AU2009100863A4 - Water dispensing unit - Google Patents

Water dispensing unit Download PDF

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Publication number
AU2009100863A4
AU2009100863A4 AU2009100863A AU2009100863A AU2009100863A4 AU 2009100863 A4 AU2009100863 A4 AU 2009100863A4 AU 2009100863 A AU2009100863 A AU 2009100863A AU 2009100863 A AU2009100863 A AU 2009100863A AU 2009100863 A4 AU2009100863 A4 AU 2009100863A4
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AU
Australia
Prior art keywords
unit
water
water dispensing
outlet
container filling
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
AU2009100863A
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AU2009100863B4 (en
Inventor
Adrian Wilson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
AGWILL Pty Ltd
Original Assignee
AGWILL Pty Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by AGWILL Pty Ltd filed Critical AGWILL Pty Ltd
Priority to AU2009100863A priority Critical patent/AU2009100863B4/en
Publication of AU2009100863A4 publication Critical patent/AU2009100863A4/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of AU2009100863B4 publication Critical patent/AU2009100863B4/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E03WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
    • E03BINSTALLATIONS OR METHODS FOR OBTAINING, COLLECTING, OR DISTRIBUTING WATER
    • E03B9/00Methods or installations for drawing-off water
    • E03B9/02Hydrants; Arrangements of valves therein; Keys for hydrants
    • E03B9/20Pillar fountains or like apparatus for dispensing drinking water

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
  • Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)

