Water dispenser abstract
A portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of water
purified of organic and inorganic pollutants includes a portable,
refillable and hand-holdable vessel for holding and pouring water
having a spout and, inside the portable, refillable and hand-holdable
vessel, moving water and still water processing module cooperative
to remove inorganic and organic pollutants from water received batchwise
by the vessel.
Water dispenser claims
What is claimed is:
1. A portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of water
purified of both organic and inorganic pollutants, comprising: a
portable, refillable and hand-holdable vessel for holding and pouring
water having a spout and, inside the portable, refillable and hand-holdable
vessel, moving water and still water processing modules cooperative
to remove inorganic and organic pollutants from water received batchwise
by said vessel; said modules processing moving water disposed inside
the vessel is adapted to receive water to be processed batchwise,
and is further adapted to cause the water to be processed received
batchwise to move through a flow-through filter to remove inorganic
impurities and then out of said module; and said module processing
still water disposed inside the vessel is adapted to receive the
water that flows out of said module processing moving water and
to contain it batchwise as a body of still water in fluid communication
with said spout of said vessel, and is further adapted to provide
UV radiation that is omnipresent to every region of said body of
still water contained batchwise therein with an intensity and a
duration to neutralize organic impurities at every region of said
body of still water contained batchwise therein; whereby, water
to be processed received batchwise from which inorganic impurities
have been removed and in which organic impurities have been neutralized
may be dispensed batchwise through said spout of said portable,
refillable and hand-holdable vessel.
2. The portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of
water purified of organic and inorganic pollutants of claim 1 wherein
the hand-holdable vessel includes a pitcher with an open mouth and
side and bottom walls that enclose a basin for containing and pouring
still water, a handle to one side of the pitcher and a lid removably
mounted to said open mouth of said pitcher.
3. The portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of
water purified of organic and inorganic pollutants of claim 2 wherein
said module processing moving water includes a bucket mounted inside
said pitcher with its mouth in fluid communication with said mouth
of said pitcher having an ion exchange and activated carbon flow-through
filter bed that is fed by gravity action with water to be processed
that is poured batchwise into said bucket all at once.
4. The portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of
water purified of organic and inorganic pollutants of claim 2 wherein
said module processing still water includes a single UV line radiator
upstanding in, and centrally disposed within, said basin of said
pitcher, and a controller carried by the pitcher operatively coupled
to the UV line radiator that includes a control panel and user interface
located on the handle.
5. The portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of
water purified or organic and inorganic pollutants of claim 4 wherein
said controller is battery-powered.
6. The portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of
water purified of organic and inorganic pollutants of claim 2 wherein
said removable lid includes a fill opening, and a louvered disc
valve that permits water be received through said fill opening while
blocking direct viewing of UV radiation within said pitcher.
7. A portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of water
purified of organic and inorganic impurities, comprising: a water
pitcher having an open top, side and bottom walls enclosing a basin
for holding still water, a spout in fluid communication with the
basin for pouring water, and a removable lid mounted to the open
top of the pitcher; a moving water processing module including a
bucket mounted inside the water pitcher having an open top in fluid
communication with the open mouth of the pitcher and having side
and bottom walls that enclose a volume whose capacity, when filled,
accepts a batch of water to be treated that is poured all at once
thereinto, a flow-through filter removably mounted to said bucket
bottom wall that is fed with the water of each batch of water by
action of gravity, said flow-through filter adapted to remove inorganic
impurities as said water flows therethrough and to streamwise discharge
that water into said basin; and a still water processing module
including a UV line radiator upstanding in, and centrally disposed
within, the basin of the pitcher connected to a controller and control
panel and user interface carried by the pitcher operative in response
to UV treatment sequencing initiation control input after all of
the water of a batch of water has been discharged streamwise from
the moving water processing module and received by the basin of
the pitcher which contains it batchwise as a body of still water
to provide UV radiation that is omnipresent to every region of the
body of still water contained batchwise by the basin with an intensity
and a duration to neutralize organic impurities at every region
of the body of still water contained batchwise by the basin, and,
thereafter, to provide a signal indication at the control panel
and user interface that a batch of water purified of organic and
inorganic pollutants is ready to be served through the spout of
the pitcher.
