JP2000085893A - Drinking water dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

[PROBLEMS] To provide a drinking water dispenser which can supply sufficiently sterilized drinking water, has a small number of components, and can easily perform pretreatment and maintenance at the time of component replacement. An ultraviolet lamp is provided near an air vent hole provided in a cold water tank of a cold water supply unit. The ultraviolet lamp 54 sterilizes the air in the cold water tank 41 and the air flowing from the air vent hole 47,
Further, it is possible to prevent bacteria and the like from being mixed in the mineral water 1 in the cold water tank 41 and propagated. The pump 48a for circulating the mineral water 1 in the cold water tank 41 and the means for stirring the mineral water 1 comprising the circulation path 55 are also effective for obtaining a more sufficient sterilizing effect.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drinking water dispenser in which drinking water is stored in a water tank and cold or hot water can be taken out at any time by operating an extraction valve.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the configuration of a conventional drinking water dispenser. The main components of the drinking water dispenser are a water bottle 2 serving as a supply source of mineral water (mineral water in the figure) 1 as drinking water, a cold water supply unit 4, and a hot water supply unit 7.

The chilled water supply unit 4 includes a chilled water tank 41 having an air vent hole 47 through which air can enter and exit, a partition plate 42 for partitioning the tank 41 into a water storage unit 43 and a chilled water unit 44,
Cooling pipe 45 through which a refrigerant for cooling tank 41 flows
A heat insulating material 46 for keeping cold, a pump 48, a circulating pipe 49, and a bacteria elimination means for bacteria in chilled water comprising a hollow fiber filter 50, a chilled water tank drain valve 51, a chilled water extraction valve 53, and a circulating pipe. Connecting pipe for guiding chilled water from near the end of 49 to the chilled water extraction valve 53
52.

In FIG. 4, the heat insulating material 46 is attached only around the cooling pipe 45.
It is often installed outside the low-temperature portion including the circulation pipe 49 and the like for both cooling and dew condensation prevention. The hot water supply unit 7 includes a hot water tank 71, a band heater 72 for heating the tank 71, a hot water tank drain valve 73, a hot water extraction valve 75, and a connection pipe 74 that guides hot water from the tank 71 to the hot water extraction valve 75. It is composed of

[0005] The water bottle 2 has a packing 3 on a cold water tank 41.
Is set downward through the packing 3 and the water bottle 2
Of the water bottle 2 and the cold water tank 41, the mineral water 1 in the water bottle 2 is simultaneously brought to a predetermined level of the cold water tank 41.
Supplied inside. At this time, the air in the cold water tank 41 flows into the water bottle 2. The mineral water 1 in the cold water tank 41 is cooled by a cooling pipe 45, and a water storage section 43 separated from a cold water section 44 by a partition plate 42 is a cold water section.
Not as cool as 44. Therefore, dew condensation on the surface of the water bottle 2 set thereon is prevented. The partition plate 42 has several holes with a diameter of about 1 cm, and the mineral water 1 is supplied from the water storage 43 to the cold water 44 through these holes. Cooling pipe 45
Outside is covered with a heat insulating material 46 and is kept cool. The pump 48 of the disinfecting means is constantly operated, and the pump 48 circulates the mineral water 1 from the cold water section 44 through the circulation pipe 49 in the direction of the arrow in the figure. At this time, the pump
Mineral water 1 sent from 48 is a hollow fiber filter
After passing through 50, the bacteria are removed and returned to the cold water section 44 again. Thus, the mineral water 1 in the cold water section 44 is always sterilized by the hollow fiber filter 50. When the push button 531 of the cold water extraction valve 53 is pressed, the cold water of the mineral water 1 is supplied from the cold water extraction valve 53 through a very short connection pipe 52 from near the end of the circulation pipe 49.

On the other hand, the mineral water 1 in the hot water tank 71 of the hot water supply section 7 is supplied from the water storage section 43 through the supply pipe 6 and is heated by the band heater 72. Hot water of mineral water 1 is the push button of hot water extraction valve 75
When 751 is pushed, it is supplied from the hot water extraction valve 75 through a very short connection pipe 74. When draining the mineral water 1 in the cold water tank 41, the cold water tank drain valve 51 is opened, and when draining the mineral water 1 in the hot water tank 71, the hot water tank drain valve 73 is opened.

The hollow fiber filter 50 may be replaced with a sterilizer using an ultraviolet lamp.

