RU2796010C1 - Device for distribution of mineralized water and corresponding method - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: distributing drinking water.

SUBSTANCE: device (1) for distributing mineralized water contains an inlet (3) for loading water from an external source (100); a distillation unit (2) connected to an inlet (3) and configured to provide distillation of water at least partially by means of heating, wherein said distillation unit (2) comprises or is operatively connected to at least a heater (4) configured to provide heat in an amount sufficient to heat the water at least to the boiling point; a water dispenser (5) configured to transfer a predetermined amount of distilled water extracted from the distillation unit (2) into a removable container (10), wherein the water dispenser (5) is equipped with an outlet nozzle or opening (6); a mineralizing unit (7) located between the distillation unit (2) and the outlet nozzle or opening (6), wherein said mineralizing unit (7) is configured to access the internal cavity of the disposable capsule (20) containing the mineralized fluid solution or powder, for extracting it from the capsule (20), and/or is configured to empty the capsule (20) from the mineralized fluid solution or powder and transfer at least a part of the mineralized fluid solution or powder from the capsule (20) to the water dispenser (5). The device is configured to mix the mineralized fluid solution or powder with a predetermined amount of distilled water, transferred by the water dispenser (5) to a removable container (10). The distillation unit (2) is a vacuum distillation unit, and the distillation of water takes place at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. The device comprises a vacuum pump having an inlet connected to the distillation unit suitable for creating a vacuum in the distillation unit (2). The vacuum pump is configured to extract at least a portion of the air contained in the vertex top of the distillation unit. The distillation unit allows water to be distilled at a lower temperature by lowering the pressure below atmospheric pressure.

EFFECT: saving energy required for heating.

36 cl, 18 dwg

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY TO WHICH THE INVENTION RELATES

The present invention relates to the field of drinking water dispensing devices, and more specifically relates to a mineralized water dispensing device; the present invention also relates to a method for dispensing mineralized water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At present, the distribution of drinking mineral water is usually provided by distributing bottles of mineral water to several districts. These bottles can be made from glass or plastic such as PET.

Although the cost of distributing bottled mineral water in areas surrounding the spring is relatively low, especially when compared to the correctly calculated sales price per bottle, the Applicant observed that distributing bottled mineral water to remote areas increases distribution costs and reduces sales margins. In addition, if the environmental impact of the distribution of bottled mineral water is taken into account, it can be seen that also in the event that said bottled mineral water is distributed in areas close to the source, its transportation provides a corresponding impact, at least in terms of pollution and /or CO2. The minimum accounting is related to the specific gravity of water, which, at a ton per cubic meter, is quite heavy to transport; thus, appropriate quantities of bottled mineral water require the use of heavy trucks, or, if necessary, ships, which produce environmental pollution whose overall impact is not negligible, especially if the transport requires long country trips. Further accounting may be related to the impact in terms of CO2 emissions from the production of the bottle itself.

The Applicant further observed that the consumption of bottled mineral water occurs all over the world, including remote areas (eg African countries) where the provision of drinking water is not easy, because there is water pollution locally, or there is a significant lack of water.

The Applicant further observed that immediately after the physiological need for water, users choose water according to price and, if economically feasible, according to its taste. As such, it is noted that a mixture of minerals dissolved in water provides a typical taste and feel when a user drinks a particular mineral water, and changes to said mixture may alter this effect. A typical example can be seen in the purification of water with sterilizing tablets, which give the water a typical unpleasant taste. This disadvantage, combined with the fact that sometimes the user may feel unsafe drinking water that is sterilized only with tablets, leads to the request for bottled mineral water, provided that there is someone producing water that in the eyes of the consumer guarantees purity of water and the absence of discomfort.

The Applicant further noted that the collection of bottled mineral water can be somewhat critical depending on the specific storage conditions. Especially when considering mineral water in plastic bottles, it is known that storage can take place in cool, dry places, without direct exposure to sunlight or heat sources. In any case, long-term storage of mineral water in plastic bottles can lead to the potential risk of substances being released from the plastic into the water itself. It may be noted that the use of mineral water bottled in glass only partially alleviates this particular disadvantage, since bottling in glass bottles is much more risky than in plastic bottles, and since glass bottles have a weight that is much greater than plastic bottles, thus having a more critical environmental impact.

The subject of the present invention is a device and a method for dispensing mineralized water, which are able to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Relevant aspects of the invention will be disclosed in the following aspects, which may be combined together in any suitable combination and/or may be combined with the claims or part of the following detailed description.

In accordance with an aspect, a device (1) for dispensing mineralized water is disclosed herein, comprising:

- inlet (3) for loading water from an external source (100);

- a distillation unit (2) connected to an inlet (3) and configured to ensure the distillation of a quantity of water at least partially by means of heating, said distillation unit (2) in turn comprising or operatively connected to at least a heater ( 4) configured to provide heat in an amount sufficient to heat the amount of water to at least the boiling point;

- a water dispenser (5) configured to transfer a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) extracted from the distillation unit (2) into a removable container (10), wherein the water dispenser (5) is provided with an outlet nozzle or opening (6) configured to be turned when used on the specified container (10);

- a mineralizing block (7) located between the distillation block (2) and the outlet nozzle or opening (6), and the said mineralizing block (7) is made with the possibility of access to the internal cavity of a disposable capsule (20) containing a mineralized fluid solution or powder ( M) in the specified cavity, to extract at least a part of the specified mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from the capsule (20), and/or is configured to empty the capsule (20) from the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) and transfer along at least a portion of the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from the capsule (20) to the water dispenser (5);

- moreover, the device, optionally through the water dispenser (5), is made with the possibility of mixing the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) with a given amount of distilled water (D) transferred to the dispenser (5) into the removable container (10).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the predetermined amount of distilled water (D) transferred by the water dispenser (5) to the removable container (10) corresponds to at least part of the water contained in the distillation unit (2), wherein the device, optionally through said water dispenser (5) , made with the possibility of mixing the amount of distilled water transferred by the water dispenser (5) to the removable container (10), water (D), with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) in a ratio defined as the amount of mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) according to in relation to the amount of distilled water (D), less than 1, and/or the amount of distilled water (D) is greater than the amount of mineralized fluid solution or powder (M).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the device (1) is configured to mix the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) with a predetermined portion of the amount of distilled water (D) before exiting through the outlet nozzle or opening (6).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the device (1), optionally through the mineralizing block (7), is configured to substantially completely extract the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from the capsule and/or completely extract the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from the capsule.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the device is configured to mix a mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) with a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) transferred by a water dispenser (5) to a removable container (10), by allowing at least a portion of the predetermined amount of distilled water ( D) into the capsule (20), and/or the mineralization block (7) is configured to receive at least a portion of the predetermined amount of distilled water (D) extracted from the distillation block (2) and ensure that it passes or flows into the capsule (20 ) before being sent to the water dispenser (5).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the device (1) is configured to mix the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) with a predetermined portion of distilled water (D) transferred by the water dispenser (5) to the removable container (10) substantially in accordance with the water dispenser (5).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the device (1) further comprises a cooling unit (8) located between the distillation unit (2) and the mineralizing unit (7), wherein the cooling unit (8) is configured to cool the water leaving the distillation unit (2), and/or ensuring its condensation, wherein said cooling unit (8) optionally contains at least one cooler with active supply, in particular a Peltier cell.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, said distillation unit (2) is provided with at least one wall coinciding with the formation of an internal cavity suitable for accommodating liquids, wherein said at least one wall has an inner surface facing said cavity, said inner surface containing a bacteriostatic a material, optionally a bacteriostatic metal containing silver and/or copper.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the distillation unit (2) is provided with at least one wall converging to form an internal cavity suitable for accommodating liquids, said at least one wall having an internal surface facing said cavity and mounted on a vibrator (11) and/or an ultrasonic source, or provided with a vibrator (11) and/or an ultrasonic source configured to prevent attachment of distillation particles or residues to the inner surface of the distillation block (2).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the distillation unit (2) is provided with an upper part (2u) and a lower part (2l) releasably connected to the upper part (2i), optionally by means of a screw thread (2t) located on the side walls of the upper part (2u ) and the lower part (2l).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the distillation unit (2) is provided with a plate column or plate column containing at least one plate or plate (12) located in the internal cavity and forming at least one passage (14) of reduced size between the lower zone of the cavity located below the plate or tray (12), and the upper zone of the cavity above the plate or tray (12), and optionally, the plate column or tray column causes said steam to pass along a curved path before exiting the distillation unit (2) and/or, optionally, the plate or plate (12) contains at least one dome-shaped structure (13) located essentially in accordance with said passage (14), in particular above the passage (14), forcing the steam to flow along a curved path.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the device is configured to carry out at least distillation under vacuum conditions, and/or the distillation unit (2) is a vacuum distillation unit, and the distillation of water occurs at a pressure below atmospheric pressure.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the device (1) comprises a vacuum pump (16) having an inlet connected to a distillation unit (2) suitable for creating a vacuum in at least said distillation unit (2), wherein said vacuum pump (16) is configured to the possibility of extracting at least part of the air contained in the vertex top of the distillation unit (2).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the distillation block (2) is provided with a bottom wall shaped to form a recess (2r) inside with at least a portion of the bottom wall protruding, optionally the recess (2r) corresponding to the central part of the distillation block (2) itself.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the recess (2r) has a bottom wall optionally substantially orthogonal with respect to the longitudinal axis (X) of the distillation unit (2), wherein the recess is provided with a projection (2p) substantially projecting orthogonally with respect to the bottom wall of the recess and thus forming an annular recess zone suitable for receiving at least part of the heater (4).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the heater (4) is an induction heater (4), optionally at least partially annularly surrounding the side wall of the distillation block (2) or located essentially under the bottom of the distillation block (2).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the heater (4) is provided with a first outer ring (4o), at least partially annularly surrounding the side wall of the distillation unit (2), and a second inner ring (4i), made with the possibility of insertion into the annular zone of the recess (2r).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the distillation unit (2) has an inlet connected to the inlet (3) of the device, and, optionally, the device (1) contains at least one filter and/or at least one feed pump located between the inlet and inlet (3) of the device.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the distillation unit (2) is provided with an outlet and the device comprises a storage chamber (9) suitable for storing distilled water after it has left the distillation unit (2), wherein the storage chamber (9) is located downstream of the cooling block (8).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the storage chamber (9) is provided with a cooling unit configured to cool the distilled water (D) leaving the distillation unit (2) and/or configured to condense it, said cooling unit optionally comprising at least one cooler with active supply, in particular a Peltier cell.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the cooling unit (8) is provided with a storage chamber suitable for accommodating at least a portion, preferably all, of the amount of distilled water (D) exiting the distillation unit (2), the storage chamber being provided with, preferably at least partially surrounded by , one cooler with an active supply, in particular a Peltier cell.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the distillation unit (2) is at least partially provided with a metal housing suitable for heating by induction, in particular RF induction.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the device (1) comprises at least one supply pump (1p) or an electrically and/or mechanically controlled valve located downstream of the outlet of the storage chamber (9) and upstream of the water dispenser (5).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the device (1) comprises at least one feed pump (1p) or an electrically and/or mechanically controlled valve located downstream of the outlet of the distillation unit (2) and, optionally, upstream of the water dispenser (5) .

