# US 2014/0197197 A1 · Water Vending Apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197197 A1 - Document ID: US20140197197A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/969,200 - Filed: 2013-08-16 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2002-11-13 - Assignees: DEKA Products Limited Partnership - Inventors: Dean Kamen; Christopher C. Langenfeld; Ryan K. LaRocque; Andrew A. Schnellinger; Prashant Bhat; Stanley B. Smith, III; Otis L. Clapp; Jeremy M. Swerdlow - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197197A1 ## CPC - B01D 1/2887: {The compressor is integrated in the evaporation apparatus} - B01D 1/28: with vapour compression - B01D 5/006: {with evaporation or distillation} - B67D 1/0014: {the beverage being supplied from water mains} - B67D 1/0862: {in the form of a cold plate or a cooling block} - C02F 1/041: {by means of vapour compression} - C02F 1/048: {Purification of waste water by evaporation} - C02F 1/16: using waste heat from other processes - C02F 1/325: {Irradiation devices or lamp constructions} - C02F 2303/04: Disinfection - C02F 2303/10: Energy recovery - Y02W 10/37: using solar energy - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract A water vending apparatus is disclosed. The water vending system includes a water vapor distillation apparatus and a dispensing device. The dispensing device is in fluid communication with the fluid vapor distillation apparatus and the product water from the fluid vapor distillation apparatus is dispensed by the dispensing device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A water vending system comprising: a water vapor distillation apparatus; a dispensing device, wherein the dispensing device is in fluid communication with the fluid vapor distillation apparatus and whereby product water from the fluid vapor distillation apparatus is dispensed by the dispensing device, the dispensing device comprising a proximity sensor; and a programmable logic controller for controlling the dispensing device and the water vapor distillation apparatus, wherein the proximity sensor sends a signal to the programmable logic controller to dispense water. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The water vending system of claim 1 further comprising: a housing, the water vapor distillation apparatus located within the housing; and a multi-purpose interface located outside the housing, wherein the multi-purpose interface is in fluid communication with the fluid vapor distillation apparatus and whereby product water from the fluid vapor distillation apparatus is dispensed by the multi-purpose interface, the multi-purpose interface comprising: at least one dispensing device; at least one conductivity sensor; and at least one light emitting diode communicatively connected to the at least one conductivity sensor, wherein the multi-purpose interface dispenses water from the water vapor distillation apparatus onto the at least one conductivity sensor and the at least one conductivity sensor sends a signal to the at least one light emitting diode to visually represent the conductivity using the at least one light emitting diode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The water vending system of claim 1 wherein the water vapor distillation apparatus further comprising: a source water input; an evaporator condenser apparatus comprising: a housing; and a plurality of tubes in the housing, whereby the source water input is fluidly connected to the evaporator condenser and the evaporator condenser transforms source water into steam and transforms compressed steam into product water; a heat exchanger fluidly connected to the source water input and a product water output, the heat exchanger comprising: an outer tube; and at least one inner tube; and a regenerative blower fluidly connected to the evaporator condenser, whereby the regenerative blower compresses steam, and whereby the compressed steam flows to the evaporative condenser where compressed steam is transformed into product water. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The water vending system of claim 1 further comprising a primary tank and a secondary tank. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The water vending system of claim 4 further comprising a fill pump wherein the fill pump pumps water from the primary tank to the secondary tank. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The water vending system of claim 4 further comprising a diffuser in the secondary tank. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The water vending system of claim 4 further comprising at least one sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The water vending system of claim 7 further comprising a minimum volume sensor in the primary tank whereby the minimum volume sensor determines whether the primary tank is holding a minimum volume to fill the secondary tank. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The water vending system of claim 7 further comprising a maximum volume sensor in the primary tank whereby the maximum volume sensor determines whether the primary tank is full. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The water vending system of claim 4 further comprising an air flow conduit between the primary tank and the secondary tank. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The water vending system of claim 4 further comprising an ultraviolet sterilizer coupled to a fluid path between the primary tank and the secondary tank. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The water vending system of claim 4 further comprising a nozzle assembly downstream from the secondary tank. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The water vending system of claim 12 further comprising an ultraviolet sterilizer coupled to a fluid path between the secondary tank and the nozzle assembly. ### Claim 14 A water vending system comprising: a housing; a water vapor distillation apparatus located within the housing; a dispensing device, wherein the dispensing device is in fluid communication with the fluid vapor distillation apparatus and whereby product water from the fluid vapor distillation apparatus is dispensed by the dispensing device, the dispensing device comprising a proximity sensor; and a programmable logic controller for controlling the dispensing device and the water vapor distillation apparatus, wherein the proximity sensor sends a signal to the programmable logic controller to dispense water. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The water vending system of claim 14 further comprising a multi-purpose interface located outside the housing, wherein the multi-purpose interface is in fluid communication with the water vapor distillation apparatus and whereby product water from the water vapor distillation apparatus is dispensed by the multi-purpose interface, the multi-purpose interface comprising: at least one dispensing device; at least one conductivity sensor; and at least one light emitting diode communicatively connected to the at least one conductivity sensor, wherein the multi-purpose interface dispenses water from the water vapor distillation apparatus onto the at least one conductivity sensor and the at least one conductivity sensor sends a signal to the at least one light emitting diode to visually represent the conductivity using the at least one light emitting diode. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The water vending system of claim 14 wherein the water vapor distillation apparatus further comprising: a source water input; an evaporator condenser apparatus comprising: a housing; and a plurality of tubes in the housing, whereby the source water input is fluidly connected to the evaporator condenser and the evaporator condenser transforms source water into steam and transforms compressed steam into product water; a heat exchanger fluidly connected to the source water input and a product water output, the heat exchanger comprising: an outer tube; and at least one inner tube; and a regenerative blower fluidly connected to the evaporator condenser, whereby the regenerative blower compresses steam, and whereby the compressed steam flows to the evaporative condenser where compressed steam is transformed into product water. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The water vending system of claim 14 further comprising a primary tank and a secondary tank. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The water vending system of claim 17 further comprising an ultraviolet sterilizer coupled to a fluid path between the primary tank and the secondary tank. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The water vending system of claim 17 further comprising a nozzle assembly downstream from the secondary tank. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The water vending system of claim 17 further comprising an ultraviolet sterilizer coupled to a fluid path between the secondary tank and the nozzle assembly.