CONTAINER-VALVE SUBASSEMBLY FOR A BEVERAGE DISPENSER AND REFRIGERATION DEVICE HAVING THE CONTAINER-VALVE SUBASSEMBLY
20180118548 ยท 2018-05-03
Inventors
Cpc classification
F25D23/126
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B67D3/0009
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B67D1/0004
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B67D3/0035
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B67D3/0025
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B67D2210/00036
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F25D23/04
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
B67D1/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F25D23/12
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
A container-valve subassembly for use in a refrigeration appliance contains a container and a valve which is arranged on the base of the container. At least one closing body of the valve is releasably connected to the container. The closing body is tiltable between a closed position adjacent to a valve seat and an open position about a pivotal point.
Claims
1. A container-valve subassembly for use in a refrigeration appliance, the container-valve subassembly comprising: a container having a base; and a valve disposed on said base of said container, said valve having a valve seat and at least one closing body being releasably connected to said container, said closing body being tiltable between a closed position adjacent to said valve seat and an open position about a pivotal point.
2. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 1, wherein: said valve has an adapter portion; and said closing body is movably mounted on said adapter portion, said closing body in turn is releasably connected to said container.
3. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 2, wherein said adapter portion is screwed to said base of said container or anchored by a bayonet coupling to said base.
4. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 2, wherein said adapter portion has rails for displaceably guiding said adapter portion along said base of said container.
5. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 4, wherein said adapter portion has two parallel walls and said rails are grooves or tongues extending on said two parallel walls.
6. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 2, wherein said valve seat is formed in said adapter portion.
7. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 1, wherein said valve seat is part of said container.
8. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 2, wherein said valve has a spring and said closing body is acted upon by said spring in the closed position.
9. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the pivotal point is a point of said valve seat, and said closing body being in contact therewith in the open position.
10. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 8, wherein: said valve has a cap, a connecting element and a base plate with an opening formed therein; said valve seat extends in an annular manner around said opening of said base plate; and said closing body and said cap are disposed on different sides of said base plate and are connected via said connecting element extending through said opening, and said spring is compressed between said cap and said base plate.
11. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 10, wherein said cap and said closing body are releasably connected via said connecting element.
12. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 10, wherein said valve has an actuating portion protruding from said closing body in a through-flow direction of said valve.
13. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 12, wherein said valve further has a cup-shaped element which is attached to said actuating portion and has a cup base with a through-passage formed therein.
14. The valve according to claim 13, wherein said valve has a projection extending around said valve seat and engages in said cup-shaped element.
15. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 2, wherein the pivotal point is formed by an axis positioned on said adapter portion.
16. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 8, wherein said closing body forms an arm of a two-armed lever having a first arm and a second arm, said spring is compressed between said second arm of said two-armed lever and said base of said container.
17. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 16, wherein said two-armed lever has a shaft which is extended out of said adapter portion and bears at least one additional lever arm which is exposed outside said adapter portion.
18. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 16, wherein said valve has a sleeve being formed on said base of said container, said sleeve having cutouts formed therein and receiving said closing body, and a axis is also positioned in said cutouts of said sleeve.
19. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 1, wherein said container has at least one support foot which protrudes downwardly from said base below said valve.
20. The container-valve subassembly according to claim 1, wherein said container has a lid on an upper face opposing said base.
21. A refrigeration appliance, comprising: a dispenser niche; a thermally insulating housing defining and surrounding a storage compartment for refrigerated goods and having at least one through-opening formed between said storage compartment and said dispenser niche disposed outside said thermally insulating housing; and a container-valve subassembly releasably mounted in said storage compartment, passing through said through-opening, said container-valve subassembly, containing: a container having a base; and a valve disposed on said base of said container, said valve having a valve seat and at least one closing body being releasably connected to said container, said closing body being tiltable between a closed position adjacent to said valve seat and an open position about a pivotal point.
22. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 21, further comprising a control paddle disposed on a rear wall of said dispenser niche and coupled to said valve.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
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[0036]
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[0040]
[0041]
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0046] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to
[0047] The door subassembly 1 contains a door 4 closing the storage compartment, in the narrower sense, and a cover 5 which is pivotable relative to the door 4 about the same axis 3. In the view of
[0048] The cover 5 contains a window pane 6 made of clear or tinted glass or plastic, in this case surrounded by a non-transparent frame 7. An upper strip of the frame 7 is L-shaped in section with a limb 8 extending vertically upward from the window pane 6 and a limb 9 angled back from an upper edge of the limb 8 toward the body 2, extending beyond an upper flank of the door 4. Correspondingly, a right-hand strip of the frame contains a limb 10 extending from the right-hand edge of the window pane 6 in the width direction of the door subassembly 1 and a limb 11 which is angled back toward the body but which is divided into two by a handle recess 12, into an upper and a lower half. A central piece 13 of the handle recess 12 extends from the edge into the limb 10.
[0049]
[0050] A dispenser niche 20 is accessible simply by pivoting the cover 5 about the axis 3, the dispenser niche being recessed in a lower part of the door 4 and in
[0051] Level with the central piece 13, however, the edge of the limb 10 is flush with the projection 19 so that a user who grips at the level of the central piece, grasps the handle groove 18 and thus pivots the entire door subassembly 1 about the axis 3 and a storage compartment 21 for refrigerated goods in the interior of the body 2 is accessible.
[0052]
[0053] One respective control paddle 45 is mounted below each beverage container 22 in the dispenser niche 20 and in a manner described below in more detail serves to open a valve and to fill a receptacle, which is pressed against the control paddle 45 in the dispenser niche 20, with a beverage from the container 22 located above.
[0054]
[0055] A partition 26 rises up from a rear edge of the base plate 24, the partition delimiting the niche 23 from the storage compartment 21. On the other side of the partition 26 a door shelf 27 is suspended on the internal wall 15.
[0056]
[0057] In order to simplify the insertion and removal of the substantially cuboidal beverage containers 22 into and out of the niche 23, in each case the containers are provided on the rear face thereof facing the partition 26 with a grip 28, in this case in the form of a projection extending over the entire width of the beverage container 22 which is hollow on its lower face in order to permit the fingers of a user to grasp therein.
[0058]
[0059] An outlet pipe 33 is integrally formed on the base of the container lower part 31, the outlet pipe, when the beverage container 22 is mounted in the niche 23 and rests on the base plate 24, engaging in the through-opening 25 thereof. The outlet pipe 33 has an external thread, an adapter portion 34 of the valve 29 being screwed thereon. The diameter of the adapter portion 34 is dimensioned such that it fills the through-opening 25 over the entire cross section thereof and thus keeps the relatively warm air of the dispenser niche 20 away from the base of the container lower part 31 and thus minimizes the thermal transmission from this air to the contents of the beverage container 22.
[0060] The adapter portion 34 has a base plate 35 which covers the lower end of the outlet pipe 33 and in the screwed-on state the contents of the beverage container 22 are located on the upper face thereof. A connecting element 37 extends through a central opening 36 of the base plate 35. The connecting element in this exemplary embodiment is a pin. A cap 38 is screwed onto the upper end of the pin 37 and a helical spring 39 is resiliently compressed between the cap 38 and the upper face of the base plate 35. A circular disk-shaped closing body 40 is fastened to a central portion of the pin 37 and, by the tensioning of the helical spring 39, the closing body is held in an annular manner around the opening 36, pressed sealingly against a valve seat 41 on the lower face of the base plate 35. The valve seat 41 is surrounded in an annular manner by a projection 42 which protrudes downwardly from the base plate 35.
[0061] The lower end of the pin 37 forms an actuating portion 58, a cup-shaped element 43 being fastened to the lower end thereof. In the mounted state, the element 43 protrudes from above into the dispenser niche 20. A through-passage for the drawn-off contents of the container 22 is formed on the base of the element 43. The through-passageoptionally formed by a plurality of individual openingsis located outside the cutting plane of
[0062] The control paddle 45, which is also shown in section in
[0063] The position of the pivotal point 60 on the valve seat 41 is not fixed by the construction of the valve 29 but merely by the direction in which the element 43 is pressed to the side. Therefore, the correct functioning of the valve 29 is not dependent on how far it is screwed onto the outlet pipe 33; it functions in any orientation and, therefore, is always able to be screwed to a sufficient extent as required for a sealed connection on the outlet pipe 33.
