WO2010026249A1

WO2010026249A1 - A cooling device

Info

Publication number: WO2010026249A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/061556
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kutay Edis; Gozde Arig Gizlice; Basar Kalyoncu; Ahmet Onur Moza
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2008-09-08
Filing date: 2009-09-07
Publication date: 2010-03-11
Also published as: PL2324309T3; EP2324309A1; EP2324309B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling device (1) comprising a body (2) wherein foods and beverages to be cooled are placed, at least one door (3) providing access to the body (2) inner volume (H) when opened, a water chamber (K) which is disposed preferably to the surface of the door (3) or body (2) facing the inner volume (H) and wherein water is stored, a water dispenser (4) providing the water in the water chamber (K) to be transferred outside when desired.

Description

A COOLING DEVICE

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device having a water dispenser.

[0002] In cooling devices, water dispensers are used that enable users to take their chilled beverages without opening the cooling device door and that are disposed on the door.

[0003] Water dispensers generally comprise a water tank at the side of the door that remains in the body and a spigot at the side of the door that remains outside. In some water dispensers, an ice chamber is situated in order that the ice, which is formed by means of a special cooling system or transmitted directly from the freezer, can be taken. Water dispensers occupy a large space on the door surface whereon they are disposed with their elements such as pipes transferred from different tanks, cooling, heating and lighting cables. Therefore, water dispensers are preferred to be hidden on the door when not in use.

[0004] In the state of the art United States of America Patent Application No US2005268638, a cooling device is explained that comprises a water dispenser having a spigot, through which hot or cold water flows, and features wherein its spigot extends out of the body, water is filled into large containers, the unused spigot is hidden by being inserted into its housing.

[0005] In the state of the art International Patent Application No WO2008088183, a cooling device is explained that has a dispenser, wherein its moving chute, through which water flows, is closed in the stored position and opened in the operable position whereto it is brought from the stored position by being rotated around the horizontal axis.

[0006] The aim of the present invention is the realization of a cooling device having a water dispenser that can be hidden when not in use.

[0007] The cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is explicated in the claims.

[0008] The cooling device comprises a body, a door enabling access into the body, a water dispenser located on the door, providing the water to be taken from a water supply located in the body. [0009] The water dispenser of the present invention is disposed into a window-shaped housing on the door; at least one pipe, through which water passes between the water supply and the water dispenser, to the end of which a spigot is mounted that provides the control of water, extends from inside the housing towards the water dispenser.

[0010] The water dispenser comprises a carrier that is mounted onto the pipe such that it will be able to rotate around the pipe by considering the pipe as the rotation axis and that has an opened position enabling access to the taps and a closed position whereto it is brought by being rotated and wherein the spigot is hidden.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present invention, the water dispenser comprises a cover providing the water dispenser to form a surface at the same level with the door by entirely covering the housing in the closed position of the carrier.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present invention, the water dispenser comprises a shaft on the carrier and a bearing on the housing. Thus, the carrier can easily rotate around the pipe inside the housing. The pipe passes through the shaft and bearing, thus it can remain stable during the rotational movements.

[0013] In the water dispenser, a tray is located that opens by bending in front of the carrier in the opened position. During usage, the tray carries glass; when the usage is over, the tray is closed onto the carrier, rotated together with the carrier and hidden into the housing by the user.

[0014] The cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0015] Figure 1 - is the schematic view of a cooling device.

[0016] Figure 2 - is the schematic view of a body, a door and a water dispenser.

[0017] Figure 3 - is the exploded view of a door and a water dispenser.

[0018] Figure 4 - is the rear perspective view of the carrier in the opened position in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 5 - is the rear perspective view of the carrier while it is closed in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 6 - is the rear perspective view of the carrier in the closed position in an embodiment of the present invention. [0021] Figure 7 - is the perspective view of a carrier having a bearing in another embodiment of the present invention. [0022] Figure 8 - is the perspective view of a water supply having a shaft in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 9 - is the perspective view of a tray showing its closed position. [0024] Figure 10 - is the perspective view of the tray in the opened position in an embodiment of the present invention. [0025] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Cooling device

2. Body

3. Door

4. Water dispenser

5. Housing

6. Pipe

7. Spigot

8. Carrier

9. Cover

10. Bearing

11. Shaft

12. Tray

13. Gasket

14. Push in-pop up mechanism

[0026] A cooling device (1) comprises a body (2) wherein foods and beverages to be cooled are placed, at least one door (3) providing access to the body (2) inner volume (H) when opened, a water supply (K) disposed preferably into the inner volume (H) of the door (3) or body (2), a water dispenser (4) providing the water in the water supply (K) to be transferred outside (Figure 1).

