U.S. patent application number 12/308802 was filed with the patent office on 2010-01-28 for device for dispensing beverage cans.
This patent application is currently assigned to WHIRLPOOL S.A.. Invention is credited to Adirlei Andre Kraemer, Guilherme Nehring, Ademar Testoni.
Application Number | 20100018989 12/308802 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38857944 |
Filed Date | 2010-01-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100018989 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kraemer; Adirlei Andre ; et
al. |
January 28, 2010 |
Device for dispensing beverage cans
Abstract
The present device for dispensing beverage cans is mounted in a
refrigerator whose front door is provided with a dispensing opening
and comprises: a chute disposed in the interior of the refrigerator
to lodge a plurality of beverage cans; a dispensing porthole
externally carrying a cradle and being inferiorly and horizontally
articulated to the front door, to be displaced between a closed
position, blocking the dispensing opening, and an open position,
projecting inclinedly to the interior of the refrigerator; and an
extracting lever medianly and horizontally articulated internally
to the refrigerator to be displaced, by the porthole, from a
non-operative position to an operative position, in which it
releases the first beverage can of the chute, gravitationally
rolling said can over the dispensing porthole towards the
cradle.
Inventors: |
Kraemer; Adirlei Andre;
(Joinville, BR) ; Nehring; Guilherme; (Joinville,
BR) ; Testoni; Ademar; (Joinville, BR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DARBY & DARBY P.C.
P.O. BOX 770, Church Street Station
New York
NY
10008-0770
US
|
Assignee: |
WHIRLPOOL S.A.
Sao Paulo-SP
BR
|
Family ID: |
38857944 |
Appl. No.: |
12/308802 |
Filed: |
September 5, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
September 5, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/BR2007/000229 |
371 Date: |
August 24, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
221/199 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/0071 20130101;
F25D 23/025 20130101; G07F 11/40 20130101; F25D 2331/809 20130101;
F25D 31/007 20130101; F25D 2331/805 20130101; G07F 11/24
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
221/199 |
International
Class: |
B65D 83/00 20060101
B65D083/00; F25D 23/04 20060101 F25D023/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 6, 2006 |
BR |
PI 0604040-3 |
Claims
1. A device for dispensing beverage cans through a dispensing
opening provided in the front door of a refrigerator, comprising: a
chute disposed in the interior of the refrigerator and configured
to receive and lodge a plurality of beverage cans disposed side by
side, to be sequentially discharged through an outlet opening of
the chute; a dispensing porthole externally carrying a cradle and
being inferiorly and horizontally articulated in the front door,
internally to the refrigerator, so as to be manually and angularly
displaced between a closed position, in which it blocks the
dispensing opening, positioning the cradle externally to said
dispensing opening and manually accessible to the user, and an open
position, in which it projects inclinedly upwards and inwards of
the refrigerator, so as to block the dispensing opening with the
cradle; and an extracting lever that is medianly and horizontally
articulated internally to the refrigerator, so as to be angularly
displaced, upon the displacement of the dispensing porthole to an
open position, from a non-operative position to an operative
position, in which it displaces the first beverage can of the
chute, releasing it through an outlet opening of said chute and
gravitationally conducting it to the cradle, rolling said beverage
can over the dispensing porthole.
2. Dispenser device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the chute is
mounted in the interior of the refrigerator and comprises at least
one support track disposed according to a direction transversal to
the plane of the front door and having a front end in which is
defined an outlet opening of the chute, said support track housing
a plurality of beverage cans.
3. Dispenser device, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the chute
comprises at least two support tracks disposed one over the other
and interconnected by one of the ends, in a serpentine-shaped
stack, the upper support track presenting an open inlet end, for
feeding the beverage cans.
4. Dispenser device, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the front end
of the support track, in which is defined an outlet opening of the
chute, is provided with a lower stop against which is laterally
seated and retained the first beverage can lodged in the chute.
