Water Dispenser and Actuation Mechanism for Water Dispenser

Abstract

An actuation mechanism for a water dispenser having a housing includes a push bar exposed through an opening of the housing and configured for user engagement, and a hinge mechanism pivotably mounting the push bar on the housing to be pivotable between a rest position and an activation position, where the push bar is pivoted to engage an activation member of the dispenser, and a service position, where the push bar permits access to an internal component of the dispenser through the opening. The hinge mechanism includes hinge arms connected to the push bar and a hinge connection configured for connecting the hinge arms to the housing to permit pivoting of the hinge mechanism and the push bar. The push bar may include a face piece for user engagement and a reinforcing piece behind the face piece that has greater strength and/or stiffness than the face piece.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An actuation mechanism for a water dispenser having a housing, comprising:
 a push bar extending between a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end and comprising a face piece configured to be exposed through an opening of the housing and configured for user engagement, and a reinforcing piece coupled to the face piece and located rearward of the face piece, wherein the reinforcing piece has at least one of a greater strength and a greater rigidity than the face piece; and   a hinge mechanism configured to pivotably mount the push bar on the housing to be pivotable between a rest position and an activation position, where the push bar is pivoted rearwardly from the rest position and configured to engage an activation member of the water dispenser in the activation position, the hinge mechanism comprising a first hinge arm connected to the push bar proximate the first longitudinal end of the push bar, a second hinge arm connected to the push bar proximate the second longitudinal end of the push bar, and a hinge connection configured for connecting the first hinge arm to the housing at a first pivot point and for connecting the second hinge arm to the housing at a second pivot point to permit pivoting of the hinge mechanism and the push bar.   
     
     
         2 . The actuation mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the face piece has a rear recess, and the reinforcing piece is received in the rear recess. 
     
     
         3 . The actuation mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the face piece has plurality of pegs extending rearwardly on a rear surface thereof, and the reinforcing piece has a plurality of holes receiving the plurality of pegs, for connecting the face piece to the reinforcing piece. 
     
     
         4 . The actuation mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing piece is configured as a plate with a first flange extending behind the plate at a top end of the plate and a second flange extending behind the plate at a bottom end of the plate. 
     
     
         5 . The actuation mechanism of  claim 4 , wherein the first flange and the second flange are bent at 90° from the plate and extend rearwardly from the plate. 
     
     
         6 . The actuation mechanism of  claim 4 , wherein the first flange and the second flange are bent at 180° from the plate and extend along a rear side of the plate. 
     
     
         7 . The actuation mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the first hinge arm and the second hinge arm are directly connected to the reinforcing piece of the push bar. 
     
     
         8 . The actuation mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the first hinge arm has a first arc shape, such that the first hinge arm extends rearwardly from the first pivot point and extends downward and forward to the push bar, thereby defining a first cut-out on a front side of the first hinge arm, and the second hinge arm has a second arc shape, such that the second hinge arm extends rearwardly from the second pivot point and extends downward and forward to the push bar, thereby defining a second cut-out on a front side of the second hinge arm. 
     
     
         9 . The actuation mechanism of  claim 8 , wherein the push bar is further moveable from the rest position to a service position by pivoting forwardly from the rest position, wherein the first cut-out and the second cut-out are configured to provide clearance for a portion of the housing in pivoting to the service position, and wherein the push bar is configured to permit access to an internal component of the water dispenser through the opening in the service position. 
     
     
         10 . The actuation mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the push bar is further moveable from the rest position to a service position by pivoting forwardly from the rest position, and wherein the push bar is configured to permit access to an internal component of the water dispenser through the opening in the service position. 
     
     
         11 . The actuation mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge connection comprises a hinge rod extending between the first hinge arm and the second hinge arm and configured to be connected to one or more hinge mounts on the housing to define the first pivot point and the second pivot point. 
     
     
         12 . A water dispenser comprising the actuation mechanism of  claim 1  connected to the housing thereof, a spout mounted on the housing and configured to discharge water, and a valve configured to control water discharge through the spout, the valve having an activation member, wherein the push bar is configured to engage the activation member in the activation position to activate the valve to cause the water to discharge through the spout. 
     
     
         13 . An actuation mechanism for a water dispenser having a housing, comprising:
 a push bar configured to be exposed through an opening of the housing and configured for user engagement; and   a hinge mechanism configured to pivotably mount the push bar on the housing to be pivotable between a rest position and an activation position, where the push bar is pivoted rearwardly from the rest position and configured to engage an activation member of the water dispenser, and between the rest position and a service position, where the push bar is pivoted forwardly from the rest position and configured to permit access to an internal component of the water dispenser through the opening, wherein the hinge mechanism comprises a first hinge arm connected to the push bar, a second hinge arm connected to the push bar, and a hinge connection configured for connecting the first hinge arm to the housing at a first pivot point and for connecting the second hinge arm to the housing at a second pivot point to permit pivoting of the hinge mechanism and the push bar.   
     
     
         14 . The actuation mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein the first hinge arm has a first arc shape, such that the first hinge arm extends rearwardly from the first pivot point and extends downward and forward to the push bar, thereby defining a first cut-out on a front side of the first hinge arm, and the second hinge arm has a second arc shape, such that the second hinge arm extends rearwardly from the second pivot point and extends downward and forward to the push bar, thereby defining a second cut-out on a front side of the second hinge arm. 
     
     
         15 . The actuation mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the first cut-out and the second cut-out are configured to provide clearance for a portion of the housing in pivoting to the service position. 
     
     
         16 . The actuation mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein the push bar comprises a face piece configured to be exposed through the opening of the housing and configured for user engagement, and a reinforcing piece coupled to the face piece and located rearward of the face piece, wherein the reinforcing piece has at least one of a greater strength and a greater rigidity than the face piece. 
     
     
         17 . The actuation mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein the hinge mechanism further comprises a biasing member configured to bias the push bar toward the rest position when the push bar is in the activation position and when the push bar is in the service position. 
     
     
         18 . The actuation mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein the hinge connection comprises a hinge rod extending between the first hinge arm and the second hinge arm and configured to be connected to one or more hinge mounts on the housing to define the first pivot point and the second pivot point. 
     
     
         19 . A water dispenser comprising the actuation mechanism of  claim 13  connected to the housing thereof, a spout mounted on the housing and configured to discharge water, and a valve configured to control water discharge through the spout, the valve having an activation member, wherein the push bar is configured to engage the activation member in the activation position to activate the valve to cause the water to discharge through the spout. 
     
     
         20 . A method of servicing a water dispenser comprising a housing having an opening and one or more internal components within the housing and accessible through the opening, the one or more internal components including a valve configured to control water discharge and having an activation member, the method comprising:
 engaging a push bar mounted on the housing to pivot the push bar forward from a rest position, where the push bar is positioned within the opening and is exposed through the opening for user engagement, to a service position, where the push bar provides access to the one or more internal components of the housing through the opening, wherein the push bar is further moveable from the rest position to an activation position, where the push bar is configured to engage the activation member of the valve to activate the valve, by pivoting the push bar rearwardly from the rest position;   performing a service operation on at least one of the one or more internal components by access through the opening, after the push bar is in the service position; and   pivoting the push bar rearward from the service position to return the push bar to the rest position.