Abstract:
A nozzle for dispensing water from an appliance is provided. The nozzle decreases the velocity of water flow so as to reduce or eliminate water splashing out of a consumer&#39;s container during dispensing while still providing a rate of flow sufficient to timely fill the container. The nozzle also retains sufficient capillary action so as to reduce or eliminate water draining from the dispenser after the consumer has removed the container. Additional aesthetic features may also be provided in certain exemplary embodiments.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The subject matter of the present disclosure relates generally to a nozzle for dispensing water from an appliance. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Refrigerator appliances generally include one or more cabinets defining chambers for the receipt of food items for storage. Refrigerator appliances may also include features for dispensing ice and/or water. To provide ice and water, a dispenser is typically positioned on a door of the appliance. The user positions a container at the dispenser and ice, water, or both are deposited into the container depending upon the user&#39;s selection. A paddle or other type switch can be provided whereby the user can make a selection. Typically, the water is chilled by routing through one of the refrigerated chambers. 
         [0003]    The water dispenser is commonly constructed as a single plastic tube that is connected with a water supply controlled by the user-activated paddle or switch. The diameter of the tube is usually small—i.e. about 0.2 inches or more. Because the appliance is connected directly with the user&#39;s water supply, the velocity of water as it exits the tube will typically be relatively high depending upon e.g., the pressure of the water supply connected to the appliance. This high velocity can result in water undesirably splashing out of the container—particularly if the container already has e.g., ice inside. The water can splash onto the consumer and/or onto the exterior of the appliance or floor—requiring clean up by the user. 
         [0004]    One potential approach could be to increase the diameter of the dispensing tube so as to reduce the velocity of water exiting the dispenser. However, this approach is also unsatisfactory because it can lead to insufficient capillary action such that water in the tube continues to drain out even after the user has removed the container from the dispenser. Such draining can leave the consumer with water to clean up from the floor and/or exterior of the appliance. 
         [0005]    Another approach could be to increase the diameter of the tube and include a check valve in the tube to reduce drip caused by a loss of capillary action. However, the check valve increases the overall cost of the appliance. In addition, the check valve can stick or other malfunction—requiring replacement or service to correct. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, a device for dispensing water from an appliance would be useful. More particularly, a device of dispensing water from an appliance that reduces or eliminates undesirable splashing of water outside of the consumer&#39;s container would be beneficial. Such a device that can also still provide the desired amount of water flow and sufficient capillary action would also be particularly useful. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides a nozzle for dispensing water from an appliance. The nozzle decreases the velocity of water flow so as to reduce or eliminate water splashing out of a consumer&#39;s container during dispensing while still providing a rate of flow sufficient to timely fill the container. The nozzle also retains sufficient capillary action so as to reduce or eliminate water draining from the dispenser after the consumer has removed the container. Certain additional aesthetic features may also be provided in certain exemplary embodiments. Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. 
         [0008]    In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a refrigerator appliance. The appliance includes a cabinet defining a chilled chamber for receipt of food articles. A door is mounted to the cabinet. The door is configured for permitting selective access to the chilled chamber of the cabinet. A dispenser is mounted to the door. The dispenser defines a dispensing recess and includes a nozzle for dispensing water. The nozzle includes a fluid inlet having an inlet cross-sectional area, CA INLET . The nozzle also includes a plurality of fluid outlets having a total outlet cross-sectional area, CA OUTLET , where CA OUTLET  is greater than CA INLET . 
         [0009]    In still another exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a water dispenser nozzle for an appliance. The nozzle includes a tube defining a fluid inlet to the nozzle. The fluid inlet has an inlet cross-sectional area, CA INLET . The nozzle also includes a nozzle base defining a plurality of fluid outlets configured for receiving water from the fluid inlet. The plurality of fluid outlets having a total outlet cross-sectional area, CA OUTLET , where CA OUTLET  is greater than CA INLET . 
         [0010]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  provides a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a refrigerator appliance of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  provides another front view of the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1  with doors to a fresh food compartment shown in an open position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  provides an example of a dispenser equipped with an exemplary nozzle of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary nozzle of the present invention while  FIG. 5  depicts an exemplary component of the nozzle. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary nozzle base of the present invention from the outlet side while  FIG. 7  illustrates such nozzle base from an inlet side. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  provides an example of a dispenser equipped with another exemplary embodiment of a nozzle of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  provides a cross-sectional view of the exemplary nozzle of  FIG. 8 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a refrigerator appliance  100 . Refrigerator appliance  100  includes a cabinet or housing  120  defining an upper fresh food chamber  122  and a lower freezer chamber  124  arranged below the fresh food chamber  122 . As such, refrigerator appliance  100  is generally referred to as a bottom mount refrigerator. In the exemplary embodiment, housing  120  also defines a mechanical compartment (not shown) for receipt of a sealed cooling system. Using the teachings disclosed herein, one of skill in the art will understand that the present invention can be used with other types of refrigerators (e.g., side-by-sides). Consequently, the description set forth herein is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the invention in any aspect. 
