Bottled water pressurization system

A bottled water pressurization system draws purified water from a five gallon bottle by means of an electric pump, forcing the purified water into a tank containing a certain quantity of pressurized air, maintaining a level of water in the tank sufficient to produce a pressure of approximately 25 to 50 pounds per square inch. An outlet of the tank delivers pressurized water to a faucet or spigot, coffee machine, an ice make, a refrigerator, a hot and/or cold drinking water delivery unit, or other such appliance. A flexible tube is connected to the pump inlet and draws water from the bottle through an upright tube and cover assembly inserted into and over the mouth of the bottle. The upright tube extends nearly to the bottom of the bottle. A one-way valve attached to the bottom of the upright tube prevents reverse flow spillage of residual water in the upright tube when it is removed from an empty bottle and installed in a full one. A low water level sensor produces a control signal to actuate a low water level switch to disable the electric pump when the bottle is empty.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to devices for convenient delivery of purified water 
from bottles, such as conventional five gallon bottles, and particularly 
to devices for delivering pressurized purified water from a five gallon 
bottle located at or near the floor level. 
The presence of minerals and impurities in water that adversely affects the 
taste and/or safety of the water for drinking purposes has led to a large 
demand for purified water. The production and delivery of purified water 
is a large, worldwide industry. Purified bottled water commonly is 
delivered to millions of homes in five gallon plastic bottles. Persons who 
receive such bottled water delivery services also usually obtain dispenser 
units designed to support the bottle when inverted, usually at 
approximately counter top level. The seal of the unopened bottle is 
removed, the full bottle is lifted and inverted, and its neck is inserted 
into an open-topped reservoir of the dispenser unit. The neck of the 
bottle forms a "valve" when the water level in the reservoir reaches the 
neck of the bottle by preventing air from entering the bottle and thereby 
preventing more water from draining out of the bottle. A dispensing valve 
connected to the bottom of the reservoir allows the purified water to be 
dispensed by gravity flow into a drinking glass or the like. The 
above-described dispensing unit is relatively inexpensive. However, the 
heavy, filled five gallon water bottle must be lifted, inverted, and 
placed on the dispenser. Many people, especially older people, find it 
very difficult to lift filled five gallon bottles; injuries an accidents 
often occur during such lifting. Inconvenient spillage of water often 
occurs as the bottle is inverted and positioned over the mouth of the 
dispenser unit. Furthermore, the only way purified water can be drawn from 
the dispenser unit is by gravity flow from the spigot. Many people would 
like to have purified water supplied to ice makers, hot and/or door cold 
drinking water delivery units of their refrigerators, and other 
appliances. However, this is impossible with the above-described 
dispensing unit. 
To avoid the inconvenience of the above-described dispensing units, some 
vendors have provided various activated charcoal filtering systems that 
are connected to existing plumbing systems to remove impurities from the 
cold tap water. Pressurized water from the filter is supplied to an extra 
spigot installed adjacent to a kitchen sink or a wet bar. A tube connected 
from the charcoal filter outlet can be connected to a refrigerator ice 
maker. Replacement of the charcoal cartridges of such filter systems is 
inconvenient and somewhat expensive. Furthermore, many undesirable 
minerals and other non-organic materials, including toxic substances that 
may be present in municipal tap water are not removed by activated 
charcoal filters. 
Other vendors supply reverse osmosis filtering systems that are capable of 
supplying a few gallons of highly purified water per day. Therefore, the 
water supplied from reverse osmosis filtering systems is not adequate for 
some purposes. Furthermore, even low output reverse osmosis filtering 
systems are very expensive. 
