초록 ▼

A dispenser is provided to receive and hold a bag-in-box container on top of a conventional type water cooler and to control the flow of water from the bag-in-box container into a water reservoir of the water cooler to maintain a desired level of water in the water reservoir. Level control of water

A dispenser is provided to receive and hold a bag-in-box container on top of a conventional type water cooler and to control the flow of water from the bag-in-box container into a water reservoir of the water cooler to maintain a desired level of water in the water reservoir. Level control of water in the reservoir is provided by controlling the venting of the sealed reservoir to the atmosphere and/or by controlling the flow of water into the reservoir from the water supply line. Venting control can be through use of a hydrophobic membrane or through use of float valves in the vent, and control of flow of liquid into the reservoir from the water supply line can be by a special float valve that allows high flow capacity at low pressures or through discharge of water from the reservoir. The reservoir can be formed as a flow through passage through a mass of temperature adjusting material.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A dispenser for controllably dispensing a liquid by gravity from a bag-in-box liquid container having a collapsible bag containing the liquid within the box and a bag dispensing fitting extending from the bag for dispensing liquid from the bag, comprising: a dispenser body;a bag-in-box holder ass

1. A dispenser for controllably dispensing a liquid by gravity from a bag-in-box liquid container having a collapsible bag containing the liquid within the box and a bag dispensing fitting extending from the bag for dispensing liquid from the bag, comprising: a dispenser body;a bag-in-box holder associated with the dispenser body for removably holding a bag-in-box liquid container;a liquid receiving reservoir positioned in the body below the bag-in-box holder, said liquid receiving reservoir adapted to control the temperature of liquid received within the reservoir;a user operated reservoir outlet connected to the reservoir to dispense liquid from the reservoir when desired by a user; anda supply line extending from the liquid receiving reservoir and having an inlet end adapted for removable attachment to the bag dispensing fitting when a bag-in-box liquid container is positioned in the holder;wherein the liquid receiving reservoir includes a heat exchange block having a shape and formed of a mass of temperature adjusting material and having a liquid flow passage formed in and extending through the block of temperature adjusting material, said liquid flow passage having an inlet end and an outlet end. 2. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the liquid receiving reservoir includes a temperature adjusting element for adjusting the temperature of the mass of temperature adjusting material. 3. A dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the temperature adjusting element is a cooling element. 4. A dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the temperature adjusting element is a heating element. 5. A dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the mass of temperature adjusting material is a mass of high heat capacity material. 6. A dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the mass of temperature adjusting material is a ring of high heat capacity material and wherein the liquid flow passage forms a spiral configuration within the ring of high heat capacity material. 7. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the user operated reservoir outlet is connected to the outlet end of the liquid flow passage to dispense liquid from the liquid flow passage when desired by a user. 8. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the supply line has an outlet end opposite the inlet end, and wherein the outlet end of the supply line is in liquid flow communication with the inlet end of the liquid flow passage so that liquid from the supply line flows into the inlet end of the liquid flow passage. 9. A dispenser for controllably dispensing a liquid by gravity from a bag-in-box liquid container having a collapsible bag containing the liquid within the box and a bag dispensing fitting extending from the bag for dispensing liquid from the bag, comprising: a dispenser body;a bag-in-box holder associated with the dispenser body for removably holding a bag-in-box liquid container;a liquid receiving reservoir positioned in the body below the bag-in-box holder, said liquid receiving reservoir adapted to control the temperature of liquid received within the reservoir;a user operated reservoir outlet connected to the reservoir to dispense liquid from the reservoir when desired by a user; anda supply line extending from the liquid receiving reservoir and having an inlet end adapted for removable attachment to the bag dispensing fitting when a bag-in-box liquid container is positioned in the holder;wherein the liquid receiving reservoir includes a liquid flow passage extending through a mass of temperature adjusting material, said liquid flow passage having an inlet end and an outlet end;wherein the liquid receiving reservoir includes a first liquid flow passage extending through a first mass of temperature adjusting material, said first liquid flow passage having an inlet end and an outlet end;a first temperature adjusting element for adjusting the temperature of the first mass of temperature adjusting material;a second liquid flow passage extending through a second mass of temperature adjusting material, said second liquid flow passage having an inlet end and an outlet end; anda second temperature adjusting element for adjusting the temperature of the second mass of temperature adjusting material. 10. A dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the first temperature adjusting element is a cooling element, and wherein the second temperature adjusting element is a heating element. 11. A dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the user operated reservoir outlet is two user operated reservoir outlets, a first user operated reservoir outlet connected to the outlet end of the first liquid flow passage to dispense liquid from the first liquid flow passage when desired by a user, and a second user operated reservoir outlet connected to the outlet end of the second liquid flow passage to dispense liquid from the second liquid flow passage when desired by a user. 12. A dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the supply line has an outlet end opposite the inlet end, wherein the outlet end of supply line is in liquid flow communication with the inlet of the first and second liquid flow passages so that liquid from the supply line flows into the inlets of the first and second liquid flow passages, and wherein the user operated reservoir outlet is two user operated reservoir outlets, a first user operated reservoir outlet connected to the outlet end of the first liquid flow passage to dispense liquid from the first liquid flow passage when desired by a user, and a second user operated reservoir outlet connected to the outlet end of the second liquid flow passage to dispense liquid from the second liquid flow passage when desired by a user. 13. A method of converting a conventional water cooler designed to use a substantially rigid water bottle having an opening as the source of water and having a water cooler body with a reservoir therein adapted to receive the substantially rigid water bottle positioned in inverted orientation at the top of the water cooler body with the water bottle opening extending into the reservoir to a position within the reservoir wherein water from the substantially rigid water bottle flows by gravity through the water bottle opening from the substantially rigid water bottle into the reservoir and when water from the water bottle reaches a desired level in the reservoir the water covers and closes the bottle opening to the flow of air into the bottle thereby stopping flow of water from the bottle into the reservoir and including a user operated reservoir outlet to dispense water from the reservoir when desired by a user, to a water cooler using a bag-in-box liquid container having a collapsible bag containing the liquid within the box and a bag dispensing fitting extending from the bag for dispensing liquid from the bag, comprising: adding a holder for removably holding a bag-in-box liquid container in place of the water bottle at the top of the water cooler body;replacing the reservoir with a liquid receiving replacement reservoir for positioning in the body below the bag-in-box holder in place of the reservoir, said liquid receiving replacement reservoir adapted to control the temperature of liquid received within the reservoir and including a heat exchange block having a shape and formed of a mass of temperature adjusting material and having a liquid flow passage formed in and extending through the block of temperature adjusting material, said liquid flow passage having an inlet end and an outlet end; andproviding a liquid supply line having an outlet end sealingly attached to the inlet end of the liquid flow passage of the liquid receiving replacement reservoir and having an end opposite the outlet end adapted for removable attachment to the bag dispensing fitting when a bag-in-box liquid container is positioned in the holder to allow liquid from the bag-in-box container to flow from the bag-in-box container into the sealable water receiving reservoir. 14. A dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the first mass of temperature adjusting material is a first ring of high heat capacity material having a central opening therethrough and wherein the first liquid flow passage forms a spiral configuration within the first ring of high heat capacity material and wherein the second mass of temperature adjusting material is a second ring of high heat capacity material positioned within the central opening of the first ring of high heat capacity material and wherein the second liquid flow passage forms a spiral configuration within the second ring of high heat capacity material.