Method and apparatus for dispensing one or more liquids from a liquid storage container
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B67D-001/00
B67D-001/08
출원번호
US-0190239
(2016-06-23)
등록번호
US-10160631
(2018-12-25)
발명자
/ 주소
Walton, Philip A.
출원인 / 주소
Cardomon International Limited
대리인 / 주소
Merek, Blackmon & Voorhees, LLC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
10
초록▼
A method and dispensing apparatus for dispensing one or more liquids from a liquid storage container operably connected to the dispensing apparatus. The one or more liquids may include cold water, cold carbonated water, hot water and/or ambient temperature water. The dispensing apparatus preferably
A method and dispensing apparatus for dispensing one or more liquids from a liquid storage container operably connected to the dispensing apparatus. The one or more liquids may include cold water, cold carbonated water, hot water and/or ambient temperature water. The dispensing apparatus preferably is a self-contained dispensing apparatus, i.e., a dispensing apparatus having its own source of liquid. The dispensing apparatus further preferably includes a housing storing a first cooled liquid reservoir and a second cooled liquid reservoir. The first cooled liquid reservoir preferably stores cold water and the second cooled liquid reservoir preferably stores cold carbonated water. A thermal link preferably connects the first cooled liquid reservoir and the second cooled liquid reservoir to cause thermal energy to be transferred between the first cooled liquid reservoir and the second cooled liquid reservoir.
대표청구항▼
1. An apparatus for dispensing at least one non-carbonated liquid and at least one carbonated liquid, said apparatus comprising: (a) a housing storing a non-carbonated liquid reservoir and a carbonated liquid reservoir, the non-carbonated liquid reservoir having an inner hollow cavity being configur
1. An apparatus for dispensing at least one non-carbonated liquid and at least one carbonated liquid, said apparatus comprising: (a) a housing storing a non-carbonated liquid reservoir and a carbonated liquid reservoir, the non-carbonated liquid reservoir having an inner hollow cavity being configured to store a non-carbonated liquid and the carbonated liquid reservoir having an inner hollow cavity being configured to store a carbonated liquid, the carbonated liquid reservoir being disposed relative to the non-carbonated liquid reservoir such that no portion of the carbonated liquid reservoir is disposed in the inner hollow cavity of the non-carbonated liquid reservoir;(b) at least one spout for dispensing a non-carbonated liquid stored in the non-carbonated liquid reservoir and a carbonated liquid stored in the carbonated liquid reservoir; and,(c) a thermal link connecting the non-carbonated liquid reservoir and the carbonated liquid reservoir, the thermal link being configured to transfer thermal energy between the non-carbonated liquid reservoir and the carbonated liquid reservoir, the thermal link including a first portion of the non-carbonated liquid reservoir and a second portion of the carbonated liquid reservoir, the first portion is thermally connected to the second portion such that thermal energy is transferred between the non-carbonated liquid reservoir and the carbonated liquid reservoir and wherein the first portion of the non-carbonated liquid reservoir is an outer sidewall portion of the non-carbonated liquid reservoir which is in direct contact with the second portion of the carbonated liquid reservoir and, wherein the second portion is an outer sidewall portion of the carbonated liquid reservoir. 2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein: (a) the thermal link is configured to increase the temperature of liquid in the carbonated liquid reservoir to prevent carbonated liquid in the carbonated liquid reservoir from freezing. 3. The apparatus as recited in 2, further including: (a) a cooling member surrounding the carbonated liquid reservoir and the non-carbonated liquid reservoir to cool the carbonated liquid in the carbonated liquid reservoir and cool the non-carbonated liquid in the non-carbonated liquid reservoir. 4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3, further including: (a) an intermediate member being positioned between an inner portion of the cooling member and an outer wall of the carbonated liquid reservoir, the intermediate member being a solid member formed from a material which reduces the cooling effect of the cooling member on the carbonated liquid reservoir. 5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein: (a) the intermediate member has an inner arcuate surface and an outer arcuate surface. 6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further including: (a) a source of CO2 gas operably connected to the carbonated liquid reservoir to supply CO2 gas to the carbonated liquid reservoir. 