5. Dispenser device, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the beverage
cans are gravitationally forced towards the lower stop, close to
the outlet opening of the chute, by inclination of the respective
support track.
6. Dispenser device, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the chute is
superiorly provided with engaging device to be coupled with the
respective suspension means provided under a horizontal inner wall
of the refrigerator.
7. Dispenser device, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the engaging
means take the form of oblong orifices made in an upper wall
portion of the chute and dimensioned to be removably fitted in
suspension device in the form of pins pending from a horizontal
inner wall of the refrigerator.
8. Dispenser device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the
dispensing porthole is constantly forced to a closed position by a
return spring operatively associated with the front door and with
the dispensing porthole.
9. Dispenser device, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the
dispensing porthole comprises: an outer casing in the form of a
trunk-pyramidal tray of rectangular contour, whose closed smaller
base incorporates, externally, a front projection configured to
superiorly define the cradle of cylindrical concave shape and,
inferiorly, a pending flange to be manually held by the user; an
inner casing rearly closing the outer casing and defining a cam
surface; a thermal insulating filler disposed in between the two
casings; and a gasket mounted around the outer casing, to be seated
against a trunk-pyramidal seat provided in the front door, around
the dispensing opening, when the dispensing porthole is displaced
to a closed position.
10. Dispenser device, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the outer
casing inferiorly incorporates two pairs of ears provided with
respective axially aligned holes, each pair of ears journaling a
pin around which is mounted a return spring having an end
cooperating with the front door and the other end cooperating with
the dispensing porthole, each pin projecting outwards from the
respective pair of ears, to be journaled in a hole made in the
front door, close to one of the sides of the dispensing opening, so
as to define a lower horizontal articulation of the dispensing
porthole in the front door of the refrigerator.
11. Dispenser device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the front
door carries, in its inner side, a protective cover
circumferencially and rearly surrounding the dispensing opening and
the dispensing porthole and being provided with a rear window in
whose lower region is medianly articulated the extracting
lever.
12. Dispenser device, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the
extracting lever comprises: an extracting portion; a conducting
portion defining an extension of the extracting portion; and a cam
follower portion projecting transversally forward of the extracting
lever, in its median articulation region, said cam follower portion
being displaced by the dispensing porthole, when the latter is
conducted to the open position, so as to displace, upwardly, the
extracting portion and therewith, the first beverage can of the
chute and, downwardly, the conducting portion of the extracting
lever, making said first beverage can gravitationally roll over the
extracting lever and over the dispensing porthole, until seating on
the cradle.
13. Dispenser device, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the chute
comprises at least one support track lodging a plurality of
beverage cans and having a front end in which is defined an outlet
opening of the chute, and provided a lower stop, against which is
laterally seated and retained the first beverage can lodged in the
chute, the upward displacement of the extracting portion (60)
upwardly displacing said first beverage can, releasing the can from
the lower stop and allowing it to gravitationally roll over the
extracting lever and over the dispensing porthole, until reaching
the cradle.
14. Dispenser device, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the
extracting lever incorporates, on both sides of its median
articulation portion, two shaft portions to be journaled in a pair
of side cradles incorporated in the lower region of the rear window
of the protective cover, each shaft portion carrying a helical
spring cooperating with the protective cover and the extracting
lever, so as to constantly force the latter to a non-operative
position.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention refers to a device for dispensing
beverage cans to be applied, for example, to a stand-alone
refrigerator or a combination refrigerator-freezer, for dispensing
refrigerated beverage cans through the front door of the
refrigerator.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] There are known from the prior art different devices for
individually dispensing cans of carbonated or not carbonated
beverages through the front door of a stand-alone refrigerator or a
combination refrigerator-freezer, aiming at minimizing the opening
operations of the refrigerator door by the user, in order to obtain
refrigerated beverage cans. It is well known that the lesser the
door is open the greater will be the energetic efficiency of its
operation under the same load and ambient conditions.