The closest prior art is believed to be a system that utilizes a 12 volt DC 
electric pump that draws water from a built-in reservoir and supplies the 
water directly from the electric pump to a water delivery system in a 
recreational vehicle, boat, etc. A control switch in the delivery system 
is actuated to turn on the electric pump to initialize delivery of water 
from the system and is actuated again to stop delivery. This type of 
device is commonly used in recreational vehicles, such as travel trailers, 
boats and motor homes, and can remove water only from the installed 
reservoir. However, the system would be completely unsuitable for the 
purpose of supplying purified water because the installed reservoir 
ordinarily is filled with municipal water which is used to supply water to 
the bathroom facilities in those vehicles as well as to the kitchen 
faucet, appliances, etc. 
Thus, there is an unmet need for an inexpensive system that provides a 
continuous supply of pressurized purified water drawn from five gallon 
bottles of the type in which purified water is commonly delivered, located 
approximately at floor level. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly it is an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive 
apparatus for drawing purified water from a five gallon water bottle or 
the like positioned upright approximately above, below or at floor level 
to supply continuously pressurized purified water drawn from the bottle to 
a spigot, ice maker, hot and/or cold drinking water unit, coffee maker, 
refrigerator equipped with ice maker and/or door drinking water unit and 
other appliances using drinking water. 
It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the type 
described which indicates when the level of water in the bottle is low. 
It is another object of the invention to eliminate the lifting of full five 
gallon water bottles to waist-height dispensing units. 
It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the type 
described that avoids inconvenient spillage of water when an empty bottle 
is replaced with an inverted full bottle. 
It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the type 
described wherein an electric pump is disabled when the water level in the 
bottle is low, preventing the pump it from running without water. 
It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus to supply 
water from the pressurized water system to existing dispensing units that 
use the inverted bottle, so that the hot and/or cold spigots of the 
existing dispensing units can continued to be used. 
Briefly described, and in accordance with one embodiment thereof, the 
invention provides an apparatus for supplying purified pressurized water 
from an unpressurized bottle, such as a conventional five gallon purified 
water delivery bottle, including a sealed tank containing a quantity of 
pressurized air, a motorized pump having its outlet connected to pump 
water through an inlet/outlet opening into the tank, an upright tube with 
a flexible hose connected to the inlet of the pump which extends through a 
cover placed over the mouth of the bottle and extending to a level near 
the bottom of the bottle, the inlet/outlet opening being located at the 
bottom of the tank for supplying continuously pressurized water to 
utilization devices such as a faucet, coffee maker, ice maker, hot and/or 
cold water drinking water delivery unit, refrigerator, and/or other 
appliances. Use of a single inlet/outlet opening prevents turbulence that 
causes "water logging" in which compressed air in the tank is released 
through the inlet/outlet opening. In the described embodiment of the 
invention, a one-way valve is provided at the bottom of the upright tube 
for preventing leakage and spillage of residual water in the upright tube 
when it is removed from the empty bottle and inserted into a full bottle. 
In one embodiment of the invention, a device is attached to the bottom of 
the upright tube for sensing the level of water in the bottle and 
producing a control signal when the level of water in the bottle reaches a 
selected level an inch or so from the bottom. The apparatus includes a 
device for sensing the pressure in the tank and turning off the motorized 
pump when the pressure in the tank exceeds a selected maximum level and 
turning on the pump when the pressure in the tank falls below a selected 
minimum level. The control signal disables the pump when the water in the 
bottle falls below the selected level in order to prevent the pump from 
running when the water bottle is empty, and may actuate a indicator light 
responsive to the control signal which prompts a user to replace an empty 
bottle with a full one. In one described embodiment of the invention, a 
low cart supports the water bottle slightly above floor level, and is 
conveniently rolled into an under-counter space in which the apparatus is 
installed. In one embodiment of the invention, the control signal is 
produced by a weighing proximity, or light emitting device and produces 
the control signal when the water therein in the bottle falls below a 