Description

Regulabon 3.2(2) AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: Water dispensing unit The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 1 WATER DISPENSING UNIT TECHNICAL FIELD The present innovation relates to the provision of drinking water in public places. 5 BACKGROUND For many years, drinking fountains have been provided in parks and other public areas. The water is taken directly from the general water supply. In recent years, there has been a trend for consumers to buy bottled water, and take this with them on outings. This has been driven by various factors, including perceptions about 10 water supply safety, taste and smell (especially chloramines), and the ready availability of relatively inexpensive bottled water in lightweight plastic bottles. However, there are significant environmental downsides to this trend. In some popular outdoor areas, plastic water bottles can provide 75% of the waste stream for local authorities to dispose of. Even if this is recycled, the energy expended in 15 collection and re-cycling is significant. Moreover, the water has to be treated, packed, shipped (in some cases around the world), and refrigerated. By some estimates, it takes the energy of a litre of oil to provide a chilled bottle of water to a customer. Australian Innovation Patent no. 200810137 by the present applicant presented a filtered water dispensing unit. The unit basically included a drinking 20 fountain and an additional water dispenser for facilitating the filling of a container with filtered water. It has been noted, however, that through accidental or malicious use, the additional water dispenser could be left running and cause spillage. In sites with poor run-off, this spillage could form pools of water at the base of the unit. Aside from 25 being unsightly, such pools pose a slip hazard for users of the unit. It is an object of the present innovation to provide an improvement to the dispensing unit which addresses the noted problem. SUMMARY According to the present innovation there is provided a water dispensing 30 unit, the unit including a housing and a plurality of water dispensing outlets arranged about the unit, the water dispensing outlets being positioned at different points on the unit, at least one of the water dispensing outlets being a container filling outlet adapted to be used to fill drinking containers, wherein the unit further includes an attached structure which, when the unit is installed at a site, defines a 2 drainage cavity arranged with respect to at least the container filling outlet in order to catch spillage from the container filling outlet. Preferably, the attached structure is arranged adjacent a base of said unit and defines a subterranean drainage cavity when said unit is installed at said site. 5 A grill plate is ideally provided for covering the drainage cavity. In certain embodiments, the unit includes a plurality of container filling outlets and a respective plurality of attached structures to define respective drainage cavities for each container filling outlet. In exemplary embodiments, the container filling outlet is recessed within 10 the housing or enclosed within a shroud so as to hinder direct contact with the container filling outlet. Preferably, each water dispensing outlet is arranged to be actuated by way of a respective actuator, wherein each actuator is disposed at a location on the unit which is remote from its respective outlet 15 The present innovation advantageously provides a water dispensing unit with integrated drainage structure to deal with the identified issues with potential spillage. By having the drainage structure integrated with the unit, the issue of providing drainage becomes a convenient and cost efficient matter present at the time of installing the unit, as opposed to providing drainage as a separate task 20 after a unit has been installed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An illustrative implementation of the present innovation will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a water dispensing unit according to a 25 preferred embodiment; and Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of the plumbing and structure of the water dispensing unit. DESCRIPTION It is to be understood that whilst the invention is described by reference to 30 particular embodiments of the invention, there exist many alternative implementations of the present invention. The implementation described is intended to be illustrative of the invention, and not limitative. The invention will be 3 described through reference to a public water fountain of the kind seen on streets, at parks and beaches and so fourth. As mentioned, the present innovation is an adapted improvement on the dispensing unit disclosed in Australian Innovation Patent No. 2008101137, the 5 disclosure of which is incorporated herein by way of reference. Tapped from the nearest local water main, water is channelled through the base of the housing unit into a filtering unit 40. Said filtering unit serves to remove any impurities which may be present in the water supply. It is preferred that the filter provide submicron filtration, using a filter with a 34,000L capacity with a 10 6.3Lpm flow rate. Such a filter provides superior chlorine (chloramine) taste and odour reduction, and filters dirt and other particles as small as 1/2 micron in size. This means that it is effective to remove asbestos fibers and cysts such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia. The filtered water is then piped to the dispensing units ready for consumption. 15 The dispensing units may be any suitable fixtures suited to dispensing water. However for the present embodiment the desired dispensing units are one or more outlets 20 for bulk filling of water containers and a water fountain 22 for immediate consumption by the user, both of which dispense filtered water. Each dispensing unit has an associated push-button valve actuator 24 for turning on 20 the flow of water from the respective dispensing unit. It will be appreciated that any suitable form of actuator could be employed for this purpose. As shown, each actuator 24 is physically disposed quite separate and apart from the respective outlet 20. This has been done with the purpose of keeping physical contact away from the outlet 20 to maintain hygiene for the outlet 20 through 25 normal usage. Covering the plumbing and filtering unit, there exists a housing structure 10 with a base plate 12. The base plate 12 of the housing structure 10 is anchored to the ground by means of bolts or any other suitable device, such that the housing structure 10 will stand of its own will. It is preferred that the housing and fixing be 30 formed of suitable robust materials, particularly if the unit is intended for use in an unsupervised environment where vandalism is possible. The dispensing units are affixed to the housing structure. It is preferred that the water fountain 22 is attached at a height which makes it compliant with 4 the Disability Discrimination Act of Australia (DDA) to allow for people in wheel chairs as well as allowing for children to drink from the fountain. Furthermore it is desired that the container filling outlets 20 are fixed at a height well up from the ground, in order to maintain hygiene. Placing the container filling outlets 20 at an 5 adequate height prevents animals such as dogs from licking the outlet 20. As an additional hygienic measure, each outlet 20 may be recessed within the housing 10, as shown in Fig. 1. By recessing the outlet 20, direct contact with the outlet 20 is hindered. As an alternative to recessing the outlet 20, the outlet 20 could be enclosed in a shroud or similar structure to, again, hinder direct contact with the 10 outlet 20. It should be understood that the shape of the housing structure 10 may be adapted to have multiple dispensing units attached to it and as such is not limited to any one particular shape. The housing unit needs to be appropriately engineered to accommodate the selected filter unit 40. The filter unit 40 needs to 15 be accessible for servicing, and is preferably arranged so that the filter can readily be removed, for example by a quarter circle twist. The housing structure 10 ideally is made from hard plastic or metal, but could be made from any suitable material, such as fibreglass, fibre concrete, or other composite materials. The material needs to be sufficiently durable to 20 provide protection against acts of vandalism. Cut into the housing structure there is an access panel (not shown) to provide easy access to the filtering unit 40 for maintenance. The access panel may be secured in any suitable way, for example clipped in, screws, security type fasteners, locks or latches. Depending upon the design of filter unit, periodic servicing and/or replacement of filter cartridges may 25 be required. The housing structure 10 is also adapted to allow for signage 30 to be displayed for public viewing. Said signage 30 may cover allocated areas on the housing structure or merely be supported from the housing structure. The signage could, for example, explain that the water supplied is filtered, so as to encourage 30 the desired change in behaviour. It could provide information about the local area, maps, trail guides, and so forth. Arranged adjacent the base of the housing are structures 50 which are attached to the base plate 12. Each structure 50 defines a cavity which, when the 5 unit is installed at a site, would lie below ground level. As will be appreciated, this will require certain excavation of the ground during installation. However, excavation of the ground is normally done for the purpose of locating suitable plumbing for the unit to a mains water supply. Hence, providing the structures to 5 define subterranean drain cavities does not require much additional effort in the installation process. Furthermore, providing the drain cavities as subterranean provides a convenient and aesthetically better appearance for the installed unit. It will be appreciated that the structures 50 need not be arranged as subterranean cavities but could be arranged above ground in a pedestal arrangement, for 10 example. Each structure 50 is arranged with respect to a container filling outlet 20 so as to capture and drain any spillage from the respective outlet 20. A cover grill plate 52 is provided to cover each drain cavity. The structures 50 can take many forms. For example, the structures 50 could be in the form of an open top receptacle with solid sides. In this form, the 15 structure 50 would need to have a drainage port which can be connected to a drainage pipe to allow received water to drain away. In alternative embodiments, the structure 50 could a have a cage-like formation. In cases were the unit is installed in ground having adequate natural drainage, the cage could be left exposed to the earth to allow water to naturally drain into the earth. Otherwise, 20 the cage structure could be enclosed during installation by applying concrete, for example, to the sides of the defined cavity. While the present innovation has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that various modifications and changes could be made without departing from the scope of the invention. 25

