FR2737448A1 - Electronic unit fitted to motor vehicle to deliver heated potable water - has electrically powered pump/heater unit taking water from disposable mineral water bottle and delivering it to outlet activated by presence of cup - Google Patents

Abstract

The electronic unit has a pump and heater in one module (B), a water delivery outlet (A) that is operated by placing a cup under the water outlet and a holder (D) that accepts a conventional plastic mineral water bottle. Hoses are inserted in the neck of the mineral water bottle and carry the water to the pump/heater unit. The hoses pass through a universal stopper that fits in the neck of the mineral water bottle. A separate set of hoses connect the pump/heater unit to the delivery outlet. The pump and the delivery outlet are also connected by electrical wires so the pump is activated by the presence of a cup at the delivery outlet. The wires and the hoses are retractable to allow easy movement of the components.

Description

ON-BOARD ELECTRONIC DEVICE
ON A MOTOR VEHICLE,
FOR DISTRIBUTING POTABLE WATER CONDITIONED IN
DISPOSABLE AND INTERCONDIBLE BOTTLE,
AS IS OR HEATED.

The use of spring water or mineral water packaged in disposable bottles has been widespread around the world for many years.

The phenomenon has grown to such an extent that it is rare today to see a motor vehicle deprived of this object, placed here and there on the seats or floor mats.

Some manufacturers have come to design the interior of modern vehicles in such a way as to integrate into the internal layout, housing specifically intended to maintain this essential object of consumption of the century.

 It is easy to understand that the comfort and hygiene of drinking this bottled water should entail the use of an additional accessory; the cup especially when the bottle is not kept in a stable position and it usually hangs on the floor of the vehicle.

On the other hand, the driver alone in his vehicle does not have easy access to water when the vehicle is in motion. He must indeed, grab the bottle, pour the water into the cup and drink, which is impossible while the vehicle is moving. Given the impossibility of drinking while driving in such conditions, the motorist is led to drink directly from the neck of the bottle, which is neither hygienic nor prudent. Indeed, all motorists know the danger of drinking from the neck of a bottle while driving, an action which leads to noticeably raising your head and no longer looking at the road.

 This basic element of consumption that is water, can be treated in various ways in order to provide the motorist with additional comfort. Thus, treating the water in the bottle in such a way as to heat it brings appreciable comfort in being able to compose, in good hygienic and safe conditions, hot, liquid or solid food from powders of dehydrated products.

To this end, the invention relates to an electronic device on board a motor vehicle, the mission of which is to serve on simple presentation of a cup,
The water of the bottle in its original state, or in the warmed state according to the wish and the orders given by the consumer motorist.

Thus, the motorist who uses the device can, on simple command, safely and hygienically have a cup of water at room temperature, or a cup of warm water for the composition, for example, of hot drinks of his choice.

Many accessories and equipment put on the market for several years have been designed from an integrated tank or dissociated from the functional elements.

The supply of a device from a tank which should be filled when it is empty, or to be cleaned periodically, entails constraints for the motorist which led to commercial failure and the disappearance of affected devices.

The present invention is basically associated with a supply of water from a disposable and interchangeable bottle of spring water or commercial mineral water, it provides the elements and components specific to this type of supply.

It has certain advantages in use, because on the one hand a simple glance makes it possible to note the level of water remaining available, unlike a device supplied by reservoir, and on the other hand, no incidence due to water conservation cannot be introduced, the current bottle of mineral water having been widely tested.

The pure and simple interchangeability of the bottle is a service much appreciated by the motorist consumer who categorically rejects the new constraints.

The apparatus of the present invention is composed of a small independent pouring box and separated from a technical box, with which it cooperates by means of a pipe and an electronic tablecloth. The technical box centralizes all the electronic functions of logic and power, the functions of treatment and transfer of the water contained in the disposable bottle.

The pouring box includes the pourer and the flow orifice as well as the few intermediate means making it possible to give orders and receive confirmation of their implementation.

