EXCHANGED. * OF HEAT AND FLUID DEPOSIT Field of the Invention The present description generally relates to the field of fluid reservoirs and more particularly, to the use of fluid reservoirs in apparatus having water systems. The fluid reservoirs of the present invention can provide a first-in / first-out flow that provides beneficial operating characteristics such as, for example, prevention of stagnant flow and improved heat transfer to provide chilled water. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For the interface of a water tank - with an appliance, such as a refrigerator, there are several exchanges or design exchanges. Such exchanges or exchanges include, but are not limited to, the placement of fluid reservoirs within the apparatus, the avoidance of water contamination in fluid reservoirs, the fluid capacity of fluid reservoirs, and the efficiency of a fluid. Heat exchange component, which are balanced in the design of a fluid reservoir. Among the design criteria for the placement of a water or other liquid reservoir within an apparatus such as a refrigerator, it is generally desirable to occupy the least amount of storage space-within-the apparatus of Ref. 179349 as possible. For example, water system designs of the prior art have made use of tank style fluid reservoirs and spiral type fluid reservoirs. A disadvantage of previously known tank style fluids can be the creation of "dead" or no significant displacement volumes, with little or no flow. These dead volumes can lead to stagnant flow conditions that can lead to an unfavorable, rancid liquid, and / or microbial contamination of the liquid. A known disadvantage of the tanks with previous spiral tubes is that they can have a relatively poor heat exchange efficiency due to the small portion of the surface of the tank that is accessible to the heat exchange when mounted in certain configurations. Spiral tube fluid reservoirs can also be difficult to manufacture, may require large amounts of polymer or other material for their manufacture, and can lead to water of unpleasant taste due to contact of the fluid with the large surface area that is associated with the materials of the fluid container with previously known spiral tubes. In addition, prior spiral fluid reservoirs often exhibit significant internal friction that can lead to large pressure drops during operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The improved fluid reservoirs of the present disclosure comprise a structure for eliminating low flow conditions so that small volumes or no or dead volumes are present. No displacement inside the fluid reservoir. In addition, the improved fluid reservoirs of the present disclosure can provide a relatively high efficient heat exchange to provide a desirable, cooled fluid product for use and consumption. In some currently preferred, representative embodiments, the improved fluid reservoirs may comprise a passage for the flow of the fluid in the form of a coil having a cross section configured in such a way that the flow of the fluid within the flow passage is displaced on the full cross-sectional volume of the passage for the flow without leaving significant amounts of dead volume or without displacement therein. The cross-sectional shape of the flow passage can be configured to have a larger heat transfer surface than prior known spiral tube reservoirs that can allow the fluid to be cooled by the placement of an improved fluid reservoir in proximity to a cooling environment such as, for example, inside or in proximity with a freezer or refrigeration compartment in a refrigerator. In some representative embodiments, the improved fluid reservoirs can be operatively assembled, such as, for example, from two sheets of a molded polymeric material that are operatively joined to form the reservoir for the fluid, as will be described later. In other representative embodiments, the reservoir for the fluid may be operatively assembled, such as, for example, from flexible polymeric materials that are bonded along seams to establish a flow channel. In some representative embodiments, the improved reservoirs for the fluid may comprise non-rigid designs in which the contours of a flow channel or passage for flow can not be formed until the fluid flow deforms the flexible polymer throughout. of the channel for the flow. In additional representative embodiments, the reservoir for the fluid can be operatively assembled, such as, for example, by the use of blow molding techniques or the like, as is known in the art. The reservoir for the fluid can be connected to a filtration system to provide a cooled filtered liquid. The reservoir for the fluid and / or filtration systems may be associated with an apparatus, such as a refrigerator.
In one aspect, the fluid reservoirs of the present disclosure may have a thin profile for convenient placement along and / or within the walls / floor / ceiling and / or the spars of an appliance. This thin profile is consistent both with a very good heat exchange and with the flow with little or no dead volume. The fluid reservoir can be placed in thermal contact with the cooling compartment. Due to the thermal contact, the liquid supplied from the fluid reservoir can be cooled, and the configuration provides a good cooling efficiency. The fluid reservoir design of the present disclosure combines some of the advantages of a spiral tube fluid reservoir with those of a tank style fluid reservoir, while eliminating many of the disadvantages associated with either the fluid reservoir or the fluid reservoir. Fluid reservoir with spiral tubes or the fluid tank of the style of a tank. In another aspect, the fluid reservoirs of the present disclosure can be designed and manufactured to provide desirable flow properties through the fluid reservoir to provide a totally swept or traveled area with little or no dead volume, while at the same time. have a wider flow area than a tank with tubes or the like, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. More specifically, representative fluid reservoirs of the present disclosure can be manufactured to have desirable cross-sectional configurations wherein the fluid reservoir conduit comprises a Reynolds number of from about 800 to about 2500 at a flow rate of about 1.89 liters per minute (0.50 gallons per minute), in other representative embodiments the fluid reservoir may comprise a Reynolds number from about 1000 to about 2000 at a flow rate of approximately 1.89 liters per minute (0.50 gallons per minute), and in additional representative embodiments, the fluid reservoir may comprise a Reynolds number
