WO2023146430A1

WO2023146430A1 - System for contactlessly dispensing cold, hot or carbonated water

Info

Publication number: WO2023146430A1
Application number: PCT/RU2022/000061
Authority: WO
Inventors: Максим Иванович МАЛЕЕВ
Original assignee: Общество С Ограниченной Ответственностью "Юнайтед Вотер"
Priority date: 2022-01-31
Filing date: 2022-03-01
Publication date: 2023-08-03

Abstract

The invention relates to equipment for dispensing drinking water, and more particularly to a system for contactlessly dispensing cold, hot or carbonated water. The technical result of the invention is to allow safer consumption of hot, cold or carbonated drinking water, while keeping the dimensions of the system for dispensing different types of drinking water compact. A system for contactlessly dispensing hot, cold or carbonated water comprises a housing containing devices for cooling drinking water, devices for heating drinking water, and a carbonator for producing carbonated drinking water. The system further comprises a dispenser for dispensing drinking water, configured in the form of a tap, and conduits that connect the cooling and heating devices and the carbonator to said dispenser. The system still further comprises proximity sensors that react to the nearby presence of a user's hand in order to initiate the process of dispensing a selected type of water, said sensors being arranged on the dispenser.

Description

SYSTEM OF CONTACTLESS SUPPLY OF COLD OR HOT OR Sparkling Water

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to drinking water supply equipment, namely to a system that allows contactless supply of cold or hot or carbonated water in order to limit physical contacts of people in public places during periods of mass spread of diseases.

From the prior art, a system for dispensing drinks is known (RF patent No. 2555787, published on July 10, 2015), which contains a housing with a pouring tube located in a recess on the front panel of the housing, while pipelines are connected to the pouring tube for supplying cold or hot, or sparkling water, or water at room temperature. Also, the housing has a visual identification device (for example, reading a barcode) or a touch control panel associated with a programmable control unit.

In this case, by pressing the buttons on the control panel, the user can dispense water of his choice in the required quantity. In addition, the user can specify the parameters of water portions of various types at his discretion when generating a barcode, which, after being read using a visual identification device, is processed in a programmable control unit with subsequent dispensing of drinking water.

The considered beverage dispensing system allows dispensing different types of water to the user through one pouring tube, which is convenient.

However, in this case, the contact method is provided as the main method of dispensing liquid, which leads to the accumulation of dirt and bacteria on the control panel buttons, especially in public places, and contributes to the spread of diseases. The provided non-contact method of filling water using a barcode is laborious and inconvenient: first, you need to generate the barcode itself with the required parameters, then print it or visualize it in another way, then bring it to the visual identification device.

It should be noted that the said system for dispensing drinks has a massive body with a bottle of drinking water installed in its upper part, takes up a lot of space and can only be installed as a separate element of the interior.

At the same time, the location of the pouring tube in a recess on the front panel of the housing leads to the need for the user to bend down, which can be difficult to implement for people with back diseases. It is also inconvenient to pour water into bulk containers that may not fit into the specified recess in the body. In this case, there is a possibility that part of the water will spill past the container, and then, in order to add liquid, the user will have to re-create the barcode and repeat all the operations, which further increases the complexity of using the considered system.

A known contactless water supply system (Internet resource https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjzCI8B4FYs&ab channel=%D0%AD% D0%B A%D0%BE%D 1% 86%D0%B5%D0% BD%D 1 %82%D 1 %80QASIS, publication date 10/20/2020, viewed 11/26/2021), which contains a housing with a pouring tube located in a recess on the front panel of the housing, while pipelines are connected to the pouring tube for supplying water at room temperature or chilled water or hot water, and infrared sensors are located on the body for non-contact supply of these types of water.

The considered system allows bottling water at the request of the user by bringing his hand to the desired infrared sensor, which generally makes the process convenient, fast and safe in terms of the spread of diseases in crowded places.

However, this system does not provide carbonated water to the user, which limits its functionality.

In addition, the pouring tube, as in the previous solution, is located in a recess on the front panel of the case. The body itself is massive and takes up a lot of space, and the size of the recess can be made insufficient to quickly and conveniently fill a large container with drinking water. In this case, the user needs to hold the container in his hands and wait for it to be filled in a bent position, plus water can be spilled on the floor past the container being filled.

A liquid dispensing system is known (RF patent No. 2732088, published on September 11, 2020), taken as the closest analogue to the claimed solution, which contains a housing and an ingredient system, a beverage dispenser having a body part and a dispensing head, a pipeline connecting the specified a housing and said dispenser, a touch control panel located on the dispenser for selecting the drink to be poured and connected to a control unit that starts the operation of the respective pumps for supplying the selected drink from the ingredient system to the pipeline connecting the said housing and the specified dispenser.

