PORTABLE WATER PURIFYING AND DISPENSING UNIT

Abstract

A hand-holdable portable water purifying and dispensing unit is described comprising at least a housing, a purified water inlet, a further-purified water dispense outlet, a dispense operator, a reservoir, one or more water further-purification devices, and an internal water recirculation pump and pathway, said pathway including the reservoir and the one or more water further-purification devices. Optionally, the reservoir has a volume in the range 100 ml to 2000 ml, preferably in the range 200 ml and 1000 ml.

Claims

1. A hand-holdable portable water purifying and dispensing unit comprising at least a housing, a purified water inlet, a further-purified water dispense outlet, a dispense operator, a reservoir, one or more water further-purification devices, and an internal water recirculation pump and pathway, said pathway including the reservoir and the one or more water further-purification devices.

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reservoir has a volume in the range 100 ml to 2000 ml.

3. A unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reservoir is at least partly transparent.

4. A unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the purified water inlet includes a self-sealing valve.

5. A unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the one or more further-water purification devices are selected from the group comprising: a deionisation device, an electrodeionisation device, a capacitive deionisation device, activated carbon, ion-exchange resins, an ultra-violet device, an LED ultra-violet device, an ozone device and a peroxide device.

6. A unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the purified water inlet includes one or more water further-purification devices.

7. A unit as claimed in claim 6 wherein the water further-purification device includes one or more ion-exchange resins.

8. A unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein one or more of the further-water purification devices are integral with the housing.

9. A unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein one or more of the further-water purification devices is a consumable device or comprises a consumable portion.

10. A unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the further-purified water dispense outlet is a jet and/or non-drip water dispense outlet.

11. A unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reservoir has a water recirculation outlet at or near the bottom of the unit and a water recirculation inlet at or near the top of the unit.

12. A unit as claimed in claim 11 wherein the water recirculation reservoir inlet is at or near to the one or more water further-purification devices.

13. A unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the internal recirculation path includes one or more additional water further-purification devices selected from the group comprising: an oxidiser, a deionisation device, an electrodeionisation device, a capacitive deionisation device, activated carbon, an ultra-violet device, ion-exchange resins, an LED ultra-violet device, an ozone device and a peroxide device.

14. A unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a hand-holdable elongate body having at least partly flat base, an upstanding reservoir, a top part or surface having the purified water inlet, and a further-purified water dispense outlet extending laterally from the body.

15. A unit as claimed in claim 1 able to provide and dispense ultrapure water having a resistivity of >15 MΩ-cm.

16. A unit as claimed in claim 1 including an internal power supply.

17. A unit as claimed in claim 16 wherein the power supply comprises one or more rechargeable batteries.

18. A unit as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a user interface.

19. A unit as claimed in claim 18 wherein the user interface includes one or more of the group comprising: volumetric dispense, resistivity display, warning indicator, water temperature display, water purity display, power indicator, power warning, water temperature alarm and water purity alarm.

20. A unit as claimed in claim 1 further including one or more water temperature sensors or one or more water purity sensors, or both,

21. A unit as claimed in claim 1 having a water dispense operator having haptic feedback.

22. A water purifying and dispensing assembly comprising a hand-holdable portable water purifying and dispensing unit as claimed in claim 1 and a base stand.

23. An assembly as claimed in claim 22 wherein the hand-holdable portable water purifying and dispensing unit includes one or more rechargeable batteries, and the base stand includes a battery recharging source.

24. An assembly as claimed in claim 22 wherein the hand-holdable portable water purifying and dispensing unit includes a purified water recirculation pathway, and the base stand and the hand-holdable portable water purifying and dispensing unit include a purified water inlet able to co-operate with the purified water recirculation pathway.

25. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base stand is a multi-base stand able to accommodate a plurality of hand-holdable portable water purifying and dispensing units.

26. An assembly as claimed in claim 25 wherein the multi-base includes a plurality of battery recharging sources and a plurality of purified water inlets.

27. A water purifying and dispensing combination comprising a hand-holdable portable water purifying and dispensing unit as defined in claim 1 and a water purification apparatus able to supply purified water to the purified water inlet of portable water purifying and dispensing unit.

28. A combination as claimed in claim 27 wherein the water purification apparatus includes one or more battery recharging sources and a purified water recirculation pathway able to co-operate with one or more hand-holdable portable water purifying and dispensing units.