The technical box with an industrial and standard appearance generally placed out of sight of the vehicle occupants cooperates directly with the water bottle supplying the device.

The device object of the present invention allows the supply from almost all commercial water bottles, the bottle cap being designed to be adapted to the different sizes of the neck of disposable bottles.

The technical box includes the one and only tank of the device provided with a high-power heating element, to allow rapid heating of its contents. It also includes the water transfer means consisting of a peristaltic type pump sucking the water in the disposable bottle to transport it in the heating tank and sucking the heated water in the heating tank to transport it to the cup of the consumer.

The energy necessary for heating the water and for the total operation of the device comes from the electric generator of the vehicle at the terminals of which are connected the supply wires joining the technical cabinet.

The pouring box of the device according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, is characterized by a very small footprint and by its association with a fixing plate capable of solidly joining one or the other of the four sides of the box. thus increasing the possibilities of installation of the housing in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

The rear plane of the pouring box is characterized by hollow volumes and shapes, so as to allow the pipe and the electrical wires constituting the functional connection between the box and the technical box to be retracted into the internal volume of the box. This feature has been designed to facilitate direct affixing of the housing by contact with the rear plane of the housing on the plane of the support.

The pouring box of the invention is characterized by a low weight allowing it to be fixed for example on the dashboard of the vehicle, by means of an adhesive or other tape with hooks.

Since the water from the disposable bottle can be brought to a temperature sufficient to cause burns, the pouring box comprising the water delivery orifice has been designed so as to limit the accidental flow of hot water, and the risk of accidents due to handling by children.

In fact, the hot water ordered can only be drained by presenting the edge of the cup in an optical fork, the positioning of which makes access difficult for children.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the pipes and electrical harnesses connecting the pouring box and the technical box are provided with connectors making it possible to facilitate installation in the passenger compartment of the vehicle and the removal of one or more elements from the device. This characteristic gives the device according to the invention the character of interchangeability of the main functional elements.

The stability of a disposable commercial water bottle in a rolling vehicle is not ensured except in certain types of recent vehicles provided with housings provided for keeping a bottle in vertical position, the device according to the embodiment preferred of the invention is characterized by the presence of a bottle-fixing plate constituted by a preferably metallic plate with which is associated a strip of rubber or other elastic material which encloses the bottle and maintains it in vertical position.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the rubber strap and the metal plate are designed so as to allow the retraction of the rubber strap in the volume of the metal plate when the bottle holder assembly is not used.

According to a different embodiment of the invention, the metal plate is made so as to be able to receive, when no bottle is kept in the bottle holder assembly, a tube for protecting the suction piping and the bottle cap. , in order to guarantee hygiene and prevent these elements, most often in contact with water, from being accidentally contacted with dust.

According to a different embodiment of the invention, the bottle attachment plate is designed so as to allow the rotation of the maintained bottle, from the vertical position to the horizontal position and screws and vice versa, so as to facilitate integration of the bottle in the interior of the vehicle, but also to always maintain the end of the water suction pipe immersed in the bottle, in a volume of water sufficient to guarantee the proper functioning of the assembly.

The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of nonlimiting examples, will make it possible to understand how the invention can be put into practice.

Figure l is a schematic view of the device according to the invention as a whole.

Figure 2 is a view of the pouring box, comprising the pouring, independent and separate from the technical box centralizing the operating members.

FIG. 3 shows the principle of the bottle stopper of the device making it possible to adapt to a large range of disposable water bottles on the market.

Figure 4 is a view of the fixing principle of the pouring housing of the invention allowing a quasi-universal positioning inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Figure 5 is a view of the arrangement of the rear plane of the pouring housing, allowing the retraction of the pipe and electrical son to make possible the direct application of the rear plane of the housing on a support plane.

FIG. 6 shows a method of fixing the pouring box authorized by its low weight.

FIG. 7 shows the electronic cup detection and its positioning intended to reinforce safety in use.

