DISPENSING CONTROL DEVICE FOR ICEMAKER

A dispensing control device for an icemaker includes a dispensing structure and a control structure assembled with the dispensing structure. The dispensing structure includes at least a first dispensing portion and a second dispensing portion for dispensing at least two kinds of materials, wherein the first and the second dispensing portion and the dispensing structure form a dispensing area in which a first position and a second position are defined respectively. The control structure includes a first trigger unit and a second trigger unit, for respectively triggering the corresponding first and second dispensing portion to dispense materials respectively thereof, wherein the first and the second trigger units respectively include a first and a second actuating element mounted at the first position and the second position in the dispensing area, and a first and a second trigger components which are respectively triggered by the first and the second actuating elements to control the material dispensing of the first and second dispensing portion. Therefore, the user can obtain different desired materials by operating at different positions in the dispensing area.

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Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a dispensing control device for an icemaker, and more particularly to a dispensing control device which can control the icemaker to dispense liquids or solids.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The dispensing control device which can control the dispensing of liquids or solids (e.g., ice cubes) provides great convenience for the industrial or home users. This type of dispensing control device is always applied to the loading machine in the beverage store, the beverage dispenser in the fast food restaurant, the water/ice dispenser mounted on the refrigerator, the coffee maker and the water dispenser etc.

Some prior arts, like U.S. Pat. No. 7,266,951, U.S. Pat. No. 7,104,085, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,777, disclosed a dispensing device for the refrigerator or the beverage machine, and the feature they have in common is that the dispensing device has an ice dispensing outlet and one or more liquid dispensing outlet aside the ice dispensing outlet for dispensing water or beverage, so that when accessing the ice cubes, the user should put the cup under the ice dispensing outlet and press a corresponding plate or button for enabling the dispensing of the ice cubes. Similarly, when accessing the water or beverage, the user should put the cup under the liquid dispensing outlet and press a corresponding plate or button for dispensing the water or beverage.

Although the above patents integrate the ice and the liquid dispensing outlets into one machine for facilitating the accesses to the ice and the beverage on one machine, some disadvantages are also developed:

1. Because the ice and the liquid dispensing outlets are arranged side by side, a larger space will be occupied, so that if the dispenser is designed to integrate with the refrigerator, the inner space of the refrigerator might be reduced thereby. And, if it keeps the inner space of the refrigerator unreduced, the entire volume of the refrigerator must be increased.

2. If the dispenser is applied to the beverage machine for dispensing multiple kinds of beverages, the machine might become too big or too wide to be arranged, or the remainder space after arrangement might become too small.

3. Because there are multiple outlets, if the cup is not placed at a correct position for receiving, it is easy to cause a spill of ice cubes or water. And, if the user wants to access the ice cubes and the water at the same time, then a proper movement of the cup must be executed between the outlets. Therefore, the operation is not convenient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to solve the problems described above by integrating multiple dispensing outlets and thus reducing the volume of the dispensing machine, so as to facilitate the operation of the user.

For achieving the object described above, the present invention provides a dispensing control device for an icemaker including a dispensing structure and a control structure assembled with the dispensing structure. The dispensing structure includes at least a first dispensing portion and a second dispensing portion for dispensing at least two kinds of materials, and a dispensing area with a first position and a second position defined therein respectively corresponding to the first and the second dispensing portion. The control structure includes a first trigger unit and a second trigger unit, for respectively triggering the corresponding first and second dispensing portion to dispense materials respectively. The first trigger unit includes a first actuating element mounted at the first position in the dispensing area, and a first trigger component which is triggered by the first actuating element to control the material dispensing of the first dispensing portion. The second trigger unit comprises a second actuating element mounted at the second position in the dispensing area, and a second trigger component which is triggered by the second actuating element to control the material dispensing of the second dispensing portion. Therefore, the user can obtain different desired materials from the first or the second dispensing portion by operating at different positions in the dispensing area.

