U.S. patent application number 14/053759 was filed with the patent office on 2014-02-06 for disposable flavor insert for water dispenser.
This patent application is currently assigned to Whirlpool Corporation. The applicant listed for this patent is Whirlpool Corporation. Invention is credited to ALAN JOSEPH MITCHELL, GINGER ELAYNE PATERA, JASON ROBERT YOCHUM.
Application Number | 20140037794 14/053759 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36013627 |
Filed Date | 2014-02-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140037794 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
PATERA; GINGER ELAYNE ; et
al. |
February 6, 2014 |
DISPOSABLE FLAVOR INSERT FOR WATER DISPENSER
Abstract
A method of adding flavor additive to water, by providing a
refrigerated appliance with a cabinet and a door configured to
allow selective access to the inside of the cabinet providing a
housing with a recess having a water dispensing outlet accessible
from the outside of the door and a dispensing area, providing a
flavor insert device with an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and
a porous enclosure comprising a porous exterior and a supply of
solid flavor particles within the porous exterior. Then by placing
a receiving receptacle below the outlet of the flavor insert
device, actuating a water valve permitting an amount of water to
fall from the water dispensing outlet and into the inlet portion of
the flavor insert device, adding a flavoring to the water,
permitting the amount of water to flow to the outlet portion, and
permitting the amount of water to flow out of the outlet portion
and into the receiving receptacle.
Inventors: |
PATERA; GINGER ELAYNE; (St.
Joseph, MI) ; MITCHELL; ALAN JOSEPH; (Evansville,
IN) ; YOCHUM; JASON ROBERT; (Evansville, IN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Whirlpool Corporation |
Benton Harbor |
MI |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Whirlpool Corporation
Benton Harbor
MI
|
Family ID: |
36013627 |
Appl. No.: |
14/053759 |
Filed: |
October 15, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
12195494 |
Aug 21, 2008 |
8555774 |
|
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14053759 |
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|
11027124 |
Dec 31, 2004 |
7472643 |
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12195494 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
426/66 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A23L 2/395 20130101;
A47J 31/407 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/66 |
International
Class: |
A23L 2/395 20060101
A23L002/395 |
Claims
1. A method of enabling a flavor additive to be added to a drinking
water dispenser, comprising: providing a refrigerated appliance
with a cabinet and a door configured to allow selective access to
the inside of the cabinet; providing a housing with a recess having
a water dispensing outlet accessible from the outside of the door;
providing a flavor insert device with an outer shell, a flange, and
a porous enclosure comprising a porous exterior and a supply of
solid flavor particles within the porous exterior; placing the
flavor insert device on a support disposed below the water
dispensing outlet within the recess; placing a receiving receptacle
below the flavor insert device; actuating a water valve; permitting
an amount of water to fall from the water dispensing outlet and
into the outer shell of the flavor insert device; adding a
flavoring to the amount of water; and permitting the amount of
water to flow out a perforated bottom portion of the outer shell
and into the receiving receptacle.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving
the flavor insert device in a fixed flange at the dispensing outlet
in a substantially horizontal sliding manner.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the adding step is accomplished
by dissolving the solid flavor particles in the amount of
water.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the adding step is accomplished
by dissolving the solid flavor particles in the amount of
water.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing
a prepackaged set of a plurality of flavor insert devices.
6. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of removing
one of the flavor insert devices from the prepackaged set of flavor
insert devices.
7. A method of adding flavor additive to water, comprising:
providing a refrigerated appliance with a cabinet and a door
configured to allow selective access to the inside of the cabinet;
providing a housing with a recess having a water dispensing outlet
accessible from the outside of the door and a dispensing area;
providing a flavor insert device with an inlet portion, an outlet
portion, and a porous enclosure comprising a porous exterior and a
supply of solid flavor particles within the porous exterior;
placing a receiving receptacle below the outlet of the flavor
insert device; actuating a water valve; permitting an amount of
water to fall from the water dispensing outlet and into the inlet
portion of the flavor insert device; adding a flavoring to the
water; permitting the amount of water to flow to the outlet
portion; and permitting the amount of water to flow out of the
outlet portion and into the receiving receptacle.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of receiving
the flavor insert device in a fixed flange comprising a pair of
supports rigidly fixed between the dispensing outlet and the
dispensing area and spaced apart laterally relative to the flow of
the amount of water.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the adding step is accomplished
by dissolving the solid flavor particles in the amount of
water.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the adding step is accomplished
by dissolving the solid flavor particles in the amount of
water.
