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US 2024/0318901 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 communication with each other to customize the water supply.
Claims20
A refrigerator, comprising:
- a cabinet including a case having one or more food storage compartments defined therein and one or more doors positioned to access the one or more food storage compartments from an exterior environment, and the cabinet further including a refrigerator cartridge head assembly in fluid communication with a water supply;
- and
- one or more water cartridges, wherein at least a first water cartridge of the one or more water cartridges includes a housing having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end includes a first coupler releasably connected to the refrigerator cartridge head assembly between a first configuration wherein the first water cartridge is not in fluid communication with the refrigerator cartridge head assembly and a second configuration wherein the first water cartridge is in fluid communication with the refrigerator cartridge head assembly, wherein the second end includes a first cartridge head assembly, and wherein the first cartridge head assembly is configured to receive a second coupler of a second water cartridge.
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 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, wherein the second end includes a cartridge head assembly;
- and
- wherein the cartridge head assembly is configured to receive a second coupler of a second water cartridge.
A method of assembling two or more water cartridges in fluid communication comprising the steps of:
- providing a first water cartridge having a housing having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end includes a first coupler and wherein the second end includes a first cartridge head assembly;
- providing a second water cartridge having a housing having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end includes a second coupler and wherein the second end includes a second cartridge head assembly;
- and
- releasably connecting the second coupler of the second water cartridge in fluid communication with the first cartridge head assembly.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.