Abstract
A sparkling water making device for carbonating water in a water container with pressurized gas including a body having a container compartment for the water container having an opening through which the water container is placed inside the container compartment; a carbonation head in connection with the container compartment for connecting the water container to the sparkling water making device and for carbonating water in the water container; and a sliding door in connection with the opening arranged to slide between an open position, in which the container compartment is accessible from outside the container compartment through the opening, and a closed position, in which the opening is closed with the sliding door to provide a closed container compartment.
Claims
1.-15. (canceled)
16. A sparkling water making device for carbonating water in a water container with pressurized gas, wherein the sparkling water making device comprises: a body having a bottom, a top and a body structure extending between the bottom and the top, the body having: a container compartment for the water container, the container compartment having an opening through which the water container is placed inside the container compartment; a carbonation head in connection with the container compartment for connecting the water container to the sparkling water making device and for carbonating water in the water container; and a sliding door in connection with the opening, the sliding door being arranged to slide in a horizontal direction between an open position, in which the container compartment is accessible from outside the container compartment through the opening, and a closed position, in which the opening is closed with the sliding door to provide a closed container compartment.
17. The sparkling water making device according to claim 16, wherein the closed position the sliding door is arranged to cover the opening of the container compartment and in the open position the sliding door is arranged aside the opening of the container compartment.
18. The sparkling water making device according to claim 16, wherein the container compartment is arranged in connection with the body structure between the bottom and the top of the body.
19. The sparkling water making device according to claim 16, wherein the sliding door is arranged to move outside the body or along an outer surface of the body between the open position and the closed position.
20. The sparkling water making device according to claim 16, wherein the sliding door is arranged to move inside the body between the open position and the closed position; or the sliding door is arranged to move inside the container compartment between the open position and the closed position; or the sliding door is arranged to move in between the container compartment and the body between the open position and the closed position.
21. The sparkling water making device according claim 16, wherein the sliding door is manually movable between the open position and the closed position.
22. The sparkling water making device according to claim 16, wherein the sparkling water making device comprises a door operating mechanism connected to the sliding door, the door operating mechanism is arranged to move the sliding door between the open position and the closed position such that the door operating mechanism is arranged to move the sliding door from the open position to the closed position; or to move the sliding door from the closed position to the open position; or to move the sliding door from the closed position to the open position and from the open position to the closed position.
23. The sparkling water making device according to claim 22, wherein the sparkling water making device comprises a first switch arranged to operate the door operating mechanism for moving the sliding door.
24. The sparkling water making device according to claim 16, wherein the sparkling water making device comprises a carbonation mechanism connected to the carbonation head, the carbonation mechanism is arranged to provide carbon dioxide from a carbon dioxide cylinder to the water container through the carbonation head for carbonating water in the water container with pressurized gas.
25. The sparkling water making device according to claim 24, wherein the sparkling water making device comprises a second switch arranged to operate the carbonation mechanism for providing carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide cylinder through the carbonation head for carbonating the water in the water container.
26. The sparkling water making device according to claim 24, wherein the first switch and the second switch form together a common switch.
27. The sparkling water making device according to claim 26, wherein: the common switch having a first operating position arranged to operate the door operating mechanism and a second operating position arranged to operate the carbonation mechanism; or the common switch having a first operating position arranged to operate the door operating mechanism and a second operating position arranged to operate the carbonation mechanism, and the common switch being rocker switch.
28. The sparkling water making device according to claim 26, wherein: the common switch is provided to the top of the body; or the common switch is provided as at least part of a top surface of the sparkling water making device.
29. The sparkling water making device according to claim 26, wherein the body structure comprising an outer shell of the sparkling water device, and the container compartment is provided within the outer shell such that the sliding door forms part of the outer shell of the sparkling water device in the closed position.