certain level indicating that the bottle is almost empty. In one 
embodiment of the invention, the control signal is produced by means of a 
proximity or light beam device installed along the sides of the bottle. In 
one embodiment of the invention, the control signal is produced by 
detecting the difference between presence of water and presence of air by 
measuring the conductance or capacitance of water or air at the certain 
level. In one embodiment, a valve assembly is provided which extends into 
the water cavity of a conventional dispensing unit or which an inverted 
water bottle usually is placed. A delivery tube connected to the 
inlet/outlet of the tank is connected to the valve assembly, which meters 
the flow of the pressurized, purified water into the water cavity of the 
dispensing unit, which then can be used without lifting and inverting the 
water bottle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the drawings, in FIG. 1 reference numeral 10 designates a 
pressurized purified water delivery system including a pressurization 
device 11 resting on a counter surface 19, a conventional five gallon 
plastic or glass purified water bottle 14 resting on or below a floor 
surface, and a flexible hose 12 connected by an assembly 13 that extends 
inside of bottle 14. Plastic tube 12 is connected to the upper end of a 
rigid upright tube 13 extending through a cover assembly 21 nearly to the 
bottom of the interior of bottle 14. The cover assembly 21 centers the 
tube 13 in bottle 14 and provides a tight slip fit for height adjustment 
of the tube 13 in the bottle 14, and allows outside air to pass into the 
bottle 14 to replace water removed via tube 13. A one-way valve 24 is 
attached to the bottom end of upright tube 13. Also attached to the lower 
end of tube 13 is a water level sensor 25 which may be mounted inside or 
outside tube 13. An electrical cable 26 is connected to sensor 25 and 
produces a signal that indicates when the water level 22 in bottle 14 
falls below a point approximately an inch above the bottom thereof. Sensor 
25 can be a device that detects the presence of water or air by 
conductance or capacitance measurements using small electrodes encased in 
plastic inside the tube and may be integrated as part of the one way valve 
24. 
The pressurization unit receives purified water drawn through flexible tube 
12 and upright tube 13 from bottle 14, and produces a continuous supply of 
pressurized water at approximately 25 pounds to 50 pounds per square inch 
through tube 15 in the direction of the adjacent arrow to a refrigerator, 
ice making device, hot and/or cold drinking water delivery unit or other 
appliance. Pressurization unit 11 is connected by an electrical cord 35A 
to a power source. A faucet assembly 38 includes a delivery pipe 16 and 
control knob 17. Control knob 18 is optional, and can be provided if both 
hot and cold water delivery are provided. Control knob 17, and delivery 
tube 16 may be an integral unit. The pressurization unit 11 can be 
designed for 115 VAC use or designed for 12 VDC use, or both. 
The sectional view of FIG. 1A shows the operative assembly within 
pressurization unit 11. Purified water supply tube 12 is connected to the 
inlet of a pump 27, which is driven by an electrical motor 27A. Pump 27 
and pump motor 27A with pressure switch 37 can be a 200 series unit 
manufactured by SHURFLO, available in 12 VDC, 24 VDC, 115 VAC, 230 VAC, 
and can be capable of producing a nominal flow of 0 to 3.9 gallons per 
minute and uses from 0.3 amperes to 14 amperes, depending upon the 
required motor voltage. 
Pump and motor assembly 27, 27A, when energized, draw purified water from 
bottle 14 in the direction of arrow 12A, and force it in the direction of 
arrow 28A through a pipe 28 connected between the outlet of pump 27 and 
the inlet/outlet 32 of a captured air reservoir 31, which has a volume of 
at least approximately one half gallon. A pressure switch 37 is connected 
to pump 27 and senses the pressure of water 39 in tank 31, and switches 
the pump motor 27A on or off. Pressure switch 37 receives electrical power 
from electrical cord 35 (FIG. 1) and controls delivery of electrical power 
to pump motor 27A and thereby turns off pump motor 27A when a sufficient 
amount of water 39 has been pumped into tank 31 through tube 28 and to 
T-connector 2B to cause the pressure sensed by pressure switch 37 to reach 
a maximum level of approximately 50 pounds per square inch. Pressure 
switch 37 also turns on the pump motor 27A when the amount of water in 
tank 31 falls to a level that causes the pressure in the tank sensed by 
pressure switch 37 to reach a minimum level of approximately 25 pounds per 
square inch. Electrical conductors 26 are connected from sensor 25 to an 
input of level control unit 36 to turn off the pump motor when the bottle 
is nearly empty. Level control unit 36 responds to the sensor 25 signal 
control or power switch to control the pump motor 27A. One skilled in the 
art can readily provide a level control unit 36 that is identical or 
similar to various commercially available devices marketed by Red Jacket, 
Sears, and others. 
