In dispenser systems for ice, water, or other beverages, wherein water is discharged therefrom via a water drain line, the water drain line can drain water from any of an ice making apparatus, a water delivery apparatus, an ice storage bin, a tray under an ice or water dispenser, and/or water formed from condensation. The water typically is delivered from any of the apparatus in the system through a water discharge conduit. Typically, the water discharge conduit, or a plurality of such conduits deliver water to an open-topped drain cup. Many such units have a vertical space forming an air gap between the bottom of the water discharge conduit and the drain cup. The water being delivered to the drain cup from one or more water discharge conduits is generally water that is desired to be free of micro-organisms, because of its proximity to areas of the system containing food or potable water. In such designs, water being delivered to a drain cup via one or more water discharge conduits can have a flow path that is not entirely vertical, into the drain cup, but, rather, can have a somewhat horizontal component of travel whereby it can miss the drain cup.
With limitations on space within such systems, often the drain cup cannot be sufficiently large in diameter to catch random drops of water from water discharge conduits, particularly if such droplets have a horizontal component of motion. Often, in such systems there is provided a fan, often rotatably driven, for providing cool air to heat-emitting components of a system, such as a refrigerant expansion valve, a condenser, etc. In the case of a fan creating a draft, such can contribute to a horizontal component of motion for drops of water leaving one or more water discharge conduits, compounding the likelihood of water leaving such conduits missing the interior of the drain cup disposed at some location therebeneath.
The present invention is directed to providing, in an ice, water or beverage dispenser system, a drain cup assembly for receiving discharged water from one or more water discharge conduits. The drain cup assembly of this invention includes a drain cup and a drain cup cap. adapted to be fitted together, with the cap having one or more access ports in its top wall, which access ports extend into the cap for a distance, for receiving a water discharge conduit in each access port that is being utilized. The sidewall(s) of the cap and/or cup comprise an enclosure that can deflect water droplets having a horizontal component of direction, toward the center of the cup.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a drain cup assembly for receiving discharged water from at least one water discharge conduit, wherein the drain cup assembly includes a cup and a cap, having peripheries adapted for mating engagement with each other, with one or more access ports in the top wall of the drain cup cap, with each access port and any water discharge conduit therein terminating at a predetermined distance above an overflow discharge opening in the assembly, to create an air gap isolating drain water in the drain cup from water being delivered to the drain cup from one or more water discharge conduits.
It is another object of the invention that the lower end of the water discharge conduit, and/or the access port therefor terminates at a predetermined distance above an overflow discharge level for the drain cup, providing an air gap for isolating drain water in the drain cup from water being delivered to the drain cup from one or more water discharge conduits. The overflow discharge opening(s) can be around an upper end of the drain cup.
It is a further object of this invention to accomplish the above object, wherein there are a plurality of access ports, for accommodating a plurality of water discharge conduits.
It is a further object of this invention to accomplish the above objects, wherein any said access port includes a tubular sleeve in engagement about a water discharge conduit and extending beneath the top wall of the drain cup cap.
It is a further object of this invention to accomplish the above objects, wherein the drain cup assembly is constructed of a material or has an additive that inhibits growth of micro-organisms.
It is a further object of this invention to accomplish the above objects, wherein the drain cup and the drain cup cap are readily separable for any cleaning that may be desired.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following Brief Descriptions of the Drawing Figures, the Detailed Descriptions of the Preferred Embodiments, and the appended claims.
Referring now to the drawings in detail, reference is first made to
A refrigeration system is included, including an evaporator 13 having refrigerant passing through the exterior wall thereof (not shown) and leaving the evaporator to pass through a compressor 14 and then delivered is line 15 in the direction of arrow 16, to a condenser 17, and then through an expansion valve 18 to be returned via line 20 to the evaporator 13, as a closed refrigeration system.
Inside the evaporator 13 there is a freezing chamber 21 having a rotatable auger 22 there, motor driven at 23, whereby water entering the freezing chamber 21 via opening 24 at the lower end of the reservoir 12 passes from right to left as viewed in
Ice from the ice retainer 26 may be discharged therefrom via nozzle 27, into a cup 28. Water being delivered via inlet line 11 may be delivered to a nozzle 30 for discharge into a cup 31. A tray 32 may collect water 33 therein, for discharge via a water discharge conduit 34, into a drain cup 35.
Similarly, water collecting in the ice reservoir 26 may pass via water discharge conduit 36 into drain cup 35. Additionally, water from the reservoir 12 may pass through the valve 37 to water discharge conduit 38, for deliver into the drain cup 35.
The drain cup 35 has a water drain line 40.
It will be seen that a fan 41, motor driven at 42 may provide cooling air for the condenser 17 and expansion valve 18, thereby creating a draft at the bottom of the enclosure 10, whereby droplets 43 of water may not enter the cup 35 disposed beneath the lower ends of the conduits 34, 36 and 38, because of a horizontal component of flow of the droplets, whereby significant amounts of water from the water discharge conduits 34, 36 and 38 may not enter the drain cup for eventual passage to a water drain line 40.
Referring now to
The drain cup 51 and drain cup cap 52 are preferably constructed of as plastic material, preferably one having inherent properties that inhibit growth of micro-organisms, or in the alternative, the preferably thermoplastic materials of the drain cup 51 and drain cup cap 52 may be treated with micro-organism inhibiting substances.
The drain cup cap 52 has a top wall 53 and side wall(s) 54 on all four sides.
A plurality of access ports 55, 56 and 57 are provided in the top 53 of the drain cup cap 52. Each of the access ports 55, 56 and 57, is adapted to receive therein a water discharge conduit 58, 59, or 60, each of which water discharge conduits are shown in phantom in
A plurality, preferably four, of overflow discharge openings 61 are provided around the upper end of the drain cup, along the four sides thereof, as will be seen more clearly at the left sides of
In
The drain cup 51, as illustrated in
Each of the access ports, 55, 56 and 57 extends sleeve-like at 68 below the top 53 of the drain cup cap 52, in sleeve-like engagement to receive one of the water discharge conduits 58, 59 and 60, with the lower ends of the sleeves 68 and conduits 58-60 terminating at a distance “X” as shown in
With reference now to
It will also be apparent that the drain cup and drain cup cap are readily separable at their peripheries for ease of cleaning, as may become necessary.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that various modifications may be made in the details of construction, as well as in the use and operation of the drain cup assembly of this invention, all within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.