BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:
FIG. 1 is a fragmented front perspective view illustrating an upper portion of a bottled water cooler with an inverted water bottle mounted thereon, wherein the cooler is equipped with an improved combined feed tube adapter and sanitizer unit, such as an ozonator unit, embodying the novel features of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a fragmented front perspective view of the bottled water cooler depicted in FIG. 1, with an inverted water bottle removed therefrom;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged front perspective view of the improved feed tube adapter unit;
FIG. 4 is a fragmented rear perspective view of the bottled water cooler, and depicting the improved feed tube adapter unit mounted thereon, with portions of a cooler housing and a water reservoir shown in shadow lines to illustrate construction details of the adapter unit;
FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the feed tube adapter unit shown removed from the water cooler; and
FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing the feed tube adapter unit mounted onto the water cooler in functional relation with the water reservoir therein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As shown in the exemplary drawings, a combined feed tube adapter and sanitizer unit referred to generally by the reference numeral 10 in FIGS. 1-6 is provided for removable installation onto or over the reservoir 12 (FIGS. 4 and 6) of a bottled water cooler 14 (FIGS. 1-2 and 4). The combined unit 10 comprises a mounting adapter 11 (shown best in FIG. 3) having an upstanding feed tube or probe 16 for engaging and opening a valved bottle cap 18 (FIG. 6) mounted on the neck 20 of an inverted water-containing bottle 22, to permit water downflow from the bottle 22 into the cooler reservoir 12. In addition, the combined unit 10 carries a flow line 24 for periodic inflow of a sanitizing agent such as ozone gas to maintain the reservoir interior and reservoir-contained water in a clean and sanitary state.
The combined feed tube adapter and ozonator unit 10 of the present invention is designed for use with a bottled water cooler 14 of the type having an upwardly open reservoir 12 for receiving and storing a supply of water for ready dispensing upon operation of one or more dispense or faucet valves 26, 27 or the like. In this regard, the water cooler 14 shown generally in FIGS. 1 and 2 typically comprises a cooler housing or cabinet 28 with the reservoir 12 (FIGS. 4 and 6) mounted within an upper region thereof and defining an upper end exposed through a cabinet top or lid 30. A water bottle 22 of typically five gallon capacity is mounted onto the cooler 14 in an inverted orientation at the top 30 of the cabinet 28 so that water within the bottle 22 can flow downwardly into and fill the underlying reservoir 12. In one typical water cooler design, the reservoir 12 is designed for removable mounting within the cabinet 28, and the interior of the reservoir 12 is subdivided (FIG. 6) by an internal baffle plate 32 into an upper chamber 12a for containing water substantially at room temperature, and a lower chamber 12b in thermal association with a chiller probe 34 which may slide-fit into a downwardly open chiller sleeve 36 formed in a bottom wall of the reservoir 12. Separate faucet valves 26 and 27 are mounted on the face of the cooler cabinet 28 (FIGS. 1 and 2) for separately dispensing water from these different-temperature compartments 12a and 12b. In this regard, the general construction and operation of the illustrative bottled water cooler 14 is described in more detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,246,141; 5,307,958; 5,289,951; 5,395,014; 5,297,700; and 6,167,921 which are incorporated by reference herein.
The combined unit 10 generally comprises the mounting adapter 11 in the form of a compact adapter body or shell having a relatively simple and preferably plastic molded construction. More particularly, the illustrative adapter body 16 includes an upper support rim 40 projecting radially outwardly a short distance from the upper margin of a generally cylindrical sleeve segment 42 (shown best in FIG. 6), wherein the support rim 40 is sized and shaped to rest upon the cabinet lid or top 30 with the sleeve segment 42 extending downwardly from the support rim 40 through an opening 44 in the cabinet top 30, and further at least partially into an upper region of the cooler reservoir 14. An annular seal gasket 46 is carried by the sleeve segment 42 for bindingly and sealingly engaging an interior wall surface of the reservoir 14.
In addition, the adapter 11 includes an inner funnel segment 48 extending radially inwardly from the support rim 40 and curving smoothly in a downward direction to merge with an upwardly open inner cup segment 50 having the feed tube or probe 16 upstanding centrally from a bottom or base wall 52 thereof. This feed tube or probe 16, as previously described, is configured to engage and open the valved bottle cap 18 on the inverted water bottle 22 incident to bottle placement of mounting onto the water cooler 14. FIG. 6 shows the feed tube or probe 16 in the form of a tubular post 54 having a feed tube insert 56 removably mounted therein as by means of snap-fit assembly, as shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,511 which is incorporated by reference herein. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the adapter 11 with associated feed tube or probe 16 may take a variety of alternative constructions known in the art.
