Abstract:
A device for providing treated materials includes a storage portion comprising an enclosed region with sidewalls, an input portion and UV-LEDs, wherein the enclosed region stores material and includes a UV-responsive material, wherein the input portion receives the material, wherein the UV-LEDs provide UV-A illumination range within the enclosed region and the UV-responsive material inhibits contaminant formation upon the sidewalls in response to the UV-A illumination, and a material treatment portion having sidewalls, UV-LEDs and an output portion, wherein the sidewalls are configured to reflect UV light, wherein material treatment portion receives the material from the storage portion, wherein the UV-LEDs provide UV-B and/or UV-C illumination to treat or sanitize the material within the material treatment portion, and wherein the output portion is for providing output of the treated material.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present invention is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/672,077, filed Mar. 27, 2015 and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/187,169, filed Jun. 30, 2015. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to sanitation of consumable materials. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatus for facilitating sanitation of liquids such as water or juices and solids such as ice, or the like. 
         [0003]    A problem recognized by the inventors is that although water stored in water bottles may be relatively safe to drink, the exterior portions of the water bottles may have many types of contaminants. These contaminants may originate from the water bottle factory, from road dirt during transport of the water bottle, from storage of the water bottle prior to use, and the like. The inventors have discovered that contaminants may be introduced into the water when the bottle is inverted and placed into a water dispenser, and when the water splashes out into a water receiving portion. Further, the inventors have discovered that typical water dispenser (or, water coolers) may be ideal locations for growth of molds, fungus, germs and other pathogens because of humid and dark conditions of water dispenser. 
         [0004]    The inventors have considered the idea of using UV light derived from the most common source of UV-illumination, low-pressure or medium-pressure mercury vapor bulbs to destroy the pathogens within the interior surfaces of a water dispenser. Such a concept, however, has many drawbacks. Some drawbacks include that the limited life span (1000 to 5000 hours) for mercury vapor bulbs makes it unsuitable for water dispensers that are designed for years of service; and that turning on and off a mercury vapor bulb greatly reduces the bulb&#39;s life span. Additional drawbacks include that such bulbs do not operate efficiently in colder temperatures, such as a chilled-water storage containers. Further, if mercury bulbs break, poisonous mercury may leech into the water, without anyone being aware of it. For such reasons, the inventors do not believe it is practical to use vapor-based UV-lights to maintain sanitation of water dispensers. 
         [0005]    The inventors have also considered the idea of using antimicrobial-laced materials (e.g. silver-based) within a water dispenser. Although such materials appear effective in reducing pathogen growth on the surfaces of such materials, it does not reduce pathogens in the water itself. Further, the inventors are concerned about the long-term effects of such materials leaching into the water supply and human consumption of such antimicrobial compounds. 
         [0006]    The inventors of the present invention have come to believed that improved apparatus and methods for providing liquids safe for consumption is desirable. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Embodiments of the present invention include a water dispenser comprising an intake portion and a storage portion. Sidewalls of the intake portion and the storage portion may be coated with one or more photo-reactive materials that are reactive to UV illumination, and include one or more UV light emitting diodes (LEDs) that output light within the UV-A spectral range (UV-A, UV-B and UV-C are defined as: UV-A from 400 nm to 315 nm, UV-B from 315 nm to 280 nm, and UV-C from 280 nm to 100 nm). In various embodiments, the UV-LEDs output UV light, strike the reactive materials, and generate free-radicals from the water and vapor, within the region of the sidewalls. In turn, the free-radicals attack contaminants formed on and in the proximity from the sidewalls, such as mold, mildew, or the like, prevent such formation on the sidewalls, and the like. Accordingly, formation of contaminants within the intake portion and storage portion are reduced. 
         [0008]    Additionally, in various embodiments, the water dispenser may include a sanitation portion that receives water from the storage portion. This portion may include an open-ended volumetric region formed of material that is UV reflective and one or more UV-LEDs that output light within the UV-B and/or UV-C (hereby and below referred to as the UV-B and/or C LEDs) range. In various embodiments, the UV-LEDs output UV light directly or indirectly to the water within the volumetric region to attack contaminants within the water. Accordingly, contaminants (including pathogens) with the water are reduced, and the water is made more safe for consumption. 
         [0009]    In some embodiments, various timers and power adjustment parameters may be used to control the UV-A-LEDs and the UV-B and/or C-LEDs. In such embodiments, one or more sensors may be included to determine a contamination level of the water, for example, and the output parameters of the UV-LEDs may be adjusted, accordingly. For example, in some examples, a voltage magnitude may be changed, a duty cycle may be changed, an on time may be changed, and the like. As an example of this, for highly contaminated water, the power applied to UV-C-LEDs may be increased, and the duration of the UV-B and/or C illumination of the water within the sanitation portion may also be increased. 
