US3208641A - Water container for refrigerator door - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 28, 1965 L. D. BRUGIONI 3,208,641

WATER CONTAINER FOR REFRIGERATOR DOOR Filed Sept. 9, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. %D BRUGIONI 'A'ITORNEYS Sept. 28, 1965 L. D. BRUGlONI 3,208,641

WATER CONTAINER FOR REFRIGERATOR DOOR Filed Sept. 9, 1963 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

LEROY D BRUGIONI rATFORNEYS United States Patent 3,208,641 WATER CONTAINER FOR REFRIGERATOR DOOR Leroy D. Brugioni, 341 N. Belmont, Kansas City, Mo. Filed Sept. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 307,625 1 Claim. '(Cl. 22210'8) This invention relates to a refrigerator drinking water container and cooler, and more particularly to a container adapted to be supported on the inside door of the refrigerator.

Various coolers have been devised for refrigerators by way of running water through refrigerated zones and a container having a spout thereon inside the refrigerator for dispensing the water therefrom. Some refrigerators have a water cooler supported on the inside door of the refrigerator having a spigot easily accessible on the outside of the refrigerator without opening the main door thereof.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a refrigerator having a door with the usual shelves on the inside of the door which extend slightly into the refrgerator cabinet when the door is closed and having an opening in the inside wall of the door through which a tubular member is run and rovided with a spigot or valve supported in a compartment accessible by opening a small door in the face of the main door of the cabinet for dispensing water from the container merely upon opening of said small door. This invention is particularly useful and unique for providing water easily accessible to children without having an unsightly spigot viewable from outside the refrigerator and thus detracting from the appearance of the refrigerator.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a refrigerator door with an inwardly extending rim or angular member therearound provided with shelves for storage of articles and upon one of which shelves is supported a container having a spout extending through the inner wall of the door'of the cabinet; to provide the spout with a connection including a valve or spigot for dispensing liquid from the container; to provide the door with a compartment having a small door opening to the compartment from the outside of the door of the refrigerator; to provide a bottom in the compartment for supporting a glass, cup or the like into which the liquid from the container may be dispensed; to provide a drain from the compartment and a receptacle for catching the drainage due to spillage of liquid in dispensing the same from the container, the container for the overflow or spillage being also supported by the inner portion of the main door of the refrigerator and to provide a device of this character simple and economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my invention showing a child dispensing liquid from the container.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the refrigerator with the door partially opened particularly illustrating the shelves on the door, the container for the liquid and the drainage tube and pan.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view through the container and door particularly illustrating the 3,208,641 Patented Sept. 28, 1965 ice connection of the spout and spigot, the compartment and small door.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 designates a refrigerator of the usual construction having a main compartment 2 closed by a main door 3. The refrigerator includes the usual upper refrigerating compartment closed by a door 4.

The door 3 is provided with the usual insulation 5 and an additional insulation strip 6 and an inner plate 7 and an outer plate 8. An inwardly extending angular flange or rib 9 is secured to and carried by the inside of the door 3 and extends slightly inside of the main compartment 2 but short of the shelves 10 in said main compartment. The angular flange 9 has side members 11 and 12 and cross-shelves as indicated at 13. Any number of shelves may be provided and may be either removable or permanently secured to the door. The flange 9 also includes a shelf member 14 with a flange 15. The shelves 13 may also be provided with flanges 16 for retaining articles thereon.

Removably supported on one of the shelves 13 is a container 17 which may be of plastic, or any non-corrosive material having a filling opening 18 in the top thereof. The container is rovided with a spout 19 having threads 20 for receiving the threaded end 21 of a connection to a spout 22 having a valve 23 and operating lever 24 shown in dotted lines and the valve in open position. The spout 19 extends through an opening 19' in wall 7 and the spigot 22 is removable therefrom so that the con tainer 17 may be removed for cleaning and filling.

Any kind of liquid as indicated at 25 may be contained in the container 17 such as water, orange juice or other soft drinks.

The spigot 22 is housed within a compartment 26 in the door 3 and the compartment is closed by a door 27 hinged to the side wall of the compartment as indicated at 28 (FIG. 1). A handle 29 is provided for opening the door 27. A bottom 30 is provided in the compartment 26 for supporting a glass, cup or the like 31 into which the liquid from the container is dispensed for use, the bottom sloping slightly toward the wall 7. A drain opening 32 is provided in the bottom of the compartment 26 having a tube connection 33 leading to a drip pan 34 supported on the shelf 14 of the door to catch drippings from the spout or overflow from the glass 31.

It will be noted the door is slightly thicker than the average door and has the added insulation strip 6 and the small door 27 is also insulated to prevent collection of moisture on the inner wall surface 34 of the plate 7. The main door 3 is provided with a handle 35.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that I have provided an improved apparatus for dispensing liquid from a container through the main door of a refrigerator and in which the spigot member is enclosed. If desired the hinges 28 may be provided with a spring member (not shown) urging the small door to close position.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described one form of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein de scribed and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claim.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A liquid dispensing apparatus for a refrigerator comprising,

(a) a main door having inner and outer walls and having a compartment in said door accessible from the outside of the refrigerator without opening said main door, said inner wall having an opening therein to said compartment,

(b) a liquid container,

(c) means supporting said container on the inner Wall of said main door,

(d) a spout on said container extending through said opening in the inner wall of said main door,

(e) a spigot member in said compartment connected to said spout, means for closing said compartment, said 10 compartment having drainage means including an opening in said inner Wall, a pan carried by said inner wall of the door, and a tube leading from said opening to said pan.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 348,043 8/86 Nickles 222108 2,078,097 4/37 Radzinsky 62-338 X 2,408,704 10/46 Taylor 62338 X 2,462,743 2/49 Handel 62-338 X LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

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