GB2621356A - Gaming drink dispenser configured to ensure daily recommendation compliance - Google Patents

Abstract

A drink dispenser has a beverage tank 60 in a housing 10. A flexible conduit 20 with dispensing nozzle 30 couples to the tank 60. Valve(s) control liquid flow from the tank 60 to the nozzle 30. The dispenser has a timer to determine the length of time the user has gone without drinking. When the dispenser is used to dispense a drink, the timer resets. A processor couples to the timer and sends an alert or warning to the user if the length of time exceeds a pre-determined threshold. This helps avoid dehydration. The dispenser may have a second tank 70 for holding additives, e.g., powdered coffee/ flavoured liquid, and a mixing chamber 90 may be included. The dispenser may adjust the predetermined threshold based on temperature/ humidity sensors. A game persona may provide the alert prompt through message, dialogue, and/or the condition of the game character reflecting that of the user.

Description

GAMING DRINK DISPENSER CONFIGURED TO ENSURE DAILY RECOMMENDATION

COMPLIANCE

Background

In recent years, as different businesses have moved from physical media to digital media, people have started to spend more time using computers be it a work computer in an office or their own computer when working from home. Further, people's hobbies have also moved to digital formats with people who play videogames or stream on the internet having sessions spanning hours where they are often sitting at their computers the entire time.

During these times when people are spending a prolonged time at a computer, they are at risk of dehydration, as their concentration on the task or game on the computer screens may mean they are less aware of the amount of time that has passed or the signs that they are dehydration. This can then have a negative effect on the person's health as dehydration could lead to fatigue, dizziness and other adverse effects. It is also noted that when the person is working at their computer, they may not wish to leave the desk as this could lower their productivity.

Therefore, there is a need to provide a device that is capable of warning a user when they are at risk of dehydration, alerting them in a way that will draw the user's attention away from their computer. And preferably would also be able to provide hydration to the user. To this end the device would need to be able to store and dispense fluid to the user, monitor the users hydration and provide a suitable alert that would gain the user's attention.

Some examples of currently used systems may be found in CN207157023 and US20180325246. The former provides a system for hydrating the driver of a vehicle without the need to stop the said vehicle, thereby providing a means of hydration that would help prevent fatigue and would not distract the user from driving. Meanwhile, the latter provides a small personal drink dispenser that may be worn by the user and is, therefore, more portable. Both provide systems with reservoirs for drinkable liquids, straws or conduits for dispensing the drinkable liquid and valves for controlling the flow of the liquid. But it is noted that these systems are not configured for on or near a desk, and more importantly, do not provide features for monitoring the user's hydration or alerting them when they are at risk of dehydration.

Summary

As the user of computers for both business and leisure has increased people can find themselves spending more time sitting at a desk for long periods. For example, office workers, streamers and gamers may spend several hours sitting in front of a computer without a break. During these long sessions, the person may become dehydrated as they are too engrossed in their activities to leave the desk. To help address this problem the present invention provides an apparatus which can be mounted to a wall or office partition near the user to dispense water, or other drinks to the user to help avoid dehydration.

More specifically, the present invention comprises a reservoir, container or tank which can be used to store water, or other suitable drinks, for the user to consume. The tank would then be coupled to a flexible tube with a nozzle coupled to the remote end of the tube for dispensing water from the tank. The tank further comprises a pump for pumping the water out of the tank, when the user triggers a switch to dispense the water. The tank further comprises a timer unit which can monitor how long the apparatus has been active and how long since the last drink had been dispensed from the tank, thereby allowing a processor coupled to the timer to determine if the user is at risk of dehydration. The apparatus may then be configured to alert the user when they are at risk of dehydration, that is to say the apparatus will provide an alert to the user when the processor detects that the user has exceeded a specific time threshold without having a drink. This alert may be in the form of flashing lights, specific sounds and/or a message displayed on the housing of the apparatus to indicate to the user that they should have a drink.

