Automatic valve assembly for a water cooler reservoir

[0001] The invention relates to an automatic valve assembly for a water dispenser tank, and in particular to a valve assembly assisting in interrupting the flow of water from an inverted water bottle mounted on a sealed water dispenser tank.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The basic structure of the water dispenser is known. With the growing level of concern for the safety of world drinking water, the use of bottled water as a source of water for drinking, cooking and other applications has increased dramatically. With the increase in the use of bottled water, there has been significant progress in the design of water dispensers and their components. For example, while initially such devices could only supply water from an inverted cylinder, today they commonly supply water that is cooled, heated and / or fed at room temperature. In addition, in others, such as in DE 1078891, various water bottle caps and attachment fittings have been developed to support the bottles on the distributor, which helps to prevent water from spilling when the filled bottle is turned and placed on the bottle supporting structure. In addition, others have developed designs that support the sealing of the distributor to reduce or prevent the ingress of dirt and dirt that could contaminate the water in the tank (see, for example, US Patents US 6,167,921, 5,526,961, and 5,646,127 as examples of such devices). [0003] While much has already been achieved in the design of water dispensers to help prevent contamination of the water stored in the reservoir, and to help customers place an inverted cylinder on top of the dispenser, the focus is not on the recurring problem that occurs when a small hairline or crack appears on the outside of the cylinder. For obvious reasons of cost and weight reduction, most water cylinders are made of relatively thin plastic. When used on a water distributor, pressure differences to which cylinders are subjected generally cause the cylinder walls to bend inwards and outwards when water is supplied to the tank and the air is returned to the cylinder. This bending process can cause small scratches or cracks to form in the cylinder over time. Even when the cylinder is not leaking, when turned over and placed on the distributor at some point during its use, a small crack or gap may form in the cylinder. The intensive use of bottled water exacerbates this problem, because water bottles are constantly being refilled and reused until cracks appear in their walls.

[0004] When the inverted surface of a filled cylinder has a small crack or a crack is created or formed, the crack creates the possibility that air will get into the cylinder through it, which in turn may cause the cylinder contents to overflow and spill. on the floor or the surrounding surface. In some cases, the amount of water that overflows into the tank can be several gallons, which can cause significant damage to the floor, furniture and other surrounding objects.

[0005] To overcome this problem, others have added small floats or orifices to the water dispenser tanks to help reduce airflow to the tank. By reducing or slowing the air flow to the sealed tank, at least partial control of the water flow from the cylinder is ensured. Unfortunately, such existing devices are mostly inefficient in cases where a small crack forms in the cylinder, which causes its contents to be slowly emptied into the tank. This means that existing devices are efficient in cases where there has been significant damage to the wall of the water bottle, but generally they do not have the ability to properly and completely seal the air passage of the tank, through which water slowly escapes from the bottle in which a small crack or crack has formed. These prior art devices are also prone to skewing and may have reduced performance in cases where the water dispenser is not upright.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] The invention therefore provides an automatic valve assembly for a water dispenser tank that helps control the downward flow of water from an inverted water cylinder to the tank by providing an improved and improved mechanism to control the airflow to the tank, and thus helps prevent

<td>water outflow</td><td>from the bottle when</td><td>tank</td><td>is</td><td>maximally</td>

<td>filled.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td>

<td> [⁰⁰⁰7] Z^gabout^dn^ande</td><td colspan="2">with the invention, delivered</td><td>is</td><td>automatic</td>

<td>valve assembly</td><td>for the tank</td><td colspan="2">distributor</td><td>water according to</td>

<td>reservations 1.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td>

[0008] Further aspects and advantages of the invention, with respect to preferred embodiments, will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] For a better understanding of the invention, and to clearly show the possibilities of its implementation, reference will be made to the attached drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side perspective view of the water dispenser;

Fig. 2 is a partial vertical section through the water dispenser of Fig. 1 showing an embodiment of the automatic valve assembly according to the invention in a closed position;

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section through the water dispenser of Fig. 1 showing an embodiment of the automatic valve assembly according to the invention in an open position;

Fig. 4 is a side view of a float ring according to one preferred embodiment according to the invention;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a top view of the cylinder connector with a hollow water distributor shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a view: from the bottom of the water bottle of the water dispenser shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of Fig. 7 and shows an alternative embodiment of the invention;

and,

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detailed view of the part "A" shown in Fig. 10.