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the supply pump (1p) is configured to inject a liquid flow into the water dispenser (5).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the water dispenser (5) comprises at least a first inlet port connected to a distillation block (2) and a second inlet port connected to a mineralizing block (7), optionally, the first inlet port is connected to a distillation block (2 ) through the cooling block (8) and/or through the storage chamber (9).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the water dispenser (5) is configured to swirl the distilled water with the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) withdrawn from the capsule (20) before they pass through the outlet (6).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the water dispenser (5) is configured to provide spraying and/or micronization and/or nebulizing of the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) with distilled water.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the mineralizing block (7) comprises a mineralizing pump (7p) configured to forcibly withdraw the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from the capsule (20) and provide injection of the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) extracted from the capsule ( 20), into the second inlet of the water dispenser (5).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the device (1) comprises a UV sterilizer (15) configured to sterilize at least a portion of the removable container (10) when mounted in or in accordance with a sterilization position on the device, and/or configured to be sterilized according to at least part of distilled water (D) and/or at least part of distilled water (D) with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) before being dispensed from the outlet nozzle or opening (6).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the UV sterilizer (15) is located essentially in accordance with the water dispenser (5), optionally mounted on the water dispenser (5), so that its radiation pattern essentially in the axial direction coincides with at least part of the removable container (10 ) and/or enters the container (10) essentially in accordance with its opening, and during dispensing through the outlet nozzle or opening (6) at least part of the removable container (10), optionally its bottom, is irradiated with UV radiation simultaneously with water supplied from the distillation unit (2) and/or through the supply pump (1p), and/or with a mixture of said specified amount of water (D) with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the mineralizing block (7) comprises a movable extraction element (7s) or a movable piercing element (7a) selectively displaced to at least a first configuration in which it does not interact with the capsule (20), or to a second configuration, in which it interacts with the capsule (20), optionally piercing it, to extract from it the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the device (1) comprises a level sensor (2s) located essentially in accordance with the distillation unit (2), wherein said level sensor (2s) is configured to supply a signal proportional to the water level inside the distillation unit (2).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the extracting element (7s) or the movable piercing element (7a) in said second configuration is configured to make sealing contact with at least a portion of the capsule (20).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the capsule (20) is provided with an auxiliary opening (20a) configured to allow the passage of air and/or fluid into the internal cavity at least during the extraction or emptying of the capsule (20), and/or is configured to open in in accordance with the auxiliary opening (20a) to allow the introduction of air and/or fluid at least during the extraction or emptying of the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the mineralizing block (7) is configured to introduce a fluid, optionally at least water, in particular a portion of the distilled water distilled by the distillation block (2), into the capsule (20), optionally configured to be introduced into the capsule (20 ) a fluid medium, optionally at least water, in particular a portion of distilled water distilled by the distillation unit (2), through said auxiliary opening (20a) or by opening or piercing the capsule (20) in accordance with a second position different from the first position , in which the extracting element (7s) or the movable piercing element (7a) is configured to interact with the capsule (20).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the device comprises an actuator movable between at least a first configuration, according to which it allows the capsule (20) to be inserted into the mineralizing block (7), and a second configuration, according to which it causes opening capsule (20), wherein said actuator is configured to be activated at least in part by direct contact with the user.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, movement of the lever between the first and second configuration causes movement of the movable equipment between the first and second positions.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the mineralizing block (7) is provided with a pusher or pusher element movable between a first position where it does not contact the capsule (20) and a second position where it contacts the capsule (20) with a suitable force. to cause him to fall into the bunker (7h).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the device (1) is configured to perform cyclic distillation and dispensing of water, optionally each cycle at least comprising:

- loading a predetermined amount of water for distillation into the distillation unit (2);

- activation of at least one heater (4) for a time sufficient to distill at least part of the water contained in the distillation unit (2), optionally the entire amount of water contained in the distillation unit (2),

- activation of at least one cooling unit (8) causing the distillation vapor to condense outside the distillation unit (2) to obtain a predetermined amount of distilled water (D),

- feeding, optionally through said supply pump (1s), a given amount of distilled water (D) into the water dispenser (5), wherein the given amount of distilled water (D) is mixed with the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) extracted from the capsule (20) , optionally so that the capsule (20) can be disposed of or discarded,

- dispensing a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) mixed with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) into a removable container (10).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the device is configured to perform distillation of water at a pressure below atmospheric pressure and restore normal atmospheric pressure in the distillation unit (2) after completion of the distillation of the water contained in the distillation unit (2) and/or after emptying the distillation unit (2) from previously contained water, optionally contained at the beginning of the cycle.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the mineralizing block (7) comprises movable equipment configured to interact with the capsule (20), in particular, configured to limit the movement of the capsule (20); moreover, the mineralizing block (7) is configured to cause the capsule (20) to fall into the hopper (7h) after opening the capsule (20) as a result of the relative movement between the capsule (20) and the movable equipment.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the mineralizing block (7) is configured to hold the capsule (20) and prevent it from falling into the hopper (7h) before opening the capsule (20) by moving the movable equipment.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the movable equipment is provided with a retaining wall (7r) against which the capsule hits at least at the moment of introduction into the mineralizing block; moreover, the specified retaining wall (7r) additionally forms a housing for at least part of the capsule.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the pusher or pusher element is movable between the first and second position with a speed or force sufficient to cause the capsule (20) to be released from contact with the retaining wall (7r).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the mineralizing block (7) is configured to cause the capsule (20) to enter the mineralizing block (7) so that it is axially displaced and inclined relative to the axis (B) of the housing or recess formed by the retaining wall (7r) .

According to another aspect of the disclosure, during the movement of the movable equipment from the first position to the second position, it is possible to gradually reduce the displacement and inclination of the own axis (A) of the capsule (20) in order to partially insert it into the housing, resulting in essentially axial alignment with the axis ( B) body.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the movable equipment is provided with a barb (7k) optionally located in the front of the retaining wall (7r); moreover, the tooth (7k) is configured to engage with the capsule (20), optionally in accordance with its front tooth (20t), and the tooth (7k) is configured to:

- either increase the distance from the capsule (20) to the back wall (7b) of the mineralizing block (7) and cause, following the increase in distance, the capsule (20) to fall into the hopper (7h);

- either facilitate the separation of the capsule (20) from the moving equipment in order to ensure that the capsule falls into the hopper (7h).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the barb (7k) is firmly attached to the movable equipment.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the barb (7k) is located on a fixed part of the mineralizing block (7), in particular different from the mobile equipment.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the capsule (20) is provided with a rear ring (20u), optionally located on the rear end of the capsule (20), wherein the rear ring (20u) protrudes from the side wall of the side wall of the capsule (20) and is configured to engage with a tooth ( 7k).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the mineralizing block (7) is configured to allow the insertion of the capsule (20) between the back wall (7b) and the movable equipment, optionally such that the back ring (20u) of the capsule is located between the prong (7k) and the back wall (7b) .

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the actuator (1m) or lever is connected to the movable equipment through a bevel gear and/or through a rack and pinion.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the device comprises a control unit (30) configured to call at least one cycle, comprising:

- activation of an electrically and/or mechanically controlled valve (3v) or pump (3p) to ensure that a predetermined amount of water is loaded into the distillation unit (2);

- activation of at least one heater (4) for a time sufficient to distill at least part of the water contained in the distillation unit (2), optionally the entire amount of water contained in the distillation unit (2) to be distilled,

- activation of at least one cooling unit (8) causing the distillation vapor to condense outside the distillation unit (2) to obtain a predetermined amount of distilled water (D),

supplying, optionally by activating said feed pump (1s), a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) to a water dispenser (5), wherein the predetermined amount of distilled water (D) is mixed with the saline fluid or powder (M),

mixing a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) with a mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) with a removable container (10) through a water dispenser (5).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the control unit (30) is configured to activate, in a cycle, the UV sterilizer (15) for at least the time necessary to mix a given amount of distilled water (D) with a mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) and to complete the supply of the resulting mixture into a removable container (10).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the control unit (30) is configured to activate, in a cycle, the vacuum pump (16) for a predetermined amount of time and/or activate the vacuum pump (16) and then deactivate the vacuum pump (16) after reaching a predetermined vacuum level in said distillation unit (2).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the control unit (30) is configured to activate at least one vibrator (11) or an ultrasound source located substantially in line with and/or in contact with and/or within the distillation unit (2).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the mineralizing block (7) comprises movable equipment configured to interact with the capsule (20), in particular, configured to limit the movement of the capsule (20); moreover, the mineralizing block (7) is configured to cause the capsule (20) to fall into the hopper (7h) after opening the capsule (20) as a result of the relative movement between the capsule (20) and the movable equipment.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the mineralizing block (7) is configured to hold the capsule (20) and prevent it from falling into the hopper (7h) before opening the capsule (20) by moving the movable equipment.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the movable equipment is provided with a retaining wall (7r) against which the capsule hits at least at the moment of introduction into the mineralizing block; moreover, the specified retaining wall (7r) additionally forms a housing for at least part of the capsule.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, a computer program product suitable for storage in memory is disclosed, said program product comprising program code portions which, when executed by said control block (30), cause at least said one cycle to be executed.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, said mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) is a solution of minerals dissolved in pure and/or debacterized distilled water.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method for dispensing mineralized water is disclosed, comprising the following steps:

- loading a given amount of water for distillation into the distillation unit (2);

- activation of at least one heater (4) for a time sufficient to distill at least part of the water contained in the distillation unit (2), optionally the entire amount of water contained in the distillation unit (2),

- condensation of the distillation steam outside the distillation unit (2) to obtain a predetermined amount of distilled water (D), optionally via a cooling unit (8) connected to the distillation unit (2),

- supplying, optionally via a supply pump (1s), a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) to a water dispenser (5), wherein the predetermined amount of distilled water (D) is mixed with a mineralized fluid solution or powder (M),