Accordingly, as compared with the prior arts, the present invention is advantageous of reducing the machine volume by saving the moving space between two side by side outlets, which not only the operation time can be reduced, but also the operation can be speed up.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the appearance of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another schematic view showing the appearance of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a decomposition drawing of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is another decomposition drawing of the present invention;

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are schematic views showing a first operation state of the present invention;

FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B are schematic views showing a second operation state of the present invention;

FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B are schematic views showing a third operation state of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, which show a dispensing control device for an icemaker according to the present invention. The dispensing control device includes a dispensing structure 10. The dispensing structure includes at least a first dispensing portion 11 and a second dispensing portion 12, e.g., material outlets, for dispensing at least two kinds of materials, and the dispensing structure 10 is also formed to have a dispensing area 13 in which a first position and a second position are respectively defined. Then, as shown FIG. 3, the dispensing control device also includes a control structure, which includes a first trigger unit 30 and a second trigger unit 40, for respectively triggering the corresponding first and second dispensing portion 11, 12 to dispense the materials respectively thereof. The first trigger unit 30 includes a first actuating element 31 mounted at the first position in the dispensing area 13, and a first trigger component 34 which can be triggered by the first actuating element 31 to control the material dispensing of the first dispensing portion 11. The second trigger unit 40 includes a second actuating element 41 mounted at the second position in the dispensing area 13, and a second trigger component 44 which can be triggered by the second actuating element 41 to control the material dispensing of the second dispensing portion 12. Thereby, the main framework of the present invention can be achieved.

In the present invention, in addition to the first and the second positions, the dispensing area 13 is also defined to have a third position. As shown in FIG. 4, the control structure further includes a third trigger unit 50. The third trigger unit 50, similar to the first and the second trigger units 30, 40, also includes a third actuating element 51 mounted at the third position in the dispensing area 13, and a third trigger component 54 which can be triggered by the third actuating element 51 to control the material dispensing of the second dispensing portion 12. Moreover, the first, the second, and the third actuating elements 31, 41, 51 are all pivotally mounted on the dispensing structure 10, and respectively have a force-receiving portion 32, 42, 52 which can pivot on the dispensing structure 10 after receiving an external force applied thereon. And, when the first, the second, and the third actuating elements 31, 41, 51 are pivoting, they will respectively reject to an acting portion 33, 43, 53 of the first, the second and the third trigger component 34, 44, 54. In the present invention, the first, the second and the third trigger component 34, 44, 54 are respectively a tact switch which can trigger the first dispensing portion 11 or the second dispensing portion 12 to output materials after being pressed by the acting portion 33, 43, 53.

The first dispending portion 11 and the second dispensing portion 12 are employed to dispense different materials, which can be selected from a group consisting of water, crushed ices, and ice cubes. However, for the purpose of clarity and simplicity, the first dispensing portion 11 is defined to dispense water and the dispensing portion 12 is defined to dispense crushed ices or ice cubes in the following descriptions. Then, please refer to FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B, FIG. 6A to FIG. 6B, and FIG. 7A to FIG. 7B, the respective heights of the first, the second and the third positions defined in the dispensing area 13 are different and the respective distances from the first, the second and the third positions to the user are also different, so that the first, the second and the third actuating elements 31, 41, 51 which are located at those positions also have different heights and distance to the user.

When the user wants to load the water, as shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, e.g., via a container (not shown), the container can be moved to the first position in the dispensing area 13 to press the force-receiving portion 32 of the first actuating element 31. At this time, the first actuating element 31 will be forced to pivot, so that the acting portion 33 of the first actuating element 31 will in turn press the first trigger component 34, so as to trigger the first dispensing portion 11 to dispense water.

When the user wants to load the crushed ices, as shown in FIG. 6A to FIG. 6B, the container can be moved to the second position in the dispensing area 13 to press the force-receiving portion 42 of the second actuating element 41. Therefore, the second actuating element 41 will be forced to pivot, and the acting portion 43 of the second actuating element 41 will in turn press the second trigger component 44, so as to trigger the second dispensing portion 12 to dispense crushed ices. Identically, when the user wants to load the ice cubes, as shown in FIG. 7A to FIG. 7B, the container can be moved to the third position in the dispensing area 13 to press the force-receiving portion 52 of the third actuating element 51. Therefore, the third actuating element 51 will be forced to pivot, and the acting portion 53 of the third actuating element 51 will in turn press the third trigger component 54, so as to trigger the second dispensing portion 12 to dispense ice cubes.

Here, in addition to be the tact switches, the first, the second and the third trigger components 34, 44, 54 also can function as sensors. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the first and the second trigger components 34, 44 are implemented as sensors and are used for sensing the movements of the acting portions 33, 43 of the first and the second actuating elements 31, 41, so that it can judge that if there is any force applied to the force-receiving portions 31, 42 of the first and the actuating elements 31, 41, and thus can control the first dispensing portion 11 or the second dispensing portion 12 to output materials. And, the third trigger element 54 is remained as a tact switch. Therefore, there is no limitation to the implementations of the first, the second and the third trigger elements 34, 44, 54, and they can be all tact switches or sensors, or a combination thereof.