This system is designed to dispense hot, cold and carbonated drinks, including drinks under any PepsiCo brand.

The division of this system into a body and a dispenser, which are interconnected by a flexible pipeline, allows you to install the dispenser on any horizontal surface (for example, a tabletop, bar counter, etc.) at a convenient height for use and at the same time in the body, located under the tabletop, you can compactly place all the main functional units (control unit, pumps, etc.) necessary to obtain the required drinks. In this case, the considered system is installed with the economy of the available space without the need to allocate a separate place for it. At the same time, a container of any volume can be placed under the dispenser with a minimum risk of spilling drinks.

However, this system only provides for the contact dispensing method of drinks through the touch control panel, which implies the use of one system for dispensing a drink by a large number of people in public places and the presence of physical contact between them, which leads to the accumulation of dirt and bacteria, reducing the level of safety among the population, which as a result, it contributes to the growth of morbidity during the period of exacerbation of the epidemiological situation.

The technical problem of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages inherent in analogues and to create a system for contactless supply of cold or hot, or carbonated drinking water, which excludes physical contact between people when drinking water is consumed from one dispenser in public places and helps to reduce the growth of morbidity among the population.

The technical result of the invention is to increase the safety of the consumption of cold or hot, or carbonated drinking water while maintaining the compact dimensions of the system itself for supplying various types of drinking water by making the dispenser of the system in the form of a tap and placing contactless sensors on it for supplying cold or hot, or carbonated water. .

The technical result is achieved by using a system for contactless supply of cold or hot, or carbonated water, containing a housing with devices for cooling drinking water, devices for heating drinking water located in it. and a carbonizer for carbonated drinking water. The system contains a dispenser for bottling drinking water, made in the form of a tap, pipelines connecting these devices for cooling, heating drinking water and a carbonizer with the indicated dispensers. The system also contains non-contact sensors that respond to the user's hand being brought to them to start the process of pouring the selected type of water, located on the specified dispenser. At the same time, said proximity sensors are connected to a control unit located in said housing and starting the process of supplying cold or hot or carbonated water from the respective devices located in the housing to the respective pipelines and further to the said dispenser.

The dispenser in the form of a tap can have touch buttons or a touch control panel for dispensing cold or hot, or sparkling water.

On the dispenser in the form of a tap, a user presence sensor can be located.

In the case of the claimed system, a wireless communication module can be located to control the drinking water supply process, for example, using a user's personal mobile device.

As in the case of the closest analogue, the division of the proposed system into a body part and a dispenser in the form of a tap, which are interconnected by flexible pipelines for dispensing drinking water of the selected type, makes it possible to make the system as functional as possible and at the same time compact. In this case, there is no need to allocate a separate place for installing the entire drinking water supply system: the body part of the system can be located in one part of the room, and the dispenser in the form of a tap in another. Such a constructive implementation of the proposed system saves space room, allows you to easily install and dismantle it, depending on the conditions of the interior.

At the same time, the dispenser in the form of a tap can be installed on any horizontal surface (tabletop, bar counter, etc.) at the required and convenient height for users. Under the dispenser in the form of a tap, a container of any volume can be placed without the risk of spilling drinking water.

Placing non-contact sensors (for example, non-contact distance sensors) for supplying cold or hot, or sparkling water directly on the dispenser itself in the form of a tap allows you to quickly, conveniently and safely implement a non-contact process for obtaining the desired type of drinking water in any container without spilling it, which eliminates physical contact between people in public places and reduces the risk of developing diseases.

As a result, the inventive drinking water supply system takes up little space in the room and can be mounted with a significant separation from each other of the body part of the system and the dispenser in the form of a tap, depending on the requirements of the interior. It also provides the user with the opportunity to select the desired type of drinking water, safely pour water at a comfortable height without the need to bend down and strain on the back.

In FIG. 1 shows a general view of the dispenser of the proposed system, located on the countertop.

In FIG. 2 shows a left side view of a dispenser of the inventive system, located on a countertop.

In FIG. 3 shows a right side view of a dispenser of the inventive system located on a countertop.

In FIG. 4 shows a rear view of the dispenser of the inventive system, located on the countertop.

In FIG. 5 shows a general view of the body of the proposed system. In FIG. 6 shows a right side view of the chassis of the claimed system.

In FIG. 7 shows a rear view of the chassis of the inventive system.

The system for contactless supply of cold or hot or carbonated water contains a housing 1 and a dispenser 2, made in the form of a tap.

The dispenser 2 in the form of a tap can be located on the tabletop 3, while the body 1 of the system can be located both under the tabletop 3 and elsewhere in the room. The tap of the dispenser 2 in a particular case may be L-shaped (Fig. 1). Any other faucet shape can also be chosen.