[0010] The invention can be made in a variety of different forms. However, the specification and drawings below describe and disclose only certain specific embodiments of the invention and are not limiting the scope of the invention as defined in the claims below.

[0011] In the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 generally show the main components of a water distributor 1 of the type designed to attach an inverted water bottle 2 (outlined in Figs. 2 and 3). Since many elements of the standard water dispenser are not directly relevant to the invention, they are not shown in the attached figures, or in other examples are shown, but are not discussed in detail.

[0012] In Fig. 1, the water dispenser 1 is shown to consist generally of an outer cabinet 50 having a top 60 adapted to attach and support an inverted water cylinder 2. Typically one or more valves or taps are located in front of the surface 70 of the cabinet 50. 80, which are activated to feed water from the dispenser. The number of valves that are used depends on whether the dispenser has the option of feeding chilled and / or heated water in addition to supplying water at room temperature. The drip tray 90 is often placed below the valve 80 to collect what is spilled or drops that arise when the valve is actuated.

[0013] Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the water dispenser 1 further includes a tank 4, a water cylinder connector 5, connecting a sampler or cylinder cap plug 6, and an upper cap ring 7. The overall design and structure of these main components of the distributor 1 is similar to those used for a long time. The tank 4 is constructed with a substantially open upper end that is substantially sealed from the environment by the water connector 5. In the particular embodiment shown, the water cylinder connector 5 includes a peripheral rim seal 8 that abuts the inner surface of the tank housing when the connector is attached at the open upper end of the tank. Access to the reservoir is then limited to water flow through the connecting plug cap of the cylinder 6 and through the ventilation or air passage, which will be described in detail below.

[0014] A standard in many water dispensers is that the water cylinder connector 5 has a conical or funnel shape and is designed to attach and support cylinder 2 in an inverted configuration so that the water in the cylinder can be gravity fed to tank 4. Typically, water bottles for use in dispensers use a cap 9 that covers their open ends and provides elements to allow the water to flow from the bottle when it is inverted, while at the same time helping to prevent water from spilling when turning the water bottle over and placing it in connector 5. The caps are also a mechanism for resealing the cylinder when it is removed from the distributor. This function is achieved by using in particular the construction of the cap, which combines an internal valve that cooperates with the connecting probe or cylinder cap plug 6. When the inverted cylinder is lowered to the water cylinder connector 5, plug 6 is attached to cylinder cap 9, by opening the valve in the cap and allowing water to flow through plug 6 and into tank 4. Although a further understanding of the structure and function of the cylinder cap 9 and the connecting cap of the cylinder cap 6 is unnecessary for a full understanding of the invention, reference may be made to Canadian Patent 2,093,006, of December 8, 1998, as a source document that describes in more detail the operation of the cylinder cap and the spigot mechanism.

[0015] Traditionally, water dispensers of the type generally described above allowed water to flow down from an inverted cylinder disposed on the distributor until the water level in the tank reached a height at which air stopped flowing or returned to the cylinder. At this point, the flow of water from the cylinder to the tank was effectively stopped. When water was drawn from the distributor through valve 80, the water level in the tank dropped and the flow of water from the cylinder to the tank was resumed. To allow air to flow into the tank (and thus back to the water bottle), the water bottle connectors of prior art dispensers typically included one or more air passages extending therethrough. Such passages constituted a mechanism that allowed air to flow into and out of the tank when the water level rose or fell.