- dispensing a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) mixed with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) into a removable container (10),

- moreover, mixing is carried out by extracting the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from the disposable capsule (20) or by emptying the disposable capsule (20) from said mineralized fluid solution or powder (M).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the steps according to the previous aspect are performed cyclically, optionally in an electronically controlled cyclical operation, optionally such that each removable container (10) is filled with saline water, the steps according to the previous aspect being provided at least once.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, obtaining a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) and then dispensing a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) mixed with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) into a removable container (10) is a process of demineralization and subsequent remineralization of water, carried out through a device (1) for the distribution of mineralized water, containing the specified distillation unit (2).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, mixing is carried out in a predetermined ratio, wherein the ratio is defined as the amount of mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) relative to the amount of distilled water (D), and the ratio is less than 1, and/or the amount of distilled water (D) is greater, than the amount of mineralized fluid solution or powder (M).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the extraction of the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from the disposable capsule (20) or the emptying of the disposable capsule (20) from said mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) is carried out by accessing the capsule (20) in accordance with the first position, optionally in accordance with the first opening, in which the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) is removed from the capsule (20), and by accessing the capsule (20) in accordance with the second position, optionally in accordance with the auxiliary opening (20A), while in accordance with the second position, the fluid medium, in particular water and/or air, is forcibly introduced or allowed to enter the internal cavity of the capsule (20), which contains the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the extraction of the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from the disposable capsule (20) or the emptying of the disposable capsule (20) from said mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) is carried out by allowing at least a portion of the specified amount to flow into the capsule (20). amount of distilled water (D), optionally by allowing essentially the entire amount of distilled water (D) distilled from the distillation unit (2) to flow into the capsule (20).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the method comprises the step of inserting a capsule (20) into a slot (7a) of a device (1) for dispensing mineralized water, wherein the capsule (20) is opened using extracting elements (7s) or piercing elements (7a) of the device (1) for extraction of mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from it, and, optionally, the step of introducing the capsule into the slot (7a) of the device (1) for dispensing mineralized water is carried out before supplying a given amount of distilled water (D) to the water dispenser (5) and/or before dispensing a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) mixed with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) into a removable container (10).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, loading a predetermined amount of distillation water into the distillation unit (2) comprises supplying a predetermined amount of distillation water into the distillation unit (2) by means of activation, optionally electrically controlled activation, of an inlet pump (3p) or through an orifice, optionally an electrically controlled orifice , inlet valve (3v), wherein said inlet pump (3p) or said inlet valve (3v) is connected to a water source (100).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, loading a given amount of water for distillation into the distillation unit (2) comprises comparing the signal provided by the level sensor (2s) located in correspondence with the distillation unit (2) and configured to detect the water level inside the distillation unit (2) with a predetermined threshold level, and interrupting the download at the moment when the signal provided by the level sensor (2s) corresponds to a level equal to or greater than the specified predetermined threshold level.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the activation of at least one heater (4) is carried out after completion of loading a predetermined amount of water to be distilled into the distillation unit (2).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the supply, optionally via a supply pump (1s), of a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) to a water dispenser (5), in which a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) is mixed with a mineralized fluid solution or powder (M), occurs after completion distillation of the water contained in the distillation unit (2) and/or after emptying the distillation unit (2).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the supply is initiated by the control unit (30) at the stage of electronically comparing the signal provided by the level sensor (2s) with a threshold level and then electronically sending an activation signal to at least one supply pump (1p), in particular, supplying power to the water dispenser (5).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the extraction of the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from the capsule (20) is carried out after completion of the distillation of the water contained in the distillation unit (2) and/or after emptying the distillation unit (2).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the method comprises setting a pressure below atmospheric pressure in the distillation unit (2) for at least the time necessary to carry out, in particular to complete, the distillation step of the water contained in the distillation unit (2) and to restore normal atmospheric pressure. in the distillation unit (2) after completion of the distillation of the water contained in the distillation unit (2) and/or after emptying the distillation unit (2) of the previously contained water, optionally contained at the beginning of the cycle.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the method comprises vibrating the distillation unit (2) at a predetermined frequency, optionally located in the ultrasonic region, to substantially prevent the attachment of distillation residues on its inner wall or reduce the amount of distillation residues attached to its inner wall.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the method comprises ensuring that the distillation unit (2) vibrates at a predetermined frequency by activating a vibrator (11) and/or an ultrasound source located substantially in line with and/or in contact with and/or within the distillation unit (2) and / or below it.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the method comprises stopping the vibrator (11) and/or the ultrasound source after emptying the distillation unit (2) of previously contained water and/or after completing the distillation of the water contained in the distillation unit (2).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the method further comprises the step of sterilizing at least a portion of said container (10) and/or said predetermined amount of distilled water (D) and/or a mixture of a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) and/or mineralized fluid solution or powder (M ), wherein said sterilization step comprises activating the UV sterilizer (15) to obtain a UV radiation pattern substantially axially aligned with at least a portion of the removable container (10) and/or entering the container (10) substantially in according to its opening, the method comprising irradiating at least part of the removable container (10), optionally its bottom, with UV radiation produced by the UV sterilizer, simultaneously with water supplied from the distillation unit (2) and/or through the supply pump ( 1p), and/or a mixture of said predetermined amount of water (D) with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the method comprises the step of opening the capsule (20) in accordance with at least the first part thereof, and comprises the step of causing the capsule (20) to fall into the hopper (7h) after opening said capsule.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the drop of the capsule (20) into the hopper (7h) is caused by the movement of the movable equipment of the mineralizing unit (7).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the method comprises moving the movable equipment of the mineralization unit (7) from the first position, according to which the capsule is still closed, to the second position, in which the capsule is open, in particular by means of the action of the movable equipment, and dropping the capsule (20) to the hopper (7h) is due to or follows the movement of the movable equipment back to the first position after opening the capsule.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the method comprises trapping the capsule between the back wall (7b) of the mineralizing block and the movable equipment, in particular the retaining wall (7r) of the movable equipment, said method comprising ensuring that the capsule (20) passes into the mineralizing block (7) so as to be axially displaced and inclined with respect to the axis (B) of the housing or recess formed by the retaining wall (7r).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, during the movement of the movable equipment from the first position to the second position, it is possible to gradually reduce the displacement and inclination of the own axis (A) of the capsule (20) in order to partially insert it into the housing, resulting in essentially axial alignment with the axis ( B) body.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the movable equipment is provided with a tooth (7k), optionally located in the front of the retaining wall (7r) and configured to engage with the capsule (20), in particular its front tooth (20t), wherein the tooth (7k) is made with the possibility to promote an increase in the distance from the capsule (20) to the back wall (7b) of the mineralizing block (7) and to cause, following the increase in distance, the capsule (20) to fall into the hopper (7h).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, during the movement of the movable equipment from the second position to the first position, at least a part of the capsule (20), in particular the rear ring (20u) protruding from the side wall of the capsule (20) and/or located essentially in accordance with the rear the end part of the capsule (20) hits a tooth (7k) located on the fixed part of the mineralizing block (7).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, after the capsule (20) has hit the prong (7k), it falls into the hopper (7h), optionally by gravity and/or by force applied by a pusher or a pusher element.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the method comprises activating a pusher or a pushing element movable between a first position where it is not in contact with the capsule (20) and a second position where it is in contact with the capsule (20) so that it is at least the measure moves from the first position to the second position, thereby forcing and/or helping the capsule (20) to exit the housing formed by the retaining wall (7r) and/or separate from the rear wall (7b).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the method comprises the step of inserting the capsule (20) into the mineralizing block (7) so that between the back wall (7b) of the mineralizing block (7) and said prong (7k) there is a rear ring (20u) protruding from the side wall of the capsule (20) and/or located essentially in accordance with the rear end of the capsule (20).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, mineralization of distilled water is carried out through the mineralizing block (7) at essentially room temperature or below room temperature.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the extraction of the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from the disposable capsule (20) or the emptying of the disposable capsule (20) from said mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) is caused by and/or follows the movement of the actuator (1m) from the first configuration, in which the capsule (20) can be introduced into the mineralizing block (7), from the second configuration, in which the said mineralizing block (7) is configured to open the capsule (20).

According to another aspect of the disclosure, moving the actuator (1m) comprises moving an actuating lever from a first position to a second position.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the actuator (1m) or lever is connected to the movable equipment through a bevel gear and/or through a toothed rack and pinion, and said movement causes movement and/or rotation of the bevel and/or toothed rack and pinion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some non-limiting embodiments of the subject matter of the present disclosure will be presented in the following detailed description and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

- in Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of an apparatus according to the present disclosure;

- in Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of an embodiment of the distillation unit of the apparatus;

- in Fig. 3 is a side view of another embodiment of the distillation unit of the apparatus;

- in Fig. 4 shows another embodiment of a device according to the present disclosure;

- in Fig. 5 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the distillation unit of the apparatus;

- in Fig. 6 shows a diagram of the change in the boiling point of water in relation to pressure;

- in Fig. 7 is a plan view of a particular embodiment of a water dispenser according to the present disclosure;

- in Fig. 8 is a side view of the dispenser of FIG. 7;

- in Fig. 9 shows another non-limiting embodiment of a water dispenser according to the present disclosure;

- in Fig. 10 is a first side view of a portion of a capsule opening device, said device being part of a general device according to the present disclosure;

- in Fig. 11 is a second side view of a portion of a capsule opening device, said device being part of a general device according to the present disclosure;

- in Fig. 12 shows a detailed view of the device of FIG. eleven;

- in Fig. 13 shows part of the first embodiment of the capsule;

- in Fig. 14 shows part of a second embodiment of the capsule;

- in Fig. 15 is a top view of an embodiment of a capsule;

- in Fig. 16 is a detailed, partial sectional view of a mineralizing block that is part of the apparatus of the present disclosure;

- in Fig. 17 is a schematic perspective view of the apparatus of the present disclosure provided with an actuating lever;

- in Fig. 18 is a schematic plan view of a non-limiting embodiment of a portion of the mineralizing unit of the apparatus of the present disclosure.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1 with the reference number 1 shows in general a device for dispensing mineralized water.