11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of removing
a seal from the top of the flavor insert device.
12. The method of claim 7, wherein the flow of water from the inlet
portion to the outlet portion is accomplished by sloping a bottom
wall of the flavor insert device from a high point at the inlet
portion to a low point at the outlet portion.
13. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of preventing
the flavor insert device from sliding out of the outlet portion by
configuring a step in the outlet portion.
14. A method of adding flavor to water from a refrigerator with an
external water dispenser, comprising: providing a refrigerated
appliance with a cabinet and a door configured to allow selective
access to the inside of the cabinet; providing a housing with a
recess having a water dispensing outlet accessible from the outside
of the door and a dispensing area; providing a flavor insert device
with an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and a porous enclosure
comprising a porous exterior and a supply of solid flavor particles
within the porous exterior; placing a receiving receptacle below
the outlet of the flavor insert device; actuating a water valve;
permitting a flow of water from: a water dispensing outlet to the
inlet portion; from the inlet portion to the flavor inert device;
from the flavor inlet device to the outlet portion; and from the
outlet portion to the receiving receptacle; and adding a flavoring
to the water;
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of
receiving the flavor insert device in a fixed flange comprising a
pair of supports rigidly fixed between the dispensing outlet and
the dispensing area and spaced apart laterally relative to the flow
of the amount of water.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein the adding step is accomplished
by dissolving the solid flavor particles in the amount of
water.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the adding step is accomplished
by dissolving the solid flavor particles in the amount of
water.
18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of removing
a seal from the top of the flavor insert device.
19. The method of claim 14, wherein the flow of water from the
inlet portion to the outlet portion is accomplished by sloping a
bottom wall of the flavor insert device from a high point at the
inlet portion to a low point at the outlet portion.
20. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of
preventing the flavor insert device from sliding out of the outlet
portion by configuring a step in the outlet portion.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 12/195,494 filed
Aug. 21, 2008, which is a Continuation application of U.S. Pat. No.
7,472,643 filed Dec. 31, 2004, both of which are herein
incorporated by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Water dispensers are known, whether as a stand alone
appliance, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,453 or in
combination with another appliance, such as a refrigeration
appliance, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,097.
Typically such water dispensers include a dispensing area which has
a space to receive a receptacle, such as a cup, which is to be
filled with water from the dispenser.
[0003] There are also known arrangements for adding flavors to
water as it is dispensed into a receptacle. For example, U.S. Pat.
No. 4,996,066 discloses a beverage flavoring cassette to be used in
conjunction with a cup that the cassette attaches to. The cassette
includes a supply of flavoring particles held within a ring between
two filters. The cup and cassette are then placed over a receptacle
for the flavored liquid, and water is dispensed into the open top
of the cup. After use, the cassette is discarded and the cup must
be cleaned so it can be reused with a fresh cassette which is
packaged separately.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 3,292,527 discloses an apparatus for preparing
and dispensing beverages from prefabricated cartridges in which the
cartridge has a conical or frusto-conical shape with a sealed top
opening and an openable apex end of the cone. Held within the
cartridge is a loose supply of a product which provides the
flavoring to the water. A perforated disc is also provided within
the cartridge to provide a pressure drop within the cartridge and
to act as a filter for the flavoring product. The sealed top of the
cartridge is to be pierced by a water supply conduit when water is
to introduced into the cartridge. The cartridge is held in place by
lifting the body of the cartridge over a ring shaped support and
then dropping the cartridge into the ring shaped support where it
is held during the dispensing process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention provides a method for improved
disposable flavor insert and water dispenser to allow for ease in
flavoring water with a variety of different flavors, and ease in
cleanup after the flavored water has been dispensed.
[0006] In an embodiment, a flavor insert device is provided
including a cup which may have a flange extending around at least a
portion of a periphery of the cup, a porous enclosure located in
the cup, and a supply of solid flavor particles contained in the
porous enclosure. In an embodiment, water is flowed from a water
dispenser, into an inlet of the cup, through a flavor insert
device, and out the perforated bottom of the cup into a receiving
receptacle.
