Abstract:
This invention relates to a Spring Water Delivery System and in particular to a system for bulk delivery of potable spring water to a customer&#39;s home. This system includes a bulk water supply truck equipped with a pumping system and an onboard ozone generator for delivery of potable tank water to a customer&#39;s supply tank. The supply tank is not pressurized, but uses an electric pump to deliver potable water to the individual faucets in the customer&#39;s home

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a method of purifying and bulk delivery of good tasting spring water to customer&#39;s homes. More particularly, this invention pertains to a process and the apparatus for tank wagon bulk delivery and distribution of purified spring water to a bulk storage tank installed in a customer&#39;s home. The purified spring water in the present invention is then distributed from the said bulk storage water tank through the plumbing system by an electric pump to the individual faucets in a customer&#39;s home. The method and apparatus of this invention reduces both the cost of bulk delivery of purified water and also avoids an expensive requirement to maintain a pressurized bulk storage water tank at the customer&#39;s home in comparison to currently available water delivery systems or the delivery of bottled purified water. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The demand for purified potable water has increased sharply on a world wide basis an particularly in the United States primarily because of industrial waste, fertilizers used in agriculture and contamination of natural water sources. Consumer awareness of this problem and preferences for clean, good tasting, purified potable water has resulted in expanded competition in a relatively new market to supply purified potable water. Purchased bottled purified water delivered to customers&#39; homes, offices and places of business have had rapid sales growth. High quality, good tasting purified water has commanded a premium price in the market place, but competitive pressures and consumers&#39; natural resistance to higher purified water prices has resulted in a somewhat limited price range for the commercial sale of purified water. Bottled water packaging and distribution costs present major obstacles to reducing bottled water costs and lowering the prices for this product. 
     Vent on demand systems such as the water delivery system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,689 for use with bottled water coolers has long been used. However, this invention does not disclose the ozonation or other chemical process to purify the water and, it is clearly not directed at solving the objective of reducing the cost of bulk purified spring water delivery to a customer&#39;s faucet in an individual home. Accordingly, it is patentably distinct from the present invention. 
     Another traditional problem with bulk water delivery systems is purification of the water. This problem was resolved with the disclosure made in U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,740 which generates ozone in feed gas by the electric discharge method. This process dissolves ozone and oxygen in the water stream thereby generating between 4% and 8% by weight of ozone by silent electric discharge with low power per unit ozone that is dissolved in the water thereby disinfecting the water. However, this patent addresses only a process for ozonation of water and not an overall water delivery system as in the present invention. This invention is patentably distinct from the present disclosure. 
     A further problem in this field was addressed by the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,043 which discloses a system for delivery of bulk quantities of potable water from a tank truck using a pressurized system. The patent discloses a delivery valve means for substantially air-free delivery of high quality water. However, this system does not reveal the use of ozone for purification of the water, and as such this disclosure is patentably distinct from the present invention. 
     One of the most relevant developments in this field is observed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,139. This patent discloses a bulk water delivery system, consisting of a water supply truck equipped with a pumping system and an onboard ozone generator for delivery of potable tank water to a customer&#39;s supply tank. Critical distinctions in this disclosure from the present invention include the absence of a DC pump system, which runs off the bulk water tank truck&#39;s electrical system as observed in the present invention, and the restrictive requirement in U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,139 requiring use of pressurized water tank in the customer&#39;s home. 
     The present invention avoids the limitations of U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,139 of costly plumbing, pressure tank maintenance expense as well as the water delivery problems resulting from a limited pressure system which is attempting to deliver water to multi-faucets through use of a simple inexpensive electric pump to pump fresh purified spring water to as many as desired individual customer&#39;s faucets hooked into this system. These improvements make this method superior; less expensive to maintain; patentably distinct; and improve the flow of clean fresh purified spring water to a customer&#39;s faucets. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the overall Spring Water Delivery System and the method taught by this invention showing all of the major components of this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a portion the Spring Water Delivery System showing a schematic of the truck delivery component of this system. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a portion the Spring Water Delivery System showing a schematic of the in-home part of the system which includes a water storage tank, pipe connections to the lock box, pump, and representative in-home water plumbing connections. 
