Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D23/00—General constructional features
  • F25D23/12—Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove
  • F25D23/126—Water cooler
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D2323/00—General constructional features not provided for in other groups of this subclass
  • F25D2323/122—General constructional features not provided for in other groups of this subclass the refrigerator is characterised by a water tank for the water/ice dispenser

Definitions

• Figure 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the example liquid storage tank assembly shown in Figure 1 ;
• Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view of the example liquid storage tank assembly shown in Figure 1 ;
• FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of another example baffle assembly for use with the storage tank assembly of Figure 6, wherein the helical member of the baffle assembly includes a variable pitch; and
• Figure 11 is a schematic side view of the baffle assembly shown in Figure
• any portion of the refrigerated space defined by the refrigerator that is used by a water storage tank reduces the otherwise available refrigerated space used for the consumer's food.
• One object of the water storage tank is to hold a volume of chilled water that can be readily available for the consumer's drinking needs.
• the water supply line that feeds the water storage tank provides water at a relatively high pressure.
• the water pressure in the water supply line can vary from one location (e.g., house, building or community) to another. Consequently, a water control valve (e.g., a pressure limiting valve) is optionally positioned in the supply line upstream of the filter and water storage tank in the refrigerated space to provide a water pressure within a relatively consistent range of pressures.
• U.S. 3,834,178 discloses an example water control valve and water storage tank. Removing the water control valve exposes the water storage tank to the water pressure conditions of the supply line.
• the volume of inner volume 26 is dependent in part on the total length L and outer dimension D of the tank assembly 12 (see Figure 4).
• the sidewall thickness of the tank assembly is expected to be relatively thin, thus having less influence on the internal volume calculation.
• the length L is about 14 to 16 inches and the outer dimension D is about 2 to 3 inches to define an internal volume of about 60 to 80 cubic inches when taking into account the internal volume occupied by the baffle assembly 14.
• the length L and dimension D can vary significantly to provide a wide range of volumes for the tank assembly 12.
• additional shapes besides the generally cylindrical shape shown with reference to Figures 1-4 are possible. For example, spherical, hemispherical, conical, and other shapes are all possible for the tank assembly 12.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)
• Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
• Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
• Feeding, Discharge, Calcimining, Fusing, And Gas-Generation Devices (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=40580326

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (7)

Families Citing this family (8)

Family Cites Families (16)

• 2008
  • 2008-10-16 KR KR1020107011479A patent/KR101477325B1/ko not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2008-10-16 CN CN2008801132890A patent/CN101835692B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2008-10-16 US US12/739,762 patent/US8424707B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2008-10-16 EP EP08842513A patent/EP2212209A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2008-10-16 JP JP2010531134A patent/JP5406200B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2008-10-16 WO PCT/US2008/080080 patent/WO2009055291A2/en not_active Ceased

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