The inlet/outlet opening 32 at the bottom of pressurized tank 31 is 
connected by a pipe 32A and T-connector 32B to tube 15 to provide a 
continuous pressurized supply of water to an appliance or other 
utilization device, and may optionally be connected by a T-connector 33A 
to pipe 33 and faucet 38. 
The overall structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A perhaps can be better 
understood by reference to the schematic plumbing diagram of FIG. 2. In 
FIGS. 1, 1A, and 2 the same reference numerals are used to designate the 
same or similar elements. Reference numeral 14 again indicates the water 
bottle located approximately at floor level. It is connected by tube 12 to 
pump 27. A one-way valve, such as a one-way valve 29 in FIG. 2, which may 
be built into pump 27, is connected in series with conduit 28 to the 
T-connector 32B of pressurized accumulator tank 31. Pressure sensor switch 
37 produces pump motor control through conductors 40. The inlet/outlet 
opening on the bottom of pressurized tank 31 is connected to T-connector 
32B and tube 32 to appliance delivery tube 15, and also optionally by the 
above-mentioned T-connector 33A and tube 33 to the cold water faucet 17. 
Optionally, tube 33 also can be connected to a local electric heater unit 
30, which is connected by tube 34 to hot water faucet 18, as shown by 
dotted lines in FIG. 2. 
In operation, pressure switch 37 turns on pump motor 27A if the pressure of 
water 39 in pressurized tank 31 falls below approximately 25 pounds per 
square inch, if there is ample water in bottle 14. Pump motor 27A then 
continues to run until a sufficient amount of additional water has been 
pumped into the tank to increase the pressure to approximately 50 pounds 
per square inch, unless the bottle 14 is emptied. 
It is very important that there be only a single inlet/outlet tube 32 at 
the bottom of tank 31 in order to prevent turbulence of water inside tank 
31 when water is being simultaneously withdrawn and replenished. Such 
turbulence in the tank is highly undesirable, because it could result in 
generation of bubbles and voids in the water being released through tube 
32A, thereby reducing the pressure of air the volume 31A above water 39 in 
the tank and reducing the pressure of water supplied by the system. If 
this phenomena, referred to as "water logging" occurs, the tank becomes 
useless and the pump cycles excessively. 
If the level of the purified water in bottle 14 falls below an inch or so 
above the bottom of the bottle, water level sensor 25 sends a signal via 
conductors 26 to level control unit 36, turning pump motor 27A off so that 
pump 27 will not be damaged by running without water. Optionally, 
conductors also can be connected from the controller 36 to a low water 
level indicator light 46 (FIG. 2A), which can be mounted either on the 
housing of pressurization unit 11, or at a different convenient location 
46A. 
FIG. 2A shows an alternate embodiment of the invention suitable for 
under-counter installation. A cart 41 supported on castors such as 42 
supports water bottle 14 a few inches above the level of the floor. The 
weight of the bottle 14 is supported on a platform 43. A weight sensor 44 
indicates the weight of bottle 14 and the water therein. A signal carried 
from weight sensor 44 by conductors 26 indicates when the water level in 
the bottle 14 is below a certain level an inch or so above the bottom of 
bottle 14. This signal actuates the water level control unit 36 to turn 
off pump motor 27A to prevent the pump from running without water. 