8. The portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of
water purified of organic and inorganic pollutants of claim 6 wherein
the removable lid includes a fill opening therethrough, and a mechanism
cooperative therewith to allow water to be received through said
fill opening but to block direct viewing of UV radiation within
said pitcher.
9. The portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of
water purified of organic and inorganic pollutants of claim 8 wherein
said mechanism includes a louvered disc valve.
10. The portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of
water purified of organic and inorganic pollutants of claim 7 wherein
said flow-through filter is an ion exchange and activated carbon
flow-through filter.
11. The portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of
water purified of organic and inorganic pollutants of claim 7 further
including a lid seat sensing switch mounted to the removable lid
connected to said controller to disable the UV line radiator in
the basin of the pitcher when the removable lid is off of the pitcher.
12. The portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of
water purified of organic and inorganic pollutants of claim 7 wherein
the controller monitors the time since it was last actuated, and
if a predetermined time elapses since it was last actuated, it provides
a signal indication at the control panel and user interface to retreat
the batch of water.
13. A portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of water
purified of both organic and inorganic pollutants, comprising: a
portable, refillable standalone unit for receiving, holding, and
dispensing water having a water outlet and, inside said unit, moving
water and still water processing modules cooperative to remove inorganic
and organic pollutants from water received batchwise by said unit;
said module processing moving water disposed inside said unit is
adapted to receive water to be processed batchwise, and is further
adapted to cause the water to be processed received batchwise to
move through a flow-through filter to remove inorganic impurities
and then out of said module; and said module processing still water
disposed inside said unit is adapted to receive the water that flows
out said module processing moving water and to contain it batchwise
as a body of still water in fluid communication with said water
outlet of said unit, and is further adapted to provide UV radiation
that is omnipresent to every region of said body of still water
contained batchwise therein with an intensity and a duration to
neutralize organic impurities at every region of said body of still
water contained batchwise therein; whereby, water to be processed
received batchwise from which inorganic impurities have been removed
and in which organic impurities have been neutralized may be dispensed
batchwise through said water outlet of said portable, refillable
standalone unit.
14. The portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of
water purified of both organic and inorganic pollutants of claim
13 wherein said portable refillable standalone unit is a pitcher-type
point of use water purifier.
Water dispenser description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60431128 filed Dec. 5 2002 and U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/431125 filed Dec. 5 2002.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention is drawn to the field of water purification,
more particularly, to point of use water purifiers, and more particularly,
to a novel portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches
of water purified or organic and inorganic pollutants.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Systems that treat water for regional consumption such as
municipal waterworks and systems that treat water for point of use
consumption are the two basic types of systems by which water may
be treated to remove impurities. The municipal systems, of course,
afford no purification of other than "city" water, such
as well water, and organic and inorganic impurities often remain
in "city" water notwithstanding filtration, UV treatment,
ozone treatment or treatment by any of the other water purification
techniques well-known to those of skill in the art. The point of
use systems for their part may be locally installed or portable.
However, point of use systems installed into existing plumbing are
typically line-powered, requiring line voltage and current for the
treatment of water, and often involve an expense beyond the budget
of many consumers for equipment acquisition, installation services
and periodic maintenance. The portable point of use systems on the
other hand are often cumbersome, suitcase-sized units that are difficult
to use, involving multiple manual treatment steps, or do not remove
both inorganic and organic impurities, and sometimes are no less
expensive to acquire and maintain than their installed counterparts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] It accordingly is the general object of the present invention
to provide a novel point of use water purifier, and more particularly,
to provide a portable, refillable water dispenser that itself serves
batches of water purified of both organic and inorganic pollutants.
As used herein, the term "organic" in the phase "organic
pollutants" refers to "living organisms" such as
bacteria, and the term "inorganic" in the phrase "inorganic
pollutants" refers to "non-living, organic (carbon) or
inorganic compounds."