On the dispenser 2 in the form of a tap there are non-contact sensors for measuring the distance that respond to the user's hand being brought to them to start the process of pouring water: a non-contact sensor for supplying cold water 4 (Fig. 3) located on the right side of the dispenser 2; non-contact hot water supply sensor 5 (Fig. 4) located on the back of the dispenser 2; contactless soda water supply sensor 6 (Fig. 2) located on the left side of the dispenser 2.

Also on the dispenser 2 in the form of a tap can be located touch buttons 7, 8 and 9 or a control panel for supplying cold, hot and carbonated water, respectively (Fig. 1).

Also on the dispenser 2 can be located the user's presence sensor 10, the light sensor 11 (Fig. 1).

In the tabletop 3, a drip collector 12 is installed (Fig. 1), which goes into the sewer or is connected to the tray 13 with its overflow sensor located in the lower part of the housing 1.

The body 1 is made on the power frame 14 and has mainly the shape of a parallelepiped. For the convenience of moving the body 1, wheels 15 are installed in its lower part (Fig. 6, 7).

In building 1 there are such devices for cooling drinking water as a condenser-cooler 16 with a cooling circuit, a chiller 17 (Fig. 5). Chiller 17 is designed to cool drinking water passing through a stainless steel cooling circuit, which are located in a tank with technical water (heat carrier). The cooled technical water, due to convection and thermal conductivity, takes the heat of drinking water and transfers it through the cooling circuit with freon to the dissipating device - condenser-cooler 16.

In the case 1 there are such devices for heating drinking water as a boiler 18 with a water level sensor in the boiler (Fig. 7). Boiler 18 is a stainless steel tank in which water is heated by a heating element.

To obtain sparkling water in the housing 1 is located carbonizer 19 with a water level sensor in it (Fig. 5, 6, 7). The carbonizer 19 is a device in which water is mixed with carbon dioxide supplied through a separate pipeline (not shown).

The above devices for cooling drinking water 16 and 17, devices for heating drinking water 18 and carbonizer 19 are connected to the dispenser 2 in the form of a tap through flexible pipes (not shown), the length of which can be selected depending on the distance between these devices located in the housing 1, and a dispenser 2 in the form of a tap, which can be placed separately and fixed on the tabletop 3.

To pump cold water into the carbonizer 19, a pump 20 is used (Fig. 6), which compensates for the pressure difference between carbon dioxide in the carbonizer 19 and cold water at its inlet. That is, the pump 20 pressurizes the cold water to a level to overcome the carbon dioxide pressure and pump the cold water into the carbonizer 19 where it will be mixed with carbon dioxide to supply carbonated water to the user through the faucet-like dispenser 2. The system also has a pump 21 (Fig. 7) for supplying hot water from the boiler 18 to the corresponding pipeline leading to the dispenser 2 in the form of a tap.

Cold water is supplied to the dispenser 2 in the form of a tap from the respective cooling devices 16 and 17 without a pump due to the pressure in the cold water supply system.

Also, the housing 1 contains a compressor 22, a cooling fan 23 (Fig. 6, 7). To control the flow rate, the housing 1 has a cold water solenoid valve, a hot water solenoid valve (not shown).

Also in the housing 1 are the control unit 24, power supplies 25 (Fig. 5).

In addition, housing 1 can contain a technical water agitator, an ambient temperature sensor, water pressure sensors and other additional functional units.

Case 1 also has a USB port for connecting to a personal computer to configure parameters and monitor the status of devices located in case 1.

The claimed system works as follows.

On the dispenser 2, non-contact distance sensors 4 5, 6 are installed, which react to the user's hand being brought to them. Also, if necessary, touch buttons 7, 8, 9 or the control panel (Fig. 1) are installed.

Two holes of the appropriate size are cut out in the tabletop 3, into which the dispenser 2 and the drip collector 12 are mounted. The dispenser 2 and the drip collector 12 are fastened to the tabletop 3 with nuts through the centering plate, which prevents the devices from turning along their axis. The output of water from the drip collector 12 can be carried out in having an outlet to the sewer or in the drip pan 13 in the lower part of the housing 1 (Fig. 1). The dispenser 2 is connected to the chiller 17, the carbonizer 19 and the boiler 18 for supplying cold, carbonated and hot water, respectively, through the corresponding silicone pipelines.

The indicated proximity sensors 4, 5, 6 and touch buttons 7, 8, 9, if any, are connected to the control unit 24 located in the housing 1 via an equipment connection cord (not shown).

Housing 1 is connected to water pipes. The water supplied to the housing 1 is purified using filters.