In its simplest concept, the apparatus of the present invention provides for the demineralization of a given amount of water by distillation, producing distilled steam which is then condensed, resulting in a given amount of distilled water D, and then causing the above given amount of distilled water D to be mixed with a mineralized fluid solution or powder M, extracted from a disposable capsule, indicated in the present description by position number 20, for introducing the mixture into a removable container 10, for example, a bottle, to obtain mineralized water with a given and calculated amount of minerals. In practice, the apparatus of the present invention first demineralizes water obtained from an external source to provide demineralized water free from any undesirable combination of minerals or any detrimental or objectionable or unpalatable mineral, and then remineralizes the water with an appropriate mixture of minerals selected by the user through capsules. 20. Among other things, this is why the device that is the object of the present invention is called "for the distribution of mineralized water": the water is not just mineral, but undergoes a process of demineralization, and then re-mineralization (highlighted by the author) through the capsule.

The device of the present invention may preferably be used as a household appliance, although in a non-limiting embodiment of the invention it may be configured to be used as an industrial device; in the first case, it may have a convenient body and may be provided with a slot 7a, which allows the insertion of the capsule 20 into the body of the device itself. The housing may preferably be opaque in order to cover the technical elements contained therein and at least to cover the mineralization block 7, which is accessed by the slot 7a.

For the purposes of the present invention, "disposable capsule" means a capsule that can only be used once, and in particular a capsule that can be removed or discarded after the mineralized fluid or powder M contained therein has been completely extracted.

The device 1 according to the present invention is specifically designed for home use and can therefore be installed as a desktop device.

Preferably, although not limiting, at least a portion of the capsule may be made from aluminum or any recyclable material. Thus, the capsule contributes to the reduction of environmental pollution in terms of waste resulting from the use of the system described here.

Preferably, the mineralized fluid solution or powder M does not contain any chemicals other than purified, sterile water with an appropriate amount of minerals dissolved in it.

The mixing ratio between the amount of mineralized fluid solution or powder M contained in the capsule 20 and supplied to the container and the given amount of water supplied to the container 10, or equivalently, the amount D of distilled water, is less than 1, in particular significantly less than 1. This means that the amount of distilled water D is greater than the amount of brine fluid or powder M, in particular much more than the amount of brine fluid or powder M. In a non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the capsule can be configured to hold from 20 ml up to 30 ml of mineralized fluid solution, sufficient to fill the container in the form of a standard volume from 3/4 l to 1 l. Due to this aspect, greater weight savings can be obtained for a given amount of final mineralized water in the container 10 compared to traditional bottles. As such, if the weight of the capsule body itself is excluded from the calculation for simplicity, then the advantage can be approximately 20-30 ml per 3/4 - 1 liter of water. It should be noted that the water to be distilled is taken from the installation site of device 1 and thus, for the purposes of this calculation, it is not taken into account. In fact, with the present device, only the capsules 20 are supplied, and thus the shipping costs and volumes are associated only with the capsules themselves.

The capacity of the internal cavity of the capsule 20 can be implemented in accordance with the specified ratio, but also taking into account the maximum allowable soluble minerals per amount of water; it is important for the applicant that the capsule 20 contains water in which the minerals are completely dissolved. This aspect makes it possible to ensure uniform distribution of the brine solution or powder M in the aforementioned amount of distilled water D. A typical size of capsule 20 may be such that it contains 5 ml of solution M, or 10 ml of solution M, or 20 ml of solution M.

As shown in FIG. 1, device 1 at least comprises:

- an inlet 3 adapted to receive water from an external source, which may be a source of pressurized water, such as, for example, a water supply from natural sources, or, alternatively, a source of non-pressurized water, such as a swimming pool or a pond;

- a distillation unit 2 connected to the inlet 3 and adapted to ensure the distillation of a certain amount of water at least partially by means of heating,

a heater 4 operatively connected to the distillation unit 2 and configured to supply heat to the distillation unit 2 in an amount sufficient to heat the amount of water to at least the boiling point,

- a water dispenser 5 configured to transfer at least a predetermined portion of the amount of water contained in the distillation unit 2, or in particular a predetermined amount of distilled water D, into the container 10 through an outlet nozzle or opening 6 configured to be reversed in use per container 10;

- mineralization block 7 located between the distillation block 2 and the outlet nozzle or opening 6.

The mineralizing unit 7 is configured to access the disposable capsule 20 containing the brine fluid or powder M to extract the brine fluid or powder M from the capsule 20 and transfer the brine fluid or powder M from the capsule 20 to the water dispenser 5. As a result, the device dispenses into container 10 a mixture prepared from a brine slurry or powder with a predetermined amount of distilled water D. Preferably, although not limited to, the brine occurs at or below room temperature. For the purposes of the present invention, "room temperature" means any temperature substantially in the range of 18°C to 26°C.

Preferably, any capsule 20 can be filled with a predetermined mineral recipe such that, when dissolved in the proper amount of water, a mineral recipe substantially equivalent to traditional bottled mineral water can be obtained. Thus, the user may not feel an unpleasant taste in the water supplied by the device described here; in addition, the user can reuse the same container 10 many times.

The Applicant emphasizes that by choosing different recipes of minerals for capsules 20, different types of mineralized waters can be obtained, i.e. minimally mineralized water or highly mineralized water, and various flavors can be obtained. Thus, the device according to the present disclosure can produce various types of mineral water as desired by the user, simply by changing the type of capsule 20, that is, by changing the mixture of minerals in the capsule.

The device of the present disclosure not only allows the user to select the particular recipe of minerals they wish to add to the water, but also helps to reduce the overall environmental impact of dispensing on bottled mineral water.

In the present description, references to "downstream" and "upstream" are used. By "flow" is meant the direction from the inlet 3 to the distillation block 2, then to the cooling block (if present) and/or to the secondary chamber or storage chamber (if present), then to the mineralization block and/or to the water dispenser.

The basic shape of the distillation unit 2 can essentially take the form of a vase provided with a bottom wall and a side wall defining an upper opening from which steam can escape during use. In a preferred and non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the distillation block 2 takes the form of a body of revolution, for example, with a circular section forming a longitudinal axis X. The material from which the distillation block 2 is made, provided that it must be heated during use to ensure distillation, can contain heat-resistant plastics or, if necessary, metal. The distillation unit 2, at least partially made of metal, makes it possible to heat the water contained therein by means of electromagnetic induction.

In a specific and non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the distillation unit 2 may comprise a top 2u and a bottom 2l that can be separated from the top 2u or, equivalently, that can be releasably connected to it. Among the areas for which the lower part 2l can be detachable from the upper part 2u is the possibility of cleaning the interior of the distillation unit 2, in particular to ensure cleaning and removal of solid residues that remain after the water is completely distilled and the unit remains empty. The lower part 2l may be connected to the upper part 2u by means of a thread 2t which in a non-limiting embodiment is provided in the inner surface of the lower part 2l to match a corresponding counterthread located on the outer surface of the upper part 2u. In any case, the threaded connection may be inverted, i.e. the 2t thread on the bottom may be on the outer surface of the side wall and the counterthread of the top 2u may be on the inner surface. The use of a threaded connection makes it possible to withstand the high pressures that can occur during distillation.

In another non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the technical features of which may be combined with any of those previously described, the distillation unit 2 may be provided with a bottom wall provided with a recess 2r; in case the distillation unit 2 is in the shape of a body of revolution, the recess 2r is centrally located on the longitudinal axis X, as shown in FIG. 2. The recess 2r has a side wall which can be circular and parallel to the longitudinal axis X and a bottom wall which is substantially transverse, in particular orthogonal, to said axis. From the bottom wall, a central projection 2p protrudes substantially orthogonally to the bottommost wall and defines or leaves an annular recess area suitable for receiving at least part of the heater 4, in particular an induction heater.

It has been disclosed above that the distillation unit 2 may be heated by means of an induction heater 4: in one embodiment, it may have a substantially annular shape at least partially surrounding the side wall of the distillation unit 2, and in particular may be located in accordance with the bottom part. If the distillation unit 2 is provided with the aforementioned recess 2r, the first induction heater 4o may be positioned to at least partially surround the side wall of the distillation unit 2, and the second induction heater 4i may be positioned in the annular region of the recess 2r. Thus, water heating is optimized.

In a non-limiting embodiment, the technical features of which may be combined with any of the technical features disclosed previously, the distillation unit 2 may be provided with a level sensor 2s configured to detect the amount of water present in the distillation unit 2; the level sensor 2s is preferably configured to output a signal proportional to the liquid level in the distillation unit. Level sensor 2 may be a capacitive sensor or any other type of sensor suitable for detecting the level of a liquid.

The distillation unit 2 is connected to the inlet 3 of the apparatus by a direct connection or, according to a specific embodiment, via an electrically and/or mechanically controlled valve 3v or via an inlet pump 3p, the latter being electrically controlled. Thus, a controlled introduction of water into the distillation unit 2 can be realized. It should be noted that the apparatus of the present invention is preferably designed to operate for the distillation of pure water from natural sources, although in a non-limiting embodiment upstream of the inlet of the distillation unit 2, a cleaning filter may be provided to provide pre-cleaning and/or reduce bacteria, algae and chemical contaminants that may affect the water inlet 3 of the device.

In a non-limiting embodiment, the technical features of which may be combined with any of the technical features disclosed previously, at least a portion of the inner surface of the distillation unit 2 may be made of a bacteriostatic material, in particular a bacteriostatic metal containing silver or copper. This helps to reduce bacterial growth from the very beginning of introducing water into the device. It can be noted that the particles released from the metal due to distillation will remain in the distillation unit 2 without significantly affecting the amount of distilled water D produced by the plant itself.

In a non-limiting embodiment, the technical features of which may be combined with any of the technical features disclosed previously, the apparatus 1 according to the present disclosure may be configured to perform distillation under vacuum; this means that at least the distillation unit 2 is a distillation unit specially designed to perform water distillation at a pressure below normal atmospheric pressure. The boiling point of water is related to pressure by a fixed law, shown in the graph showing the boiling point of water in relation to pressure in FIG. 6. Reducing the pressure at least within the distillation unit 2 allows the distillation of water at a lower temperature, which requires the introduction of less heat, resulting in savings in part of the energy required for heating. For this purpose, the distillation unit may be provided with a vacuum port, preferably but not limited to located in its upper part so as to remain outside the upper water level. In a non-limiting embodiment, the vacuum port is connected to the vacuum pump indicated in FIG. 4 with item number 16, the purpose of which is to create a vacuum inside the distillation unit 2 for at least the time necessary to perform a partial, preferably complete, distillation of the water contained in the distillation unit 2, that is, to ensure complete emptying of the latter.

