EP1030143A2 - Dispositif de distribution d'eau réfrigérée pour réfrigérateur - Google Patents

Dispositif de distribution d'eau réfrigérée pour réfrigérateur Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1030143A2
EP1030143A2 EP00200421A EP00200421A EP1030143A2 EP 1030143 A2 EP1030143 A2 EP 1030143A2 EP 00200421 A EP00200421 A EP 00200421A EP 00200421 A EP00200421 A EP 00200421A EP 1030143 A2 EP1030143 A2 EP 1030143A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
water
tank
dispenser device
refrigerator
solenoid valve
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP00200421A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1030143A3 (fr
EP1030143B1 (fr
Inventor
Silvano Fumagalli
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Candy SpA
Original Assignee
Candy SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Candy SpA filed Critical Candy SpA
Publication of EP1030143A2 publication Critical patent/EP1030143A2/fr
Publication of EP1030143A3 publication Critical patent/EP1030143A3/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1030143B1 publication Critical patent/EP1030143B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D23/00—General constructional features
    • F25D23/12—Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove
    • F25D23/126—Water cooler
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
    • B67D1/0003—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught the beverage being a single liquid
    • B67D1/0009—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught the beverage being a single liquid the beverage being stored in an intermediate container connected to a supply
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D2210/00—Indexing scheme relating to aspects and details of apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught or for controlling flow of liquids under gravity from storage containers for dispensing purposes
    • B67D2210/00028—Constructional details
    • B67D2210/00031—Housing
    • B67D2210/00034—Modules
    • B67D2210/00036—Modules for use with or in refrigerators
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2323/00—General constructional features not provided for in other groups of this subclass
    • F25D2323/121—General constructional features not provided for in other groups of this subclass the refrigerator is characterised by a water filter for the water/ice dispenser

