Water filter assembly for a beverage dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9840424-B2
Application number	US-201514795202-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2015
Priority date	Jul 9, 2015
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A water filter assembly for a beverage dispenser including a filter medium and a housing is provided. The water filter assembly may be positioned in a reservoir of the beverage dispenser. The filter medium and housing of the water filter assembly each extend in a direction generally perpendicular to a vertical direction of the beverage dispenser. The housing includes a support member at a first end and an attachment member at a second end. The support member is configured for supporting the water filter assembly within the reservoir, and the attachment member is configured for attaching the housing of the water filter assembly to a fitting in the reservoir of the beverage dispenser.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A water filter assembly for a beverage dispenser defining a vertical direction, the water filter assembly comprising:
a filter medium extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the vertical direction; and
a housing enclosing the filter medium and also extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the vertical direction between a first end and a second end, the housing defining a bottom chamber and including a support member at the first end extending away from the bottom chamber along the vertical direction for supporting the water filter assembly, and an attachment member at the second end for attaching the housing to a fitting in a reservoir of the beverage dispenser.

2. The water filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a top chamber positioned above the filter medium along the vertical direction, one or more openings to the top chamber, and an outlet from the bottom chamber, and wherein the bottom chamber is positioned below the filter medium along the vertical direction.

3. The water filter assembly of claim 2 , wherein the filter medium is positioned within the housing such that water flows through the filter medium generally along the vertical direction.

4. The water filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the filter medium is comprised of one or more of a carbon foam or a carbon impregnated paper.

5. The water filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a handle extending along the vertical direction at the second end to assist a user in removing the water filter assembly, and wherein the handle is positioned generally above the attachment member.

6. The water filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the attachment member defines a generally cylindrical shape configured to fit over at least a portion of the fitting of the reservoir and form a fluid seal with the fitting of the reservoir.

7. The water filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fitting includes a seal member extending around an outside surface of the fitting of the reservoir for forming a fluid seal with an inside surface of the attachment member.

8. The water filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a top member attached to a bottom member, and wherein the top and bottom members together define an attachment line extending around a circumference of the water filter assembly.

9. The water filter assembly of claim 8 , wherein the filter medium includes an outer portion, and wherein the filter medium is attached within the housing by having the outer portion pressed between the top member and bottom member.

10. The water filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support member is spaced from the attachment member along a direction generally perpendicular to the vertical direction.

11. A beverage dispenser defining a vertical direction, the beverage dispenser comprising:
a dispenser;
a reservoir defining an outlet fluidly connected to the dispenser, the reservoir including a fitting positioned at least partially around the outlet; and
a water filter assembly positioned in the reservoir and including
a filter medium extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the vertical direction; and
a housing enclosing the filter medium and also extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the vertical direction between a first end and a second end, the housing defining a bottom chamber and including a support member at the first end extending away from the bottom chamber along the vertical direction for supporting the water filter assembly and an attachment member at the second end for attaching and fluidly connecting the housing to the fitting in the reservoir of the beverage dispenser.

12. The beverage dispenser of claim 11 , further comprising
a hot water chamber fluidly connected between the outlet of the reservoir and the dispenser for providing heated water to the dispenser.

13. The beverage dispenser of claim 11 , wherein the housing defines a top chamber positioned above the filter medium along the vertical direction, one or more openings to the top chamber, and an outlet from the bottom chamber, and wherein the bottom chamber is positioned below the filter medium along the vertical direction.

14. The beverage dispenser of claim 13 , wherein the filter medium is positioned within the housing such that water flows through the filter medium generally along the vertical direction.

15. The beverage dispenser of claim 11 , wherein the filter medium is comprised of one or more of a carbon foam or a carbon impregnated paper.

16. The beverage dispenser of claim 11 , wherein the housing includes a handle extending along the vertical direction at the second end to assist a user in removing the water filter assembly, and wherein the handle is positioned generally above the attachment member.

17. The beverage dispenser of claim 11 , wherein the attachment member defines a generally cylindrical shape configured to fit over at least a portion of the fitting of the reservoir and form a fluid seal with the fitting of the reservoir.

18. The water filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a top member attached to a bottom member, and wherein the top and bottom members together define an attachment line extending around a circumference of the water filter assembly.

19. The beverage dispenser of claim 18 , wherein the filter medium includes an outer portion, and wherein the filter medium is attached within the housing by having the outer portion pressed between the top member and bottom member.

20. The water filter assembly of claim 11 , wherein the housing and filter medium extend at least about 50% across a width of the reservoir at a bottom portion of the reservoir.

Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Mitchell Alan Joseph
• Seenivasan Ansuraj

Classifications

• A47J31/605

  Water filters · CPC title

• C02F1/283

  using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them · CPC title

• C02F2307/10

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

• C02F1/003 Primary

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