FIG. 8 shows the connections by connectors allowing the interchangeability or the displacement of one of the elements of the device without displacement of the other element.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the bottle attachment plate of the device according to the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 10 is a view of the bottle holder plate according to another embodiment of the invention, allowing to retract the strap when not in use.

Figure 11 is a view of the bottle holder plate according to another embodiment of the invention, allowing the tilting of the bottle from the vertical position to the horizontal position and vice versa.

FIG. 12 is a view of the bottle-attaching plate according to a different embodiment of the invention including a support for a tube protecting the suction pipe and the cap, to guarantee hygiene in the absence of a bottle .

The electronic device for dispensing drinking water according to the invention is characterized by the association of three independent and distinct elements cooperating with each other, (A, B, and D) of which only one (B) comprises all of the elements. functional such as; electronic management card, water treatment and transfer means, control and security means. (See figure 1).

The element (A) of the device consists of a small box comprising the pourer, orifice intended for the flow of batten controlled in the cup of the user. This small box (A) is for example of rectangular shape, preferably square, to be easily integrated in the console of equipment of a motor vehicle, on or under the dashboard, in a glove box or in any other place. the interior of said vehicle (see Figure 2).

The element (B) of the device consists of a box generally of larger volume than that of the element (A), comprising all the active means of the device, such as the printed circuit of logic and power ensuring the command, the logic and the management of the system, the water transfer means such as for example the pump (s) and pipes, the water temperature setting means such as for example the electric heating element (s), and the control means and safety devices such as level control probes, temperature control, thermostats, thermal circuit breakers etc.

Element (D) of the device consists of an assembly intended to maintain in a fixed and stable position in the passenger compartment of the vehicle one or more commercially available water bottles, disposable after the contents have been exhausted.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the electronic device for dispensing drinking water is supplied with water from one or more bottles of source water or commercial mineral water (C) previously equipped with the cap and device pipes (see Figures 1 and 3).

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the drinking water from the disposable commercial bottle (C) is delivered in its original state, that is to say at the same temperature as that of the water. contained in the bottle (C) or in the heated state, that is to say at a temperature higher than that of the water contained in the bottle (C), and this according to the wish and the choice of the user.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, and at the user's command, the drinking water contained in the bottle (C) is transferred to a heater tank of the housing (B) where it is heated by means of electric heating resistors before being transferred to the container pourer (A).

In the case of an order for water at original temperature, the water taken from the bottle (C) is transferred to the heater tank of the inactivated case (B), and transferred to the case pourer (A).

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the housing (A) comprising the pourer, that is to say the water flow orifice in the controlled state, physically independent and separate from the functional housing (B) , and the functional box (B) are connected by a bundle of electric wires and pipe (4 and 5) completely detachable from the boxes (A) and (B) so as to be able to remove or interchange the boxes (A) and / or ( B) without being forced to remove or move the connecting harness (4 and 5). The electrical wires and pipes (4 and 5) are made separable from the boxes (A) and (B) by means of connectors (3-16-17-18). (See figure 8).

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the supply of electrical energy to the device is ensured by the vehicle battery, most often in direct current of 12 or 24 volts. Given the electrical power required to heat the water within a period compatible with consumption on board a vehicle, the box (B) is connected directly to the terminals of the vehicle battery. The electrical connection of the device therefore of the box (B) by means of other equipment, such as the cigar lighter, or by the electric harness specific to the vehicle is incompatible with the operation of the device of the invention.

The use of the device according to the invention from all types of disposable water bottles is made possible by means of a universal rubber stopper, the conical shape of which has been studied to allow a tight closure whatever the dimensions. the neck of the bottle concerned (see Figure 3).

The pouring box (A) of the device of the invention is associated with a fixing plate facilitating the installation of the pouring box in any position in the cabin of the vehicle. This fixing plate is made integral with the pouring box by means of screws or other assembly systems allowing the rotation of the plate at points (1) and (2) for the choice of positioning and its locking when the position is definitively retained.