In a preferred embodiment, the tube or straw extending from the tank would have a segmented, or backbone-like support structure. Such a structure would allow the pipe enough flexibility to be bent into the desired shape while having enough rigidity to sustain the desired shape after bending. This way the user can position the dispensing nozzle to be in the desired location or at the desired angle. It is also noted that the set-up of the computer on the desk may change over time, for example, the user may gain additional equipment or larger monitors, that may require the nozzle to be moved to get around the new equipment, with the disclosed straw the user can simply bend the straw around the new equipment to position the nozzle in a reachable location without needing to move the entire apparatus.

In some embodiments, the tank's housing may include one, or more, smaller secondary tanks. In this secondary tank, the user may store material designed to flavour the dispensed water. More specifically, the smaller tank may store a flavoured solution which can be mixed with the water to add a desired taste. Alternatively, the secondary tank may store a powder, such as energy drink powder, instant coffee or hot chocolate powder, which the user may want to have mixed with the water to form a desired drink. In these cases, one of the tank housing, pump or nozzle would include a switch that would control the secondary tanks, so that the user can choose whether to have plain water from the main tank or to mix the water with the substance in the secondary tank before dispensing.

The step of mixing the water of the main tank with the substance of the secondary tank may be achieved in several ways. In some cases, the housing may include a separate mixing chamber, when the user has selected a mixed drink the water and mixing substance will be pumped into the mixing chamber first, before being pumped into the straw. In some cases, the mixing chamber may include a rotating member to improve the mixing process, this would likely be needed when the secondary tank contains powder to ensure the water completely dissolves the powder, as any remaining powder could cause a blockage within the mixing chamber outlet or the straw. In other cases, there may be a small mixing chamber within the straw itself, wherein two or more straws feed into a wide tube which functions as a mixing chamber, wherein this wider tube then feeds the mixed drink into the dispensing straw attached to the nozzle. Alternatively, the straw connecting the tank to the nozzle may comprise a straw with double tubing, where the straw comprises, a larger tube coupled to the main tank for transporting water, and a smaller tube either coupled to or with the larger tube for transporting the substance within the secondary tank, with both tubes coupled to the dispensing nozzle. It is noted that the embodiments with the mixing tube or double tubing are preferable when the secondary tank contains a flavoured liquid, or other liquid to be mixed with the water, as a powder will like bock the smaller tubes coupled to the secondary tank.

As the system will most commonly be used proximate to a computer desk, the system may be configured to connect directly to a computer. In these cases, the processor coupled to the tank may be configured to determine when the computer is active, this may mean that the processor simply determines when, and for how long the computer is powered up using this information to start the timer which is used to determine when the user needs a drink. Alternatively, the processor may be configured to detect when the computer is actually in use, for example being able to determine that the computer is receiving inputs from controllers, mouses or keyboards. This way the processor may determine when the user has taken a break, should a predetermined amount of time pass without the computer receiving an input. When the processor has determined that the user has returned from such a break the apparatus may automatically reset the timer for determining if the user needs to rehydrate or may send an alert or inquiry to the user asking if the timer should be rest, which would be the case if the user has rehydrated during their break from the computer. This way the user can avoid false alerts, which may occur if the process uses the timer alone when determining if the user needs to rehydrate. It is also noted that when the apparatus connects to the computer directly the processor may be configured to send the hydration alert to the user via a pop-up on the monitor of the connected computer, this may be preferable when the user is a gamer as they likely have headphones on, and would be focused on their monitor, meaning they are more likely to miss other types of alerts.

In some cases, the apparatus may further comprise one or more sensors within the apparatus housing that feed data to the processor. In particular, these sensors would monitor conditions that may affect the user's hydration such as the temperature and humidity of the user's room. With this data, the processor may be configured to adjust the time threshold before alerting the user to have a drink. For example, when the temperature and/or humidity are higher the processor would lower the threshold so there would be a shorter time between hydration alerts to the user.

The apparatus may also contain sensors and apparatus for controlling the quality of the water within the tank. For example, the tank may be coupled to a temperature control system, with elements to heat or cool the water to keep the liquid in the apparatus at the desired temperature set by the user. The tank may also monitor the quality of the water, for example, detecting pH or impurities that would indicate that the water needs changing, and the tank may need cleaning. These measurements may be carried out within the tank itself, or within a run-off tube that collects a small test sample from the tank. If these sensors determine that the tank or water needs cleaning it may send a suitable alert to the user indicating the issue.

