Holding tank with internally reinforced sidewalls and liquid dispenser using same

• US 9,714,110 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2016
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marmon Foodservice Technologies Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Prince Castle LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Veltrop, Loren, Lyons, Christopher, Graef, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LONG, DONNELL ALAN
• Application Number:
  US15/144,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20160244199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 222143, 2221851, 220653
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/46 Local reinforcements, e.g. adjacent closures
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/24 for spacing bases of containers from supporting surfaces, e.g. legs for pallets B65D19/40
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/78 Arrangements of storage tanks, reservoirs or pipe-lines
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/068 by bending the hose
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/00 General constructional features F25D21/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/126 Water cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/122 the refrigerator is characterised by a water tank for the water/ice dispenser

Abstract

The inward and outward deflection of sidewalls of a holding tank for liquids is reduced or eliminated by sidewall reinforcing stringers that extend between the sides and which are located inside the tank. The stringers, maintain the separation distance between the sidewalls to keep the sidewalls substantially parallel to each other.

Claims

1. A liquid holding tank comprising:

a bottom;

a first side wall connected to the bottom;

a second side wall connected to the bottom and opposite the first side wall, a first tank width defined between the first side wall and the second side wall;

a tank top defined between a first top edge and a second top edge, the first top edge generally in vertical alignment with the first side wall, and the second top edge located away from the second side wall in a direction away from the first side wall; and

a first rigid stringer extending between the first and second side walls, the first rigid stringer maintains the first and second side walls substantially vertical and substantially parallel.

2. The liquid holding tank of claim 1, wherein the first rigid stringer is comprised of first and second tapered regions and first and second ends, the first and second tapered regions converging to a center of the liquid holding tank, the first and second tapered regions each having an annular cross section, and the first end of the first rigid stringer is connected to the first side wall and the second end of the first stringer is connected to the second side wall.

3. The liquid holding tank of claim 1 further comprising a cover that extends over the tank top and at least partially encloses the first top edge and the second top edge.

4. The liquid holding tank of claim 3, further comprising a door rotatably attached to the cover, the door selectively operable to occlude or expose an opening into an interior of the liquid holding tank.

5. The liquid holding tank of claim 1 further comprising:

a rear wall connected to the bottom, the first side wall, and the second side wall; and

a detent formed in the bottom and the rear wall, the detent extending from the bottom and the rear wall into an open interior of the liquid holding tank.

6. The liquid holding tank of claim 5, wherein the detent further comprises a rounded top end.

7. The liquid holding tank of claim 1 further comprising a drain extending downwardly from the bottom, the drain configured to dispense liquid from the liquid holding tank.

8. The liquid holding tank of claim 7, further comprising at least one leg extending downwardly from the bottom at a location about the first drain.

9. The liquid holding tank of claim 1, further comprising a second rigid stringer extending between the first and second side walls, wherein the second rigid stringer maintains the first and second side walls substantially vertical and substantially parallel.

10. The liquid holding tank of claim 9, wherein the first side wall and the second side wall each have a geometric center and wherein the first and second rigid stringers extend between the first and second walls at first and second stringer locations, the first and second stringer locations being equally spaced apart from the geometric centers of the first and second side walls.

11. A liquid dispenser comprising:

a cabinet having an interior compartment, the interior compartment having an interior width;

a first tank disposed within the interior compartment and having a first volume, the first tank comprising a bottom a first side wall connected to the bottom, a second side wall connected to the bottom and opposite the first side wall, a first tank width defined between the first side wall and the second side wall, the first tank comprising a tank top defined between a first top edge and a second top edge, the first top edge generally in vertical alignment with the first side wall, and the second top edge located away from the second side wall in a direction away from the first side wall, and the first tank comprising a first rigid stringer extending between the first and second side walls, the first rigid stringer maintains the first and second side walls substantially vertical and substantially parallel; and

a second tank disposed within the interior compartment and having a second volume, the second tank comprising a bottom a third side wall connected to the bottom, a fourth side wall connected to the bottom and opposite the third side wall, a second tank width defined between the third side wall and the fourth side wall, the second tank comprising a tank top defined between a third top edge and a fourth top edge, and the second tank comprising a second rigid stringer extending between the third and fourth side walls, the second rigid stringer maintains the third and fourth side walls substantially vertical and substantially parallel.

12. The dispenser of claim 11, wherein the first tank comprises a rear wall connected to the bottom of the first tank and the second tank comprises a rear wall connected to the bottom of the second tank, and further comprising:

a first detent formed in the bottom and the rear wall of the first tank, the first detent extending from the bottom and the rear wall into an open interior of the first tank; and

a second detent formed in the bottom and the rear wall of the second tank, the second detent extending from the bottom and the rear wall into an open interior of the second tank.

13. The dispenser of claim 11, further comprising:

a first drain extending downwardly from the bottom of the first tank, the first drain configured to dispense liquid from the first tank while the first tank is located in the cabinet;

at least one first leg extending downwardly from the bottom of the first tank at a location about the first drain;

a second drain extending downwardly from the bottom of the second tank, the second drain configured to dispense liquid from the second tank while the second tank is located in the cabinet; and

at least one second leg extending downwardly from the bottom of the second tank at a location about the second drain.

14. The dispenser of claim 13, further comprising:

a first pinch valve connected to the cabinet, the first pinch valve operable to receive a first flexible tube extending from the first drain,

a second pinch valve connected to the cabinet, the second pinch valve operable to receive a second flexible tube extending from the second drain; and

a controller connected to the first pinch valve and the second pinch valve, wherein the controller operates the first pinch valve and the second pinch valve to selectively occlude or release the first flexible tube and the second flexible tube to dispense a volume of liquid therethrough.

15. The liquid dispenser of claim 14, further comprising:

a first load cell connected to the cabinet and at least partially extending into the interior compartment and engaging the first tank to measure at least a partial weight of the first tank and liquid in the first tank;

a second load cell connected to the cabinet and at least partially extending into the interior compartment and engaging the second tank to measure at least a partial weight of the second tank and liquid in the second tank;

wherein the controller operates the first pinch valve and the second pinch valve based in part upon the at least partial weights measured respectively by the first load cell and the second load cell.

16. The liquid dispenser of claim 11, wherein a first tank top width between the first top edge and the second top edge is substantially equal to a second tank top width between the third top edge and the fourth top edge.

17. The liquid dispenser of claim 16, wherein the second tank width is greater than the first tank width, the first tank top width is greater than the first tank width, and the second tank top width is less than the second tank width.

18. The liquid dispenser of claim 17, wherein the third top edge is located away from the third side wall in a direction towards the fourth side wall, and the second side wall and the second top edge correspond to the third side wall and the third top edge.

19. The dispenser of claim 18, wherein the first side wall, second side wall, third side wall and fourth side wall are each thin, substantially planar, substantially vertical, and have smooth outside surfaces.

20. The dispenser of claim 11, wherein the first rigid stringer is hollow and open between a plane of the first wall and a plane of the second wall, the second rigid stringer is hollow and open between a plane of the third wall and a plane of the fourth wall, the first rigid stringer is aligned with the second rigid stringer and the first and second rigid stringers are configured to exchange heat between air inside the first and second rigid stringers and at least one of liquid and air inside the first and second tank.