/ from about 1300 to about 1900 at a flow rate of approximately 1.89 liters per minute (0.50 gallons per minute). In general, the presently preferred representative embodiments of the fluid reservoirs of the present disclosure comprise an inlet, an outlet and an elongated passage connecting the inlet and outlet. In some representative embodiments currently contemplated, the elongated passage has a serpentine shape for compactly configuring the elongated passage. The elongated shape and the corresponding length of the passage generally comprise many times the diameter across the cross section of the passage providing the desired fluid storage volume while having little or no dead volume with the first-in-flow First to leave. In some representative embodiments, the passage is operatively assembled, such as, for example, from two contoured sheets of material that are then operatively joined together by the appropriate methods known in the art. The contoured sheets can be operatively formed from a generally rigid material, such as, for example, a plastic that maintains the shape of the contour to form the flow channels with a selected shape. A seam between the sheets separates the adjacent sections of the passage. In some representative embodiments, a sheet may comprise a generally planar surface wherein the generally planar sheet and a contoured sheet may be operatively connected to form the flow passages. In other representative embodiments contemplated today, the upper and / or lower sheets of the fluid reservoir can be operatively formed from a flexible material, such as, for example,, from a flexible polymer or other elastic material that is capable of performing the required function, as could be understood by those skilled in the art. In these flexible representative embodiments, the shape of the flow channel may result from the fluid pressure within the flow channels. In general, the configuration of the flow channel with the fluid present in the channel, preferably present, is approximately circular with some distortion near the seam, although the thickness of the walls of the flow channel can be varied radially along the length of the channel. the cross section of the flow channel so that the configuration of the flow channel expands to a different shape during exposure to fluid pressure, if desired. In some presently preferred representative embodiments, based on the rigid contoured materials, the fluid reservoirs of the present disclosure can have a generally flat extension with a thickness no greater than, which is currently preferred, of approximately 10 percent of the distance of edge to longest edge, across the generally flat surface of the fluid reservoir, in other representative embodiments, no greater than about 5 percent and in additional representative embodiments from about 0.2 percent to about 3 percent of the edge distance with a longer edge. If both surfaces are contoured, the flat projection of the surface with the largest area can be used for the evaluation of the distances across the surface. The elongated passage, preferably present, generally has a length of at least a factor of three times the longest edge-to-edge distance across the planar surface. Further details of the suitable cross-sectional properties of the passage with respect to the rigid materials are described below. For some representative embodiments currently contemplated, based on the flexible polymers, the shape of the fluid reservoir can be evaluated similarly in the expanded form with the fluid pressure inside the fluid reservoir. In the expanded form, the fluid reservoir could generally have dimensions comparable to those of the fluid reservoirs formed with rigid contoured materials as described herein. Although flexible materials can be somewhat elastic so that the shape can vary depending on the pressure, the difference in shape is usually not significant over the range of standard residential water pressures. For evaluating the shape and properties of a flexible fluid reservoir as described herein, the flow channels of the fluid reservoir are subjected to a pressure that delivers a fluid flow rate of approximately 1.89 liters per minute (0.5 gallons). per minute). Suitable dimensions to provide the desired flow properties are described. Also, for mounting in a desired location, a flexible fluid reservoir can be bent as long as the flow channel is not blocked. However, it is to be noted that the dimensions and other properties of the fluid reservoir are evaluated in the planar configuration for reasons of convenience and accuracy. In some representative embodiments currently contemplated, the fluid reservoirs of the present disclosure can be operatively interconnected with an appropriate dispenser. In general, the operation of the dispenser can be activated by a user who requires a desired amount of fluid such as, for example, water. In some representative embodiments currently contemplated, the water can be distributed through a distributor in a door of the appliance such as, for example, a refrigerator door. In some representative, alternative embodiments, the distributor may be located internally with respect to an apparatus such as, for example, inside a refrigerated compartment of a refrigerator, as further described in the provisional application U.S. Copending No. 60 / 537,781 in favor of Meuleners et al., entitled "WATER FILTER AND DISPENSER ASSEMBLY", the disclosure of which is incorporated herein for reference to the extent not inconsistent with the present invention. The placement and orientation of the fluid reservoirs of the present disclosure within an apparatus can allow for practical considerations during installation as well as the provision of effective air ventilation that may be contained within a fluid filtration system and / or the own fluid reservoir prior to connection with a fluid supply. The fluid reservoirs of the present disclosure may have cross sections of flow passage selected to be small enough to allow air to be pushed out of the flow passage due to the surface tension of the fluid regardless of the orientation of the fluid reservoir . In another aspect, fluid reservoirs representative of the present disclosure can be connected to a filtration system. For example, water from a city water supply, well, or other water supply within a house or other structure may be filtered prior to being distributed to the user. In general, the fluid reservoir can be operatively positioned either upstream or downstream of the filtration system. If placed upstream, the fluid reservoir could then contain water or other liquid in the company of any antimicrobial agents, such as chlorine, found in the water / liquid supply, although these agents can be removed from the liquid by subsequent filtration. prior to it being distributed. Accordingly, the proliferation of microbes, such as bacteria or molds, could be inhibited prior to use and / or consumption by the user. Examples of representative filtration systems having a reservoir of water fluid upstream of a filtration system are further described in the U.S. patent application. Copending No. 10 / 445,372 in favor of Fritze et al., entitled
"WATER FILTER ASSEMBLY", presented on May 23, 2003 and which claims priority for the provisional application
U.S. 60 / 383,187, filed May 23, 2002, the description of each is incorporated herein for reference to the extent not inconsistent with the present description. When the fluid reservoir is placed upstream of a filtering system and the fluid reservoir is located between two valves, the fluid reservoir can be subjected to a constant or intermittent domestic line pressure. Alternate representative configurations that provide relatively greater flexibility and versatility with respect to the placement of the filtration system can be obtained when the fluid reservoirs of the present disclosure are located downstream of a water filtration system. In some presently contemplated, representative embodiments, the water filtration system may be located externally of a refrigeration unit, such that the potential for blocking the flow of water due to complete or partial freezing of the liquid within the filtration system , and more specifically the internal blockage of the filter element itself, is eliminated effectively, if not completely. In these representative embodiments, the fluid reservoir may be subjected to an intermittent fluid line pressure, if located between two valves, or the fluid reservoir may always be at pressures lower than the line pressure due to exposure to fluid. a line open