In a particular use configuration, the vacuum created in the distillation unit 2 by the vacuum pump 16 can still be used to facilitate the introduction of an additional predetermined amount of water into the distillation unit 2 so as to allow the force required by the inlet pump 3p, if present, to be reduced. In a particular embodiment, the vacuum pump 16 may be a shut-off vacuum pump: thus, after stopping, there is no need to further close any valve to prevent air from flowing back into the distillation unit 2.

In FIG. 5 shows a particular configuration of the internal cavity of the distillation unit 2, which can be applied to any of the alternatives disclosed herein, that is, in particular, for the case of distillation under atmospheric pressure and for the case of distillation under vacuum conditions. The cavity of the distillation block 2 may be provided with at least one and preferably a plurality of trays 12 or plates designed to cause steam to pass into the cavity up to the top opening of the distillation block 2 in a curved, indirect path, in particular a path in which at least at least part of it, the direction of the steam should be significantly different from the direction indicated by the longitudinal axis X. In a specific configuration, the distillation unit 2 is provided with several plates 12 located at different heights, each of which forms at least one passage 14 to ensure the movement of steam from the lower height relative to the tray or plate to an upper height relative to the tray or plate, and, optionally, this passage is provided with a domed structure 13 located essentially in correspondence with and, in particular, in axial alignment with it. The domed design helps to make the flow flow in a curved path. In the presence of at least one, preferably a plurality, tray(s) 12, the distillation unit 2 may have a plate column or tray column configuration.

As mentioned above, the device that is the object of the present invention may be provided with a cooling unit 8 located downstream of the distillation unit 2 and configured to condense the vapor of distilled water. In a specific embodiment, the cooling block 8 may comprise a piping part with at least one and preferably a plurality of Peltier cells located on its outer surface. The Peltier cell may alternatively be replaced by any actively supplied cooler to which electrical energy or a cooling liquid or gas may be supplied. Preferably, though not limitingly, a portion of the conduit may be made of a heat conducting metal, such as surgical stainless steel, to provide good thermal conductivity while preventing undesirable release of substances from the metal that would otherwise contaminate the distilled water. This conduit preferably opens into a secondary chamber, designated 9, whose purpose is to store or collect a predetermined amount of distilled water D, which will be further mixed as already envisaged. In one embodiment, the cooling block 8 may be provided with a secondary chamber; in this latter case, the active cooler may be positioned so as to at least partially surround the side surface and/or at least partially surround the bottom surface of the secondary chamber. Otherwise, the cooling block 8 may not be present as a separate component and may be built directly into the secondary chamber.

It should be noted that in case the distillation takes place under vacuum conditions, the assembly formed by the distillation unit 2, the cooling unit 8 and the secondary chamber 9 can operate, at least temporarily, under vacuum conditions, thus forming, at least temporarily, a single closed medium, the internal cavity of which is subjected to a pressure that is lower than atmospheric pressure.

It can be noted that the outlet of the distillation unit 2 may optionally have a first one-way and/or check valve and/or the outlet of the cooling unit 8 or storage chamber 9 may optionally have a second one-way and/or check valve. The direction allowed by the valve is such that, after reaching a predetermined pressure level upstream of the valve itself, flow from the distillation unit 2 to the cooling unit 8 and/or the secondary chamber and/or the water dispenser 5 is ensured; the valve in any case prevents the flow in the opposite direction.

In a non-limiting embodiment, the secondary chamber 9 may be provided with an outlet connected to an electrically and/or mechanically controlled valve 1v or a supply pump 1p for the purpose of forcibly withdrawing a predetermined amount of distilled water D from the secondary chamber 9 in order to force it into the water dispenser 5 .

The water dispenser 5 is provided with a first inlet connected to the secondary chamber 9 (in appropriate cases with a feed pump 1p and/or an electrically and/or mechanically controlled valve 1v) and a second inlet connected to the mineralization unit 7. The water dispenser 5 is configured to simultaneously mix a predetermined amount of distilled water D from the secondary chamber 9 with mineralized fluid or powder M coming from the capsule 20 opened through the mineralizing block 7, in particular, mixing according to said predetermined ratio. The emptying of the capsule 20 is preferably carried out gradually with the gradual emptying of the secondary chamber 9 so as to obtain homogeneous mixing. It should be noted that the desired ratio may be a fixed desired ratio or (optionally) a variable desired ratio, and may be determined or otherwise controlled by adapting the operation of the feed pump 1p relative to the mineralizing pump 7a, which may be conveniently provided in the mineralizing block 7 upstream. flow from the second inlet. If the ratio is variable, in a non-limiting embodiment, this ratio can be set electronically by entering a given command or data into the control block.

The presence of pumps with adjustable operation in terms of flow rate and/or operating time makes it possible to obtain a device that can be configured to supply the correct amount of mixture ratio to several containers of the container 10. Changing the capacity of the container 10 also proportionally changes the set amount of water to be loaded to the distillation plant 2, and thus the capacity of the capsule 20 (or at least the amount of saline fluid or powder M extracted therefrom). If this technical feature is optionally present in the device 1, the user can preferably select the capacity of the container 10 through the user interface, allowing the control unit 30 to properly select the correct amounts of water to load and further allowing it to appropriately select the signal to send to the various pumps of the device in order to have the correct mixing ratio and the correct total amount of mineralized water injected into the container 10. It can be noted that a fixed mixing ratio can be achieved with proper selection of the flow rate for the pair of injection nozzles located in correspondence with each of the two water dispenser inlets.

The water dispenser 5 is shaped so as to spray and/or micronize or nebulize a predetermined amount of water with a predetermined amount of brine fluid or powder M to ensure even mixing of the two components, preferably in a helical way.

In a specific, though not limiting, embodiment, the device of the present invention is provided with a sterilization device, which in particular is a UV sterilizer 15 designed to sterilize at least a portion of the container 10 and/or a mixture of distilled water and saline fluid solution. In a specific embodiment, the UV sterilizer 15 is configured to simultaneously sterilize at least a portion of the container 10 and a mixture of distilled water and mineralized fluid solution. The Applicant has developed a specific configuration of a water dispenser 5 provided with an annular dispenser 5t which, in use, opens onto the mouth of the container 10; the annular dispensing part forms a central opening axially aligned along the dispensing axis (denoted in Fig. 8 as the Y axis) which connects the central axis of the container 10 to the center of the opening of the water dispenser 5. an annular dispensing portion 5t from a side conduit 5i located substantially orthogonal to the dispensing axis Y, and then rotates in a circle (see arrow F in Fig. 8) before entering the container 10. The UV sterilizer 15 is configured to direct at least part of the UV radiation essentially in the direction in which it can reach the bottom of the container 10. While the water dispenser 5 sprays a mixture of distilled water and mineralized fluid solution or powder M into the container 10, the spray mixture is also irradiated with UV radiation, and thus Thus, simultaneous sterilization is achieved as described above. Thanks to this technical aspect, the apparatus of the present invention can carry out the distillation and sterilization of drinking water according to two different principles (thermal distillation, radiation sterilization).

It may be noted that another simpler type of water dispenser 5, according to FIG. 5 can be implemented as a simple double inlet pipeline, for example, a "Y" or "T" shaped pipeline, with the first inlet port 5a connected to the distillation unit 2, optionally through a secondary chamber 9, and/or through a feed pump 1p.

In FIG. 10 and 11 show various configurations of the mineralization unit 7 configured to extract an amount of mineralized fluid or powder M from capsule 20. Referring to FIG. 10, the mineralizing block 7 comprises a needle-like piercing element 7a which can be moved in the axial direction from a first position, in which its piercing end is at a distance from the capsule 20, to a second position, in which its piercing end is inside the capsule 20 after perforation. at least parts of it. In a preferred and non-limiting embodiment, the movement of the piercing element 7a may be axial (see arrow W in FIG. 10 indicating axial movement of the piercing element 7a). The mineralizing block 7 may include a front retaining wall 7r provided with recesses suitable for copying or tracing at least a portion of the shape of the capsule 20 to hold it, at least temporarily, in a proper open position in which it can be perforated. It may be noted that the capsule 20 may be provided with a weakening part.

In FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of a mineralization block 7 comprising an opening element 7s capable of withdrawing a mineralized fluid solution or powder M from a capsule 20 without direct perforation. In this case, the opening member 7s can conveniently be provided with an O-ring contacting the side wall 20p of the capsule 20 in accordance with its valve 20v. Extraction of the mineralized fluid solution or powder M from the capsule can be carried out in this last case by means of vacuum extraction. The valve 20v located on the side wall 20p of the capsule 20 can be conveniently configured to open outwards and can be conveniently implemented as a duckbill valve. Also in this embodiment, the opening element 7s can be axially movable from a first position, in which it is spaced from the capsule 20, to a second position, in which it is substantially in contact with the side wall 20p of the capsule 20.

In a specific and non-limiting embodiment, the capsule 20 may be provided with an auxiliary opening 20A configured to introduce air (or any other suitable gas, such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen) and/or fluid into the interior of the capsule 20. The introduction may be forced insertion (through active delivery elements such as, for example, a pump) or, otherwise, may be free insertion, for example, indirectly caused by suction, which occurs in the first hole. In one embodiment, the auxiliary hole 20A may be located in the opposite position of the valve 20v. If this embodiment of the capsule 20 is used, it may be convenient to have the mineralizing block 7 configured to open or puncture the capsule:

- in accordance with the first position, for example the position in which the valve 20v is present, by means of the opening element 7 or the piercing element 7a, and

- in accordance with the second position, for example, the position in which the auxiliary hole 20A is present, preferably by means of auxiliary piercing and/or opening means.

In particular, water and/or air may be introduced into the interior of the capsule 20 by the mineralization block 7 to help achieve complete emptying. Thus, the process of accessing the capsule 20 can be carried out using the mineralization block 7, wherein the extraction of the mineralized fluid solution or powder M from the capsule 20 or the emptying of the disposable capsule 20 from said mineralized fluid solution or powder M is carried out by accessing the capsule 20 in accordance with the first position, optionally in accordance with the first opening, in which the mineralized fluid solution or powder M is withdrawn from the capsule 20, and by accessing the capsule 20 in accordance with the second position, optionally in accordance with the auxiliary opening 20a, while in accordance with the second position fluid, in particular water and/or air or any suitable gas, is forced (by means of active delivery elements) or otherwise freely allowed to enter the internal cavity of the capsule 20, which contains the mineralized fluid solution or powder M. Water , flowing through the auxiliary port 20A may be at least part, if not all, of the distilled water D withdrawn from the distillation unit 2. In other words, the mineralizing unit 7 may be configured to receive a portion of the distilled water that is produced by the distillation unit 2, and allowing it to pass or flow into the capsule 20 before reaching the water dispenser 5. It can be noted that this process can be convenient, especially when handling powder, and in particular when the fluid is forced or allowed to enter the interior of the capsule 20, because a kind of washing is performed in the inner cavity, as a result of which all the corresponding powder is extracted.