30. The sparkling water making device according to claim 29, wherein the outer shell having an outer shell opening, and in the closed position the sliding door is arranged to cover both the outer shell opening and the opening of the container compartment, and in the open position the outer shell opening and the opening of the container compartment are both open.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0053] The invention is described in detail by means of specific embodiments with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which
[0054] FIG. 1 shows a sparkling water making device according to one embodiment of the invention as seen from front;
[0055] FIG. 2 shows the sparkling water making device of FIG. 1 as seen from side;
[0056] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the sparkling water making device according to the invention as seen from front;
[0057] FIG. 4 shows the sparkling water making device of FIG. 3 as seen from top;
[0058] FIG. 5 shows a sparkling water making device according to the invention having the sliding door in the closed position;
[0059] FIG. 6 shows a sparkling water making device according to the invention having the sliding door in the open position; and
[0060] FIG. 7 shows the sparkling water making device of FIG. 6 as seen from top.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0061] FIG. 1 shows a sparkling water making device 1 as seen from front. The sparkling water making device 1 comprises a body 3 having a bottom 3a, a top 3b and a body structure 3c extending between the bottom 3a and the top 3b. The body 3 has a container compartment 4 for the water container 2 which is placed inside the container compartment 4 in the FIG. 1. The container compartment 4 has an opening 5 through which the water container 2 is placed inside the container compartment 4 and through which the water container 2 can be removed from the container compartment 4. The body 3 further has a carbonation head 6 in connection with the container compartment 4 for connecting the water container 2 to the sparkling water making device 1 and for carbonating water in the water container 2. The carbonation head 6 is provided within the container compartment 4 and the water container 2 is connected to the carbonation head 6 in FIG. 1. The carbonation head 6 can be movable for example such that it tilts toward the opening 5 when the water container is inserted to the carbonation head 6 or removed from the carbonation head 6, or the carbonation head 6 can be movable for example in vertical direction for connecting to the carbonation head 6 or disconnecting the water container 2 from the carbonation head 6. The body 3 further has a sliding door 7 in connection with the opening 5. The sliding door 7 is arranged to slide in a horizontal direction between an open position, in which the container compartment 4 is accessible from outside the container compartment 4 through the opening 5, and a closed position, in which the opening 5 is closed with the sliding door 7 to provide a closed container compartment 4. The FIG. 1 shows the open position in which the opening 5 is not covered with the sliding door 7 but the sliding door 7 is arranged aside the opening 5. In the embodiment of the sparkling water making device 1 in FIG. 1 the sliding door 7 is arranged to slide sideways, i.e., laterally, from the opening 5, and in that position, i.e. where the sliding door 7 is aside the opening 5, the sliding door 7 can further be pivotable to the side of the sparkling water making device 1 so as not to take up space next to the sparkling water making device 1.
[0062] The body structure 3c is not shown in FIG. 1 since the container compartment 4 covers the view. The sparkling water making device 1 stands so that the bottom 3a is against a standing surface and the top 3b of the body 3 is in an upright position relative to the standing surface. The container compartment 4 is provided between the top 3b and the bottom 3a. The sliding door 7 is arranged to move in a horizontal direction between the open position and the closed position.
[0063] FIG. 2 shows the sparkling water making device 1 of FIG. 1 as seen from side. The FIG. 2 shows the body structure 3c extending between the top 3b and the bottom 3a of the body 3. The FIG. 2 also shows the interior of the sparkling water making device 1 showing the carbon dioxide cylinder 9 which is not part of the device 1 but is placed in a cylinder compartment 8 when the sparkling water making device 1 is provided ready for use. The cylinder compartment 8 is preferably arranged in connection with the body structure 3c of the sparkling water making device 1. The top 3b of the body 3 comprises a carbonation mechanism 10 connected to the carbonation head 6 and comprising an actuator 11 arranged to operate a valve 9a of the carbon dioxide cylinder 9. The carbonation mechanism 10 is operated by a second switch 13 for providing carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide cylinder 9 through the carbonation head 6 to water provided in the water container 2 for carbonating the water in the water container 2. The flow path of the carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide cylinder 9 to the carbonation head 6 and in the carbonation head 6 is not shown for the sake of clarity.
[0064] The FIG. 2 also shows a door operating mechanism 14 connected to the sliding door 7 for opening and closing the sliding door 7 in connection with the opening 5 (the opening is not shown in FIG. 2 because of the side view), which forms an access from outside the sparkling water making device 1 to the container compartment 4. The door operating mechanism 14 is further connected to a first switch 12 which is arranged to activate the door opening mechanism 14 in response to an operation of the first switch 12. The first switch 12 and the second switch 13 are arranged to the top 3b of the body 3 and they form at least part of the top surface of the sparkling water making device 1. However, the invention is not limited to only this example of the position of the switches or their mutual positioning relative to the sparkling water making device 1. The first switch 12 and the second switch 13 may form together a common switch such that they are provided at the same blank. The door operating mechanism 14 is arranged either to move the sliding door 7 from the open position to the closed position or move the sliding door from the closed position to the open position, or move the sliding door between the open position and the closed position in either direction. The FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the door operating mechanism 14 comprising a spring 15 which causes the door to move.