         [0021]    Refrigerator doors  126 ,  128  are rotatably hinged to an edge of housing  120  for accessing fresh food compartment  122 . A freezer door  130  is arranged below refrigerator doors  126 ,  128  for accessing freezer chamber  124 . In the exemplary embodiment, freezer door  130  is coupled to a freezer drawer (not shown) slidably mounted within freezer chamber  124 . 
         [0022]    Refrigerator appliance  100  includes a dispensing assembly  110  for dispensing water and ice. Dispensing assembly  110  includes a dispenser  114  positioned on an exterior portion of refrigerator appliance  100 . Dispenser  114  includes a discharging outlet  134  for accessing ice and water. An activation member  132  is mounted below discharging outlet  134  for operating dispenser  114 . In  FIG. 1 , activation member  132  is shown as a paddle. However, activation member  132  may be any other suitable mechanism for signaling or indication initiating a flow of ice and/or water into a container within dispenser  114 , e.g., a switch or button. A user interface panel  136  is provided for controlling the mode of operation. For example, user interface panel  136  includes a water dispensing button (not labeled) and an ice-dispensing button (not labeled) for selecting a desired mode of operation such as crushed, non-crushed ice, or water, etc. 
         [0023]    Discharging outlet  134  and activation member  132  are an external part of dispenser  114 , and are mounted in a dispensing recess or recessed portion  138  defined in an outside surface of refrigerator door  126 . Recessed portion  138  is positioned at a predetermined elevation convenient for a user to access ice or water and enabling the user to access ice of water without the need to bend-over and without the need to access freezer chamber  124 . In the exemplary embodiment, recessed portion  138  is positioned at a level that approximates the chest level of a user. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of refrigerator appliance  100  having refrigerator doors  126 ,  128  in an open position to reveal the interior of the fresh food chamber  122 . As such, certain components of dispensing assembly  110  are illustrated. For this exemplary embodiment, dispensing assembly  110  includes an insulated housing  142  mounted within refrigerator chamber  122 . Due to insulation surrounding insulated housing  142 , the temperature within insulated housing  142  can be maintained at levels different from the ambient temperature in the surrounding fresh food chamber  122 . 
         [0025]    In particular, insulated cavity  142  is constructed and arranged to operate at a temperature that facilitates producing and storing ice. More particularly, the insulated cavity contains an ice maker for creating ice and feeding the same to a receptacle  160  that is mounted on refrigerator door  126 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , receptacle  160  is placed at a vertical position on refrigerator door  126  that will allow for the receipt of ice from a discharge opening  162  located along a bottom edge  164  of insulated housing  142  when refrigerator door  126  is in a closed position (shown in  FIG. 1 ). As door  126  is closed or opened, receptacle  160  is moved in and out of position under insulated housing  142 . 
         [0026]    Alternatively, in another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, insulated housing  142  and its ice maker can be positioned directly on door  126 . In still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in a configuration where the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment are located side by side (as opposed to over and under as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ), the ice maker could be located on the door for the freezer compartment and directly over receptacle  160 . As such, the use of an insulated housing would be unnecessary. Other configurations for the location of receptacle  160 , an ice maker, and/or insulated housing  142  may be used as well. 
         [0027]    Operation of the refrigerator appliance  100  is regulated by a controller (not shown) that is operatively coupled to user interface panel  136  and/or activation member  132  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). Panel  136  provides selections for user manipulation of the operation of refrigerator appliance  100  such as e.g., selections between whole or crushed ice, chilled water, and/or other options as well. In response to user manipulation of the user interface panel  136 , the controller operates various components of the refrigerator appliance  100 . The controller may be positioned in a variety of locations throughout refrigerator appliance  100 . In the illustrated embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , controller is located within beneath the user interface panel  136  on door  126 . In such an embodiment, input/output (“I/O”) signals may be routed between controller and various operational components of refrigerator appliance  100 . In one exemplary embodiment, the user interface panel  136  may represent a general purpose I/O (“GPIO”) device or functional block. In another exemplary embodiment, the user interface  136  may include input components, such as one or more of a variety of electrical, mechanical or electro-mechanical input devices including rotary dials, push buttons, and touch pads. The user interface  136  may be in communication with the controller via one or more signal lines or shared communication busses. 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  provides a close-up front view of the dispenser  114  of dispensing assembly  110 . An exemplary nozzle  140  of the present invention is positioned adjacent to activation member  132 . Nozzle  140  includes a plurality of fluid outlets  142  through which water may flow into a container placed into the recess  138  of dispensing assembly  110  by a user of appliance  100 . 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIGS. 4 through 7 , for this exemplary embodiment, nozzle  140  includes a nozzle base  144  connected to a tube  146  by a nozzle cap  148 . Nozzle cap  148  includes an open end  150  into which a distal end  152  of tube  146  is received. At open end  154 , nozzle cap  148  includes a flange  156  that is received into a recess  158  ( FIG. 7 ) of nozzle base  144 . Tube  146  is connected to a water supply controlled by activation member  132  and acts as a water inlet to nozzle  140  whereby fluid may flow from the water supply, through the channel  166  in nozzle cap  148 , through nozzle body  144 , and exit through fluid outlets  142 . Nozzle body  144 , cap  148 , and tube  146  may be connected by, for example, an interference fit and/or ultrasonic welding. Other techniques may be used as well. 
