Abstract:
A dispener comprising a liquid supply and a cooling reservoir, the cooling reservoir having an entry port and an exit port. The cooling reservoir is shaped so as to position a pocket of air at the top of the reservoir when the reservoir contains liquid, and the entry port communicates with the air pocket. The dispenser has a conduit connected on one end to the liquid supply and on the other end to the entry port of the cooling reservoir. The dispenser further comprises a cooling element disposed inside the cooling reservoir and a first pump for moving the liquid from the liquid supply to the cooling reservoir through the conduit.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/082,220 Apr. 17, 1998. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a dispenser for cooling and dispensing liquids, and more particularly, a dispenser for cooling and dispensing liquids which can continue to dispense liquids even when the liquid in the cooling reservoir is frozen. 
     In order to store and cool liquids for consumption, such as water, it is known to provide a cooling reservoir for storing the water, and to connect a spigot to the cooling reservoir for dispensing the water. A thermoelectric device may be used to cool the water before it is dispensed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,489 to Moren discloses an apparatus for dispensing a cooled liquid which utilizes a thermoelectric device. The apparatus disclosed in that patent includes a compartment having a wall for retaining the water to be cooled and dispensed. A thermoelectric device having a first surface with a relatively cool temperature and a second surface having a relatively high temperature is located adjacent to the compartment. A cooling probe is coupled to the first surface, and extends through the compartment wall such that it cools the water in the compartment. The thermoelectric cooling device is commercially available, and produces a temperature differential upon application of a direct voltage due to the Peltier effect. 
     However, water coolers such as disclosed in the Moren patent can be troublesome due to the fact that the entire volume of liquid in the cooling reservoir may freeze completely. Under such “freeze-up” conditions, the liquid can no longer be dispensed and the cooler is rendered inoperable. Various arrangement of fans, timers, temperature controls, and feed back loops have been utilized in attempts to address the freeze-up problem. However, these measures are complicated to implement and utilize, and largely unreliable in preventing freeze-up. Accordingly, there is a need for a liquid cooler and dispenser which can effectively cool and dispense water, and that can remain operable during freeze-up of the cooling reservoir. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a dispenser for cooling and dispensing liquids which can continue to dispense liquids even when the liquid in the cooling reservoir becomes frozen. In place of the complicated controls and devices of the prior art, the present invention utilizes a pocket of trapped air, or “air bubble,” to counteract freeze-up of the entire cooling reservoir. 
     More particularly, the present invention is a dispener comprising a liquid supply and a cooling reservoir, the cooling reservoir having an entry port and an exit port. The cooling reservoir is shaped so as to position a pocket of air at the top of the reservoir when the reservoir contains liquid, and the entry port communicates with the air pocket. The dispenser has a conduit connected on one end to the liquid supply and on the other end to the entry port of the cooling reservoir. The dispenser further comprises a cooling element disposed inside the cooling reservoir and a first pump for moving the liquid from the liquid supply to the cooling reservoir through the conduit. 
     Other features and advantages of the present device will become apparent from the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawing and claims, which form a part of the specification. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, numerous embodiments of the device described are illustrated, and together with the generally description above, and the description and claims below, exemplify the device of the present application. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the water cooler and dispenser of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the water cooler and dispenser of FIG. 1, with the door shown in the open position; 
     FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the water cooler and dispenser of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3A is a detail view of the cooling chamber of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 3B is a detail view of the cooling chamber of FIG. 3, shown in a freeze-up condition; 
     FIG. 4 is a detailed perspective view of a preferred form of the cooling reservoir cover; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective, exploded view of the water cooler and dispenser and FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective, exploded view of the cooling reservoir and associated components; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the thermoelectric cooling device for use with the present invention; and 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating an alternate embodiment of the couplings to and from the cooling reservoir. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the dispenser  10  of the present invention includes a liquid supply  12 , a cooling reservoir  14 , and a conduit  16  connecting the liquid supply  12  to the cooling reservoir  14 . The liquid supply  12  includes a top port  18 , and supplies the liquid to be cooled and dispensed. Nearly any size or shape of liquid supply  12  may be used, as long as the conduit  16  may be passed into the liquid in the liquid supply  12 . The cooling reservoir  14  includes a cover  20 , a bottom  22  and a side wall  24 , although other shapes of the cooling reservoir  14  may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. An entry port  26  and an exit port  28  are formed in the cover  20 . The cover  20  is further shaped to trap one or more air bubbles when the cooling reservoir is filled with liquid, as will be discussed in greater detail below. The conduit  16  is connected to the entry port  26 , and the exit port  28  is lower than the entry port  26 . As best shown in FIG. 4, the cover  20  may also include a set of baffles  30  to divert the path of water entering the cooling reservoir  14 . In this manner, warm water entering the reservoir is mixed with the cooled water present in the cooling reservoir, thereby ensuring that cool water exits through the exit port  28 . The baffles  30  may preferably have a height of around 1.5 inches. 