to the atmosphere, for example, as described in the US patent publication co-pending No. 2005 / 0103721A1 in favor of Fritze, entitled "Reduced Pressure Water Filtration System", filed on September 23, 2004 and claiming priority for the provisional application of the United States of America 60 / 505,152, filed on 23 September 2003, the description of each is incorporated herein for reference to the extent that it is not inconsistent with the present disclosure. Brief Description of the Figures Figure 1 is a perspective view of a representative fluid reservoir, possible, according to the present disclosure, having a flow passage in the form of a coil with a cross-sectional area larger than a cross-sectional area of an entrance opening and an exit opening. Fig. 2 is an end view of the representative fluid reservoir of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top view of the representative fluid reservoir of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the fluid reservoir representative of Fig. 1 taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the representative fluid reservoir of Fig. 1 taken in detail 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view below of a possible representative embodiment of a fluid reservoir having a flow passage in the form of a coil with a cross-sectional area larger than a cross-sectional area of an inlet opening and an outlet opening. Figure 7 is a top perspective view of the representative fluid reservoir of Figure 6. Figure 8 is a side view of the representative fluid reservoir of Figure 6. Figure 9 is a side view of the fluid reservoir representative of the Figure 6, showing an inlet opening and an outlet opening. Figure 10 is a top view of a possible representative embodiment of a fluid reservoir having a flow passage in the form of a coil with a cross-sectional area equal to a cross-sectional area of an inlet opening and an outlet opening . Figure 11 is a bottom view of the representative fluid reservoir of Figure 10. Figure 12 is a side view of the representative reservoir of Figure 10. Figure 13 is a bottom view of a possible representative embodiment of a fluid reservoir that has a constant cross-sectional area for a flow passage in the form of a coil, an entrance opening and an exit opening. Fig. 14 is a top view of the representative fluid reservoir of Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a side view of the representative fluid reservoir of Fig. 13. Fig. 16 is an exploded perspective view of a possible embodiment representative of a fluid reservoir having integral pipe connectors with respect to an inlet opening and an outlet opening. Figure 17 is a perspective, exploded, detailed view of the inlet opening and the outlet opening of the representative fluid reservoir of Figure 16. Figure 18 is a bottom view of a possible representative embodiment of a reservoir of flexible fluid having a flow passage in the form of a coil with a cross-sectional area greater than a cross-sectional area of an inlet opening and an outlet opening. Figure 19 is a detailed bottom view of the inlet opening and the outlet opening of the representative flexible fluid reservoir of Figure 18. Figure 20 is a bottom view of a possible representative embodiment of a flexible fluid reservoir i having an integral inlet opening and an integral outlet opening oriented generally perpendicular to the plane of the flexible fluid reservoir. Figure 21 is a bottom view of the representative flexible fluid reservoir of Figure 20. Figure 22 is a sectional view of possible representative flow channels for use with representative embodiments of either a rigid fluid reservoir. or a flexible fluid reservoir. Figure 23 is a sectional view of possible representative flow channels for use with representative embodiments of either a rigid fluid reservoir or a flexible fluid reservoir. Figure 24 is a sectional view of possible representative flow channels, for use with representative embodiments of either a rigid fluid reservoir or a flexible fluid reservoir. Figure 25 is a sectional view of possible representative flow channels for use with representative embodiments of either a rigid fluid reservoir or a flexible fluid reservoir. Figure 26 is a graph of the numbers of
Reynolds for possible representative representative flow channel diameters for use in domestic fluid flow applications. Detailed Description of the Invention The improved fluid reservoirs described herein combine characteristics of spiral tube reservoirs and tank-shaped fluid reservoirs to achieve desirable characteristics of both types while exhibiting a smaller number of disadvantages than those that are representative of each one. The new desirable, improved processing methods have made these commercially impractical fluid reservoirs practical in a prior manner, on a commercial scale. In some representative embodiments currently preferred, fluid reservoirs are designed to have a flow that provides a first-in-first-out flow characteristic without areas of reduced flow or dead volume that can lead to a stagnant liquid. At the same time, some currently preferred representative embodiments of the fluid reservoirs may have a larger flow passage cross section than conventional spiral tubes, so that a smaller amount of material is used and the pressure drop is smaller for a volume of the given tank. In some representative embodiments, the fluid reservoirs are in the form of a monolithic structure with a curved flow path and adjacent flow channels, separated with a seam or the like. The monolithic structures can be formed by means of a molding process or by joining two or more sheets of material. The improved fluid reservoirs can be incorporated into a filtration system and / or into an apparatus, such as a refrigerator, to supply cooled water. In some representative embodiments, the fluid reservoirs described herein involve a monolithic polymer structure with two openings and a flow passage between the openings. The flow passage can form a circuit passage. Seams formed within the polymer structure can establish boundaries between adjacent sections of the flow passage. In some representative embodiments, the flow passage has an approximately constant diameter over most of the passage related to the contours of a material to establish the desired flow properties through the passage. With respect to the monolithic structures formed of rigid materials, the passages of the flow correspond to the contours of the rigid material. In other representative embodiments, the passage of the flow corresponds to the expandable sections of the flexible materials with the seams that form the boundaries or boundaries of the flow passage. The overall monolithic structure can have a generally planar appearance with at least one contoured surface forming the flow passage. In addition, the structure can be attached to a filtration system by means of appropriate fluid connections such as, for example, pipe connections or other suitable connection methods known to one skilled in the art. The fluid reservoir with or without a filtration system can be mounted inside an appliance, such as a refrigerator, and / or the fluid reservoir - it can be connected to a domestic water supply. In some representative embodiments, the fluid reservoirs may be incorporated in an apparatus having a liquid supply fluidly connected to a defined flow passage within the fluid reservoir. The fluid reservoirs can be manufactured in such a way that the flow passage has a Reynolds number from about 800 to about 2500 at a flow rate of approximately 1.89 liters per minute.
