Bottle water disinfectant system - Patent Review 5405526

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BACKGROUND of the INVENTION

1. Invention Field

The present invention relates to systems for treating and dispensing liquids, and in particular to a bottle water disinfectant, storage, and dispensing system for purifying drinking water or the like.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention contemplates a bottle water dispensing system having an inlet line, a storage tank, a filter area, and a dispensing port, wherein there is provided the steps of infusing water flowing into the storage tank with a disinfecting medium such as iodine, chlorine or the like, allowing the infused water to remain in the storage tank for a period of time to allow the disinfecting medium present in the stored water to kill all microbes and the like in the water, and selectively dispensing the stored water, including the further steps of filtering the disinfectant medium and other contaminants from the stored water.

The present invention is taught for use in conjunction with a bottle water system having a wide neck, such as that contemplated in patent application Ser. No. 07/780,880 to applicant for a "Self-Filling Bottle Water Cooler Conversion Kit", as such an arrangement allows for the non-pressurized, gravity flow of the stored water having the disinfection agent through filtration system placed in conjunction with the wide neck. Such an embodiment would be beneficial for use in Third World Countries or the like, wherein pressurized water is unavailable, and wherein water could be dumped directly into an inlet area via buckets or the like.

2. General Background Discussion

While there exists a multitude of portable water purification systems, most have proven impractical, due to practicalities such as cost, durability, maintainability, and effectiveness. It is for this reason that the Third World, and even remote areas of industrialized countries, still lack in large part safe drinking water. Notwithstanding advances in the capabilities of liquid decontamination/filtration systems of various military and space filtration/decontamination systems, basic, thorough, and cheap water disinfectant still has eluded most of the world.

A listing of patents which may be of some interest regarding the present invention are cited below:

______________________________________ Patent Number Inventor(s) Date of Issue ______________________________________ 5,200,070 McMenamin Apr 06, 1993 5,176,836 Sauer et al Jan 05, 1993 5,126,044 Magnusson et al Jun 30, 1992 4,995,975 Jacquot et al Feb 26, 1991 4,176,169 Mysels Nov 27, 1979 3,772,189 Kreusch et al Nov 13, 1973 ______________________________________

Pat. No. 5,200,070 teaches a "Bottle Water Filter Arrangement" wherein there is provided a water cooler having a bottle member, and a filter member provided in conjunction with the base. The alternative embodiment of the '070 invention teaches a "flotation container" between the lower end of the bottle, and the upper floor of the filter member, said flotation container arranged to "impart additives into the water as desired".

The '070 patent teaches as exemplary additives to be placed in the flotation container "nutrients such as vitamins . . . coloration, flavoring, and the like . . . ". Unlike the present, applied for invention, '070 does not contemplate the portioning of a disinfectant medium into the stored water in the bottle, to be thereafter filtered prior to dispensing.

Pat. No. 5,176,836, issued 1993 for a "Regenerable Biocide Delivery Unit" teaches a system for "long term Microbial Control" in a water supply in closed systems for space applications, including "deep space missions" and the like. This invention teaches the introduction of molecular iodine into the water supply for decontamination purposes, the invention further teaching the removal of the iodine from the water by flowing same through an iodinated anion exchange resin bed.

Pat. No. 5,126,044 issued 1992 for an "Iodine Resin/Carbon Water Purification System" teaches a water filtration system wherein there is provided a water treatment apparatus having an iodine resin purification bed supported in a walled structure and mounted upstream of an active carbon filtration bed. An alternative embodiment of the invention contemplates utilization of the system for providing purified water to a canteen, wherein there is provided a collection bottle, and the filter of the present embodiment between the collection bottle and canteen. The patent (col 6, line 67) indicates that, in this embodiment, "purification and filtration are achievable via a gravity flow of the water through the cartridge . . . " (referring to FIG. 6).

Pat. No. 4,995,975 issued 1991 teaches a "Unitary Water Cooler Filter" for "filtering and purifying tap water in combination with a conventional water cooler and bottle", wherein there is provided "[a] silver-impregnated activated carbon filter medium, capable of removing chlorine and absorbable organic chemicals from potable water, positioned on the upper surface of the lower retaining element . . . " (abstract).

Pat. No. 3,772,189 teaches "a method of treating water utilizing activated carbon which has been made bacteriostatic by the homogeneous absorption of iodine", with reversible absorption of the iodine by the carbon.

Pat. No. 4,181,243 teaches a "device for filtering beverages" for use in conjunction with a "wine barrel", water cooler or the like, wherein there is provided a filter (20) incorporated into the spigot inlet port, for filtering particulates from the beverage as it is being dispensed.

As may be discerned by a review of the above, the prior art has yet to contemplate an inexpensive, yet effective system for filtering and disinfecting water or the like, wherein there is provided not only the means to disperse and antibacterial agent such as iodine or the like into the water, but also the means to store said water in a tank for a period of time prior to filtering the agent from the water and dispensing the water, in order to provide a more effective disinfection system, necessitating less agent than conventional flow through systems.

SUMMARY DISCUSSION OF THE INVENTION

Unlike the prior art, the present invention provides a water disinfection system which is comparatively effective and reliable, while being relatively inexpensive to maintain, and easy to operate.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention contemplates an iodine/iodide, or other bactericide material infusion means for infusing fluid prior/during entry into the water bottle; the water bottle provides a storage factor, for allowing exposure by the iodine/iodide to the water (and any microbes therein) for a period of time, as opposed to conventional iodide exposure/filtration in-line disinfection systems, such as that contemplated in Pat. No. 5,126,044 supra, wherein the iodine/iodide is diffused into the water then immediately filte