     Insulating sleeve  32  (FIG. 6) surrounds and insulates the cooling reservoir  14 , and the sleeve  32  may be made of a any of a wide range of thermally insulating materials, including STYROFOAM™. An insulating cap  33  tops the cooling reservoir  14 . The cooling reservoir  14  also has a drain  34  which is coupled to a drain tube  36 . The drain  34  allows the cooling reservoir  14  to be emptied for cleaning and maintenance. The drain tube  36  has a removable pinch-clip  38  mounted thereon to control drainage out of the cooling reservoir  14 . 
     A thermoelectric cooling device  40  is located below the cooling reservoir  14 , and FIG. 7 more fully illustrates the cooling device  40 . A cooling element, such as a cooling probe  42 , is coupled to the cold side of the thermoelectric device  40 , and is passed through a hole in the bottom  22  of the cooling reservoir  14 . In this manner, the cooling probe  42  absorbs heat from the water in the cooling reservoir, reducing the temperature of the water in the reservoir  14 . Due to the cooling effect, an iceball  43 , as shown in FIG. 3A, may form around the probe  42 . When the ice ball  43  becomes large enough so as to take up all the space in the reservoir, “freeze-up” conditions result. It should be understood that although the cooling probe is shown as passed through the bottom  22  of the cooling reservoir  14 , it may enter the cooling reservoir  14  at nearly any location. Additionally, the entry  26  and exit  28  ports may be located in the side wall  24  of the cooling reservoir  14  if desired. It is to be further understood that while the device of the present invention may be described herein as used with primarily with water, the invention may be used with any liquid, water or otherwise, which is desired to be cooled and/or dispensed. 
     Pump  46  is mounted to the backing plate  49 , and receives the conduit  16  (FIG.  3 ). When activated, the pump  46  moves water from the supply  12  to the cooling reservoir  14  through the conduit  16 . In a preferred embodiment, the pump  46  is a sealed pump. A spigot  48  is coupled to the exit port  28 , and is preferably connected to the exit port by a fitting  50  utilizing an interference fit to allow for quick coupling and uncoupling of the spigot  48  to the exit port  28 . The fitting  50  is preferably made primarily of a thermally conductive material, such as brass. In this manner, the fitting  50  conducts heat to the base of the spigot  48 . The fitting  50  extends so that it is flush with the exit port  28 , or it may extend below the exit port  28 . Thus, the exit port  28  is thermally coupled to the ambient atmosphere to allow heat to flow to the port  28 . The thermally conductive nature of the fitting  50  serves to melt any ice which may otherwise form around the exit port  28  to ensure a clear path for the liquid through the exit port. Nearly any arrangment of coupling the exit port  28  or surrounding areas to a heat source may be used, so long as the liquid around the exit port remains unfrozen. 
     Housing  52  houses the liquid supply  12 , cooling reservoir  14 , and conduit  16 . The housing  12  includes a one piece cabinet  54  which has a door  56  reciprocal from an open position (FIG. 2) to a closed position (FIG. 1) to allow access inside the cabinet  54 . In this manner, the liquid supply  12  may be accessed and replaced when it is empty. The door  56  preferably includes a lock  58  to allow selective access to the cabinet  54 . As best shown in FIG. 5, the housing  52  also includes an integral, spring loaded cup dispenser  62  for supplying cups  64  to be used with the dispensed liquid. The top cap portion  66  of the housing includes the spigot fitting  50 , a drain  68 , a portal  70  for the dispensed cups  64 , and a button  72  for triggering the dispenser to dispense liquid. The housing  52  has a rear wall  58 , and external power supply  60  may be located against the rear wall  58 . In the illustrated embodiment, the power supply  60  is external to the housing. However, the power supply  60  may also be located inside the housing if so desired. 
