The subject matter of the present disclosure relates generally to a nozzle for dispensing water from an appliance.
Refrigerator appliances generally include one or more cabinets defining chambers for the receipt of food items for storage. Refrigerator appliances may also include features for dispensing ice and/or water. To provide ice and water, a dispenser is typically positioned on a door of the appliance. The user positions a container at the dispenser and ice, water, or both are deposited into the container depending upon the user's selection. A paddle or other type switch can be provided whereby the user can make a selection. Typically, the water is chilled by routing through one of the refrigerated chambers.
The water dispenser is commonly constructed as a single plastic tube that is connected with a water supply controlled by the user-activated paddle or switch. The diameter of the tube is usually small—i.e. about 0.2 inches or more. Because the appliance is connected directly with the user's water supply, the velocity of water as it exits the tube will typically be relatively high depending upon e.g., the pressure of the water supply connected to the appliance. This high velocity can result in water undesirably splashing out of the container—particularly if the container already has e.g., ice inside. The water can splash onto the consumer and/or onto the exterior of the appliance or floor—requiring clean up by the user.
One potential approach could be to increase the diameter of the dispensing tube so as to reduce the velocity of water exiting the dispenser. However, this approach is also unsatisfactory because it can lead to insufficient capillary action such that water in the tube continues to drain out even after the user has removed the container from the dispenser. Such draining can leave the consumer with water to clean up from the floor and/or exterior of the appliance.
Another approach could be to increase the diameter of the tube and include a check valve in the tube to reduce drip caused by a loss of capillary action. However, the check valve increases the overall cost of the appliance. In addition, the check valve can stick or other malfunction—requiring replacement or service to correct.
Accordingly, a device for dispensing water from an appliance would be useful. More particularly, a device of dispensing water from an appliance that reduces or eliminates undesirable splashing of water outside of the consumer's container would be beneficial. Such a device that can also still provide the desired amount of water flow and sufficient capillary action would also be particularly useful.
The present invention provides a nozzle for dispensing water from an appliance. The nozzle decreases the velocity of water flow so as to reduce or eliminate water splashing out of a consumer's container during dispensing while still providing a rate of flow sufficient to timely fill the container. The nozzle also retains sufficient capillary action so as to reduce or eliminate water draining from the dispenser after the consumer has removed the container. Certain additional aesthetic features may also be provided in certain exemplary embodiments. Additional 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 invention provides a refrigerator appliance. The appliance includes a cabinet defining a chilled chamber for receipt of food articles. A door is mounted to the cabinet. The door is configured for permitting selective access to the chilled chamber of the cabinet. A dispenser is mounted to the door. The dispenser defines a dispensing recess and includes a nozzle for dispensing water. The nozzle includes a fluid inlet having an inlet cross-sectional area, CAINLET. The nozzle also includes a plurality of fluid outlets having a total outlet cross-sectional area, CAOUTLET, where CAOUTLET is greater than CAINLET.
In still another exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a water dispenser nozzle for an appliance. The nozzle includes a tube defining a fluid inlet to the nozzle. The fluid inlet has an inlet cross-sectional area, CAINLET. The nozzle also includes a nozzle base defining a plurality of fluid outlets configured for receiving water from the fluid inlet. The plurality of fluid outlets having a total outlet cross-sectional area, CAOUTLET, where CAOUTLET is greater than CAINLET.
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 invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. 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.
Refrigerator doors 126, 128 are rotatably hinged to an edge of housing 120 for accessing fresh food compartment 122. A freezer door 130 is arranged below refrigerator doors 126, 128 for accessing freezer chamber 124. In the exemplary embodiment, freezer door 130 is coupled to a freezer drawer (not shown) slidably mounted within freezer chamber 124.
Refrigerator appliance 100 includes a dispensing assembly 110 for dispensing water and ice. Dispensing assembly 110 includes a dispenser 114 positioned on an exterior portion of refrigerator appliance 100. Dispenser 114 includes a discharging outlet 134 for accessing ice and water. An activation member 132 is mounted below discharging outlet 134 for operating dispenser 114. In
Discharging outlet 134 and activation member 132 are an external part of dispenser 114, and are mounted in a dispensing recess or recessed portion 138 defined in an outside surface of refrigerator door 126. Recessed portion 138 is positioned at a predetermined elevation convenient for a user to access ice or water and enabling the user to access ice of water without the need to bend-over and without the need to access freezer chamber 124. In the exemplary embodiment, recessed portion 138 is positioned at a level that approximates the chest level of a user.
In particular, insulated cavity 142 is constructed and arranged to operate at a temperature that facilitates producing and storing ice. More particularly, the insulated cavity contains an ice maker for creating ice and feeding the same to a receptacle 160 that is mounted on refrigerator door 126. As illustrated in
Alternatively, in another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, insulated housing 142 and its ice maker can be positioned directly on door 126. In still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in a configuration where the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment are located side by side (as opposed to over and under as shown in
Operation of the refrigerator appliance 100 is regulated by a controller (not shown) that is operatively coupled to user interface panel 136 and/or activation member 132 (shown in
Referring now to
For this exemplary embodiment, three fluid outlets 142 are shown. Using the teachings disclosed herein, however, it will be understood that two, four, or even more fluid outlets 142 may be used to create still other embodiments of the invention as well. Different arrangements of outlets 142 relative to each other may also be used. Also, although shown as circular, fluid outlets 142 may also employ other shapes such as e.g., square, triangular, or others.
Tube 146 provides a fluid inlet having an inlet cross-sectional area, CAINLET, that can be readily calculated. For example, where tube 146 is circular, CAINLET can be calculated as π(D1/2)2 where D1 represents the internal diameter of tube 146 as shown in
Similarly, fluid outlets 142 together provide a total outlet cross-sectional area, CAOUTLET, that can also be readily calculated. For example, the total outlet cross-sectional area, CAOUTLET, provided by fluid outlets 142 of the embodiments of
While the cross-sectional area of each individual fluid outlet 142 is less than the inlet cross-sectional area, CAINLET, of tube 146, the total outlet cross-sectional area, CAOUTLET, provided by all fluid outlets 142 is greater than CAINLET. As such fluid outlets 142 reduce the velocity of water flow relative to the velocity through tube 146 while still providing a sufficient flow rate of water from nozzle 140. The amount by which CAOUTLET should exceed CAINLET can be determined based on the anticipated water pressure supplied to tube 146 and CAINLET so that the velocity of the water exiting fluid outlets 142 does not cause water to undesirably splash out of the typical container placed into the dispenser recess 138 by a consumer. For example, in one exemplary embodiment of the invention, CAOUTLET is in the range of 1.5 to 2 times CAINLET. Other values may be used as well provided CAOUTLET is greater than CAINLET.
In addition, D2 can be selected to provide sufficient capillary action that prevents water from continuing to drain from tube 146 after the consumer has removed a container from recess 138. For example, in one exemplary embodiment of the invention, D2 is in the range of about 0.1 inches to about 0.15 inches. Other values may be used as well provided sufficient capillary action is provided.
Nozzle 140 may also be equipped with one or more aesthetic features to improve consumer appeal and/or functionality of the appliance. For example, as best shown in
For the exemplary embodiment shown in
However, unlike
Using the teachings disclosed herein, it will be understood that other shapes and configurations for the nozzle may be used as well and such is not limited to that shown in the figures. Additionally, although shown with a nozzle cap 148, nozzle 140 may also be constructed without a cap. For example, nozzle body 144 may be connected directly to tube 146. Other constructions may also be used.
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.