[0008]

In the drinking water dispenser according to the prior art as described above, when the mineral water 1 is supplied as hot water, the mineral water 1 is heated to 90 ° C. or higher, so that bacteria grow. No problem arises. However, when the water is supplied as cold water, the disinfecting means having the hollow fiber filter 50 in the circulation pipe or the disinfecting means having the ultraviolet lamp has the following problems.

1) Even when the water bottle 2 is filled with the mineral water 1, air is present above the cold water tank 41. When the mineral water 1 as drinking water is supplied from the extraction valve 53 or 75, the liquid level of the water storage section 43 of the cold water tank 41 drops, and the mineral water 1 in the water bottle 2 is supplied to the water storage section 43. At this time,
The air in the cold water tank 41 flows into the water bottle 2, and at the same time, the outside air flows into the cold water tank 41 from the air vent hole 47. Since the bacteria are floating in the air, the bacteria enter the mineral water 1 in the water bottle 2 and the cold water tank 41 with the presence and movement of the air. Bacteria in the cold water are removed by the hollow fiber filter 50, but the removal of the bacteria is not complete due to the circulation of a part of the cold water, and algae grow in the water tank 41 and the water bottle 2 or bacteria are removed. May be propagated, and bacteria may be detected in the extracted cold water.

The same applies to the case where the sterilizing means using the hollow fiber filter 50 is replaced with a sterilizing means using an ultraviolet lamp. 2) When using the hollow fiber filter 50, pretreatment with alcohol is necessary, and even after attaching to the drinking water dispenser, use a considerable amount of drinking water to remove the alcohol content. is necessary.

3) The means for removing bacteria in cold water comprising the pump 48, the circulation pipe 49 and the hollow fiber filter 50 has many components, and replacement and maintenance are complicated. The same applies to the case where the hollow fiber filter 50 is replaced with an ultraviolet lamp. An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the drinking water dispenser according to the prior art, to sufficiently disinfect or sterilize drinking water to be supplied, to reduce the number of components, and to replace components. It is an object of the present invention to provide a drinking water dispenser in which work such as pretreatment accompanying the above and maintenance work are simple.

[0012]

The basic concept of the drinking water dispenser according to the present invention is as follows. The source of contamination that contaminates drinking water with bacteria and the like is air. That is, bacteria and the like float in the air, and drinking water is contaminated by contact between the drinking water and the air. Therefore, "By sterilizing the air that comes in contact with drinking water,
It is possible to prevent contamination of drinking water by bacteria and the like. "

According to the present invention, the drinking water is stored in a water tank for storing the drinking water, and / or a cooling device for cooling the drinking water in the water tank and / or a heating device for heating the drinking water in the water tank. A drinking water dispenser for supplying cold water and / or hot water, which is provided with a water extraction valve for extracting water, and sterilizing means for sterilizing air and drinking water in the water tank (claim 1); invention).

[0014] Since the sterilizing means for sterilizing the air in the water tank and the drinking water is provided, the air in the water tank serving as a supply source of the bacteria is sterilized, and the drinking water in the water tank is further sterilized. In the invention of claim 1, the sterilizing means is an ultraviolet sterilizer (the invention of claim 2).

[0015] It is difficult to sufficiently exert the effect on the whole by the circulating sterilization or sterilization according to the prior art. However, the ultraviolet sterilizer can sterilize almost all of the air in the water tank. A reliable sterilizing effect can be obtained, the configuration is simple, and no complicated pretreatment or maintenance like a hollow fiber filter is required. In the invention of claim 1 or claim 2, a circulating means for circulating drinking water in the water tank is provided (the invention of claim 3).

By circulating the drinking water in the water tank, the drinking water in the water tank can be uniformly sterilized. In the invention of claim 3, the circulation means is a circulation means by a pump or a circulation means by a stirring blade (the invention of claim 4). A circulating means by a pump or a circulating means by a stirring blade is a simple, inexpensive and reliable stirring means.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of a drinking water dispenser according to the present invention will be described using embodiments. The parts having the same functions as those of the prior art are denoted by the same reference numerals. [First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a first embodiment of a drinking water dispenser according to the present invention.