FIG. 3 shows a suitable structure for valve 24. It includes a cylindrical 
housing with a threaded upper opening that mates with corresponding 
threads of the lower end of tube 23. A clearance hole 52 is centered in 
the bottom of housing 24A. A spring loaded plunger 53 extends through 
clearance hole below the bottom of housing 24 and contacts the bottom 
inner surface of bottle 14 when the device is installed and the assembly 
13 is in place as shown in FIG. 1. Plunger 53 is connected to a 
cylindrical valve plate 57. The upper surface of valve plate 57 engages a 
compression spring 54, the upper end of which rests against an annular 
flange 55 attached to the inner wall of housing 24A. An annular gasket 56 
is pressed between the upper surface of annular flange 55 and the rim of 
the bottom of tube 23, forming a seal. A resilient 0-ring 58 disposed in a 
suitable groove on the inner surface of the bottom of housing 24 around 
clearance hole 52 forms a seal with valve plate 57 when assembly 13 is 
being removed from bottle 14, thereby preventing residual water in tube 23 
from leaking through clearance hole 52 when assembly 13 is removed from a 
nearly empty bottle and transferred to a full one. When assembly 13 is in 
place, with cover assembly 21 over the mouth of bottle 14, plunger 53 
contacts the inner bottom surface of bottle 14, pushing valve plate 57 
upward, allowing pump 27 to draw water upward through clearance hole 52 
into tube 23, into flexible tube 12, and into the inlet of pump 27. 
In FIG. 4, an alternate weight, proximity, or light emitting/sensing device 
44A is shown. Sensing device 44A rests on floor surface 20. The bottom of 
bottle 14 rests on the platform of sensor 44A, and generates a signal on 
conductors 26 indicating that the level of purified water in bottle 14 has 
fallen below a selected level, generally one or two inches from the bottom 
of the bottle. The signals on conductor 26 then cause the level control 
unit 36 to disable the pump motor and turn on a low water level indicator 
light 46. A variety of proximity sensors are readily implementable, so 
there is no need to describe their various structures. 
FIG. 5 shows a suitable alternate structure for valve 24. In FIG. 5, an 
alternate valve and water level detection assembly 24' is connected to the 
bottom of upright tube 23, and includes a housing 64 having a lower 
surface with an inlet opening 65 therein. A rubber valve plate 64A or 
equivalent valve plate structure is movably located in volume 68 enclosed 
by housing 64. A plurality of spaced tabs 70 are attached to the bottom 69 
of housing 64. The spaces between tabs 70 allow water to be drawn through 
inlet opening 65 into the volume 68, which is in open communication with 
the passage through upright tube 23. A plurality of spaced tabs 67 
attached to the upper surface of volume 68 limit the upward movement of 
rubber valve plate 64A in the direction of arrow 66 when the pump is 
operating, drawing water through the spaces between tabs 67 into tube 23. 
When the pump is off, the weight of water in upright tube 23 and the 
weight of valve plate 64 causes it to return in the direction of arrow 71 
to seal the interior volume 68, preventing any water from leaking out of 
volume 68. 
At least the upper portion of housing 64 is electrically insulative. A 
first conductive electrode 72 is disposed on the outer surface of the 
insulative portion of housing 64, and is connected by an electrical 
conductor 26A to a resistance sensing circuit 79. A second electrode 74 is 
connected by conductor 26B to resistance sensing circuit 79. Resistance 
sensing circuit 79 is contained in controller 36. The resistance sensed 
thereby will be extremely high if the level of water in bottle 14 has 
fallen below the level of electrodes 72 and 74. The sensed resistance will 
be much lower if the level of water in the bottle is above electrodes 72 
and 74. Electrodes 72 and 74 can be located roughly an inch from the 
bottom of tabs 70, which can rest on the bottom of bottle 14. Those 
skilled in the art can easily provide a variety of sensing circuits that 
can provide the function of sense circuit 79. 
