U.S. patent application number 11/507411 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-21 for water cooler separator body and assembly.
Invention is credited to Yinsun Hsu, C.S. Lin, Daxian Xiao.
Application Number | 20080041493 11/507411 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39100245 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080041493 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lin; C.S. ; et al. |
February 21, 2008 |
Water cooler separator body and assembly
Abstract
An assembly for use in a water cooler designed to hold an
inverted water bottle, wherein the assembly includes a reservoir
having a cylindrically extending side wall, a shoulder located in
the side wall, and a bottom having at least one opening
therethrough. The assembly also includes a bottle receiver located
at least partially within the reservoir and having a mounting
flange, a side wall extending down from the mounting flange to
support a water bottle, and an opening at the bottom end of the
side wall. A separator body is also provided that has a base
extending at least partially over the shoulder on the reservoir,
and a probe extending generally perpendicular from the base for
engaging a cap of a water bottle. The separator body may include a
tube extending down from the base, a bottom portion of which is
lockingly engaged with a tube extending from the bottom of the
reservoir. A seal may be formed between the separator body tube and
the reservoir tube, and the reservoir tube may extend around the
opening in the bottom of the reservoir. The base of the separator
body may include at least one opening communicating the interior of
the separator body tube with a top side of the separator body
base.
Inventors: |
Lin; C.S.; (Nanjing, CN)
; Xiao; Daxian; (Nanjing, CN) ; Hsu; Yinsun;
(Nanjing, CN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BAKER & DANIELS LLP
205 W. JEFFERSON BOULEVARD, SUITE 250
SOUTH BEND
IN
46601
US
|
Family ID: |
39100245 |
Appl. No.: |
11/507411 |
Filed: |
August 21, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/353 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B67D 3/0009 20130101;
B67D 3/0038 20130101; B67D 3/0032 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/353 |
International
Class: |
B65B 1/04 20060101
B65B001/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 21, 2006 |
CN |
200610111646.2 |
Claims
1. An assembly for use in a water cooler designed to hold an
inverted water bottle, the assembly including: a reservoir having a
mounting flange, a side wall extending down from the mounting
flange, an inwardly extending shoulder in the side wall, and a
bottom having an opening therethrough; and a separator body having
a base, a probe extending up from the base for engaging a cap of a
water bottle, and a tube extending down from the base.
2. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim 1,
wherein the reservoir includes a bottom, and the opening is located
in the bottom.
3. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim 2,
wherein the reservoir includes a tube extending down from the
opening in the bottom .
4. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim 3,
wherein the tube extending down on the separator body extends at
least partially into the tube on the reservoir bottom.
5. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim 4,
wherein the tube on the reservoir includes a sealing surface
configured to seal with the tube extending down from the base of
the separator body.
6. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim 5,
wherein a locking feature is located on the inside of the tube in
the reservoir configured to engage a locking feature on the tube of
the separator body.
7. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim 6,
wherein the locking feature on the tube of the reservoir includes a
pair of inwardly extending projections, and the locking feature on
the tube of the separator body includes a pair of outwardly
extending projections that are configured to fit between the
projections on the tube of the reservoir.
8. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim 7,
wherein the locking features on the tube are engaged by inserting
the projections on the tube of the separator body beyond the
projections on the tube of the reservoir and rotating the separator
body.
9. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim 1,
further including a bottle receiver located at least partially
within the reservoir and having a mounting flange, a side wall
extending down from the mounting flange including an inclined
portion and a vertical portion, and an opening at a bottom end of
the side wall.
10. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim 9,
wherein the bottle receiver includes a base, and the opening is
through the base and configured to receive the probe of the
separator body.
11. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim 9,
wherein the inclined portion of the side wall of the bottle
receiver has a funnel-shaped configuration, and the vertical
portion of the side wall of the bottle receiver has a cylindrical
configuration.
12. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim 1,
wherein the base of the separator body extends at least partially
over the shoulder in the side wall of the reservoir.
13. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim
12, wherein the shoulder has an annular configuration, and the base
is circular and extends generally perpendicular to the probe.
14. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim
12, wherein the side wall of the reservoir includes an outlet
opening above the shoulder.
15. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim 1,
wherein the mounting flanges of the reservoir and the bottle
receiver have an annular configuration, and the side walls of the
reservoir have a cylindrical configuration.
16. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim 1,
wherein the bottle receiver includes an annular downwardly
extending locating flange.
17. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim
16, wherein the bottle receiver includes outwardly extending
projections on the locating flange.
18. The assembly for use in a water cooler as set forth in claim
17, further including a mounting ring having locking recesses for
receiving the projections on the locating flange of the bottle
receiver, and the bottle receiver is rotated to a locked position
with respect the reservoir.
19. A separator body for use in an assembly of a water cooler
designed to hold an inverted water bottle, the separator body
including: a base; a probe configured to engage a cap on the water
bottle and extending from the base along an axis of the separator
body; and a tube extending along the axis of the separator body
from an opposite side of the base from which the probe extends, the
tube including a locking configuration at the bottom portion
thereof.
20. An assembly for use in a water cooler designed to hold an
inverted water bottle, the assembly including: a reservoir having a
mounting flange, a side wall extending down from the mounting
flange, and a bottom having at least one opening therethrough; a
bottle receiver located at least partially within the reservoir and
having a mounting flange, a side wall extending down from the
mounting flange including an inclined portion and a vertical
portion, and an opening at a bottom end of the side wall; and a
separator body having a base, a probe extending up from the base
and through the opening in the bottom of the bottle receiver for
engaging a cap of a water bottle.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Chinese Patent
Application Serial Number 200610111646.2 filed Aug. 21, 2006, the
complete disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by
reference.
[0002] The subject invention relates to a separator body and
assembly for use in a water cooler, and in particular, to a
separator body having an upper probe portion for engaging a water
bottle cap and a lower mounting configuration.
[0003] There currently exist various designs of assemblies that can
hold a water bottle and engage a cap on the bottle to dispense
water from the bottle into a water cooler unit. For example, U.S.
Pat. No. 4,846,236 (the '236 patent) to Deruntz discloses a
dispenser insert having an annular mounting flange and a bowl
extending down from the flange. The '236 patent also discloses that
the dispenser includes a star-shaped penetrator to puncture the cap
of the bottle to allow water to flow into the dispenser. The bowl
also has apertures so that water can flow out of the bottom of the
dispenser.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,127 (the '127 patent) to Burrows
discloses a water cooler for use with bottled water and includes a
station housing and a station reservoir. The '127 patent also
discloses a receiver assembly for receiving and supporting the
water bottle. The receiver assembly comprises a support funnel
having a depending outer flange, a probe tube having water flow
ports and air vent holes, and an insert tube located within the
probe tube. The insert tube includes water flow ports aligned with
the ports in the probe tube and slotted recesses aligned with the
air vent holes.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,416 to Desrosiers et al. discloses a
bottled water dispenser system having a support ring for supporting
the water bottle. A support side wall extending from the support
ring forms a hollow, cylindrical body having a base. A probe
extends up through an aperture in the base. The probe is designed
to interlock with an inner cap of the water bottle and force the
inner cap from an opening in a main bottle cap so that water can be
dispensed. The probe holds the inner cap until the bottle is
removed from the water dispenser, whereupon the inner cap is
re-engaged with and seals the opening in the main cap.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,921 to Busick et al. discloses a
mounting adapter and related water cap for a bottled water cooler.
The mounting adapter includes an upper mounting flange for
supporting the mounting adapter on the cooler, a sleeve segment
extending down from the upper mounting flange, a central cup or
well extending down from the sleeve, and a bottom wall. An outer
tube extends up from an aperture in the bottom wall, and an inner
tube is located inside the outer tube. The outer tube includes flow
slots, and the inner tube includes flow ports aligned with the flow
slots to allow water flowing from the water bottle to flow into and
down through the inner tube. An annular flow path is formed between
the inner tube and outer tube to allow air to flow up and into the
water bottle. The outer tube includes a tip and an undercut recess
below the tip to hold the inner cap. The outer tube also reseals
the inner cap on the water bottle when the water bottle is removed
from the water cooler.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,113 to Hidding discloses a dispensing
system having a fluted probe and a valved closure. The dispensing
system includes a receiver having a supporting upper flange, a
larger diameter vertical section extending down from the flange,
and a smaller diameter vertical section attached to and extending
down from the larger vertical section. A sloped section connects
the larger and smaller diameter vertical sections. A support or
base is located across the bottom of the smaller vertical section
and includes apertures extending therethrough to allow water to
flow through the receiver. A probe extends upwardly from the base
and adjacent to the apertures and includes fins defining flutes for
flow of water and air through the receiver. The probe includes
disc-like flanges and a groove to facilitate holding and resealing
an inner cap on the cap of the water bottle if the water bottle is
removed from the receiver.
