EP1890097A1

EP1890097A1 - Refrigerator with a drinking liquid dispenser, and system for supplying information relating to the status of the liquid in the dispenser

Info

Publication number: EP1890097A1
Application number: EP06118513A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Xavier Hue; Girish Pimputkar; Roberto Giordano
Original assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corp NV
Current assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corp NV
Priority date: 2006-08-07
Filing date: 2006-08-07
Publication date: 2008-02-20
Also published as: WO2008017419A3; WO2008017419A2

Abstract

A refrigerator (1) having a liquid dispenser (2), in turn having at least one tank (3) housed inside the refrigerator (1) and containing a drinking liquid, and a metering device (4) connected to the tank (3) to receive the liquid, and which is user-operated to draw a given amount of liquid from the refrigerator (1); the refrigerator (1) having a measuring unit (10) for measuring the level of the liquid in the tank (3); a processing unit (11) for determining, as a function of the measured liquid level, information relating to the bacteria level in the liquid, and/or information relating to run-out of the liquid inside the tank (3), and/or information relating to wear-out of a liquid filter (8) installed in the tank (3); and a user interface unit (12) located outside the refrigerator to indicate to a user at least one of the information items determined by the processing unit (11).

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator with a drinking liquid dispenser, and to a system for supplying the user with information relative to the status of the liquid in the dispenser.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a household refrigerator with a dispenser for dispensing a drinking liquid such as water, to which the following description refers purely by way of example.
As is known, some currently marketed household refrigerators are equipped with a drinking liquid dispenser, which is normally incorporated in the refrigerator door to enable the user to draw off a given amount of liquid cooled inside the refrigerator, without having to open the door.
The liquid dispenser normally comprises a tank containing the liquid, and which is equipped with a filter and fixed to the inside wall of the refrigerator door, from which it can be removed easily to be filled; and a liquid metering device located on the outside wall of the refrigerator door and connected to the tank by a conduit to receive and dispense, on command, a given amount of liquid from the refrigerator.
A major problem of refrigerators equipped with liquid dispensers of the above type lies in the user being unable to determine the actual status of the liquid in the tank inside the refrigerator and/or the status of the tank itself.
In particular, refrigerators of the above type do not allow the user to determine, in real time, whether the bacteria in the liquid inside the tank exceeds a maximum safety threshold, and/or whether the filter in the tank is no longer effective and needs changing.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator equipped with a practical, low-cost system designed to supply the user immediately with information relating to the status of the dispenser tank and/or the status of the liquid inside the tank.
According to the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator equipped with a system for supplying information relating to the status of the liquid inside a dispenser, as claimed in the accompanying Claims.
A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows, schematically, a refrigerator equipped with a liquid dispenser, and a system for supplying information relating to the status of the liquid in the dispenser, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;
Figure 2 shows, schematically, the dispenser and a system for supplying information relating to the status of the liquid in the dispenser.

