WO1988002349A1

WO1988002349A1 - Hot water dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO1988002349A1
Application number: PCT/US1987/002484
Authority: WO
Inventors: Edward F. Rader; Eileen Rader
Original assignee: Rader Edward F; Eileen Rader
Priority date: 1986-09-29
Filing date: 1987-09-28
Publication date: 1988-04-07

Abstract

Hot water dispenser for dispensing a selected volume of water at a predetermined water temperature. The problem associated with many hot water dispensers are their complexity and expensive construction. The dispenser has a body (12) defining a predetermined sized cavity (14) having an inlet (16) for receiving cold water and an outlet (18) for dispensing hot water. A heating mechanism (20, 88) is disposed within the body for heating the water within the cavity. A manually operable timer switch (24) is operated to energize the heating mechanism and to select a time period for maintaining the heating mechanism energized. This selected time period determines the selected volume of heated water dispensed. A thermally responsive mechanism (22) enables dispensing water from the outlet responsive to the predetermined water temperature of the heated water.

Description

HOT WATER DISPENSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to a hot water dispenser, and more particularly to a hot water dispenser for dispensing a selected volume of water having a preselected temperature.

Various types of hot water dispensers are known in the prior art. Many of the known dispensers are complex and expensive in construction. For example. United States patent 3,326,417 issued June 20, 1967 discloses an automatic liquid dispensing machine including a cup movable in a vertical path from a lower discharge position to a filling and heat¬ ing position thereabove. The cup has a discharge opening in its bottom through which liquid may be discharged, with a liquid reservoir having a discharge passageway for introducing liquid into the cup. A heating element associated with said cup for heating liquid within said cup, a detent for latching the cup in the heating or filling position, a thermostat ac¬ tuated by the temperature of liquid within said cup for actuating the detent to release the cup when the liquid has reached a prescribed temperature. A valve is actuated by movement of the cup for closing the discharge opening upon upward movement of said cup and for opening the discharge opening upon downward movement of said cup. The valve is also operative for opening the discharge passageway from the reservoir for supplying a measured amount of liquid from the reservoir to the cup when said cup is moved upwardly.

U_=*S- patent 4_r459,465 discloses an instan— taneous water heater which has a plurality of thermo¬ stat-controlled heating elements, with an electrical contactor wired in series between each respective heating element and thermostat, which contactor acts both as a temperature control and, with the contactors acting in series with each other, as a safety shut- off control.

Accordingly, a need exists to provide a hot water dispenser that is relatively simple in construc¬ tion, economical to manufacture and both effective and efficient in operation.

SUMMARY OF THE-T-TVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved hot water dispenser.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved hot water dispenser that is dimen- sionally small and compact in size.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved hot water dispenser for dispensing a selected volume of water having a predetermined temperature.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved hot water dispenser for dispensing a selected volume of heated water for brewing coffee.

A further object of the invention is to provide .a new and improved hot water dispenser that is compact and simple in construction, economical in manufacture and both efficient and reliable in opera¬ tion.

Briefly, in accordance with these and other objects and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a hot water dispenser for dispensing a selected volume of water at a predetermined water temperature. The dispenser has a body defining a predetermined sized cavity having an inlet for receiving cold water and an outlet for dispensing hot water. A heating mechanism is disposed within the body for heating the water contained within the cavity. A manually operable timer switch is operated to energize the heating mechanism and to select a time period for maintaining the heating mechanism energized. This selected time period determines the selected volume of heated water dispensed. A thermally responsive mechanism enables dispensing water from the outlet responsive to the predetermined water temperature of the heated water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention may be best understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partly schematic and sectional view of a hot water dispenser constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an alternative embodiment of a hot water dispenser constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a hot water dispenser generally designated by the reference numeral 10. As to its major components, dispenser 10 includes a housing or body 12 for defining a predetermined size cavity 14 having an inlet 16 for receiving cold water and an outlet 18 for dispensing heated water; a heating device 20 for heating the water within the cavity 14; a thermally responsive actuator mechanism 22 for dispensing water at a prede¬ termined temperature; and a manually operable timer switch "24 for energizing- and for selecting a time period for maintaining the heating device 20 energized.

Dispenser body 12 is formed of a heat conduc¬ tive, easily machineable and durable material, such as aluminum. In accordance with a feature of the invention, body 12 may be compact and di ensionally small, for example, such as having nominal dimensions of 2" X 1" by 6ⁿ. A pair of bores or cavities 26 and 28 are drilled in the housing body 12 adjacent the centrally disposed water containing cavity 14 for receiving the heating device 20, such as a pair of electrical resistance heating rod elements 20. The heating elements 20 include a pair of terminals A and B that are connected in a conventional fashion to an external power source V via the timer switch 24. The power source V can be either an alternating current AC or direct current DC power supply. The flow rate or hot water dispensing rate of the dispenser 10 is proportional to the power rating of the heating ele¬ ments 20 that may each have a power rating, for example, of 500 watts. Accordingly, a voltage regu¬ lated power supply V can be utilized for more precisely controlling the flow rate of the dispenser 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the water inlet 16 is provided at one end wall 30 of body 12 with the water outlet 18 disposed near a second opposite end 32 of the body .12, Water-inlet 16 includes a valve 34 that is rotatably received within a threaded in¬ terior cavity wall portion 36 of the cavity 14. Valve 34 may include an O-ring 38 for proper sealing between the valve 34 and the interior cavity wall portion 36. Valve 34 has^*.a-threaded interior cavity wall 40 for conventional connection to a fresh water supply conduit 42, as shown. A valve operating stem 44 has an en- larged end 46 slidably received within a valve cavity 48 and an opposite threaded end 50 mounted within a piston 52 of the thermally responsive actuator assembly 22. An O-ring 54 is carried by the enlarged end 46 for sealing the water inlet 16 when the valve 34 is closed.