(0.5 gallons per minute). In addition to having advantageous flow characteristics, the fluid reservoir of the present description can simultaneously serve a dual function as a heat exchanger wherein the fluid reservoir can be placed inside a wall of the apparatus., stringer or division so that it is in thermal contact with a cooling compartment that allows the cooling of the fluid when it flows through, and / or lies within, the flow passage. The flow rate of 1.89 liters per minute (0.5 gallons per minute) is specified for evaluation purposes, although the liquid fluid reservoir can be used at alternative flow rates. In some representative embodiments, a monolithic fluid reservoir structure can be formed by joining two generally rigid polymer sheets, wherein at least one sheet is contoured. When joined, the contour defines a flow passage between two openings in the structure of the resulting monolithic fluid reservoir. The joining of the two sheets can be effected with a variety of manufacturing methods such as, using sonic welding, thermal bonding, RF bonding or adhesive bonding, or any other connection means that are capable of effecting effectively the proposed function . The contour can be formed, such as, for example, by vacuum forming and / or pressure forming. In other representative embodiments, the contour of at least one of the sheets and the joining of the sheets are effected without requiring the repositioning of the sheets between the manufacturing stages. In other representative embodiments, a monolithic fluid reservoir can be formed by joining a flexible first polymeric surface to an adjacent flexible polymeric surface to define a continuous flow channel that fluidly interconnects at least two openings for the fluid. flow. Adjacent, flexible polymeric surfaces can be arranged for bonding by stacking two flexible polymer sheets, or by folding a single polymer sheet to form the first flexible polymeric surface and the second flexible polymeric surface. The adjacent flexible polymeric surfaces can be operatively fixed using a suitable joining process such as, for example, using sonic welding, heat bonding, RF bonding or adhesive bonding or any other connection means that are capable of performing effective way the proposed function. Through the use of polymeric, flexible, adjacent surfaces, the structure of the monolithic fluid reservoir can be inherently flexible, allowing ease of installation and assembly when used with an apparatus. As illustrated in Figures 1-5, a currently preferred representative embodiment of a fluid reservoir 100 may comprise a monolithic structure with a flow channel 102 that interconnects in fluid communication, operatively, a flow inlet 104 and an outlet 106. of the flow. A channel 102 of the flow comprises a flow arrangement generally in serpentine form defined by a plurality of flow branches 108 operatively interconnected by means of a plurality of elbows 110 on the left and a plurality of elbows 112 on the right. In this representative embodiment, the elbows are round, although other forms of the elbows may provide adequate flow properties. Although other configurations of the passageway may be used for the flow channel 102, the generally coil-shaped structure provides for the compact placement of the extended passages while little or no dead volume is provided, large total volumes and elevated surface areas for the passage. heat exchange. The fluid reservoir 100 comprises a body 114 of the fluid reservoir which provides a generally rigid structure to the fluid reservoir 100 to aid in the manufacture, storage, handling and installation of the fluid reservoir 100 within a fluid circuit. The body 114 of the fluid reservoir may comprise a handle portion 116 and a plurality of seams 118. The handle portion 116 provides a convenient location for fastening or handling during manufacture and / or installation of the fluid reservoir 100. The seams 118 can provide interconnection and fixation of adjacent flow branches 108 to provide strength and rigidity to fluid reservoir 100. Seams 118 are fluid tight to prevent flow directly between adjacent flow branches 108., but instead forcing the flow so that sequentially, it moves in the form of a coil through the flow channel 102. As illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the flow channel 102 forms a passage generally in the form of a coil that involves bending over itself. In contrast to the spiral tubes, the flow channel lies substantially within the same plane and does not cross or bend upwards on itself. However, if desired, the monolithic structure may comprise a flow channel that crosses or bends upwardly on itself while having the flow with the desired properties such as, for example, little or no dead volume, total volumes large and high surface areas for thermal exchange. However, flow channels that cross by themselves are not currently preferred since they generally involve more complex processing methods and can present assembly complications due to the increased thickness at the crossing point. The coil-shaped passage can be configured to have any of a range of structures with a plurality of segments that may or may not have the same lengths and the number of segments may be selected to give a desired volume consistent with the footprint of the structure for assembly. As illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, the seams 118 can be arranged in a substantially planar orientation defining an intermediate plane 120 that lies substantially parallel to, and between an upper surface 122 and a lower surface 124 on which the upper surfaces. and lower are generally defined by the flow channel 102. In other words, the flow channel corresponds to the contours of the monolithic structure. It should be noted that the designation of the upper and lower surfaces from beginning to end of the description is for reasons of convenience and ease of understanding and can not be related to the mounting orientation of the fluid reservoir 100 during use. The fluid reservoir 100 as well as other embodiments representative of the fluid reservoir described herein, may be formed from one or more suitable materials, as described below. In general, it is desirable to form the fluid reservoir 100 from a polymer, although metals including combinations thereof may be suitable. The selection of a suitable material, such as, for example, a polymer, can be based on a variety of factors such as, for example, cost, processing capacity, durability and compatibility with drinkable liquids. Suitable polymers include, but are not limited to, for example, polyolefins, such as polymers of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene, Dowlex®, polyurethane, polystyrene, nylon (polyamides), and polyesters (such as polyethylene terephthalate, including, for example, Mylar®). The particular molecular weights of the polymers and the particular formulations