The fixing plate being able to be fixed independently on one or the other of the four sides according to the choice of the installer, the pouring box of the invention can be made integral for example with the dashboard of the vehicle by a fixing upper, lower or lateral. (See figure 4).

The pouring box (A) of the device of the invention can also be installed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle without using the aforementioned fixing plate. Indeed, its weight, its volume and its configuration allow its application and its fixing on preferably horizontal or vertical planes by means of an adhesive tape, or a fixing tape with hooks generally requiring two active parts, one to fix on the support (9) and another to fix on the pouring box (10). (See figure 6).

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the pouring box (A) has been designed to allow the retraction of the electrical wires and pipes (4) and (5), in the internal volume of the box, so as to allow the application to the outside rear side of the adhesive or fixing tape housing.

This total retraction of the wires and pipes (4) and (5) is made possible by the production of a recessed housing (6) allowing the connector (3) to be retracted and a recessed path allowing the wires to be led electric shown in sheet (4) and the pipe (5). The recessed path is made in such a way that the electrical wires (4) and the pipe (5) can leave the pouring box (A) either laterally at (7) or vertically at (8). (See figure 5).

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the pourer of the housing (A) is produced so as to form a fork (15) bounded laterally by the parts (11) and (13) of the housing (A). On the internal lateral planes of said fork (15), two orifices (12) and (14) allow an optical ray of presence detection to pass, coming from an optical cell placed in one of the orifices (12) or (14) and its reflector placed in the other opening.

The flow of water at the chosen temperature is caused when the edge of the user's cup enters the fork (15) and cuts off the electronic presence detection beam located between (12) and (14).

The flow of water is automatically interrupted when the edge of the cup is removed from the fork (15) and the optical beam is restored.

This particularity of the device secures the use by prohibiting a child from intervening directly with his fingers on the command to drain the water, which may be at a temperature liable to cause burns (see Figure 7).

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the device provides a holding element in the fixed position of the disposable bottle containing the feed water (D).

This element consists of a preferably metallic plate (19) intended to be fixed for example by means of screws situated in the fixing holes (23), at a place in the cabin of the vehicle chosen by the installer. This plate has at each of its ends stamped hooks (22) to allow the attachment of an extendable strap, for example rubber (20) by means of rings (21). (See figure 9).

According to a different embodiment of the invention, the plate (24) is provided at its ends at the top and bottom with small housings (26) capable of receiving an axis (27) whose ends can move longitudinally over any the length of the housings (26).

An extendable strap (25) is integral with the pins (27) and has in its middle part of one of the two parts of a press button (28).

When the user wishes to place a disposable bottle on the plate (24), he pulls the strap (25) in its middle part, until he can position the bottle between the plate (24) and the strap (25 ). Once the bottle is in place it releases the strap (25), the bottle is held securely in position.

If the user wants to remove his bottle and not replace it immediately, after removing the bottle, he pushes the strap (25) in its middle, the pins (27) move inside the housings (26) and the strap (25) is pressed against the plate (24). To lock the strap (25) in this position, it is then necessary to press the button (28). (See figure 10).

According to another embodiment of the invention, the bottle holding assembly (D) is constituted so as to allow the tilting and the holding in position of the bottle according to the position chosen by the user.

The assembly then consists of a fixed plate (30) made integral with a support chosen in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and a plate (31) movable relative to the plate (30) about an axis central (32). The plate (31) has stamped hooks (29) intended to receive the rings of an extensible strap as previously defined.

Secured to the movable plate (31) by the strap, the bottle becomes tiltable according to a succession of locked angles by means of recesses (33) abutting in housings of the fixed plate (30) under the pressure of a spring placed on the axis (32). The bottle can thus take several inclined positions between the vertical position and the horizontal position (see Figure 11).