To improve the quality of the water the main tank may further comprise a system to carbonate the water within the tank to help remove impurities. This same system or a further system may also be used to help control the pH of the mater within the tank. By adding these systems, the user can better control the quality of the water within the apparatus' tank thereby extending the amount of time before the water or tank within the apparatus needs to be cleaned, making the maintenance of the apparatus simpler.

Further, the one or more tanks may comprise sensors to determine the quantity of liquid or powder within each tank. Wherein, the processor is configured to alert the user when the quantity of a substance within the tank falls below a certain threshold, wherein the threshold is predetermined and is based on the volume of the tank. It is noted that this alert may be sent to the user using the lights, speakers or display on the apparatus, or by sending a pop-up or message to the user's computer as described above. In some cases, the processor may also be configured to order more of the substance that was used in the tank when the quantity falls below the predetermined threshold.

In the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, the housing would comprise a front or face panel which is configured to be removable. Wherein the user can remove the face panel to access the one or more tanks within the housing. This will allow the user to clean, refill and if necessary, remove the tank from the housing. It is also noted that the face panel of the housing can be customized, allowing the user to swap the panel with another with different colours and/or designs, allowing the user to match the design of the apparatus with the design of their office space in the case of a workplace, or with the rest of their computer setup in case of personal use, such as for gamers or streamers. It is also noted that the housing may be configured to have its own lighting, such as LED lighting, to allow the user to further customize the appearance of the housing, and may be configured to illuminate the inside of the housing to make viewing the tank during cleaning or maintenance.

Detailed Description

The present invention is depicted in the following drawings: Figure 1 depicts an example of the claimed apparatus.

Figure 2 depicts an example conduit for the claimed apparatus with a flexible skeletal support structure.

Figure 3 depicts an example of a conduit with double tubing Figure 4 depicts an example holder for a primary and secondary conduit Figure 5 depicts an example apparatus with two tanks and a mixing chamber within the conduit.

Figure 6 depicts an example apparatus with two tanks and a mixing chamber within the housing.

Figure 7 depicts an example of an exterior conduit support.

The drawings comprise the following features: 10-housing 12 -face panel -conduit -nozzle -primary tube 42-secondary tube -conduit holder 52 -opening for primary tube 54 -opening for secondary tube -main/primary tank 70-secondary tank -conduit mixing chamber 90-mixing chamber 100-exterior conduit support 110-First end of the conduit support 120-Second end of the conduit support Figure 1 depicts an example drink dispensing apparatus as per the present invention. The Figure depicts the housing 10 of the apparatus which is configured to be mounted onto a wall or partition proximate to the user's desk, though in some embodiments the housing may be configured to mount onto a stand or be free-standing so the user may have the apparatus stand on their desk instead. This housing 10 will contain a tank 60 inside which the user may place water or their desired drink to be dispensed by the apparatus. Further, the housing 10 contains one or more valves for controlling the flow of the liquid within the tank 60. The housing 10 will also comprise a face panel 12 which is removable to allow the user to access the components within the housing, especially the tank 60 which will require cleaning and refilling over time.

The apparatus also comprises a flexible conduit 20 which couples the tank 60 within the housing 10 to a nozzle 30. This conduit 20 allows the user to position the nozzle 30, used to dispense the drink within the tank 60, at the desired location. This can be particularly helpful when the apparatus is mounted to a wall and cannot be easily relocated, as over time the set-up on the user's desk may change meaning the position of the nozzle 30 will likewise need to change in order to be accessed. In some embodiments, the housing may be configured to house the conduit 20 and nozzle 30 when not in use. this may be in the form of protrusions on the outside of the housing which the conduit can be wrapped around, alternatively, the housing may contain space or a compartment for the conduit 20 and nozzle 30 to be stored within, when not in use.