Claims (5)

1. A water dispensing unit, said unit including a housing and a plurality of water dispensing outlets arranged about said unit, the water dispensing outlets being positioned at different points on said unit, at least one of said water 5 dispensing outlets being a container filling outlet adapted to be used to fill drinking containers, wherein said unit further includes an attached structure which, when said unit is installed at a site, defines a drainage cavity arranged with respect to at least said container filling outlet in order to catch any spillage from said container filling outlet. 10
2. The water dispensing unit of claim 1, wherein said attached structure is arranged adjacent a base of said unit and defines a subterranean drainage cavity when said unit is installed at said site.
3. The water dispensing unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said unit includes a plurality of container filling outlets and a respective plurality of attached 15 structures to define respective drainage cavities for each container filling outlet.
4. The water dispensing unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said container filling outlet is recessed within the housing or enclosed within a shroud so as to hinder direct contact with said container filling outlet.
5. The water dispensing unit according to any one of the preceding claims 20 wherein each water dispensing outlet is arranged to be actuated by way of a respective actuator, wherein each actuator is disposed at a location on said unit which is remote from its respective outlet. AGWILL PTY LTD 25 WATERMARK PATENT & TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS 30 UIP1210AUOO
AU2009100863A 2009-08-27 2009-08-27 Water dispensing unit Expired AU2009100863B4 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2009100863A AU2009100863B4 (en) 2009-08-27 2009-08-27 Water dispensing unit

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2009100863A AU2009100863B4 (en) 2009-08-27 2009-08-27 Water dispensing unit

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
AU2009100863A4 true AU2009100863A4 (en) 2009-10-08
AU2009100863B4 AU2009100863B4 (en) 2009-11-05

Family

ID=41137308

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
AU2009100863A Expired AU2009100863B4 (en) 2009-08-27 2009-08-27 Water dispensing unit

Country Status (1)

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AU (1) AU2009100863B4 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT201900023340A1 (en) * 2019-12-09 2021-06-09 Metalco S R L MODULAR STREET FURNITURE KIT INTEGRATED WITH A DRINKING WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3734408A (en) * 1971-05-21 1973-05-22 Haws Drinking Fountain Co Vandal-proof drinking fountain
US3901440A (en) * 1974-04-26 1975-08-26 Baker Mfg Co Drinking fountain pump stand
US4282895A (en) * 1979-04-20 1981-08-11 Valve Engineering Service Corp. Freeze-proof, pollution free valve
US4600148A (en) * 1983-10-17 1986-07-15 King-Seeley Thermos Co. Drainless water cooler
US20040262417A1 (en) * 2003-06-27 2004-12-30 Nathan Proch Recirculating water fountain
KR100594362B1 (en) * 2004-11-08 2006-06-30 주식회사 동양일렉트로닉스 A circulation-type water-generating apparatus
US7213608B1 (en) * 2004-11-29 2007-05-08 Jui-Chien Chen Wasted water draining valve for a drinking water fountain
US20070063065A1 (en) * 2005-09-16 2007-03-22 Barnhill Phillip S Decorative fountain and waterfall
DE202006001822U1 (en) * 2006-02-02 2006-04-13 Paul Wolff Gmbh System for year round frost free supply of water has valve arranged in frost area and adjustable by water pressure whereby valve is fitted to actuating rod movable in pump body and fountain spot is placed over lever for opening of valve

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT201900023340A1 (en) * 2019-12-09 2021-06-09 Metalco S R L MODULAR STREET FURNITURE KIT INTEGRATED WITH A DRINKING WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

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Publication number Publication date
AU2009100863B4 (en) 2009-11-05

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FGI Letters patent sealed or granted (innovation patent)
FF Certified innovation patent
MK22 Patent ceased section 143a(d), or expired - non payment of renewal fee or expiry