The main components of the drinking water dispenser are a water bottle 2 as a supply source of mineral water (mineral water in the figure) 1 as drinking water, a cold water supply section 4a, and a hot water supply section 7. The part different from the prior art is the cold water supply unit 4a. The chilled water supply unit 4a includes a chilled water tank 41 having an air vent hole 47 through which air can enter and exit, a partition plate 42 for partitioning the inside of the tank 41 into a water storage unit 43 and a chilled water unit 44,
Cooling pipe 45 through which a refrigerant for cooling tank 41 flows
Heat insulating material 46 for keeping cool, the pump 48a and the circulation path 55
And a cold water tank drain valve 51
A cold water extraction valve 53, a connection pipe 52 for guiding cold water from the cold water section 44 to the cold water extraction valve 53, and an ultraviolet lamp 54 as a sterilizing means provided in the air in the cold water tank.

In FIG. 1, the heat insulating material 46 is attached only around the cooling pipe 45.
It is attached to the entire outside of the low-temperature portion including the circulation path 55 and the like for both keeping the cold and preventing dew condensation. The hot water supply unit 7 includes a hot water tank 71 and a band heater for heating the tank 71.
72, a hot water tank drain valve 73, a hot water extraction valve 75, and a connection pipe 74 for guiding hot water from the tank 71 to the hot water extraction valve 75.

The ultraviolet lamp 54 of the sterilizing means is turned on before the water bottle 2 is set, and the ambient air, particularly the cold water tank 41, is turned on.
Sterilize the air inside. In this state, the water bottle 2 is set downward on the cold water tank 41 via the packing 3, and due to the packing 3 and the weight of the water bottle 2, the water bottle 2 and the cold water tank 41 are in close contact with each other. The mineral water 1 in the water bottle 2 is supplied into the cold water tank 41 to a predetermined level in the cold water tank 41. At this time, the air in the cold water tank 41 flows into the water bottle 2.
Mineral water 1 in the cold water tank 41 is cooled by a cooling pipe 45
However, the water storage section 43 partitioned from the cold water section 44 by the partition plate 42 is not cooled as much as the cold water section 44. Therefore, dew condensation on the surface of the water bottle 2 set thereon is prevented. The partition plate 42 has several holes with a diameter of about 1 cm, and the mineral water 1 is supplied from the water storage unit 43 to the cold water unit 44 through these holes. The outside of the cooling pipe 45 is covered with a heat insulating material 46 and kept cool. The return position of the cold water by the stirring means is on the liquid surface side of the cold water tank 41 because of the ultraviolet lamp.
Circulates to the high sterilizing position of 54
This is because the entire mineral water 1 in the inside is more reliably sterilized. Cold water of mineral water 1 is a cold water extraction valve
When the push button 531 of the 53 is pressed, the water is supplied from the cold water extraction valve 53 through a very short connection pipe 52.

On the other hand, the hot water tank 71 of the hot water supply unit 7
The mineral water 1 is supplied from the water storage section 43 through the supply pipe 6. Mineral water 1 in hot water tank 71
Are heated by the band heater 72. The hot water of the mineral water 1 is supplied from the hot water extraction valve 75 through a very short connection pipe 74 when the push button 751 of the hot water extraction valve 75 is pressed.

When cold or hot water is supplied from the cold water extraction valve 53 or the hot water extraction valve 75, mineral water 1 corresponding to the supply amount is supplied from the water bottle 2, and at the same time, a considerable amount of air is supplied to the cold water tank. From the inside, the water flows into the water bottle 2, and at the same time, the same amount of outside air flows into the cold water tank 41 through the air vent hole 47. The air flowing into the water bottle 2 is sufficiently sterilized by the ultraviolet lamp 54. However, since bacteria are floating in the outside air flowing into the cold water tank 41 through the air vent hole 47, the air vent hole 47
The air entering through needs to be immediately and thoroughly sterilized. Therefore, the ultraviolet lamp 54 as a sterilization means, the position that can be most effectively sterilized, that is,
It is installed at a position as close as possible to the air vent hole 47.

The ultraviolet lamp 54 not only sterilizes the air in the cold water tank 41 and the air flowing into the cold water tank 41 as described above, but also sterilizes the mineral water 1 in the water storage section 43. When the distance between the ultraviolet lamp 54 and the water surface of the water storage section 43 is set to about several cm, the mineral water 1 near the water surface can be sufficiently sterilized even if the output of the ultraviolet lamp 54 is a weak output of about 4 to 10 W. it can. The stirring means is provided to sterilize the entire mineral water 1 in the cold water tank 41 by uniformly circulating the mineral water 1 in the cold water tank 41 to the surface.