The Applicant noted that obtaining a specific efficiency for the device 1 can be improved by designing the capsule 20 in such a way that after extraction with the opening element 7s or the piercing element 7a, there remains a minimum residue of the mineralized fluid solution or powder M: in particular, it is preferable that after extraction by means of the opening element 7s or the piercing element 7a, no mineralized fluid solution or powder M remained in the capsule 20 at all. properly installed in the mineralizing block 7 to ensure that substantially all of the mineralized fluid or powder M is removed. For example, as schematically shown in FIG. 13, the capsule 20 may be provided with an internal cavity 20 having a substantially rounded, hemispherical end, and once in the mineralizing block 7, the capsule must be oriented so that the hemispherical end rests on the bottom of the cavity 20C; in use, with the gradual withdrawal of the brine or powder from the capsule 20, the level in the cavity decreases and the brine or powder M abuts against the hemispherical end, thus in areas of gradually reduced diameter up to the end axial point of the bottom of the hemispherical end where no remains a fluid solution. It should be noted that in this case, the piercing element must substantially contact the lowest part of the hemispherical end of the capsule.

In another embodiment, which is shown in FIG. 14, the capsule may have an internal cavity with a 20t constriction corresponding to the side wall 20p, and in use, after insertion into the mineralization block 7, the 20t constriction is at the bottom of the capsule. This particular configuration of the internal cavity can be particularly advantageous if, in combination with the opening element 7s, the mineralized slurry or powder M is extracted by vacuum, as described above.

In any case, the capsule that is the object of the present invention may be provided with an internal cavity 20C under pressure or, conversely, at atmospheric pressure. It may be noted that, for reasons of ease of transport compliance, the pressure that may be present in the interior of capsule 20C may be below the threshold that the standard defines for special treatment of pressure receptacles.

The Applicant also noted that, for ease of use, the capsule 20 may have an external shape that can only be inserted into the mineralization block 7 in the correct manner. This helps to reduce the risk of damage to the mineralizing block 7 or the risk of the capsule opening or perforating in the wrong position. In one embodiment, capsule 20 may be configured to be substantially rectangular in shape, having side walls 20p disposed generally in accordance with a first direction A and in accordance with a second direction B orthogonal to the first direction A; the sides in accordance with the first direction have a length of 11, which is different from the length of 12 sides located in accordance with the second direction; the edge connecting the side corresponding to the first direction A with the side located in accordance with the second direction B is provided with a constriction 20R so as to result in a substantially small fifth side inclined with respect to both said first and to the indicated second direction. In another embodiment, this effect can be achieved by combining the shape of the slot 7a on the body of the device 1 with the outer shape of the capsule 20 itself.

In a preferred, though not limiting, embodiment, the apparatus of the present invention may be provided with a control unit 30 capable of controlling the operation of the apparatus itself and in particular capable of loading a predetermined amount of water to be distilled into the distillation module. : this loading can be done by means of an appropriate signal sent to the electrically and/or mechanically controlled valve 3v or to the inlet pump 3p. Stopping the pump 3p or closing the valve 3v can be accomplished by receiving an appropriate signal from the level sensor 2s, if present, or after a predetermined time period has elapsed. The control unit 30 may further be configured to cause the heater 4 to be activated for a time sufficient to cause distillation of at least a portion of the water contained in the distillation unit 2, in particular the entire content of the water contained in the distillation unit 2. the emptying of the distillation unit 2 can be checked by the level sensor 2s, if present, or otherwise the control unit 30 can be configured to turn off the heater 4 after a predetermined period of time.

In a preferred and non-limiting embodiment, the control unit 30 may be configured to control the activation of the vacuum pump 16 to create a vacuum within the distillation unit 2. In particular, the control unit 30 may be configured to perform the step of activating the vacuum pump 16 only after completion of filling the distillation unit. block 2 from inlet 3 to a predetermined level corresponding to a predetermined amount of water to be distilled. The presence of an appropriate vacuum can be checked by means of a pressure transducer connected to the control unit and measuring the pressure in the distillation unit 2 or indirectly by activating the vacuum pump 16 for a predetermined period of time. It can be noted that the activation of the heater 4 must be performed after the completion of the vacuum in the distillation unit 2; thus, the control unit 30 can be configured to cause the activation of the heater 4 by sending an appropriate signal only after the vacuuming step in the distillation unit 2 has been completed, i.e. only after the vacuum pump 16 has stopped.

The control unit 30 may be configured to control the activation of the cooling unit 8 to cause the distillation vapor to condense outside the distillation unit 2 to obtain a predetermined amount of distilled water D; the activation of the cooling unit 8 is preferably performed automatically at the moment of activation of the heater 4, and the deactivation of the cooling unit 8 occurs simultaneously or immediately after the deactivation of the heater 4.

The control unit 30 may be further configured to control the operation of the mineralization unit 7, in particular to control the movement of the extraction element 7s or the piercing element 7a, and to control the subsequent activation of the mineralization pump 7p after the extraction element 7s has come into contact with the side wall 20p of the capsule. 20 and/or after the piercing element 7a has entered the internal cavity of the capsule 20. Preferably, the activation of the mineralization pump 7p occurs simultaneously with the activation of the supply pump 1p in order to ensure proper, correct and simultaneous mixing of a given amount of distilled water D with a mineralized fluid solution or powder M.

In case the device 1 is designed in this way, the control unit 30 can be additionally configured to activate the vibrator 11 and/or the ultrasonic source, preferably in one of the following conditions: during the water distillation step, i.e. during the same activation time heater 4, or at an intermediate stage, after deactivation of the heater 4, and before, for example, activation of the supply pump 1p.

In case the device 1 is provided with a UV sterilizer 15, the control unit 30 can be configured to activate it at least for a time sufficient to completely dispense a given amount of distilled water D into the container 10 together with the mineralized fluid solution or powder M. B In a non-limiting embodiment, the UV sterilizer 15 may receive an activation signal from the control unit 30 prior to activation of the mineralization pump 7p and the feed pump 1p. Thus, the radiation of the container 10 is also obtained before the introduction of the fluid, providing a temporary direct radiation of at least part of the inner surface of the cavity of the container 10 before the introduction of water. Due to this aspect, better safety is achieved for the water dispensed into the container 10, since it may be convenient for proper drinking safety that the container 10 is also sterilized.

The control unit 30 may be a general purpose processor specially configured to perform one or more of the above operations, in particular by executing predetermined software or firmware, or otherwise it may be a specific type of processor, such as an ASIC or FPGA provided with specific software. security. The control unit 30 may be provided with a single-core or multi-core processor and may be provided with a memory, in particular a non-temporal memory, suitable for storing the aforementioned program and/or for example one of the time presets for controlling any of the supply pump 1p, the inlet pump 3p or an electrically and/or mechanically controlled valve 3v, a mineralizing pump 7p, and/or for storing threshold levels or signal values provided by a pressure sensor or liquid sensor 2s and/or for setting the appropriate time to activate the UV sterilizer 15. Memory support can be physically provided inside or outside the control unit 30 and/or the device 1 and may be, in particular, remote memory available for the data connection logical channel; in particular, the memory may be "cloud" memory. The control unit 30 may additionally be provided with an interface system for sending and receiving signals from the user interface of the device 1, not shown in the accompanying drawings, and / or to enable the transmission and reception of signals and control from / to a remote portable device of the user, preferably over a wireless channel .

In addition, it can be noted that the device that is the object of the present invention can be configured to cause the capsule 20 to be transferred or moved from the mineralizing block 7 to the collection space under the hopper 7h. This avoids the need to manually remove each 20 capsule after use. In general, the mineralization block 7 may comprise a movable equipment provided with a 7 g retaining wall and configured to limit the movement of the capsule 20, and configured to cause the capsule 20 to fall into the bin 7h after it has been opened as a result of the relative movement between the movable equipment and the capsule 20. The mineralization block 7 is configured to hold the capsule 20 preventing it from falling into the hopper 7h prior to being opened by moving the movable equipment. In one embodiment, the hopper 7h opens into a collection space, which may be part of a drawer accessible from the outside of the body of the device 1. Thus, used capsules can be conveniently removed from the device 1 for final disposal or recycling.

In one embodiment, the mobile equipment moves between a first position and a second position. Mineralizing block 7 is additionally provided with a support wall 7b, optionally located in the axial direction opposite the movable equipment; the distance between the support wall 7b and the movable equipment is such that the capsule 20 at the time of its introduction into the mineralization block 7 is caught or trapped between the movable equipment and the support wall 7b when the movable equipment is in the first position, and is forced to fall into the bin 7h after the movement of the movable equipment from the second position back to the first position.

In particular, the retaining wall 7r forms a wall against which the capsule strikes at least at the time of insertion into the mineralization block 7. The retaining wall 7g forms a housing or recess suitable for receiving at least a portion of the capsule 20. As shown in FIG. 16, the capsule 20 enters the mineralizing block 7 so as to be axially displaced and inclined with respect to the axis B of the body or recess formed by the retaining wall 7r. The wall is provided with a tooth 7k in the front part, which is adapted to engage with the front tooth t7 of the capsule 20. During the movement of the movable equipment from the first position to the second position, the capsule is forced to gradually reduce the displacement and inclination of the axis A in order to partially enter the housing, as a result of which its substantially axial alignment with axis B is achieved. The back of the capsule, designated 20b, strikes the back wall 7b of the mineralizing block. When the movable equipment is moved back from the second to the first position, the rear part 20b of the capsule 20, although there is a hold provided by the barb 7k, gradually moves away from the rear wall 7b, with the result that it tends to fall into the hopper 7h from the rear. When a sufficient distance is created, the back of the capsule 20 is no longer in contact with the back wall 7b of the mineralizing block 7 with the resultant subsequent fall into the hopper 7h.

In an alternative embodiment, the retaining wall prong 7k and the capsule 20 prong 20t may be replaced by a gripping ring (not shown in the accompanying drawings) that can be conveniently located on the outer surface of at least a portion of the side wall of the capsule, said gripping ring being configured to cause forcibly separating the back part 20p of the capsule from the back wall 7b of the mineralizing block 7 after the capsule 20 has been opened, as already described.

