What is claimed is:
1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet defining at least one compartment having an open face and having a door for selectively closing the open face of the compartment;
a water-using accessory provided on one of the cabinet and door;
a head fluidly coupling the water-using appliance to a water supply;
a water-treatment cartridge removably coupled to the head such that when the cartridge is coupled to the head, the cartridge treats the water from the supply for use by the water-using accessory; and
a cartridge mounting bracket for removably mounting the cartridge to the cabinet and located on the cabinet relative to head such that the mounting of the cartridge to the cartridge mounting bracket effects the coupling of the cartridge to the head and the cartridge can be mounted to the cartridge mounting bracket from the exterior of the cabinet.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge mounting bracket comprises a casing defining a hollow interior sized to receive the cartridge, with an exterior opening accessible from the exterior of the cabinet and an interior end aligned with the head, wherein the cartridge is removably mounted to the casing and coupled to the head by inserting the cartridge into the casing exterior opening to place the cartridge into an inserted position.
3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, and further comprising a latch operable between a latch position, where the cartridge is held in the inserted position, and a release position, where the cartridge can be withdrawn from the casing.
4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the latch comprises a strike extending from the cartridge and a catch provided on the housing such that the catch holds the strike when the cartridge is in the inserted position to prevent the withdrawal of the cartridge.
5. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the latch comprises a release operable between a locked position, where the latch is placed in the latch position, and an unlocked position, where the latch is placed in the release position.
6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the release is accessible from the exterior of the cabinet.
7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the cabinet further comprises a grill having a pass-through opening aligned with the exterior end of the casing to permit the insertion of the cartridge into the casing through the pass-through opening of the grill.
8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the release is accessible through the pass through opening of the grill.
9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein grill is located at a lower front portion of the cabinet.
10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, and further comprising a handle mounted to the end of the cartridge to assist the user in inserting and withdrawing the cartridge from the casing.
11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the handle comprises a finger recess accessible from the exterior of the cabinet whereby the user can insert his fingers into the recess to aid in inserting and withdrawing the cartridge from the casing.
12. The refrigerator according to claim 10, and further comprises a removable mount for removably securing the handle to the cartridge.
13. The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein the removable mount comprises cooperating lugs on the handle and the cartridge, and the lugs collectively forming a bayonet mount for removably securing the handle to the cartridge.
14. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the release is a button moveably coupled to the cartridge such that as the cartridge is inserted into the casing, the button is moved from the locked to the release position to visually indicate that the cartridge is inserted.
15. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein the button is biased into the locked position.
16. The refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein the button is uncoupled from the cartridge when the cartridge is fully inserted into the casing resulting in the automatic return of the button to the locked position.
17. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the cartridge and head are keyed relative to the casing to ensure that the cartridge is properly oriented to the casing such that the cartridge will fluidly couple with the head when the cartridge is inserted into the casing.
18. The refrigerator according to claim 17, wherein the head comprises an inlet port for coupling to the water supply and an outlet port coupled to the water-using accessory, and the cartridge comprises inlet an outlet fittings and that couple with the inlet and outlet ports, respectively, when the cartridge is in the inserted position to establish water flow from the water supply, through the cartridge, and to the water-using appliance.
19. The refrigerator according to claim 18, wherein the head further comprises a valve for each of the inlet and outlet ports, with each valve having a follower, and each of the inlet and outlet fittings have a cam that contacts the followers to open the valves when the cartridge is in the inserted position.
20. The refrigerator according to claim 19, wherein the head further comprises inlet and outlet passageways fluidly connected to the inlet and outlet ports, with the valves being mounted in the passageways such that the followers extend into the ports.
21. The refrigerator according to claim 20, wherein the passageways are oriented at an angle relative to the ports to reduce the overall length of the head.
22. The refrigerator according to claim 21, wherein the angle is approximately 90 degrees.
23. The refrigerator according to claim 22, wherein cartridge is elongated and defines a longitudinal axis, with the inlet and outlet fittings and the inlet and outlet ports being oriented generally parallel to the cartridge longitudinal axis.
24. The refrigerator according to claim 18, wherein the head further comprises a bypass valve that fluidly couples the inlet port to the outlet port when the cartridge is not in the inserted position to permit the flow of water from the water supply to the water-using accessory when no cartridge is present.
25. The refrigerator according to claim 2, and further comprising a handle mounted to the end of the cartridge to assist the user in inserting and withdrawing the cartridge from the casing.
