Water prefilling assembly for use in a refrigerating appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10837698-B2
Application number	US-201816236392-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2018
Priority date	Dec 29, 2018
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

A fluid delivery system for an appliance includes a fluid line in selective communication with a fluid source. A shelf defines a fill zone positioned below an underside of the shelf. A shelf spigot is coupled with the fluid line and disposed proximate the underside of the shelf and over the fill zone. A fluid level sensor is positioned in communication with the fill zone. The fluid level sensor is also in communication with a controller that regulates a flow of fluid through the shelf spigot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerating appliance comprising:
a structural cabinet having an inner liner and an outer wrapper that define an insulating cavity, wherein the inner liner defines a refrigerating compartment;
a water dispensing system having at least one fluid outlet;
a shelf that is positioned within an interior of the refrigerating compartment, wherein the shelf includes a top surface for storing items within the refrigerating compartment;
a shelf spigot of the water dispensing system, the shelf spigot disposed on an underside of the shelf for delivering fluid to a fill zone below an underside of the shelf, the shelf having a retaining mechanism for securing a fluid container to an underside of the shelf and within the fill zone, wherein the retaining mechanism selectively supports the fluid container from above; and
a fluid level sensor that monitors a fluid level of the fluid container that is selectively positioned within the fill zone located below the shelf spigot, the fluid level sensor being in communication with the water dispensing system.

2. The refrigerating appliance of claim 1 , wherein the retaining mechanism of the shelf includes a rail assembly that receives the fluid container that cooperates with the shelf spigot.

3. The refrigerating appliance of claim 2 , wherein the fluid container slidably engages the rail assembly to define an installed position that is within the fill zone.

4. The refrigerating appliance of claim 2 , wherein the shelf spigot includes an elongated housing that cooperatively engages a lid of the fluid container, wherein the rail assembly is configured to support the fluid container and position an opening of the fluid container in the fill zone.

5. The refrigerating appliance of claim 1 , wherein the shelf spigot includes a plurality of fluid ports, wherein each fluid port defines dedicated portions of the fill zone, and wherein each fluid port and each of the dedicated portions of the fill zone are configured to respectively receive any one fluid container of a plurality of fluid containers.

6. The refrigerating appliance of claim 5 , wherein the shelf includes a rail assembly that supports and positions the plurality of fluid containers within the dedicated portions of the fill zone.

7. The refrigerating appliance of claim 5 , wherein each fluid port of the plurality of fluid ports is in communication with a dedicated fluid line and a dedicated fluid level sensor of the fluid level sensor.

8. The refrigerating appliance of claim 5 , wherein a user-accessible fluid port of the plurality of fluid ports defines a user accessible portion of the fill zone, wherein the user accessible portion is configured to selectively receive an external fluid container, and wherein the plurality of fluid containers correspond to the dedicated portions of the fill zone distal from the user accessible portion.

9. The refrigerating appliance of claim 3 , wherein the installed position of the fluid container is defined by the fluid container being engaged with the rail assembly and suspended above a vertically adjacent shelf.

10. A refrigerating appliance comprising:
a structural cabinet having an inner liner that defines a refrigerating compartment;
a water dispensing system coupled to the structural cabinet and having at least one fluid outlet;
a shelf that is coupled with the inner liner and positioned within the refrigerating compartment, wherein the shelf includes a plurality of shelf spigots of the at least one fluid outlet, the plurality of shelf spigots being positioned below an underside of the shelf;
a retaining mechanism disposed on the underside of the shelf;
a plurality of removable fluid containers that are in communication with the plurality of shelf spigots, the plurality of shelf spigots being positioned below the underside of the shelf, wherein the plurality of removable fluid containers are selectively secured to the retaining mechanism to be supported from above and positioned below the plurality of shelf spigots; and
fluid level sensors that are in communication with respective fluid containers of the plurality of removable fluid containers, wherein the fluid level sensors are in communication with the water dispensing system.

11. The refrigerating appliance of claim 10 , further comprising:
a rail assembly of the retaining mechanism that selectively receives and supports the plurality of removable fluid containers within a fill zone that corresponds to dedicated shelf spigots of the plurality of shelf spigots.

12. The refrigerating appliance of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of shelf spigots includes a user-accessible fluid port that is distal from the rail assembly, wherein the user-accessible fluid port defines a user accessible portion of the fill zone.

13. The refrigerating appliance of claim 10 , wherein each shelf spigot of the plurality of shelf spigots is in communication with a dedicated fluid line and a dedicated level sensor of the fluid level sensors.

14. The refrigerating appliance of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of removable fluid containers engage the rail assembly to define an installed position within a dedicated portion of the fill zone.

15. The refrigerating appliance of claim 14 , wherein the installed position of each removable fluid container of the plurality of removable fluid containers is defined by the removable fluid container engaged with the rail assembly and suspended above a vertically adjacent shelf.

16. The refrigerating appliance of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of shelf spigots are attached to the underside of the shelf.

17. A fluid delivery system for an appliance, the fluid delivery system comprising:
a fluid line in selective communication with a fluid source;
a shelf having a top surface for storing items within a compartment and defining a fill zone positioned below an underside of the shelf and within the compartment, the shelf having a retaining mechanism positioned on the underside of the shelf for supporting a removable container from above;
a shelf spigot coupled with the fluid line and disposed proximate the underside of the shelf and over the fill zone; and
a fluid level sensor positioned in communication with the fill zone, wherein the fluid level sensor is also in communication with a controller that regulates a flow of fluid through the shelf spigot.

18. The fluid delivery system of claim 17 , further comprising:
a rail assembly of the retaining mechanism that selectively positions a dedicated fluid container in the fill zone.

19. The fluid delivery system of claim 18 , wherein the dedicated fluid container is entirely supported within the rail assembly.

20. The fluid delivery system of claim 17 , wherein the shelf spigot includes a plurality of fluid ports, wherein each fluid port defines dedicated portions of the fill zone, and wherein each fluid port and each of the dedicated portions of the fill zone are configured to respectively receive any one fluid container of a plurality of fluid containers.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Choy Kaito
• Joshi Ravi
• Mruthyunjaya Vikas C
• Yamaki Henrique Keiji Arai

Classifications

• F25D2331/81

  Pitchers · CPC title

• F25D23/126 Primary

  Water cooler · CPC title

• F25D29/00

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• B67D3/0025

  provided with dispensing valves actuated by the receptacle to be filled (B67D3/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01F15/003

  using electromagnetic, electric or electronic means (G01F15/002, G01F15/02 take precedence) · CPC title