Water-dispensing system

Abstract

A water-dispensing system of a household refrigerator has a valve and an inlet connected to a pressurized water supply source for controllably passing water through and from the refrigerator. A freezing tank is positioned in the water-dispensing system downstream of the valve and at a location wherein only a middle portion of the tank is subjected to below-freezing temperatures for forming ice therein. The freezing tank has movable walls for passing water over the ice in response to opening the valve. The water is thereby chilled by the ice prior to discharge from the water-dispensing system.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A desirable feature for a household refrigerator is a cold-water dispensing system which permits a user to obtain a glass of cold water from a chilling tank within the refrigerator without opening the refrigerator door. U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,140 -- White shows an example water-dispensing system of a refrigerator.

Although these water-dispensing systems functioned satisfactorily, it was believed that the system could be improved by including apparatus which would provide colder water and which would dispense with the need for a large chilling tank.

The apparatus of this invention uniquely provides these functions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention, a water-dispensing system of a household refrigerator has a valve and an inlet connected to a pressurized water-supply source for controllably passing water through and from the refrigerator. A freezing tank having movable walls defining a chamber open at the tank ends is positioned in the water-dispensing system at a location downstream of the valve. Only a middle portion of the tank is maintained at a temperature below 32.degree.F for forming ice in the chamber. The walls are movable in response to opening the valve for passing water over the ice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic partial view of the apparatus of this invention installed in a household refrigerator;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view in partial section of the apparatus of this invention installed in the water-dispensing system;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view of one embodiment of the middle portion of the holding tank at the first position;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view of another embodiment of the middle portion of the holding tank; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 3 with the middle portion of the holding tank at the second position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a water-dispensing system 10 of a household refrigerator 12 has a valve 14 and an inlet 16 connected to a pressurized water supply source 18.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a freezing tank 20 is positioned in the water-dispensing system 10 at a location downstream of the valve 14. The freezing tank 20 is also positioned at a location at which only the tank middle portion 22 is maintained at a temperature less than 32.degree.F and the first and second end portions 24, 26 are maintained at a temperature greater than 32.degree.F. For additional cooling capabilities, a plurality of freezing tanks 22 can be positioned in the system.

The preselected temperature ranges of the freezing tank portions 22, 24, 26 maintained by positioning the middle portion 22 of the tank 20 within the freezing compartment 28 and the end portions 24, 26 outside said freezing compartment 28. For example, the first and second end portions 24, 26, as shown in FIG. 1, are positioned within the insulated walls 30 of the refrigerator 12 at which location the temperature remains at a value greater than about 32.degree.F during normal operation of the refrigerator 12.

The middle portion 22 of the freezing tank 20 has movable walls 32. Preferably, the tank 20 is an elongated conduit formed of a material such as rubber or organic plastic, for example, for movement of the walls 32 between first and second positions. At the first position of the walls 32, the open-ended chamber 34 defined by said walls 32 has a first cross-sectional area of a preselected size. At the second position of the walls 32, the chamber 34 has a second cross-sectional area that is greater than the first cross-sectional area.

A biasing means 36 is associated with the middle portion 22 of the freezing tank 20 for urging the tank walls 32 toward the first position at about atmospheric pressure within the chamber 34. The biasing means 36 also controls the wall movement toward the second position in response to opening the valve 14.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the biasing means 36 can be an elongated, deflectable element of a general "C" cross-sectional configuration. As shown in FIG. 4, there can be a plurality of the deflectable elements 36, 36'. These elements can be formed of metal or plastic and are constructed to provide a force sufficient to move the walls 32 to the first position at about atmospheric pressure and permit movement of the walls to the second position in response to water pressure from the pressurized water source 18 being subjected thereupon.

Once the size and properties of the holding tank 20 have been determined and the pressure of the water supply source 18 is known, one skilled in the art can easily construct the biasing means 36 for operation, as more fully described hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that the biasing means 36, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are for example purposes, and other biasing means such as a spring and plunger can be utilized. The biasing function can also be provided by forming the tank walls of an elastomeric material such as rubber.

In order to provide for expansion during freezing of the water within the middle portion 22, a sump 38 is connected to the outlet 40 of the dispensing system 10 and the second end of the holding tank 20. The sump 38 is in communication with the chamber 34 through opening 35.

An example apparatus of this invention is as follows:

Number of freezing tanks 2 parallel Middle Portion Material Rubber Total Length 80 Cm Inside diameter 1.5 Cm Cross-sectional area first position 1.76Cm.sup.2 Cross-sectional area second position 7.64 Cm.sup.2 Total Volume First position 140.8 Cm.sup.3 Second position 611.2 Cm.sup.3 Outlet Inside diameter 3 Cm Length 6 Cm

In the operation of the system, the water in the chamber 34 at the middle portion 22 of the freezing tank 20 freezes to ice during periods when the system is not in use. Since the chamber 34 is at about atmospheric pressure after the valve 14 is closed, the walls 32 of the holding tank 20 are biased inwardly to their first position during the freezing process (See FIG. 3). During the freezing process, the water in the first and second end portions of the tank is maintained at a temperature greater than 32.degree.F.

Subsequently, the valve 14 is opened to remove a volume of chilled water from the dispensing system. As the valve opens, the pressure of the water-supply source is subjected onto the walls 32 of the freezing tank 20. This water pressure overcomes the biasing force of the biasing means 36 and causes the walls 32 to move outwardly to their second position as shown in FIG. 5. At this second position, water 42 from the water-supply source 18 flows between the walls 32 and the ice 44 and in direct contact with the ice, thereby chilling the water.

When the user's glass is filled, for example, the valve is closed, the pressure within the middle portion 22 of the holding tank 20 returns to atmospheric pressure, the biasing means 36 moves the walls 32 to the first position, and another freezing cycle is initiated.

Where a sump 38 is utilized, water in the outlet 40 and a portion of the water in the second end portion 26 passes into the sump 38 during expansion of the freezing water. A subsequent flow of water through the system 10 causes the water in the sump 38 to be pulled into the outlet and discharged. By providing the sump 38, water will not be discharged from the outlet 40 during freezing of the ice. If the outlet 40 and second end portion 26 are of desirable small volume and the dispensing system is associated with a drain trap to catch overflows or drippings, the sump 38 can be eliminated.

Other modifications and alternations of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing discussion, and it should be understood that this invention is not to be unduly limited thereto.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In a water-dispensing system of a household refrigerator having a valve and an inlet connected to a pressurized water-supply source for controllably passing chilled water through and from the refrigerator, the improvement comprising:

a freezing tank having movable walls defining a chamber open at the ends and being positioned in the water-dispensing system downstream of the valve and at a location within the refrigerator at which only a middle portion of the tank is maintained at a temperature less than 32.degree.F for forming ice in said chamber with said walls being movable in response to opening the valve for passing water over the ice.

2. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, including means for urging the tank walls inwardly at about atmospheric pressure within the chamber and controlling the wall movement outwardly in response to opening the valve.

3. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the means is a deflectable element of a general "C" cross-sectional configuration.

4. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the freezing tank is an elongated, flexible conduit.

5. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, including a sump positioned in the dispensing system between the outlet and the freezing tank.

6. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the movable tank walls are formed of elastomeric material.