Bottom-loaded water dispenser with elongated dispensing zone

Abstract

A bottom loaded water dispenser having a water dispensing zone that can be elongated to accommodate any size of refillable bottles or other containers, including large or wide base bottles or refillable containers, is disclosed. The bottom-loaded water dispenser accommodates a standard bottom-loaded water bottle. The top-loaded water dispenser has a door that fits into a recess of the housing of the dispenser, does not interfere with the bottom-loaded water bottle, and allows the drip tray to be adjusted to any height below the dispensing nozzle.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. non-provisional patent application No. 18 / 450,154, filed on August 15, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a bottom loading water dispenser, and more particularly, to a bottom loading water dispenser having an elongated dispensing area. Background Art

[0004] Water dispensers have been in use for a very long time. An early version of this type of dispenser was the "top load" dispenser, which is still in use today. Top load configurations are cumbersome and require a person to lift a heavy bottle of water, flip it over and place it on top of the water dispenser. Because of this, a person can often spill water while changing a bottle; can injure or severely strain a muscle, and can damage the water dispenser when a heavy bottle is not loaded properly because it is difficult to control.

[0005] The development of "bottom loading" dispensers is to solve many problems caused by top loading dispensers. Over time, due to the standardization of components and height requirements, legal requirements, and in order to reduce costs, top loading dispensers are now designed and manufactured to meet certain predetermined specifications. For example, a 5-gallon water bottle and its defined shape and size have become industry standards. Therefore, bottom loading water coolers need to adapt to their shape and size. Modern water coolers must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA") and meet certain specifications, such as the controls on the front of the unit must be within a range of 15 inches to 48 inches from the ground to accommodate people who want to use the water dispenser in a wheelchair. In addition, in order to make it more efficient and cost-effective to transport multiple water dispensers, the water dispenser is sized to obtain the maximum number of water dispensers in the shipping container. Due to the limitations that the bottom loading water dispenser needs to meet, the height of the bottom loading water dispenser on the market is generally in the range of 48 inches to 52 inches.

[0006] In previous designs, in addition to the top height constraint of the bottom-loading water dispenser described above, the height of the drip tray on the water cooler was set to be higher than the top maximum height of a 5-gallon water bottle to allow the water bottle to be easily moved in and out for replacement. In these prior designs, the standardized 5-gallon water bottle height, the top height constraint of the cooler itself, and the minimum height at which the drip tray could be placed on the cooler created a "maximum dispensing height" on the bottom-loading water dispenser for the bottles or containers that could be filled by the dispenser. These limitations are identified and commented on in paragraph

[0035] of US2014 / 0131385.

[0007] However, as time goes by, people have become more health conscious and, therefore, they drink more water throughout the day. As a result, people are using refillable bottles and containers that are taller than the bottles used in the past. These taller refillable bottles and containers do not fit into the current "maximum dispensing height" between the dispensing nozzle and the drip tray of a bottom loading water dispenser. It is not practical to redesign the water dispenser to keep the drip tray on the door while moving the position of the drip tray downward on the door to lengthen the dispensing height and create a larger "maximum dispensing height" because this would create an unsightly gap where the door meets the water dispenser housing because the housing must have an opening tall enough to insert and remove a 5 gallon water bottle.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need for an aesthetically pleasing bottom loading water dispenser that is able to accommodate refillable bottles and containers of varying heights within existing manufacturing constraints of bottom loading water dispensers. Summary of the invention

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, a bottom loading water dispenser having an elongated dispensing area comprises: a housing having a dispensing nozzle, a front face and a lower portion, wherein the nozzle has a tip, wherein a recess is formed behind the dispensing nozzle and behind the tip of the dispensing nozzle, on the front face of the housing, and wherein an opening is formed in the lower portion of the housing to receive a water bottle; and a door connected to the housing, the door having a drip tray, wherein the door is movable between an open position and a closed position, and wherein the thickness of the recess formed on the front face of the housing is approximately equal to the thickness of the door, so that in the closed position, the door fits with the recess and the top of the door is below the tip of the dispensing nozzle. The bottom loading water dispenser of the present invention may also have an adjustable drip tray. The bottom loading water dispenser of the present invention may also include a lower lip that defines the top of the formed recess and abuts the top of the door in the closed position, and the lower lip may be independent of other housing components. The bottom loading water dispenser of the present invention may have a door that is connected to the housing by a hinge, and the door may also be curved. The bottom loading water dispenser of the present invention may further include an access panel in the housing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0011] Figure 1A is a perspective view of the bottom loading water dispenser of the present invention with the door closed;

[0012] Figure 1B is a front view of the bottom loading water dispenser of the present invention with the door closed;

[0013] Figure 2A is a perspective view of the bottom loading water dispenser of the present invention with the door open;

[0014] Figure 2B is a front view of the bottom loading water dispenser of the present invention with the door open;

[0015] Figure 3 is a partial perspective view of the top of a bottom loading water dispenser of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 4 is a partial side view of the top of the bottom loading water dispenser of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the bottom loading water dispenser of the present invention with the door open and a water bottle being removed;