7. An apparatus for dispensing at least one non-carbonated liquid and at least one carbonated liquid, said apparatus comprising: (a) a housing storing a non-carbonated liquid reservoir and a carbonated liquid reservoir, the non-carbonated liquid reservoir being configured to store a non-carbonated liquid and the carbonated liquid reservoir being configured to store a carbonated liquid;(b) a liquid storage container for supplying a non-carbonated liquid to said non-carbonated liquid reservoir, said non-carbonated liquid reservoir being configured to supply a cooled, non-carbonated liquid to said carbonated liquid reservoir, wherein no portion of the carbonated liquid reservoir extends into an interior of the non-carbonated liquid reservoir;(c) at least one spout for dispensing a non-carbonated liquid stored in the non-carbonated liquid reservoir and a carbonated liquid stored in the carbonated liquid reservoir; and,(d) a thermal link connecting the non-carbonated liquid reservoir and the carbonated liquid reservoir, the thermal link being configured to transfer thermal energy between the non-carbonated liquid reservoir and the carbonated liquid reservoir, the thermal link including a first portion of the non-carbonated liquid reservoir and a second portion of the carbonated liquid reservoir and the first portion is in direct contact with the second portion and wherein the first portion is a curved surface of an exterior of the non-carbonated liquid reservoir and the second portion is a curved surface of an exterior of the carbonated liquid reservoir. 8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein: (a) the first portion has a concave curvature and the second portion has a convex curvature. 9. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, further including: (a) a source of CO2 gas operably connected to the carbonated liquid reservoir to supply CO2 gas to the carbonated liquid reservoir;(b) a pressure transducer operably connected to the carbonated liquid reservoir for sensing fluid pressure in the carbonated liquid reservoir;(c) a pressure regulator operably connected to the carbonated liquid reservoir and the source of CO2 gas for supplying CO2 gas at a predetermined pressure to the carbonated liquid reservoir; and,(d) a pressure relief valve operably connected to the carbonated liquid reservoir, the pressure relief valve being configured to prevent pressure of the carbonated liquid in the carbonated liquid reservoir from exceeding a predetermined value. 10. An apparatus for dispensing liquids, said apparatus comprising: (a) a housing storing a first cold liquid reservoir and a second cold liquid reservoir, said first cold liquid reservoir and said second cold liquid reservoir each being configured to store a cooled liquid, the first cold liquid reservoir being a non-carbonated liquid reservoir and the second cold liquid reservoir being a carbonated liquid reservoir;(b) a liquid storage container for supplying a liquid to said first cold liquid reservoir, said liquid storage container being disposed below an uppermost portion of at least one spout and said first cold liquid reservoir being configured to supply a cooled liquid from said first cold liquid reservoir to said second cold liquid reservoir;(c) said at least one spout for dispensing the cooled liquid stored in said first cold liquid reservoir and the cooled liquid stored in said second cold liquid reservoir;(d) a thermal link connecting the first cold liquid reservoir and the second cold liquid reservoir, the thermal link being configured to transfer thermal energy between the first cold liquid reservoir and the second cold liquid reservoir and, wherein the thermal link includes a concave wall portion of said first cold reservoir and a convex wall portion of said second cold liquid reservoir which is in direct contact with said concave wall portion;(e) a cooling member surrounding the carbonated liquid reservoir and the non-carbonated liquid reservoir to cool the liquid in the carbonated liquid reservoir and the non-carbonated liquid reservoir; and,(f) an intermediate member having a first end and a second end, the intermediate member being positioned between the cooling member and the carbonated liquid reservoir to reduce the cooling effect of the cooling member on the carbonated liquid reservoir and, wherein an exterior surface of the intermediate member directly contacts an inner surface of the cooling member and an inner surface of the intermediate member directly contacts an exterior surface of the carbonated liquid reservoir. 11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein: (a) said liquid storage container is disposed in a bottom portion of said housing. 12. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein: (a) said liquid storage container stores ambient temperature water. 13. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, further including: (a) a hot liquid reservoir disposed in said housing for storing a hot liquid.
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