Patent Publication Number: US-8113387-B2

Title: Water dispenser for a kitchen wall partition

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a water dispenser, more particularly to a water dispenser for a kitchen wall partition. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     It is common in most households to heat up a pot of water in the morning for making breakfast coffee. Some people boil water using electric heating pots instead of a gas stove for safety concerns. However, every time an electric heating pot is empty, it is required to manually fill the electric heating pot with water, thereby resulting in inconvenience during use. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a conventional hot water dispenser  7  is adapted for use with a countertop  8 . The countertop  8  is mounted with a sink unit  81  that includes a water inlet pipe  811 . The conventional hot water dispenser  7  includes a faucet  71  mounted on a top side of the countertop  8  at a position adjacent to the sink unit  81 , a filter unit  73  disposed under the sink unit  81  for filtering water from the water inlet  811 , and a heating tank  72  disposed under the sink unit  81  for boiling water from the filter unit  73 . By connecting the heating tank  72  to an electrical outlet  82  under the sink unit  81 , the conventional hot water dispenser  7  can boil water directly from the water inlet pipe  811 . 
     However, since the conventional hot water dispenser  7  is disposed adjacent to the sink unit  81  and can be easily accessed by children, children may scald themselves with boiled water while operating the conventional hot water dispenser  7 . 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a water dispenser that is easy to use and that is safer for children. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a kitchen assembly including a water dispenser disposed in a kitchen wall partition. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method of installing a water dispenser in a kitchen wall partition. 
     Accordingly, a water dispenser of the present invention is adapted to be disposed in a kitchen wall partition. The kitchen wall partition is formed with an opening for retaining the water dispenser therein and has a sink unit disposed thereon at a position below the opening. The sink unit includes a sink body, a drain pipe connected to the sink body, and a water inlet pipe. The water dispenser comprises a housing, a pipe unit, a heating unit, a face panel, and a control unit. The housing is adapted to be retained in the opening of the kitchen wall portion, and has a front side that is formed with a panel engaging hole. The pipe unit is disposed in the housing, and has a water inlet that is adapted for fluidly communicating with the water inlet pipe, and a first water outlet through which water entering the water inlet flows. The heating unit is disposed in the housing, and has a connecting water inlet that is fluidly communicated with the first water outlet of the pipe unit, a heating tank for boiling and storing water from the connecting water inlet, and a hot water outlet that is fluidly communicated with the heating tank. The face panel is retained detachably in the panel engaging hole at the front side of the housing, and has a dispensing cavity, a hot water supply pipe that has one end fluidly communicating with the hot water outlet of the heating unit and an opposite end extending into the dispensing cavity, and a drain unit that is adapted for fluidly communicating with the drain pipe of the sink unit. The control unit is disposed in the housing, and includes a heating circuit for controlling heating operation of the heating tank to boil the water therein, a first valve for controlling water flow from the first water outlet of the pipe unit to the connecting water inlet of the heating unit, and a second valve for controlling water flow through the hot water supply pipe of the face panel. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a conventional hot water dispenser; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a kitchen assembly according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the kitchen assembly, illustrating a kitchen wall partition and a sink unit; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic front view of the preferred embodiment of the kitchen assembly; 
         FIG. 4A  is a fragmentary schematic front view of the preferred embodiment of the kitchen assembly; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of a water dispenser of the preferred embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a fragmentary schematic partly sectional view of the kitchen assembly; and 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart of a preferred embodiment of a method of installing the water dispenser in the kitchen wall partition according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the preferred embodiment of a kitchen assembly  100  according to the present invention is adapted to be disposed between a ceiling (not shown) and a floor (not shown), and comprises a kitchen wall partition  1 , a sink unit  22 , a cabinet unit  2 , and a water dispenser  4 . 
     The kitchen wall partition  1  includes parallel exterior and interior wall panels  11 ,  12  that are adapted to be disposed between the ceiling and the floor and that are provided six or eight inches apart, and a plurality of spaced apart posts  13  that are disposed between the exterior and interior wall panels  11 ,  12  and that are disposed to extend vertically from the floor to the ceiling. Each of the posts  13  has a thickness of six or eight inches between the exterior and interior wall panels  11 ,  12 . The distance between adjacent ones of the posts  13  is 14 inches. Assuming that the posts  13  are two inches wide, the distance between centers of adjacent ones of the posts  13  is 16 inches. The interior wall panel  12  is mounted with an electrical outlet  23 , and is formed with an opening  121  between an adjacent pair of the posts  13 . In this embodiment, the opening  121  is a square and has a side length of 14 inches. The interior wall panel  12  is further formed with first, second, and third through holes  122 ,  123 ,  124  at positions below the opening  121 . The respective diameters of the first, second, and third through holes  122 ,  123 ,  124  are ⅜ inch, 1 inch, and ⅜ inch. 