The life of the ultraviolet lamp 54 is about 8,000 hours, assuming that the output is reduced to 70% of the initial output, which is about the same as the life of the hollow fiber filter. When draining the mineral water 1 in the cold water tank 41,
When the cold water tank drain valve 51 is opened and the mineral water 1 in the hot water tank 71 is drained, the hot water tank drain valve 73 is opened.

As is clear from the above description, in this embodiment, the ultraviolet lamp 54 as a sterilizing device is provided near the air vent hole 47 provided in the upper part of the cold water tank 41.
Is installed, the air in the cold water tank 41 and the air flowing into the cold water tank 41 from outside are surely sterilized, and at the same time, the mineral water 1 in the cold water tank 41 is sterilized.
Has also been sterilized. In this way, the drinking water dispenser of this embodiment can supply the sufficiently sterilized mineral water 1.

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of an example of FIG. The difference from the first embodiment is that a stirring blade 561 rotated by a stirring motor 562 is used as a means for stirring cold water.
By the stirring blade 561, the cold water in the cold water section 44 moves upward, and a part of the cold water moves through the hole formed in the partition plate 42 to near the surface, and is sterilized by the ultraviolet lamp 54.

Third Embodiment FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of an example of FIG. The difference from the first embodiment is that an ultraviolet lamp 54a as a sterilizing means is also provided in the cold water section 44 of the cold water tank 41. By installing the ultraviolet lamp 54a, the cold water immediately before being supplied is more reliably sterilized.

[0028]

According to the present invention, a water tank for storing drinking water, one or both of a cooling device for cooling the drinking water in the water tank and a heating device for heating the drinking water in the water tank, With a water extraction valve for extracting drinking water, a drinking water dispenser that supplies one or both of cold water and hot water, since sterilization means for sterilizing air and drinking water in the water tank is provided, The air in the water tank, which is a source of bacteria, is sterilized, and the drinking water in the water tank is also sterilized. Therefore, a drinking water dispenser that can sufficiently sterilize the drinking water to be supplied can be provided (the invention of claim 1).

In the first aspect of the present invention, since the sterilizing means is an ultraviolet sterilizing device, a more reliable sterilizing effect can be obtained as compared with the conventional circulating sterilization or sterilization, and the structure is simple. Moreover, troublesome pretreatment and maintenance such as a hollow fiber filter are not required. Therefore, it is possible to provide a drinking water dispenser that can sufficiently sterilize drinking water to be supplied, has a small number of components, and can easily perform operations such as pre-processing and maintenance and maintenance work accompanying replacement of components. 2).

In the first or second aspect of the present invention, since the circulating means for circulating the drinking water in the water tank is provided, the drinking water in the water tank can be uniformly sterilized. Therefore, it is possible to provide a drinking water dispenser that can more sufficiently sterilize the drinking water to be supplied, and that can easily perform operations such as pre-processing and replacement and maintenance work accompanying replacement of parts.

In the invention according to claim 3, the circulating means is a circulating means by a pump or a circulating means by a stirring blade. A circulating means using a pump or a circulating means using a stirring blade is a simple, inexpensive and reliable stirring means, and is therefore most suitable as the stirring means used in the present invention (the invention of claim 4).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of a drinking water dispenser according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a third embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of an example of a conventional drinking water dispenser.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Mineral water 2 Water bottle 3 Packing 4, 4a, 4b, 4c Chilled water supply section 41 Chilled water tank 42 Partition plate 43 Water storage section 44 Chilled water section 45 Cooling pipe 46 Insulation material 47 Air vent hole 48, 48a Pump 49 Circulation pipe 50 Hollow fiber Filter 51 Cold water tank drain valve 52 Connection pipe 53 Cold water extraction valve 531 Push button 54, 54a UV lamp 55 Circulation path 561 Stirrer blade 562 Stirrer motor 6 Water supply pipe 7 Hot water supply unit 71 Hot water tank 72 Band heater 73 Hot water tank drain valve 74 Connection Pipe 75 Hot water extraction valve 751 push button

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A water tank for storing drinking water, a cooling device for cooling the drinking water in the water tank, and / or a heating device for heating the drinking water in the water tank, and for extracting the drinking water. A drinking water dispenser for supplying either or both of cold water and hot water, comprising a sterilizing means for sterilizing air and drinking water in a water tank. . 2. The drinking water dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said sterilizing means is an ultraviolet sterilizer. 3. The drinking water dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising a circulating means for circulating the drinking water in the water tank. 4. The drinking water dispenser according to claim 3, wherein said circulating means is a circulating means by a pump or a circulating means by a stirring blade.