[0005] In general terms, the present invention contemplates a portable,
refillable water dispenser serving batches of water purified of
organic and inorganic pollutants that includes a portable, refillable
and hand-holdable vessel for holding and pouring water having a
spout and, inside the portable, refillable and hand-holdable vessel,
moving water and still water processing modules cooperative to remove
inorganic and organic pollutants from water received batchwise by
said vessel. The module processing moving water disposed inside
the vessel is adapted to receive water to be processed batchwise,
and is further adapted to cause the water to be processed received
batchwise to move through a flow-through filter to remove inorganic
impurities and then out of said module. The module processing still
water disposed inside the vessel is adapted to receive the water
that flows out said module processing moving water and to contain
it batchwise as a body of still water in fluid communication with
said spout of said vessel, and is further adapted to provide UV
radiation that is omnipresent to every region of each of said body
of still water contained batchwise therein with an intensity and
a duration to neutralize organic impurities at every region of said
body of still water contained batchwise therein. In this manner,
water from which inorganic impurities have been removed and in which
organic impurities have been neutralized may be dispensed through
said spout of said portable, refillable and hand-holdable vessel.
[0006] Preferably, the portable, refillable and hand-holdable vessel
includes a pitcher with an open mouth and side and bottom walls
that provide a basin for containing and pouring still water, a handle
to one side of the pitcher, and a lid removably mounted to said
open mouth of said pitcher. The module processing moving water preferably
includes a bucket mounted inside said pitcher with its mouth in
fluid communication with said mouth of said pitcher having an ion
exchange and activated carbon flow-through filter bed that is fed
by gravity action with water to be processed that is poured batchwise
into said bucket all at once. The module processing still water
preferably includes a single UV line radiator upstanding in, and
centrally disposed within, said base of said pitcher and a battery-powered
controller carried by the pitcher that includes a control panel
and user interface, preferably located on its handle, operatively
coupled to the single UV line radiator.
[0007] Preferably, the removable lid includes a fill opening, and
a louvered disc valve cooperative therewith to allow water to be
poured through the fill opening batchwise into the bucket of the
moving water processing module while blocking direct viewing of
the UV line radiator.
[0008] Operation of the presently preferred portable, refillable
and hand-holdable water dispenser serving batches of water purified
of organic and inorganic pollutants is elegantly straightforward.
All that is needed is to pour water to be processed batchwise into
the bucket of the moving water processing module either directly,
when the lid is removed, or through the fill opening, when the lid
is attached to the pitcher, and to start the processing sequence
by actuation of the control panel and user interface. The controller
of the still water processing module waits for a first time to allow
the water to be processed that has been poured batchwise into the
bucket to move through the moving water processing module flow-through
filter to remove inorganic impurities therefrom, then actuates the
UV line radiator for a second time to neutralize organic impurities
in the body of still water contained batchwise in the basin of the
still water processing module, after which time it provides an indication
at the control panel that a batch of water purified of organic and
inorganic pollutants is ready to be dispensed through the spout
of the pitcher.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] These and other objects, inventive aspects and advantageous
features of the present invention will become apparent as the invention
becomes better understood by referring to the following, solely
exemplary, detailed description of the presently preferred embodiment
thereof, and to the drawings, wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable, refillable water
dispenser serving batches of water purified of organic and inorganic
impurities in accord with the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the midsection
thereof;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the midsection
of the removable lid of the portable, refillable water dispenser
of FIGS. 1 and 2;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the removable lid; and
[0014] FIG. 5 is a block circuit diagram of the portable, refillable
and hand-holdable water dispenser serving batches of water purified
of organic and inorganic impurities in accord with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 generally designated at
10 is a portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of
water purified of organic and inorganic impurities in accord with
the present invention. The portable, refillable water dispenser
10 includes a portable, refillable and hand-holdable pitcher 12
for containing, receiving and pouring water having a handle 14 to
one side thereof, a pour spout 16 and a removable lid 18. Any portable,
refillable water dispenser for receiving, containing and dispensing
water such as a standalone, countertop water purifier, may be employed
without departing from the inventive concepts. A control panel and
user-interface 20 to be described is mounted on the handle 14. A
flip lid 22 cooperative with the spout 16 of the pitcher 12 and
a fill opening generally designated 24 and cooperative louvered
disc valve to be described having actuation handle 26 are carried
by the removable lid 18.
