Waterline retractor for refrigerator cabinet

Claim 2

In combination, a refrigerator cabinet having a compartment therein provided with an access opening and a hollow movable door hinged to one side of said cabinet normally closing said opening, a liquid storing and dispensing device associated with said cabinet, said device including a tank stationarily mounted in said cabinet and exposed to the low temperature within said compartment, said tank being connected to a source of water supply for chilling water received therein from said supply thereof, a nozzle on said door for discharging liquid from said device, a flexible tube for conveying water from said tank to said nozzle, wherein the improvement compRises a retractor unit on a side wall of said compartment adjacent the hinged portion of said door, said retractor unit normally enclosing a predetermined portion of said tube disposed intermediate said cabinet and said door, first and second threading means in said retractor unit for maintaining said tube in a double looped configuration therein, said first threading means forming the first loop of said tube upon its entrance into said retractor unit from said tank, said second threading means including a reel member forming the second loop of said tube, said reel member rotatably supported on yieldable means such that said reel is normally biased in a retracted position away from the forward end of said retractor unit, means for anchoring said tube to said door whereby upon said door being moved to its closed position said yieldable means is operative to move said reel to its normal retracted position causing said predetermined portion of said tube to be returned into said retractor unit so as to obviate kinking of said tube.

Claim 3

In combination, a refrigerator cabinet having a compartment therein provided with an access opening and a hollow movable door hinged to one side of said cabinet normally closing said opening, a liquid storing and dispensing device associated with said cabinet, said device including a tank stationarily mounted in said cabinet and exposed to the low temperature within said compartment, said tank being connected to a source of water supply for chilling water received therein from said supply thereof, a nozzle on said door for discharging liquid from said device, a flexible tube for conveying water from said tank to said nozzle, wherein the improvement comprises a retractor unit on a side wall of said compartment on the hinged side thereof, said retractor unit normally enclosing a predetermined portion of said tube disposed intermediate said cabinet and said door, first and second threading means in said retractor unit for maintaining said tube in a double-looped configuration therein, said first means in the form of a plurality of fixed guide members forming the first loop of said tube upon its entrance into said retractor unit from said tank, said second threading means including a reel member forming the second loop of said tube, said reel member rotatably supported on torsion spring means such that said reel is normally biased in a retracted position away from the forward end of said retractor unit, means for anchoring said tube at its entrance into said door, bushing means at the forward end of said retractor unit for slidably receiving said intermediate portion of said tube upon said door being moved to its closed position whereby said torsion spring means pivots said reel to its normal retracted position causing said predetermined portion of said tube to return into said retractor unit so as to obviate kinking of said tube.

Claim 4

In combination, a refrigerator cabinet having a compartment therein provided with an access opening and a hollow movable door hinged to one side of said cabinet normally closing said opening, a liquid storing and dispensing device associated with said cabinet, said device including a tank stationarily mounted in said cabinet and exposed to the low temperature within said compartment, said tank being connected to a source of water supply for chilling water received therein from said supply thereof, a nozzle on said door for discharging liquid from said device, a flexible tube for conveying water from said tank to said nozzle, wherein the improvement comprises a retractor unit on a side wall of said compartment on the hinged side thereof, said retractor unit normally enclosing a predetermined portion of said tube disposed intermediate said cabinet and said door, first and second threading means in said retractor unit for maintaining said tube in a double-looped configuration therein, said first means in the form of a plurality of fixed guide members forming the first loop of said tube upon its entrance into said retractor unit from said tank, said second threading means including a reel member forming the second loop of said tube, said reel member rotatably supported on torsion spring means such that said reel is normally biased in a retracted position away from the forward end of said retractor unit, means for anchoring said tube at its entrance into said door, bushing means at the forward end of said retractor unit for slidably receiving said intermediate portion of said tube upon said door being moved to its closed position whereby said torsion spring means pivots said reel to its normal retracted position causing said predetermined portion of said tube to return into said retractor unit so as to obviate kinking of said tube.

Claim 5

In combination, a refrigerator cabinet having a compartment therein provided with an access opening and a hollow movable door hinged to one side of said cabinet normally closing said opening, a liquid storing and dispensing device associated with said cabinet, said device including storage means stationarily mounted in said cabinet and exposed to the low temperature within said compartment, said storage means being connected to a source of water supply for chilling water received therein from said supply thereof, a nozzle on said door for discharging liquid from said device, a flexible tube for conveying water from said storage means to said nozzle, wherein the improvement comprises a retractor unit on a side wall of said compartment on the hinged side thereof, said retractor unit normally enclosing a length of the tube therein including a predetermined length of said tube disposed intermediate said cabinet and said door, a coiled wire sheath enclosing said predetermined length of the tube, first and second threading means on said retractor unit for maintaining the length of tube therein in a double-looped configuratIon oriented in a common vertical plane parallel to said side wall, said first means in the form of a plurality of fixed guide members forming the first loop upon the entrance of the tube into said retractor unit from said storage means at the rearward end of said retractor unit, said second threading means including a reel member and a guide bushing forming the second loop of said tube, yieldable means supporting said reel comprising a coiled spring body mounted on said retractor unit with its axis being generally perpendicular to the plane of said side wall, said coiled spring body extending into an arm at both axial ends thereof each of which are transverse to the axis of said coiled spring body, one of said arms being anchored to said retractor unit and the other of said arms terminating in a transverse pivot pin, said reel member rotatably supported on said other arm pivot pin such that said reel is normally biased in a retracted position away from the forward end of said retractor unit, means for anchoring one end of said sheathed tube at its entrance into said door, said guide bushing longitudinally positioned at the forward end of said retractor unit for slidably receiving a portion of said sheathed tube, whereby upon movement of said door to an open position said reel is pivoted forwardly on said coiled spring body other arm by the resultant pull on said second loop to an extended position, and upon return movement of said door to its closed position said other arm pivots said reel and said second loop to their normal retracted position, causing a portion of the sheathed tube to slide through said guide bushing thereby obviating crimping of the tube when said door is opened and closed.