can be selected by methods known to those skilled in the art. In some cases, the polymers can be selected so that they possess characteristics whether rigid, semi-rigid or flexible, based on the manufacturing methods employed and the desired physical or installation characteristics of the fluid reservoir such as, for example, the thickness of the wall and the total dimensions. With respect to rigid materials, suitable metals including mixtures thereof, such as, for example, stainless steel, may be used in place of the polymers. Suitable connections can be incorporated in the inlet 104 for the flow and the outlet 106 for the flow, for the connection of the fluid reservoir to the pipeline, the connection pipes or the like. The connections can be selected to be compatible with respect to the process and composition with the material of the fluid reservoir 100 and the material of the tubing connecting the fluid reservoir 100 to an associated fluid system. -In particular, if a polyethylene or crosslinked PEX pipe is used (which generally refers to a pipeline of either PEX-a, PEX-b or PEX-c), a connection that mechanically holds the pipeline is desirable since the reticulated nature of the polymer in the pipe is not favorable with respect to thermal or sonic welding. However, an adhesive can also be used to fix the pipe to the inlet of the flow 104 and to the outlet of the flow 106. Other materials may be selected to provide thermal or sonic welding. Although the polymers used to form the fluid reservoir 100 may be crosslinked or not initially crosslinked, the polymer may be further crosslinked after the formation process. In general, the physical process such as, for example, an electronic beam such as that used to crosslink the PEX-c, ultraviolet radiation and / or corona discharge, as well as other physical processes, including but not being limited to, for example, other processes known in the art, can be used to effect crosslinking. In some representative embodiments, the chemical crosslinking agents such as, for example, the liquid peroxide used for crosslinking and to form the PEX-a with the Engel method, as well as the catalysts and / or exposure to air and moisture , can trigger the crosslinking of the polymer such as, for example, the use of a tin catalyst and curing under wet conditions (water bath or a steam sauna) in the technology of silane crosslinking to crosslink and form PEX- b. Although polymers are convenient materials, effective in cost and efficient in forming fluid deposits, many polymers have low thermal conductivity. The thermal conductivity of the selected polymers can be increased by charging the polymer with a material with increased thermal conductivity. Suitable thermally conductive materials include, but are not limited to, for example, metal particles / powders, such as copper flakes, aluminum and / or iron powders, and / or carbon particles, such as carbon black. carbon and / or graphite and any other materials capable of performing the proposed function in the proposed environment. The particles may have any reasonable shape and size which leads to adequate mechanical properties of the resulting compound. For some representative embodiments, the charge of the particles may be no greater than about 40 weight percent and in other representative embodiments from about 2 weight percent to about 35 weight percent. A person skilled in the art will recognize that additional ranges within the specified ranges of particle loading are contemplated by the present disclosure. With respect to the description herein of the sheets or the like, such references may refer to laminates comprising a plurality of layers which may or may not have different compositions from each other. Another representative embodiment of a fluid reservoir 200 based on the rigid materials, is shown in
'Figures 6-9. The fluid reservoir 200 may comprise a monolithic rigid body 202 having a lower surface 204 which may be a flat, generally smooth surface, while an upper surface 206 may be contoured to form a passage 208 of fluid flow between the inlet 210 of the fluid and exit 212 of the fluid. The rigid body 202 can comprise similar materials and can be manufactured using similar manufacturing techniques, as well as other manufacturing processes known to one skilled in the art, as previously described with respect to the fluid reservoir 100. Although it is generally flat, the lower surface 204 may be partially contoured to form fluid inlet 210 and fluid outlet 212 as illustrated in Figure 7. In this representative embodiment, the fluid flow passage 208 has a serpentine shape with eleven elbows 214 of 180 degrees and two elbows 216 of 90 degrees for connection to the inlet 210 of the fluid and the outlet 212 of the fluid. Although described as the inlet 210 for the fluid and the outlet 212 for the fluid, it will be understood that any opening can be used interchangeably as the inlet 210 of the fluid and the fluid outlet 212 based on the ease of orientation and installation of the reservoir. 100. As illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the inlet pipe 218 and the outlet pipe 220 can be secured in the inlet 210 of the fluid and the outlet 212 of the fluid to provide the flow into and out of the reservoir of the fluid. fluid 100. If formed from the appropriate materials, the inlet pipe 218 and the outlet pipe 220 can be welded to the inlet 210 of the fluid and the outlet 212 of the fluid, although other joining methods can be used, such as such as adhesive bonding, thermal bonding, mechanical fastening and the like. Other positions of the inlet 210 of the fluid and the outlet 212 of the fluid along either the lower surface 204 or the upper surface 206 can be used and, in particular, it will be understood that the inlet 210 of the fluid and the outlet 212 of the fluid do not need to be placed one after the other. When the fluid reservoir 200 is positioned and mounted in an apparatus such as, for example, within a wall, beam or division of the apparatus as described in United States of America patent application No. 10 / 975,193 in favor of Meuleners et al., filed on October 28, 2004 and entitled, "IMPROVED DESI-GNS FOR FILTRATION SYSTEMS WITHIN APPLIANCES", which is incorporated herein for reference to the extent not inconsistent with the present invention, or in a refrigerated portion of an apparatus, generally the lower flat surface 204 can be placed directly against a wall of the apparatus to maximize the amount of physical contact between the reservoir 200 of the fluid and the apparatus so as to increase the total heat transfer between the apparatus and the fluid reservoir 200, which can ultimately cool the fluid in the passage 208 for fluid flow prior to the use and consumption of the fluid. An alternative variation on the fluid reservoir 200 is illustrated as a fluid reservoir 250 in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12. The