[0008] U.S. Patent Application No. US 2005/0224133 discloses a
receptacle assembly for a bottled water dispenser. In one
embodiment, the receptacle includes a bottle support member and an
upright side wall connected to the bottle support member. The
receptacle also has a bottom wall portion and an elongated piercing
probe attached to the bottom wall portion. The probe includes a
rounded end portion and a groove located beneath the end portion
for releasably holding an inner cap of the water bottle to allow
the water bottle to be resealed upon removal from the receptacle.
In another embodiment, the piercing probe is molded as a single
unitary piece with the receptacle, and openings are provided in the
bottom wall portion to allow air and water to flow between the
upright side wall portion and a lower tube portion having a lower
opening.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In one embodiment of the invention, an assembly is provided
for use in a water cooler designed to hold an inverted water
bottle, wherein the assembly includes a reservoir having a mounting
flange, a side wall extending down from the mounting flange, an
inwardly extending shoulder in the side wall, and a bottom having
an opening therethrough. The assembly also includes a separator
body having a base, a probe extending up from the base for engaging
a cap of a water bottle, and a tube extending down from the
base.
[0010] The reservoir includes a bottom and the opening is located
in the bottom. The reservoir may include a tube extending down from
the opening in the bottom. The tube extending down on the separator
body may extend at least partially into the tube on the reservoir
bottom. The tube on the reservoir may also include a sealing
surface to provide a seal with the tube extending down from the
base of the separator body. A locking feature may be located on the
inside of the tube on the reservoir that is configured to engage a
locking feature on the tube of the separator body.
[0011] The locking feature on the tube of the reservoir may include
a pair of inwardly extending projections, and the locking feature
on the tube of the separator body may include a pair of outwardly
extending projections that are configured to fit between the
projections on the tube of the reservoir. The locking features on
the tube can be engaged by inserting the projections on the tube of
the separator body between and beyond the projections on the tube
of the reservoir and rotating the separator body.
[0012] The assembly may also include a bottle receiver located at
least partially within the reservoir and having a mounting flange,
a side wall extending down from the mounting flange to support a
water bottle, and an opening at a bottom end of the side wall. The
side wall of the bottle receiver includes an inclined portion for
supporting the bottle and a vertical portion. The bottle receiver
may include a base and the opening is through the base. The opening
is configured to receive the probe of the separator body. The
inclined portion of the side wall may have a funnel-shaped
configuration, and the vertical portion of the side wall of the
bottle receiver may have a cylindrical configuration.
[0013] The base of the separator body may extend at least partially
over the shoulder in the side wall of the reservoir. The shoulder
may have an annular configuration, and the base of the separator
body may be circular and extend generally perpendicular to the
probe. The side wall of the reservoir may include an outlet opening
above the shoulder. The mounting flanges of the reservoir and the
bottle receiver may have an annular configuration, and the side
walls of the reservoir may have a cylindrical configuration.
[0014] The bottle receiver may include an annular downwardly
extending locating flange. The bottle receiver may include
outwardly extending projections on the locating flange. The
assembly may further include a mounting ring having locking
recesses for receiving the projections on the locating flange of
the bottle receiver, and the bottle receiver can be rotated and
locked into position with respect to the reservoir.