[0027] The water dispenser (4) comprises a housing (5) which is located on the door (3) and wherein the water dispenser (4) is disposed, at least one pipe (6) which provides the water in the water supply (K) to be transferred to the water dispenser (4) and one end of which opens to the water supply (K) and the other end into the housing (5), and at least one spigot (7) mounted to the end of the pipe (6) (Figure 3). [0028] The water dispenser (4) furthermore comprises a carrier (8)

- mounted onto the pipe (6) such that it will consider the pipe (6) as the vertical rotation axis (E),

- enabling access to the spigot (7) in its opened position (I) and

- providing the spigot (7) to be hidden in its closed position (II) whereto it is brought by being rotated around the axis (E) formed by the pipe (6) (Figures 2 and 3).

[0029] The water dispenser (4) is not visible from the outside of the door (3) in the closed position (II) whereto the carrier (8) is brought by rotating around the pipe (6). Thus, the water dispenser (4) is hidden when not in use, hence provides the cooling device (1) to attain a more aesthetic appearance. When the user desires to reach the water chilled in the cooling device (1), the user can reach the spigot (7) in the opened position (I) by rotating the carrier (8) without the need of opening the door (3). Since the carrier (8) rotates inside the housing (5) in both positions (I and II), the carrier (8) does not project to the outside of the door (3) (Figures 4 and 5).

[0030] The water dispenser (4), furthermore, comprises a cover (9) located on the carrier (8), remaining inside the housing (5) in the opened position (I), forming a flat surface at the same level with the door (3) outer surface in the closed position (II).

[0031] In an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) comprises a cover (9) having the same external coating and curve as the external coating of the door (3), being at the same level with the door (3) and covering the housing (5) such that no space will be left between itself and the door (3) in the closed position (II). By means of the cover (9) having the same appearance as the door (3), the external appearance of the cooling device (1) is not distorted when the water dispenser (4) of the cooling device (1) is not in use.

[0032] In an embodiment of the present invention, the water dispenser (4) comprises a hollow, protrusion-shaped shaft (11), which is located at the ceiling of the carrier (8), and a bearing (10), wherein the shaft (11) is seated and the pipe (6) passing through the bearing (10) extends from the middle of the shaft (11), located at the ceiling of the housing (5) (Figures 5 and 6).

[0033] In another embodiment of the present invention, the water dispenser (4) comprises a hollow bearing (10), located at the ceiling of the carrier (8), and a shaft (11) which is seated in the bearing (10) and through which the pipe (6) passes (Figures 7 and 8).

[0034] In an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) comprises a shaft (11) that is an endless screw and a bearing (10) that is a cogwheel wherein the screw rotates (Figures 7 and 8).

[0035] The bearing (10) and shaft (11) enable the carrier (8) to easily rotate inside the housing (5) and allow the pipe (6) to extend into the housing (5) without moving during the rotational movements. Thus, the pipe (6) is prevented from stretching and hence confronting a sealing problem.

[0036] In another embodiment of the present invention, the water dispenser (4) comprises a tray (12), which is connected from its edges to the lower edges of the carrier (8) in a movable way, whereon water glass can be placed by being opened in the opened position (I) and which does not prevent the water dispenser (4) from being brought to the closed position (II) as the carrier (8) rotates inside the housing (5) when the tray (12) is closed onto the carrier (8). The tray (12) is preferably opened by bending around the horizontal axis towards the front and remains stable at the horizontal axis. After placing glass or container on the tray (12), the user can take water from the spigot (7) and then empties the tray (12) and brings it to the vertical axis. The tray (12) remaining on the carrier (8) at the vertical axis is hidden in the closed position (II) by being rotated with the carrier (8) into the housing (5) (Figures 9 and 10).