[0016] Such systems were based on the complexity that the walls of the water cylinder would remain intact so that the air could only be drawn into the cylinder through plug 6. As a result, when the water flowed out of the cylinder and the water level in the tank increased to a sufficient level, the vacuum created inside the cylinder effectively changed the hydraulic height of the water and prevented further flow down into the tank. Unfortunately, as described above, cylinder wear sometimes causes small cracks or scratches in its walls that allow atmospheric air to enter the cylinder directly. When this occurs, the equilibrium that prevents further downward flow of water ceases to exist, allowing the contents of the cylinder to flow completely into the tank, often causing the tank to overflow.

In order to prevent the above situation, in a preferred embodiment the invention comprises an automatic valve assembly 10 which includes a ventilation passage 11 and an actuator arm 12. The actuator arm 12 includes at least one float 13 and is articulated mounted in the tank 4 so that the rising or the falling water level in the tank causes the actuator arm to rotate in a substantially vertical plane relative to the tank. The ventilation passage 11 consists of a conduit that passes through the water cylinder connector 5 and has a bottom end 14 ending in the tank to allow air to flow into or out of the tank when required. To prevent dust, dirt and other contaminants from entering the tank, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper end 15 of the ventilation passage 11 has a filter cap attached that includes replaceable or washable filter material.

[0018] In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the ventilation passage 11 and the actuator arm 12 are arranged such that the rotary movement of the actuator arm 12 is substantially in an upward direction so that when raised, the actuator arm will contact finally with the lower end 14 of the ventilation passage 11. When the arm contacts the lower end 14, it effectively blocks the flow of air and liquid to and from the tank 4. Since the actuator arm 12 includes at least one float 13, it is clear that the upward movement of the arm will be caused by the rising water level in the tank. This means that when the water passes from cylinder 2 through plug 6 to tank 4, the rising water level will cause the actuator arm 12 to rotate upwards and seal against the lower end 14 of the ventilation passage 11. At this point, no air or liquid movement will be possible through ventilation passage.

[0019] Thus, it is clear that by connecting the ventilation passage seal 11, and by sealing the upper end of the tank using the peripheral seal 8, it will not be possible for the additional air introduced to be drawn into the tank, preventing further outflow of water from bottle 2. The water flow will be effectively stopped, even in cases where small gaps or cracks are created in the walls of the water bottle 2 that will allow air to enter the bottle. Under these conditions, water will not flow into the tank because there will be no place for it to collect or leak. The valve assembly 10 will effectively prevent the contents of the damaged cylinder from overfilling the tank.

[0020] In a particular embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the arm of the actuator 12 consists of a seal and a generally hollow body 17 which floats on the surface of water in the tank. For ease of manufacture, and in an attempt to maximize the buoyancy of the actuator arm 12, the arm can be formed in the shape of a closed polygon, which as indicated in Fig. 4, 5 and 6 may have the overall shape of a round floating ring. It is also clear that in most cases the arm 12 may be formed of plastic.

[0021] With reference to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the arm of the actuator 12 is of a generally circular configuration having a first part 18 which is articulated in the tank 4 and a second part 19 which effectively acts as a float 13. The first portion 18 includes an outwardly extending and generally rectangular stop collar 20. In the plane that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the arm 12, and passing through the support element 20, there is a pin or axis 21 around which the actuator arm rotates 12. Axis 21 connects a pair of projections 22 extending downward from the bottom surface of the cylinder connector with with water 5 adjacent to ventilation passage 11 (see Figures 2, 8 and 9). Thus, axle 21 and projections 22 effectively attach the actuator arm 12 to the water cylinder connector 5 and provide a hinged connection around which the actuator arm can be rotated when the water level in the tank changes. While in this embodiment the actuator arm 12 is articulated to the water cylinder connector 5, it is clear to those skilled in the art that the actuator arm can be equally effectively articulated to the inner wall of the tank.