[0007] In an embodiment, the cup may include a water inlet and a
water outlet and further may include a removable seal covering the
water inlet and the water outlet. In an embodiment, the water flow
is generated from a high point at the inlet portion of the cup,
though the solid flavor particles in the porous enclosure to a low
point at the outlet of the cup.
[0008] In an embodiment, the porous enclosure may be a porous bag
and the cup may include retaining walls arranged to receive and
secure the porous bag therein. In an embodiment, the cup is slid in
a substantially horizontally manner onto a pair of receiving
flanges rigidly fixed within the enclosure.
[0009] In an embodiment, the invention provides a method of adding
flavoring to water by providing a water dispenser, including a
housing for the dispenser, a dispensing area associated with the
housing and including a space for receiving a receptacle for
receiving a charge of water from the dispenser, a water outlet
through which water is dispensed into the dispensing area, and a
fixed flange support positioned between the water outlet and the
dispensing area arranged to receive a flavor insert device in a
substantially horizontally sliding manner. The water dispenser may
be a stand alone appliance, or may be incorporated into another
appliance, such as a refrigeration appliance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates a refrigeration appliance incorporating a
water dispenser embodying the principles of the present
invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates a stand alone water dispenser embodying
the principles of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a first embodiment of a
flavor insert embodying the principles of the present
invention.
[0013] FIG. 4 illustrates a side sectional view of a container for
the flavor insert of FIG. 3.
[0014] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a second embodiment
of a flavor insert embodying the principles of the present
invention as held in a water dispenser.
[0015] FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective sectional view of the
flavor insert shown in FIG. 5.
[0016] FIG. 7 illustrates a side sectional view of the flavor
insert of FIG. 5.
[0017] FIG. 8 illustrates a sectional view of the flavor insert of
FIG. 5 taken generally along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7.
[0018] FIG. 9 illustrates a sectional view of the flavor insert of
FIG. 5 taken generally along the line IX-IX in FIG. 7.
[0019] FIG. 10 illustrates a plan view of the flavor insert of FIG.
5 with the foil seal removed.
[0020] FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of a third embodiment
of a flavor insert embodying the principles of the present
invention as held in a water dispenser.
[0021] FIG. 12 illustrates a top perspective view of the third
embodiment of a flavor insert embodying the principles of the
present invention.
[0022] FIG. 13 illustrates a top perspective view of a fourth
embodiment of a flavor insert embodying the principles of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0023] The present invention is directed to a water dispenser for
dispensing a flavored water and to a flavor insert device for use
with a water dispenser.
[0024] In FIG. 1, there is illustrated a water dispenser 20A which
is located in a door 22 of a refrigeration appliance 24. In FIG. 2,
there is illustrated a water dispenser 20B in a stand alone
appliance 26. In any environment, whether as a stand alone
appliance or as a part of another appliance, the water dispenser 20
(shown isolated in FIG. 3) includes a housing 28 and a dispensing
area 30 associated with the housing and including a space (which
may be in the form of a recess) for receiving a receptacle 32, such
as a drinking glass for receiving a charge of water from the
dispenser. A water outlet 34, such as a water dispenser tube is
provided, through which water is dispensed into the dispensing area
30. A fixed flange support 36 is positioned between the water
outlet 34 and said dispensing area 30 arranged to receive a flavor
insert device 40 in a substantially horizontally sliding manner.
The fixed flange support 36 may be in the form of a pair of spaced
apart generally horizontal flanges spaced slightly below, and
laterally to the sides of the water outlet 34. In this manner, the
flavor insert device 40 can be positioned close to the water outlet
34 to minimize the space requirements for the flavor insert device,
since there is no need to accommodate a full height of the flavor
insert device above the fixed flange support 36. The flavor insert
device 40 can be installed onto the water dispenser 20 easily from
the front of the appliance.
