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US 5,911,884 AGranted
Contamination proof purified water dispenser and method of using same
AssigneeEntre Pure Industries, Inc.
InventorRoger Phillip Boulter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A coin-operated purified water dispensing machine has an exterior housing shaped like a kiosk for a mall. A state of the art water purification system is housed in the kiosk. A unique combination of an RO filter and a bladder type storage tank minimizes the necessary components to pump and measure the purified water. A unique tamper proof and bacteria resistant nozzle assembly includes a retractable nozzle having a shutter door to prevent access while in the passive mode. A pinch valve assembly controls the water flow in a non-invasive manner. Also a continuous flow of ozone to the nozzle assembly deters bacteria growth.
Claims23
A purified water dispenser comprising:
- a housing having a vend window and a machine room having a filtration system;
- the filtration system further comprising:
- a means for pre-filtering city water;
- a means for piping a portion of the pre-filtered water forming a driving fluid into a space substantially enclosed by an inner bladder of a diaphragm storage tank, thereby providing a driving pressure in the inner bladder of the diaphragm storage tank;
- a means for feeding an RO pump and filter membrane with a blend of the stored pre-filtered water in the inner bladder and the pre-filtered city water thereby reclaiming the driving fluid, functioning to feed the RO pump and filter membrane using city water pressure, thereby providing a further filtering of the water, functioning to provide a pure water supply;
- a means for storing the pure water supply in a pure water storage side of the diaphragm storage tank under a pressure, functioning to store the pure water supply between an outer shell of the diaphragm storage tank and the inner bladder;
- a means for dispensing the pure water supply in the pure water storage side of the diaphragm storage tank, functioning to respond to a demand from a user;
- a means for measuring the volume of a quantity of dispensed water demanded by a user;
- and
- a means for controlling the RO pump by the means for measuring so as to maintain a selected minimum volume of the pure water supply in the pure water side of the diaphragm storage tank.
7 more elements
A process for purifying water comprising the steps of:
- pre-filtering city water;
- piping a portion of the pre-filtered water into a space substantially enclosed by an inner bladder of a diaphragm storage tank, to provide pressure in the diaphragm storage tank;
- feeding an RO pump and a filter membrane with a blend of the stored water in the inner bladder and the pre-filtered city water;
- storing pure water in a pure water storage side of the diaphragm storage tank;
- dispensing the pure water in the pure water storage side of the diaphragm storage tank;
- measuring a volume of the dispensed water;
- and
- controlling the RO pump by the measuring of a volume so as to maintain a selected minimum volume of water in the pure water side of the diaphragm storage tank.
5 more elements
A purified water dispenser comprising:
- a housing having a vend window and a machine room having a filtration system;
- the filtration system further comprising:
- a filtration system for pre-filtering city water;
- a diaphragm storage tank having an inner bladder substantially enclosing a space;
- a water inlet for piping a portion of the pre-filtered water into the space substantially enclosed by the inner bladder of the diaphragm storage tank to provide pressure in the diaphragm storage tank;
- a junction feeding an RO pump and filter membrane with a blend of the stored water in the inner bladder and the pre-filtered city water;
- a pure water storage side of the diaphragm storage tank defined outside of the inner bladder;
- an outlet for dispensing the pure water in the pure water storage side of the diaphragm storage tank;
- a vend flowmeter for measuring the volume of dispensed pure water;
- and
- a controller for the RO pump which is connected to the vend flowmeter to turn on the RO pump after a pre-determined amount of water has been dispensed so as to maintain a minimum volume of water in the pure water side of the diaphragm storage tank.
8 more elements
A purified water dispenser comprising:
- a housing having a vend window and a machine room having a filtration system;
- the filtration system further comprising:
- a means for pre-filtering city water;
- a means for piping the pre-filtered water into a storage tank;
- a means for feeding an RO pump and filter membrane with a blend of the stored water in the storage tank and the pre-filtered city water, functioning to feed the RO pump and filter membrane using city water pressure, thereby providing the further filtering of the water, functioning to provide a pure water;
- a means for storing the pure water;
- a means for dispensing the pure water, functioning to respond to a demand from a user;
- a means for controlling the RO pump so as to maintain a selected minimum volume of water in the pure water storage means;
- a means for dispensing the pure water comprising:
- a filler mechanism, comprising:
- a pure water source;
- a retractable nozzle;
- a shutter assembly;
- a valve;
- a controller, whereby the controller opens a shutter in the shutter assembly, moves the nozzle past the shutter, and opens the valve, thereby providing for a flow of the pure water out of the nozzle;
- the valve further comprising a moving valve affixed to the nozzle;
- the valve further comprising a pinch valve;
- and
- an ozone generator arranged for feeding an ozone gas around the nozzle.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.