     The cabinet unit  2  is disposed on the interior wall panel  12  of the kitchen wall partition  1 , and includes a base cabinet  21  disposed on the floor, a countertop  211  provided on the base cabinet  21 , and a top cabinet  3  disposed above the base cabinet  21 . 
     The sink unit  22  is mounted on the interior wall panel  12  of the kitchen wall partition  1  at a position below the opening  121 , and includes a sink body  221  provided in the countertop  211  of the cabinet unit  2 , a drain pipe  223  connected to the sink body  221 , and a water inlet pipe  222 , such that the opening  121  is formed between the top cabinet  3  of the cabinet unit  2  and the sink unit  22 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4A and 5 , the water dispenser  4  comprises a housing  41 , a pipe unit  42 , a heating unit  43 , a face panel  44 , a control unit  45 , and a heat insulating component  46 . 
     The housing  41  is retained in the opening  121  in the interior wall panel  12  of the kitchen wall partition  1 , and has a main housing portion  411  and a secondary housing portion  412 . The main housing portion  411  has a front side  418  formed with a panel engaging hole  415 , and a bottom side  417  formed with a pipe hole  414 . The secondary housing portion  412  extends upwardly from a top side  419  of the main housing portion  411 . In this embodiment, the main housing portion  411  has a width of 14 inches, a height of 14 inches, and a depth of 5 inches. The secondary housing portion  412  has a width of 14 inches, a height of 3 inches, and a depth of 3 inches. In this embodiment, the main housing portion  411  further has a pair of abutment portions  413  that protrude respectively from top and bottom edges thereof at the front side  418 . Each of the abutment portions  413  is configured as an elongated plate and is disposed for abutting against an outer surface  120  of the interior wall panel  12  of the kitchen wall partition  1 , as best shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     The pipe unit  42  is disposed in the main housing portion  411  of the housing  41 , and has a water inlet  421 , a first connecting pipe  425  that has a first pipe end  4251  extending through the first through hole  122  in the interior wall panel  12  of the kitchen wall partition  1  and fluidly communicated with the water inlet  421  and a second pipe end  4252  fluidly communicated with the water inlet pipe  222  of the sink unit  22 , first and second water outlets  422 ,  423  through which water entering the water inlet  421  flows, and a filter element  424  that is disposed among the water inlet  421 , the first water outlet  422 , and the second water outlet  423 , and that is disposed for filtering water flowing through the first and second water outlets  422 ,  423 . 
     The heating unit  43  is disposed in the secondary housing portion  412  of the housing  41 , and has a connecting water inlet  432  that is fluidly communicated with the first water outlet  422  of the pipe unit  42 , a heating tank  431  that is disposed for boiling and storing water from the connecting water inlet  432 , a hot water outlet  433  that is fluidly communicated with the heating tank  431 , and a steam pipe  434  that is connected to the heating tank  431  for exhaust of steam in the heating tank  431 . 
     The face panel  44  is retained detachably in the panel engaging hole  415  at the front side  418  of the main housing portion  411  of the housing  41 , and has a dispensing cavity  441 , a hot water supply pipe  442  that has one end fluidly communicating with the hot water outlet  433  of the heating unit  43  and an opposite end extending into the dispensing cavity  441 , a cool water supply pipe  443  that has one end fluidly communicating with the second water outlet  423  of the pipe unit  42  and an opposite end extending into the dispensing cavity  441 , a drain unit  444 , a steam outlet  447  that is fluidly communicated with the steam pipe  434  of the heating unit  43 , and a second connecting pipe  449  that has a first pipe end  4491  fluidly communicated with the drain unit  444  and a second pipe end  4492  extending through the second through hole  123  in the interior wall panel  12  of the kitchen wall partition  1  and fluidly communicated with the drain pipe  223  of the sink unit  22 . 