26. The refrigerator according to claim 25, wherein the handle comprises a finger recess accessible from the exterior of the cabinet whereby the user can insert his fingers into the recess to aid in inserting and withdrawing the cartridge from the casing.
27. The refrigerator according to claim 26, and further comprises a removable mount for removably securing the handle to the cartridge.
28. The refrigerator according to claim 27, wherein the removable mount comprises cooperating lugs on the handle and the cartridge that form a bayonet mount for removably securing the handle to the cartridge.
29. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge mounting bracket has an elongated recess in which the cartridge is axially inserted to mount the cartridge to the cartridge mounting bracket.
30. The refrigerator according to claim 29, wherein the head is located at one end of the elongated recess and an inlet opening is formed at an opposing end of the elongated recess, wherein the insertion of the cartridge into the inlet opening mounts the cartridge to the cartridge mounting bracket and fluidly couples the cartridge to the head.
31. The refrigerator according to claim 30, wherein the inlet opening is accessible from the exterior of the cabinet.
32. The refrigerator according to claim 31, wherein the inlet opening is accessible from a side of the cabinet on which the door is provided.
33. The refrigerator according to claim 1, and further comprising a visual indicator indicating when the cartridge is properly mounted to the mounting bracket.
34. The refrigerator according to claim 33, wherein the visual indicator also comprises and audible indicator indicating when the cartridge is properly mounted to the mounting bracket.
35. The refrigerator according to claim 33, wherein the visual indicator comprises a moveable element that operably couples to the cartridge as the cartridge is mounted to the bracket such that the moveably element moves in response to the mounting of the cartridge to the bracket.
36. The refrigerator according to claim 35, wherein the cartridge mounting bracket comprises a casing defining a hollow interior sized to receive the cartridge, wherein the cartridge is removably mounted to the casing and coupled to the head by inserting the cartridge into the casing exterior opening.
37. The refrigerator according to claim 36, wherein the moveable element comprises a strike that extends into the hollow interior of the casing and the cartridge comprises a catch which catches the strike as the cartridge is inserted into the hollow interior of the casing to couple the movement of the moveable element to the cartridge.
38. The refrigerator according to claim 37, and further comprising a release for uncoupling the moveable element from the cartridge when the cartridge is properly inserted within the casing.
39. The refrigerator according to claim 38, wherein the moveable element is moveable between a normal position and a withdrawn position corresponding to the cartridge being properly inserted.
40. The refrigerator according to claim 39, wherein the release is automatically actuated upon the proper insertion of the cartridge resulting in the moveable element being automatically biased to the normal position upon the proper insertion of the cartridge.
41. A refrigerator comprising:
a water-using accessory; and
a water-treatment system fluidly coupling a water supply to the water-using appliance for supplying treated water to the water-using accessory, and comprising:
a head assembly controlling the flow of water from the water supply through the head assembly; and
an end piece for fluidly connecting a treatment cartridge to the head assembly, the end piece comprising:
an end piece wall;
an inlet fitting and an outlet fitting, with at least one of the inlet fitting and outlet fitting having a cam surface and a longitudinal axis;
wherein said inlet fitting and said outlet fitting extend from said end piece wall, and wherein at least a portion of said cam surface is vectored from said longitudinal axis.
42. The refrigerator of claim 41, wherein at least a portion of said cam surface is vectored between about 1 degree and about 90 degrees from said longitudinal axis.
43. The refrigerator of claim 41, wherein at least a portion of said cam surface is angled between about 1 degree and about 90 degrees from said longitudinal axis.
44. The refrigerator of claim 41, wherein said cam surface comprises an essentially straight surface.
45. The refrigerator of claim 41, wherein said cam surface comprises an essentially curved surface.
46. The refrigerator of claim 41, wherein said cam surface comprises a first essentially straight surface and a second essentially straight surface, each said surface being vectored from said longitudinal axis.
47. The refrigerator of claim 46, wherein said first essentially straight surface is vectored between about 1 degree and about 45 degrees from said longitudinal axis and said second essentially straight surface is vectored between about 45 degrees and 90 degrees from said longitudinal axis.
48. The refrigerator of claim 41, wherein said cam surface comprises an essentially curved surface and an essentially straight surface, each said surface being vectored from said longitudinal axis.
