Water vending system
First Claim
1. A vending apparatus for dispensing water comprising:
- apparatus-inlet means for introducing water into said vending apparatus;
module-pump means, having a module-pump inlet and a module-pump outlet, for pumping water to an elevated pressure;
inlet-pump connective means for connecting said apparatus-inlet means to said module-pump inlet;
a reverse osmosis module having a module inlet for introducing water into said module, a semipermeable membrane operable for separating water pumped into said module under pressure into(i) a permeate containing a rduced amount of solids and dissolved substances, and(ii) a concentrate containing enriched amounts of solids and dissolved substances, a permeate module outlet in a first part of said module for removing permeate and a concentrate module outlet in a second part of said module for removing concentrate, said second part being separated from said first part by said membrane;
pump module connective means for connecting said module-pump outlet to said module inlet;
disposal-outlet means, connected to said concentrate module outlet, for discharging concentrate from said vending apparatus to a drain;
water tank having a tank inlet and a tank outlet;
module-tank connective means for connecting said permeate module outlet to said tank inlet;
vend-pump means, having a vend-pump inlet and a vend-pump outlet, for pumping water from said water tank;
tank-pump connective means for connecting said tank outlet to said vend-pump inlet;
dispensing means, having a dispensing inlet and a dispensing outlet, for dispensing water from said vending apparatus;
pump-dispensing connective means for connecting saidvend-pump outlet to said dispensing inlet;
dump valve means having a dump valve inlet and a dump valve outlet;
tank-valve connecting means for connecting said tank outlet to said valve inlet, said dump valve means for shutting off the flow of water in said tank-valve connective means;
discharge means, connected to said dump valve outlet, for discharging water from said dump valve to a drain; and
control means operable for automatically opening said dump valve means by signal from said control means to said dump valve means if there has not been at least a predetermined number of vends of water within a predetermined period of time, said control means also operable for opening said dump valve means for a length of time sufficient to discharge at least substantially all water in said water tank through said dump valve means to said discharge means and thereafter for automatically closing said dump valve means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is related to water vending systems for the automatic dispensing of purified water from a machine which is preferably activated by coin or other form of payment. Reverse osmosis filtration of local water together with other water treatment operations is used to improve the quality of the vended water. Stagnation of stored permeate is automatically prevented to assure the freshness of dispensed water. The system is designed to reduce the frequency of servicing and the life of components without decreasing the quality of the vended water. In one embodiment the vending system comprises control means for automatically dumping the filtered water stored in a tank in the system if there has not been at least a predetermined number of vends of water within a predetermined period of time. After the storage tank has been dumped the drain is automatically closed and fresh filtered water is produced to refill the storage tank. Another embodiment allows the storage tank to remain at atmospheric pressure at all times thereby preventing leaks due to high pressure or aspiration due to below atmospheric pressure in the system. Contamination of the filtered water in the storage tank by breather air is prevented by ultraviolet sterilization of such breather air continuously before it enters the tank.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A vending apparatus for dispensing water comprising:
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apparatus-inlet means for introducing water into said vending apparatus; module-pump means, having a module-pump inlet and a module-pump outlet, for pumping water to an elevated pressure; inlet-pump connective means for connecting said apparatus-inlet means to said module-pump inlet; a reverse osmosis module having a module inlet for introducing water into said module, a semipermeable membrane operable for separating water pumped into said module under pressure into (i) a permeate containing a rduced amount of solids and dissolved substances, and (ii) a concentrate containing enriched amounts of solids and dissolved substances, a permeate module outlet in a first part of said module for removing permeate and a concentrate module outlet in a second part of said module for removing concentrate, said second part being separated from said first part by said membrane; pump module connective means for connecting said module-pump outlet to said module inlet; disposal-outlet means, connected to said concentrate module outlet, for discharging concentrate from said vending apparatus to a drain; water tank having a tank inlet and a tank outlet; module-tank connective means for connecting said permeate module outlet to said tank inlet; vend-pump means, having a vend-pump inlet and a vend-pump outlet, for pumping water from said water tank; tank-pump connective means for connecting said tank outlet to said vend-pump inlet; dispensing means, having a dispensing inlet and a dispensing outlet, for dispensing water from said vending apparatus; pump-dispensing connective means for connecting said vend-pump outlet to said dispensing inlet; dump valve means having a dump valve inlet and a dump valve outlet; tank-valve connecting means for connecting said tank outlet to said valve inlet, said dump valve means for shutting off the flow of water in said tank-valve connective means; discharge means, connected to said dump valve outlet, for discharging water from said dump valve to a drain; and control means operable for automatically opening said dump valve means by signal from said control means to said dump valve means if there has not been at least a predetermined number of vends of water within a predetermined period of time, said control means also operable for opening said dump valve means for a length of time sufficient to discharge at least substantially all water in said water tank through said dump valve means to said discharge means and thereafter for automatically closing said dump valve means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A vending apparatus for dispensing water comprising:
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apparatus-inlet means for introducing water into said vending apparatus; control means; module-pump means, operable for activation by signal from said control means and having a module-pump inlet and a module-pump outlet, for pumping water to an elevated pressure; inlet-pump connective means for connecting said apparatus-inlet means to said module-pump inlet; a reverse osmosis module having a module inlet for introducing water into said module, a semipermeable membrane operable for separating water pumped into said module under pressure into (i) a permeate containing a reduced amount of solids and dissolved substances and (ii) a concentrate containing enriched amounts of solids and dissolved substances. a permeate module outlet in a first part of said module for removing permeate and a concentrate module outlet in a second part of said module for removing concentrate, said second part being separated from said first part by said membrane; pump-module connective means for connecting said module-pump outlet to said module; disposal-outlet means, having a disposal inlet and disposal outlet, for discharging concentrate from vending apparatus to a drain; module-disposal connective means for connecting said concentrate module outlet to said disposal inlet, said module-disposal connective means having a flow restrictive means; water tank having a tank inlet and a tank outlet; module-tank connective means for connecting said permeate module outlet to said tank inlet; vend-pump means, operable for activation by signal from said control means and having a vend-pump inlet and a vend-pump outlet, for pumping water from said water tank; tank-pump connective means for connecting said tank outlet to said vend-pump means; dispensing means, having a dispensing inlet, a dispensing outlet and a conduit section between said dispensing inlet and said dispensing outlet which is transparent to ultraviolet light of a wavelength effective for bacterial and viral destruction, for dispensing water from said vending apparatus; pump-dispensing connective means for connecting said vend-pump outlet to said dispensing inlet; dump valve means operable for activation by signal from said control means and having a dump valve inlet and a dump valve outlet; tank-valve connecting means for connecting said tank outlet to said dump valve inlet, said dump valve means for shutting off the flow of water in said tank-valve connecting means; discharge means, connected to said dump valve outlet, for discharging water from said dump valve to a drain; ultraviolet light sourc for radiating said conduit section of said dispensing means, said ultraviolet light source having an ultraviolet intensity operable for effecting sterilization of water flowing through said conduit section of said dispensing means; ultraviolet light sensing means operable for sensing the intensity of ultraviolet light proximate said conduit section of said dispensing means, and operable for sending a signal to said control means related to intensity sensed; an enclosure surrounding said conduit section of said dispensing means, said ultraviolet light source and said ultraviolet light sensing means, said enclosure permitting the flow of air thereinto; and breather conduit having one end in communication with the top inside portion of said water tank and the other end in communication with said enclosure, said breather conduit for permitting air radiated by said ultraviolet light source to flow from said enclosure into the top of said water tank when water is removed from said tank thereby permittins said tank to be at atmospheric pressure; sump means comprising a basin for collecting water, sump-pump means operable for activation by signal from said control means and having a sump-pump inlet and a sump-pump outlet for pumping water from said basin, low level sump sensor means for detecting water at a predetermined low level elevation in said basin and for sending a signal to said control means of such event, sump-pump connective means for connecting said basin to said sump-pump inlet, and disposal-outlet means connected to said sump-pump outlet for discharging water from said basin and said sump-pump means to a drain; a housing surrounding said module, said water tank and all of said aforementioned means, said basin being in the lower part of said housing and extending across the horizontal inside profile of said housing such that components between said apparatus-inlet means and said disposal outlet means, and between said apparatus-inlet means and said dispensing means, and between said tank and said discharge means, are above said basin, and also such that the horizontal profile of said components lie within the horizontal profile of said basin thereby allowing water leaked from said components to be collected by said basin; a prefilter located in said inlet-pump connective means operable for removing solid particles from a source of water; main-valve means, operable for activation by signal from said control means and located in said inlet-pump connective means, for shutting off the flow of water into said inlet-pump connective means; pressure sensing means for sensing the gage pressure in said inlet-pump connective means and for sending a signal related to such gage pressure to said control means, said pressure sensing means being located downstream of said prefilter; purity sensor means, located in said module-tank connective means, for sensing the permeate purity therein and for sending a signal related to such permeate purity to said control means; flush bypass line having a bypass inlet connected to said module concentrate outlet and a bypass outlet connected to said disposal inlet, said flush bypass line providing a parallel water flow path to the water flow path provided by said module-disposal connective means; flush valve means, located in said flush bypass line, for stopping the flow of water thereto, and operable for activation by signal from said control means; and
whereinsaid control means is operable for automatically opening said dump valve means by signal from said control means to said dump valve means if there has not been at least a predetermined number of vends of water within a predetermined period of time, said control means also being operable for opening said dump valve means for a length of time sufficient to discharge at least substantially all water in said water tank through said dump valve means to said discharge means and thereafter for automatically closing said dump valve means. said control means also being operable for automatically preventing said vend-pump means from pumping when said control means opens said dump-valve means thereby preventing water from being vended, said control means also being operable for automatically permitting said vend-pump means to pump water from said water tank to said dispensing means upon a demand signal from said control means when said dump-valve means is closed thereby permitting the vending of water, said control means also being operable for automatically