[0015] In another embodiment of the invention, an assembly is
provided for use in a water cooler designed to hold an inverted
water bottle, wherein the assembly includes a reservoir having a
cylindrically extending side wall, a bottom at the lower end of the
side wall, a base including an opening, and a tube extending down
from the opening. A separator body is also provided that has a
probe that extends up into the opening of the bottle receiver for
engaging a cap of a water bottle. The separator body also has a
downwardly extending tube, and a bottom portion of the separator
body tube is located within the tube of the reservoir. The assembly
may also include a bottle receiver located at least partially
within the reservoir, and the bottle receiver has a mounting
flange, a side wall extending down from the mounting flange to
support a water bottle, and an opening at the bottom of the side
wall.
[0016] The assembly may include a second opening in the base of the
reservoir and a third opening in the side wall of the reservoir.
The side wall of the reservoir may have a shoulder, and the third
opening may be located above the shoulder. The separator body may
include a base, and the base may extend at least partially over the
shoulder in the side wall of the reservoir. The shoulder in the
side wall of the reservoir may have an annular configuration, and
the base of the separator body may have a circular
configuration.
[0017] The bottle receiver may include a locating flange including
locking projections. The locating flange may have an annular
configuration and extend in an orientation coincident with an axis
of the bottle receiver. The assembly may further include a mounting
ring having locking recesses configured to receive the projections
on the locating flange of the bottle receiver, and the bottle
receiver can be rotated and locked into position with respect to
the reservoir.
[0018] The separator body tube may include a channel and a seal
located in the channel. The seal seats against the sealing surface
of the tube in the reservoir. At least one of either the separator
body tube or the tube of the reservoir may include projections for
locking the separator body to the reservoir. The separator body may
be locked into the reservoir by rotating the separator body, and
the separator body may include gripping flanges for rotating the
separator body. The separator body tube may include outwardly
extending projections, and the tube of the reservoir may include
mating inwardly extending projections.
[0019] Also, an embodiment of the invention includes an assembly
for use in a water cooler designed to hold an inverted water
bottle, wherein the assembly includes a reservoir having a side
wall with an outlet opening located therein and a bottom at the
lower end of the side wall that includes two outlet openings. The
assembly also has a separator body having an axis, a probe
extending along the axis, a radially extending base from which the
probe extends, and an axially extending tube extending from an
opposite side of the base from the probe. The assembly also may
include a bottle receiver located at least partially within the
reservoir. The bottle receiver has a mounting flange, a side wall
extending down from the mounting flange to support a water bottle,
and an opening at the bottom of the side wall.
[0020] The side wall of the reservoir may include an annular
shoulder, and the base of the separator body may extend at least
partially over the shoulder. The outlet opening in the side wall
may be located above the shoulder. The reservoir may include a tube
extending down from one of the outlet openings, and a bottom
portion of the separator body tube may be located in the reservoir
tube. The bottom potion of the separator body tube may be
releasably locked into the reservoir tube. A seal may be formed
between the separator body tube and the reservoir tube.
[0021] In another embodiment of the invention, an assembly is
provided for use in a water cooler designed to hold an inverted
water bottle, wherein the assembly includes a reservoir having a
cylindrically extending side wall, a shoulder located in the side
wall, and a bottom having at least one opening therethrough. A
separator body is also provided that has a base extending at least
partially over the shoulder on the reservoir, and a probe extending
generally perpendicular from the base for engaging a cap of a water
bottle. The assembly may also include a bottle receiver located at
least partially within the reservoir. The bottle receiver has a
mounting flange, a side wall extending down from the mounting
flange to support a water bottle, and an opening at the bottom end
of the side wall.
[0022] The separator body may include a tube extending down from
the base, a bottom portion of which is lockingly engaged with a
tube extending from the bottom of the reservoir. A seal may be
formed between the separator body tube and the reservoir tube, and
the reservoir tube may extend around the opening in the bottom of
the reservoir. The base of the separator body may include at least
one opening communicating the interior of the separator body tube
with a top side of the separator body base.
[0023] Also in an embodiment of the invention, a separator body is
provided for use in an assembly of a water cooler designed to hold
an inverted water bottle, wherein the separator body includes a
base and a probe configured to engage a cap on the water bottle.
The probe extends from the base along an axis of the separator
body. The separator body also has a tube extending along the axis
from an opposite side of the base from which the probe extends. The
tube includes a locking configuration at a bottom portion
thereof.