The housing 10 also contains a processor coupled to a timer and a means of sending an alert to the user. Wherein the processor is configured to determine when the user is at risk of dehydration. In this case, the processor may use the timer to determine when a predetermined threshold has passed after the apparatus has been activated. When the timer reaches the threshold, the processor will send an alert to the user to indicate that they are at risk of dehydration. If the user dispenses a drink from the apparatus before the timer has reached the threshold the timer will be reset. In some embodiment, the processor of the apparatus may couple to a processor in the user's computer, through ever a wired or wireless connection, wherein the processor starts the timer when the computer is activated rather than the apparatus, as this would indicate when the user has been sitting at their desk. Similarly, the processor may be configured to stop the timer if the computer has not received inputs for a certain amount of time, specifically inputs from a mouse, keyboard or controllers, indicating that the user is away from their desk. In these cases, the processor may detect when the computer receives inputs again indicating the user has returned to their computer and may be configured to send an enquiry to the user, via a pop-up on their computer to ask if the user has hydrated during their break away from their desk. If the user indicates that they have hydrated in reply to the enquiry then the timer would be reset. If not, then the processor may resume monitoring the timer without resetting.

The means of alerting the user may be in the form of a light source or display mounted to the housing 10, and/or a speaker within the housing 10. Wherein on sending an alert, the lights may flash a specific pattern or change to a certain colour to indicate the alert, alternatively, the colour may change over time as the timer reaches the threshold, becoming a specific colour or flashing when the timer passes the threshold. In other cases, the housing may have a speaker that produces an audio alert, such as an alarm when the timer reaches the threshold. Or the housing may comprise a display that can show the alert as a message on the display, or use a combination of visual and audio alerts as described above, the display may also show a timer or meter which depletes as the timer reaches the threshold to provide the user with a clear indicator of how close the timer is to reaching the threshold at any given time.

In the embodiments where the processor is coupled to a computer, the processor may be configured to use the computer itself to produce the alert. In particular, the alert may be presented as a message or pop-up on the user's screen or be sent in the form of an email or notification. This method may be preferable as the user will most likely be paying more attention to their computer monitor when at their desk. Alternatively, when being used for gamers, the processor may be configured to use the mechanics of the game being played to send the alert. In some cases, the processor may pause the user's game, and may additionally send an alert while the game is paused. Alternatively, the processor may be configured to change in-game assets or settings, for example having the player character become fatigued, or lose health, stamina, hunger or thirst based on the games specific mechanics, or the user's in-game character, or persona may make comments about being thirst or needing a drink in place of an alert message.

It is also noted that the processor may be coupled to one or more sensors configured to monitor variables that may affect the user's hydration. Using the data from these sensors the processor may adjust the threshold for the timer, which determines when an alert would be sent to the user. For example, the processor may be coupled to a temperature and/or a humidity sensor. In this case, the processor may reduce the threshold of the timer when the sensors determine a high temperature or high humidity. This way the apparatus can ensure the user remains hydrated as these factors can cause a user to dehydrate at a faster rate.

In some embodiments, the nozzle 30 may be configured to controllable dispense the liquid within the tank 60 at different rates. In particular, the user may select a desired rate for the liquid to be released by the nozzle 30, such as normal, spray, gulps or a jet/pressurised stream. The user may also select the liquid to be released in a predetermined number of bursts or as a stream/burst with a specific volume to allow the user to more easily control the amount of liquid that is released each time the nozzle 30 is activated. It is noted that these bursts would be released at any of the previously described flow rates s chosen by the user. It is noted that the apparatus would comprise controls to allow the user to choose how the nozzle will dispense the liquid. These controls may be positioned on the housing 10 or may be built into the nozzle 30, that is to say, the user may control the liquid flow rate by twisting, pulling/pushing or otherwise actuating the nozzle 30.

Further, the processor may also be configured to automatically release a certain amount of the fluid in the tank 60 at a predetermined time set by the user. It is noted that the apparatus may include controls for setting the time of this automatic release and may also include controls for setting the volume of liquid that would be released. The user may also use these controls to determine the flow rate of the liquid through the nozzle 30 when the drink is dispensed as described above.

