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US 5,667,103 AGranted
Liquid dispenser with readily removable reservoir and adaptor permitting use with various dispensers
AssigneeElkay Manufacturing Company
InventorsEdward H. Donselman, Lowell C. Burnham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A liquid dispenser having a drop-in/lift-out reservoir that can be readily disassembled from or assembled to a housing, permitting easy cleaning of the reservoir, and not requiring the detachment of hoses or fittings. In another embodiment, alcove adaptors are provided that can be selectively used to permit various liquid dispenser configurations to be operably connected to the housing assembly.
Claims11
An apparatus for dispensing liquid from a liquid container, comprising:
- a housing assembly supporting the liquid container, the housing assembly including a generally vertical wall with a recessed portion forming an alcove, the alcove having an opening;
- a reservoir containing the liquid located within the housing assembly and in fluid communication with the liquid container and with one or more liquid dispensing elements, the reservoir including a bottom surface and a raised bottom portion terminating in a port, wherein the reservoir, upon removal of the liquid container, is vertically removable from the housing assembly, and adapted to be readily dropped into or lifted out of the housing assembly;
- the one or more liquid dispensing elements being positioned outside the reservoir and located to project into the alcove opening, the one or more liquid dispensing elements thereby being accessible to a user of the dispensing apparatus;
- a baffle located within the reservoir and separating the reservoir into lower and upper regions containing the liquid, the baffle serving to minimize heat transfer between the liquid within the lower region and the warmer liquid within the upper region;
- a cooling element operable to cool the liquid within the lower region of the reservoir, the bottom surface of the reservoir resting on and being in heat exchange relation with the cooling element;
- and
- the port on the raised bottom portion of the reservoir being positioned above both the baffle and the one or more liquid dispensing elements.
4 more elements
An apparatus for dispensing liquid from a liquid container, comprising:
- a housing assembly supporting the liquid container;
- a reservoir operably connected to the housing assembly and in fluid communication with the liquid container and with at least two liquid dispensing elements, the reservoir including a bottom surface and a raised bottom portion terminating in a port, wherein the reservoir, upon removal of the liquid container, is readily removable from the housing assembly;
- a baffle located within the reservoir and separating the reservoir into lower and upper regions containing the liquid, the baffle serving to minimize heat transfer between the liquid within the lower region and the warmer liquid within the upper region;
- the port of the raised bottom surface of the reservoir being in fluid communication with the liquid inside the reservoir that is located above the baffle;
- a cooling element operable to cool the liquid within the lower region of the reservoir, the bottom surface of the reservoir resting on and being in heat exchange relation with the cooling element;
- and
- an apparatus for heating the liquid supplied to at least one of the at least two liquid dispensing elements, the heating apparatus being in fluid communication with the port.
4 more elements
An apparatus for dispensing hot and cold liquids from a liquid container, comprising:
- a housing assembly supporting the liquid container;
- a reservoir supported by the housing assembly and in fluid communication with the liquid container and with at least first and second liquid dispensing elements, the reservoir including a bottom surface and a raised bottom portion terminating in a port;
- a baffle located within the reservoir and separating the reservoir into lower and upper regions containing the liquid, the baffle serving to minimize heat transfer between the lower and upper liquid regions;
- the port of the raised bottom surface of the reservoir being in fluid communication with the liquid in the upper region of the reservoir above the baffle;
- a cooling element operable to cool the liquid within the lower region of the reservoir below the baffle, the bottom surface of the reservoir resting on and being in heat exchange relation with the cooling element, the liquid within the lower region of the reservoir being in fluid communication with the first liquid dispensing element, the first liquid dispensing element thereby providing the dispensing of cooled liquid;
- an apparatus for heating liquid supplied from the upper region of the reservoir, the heated liquid being supplied to the second liquid dispensing element;
- the raised bottom portion of the reservoir including a conduit in fluid communication between the heating apparatus and the second liquid dispensing element, permitting liquid to flow from the upper region of the reservoir to the heating apparatus;
- and
- the conduit being readily disengageable from the second liquid dispensing element whereby the reservoir, upon removal of the liquid container, is readily removable from the housing assembly.
6 more elements
An apparatus for dispensing liquid from a liquid container, comprising:
- a housing assembly supporting the liquid container;
- a reservoir operably connected to the housing assembly and in fluid communication with the liquid container and with at least one liquid dispensing element, the reservoir including a bottom surface and a raised bottom portion terminating in a port, wherein the reservoir, upon removal of the liquid container, is readily removable from the housing assembly;
- a baffle located within the reservoir and separating the reservoir into lower and upper regions containing the liquid, the baffle serving to minimize heat transfer between the liquid within the lower region and the liquid within the upper region;
- a cooling element operable to cool the liquid within the lower region of the reservoir;
- an apparatus for heating the liquid supplied from the upper region of the reservoir and supplied to the at least one liquid dispensing element;
- and
- a hot liquid conduit passing through the interior of the raised bottom portion of the reservoir, the hot liquid conduit being in fluid communication with the port and the heating apparatus, and permitting liquid to flow from the upper region of the reservoir to the heating apparatus.
4 more elements
An apparatus for dispensing liquid from a liquid container, comprising:
- a housing assembly supporting the liquid container;
- a reservoir operably connected to the housing assembly and in fluid communication with the liquid container and with at least one liquid dispensing element, the reservoir including a bottom surface and a raised bottom portion terminating in a port, wherein the reservoir, upon removal of the liquid container, is readily removable from the housing assembly;
- a baffle located within the reservoir and separating the reservoir into lower and upper regions containing the liquid, the baffle serving to minimize heat transfer between the liquid within the lower region and the liquid within the upper region;
- and
- a cooling element operable to cool the liquid within the lower region of the reservoir;
- wherein the bottom surface of the reservoir is tapering and frusto-conical, and is in close frictional, though disassembled, engagement with portions of the cooling element.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.