29. A combination as claimed in claim 27, and further including a base stand.

30. A combination as claimed in claim 29 wherein the base stand includes a recirculation pathway for purified water from the water purification apparatus.

31. A method of providing purified water comprising at least the steps of: (a) filling a hand-holdable portable water purifying and dispensing unit as defined in claim 1 with purified water through the purified water inlet; (b) recirculating the purified water through the internal water recirculation pathway to provide further-purified water; and (c) operating the unit to dispense the further-purified water through the purified water dispense outlet.

32. A method of recharging and/or refiling a water purifying and dispensing unit as defined in claim 1 using a base stand comprising at least the steps of: (a) locating the hand-holdable potable water purifying and dispensing unit on the base stand; (b) filling the hand-holdable portable water purifying and dispensing unit with purified water from the base stand through the purified water inlet, and/or recharging the portable water purifying and dispensing unit from the base stand.

Description

[0095] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

[0096] FIG. 1 is a side view of a portable water purifying and dispensing unit according to one embodiment of the present invention, and a water purifying and dispensing assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0097] FIG. 2 is a view of the unit and assembly shown in FIG. 1 in a dispense configuration;

[0098] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of parts of the unit and assembly shown in FIG. 1;

[0099] FIG. 4 is a view of the unit and base stand in FIG. 1, the unit being filled from a water purification apparatus to show further embodiments of the present invention;

[0100] FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the unit in FIG. 1 in a recirculation configuration;

[0101] FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of the unit in FIG. 1 in a dispense configuration;

[0102] FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view of the unit in FIG. 1 with a water inlet from the base; and

[0103] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second water purifying and dispensing assembly and combination according to further embodiments of the present invention.

[0104] Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a portable water purifying and dispensing unit 2. The unit 2 comprises a handheld housing 4, having a relative ‘front’ or ‘forward’ non-transparent portion 6 relative to the dispense function, and within which there is located a dispense operator 8. The unit 2 also includes a reservoir 10, a purified water inlet 12 and a further-purified water dispense outlet 14.

[0105] FIGS. 1 and 2 show the handheld housing 4 comprising an elongate body 18 having a substantially flat base 16, such that the unit 2 can stand in a relative ‘upstanding position’ on a flat surface such as a laboratory bench, and an upstanding reservoir 10 and a top surface 20.

[0106] The shape and configuration of the base 16 of the unit 2 may be designed or adapted to match or complement a base stand as described further below. The base 16 may also include one or more parts or portions adapted to match with or be complementary to one or more parts and portions of a base stand or a water purification apparatus, including a charging source and/or a purified water inlet.

[0107] The top surface 20 includes a purified water inlet 12. The top surface 20 extends laterally from the elongate body 18 and the extension returns to join the elongate body. Optionally, the top surface 20 extends sufficiently laterally from the elongate body 18 such that the further-purified water dispense outlet 14 is beyond a hand of a user located around the elongate body 18 in use. The further-purified water dispense outlet 14 is located at the end of the lateral extension.

[0108] FIG. 2 shows the unit 2 of present invention in use, excluding for clarity purposes a user's hand around the elongate body 18. FIG. 2 shows operation of the unit 2 by pressure from a user's hand on the dispense operator 8 to dispense a portion of water 22 from the further-purified water dispense outlet 14 into a beaker 24, described in further detail hereinafter.

[0109] FIGS. 1 and 2 also show a base stand 30. The base stand 30 has a substantially flat surface complementary to the substantially flat base 16 of the unit 2, with an upstanding induction power supply point 32 to locate with an inductive charging locator 52 located in the unit 2, and an optionally detachable power lead 34, to a supply able to provide power to the base unit 30. Similar upstanding connection points (not shown) could be used for an alternative purified water input and/or recirculation water or waste output.

[0110] The base unit 30 and the portable water purifying dispensing unit 2 together form a water purifying and dispensing assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0111] The unit 2 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has an overall handheld housing 4 comprising the non-transparent portion 6 and part of the reservoir 10, which together provide an outer surface designed to be grippable by a human hand. The unit 2 is designed to locate the dispense operator 8 where a user may locate a moveable portion of the hand, such as one or more parts of the finger, in the manner of a trigger or button known in the art.

[0112] FIG. 2 also shows a water further-purification device 40 located beyond the purified water inlet 12 as described in more detail hereinafter.

[0113] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the parts or portions of the unit 2 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 3 shows the reservoir 10 formed as a single component having an open top 42, a water re-circulation outlet 44 as a first aperture at or near the bottom of reservoir 10, and a water re-circulation inlet 46 as a second aperture at or near the top of the reservoir 10.

