Refrigerator water dispenser
AssigneeHisense USA Corporation
InventorsHeng Tong Pit, Jeesuk Lee, Steven J. Kuehl, JinXiong Pi, XueQing Liu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator includes a water dispenser and a liquid storage receptacle configured to be automatically filled via the water dispenser. The liquid storage receptacle includes a dispenser for opening a fluid channel between the liquid storage receptacle and a fluid container while the liquid storage receptacle is provided in the refrigerator. The liquid storage receptacle is provided in a docking base for supporting the receptacle in the refrigerator. The dispenser is integrated into the docking base and engages an opening in the receptacle which may be selectively opened by the dispenser.
Claims10
A refrigerator having a liquid dispensing system, the refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet having a fresh-food compartment;
- a door pivotally mounted to the cabinet for providing a user access to the fresh-food compartment;
- a pitcher having a body for storing liquid;
- a docking station coupled to the cabinet or the door for supporting the pitcher in the fresh-food compartment;
- a dispenser coupled to the docking station;
- a spring coupled to the docking station to aid the pitcher to engage with at least one sensor;
- and
- a water line disposed in the cabinet and extending to the docking station for filling the pitcher with water when the pitcher is located in the docking station,
- wherein the pitcher comprises a valve disposed at a bottom portion of the body of the pitcher that is configured to be actuated by the user when the pitcher is located in the docking station to dispense the liquid from the pitcher via the dispenser into a fluid container held by the user,
- wherein the dispenser comprises a nozzle for engaging the pitcher when the pitcher is located in the docking station,
- wherein, when the nozzle is lifted with the fluid container, the nozzle engages the valve and releases the liquid from the pitcher into the fluid container, and
- wherein the nozzle includes a narrow tip provided in an opening of the docking station and movable vertically for engaging the valve.
A liquid dispensing system for a refrigerator, the liquid dispensing system comprising:
- a pitcher having a pitcher body and a lid removably engaged with the pitcher body;
- a docking base for supporting the pitcher in the refrigerator and positioning the pitcher to engage with a water dispenser of the refrigerator to automatically fill the pitcher;
- and
- a dispenser integrated into the docking base for dispensing liquid from the pitcher while the pitcher is supported in the docking base;
- wherein a fluid container may engage the dispenser for opening a fluid channel between the pitcher and the fluid container,
- wherein the dispenser includes a bezel for engaging the fluid container, the bezel having an outer edge that surrounds an opening of the fluid container to prevent a liquid from spilling out of the fluid container,
- wherein the pitcher includes a passage selectively opened by a valve,
- wherein the dispenser includes a nozzle tip for selectively engaging the valve, and
- wherein the dispenser includes a pivot bias toward a user to prevent swaying of an access door for the refrigerator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.