Method and apparatus for disinfecting a water cooler reservoir and its dispensing spigot(s)

• US 20030000966A1
• Filed: 06/15/2001
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SIP Technologies LLC (S.I.P. Technologies)
• Original Assignee: SIP Technologies LLC (S.I.P. Technologies)
• Inventors: Shelton, James J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,561,382 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/146.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/202 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00013 Sterilising means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00023 Oxygenators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/0035 the bottle or container being held upside down and not provided with a closure, e.g. a bottle screwed onto a base of a dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/685 Devices for dosing the additives
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/782 Ozone generators
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/20 Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing sanitized water in a bottled water dispenser includes a reservoir and one or more dispensing spigots. An ozone generating system generates ozone for sanitizing the water. Ozone is generated and collected within an ozone generator housing. A blower transmits air to the housing, the air carrying the ozone through flowlines to an air diffuser that is positioned inside the reservoir of the water dispenser. The flowlines can be used to sanitize one or more of the reservoir, spigot(s), and/or channel that connects the reservoir and spigot(s). A return flowline or lines can return ozone from the spigot to one or both of the channel and/or reservoir for further use in sanitization.

Claims

1. A bottled water dispenser, comprising:

a) a cabinet having upper and lower end portions;

b) the upper end portion of the cabinet having a cover with an opening for receiving and holding a bottle of water to be dispensed;

c) a bottle containing water to be dispensed, said bottle having a neck portion and a dispensing outlet portion;

d) reservoir contained within the cabinet, the reservoir containing water with a water surface that communicates with the bottle neck during use;

e) one or more spigots on the cabinet for dispensing water from the reservoir;

f) a channel that connects the diffuser for emitting bubbles into the reservoir, said diffuser being disposed within the reservoir;

g) an ozone generator housing positioned next to the cabinet, said housing having an ozone generator inside the housing and air flow lines for transmitting air to and from the housing interior; and

h) a flowline that transmits ozone from the ozone generator to the channel.

2. The bottled water dispenser of claim 1 wherein the channel has an inclined section.

3. The bottled water dispenser of claim 1 wherein the channel includes first and second intersecting sections.

4. The bottled water dispenser of claim 1 wherein the spigot has ports that receive ozone via the flowline.

5. The bottled water dispenser of claim 4 wherein the ports include a port having a diffuser.

6. The bottled water dispenser of claim 5 wherein the diffuser is removable.

7. The bottled water dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a second flowline that communicates between a spigot and the reservoir.

8. The bottled water dispenser of claim 7 further comprising tee fitting for transmitting ozone to the first and second flowlines.

9. The bottled water dispenser of claim 1 wherein the channel includes an inclined section that communicates with the reservoir.

10. A bottled water dispenser, comprising:

a) a cabinet having upper and lower end portions and a spigot for dispensing water;

b) reservoir contained within the cabinet, the reservoir containing water;

c) a channel that transmits water from the reservoir to the spigot;

d) a diffuser for emitting bubbles into the reservoir;

e) an ozone generator module positioned next to the cabinet, said generator including a housing having an ozone generator inside the housing, and a blower for generating air flow;

f) a spigot sanitizing conduit that transmits ozone from the ozone generator module to the spigot and channel.

11. The bottled water dispenser of claim 10 wherein the channel has an inclined section.

12. The bottled water dispenser of claim 10 wherein the channel includes first and second intersecting sections.

13. The bottled water dispenser of claim 10 wherein the spigot has ports that receive ozone via the flowline.

14. The bottled water dispenser of claim 10 wherein the ports include a port having a diffuser.

15. The bottled water dispenser of claim 10 wherein the diffuser is removable.

16. The bottled water dispenser of claim 10 further comprising a flowline that communicates between a spigot channel and the reservoir.

17. The bottled water dispenser of claim 10 further comprising tee fitting for transmitting ozone to the first and second flowlines.

18. The bottled water dispenser of claim 10 wherein the channel includes an inclined section that communicates with the reservoir.

19. The bottled water dispenser of claim 10 wherein the conduit transmits ozone to sanitize the spigot, the spigot channel and the reservoir.

20. A method of sanitizing a bottled water dispenser having a cabinet with a dispensing spigot, a reservoir and a channel that connects the spigot and reservoir, comprising the steps of:

a) generating ozone with an ozone generator that is positioned next to the cabinet;

b) collecting the generated ozone inside of an ozone generator housing;

c) providing an ozone diffuser inside the reservoir; and

d) transmitting ozone from the ozone generator housing to at least the reservoir and the channel.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of transmitting ozone from the channel to the reservoir.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein flowlines communicate between the ozone generator and each of the reservoir, channel, and spigot and further comprising the step of sanitizing the reservoir and spigot with ozone using the flowlines.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the flowlines include a flowline that extends between the spigot and reservoir.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the flowlines include a return flowline that returns ozone from the spigot to the channel.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the flowlines include a return flowline that returns ozone from the spigot to the reservoir.

26. The method of claim 20 further comprising transmitting ozone to two spaced apart ports on the spigot.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein in step “

d”

ozone is transmitted to the spigot.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein in step “

d”

there is a single flowline that enters the reservoir through a single opening for transmitting ozone to both the reservoir and the channel.