     When it is desired to receive cooled water from the cooling reservoir  14 , the button  72  on the top cap  66  is pushed which activates the pump  46 . The pump  46  then delivers water from the liquid supply  12  to the cooling reservoir  14 . As it enters the cooling reservoir  14 , the water may pass through the baffles  30  which diverts the water to ensure proper mixing and cooling. However, it is to be understood that the cover  20  may not have any baffles  30 , and may be generally smooth. As incoming water enters the cooling reservoir  14 , the volume of the cooling reservoir  14  is generally filled with liquid  53 , as shown in FIG.  3 A. As further illustrated in FIG. 3A, part of the liquid  53  may be frozen around the probe  42 , forming an iceball  43 . The top surface of the liquid is shown as surface  57 . Because the exit port  28  is lower than the entry port  26 , as water enters the reservoir  14  through the entry port  26 , water is forced out of the exit port  28  due to the fact that the cooling reservoir/pump is a closed system. Water is then forced out of cooling reservoir  14  through the exit port  28  and out of the spigot  48 . 
     FIG. 3B illustrates the cooling reservoir of FIG. 3A when the liquid  53  has cooled sufficiently such all the liquid has changed to a solid, thereby forming ice block  59  having a top surface  61 . This is the freeze up condition. Due to the configuration of the ports  26 ,  28 , a pocket of air  76  remains trapped at the top of the cooling reservoir  14  between the ice surface  61  and the cover  20 . 
     The position of the air bubble  76 , in conjunction with the thermally conductive fitting  50 , serve to prevent the formation of ice around the exit and entry ports, and also ensures that there is an open path to allow the flow of water from the entry port to the exit port. Under freeze-up conditions liquid may still enter through the entry port  26  because the entry port  26  opens to the air bubble  76 . Water may then travel along the top surface  61  (a solid surface), and exit through the exit port  28 . The area immediately surrounding the exit port  28  is kept an elevated temperature by the thermally conductive fitting  50  such that liquid around the exit port  63  remains unfrozen. Thus, even during freeze up incoming water can enter through the entry port, travel across the surface  61 , and exit through the exit port  28 . Furthermore, when the incoming water travels across the surface  61 , the surface  61  cools the incoming water. If baffles are utilized, the water may be further cooled as it travels through the chamber  14 . 
     Many of the prior art dispensers utilize an entry port located near the top of the reservoir and an exit port at the bottom of the reservoir to take advantage of the fact that cooler water sinks. However, such devices are more prone to freeze-up, as it is difficult to maintain an open path between the entry and exit port. In contrast, the present invention utilizes entry and exit ports located near the top of the cooling reservoir to thereby minimize the chance of freeze-up interfering with the free flow of water. 
     In an alternate embodiment, the dispenser may be used to dispense both cooled water and ambient temperature water. As shown schematically in FIG. 8, the dispenser has a cold button  80  and an ambient button  82 . The cold button  80  is activated when it is desired to receive cooled water dispensed from the cooling reservoir, and the ambient button  82  is activated when it is desired to received room temperature water dispensed directly from the liquid supply. When the cold button is pushed, the pump delivers water from the liquid supply  12  to the cooling reservoir  14 . Water enters a 3-way solenoid  84  at the supply port  86 , and exits the solenoid  84  at the cold port  88 . Water then passes through the cold conduit  91  and enters the cooling reservoir through the entry port  26 . 
     When it is desired to dispense water directly from the liquid supply  12 , the ambient button  82  is pushed. This activates the pump  46  to deliver water to the 3-way solenoid  84 . Water enters the solenoid  84  at the supply port  86 , and exits the solenoid at the ambient port  90 . Water then passes through the ambient source line  92  into the T fitting  94 . Finally, the water travels upwards through the spigot  48  and is dispensed. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the thermoelectric device  40  and the pump  46  share power from the power source  60 . The power source delivers power to the thermoelectric cooling device  40  as its default position. Upon demand, such as when one of the buttons is pushed, the power source  60  diverts power to the pump  46  so that water is thereby dispensed. Once the user releases the button the power is switched back to the cooling device. This arrangement requires the use of only a single power source to operate both the pump and the cooling device, and thus allows the size and cost of the power source  60  to be minimized. 
     In an alternate embodiment, a first pump is used for delivering liquid from the supply to the cooling reservoir, or liquid from the supply directly to the spigot, and a second pump is used for delivering liquid from the cooling reservoir to the spigot. In this embodiment, the system may not be a closed, forced-fed system, and thus the pumps may not be sealed pumps. 
     The preferred form of the dispenser has been described above. However, with the present disclosure in mind it is believed that obvious alterations to the preferred embodiments, to achieve comparable features and advantages in other assemblies, will be come apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.