FIG. 6 shows a structure that can be placed on top of conventional gravity 
flow dispensing units. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 80 designates a 
conventional gravity flow dispenser for supporting an inverted five gallon 
purified water bottle. In normal use, the neck of the inverted water 
bottle extends into a cavity 81 that opens into the upper surface of 
dispenser 80. A rim 80A on the upper surface of dispenser 80 supports the 
shoulder of the water bottle surrounding its neck. In accordance with one 
aspect of the present invention, a shelf assembly 82 is placed on the 
upper surface of water bottle stand 80. An annular grommet 83 or the like 
attached to the under-surface of shelf 82 supports the weight of shelf 82. 
A perpendicular flange 82A extending downwardly from the bottom of shelf 
82 extends along the outer surfaces of the water bottle stand 80 to 
prevent sideways displacement of shelf 82. A valve assembly 84 is attached 
to the center of the bottom surface of shelf 82 and extends into cavity 
81. The pressurized water unit 11 can be placed on top of shelf 82. The 
pressurized water delivery tube 15 of unit 11 is routed into the valve 
assembly 84 so that the pressurized water from unit 11 is metered into 
cavity 81 to maintain a suitable level of purified water 101 therein. 
Thus, a user can continue to utilize his or her water gravity flow 
dispenser 80 without having to lift and invert the water bottle, and may 
continue to receive cold and/or hot water from the valves or spouts of the 
dispenser. 
FIG. 6 shows details of an implementation of the water valve 84. Tube 85 
has a plurality of slots 86 therein, and is rigidly attached to the bottom 
surface of shelf 82, in generally centered relationship to the top of 
cavity 81. An annular shelf 87 attached to the inner surface of the bottom 
of tube 85 has an inlet hole 88 therein. At the bottom of tube 85, a 
cylinder 95 encloses a volume 96 into which purified water delivery tube 
15 communicates via an opening 97, so that pressurized purified water from 
tube 15 is always present in chamber 96. A valve plate 94 that seals 
volume 96 from the interior of tube 85 is supported on an extension 89B of 
a float support mechanism 89. The top of float mechanism 89 is urged 
downward by a spring 91, the upper end of which is stationary with respect 
to shelf 82. A plurality of arms 89A of float support 89 extend through 
slots 86 to vertical float support uprights 89C, the bottom ends of which 
are attached to floats 93 in the water at the bottom of cavity 81. 
When the user withdraws some of the water 101 by opening a hot or cold 
water spigot, the water level in cavity falls, causing floats 93 and the 
entire float support assembly 89 to move downward, lowering valve plate 94 
and allowing pressurized water to flow upward through hole 88 and out of 
tube 85 through slots 86, thereby replenishing the withdrawn water. As the 
water level 101 rises, the float assembly 89 moves upward in the direction 
indicated by arrows 99, sealing opening 88 and preventing further water 
flow. 
The above-described embodiments of the invention provide a relatively 
inexpensive means for supplying a continuous, high pressure source of 
purified water from conventional five gallon delivery bottles. The 
inconvenience of lifting the bottles, inverting them, and placing them on 
conventional dispensing devices is avoided, and injuries and accidents and 
inconvenient spillage that often accompany lifting and inverting of the 
bottles are avoided. The described invention makes inexpensive purified 
bottled water available for delivery to refrigerators, ice makers, hot 
and/or cold water drinking water delivery systems, appliances, and to 
counter top valve and spigot assemblies, and other appliances. Changing of 
the five gallon purified water bottles is easily accomplished without 
inconvenient water spillage and cleanup. Damage to the pump by running dry 
is avoided by the described water level sensing techniques. 
While the invention has been described with reference to a particular 
embodiment thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to make various 
modifications to the described embodiment of the invention without 
departing from the true spirit and scope thereof. It is intended that all 
elements and steps which perform substantially the same function in 
substantially the same manner to achieve the same result are within the 
scope of the invention.