Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6622509
-
Patent Number
6,622,509
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, December 19, 200122 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 23, 200320 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Esquivel; Denise L.
- Drake; Malik N.
Agents
- Houser; H. Neil
- Armstrong Teasdale, LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 062 318
- 062 337
- 062 338
- 062 339
- 062 440
- 062 441
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A chilled water supply system for a refrigerator is provided. The system includes a water storage tank comprising an outlet leg, and a filter media disposed within said outlet leg.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
This invention relates to water dispensing systems for refrigerators, and, more particularly, to filtered water dispensing systems for refrigerators.
Refrigerators typically include water storage tanks for cooling and storage of water to be dispensed. In one type of dispensing system, a serpentine water storage tank is employed with a water filter. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,415. Further, some dispensing systems include a water filter adjacent to a water storage tank located in a fresh food compartment of the refrigerator.
A filter adjacent to a water storage tank in thermal communication with a fresh food compartment of a refrigerator requires a first plumbing joint connecting the tank and filter and a second plumbing joint connecting the filter to an outlet line. Over time, these joints are susceptible to unpleasant-and undesirable leakage. Also, adding a filter to the water dispensing system requires extra space that could otherwise be used for refrigerator compartment space, and increases material costs and assembly costs of dispensing system production.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
In one aspect, a chilled water supply system for a refrigerator is provided. The system comprises a water storage tank comprising an outlet leg, and a filter media disposed within said outlet leg.
In another aspect, a water dispensing system for a refrigerator is provided. The system comprising a water storage tank comprising at least an inlet portion for storage of unfiltered water and an outlet portion comprising a filter media for filtering said unfiltered water before use.
In an additional aspect, a refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator comprises a fresh food compartment and a water dispensing system in thermal communication with said fresh food compartment,. The water dispensing system comprises a water storage tank comprising at least an inlet portion for storage of unfiltered water and an outlet portion for discharging filtered water. A perforated tube is disposed within said outlet portion and comprises an upstream end and a downstream end, a base extending from said upstream end and an end cap extending coupled to said downstream end. A filter media disposed about said tube between said end cap and said base.
In still another aspect, a method of supplying chilled filtered water from water dispensing system including an integral water tank and filter assembly having an inlet line and an outlet line is provided. The method comprises the steps of introducing warm water into the tank through the inlet line, passing the introduced water through the tank to chill the water, filtering the chilled water while the water is within the tank, and discharging the chilled water to the outlet line.
In a further aspect, a method of supplying chilled filtered water with a refrigerator dispensing system is provided for a refrigerator including a fresh food compartment and the dispensing system including an integral water tank and filter assembly, the tank having an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path therebetween. The method comprises the steps of fastening the tank in a substantially horizontal position in thermal communication with the fresh food compartment, connecting the tank inlet to a water supply inlet line such that relatively warm water is introduced into the tank through the inlet line, connecting the tank outlet to a dispenser system outlet line, passing the introduced water through the flow path to chill the introduced water, filtering the chilled water while the water is within the tank just prior to use; and discharging the chilled water to the outlet line.
In still a further aspect, a method of supplying chilled filtered water with a refrigerator dispensing system is provided, the refrigerator including a fresh food compartment and the dispensing system including an integral water tank and filter media disposed about a tube within the tank, the tube having a downstream end, the tank having an inlet and a serpentine flow path therebetween. The method comprising the steps of removably fastening the tank in a substantially horizontal position in thermal communication with the fresh food compartment, connecting the tank inlet to a water supply inlet line such that relatively warm water is introduced into the tank through the inlet line, connecting the downstream end of the tube to a dispenser system outlet line, passing the introduced water through the flow path to chill the introduced water, passing the introduced water radially through the filter media and into the central tube just before use, and discharging the chilled water from the tube downstream end to the dispenser system outlet line.
In still an additional aspect, a replacement kit for a water storage tank and water filter of a chilled water supply system for a refrigerator including a fresh food compartment floor is provided. The replacement kit includes an integral serpentine water storage tank and water filter media, said water filter media within an outlet leg of said tank, and a quick release fastener configured to rapidly attach said unit to the fresh food compartment floor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a partially broken-away top cross-sectional view through an integral water tank and filter.
