Liquid Dispenser Having Holding Tanks With Internally Reinforced Sidewalls

Abstract

A liquid dispenser has one or more liquid storage tanks, the sidewalls that are subject to outward deflection. The deflection of sidewalls of a holding tank for liquids is reduced or eliminated by sidewall reinforcing stringers that extend between the sides and which are located inside the tank. The stringers, maintain the separation distance between the sidewalls to keep the sidewalls substantially parallel to each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A liquid dispenser comprising:
 a refrigerated cabinet having an interior width defined by a separation distance between first and second cabinet walls; and   a liquid holding tank comprising:
 a first wall; 
 a second wall opposite the first wall; and 
 a first stringer inside the liquid holding tank and extending between the first and second walls, the stringer configured to reduce deflection of the first and second holding tank walls. 
   
     
     
         2 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second walls are substantially planar, substantially vertical, substantially parallel to each other and wherein the stringer is formed integrally with both the first wall and second wall. 
     
     
         3 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the stringer is attached to the first and second walls by at least one of: welding, an adhesive and a mechanical fastener. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the first stringer and the first sidewall are seamless. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 3 , wherein the first wall and the second wall have smooth outside surfaces. 
     
     
         6 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 4 , wherein the first stringer is hollow. 
     
     
         7 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 5 , further comprising a second stringer, the second stringer being similar to, and vertically separated from the first stringer. 
     
     
         8 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 5 , further comprising a second stringer spatially separated from the first stringer. 
     
     
         9 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second walls have a geometric center and wherein the first and second stringers extend between the first and second walls at first and second stringer locations, the first and second stringer locations being equally spaced away from the geometric center. 
     
     
         10 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second walls have a geometric center and wherein the first and second stringers extend between the first and second walls at first and second stringer locations, the first and second stringer locations being equally spaced away from the geometric center. 
     
     
         11 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the first stringer is comprised of first and second portions, each portion having an annulus shaped face, the first and second portions being joined to each other by the joining of the annulus-shaped faces. 
     
     
         12 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the stringer is a hollow tube having a draft of between about two degrees and twenty degrees. 
     
     
         13 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second sidewalls have corresponding centroids and wherein the stringer is located at the centroids of the first and second sidewalls. 
     
     
         14 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the stringer is configured to exchange heat between air inside the stringer and at least one of liquid and air inside the holding tank. 
     
     
         15 . A liquid dispenser comprising:
 a refrigerated cabinet having an interior width defined by a separation distance between first and second cabinet walls; and   first and second reinforced liquid holding tanks located between the first and second walls, each tank having first and second opposing side walls, the first and second liquid holding tanks being configured to be placed adjacent to each other and inside the refrigerated cabinet such that the second side wall of the first liquid holding tank is adjacent to, and in contact with, the first side wall of the second tank;   each reinforced liquid holding tank being comprised of:
 a first holding tank wall having a smooth exterior surface; 
 a second holding tank wall, which is configured to be substantially parallel to the first holding tank wall and, laterally separated from the first holding tank wall by a first separation distance and which also has a smooth exterior surface; and 
 a hollow wall stiffening tube extending integrally formed with the first and second holding tank walls and extending between them, the hollow wall stiffening tube being configured to maintain a separation distance of the walls, at least where the wall stiffener is attached to the first and second holding tank walls, at least when a liquid is inside the holding tank. 
   
     
     
         16 . The liquid dispenser of  claim 15 , wherein a first hollow wall stiffening tube in the first tank is aligned with a second hollow wall stiffening tube in the second tank, the aligned wall stiffening tubes configured to allow air to flow between the first and second cabinet walls and configured to enable the first and second liquid holding tanks to move vertically relative to each other when the tanks are holding liquid.