This particularity of the orientable plate allows better integration of the bottle into the vehicle interior but also allows to always keep a volume of water at the bottom of the bottle to achieve a total suction of the contents.

According to a different embodiment of the invention, the fixed plate (19) for holding the bottle (C) is preferably provided in its upper part with a shaped stamp (34) to allow receiving in the event of when the device is not in use, a flared tube (35) itself intended to protect the suction pipe of the device, usually immersed in the bottle (C), from dust.

Claims (16)

1. / Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises in combination three elements (A, B, and D), of which a single element (B) comprises all of the functional means of the device, means of electronic control and management of the device, water treatment means, water displacement and orientation means. 2. / Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the water distributed is taken from inside one or more commercial water bottles (C), disposable and interchangeable when the content is exhausted. 3.1 Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle according to the preceding claims, characterized in that its use is made possible from all types of disposable water bottle on the market, by placing it on the bottle. a universal cap guaranteeing the closing and sealing of the bottle. 4. / Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the water is delivered in two states according to the choice of the user, in ambient state either at the same temperature as that of the water contained in the bottle (C), or in a heated state, is at a higher temperature than that of the water contained in the bottle (C). 5. / Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elements (A) and (B) are interconnected by a bundle of electric wires and pipes provided in connector ends allowing the easy and rapid removal or movement of one or other of the elements (A) and (B), or of the two elements (A) and (B) without having to move the bundle connecting them. 6. / Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electrical supply is in direct current of 12 or 24 volts, and generated by the direct connection to the terminals of the motor vehicle battery. 7. / Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element (A) is of weight and volume such that it can be solidly and directly fixed on a plane of the passenger compartment of the vehicle by means of adhesive tape or hook tape. 8. / Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element (A) is provided with a fork (15) into which the edge of the cup must be introduced. user to activate or interrupt the flow of controlled water. 9. / Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the order of flow or interruption of flow of the controlled water is given by the cut-off. of an optical ray established between one and the other branch of the fork (1 5) of the element (A) when the edge of the user's cup is introduced or removed from the fork (15) of the 'element (A). 10./ Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element (A) can be associated with a movable fixing plate, said fixing plate being made integral with one or the other of the four sides of the element (A) by screwing or any other means allowing mobility and locking, at two points (1) and (2) located on two opposite planes. 11./ Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element (A) has hollow recesses (6), (7) on its rear outer plane, (8) intended to retract the electric wires (4) and pipe (5) to allow the application of an adhesive intended for positioning by direct application of the element (A) on a support plane. 12./ Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle according to claim 11, characterized in that the recessed housings (6), (7), (8) produced on the rear external plane of the element (A) are such that they allow the exit of the wires (4) and pipe (5) either laterally (7) on one or the other of the two sides of the element (A), or vertically and downwards (8 ) from the lower plane of the element (A). 13./ Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element (D) for holding the bottle (C) in a vertical position consists of two elements cooperating between -those, a fixed element (19) intended to be installed rigidly and integrally on a plane internal to the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and a mobile element made of flexible and extensible material (20) which, integral with the fixed element ( 19) encloses the bottle (C) while keeping it in the use position. 14./ Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element (D) for holding the bottle (C) in a vertical position is constituted so that the extendable element (25) is retractable inside the fixed element (24) and held in the retracted position by means of a press button (28). 15./ Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element (D) for holding the bottle (C) in a vertical position consists of two plates, I '' a fixed (30) and one mobile (31) around an axis (32), held tightly together by means of a spring located around the axis (32) and limited in rotation by notches stops (33), so as to allow tilting and automatic locking at successive angles of the bottle (C) held on the movable plate (31) by means of an extendable element (20) attached to the lateral hooks (29 ) of the movable plate (31). 16./ Electronic device for distributing drinking water for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element (D) for maintaining the vertical position of the bottle (C) consists of a fixed plate (19) comprising in its form a housing (34) intended to receive a hygienic protection tube (35-36), itself intended to protect from dust the elements of the device intervening in the bottle (C) when the device is temporarily unused.