The present invention is substantially based on the principle of measuring, instant by instant, the level of the liquid inside the liquid tank of a dispenser, and to supply, as a function of the measured level, information relating to the status of the tank and/or of the liquid inside the tank.
Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole a refrigerator comprising a dispenser 2 for dispensing drinking liquid, such as water or any other similar liquid or beverage, and which provides for dispensing from refrigerator 1 a given amount of liquid maintained at a given cooling temperature inside the refrigerator.
Dispenser 2 substantially comprises a tank 3 containing the drinking liquid and located inside refrigerator 1 to maintain the liquid at a cooling temperature equal to the temperature inside refrigerator 1; and a metering device 4 connected to tank 3 by a tube or conduit 5 to receive the liquid from tank 3, and which is user-operated in known manner to dispense a given amount of liquid into a vessel outside refrigerator 1.
In the Figure 1 example, tank 3 is fixed to the inside wall of the door 6 of refrigerator 1 for easy removal to be filled with liquid, and is located over metering device 4 so that the liquid is fed to the metering device by gravity. Alternatively, tank 3 may obviously be fixed permanently to the inside wall of door 6.
Tank 3 comprises a container 7 having a tubular member connected to conduit 5 to feed the liquid to metering device 4; and a filter 8 housed inside container 7 to eliminate any particles and/or impurities from the liquid.
Metering device 4 is located on the outside wall of door 6 for access by the user, and substantially comprises a liquid tap; and a tap on/off member preferably user-operated manually to control outflow of the liquid.
Refrigerator 1 also comprises an indicator system 9 for measuring the level of the liquid inside tank 3 and supplying the user, as a function of the measured liquid level, with information relating to the status of tank 3 and/or the status of the liquid inside the tank.
More specifically, indicator system 9 supplies the user selectively with one or more of the following: information relating to the bacteria level in the liquid inside tank 3, and/or information relating to run-out of the liquid inside tank 3, and/or information relating to wear-out of filter 8.
With reference to Figure 2, indicator system 9 substantially comprises a measuring unit 10 for measuring the liquid level in container 7; a processing unit 11 for determining, as a function of the measured liquid level, information relating to the status of the liquid and/or the status of tank 3; and an interface unit 12 for communicating to the user the liquid status and/or tank status information determined by processing unit 11.
Measuring unit 10 may comprise a liquid level sensor appropriately fitted to the inside or outside of container 7 to generate an electric signal related to the measured liquid level. The level sensor may comprise, for example, a capacitive measuring sensor or any other similar type of level sensor.
Processing unit 11 may comprise a microprocessor, which receives, instant by instant, i.e. at predetermined time intervals, the electric signal related to the measured liquid level, and processes the signal to determine information relating to the status of the liquid and/or the status of tank 3.
More specifically, when the measured liquid level remains substantially constant for a given time period, processing unit 11 determines crossover by the bacteria in the liquid of a predetermined critical safety threshold, and so transmits an alarm message, via interface unit 12, informing the user of a high bacteria level in the liquid, i.e. a stagnant-liquid condition, and/or a message indicating how long the liquid has remained stagnant inside container 7.
Informing the user of the formation of a bacteria level in the liquid over and above an acceptable threshold is extremely advantageous, by preventing the user from drawing stagnant liquid which may prove harmful if ingested.
Processing unit 11 also determines run-out of the liquid in container 7 when the liquid level measured by measuring unit 10 falls below a predetermined threshold. In which case, processing unit 11, via interface unit 12, transmits a message to fill tank 3.
Processing unit 11 also indicates, instant by instant, via interface unit 12 and as a function of the measured liquid level and the inside volume of container 7, the amount of liquid inside container 7.
Processing unit 11 also determines wear-out of filter 8 when the amount of liquid through the filter exceeds a predetermined maximum value. In the example shown, processing unit 11 calculates the amount of liquid through filter 8 as a function of the volume of container 7 and the time pattern of the liquid level measured inside container 7.
Informing the user of reduced efficiency of the filter is extremely advantageous, by enabling the user to change the filter in time, with obvious advantages in terms of the quality of the liquid in the dispenser.
Interface unit 12 may be located on one of the outside walls of refrigerator 1, preferably on the outside wall of door 6, and comprises a display 13, or any other similar device, for displaying the messages generated by processing unit 11.
Interface unit 12 may preferably, though not necessarily, also comprise an acoustic device 14 for generating sound, e.g. voice, messages containing the messages generated by processing unit 11.
Interface unit 12 may preferably, though not necessarily, also comprise a control device 16, e.g. a keyboard, enabling the user to interrogate processing unit 11 to receive one or more of the above information items relating to the status of the liquid and/or of tank 3.
To ensure good-quality, hygienically safe liquid is dispensed, indicator system 9 may be designed to cut off liquid supply by dispenser 2 upon a stagnant-liquid condition and/or wear-out of filter 8 being determined.
More specifically, when a bacteria level over and above a predetermined critical safety level is determined, and/or when wear-out of the filter is determined, processing unit 11 generates a control signal S_COM to cut off liquid supply by dispenser 2. In the example shown, control signal S_COM may disable metering device 4 - so that no liquid is supplied when the user operates the on/off member - and/or may close a solenoid valve 17 which, in the example shown, is located inside conduit 5, at the inlet of metering device 4, to cut off liquid supply to metering device 4 and so prevent the liquid being dispensed.
In addition to being extremely cheap to produce, indicator system 9 of refrigerator 1 also has the advantage of preventing the user from ingesting poor-quality liquid from dispenser 2. That is, in the event of a high bacteria level and/or reduced efficiency of the filter being determined, the system accordingly informs the user and/or prevents the liquid from being dispensed.
Clearly, changes may be made to the refrigerator as described and illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the accompanying Claims.

Claims

A refrigerator (1) comprising at least one liquid dispenser (2), in turn comprising at least one tank (3) housed inside the refrigerator (1) and containing a drinking liquid, and a metering device (4) connected to said tank (3) to receive the liquid, and which is user-operated to draw a given amount of liquid from the refrigerator (1); said refrigerator (1) being characterized by comprising measuring means (10) for measuring the level of the liquid in the tank (3); processing means (11) for determining, as a function of the measured liquid level, information relating to the bacteria level in the liquid, and/or information relating to run-out of the liquid inside said tank (3), and/or information relating to wear-out of a liquid filter (8) installed in said tank (3); and user interface means (12) located outside said refrigerator to indicate to a user at least one of said information items determined by said processing means (11).
A refrigerator as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said processing means (11) determine a crossover condition by the bacteria level of a predetermined safety threshold when the liquid level measured by said measuring means (10) in said tank (3) remains substantially constant for a given time period; said interface means (12) indicating an alarm message to the user upon said crossover condition being determined.
A refrigerator as claimed in Claims 1 and 2, wherein said processing means (11) determine a wear-out condition of said filter (8) as a function of the time pattern of said measured liquid level, and on the basis of the volume of said tank (3); said interface means (12) indicating a request to said user to change said filter (8) upon said wear-out condition being determined.
A refrigerator as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, wherein said processing means (11) determine run-out of the liquid in said tank (3) when the measured liquid level falls below a predetermined minimum threshold; said interface means (12) indicating to said user a request to fill said tank (3) upon said run-out of the liquid in said tank (3) being determined.
A refrigerator as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 4, wherein, when said crossover condition by the bacteria level of a predetermined safety level is determined, said processing means (11) cut off liquid supply from said dispenser (2).
A refrigerator as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 5, characterized in that, when said wear-out condition of said filter (8) is determined, said processing means (11) cut off liquid supply from said dispenser (2).
A refrigerator as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said interface means (12) are located on the outside wall of the door (6) of said refrigerator (1), and comprise a display (13) for displaying to the user the messages generated by said processing means (11).