The adapter 11 is further equipped with an air filter unit 58 as shown best in FIGS. 4-5. This air filter unit 58 comprises a compact housing mounted preferably at a rear side of the upper support rim 40, and functions to filter ambient air drawn into the otherwise sealed reservoir 12 during normal water cooler operation. That is, the air filter unit 58 is mounted along and defines an air inflow path through which ambient air can be drawn via a plurality of small inflow ports 60 through a suitable filtration media contained within the compact unit housing, and further past the seal gasket 46 into an upper region of the reservoir interior above the level of water contained therein. Such air inflow to the reservoir 12 is required to accommodate air-water exchange between the reservoir 12 and the bottle interior, as water downflow from the bottle replenishes water dispensed from the reservoir via the faucet valves 26 or 27. The air filter unit 58 insures that ambient air drawn into the reservoir 12 is substantially free of airborne contaminants particularly such as dirt, grit and bacterial and other airborne micro-organisms. The specific construction of the air filter unit 58 may vary, with one preferred configuration being shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,921 which is incorporated by reference herein, and wherein the air filter unit 58 further includes a float-actuated check valve to prevent reservoir over-filling as might otherwise occur with use of a bottle 22 having a small crack or leak formed therein.
In accordance with a primary aspect of the invention, the combined unit 10 further includes means for introducing a sanitizing agent into the otherwise sealed interior of the cooler reservoir 12 to maintain the reservoir internal water-contacted surfaces and the reservoir-contained water in a clean and sanitary state. In the preferred form, this agent-introducing means comprises a gas injection system for periodically introducing a sanitizing gas, such as ozone, into the cooler reservoir 12.
More particularly, the flow line 24 is carried by the adapter 11 to extend from a first end coupled to a sanitizing agent source 62 located outside the reservoir 12, to a second end carrying a porous delivery element 64 located inside the reservoir 12 preferably at a location near the bottom thereof. FIGS. 4-5 show this flow line 24 coupled through a rear side of the adapter support rim 40 at a position disposed alongside the air filter unit 58. FIG. 6 shows the flow line 24 extending from the sanitizing agent source 62, such as a small ozone generator which may be mounted at or onto a rear side of the cooler cabinet 28, and a one-way check valve 66 mounted alongside the air filter unit 58 at the rear side of the adapter support rim 40. From this check valve 66, a continuation segment of the flow line 24 extends radially inwardly and then downwardly between the sleeve and inner cup segments 42, 50 of the adapter 11, and further downwardly through an open gap 68 (FIG. 5) in the baffle plate 32 into the lower reservoir chamber 12b. At this location, a lower end of the flow line 24 is coupled via a short elbow segment 70 to the porous delivery element 64 such as a porous stone member located substantially at the bottom of the reservoir 12.
In use, the source 62 is activated periodically to deliver the sanitizing agent such as ozone gas through the flow line 24 into the otherwise sealed reservoir 12. Such gaseous agent is pumped under a sufficient elevated pressure for delivery through the porous element 64, which converts the gaseous stream into a myriad of small bubbles rising upwardly through the water contained within the reservoir 12. These sanitizing bubbles effectively scrub internal surfaces of the reservoir and other immersed structures therein (such as the baffle plate 32) to sanitize these structures as well as to sanitize the water then-contained within the reservoir. Importantly, excess pressurization of the reservoir interior is prevented by escape of the gaseous agent through the air filter unit 58. In this regard, a float-activated check valve incorporated into the air filter unit 58 will prevent water outflow from the reservoir 12, but will not preclude venting of the gaseous agent during a sanitizing cycle.
The sanitizing agent source 62 is preferably operated for a short cycle sufficient to sanitize the reservoir surface and the reservoir-contained water, such as a sanitizing cycle of about 10 minutes. This sanitizing cycle is repeated at regular intervals, such as one cycle per day. Moreover, this sanitizing cycle preferably occurs at a time when water dispensing from the cooler 14 is not required, such as in the middle of the night in a typical residential or business establishment water cooler installation.
A controller 72 is conveniently provided on the adapter 11 at a user-accessible position, and is designed for quick and easy user manipulation to regulate the specific time and duration of each sanitizing cycle. In the preferred form as shown, the controller 72 comprises a compact electronic unit positioned at a front side of the adapter support rim 40 for each user access and viewing. The illustrative controller 72 includes a digital display 74 in association with control buttons 76 used to set a specific time-of-day, such as 2:00 a.m., for initiating the sanitizing cycle, and to set a specific cycle duration, such as about 10 minutes.
The combined feed tube adapter and ozonator unit 10 of the present invention beneficially accommodates periodic sanitization of the reservoir 12 in a manner that is fully compatible with use of a feed tube adapter. In addition, the invention permits quick and easy retro-fit of bottled water coolers by simple interchange of an existing feed tube adapter with the combined unit 10 to provide the additional and desirable sanitizing function, and without requiring complicated retro-fit plumbing procedures.
A variety of modifications and improvements in and to the combined feed tube adapter and sanitizing unit 10 of the present invention will be apparent to those persons skilled in the art. Accordingly, no limitation on the invention is intended by way of the foregoing description and accompanying drawings, except as set forth in the appended claims.
Patent Application
20070272620
