US-12617663-B2 - Compact water bottle filling station and retrofitting method

US12617663B2US 12617663 B2US12617663 B2US 12617663B2US-12617663-B2

Abstract

A compact water bottle filling station for mounting to a wall. The station includes a frame supported on the wall by a wall hanger bracket and a basin supported by the frame. The basin includes a receiptacle located between a front lip and a rear edge of the basin, which define a lateral distance therebetween. A cover surrounds the frame on at least three sides and includes a pair of opposed side panels and a front panel located there between. The front panel extends upwardly from the base of the compact bottle filling station and terminates at and underneath the basin. A backsplash extends upward from the basin, adjacent the rear edge, and has a nozzle provided therein to direct water toward the basin.

Inventors

Donald E. Morris
Darryl M. Boeltl

Assignees

ACORN ENGINEERING COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20210813

Claims (16)

1 . A compact water bottle filling station for surface mounting to a wall, the water bottle filling station comprising: a frame having a back plate configured to be in surface-to-surface contact with a front surface of the wall and configured to be supported on the wall by a wall hanger bracket secured to the front surface of the wall; a basin provided and supported on top of the frame and having a recessed receptacle including a drain opening, the basin including a front lip and a rear edge, and defining a lateral distance defined from the rear edge to the front lip; a cover located beneath the basin and surrounding at least three sides of the frame, the cover including a pair of opposed side panels and a front panel located between the side panels, the front panel extending upwardly from a base of the compact bottle filling station and terminating underneath the basin at a location positioned between the recessed receptacle and the front lip, a backsplash extending upward from the rear edge and configured to be in surface-to-surface contact with the front surface of the wall; and a singular water dispensing device provided on the compact water bottle filling station, the singular water dispensing device including a nozzle provided in the backsplash and configured to direct water downward from the nozzle into the basin.
2 . A compact water bottle filling station for surface mounting to a wall, the water bottle filling station comprising: a frame having a back plate configured to be in surface-to-surface contact with a front surface of the wall and configured to be supported on the wall by a wall hanger bracket secured to the front surface of the wall; a basin provided and supported on top of the frame and having a recessed receptacle including a drain opening, the basin including a front lip and a rear edge, and a lateral distance defined from the rear edge to the front lip; a cover located beneath the basin and surrounding at least three sides of the frame, the cover including a pair of opposed side panels and a front panel located between the side panels, the front panel extending upwardly from a base of the compact bottle filling station and terminating underneath the basin immediately behind the front lip of the basin and immediately adjacent to a maximum lateral extent of the compact water bottle filling station; a backsplash extending upward from the rear edge and configured to be in surface-to-surface contact with the front surface of the wall; and a singular water dispensing device provided on the compact water bottle filling station, the singular water dispensing device including a nozzle provided in the backsplash and configured to direct water downward from the nozzle into the basin.
3 . The compact water bottle filling station according to claim 2 , wherein the lateral distance is greater than 4 inches and less than 13 inches.
4 . The compact water bottle filling station according to claim 2 , wherein the lateral distance is in the range of 11 to 12 inches.
5 . The compact water bottle filling station according to claim 2 , wherein the lateral distance is at least 6.5 inches less than a corresponding lateral distance of a wall mountable drinking fountain having a bubbler.
6 . The compact water bottle filling station according to claim 2 , further comprising a rear side, and wherein the front panel is planar and extends up to the basin at an oblique angle relative to the rear side of the compact water bottle filling.
7 . The compact water bottle filling station according to claim 6 , wherein the front panel extends at an angle in the range of 6° to 19°.
8 . The compact water bottle filling station according to claim 6 , wherein the front panel extends at an angle in the range of 15° to 19°.
9 . The compact water bottle filling station according to claim 6 , wherein the front panel extends at an angle in the range of 16° to 18°.
10 . The compact water bottle filling station according to claim 6 , further comprising a chiller positioned within the frame.
11 . In combination a water bottle filling station for retrofitting a drinking fountain surface-mounted to a wall into a surface-mounted water bottle filling station and employing a wall hanger bracket of the drinking fountain mounted to the wall, the water bottle filling station comprising: a frame supported on the wall by a wall hanger bracket of the drinking fountain secured to the wall, the frame having a backplate in surface-to-surface contact with a front surface of the wall; a basin provided and supported on top of the frame and having a recessed receptacle including a drain opening, the basin including a front lip and a rear edge, the front lip and rear edge defining a lateral distance therebetween extending perpendicularly from the wall; a cover located beneath the basin and surrounding at least three sides of the frame, the cover including a pair of opposed side panels and a front panel located between the side panels, the front panel extending upwardly from a base of the compact bottle filling station and terminating underneath a portion of the basin and forward of the recessed receptacle; a backsplash extending upward from the rear edge in surface-to-surface contact with the from surface of the wall; and a singular water dispensing device provided on the compact water bottle filling station, the singular water dispensing device including a nozzle provided in the backsplash and configured to direct water downward from the nozzle into the basin.
12 . The combination according to claim 11 , further comprising the nozzle being coupled to an existing water supply line extending from the wall.
13 . The combination according to claim 11 , further comprising the drain opening being coupled to an existing waste pipe extending from the wall.
14 . The combination according to claim 11 , wherein the lateral distance is in the range of 4 to 13 inches.
15 . The combination according to claim 11 , wherein the front panel is planar and extends up to the basin at an oblique angle relative to a rear side of the compact water bottle filling.
16 . The combination according to claim 15 , wherein the angle is in the range of 15° to 19°.