Figure 2 depicts an example of the preferred embodiment for the apparatus conduit 20. Specifically, the conduit 20 should have a flexible support structure, such as a skeletal support structure depicted. Such structures would allow the conduit 20 to be bent into a desired shape and then retain that shape while in use. This allows the user greater flexibility when deciding where to position the nozzle 30 of the apparatus, as the conduit 20 retains its shape the nozzle 30 can be placed in a desired position without needing to rest the nozzle 30 on the user's desk or leave it hanging from the apparatus where it may fall out of the user's reach. This conduit 20 also allows the user to reposition the nozzle 30 as they change the position of objects on their desk, especially when the user changes their set up, for example adding additional monitors or rearranging the equipment on their desk, allowing the nozzle 30 to be accessible regardless of the changes to the desk. The nozzle 30 may also be positioned in such a way that the user may dispense a drink without moving their attention away from their computer, as the user would not need to pick up the nozzle 30, as the support structure allows the nozzle 30 to be suspended in the desired position.

Further to the conduit 20 support structure referenced above, which would be in the form of an external layer surrounding the conduit 20 itself, the invention may further comprise one or more external supports 100. Said supports 100 would comprise two end portions 110,120 coupled via a rigid or flexible member. It is noted that if the member is flexible. it would comprise a flexible support structure similar to the conduit 20 in order to allow the member to retain its shape after the user bends the member into the desired shape. Regardless of the member used, the support 100 would comprise a first end portion 110 configured to be coupled to the portion of the conduit 20, comprising a hook, claw or ring that the conduit 20 can be positioned within. The second end portion 120 of the support 100 would be configured to be coupled to the user's desk, PC or a similar structure that may support the weight of the conduit 20 and support 100. VVherein the second end 120 comprises an adjustable clamp or clip, which would attach to the end of the user's desk or a similar structure. By using such a support 100, the user can ensure that the conduit 20 retains a desired shape and position while in use, as the skeletal support structure may not be sufficient on its own, especially on longer or wider conduits 20 which may become significantly heavier as the liquid from the tank 60 travels through the conduit 20.

Furthermore, the end of the conduit 20 that is attached to the nozzle 30 may further include a magnet coupled to the side of the conduit 20 proximate to the nozzle 30. This magnet may be used the anchor the nozzle 30 when not in use. in particular the magnet may be attached to the housing 10 of the device or another structure to keep the nozzle 30 upright to avoid any dripping from the nozzle 30, and to keep the nozzle 30 within reach of the user. This magnet may also be attached to other structures to hold the nozzle 30 in a desired position whether in use or not.

In some embodiments, the housing 10 may contain multiple tanks 60,70. In particular, the housing 10 may have several tanks each containing a different drink, wherein each tank is coupled to a respective valve and the processor is configured to control which tank can release liquid into the conduit 20. In such embodiments, either the nozzle 30 and/or the housing 10 would comprise controls to allow the user to choose which of the tanks the dispensed drink would be released from, with the processor controlling the valves of the tanks based on the user's inputs.

In other embodiments, the housing 10 may contain a larger main tank 60 with one, or more, smaller secondary tanks 70. In these cases, the main tank 60 would likely contain water, while the secondary tanks 70 would contain liquids or powders for flavouring the water. Again, each tank would have a respective valve, with the housing 10 and/or nozzle 30 having controls for determining which tanks would dispense their content to the conduit 20. In some cases, the water and the content of the secondary tank would mix within the nozzle 30 before being dispensed, or the nozzle may have separate outputs for the content of each tank 60,70 so that the content of each tank 60,70 would mix in the user's glass/cup after being dispersed. In these cases, each tank 60,70 may have a respective conduit that couples to the nozzle 30. When this is the case, the main tank 60 would likely have a larger conduit than those of the smaller secondary tank 70 as the drink would require a relatively small volume of the flavouring liquid or powder.

Figures 3 and 4 show how the above-mentioned plurality of conduits may be configured. Figure 3 depicts an example of a conduit 20 with double tubing, in these cases, the smaller conduits 42 of the secondary tanks 70 are housed within the larger conduit 40 for the main tank 60. With this structure, the apparatus can easily couple all of the conduits 40,42 to a single nozzle 30, additionally only the main conduit 40 will require the support structure, to allow the conduits 40,42 to be positioned as described above. An alternative to the double tubing structure would be to have one or more holders 50, like those depicted in Figure 4. These holders 50 comprise a plurality of apertures 52,54, wherein each of the conduits 40,42 passes through a respective aperture 52,54, this method may be preferable as each conduit could be accessed separately should they need to be cleaned or replaced. It is also noted that in the embodiments that use the conduit holders 50, either the main conduit 42 or the plurality of holders 50 would be coupled to the support structure to allow the conduits to be shaped as described earlier. It is noted that the use of multiple separate conduits as described above may be preferable as it reduces the risk of cross contaminations between the different tanks 60,70 within the housing 10.