fluid reservoir 250 can substantially resemble the fluid reservoir 200 with the inclusion of similar features such as, for example, the rigid body 202 having a generally flat lower surface 204 and a contoured upper surface 206. The fluid reservoir 250 may further comprise the passage 208 for the flow of fluid which effectively has elbows 214 of 180 degrees and effectively elbows 216 of 90 degrees. Of course, suitable designs can incorporate elbows with other angles. The fluid reservoir 250 may differ from the fluid reservoir 200 in that an inlet 252 of the fluid and a fluid outlet 254 may each have a cross-sectional area that is approximately, substantially, from the inlet 252 of the fluid to the outlet 254 of the fluid including the passage 208 for fluid flow. In contrast, the passage 208 for fluid flow as illustrated in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 widens to a larger cross-sectional area between the fluid inlet 210 and the fluid outlet 212. The reservoir 250 of the fluid may comprise similar materials and may be manufactured using similar manufacturing processes as previously described with respect to the representative embodiment described previously of the fluid reservoir 100. Another alternative, representative embodiment of a fluid reservoir 300 based on the selection and manufacture of rigid materials is illustrated in Figures 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17. In this representative embodiment, the fluid reservoir 300 may comprise a body 302 of the fluid reservoir having both a contoured upper surface 304 as a contoured lower surface 306 to form a passage 308 for fluid flow between a fluid inlet 310 and a fluid outlet 312. Accordingly, the fluid reservoir 300 comprises a cross section for flow passage that is generally symmetrical or middle of a central plane 314 of the body 302 for the fluid reservoir, although the alternate representative embodiments may have asymmetric contoured surfaces. As shown, the passage 308 for fluid flow has a generally uniform cross section between the inlet 310 for the fluid and the outlet 312 for the fluid, although it will be understood that the cross section of the passage 308 for fluid flow could alternatively be be larger than similar cross sections of the fluid inlet 310 and the fluid outlet 312, depending on design considerations such as, for example, the fluid flow rate, the storage capacity of the desired fluid reservoir, the desired fluid velocities within the passage 308 for fluid flow and total heat transfer properties of the fluid reservoir 300. The passage 308 for fluid flow comprises a generally coil-shaped configuration with fifteen elbows 314 of 180 degrees and two elbows 316 of 90 degrees. With reference to the exploded views of the fluid reservoir 300 illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17, appropriate tube connections 318 can be secured in fluid inlet 310 and fluid outlet 312 to facilitate connection to and hold of the inlet pipe 320 and the outlet pipe 322. The tube connections 318 may comprise any of a variety of suitable tube connections, known to one skilled in the art, such as, for example, push-style tube connections, available from a variety of manufacturers including John Guest International, Ltd., of Middiesex, UK, or pipe connections of the style without tongues such as, for example, those described in the US patent publication. Copending No. 2004 / -0201212A1 filed on April 11, 2003, in favor of Marks, entitled, "Plástic Tube Join". Tube connections 318 can be properly secured within fluid inlet 310 and fluid outlet 312 through the use of suitable fastening methods such as, for example, integral molding, adhesive bonding and / or thermal welding methods and sonic The tube connections 318 can be used to securely hold the inlet pipe 320 and the outlet pipe 322 formed from a pipe material that does not easily attach directly to the heat exchanger material, such as polymers. highly reticulated A representative embodiment of a flexible fluid reservoir 400 is illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19. The flexible fluid reservoir 400 has a body 402 of the fluid reservoir. which has a flow channel 404 primarily in the form of a coil between a fluid inlet 406 and a fluid outlet 408. The flow channel 404 is generally defined by eleven elbows 410 of 180 degrees and two elbows 412 of 90 degrees. Sections or welded seams 414 establish the boundaries between adjacent sections of flow channel 404. A perimeter seam 416 is provided near the outer edge of body 402 of the fluid reservoir in the approximately planar structure of a deflated configuration illustrated in FIGS. and 19. In this representative modality, the total shape of the fluid reservoir 400 is generally rectangular with an extension portion 418 at a corner to provide the fluid inlet 406 and the fluid outlet 408, although any convenient shape can generally be used where appropriate. With reference to the detailed view illustrated in Figure 19, the tubes 420 can be operatively connected, for example by welding or adhesive bond, to the inlet 406 of the fluid and the outlet 408 of the fluid to operatively interconnect the flow channel 404 with a source of supply fluid and a point of use. As described with respect to several representative embodiments, the fluid reservoir 400 can be configured and fabricated to incorporate welded and / or similarly connected pipe connectors at the fluid inlet 406 and the fluid outlet 408 to fluidly interconnect the flow channel 404 with a source of fluid supply and an outlet point of use. Another alternative, representative embodiment of a flexible fluid reservoir 500 is illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21. The flexible fluid reservoir 500 comprises a flow channel 502 generally in the form of a serpentine fluidly interconnecting a fluid inlet 504 with an outlet 506 of the fluid. The flow channel 502 is generally defined by eleven "square" corners 508 at eleven cubits 510 of 180 degrees. Both the inlet 504 of the fluid and the outlet 506 of the fluid include an integral flow opening 512 fixed directly by means of a wall 514 of the fluid reservoir 500 in such a way that the integral flow openings 512 are generally perpendicular to a generally flat surface defined by the wall 514. The integral flow openings 512 can be formed by welding and / or joining a pipe connector, such as those previously described with respect to other representative embodiments of the fluid reservoir, at the inlet 504 of the fluid and the outlet 506 of the fluid. Accordingly, apart from having openings in the inlet 504 of the fluid and outlet 506 of the fluid to be connected to the integral flow openings 512, the flow channel 502 is not otherwise shaped to form the integral flow openings 512, in FIG. contrast to the representative embodiment of the flexible fluid reservoir 400 illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19. In