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Method and apparatus for programably treating water in a water cooler

  • US 8,366,920 B2
  • Filed: 06/11/2008
  • Issued: 02/05/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2002
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A water dispenser, comprising:

  • a) a cabinet having upper and lower end portions and an interior;

    b) a reservoir contained within the cabinet, the reservoir being capable of holding water;

    c) an anti-spill annular housing that is attached to the cabinet above the reservoir, said anti-spill annular housing having a central opening surrounded by bottle support surface that is configured to support an inverted water supply bottle having a neck, and a probe extended upwardly and configured to connect to a water supply bottle at the bottle opening;

    d) at least one spigot in fluid communication with the reservoir for dispensing water;

    e) a diffuser contained within the reservoir for emitting bubbles into the reservoir;

    f) an ozone generator contained within said annular housing and being operable connected to the diffuser;

    g) a pump that is in fluid communication with the ozone generator and the diffuser so that the pump can transmit ozone from the generator to the diffuser;

    h) a controller operably connected to the ozone generator;

    i) the controller being programmable regarding the timing and duration of ozone generated by the ozone generator and sent to the diffuser;

    j) wherein the controller includes a circuit board contained within an interior of said anti-spill housing and said circuit board extending along an arcuate path that extends at least partially circumferentially around said central opening; and

    k) said anti-spill housing having an interior, an upper section, and a lower section that defines a separating wall that separates the housing interior from the water contained in said reservoir and wherein the circuit board is positioned within said interior above the lower section;

    l) at least one water detection probe operably connected to the circuit board, the at least one water detection probe extending downward through the separating wall into the reservoir to detect a water level within the reservoir.

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