         [0010]    In other embodiments, a detected water contamination level, UV-LED illumination and power parameters, and the like may be stored within an on-board memory. Such data may be accessed or monitored by a user, for example, via a smartphone application. In other embodiments, such data may be automatically uploaded to a remote server. The remote server may receive data from a multitude of water customers and thus be able to track water quality over a wide-geographic area. 
         [0011]    Various embodiments described herein are directed to water, however, it should be understood that embodiments herein are also directed to dispensing other types of liquids, including carbonated water, juices, milk, beer and the like; and dispensing of solid materials, such as ice. In other embodiments, instead of separate water bottle, a waterline may be coupled to the water dispenser/cooler for supplying water. Such embodiments may still include UV-LED illumination (e.g. UVA/B or C) within a water storage portion and UV-LED illumination (UVB and/or C) within a water output portion. 
         [0012]    According to one aspect of the present invention, a device for providing treated material is disclosed. One device includes a material storage portion comprising an enclosed region having sidewalls, an input portion and at least one first UV-LED, wherein the enclosed region is for storing material, wherein a UV-responsive material is disposed upon the sidewalls, wherein the input portion is for receiving the material, wherein the first UV-LED is for providing UV-A illumination within the UV-A frequency range within the enclosed region, wherein the UV-responsive material inhibits contaminant formation upon the sidewalls in response to the UV-A illumination. One apparatus includes a material treatment portion coupled to the material storage portion, wherein the material treatment portion comprises a treatment region having sidewalls, an input portion, at least one second UV-LED and an output portion, wherein the sidewalls are configured to reflect UV light, wherein the input portion is for receiving the material from the material storage portion, wherein the second UV-LED is for providing UV-B and/or C illumination within the UV-B and/or C frequency range to material within the material treatment portion, wherein the material within the material treatment portion is treated in response to the UV-B and/or C illumination, and wherein the output portion is for providing output of the treated material. 
         [0013]    Another aspect of the present invention includes methods for providing treated materials. One technique includes receiving material through an input portion of an enclosed container, storing the material within the enclosed container, and illuminating sidewalls of an enclosed container with UV-A illumination within the UV-A frequency range with a first UV-LED, wherein the sidewalls of the enclosed container comprise a UV-responsive material, wherein the sidewalls generate a plurality of free-radicals within material proximate to the sidewalls, and wherein the free-radicals inhibit contaminant formation upon the sidewalls. A process includes receiving a portion of the material from the enclosed container in a treatment region of a material treatment portion, wherein the treatment region comprises sidewalls, illuminating the portion of the material with UV-B and/or C illumination within the UV-B and/or C frequency range with the second UV-LED, wherein the sidewalls of the treatment region reflect UV-C illumination, wherein the portion of the material within the treatment region is treated in response to the UV-B and/or C illumination and forms treated material, and providing output of the treated material to one or more users. 
         [0014]    Various additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention can be more fully appreciated with reference to the detailed description and accompanying drawings that follow 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    In order to more fully understand the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings are not to be considered limitations in the scope of the invention, the presently described embodiments and the presently understood best mode of the invention are described with additional detail through use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates a diagram of an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIGS. 2A-C  illustrate a block diagram of a method of operation according to various embodiments of the present invention; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of portions of various embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates a diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. More specifically,  FIG. 1  is a diagram of a typical water cooler  100  found in many homes and businesses in the US and other countries. As shown, water cooler  100  includes a receiving portion  110  adapted to receive a water source (e.g. water bottle)  120 , a central storage tank  130  for storage of water  140 , and an output portion  150 . In various embodiments, water source  120  and/or central storage tank  130  may be of any size, for example 1 cup to 10&#39;s of gallons or even larger. In some embodiments, water source  120 , central storage tank  130 , and output portion  150  may be located at the same physical device, or remote from each other. For example, in some embodiments, water source  120  may be a water tank in a dwelling, a municipal water supply, or the like, and a water line is connected to the central storage tank  130 . Additionally, central storage tank  130  can supply liquids to one or more output portions  150 . 
         [0020]    In various embodiments, central storage tank  130  and/or receiving portion  110  includes one or more UV-LEDs  170  disposed therein. In some configurations, UV-LEDs  170  may be embedded (e.g. flush with or protruding into) the sidewalls of storage tank  130 , may be disposed behind one or more UV transparent regions (e.g. glass, Teflon, etc.) of the sidewalls, or the like. In some embodiments, UV-LEDs  170  are configured to output UV light primarily in the UV-A frequency range, although in other embodiments the UV-LEDs may also be configured to output UV light primarily in the UV-B and/or C frequency range, or the like. 
