IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,359,877
Granted Patent B2
US 8,359,877 · App. 12/541,625 · Granted Jan 29, 2013

Water vending apparatus

Inventors: Dean Kamen (Bedford, NH); Christopher C. Langenfeld (Nashua, NH); Ryan K. LaRocque (Pepperell, MA); Andrew A. Schnellinger (Merrimack, NH); Prashant Bhat (Manchester, NH); Stanley B. Smith, III (Raymond, NH); Otis L. Clapp (Epping, NH); Jeremy M. Swerdlow (Vienna, VA)
Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,359,877
App. No.
12/541,625
Granted
Jan 29, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A water vending apparatus is disclosed. The water vending system includes a water vapor distillation apparatus and a dispensing device. The dispensing device is in fluid communication with the fluid vapor distillation apparatus and the product water from the fluid vapor distillation apparatus is dispensed by the dispensing device.

Claims (55)

1. A water vending system comprising:

a water vapor distillation apparatus comprising:

a source water input;

an evaporator condenser apparatus comprising:

a substantially cylindrical housing; and

a plurality of tubes in the housing,

whereby the source water input is fluidly connected to the evaporator condenser and the evaporator condenser transforms source water into steam and transforms compressed steam into product water;

a heat exchanger fluidly connected to the source water input and a product water output, the heat exchanger comprising:

an outer tube; and

at least one inner tube; and

a regenerative blower fluidly connected to the evaporator condenser,

whereby the regenerative blower compresses steam, and whereby the compressed steam flows to the evaporative condenser where compressed steam is transformed into product water; and

a dispensing device, wherein the dispensing device is in fluid communication with the fluid vapor distillation apparatus and whereby product water from the fluid vapor distillation apparatus is dispensed by the dispensing device.

2. The water vending system of claim 1 further comprising a programmable logic controller.

3. The water vending system of claim 2 further comprising a primary tank and a secondary tank.

4. The water vending system of claim 3 further comprising a fill pump wherein the fill pump pumps water from the primary tank to the secondary tank.

5. The water vending system of claim 4 further comprising a diffuser in the secondary tank.

6. The water vending system of claim 4 further comprising at least one sensor.

7. The water vending system of claim 6 further comprising a minimum volume sensor in the primary tank whereby the minimum volume sensor determines whether the primary tank is holding a minimum volume to fill the secondary tank.

8. The water vending system of claim 6 further comprising a maximum volume sensor in the primary tank whereby the maximum volume sensor determines whether the primary tank is full.

9. The water vending system of claim 3 further comprising an air flow conduit between the primary tank and the secondary tank.

10. The water vending system of claim 3 further comprising an ultraviolet sterilizer coupled to a fluid path between the primary tank and the secondary tank.

11. The water vending system of claim 3 further comprising a nozzle assembly downstream from the secondary tank.

12. The water vending system of claim 11 further comprising an ultraviolet sterilizer coupled to a fluid path between the secondary tank and the nozzle assembly.

13. A water vending system comprising:

a water vapor distillation apparatus comprising:

a source water input;

an evaporator condenser apparatus comprising:

a substantially cylindrical housing; and

a plurality of tubes in the housing,

whereby the source water input is fluidly connected to the evaporator condenser and the evaporator condenser transforms source water into steam and transforms compressed steam into product water;

a heat exchanger fluidly connected to the source water input and a product water output, the heat exchanger comprising:

an outer tube; and

at least one inner tube; and

a regenerative blower fluidly connected to the evaporator condenser,

whereby the regenerative blower compresses steam, and whereby the compressed steam flows to the evaporative condenser where compressed steam is transformed into product water;

a dispensing device, wherein the dispensing device is in fluid communication with the water vapor distillation apparatus and whereby product water from the water vapor distillation apparatus is dispensed by the dispensing device;

a programmable logic controller for controlling the dispensing device and the water vapor distillation apparatus;

a multi-purpose interface comprising at least one conductivity sensor; and

a proximity sensor, the proximity sensor sends a signal to the programmable logic controller to dispense water.

14. A water vending system comprising:

a water vapor distillation apparatus;

a dispensing device, wherein the dispensing device is in fluid communication with the fluid vapor distillation apparatus and whereby product water from the fluid vapor distillation apparatus is dispensed by the dispensing device;

a programmable logic controller;

a primary tank;

a secondary tank; and

an air flow conduit between the primary tank and the secondary tank.

15. The water vending system of claim 14 further comprising a fill pump wherein the fill pump pumps water from the primary tank to the secondary tank.

16. The water vending system of claim 15 further comprising a diffuser in the secondary tank.

17. The water vending system of claim 15 further comprising at least one sensor.

18. The water vending system of claim 17 further comprising a minimum volume sensor in the primary tank whereby the minimum volume sensor determines whether the primary tank is holding a minimum volume to fill the secondary tank.

19. The water vending system of claim 17 further comprising a maximum volume sensor in the primary tank whereby the maximum volume sensor determines whether the primary tank is full.

20. The water vending system of claim 14 further comprising an ultraviolet sterilizer coupled to a fluid path between the primary tank and the secondary tank.

21. The water vending system of claim 14 further comprising a nozzle assembly downstream from the secondary tank.

22. The water vending system of claim 21 further comprising an ultraviolet sterilizer coupled to a fluid path between the secondary tank and the nozzle assembly.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 18, 2010
From: KAMEN, DEAN; LANGENFELD, CHRISTOPHER C.; LAROCQUE, RYAN K.; SCHNELLINGER, ANDREW A.; BHAT, PRASHANT; SMITH, STANLEY B., III; CLAPP, OTIS L.
To: DEKA PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
Reel/Frame 024098/0519 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 18, 2010
From: SWERDLOW, JEREMY M.
To: DEKA PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
Reel/Frame 024099/0386 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61089295 · Aug 15, 2008
Related Publication 20110147194A1 · Jun 23, 2011