[0025] In FIG. 3 there is schematically illustrated a first
embodiment of the flavor insert device 40 which is in the form of a
cup 42 having a flange 44 extending around at least a portion of a
periphery of the cup. A porous enclosure 46 in the form of a porous
bag is located in the cup 42. A supply of solid flavor particles 48
is contained in the porous bag 46. In this embodiment, a wall of
the cup 42 is perforated as at 50. The cup 42 may be formed from a
variety of materials, and in a preferred embodiment, it is formed
of a plastic, such as polyethylene.
[0026] The porous bag 46 may be constructed in a variety of manners
and from a variety of materials. It may be rigid, semi-rigid, part
rigid and part flexible or completely flexible. The bag 46 may be
formed of a metal, plastic or fiber perforated material, such as a
mesh material including filter paper and tea bag material, or a
solid material with a plurality of small openings therein.
Preferably the openings are of a size smaller than the individual
particles held in the bag 46.
[0027] To use this embodiment, the user selects a flavor insert
device 40 of a desired flavor. The flavor insert device 40 may be
kept in a supply container 52 (FIG. 4) for receiving a plurality of
flavor inserts. Such a supply container 52 may have a moisture
impervious body 54 and a removable lid 56 sealable to the body in a
moisture impervious manner. Once a flavor insert device 40 is
selected, it is inserted into the water dispenser 20 by sliding the
flange 44 of the cup 42 onto the flange support 36. If the flavor
insert device 40 is formed without a flange, the device may be slid
into the flange support 36, with the flange support engaging and
supporting the body of the flavor insert device itself. Either way,
this will position the flavor insert device 40 directly below the
water outlet 34 and above the receptacle 32. When water is
dispensed from the water outlet 34, it will enter the open top of
the cup 42 and will flow into the porous bag 46 containing the
solid flavor particles 48. These solid particles 48, which may be
in the form of crystals or powder, will then dissolve into the
water and will flow out of the porous bag 46 to flow through the
perforated wall 50 of the cup 42 and into the receptacle 32 as
flavored water.
[0028] After the flavored water is completely dispensed, the
receptacle 32 is removed and the flavor insert device 40 is
disposed of. There is no mess to clean up since any residual
mixture of flavor particles and water is contained within the
flavor insert device 40. An endless variety of flavors are
available to the user through the selection of an appropriate
flavor insert device 40. If no additional flavor is desired, the
flavor insert device 40 is not inserted into the dispenser 20, and
the water will flow directly from the water outlet 34 and into the
receptacle 32 without any hindrance since the flange support 36 is
positioned laterally away from the water outlet.
[0029] In FIGS. 5-10 a second embodiment of a flavor insert device
40 is illustrated. In this embodiment, the flavor insert device 40
includes a cup 60 comprising a container having a hollow body. The
cup 60 has a flange 62 extending around at least a portion of a
periphery of the cup. A porous enclosure 64 in the form of a porous
bag is located in the cup 60. The bag 64 may be similar in
construction to the bag 46 described above. A supply of solid
flavor particles 66 is contained in the porous bag 64. In this
embodiment, the cup 60 includes a water inlet 68 and a water outlet
70. A removable seal 72 is provided to cover the water inlet 68 and
the water outlet 70. The cup 60 may be formed from a variety of
materials, and in a preferred embodiment, it is formed of a
plastic, such as polyethylene.
[0030] In an embodiment as illustrated, the water inlet 68 and the
water outlet 70 are coextensive and a single removable seal 72
covers both the inlet and outlet. When the water inlet 68 and the
water outlet 70 are separate openings, separate seals 72 will be
required.
[0031] In the illustrated embodiment, the cup 60 has a generally
cubic rectangular shape with upstanding side walls 74, a back wall
76, a front wall 78 and a bottom wall 80. As illustrated in FIG. 7,
the bottom wall 80 may slope downwardly from the back wall 76 to
the front wall 78. The side walls 74, the back wall 76 and the
bottom wall 80 are generally planar and smoothly connect with each
other along liquid impervious joints. The front wall 78 is
configured to have a spout 82 which defines the water outlet 70.
The spout 82 comprises a necked down opening from the hollow
interior of the cup 60 in that the spout includes short side walls
84 and a short bottom wall 86 leading to the water outlet 70 at the
front side of the cup. The flange 62 extends around the entire
periphery of the water outlet 70 and the water inlet 68, which are
coextensive.
