Beverage dispensing apparatus for a refrigerator

• US 5,791,523 A
• Filed: 12/19/1996
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Oh, Gil-Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Derakshani, Philippe
• Application Number:
  US08/769,523
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 222/31, 222/153.09, 222/148.6, 222/183, 222/504, 222/509, 62/337-339, 62/377, 62/396, 137/374, 251/65
• US Class Current: 222/146.6
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/0009 provided with cooling arrangements cooling perse F25
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/04 Liquid-dispensing taps or cocks adapted to seal and open tapping holes of casks, e.g. for beer closures with filling and discharging devices for containers B65D47/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/126 Water cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/04 Refrigerators with a horizontal mullion

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a beverage dispenser mounted in a refrigerating compartment thereof for dispensing a beverage through the refrigerator door. The dispenser includes a beverage-storing vessel having a beverage outlet in the form of a valved spigot which is arranged to project through a hole in the door when the door is closed. The spigot includes an internal valve which is attached to a first magnet. The door carries a valve actuator which includes a second magnet adapted to generate a magnetic repulsive force against the first magnet to open the valve against a valve-closing spring force when the actuator is moved to a valve-opening position. A sealing arrangement is provided to create an air-tight seal between the spigot and hole when the door is closed. A manually releasable latch is disposed within the refrigerator for releasably retaining the vessel against accidental removal.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a body forming a refrigerating compartment;

a door for closing the refrigerating compartment;

a beverage storage vessel disposed in the refrigerating compartment and including a valved spigot which projects through a hole in the door when the door is closed so as to extend outside of the door;

a sealing structure for creating an air-tight seal between the spigot and hole when the door is closed;

a retainer for retaining the vessel in place during opening of the door; and

a valve actuator mounted on the door for opening the valved spigot when the door is closed;

wherein the spigot includes a spigot body forming a beverage passage, and a valve disposed within the spigot body and movable between a passage-opening position and a passage-closing position, and a first magnet attached to the valve;

the valve actuator movably mounted on the door between valve-opening and valve-closing positions, the valve actuator carrying a second magnet positioned to react with the first magnet to move the valve to its passage-opening position when the door is closed and the valve actuator is in its valve-opening position.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 wherein the first and second magnets are arranged to repel one another to move the valve to its passage-opening position.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further including a spring for yieldably biasing the valve to its passage-closing position.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3 wherein the vessel includes a vessel body to which the spigot is attached, the vessel body having a beverage outlet communicating with the water passage, and ribs projecting into the outlet to form a guide;

a valve carrier including a rear end slidably mounted in the guide, and a front end carrying the valve and the first magnet.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1 wherein the sealing structure includes a first sealing element, a fixing member for attaching the first sealing element to the door such that the first sealing element presses against the spigot when the door is closed;

the sealing structure further including a second sealing element mounted on the vessel and being pressed against the fixing member when the door is closed.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1 wherein the retainer is a manually releasable latch which enables the vessel to be removed from the refrigerating compartment.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6 wherein the latch is pivotably mounted in the refrigerating compartment for movement between a latching position and a release position, a spring biasing the latch to its latching position wherein a detent of the latch sits in front of a portion of the vessel to prevent the vessel from being removed forwardly from the refrigerating compartment.

8. A beverage storage vessel adapted to be mounted in a refrigerating compartment of a refrigerator for dispensing a cold beverage through a door of the refrigerator, the vessel comprising:

a vessel body for storing a beverage and having a beverage outlet;

a spigot mounted on the vessel body and adapted to project through a refrigerator door when the door is closed, the spigot including;

a spigot body forming a beverage passage communicating with the outlet,

a valve movably disposed within the spigot body between a passage-opening position and a passage-closing position, and

a magnet attached to the valve, adapting the valve to be moved to its passage-opening position by a magnetic force generated between the magnet and another magnet carried by the door.

9. The water storage vessel according to claim 8 wherein the spigot further includes a spring for yieldably biasing the valve to its passage-closing position.

10. A refrigerator comprising:

a body forming a refrigerating compartment;

a door for closing the refrigerating compartment;

a beverage storage vessel disposed in the refrigerating compartment and including a valved spigot which projects through the door when the door is closed so as to extend outside of the door;

a sealing structure for creating an air-tight seal between the spigot and hole when the door is closed; and

a retainer for retaining the vessel in place during opening of the door;

wherein the sealing structure includes a first sealing element, a fixing member for attaching the first sealing element to the door such that the first sealing element presses against the spigot when the door is closed;

the sealing structure further including a second sealing element mounted on the vessel and being pressed against the fixing member when the door is closed.