forming a grating to the front.

6. A cooler as claimed in claim 1 in which the reservoir is sponge.

7. A cooler as claimed in claim 1 in which an electric circuit for the thermoelectric cooling means included a transformer, a rectifier and a condenser.

8. A cooler as claimed in claim 7 in which at least one of the transformer and rectifier is located in the air flow from the fan for dissipation of heat therefrom.

9. A cooler as claimed in claim 1 in which the thermally conductive support is spaced from the heat sink by a layer of insulation, a cold surface of the thermoelectric cooling means is thermally connected to the support through a connecting spacer block extending through the insulation and a hot surface of the thermoelectric cooling means is adhered to a surface of the heat sink.

10. A cooler as claimed in claim 8 in which thermally insulated support posts are connected between the support and the heat sink.

11. A cooler as claimed in claim 7 in which the rectifier is attached to the heat sink for thermal conduction between the heat sink and the rectifier.