49. The refrigerator of claim 48, wherein said essentially straight surface is vectored between about 5 degrees and 90 degrees from said longitudinal axis.
50. The refrigerator of claim 48, wherein at least one of said first essentially straight surface and said second essentially straight surface are angled in relation to said longitudinal axis.
51. The refrigerator of claim 48, wherein said essentially straight surface is angled in relation to said longitudinal axis.
52. The refrigerator of claim 41, wherein said cam surface is distal from a sealing surface.
53. The refrigerator of claim 41, wherein said both the inlet and outlet fittings have a longitudinal axis and a cam surface.
54. The refrigerator of claim 53, the end piece further comprising a protrusion having a longitudinal axis, said protrusion extending from said end piece wall.
55. The refrigerator of claim 54, wherein said protrusion is positioned between said inlet and said outlet fittings.
56. The refrigerator of claim 55, wherein the distance from said longitudinal axis of said inlet fitting to said longitudinal axis of said outlet fitting is less than the distance from said longitudinal axis of said inlet fitting to said longitudinal axis of said protrusion, and wherein the distance from said inlet fitting to said longitudinal axis of said protrusion is less than the distance from said longitudinal axis of said outlet fitting to said longitudinal axis of said protrusion.
57. The refrigerator of claim 56, wherein the distance from said longitudinal axis of said inlet fitting to said longitudinal axis of said outlet fitting is about 0.8 cm, and wherein the distance from said inlet fitting to said longitudinal axis of said protrusion is about 1.1 cm, and wherein the distance from said longitudinal axis of said outlet fitting to said longitudinal axis of said protrusion is about 1.9 cm.
58. The refrigerator of claim 57, wherein the most distal portion of said protrusion is closer to said end piece wall than the most distal portions of said inlet and said outlet fittings.
59. The refrigerator of claim 41, wherein said cam surface is positioned on a wall extending from the base of a channel of said inlet fitting.
60. The refrigerator of claim 41, and further comprising a cartridge housing having a first end, a closed second end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, wherein said end piece wall is connected to said first end of said cartridge housing.
61. The refrigerator of claim 60, wherein said cartridge housing comprises a treatment material in fluid communication with said inlet and said outlet fittings.
62. The refrigerator of claim 41, wherein the head assembly comprises an inlet receiving port and out outlet receiving port, wherein the inlet receiving port is sized to receive the inlet fitting and the outlet receiving port is sized to receive the outlet fitting to fluidly couple the head and the end piece.
63. The refrigerator of claim 62, wherein the head assembly further comprises a valve having a follower located in the inlet receiving port and the inlet fitting has a longitudinal axis and a cam surface, such that when the inlet fitting is received within the inlet receiving port, the cam surface contacts the follower to open the valve.
64. The refrigerator of claim 62, wherein said outlet valve is actuated by pressure.
65. The refrigerator of claim 63, wherein the head assembly further comprises a second valve having a follower located in the outlet receiving port and the outlet fitting has a longitudinal axis and a cam surface, such that when the outlet fitting is received within the outlet receiving port, the cam surface of the outlet fitting contacts the follower of the second valve to open the second valve.
66. The refrigerator of claim 63, wherein the head assembly further comprises a bypass valve fluidly connecting the inlet receiving port and the outlet receiving port when the end piece is not mounted to the head assembly.
67. The refrigerator of claim 66, wherein said end piece further comprises a protrusion for actuating the bypass valve, and the head assembly further comprises a bypass passageway housing which contains the bypass valve, wherein the bypass passageway housing is so arranged to receive said protrusion and the bypass valve is actuated by said protrusion.
68. The refrigerator of claim 63, wherein the head further comprises an inlet port fluidly coupling the water supply to the inlet receiving port, and an outlet port fluidly coupling the water-using accessory to the outlet receiving port, wherein the valve is located in the inlet port such that a portion of the follower extends into the inlet receiving port.
69. The refrigerator of claim 68, wherein the inlet port is oriented at an angle relative to the inlet receiving port to reduce the overall length of the head assembly.
