Dispensing assembly for a domestic appliance

Abstract

A domestic appliance may include a housing defining a chamber, a door mounted to the housing, and a dispensing assembly. The dispensing assembly may include a dispenser disposed at an exterior of the door. The dispenser may include a dispenser outlet for accessing ice pieces or liquid water. The dispensing assembly may include an ice chute positioned within the dispenser outlet for dispensing ice pieces. The dispensing assembly may include a water assembly that may include a water chute disposed adjacent to the ice chute and a water tube positioned within the water chute for dispensing liquid water. The dispensing assembly may include a nozzle gasket assembly removably mounted to a bottom portion of the ice chute and a bottom portion of the water chute. The nozzle gasket assembly may include an ice gasket positioned around the ice chute and a water gasket positioned around the water chute.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A domestic appliance comprising:
 a housing defining a chamber;   a door mounted to the housing for selectively accessing the chamber; and   a dispensing assembly comprising:
 a dispenser disposed at an exterior of the door, the dispenser comprising a dispenser outlet for accessing ice pieces or liquid water; 
 an ice chute positioned within the dispenser outlet for dispensing ice pieces; 
 a water assembly comprising a water chute disposed adjacent to the ice chute and a water tube positioned within the water chute for dispensing liquid water; and 
 a nozzle gasket assembly removably mounted to a bottom portion of the ice chute and a bottom portion of the water chute, the nozzle gasket assembly comprising an ice gasket positioned around the ice chute and a water gasket positioned around the water chute. 
   
     
     
         2 . The domestic appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the ice gasket comprises an inner ring, wherein the inner ring comprises an inner surface and an outer surface positioned radially around the inner surface, and wherein the inner surface defines an ice opening in flow communication with the ice chute. 
     
     
         3 . The domestic appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the ice gasket further comprises an outer ring and a plurality of shelves, wherein the outer ring is positioned radially around the inner ring, wherein the outer ring comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface of the outer ring is positioned radially around the inner surface of the outer ring, and wherein the plurality of shelves are each extended between the outer surface of the inner ring and the inner surface of the outer ring. 
     
     
         4 . The domestic appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the bottom portion of the ice chute is disposed between the outer surface of the inner ring and the inner surface of the outer ring, and wherein the bottom portion of the ice chute is interfaced with the plurality of shelves. 
     
     
         5 . The domestic appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the water gasket comprises an outer circumferential wall extended from the outer ring of the ice gasket, wherein the outer circumferential wall and the outer ring of the ice gasket define a water opening for receiving the water tube. 
     
     
         6 . The domestic appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the water gasket further comprises a water guard positioned within the outer circumferential wall of the water gasket, wherein the water guard defines a water tube housing, and wherein the water tube is positioned, at least in part, within the water tube housing. 
     
     
         7 . The domestic appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing assembly further comprising a bracket display, wherein the bracket display is disposed at the dispenser outlet, wherein the bracket display defines a chute slot for receiving the ice chute and the water chute, and wherein the nozzle gasket assembly is removable mounted below the bracket display. 
     
     
         8 . The domestic appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an icebox compartment positioned within the door for holding ice pieces,   wherein the ice chute is in flow communication with the icebox compartment.   
     
     
         9 . The domestic appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a water supply line for delivering liquid water,   wherein the water tube is in flow communication with the water supply line to dispense liquid water.   
     
     
         10 . The domestic appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle gasket assembly comprises a substrate comprising one or more of Dioctyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, Didecyl ammonium chloride, or Quaternium, n-Alkyl dimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride. 
     
     
         11 . A dispensing assembly for a domestic appliance, the dispenser assembly comprising:
 a dispenser comprising a dispenser outlet for accessing ice pieces or liquid water;   an ice chute positioned within the dispenser outlet for dispensing ice pieces;   a water assembly comprising a water chute disposed adjacent to the ice chute and a water tube positioned within the water chute for dispensing liquid water; and   a nozzle gasket assembly removably mounted to a bottom portion of the ice chute and a bottom portion of the water chute, the nozzle gasket assembly comprising an ice gasket positioned around the ice chute and a water gasket positioned around the water chute, the ice gasket comprising an inner ring and an outer ring, the outer ring being positioned radially around the inner ring, the outer ring comprising a resilient snap clip,   wherein the resilient snap clip is snapped onto the bottom portion of the ice chute to secure the ice gasket to the bottom portion of the ice chute.   
     
     
         12 . The dispensing assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the resilient snap clip comprises a plurality of teeth, wherein the plurality of teeth bite into the bottom portion of the ice chute to secure the ice gasket to the bottom portion of the ice chute. 
     
     
         13 . The dispensing assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the resilient snap clip is a plurality of resilient snap clips spaced apart around a circumference of the outer ring. 
     
     
         14 . The dispensing assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising a bracket display, wherein the bracket display is disposed at the dispenser outlet, wherein the bracket display defines a chute slot for receiving the ice chute and the water chute, and wherein the nozzle gasket assembly is removable mounted below the bracket display. 
     
     
         15 . The dispensing assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the water gasket comprises an outer circumferential wall and a water guard, wherein the outer circumferential wall is extended from the outer ring, wherein the water guard is positioned within the outer circumferential wall, wherein the water guard defines a water opening, and wherein the water tube is positioned, at least in part, within the water opening. 
     
     
         16 . A dispensing assembly for a domestic appliance, the dispenser assembly comprising:
 a dispenser comprising a dispenser outlet for accessing ice pieces or liquid water;   an ice chute positioned within the dispenser outlet for dispensing ice pieces;   a water assembly comprising a water chute disposed adjacent to the ice chute and a water tube positioned within the water chute for dispensing liquid water; and   a nozzle gasket assembly removably mounted to a bottom portion of the ice chute and a bottom portion of the water chute, the nozzle gasket assembly comprising an ice gasket positioned around the ice chute and a water gasket positioned around the water chute, the ice gasket comprising an inner ring and an outer ring positioned radially around the inner ring, the outer ring comprising an inner surface and a tab, the tab extending inward from the inner surface of the outer ring,   wherein the tab is engaged with the bottom portion of the ice chute to secure the ice gasket to the bottom portion of the ice chute.   
     
     
         17 . The dispensing assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the tab comprises a tapered body, wherein the tapered body comprises a first edge and a second edge, wherein the first edge is flush with the inner surface of the outer ring, wherein the second edge is extended inward from the inner surface of the outer ring a predetermined distance, and wherein the second edge of the tapered body is engaged with the bottom portion of the ice chute to secure the ice gasket to the bottom portion of the ice chute. 
     
     
         18 . The dispensing assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the tab is a plurality of tabs spaced apart around a circumference of the outer ring. 
     
     
         19 . The dispensing assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising a bracket display, wherein the bracket display is disposed at the dispenser outlet, wherein the bracket display defines a chute slot for receiving the ice chute and the water chute, and wherein the nozzle gasket assembly is removable mounted below the bracket display. 
     
     
         20 . The dispensing assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the water gasket comprises an outer circumferential wall and a water guard, wherein the outer circumferential wall is extended from the outer ring, wherein the water guard is positioned within the outer circumferential wall, wherein the water guard defines a water opening, and wherein the water tube is positioned, at least in part, within the water opening.