The subject matter of the present disclosure relates generally to a fluid dispensing system that fills a container from the bottom and may be mounted to a countertop.
Fluid dispensers, such as beverage dispensers, traditionally fill containers through a main opening in the container. This may be accomplished by simply pouring a fluid into the container or by positioning the container under a faucet with a sufficient vertical profile to accommodate the height of the container. For instance, in the context of a kitchen, a container may be filled with tap water by positioning the container in a sink underneath a tap water faucet.
In addition to a tap water faucet over a sink, some households may also include a separate, auxiliary faucet in fluid connection with a water filter, or more particularly, with a point of use water filter. Such a water filter may be installed, e.g., under a kitchen countertop or in a refrigerator. An auxiliary faucet such as this may be used to provide filtered water for direct consumption.
Certain challenges exist with this construction, however. Such construction, for example, may take up additional counter space as the auxiliary faucet must have a sufficient vertical profile to accommodate the height of a container. Additionally, an auxiliary faucet may be aesthetically unacceptable in certain situations. Accordingly, a fluid dispensing system capable of filling a container while having one or more features that facilitate a lower profile or that allows the system to take up less space on a countertop would be beneficial.
The present disclosure provides a bottom fill, fluid dispensing system having a dispenser capable of being mounted to a countertop. Further, a container may be placed onto the dispenser to allow the dispenser to fill the container with a fluid. The container may be filled through a one way valve in the container wall. Once the container is filled to a desired level the container may be removed from the dispenser without the fluid leaking from the one way valve in the container wall. Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In one exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure provides a bottom fill, fluid dispensing system, including a valve housing mountable to a countertop, the valve housing including a fluid inlet and a chamber that defines an axial direction. The bottom fill, fluid dispensing system may also include a valve body received within the chamber and slidable along the axial direction of the valve housing. The valve body may define a channel for the flow of fluid, the channel extending between an inlet port and an outlet port of the valve body. The valve body may be slidable between a first position and a second position. In the first position the inlet port of the channel may be aligned with the fluid inlet of said valve housing so that fluid may flow from the fluid inlet, through the inlet port, and into the channel. In the second position fluid may be blocked from flowing from the fluid inlet through the inlet port of said valve body. The bottom fill, fluid dispensing system may also include a biasing member configured so as to urge the valve body towards the second position, and a container removably positioned onto the valve body. The container may have a container wall in contact with the valve body when the container is positioned onto the valve body. Additionally, the bottom fill, fluid dispensing system may include a one-way valve received onto the container wall. The one-way valve may be positioned at the container wall so as to be able to receive fluid from the outlet port of the valve body when the container is positioned onto the valve body.
In another exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure provides a bottom fill, fluid dispensing system, including a valve housing mountable to a countertop, the valve housing including a fluid inlet and a chamber that defines an axial direction. The bottom fill, fluid dispensing system may also include a valve body including a first end and a second end, and a channel for the flow of fluid extending between an inlet port and an outlet port. The inlet port may be positioned at the first end of the valve body, and the second end of the valve body may be received within the chamber of the valve housing such that the valve body may slide in the axial direction between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the inlet port of the valve body may be aligned with the fluid inlet of the valve housing so that fluid may flow from the fluid inlet, through the inlet port, through the channel, and through the outlet port. In the second position, fluid may be blocked from flowing from the fluid inlet of the valve housing to the inlet port of the valve body. The bottom fill, fluid dispensing system may also include a biasing member positioned at the second end of the valve body configured for urging the valve body towards the second position, and a container removably positioned onto the valve body. The container may have a container wall in contact with the first end of the valve body when the container is positioned onto the valve body. Additionally, the bottom fill, fluid dispensing system may include a one-way valve received into an aperture in the container wall. The one-way valve may be positioned in the aperture in the container wall so as to be able to receive fluid from the outlet port of the valve body when the container is positioned onto the valve body.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the present disclosure, not limitation of the present disclosure. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Valve housing 50 includes a fluid inlet 64 and a chamber 68, wherein chamber 68 defines an axial direction A. In one exemplary embodiment, valve housing 50 may have an exterior surface 52 that includes a threaded portion 58 allowing it to be mounted to countertop 62 using two retaining nuts 60. Retaining nuts 60 may be positioned on opposing sides of countertop 62 and may be in engagement with threaded portion 58 of valve housing 50, allowing valve housing 50 to remain in a fixed position relative to countertop 62. By mounting valve housing 50 as shown in
Valve body 22 may include a first end 32 and a distal end, or a second end 34, as well as a channel 36 for the flow of fluid that extends between an inlet port 38 and an outlet port 24. Valve body 22 may also define a circumferential direction, C. Outlet port 24 is positioned at first end 32 of valve body 22. Second end 34 of valve body 22 is received within chamber 68 of valve housing 50 such that valve body 22 may slide along axial direction A. Valve body 22 is slidable between a first position shown in
Referring to
For the exemplary embodiment shown, valve body 22 includes an exterior surface 40 defining a plurality of grooves 42, spaced apart along axial direction A and extending in a circumferential direction C around valve body 22. Additionally, bottom fill, fluid dispensing system 10 includes a plurality of seals, such as O-rings 44, positioned in plurality of grooves 42 and configured for providing a fluid seal between valve body 22 and valve housing 50. In this exemplary embodiment, O-rings 44 are positioned along valve body 22 such that when valve body 22 is in the first position, as shown in
Bottom fill, fluid dispensing system 10 includes a biasing member, such as a spring 48, configured so as to urge valve body 22 towards the second position, as is shown in
In this exemplary embodiment, container 12 includes a container wall 14 and a main opening 70. Container 12 is removably positioned onto the first end 32 of valve body 22, such that container wall 14 is in contact with valve body 22 when positioned onto valve body 22. Additionally, as shown in
As shown more clearly in
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.