[0018] Fig. 6A is a partial perspective view of the top of an embodiment of a bottom loading water dispenser having an access panel of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 6B is a partial perspective view of the top of an embodiment of a bottom loading water dispenser with an access panel of the present invention with the access panel removed;

[0020] Fig. 7A is a partial perspective view of the top of an embodiment of a bottom loading water dispenser of the present invention wherein the door of the water dispenser is curved; and

[0021] Figure 7B is another perspective view of the top of an embodiment of a bottom loading water dispenser of the present invention wherein the door of the water dispenser is curved. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] refer to Figure 1A and 1B , describes an embodiment of a bottom loading water dispenser 10 of the present invention. The water dispenser 10 includes a housing 12 and a door 14. The housing 12 contains operating components 16 ( Figure 6BThe housing 12 also defines a lower interior space 20 ( Figure 2A and 2B ), when the water bottle is loaded into the water dispenser 10, the lower internal space 20 accommodates the water bottle 22. The lower internal space 20 has a height, width and depth large enough to accept the inserted water bottle 22. The housing 12 also includes: a water dispensing housing 24, which accommodates a water dispensing button 26 and one or more dispensing nozzles 28. The housing 12 also includes: a lower lip 30, which is set along the base of the water dispensing housing 24. In different embodiments, the lower lip 30 can be formed integrally with the water dispensing housing 24, can be formed as a separate independent component, or can be formed integrally with another component of the water dispenser 10 of the present invention. In this embodiment, the dispensing nozzles 28 each have a terminal 29, which is the lowest point of the dispensing nozzle 28 relative to the ground. When the button 26 is pushed, the dispensing button 26 interacts with the operating component 16 to dispense water to the user through the dispensing nozzle 28.

[0023] In this embodiment, the door 14 of the water dispenser 10 is separate from the housing 12 and is connected to the housing 12. In this embodiment, the door 14 is connected to the housing 12 by a hinge (not shown). Figures 2A to 2B , 3 and 4, in a preferred embodiment, the lower lip 30 defines the top of the recess 40 so that when the door 14 is engaged with the front face of the housing 12 in the closed position, the door 14 fits in the recess 40 defined on the front face of the housing 12 below the lower lip 30. The lower lip 30 and the recess 40 formed by the lower lip 30 are approximately equal to the thickness of the door 14 so that the door 14 fits neatly within the recess 40 when closed and does not extend from under the lower lip 30. In addition, the lower lip 30 is located at a lower position than the end 29 of the dispensing nozzle 28. Placing the lower lip 30 in this position on the dispenser 10 prevents the dispensing nozzle 28 from interfering with the opening and closing of the door 14.

[0024] Refer again Figures 1A to 1B 2A to 2B, the door 14 and recess 40 are designed so that the water bottle 22 can fit completely within the interior space 20 without interfering with closing the door 14. The door 14 includes a base 42, a front bottom 44, and a drip tray 46. In the illustrated embodiment, the base 42 extends the entire length of the door 14 behind the front bottom 44. In other embodiments, the base 42 may not extend the entire length of the door 14, and the front bottom 44 will engage the housing 12 when the door 14 is closed.

[0025] Because the drip tray 46 is attached to the door 14, and the door 14 is the full length of the recess 40 in the housing 12, the drip tray 46 can be placed anywhere along the face of the door 14 to create an extended dispensing height 50 ( Figure 1B), which can accommodate refillable bottles or containers of any size, including very tall bottles or containers. Therefore, compared with existing water coolers, the water dispenser 10 of the present invention can have a very large "maximum dispensing height", and if the user wants such a large dispensing height 50, then the "maximum dispensing height" can theoretically be set to span from the bottom of the end 29 of the dispensing nozzle 28 to the bottom of the housing 12. Thus, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the extended dispensing height 50 is much greater than the maximum dispensing height currently used in the industry. In particular, in the present invention, the drip tray height and the associated dispensing height 50 are not limited by the gap formed at the top of the interior space 20, which must be high enough to accommodate the water bottle 22.

[0026] refer to Figure 2A , 2B In operation, the water bottle 22 is inserted into the interior space 20 of the housing 12. The water bottle 22 is connected to the operating member 16. The door 14 is then closed, and the water bottle 22 is hidden behind the door 14 ( Figure 1A , 1B ), and because the entire door 14 fits into the recess 40 of the housing 12, no gap is shown at the edge of the interior space 20. The adjustable tray 46 has been set at a desired height to accommodate any size bottle that needs to be accommodated during filling. With the door 14 closed, a user of the water dispenser 10 can insert a large refillable bottle or other container under the nozzle 28 into the extended dispensing height 50 to fill the user's bottle or container with water.

[0027] Reference Figure 5 When the water bottle 22 is empty, the user of the dispenser 10 opens the door 14, disconnects the bottle 22 from the operating member 16, and removes the water bottle 22 from the interior space 20. The user then inserts a new water bottle 22, connects the new water bottle 22 to the operating member 16, and closes the door 14. Again, in this closed configuration, there is no gap at the edge of the interior space 20 due to the size of the door 14 and the engagement of the door 14 with the recess 40.