Description

BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to equipment for filling personal use water bottles. More specifically, the invention relates to a bottle filling station that is compact in size and which may be retrofitted in place of wall mounted drinking fountain. 2. Description of Related Art Water coolers, also referred to as drinking fountains, have long been a mainstay of public facilities and institutions, including, without limitation, schools, libraries, shopping malls, department stores, grocery stores, airports, sports venues and parks, to name a few. Recently, however, there has been increased emphasis to reduce the person-to-person transmission of germs, such as disease causing viruses and bacteria. Because of the close personal contact, of a person's mouth and hands, that is required to drink from the stream of water emitted from the bubbler of a drinking fountain, drinking fountains are being used less frequently. Accompanying the decrease in use of water fountains has been an increase in use of water bottles. This increase in use of water bottles for personal consumption of water in public spaces has further reduced the need for and use of drinking fountains. However, water bottles are not without their own drawbacks. For example, once the water bottle is empty, if it is a single use bottle, the container is thrown away. If it is a multiuse bottle, being able to refill the container can be challenging and may require use a drinking fountain, which again raises issues relating the cleanliness of the drinking fountain. In view of the above, some drinking fountains are provided with an integrated water bottle filling unit. Such integrated systems use a higher located nozzle and a hand's free sensor to allow a water bottle to be sanitarily filled. As a result, the refilling of an empty water bottle is easier and cleaner than filling it using the bubbler of a drinking fountain. Such integrated water bottle filling units, however, can be problematic to access and use. In particular, smaller framed individuals may find it challenging to access the water bottle filling features. These features are located at the back of the drinking fountain and require the user reach over the basin of the drinking fountain to gain access to the bottle filling features The height of the sensor and nozzle also impact accessibility. Additionally, the sanitary aspects of the bubbler remain and the bubbler may be inadvertently contacted during use of the bottle filler features. Accordingly, being able to provide a public facility with a sanitary and easily accessed means for filling water bottles is increasingly desirable. In response to this need, a more accessible water bottle filling station is needed. SUMMARY In satisfying the above need, as well as overcoming various drawbacks and other limitations of the related art, the present invention provides a compact personal water bottle filling station that has enhanced accessibility and can also be used retrofit a wall-mounted drinking water fountain into a wall-mounted water bottle filling station. In one aspect, the present invention provides a compact water bottle filling station for mounting to a wall. The water bottle filling station includes a frame configured to be supported on the wall by a wall hanger bracket that is secured to the wall. A basin is supported by the frame and has a recessed receptacle with a drain opening, the basin being provided between a front lip and a rear edge, which define a lateral distance therebetween. A cover surrounds at least three sides of the frame and includes a pair of opposed side panels and a front panel located between the side panels. The front panel extends upward from a base of the filling station and terminates underneath and adjacent to the basin. A backsplash extends upward from an area adjacent the rear edge of the basin and includes a nozzle that is configured to direct water downward into the basin. In another aspect, the invention provides, in combination, a water bottle filling station for retrofitting a wall-mounted drinking fountain into a wall-mounted water bottle filling station and employing a wall hanger bracket of the drinking fountain mounted to the wall. The station includes a frame that is configured to be supported on the wall by the wall hanger bracket of the drinking fountain secured to the wall; a basin supported by the frame and having a recessed receptacle including a drain opening, the basin including an front edge and a rear edge that define a lateral distance therebetween extending perpendicularly to the wall. A cover surrounds at least three sides of the frame, and the cover including a pair of opposed side panels and a front panel located between the side panels. The front panel extends upwardly from a base of the filling station and terminates underneath and adjacent to the basin. Extending upward from adjacent the rear edge of the top is a backsplash having a nozzl