[0003] A dispenser device of beverage cans of the type mentioned
above is described in patent application US 2005/015900A1 and
comprises a can storage chute, mounted inside the refrigerator and
constructed to store a plurality of beverage cans, which are
arranged side by side so as to be released, usually by gravity, one
by one, through a discharge end of a storage chute. Said device
further comprises a rotating drum which presents a portion for
receiving a beverage can released from the storage chute, and a
closing portion capable to block the discharge end of the storage
chute when the drum is rotated to a position for releasing, to the
user, the can previously lodged in the receiving portion of the
drum.
[0004] While operating adequately, the previous solution cited
above requires a relatively complex assembly to guarantee a
controlled and smooth rotation of the drum and also an adequate
sealing between its side surface and the adjacent walls of the
refrigerator door, to prevent the cold air from escaping from the
interior of the refrigerator to the external ambient.
[0005] Another dispenser device is described in U.S. Pat. No.
4,485,937 and comprises, besides the storage chute, an extracting
lever, medianly articulated in a lower region of an opening
provided in the refrigerator door and carrying, in an outer end, a
can receiving cradle and, in an end inside the refrigerator, an
extracting element. Upon the angular movement of the extracting
lever by the user, the extracting element elevates the first can of
the storage chute, releasing it from a fixed stop provided in the
discharge end of the chute, allowing said can to roll over the
lever, through the opening of the refrigerator door, towards the
can receiving cradle, and be retrieved by the user. The extracting
element is constructed so as to retain the second can of the
storage chute in the original position, while the first can is
displaced over the fixed stop, ceasing to operate only when the
lever returns to the rest position, allowing the second can of the
storage chute to roll over the extracting element, coming to occupy
the first position.
[0006] This second known solution presents a simple construction,
less complex and costly than that previously discussed. However,
this second construction turns difficult the provision of efficient
thermal insulating means in the opening region of the refrigerator
door, through which is mounted the oscillating extracting lever.
The difficulty in obtaining an adequate thermal insulation in this
region of the refrigerator door compromises the thermal efficiency
of said refrigerator or considerably increases the cost of the
mounting arrangement as a whole.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] As a function of the inconveniences mentioned above and
related to the known solutions, it is an object of the present
invention to provide a device for dispensing beverage cans, to be
applied to a refrigerator, for dispensing beverage cans through a
dispensing opening in the refrigerator front door, said device
presenting a simple and resistant construction, which guarantees an
adequate degree of thermal insulation in the region of the
dispensing opening provided in the front door.
[0008] According to the invention, the present device for
dispensing beverage cans comprises: a chute disposed in the
interior of the refrigerator and configured to receive and lodge a
plurality of beverage cans disposed side by side, to be
sequentially discharged through an outlet opening of the chute; a
dispensing porthole externally carrying a cradle and being
inferiorly and horizontally articulated in the front door,
internally to the refrigerator, so as to be manually and angularly
displaced between a closed position, in which it blocks the
dispensing opening, positioning the cradle externally to said
dispensing opening and manually accessible to the user, and an open
position, in which it projects inclinedly upwardly and inwardly of
the refrigerator, so as to block the dispensing opening with the
cradle; and an extracting lever, which is medianly and horizontally
articulated internally to the refrigerator, so as to be angularly
displaced, upon movement of the dispensing porthole to the open
position, from a non-operative position to an operative position,
in which it displaces the first beverage can of the chute,
releasing it through the outlet opening of said chute and
gravitationally conducting said can to the cradle, rolling said can
over the dispensing porthole. The extracting lever is usually
constantly forced to the non-operative position.
