Water dispensing and draining appliance

• US 5,915,851 A
• Filed: 10/02/1997
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Wattrick, Douglas, Wells, Karen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak, David J.
• Application Number:
  US08/943,028
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 4/619, 4/628, 4/629, 4/630, 4/631, 4/639, 4/640, 4/696, 4/663
• US Class Current: 4/619
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 77/022 Work tops

Abstract

A water appliance of a modular construction including a basin module having attachable wing modules, a cabinetry module having cabinet doors to match surrounding kitchen cabinetry or appliances, a utility module for containing water, electrical, and electronic conduits from counter level down to below the basins, a garbage disposer module flow connected to drains of the basin and pre-piped for drainage, and a control module connected to a top of the utility module and quickly connectable to water, electrical, and electronic conduits from the utility module. The control module provides a light for the basin area as well as water dispensing conduits which can be precisely electronically controlled for water delivery, flow rate, quantity, temperature, CO₂ content, purity level, detergent level, etc. A hand held brush extending from the controller module by a flexible hose can be provided and its controls applied onto the control panel of the controller module. A separate water conduit for drinking water can be provided with controls for purity, CO₂ content, temperature, quantity, flow rate, etc. The modular design is effectively manufactured and installed and allows for flexibility in selecting options for the water appliance. The water appliance can be aesthetically integrated with the kitchen by appropriate selection of paneling and cabinetry.

Claims

1. A water appliance comprising:

a frame structure;

a water receiving and holding basin;

a utilities module including a surrounding plenum and water conduits extending from a top end of said plenum downwardly to water inputs;

a control module having a control console and mounted to a top of said utilities module, said control module having water delivery conduits arranged to register with said water conduits of said utility module when said control module is connected thereto, said control module having a water dispensing conduit extending over said basin, and controls for said water dispensing conduit mounted on said console; and

wing modules extending from side walls of said basin wherein one of said wing modules comprises a heated cooking surface, said wing modules extending outwardly inclined upwardly to drain water downwardly to said basin.

2. The appliance according to claim 1 further comprising a disposer module including a mechanized garbage disposer, and having an inlet manifold, said basin including two spaced apart drain holes and said inlet manifold connected to said drain holes, and said disposer module having a piping trap configuration at an outlet of said mechanized garbage disposer.

3. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein one of said wing modules comprises a water delivery port connected to said utilities module.

4. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein said one of said wing modules comprises a plurality of flushing nozzles arranged to spray water along a surface of said wing module toward said basin for flushing debris therefrom.

5. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein said frame structure comprises leveling feet for setting the level of a top of said basin.

6. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein said frame structure comprises cabinet doors for alternately opening and closing a space beneath said basin.

7. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein said plenum comprises a an access panel for connecting functional modules to said water conduits, said functional modules including at least one device selected from the group consisting of a water heater, a water cooler, a water carbonation unit, a reverse osmosis water purifier, a water filter, and a source of detergent.

8. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein said control module comprises a control panel including controls for operating a dishwasher.

9. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein said plenum comprises an access panel for connecting functional modules to electricity, said functional modules including at least one selected from the group consisting of a reverse osmosis water purifier, a refrigerated bin, a water heater, a water cooler, a water carbonation unit, a garbage disposal unit.

10. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein said control module comprises a hand held brush having bristles and a flexible conduit connected thereto, said flexible conduit connected to one of said water conduits in said utilities module, said conduit delivering water through the bristles of said brush.

11. The appliance according to claim 10, wherein said flexible conduit is flow connected to a source of detergent.

12. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein said control module comprises a display screen for communicating information to a person working at the appliance.

13. The appliance according to claim 12, wherein said display screen is operably connected to one selected from the group consisting of a computer and a videotape player.

14. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein said control module comprises a selection circuit for controlling said water dispensing conduit to control one function selected from the group consisting of temperature, flow rate, measured quantity, CO₂ content, detergent content, purity content.

15. A control panel for a kitchen water appliance wherein:

said control panel extends upwardly from a supporting surface;

a water dispensing conduit extends through said control panel and outwardly over the supporting surface;

a plurality of control buttons are provided on said control panel, said control buttons electrically control wired to one device selected from the group consisting of a dishwasher, a water purification system, a garbage disposer, a water temperature control;

a cleaning tool is provided which connects to a flexible conduit, said conduit having an end connectable to a source of water and a cleaning end for manual engagement with an object to be cleaned by water, said cleaning tool having a handle portion connected to said conduit, said handle portion extending through said control panel to be held thereby in a standby position, and wherein said cleaning tool is a brush having at least one aperture for dispensing water through the bristles of said brush; and

a second water delivery conduit extends through said control panel and over said work area, said second water delivery conduit connectable to a source of water, and said control module having control buttons for selecting the quality of said source of water including one selected from the group consisting of CO₂ content, purity content, temperature, flow rate, and measured quantity.

16. The control module according to claim 15, further comprising a video display screen and a control for said video display screen, said control being one selected from the group consisting of:

a computer, a video tape player, and a television signal receiver.

17. A utilities module for connecting a water appliance to household utilities, comprising:

a rigid plenum extending from a counter level surface downward having a surrounding wall and an access panel, said plenum having a plurality of water carrying conduits extending from a top end downwardly to inlets connectable to sources of water; and

an electrical conduit extending from a top end downwardly to connections arranged to connect to a household supply of electricity, said water conduits and electrical conduit arranged in a plane near said top end for connection to the sources of water and the household supply of electricity, respectively, at counter level.

18. The utilities module according to claim 17, wherein said access panel is accessible from a front of said appliance for connection to a water conditioning module including one selected from the group consisting of a water cooler, a water heater, a water purifier, a water filter, a water carbonator, and a detergent supply.

19. The utility module according to claim 17, further comprising an electronic control cable extending from a top end of said plenum down to behind the access panel for connection to another water appliance.

20. The utilities module according to claim 19, wherein said second water appliance is one selected from the group consisting of a dishwasher, a water purifier, a water heater, a water cooler, a garbage disposer, a refrigerator.