Autofill pitcher with fill sensor
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorsLouis A. Wantland, Jeffrey Michael Colyer, Jordan Andrew Waymeyer, Lokesha Kodigenahalli Chinnappa Reddy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An autofill pitcher system includes a pitcher and a dispenser. The pitcher includes at least one pitcher wall and an internal volume defined within the at least one pitcher wall. The dispenser defines a cavity. The cavity is configured to receive the pitcher. The dispenser also includes a fill tube and a sensor. The fill tube is positioned and configured to direct a flow of water from a water supply into the internal volume of the pitcher when the pitcher is received within the cavity. The sensor is positioned above the cavity and is operable to detect a fill level within the internal volume of the pitcher.
Claims14
A refrigerator appliance comprising:
- a cabinet defining a fresh food chamber;
- an autofill pitcher system comprising:
- a pitcher comprising at least one pitcher wall and an internal volume defined within the at least one pitcher wall;
- a dispenser defining a cavity, the cavity configured to receive the pitcher, the dispenser comprising a fill tube and a sensor, the fill tube positioned and configured to direct a flow of water from a water supply into the internal volume of the pitcher when the pitcher is received within the cavity, the sensor positioned above the cavity and operable to detect a fill level within the internal volume of the pitcher;
- and
- a lid, the lid removably coupled to the pitcher above the internal volume of the pitcher, wherein the sensor is operable to detect the fill level within the internal volume of the pitcher when the lid is coupled to the pitcher and the pitcher is received in the cavity below the sensor, the lid comprising a retractable portion, the retractable portion movable along a direction generally perpendicular to a vertical direction between a retracted position and an extended position.
An autofill pitcher system comprising:
- a pitcher comprising at least one pitcher wall and an internal volume defined within the at least one pitcher wall;
- a dispenser defining a cavity, the cavity configured to receive the pitcher, the dispenser comprising a fill tube and a sensor, the fill tube positioned and configured to direct a flow of water from a water supply into the internal volume of the pitcher when the pitcher is received within the cavity, the sensor positioned above the cavity and operable to detect a fill level within the internal volume of the pitcher;
- and
- a lid, the lid removably coupled to the pitcher above the internal volume of the pitcher, wherein the sensor is operable to detect the fill level within the internal volume of the pitcher when the lid is coupled to the pitcher and the pitcher is received in the cavity below the sensor, the lid comprising a retractable portion, the retractable portion movable along a direction generally perpendicular to a vertical direction between a retracted position and an extended position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.