[0024] The locking configuration may include projections extending
outwardly from the tube. The base may include openings extending
therethrough to provide communication between an interior of the
tube and a top side of the base. A seal may be located on the tube
in a channel that extends around the outside of the tube. The
separator body may further include gripping flanges to facilitate
rotational movement around the axis thereof. The separator body may
include two gripping flanges extending perpendicular from the base
on opposite sides of the probe.
[0025] In yet another embodiment of the invention, a separator body
is provided for use in an assembly of a water cooler designed to
hold an inverted water bottle, wherein the separator body includes
a base and a probe for engaging a cap on the water bottle. The
probe extends from the base along an axis of the separator body.
The separator body also includes a tube extending from an opposite
side of the base from which the probe extends, and the tube has a
circumferentially extending channel. The channel may extend around
the outside of the tub, and a sealing ring may be located in the
channel.
[0026] The tube may include a locking configuration located at a
bottom portion thereof. The locking configuration may include
projections extending outwardly from the tube. The separator body
may also include at least one opening through the base providing
communication between an interior of the tube and a top side of the
base. The separator body may further include gripping flanges to
facilitate rotational movement of the separator body around the
axis. Two gripping flanges may be provided that extend
perpendicularly from the base on opposite sides of the probe.
[0027] It is also a feature of the invention to provide a reservoir
for use in an assembly of a water cooler designed to hold an
inverted water bottle, wherein the reservoir includes a mounting
flange extending annularly around the top thereof, a side wall
extending down from the mounting flange that includes an inwardly
extending shoulder and an opening located above the shoulder, and a
bottom having at least one opening therethrough.
[0028] The reservoir may further include a second opening in the
bottom. Also, the reservoir may include a tube extending about the
opening and down from the bottom. The reservoir may further include
a locking feature and a sealing surface in the tube. The locking
feature may include inwardly extending projections.
[0029] In another embodiment of the invention, an assembly is
provided for use in a water cooler designed to hold an inverted
water bottle, wherein the assembly includes a reservoir having a
mounting flange, a side wall extending down from the mounting
flange and the bottom having at least one opening therethrough. The
assembly also includes a bottle receiver located at least partially
within the reservoir and having a mounting flange, a side wall
extending down from the mounting flange including an angled portion
and a vertical portion, and an opening at a bottom end of the side
wall. In addition, the assembly includes a separator body having a
base, a probe extending up from the base and through the opening in
the bottom of the bottle receiver for engaging a cap of a water
bottle.
[0030] The reservoir in the assembly may include a shoulder in the
side wall and an opening above the shoulder. The separator body may
include a tube extending down from the base that includes a locking
feature, a circumferential channel, and a sealing ring located in
the channel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] The invention itself will be better understood by reference
to the following description of embodiments taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0032] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a water cooler having a
separator body and assembly in accordance with the subject
invention;
[0033] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of
a separator body and assembly;
[0034] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the water cooler
separator body and assembly of FIG. 2 taken along line 3-3 in FIG.
1 as installed in a water cooler and about to receive a bottle of
water;
[0035] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the water cooler
separator body and assembly contacting an inner cap of the water
bottle during installation;
[0036] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the water cooler
separator body and assembly with a water bottle fully received in
the water cooler;
[0037] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the water
cooler separator body;
[0038] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the water cooler separator body
of FIG. 6;
[0039] FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the water cooler separator
body of FIG. 6;
[0040] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the water cooler
separator body of FIG. 6 taken along lines 9-9 of FIG. 7;
[0041] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the water cooler
separator body of FIG. 6 taken along lines 10-10 of FIG. 7;
[0042] FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the reservoir that is a
component of the assembly in FIG. 2;
[0043] FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the bottle retainer that is a
component of the assembly in FIG. 2;
[0044] FIG. 12A is an enlarged view of a cut-away area from the
location indicated in FIG. 12 of the bottle retainer;
[0045] FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of the mounting ring that is a
component of the assembly in FIG. 2; and
[0046] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
water cooler separator body having a slot in the bottom tube.
[0047] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding
parts throughout the several views. Although the drawings represent
embodiments of the present invention, the drawings are not
necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in
order to better illustrate and explain the present invention. The
exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the
invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as
limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0048] For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the
principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the
embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which are described below.