FIG. 2
is an exploded top view, in partial cutaway, of a second exemplary embodiment of an integral water tank and filter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1
is a top cross sectional view of an exemplary water dispensing system
10
located in an exemplary lower portion
12
of an exemplary refrigerator
14
. Refrigerator
14
includes a fresh food compartment
16
and a freezer compartment
18
. Compartments
16
and
18
are separated by an insulation barrier
20
and two plastic coating layers
22
and
24
. System
10
is located in thermal communication with compartment
16
, and, in one embodiment is positioned in fresh food compartment
16
adjacent a floor thereof. It is recognized, however, that the benefits of the present invention accrue to many types of refrigerators beyond exemplary refrigerator
14
, and further that the benefits may be realized by positioning water dispensing system
10
elsewhere in a refrigerator than, for example, lower portion
12
.
System
10
includes an inlet line
26
, a water tank
28
, and an outlet line
30
. Water tank
28
is fabricated from known methods, such as blow molding, and is serpentine shaped, i.e. curves back and forth, to increase a length of its flow path between an inlet line
26
and outlet line
30
while conserving space. Serpentine water tank
28
is shaped like an inverted āSā, although other serpentine shapes could be used having any desired number of bends
32
. Serpentine water tank
28
is attached to a rectangular bar
34
with two openings
36
and
38
. Lower portion
12
has two vertical studs (not shown) which pass through openings
36
and
38
. Wing nuts
40
and
42
are attached to the vertical studs to hold bar
34
to a floor
44
of refrigerator lower portion
12
. Inlet line
26
passes through floor
44
and into compartment
16
where it is connected to an inlet
46
of tank
28
. Outlet line
30
is connected to an outlet
48
of tank
28
and then passes through barrier
20
and a freezer door
50
to a water dispenser (not shown) by way of a vertical portion
52
of outlet line
30
. System
10
receives water entering system
10
through inlet line
26
as shown by arrow
53
. Unfiltered water is cooled during its passage through serpentine tank
28
and ultimately filtered and discharged as cooled water through outlet line
30
to a water dispenser (not shown.) just prior to use.
Serpentine tank
28
includes a longitudinally extending inlet leg
54
, a longitudinally extending center leg
55
and a longitudinally extending outlet leg
56
. Inlet leg
54
receives warm water
57
, which passes through leg
54
for a sufficient time to allow heat to escape from warm water
57
to produce slightly cooled water
58
. Slightly cooled water
58
exits inlet leg
54
and enters center leg
55
. Additional heat escapes from slightly cooled water
58
during its passage through center leg
55
to produce cooled water
59
. Cooled water
59
exits center leg
55
and enters outlet leg
56
. During its passage through outlet leg
56
, further heat escapes from cooled water
59
before passing through a cylindrical filter media
60
and a collection center tube
62
into outlet tube
48
. Filter media
60
is fabricated from known materials and is held within outlet leg
56
by an outlet cover such as end cap
64
or other known cover members. End cap
64
includes a boss
66
that holds center tube
62
within filter media
60
.
While the illustrated embodiment includes a substantially parallel inlet leg
54
, center leg
55
, and outlet leg
56
, it is recognized that the legs of the water tanks need not be parallel in alternative embodiments to achieve at least some of the benefits of the present invention. Additionally, it is appreciated that the benefits of the invention may be obtained in alternative embodiments with U-shaped water tanks, or other non-serpentine shaped water tanks apparent to those in the art.
Filter media
60
is spaced radially inward from outlet leg
56
, and collection center tube
62
includes a plurality of perforations or inlet openings
66
to facilitate uniform flow of water through media
60
and into center tube
62
. This configuration allows use of larger surface area filters, providing smaller pressure drops during flow than known comparable compact removable filter elements. Consequently, cooled, filtered water flows from center tube
64
to outlet tube
48
, where outlet tube
48
delivers cooled, filtered water to outlet line
30
. From outlet line
30
, water is dispensed by a dispensing system (not shown) upon user demand. Fresh food compartment door
68
forms a seal
70
with a door opening
72
, to keep compartment
16
cool by normal operation of refrigerator
14
, which, in turn, cools water in system
10
. In one embodiment, the dispenser mechanism also dispenses crushed ice and cubed ice, and is located on a front of freezer door
50
to provide a relatively direct path for ice. In alternative embodiments, the dispenser mechanism is located elsewhere on refrigerator
14
.