[0114] FIG. 3 shows the non-transparent portion 6 having an upstanding back wall 48, which is optionally formed separately and conjoined with the remainder of the non-transparent portion 6 after the location of one or more components within the internal space of the non-transparent portion 6. The back wall 48 has upper and lower apertures that are complementary to the water re-circulation inlet 46 and water re-circulation outlet 44 of the reservoir 10.

[0115] Alternatively the reservoir 10 may have an outlet in its base to connect with a location in an elongated lower portion of the non-transparent portion 6 and/or may have an inlet that passes into the reservoir through the top section and the water further-purification device 40.

[0116] Within the non-transparent portion 6 is located at least an internal power supply being one or more rechargeable batteries 54, and a pump 56.

[0117] FIG. 3 also shows the top surface 20 having the purified water inlet 12, and a user interface 58. The user interface 58 includes at least one display portion and/or cells, able to provide at least visual information to a user and optionally one or more user-programmable operations or functions. Such information could include one or more readings and/or measurements of a parameter such as amount, purity, conductivity, resistivity, dispense flow, dispense speed, temperature of the water within the unit 2, and/or monitoring of one or more of the water further-purification components in the unit. The user interface may have a touch screen or other mode of user input.

[0118] Optionally, the user interface 58 also includes one or more of the group comprising: volumetric dispense, accumulated dispense volume, resistivity display, one or more warning indicator, water temperature display, water purity display, water temperature alarm, and water purity alarm.

[0119] One or more of such measurements and/or readings can be provided by one or more measuring devices, units or the like within the unit 2. Optionally, the unit 2 therefore includes one or more of water temperature sensors, water quantifying sensors or one or more water purity sensors. Sensors able to provide amount, temperature and/or water purity measurements are known in the art, and such measurements can be provided to an internal controller described hereinafter.

[0120] The present invention is not limited by the number, type or function of the visual information, aural information, or operations available to the user through the user interface 58. Optionally, these include at least a visual water purity reading, a water temperature reading, a battery power reading, and a conductivity reading. Such readings may be absolute or relative. Thus, for example, a water purity reading may describe a conductivity measurement of “>18 MΩ-cm” or “18.2 MΩ-cm”.

[0121] The user display 58 may be constantly visible, or may be readable upon operation by a user. The user display 58 may include information in relation to the user or the known or expected use of the unit 2

[0122] Optionally, the user interface 58 provides a water purity warning as a visual indicator, in conjunction with an aural warning, or both. In this way, the user is notified when at least one of the one or more water further-purification devices is either no longer functioning correctly, or is exhausted of its purification ability, or other non-functioning situation. For example, where the unit 2 includes a replaceable water further-purification device, a water purity warning at the user interface 58 could indicate to the user to replace the water further-purification device, optionally in good time before exhaustion of the purification ability of the water further-purification device.

[0123] FIG. 3 also shows in more detail a water further-purification device 40. The purification device 40 comprises an outer perforated housing 62, within which is securely located ion-exchange resin 64. The purification device 40 is shaped so that at least the majority of the body 62 passes through the purified water inlet 12, and a suitable lip or edge at the top of the body 62 holds the purification device 40 in a suspended position below the purified water inlet 12 as shown in FIG. 2, and as shown hereinafter in FIGS. 5 and 6. The top of the further-purification device 40 includes an air filter 66 containing media to remove bacteria and/or carbon dioxide from the air entering the reservoir during dispense that would otherwise reduce the quality of the water in the reservoir 10.

[0124] Alternatively the air filter 66 may be located in another section of the top surface 20.

[0125] FIG. 3 also shows the base unit 30 and the end of a power lead 34 able to be plugged into the base unit 30.

[0126] FIG. 4 shows the unit 2 alongside a stand-alone water purification apparatus 70. The water purification apparatus 70 typically has a normal, potable or ‘mains’ water supply or water supply inlet, and includes one or more water purification apparatus, units or devices, to purify its inlet water stream to create a source of purified water stream available to the unit 2.

[0127] The purified water stream provided by the water purification apparatus 70 preferably has a conductivity of less than 1 μS/cm, preferably less than 0.1 μS/cm, more preferably less than 0.067 μS/cm, at 25° C.