deactivating said vend-pump means when the intensity of ultraviolet light sensed by said ultraviolet light sensing means is less than a predetermined value, said control means also being operable for automatically activating, when water is in said basin at an elevation at least as high as said predetermined low level elevation, said sump-pump means for a period of time sufficient to reduce the level of water in said basin to below said predetermined low level elevation, and for automatically deenergizing said sump-pump means when the level of water in said basin is below said predetermined low level elevation, said control means also being operable for automatically closing said main-valve means and deactivating said module-pump means when said pressure sensing means senses that the gage pressure in said inlet-pump connecting means is less than a predetermined value, while simultaneously permitting said vend-pump means to be activated by signal from said control means thereby permitting the vending of water from said apparatus upon demand signal from said control means, and said control means also being operable for automatically opening said flush valve means for a predetermined flush length of time, when said purity sensor means senses that the permeate purity is below a predetermined standard, thereby flushing said module and cleaning said semipermeable membrane while simultaneously permitting said vend pump means to be activated by signal from said control means thereby permitting the vending of water from said apparatus upon demand signal from said control means. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A vending apparatus for dispensing water comprising:
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apparatus-inlet means for introducing water into said vending apparatus; module-pump means, having a module-pump inlet and a module-pump outlet, for pumping water to an elevated pressure; inlet-pump connective means for connecting said apparatus-inlet means to said module-pump inlet; a reverse osmosis module having a module inlet for introducing water into said module, a semipermeable membrane operable for separating water pumped into said module under pressure into (i) a permeate containing a reduced amount of solids and dissolved substances, and (ii) a concentrate containing enriched amounts of solids and dissolved substances, a permeate module outlet in a first part of said module for removing permeate and a concentrate module outlet in a second part of said module for removing concentrate, said second part being separated from said first part by said membrane; pump-module connective means for connecting said module-pump outlet to said module; orifice means having an orifice inlet and an orifice outlet; module-orifice connective means for connecting said concentrate module outlet to orifice inlet; orifice-pump connective means for connecting said orifice outlet to said module-pump inlet and for recycle of concentrate to said module; pressure regulator valve having an inlet and an outlet; module-valve connective means, for connecting said concentrate module outlet to said pressure regulator valve inlet; disposal-outlet means, having a disposal inlet and a disposal outlet, for discharging concentrate from said vending apparatus to a drain; disposal-regulator connective means for connecting said pressure regulator valve outlet to said disposal inlet; water tank having a tank inlet and a tank outlet; module-tank connective means for connecting said permeate module outlet to said tank inlet; control means; vend-pump means, operable for activation by signal from said control means and having a vend-pump inlet and a vend-pump outlet, for pumping water from said water tank; tank-pump conective means for connecting said tank outlet to said vend-pump means; flow meter means, having a meter inlet and a meter outlet, for metering a predetermined amount of water and operable for activation by signal from said control means; first pump-meter connective means for connecting said vend-pump outlet to said meter inlet; post filter means, located in said first pump-meter connective means and having a carbon filter for removal of organic contaminants from water pumped therethrough; filter valve means located in said first pump-meter connective means for stopping the flow of water therein and operable for activation by signal from said control means; second pump-meter connective means for connecting said vend-pump outlet to said meter inlet and providing a water flow path from said vend-pump means to said flow meter means which is separate from the water flow path provided by said first pump-meter connective means; deionization means, located in said second pump-meter connective means and comprising a deionization medium for removal of ions from water pumped therethrough; deionization valve means, located in said second pump-meter connective means, for stopping the flow of water therein and operable for activation by signal from said control means; dispensing means, having a dispensing inlet and a dispensing outlet, for dispensing water from said vending apparatus; meter-dispensing connective means for connecting said meter outlet to aid dispensing inlet; payment and selection means, comprising a first and second selection devices, and operable for activation by manual insertion of a predetermined form of payment into said payment and selection means and manual activation of one of said selection devices, said payment and selection means upon activation being operable for automatically sending a signal to said control means to activate said vend-pump means and said meter means to dispense a predetermined amount of water, wherein if said first selection means is manually activated said payment and selection means sends a signal to said control means which causes said control means to open said filter valve means, wherein if said second selection means is manually activated said payment and selection means sends a signal to said control means which causes said control means to open said deionization valve means; and wherein said pressure regulator valve is adjusted to a predetermined gage pressure at the inlet thereof thereby effecting a predetermined percent of concentrate recycle, such that when said module-pump means is pumping water to said module, the percent of concentrate from said module which is recycled back to said module is predetermined, and wherein only one pressure regulator valve is used to effect said predetermined percent of concentrate recycle. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26)
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24. The apparatus of clain 19, wherein said deionization means comprises a mixed bed of deionization resins which comprise hydroxyl form strong base alkyl quaternary ammonium polystyrene copolymer and hydrogen form sulfonated polystyrene copolymer.
Specification