In other embodiments, a housing 10 with multiple tanks 60,70 may include a separate mixing chamber 80,90, these mixing chambers 80,90 may be preferable in embodiments where the secondary tanks 70 contain powders to be mixed with the fluid from the main tank 60, as such a powder may cause blockages within the conduits 20,40,42 or nozzle 30, especially if it has not been mixed sufficiently as the partially mixed powder may leading to clotting within the apparatus. It is also noted that the addition of a mixing chamber 80,90 may help to ensure that the flavouring liquid or powder is fully dispersed within the liquid of the main tank 60 before the drink is dispensed ensuring a more even taste in the dispensed drink.

Figures 5 and 6 depict two examples of how such a mixing chamber 80,90 can be included in the apparatus. Figure 5 depicts an example apparatus where the mixing chamber 80 is part of the conduit 20. In this case, the individual conduits from each tank are coupled to a cylindrical chamber, which is then coupled to the nozzle 30 by a further conduit. Wherein the liquid or powder from the tanks 60,70 enter the cylindrical mixing chamber 80, and the change in pressure and the impacts upon the chamber walls cause the substances from the tanks to mix. In some cases, the mixing chamber 80 may have a valve which prevents the substances from leaving the mixing chamber 80 for a short period of time to allow the substances to mix sufficiently before they enter the nozzle 30.

In Figure 6 the mixing chamber 90 is instead positioned within the housing 10 itself. In this embodiment, the tanks 60,70 are coupled directly to the mixing chamber 90, with a single conduit 20 coupling the mixing chamber 90 to the nozzle 30. As with the previous example, the mixing chamber 90 may comprise a valve that controls the flow of fluid from the mixing chamber 90 to the conduit 20 to allow the content of the mixing chamber to mix before the drink is dispensed. It is noted that in some embodiments with the mixing chamber 90 within the housing 10, the main chamber 60 may have a separate conduit coupled to the nozzle 30, to help prevent cross-contamination as this secondary conduit removes the need for the main tank's fluid to pass through the mixing chamber 90 when being dispensed to the nozzle 30.

In some cases, the content of the secondary tank 70 may be released directly into the main tank 60. In such cases, the main tank 60 itself acts as the mixing chamber. Using such a system removes the need for additional conduits and the separate mixing chamber 80,90. However, it is noted that using such a system would mean that once the content of the main and secondary tanks 60,70 are mixed the user will not be able to dispense the main tank content in isolation, as can be done with the other arrangements described above.

Regardless of which mixing chamber configuration is used the mixing chamber 80,90 may further comprise a mixing element, such as a stirring rod, or a plurality of protrusions within the mixing chamber 80,90 to help mix the chamber's content by providing additional surfaces to cause impacts between the different substances in the chamber. It is noted that when such mixing features are present, either the mixing feature or the mixing chamber itself may be actuated, more specifically the chamber or the mixing features may rotate to further assist the mixing of the substances from the different tanks 60,70. It is noted that in the embodiments where the main tank 60 acts as a mixing chamber, such mixing elements may be positioned within the main tank 60 itself It is also noted that the embodiment wherein the mixing chamber 90 is within the housing 10 may be preferable as the mixing chamber 90 may be easier to remove from the apparatus in order to clean or replace, and may also be less susceptible to blockages compared to the conduit mixing chamber 80. Though it is noted that the conduit mixing chamber 80 would allow the apparatus to have larger tanks 60,70 for the same-sized housing, and may come with suitable tools for cleaning the conduit 20 and mixing chamber 80 to overcome this issue.

