EP1752723A2

EP1752723A2 - Refrigerator with shelf acting as refrigerated drinks container

Info

Publication number: EP1752723A2
Application number: EP06116569A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Anna Fusi
Original assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Current assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Priority date: 2005-08-10
Filing date: 2006-07-04
Publication date: 2007-02-14
Also published as: EP1752723A3; ITMI20051563A1; MXPA06009030A; BRPI0603189A

Abstract

A refrigerator (1) comprising a housing or cabinet (2) within which at least one cavity (3) is provided to receive at least one shelf (10) for supporting foods or products to be preserved within said cavity (3), this latter being closed by at least one door which on a face thereof, internal or external to said cavity, presents a dispenser member (30) for drink, for example water. The shelf (10) comprises a container (20) for containing the drink to be dispensed by said dispenser (30), said container (20) being connected to this latter.

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator of the type able to dispense a refrigerated drink, usually water, in accordance with the introduction to the main claim.
A typical refrigerator of the stated type is known to comprise a usual water dispenser member (or simply dispenser) associated with a door which closes the internal preservation cavity of the refrigerator. The dispenser is usually associated with a preferably serpentine-shaped conduit provided in the interior of the refrigerator cabinet and connected in known manner, after its installation, to the mains water supply (normally downstream of a shut-off member, for example a cock) of the environment in which the refrigerator is disposed. In this manner the water originating from said supply is cooled on passing into the refrigerator cabinet, to reach a sufficiently low temperature to be dispensed by the dispenser when required by a user.
Although this known arrangement enables the water to be dispensed with a suitably low temperature, it is of complex construction.
Moreover, this known arrangement requires the production of a refrigerator cabinet specifically designed to enable the refrigerator to dispense refrigerated water (or drink), the cabinet having to be provided with the aforesaid conduit. Refrigerator production therefore has to be differentiated by separating the production line for refrigerators provided with the dispenser from that for refrigerators not provided with it.
An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator enabling a refrigerated drink to be dispensed which represents an improvement over similar known refrigerators.
A particular object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator of the stated type which, while enabling water or another refrigerated beverage to be dispensed, can present a cabinet produced in the same manner as that of a cabinet for a normal refrigerator not provided with a water dispenser device. This enables the refrigerator production costs of the refrigerated drink dispensing refrigerator to be reduced.
These and further objects which will be apparent to the expert of the art are attained by a refrigerator in accordance with the accompanying claims.
The present invention will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings, which are provided by way of non-limiting example and in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of a part of a refrigerator according to the invention, figure 1 being an exploded view;
Figure 3 is an exploded view from below showing that refrigerator part of the preceding figures;
Figure 4 is a view from below showing a shelf to be used in the refrigerator of the invention; and
Figures 5 and 6 show two schematic embodiments of hydraulic circuits provided for dispensing water in the refrigerator of the invention.

