Patent Grant
8876016
The present invention relates to a water dispenser of a drinking fountain, and more particularly to a main inner tubing structure in the water dispenser that is made of a plastic inner block, so that contact area between the water flow and metal surface area in the water dispenser is reduced to avoid harmful heavy metal accumulated in the water flow to achieve the goal of providing safe drinking water.
A conventional structure of a water dispenser of a drinking fountain includes a dispenser (40) and a valve body (50). A water channel (41) is located at a upper and lower portion of the dispenser (40), and an inlet end (42) is connected to a water source. A valve slot (43) is recessedly formed at one side of the dispenser (40), and two connecting holes (431) are formed at an opening surface of the valve slot (43). The connecting holes (431) are connected with the water channel (41) and the inlet end (42). The valve body (50) is disposed at the valve slot (43) of the dispenser (40), and a lower portion of the valve body (50) protrudingly has two connecting tubes (51) plugged in the connecting holes (431) of the dispenser (40). A press button (52) is protrudingly formed at an upper portion of the valve body (50) to switch one connecting tube with the other. When a user presses the press button (52), the two connecting tubes (51) are connected so that the drinking water flows from the inlet end (42) to the water channel (41) to achieve the goal of providing drinking water.
The conventional water dispenser structure is disadvantageous because the dispenser (40) is made by copper with additional lead for processing and molding, so when the drinking water flows through or stores in the inner tubing of the dispenser (40), it is likely to absorb the lead in the tubing to generate adverse effect on the human body. Also, since it is made mostly of copper, the entire structure may be too heavy. Meanwhile, the cost to manufacture the structure is hard to reduce, as well as the sales price, because the structure uses too much copper.
The problem to be solved in the present invention is (a) the dispenser is made by copper with additional lead for processing and molding, so when the drinking water flows through or stores in the inner tubing of the dispenser, it is likely to absorb the lead in the tubing to generate adverse effects on the human body; and (b) since it is made mostly of copper, the entire structure may be too heavy. Meanwhile, the cost to manufacture the structure is hard to reduce, as well as the sales price, because the structure uses too much copper.
The technical point to solve the problem is to provide a water dispenser of a drinking fountain includes a water dispenser, an inner block and a control valve. The water dispenser has a receiving space recessedly formed at a lower portion, and the receiving space has a water outlet at an opening surface. A valve slot is recessedly formed at one side of the water dispenser, and two connecting holes connecting to the receiving space are formed on an open surface of the valve slot. The inner block is made by plastic materials and located in the receiving space of the water dispenser, and a water channel and a water inlet are recessedly formed on both ends of the inner block, wherein the water channel is corresponding to the water outlet of the water dispenser, and the two engaging holes corresponding to the connecting holes of the water dispenser are spacedly formed at one side of the water channel and water inlet. The control valve is disposed at the valve slot of the water dispenser, and two connecting tubes are protrudingly and spacedly formed at a lower portion of the control valve, and the connecting tubes are plugged into the through hole. A press button is protrudingly formed on top of the control valve to switch between two connecting tubes, so that a water dispenser of a drinking fountain is obtained.
Comparing to conventional arts stated above: (a) the major tubing structure inside the water dispenser is composed of a plastic inner block, the contact area between the water flow and the metal surface of the water dispenser is reduced so as to avoid accumulation of harmful heavy metal in the water when the water is flowing or stored, and further achieve the goal of providing safe drinking water; and (b) the inner tubing structure of the water dispenser is composed of the inner block that is made by light materials such as plastic, reducing the total weight of the water dispenser. The cost of the materials is reduced as well, so the goals of providing a lightweight and cost effective structure is achieved.
The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of the presently exemplary device provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be prepared or utilized. It is to be understood, rather, that the same or equivalent functions and components may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devices and materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the exemplary methods, devices and materials are now described.
All publications mentioned are incorporated by reference for the purpose of describing and disclosing, for example, the designs and methodologies that are described in the publications that might be used in connection with the presently described invention. The publications listed or discussed above, below and throughout the text are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention.
In order to further understand the goal, characteristics and effect of the present invention, a number of embodiments along with the drawings are illustrated as following:
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
According to the embodiment stated above, the present invention is advantageous because (a) the major tubing structure inside the water dispenser (10) is composed of plastic inner block (20), the contact area between the water flow and the metal surface of the water dispenser is reduced so as to avoid accumulation of harmful heavy metal in the water when the water is flowing or stored, and further achieving the goal of providing safe drinking water; and (b) the inner tubing structure of the water dispenser is composed of the inner block (20) that is made of light materials such as plastic, reducing the total weight of the water dispense is reduced. The cost of the materials is reduced as well, so the goal of providing a lightweight and cost effective structure is achieved.
Having described the invention by the description and illustrations above, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as limiting. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description, but includes any equivalent.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2645885 | Benua et al. | Jul 1953 | A |
| 3921903 | Grimes et al. | Nov 1975 | A |
| 3980273 | Turner et al. | Sep 1976 | A |
| 4009806 | Dreibelbis et al. | Mar 1977 | A |
| 4060198 | Dreibelbis et al. | Nov 1977 | A |
| 5060857 | Engelbach | Oct 1991 | A |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20130161410 A1 | Jun 2013 | US |