The thermally responsive actuator assembly 22 includes a mass 56 of solidified, thermally expan¬ sive material, such as wax confined within a housing

58 by an elastomeric sleeve 60 fixedly secured within the housing 58 by a housing cover 62, as shown. The piston 52 axially extends through an opening 64 within the cover 62 and is positioned to abut the elastomeric sleeve 60 by compression spring 66 that extends between a flange 68 captured between the piston 52 and the valve stem 44 and the valve cavity 48. The thermally responsive actuator assembly 22 is positioned within the cavity 16 by a screw or support stem 70 that is received within a threaded opening 72 of a threaded collar 74 that seals the cavity 16 at the housing wall 32. The support stem 70 is mounted to the housing

58 with a clip 76, as shown. O-rings 78 and 80 are employed with collar 72 and support stem 70, respec¬ tively, for conventional sealing purposes. External adjustment of the support stem 70 adjusts the position of the assembly 22 to provide a fine adjustment or trim for the predetermined water dispensing tempera¬ ture.

In operation, the hot water dispenser 10 is enabled by the manual operation of the timer switch

24 to select an operating time that is proportional to and determines the volume of hot water to be dis¬ pensed. The heating elements 20 are energized to rapidly heat the water contained within cavity 14. As the water temperature rises, the thermally expansive mass 56 expands against the elastomeric sleeve 60, causing the piston 52 and the valve stem 44 to advance to open the valve 34 when the heated water temperature reaches the predetermined water dispensing temperature. With valve 34 in the open position, fresh cold water is received through the inlet 1-6 into the cavity 14 and the heated water is dispensed via outlet 18. As the water temperature drops, the thermally expansive material 56 contracts and the piston 52 is returned to its original position by pressure from the spring 66, thereby closing the valve 34. This cycle of open¬ ing and closing the valve 34 for dispensing heated water at the predetermined temperature continues until the timer switch 24 opens at the end of the selected time interval to then deenergize the heating elements 20.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown an alternative embodiment of a hot water dis¬ penser designated by the reference character 84 and constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Identical reference numbers are used to identify similar components of the dispenser 84 as before described with respect to the hot water dispenser 10. In the alternative hot water dispenser 84, a hollow metal tube 86 defines the predetermined size cavity 14 with an immersion heater 88 disposed within the cavity 14. The tube 86 can be sealed as shown and have nominal dimensions, for example, of 1" x 6".

Although the present invention has been described in connection with details of the preferred embodiments, many alt-er.ati.ons and .modi ications may be made without departing from the invention. Accord¬ ingly, it is intended that all such alterations and modifications be considered within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

Claims

1. A hot water dispenser comprising: means for defining a predetermined sized cavity having an inlet means for receiving cold water and an outlet means for dispensing hot water; heating means for heating water contained within said cavity; manually operable means for energizing said heating means and for selecting a time period for maintaining said heating means energized; and thermally responsive means for dispensing water from said outlet responsive to a preselected water temperature of said heated water.

2. A hot water dispenser as recited in claim 1 wherein said cavity defining means comprises a generally tubular body.

3. A hot water dispenser as recited in claim 2 wherein said tubular body has said inlet means including valve means positioned at one end and said outlet means positioned near its other end.

4. A hot water dispenser as recited in claim 3 wherein said thermally responsive means com¬ prises a thermal actuator for opening said valve means responsive to said preselected water temperature.

5. A hot water dispenser as recited in claim 4 wherein said thermal actuator includes a spring biased piston rod operatively coupled to a mass of solidified thermally expansive material.

6. A hot water dispenser as recited in claim 1 wherein said heating means are positioned within said cavity defining means.

7. A hot water dispenser as recited in claim 1 wherein said heating means have a predetermined power rating proportional to a desired flow rate of the hot water dispenser.

8. A hot water dispenser as recited in claim 1 wherein said manually operable time period selecting means comprises a timer controlled switch.

9. A hot water dispenser as recited in claim 1 wherein said cavity defining means comprises an elongate body of heat conductive material having at least one separate cavity formed adjacent said water containing cavity for receiving said heating means..

10. A hot water dispenser for dispensing a selected volume of heated wafer for brewing coffee comprising: means for defining a predetermined sized cavity having an inlet means for receiving cold water and an outlet means for dispensing hot water; manually operable means for enabling said hot -water dispenser .for a elected time period, said selected time period being proportional to said selected volume; heating means responsive to said enabled manually operable means for heating water contained within said cavity; and thermally responsive means for dispensing water from said outlet responsive to a preselected water temperature of said heated water.