     The control unit  45  is disposed in the main housing portion  411  of the housing  41 , and includes a heating circuit  451  for controlling heating operation of the heating tank  431  of the heating unit  43  to boil the water therein, a first valve  452  for controlling water flow from the first water outlet  422  of the pipe unit  42 , a second valve  453  for controlling water flow through the hot water supply pipe  442  of the face panel  44 , a third valve  454  for controlling water flow through the cool water supply pipe  443  of the face panel  44 , a safety switch  455  for automatically deactivating the heating circuit  451  when the heating circuit  451  is overheated, a power cable  457  having a first cable end  4571  for connecting to the heating circuit  451  and a second cable end  4572  extending through the third through hole  124  in the interior wall panel  12  of the kitchen wall partition  1  for connecting to the electrical outlet  23  of the kitchen wall partition  1 , and an indicator unit  456  for indicating working status of the control unit  45 . The face panel  44  further has a status viewing portion  448  at a position corresponding to the indicator unit  456  so as to permit viewing of the indicator unit  456  therethrough. In this embodiment, each of the first, second and third valves  452 ,  453 ,  454  is an electromagnetic valve. 
     The face panel  44  further has two buttons  445  for controlling operations of the second and third valves  453 ,  454  of the control unit  45 , respectively. In this embodiment, the water dispenser  4  further includes a known safety lock (not shown). Water is dispensed upon pressing the buttons  445  only when the safety lock is unlocked, thereby enhancing safety during use. 
     The heat insulating component  46  is disposed in the housing  41  under the heating unit  43  for providing insulation to the heating unit  43 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates the method of installing the water dispenser  4  in the kitchen wall partition  1  according to this invention. The method comprises steps S 1  to S 8 . 
     The first step S 1  is to provide the water dispenser  4 . The step S 2  is to form the square opening  121  in the interior wall panel  12  of the kitchen wall partition  1  at a position above the sink unit  22  between an adjacent pair of the posts  13 . The opening  121  is formed with a side length of 14 inches so as to permit retention of the water dispenser  4  in the kitchen wall partition  1 . 
     The step S 3  is to form the first, second and third through holes  122 ,  123 ,  124  in the interior wall panel  12  at positions below the sink body  221  of the sink unit  22 . 
     The step S 4  is to place the first connecting pipe  425 , the second connecting pipe  449 , and the power cable  457  between the exterior and interior wall panels  11 ,  12  of the kitchen wall partition  1  such that the first pipe end  4251  of the first connecting pipe  425 , the first pipe end  4491  of the second connecting pipe  449 , and the first cable end  4571  of the power cable  457  are exposed from the opening  121 , and such that the second pipe end  4252  of the first connecting pipe  425 , the second pipe end  4492  of the second connecting pipe  449 , and the second cable end  4572  of the power cable  457  are exposed respectively from the first, second, and third through holes  122 ,  123 ,  124  in the interior wall panel  12 . 
     The step S 5  is to detach the face panel  44  from the housing  41 , to extend the first pipe end  4251  of the first connecting pipe  425 , the first pipe end  4491  of the second connecting pipe  449 , and the first cable end  4571  of the power cable  457  into the housing  41  of the water dispenser  4  via the pipe hole  414 , and to insert the housing  41  into the opening  121 . 
     The step S 6  is to connect the first pipe end  4251  of the first connecting pipe  425  to the water inlet  421  of the pipe unit  42 , to connect the first pipe end  4491  of the second connecting pipe  449  to the drain unit  444  of the face panel  44 , and to connect the first cable end  4571  of the power cable  457  to the control unit  45 . 
     The step S 7  is to connect the second pipe end  4251  of the first connecting pipe  425  to the water inlet pipe  222  of the sink unit  22 , to connect the second pipe end  4492  of the second connecting pipe  449  to the drain pipe  223  of the sink unit  22 , and to connect the second cable end  4572  of the power cable  457  to the electrical outlet  23  on the interior wall panel  12 , followed by a power test and a water dispensing test. 
     The step S 8  is to position the housing  41  in the opening  121  by abutting the abutment portions  413  of the housing  4  against the outer surface  120  of the interior wall panel  12  of the kitchen wall partition  1 , and to attach the face panel  44  to the housing  41 . It should be noted that, for firmly securing the housing  41  to the kitchen wall partition  1 , the housing  41  may be fastened to the adjacent pair of posts  13  through fasteners, such as screws, before reattaching the face panel  44  to the housing  41 . 
     Since the water dispenser  4  of this invention is disposed within the kitchen wall partition  1  instead of being provided directly on the countertop  211 , the water dispenser  4  does not occupy the working area of the countertop  211 . Moreover, since the water dispenser  4  of the invention is disposed on the interior wall panel  12  of the kitchen wall partition  1  above the base cabinet  21  of the cabinet unit  2 , it is not easily accessed by children. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.