[0028] refer to Fig. 6A and 6B , describes another embodiment of the water dispenser 10 of the present invention. In this embodiment, the housing 12 has an access panel 60 in the recessed area 40 of the housing 12. In this embodiment, the access panel 60 allows a technician to remove the access panel 60 ( Figure 6B), to easily access the operating components 16 when the operating components 16 need maintenance or repair. For current coolers without door 14, it is difficult, if not impossible, for a service technician to access the operating components 16. The access panel 60 also serves to prevent the user of the water dispenser from seeing and touching the operating components 16, which could cause injury. In addition, the door 14 allows the access panel 60 to be used without destroying the aesthetics of the water dispenser 10, because when the door 14 is in the closed position, the user of the water dispenser cannot see the access panel 60.

[0029] refer to Fig. 7A and 7B , describes another embodiment of the water dispenser 10 of the present invention. In this embodiment, the door 14 is bent toward the back of the housing 12, as shown in 52 ( Figure 7B ). This bend maximizes the distance from the end 29 of the nozzle 28 to the door 14, thereby allowing the dispenser user to use a variety of containers having large widths, including containers having wide tops or wide bottoms.

[0030] Although certain embodiments and features of a bottom-loading water distribution device have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all embodiments taught by this disclosure, fully falling within the scope of permitted equivalents.

Claims

1. A bottom loading water dispenser having an elongated dispensing area, comprising: a housing having a dispensing nozzle, a front face, and a lower portion; wherein the dispensing nozzle has a tip, wherein a recess is formed behind the dispensing nozzle and below the tip of the dispensing nozzle on the front face of the housing, and wherein an opening is formed in the lower portion of the housing to receive a water bottle; and a door connected to the housing, the door having a drip tray; wherein the door is movable between an open position and a closed position, and wherein the thickness of the recess formed in the front face of the housing is approximately equal to the thickness of the door so that in the closed position, the door engages with the recess and the top of the door is below the end of the dispensing nozzle.

2. The bottom loading water dispenser according to claim 1, wherein: The drip tray is adjustable.

3. The bottom loading water dispenser according to claim 1, wherein: The housing also includes a lower lip that defines a top of the formed recess and abuts a top of the door in the closed position.

4. The bottom loading water dispenser according to claim 3, wherein: The housing is composed of several parts, and the lower lip is a separate part from the other parts.

5. The bottom loading water dispenser of claim 1, wherein: The door is connected to the housing by a hinge.

6. The bottom loading water dispenser of claim 1, wherein: The housing includes an access panel.

7. The bottom loading water dispenser of claim 1, wherein: The door is curved.

8. A bottom loading water dispenser having an elongated dispensing area, comprising: a housing having a dispensing nozzle, a front face, and a lower portion; wherein the dispensing nozzle has a tip, wherein a recess is formed behind the dispensing nozzle and below the tip of the dispensing nozzle on the front face of the housing, and wherein an opening is formed in the lower portion of the housing to receive a water bottle; and a door connected to the housing, the door having an adjustable drip tray; wherein the door is movable between an open position and a closed position, and wherein the thickness of the recess formed in the front face of the housing is approximately equal to the thickness of the door, so that in the closed position, the door engages with the recess and the top of the door is below the end of the dispensing nozzle.

9. The bottom loading water dispenser of claim 8, wherein: The housing also includes a lower lip that defines a top of the formed recess and that abuts a top of the door in the closed position.

10. The bottom loading water dispenser of claim 9, wherein: The housing is composed of several parts, and the lower lip is a separate part from the other parts.

11. The bottom loading water dispenser of claim 8, wherein: The door is connected to the housing by a hinge.

12. The bottom loading water dispenser of claim 8, wherein: The housing includes an access panel.

13. The bottom loading water dispenser of claim 8, wherein: The door is curved.

14. A bottom loading water dispenser having an elongated dispensing area, comprising: a housing having a dispensing nozzle, a lower lip, a front face, and a lower portion; wherein the dispensing nozzle has a tip, wherein a recess is formed behind the dispensing nozzle and below the tip of the dispensing nozzle, on the front face of the housing, and the lower lip defines a top of the recess, and wherein an opening is formed in the lower portion of the housing to receive a water bottle; and a door connected to the housing, the door having an adjustable drip tray; wherein the door is movable between an open position and a closed position, and wherein the thickness of the recess formed in the front face of the housing is approximately equal to the thickness of the door, such that in the closed position, the door engages the recess and the top of the door abuts the lower lip and is below the end of the dispensing nozzle.

15. The bottom loading water dispenser of claim 14, wherein: The housing is composed of several parts, and the lower lip is a separate part from the other parts.

16. The bottom loading water dispenser of claim 14, wherein: The door is connected to the housing by a hinge.

17. The bottom loading water dispenser of claim 14, wherein: The housing includes an access panel.

18. The bottom loading water dispenser of claim 14, wherein: The door is curved.

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