It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope
of the invention is thereby intended. The invention includes any
alterations and further modifications in the illustrated devices
and described methods and further applications of the principles of
the invention, which would normally occur to one skilled in the art
to which the invention relates.
[0049] Now referring to FIG. 1, a water cooler is shown, generally
indicated as 10. Water cooler 10 includes a cabinet or housing 12
and controls 14a, 14b, and 14c. Housing 12 has a top wall 15 having
an opening 15a therein for receiving water from a water bottle 16.
In the embodiment shown, controls 14a and 14c are push-button
controls for dispensing the water, and 14b is a slide control for
adjusting the temperature of the water dispensed through control
14c. Water cooler 10 is capable of storing and dispensing water
from water bottle 16 at room temperature, at a chilled temperature,
or at a heated temperature, as is known. Water bottle 16 includes a
neck 17 having an opening, generally indicated as 18, at an end
thereof (FIG. 3). Opening 18 is covered by a cap, generally
indicated as 19. Cap 19 includes a central tubular section,
generally indicated as 20, and a resealable inner cap 22 covering
an end of the tube, as is known.
[0050] Referring now to FIGS. 2-5, water cooler 10 includes an
assembly, generally indicated as 30. Assembly 30 includes a
cylindrical reservoir, generally indicated as 32; a bottle
retainer, generally indicated as 34; a separator body, generally
indicated as 36; and a mounting ring, generally indicated as 38.
Reservoir 32 includes a generally annular mounting flange 40, and a
generally cylindrical side wall 42 having an upper portion 42a and
a lower portion 42b, which has a slightly smaller diameter than
upper portion 42a. Reservoir 32 also includes a shoulder or ledge
44, connecting upper portion 42a and lower portion 42b, and a
bottom 46. Reservoir 32 also has an outlet opening/port 48, in
upper side wall portion 42a for dispensing room temperature water,
as is discussed in further detail below. Bottom 46 includes two
outlet openings or ports 50 and 52. Outlet opening 50 is for
dispensing chilled water, and outlet opening 52 includes a tube 54
extending down from bottom 46 leading to a chamber for heating
water, as is discussed in further detail below. Two locking
projections or tabs 56 extend inwardly on the interior of tube 54,
as best shown in FIG. 11. The projections are configured to lock
separator body 36 to the reservoir, as discussed below. Tube 54
also includes a sealing surface 58 on the interior of the tube
above projections 56. Reservoir 32 is preferably made from a
corrosion-resistant material, such as plastic, and may be formed as
a unitary piece by a process, such as injection molding. The
reservoir may also be made out of corrosion-resistant metal, such
as stainless steel or aluminum.
[0051] Bottle retainer 34 includes an annular mounting flange 60
mounted around opening 15a in top wall 15 of the water cooling
housing and a side wall 62, including a funnel-shaped inclined
portion 62a extending down from mounting flange 60 and configured
to receive bottle 16, and a vertically oriented cylindrical lower
portion 62b. Bottle retainer 34 also includes a bottom 64 connected
to lower side wall portion 62b and an opening 66 located in the
center of bottom 64. Bottle retainer 34 also includes an annular
locating flange 68 that extends in a generally vertical
orientation. Locating flange 68 includes four equally spaced
outwardly extending locking projections 70 (see FIGS. 12 and 12A)
for locking the bottle retainer to mounting ring 38. Locating
flange 68 also has four gussets 72 located on the opposite side of
the ring from locking projections 70 to provide structural support.
Bottle retainer 34 is preferably made from a corrosion-resistant
material, such as a plastic that may be formed by the injection
molding process or may be stamped from a corrosion-resistant metal,
such as stainless steel or aluminum.
[0052] Now referring to FIGS. 6-10, separator body 36 includes a
generally circular base 80, a probe, generally indicated as 82,
extending generally perpendicular from base 80 along an axis A of
the separator body (FIGS. 9 and 10), and a tube, generally
indicated as 84, extending along axis A from the opposite side of
base 80 from which probe 82 extends. Separator body 36 also has a
pair of gripping members or flanges 86 that extend generally
perpendicular from base 80 on either side of probe 82, to provide a
location for applying a torsional rotating force to the separator
body, as discussed below. Also, on the bottom of base 80, four
equally spaced gussets 88 are provided that extend generally
perpendicular from base 80 from the same side as tube 84 to provide
structural support.