70. The refrigerator of claim 69, wherein the angle is approximately 90 degrees.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for the fluid-tight assembly of two parts in silicon nitride of which one comprises a male end and the other comprises a female end, each of these ends being provided with mechanical assembly means which are able to cooperate together and delimit a space between them under assembling conditions, said method comprises:
assembling said parts by cooperation between the mechanical assembly means of the male and female ends;
filling the space existing under assembling conditions between these assembly means with a glass joint;
and is characterized in that the filling comprises:
coating, before assembling the parts, the mechanical assembly means of one andor the other of the male and female ends with a borosilicate glass paste;
applying heat treatment to the parts, after their assembly, to induce the formation in said space of a borosilicate glass joint by softening and flowing of the borosilicate glass present in said paste, then solidifying the joint thus formed,
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the borosilicate glass contained in the paste is chosen from among the borosilicate glasses having:
(1) a coefficient of thermal expansion of 2.5\xd710\u22126\xb0 C. to 5.0\xd710\u22126\xb0 C. at between 20\xb0 C. and 800\xb0 C.; andor
(2) a working temperature of 900\xb0 C. to 1300\xb0 C.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the borosilicate glass is present in the borosilicate glass paste in the form of a powder dispersed in a binder.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the borosilicate glass powder is formed of particles whose size, such as determined by laser particle measurement, is between 0.1 \u03bcm and 1 mm.
5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the borosilicate glass paste, in addition to the borosilicate glass powder and the binder, comprises a dispersing agent for mineral powders andor a solvent.
6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the borosilicate glass paste in weight percentage comprises:
from 30 to 90% of the borosilicate glass powder;
up to 30% of the binder;
from 0 to 5% of a dispersant for mineral powders; and
from 0 to 50% of a solvent.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the borosilicate glass paste has a viscosity, such as determined at ambient temperature using a rotational viscometer with defined shear velocity gradient, of 0.01 Pa.s to 100 Pa.s under a shear gradient of 1 to 10 s\u22121.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the coating of the mechanical assembly means of the male end with the borosilicate glass paste is performed by immersing.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the borosilicate glass paste, used to coat the mechanical assembly means of the male end, has a viscosity such as determined at ambient temperature using a rotational viscometer with defined shear velocity gradient, of between 0.01 Pa.s and 5 Pa.s under a shear gradient of 1 to 10 s\u22121.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the parts are assembled by screwing.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the space existing between the mechanical assembly means measures 0.1 mm and 4 mm in width.
12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the male end having a free end which, under screw conditions, faces a shoulder carried by the female end, and the female end having a free end which, under screw conditions, faces a shoulder carried by the male end, screwing is conducted so as to maintain between each of said free ends and their opposite-facing shoulder a space which is filled with borosilicate glass paste.
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the width of the space existing between each of the free ends of the male and female ends and their opposite-facing shoulder does not exceed 5 mm.
14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the paste used to fill the space existing between each of the free ends of the male and female ends and their opposite-facing shoulder has a viscosity, such as determined at ambient temperature using a rotational viscometer with defined shear velocity gradient, of 0.01 Pa.s to 5 Pa.s under a shear gradient of 1 to 10 s\u22121.
15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heat treatment comprises:
one or more temperature rises at a rate of 0.1\xb0 C.minute to 10\xb0 C.minute, optionally with one or more intermediate isothermal temperature holds, until a maximum temperature is reached, said maximum temperature being between 600\xb0 C. and 1200\xb0 C.;
a temperature hold at the maximum temperature, said temperature being held for between 1 minute and 120 minutes
one or more temperature drops, at a rate of 0.1\xb0 C.minute to 5\xb0 C.minute, optionally with one or more intermediate isothermal temperature holds, until a temperature is reached slightly lower than the glass transition temperature of the borosilicate glass so as to limit the stress level in this glass; and
one or more temperature drops, at a rate of 0.1\xb0 C.minute to 5\xb0 C.minute, until ambient temperature is reached.
16. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises filling of the cavities present in the glass joint obtained after heat treatment and which are accessible, with the borosilicate glass paste, and applying to the parts additional heat treatment identical to the preceding heat treatment.
17. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the male and female ends comprises guide means different from the mechanical assembly means, which are capable of cooperating together and which delimit between them, under assembling conditions, a space whose width is narrower than the width of the space existing between the mechanical assembly means.
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the space existing between the guiding means measures between 0.05 mm to 2 mm in width.
19. The method according to claim 17, which further comprises, before assembling of the parts, coating all or part of the guide means of one andor the other of the male and female ends.
20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the parts to be assembled are parts through which a conduit passes.
21. A method for the manufacture of electrolytic membranes intended for electrolysers dedicated to the electrochemical dissolution of actinide oxides, which comprises implementing a method according to claim 1.