Water prefilling assembly for use in a refrigerating appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12050049-B2
Application number	US-202318300725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2023
Priority date	Dec 29, 2018
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

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 shelving assembly for an appliance, the shelving assembly comprising:
a shelf that is configured to be disposed within an appliance cabinet, wherein the shelf includes a top surface for storing items thereon;
a fluid dispensing system coupled to the shelf and configured to be attached to a fluid delivery system of the appliance cabinet, the fluid dispensing system having a fluid outlet;
a shelf spigot of the fluid dispensing system, the shelf spigot disposed on an underside of the shelf, the shelf spigot configured to deliver fluid from the fluid delivery system, through the fluid dispensing system, and to a fill zone positioned below an underside of the shelf;
a rail assembly disposed on the underside of the shelf for securing a fluid container to the underside of the shelf and within the fill zone, wherein the rail assembly selectively supports the fluid container from above; and
a load cell coupled with one of the shelf and the rail assembly, wherein the load cell senses a weight of the fluid container and contents of the fluid container, and wherein the load cell is in communication with the fluid dispensing system wherein the shelf spigot extends through a portion of the rail assembly.

2. The shelving assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shelf spigot extends through a portion of the load cell.

3. The shelving assembly of claim 1 , 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.

4. The shelving assembly 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.

5. The shelving assembly of claim 4 , wherein each fluid port includes a dedicated load cell.

6. The shelving assembly of claim 4 , 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.

7. The shelving assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shelf is configured to be coupled with an inner liner of the appliance cabinet and the fluid dispensing system is configured to be coupled with the fluid delivery system at the inner liner.

8. The shelving assembly of claim 1 , wherein the load cell includes a plurality of sensors spaced throughout the rail assembly, wherein the weight of the fluid container and the contents of the fluid container are configured to be distributed evenly among the plurality of sensors to determine whether the fluid container is properly installed.

9. A shelf assembly for a refrigerating appliance, the shelf assembly comprising:
a shelf that is configured to be coupled with an inner liner of a structural cabinet, wherein the shelf includes a plurality of shelf spigots, the plurality of shelf spigots being positioned below an underside of the shelf, and wherein the plurality of shelf spigots are configured to be attached to a fluid dispensing system of the structural cabinet;
a rail assembly disposed on the underside of the shelf;
a plurality of weight-sensing load cells that are attached to the rail assembly; and
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 rail assembly to be supported from above and positioned below the plurality of shelf spigots, wherein the plurality of weight-sensing load cells senses a weight of the plurality of removable fluid containers, respectively, and wherein the plurality of weight-sensing load cells is in communication with the plurality of shelf spigots, wherein each shelf spigot of the plurality of shelf spigots is in communication with a dedicated fluid line and a dedicated weight-sensing load cell of the plurality of weight-sensing load cells, wherein
the rail assembly 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;
the plurality of weight-sensing load cells extend between the rail assembly and a stationary portion of the shelf, wherein the plurality of weight-sensing load cells and the rail assembly deflect with respect to the shelf.

10. The shelf assembly of claim 9 , 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.

11. The shelf assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of removable fluid containers engage the rail assembly to define an installed position within a dedicated portion of the fill zone.

12. The shelf assembly of claim 11 , 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.

13. The shelf assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of shelf spigots are attached to the underside of the shelf.

14. The shelf assembly of claim 9 , wherein the shelf is configured to be coupled with the inner liner of the structural cabinet and the fluid dispensing system is configured to be coupled with the fluid dispensing system at the inner liner.

15. The shelf assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of removable fluid containers includes a pitcher that selectively engages the rail assembly in the fill zone.

16. A shelf assembly for an appliance, the shelf assembly comprising:
a shelf configured to be attached to a structural cabinet and having a top surface for storing items and defining a fill zone positioned below an underside of the shelf, wherein the top surface and the fill zone are configured to be located within a single continuous storage compartment;
a retaining load cell positioned on the underside of the shelf for supporting a removable container from above and for sensing a weight of the removable container and contents of the removable container; and
a shelf spigot coupled with a fluid line that is configured to be coupled with a fluid source, the shelf spigot disposed proximate the underside of the shelf and over the fill zone, wherein the retaining load cell regulates a flow of fluid through the shelf spigot.

17. The shelf assembly of claim 16 , further comprising:
a rail assembly that is coupled with the retaining load cell, wherein the rail assembly selectively positions a dedicated fluid container in the fill zone.

18. The shelf assembly of claim 17 , wherein the dedicated fluid container is entirely supported by the rail assembly and the retaining load cell.

19. The shelf assembly of claim 16 , wherein the retaining load cell includes a plurality of sensors spaced within the retaining load cell, wherein the weight of the removable container and the contents of the removable container are configured to be distributed evenly among the plurali

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

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

Classifications

• F25D2331/81

  Pitchers · CPC title

• G01F15/003

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

• G01F13/00

  Apparatus for measuring by volume and delivering fluids or fluent solid materials, not provided for in the preceding groups · CPC title

• F25D2400/361

  Interactive visual displays · CPC title

• F25D2400/06

  Refrigerators with a vertical mullion · CPC title