Variable flow water dispenser for refrigerator freezers

摘要

A variable flow rate water dispenser (15) mounted on a refrigerator door (11) is provided that can dispense water at user selected flow rates. The water dispenser includes a nozzle (24) for dispensing water from a dispenser housing on a refrigerator door and a user adjustable flow control. The user adjustable flow control can include a variable flow rate water valve (39) or a plurality of water valves (43,46) that can have different flow rates and can be operated separately or in combination to provide different flow rates. The user adjustable flow control can alternately include a variable flow pump for controlling flow of water to the nozzle at a user selected flow rate. The refrigerator can include a reservoir (38) inside or outside the refrigerator. The reservoir can be connected to a source of water and automatically filled or can be manually filled. The nozzle can include a flow straightener or aerator to minimize splashing.