Ice maker reservoir apparatus

A reservoir is arranged to permit directing of various fluids into an ice maker such as spring water and the like, wherein the reservoir includes a valve arranged to permit selective fluid flow into the ice maker or selectively into a further conduit for discharge of fluid from said reservoir.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The field of invention relates to ice maker apparatus, and more 
particularly pertains to a new and improved ice maker reservoir apparatus 
wherein the same is arranged to control fluid characteristic into an ice 
maker. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Conventional ice makers typically direct fluid communication between 
household water supply and the associated ice maker, wherein the instant 
invention attempts to overcome such prior art by permitting use of a 
reservoir permitting selective fluid flow into an ice maker utilizing 
spring water, as well as various other fluids. U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,499 to 
Barto sets forth a reservoir directing fluid into an ice maker, with U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,941,902 permitting purified water flow into an ice maker. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of ice 
maker apparatus now present in the prior art, the present invention 
provides an ice maker reservoir apparatus wherein the same is arranged to 
direct and control fluid flow into an associated ice maker. As such, the 
general purpose of the present invention, which will be described 
subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved ice maker 
reservoir apparatus which has all the advantages of the prior art ice 
maker apparatus and none of the disadvantages. 
To attain this, the present invention provides a reservoir arranged to 
permit directing of various fluids into an ice maker such as spring water 
and the like, wherein the reservoir includes a valve arranged to permit 
selective fluid flow into the ice maker or selectively into a further 
conduit for discharge of fluid from said reservoir. 
My invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in 
the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and claimed and 
it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of 
all of its structures for the functions specified. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which 
this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms of phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved ice maker reservoir apparatus which has all the advantages of the 
prior art ice maker apparatus and none of the disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
ice maker reservoir apparatus which may be easily and efficiently 
manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved ice maker reservoir apparatus which is of a durable and reliable 
construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved ice maker reservoir apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost 
of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which 
accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming 
public, thereby making such ice maker reservoir apparatus economically 
available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved ice maker reservoir apparatus which provides in the apparatuses 
and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while 
simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated 
therewith. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 10 
thereof, a new and improved ice maker reservoir apparatus embodying the 
principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated 
by the reference numeral 10 will be described. 
More specifically, the ice maker reservoir apparatus 10 of the instant 
invention is arranged in fluid communication with an ice maker 11 mounted 
within a freezer chamber of an associated refrigerator 12. The apparatus 
10 includes a rigid canister 13 arranged for mounting upon the 
refrigerator 12, with the canister 13 having a canister lid 14 removably 
mounted relative to the canister 13 for access to the canister chamber 15. 
An accordion pleated fluid insert chamber 20 having accordion pleated side 
wall structure permits axial collapse of the insert chamber 20 within the 
canister chamber 15, with a first fluid conduit 16 in fluid communication 
adjacent a floor of the insert chamber 20, with the first fluid conduit 16 
directed through the canister 13. The first fluid conduit 16 is directed 
into a valve member 17 to permit selective fluid flow to a second fluid 
conduit 18 that directs fluid flow to the ice maker 11, or selectively the 
valve member 17 permits fluid flow to a third fluid conduit 19 for 
permitting depletion of fluid within the insert chamber 20. An insert 
chamber lid 21 is arranged for mounting to an upper end portion of the 
insert chamber 20, with a lid weighted member 22 mounted upon the chamber 
lid 21 to pressurize the insert chamber 20 and enhance fluid flow 
therefrom. 
The FIGS. 5 and 6 indicate the use of a modified insert 23 having first and 
second intersecting partition walls 24 and 25 defining first, second, 
third, and fourth fluid chambers 26, 27, 28, and 29 respectively that have 
respective first, second, third, and fourth chamber conduits 30, 31, 32, 
and 33 directed therefrom, with the chamber conduits 30-33 directed into a 
canister valve 34 having a valve dial 35 and a valve dial chamber 36 
permitting selective fluid flow from one of the respective fluid chambers 
26-29 to the first fluid conduit 16. 
The FIGS. 9 and 10 indicate the use of a modified lid 14a, wherein a 
canister lid fluid tube 37 is fixedly mounted to the modified lid 14a 
coaxially thereof and received through an insert chamber lid opening 28 of 
the insert chamber lid 21 to direct fluid flow into the insert chamber 20 
from a transparent graduated cylinder 43 that is integrally mounted to a 
fluid tube rigid boss 39 effecting fluid communication between the 
canister lid fluid tube 37 and the transparent graduated cylinder 43 
through a slide plate 40 reciprocatably mounted relative to the fluid tube 
rigid mounting boss 39. The slide plate 40 includes a slide plate opening 
41 that is displaced from a first position displacing the opening relative 
to the fluid tube 37, wherein the slide plate 40 is slidably spaced to a 
second position, wherein the slide plate opening 41 is in fluid 
communication permitting fluid flow from the transparent graduated 
cylinder 43, through the fluid tube rigid mounting boss 39 and the 
associated canister lid fluid tube 37. In this manner, various additives, 
flavorings and the like may be added as desired into the insert chamber 20 
without removal of the canister and insert chamber 20 from the canister. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, the same 
should be apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly no further 
discussion relative to the manner of usage and operation of the instant 
invention shall be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.