Drinking water supply apparatus

• US 20040256306A1
• Filed: 06/14/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kazushige, Ito, Miwako, Sato, Motoharu, Suga, Takaaki
• Application Number:
  US10/865,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20040256306A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/295
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00013 Sterilising means
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/50 by addition or application of a germicide or by oligodynamic treatment C02F1/4606, C02F1/467, C02F1/76 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3228 Units having reflectors, e.g. coatings, baffles, plates, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2305/10 Photocatalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/06 Mounted on or being part of a faucet, shower handle or showerhead

Abstract

A apparatus for supplying drinking-water has a drinking-water storage unit, a drinking-water supply system capable of introducing the drinking-water into a drinking cup from the drinking-water storage unit, and an antimicrobial member provided in the drinking-water supply system. This allows easy bacteriostasis or sterilization of the drinking-water poured from the nozzle. Further, an activity effect of the antimicrobial member inhibits the growth of bacteria in the drinking-water supply system.

Claims

1. A apparatus for supplying drinking-water comprising:

a drinking-water storage unit for storing the drinking-water;

a drinking-water supply system capable of introducing the drinking-water into a drinking-water cup from the drinking-water storage unit; and

an antimicrobial member provided in at least part of the drinking-water supply system.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the drinking-water supply system has an inlet connecting to the drinking-water storage unit, a nozzle for supplying the drinking-water, and a drinking-water pipe connecting the inlet with the nozzle;

and

the antimicrobial member is provided in at least one of the inlet, the nozzle, and the drinking-water pipe.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the antimicrobial member includes an antimicrobial coating on an inside of the drinking-water supply system.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

a part coated with the antimicrobial coating is detachable.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the antimicrobial member includes a permeable substrate and an antimicrobial coating on the substrate.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the substrate is formed of a filter medium such as fibers.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the substrate is formed of a porous material such as ceramics.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the substrate is formed of a mesh sheet.

9. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the antimicrobial member includes a spiral substrate having a gap in a flow direction of the drinking-water, and an antimicrobial coating on the substrate.

10. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the antimicrobial member includes a substrate having a plurality of channels in a flow direction of the drinking-water, and an antimicrobial coating on the substrate.

11. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the antimicrobial member includes a substrate having partition plates opposite each other in a flow direction of the drinking-water, the partition plates having water passing holes opposite each other in the flow direction of the drinking-water, and an antimicrobial coating on the substrate.

12. The drinking-water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the antimicrobial member is detachable from the drinking-water supply system.

13. The drinking-water supply apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the antimicrobial coating includes titanium oxide compound.

14. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the antimicrobial coating includes titanium phosphate based compound.

15. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the antimicrobial member is provided on the drinking-water pipe having projections and recesses on an inner surface thereof.

16. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the antimicrobial member is provided on the drinking-water pipe having a plurality of blind holes in an inner wall thereof.

17. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

a filter device for removing impurities in the drinking-water is provided in the drinking-water pipe, and a filter medium in the filter device is coated with an antimicrobial member.

18. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

a ultraviolet irradiation device for emitting ultraviolet light is provided in at least a part of the drinking-water supply system having the antimicrobial member.

19. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

a cooling unit for cooling the drinking-water storage unit.