[0053] Probe 82 of the separator body includes four flanges 90
arranged in a cruciform configuration centered on axis A and that
define channels 92 therebetween. Probe 82 also includes an upper
end 94 for engaging inner cap 22 on water bottle 16 and a groove 96
located between upper end 94 and flanges 90 for receiving a lip on
the inner cap, as is known.
[0054] Tube 84 of separator body 36 includes a cylindrical wall 100
defining an interior space 102. Tube 84 also includes a
circumferentially extending channel 104 formed on the outside of
wall 100 for receiving a compressible resilient sealing ring 105.
Tube 84 also has a pair of outwardly extending locking tabs or
projections 106 located below channel 104 and on opposite sides of
the tube, as best shown in FIGS. 6 and 9. Also, as best shown in
FIGS. 8-10, flanges 90 and channels 92 of probe 82 extend partially
into tube 84. In addition, separator body 36 includes four openings
108 extending through base 80 that coincide with channels 92 to
provide communication from the interior 102 of tube 84 to the top
side of base 80. Separator body 36 is preferably made from a
corrosion-resistant material, such as plastic, and may be formed by
the injection molding process.
[0055] Mounting ring 38 (FIG. 13) has a generally annular
configuration and a generally L-shaped cross-section including an
upper leg 110 and a downwardly extending leg 112. Mounting ring 38
also includes four equally spaced L-shaped locking recesses 114
located on the inside of leg 112. Locking recesses 114 each have an
upper leg 116 open at the top end of the mounting ring, and a lower
leg 118 having a generally horizontal orientation. Mounting ring 38
is positioned between mounting flange 60 of bottle retainer 34 and
mounting flange 40 of reservoir 32, and the locking recesses 114
are configured to receive locking projections 70 on locating flange
68 of the bottle retainer, as discussed below. It should also be
appreciated that, although retainer ring 38 is shown as a separate
member, it may also be molded integrally with top wall 15 of
housing 12.
[0056] To install assembly 30 in water cooler 10, reservoir 32 is
placed in the top of cabinet 12 with mounting flange 40 located at
the upper end thereof. Mounting ring 38 is located above mounting
flange 40 with upper leg 110 extending around opening 15a in the
top wall of the housing, as best shown in FIGS. 3-5. Separator body
36 is installed in the reservoir by inserting the lower portion of
tube 84 into tube 54 with probe 82 extending upward in the
reservoir, as shown in FIGS. 3-5. To insert tube 84 into tube 54,
projections 106 are inserted between and pushed beyond inwardly
extending locking projections 56 on the interior of tube 54. When
locking projections 106 are inserted in tube 84 past locking
projections 56 on tube 54, the separator body is rotated and locked
into position by using gripping flanges 86 to provide leverage for
rotational movement. The separator body is turned until locking
projections 106 are located below locking projections 56, which
locks the separator body into place in the reservoir. In addition,
when the separator body is locked into the reservoir, a fluid seal
is formed between tube 84 and tube 54, as sealing ring 105 is
compressed between channel 104 and sealing surface 58. Also, when
the separator body is locked to the reservoir, base 80 will at
least partially overlie shoulder 44, but a small gap is formed
between the base and shoulder so that water can flow therebetween.
When the separator body is installed, the base creates two
chambers: a lower chamber 120 and an upper chamber 122, in the
reservoir (FIG. 3). Lower chamber 120 is defined by lower side wall
portion 42b of the reservoir, base 80 of separator body 36, and
bottom 46 of the reservoir, and upper chamber 122 is defined by
upper side wall portion 42a of the reservoir, base 80 of separator
body 36, and bottle retainer 34. Also, when the separator body is
assembled thusly, outlet opening 48 will be above base 80 of the
separator body, providing an outlet to upper chamber 122.
[0057] Next, bottle retainer 34 is installed on assembly 30 by
lowering the bottle retainer so that the upper end 94 of probe 82
goes through opening 66 in bottom 64 and continuing to lower the
bottle retainer until the probe is approximately half way up lower
side wall portion 62b of the bottle retainer, as shown in FIG. 3.