         [0021]    In various embodiments, the sidewalls of central storage tank  130  and/or receiving portion  110  may include a material coating  180 . Material coating  180  comprises one or more materials that are reactive to the UV light from UV-LEDs  170 . In some embodiments, material coating  180  includes TiO2, a UV reactive material, or the like. Central storage tank  130  may also include one or more heating or cooling elements  190 . In some embodiments elements  190  may also include a material coating that may be reactive to UV light, may be UV reflective, or the like. 
         [0022]    In some embodiments, when UV light directly or indirectly strikes material coating  180  it generates free-radicals  185  in the water (liquid or vapor) adjacent thereto. For example, when UV-A light strikes a TiO2 material coating, it generates H+ and OH− ions from water. In turn, the free-radicals attack contaminants that are disposed on material coating  180 , such as mold, mildew, bacteria or the like. Accordingly, in various embodiments, growth of contaminants on the sidewalls is greatly reduced or inhibited. Additionally, when water  140  is circulated within central storage tank  130 , water  140  may be treated or sanitized to some degree  145 . In some embodiments, storage tanks  130  may include one or more protrusions, or the like that increases the surface area of the reactive material in contact with water  140 . Such embodiments may increase the amount of treatment of water  140 . 
         [0023]    In various embodiments, the water dispenser may include an output/sanitation portion  150  that receives water from the storage portion  140 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , output portion  150  includes a housing  200  (e.g. open-ended) that roughly defines a volumetric region where water  140  is subject to further treatment. In various embodiments, output portion  150  includes one or more UV-LEDs  210 . In some configurations, UV-LEDs  210  may be embedded (e.g. flush with or protruding into) the sidewalls of housing  200 , may be disposed behind one or more UV transparent regions (e.g. glass, Teflon, etc.) of the sidewalls, or the like. In some embodiments, UV-LEDs  210  are configured to output UV light primarily in the UV-B and/or C frequency range, although in other embodiments the UV-LEDs may also be configured to output UV light primarily in the UV-A frequency range, or the like. 
         [0024]    In various embodiments, housing  200  may be made of a material or may or include a coating of one or more materials that are reflect the UV light from UV-LEDs  210 . In some embodiments, material or material coating includes stainless steel, aluminum, Teflon, UV reflective material, or the like. 
         [0025]    In some embodiments, UV light from UV-LEDs  210  is directed towards water  140  within housing  200 . When the UV light strikes housing  200 , it reflects the UV light back towards water  140 . In various embodiments, as the UV-B and/or C light from UV-LEDs  210  strikes water  140  it sanitizes or treats water  140  and reduces any pathogens, e.g. germs, viruses, bacteria, prions, therein, as illustrated. 
         [0026]    Additionally, UV light from UV-LEDs  210  may be directed towards one or more water spouts  230 . In such embodiments, UV-B and/or C light may be used to reduce surface contaminants on water spouts  230 . For example, if a child places their mouth directly upon water spout  230  and leaves contaminants  235 , the UV-C light will sanitize the spout for subsequent users. In such embodiments, blue-color LEDs or the like may also be included to visually indicate to users when UV-LEDs  210  are active. 
         [0027]    In some embodiments, UV-LEDs  170  and  210  may be continually active, or periodically active, depending upon sanitation requirements, quality of water, ambient temperature, ambient humidity, or the like. As merely examples, UV-LEDs  170  may be powered and may provide UV-A light at 100% intensity within storage tank  130  for five minutes every hour; may provide UV-A light at 50% intensity for one minute every ten minutes; may provide UV-A light at 100% intensity, but with a 50% duty cycle for five minutes every hour; or the like. As mentioned above, the amount of UV light may depend upon a number of factors such as temperature, water quality, and the like. As merely examples, UV-LEDs  210  may be powered and may periodically provide UV-B and/or C light at 50% intensity when water  140  has a first threshold of clarity and may periodically provide UV-B and/or C light at 80% intensity when water  140  has a second water quality; may periodically provide UV-B and/or C light one minute every five minutes when water  140  or an ambient temperature is at a first temperature and may provide UV-B and/or C light one minute every ten minutes when water  140  or an ambient is at a second temperature. In various embodiments, the UV-LEDs may be driven under a different set of conditions when a high water flow rate is detected. For example, UV-LEDs  210  may be powered and may provide UV-B and/or C light continuously at 100% when a maximum water flow rate is detected, and for one minute thereafter. Subsequent to the one minute, the UV-LEDs  210  may be driven by their default pattern, or the like. In light of the present disclosure, other combinations of intensity, duty cycle, and periodicity should be envisioned in alternative embodiments by one of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0028]    In various embodiments, UV-LEDs  170  and  210  may be driven by LED drivers  240  and controlled by processor  250 . Various patterns or schedules for driving UV-LEDs  170  and  210  may be stored in memory  260 , or the like. Also included in various embodiments of water cooler  100  is a communication module  270  that allows for transfer of data (e.g. water quality data, usage data, and the like) to a user and/or a remote server. Further details regarding possible supporting hardware will be given below. 