With reference to said figures, a refrigerator according to the invention is indicated overall by 1 and comprises a refrigerator cabinet 2 within which a cavity 3 for food preservation is provided. This cavity comprises opposing side walls 4, 5, a base wall 6 and a rear wall 7. Ledges or guides 8 are present or provided on the opposing side walls 4, 5 to slidably support a shelf 10 (which can also be a separation shelf for a fruit and vegetable preservation zone provided within the cavity 3). This shelf presents opposing side edges 10A, 10B to be positioned on the corresponding ledges or guides 8, a rear edge 10C to be positioned at said rear wall 7, and a front edge 10D to oppose a cavity opening 11 on which at least one movable door (not shown) is disposed, carrying a usual refrigerated water dispenser. The shelf 10 presents an upper face 15 and a lower face 16.
According to the invention, in the embodiment shown in the figures, a container 20 for the refrigerated liquid to be dispensed is formed in correspondence with the lower face 16. In the illustrated embodiment, this container is in the form of a serpentine coil having ends 21 and 22 provided with coupling members 23, for example of quick connect type, able to cooperate by interference with suitably shaped terminal ends of conduits 25, 26, which open into the rear wall 7 of the cavity 3 and are connected respectively to a mains water supply 28 of the environment in which the refrigerator is positioned, and to the aforesaid dispenser (schematically indicated by 30 in figures 5 and 6).
Advantageously, the ends of the conduits 25 and 26 are provided with valve members 31 of one-way type arranged to close at the moment in which the coupling members 23 are separated from said conduits. Alternatively, said ends 21 and 22 can be connected to the conduits 25 and 26 by ring nut coupling members associated with one pair from said ends and conduits and screwing onto threads provided externally on the other pair of said ends and conduits.
The conduit 25 (inside or outside the cabinet 2) advantageously cooperates with a filter element 28A; this conduit is also provided with a flow regulator valve 29 operated by an operating member 29A positioned on the refrigerator, for example on the water dispenser 30, or in another position on the refrigerator reachable by a user.
The shelf 10 can be constructed of various materials. For example it can be constructed of plastic material by blow-moulding or injection-moulding; in this case, the container 20 can be produced directly during the blow-moulding or injection-moulding stage, in known manner. Alternatively, the shelf can be constructed of glass; in this case, two glass sheets are joined together to define the faces 15 and 16 of the shelf. Between said glass sheets an interspace is formed of suitable shape to act as the container 20.
The container 20 can hence have various shapes (serpentine coil, single chamber, etc.) but is always provided at least with an outlet for connection to the dispenser and with an inlet for connection to the mains water supply of the environment in which the refrigerator is positioned, said connections being made by the conduits 25 and 26 (in the example shown in the figures).
By virtue of the invention, a refrigerator can be easily obtained provided with a refrigerated water container connected to a drink dispenser provided on the refrigerator door. This container can be easily removed from the refrigerator for cleaning or maintenance. It can have a variable capacity depending on its shape. In addition to its technical function, said shelf also has an aesthetic function related to the shape of the container 20 and to its construction material.
An embodiment has been described in which the shelf 10 and the relative container 20 are removably associated with the refrigerator cavity. As an alternative, this shelf can be permanently fixed therein at the refrigerator production stage. In that case, for example the conduits 25 and 26 are welded to the ends 21 and 22 of the serpentine coil or to the inlet and outlet of said container, whatever its shape.
As a further variant of the invention, the shelf 10 can present a point for connection to the dispenser on its front side 10D, said connection point (provided with suitable members for its coupling to the dispenser) being connected to the dispenser on closing the door onto the opening 11.
Finally, the refrigerator can also be of the type not provided with internal conduits and be produced as a usual refrigerator without dispenser. In that case, a shelf 10 with container 20 can still be used within said refrigerator, to be filled manually (via its inlet), and presenting (at its outlet) a suitable cock or equivalent dispensing member (shown schematically in figure 2 and indicated by 100). The container 20 is inclined towards the cock 100 to facilitate drink dispensing. In this manner, a refrigerator of the type not provided with a dispenser on its door can also be used to contain a drink, which is refrigerated within the shelf container and be dispensed via the cock associated therewith. These and other variants of the invention are to be considered as falling within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

A refrigerator comprising a housing or cabinet (2) within which a cavity (3) is provided to receive at least one shelf (10) for supporting foods or products to be preserved within said cavity (3), this latter being closed by at least one door, characterised in that the shelf (10) comprises a container (20) for containing a drink, a dispensing member being provided for the drink contained in said container.
A refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the drink dispenser is associated with the refrigerator door.
A refrigerator as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that said dispenser is connected to a conduit (26) provided within the cabinet (2) in which the container (20) is connected via a coupling member (23) associated with its corresponding outlet, an inlet of the container (20) being connected via its own coupling member (23) to a conduit (25) provided within said cabinet (2) and connected to the mains water supply of the environment in which the refrigerator is positioned.
A refrigerator as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the conduit (25) in the cabinet (2) connected to the mains water supply presents a filter element (28).
A refrigerator as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the conduit (25) in the cabinet (2) connected to the mains water supply is intercepted by a flow regulator valve (29) operated by an operating member located in a position reachable by a user, such as a position close to the dispenser on the door.
A refrigerator as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that each coupling member is of the quick connect type.
A refrigerator as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the end of each conduit (25, 26) provided within the cabinet to cooperate with the corresponding coupling member presents a one-way valve member.
A refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the dispenser (100) is associated with the shelf (10).
A refrigerator as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the container (20) slopes towards the dispenser (100).
A refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the shelf (10) is removably inserted into the refrigerator cavity (3) and is slidable on ledges (8) provided on opposing walls (4, 5) of said cavity (3).
A refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the shelf (10) is fixed within the refrigerator cavity (3).
A refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the container (20) is of serpentine coil shape.
A refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the container (20) is in the form of a cavity provided between opposing faces (15, 16) of the shelf (10).
A refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the serpentine coil (10) of the container (20) presents an inlet through which the drink to be refrigerated can be directly fed into it.
A shelf for use in the refrigerator claimed in claim 1, characterised by comprising a container to contain a drink to be refrigerated and to be dispensed to the user without extracting said shelf from the refrigerator cavity (3).
A shelf as claimed in claim 15, characterised by being of plastic material.
A shelf as claimed in claim 15, characterised by being produced by blow-moulding or injection-moulding.
A shelf as claimed in claim 15, characterised by being of glass, the container (20) being obtained between two superposed sheets defining the shelf faces (15, 16).