Bag-in-box adapter for water dispenser

A dispenser for controllably dispensing a liquid by gravity from a bag-in-box liquid container having a collapsible bag containing the liquid within the box and a bag dispensing fitting extending from the bag for dispensing liquid from the bag, comprising:

• a dispenser body;
• a bag-in-box holder associated with the dispenser body for removably holding a bag-in-box liquid container;
• a liquid receiving reservoir positioned in the body below the bag-in-box holder, said liquid receiving reservoir adapted to control the temperature of liquid received within the reservoir;
• a user operated reservoir outlet connected to the reservoir to dispense liquid from the reservoir when desired by a user;
• and
• a supply line extending from the liquid receiving reservoir and having an inlet end adapted for removable attachment to the bag dispensing fitting when a bag-in-box liquid container is positioned in the holder;
• wherein the liquid receiving reservoir includes a liquid flow passage extending through a mass of temperature adjusting material, said liquid flow passage having an inlet end and an outlet end;
• wherein the liquid receiving reservoir includes a first liquid flow passage extending through a first mass of temperature adjusting material, said first liquid flow passage having an inlet end and an outlet end;
• a first temperature adjusting element for adjusting the temperature of the first mass of temperature adjusting material;
• a second liquid flow passage extending through a second mass of temperature adjusting material, said second liquid flow passage having an inlet end and an outlet end;
• and
• a second temperature adjusting element for adjusting the temperature of the second mass of temperature adjusting material.

A method of converting a conventional water cooler designed to use a substantially rigid water bottle having an opening as the source of water and having a water cooler body with a reservoir therein adapted to receive the substantially rigid water bottle positioned in inverted orientation at the top of the water cooler body with the water bottle opening extending into the reservoir to a position within the reservoir wherein water from the substantially rigid water bottle flows by gravity through the water bottle opening from the substantially rigid water bottle into the reservoir and when water from the water bottle reaches a desired level in the reservoir the water covers and closes the bottle opening to the flow of air into the bottle thereby stopping flow of water from the bottle into the reservoir and including a user operated reservoir outlet to dispense water from the reservoir when desired by a user, to a water cooler using a bag-in-box liquid container having a collapsible bag containing the liquid within the box and a bag dispensing fitting extending from the bag for dispensing liquid from the bag, comprising:

• adding a holder for removably holding a bag-in-box liquid container in place of the water bottle at the top of the water cooler body;
• replacing the reservoir with a liquid receiving replacement reservoir for positioning in the body below the bag-in-box holder in place of the reservoir, said liquid receiving replacement reservoir adapted to control the temperature of liquid received within the reservoir and including a heat exchange block having a shape and formed of a mass of temperature adjusting material and having a liquid flow passage formed in and extending through the block of temperature adjusting material, said liquid flow passage having an inlet end and an outlet end;
• and
• providing a liquid supply line having an outlet end sealingly attached to the inlet end of the liquid flow passage of the liquid receiving replacement reservoir and having an end opposite the outlet end adapted for removable attachment to the bag dispensing fitting when a bag-in-box liquid container is positioned in the holder to allow liquid from the bag-in-box container to flow from the bag-in-box container into the sealable water receiving reservoir.