The mineralizing block 7 may be provided with a pusher or a pusher element configured to cause the capsule to be removed from the retaining wall 7r and/or to assist in the removal of the capsule from contact with the rear wall 7b. The pusher or pushing element can be moved between a first position where it is not in contact with the capsule 20 and a second position where it is in contact with the capsule 20. The movement between the first and second positions is such that the capsule 20 is hit by the pusher or pushing element with force. , sufficient to ensure its extraction from the previously held position so as to cause the capsule to fall into the hopper 7h.

In another embodiment, which is shown in FIG. 18 (top view), the configuration of the mineralizing block 7 is such that the barb 7k can be provided not on the retaining wall of the movable equipment, but rather in the fixed part of the mineralizing block 7 protruding into a cavity that allows the placement of the capsule 20. In one embodiment, the capsule 20 may be provided with a rear ring 20u protruding from the side wall of the capsule. The back ring 20k is positioned in correspondence with one end portion of the capsule itself, to be provided with a back surface which substantially also forms the back surface of the capsule. If the capsule 20 is cylindrical in shape, the diameter of the rear ring 20u is substantially larger than the diameter of the rest of the capsule body. The diameter of the outer ring is such that the capsule engages with the barb 7k only at a height substantially corresponding to the overall volume of the housing defined by the retaining wall 7r of the movable equipment. As shown in FIG. 18, the back ring 20u of the capsule is located essentially between the back wall 7b and the barb 7k.

In use, when the movable equipment moves from the first position to the second position, the rear surface of the back ring 20u is pressed against the back wall 7b of the mineralizing block. After the piercing element 7a or opening element opens or otherwise enters the capsule, when the movable equipment moves back from the second position to the first position, this piercing element or opening element exerts a holding force, optionally together with the retaining wall 7r (for example, from - due to partial expansion of the capsule body, which can be caused by the forced inlet of gas or water from the auxiliary hole 20a). This holding force is sufficient to push the back ring 20u slightly away from the back wall 7b of the mineralizing block 7 and cause the back ring 20i to hit the barb 7k. The direction of movement of the movable equipment towards the first part causes the capsule 20 to completely detach from the housing formed by the retaining wall 7r and allows the capsule to fall by gravity, if possible, with the help of a pusher, down to the hopper 7h. In this latter case, the process of extracting the mineral fluid or powder M from the capsule 20 includes increasing the distance between the movable equipment and the capsule and/or moving the movable equipment from the second position back to the first position such that the movement causes the capsule 20 to move away from the rear wall 7b, and the rear ring 20u strikes the barb 7k, partly following the feel of moving the movable equipment from the second position back to the first position, for example, as a result of the holding force exerted by the piercing element when removed from the capsule. This results in the complete removal of the capsule from the housing formed by the retaining wall. The step of providing further assistance in this removal may be performed and may be carried out using the aforementioned pusher. Ultimately, this results in capsule 20 falling into bin 7h.

As shown in FIG. 17, it can finally be noted that the device 1 that is the object of the present invention can conveniently be provided with an actuator 1m which is movable at least between a first position or configuration and a second position or configuration. In the first configuration, the mechanism allows the capsule 20 to be introduced into the mineralizing block and, optionally, also allows the capsule to fall into the hopper 7h after being opened. In one embodiment, the second configuration corresponds to the configuration in which the mobile equipment of the mineralizing unit 7 is in the first position. In the second configuration, the mechanism provides an opening, as a perforation option, of the capsule 20. The actuator 1m may be provided with an electric motor acting on the movable equipment, or, conversely, may be fully manual and/or may be provided with a lever with which the user can directly contact or grip it, the lever acting on the movable equipment, for example by means of a bevel mechanism or a toothed wheel-and-rack connection: in this latter case in particular, the lever or handle may be provided with a gear, and the movable equipment may be provided with a rack, as shown schematically in FIG. 16.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. Accordingly, it is to be understood that, where the features mentioned in the appended claims are accompanied by reference marks, such features are included solely for the purpose of improving the legibility of the claims and in no way limit the scope of the claims.

Finally, additions or modifications may be made to the subject matter of the present disclosure as will be obvious to a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of legal protection provided by the appended claims.

Claims (65)

