Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Filling means with receiver or receiver coacting means – Receiver actuated discharge means
Reexamination Certificate
2003-06-13
2004-08-10
Maust, Timothy L. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Filling means with receiver or receiver coacting means
Receiver actuated discharge means
C141S018000, C141S284000, C141S325000, C141S351000, C141S353000, C141S363000, C141S364000, C141S365000, C141S366000, C062S389000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06772807
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a sealing structure of a drinking water tank and, more particularly, to a sealing cover that seals the drinking water tank with the cap, and engaged with the cap and a water inlet and venting pipe of a water dispenser when the water tank is installed on the water dispenser.
FIG. 1
shows a conventional sealing structure of a drinking water tank
10
A. As shown, the water tank
10
A is inversely disposed for being installed on a water dispenser
20
A. The mouth of the tank
10
A is covered with a cap
1
A. Recessed from the center of the cap
1
A is a hollow water guide
11
A. A sealing cover
2
A is disposed in the water guide
11
A. Before the water tank
10
A is installed in the water dispenser
20
A, the cap
1
A is sealed by the sealing cover
2
A; and therefore, water in the tank
10
A is prevented from flowing from the opening
12
A through the water guide
11
A. The sealing cover
2
A also prevents objects entering the tank
10
A to contaminate the water therein. As shown, the sealing cover
2
A has a configuration conformal to the contour of the water guide
11
A to provide the sealing function of the water tank
10
A. When the water tank
20
A is inversely installed on the water dispenser
10
A, the sealing cover
3
A is wide enough to accommodate the close end of a water inlet and venting pipe
3
A of the water dispenser
20
A therein. The sealing cover
2
A has a latching structure
21
A, such as a hook or a barb formed at a bottom edge of thereof, and the water inlet and venting pipe
3
A includes a groove
31
A along an exterior periphery thereof. Therefore, the sealing cover
2
A can be engaged with the water inlet and venting pipe
3
A when the water tank
20
A is move downwardly.
As shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3
, when the water tank
10
A is installed on the water dispenser
20
A, the water guide
11
A is aligned over the water inlet and venting pipe
3
A, and the water tank
10
A is downwardly to resulting in the engagement of the sealing cover
2
A and the water inlet and venting pipe
3
A. Relative to the downward movement of the water tank
10
A, the sealing cover
2
A engaged with the water inlet and venting pipe
3
A is pushed upwardly until being removed from the water guide
11
A of the cap
1
A. Therefore, when the water tank
10
A is installed on the water dispenser
20
A, the sealing cover
2
A and the water inlet venting pipe
3
A are immersed in the water contained in the water tank
10
A, such that water and air can flow into and from the water dispenser
20
A through the water inlet and venting pipe
3
A.
However, the above conventional sealing cover has the following drawbacks:
1. In the fabrication process, dimension error of the opening
12
A of the water guide
11
A or the sealing cover
2
A is inevitable. Should error occurs between the sealing cover
2
A and the water guide
22
A, once the water tank
20
A is inversed, water is leaking from the opening
12
A between sealing cover
2
A and the water guide
11
A. The sealing effect is thus degraded.
2. The sealing cover
2
A is engaged with the water inlet and venting pipe
3
A by the latching structure
21
A and the groove
31
A only. Therefore, the engaging strength is insufficient. Therefore, the sealing cover
2
A is easily detached from the water inlet and venting pipe
3
A.
3. The sealing cover
2
A is capped within the water guide
11
A, such that the exterior sidewall of the sealing cover
2
A is in contact with the sidewall of the water guide
11
A. When the sealing cover
2
A is pushed by the water inlet and venting pipe
3
A to displace, the friction between the sealing cover
2
A and the water guide affects the displacement.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a sealing structure of a water tank to provide an improved sealing effect of the water tank.
The present invention further provides a sealing structure of a water tank that can be firmly engaged with the cap and the water tank and venting pipe when the water tank is installed on the water dispenser.
The present invention also provides a sealing structure of a water tank to improve the displacement when the water tank is installed on the water dispenser.
The present invention is characterized in forming a sealing structure of a water tank. The water tank has a mouth covered with a cap. The cap includes a top surface and a hollow guide recessed from the top surface to define an opening. A sealing cover having a bottom wall and a sidewall extending from the bottom wall is used to receive the hollow guide therein. The sealing cover includes a latching structure extending from the sidewall thereof to provide a friction contact with the hollow guide, such that the water tank is properly sealed before being installed on a water dispenser. The hollow guide also includes a latching structure at an edge distal to the top surface of the cap. Therefore, when the sealing cover stretches from the hollow guide, the latching structures latch with each other to prevent the sealing cover from being removed from the hollow guide. Preferably, the sidewall of the sealing cover includes at least water outlet aperture and an air inlet aperture thereon. When the hollow guide is received therein, the water outlet and air inlet apertures are blocked thereby.
The bottom wall of the sealing cover further comprises a recessed central portion and a latching structure such as an annular hook or an annular barb, formed on a top edge of the recessed central portion. Therefore, when the water tank is installed on the water dispenser which includes a water inlet and venting pipe, the sealing cover is engaged with the water inlet venting pipe by latching the latching structure thereof with a groove formed on the water inlet and venting pipe.
The present invention further provides a water tank comprising a tank for containing water therein, a cap for capping a mouth of the tank and having a top surface, a hollow water guide recessed from a central portion of the top surface, and a sealing cover. The hollow water guide defines an opening to allow water contained in the tank flowing through and includes a first latching structure at an edge distal to the top surface. The sealing cover encasing the hollow water guide includes a bottom surface covering the opening and a sidewall extending perpendicularly from the bottom wall. The sidewall further comprises a second attaching structure in frictional contact with the hollow water guide. The water tank is inversely disposed to be installed on a water dispenser which comprises a water inlet and venting pipe. The bottom wall of the sealing cover comprises a central recessed portion and a third latching structure along a top edge thereof, and the water inlet and venting pipe further comprises a groove formed on a periphery of a top portion thereof to engage with the third latching structure. The sidewall of the sealing cover further comprises at least one water outlet aperture and an air outlet aperture.
The present invention further provides a water dispenser system comprising a water dispenser and a water tank. The water dispenser includes a water inlet and venting pipe which has at least one water inlet aperture and a venting aperture formed thereon. The water tank is to be installed on the water dispenser and comprises a tank for containing water therein, a cap capping a mouth of the tank, a hollow water guide and a sealing cover. The cap has a top surface, and the hollow guide is recessed from the central portion to define an opening through which water and air can be communicated between the water tank and the water dispenser. The hollow water guide has a first latching structure at an edge distal to the top surface. The sealing cover encases the hollow water guide therein and has a bottom surface covering the opening and a sidewall extending perpendicularly from the bottom wall. The sidewall further comprising a second attaching structure in frictional contact with the hollow water guide.
In one embodiment, the water tank
LandOfFree
Sealing structure of drinking water tank does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Sealing structure of drinking water tank, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Sealing structure of drinking water tank will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3322038