[0064] When the empty container 22 has been removed, it may be dismantled by a few hand turns into individual parts which may be easily cleaned in a dishwasher. In particular on the valve 29 after it has been unscrewed from the container lower part 31, the cap 38 is unscrewed from the pin 37, whereupon the pin 37 together with the closing body 40 are released from the adapter portion 34 and all surfaces which have come into contact with a drink and/or liquid are exposed in order to be washed. The cup-shaped element 43 may also be unscrewed from the pin 37 in order to simplify access to the interior of the cup-shaped element 43 which is substantially closed by the closing body 40 when in use.
[0065] The through-openings 25 in the base plate 24 also unavoidably form a weak point in the thermal insulation, in comparison with the foam layer of the door 3 through which they extend, but this is of little consequence in the refrigeration appliance according to the invention, since the cover 5 prevents a free exchange of air between the dispenser niche 20 and the surroundings of the refrigeration appliance and, for this reason, when the cover 5 for access to the dispenser niche 20 is not pivoted to the side, a considerably lower temperature is present in said dispenser niche than in the surroundings.
[0066] In order to achieve a temperature difference which is as great as possible between the dispenser niche 20 and the surroundings, the cover 5 itself may be provided with a foamed thermally insulating layer 48 (see
[0067]
[0068] A first of these details is that the arrangement of the closing body 40 and the cap 38 is exchanged. The closing body 40 is located in this case on an end of the pin 37 facing the container 22; the cap 38 acted upon by the helical spring 39, however, is remote from the container so that the helical spring 39 is not continuously in contact with the contents of the container.
[0069] According to a second detail, the cap 38 and the cup-shaped element 43 are joined to form a single component.
[0070] According to a third detail, instead of the cap 38 the closing body 40 is screwed to the pin 37.
[0071] Fourth, the adapter portion 34 is dispensed with, the base plate 35 on which the valve seat 41 is located and the projection 42 engaging in the cup-shaped element 43 being in this case integral components of the container 22. Each of these features contributes to the extent to which the projection of the valve 29 downwardly from a base 61 of the container 22 may be reduced.
[0072] Fifth, a plurality of support feet 62 are integrally formed on the base 61, for example in this case in the form of L-shaped profiles arranged on the corners of the base 61. The support feet 62 protrude sufficiently far downward that the valve 29 is positioned entirely between said feet. The container 22, therefore, may be placed on a table, for example, in order to fill it from above without the valve 29 being able to open under the load of the container contents.
[0073]
[0074] A short tubular outlet pipe 33 is integrally formed on the base 61 of the container lower part 31. A lower end of the outlet pipe 33 forms a valve seat 41 of a valve 29. Around the outlet pipe 33 extends a sleeve 63 which is also joined to the base 61 in one piece. The sleeve 63 has an elongated bottom surface. Two side walls 64 of the sleeve 63 extend parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction. In each case they have a downwardly open cutout 65.
[0075] Two ribs 66 protrude from the base 61 on both sides of the side walls. The ribs 66 have a hook-shaped cross section and together define two grooves 67 which are open toward the side walls 64 and extend in the longitudinal direction.
[0076] A third hook-shaped rib 68 is arranged transversely to the ribs 66 opposite a front wall 69 of the sleeve and defines a groove 70 which is open toward the front wall 69. The spacing between said rib and the front wall 69 is larger than that between the ribs 66 and the side walls 64 opposing said ribs.
[0077] Support feet 62 are integrally formed on the edges of the base 61. The support feet 62 could, for example, be L-shaped profiles arranged on the corners of the base 61, as mentioned with reference to
[0078] The cutouts 65 divide the sleeve 63 into two halves, one placed toward the middle of the base 61 which receives the outlet pipe 33 and one adjacent to an edge of the base 61. The latter half provides space for a helical spring 39.
[0079] The cutouts 65 are provided in order to receive a shaft 71 of a two-armed lever 72. Two lever arms 73, 74 protrude from a central portion of the shaft 71. When the shaft 71 is placed in the cutouts 65, both lever arms 73, 74 are located inside the sleeve 63. The lever arm 73 and a sealing ring 75 mounted thereon form a closing body 40 of the valve 29. The helical spring 39 compressed between the base 61 and the lever arm 74 holds the closing body 40 pressed against the valve seat 41.
[0080] Two further lever arms 76 are integrally formed on the ends of the shaft 71 protruding on both sides of the sleeve 63 over the side walls 64, and which, as described in more detail below, cooperate with the control paddle 45 of the dispenser niche 20.