[0016] As best seen in FIG. 2 a bucket generally designated 28
is mounted inside the pitcher 12 having side and bottom walls 30
32 that bound a volume whose capacity, when filled, accepts water
to be purified poured batchwise all at once thereinto. A flow-through
filter generally designated 34 is removably mounted in an opening
provided therefor in the bottom wall 32 of the bucket 28 that is
fed with water to be processed received batchwise in the bucket
28 by action of gravity. Water to be processed received batchwise
by the bucket 28 flows into inlet ports generally designated 36
of flow-through filter 34 though ion exchange and activated carbon
filter media, not shown, contained inside the walls of inner and
outer cups 38 40 to remove inorganic impurities, and one outlet
port generally designated 42 at the top and to the side of flow-through
filter 34 away from the spout 16 of the pitcher 12. Reference in
this connection may be had to commonly assigned, co-pending United
States utility patent application entitled "Filter Cartridge
for a Standalone Point of Use Water Purification Device," filed
on even date herewith, incorporated herein by reference. Any suitable
moving water processing module adapted to receive water to be processed
batchwise and further adapted to cause the water be processed received
batchwise to move through a flow-through filter to remove inorganic
impurities may be employed without departing from the inventive
concepts, and a flow-through filter having other than an ion exchange
and activated carbon flow-through filter media such as activated
carbon block media, ceramic media, or semipermeable membranes, may
be employed.
[0017] The pitcher 12 has side walls 44 and a contained bottom
wall 46 that provide a basin in fluid communication with the spout
16 for receiving, holding and pouring water. The side walls 44 of
the pitcher 12 are fashioned of a material that is transparent to
ambient light and opaque to UV light, such as plastic. The capacity
of the basin is at least as great as the capacity of the bucket
28.
[0018] A single UV line radiator generally designated 48 is upstanding
in, and centrally positioned within, the basin of the pitcher 12.
The UV line radiator 48 includes a two hundred fifty-four (254)
nm cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) 50 and protective, UV transparent
quartz sheath 52 mounted in water-tight sealing relation to the
bottom wall 46 of the pitcher 12. The UV lamp 50 of the UV line
radiator 48 is operatively connected to a controller to be described
supplied by power from batteries 52 carried in an electronics pack
generally designated 54 attached to the bottom wall 46 of the pitcher
12. The electronics pack 54 is connected to the control panel and
user interface 20 via cable 56 that is threaded through the handle
14 of the pitcher 12.
[0019] Water to be processed received batchwise by the bucket 28
of the moving water processing module is received in the basin of
the pitcher 12 as it flows streamwise through the flow-through filter
34 thereof, which, after all the water of a batch has flowed therethrough,
is contained batchwise as a body of still water in the basin of
the pitcher 12 in fluid communication with the spout 16. The body
of still water contained batchwise in the basin completely submerges
the UV line radiator 48. The CCFL 50 actuated by the controller
in response to user control input to the control panel and user
interface 20 in a manner to be described, provides UV radiation
that is omnipresent to every region of the basin containing the
body of still water received batchwise with an intensity and a duration
to neutralize inorganic impurities at every region of the body of
still water contained batchwise in the basin of the pitcher 12.
The controller thereafter provides a signal indication at the control
panel and user-interface 20 that a batch of water purified of organic
and inorganic pollutants is ready for dispensation through spout
16. Any still water processing module adapted to receive water from
the moving water processing module and contain it batchwise as a
body of still water other than the basin of the pitcher 12 and further
adapted to provide UV radiation that is omnipresent to every region
of the body of still water received batchwise with an intensity
and a duration to neutralize inorganic impurities at every region
of the body of still water contained batchwise other than the battery-powered,
single UV line radiator upstanding in, and centrally disposed within,
the basin of the pitcher may be employed without departing from
the inventive concepts.