Water tank
28
with integral filter media
60
may be easily removed by disconnecting wing nuts
40
and
42
from bar
34
to release tank
28
. The entire tank
28
, together with filter media
60
, is disconnected from inlet line
26
and outlet line
30
and removed through door opening
72
. Another tank
28
and integral filter media
60
is replaced by reconnecting inlet line
26
and outlet line
30
and fastening wing nuts
40
and
42
to bar
34
. Thus, a reliable water filter assembly is provided within the water storage tank to conserve space of the refrigerator fresh food compartment, and simple hand installation and removal without tools reduces assembly costs and maintenance difficulties.
FIG. 2
is an exploded top view, in partial cutaway, of outlet leg
56
. An upstream direction is shown by arrow
76
and a downstream direction by arrow
78
. Center tube
62
includes an annular base
84
attached to a center tube upstream end
86
that restrains filter media
60
against movement upstream. Cylindrical filter media
60
includes a central opening therethrough to receive center tube
62
. End cap
90
is ultrasonically welded to boss
66
on a downstream end
94
of tube
82
to capture filter media
60
between base
84
and cap
90
. Filter media
60
is a thick cylindrical tube configured to fit within outlet leg
56
. Filtering of water in outlet leg
56
allows storage of water in tank
28
(shown in
FIG. 1
) in an unfiltered condition until just before use. Thus, bacterial suppressing chlorine treatments frequently employed in municipal water treatment systems are not filtered from the water in the tank until just before use, thereby minimizing bacterial re-growth in water tank
28
that may otherwise occur if water was filtered within water tank inlet leg
54
or center leg
56
(shown in FIG.
1
).
In alternate embodiments, outlet leg
56
and filter media
60
vary in length. Further alternate embodiments include varying numbers of water tank legs, subject to limitations of the size of compartment housing. Other leg configurations of inlet leg
54
(shown in
FIG. 1
) and center leg
55
(shown in
FIG. 1
) may be employed in various alternative embodiments within the scope of the present invention. End cap
90
is ultrasonically welded to a downstream end
96
of leg
56
to form a permanently sealed water dispensing system
10
. System
74
is removably attached with wing nuts (not shown) as described above in relation to FIG.
1
. While in the described embodiment, the storage tank and filter media are a disposable unit, it is contemplated that a removable end cap may be provided such that the filter media may be replaced and the water tank be reused in an alternative embodiment within the scope of the invention.
In a further embodiment, the above-described integral filter/tank of dispenser system
10
is positioned horizontally or slightly inclined to facilitate escape of air in the tank when the tank is initially filled, as well as facilitating uniform passage of cooling air around the serpentine tank. Horizontal placement of the tank also permits the tank to be placed adjacent a floor of a fresh food compartment of the refrigerator where freezing of water in the tank is least likely.
A disposable and easily replaced integral tank and filter is therefore provided that eliminates plumbing joint connections to and from conventional water filters located adjacent, or outside, conventional storage tanks. Replacement of the water tank at the time the filter replacement reduces likelihood of late-in-life water tank leaks.
While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.
Claims
- 1. A chilled water supply system for a refrigerator, said system comprising:a water storage tank comprising an outlet leg; and a filter media disposed within said outlet leg.
- 2. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said water storage tank has a serpentine shape.
- 3. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said filter media is permanently disposed within said outlet leg.
- 4. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the refrigerator includes a fresh food compartment, said tank configured to be positioned in thermal communication with the fresh food compartment.
- 5. A system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said tank comprises a plurality of legs.
- 6. A system in accordance with claim 5 wherein the refrigerator includes a fresh food compartment having a floor, said tank configured for releasable attachment to the floor of the fresh food compartment.
- 7. A system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said tank further comprises at least one bar comprising at least one opening and a fastener configured to pass through said opening to attach said tank to the floor.