addition to the fluid reservoirs mentioned and described above, representative, alternative fluid reservoir embodiments can be manufactured to comprise both rigid and fluid components. flexible in a single monolithic fluid reservoir. For example, a representative monolithic fluid reservoir may comprise a combination of the monolithic rigid body 202 and the body 402 of the fluid reservoir for refining a first rigid surface and a second flexible surface. A first rigid surface and a second flexible surface can be operatively joined to define a continuous, serpentine fluid channel, using suitable manufacturing processes such as, for example, adhesive bonding, thermal welding and a variety of molding processes , as it could be understood by the experts in the art. The flow passages associated with the various fluid reservoirs described previously may comprise a wide range of cross-sectional shapes and sizes. Although these forms may be applicable especially with respect to fluid reservoirs formed with rigid materials such as, for example, the fluid reservoir 100, the fluid reservoir 200 and the fluid reservoir 300, some of these cross-sectional shapes also they can be formed for the flexible fluid reservoirs such as, for example, the flexible fluid reservoir 400 and the flexible fluid reservoir 500, in addition to the approximately circular cross-sections by selectively varying the thickness of the flexible fluid reservoir sheet. Some representative examples of the cross-sectional shapes are illustrated in figures 22, 23, 24 and 25. With reference to FIG. 22, these flow passages have a flat bottom 600 and a curved top 602 corresponding to the fluid reservoir 200 and the fluid reservoir 250 previously described with respect to FIGS. -12 previous. Four contoured shapes are illustrated in Figure 22 as follows: the elongated semicircle 204, the semicircle 206, the elongated ellipse 608 and the ellipse -610. With reference to Figure 23, representative embodiments of the flow passage have a contoured upper surface 620 and a contoured lower surface 622. As illustrated in Figure 23, the contoured upper surface 620 and the contoured lower surface 622 substantially share the same contour generally corresponding to the contours of Figures 1-5, 13-17 showing the fluid reservoir 100 and the fluid reservoir 300 respectively. The respective upper and lower forms illustrated in Figure 23 are as follows: the elongated semicircle 624, the semicircle 626, the elongated ellipse 628 and the ellipse 630. Alternatively, the contoured upper surface 620 and the contoured lower surface 622 may comprise different contours such as, for example, the contoured upper surface 620 comprising the elongated half-circle 624 while the contoured lower surface 622 comprises the ellipse 630. The alternative representative embodiments of the cross-sectional shapes and sizes to increase the surface area and the Thermal transfer efficiency of the fluid passages, are illustrated in Figures 24 and 25. The flow passage illustrated in Figure 24 comprises a curved upper surface 700 and a curved lower surface 702. The curved lower surface 702 can be contoured as is shown in the various images of Figures 24 and 25. The surface The upper curve 702 may be similarly arched to the configurations shown for the lower curved surface 702, which may have advantages for certain flow applications such as, for example, the internal depressions 703 of the contours of the upper surface curve 700 and the lower curved surface 702 can help prevent rupture during freezing by bulging outwardly the internal depression 703 in response to the expansion of the freezing water. Depending on the material selected for the upper surface curve 700 and the lower surface curve 702 ', the internal depressions 703 may be reformed during the release of the expansion pressure when the frozen water melts to form a liquid. Various alternative cross sectional shapes of the passage can be formed based on the representative examples illustrated in Figures 22, 23, 24 and 25. A particular shape can be selected to have the desired properties of fluid flow and heat exchange, as well as for reasons of convenience of the process. In some presently preferred representative embodiments, the fluid reservoir can be formed as a single integral part. For example, the fluid reservoir can be formed using blow molding. Blow molding is generally effected by inflating a softened tube of the polymer into a mold wherein the polymer expands against the mold walls whereby the polymer is caused to assume the shape of the mold. The polymer is then cooled to retain this molded shape. However, in alternative processing methods, the fluid reservoir can be formed from two sheets, for example, the contoured upper surface 304 and the contoured lower surface 306 as illustrated in FIG. 16, which are joined together. Therefore, in these representative modalities, there are two stages for the process, a stage of forming the contour for one or both leaves and a joining stage, although the stages may be separated or not during the course of time. Other additional stages can be used. The contour can be effected, for example, using blow molding or pressure molding. In these methods, a polymer sheet is thermally softened and contoured over a shape. In vacuum formation, the softened sheets are sucked on a female or male form. In the press molding, the softened sheet is blown on the female or male form. A combination of suction and pressure can be used. The two sheets can be sealed together using sonic welding, thermal welding / stacking, RF radiofrequency bonding / bonding, adhesive bonding or the like. Several tools for effecting these joining processes are already known in the art. The contoured parts are placed and sealed. After joining the sheets, the structure can be cut, polished or finished in a similar way. The manufacture of fluid reservoirs representative of the present description can be carried out in a process of forming twin sheets generally continuously and simultaneously with respect to the sheets that are placed essentially for the union during the course of time of the formation of the contour . In this process of twin leaf formation, the leaves can be placed together at the beginning of the process with one or two forms adjacent to the appropriate sheet (s). The sheets can then be heated where the contouring step, performed with vacuum / suction, and the thermal bonding step are carried out in combination. The precise synchronization of the joining and contouring steps can generally be simultaneous. The significant feature of the twin leaf formation process is that the leaves are aligned once for both the union and the contour formation of the leaves without requiring a relocation and significant transfer of the leaves once the processing is undertaken. This improves the reproducibility while making the process more efficient.