[0037] In an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) comprises a gasket (13) mounted to the inner edges of the housing (5) such that it will provide the air sealing between the inner edges of the housing (5) and the outer edges of the water dispenser (4). In both positions of the water dispenser (4), the gasket (13) provides the carrier (8) to entirely press on the housing (5), thus, prevents the heat exchange with the inner volume (H) from occurring (Figure 3).

[0038] In an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) comprises a push in-pop up mechanism (14) providing the carrier (8) to remain locked inside the housing (5) in the opened position (I) and closed position (II), enabling the carrier (8) to be rotated by being freed from the housing (5) while shifting to the opened position (I) or closed position (II). By means of the push in-pop up mechanism (14), the carrier (8), which is, for example, situated at the same level with the door (3) in the closed position (II), slightly enters into the housing (5) when pressed on it. Thus, the user is provided to rotate the carrier (8) more easily by freeing it from the gasket (13) (Figure 3).

[0039] By means of the present invention, the user is provided to reach the water chilled in the inner volume (H) by bringing the water dispenser (4) to the opened position (I) without opening the door (3) and to maintain the external appearance of the cooling device (1) by bringing the water dispenser (4) to the closed position (II) when the user will not use it. Since the carrier (8) uses the pipe (6) passing therethrough as the vertical rotation axis and hence rotates around the shaft (11) and bearing (10), the pipe (6) remains stable while the water dispenser (4) changes position (I or II), thus, problems of sealing and destruction are not confronted.

[0040] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed above and an expert in the technique can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection postulated by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cooling device (1) comprising a body (2) wherein foods and beverages to be cooled are placed, at least one door (3) providing access to the body (2) inner volume (H) when opened, a water supply (K) disposed preferably into the inner volume (H) of the door (3) or body (2), a water dispenser (4) providing the water in the water supply (K) to be transferred outside when desired, characterized by water dispenser (4) having a housing (5) which is located on the door (3) and wherein the water dispenser (4) is disposed, at least one pipe (6) which provides the water in the water supply (K) to be transferred to the water dispenser (4) and one end of which opens to the water supply (K) and the other end into the housing (5), at least one spigot (7) mounted to the end of the pipe (6) and a carrier (8)

- enabling access to the spigot (7) in its opened position (I) and

- providing the spigot (7) to be hidden in its closed position (II) whereto it is brought by being rotated around the axis (E) formed by the pipe (6).

2. A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1 , characterized by the water dispenser (4) that comprises a cover (9) located on the carrier (8), remaining inside the housing (5) in the opened position (I), forming a flat surface at the same level with the door (3) outer surface in the closed position (II).

3. A cooling device (1) as in Claims 2, characterized by the water dispenser (4) that comprises the cover (9) having the same external coating and curve as the external coating of the door (3), being at the same level with the door (3) and covering the housing (5) such that no space will be left between itself and the door (3) in the closed position (II).

4. A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the water dispenser (4) comprising a hollow bearing (10), which is located at the ceiling of the carrier (8), and a shaft (11) which is seated in the bearing (10) and through which the pipe (6) passes.

5. A cooling device (1) as in Claims 1 to 3, characterized by a water dispenser (4) comprising a hollow, protrusion-shaped shaft (11), which is located at the ceiling of the carrier (8), and a bearing (10), wherein the shaft (11) is seated and the pipe (6) passing through the bearing (10) extends from the middle of the shaft (11), located at the ceiling of the housing (5).

6. A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by a water dispenser (4) comprising a tray (12), which is connected from its edges to the lower edges of the carrier (8) in a movable way, whereon water glass can be placed by being opened in the opened position (I) and which enables the water dispenser (4) to be brought to the closed position (II) as the carrier (8) rotates inside the housing (5) when the tray (12) is closed onto the carrier (8).

7. A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by a gasket (13) mounted to the inner edges of the housing (5) such that it will provide the air sealing between the inner edges of the housing (5) and the outer edges of the carrier (8).

8. A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by a push in-pop up mechanism (15) providing the carrier (8) to remain locked inside the housing (5) in the opened position (I) and closed position (II), enabling the carrier (8) to be rotated by being freed from the housing (5) while shifting to the opened position (I) or closed position (II).