To lock the bottle retainer in place, locking projections 70 on
locating flange 68 are positioned for receipt in respective upper
legs 116 of locking recesses 114. Locking projections 70 are then
pushed down into the lower leg 118 of recesses 114, wherein the
bottle retainer can be rotated to lock it into position with
respect to the mounting ring. When assembled thusly, reservoir 32,
bottle retainer 34, separator body 36, and mounting ring 38 are all
centered and aligned along the common axis A of the separator
body.
[0058] To operate water cooler 10, a water bottle 16 is inverted
and installed in the sequence shown in FIGS. 3-5. First, any label
or protective seal covering tube 20 in cap 19 is removed and the
bottle positioned with neck 17 and cap 19 in lower side wall
portion 62b of the bottle retainer (FIG. 3). As the bottle is
lowered, probe 82 enters tube 20 of cap 19 and the upper end 94 of
probe 82 engages inner cap 22, as shown in FIG. 4. Also, a lip
along the bottom inner edge of inner cap 22 is received in groove
96 of probe 82, which holds the inner cap on the probe, as is
known. When the bottle is completely in place and resting on and
supported by bottle retainer 34, the upper end 94 of probe 82 has
pushed inner cap 22 away from tube 20, as shown in FIG. 5, allowing
water to flow from the bottle through channels 92 of the probe into
reservoir 32.
[0059] In the reservoir, water will flow through openings 108 in
base 80 into and down through tube 84 and into a fluid compartment
(not shown) for heating water to be dispensed by control 14a on
water cooler 10. When the hot water fluid compartment is filled,
tube 84 fills to the top and additional water flowing from water
bottle 16 flows around the edges of base 80 and between the base
and shoulder 44 into lower chamber 120. As chamber 120 is filled,
the water level rises into chamber 122. The water level continues
to rise until it meets the bottom of neck 17 on water bottle 16,
wherein further air exchange with the water in the bottle is
precluded. Water in chamber 120 is chilled by a known refrigeration
system and can be dispensed through outlet opening 50. Water in
upper chamber 122 remains at approximately room temperature and can
be dispensed through outlet opening 48. Also, water cooler 10 may
be equipped with a mixing valve to mix the water exiting outlet
opening 48 and outlet opening 50 or 52 so that the water is
dispensed at a desired temperature.
[0060] When it is desired to remove water bottle 16, the lip on
inner cap 22 in groove 96 of probe 82 will hold the inner cap on
the probe until the inner cap is reinserted in and sealed in tube
20, as water bottle 16 is lifted away from assembly 10, as is known
in the art. This prevents any water remaining in water bottle 16
from accidentally leaking out.
[0061] Referring now to FIG. 14, an alternate embodiment of the
separator body is shown, generally indicated as 136. Separator body
136 is similar in all aspects to separator body 36 except that
separator body 136 includes a slotted opening 183 in a tube 184
extending from base 80. With opening 183, when the hot water
chamber is filled, water can flow through tube 184 directly into
chamber 120 without having to go between the edge of base 80 and
shoulder 44. In all other respects, separator body 136 is assembled
and operated as separator body 36.
[0062] While the invention has been taught with specific reference
to these embodiments, one skilled in the art will recognize that
changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the probe may have
a tubular configuration with water and vent ports for water and air
to flow therein as opposed to the cruciform configuration shown in
the figures. In addition, more or fewer gripping flanges may be
provided on the separator body, and the flanges may be formed in
any suitable configuration that will assist in rotating the
separator body. The gripping flanges may also be provided on the
probe. Also, one or the other of tube 84 and tube 54 may contain
recesses to receive mating projections, like the mounting ring, as
opposed to providing locking projections on both tubes.
Furthermore, the configuration of the recesses in the mounting ring
may be varied, or the mounting ring may include locking projections
to lock with projections 70. Alternately, the recesses may be
included on the locating flange, and the projections may be
included on the mounting ring. The described embodiments are to be
considered, therefore, in all respects only as illustrative and not
restrictive. As such, the scope of the invention is indicated by
the following claims rather than by the description.
* * * * *