In addition, with a twin sheet forming process, the sheets may comprise a plurality of layers. In some representative embodiments, the layers may provide different functionalities to the composite sheet. For example, a layer can provide antimicrobial functionality, can resist migration, limit oxygen migration, and / or increase thermal conductivity. The plurality of layers can be laminated together prior to carrying out the process of forming twin sheets. When making flexible fluid reservoirs, the structure of the fluid reservoir can be formed, for example, from two sheets or from a single folded sheet, although more sheets can be used to form the fluid reservoir if the edges between the leaves are placed along the seams. The formation process involves the joining of the adjacent sheets to form the seams between the flow channels. For many flexible polymers, the bond can be made with the joint with heating or other thermal bonding process. However, adhesive bonds or other bonding processes can be used in a similar manner to form the seams. In some representative embodiments, the cross-sectional area may be selected to give the desired flow properties for the fluid reservoir, to provide a continuous traveling area having little or no dead volume, but having a wider area than a tank with tubes or similar. In some representative embodiments of interest, the fluid reservoir can be manufactured to have a flow passage with a Reynolds number of from about 800 to about 2500 at a flow rate of about 1.89 liters per minute (0.50 gallons per minute), in other representative embodiments from about 1000 to about 2000, and in the additional representative embodiments from about
1300 to about 1900 at a flow rate of approximately 1.89 liters per minute (0.50 gallons per minute). The Reynolds number is a parameter that is related to the character of a fluid flow. It is defined as the product of density, velocity and a characteristic length divided by viscosity. The flow rate of 1.89 liters per minute (0.50 gallons per minute) is within the standard ranges for domestic use and is a convenient reference point for flow assessment. Flow passages can be evaluated at a flow rate of 1.89 liters per minute (0.50 gallons per minute), although in current use they can be used at different flow rates.
These evaluations can be performed in a similar manner for fluid reservoirs formed with rigid or flexible materials. The evaluation of the flow passages based on a selected flow is a convenient method to evaluate the flow passages without reference to the specific characteristics of the cross-sectional shape. The calculated Reynolds numbers are tabulated in Table 1 given below and plotted in Figure 26 for various tube diameters for water at a viscosity at 4.44 degrees C (40 degrees F). Table 1: Reynolds numbers for various diameters of the flow passage
Speed Reynolds Number to Various Flow Flow Riso Diameters ljm 0.42 cm 0.58 cm 0.95 cm 1.27 an 1.90 a 2.54 cm 3.17 an 2.81 aa 1203 889 545 409 273 204 164 136 2406 1778 1090 818 546 408 328 272 1.13 3609 2667 1635 1227 819 612 492 408 1.51 4812 3556 2180 1636 1092 816 656 544 1.89 6015 4445 mi 2045 1365 nm S2 680 2.27 7218 5334 3270 2454 1638 1224 984 816 2.65 8421 6223 3815 2863 1911 1428 1148 952 3.02 9824 7112 4360 3272 2184 1632 1312 1088 3.40 10827 8001 4905 3681 2457 1836 1476 1224 3.70 12030 8890 5450 4090 2730 2040 1640 1360 4.16 13233 9779 5995 4499 3003 2244 1804 1496 4.54 14436 10668 6540 4908 3276 2448 1968 1632 4.92 5639 11557 7085 5317 3349 2652 2132 1768 5.29 16842 12446 7630 5726 3822 2856 2296 1904 5.68 18045 13335 8175 6135 4095 3060 2460 2040 6.05 19248 14224 8720 6544 4368 3264 2624 2176 6.43 20451 15113 9265 6953 4641 3468 2788 2312 6.81 21654 16002 9810 7362 4914 3672 2952 2448 7.19 22857 16891 10355 7771 5187 3876 3116 2584 7.57 24060 17780 10900 8180 5460 4080 3280 2720
For comparison, at a flow rate of 1.89 liters per minute (0.50 gallons per minute), a standard commercial tank with internal cross-section diameters of 3.175 to 3.81 centimeters (1.25 to 1.5 inches) has Reynolds numbers of approximately 680. Reynolds numbers for commercial tanks are calculated and listed in table 1 with bold in the upper right-hand portion of the table. These tanks can also have a non-displacement volume and thermal stratification resulting from mixing. Accordingly, these tanks generally do not have a first-in-first-out flow characteristic, which can lead to undesirable properties with respect to taste and contamination. However, tanks with tubes generally have Reynolds numbers above 4000 and are calculated and listed in table 1 with bold in the lower left portion of the table. Although pipe tanks generally have a first-in-first-out flow characteristic, these may have other undesirable characteristics that are related to excessive surface area, eg, large pressure drops, high manufacturing costs, and a undesirable flavor with respect to the stored fluid. The designs described herein overcome these disadvantages by means of a fluid reservoir design that combines many of the desirable characteristics of the tank design and the spiral tube design. For example, fluid reservoirs can be specifically designed to have a first-in-first-out flow characteristic similar to the spiral tube design while having cross sections of the conduit designed to increase storage volume in a similar manner. to the design of the tank, all this while maintaining the Reynolds number within the range of approximately 680 to approximately 40O0. The previous representative modalities are proposed to be illustrative and not limiting. The additional modalities are within the inventive concepts contained herein. Although the present inventive concepts have been described with reference to particular representative modalities, workers skilled in the art will recognize that a variety of changes, modifications and substitutions can be incorporated without departing from the spirit and scope of the concepts described herein and what is currently claimed. in the present description. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.