[0032] The seal 72 may be a foil seal, such as a lamination of
aluminum foil and polyethylene, which can be applied to the flange
62 of the cup 60 by a well known induction or conduction heating
process when the cup is formed of a plastic material. The
polyethylene side is placed in contact with the container. When
heat is applied, the polyethylene melts and bonds to the
polyethylene cup 60. The use of a seal 72 provides that the flavor
insert device is a sealed capsule, and no further special handling
or use of specially sealed containers is required. The seal 72 can
easily be removed from the flange 62 of the cup 60 by a manual
grasping of a tab 87 and removal of the seal.
[0033] On the interior of the cup 60, retaining walls 88, such as
ribs, may be arranged to receive and secure the porous bag 64
within the cup. In the arrangement illustrated, the front wall 78
also provides a short step at the front of the bottom wall 80 to
prevent the porous bag 64 from sliding out of the cup 60 towards
the spout 82. The porous bag 64 may also be held in the cup 60
simply by a press fit with the sidewalls 74 which then act as
retaining walls, or by a heat stake between the porous bag material
and one or more of the walls 74, 76, 78, 80 which then act as
retaining walls, or other well known retention methods and
constructions.
[0034] To use this embodiment, the user selects a flavor insert
device 40 of a desired flavor. Once a flavor insert device 40 is
selected, the protective seal 72 is removed. The flavor insert
device 40 is then inserted into the water dispenser 20 by sliding
the flange 62 of the cup 60 or the cup itself, if not provided with
a flange, onto the flange support 36 of the water dispenser 20.
This will position the flavor insert device 40 directly below the
water outlet 34 and above the receptacle 32. In the embodiment
illustrated in FIGS. 5-10, the position of the flavor insert device
40 relative to the water dispenser 20 will be determined by a
continuation of the flange support 36 across the back of the flavor
insert device receiving area to provide a stop against further
movement in the insertion direction. An alternative embodiment is
illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12 in which the flavor insert device 40
is identical in all respects to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5-10,
with the single exception that stop tabs 90 are formed on the
flange 62, which stop tabs will engage with the flange support 36
when the flavor insert device 40 is fully inserted into position.
This arrangement can be used to avoid the necessity of having the
flange support or other stop arrangement extend across the back of
the flavor insert device receiving area. In all other respects, the
flavor insert devices shown in FIGS. 5-10 and in FIGS. 11-12 are
used in an identical manner.
[0035] When water is dispensed from the water outlet 34, it will
enter the water inlet 68 and will flow into the porous bag 64
containing the solid flavor particles 66. These solid particles 66,
which may be in the form of crystals or powder, will then dissolve
into the water and will flow out of the porous bag 64 to flow
through the spout 82 of the cup 60 and into the receptacle 32 as
flavored water.
[0036] After the flavored water is completely dispensed, the
receptacle 32 is removed and the flavor insert device 40 is
disposed of. There is no mess to clean up since any residual
mixture of flavor particles and water is contained within the
flavor insert device 40. An endless variety of flavors are
available to the user through the selection of an appropriate
flavor insert device 40. If no additional flavor is desired, the
flavor insert device 40 is not inserted into the dispenser 20, and
the water will flow directly from the water outlet 34 and into the
receptacle 32 without any hindrance since the flange support 36 is
positioned laterally away from the water outlet.
[0037] In FIG. 13 a fourth embodiment of a flavor insert device 40
is illustrated. In this embodiment, the flavor insert device 40 is
formed nearly identical to the cup 60 described above, with the
exception that a sump or well 92 is formed in the bottom wall 80 of
the cup. The supply of solid flavor particles are received in the
well 92, and the well is then covered with a porous material 94 to
form a porous enclosure within the flavor insert device. The porous
material (of any of the types described above) may be heat staked
to the bottom wall 80 surrounding the well 92. As described above
with respect to FIGS. 6 and 7, a removable seal 72 is provided to
cover the water inlet 68 and the water outlet 70. The cup 60 may be
formed from a variety of materials, and in a preferred embodiment,
it is formed of a plastic, such as polyethylene.
[0038] As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the
invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations
and modifications which may differ particularly from those that
have been described in the preceding specification and description.
It should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of
the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably
and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the
art.
* * * * *