[0009] The construction defined above is carried out by means of
components presenting a relatively simple and resistant
construction, allowing for an improved thermal insulation of the
region of the refrigerator front door, in which the dispensing
opening is provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The invention will be described below, with reference to the
enclosed drawings, given by way of example of an embodiment of the
invention and in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 represents a front perspective view of a refrigerator
provided with the dispenser device object of the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 1a represents a front perspective view of a
refrigerator provided with the present dispenser device and having
its front door open to illustrate the positioning of the chute;
[0013] FIG. 2 represents a partial and simplified vertical
sectional view of a refrigerator provided with the present
dispenser device in a non-operative position;
[0014] FIG. 3 represents an enlarged detail of part of FIG. 2,
illustrating the dispensing porthole being displaced to an open
position and displacing the extracting lever to an operative
position;
[0015] FIG. 4 represents a view similar to that of FIG. 3, but
illustrating the dispensing porthole in the open position and the
extracting lever in the operative position, releasing the first
beverage can from the chute;
[0016] FIG. 5 represents a view similar to that of FIG. 4, but
illustrating the first beverage can released from the chute and
already gravitationally rolled to the outer cradle of the
dispensing porthole;
[0017] FIG. 6 represents a view similar to that of FIGS. 3-5, but
illustrating the dispensing porthole returned to the closed
position, with its outer cradle carrying a beverage can released
from the chute, and with the extracting lever returned to the
non-operative position;
[0018] FIG. 7 represents a front perspective view of the dispensing
porthole;
[0019] FIG. 8 represents an exploded perspective view of the
components of the dispensing porthole illustrated in FIG. 7;
[0020] FIG. 8a represents a partial rear perspective view of the
dispensing porthole, illustrating its articulation to the
refrigerator front door;
[0021] FIG. 9 represents an exploded perspective view of the
extracting lever and of the element to which it is articulated;
and
[0022] FIG. 10 represents a partially sectioned front upper
perspective view of the beverage can storage chute.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] As illustrated and previously mentioned, the present
dispenser device D is applied to a refrigerator 10 of the
stand-alone type or a combination refrigerator-freezer and whose
front door 11 is provided with a dispensing opening 12 in which a
respective part of the present dispenser device D is mounted, as it
is simplifiedly illustrated in FIG. 1 of the enclosed drawings.
[0024] As illustrated in FIGS. 1a and 2, the dispenser device D
comprises a chute 20 to be provided in the interior of the
refrigerator 10 and which is configured to receive and lodge a
plurality of beverage cans 30 disposed side by side, to be
sequentially discharged by the user actuating the dispenser device
D.
[0025] In the illustrated construction, the chute 20 is mounted in
the interior of the refrigerator 10 and comprises at least one
support track 21 disposed according to a direction transversal to
the plane of the front door 11 and having a front end 21a, in which
is defined an outlet opening 22 of the chute 20, each support track
21 lodging a plurality of beverage cans 30. The chute 20 can be
constructed in different manners and in different materials, being
affixed on a horizontal inner wall 13 of the refrigerator 10 or
against a lateral inner wall of the latter, as long as its outlet
opening 22 is turned to the dispensing opening 12 provided in the
front door 11 of the refrigerator 10.
[0026] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 10, the chute 20 can be
constructed in injected plastic material, formed in two halves to
be afterwards connected and affixed one to the other so as to
define two support tracks 21 disposed one over the other and
interconnected by one of the ends, in a serpentine-shaped stack,
the upper support track 21 presenting an inlet end 21b that is open
and configured to permit feeding the beverage cans 30 directly over
said upper support track 21. The front end 21a of the lowermost
support track 21 of the chute 20, in which is defined an outlet
opening 22, is provided with a lower stop 23 against which is
laterally seated and retained the first beverage can 30 lodged in
the chute 20. As best illustrated in FIG. 10, the front end 21a of
the lower support track 21 of the chute 20 presents a median slot
24 extending also along the lower stop 23, splitting it in two side
portions spaced from each other, said median slot 24 extending to
the interior of the support track 21 by a distance sufficient to
permit the first beverage can 30, lodged in the chute 20, to be
seated on the support track 21 on opposite sides of said median
slot 24, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The function of the median slot
24 will be described ahead.