In the aforesaid, according to the present invention, the first and the second dispensing portions 11, 12 on the dispensing structure 10 are integrated to form one dispensing area 13. Particularly, the first, the second, and the third actuating elements 31, 41, 51 of the first, the second and the third trigger units 30, 40, 50, which can control the dispensing of the first and the second dispensing portions 11, 12, are respectively mounted at different positions in the dispensing area 13. Therefore, the user can respectively and independently operate with different trigger units 30, 40, 50 at different positions for independently triggering and controlling the first dispensing portion 11 or the second dispensing portion 12 to dispense desired materials without other materials' dispensing at the same time.

Consequently, as compared with the prior arts, the present invention is advantageous of reducing the machine volume by saving the moving space between two side by side outlets, which not only can reduce the operation time, also can speed up the operation.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A dispensing control device for an icemaker, comprising:

a dispensing structure comprising a first dispensing portion and a second dispensing portion for dispensing at least two kinds of materials, wherein the first and the second dispensing portion and the dispensing structure form a dispensing area in which a first position and a second position are defined respectively; and
a control structure, comprising at least a first trigger unit and a second trigger unit, for respectively triggering the corresponding first and second dispensing portion to dispense materials respectively thereof, wherein the first trigger unit comprises a first actuating element mounted at the first position in the dispensing area, and a first trigger component which is triggered by the first actuating element to control the material dispensing of the first dispensing portion, and the second trigger unit comprises a second actuating element mounted at the second position in the dispensing area, and a second trigger component which is triggered by the second actuating element to control the material dispensing of the second dispensing portion.

2. The dispensing control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heights of the first position and the second position are different.

3. The dispensing control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the respective distances from the first position and the second position to the user are different.

4. The dispensing control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and the second actuating elements are pivotally mounted on the dispensing structure, and respectively comprise a force-receiving portion, for receiving an external force applied thereon by which the first and the second actuating elements are pivoted on the dispensing structure, and an acting portion, for respectively controlling the first and the second trigger components to activate the first and the second dispensing portions to dispense materials when the first and the second actuating elements are pivoting.

5. The dispensing control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and the second trigger components are selected from a group consisting of tact switches and sensors.

6. The dispensing control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first dispending portion and the second dispensing portion are employed to dispense different materials.

7. The dispensing control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the materials are selected from a group consisting of water, crushed ices, and ice cubes.

8. A dispensing control device for an icemaker, comprising:

a dispensing structure comprising a first dispensing portion and a second dispensing portion for dispensing at least two kinds of materials, wherein the first and the second dispensing portion and the dispensing structure form a dispensing area in which a first position, a second position and a third position are defined respectively; and
a control structure, comprising at least a first trigger unit, a second trigger unit and a third trigger unit, for respectively triggering the corresponding first and second dispensing portion to dispense materials respectively thereof, wherein the first trigger unit comprises a first actuating element mounted at the first position in the dispensing area, and a first trigger component which is triggered by the first actuating element to control the material dispensing of the first dispensing portion; the second trigger unit comprises a second actuating element mounted at the second position in the dispensing area, and a second trigger component which is triggered by the second actuating element to control the material dispensing of the second dispensing portion; and the third trigger unit comprises a third actuating element mounted at the third position in the dispensing area, and a third trigger component which is triggered by the third actuating element to control the material dispensing of the second dispensing portion.

9. The dispensing control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the heights of the first position, the second position and the third position are different.

10. The dispensing control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the respective distances from the first position, the second position and the third position to the user are different.

11. The dispensing control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first, the second, and the third actuating elements are pivotally mounted on the dispensing structure, and respectively comprise a force-receiving portion, for receiving an external force applied thereon by which the first, the second, and the third actuating elements are pivoted on the dispensing structure, and an acting portion, for respectively controlling the first, the second, and the third trigger components to activate the first and the second dispensing portions to dispense materials when the first, the second, and the third actuating elements are pivoting.

12. The dispensing control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first, the second and the third trigger components are selected from a group consisting of tact switches and sensors.

13. The dispensing control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first dispending portion and the second dispensing portion are employed to dispense different materials.

14. The dispensing control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the materials are selected from a group consisting of water, crushed ices, and ice cubes.

Patent History
Publication number: 20110226815
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 17, 2010
Publication Date: Sep 22, 2011
Inventor: Chin-Wen CHOU (Taipei Hsien)
Application Number: 12/725,929
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Alternatively Usable (222/278)
International Classification: F25C 5/00 (20060101);