     FIG. 4 is a cut away side view of the lock box of the Spring Water Delivery System with the latch and hinged door as used in this invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a cut away front side view of the camlock fitting at the delivery end of the water distribution hose as used in this invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawings for a better understanding of the present invention, this invention is susceptible to embodiment in several different forms. The description which follows should be viewed as an illustration of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit this invention to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings herein. 
     FIG. 1 is an overall view of the Spring Water Delivery System and the method taught by this invention. FIG. 1 depicts the entire system showing all of the major components. Referring to FIG. 1, bulk delivery tank wagon  10  includes water main tank  11 , which is typically 4,000-5,000 gallons in capacity and constructed of stainless steel or other sanitary like material, water pump  12 , and which is powered by the DC electrical system of the bulk tank wagon vehicle itself, onboard ozone generator which injects ozone into the water stream, monitors the ozone concentration level, and purifies the water in the distribution system, hose reel  15  and water distribution hose  14 . Water distribution hose  14  is connected to lock box  23  at each customer&#39;s location, which provides the connecting link to customer storage tank  20  through the inbound water pipe  24  and distribution nozzle  40 . Vent pipe  25 , which is made of plastic material provides necessary air venting of the Spring Water Delivery System through lock box  23 . 
     Fresh purified water is delivered to the customer&#39;s outlets from the storage tank  20  by water pump  21 , which is powered by the customer&#39;s electrical system, from water storage tank  20  through pipe  28  with shut-off ball valve  26  to the water pump  21  connected to water pipe  30 . The potable, water storage tank is made from chemical-resistant plastic. Water pipe  30  leads directly to the customer&#39;s water outlets and fixtures such as an Icemaker  31 ; then into pipe  32  leading to faucet  33  in the customer&#39;s sink  34  and additional water fixtures as required by the specific customer application. The application of this invention is equally applicable to commercial, industrial and institutional applications. 
     It should be observed that water storage tank  20  is not a pressurized water tank as fresh potable water is pumped into the water storage tank from the delivery tank wagon through hose  14  connected to lock box  23  to inbound water fill pipe  24 . Outbound fresh potable water is pumped directly to the customer&#39;s water outlets and fixtures by water pump  21  through the system described herein. 
     FIG. 2 shows a schematic of the delivery truck water flow whereby spring water contained in the tank  11  enters water line  11   a  and passes through shut-off ball valve  11 C into water line  11 F, then through the delivery truck&#39;s main pump  12  into water line  12 A. Ozone generator  13  provides a steady stream of ozone, which is injected into the water flow by ozone injector  19  into ozone bypass line  19 A. The ozone treated water proceeds through water line  19 B through meter  17 , which accurately measures and monitors the ozone concentration in the water, and then through water line  17 A with shut-off ball valve  17 B. Shut-off ball valve  17 B is utilized to either allow acceptable ozone concentration level water to flow into delivery water line  17 D or be diverted back to the main tank  11  through water line  17 C as not having sufficient ozone concentration so as to achieve sterility. 
     The delivery truck portion of this bulk Spring Water delivery System includes a recycling function consisting of interconnected water line  11 D with shut-off ball valve  11 B and the water line  11 E connected to ORP meter  16 , then through water line  16 A to recycling pump  18 . Recycling pump  18  in turn is connected to water line  18 A, shut-off ball valve  18 B and water line  18 C which returns recycled water flowing into water line  19 A. 
     FIG. 3 depicts a schematic of the in-home portion of the Spring Water Delivery System. Potable spring water is pumped into water storage tank  20  from the nozzle  40  end of water distribution hose  14  through lock box  23  into water fill pipe  24 . Potable water from water storage tank  20  gravity flows through outbound pipe  28  and shut-off ball valve  26  to water pump  21 . Water pump  21  is electrically powered by the customer&#39;s electrical system. This pump is also equipped with water pressure switch  29  which maintains a constant water pressure range in water line  30  by switching the electric power to water pump  21  on and off to maintain the pressure setting of pressure switch  29 . 