[0065] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the sparkling water making device 1 according to the invention as seen from front. The FIG. 3 shows the sparkling water making device 1 in a state in which the sliding door 7 is provided in an open state such that the container compartment 4 is accessible from outside the sparkling water making device 1 through the opening 5. The sliding door 7 is provided within the container compartment 4 in this embodiment of the invention and it is slidable between the open position and the closed position inside the container compartment. The water container 2 is connected to the carbonation head 6 inside the container compartment 4. The container compartment 4 is provided between the top 3b and the bottom 3a of the body 3 of the sparkling water making device 1. The first switch 12 and the second switch 13 are in this example two separate switches provided to the top 3b of the body 3.
[0066] FIG. 4 shows the sparkling water making device of FIG. 3 as seen from the dashed line A-A of FIG. 3 towards the bottom 3a of the sparkling water making device 1. The cylinder compartment 8 is provided in the body structure 3c of the sparkling water making device 1 and comprises a carbon dioxide cylinder 9 inside the cylinder compartment 8 although the carbon dioxide cylinder 9 is not part of the sparkling water making device 1 similarly as the water container 2 is not part of the sparkling water making device 1. The container compartment 4 is provided in connection with the bottom 3a of the body 3 of the sparkling water making device 1. Alternatively, or in addition the container compartment 4 may form at least part of the bottom 3a of the sparkling water making device 1. Alternatively, or in addition the container compartment 4 forms the bottom 3a of the body 3 of the sparkling water making device 4 such that the container compartment 4 is part of the body 3 of the sparkling water making device 1. The FIG. 4 further shows that the sliding door 7 is provided within the container compartment 4. The sliding door 7 is arranged to be movable between the open position and the closed position inside the container compartment 4 through the door operating mechanism (not shown in FIG. 4) or manually by pulling and/or pushing the sliding door 7 between the open position and the closed position.
[0067] FIG. 5 shows a sparkling water making device 1 according to the invention having the sliding door 7 in the closed position. The container compartment 4 is closed with the sliding door 7 provided in the closed position such that the container compartment 4 provides a closed space for the water container 2 inside the container compartment 4 for carbonation with carbon dioxide. As the container compartment is closed, the water container that is made of glass is safe to use even if there is a possibility that the glass water container may break during the carbonation. The container compartment 4 is provided between the top 3b of the body 3 and the bottom 3a of the body 3 of the sparkling water making device 1.
[0068] FIG. 6 shows a sparkling water making device 1 according to the invention having the sliding door 7 in the open position. The water container 2 is connected to the carbonation head 6 inside the container compartment 4. The sliding door 7 is arranged in this embodiment of the invention between an outer shell of the sparkling water making device 1 and the container compartment 4 such that the sliding door 7 closes the container compartment 4 from outside the container compartment 4, but inside the body 3 of the sparkling water making device 1 such that the sliding door 8 is not arranged outside the sparkling water making device 1. In other words, the body structure 3c of the sparkling water making device 1 comprises the outer shell 16 and the container compartment is provided within the outer shell 16 such that the sliding door 7 is provided in between the outer shell 16 and the container compartment 4. In the closed position of the sliding door 7 the sliding door 7 forms part of the outer shell when the sliding door 7 covers the opening to the container compartment 4. The bottom 3a is formed by the container compartment 4 provided inside the outer shell 16 together with the outer shell 16 at the bottom. The first switch 12 and the second switch 13 are provided at the top 3b of the body 3 of the sparkling water making device 1 forming part of the upper surface of the sparkling water making device 1. The first switch 12 and the second switch 13 are provided as a common switch in this example of the switch. The outer shell 16 has a converging opening 5 with the container compartment 4 which is closable with the sliding door 7.
[0069] FIG. 7 shows the sparkling water making device 1 of FIG. 6 as seen from the dashed line B-B of FIG. 6 towards the bottom 3a of the sparkling water making device 1. This figure shows the position of the sliding door 7 between the outer shell 16 of the sparkling water making device 1 and the container compartment 4. The container compartment 4 is provided within the body 3 of the sparkling water making device 1 inside the outer shell 16. The opening 5 to the container compartment 4 is arranged to extend from the outer shell 16 to the container compartment 4. FIG. 7 shows the side walls 5a, 5b of the opening 5 which define the opening in horizontal direction. As can be seen from FIG. 7, the sliding door 7 is arranged to move in a space between the container compartment 4 and the outer shell 16 of the sparkling water making device 1. In other words, the sliding door 7 is provided outside the container compartment 4 but inside the outer shell 16. The water container 2 is connected to the carbonation head 6 in the container compartment 4. The body 3 of the sparkling water making device 1 further encloses a cylinder compartment 8 having a carbon dioxide cylinder 9 inside the cylinder compartment 8.
[0070] The invention has been described above with reference to the examples shown in the figures. However, the invention is in no way restricted to the above examples but may vary within the scope of the claims.