[0022] By the described method of attaching the actuator arm 12 to the water dispenser 1, it is clear that the rising water level in the reservoir will cause the arm to rotate upwards around axis 21 until the upper surface 23 of the arm 12 contacts the lower end 14 of the ventilation passage 11. At the initial contact point, a pre-seal will be formed between the arm 12 and the ventilation passage 11. In the event that the seal does not completely and completely prevent the movement of air by passing to the tank 4, the water level in the tank will rise causing the actuator arm 12 to continue to rotate in a substantially upward direction. This further upward movement of the actuator arm 12 will exert a torsional force on the axle 21 and a compressive force between the surface 23 and the lower end 14 of the ventilation passage 11. The shape and configuration of the actuator arm 12, and the fact that the majority of the arm is offset relative to the contact point with the ventilation passage 11, causes the hollow body 17 to become an effective real arm. The amount of force that can be applied between the upper surface 23 and the lower end 14 of the ventilation passage 11 will therefore be increased due to the application of force (by the buoyancy of the arm 12) at a distance from the passage 11 and the axis 21 around which the arm 12 rotates.

[0023] To ensure a high seal quality between the surface 23 of the actuator arm 12 and the lower end 14 of the ventilation passage 11, both the lower end of the passage and at least a portion of the upper surface 23 that abuts the lower end 14 can be formed or machine-made such that they have a flat and essentially smooth surface. Thanks to this, when two surfaces meet, they will effectively block the flow of air or liquid through the passage. To improve the seal between the ventilation passage 11 and the actuator arm 12, the lower end 14 of the ventilation passage may also be tapered to reduce the cross-sectional area. This will affect the resulting force exerted between the actuator arm and the lower end 14 in a smaller area, thereby increasing the seal between them.

[0024] In an alternative embodiment, the portion of the upper surface 23 of the actuator arm 12 that contacts the lower end 14 of the ventilation passage 11 may be provided with elastic compressible material 24 which acts as a sealing element and is moved to contact the lower end 14 when the arm 12 is rotated in a substantially upward direction. Compressing the material 24 will effectively cause it to deform around the lower end 14 as the water level in the tank rises, and increase seal quality. In another alternative embodiment (see Figs. 10 and 11), the lower end 14 of the ventilation passage 11 may be provided with elastic compressible material 25 against which the upper surface 23 of the arm 12 is guided when the arm rotates upwards. Compressible material 25 will act as described above with respect to material 24. When desired, valve assembly 10 may include both elastic compressible material adhered to the top surface 23 of actuator arm 12 and elastic compressible material disposed around end 14 of vent passage 11.

[0025] After understanding the above-described invention, it will be clear that the automatic valve assembly 10 has many significant advantages over prior art water dispenser designs. First and foremost, the valve assembly 10 provides a mechanism for properly controlling the flow of water from an inverted water cylinder to a water dispenser tank, and in particular prevents the tank from unintentionally overfilling in cases where a crack or gap has formed in the cylinder's outer surface. Secondly, the structure of the valve assembly 10 is a mechanism by which proper sealing of the air passage to the tank can be achieved, and the structure increases the integrity of the seal as the water level in the tank increases. Thirdly, the hinged connection between the actuator arm of the valve assembly 10 and the internal components of the water dispenser ensures accurate and correct placement and placement of the sealing mechanism relative to the ventilation passage. Thanks to this, placing the water dispenser on a non-horizontal surface such that it is not perfectly vertical will not have any significant effect on the operation of the valve assembly. In addition, the valve assembly will not move with the water dispenser moving normally during transport and assembly. Finally, the described design of the automatic valve assembly 10 provides an economic seal for the passage of air and liquid through the ventilation passage when the reservoir is filled to a certain level.

[0026] It is clear that the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, and that it is possible to make changes to these embodiments while remaining within the broad scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Some of these changes have been described, while others will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

21817 / PE / 12 EP 1 603 825 B1