[0128] In one arrangement, the purified water is provided to the unit 2 through a dispense point of use 72 having a suitable tap 74. The point of use 72 and tap 74 may be a conventional arrangement or dedicated to match or complement the unit 2. In use, operation of the tap 74 supplies a stream of purified water 76 through the purified water inlet 12 of the unit 2, and so through the water further-purification device 40, and into the reservoir 10 to provide a volume of further-purified water 78 in the reservoir 10. By locating the water further-purification device 40 in a suspended position below the purified water inlet 12, the purified water stream 76 applied from the water purification apparatus 70 undergoes further-purification upon its entry into the unit 2, such that the volume of further-purified water 78 is immediately available for dispense by a user if required.

[0129] In an alternative arrangement, the purified water is provided to the unit 2 through a recirculation loop 68 extending from the water purification apparatus 70, from which purified water can be taken off using appropriate valves. This has the advantage that the purified water entering the unit 2 does not pass through the atmosphere and does not thereby collect or attract any impurities.

[0130] Optionally, the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4 includes a base stand 30a being similar to the base stand 30 discussed hereinbefore, and the purified water provided to the unit 2 from the water purification apparatus 70 is provided either by having a re-circulation pathway or loop passing through the base stand 30a, or by having a dedicated inlet line 69 being provided from the re-circulation loop 68 into the base stand 30a.

[0131] The base stand 30a and/or the unit 2 may include one or more sensors able to determine when the input of purified water into the unit 2 is at a desired or otherwise maximum level, and to close or otherwise disengage a suitable valve or the inlet or the inlet portal, to prevent further purified water in the re-circulation loop 68 passing into the unit 2.

[0132] Whilst some of the further-purified water 78 in the unit 2 may be desired for immediate use, it is typical that a user wishes to have a reservoir of ‘ultra-purified’ water available at one or more future times or periods where the user is located or working, which may be at a location remote from, and not physically tied to, a source of purified water such as the water purification apparatus 70. This is similar to the provision and use of ‘wash bottles’ in a laboratory or similar research or high-purity environments. Wash bottles are known in the art as a simple plastic bottle formed of a squeezable plastic material, which can be filled from a suitable water source, often a water purification apparatus or the like, and which is located by a user at or near their workbench or other place of work or workstation, to be immediately available for dispense through a suitable spout or tube, when such water is required during the course of the work.

[0133] However, water that is held in any reservoir, sometimes also termed ‘standing water’, loses its purity over time. For some grades of water such as ‘mains water’, and over some periods of time, this is often not critical. However, it is the nature of ‘ultra-purified’ water that its ultra-purified quality can diminish over even short periods of time.

[0134] As shown in FIG. 5, the unit 2 of the present invention includes an internal water re-circulation pathway 80. The pathway 80 comprises the passage of water in a re-circulation path or loop. Without limitation thereto, the path or loop may start with the volume of further-purified water 78 in the reservoir 10. Motion of the further-purified water 78 can be provided by the pump 56 operating within a passage of tubing 82 within the non-transparent portion 6.

[0135] Thus, the internal water re-circulation pathway 80 comprises, in order but with no definite starting point, the passage of the further-purified water 78 through the water re-circulation outlet 44 of the reservoir 10 and into the tubing 82, through the pump 56, out of the tubing 82 through the water re-circulation inlet 46, and back into the reservoir 10.

[0136] The reservoir water re-circulation inlet 46 is located at or near the water further-purification device 40, such that the passage of water therefrom passes across or through the water further-purification device 40, such that water passed through the water further-purification device 40 is further purified prior to becoming or returning to the volume of further-purified water 78 in the reservoir 10. In this way, the unit 2 is able to maintain a reservoir of further-purified water, generally having a conductivity of less 0.1 μS/cm, preferably less than 0.067 μS/cm, at 25° C., which is immediately available for dispense and use.

[0137] Alternatively or additionally, the unit 2 includes a fixed or permanent further-purified device such as an EDI unit or similar, within the path of the internal water re-circulation pathway 80 to further purify the water prior to dispense and use.

[0138] FIG. 5 also shows the user display 58, a controller 84, the dispense operator 8, and the one or more rechargeable batteries 54. The one or more rechargeable batteries 54 provide power to all the electric components in the unit 2, such as the pump 56, the display 58, and EDI or similar, and the controller 84, in a manner known in the art: and all these components are connected to the controller 84 in a manner known in the art.

[0139] FIG. 5 also shows an operable 3-way valve 86 within the pathway of the tubing 82 at or near the top of the unit 6. Alternatively a T-junction with one or more 2 way valves could be used equivalent to the 3 way valve.