These proximity sensors 4, 5, 6 are activated when the user's hand is brought to them at a distance of 2-6 cm. Also, the inventive system can be activated by pressing the touch buttons 7, 8, 9 located on the dispenser 2 in the form of a tap.

At the same time, in order to avoid accidental supply of water, especially hot, a user presence sensor 10 can be installed.

When the non-contact cold water supply sensor 4 is activated, the control unit 24 starts the corresponding devices for supplying chilled drinking water (condenser-cooler 16 with a cooling circuit, chiller 17), which, due to the cold water pressure, passes through the corresponding pipeline from the housing 1 to the dispenser 2 in the form of a tap

Hot water is heated in the boiler 18 in advance and maintained in it in the right volume and at the right temperature. When the contactless hot water supply sensor 5 is activated, the control unit 24 starts the process of supplying heated drinking water, which flows from the boiler 18 to the pump 21, then to the corresponding pipeline and dispenser 2 in the form of a tap.

When the non-contact soda water supply sensor 6 is activated, the control unit 24 starts the carbonizer 19 with the water level sensor in the carbonizer 19. Then the carbonated water passes through the corresponding pipeline to the dispenser 2 in the form of a tap. The process of supplying any type of water occurs as long as the user keeps his hand at a given distance from the desired proximity sensor 4, 5 or 6.

Similarly, the process of supplying each of the indicated types of water occurs when the corresponding touch buttons 7, 8, 9 are pressed.

Using light sensor 11, you can illuminate the area under the dispenser 2 to see the process of pouring drinking water into the container. In addition, the light sensor 11 can regulate the operating mode of the proposed system (energy saving mode, "sleep" mode, active equipment operation mode). For example, at low illumination at night and inactivity of the user's presence sensor 10 for a long time, the inventive system first goes into power saving mode, and then into the "sleep" mode to reduce power consumption. When you turn on the lighting or increase the illumination in a natural way, the system “awakens” and brings it to an active state.

In the control unit 24, a wireless communication module (not shown) can be installed, which allows you to identify the claimed system in the user's mobile device and select the parameters for pouring the desired type of drinking water. Upon receiving a signal from the wireless communication module, the control unit 24 starts the process of cooling, heating or carbonating drinking water with its subsequent issuance to the user through the dispenser 2. This solution additionally allows contactless bottling of drinking water.

Also, the presence of a wireless communication module in the claimed system allows you to connect it with a remote dispatch system, which:

- can issue statistical data for the management company (when, how much, what type of water was dispensed through dispenser 2, the remaining filter life, the remaining amount of carbon dioxide, etc.); - allows for effective planning of operational costs, company resources.

Based on such statistical data and machine learning, a flexible water treatment system is formed, that is, it becomes possible to prepare water only in the required volume with the specified parameters at each moment of equipment operation, not to keep the boiler 18 full of hot water at night, on weekends and holidays, as well as track the hours of low and peak water consumption. Moreover, these features of drinking water consumption can be taken into account individually for each piece of equipment installed in offices, on different floors of a building, etc.

The presence of a wireless communication module in the claimed system and the connection of such modules to a remote dispatching system can reduce the load on the system and significantly (by about 30%) reduce the cost of its repair and maintenance. It becomes possible to carry out these types of work if necessary, and not according to the schedule. At the same time, by reducing electricity consumption, the environmental component also increases.

Thus, the claimed system implements an effective model for the distribution of drinking water, in which it is possible to combine:

- automation of the process of distributing drinking water in crowded places, namely, the absence of the need for additional working personnel for the distribution of water and the exclusion of mechanical impact between the device and the user;

- the practice of eliminating the use of non-environmentally friendly plastic bottles and the purchase of bottled water;

- maintaining a regime of safe interaction between people in public space and limiting physical contacts between people to prevent the transmission of bacteria and viruses, especially during epidemics and mass diseases. The proposed system is suitable for providing drinking water to large office spaces, public places with a high demand of people for drinking water, as it occupies a minimum space, while having maximum performance.

Claims

CLAIM

1. A system for contactless supply of cold or hot or carbonated water, characterized in that it contains a housing with devices for cooling drinking water located in it, devices for heating drinking water and a carbonizer for producing carbonated drinking water, a dispenser for pouring drinking water, made in in the form of a tap, pipelines connecting the indicated devices for cooling, heating drinking water and the carbonizer with the indicated dispenser, contactless sensors that respond to bringing the user’s hand to them to start the process of bottling the selected type of water, located on the indicated dispenser, while the indicated contactless sensors are connected to a control unit located in the specified housing and starting the process of supplying cold or hot, or carbonated water from the corresponding devices located in the housing, to the corresponding pipelines and then to the specified dispenser.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the dispenser in the form of a tap is a user presence sensor.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that a wireless communication module is located in the housing to control the drinking water supply process.