     Fresh purified water is available on demand from water line  30  to the customer&#39;s water outlets such as Icemaker  31  and faucet  33 . The Spring Water delivery System can contain as many outlets and fixtures as required by the particular customer by adding to the water plumbing system shown in FIG.  3 . Also, this invention is applicable to varying commercial, industrial and institutional applications and the like. 
     Lock box  23  is shown in detail in FIG.  4 . Lock box  23  has a lid latch  23 B located on hinged lid  23 A which joins and attaches to box latch  23 C when lock box  23  is closed. Water fill pipes  24  exits water storage tank  20  through lock box  23 . Water storage tank fill shut-off valve  24 A is affixed to the exit end of water fill pipe  24  and contains a centered hole through the closure with filter media  24 B adhered to the back of water fill valve  24 A. The camlock fitting  42  of water distribution hose nozzle  40  forms an air tight fit with water fill pipe  24  to prevent external air from entering the system when water storage tank  20  is being filled. Camlock fitting  42 , water distribution hose nozzle  40 , and water fill valve  24 A can be made of stainless steel to insure long dependable service. Vent pipe  25  exits from storage tank  20  through lock box  23  and is equipped with a replaceable sub-micron vent filter  25 A, made of hydrophobic material affixed to the exit end of vent pipe  25 . Vent pipe  25  is also equipped with an inline overfill monitoring device such as warning whistle  25 B and which also prevents contaminants from entering the system. Warning whistle  25 B can be made of a durable plastic material or similar material. 
     FIG. 5 shows the details of the water distribution hose nozzle  40  which is inserted into water fill valve  24 A at the end of water fill pipe  24  through lock box  23 . Nozzle  40  is equipped with a removable in-line ball shut-off valve  41  and a camlock fitting  42 . The camlock fitting  42  is typically constructed of stainless steel or similar material and provides an air tight fit with water fill valve  24  when fresh potable water is pumped from the bulk delivery truck  10  to the in-home water storage tank  20 . A bronze ball shut-off valve has been found to perform well in this invention. While the water storage tank is being filled no outside air is introduced into the system. When potable water is flowing into water storage tank  20 , the potable water displaces air in the storage tank and the air exits the system through vent pipe  25 . The tank delivery driver can hear the warning device or whistle as the water storage tank is being filled and thereby avoids overfilling the customer&#39;s water storage tank. Under normal filling conditions in this system, the purified water in the water storage tank  20  seldom reaches the overflow level of vent filter  25 A at the exit end of vent pipe  25  thereby resulting in a very infrequent need to replace the vent filter. 
     Standard plumbing components without sharp turns or elbows to avoid water flow resistance are used in the system wherever possible. Modified components are used where required for the particular application in the Spring Water Delivery System to provide a closed system for potable water 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the invention, a Spring Water Delivery System wherein fresh spring water is delivered to a customer in a bulk water delivery tank truck. The water tank truck is equipped with an onboard water pump, ozone generator, ozone injection and monitoring system, recycling system and delivery water hose equipped with a nozzle having a shut-off valve and camlock fitting. The water distribution nozzle with a camlock fitting is inserted into a water fill valve to form an air tight fit in a lock box device which is connected to a water fill pipe in an in-home non-pressurized water storage tank. Fresh potable water is pumped into the water storage tank, and air trapped in the storage tank exits via a filtered contaminant free vent line through the lock box. Over filling of the water storage tank is avoided by use an inline vent pipe monitor. Potable water is subsequently pumped from the in-home water storage tank by a separate water pump through a line equipped with shut-off valves to the customer&#39;s water outlets. 
     Although only a few exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications and substitutions are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the invention. Accordingly, all such modifications and substitutions are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.