One-gallon hot and cold water dispenser and associated method
OwnerJack Stephansinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hot and cold water dispenser includes a base unit that has an open top end and a closed bottom end respectively. The base unit is formed from rigid material such that the base unit maintains a fixed shape when a traditional one gallon, square shaped bottle typically sold at supermarkets and other retail outlets (referred throughout the patent application as an “existing one-gallon water bottle”) is positioned therein. A mechanism heats and cools water contained within the base unit, and is housed within the base unit. A mechanism dispenses the heated and cooled water, and is housed within the base unit and directly connected to the heating and cooling mechanism.
Claims4
A hot and cold water dispenser for providing hot and cold water from an existing one-gallon water bottle positioned within said water dispenser while said water dispenser is supported upon a support surface, said hot and cold water dispenser comprising:
- a base unit having an open top end and a closed bottom end respectively;
- means for heating and cooling water contained within said base unit, said heating and cooling means being housed within said base unit;
- and
- means for dispensing the heated and cooled water, said dispensing means being housed within said base unit and directly connected to said heating and cooling means;
- wherein said base unit comprises:
- a reservoir monolithically formed in said top end of said base unit, said reservoir having a substantially square-shaped upper edge, said reservoir having a plurality of walls monolithically formed with said upper edge of said reservoir, said walls having lower edges tapering downwardly and inwardly from said upper edge and toward a center region of said reservoir, said lower edges of said walls defining an opening within said center region of said reservoir, said opening being located subjacent to said upper edge of said reservoir;
- a slot formed in a selected corner of said reservoir, said slot extending from said upper edge of said reservoir to said opening of said reservoir, said slot for receiving a handle of the existing one-gallon water bottle therein when an opened end of the existing one-gallon water bottle is positioned within said reservoir during operating conditions;
- a pair of coextensively shaped arcuate flanges monolithically formed with selected outer edges of said top end of said base unit and protruding outwardly and away therefrom, said flanges extending beyond said outer surface of said base unit;
- a pair of coextensively shaped arcuate shelves monolithically formed with selected outer edges of said bottom end of said base unit and protruding outwardly and away therefrom, said shelves extending beyond said outer surface of said base unit, said shelves being vertically aligned with said flanges, each of a selected one of said shelves being located subjacent to an associated one of said flanges of said base unit;
- and
- a pair of coextensively shaped concave niches monolithically formed in said outer surface of said base unit, each of said niches vertically spanning between said shelves and said flanges respectively.
A hot and cold water dispenser for providing hot and cold water from an existing one-gallon water bottle positioned within said water dispenser while said water dispenser is supported upon a support surface, said hot and cold water dispenser comprising:
- a base unit having an open top end and a closed bottom end respectively, said base unit being formed from rigid material such that said base unit maintains a fixed shape when the existing water bottle is positioned therein;
- means for heating and cooling water contained within said base unit, said heating and cooling means being housed within said base unit;
- and
- means for dispensing the heated and cooled water, said dispensing means being housed within said base unit and directly connected to said heating and cooling means;
- wherein said base unit comprises:
- a reservoir monolithically formed in said top end of said base unit, said reservoir having a substantially square-shaped upper edge, said reservoir having a plurality of walls monolithically formed with said upper edge of said reservoir, said walls having lower edges tapering downwardly and inwardly from said upper edge and toward a center region of said reservoir, said lower edges of said walls defining an opening within said center region of said reservoir, said opening being located subjacent to said upper edge of said reservoir;
- a slot formed in a selected corner of said reservoir, said slot extending from said upper edge of said reservoir to said opening of said reservoir, said slot for receiving a handle of the existing one-gallon water bottle therein when an opened end of the existing one-gallon water bottle is positioned within said reservoir during operating conditions;
- a pair of coextensively shaped arcuate flanges monolithically formed with selected outer edges of said top end of said base unit and protruding outwardly and away therefrom, said flanges extending beyond said outer surface of said base unit;
- a pair of coextensively shaped arcuate shelves monolithically formed with selected outer edges of said bottom end of said base unit and protruding outwardly and away therefrom, said shelves extending beyond said outer surface of said base unit, said shelves being vertically aligned with said flanges, each of a selected one of said shelves being located subjacent to an associated one of said flanges of said base unit;
- and
- a pair of coextensively shaped concave niches monolithically formed in said outer surface of said base unit, each of said niches vertically spanning between said shelves and said flanges respectively.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.