[0081] An adapter portion 34 ensures that the valve 29 and the container 22 are held together. The adapter portion 34 has in this case the shape of an elongated box with an open upper face, longitudinal walls 77, front walls 78, 79 and a base plate 80 in which an outlet pipe 81 is located. The box is dimensioned in order to receive the sleeve 63 with clearance in its longitudinal direction. On the longitudinal walls 77 of the box are located two short springs 82, a further spring 83 being located on the front wall 79 remote from the observer in
[0082] When the front wall 79 of the adapter portion 34 and the front wall 69 of the sleeve 63 come into contact with one another, the adapter portion 34 may be slipped sufficiently far over the sleeve 63 that its walls 77, 78 come into contact with the base 61. By the subsequent displacement of the adapter portion 34 in the longitudinal direction, the springs 82 spring back into the grooves 67 and the spring 83 springs back into the groove 70. Thus the adapter portion 34 is anchored on the container 22.
[0083]
[0084]
[0085] In order to dismantle and clean the valve 29, it is sufficient to displace the adapter portion 34 so that the engagement between the springs 82, 83 and 67 and 70 is released again.
[0086] In the refrigeration appliance shown in
[0087] The lateral edge 55 of the cover remote from the fittings 54 in this case is linear. A handle groove 18 is formed in a flank 56 of the door 4 located behind the edge 55 in the closed position, and a projection 19 which extends between the handle groove 18 and the front face of the door 4 is interrupted in a central portion 57. If a user grips around the edge 55 level with this central portion 57, the door 4 is not grasped so that only the cover 5 is able to be opened. If, however, the user grips around the edge 55 above or below the central portion 57, the rear face of the cover 5 is not grasped, since it is concealed by the projection 19. In this case, the user is only able to grip with the fingers behind the projection 19 in the handle groove 18 and the entire door subassembly is pivoted away from the body 2.
[0088] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention: [0089] 1 Door subassembly [0090] 2 Body [0091] 3 Axis [0092] 4 Door [0093] 5 Cover [0094] 6 Window pane [0095] 7 Frame [0096] 8 Limb [0097] 9 Limb [0098] 10 Limb [0099] 11 Limb [0100] 12 Handle recess [0101] 13 Central piece [0102] 14 External wall [0103] 15 Internal wall [0104] 16 Hollow space [0105] 17 Insulating glass pane [0106] 18 Handle groove [0107] 19 Projection [0108] 20 Dispenser niche [0109] 21 Storage compartment [0110] 22 Beverage container [0111] 23 Niche [0112] 24 Base plate [0113] 25 Through-passage [0114] 26 Partition [0115] 27 Door shelf [0116] 28 Handle [0117] 29 Valve [0118] 30 Container-valve subassembly [0119] 31 Container lower part [0120] 32 Lid [0121] 33 Outlet pipe [0122] 34 Adapter portion [0123] 35 Base plate [0124] 36 Opening [0125] 37 Connecting element, pin [0126] 38 Cap [0127] 39 Helical spring [0128] 40 Closing body [0129] 41 Valve seat [0130] 42 Projection [0131] 43 Cup-shaped element [0132] 44 Wall [0133] 45 Control paddle [0134] 46 Axis [0135] 47 Arm [0136] 48 Thermally insulating layer [0137] 49 Magnetic seal [0138] 50 Seal [0139] 51 Gap [0140] 52 Central region [0141] 53 Edge region [0142] 54 Fitting [0143] 55 Edge [0144] 56 Flank [0145] 57 Central portion [0146] 58 Actuating portion [0147] 59 Drip edge [0148] 60 Pivotal point [0149] 61 Base [0150] 62 Support foot [0151] 63 Sleeve [0152] 64 Side wall [0153] 65 Cutout [0154] 66 Rib [0155] 67 Groove [0156] 68 Rib [0157] 69 Front wall [0158] 70 Groove [0159] 71 Shaft [0160] 72 Two-armed lever [0161] 73 Lever arm [0162] 74 Lever arm [0163] 75 Sealing ring [0164] 76 Lever arm [0165] 77 Longitudinal wall [0166] 78 Front wall [0167] 79 Front wall [0168] 80 Base plate [0169] 81 Outlet pipe [0170] 82 Spring [0171] 83 Spring [0172] 84 Cutout [0173] 85 Axis [0174] 86 Receptacle [0175] 87 Axis [0176] 88 Tines