Domestic appliance system with push-fit fluid coupling

A system comprising:

• a docking station that includes a water supply,
• a domestic appliance mountable on the docking station, and
• a push-fit fluid coupling to enable water to flow from the water supply into the domestic appliance in response to the domestic appliance being mounted on the docking station,
• wherein the push-fit fluid coupling comprises a fluid feeding portion and a fluid receiving portion adapted to cooperate with each other to enable fluid to flow in a downstream direction (D1) from the fluid feeding portion to the fluid receiving portion,
• wherein the fluid receiving portion comprises an actuator that includes an outer surface and an end surface, and a fluid conduit disposed within the actuator (i) for fluid to flow from the fluid feeding portion to the fluid receiving portion in response to the fluid conduit being open to fluid flow and (ii) for fluid not to flow in response to the fluid conduit being closed to fluid flow,
• wherein the fluid feeding portion comprises a housing that defines a fluid flow path and includes an opening in which the actuator is intended to be inserted, a chamber arranged in the housing in which fluid is intended to flow, a valve seat and a valve member engaging the valve seat for closing the fluid flow path, and a first piston slidably received in the chamber downstream of the valve member,
• wherein the fluid feeding portion and the fluid receiving portion are adapted to cooperate with each other such that:
• a) responsive to the actuator being inserted into the opening, the outer surface of the actuator and the opening cooperate with each other to form a fluid seal preventing fluid in chamber of the fluid feeding portion to leak out from the chamber, wherein the fluid conduit of the actuator remains closed to fluid flow, and
• b) responsive to the actuator being further inserted into the opening, an end surface of the actuator contacts an first end surface of the first piston to displace the first piston in an upstream direction (D2) until an opposite end surface of the first piston contacts the valve member and lifts the valve member off the valve seat for opening the fluid flow path within the fluid feeding portion and allowing fluid to flow in said downstream direction (D1) to the fluid receiving portion, wherein responsive to fluid flow to the fluid receiving portion via the fluid flow path within the fluid feeding portion, the fluid conduit of the actuator is opened to fluid flow.