Definitions

  • the present invention refers to a cool water dispenser device for a refrigerator, particularly for a domestic type appliance.
  • Dispensing devices for cool water.
  • Such dispensers provide for the use of a tank, that being adequately connected wit an external water network that is always present in environments where refrigerators are located, allows the accumulation of drinkable water.
  • This tank is situated internally of the heat insulated casing of the refrigerator in a such way as to keep a determined quantity of drinkable water constantly cooled, that is possible to tap through output water delivering means.
  • this device provides for the utilisation, of appropriate internal filters suitable to purify the drinkable water incoming from the water network, from possible organic compounds, from products of the reaction of the chlorine present in the water, from substances released by the piping of the water network.
  • filters suitable to purify the drinkable water incoming from the water network, from possible organic compounds, from products of the reaction of the chlorine present in the water, from substances released by the piping of the water network.
  • Such filter has a filtration capacity that is determined by the litres of water being treated. After a certain number of litres it is opportune to replace the filter cartridge in order to prevent to lose in effectiveness in the filtering action.
  • object of the present invention is to realise a dispenser of cool water for a refrigerator, in particular for a domestic refrigerator, that is capable to dispense cooled water without the inconveniences shown by the known dispensers.
  • a cool water dispenser device for a refrigerator comprising a tank for the accumulation of drinkable water that is housed in a heat-insulated casing of the refrigerator, means for connection to an external watering system of drinkable water, a filter to purify the network water, means for the delivery of the cool water contained in said tank, said dispenser device being characterised in that said filter is located downstream of the tank and in that it includes a control device comprising valve means that are interposed between the connection of the drinkable water and the tank, a meter of the quantity of water tat is fed to the tank, an electronic control unit tat is connected with said meter in order to control the closing of said valve means when said quantity of water that comes from the external water network and that feeds the cooled tank reaches a pre-established value.
  • said electronic control unit is also suitable to control the closing of said valve means when a pre-established period of time is over.
  • FIG. 1 there is shown a block diagram of the hydraulic circuit according to a first embodiment of the dispenser according to the invention.
  • the water 1 deriving from an external water network feeds a tank 4 through a solenoid valve 2 and, downstream of the same, there is a litre-counter 3.
  • Said litre-counter 3 can either be a separate device from the solenoid valve 2, or it can be integrated therein.
  • the tank for the accumulation of the water 4 is inserted in a heat insulated and refrigerated casing located inside the refrigerator, so as to refrigerate the drinkable water of the external water network.
  • the solenoid valve 2 that allows the flow of the network water 1 into the tank is essentially made up of a mechanical valve whose closing and opening operation is controlled by the switch 9 located on the door 10 of the refrigerator, in normal conditions of operation.
  • the closing of the solenoid valve 2 can be controlled also by a electronic control device 8 in particular cases of operation.
  • the litre-counter is a device for the reading of the flow of the water and is usually made up of an electromechanical apparatus that allows to obtain a certain number of digital pulses for each litre of water that goes through the solenoid valve 1. It can be realised by different implementations.
  • a first type of litre-counter device provides the use of an electrodynamic circuit in which a mechanical revolving mean, made up of paddles, is connected with a magnet and with a reed reading element. By turning, the magnet determines the opening and the closing of the reed contact. The contact closing and opening actions are monitored by the electronic control device 8.
  • a variation of this type of device provides for the use of different elements as paddles for the mechanical revolving mean, some of which the possibility is given to reflect a bright signal, adequately produced, so that it is possible to excite a photo-detector element (a photodiode or a phototransistor) that produces measurable pulses.
  • a second type of litre-counter device provides for the use of a piezoelectric sensor that is sensitive to the pressure variations.
  • a body introduced in the path of the water and adequately modelled in order to create loops therein creates vortexes and therefore sudden pressure changes that can be detected by the piezoelectric sensor.
  • the mechanical vibrations are transduced into measurable electric pulses.
  • a filter 5 suitable to purify the drinkable water deriving from the external water network is located upstream of the refrigerant tank 4 in order to treat only the water that is used immediately. It is generally manufactured with a material tat allows to eliminate possible organic compounds, products of the reaction of the chlorine present in the water and substances released by the piping of the water network in the common use water.
  • the switch 9 of the dispensers is advantageously situated on the door 10 of the refrigerator appliance and controls the opening and closing operation of the solenoid valve 2, in such a way as to allow the inflow of new network water in the tank 4, in order to replace the water previously tapped.
  • a dispenser 6 for the delivery of cool water is provided downstream of the filter 5 .
  • the filter 5 deteriorates for quantity of filtered water and for time of utilisation.
  • the litre-counter 3 provides a certain number of pulses to the control device for each litre of water that flows in the dispenser.
  • Such control device consists essentially of a microprocessor data acquisition circuit 80, that it is possible to set so that it controls the closing of the solenoid valve 2 upon the attainment of the number of wanted litres, and therefore stops the water feed to the dispensers. Since the filter 5 also deteriorates with the time of utilisation, it is possible and preferable to set a timer in the control device, in order to cause it to close the solenoid valve 2, thus stopping the delivery of water even after a desired period of time.
  • the microprocessor 80 is connected with a file memory 11, that is used to store the readings of the litre-counter 3 and possibly the value of the timer, in the case of sudden or lasting lack of supply voltage of the electronic control device.
  • an user interface device 14 is connected with the microprocessor 80. In this way the user can reset the count of the litres of water that go through the tank 4 and reactivate the delivery. The attainment of the quantity of water being set can be signalled through an acoustic or optical signaller.
  • a display 13 that can consists of a numerical device or of an analog hand indicator or only of a light led.
  • FIG. 2 there is shown a second embodiment of the dispenser in which the use of a second solenoid valve 12 is provided, that is placed downstream of the tank 4, that controls the delivery of cool water.
  • the opening and closing of said solenoid valve are also controlled by the switch 9, in normal conditions of operation.
  • the closing of said solenoid valve can be controlled by the control device 8, when it is necessary to change the filter.
EP20000200421 1999-02-18 2000-02-08 Dispositif de distribution d'eau réfrigérée pour réfrigérateur Expired - Lifetime EP1030143B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITMI990318 IT1308712B1 (it) 1999-02-18 1999-02-18 Apparecchio dispensatore di acqua fresca per frigorifero
ITMI990318 1999-02-18

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1030143A2 true EP1030143A2 (fr) 2000-08-23
EP1030143A3 EP1030143A3 (fr) 2001-02-28
EP1030143B1 EP1030143B1 (fr) 2005-03-23

Family

ID=11381929

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP20000200421 Expired - Lifetime EP1030143B1 (fr) 1999-02-18 2000-02-08 Dispositif de distribution d'eau réfrigérée pour réfrigérateur

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1030143B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE60018828T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2240006T3 (fr)
IT (1) IT1308712B1 (fr)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002097978A3 (fr) * 1999-04-22 2003-03-27 Hill Rom Services Inc Chambre de patient modulaire
US6637049B2 (en) 2001-05-25 2003-10-28 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Personal care module
US6895715B2 (en) 2001-05-25 2005-05-24 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Headwall
US6978499B2 (en) 2001-05-25 2005-12-27 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Architectural bed docking apparatus
EP1624266A1 (fr) * 2004-08-03 2006-02-08 Indesit Company S.p.A. Appareil de réfrigération avec distributeur d'eau
EP1607700A3 (fr) * 2004-06-04 2006-05-31 Whirlpool Corporation Distributeur d'eau avec remplissage mesuré pour congélateur
WO2007062904A1 (fr) * 2005-11-30 2007-06-07 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Appareil frigorifique pourvu d'un filtre a eau
WO2008125530A1 (fr) 2007-04-16 2008-10-23 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Appareil de réfrigération avec un filtre à eau
US8215065B2 (en) 1999-04-22 2012-07-10 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Modular wall unit
US8230692B2 (en) 2009-02-23 2012-07-31 Clover Company Ltd. Water dispenser and method of purifying water

