EP 1869380 B1 20110105 - WATER SUPPLY DEVICE FOR SUPPLYING AN ICE CUBE MAKER AND/OR A WATER DISPENSER OF A REFRIGERATOR AND/OR FREEZER
Title (en)
WATER SUPPLY DEVICE FOR SUPPLYING AN ICE CUBE MAKER AND/OR A WATER DISPENSER OF A REFRIGERATOR AND/OR FREEZER
Title (de)
WASSERVERSORGUNGSVORRICHTUNG ZUR VERSORGUNG EINES EISWÜRFELBEREITERS UND/ODER EINES WASSERSPENDERS EINES KÜHL-UND/ODER GEFRIERGERÄTES
Title (fr)
DISPOSITIF D'ALIMENTATION EN EAU POUR APPROVISIONNER UN DISTRIBUTEUR DE GLAÇONS ET/OU D'EAU DANS UN REFRIGERATEUR ET/OU UN CONGELATEUR
Publication
Application
Priority
- EP 2006003436 W 20060413
- DE 202005006075 U 20050415
- DE 202005007482 U 20050511
Abstract (en)
[origin: US2009120122A1] The present invention relates to a water supply device for the water supply of an ice cube maker and/or water dispenser of a refrigerator and/or freezer, comprising a water tank, which includes a filling hole for manually filling the water tank and an outlet connection for connecting the water tank to a supply conduit of the ice cube maker and/or water dispenser. The invention furthermore relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer with such a water supply device. The invention is based on the idea to combine the advantages of a fixed water connection with the advantages of a manually fillable water tank. In accordance with the invention, it is proposed to use a manually fillable water tank on which a fixed water connection is provided for connection of the water tank to a stationary water conduit. The water supply device thereby can selectively be operated manually, in particular when no fixed water connection is provided, or automatically, when such fixed water connection is provided. In this way, the comfort of a fixed water connection is incorporated, but the presence of a stationary water conduit is no condition for mounting or operating the refrigerator with water supply point. In automatic operation, the combination of the manually fillable water tank with the fixed water connection also provides advantages over pure solutions with fixed water connection. Thus, a simple cleaning of the system can be achieved by adding a cleaning agent through the filling hole of the water tank. Other additives also can easily be added to the water to be dispensed. Moreover, when switching over to automatic operation, the first tank fill-up, in particular the water present in the supply conduit for an extended period, can be disposed of in a fast and uncomplicated way by draining the tank.
IPC 8 full level
B67D 7/06 (2010.01); F25D 23/12 (2006.01)
CPC (source: EP KR US)
F25D 11/00 (2013.01 - KR); F25D 23/00 (2013.01 - KR); F25D 23/12 (2013.01 - KR); F25D 23/126 (2013.01 - EP US); F25D 25/00 (2013.01 - KR); F25C 2400/14 (2013.01 - EP US); F25C 2700/04 (2013.01 - EP US); F25D 2323/122 (2013.01 - EP US)
Designated contracting state (EPC)
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
DOCDB simple family (publication)
US 2009120122 A1 20090514; AT E494518 T1 20110115; DE 202005007482 U1 20060824; DE 502006008665 D1 20110217; EP 1869380 A2 20071226; EP 1869380 B1 20110105; JP 2008536082 A 20080904; KR 20070119033 A 20071218; RU 2007142173 A 20090527; WO 2006108665 A2 20061019; WO 2006108665 A3 20070823
DOCDB simple family (application)
US 91851406 A 20060413; AT 06724325 T 20060413; DE 202005007482 U 20050511; DE 502006008665 T 20060413; EP 06724325 A 20060413; EP 2006003436 W 20060413; JP 2008505822 A 20060413; KR 20077023179 A 20071010; RU 2007142173 A 20060413