         [0030]    For this exemplary embodiment, three fluid outlets  142  are shown. Using the teachings disclosed herein, however, it will be understood that two, four, or even more fluid outlets  142  may be used to create still other embodiments of the invention as well. Different arrangements of outlets  142  relative to each other may also be used. Also, although shown as circular, fluid outlets  142  may also employ other shapes such as e.g., square, triangular, or others. 
         [0031]    Tube  146  provides a fluid inlet having an inlet cross-sectional area, CA INLET , that can be readily calculated. For example, where tube  146  is circular, CA INLET  can be calculated as π(D 1 /2) 2  where D 1  represents the internal diameter of tube  146  as shown in  FIG. 4 . As will by understood by one of skill in the art, other formulas may be used to calculate CA INLET  depending upon e.g., the geometry of the fluid inlet provided by tube  146 . 
         [0032]    Similarly, fluid outlets  142  together provide a total outlet cross-sectional area, CA OUTLET , that can also be readily calculated. For example, the total outlet cross-sectional area, CA OUTLET , provided by fluid outlets  142  of the embodiments of  FIGS. 4-7  can be calculated as n(π)(D 2 /2) 2  where D 2  represents the internal diameter of a fluid outlet  142  and n represents the total number of fluid outlets as depicted in  FIG. 7 . As will by understood by one of skill in the art, other formulas may be used to calculate CA OUTLET  depending upon e.g., the geometry of the fluid outlet provided by fluid outlets  142 . 
         [0033]    While the cross-sectional area of each individual fluid outlet  142  is less than the inlet cross-sectional area, CA INLET , of tube  146 , the total outlet cross-sectional area, CA OUTLET , provided by all fluid outlets  142  is greater than CA INLET . As such fluid outlets  142  reduce the velocity of water flow relative to the velocity through tube  146  while still providing a sufficient flow rate of water from nozzle  140 . The amount by which CA OUTLET  should exceed CA INLET  can be determined based on the anticipated water pressure supplied to tube  146  and CA INLET  so that the velocity of the water exiting fluid outlets  142  does not cause water to undesirably splash out of the typical container placed into the dispenser recess  138  by a consumer. For example, in one exemplary embodiment of the invention, CA OUTLET  is in the range of 1.5 to 2 times CA INLET . Other values may be used as well provided CA OUTLET  is greater than CA INLET . 
         [0034]    In addition, D 2  can be selected to provide sufficient capillary action that prevents water from continuing to drain from tube  146  after the consumer has removed a container from recess  138 . For example, in one exemplary embodiment of the invention, D 2  is in the range of about 0.1 inches to about 0.15 inches. Other values may be used as well provided sufficient capillary action is provided. 
         [0035]    Nozzle  140  may also be equipped with one or more aesthetic features to improve consumer appeal and/or functionality of the appliance. For example, as best shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , nozzle base  144  has a circumferentially extending surface  168  that includes a plurality of facets  170  extending longitudinally along the direction of water flow W ( FIG. 4 ) through nozzle  140 . Nozzle base  144  is constructed from a light transmissive material such as a translucent or transparent material. Accordingly, by positioning a light source (such as e.g., a light emitting diode) near or in such material, base  140  will transmit light from such source so as to illuminate nozzle  140 , recess  138 , and/or the user&#39;s container depending upon the output of the light source. Facets  170  as shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  6 , and  7  are provided by way of example only. Other shapes and configurations may be used as well. 
         [0036]    For the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  6 , and  7 , fluid outlets  142  of nozzle  140  are arranged in a circular manner as shown. However, other arrangements of fluid outlets  142  may be used as well. For example,  FIG. 3  provides another close-up front view of the dispenser  114  of dispensing assembly  110  where another exemplary nozzle  140  of the present invention is positioned adjacent to activation member  132 . As with the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , nozzle  140  includes a plurality of fluid outlets  142  through which water may flow into a container placed into the recess  138  of dispensing assembly  110  by a user of appliance  100 . 
         [0037]    However, unlike  FIG. 3 , nozzle  140  as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9  has a plurality of fluid outlets  142  that are aligned within a plane parallel to the direction of the flow of water (arrows W). Again, the total outlet cross-sectional area, CA OUTLET , provided by all fluid outlets  142  is greater than CA INLET  for tube  146 . Nozzle body  144  can also be constructed e.g., from a light transmissive material and equipped with a light sources  172  as previously described. 
         [0038]    Using the teachings disclosed herein, it will be understood that other shapes and configurations for the nozzle may be used as well and such is not limited to that shown in the figures. Additionally, although shown with a nozzle cap  148 , nozzle  140  may also be constructed without a cap. For example, nozzle body  144  may be connected directly to tube  146 . Other constructions may also be used. 
         [0039]    This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.