[0140] FIG. 5 also shows an alternative location for the, or an additional, water further purification device, 88. This may be a device for removing inorganic molecules such as ion exchange resin, and/or an electrodeionisation unit or capacitive deionisation unit; and/or for removing organic molecules such as activated carbon, and/or a UV irradiation device such as by UV-LED, and/or peroxide or ozone generation; or for rendering bacteria non-viable by UV irradiation, or peroxide or ozone oxidation; including any combination of these devices

[0141] It is desired to have at least one device for reducing and/or removing inorganic molecules, and at least one device to reduce and/or remove organic molecules or render bacteria non-viable.

[0142] FIG. 5 shows the unit 2 acting in a re-circulation mode. Recirculation may be started by any interaction with the unit 2, such as movement of the unit 2, or by pressing of the dispense operator 8, or action with the user interface 58. Additionally or alternatively, recirculation may be initiated on a timed basis such as for 10 minutes every hour, to maintain the purity of the water 78 in the unit.

[0143] FIG. 6 shows the unit 2 acting in a dispense mode, wherein operation of the dispense operator 8 by a portion of a user's hand (not shown), is signalled to the controller 84 to switch the 3way valve or equivalent 86 to pass the further-purified water 78 through a dispense tubing 90 towards the further-purified water dispense outlet 14. The form of the dispense may be controllable in one or more ways. In one way, the dispense operator 8 has haptic feedback, such that the degree of operation of the dispense operator 8 relates to the flow and/or rate of dispense at the dispense outlet 14.

[0144] The user interface 58 and controller 84 may include one or more programmable functions or programmes, such that the user can program through the interface a particular form or arrangement of water dispense, such as a fixed volumetric dispense of a fixed volume, such as 10 ml, 50 ml, or 100 ml, etc. Dispense of the further-purified water 78 is provided by operation of the pump 56, and the passage of the further-purified water 78 through the water purification outlet 44 of the reservoir 10, and through some of the tubing 82 previously described herein.

[0145] The controller 84 may include communication with other devices by any known protocol such as Bluetooth. This communication can be used to initiate recirculation, determine the status of any further purification devices, or to view or analyse operational data.

[0146] FIG. 7 shows unit 2 being filled with purified water through the base stand 30a. Unit 2 and base stand 30a are shown apart for clarity of parts but to operate would be conjoined. Purified water passes through tubing 69 into the base stand 30a through which it is directed to the base water outlet 96. In operation this is mated with the purified water inlet 92 of the unit 2 and purified water is allowed to pass into the unit 2. This water may be passed as a fill stream 94 through the water further purification devices 88, 40 prior to its reaching the reservoir 10 or may be passed directly thereto. Sensors in the unit 2, such as, for example, pressure sensors, or in the base stand 30a, such as, for example, load sensors, may detect the amount of water 78 in the reservoir 10 and stop the fill process by a valve in the base stand 30a or elsewhere or via operation of the purified water source. A self sealing valve in the unit's purified water inlet 92 prevents leakage of water on removal of the unit 2 from the base stand 30a.

[0147] FIG. 8 shows a second water purifying and dispensing assembly 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention, comprising a plurality of portable water purifying and dispensing units 2 as defined herein, and a multi-base stand 102, optionally located next to a water purification apparatus 70 as described herein. Each of the units 2 can be located on a suitable power recharging source 104 in a manner described herein, and the multi-base 102 can be powered by a suitable power lead 106.

[0148] The second assembly 100 shown in FIG. 8 provides a location for a number of portable water purifying and dispensing units 2. The units are able to be power-charged at a suitable single location through a single multi-base 102, and optionally able to be filled with purified water from the water purification apparatus 70 by a recirculation loop based on an inlet pathway or tube 108 from the water purification apparatus 70 into and through the multi-base 102. Where desired, recirculating water may be returned to the water purification apparatus 70 via a return pathway or tube 112. The recirculation loop from the water purification apparatus 70 may be combined with the recirculation loop within the portable water purifying and dispensing unit 2 to form a combined flow path. Any waste water from the further purification can be passed to a suitable drain through tube(s) 110 from the multi-base 102.

[0149] The second assembly 100 allows for multiple portable water purifying and dispensing units and allows there to be units ready for use by a user or a multiple of users.

[0150] It will be appreciated that although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for the purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit of the scope of the invention.