It is also noted that the apparatus may include a suitable device for carbonating the liquid within the main tank 60. As this may help to purify the liquid within the main tank 60 and extend the length of time before the liquid needs to be replaced. It may also improve the taste of the dispensed drink based on the user's preferences.

It is noted that in some embodiments the processor may be coupled to sensors that are configured to monitor the condition/quality of the liquid in the main tank 60 and the secondary tanks 70. For example, there may be a pH sensor or an apparatus that uses samples to determine if there are impurities in each of the tanks 60,70. The data from such sensors may be used to determine if the substance in one of the tanks needs replacing or if the tanks 60,70 need to be cleaned. When the processor makes such a determination it may send an alert to the user, using an alert means or through a computer coupled to the device as described above, to indicate that the tanks in the apparatus need cleaning. It is noted that the alert triggered by these sensors would be different from the alert sent to the user to have a drink, for example, this alert may use a different pitched sound, different colour or pattern of light, or a different message displayed on the housing or the user's computer.

Further one or more of the tanks may comprise a sensor configured to determine the quantity of liquid or powder within each tank 60,70. Wherein the processor is configured to alert the user when the substance in one of the tanks 60,70 falls below a certain threshold. Again, this alert may be sent to the user using the lights mounted on the housing 10 or face plate 12, the processor may also use other alerting means such as a display, speaker or the users computer to alert them. It is noted that the use of a display or the user's computer may be preferable in embodiments with multiple tanks 60,70 as the alert can be in the form of a message which indicates the specific tank, or tanks, that need refilling. Alternatively, each tank may have an associated alert means such as a light or buzzer to indicate the specific tank that needs refilling. In some cases, the processor may be configured to order more of the liquid or powder that was in the tank when the quantity falls below a predetermined threshold.

It is noted that in some embodiments the various functions of the processor may be carried out using bespoke software, which may be installed into the user's computer, or a mobile device of the user. Wherein the software will collect the data from the apparatus including the timer readings, tank quantity levels, control notifications/inputs, sensor readings such as temperature and humidity, and water quality readings such as the pH levels within the tank. The software may be configured to use this data to determine the thresholds to be used by the processor, and may also be configured to send alerts to the user and may be configured to send alerts to the user via their computer, mobile device and/or the apparatus itself regarding health-related indications that tell users about their body water levels as well as monitoring of their consumption for the day. The software may also present the user with an interface that may present the gathered information, and/or the generated alerts, it may also provide the user with controls to adjust the settings of the nozzle 30, to change the flow rate when the liquid is dispensed as described earlier, or to control which tanks 60,70 dispense their content to the nozzle 30, and/or set a timer to dispense a predetermined amount of liquid at a specific time.

It is also noted that the described apparatus is designed for personal use and therefore may be configured to be personalised by the user. More specifically, the user may customise the housing 10 and/or face plate 12 of the apparatus to a desired colour or pattern. This may be done so that the colours of the apparatus match the rest of the room in an office, or matches the user's set-up when used by a gamer or streamer. The user may also personalise the apparatus to have the logo of their company, brand, channels or favourite games. Further, the apparatus may have a plurality of LED lights on the housing 10 or face plate 12. Wherein the user may use the processor to customise the colours of these lights to have a desired colour or pattern. It noted that these customised lights may be used to signal an alert to the user by changing colour and/or having the lights flash in a specific pattern providing further means of warning the user when they are at risk of dehydration.

Claims (25)

