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US 2024/0317607 A1Published application
Refrigerator with modular cartridges in fluid communication with the water supply
AssigneeMidea Group Co., Ltd.
InventorGregory Butorin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator apparatus and method utilizing one or more water cartridges to customize the water supply. The water cartridge may include a coupler. The water cartridge may include a cartridge head assembly. A plurality of water cartridges may be combined in fluid/electrical communication with each other to customize the water supply.
Claims24
A water cartridge for a refrigerator comprising:
- a housing having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end includes a first coupler and a first electrical connector, wherein the first coupler is configured to be releasably connected to a refrigerator cartridge head assembly of a refrigerator between a first configuration configured to not be in fluid communication with a refrigerator cartridge head assembly and a second configuration configured to be in fluid communication with a refrigerator cartridge head assembly and the first electrical connector configured to be in electrical communication with a refrigerator, and wherein the second end includes a cartridge head assembly and a second electrical connector in electrical communication with the first electrical connector;
- and
- wherein the cartridge head assembly is configured to receive a second coupler and to be in electrical communication with a second water cartridge.
A water cartridge comprising:
- a first end and a second end, wherein the first end includes one or more first electrical connectors and the second end includes one or more second electrical connectors, and wherein the one or more first electrical connectors are in electrical communication with the one or more second electrical connectors.
An appliance having one or more water cartridges, wherein the appliance comprising:
- a first water cartridge having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end includes one or more first electrical connectors and the second end includes one or more second electrical connectors, and wherein the one or more first electrical connectors are in electrical communication with the one or more second electrical connectors;
- and
- one or more appliance electrical connectors releasably engaging the one or more first electrical connectors.
A method of assembling two or more water cartridges in fluid communication comprising the steps of:
- providing a first water cartridge;
- mechanically engaging the first water cartridge to an appliance;
- fluidly connecting the first water cartridge to the appliance;
- electrically connecting the first water cartridge to the appliance;
- providing a second water cartridge;
- mechanically engaging the second water cartridge to the first water cartridge;
- fluidly connecting the second water cartridge to the first water cartridge;
- and
- electrically connecting the second water cartridge to the first water cartridge.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.