Refrigerator door mounted water dispensing assembly

US6574984B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Camco Inc. · US

Inventors

• Michael McCrea · Hamilton, CA
• Dave Brown · Folsom, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 7, 2002
• Grant date: Jun 10, 2003
• Expiry date: Feb 7, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F25D2400/04
• WIPO field: Other consumer goods
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

A portable water dispensing module is mounted to a refrigerator door inner liner. The liner has side walls with aligned vertically spaced module supports. The water dispensing module comprises a reservoir having a fill chamber located above a main reservoir. The fill chamber has a lid that has an opening closed by a cap. The reservoir supports the fill chamber and has side walls with anchoring supports that releasably and matingly engage with the module supports on the liner side walls to mount the water dispensing module against the liner walls. A lower recessed portion of the front wall of the reservoir protects a spigot, mounted into the recess, from inadvertent contact with a user. The reservoir further includes recessed handle portions on the side walls located forward of the refrigerator door liner side walls and below the fill chamber to facilitate the portability of the water dispensing module from the refrigerator door. The combined use of the fill chamber with the reservoir and the use of a filter in between permits for a relatively large volume of water to be stored in the water dispensing module on the inside of the refrigerator door without the use of any plumbing wate…