[0027] In order that the beverage cans 30 can be automatically
displaced in the interior of the chute 20 and towards the outlet
opening 22 of the latter, as the cans are sequentially and
progressively removed from the interior of the refrigerator 10, the
support tracks 21 of the chute 20 are slightly inclined so that the
beverage cans 30 are gravitationally forced towards the lower stop
23 disposed close to the outlet opening 22 of the chute 20. Hence,
whenever there is the load of at least one beverage can 30 in the
interior of the chute 20, there will be one beverage can 30
laterally seated against the lower stop 23, transversally to the
median slot 24.
[0028] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the chute 20 is preferably mounted
in the interior of the refrigerator 10, suspended under a
horizontal inner wall 13 of the refrigerator 10, which wall can be
defined by the upper wall of the respective refrigerator cabinet.
Said wall, which can also be defined by one of the inner shelves or
other inner dividing elements of the refrigerator, is usually
provided with suspension means 14 which can take the form of pins
14a pending from said horizontal inner wall 13 of the refrigerator
10. The chute 20 presents an upper wall portion 25 in which are
provided engaging means 26 to be coupled to respective suspension
means 14 provided under the horizontal inner wall 13 of the
refrigerator 10. In the illustrated constructive example, the
engaging means 26 take the form of oblong orifices 26a made in said
upper wall portion 25 of the chute 20, being dimensioned to be
removably fitted in respective suspension means 14.
[0029] The dispenser device D further comprises a dispensing
porthole 40 which carries, externally and usually in a single
piece, a cradle 50 having a cylindrical concave shape and
dimensioned to receive and lodge a beverage can 30 released from
the chute 20. The dispensing porthole 40 is inferiorly and
horizontally articulated to the front door 11, inside the
refrigerator 10, so that it can be manually and angularly displaced
between a closed position, in which it blocks the dispensing
opening 12, positioning the cradle 50 externally to the latter and
manually accessible to the user, and an open position, in which it
projects inclinably upwardly and inwardly of the refrigerator 10,
so as to make the dispensing opening 12 be blocked by the cradle
50.
[0030] The dispensing porthole 40 can present different
constructions and different contours. However, it should be
understood that the dispensing porthole 40 must present a contour
compatible with that of the dispensing opening 12 and also
according to the need of releasing the beverage cans 30 outwardly
from the refrigerator 10, through the front door 11 of the latter.
Another aspect to be observed in the construction of the dispensing
porthole 40 concerns its capacity to guarantee an adequate thermal
insulation between the interior and the exterior of the
refrigerator 10.
[0031] In the construction illustrated in the enclosed drawings,
the dispensing porthole 40 comprises, generally in injected plastic
material, an outer casing 41 in the form of a trunk-pyramidal tray
of rectangular contour and whose closed smaller base externally
incorporates a front projection configured to superiorly define the
cradle 50 and inferiorly define a pending flange 51 which defines
an element to be manually held by the user when he desires to move
the dispensing porthole 40 to extract a beverage can 30 from the
interior of the chute 20. The dispensing porthole 40 further
comprises an inner casing 42 constructed to rearly close the outer
casing 41 and defining a cam surface 43 whose function will be
described ahead. A thermal insulating filler 44 is internally
disposed in between the two casings 41, 42 and a gasket 45,
preferably constructed in elastomeric material, is mounted around
the outer casing 41, to be seated against a trunk-pyramidal seat 16
provided in the front door 11 of the refrigerator 10, around the
dispensing opening 12, when the dispensing porthole 40 is displaced
to the closed condition.
[0032] In the illustrated construction, the outer casing 41
inferiorly incorporates two pairs of ears 46 pending downwardly and
provided with respective holes 46a axially aligned to each other.
Each pair of ears 46 journals a pin 47 around which is mounted a
return spring 48, having an end cooperating with the front door 11
and the other end cooperating with the dispensing porthole 40,
between the respective pair of ears 46, to constantly force the
dispensing porthole 40 to a closed position, guaranteeing the
closing of the dispensing opening 12 when the user ceases to
manually operate the pending flange 51 of the dispensing porthole
40.