- 8. A system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a perforated central tube disposed within said outlet leg, said filter media surrounding said central tube.
- 9. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said filter media is cylindrical, said filter media further comprising a central opening therethrough, said opening receiving said central tube.
- 10. A water dispensing system for a refrigerator, said system comprising a water storage tank comprising at least an inlet portion for storage of unfiltered water and an outlet portion comprising a filter media for filtering said unfiltered water before use.
- 11. A water dispensing system in accordance with claim 10 further comprising a central tube situated within said outlet leg, said filter media surrounding said outlet tube.
- 12. A water dispensing system in accordance with claim 11, said central tube comprising an upstream end and a downstream end, an annular base extending from said upstream end and an outlet extending from said downstream end.
- 13. A water dispensing system in accordance with claim 10, said tank comprising a serpentine shape comprising at least one center leg extending between said inlet portion and said outlet portion.
- 14. A refrigerator comprising:a fresh food compartment; and a water dispensing system in thermal communication with said fresh food compartment, said system comprising: a water storage tank comprising at least an inlet portion for storage of unfiltered water and an outlet portion for discharging filtered water; a perforated tube disposed within said outlet portion and comprising an upstream end and a downstream end, a base extending from said upstream end and an end cap coupled to said downstream end; and a filter media disposed about said tube between said end cap and said base.
- 15. A method of supplying chilled filtered water from a water dispensing system including an integral water tank and filter assembly having an inlet line and an outlet line, said method comprising the steps of:introducing warm water into the tank through the inlet line; passing the introduced water through the tank to chill the water; filtering the chilled water while the water is within the tank.; and discharging the chilled water to the outlet line.
- 16. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said passing the water through the tank comprises the step of passing the water through a serpentine path.
- 17. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the refrigerator includes a fresh food compartment having a floor, said method further comprising fastening the tank in a horizontal position to the floor.
- 18. A method in accordance with claim 17 further comprising the step of unfastening the tank and filter from the floor and replacing the tank.
- 19. A method of supplying chilled filtered water with a refrigerator dispensing system, the refrigerator including a fresh food compartment and the dispensing system including an integral water tank and filter assembly, the tank having an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path therebetween, said method comprising the steps of:fastening the tank in a substantially horizontal position in thermal communication with the fresh food compartment; connecting the tank inlet to a water supply inlet line such that relatively warm water is introduced into the tank through the inlet line; connecting the tank outlet to a dispenser system outlet line; passing the introduced water through the flow path to chill the introduced water; filtering the chilled water while the water is within the tank just prior to use; and discharging the chilled water to the outlet line.
- 20. A method in accordance with claim 19 further comprising passing the cooled filtered water through a perforated tube prior to said discharge.
- 21. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein the tank includes a filter media, said filtering the water comprises passing the water radially inwardly through the filter media within the tank.
- 22. A method of supplying chilled filtered water with a refrigerator dispensing system, the refrigerator including a fresh food compartment and the dispensing system including an integral water tank and filter media disposed about a tube within the tank, the tube having a downstream end, the tank having an inlet and a serpentine flow path therebetween, said method comprising the steps of:removably fastening the tank in a substantially horizontal position in thermal communication with the fresh food compartment; connecting the tank inlet to a water supply inlet line such that relatively warm water is introduced into the tank through the inlet line; connecting the downstream end of the tube to a dispenser system outlet line; passing the introduced water through the flow path to chill the introduced water; passing the introduced water radially through the filter media and into the central tube just before use; and discharging the chilled water from the tube downstream end to the dispenser system outlet line.
- 23. A replacement kit for a water storage tank and water filter of a chilled water supply system for a refrigerator including a fresh food compartment floor, said replacement kit comprising:an integral serpentine water storage tank and water filter media, said water filter media within an outlet leg of said tank; and a quick release fastener configured to rapidly attach said tank to the fresh food compartment floor.
- 24. A replacement kit in accordance with claim 23 wherein said water filter media is permanently disposed within said outlet leg of said tank.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3511415 |
Crowe |
May 1970 |
A |
3982406 |
Hanson et al. |
Sep 1976 |
A |
5112477 |
Hamlin |
May 1992 |
A |