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3982406A (en) * 1975-11-28 1976-09-28 General Motors Corporation Refrigerator water storage and dispensing system with water filter
US4681677A (en) * 1978-02-17 1987-07-21 Olin Corporation Water processor having automatic shutoff and bypass means
US4769135A (en) * 1987-03-02 1988-09-06 Culligan International Company Automatic metering system
US4918426A (en) * 1988-05-02 1990-04-17 Amway Corporation Method and apparatus for sensing fluid flow volume to indicate end of filter life
US5135645A (en) * 1991-03-28 1992-08-04 Raytheon Company Refrigerator water filter
WO1994020784A1 (fr) * 1993-03-05 1994-09-15 Sheringham Investments Pty. Ltd. Distributeur d'eau chaude et d'eau froide
US5499197A (en) * 1994-04-05 1996-03-12 Fou; Hsu-Chao Intelligent and all-bearing control circuit device of reverse osmosis drinking water machine
WO1996028711A1 (fr) * 1995-03-15 1996-09-19 Elkay Manufacturing Company Appareil de mesure de passage de liquide
US5636653A (en) * 1995-12-01 1997-06-10 Perception Incorporated Fluid metering apparatus and method

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3982406A (en) * 1975-11-28 1976-09-28 General Motors Corporation Refrigerator water storage and dispensing system with water filter
US4681677A (en) * 1978-02-17 1987-07-21 Olin Corporation Water processor having automatic shutoff and bypass means
US4769135A (en) * 1987-03-02 1988-09-06 Culligan International Company Automatic metering system
US4918426A (en) * 1988-05-02 1990-04-17 Amway Corporation Method and apparatus for sensing fluid flow volume to indicate end of filter life
US5135645A (en) * 1991-03-28 1992-08-04 Raytheon Company Refrigerator water filter
WO1994020784A1 (fr) * 1993-03-05 1994-09-15 Sheringham Investments Pty. Ltd. Distributeur d'eau chaude et d'eau froide
US5499197A (en) * 1994-04-05 1996-03-12 Fou; Hsu-Chao Intelligent and all-bearing control circuit device of reverse osmosis drinking water machine
WO1996028711A1 (fr) * 1995-03-15 1996-09-19 Elkay Manufacturing Company Appareil de mesure de passage de liquide
US5636653A (en) * 1995-12-01 1997-06-10 Perception Incorporated Fluid metering apparatus and method

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002097978A3 (fr) * 1999-04-22 2003-03-27 Hill Rom Services Inc Chambre de patient modulaire
US8458962B2 (en) 1999-04-22 2013-06-11 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Wall unit having concealable service outlets
US8215065B2 (en) 1999-04-22 2012-07-10 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Modular wall unit
US7865982B2 (en) 2001-05-25 2011-01-11 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Hospital bed side rail with medical treatment control unit
US6637049B2 (en) 2001-05-25 2003-10-28 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Personal care module
US6895715B2 (en) 2001-05-25 2005-05-24 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Headwall
US6978499B2 (en) 2001-05-25 2005-12-27 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Architectural bed docking apparatus
US7040057B2 (en) 2001-05-25 2006-05-09 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Architectural system adaptable to patient acuity level
US7243386B2 (en) 2001-05-25 2007-07-17 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Docking station for patient support
EP1607700A3 (fr) * 2004-06-04 2006-05-31 Whirlpool Corporation Distributeur d'eau avec remplissage mesuré pour congélateur
AU2005202434B2 (en) * 2004-06-04 2010-02-25 Whirlpool Corporation Measured fill water dispenser for refrigerator freezers
EP1624266A1 (fr) * 2004-08-03 2006-02-08 Indesit Company S.p.A. Appareil de réfrigération avec distributeur d'eau
US8038873B2 (en) 2005-11-30 2011-10-18 Bsh Bosch Und Siemens Hausgeraete Gmbh Refrigeration device comprising a water filter
WO2007062904A1 (fr) * 2005-11-30 2007-06-07 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Appareil frigorifique pourvu d'un filtre a eau
WO2008125530A1 (fr) 2007-04-16 2008-10-23 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Appareil de réfrigération avec un filtre à eau
CN101657244B (zh) * 2007-04-16 2012-09-19 Bsh博世和西门子家用器具有限公司 具有水过滤器的制冷装置
US8230692B2 (en) 2009-02-23 2012-07-31 Clover Company Ltd. Water dispenser and method of purifying water

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT1308712B1 (it) 2002-01-10
ES2240006T3 (es) 2005-10-16
DE60018828T2 (de) 2006-04-13
DE60018828D1 (de) 2005-04-28
ITMI990318A1 (it) 2000-08-18
EP1030143A3 (fr) 2001-02-28
EP1030143B1 (fr) 2005-03-23

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