[0033] Each pin 47 projects outwardly from the respective pair of
ears 46, to be journaled in a hole 11a designed in the front door
11 of the refrigerator 10, close to a respective side of the
dispensing opening 12, to define a lower horizontal articulation of
the dispensing porthole 40 in the front door 11 of the refrigerator
10, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 8a.
[0034] The present dispenser device D further comprises an
extracting lever 60 which is medianly and horizontally articulated
to the front door 11, internally to the refrigerator 10, so as to
be angularly displaced, upon the displacement of the dispensing
porthole 40 to an open position, from a non-operative position to
an operative position, in which it displaces the first beverage can
30 of the chute 20, releasing said can through the outlet opening
22 of the chute 20 and gravitationally conducting the can to the
cradle 50, rolling the can over the dispensing porthole 40. In the
illustrated construction, the front door 11 of the refrigerator 10
carries, in its inside, a protective cover 70 circumferencially and
rearly surrounding the dispensing opening 12 and the dispensing
porthole 40, said protective cover 70 being provided with a rear
window 71, in whose lower region is medianly articulated the
extracting lever 60.
[0035] In the illustrated construction, the extracting lever 60,
preferably formed in a single piece molded in plastic material,
comprises: an extracting portion 61 defined on a side of a median
articulation region and disposed below the front end 21a of the
support track 21 of the chute 20, and dimensioned to angularly
oscillate in a vertical plane from a non-operative position below
said chute 20 to an operative position displaced upwardly through
the median slot 24 of the chute 20, elevating the first beverage
can 30 from its position seated against the lower stop 23, so as to
release said beverage can 30 from the stop, so that said can may
roll towards the dispensing opening 12 of the front door 11 of the
refrigerator 10.
[0036] The extracting lever 60 further comprises a conducting
portion 62 defining an extension of the extracting portion 61 and
also a cam follower portion 63 projecting transversally, forward of
the extracting lever 60 in its median articulation region, said cam
follower portion 63 being dimensioned and configured to be
angularly displaced by the cam surface 43 of the dispensing
porthole 40, when the latter is conducted to the open position, so
as to displace, upwardly, the extracting portion 61 and, therewith,
the first beverage can 30 of the chute 20 and, downwardly, the
conducting portion 62 of the extracting lever 60, making said first
beverage can 30 gravitationally roll down over the extracting lever
60 and over the dispensing porthole 40, until seating on the cradle
50, as illustrated in FIGS. 2-6.
[0037] FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of the protective
cover 70 and of its rear window 71 in which the extracting lever 60
is articulated. The provision of the protective cover 70 creates a
region which is maintained insulated from the inner ambient of the
refrigerator while the extracting lever 60 remains in its
non-operative position, the communication between the inner ambient
of the refrigerator 10 and the outer ambient, through the
dispensing opening 12, being allowed only in the moment in which
the extracting lever 60 is in its operative position with the
dispensing porthole 40 in its open position, during the short space
of time in which the first beverage can 30 of the chute 20 is
rolling from the outlet opening 22 of the latter towards the cradle
50. Even so, the protective cover 70 creates an intermediary
chamber, preventing great loss of thermal energy during the
instants in which the dispensing porthole 40 and the extracting
lever 60 are cooperating with each other to allow a beverage can 30
to be released. The extracting lever 60 is preferably constructed
so as to incorporate, on both sides of its median articulation
portion, two shaft portions 65 to be journaled in a pair of side
cradles 73 incorporated in the lower region of the rear window 71
of the protective cover 70. Over the two shaft portions 65 are
mounted small helical springs 74 having an end cooperating with the
extracting lever 60 and the opposite end cooperating with the
protective cover 70, so as to constantly force the extracting lever
60 to its non-operative position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6.
[0038] While only one preferred embodiment for the present
invention has been described and illustrated herein, it should be
understood that alterations can be made in the form and arrangement
of the elements, without departing from the constructive concept
defined in the claims that accompany the present specification.
* * * * *