Patent ID: 7775397

Claim:
A water cooler having a reservoir for receiving water from an inverted water bottle, said water cooler comprising: (a) a ventilation passageway for air to enter said reservoir; and, (b) an automatic valve assembly including a float, said float having an opening extending therethrough, said float being mounted within an interior of said water cooler and operable to move between an open and a closed position in response to changing water levels within said reservoir, when in said open position said float allowing the unrestricted passage of air into said reservoir through said ventilation passageway and when in said closed position said float restricting the flow of air and fluids through said ventilation passageway, said automatic valve assembly further including a sealing element disposed in said reservoir and moveable in response to movement of said float, when said float is in said open position said sealing element permitting air to flow through said ventilation passageway into said reservoir and when said float is in said closed position said sealing element preventing the passage of air through said ventilation passageway, said sealing element being comprised of a resilient compressible material that is driven into contact with said ventilation passageway upon movement of said float with a rise in the water level within said reservoir beyond a predetermined level such that a further rise in the water level within said reservoir causes said sealing element to be compressed about said ventilation passageway to restrict the passage of air therethrough.