Water purification and dispensing system
AssigneeJ. Vogel Premium Water Co.
InventorsGerald Vogel, Joseph Tholen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A water purification and dispensing apparatus comprises a water inlet for obtaining water from a supply source and a water purification system with filters for removing impurities from the source water to produce purified water. The water purification system is designed to respond to a demand condition for purified water by recirculating purified water in the apparatus to flush the filters of the water purification system. The apparatus also includes a mineralization system and has a dispensing system for dispensing the mineralized purified water into containers.
Claims12
A water purification and dispensing apparatus for filling a container, comprising:
- a water inlet for obtaining unpurified water from a supply source;
- a water purification system including means for filtering the unpurified water to obtain purified water;
- a water outlet which directs the purified water to the container;
- means for controlling said water purification system including means for selectively providing a demand condition for the purified water, said system including means for directing the purified water to said water outlet after said providing means provides said demand condition;
- and
- means for recycling purified water in said water purification system, said recycling means including means for bypassing said water outlet, said bypassing means having first means for flushing said filtering means with the purified water, said recycling means being responsive to said providing means after said providing means provides said demand condition and before said directing means directs the purified water to said water outlet.
A process for purifying and dispensing water comprising the steps of:
- obtaining unpurified water from a supply source;
- providing a demand condition for purified water;
- filtering the unpurified water through filtering means to obtain purified water, said filtering means including a reverse osmosis element which creates the purified water and a concentrate;
- on receiving the demand condition, recycling purified water from the filtering means by recirculating the purified water from the filtering means back through the filtering means to flush said filtering means;
- following said recycling step, directing the purified water to a water dispensing arrangement;
- and
- subsequent to demand no longer being present, stopping water flow.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.