[0020] Referring now to FIG. 3 generally designated at 60 is a
longitudinal view through the midsection of the removable lid 18
of the portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of water
purified of organic and inorganic pollutants in accord with the
present invention. The flip lid 22 is pivotally mounted on an axle
62 best seen in FIG. 4. The flip lid 22 covers the pour spout 16
of the pitcher 12 while allowing water contained in the basin thereof
to be dispensed therethrough. The bucket 28 includes a front wall
56 that intercepts the line of sight from the pour spout 16 to prevent
direct viewing of the UV line radiator 48 in the basin of the pitcher
12 as schematically illustrated by arrow 58 in FIG. 2. A lid seat
sensing switch 64 such as a magnetic reed switch, is mounted to
the removable lid 18 to disable the UV line radiator 48 in the basin
of the pitcher 12 when the removable lid 18 is off of the pitcher
12.
[0021] A louvered disc valve generally designated 66 retained by
cap 68 on rotary bearing 70 is mounted for rotation to the underside
of the removable lid 18 adjacent the fill opening 24 thereof. The
louvered disc valve 66 includes the actuation handle 26 and as
best seen in FIG. 4 a disc valve 72 and a louver generally designated
74 whose opening generally designated 76 is provided with a series
of slanted, radially spaced fins 78. Water received through fill
opening 24 of the removable lid 18 with the louvered disc valve
66 rotated to its fully opened position illustrated in FIG. 4 by
handle 26 flows through the louver opening 76 into the bucket 28
while the slanted fins 78 thereof block direct viewing of the UV
line radiator 48 within the pitcher 12 as schematically illustrated
by dashed arrow 80 in FIG. 3. As will be appreciated, the slanted
fins 78 of the louvered disc valve 66 block direct viewing of the
UV line radiator 48 inside the pitcher 12 when it is not in any
of its non-fully-closed positions, now shown, which are not further
described herein for the sake of brevity of exposition. Another
mechanism that allows water to be processed to be received batchwise
through the removable lid while blocking direct view of the UV radiator
other than the louvered disc valve 66 may be employed without departing
from the inventive concepts.
[0022] Referring now to FIG. 5 generally designated at 90 is a
block circuit diagram of the portable, refillable water dispenser
serving batches of water purified of organic and inorganic pollutants
in accord with the present invention. Controller 92 supplied with
DC power from battery 94 is operatively coupled to UV line radiator
96. A lid seat sensor 98 is electrically connected to the controller
92. A control panel and user interface 100 is electrically connected
to the controller 92. The controller 92 may be powered by AC line
power or a combination of AC and rechargeable DC without departing
from the inventive concepts.
[0023] In operation, the controller 92 in response to sequence
initiation input via the control panel and user interface 100 waits
a first time to allow water to be processed received batchwise in
the bucket to move through the moving water processing module and
into the basin of the pitcher where it is contained as a body of
still water. For an exemplary thirty-two (32) ounce capacity bucket,
water received batchwise takes about ten (10) minutes to drip through
its flow-through filter. After the first time lapses, the controller
92 actuates the UV line radiator 96 to provide UV radiation that
is omnipresent to every region of the body of still water contained
in the basin of the still water processing module with an intensity
and a second time duration to neutralize inorganic impurities at
every region of the body of still water contained in the basin of
the still water processing module. Different second time durations
may be selected for "city" versus water from wells or
other sources. For an exemplary thirty-two (32) ounce capacity basin,
five (5) minutes of irradiation neutralizes organic impurities in
"city" water and ten (10) minutes neutralizes organic
impurities in well water. If at any time during the processing sequence
(or at any other time) a signal is detected from the lid seat sensor
98 the controller disables the UV line radiator 96 and resets its
water treatment sequence. Otherwise, after the second time has elapsed,
the controller 92 provides a signal indication at the control panel
and user interface 100 such as by illuminating a light or causing
an audio signal to sound, that a batch of water purified of organic
and inorganic pollutants is ready to be served through the spout
of the pitcher. The controller monitors the time since it was last
actuated, and if a predetermined third time elapses, such as twenty-four
(24) hours, since it was last actuated, it provides a signal indication
at the control panel and user interface to retreat the batch of
water.
[0024] Many modifications of the presently disclosed intervention
will become apparent to those of skill in the art without departing
from the inventive concepts.
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