Claim 6

In combination, a refrigerator cabinet having a compartment therein provided with an access opening and a hollow movable door hinged to one side of said cabinet normally closing said opening, a liquid storing and dispensing device associated with said cabinet, said device including storage means stationarily mounted in said cabinet and exposed to the low temperature within said compartment, said storage means being connected to a source of water supply for chilling water received therein from said supply thereof, a nozzle on said door for discharging liquid from said device, a flexible tube for conveying water from said storage means to said nozzle, wherein the improvement comprises a retractor unit on a side wall of said compartment on the hinged side thereof, said retractor unit normally enclosing a length of the tube therein including a predetermined length of said tube disposed intermediate said cabinet and said door, a coiled wire sheath enclosing said predetermined length of the tube, first and second threading means on said retractor unit for maintaining the length of tube therein in a double-looped configuratIon oriented in a common vertical plane parallel to said side wall, said first means in the form of a plurality of fixed guide members forming the first loop upon the entrance of the tube into said retractor unit from said storage means at the rearward end of said retractor unit, said second threading means including a reel member and a guide bushing forming the second loop of said tube, yieldable means supporting said reel comprising a coiled spring body mounted on said retractor unit with its axis being generally perpendicular to the plane of said side wall, said coiled spring body extending into an arm at both axial ends thereof each of which are transverse to the axis of said coiled spring body, one of said arms being anchored to said retractor unit and the other of said arms terminating in a transverse pivot pin, said reel member rotatably supported on said other arm pivot pin such that said reel is normally biased in a retracted position away from the forward end of said retractor unit, means for anchoring one end of said sheathed tube at its entrance into said door, said guide bushing longitudinally positioned at the forward end of said retractor unit for slidably receiving a portion of said sheathed tube, whereby upon movement of said door to an open position said reel is pivoted forwardly on said coiled spring body other arm by the resultant pull on said second loop to an extended position, and upon return movement of said door to its closed position said other arm pivots said reel and said second loop to their normal retracted position, causing a portion of the sheathed tube to slide through said guide bushing thereby obviating crimping of the tube when said door is opened and closed.

Claim 7

In combination, a refrigerator cabinet having a compartment therein provided with an access opening and a hollow movable door hinged to one side of said cabinet normally closing said opening, a liquid storing and dispensing device associated with said cabinet, said device including storage means stationarily mounted in said cabinet and exposed to the low temperature within said compartment, said storage means being connected to a source of water supply for chilling water received therein from said supply thereof, a nozzle on said door for discharging liquid from said device, a flexible tube for conveying water from said tank to said nozzle, wherein the improvement comprises a retractor unit on a side wall of said compartment adjacent the hinged portion of said door, said retractor unit normally enclosing a predetermined length of said tube disposed intermediate said cabinet and said door, threading means in said retractor unit for maintaining said length of said tube in a serpentine configuration therein, said threading means including a reel member and a guide bushing forming a loop in said tube around said reel member through an angle of at least 180* immediately prior to the exit of the tube from said retractor unit, said reel member rotatably supported on yieldable means such that said reel is normally biased in a retracted position away from the forward end of said retractor unit, said guide bushing positioned at the forward end of said retractor unit allowing a portion of said predetermined length of tube to be slidably movable therein, means for anchoring said tube to said door whereby upon movement of said door to an open position said reel is pivoted forwardly aginst the bias of said yieldable means by the resultant pull on said loop, and whereby upon said door being moved to its closed position said yieldable means is operative to pivot said reel to its normally retracted position causing a portion of said tube to be returned into said retractor unit so as to obviate kinking of said tube.

Claim 8

In combination, a refrigerator cabinet having a compartment therein provided with an access opening and a hollow movable door hinged to one side of said cabinet normally closing said opening, a liquid storing and dispensing device associated with said cabinet, said device including storage means stationarily mounted in said cabinet and exposed to the low temperature within said compartment, said storage means being connected to a source of water supply for chilling water received therein from said supply thereof, a nozzle on said door for discharging liquid from said device, a flexible tube for conveying water from said tank to said nozzle, wherein the improvement comprises a retractor unit on a side wall of said compartment adjacent the hinged portion of said door, said retractor unit normally enclosing a predetermined length of said tube disposed intermediate said cabinet and said door, threading means in said retractor unit for maintaining said length of said tube in a serpentine configuration therein, said threading means including a reel member and a guide bushing forming a loop in said tube around said reel member through an angle of at least 180* immediately prior to the exit of the tube from said retractor unit, said reel member rotatably supported on yieldable means such that said reel is normally biased in a retracted position away from the forward end of said retractor unit, said guide bushing positioned at the forward end of said retractor unit allowing a portion of said predetermined length of tube to be slidably movable therein, means for anchoring said tube to said door whereby upon movement of said door to an open position said reel is pivoted forwardly aginst the bias of said yieldable means by the resultant pull on said loop, and whereby upon said door being moved to its closed position said yieldable means is operative to pivot said reel to its normally retracted position causing a portion of said tube to be returned into said retractor unit so as to obviate kinking of said tube.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 4 wherein said length of said tube disposed intermediate said cabinet and said door being enclosed by a coiled wire sheath, and said anchoring means including a C-clamp member formed with bifurcated ends having a counterbore thereon aLigned with said door entrance, a bushing telescoped within said counterbore and provided with a plurality of longitudinal slots therein, fastener means connecting said bifurcated ends whereby upon said fastener being tightened said sheathed tube end is clamped within said bushing.