1. Device (1) for the distribution of mineralized water, containing: - inlet (3) for loading water from an external source (100); - a distillation unit (2) connected to an inlet (3) and configured to ensure the distillation of a quantity of water at least partially by means of heating, said distillation unit (2) in turn comprising or operatively connected to at least a heater ( 4) configured to provide heat in an amount sufficient to heat the amount of water to at least the boiling point; - a water dispenser (5) configured to transfer a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) extracted from the distillation unit (2) into a removable container (10), wherein the water dispenser (5) is provided with an outlet nozzle or opening (6) configured to be turned when used on the specified container (10); - a mineralizing block (7) located between the distillation block (2) and the outlet nozzle or opening (6), and the said mineralizing block (7) is made with the possibility of access to the internal cavity of a disposable capsule (20) containing a mineralized fluid solution or powder ( M) in the specified cavity, to extract at least a part of the specified mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from the capsule (20), and / or is configured to empty the capsule (20) from the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) and transfer along at least part of the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from the capsule (20) to the water dispenser (5); - moreover, the device, optionally through the water dispenser (5), is configured to mix the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) with a given amount of distilled water (D) transferred by the water dispenser (5) to a removable container (10); moreover, the device (1) is characterized in that the distillation unit (2) is a vacuum distillation unit, and the distillation of water occurs at a pressure below atmospheric pressure; wherein said device comprises a vacuum pump (16) having an inlet connected to a distillation unit (2) suitable for creating a vacuum in at least said distillation unit (2), wherein said vacuum pump (16) is configured to extract at least parts of the air contained in the top top of the distillation unit (2); moreover, the distillation unit (2) allows the distillation of water at a lower temperature due to a decrease in pressure below atmospheric pressure. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined amount of distilled water (D) transferred by the water dispenser (5) to the removable container (10) corresponds to at least part of the water contained in the distillation unit (2), wherein the device, optionally through said water dispenser (5) is configured to mix the amount of distilled water transferred by the water dispenser (5) into the removable container (10), water (D), with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) in a ratio defined as the amount of mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) in relation to the amount of distilled water (D), less than 1, and / or in which the amount of distilled water (D) is greater than the amount of mineralized fluid solution or powder (M), moreover, the device (1) is configured to mix the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) with a given part of the amount of distilled water (D) before exiting through the outlet nozzle or hole (6). 3. The device according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a cooling unit (8) located between the distillation unit (2) and the mineralizing unit (7), and the cooling unit (8) is configured to cool the water leaving the distillation unit (2) , and/or ensuring its condensation, and the specified cooling unit (8) optionally contains at least one cooler with active supply, in particular a Peltier cell. 4. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: - the distillation unit (2) is provided with an upper part (2u) and a lower part (2l) capable of being releasably connected to the upper part (2u), optionally by means of a screw thread (2t) located on the side walls of the upper part (2t) and the lower parts (2l); - and/or the distillation unit (2) is provided with at least one wall coinciding with the formation of an internal cavity suitable for accommodating liquids, wherein said at least one wall has an inner surface facing said cavity, said inner surface containing a bacteriostatic material , optional bacteriostatic metal containing silver and/or copper, - and/or the distillation unit (2) is provided with at least one wall coinciding with the formation of an internal cavity suitable for accommodating liquids, wherein said at least one wall has an internal surface facing said cavity and is mounted on a vibrator (11) and/or an ultrasonic source, or provided with a vibrator (11) and/or an ultrasonic source configured to prevent attachment of distillation particles or residues to the inner surface of the distillation block (2). 5. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the distillation unit (2) is provided with a plate column or plate column containing at least one plate or plate (12) located in the internal cavity and forming at least one passage (14) of reduced size between the lower zone of the cavity located below the plate or tray (12) and the upper zone of the cavity above the plate or tray (12), and, optionally, the plate column or tray column causes the specified vapor to pass along a curved path before leaving the distillation unit (2 ) and/or, optionally, the plate or plate (12) comprises at least one dome-shaped structure (13) located essentially in accordance with said passage (14), in particular above the passage (14), causing the steam to flow in a curved way. 6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the distillation unit (2) is provided with a bottom wall shaped to form a recess (2r) inside with at least a portion of the lower wall protruding, optionally the recess (2r) corresponding to the central part of the distillation unit itself. block (2), and the recess (2r) has a bottom wall, optionally essentially orthogonal with respect to the longitudinal axis (X) of the distillation block (2), and the recess is provided with a protruding part (2p), essentially protruding orthogonally with respect to the bottom recess wall and thus forming an annular recess zone suitable for receiving at least part of the heater (4). 7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heater (4) is an induction heater (4), optionally at least partially annularly surrounding the side wall of the distillation unit (2) or positioned substantially below the bottom of the distillation unit (2) . 8. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the heater (4) is an induction heater (4), optionally at least partially annularly surrounding the side wall of the distillation unit (2) or positioned substantially below the bottom of the distillation unit (2), moreover, the heater (4) is provided with a first outer ring (4o), at least partially annularly surrounding the side wall of the distillation unit (2), and a second inner ring (4i), made with the possibility of insertion into the annular zone of the recess (2r). 9. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the distillation unit (2) is provided with an outlet, the apparatus comprising a storage chamber (9) suitable for storing distilled water after it has left the distillation unit (2), wherein the chamber (9) storage is located downstream of the cooling unit (8). 10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the device (1) comprises at least one supply pump (1p) or an electrically and/or mechanically controlled valve located downstream of the outlet of the storage chamber (9) and upstream of the water dispenser ( 5), or the device (1) contains at least one feed pump (1p) or an electrically and/or mechanically controlled valve located downstream of the outlet of the distillation unit (2) and, optionally, upstream of the water dispenser (5) ; moreover, the supply pump (1p) is configured to inject the liquid flow into the water dispenser (5). 11. The device according to any of the preceding claims, in which the water dispenser (5) contains at least a first inlet port connected to the distillation block (2) and a second inlet port connected to the mineralizing block (7), and, optionally, the first inlet the port is connected to the distillation unit (2) through the cooling unit (8) and/or through the storage chamber (9) and the water dispenser (5) is configured to provide vortex mixing of distilled water with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) extracted from the capsule ( 20) before they pass through the outlet (6). 12. The device according to claim 11, in which the mineralizing block (7) contains a mineralizing pump (7p) configured to forcefully extract the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from the capsule (20) and provide injection of the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M ) removed from the capsule (20) into the second inlet of the water dispenser (5). 13. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a UV sterilizer (15) configured to sterilize at least a portion of the removable container (10) when installed in a sterilization position on the device or in accordance with it, and / or configured to sterilize at least part of distilled water (D) and/or at least part of distilled water (D) with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) before being dispensed from the outlet nozzle or opening (6). 14. The device according to claim 13, in which the UV sterilizer (15) is located essentially in accordance with the water dispenser (5), optionally mounted on the water dispenser (5), so that its radiation pattern essentially in the axial direction coincides with at least at least part of the removable container (10) and/or enters the container (10) essentially in accordance with its opening, and during dispensing through the outlet nozzle or hole (6) at least part of the removable container (10), optionally its bottom, is irradiated with UV radiation simultaneously with water supplied from the distillation unit (2) and/or through the supply pump (1p), and/or with a mixture of the specified specified amount of water (D) with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M). 15. The device according to claim 14, in which the mineralizing block (7) contains a movable extracting element (7s) or a movable piercing element (7a), selectively displaced at least in the first configuration in which it does not interact with the capsule (20), or in a second configuration in which it interacts with the capsule (20), optionally piercing it, to extract from it the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M). 16. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the capsule (20) is provided with an auxiliary opening (20a) configured to allow passage of air and/or fluid into the interior cavity at least during the extraction or emptying of the capsule (20), and /or is openable in accordance with the auxiliary opening (20a) to allow the introduction of air and/or fluid at least during extraction or emptying of the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M). 17. The device according to claim 15, in which the capsule (20) is provided with an auxiliary hole (20a) configured to allow the passage of air and/or fluid into the internal cavity at least during the extraction or emptying of the capsule (20), and/ or is configured to open in accordance with the auxiliary opening (20a) to allow the introduction of air and/or fluid at least during extraction or emptying from the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M), wherein the mineralizing block (7) is configured to introduction of a fluid medium, optionally at least water, in particular a part of distilled water distilled by the distillation unit (2), into the capsule (20), optionally configured to introduce into the capsule (20) a fluid medium, optionally at least water, in particular , part of the distilled water distilled by the distillation unit (2) through said auxiliary opening (20a) or by opening or piercing the capsule (20) according to a second position different from the first position in which the extraction element (7s) or the movable piercing element (7a) is configured to interact with the capsule (20). 18. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device comprises an actuator movable between at least a first configuration, in accordance with which it allows the introduction of a capsule (20) into the mineralizing block (7), and a second configuration, in whereby it causes the capsule (20) to open, said actuator being configured to be activated at least in part by direct contact with the user. 19. The device according to p. 18, in which the mineralizing unit (7) contains movable equipment, made with the possibility of interaction with the capsule (20), in particular, made with the possibility of limiting the movement of the capsule (20); moreover, the mineralizing block (7) is configured to cause the capsule (20) to fall into the hopper (7h) after opening the capsule (20) as a result of the relative movement between the capsule (20) and the movable equipment, moreover, the mineralizing block (7) is configured to hold the capsule (20) to prevent it from falling into the hopper (7h) before opening the capsule (20) by moving the movable equipment. 20. The apparatus of claim. 19, in which the mobile equipment is provided with a retaining wall (7r), against which the capsule hits at least at the time of introduction into the mineralizing block; moreover, the specified retaining wall (7r) additionally forms a housing for at least part of the capsule. 21. The device according to any one of paragraphs. 19, 20, in which during the movement of the mobile equipment from the first position to the second position, the displacement and inclination of the own axis (A) of the capsule (20) is gradually reduced so that it can partially enter the housing, resulting in essentially axial alignment with axis (B) of the body, and the movable equipment is provided with a tooth (7k), optionally located in the front part of the retaining wall (7r) and made with the possibility of engagement with the capsule (20), in particular, its front tooth (20t), and the tooth (7k) is made with the ability to increase distance from the capsule (20) to the back wall (7b) of the mineralizing block (7) and, following the increase in distance, cause the capsule (20) to fall into the hopper (7h). 22. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus (1) is configured to perform cyclic distillation and dispensing of water, optionally each cycle comprising at least: - loading a given amount of water for distillation into the distillation unit (2); - activation of at least one heater (4) for a time sufficient to distill at least part of the water contained in the distillation unit (2), optionally the entire amount of water contained in the distillation unit (2), - activation of at least one cooling unit (8) causing the condensation of distillation steam outside the distillation unit (2) to obtain a predetermined amount of distilled water (D), - feeding, optionally through said supply pump (1s), a given amount of distilled water (D) into the water dispenser (5), wherein the given amount of distilled water (D) is mixed with the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) extracted from the capsule (20) , optionally so that the capsule (20) can be disposed of or discarded, - dispensing a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) mixed with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) into a removable container (10). 23. A method for distributing mineralized water, comprising the following steps: - loading a given amount of water for distillation into the distillation unit (2); - activation of at least one heater (4) for a time sufficient to distill at least part of the water contained in the distillation unit (2), optionally the entire amount of water contained in the distillation unit (2), - condensation of the distillation steam outside the distillation unit (2) to obtain a predetermined amount of distilled water (D), optionally via a cooling unit (8) connected to the distillation unit (2), - supplying, optionally via a supply pump (1s), a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) to a water dispenser (5), wherein the predetermined amount of distilled water (D) is mixed with a mineralized fluid solution or powder (M), - dispensing a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) mixed with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) into a removable container (10), - moreover, mixing is carried out by extracting the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from the disposable capsule (20) or by emptying the disposable capsule (20) from said mineralized fluid solution or powder (M); wherein the method is characterized in that it comprises setting a pressure below atmospheric pressure in the distillation unit (2) for at least the time necessary to carry out, in particular to complete, the distillation step of the water contained in the distillation unit (2) and to restore normal atmospheric pressure. pressure in the distillation unit (2) after completion of the distillation of the water contained in the distillation unit (2) and/or after emptying the distillation unit (2) of the previously contained water, optionally contained at the beginning of the cycle, wherein the method comprises lowering the distillation temperature of said water by lowering the pressure below atmospheric pressure in the distillation unit (2). 24. The method according to claim 23, wherein obtaining a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) and then dispensing a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) mixed with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) into a removable container (10) is a demineralization process and subsequent re-mineralization of water, carried out through a device (1) for distributing mineralized water, containing the specified distillation unit (2). 25. The method according to claim 23 or 24, in which the mixing is carried out in a given ratio, and the ratio is defined as the amount of mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) in relation to the amount of distilled water (D), and the ratio is less than 1, and / or the amount of distilled water (D) is greater than the amount of mineralized fluid solution or powder (M). 26. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 23-25, in which the extraction of the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from the disposable capsule (20) or the emptying of the disposable capsule (20) from said mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) is carried out by accessing the capsule (20) in accordance with the first a position, optionally in accordance with the first opening, in which the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) is withdrawn from the capsule (20), and by accessing the capsule (20) in accordance with the second position, optionally in accordance with the auxiliary opening (20a), in this case, in accordance with the second position, the fluid medium, in particular water and/or air, is forcibly introduced or allowed to enter the internal cavity of the capsule (20), which contains the mineralized fluid solution or powder (M). 27. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 23-26, comprising the step of inserting the capsule (20) into the slot (7a) of the device (1) for dispensing mineralized water, and the capsule (20) is opened using the extracting elements (7s) or piercing elements (7a) of the device (1) for extracting mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) from it, and, optionally, the step of introducing the capsule into the slot (7a) of the device (1) for distributing mineralized water is carried out before supplying a given amount of distilled water (D) to the water dispenser (5) and / or before dispensing a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) mixed with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) into a removable container (10). 28. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 23-27, in which loading a predetermined amount of water for distillation into the distillation unit (2) comprises comparing the signal provided by the level sensor (2s) located in correspondence with the distillation unit (2) and configured to detect the water level inside the distillation unit (2 ) with a predetermined threshold level, and interrupting the download at the moment when the signal provided by the level sensor (2s) corresponds to a level equal to or greater than the specified predetermined threshold level. 29. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 23-28, in which the supply, optionally via a supply pump (1s), of a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) to a water dispenser (5), in which a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) is mixed with a mineralized fluid solution or powder (M), occurs after completion of the distillation of the water contained in the distillation unit (2) and/or after emptying the distillation unit (2). 30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the supply is initiated by the control unit (30) at the step of electronically comparing the signal provided by the level sensor (2s) with a threshold level and then electronically sending an activation signal to at least one supply pump (1p), in particular, the water dispenser (5) providing power. 31. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 23-30, comprising providing vibration of the distillation unit (2) with a predetermined frequency, optionally located in the ultrasonic region, in order to significantly prevent the attachment of distillation residues on its inner wall or reduce the amount of distillation residues attached to its inner wall. 32. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 23-30, further comprising the step of sterilizing at least a part of said container (10) and/or said predetermined amount of distilled water (D) and/or a mixture of a predetermined amount of distilled water (D) and/or mineralized fluid solution or powder (M) wherein said sterilization step comprises activating the UV sterilizer (15) to obtain a UV radiation pattern substantially axially aligned with at least a portion of the removable container (10) and/or included in the container (10) substantially in accordance with with its opening, and the method comprises irradiating with UV radiation produced by a UV sterilizer (15) at least part of the removable container (10), optionally its bottom, simultaneously with water supplied from the distillation unit (2) and / or through the supply pump (1p), and/or a mixture of said predetermined amount of water (D) with mineralized fluid solution or powder (M). 33. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 23-32, comprising the step of opening the capsule (20) in accordance with at least the first part thereof, and comprising the step of causing the capsule (20) to fall into the hopper (7h) after opening said capsule. 34. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 23-33, in which the drop of the capsule (20) into the hopper (7h) is caused by the movement of the movable equipment of the mineralizing block (7); wherein the method comprises moving the movable equipment of the mineralizing unit (7) from the first position, according to which the capsule is still closed, to the second position, in which the capsule is open, in particular by means of the action of the movable equipment, and dropping the capsule (20) into the hopper ( 7h) is caused by or follows the movement of the movable equipment back to the first position after opening the capsule. 35. A method according to claim 34 for trapping the capsule between the back wall (7b) of the mineralizing block and the movable equipment, in particular the retaining wall (7r) of the movable equipment, said method comprising ensuring that the capsule (20) passes into the mineralizing block (7) so as to be axially displaced and inclined with respect to the axis (B) of the housing or recess formed by the retaining wall (7r). 36. The method according to p. 35, in which during the movement of the movable equipment from the first position to the second position, the displacement and inclination of the own axis (A) of the capsule (20) are gradually reduced in order to partially enter it into the body, resulting in essentially axial alignment with the axis (B) of the housing.

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