Removable and retrofittable water dispenser for a refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10647590-B2
Application number	US-201715849958-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2017
Priority date	Dec 22, 2016
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A removable water dispenser for an appliance having a manifold with a first water connected to a household water supply, a first water outlet connected to the first water inlet, a second water inlet, and a second water outlet connected to the second water inlet. The removable water dispenser also has a dispenser removably attached to a home appliance and having a housing, a cover coupled with the housing, a dispensing outlet, and a filter connected to the first outlet, the second inlet, and the dispensing outlet, and the dispenser dispenses filtered water to a user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A removable water dispenser for an appliance, comprising:
a manifold comprising:
a first water inlet in liquid communication with a household water supply;
a first water outlet in liquid communication with the first water inlet;
a second water inlet; and
a second water outlet in liquid communication with the second water inlet;

a dispenser configured to be removably attached to a home appliance comprising:
a housing;
a cover coupled with the housing;
a dispensing outlet; and
a filter in liquid communication with the first outlet, the second inlet, and the dispensing outlet; and

wherein the dispenser is configured to dispense filtered water to a user.

2. The removable water dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the manifold further comprises an air bleed valve.

3. The removable water dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the manifold is attached to a back panel of a home appliance.

4. The removable water dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the manifold is attached to a side panel of a home appliance.

5. The removable water dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the second water outlet is in liquid communication with an icemaker within a home appliance via a water line.

6. The removable water dispenser of claim 5 further comprising a water valve disposed in the water line between the second water outlet and the icemaker.

7. The removable water dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of water lines disposed between the household water supply and the first water inlet, between the first water outlet and the filter, between the filter and the second water inlet, and between second water outlet and an icemaker within the home appliance and wherein the home appliance was not originally manufactured with a filtered water dispenser on an external surface of the of the home appliance.

8. The removable water dispenser of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the plurality of water lines comprises at least one compression fitting.

9. The removable water dispenser of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the plurality of water lines comprises at least one quick disconnect connector.

10. A water dispenser removably attached to a refrigerator, comprising:
a manifold comprising:
a first and second water inlet; and
a first and second water outlet;

a dispenser configured to removably attach to a face of a home appliance comprising:
a housing;
a cover coupled with the housing;
a dispensing outlet; and
a filter in liquid communication with the first outlet, the second inlet, and the dispensing outlet; and

a first water line connected with the first water inlet and a household water supply, a second water line in connection with the first water outlet and the filter, a third water line in connection with the water filter and the second water inlet, and a fourth water line in connection with the second water outlet and an ice maker of a home appliance.

11. The water dispenser of claim 10 , wherein the manifold further comprises an air bleed valve.

12. The water dispenser of claim 10 , wherein the manifold is attached to a back panel of a home appliance.

13. The water dispenser of claim 10 , wherein the manifold is attached to a side panel of a home appliance.

14. The water dispenser of claim 10 , wherein the second water outlet is in liquid communication with the icemaker via a water line.

15. The water dispenser of claim 14 further comprising a water valve disposed in the water line between the second water outlet and the icemaker.

16. The water dispenser of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of water lines, disposed between the household water supply and the first water inlet, between the first water outlet and the filter, between the filter and the second water inlet, and between second water outlet and the icemaker.

17. The water dispenser of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the plurality of water lines comprises at least one compression fitting.

18. The water dispenser of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the plurality of water lines comprises at least one quick disconnect connector.

19. An external water dispenser, comprising:
a retrofittable water dispenser assembly configured to removably attach to a refrigerator comprising:
a housing comprising a substantially rectangular enclosure bounded on a back side by a backplate, and on a top, bottom, right side and left side by a fascia cover, wherein the backplate further comprises a keyhole slot;
a water filter; and
a water dispenser in liquid communication with the water filter, the water dispenser being accessible to a user without opening a door of the refrigerator;
first and second water lines fluidly connected from a household water source to the filter and comprising an excess length;
a filter manifold disposed within the housing and configured to direct water from the first water line through the filter and out to the dispenser and through the second water line; and

a removable base attached to a surface of the refrigerator and having a tab configured to fit within the keyhole slot and hold the backplate in place.

20. The external water dispenser of claim 19 further comprising an adhesive strip with a removable tear-off portion to hold the external water dispenser in place.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Cooper David P
• Gregory Christopher A
• Guarino James C
• Jackson Beth M
• Kuehl Steven J
• Peters Joseph R
• Chun Siew Siew

Classifications

• C02F1/003 Primary

  using household-type filters for producing potable water, e.g. pitchers, bottles, faucet mounted devices (C02F9/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25D2323/121

  the refrigerator is characterised by a water filter for the water/ice dispenser · CPC title

• F25D23/126

  Water cooler · CPC title

• C02F2307/10

  as part of a potable water dispenser, e.g. for use in homes or offices · CPC title

• C02F2307/12

  as part of household appliances such as dishwashers, laundry washing machines or vacuum cleaners · CPC title