1. Claims 1. A drink dispensing apparatus comprising; a housing (10); a tank (60) within the housing (10) for holding a drink such as water; a flexible conduit (20) for dispensing the drink from the tank (60), wherein one end of the flexible conduit (20) is coupled to the tank (60), and the other end of the flexible conduit (20) is coupled to a nozzle (30) configured to dispense the liquid from the tank (60); one or more valves for controlling the flow of liquid from the tank (60) to the nozzle (30); a timer coupled to a processor, wherein one the apparatus is activated the processor uses the timer to determine the length of time the user has gone without drinking, should this time exceed a pre-determined threshold the processor is configured to send an alert to the user; and wherein, when the apparatus be used to dispense a drink, the timer will be reset.
2. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing (10) further comprises at least one of a display or a separate alerting means activatable by the processor.
3. 3. The apparatus of any preceding claim wherein the processor is housed within the housing ( 1 0)
4. 4. The apparatus of claims 1 or 2 wherein the processor is housed within the user's computer.
5. 5. The apparatus of any preceding claims wherein the processor is configured to connect to a computer operated by the user, the processor determining when the user is using their computer and using the timer to determine the amount of time the user has been at the computer without having a drink, and compare this time to the threshold.
6. 6. The apparatus of any preceding claim wherein the processor can send the alert to the user's computer as a message, email or pop-up.
7. 7. The apparatus of any preceding claim further comprises a secondary tank (70) for containing liquids or powders for flavouring the drink from the main tank (60).
8. 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the apparatus further comprises a mixing chamber (80,90) coupled to the main tank (60), secondary tank (70) and the conduit (20), wherein the content of the tanks (60,70) are mixed within the mixing chamber (80,90) before being dispensed via the conduit (20).
9. 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the conduit (20) comprises a mixing chamber (80) and wherein the main tank (60) and secondary tank (70) are coupled to the mixing chamber (80) by a plurality of secondary conduits.
10. 10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the conduit (20) comprises double tubing, wherein the larger outer conduit (40) receives liquid from the main tank (60) and the smaller inner conduit (42) receives the substance of the secondary tank (70).
11. 11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the main tank (60) and secondary tank (70) have separate conduits (20) that are coupled to the nozzle (30) and are held together by one or more holders (50); Wherein the holder (50) comprises a plurality of apertures (52,54) where each of the conduits (20) are passed through a respective aperture (52,54).
12. 12. The apparatus of any preceding claim wherein the apparatus further comprises one or more sensors for determining conditions that can affect the user's hydration, such as temperature and/or humidity, and wherein the processor can adjust the predetermined threshold based on the sensor readings.
13. 13. The apparatus of any preceding claim wherein the apparatus comprises at least one sensor configured to monitor the quality of the water, or drink within the tank (60), wherein the processor alerts the user to clean the tank (60) when the quality falls below a predetermined threshold.
14. 14. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the tank (60) comprises carbonating equipment to carbonate the liquid within the tank (60).
15. 15. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus comprises one or more sensors configured to determine the quantity of the liquid or powder within the one or more tanks of the apparatus, wherein the processor alerts the user when the amount of liquid or powder within the tank fall below a threshold.
16. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to automatically order the substance used in one of the one or more tanks of the apparatus when the quantity of said substance falls below the predetermined threshold.
17. 17. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the flexible conduit (20) comprises a flexible support structure, so that the conduit (20) can be bent into a desired shape, and will retain the desired shape while in use.
18. 18. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising one or more external supports (100), wherein each support (100) comprises: a first end (110) comprising a hook, claw or ring configured to be coupled to the conduit (20); a second end (120) comprising an adjustable clamp, or clip, configured to be coupled to the user's desk or other external structure; wherein the first end (110) and the second end (120) are coupled to a respective end of a member, comprising a rigid member, or a flexible member with a flexible support structure to retain the desired shape.
19. 19. The application of any preceding claim, wherein the end of the conduit (20) proximate the nozzle (30) further comprises a magnet for anchoring the nozzle (30) to the housing (10), or other suitable structure.
20. 20. The apparatus of any preceding claim wherein the housing comprises a face panel (12) which can be removed to access the tanks (60,70) within the housing (10).
21. 21. The apparatus of any preceding claim wherein the housing (10) comprises a light for illuminating the tanks (60,70) within the housing.
22. 22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor is configured to only allow the light to activate when the housing or face panel (12) is open.
23. 23. the apparatus of any preceding claim wherein the processor is configured to interact with a computer application, such as a video game to provide prompts or alerts to the user within the application.
24. 24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein a game persona within the application provides the prompt and alerts to the user, either through messages, dialogue and/or the condition of the game persona reflecting that of the user.
25. 25. The apparatus of the preceding claim, further comprising a bespoke software that may be installed within the user's computer or mobile device, configured to gather data from the processor, displaying the gathered data to the user; The software may also display alerts; and/or provide controls to the user via an interface.