         [0029]      FIGS. 2A-C  illustrate a block diagram of a method of operation according to various embodiments of the present invention, with reference to  FIG. 1 . Initially, a user places water bottle  120  onto receiving portion  110  of water cooler  100 , step  300 . As illustrated, water  140  and contaminants  175  (within in water  140  and/or on the exterior surface) are received by water cooler  100  and then transported to storage tank  130 , step  310 . In various embodiments, a number of parameters may be measured of water  140  and/or the ambient conditions, such as humidity, temperature, water clarity, pH, and the like, step  320 . These parameters may be stored in an on-board memory  260  and/or uploaded to a remote server, step  330 . In various embodiments, on-board memory may be accessed locally via a user via a smart phone application, or the like, via Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth, or the like. Additionally, the parameters may be accessed by or provided to a remote sever via the user&#39;s smart phone application, via a wired or wireless communication mechanism (e.g. Wi-Fi, 4G, or the like). 
         [0030]    Based upon one or more parameters, processor  350  determines the amount of UV light to output to storage tank  130  via UV-LEDs  170 , step  340 . In various embodiments, one or more combinations of intensity, duty cycle, periodicity, and the like are determined, as discussed above. Power is then selectively provided to UV-LEDs  170 , step  350 . The UV-A light is then provided to storage tank  130  and/or receiving portion  110 , to reduce the amount of surface contaminants, step  360 . 
         [0031]    Additionally, upon one or more parameters, processor  250  determines the amount of UV light to output to output portion  150  via UV-LEDs  210 , step  370 . In various embodiments, one or more combinations of intensity, duty cycle, periodicity, water flow rate, and the like are determined, as discussed above. Power is then selectively provided to UV-LEDs  210 , step  380 . The UV-B and/or C light is then provided to water  140  within housing  200  and/or output spout  230 , to reduce the amount of pathogens in water  140 , step  390 . When the user operates output spout  230  water with reduced amounts of pathogens is output, step  400 . 
         [0032]    In various embodiments, a water flow rate is measured, step  410 . When the water flow rate exceeds a threshold, step  420 , processor  250  determines an updated amount of UV light to output to output portion  150  via UV-LEDs  210 , step  430 . These steps are directed to a situation with high flow rate or high volume draw. In such cases, it is possible that some water  140  within housing  200  may not have been exposed to sufficient UV-B and/or C light prior to being output, accordingly, in these steps, the amount of UV-B and/or C light may be maximized or increased to quickly reduce the contaminants within the water within housing  200 . The high power output for UV-LEDs  210  continues until a certain amount of time has elapsed, step  440 . The process can then return to step  380 . 
         [0033]    In some embodiments, the various water quality parameters, ambient parameters, water draw, or the like are stored in memory  260 , step  450 . A user may access such data via smart phone, computer, or the like, step  460 . Additionally, such data may be sent to a remote server, step  470 . In various embodiments, the data may be automatically sent to the remote server and/or the remote server may request such data from the water dispenser. 
         [0034]    In alternative embodiments, other types of parameters may be stored within a memory and provided to the user and/or a remote user. For example, in some embodiments, a water dispenser may include an active filter cartridge to help reduce chemical contaminants, particles, or the like. In some embodiments the amount of water drawn from water dispenser may be measured and when a threshold amount is reached, water dispenser may alert the user or the remote server that the filter should be changed. 
         [0035]      FIG. 3  illustrates a functional block diagram of various embodiments of the present invention. In particular,  FIG. 3  illustrates more detailed electronic computation, communications, and driving portions of a water (or other media) dispenser. In  FIG. 3 , a device  500  may include one or more processors  510 . Such processors  510  may also be termed application processors, and may include a processor core, a video/graphics core, and other cores. Processors  510  may be a processor from Apple (S1), Intel (Quark SE), NVidia (Tegra K1, X1), Marvell (Armada), Qualcomm (Snapdragon), Samsung, TI (OMAP), or the like. In various embodiments, the processor core may be an Intel processor, an ARM Holdings processor such as the Cortex-A, -M, -R or ARM series processors, or the like. Other processing capability may include audio processors, interface controllers, and the like. It is contemplated that other existing and/or later-developed processors may be used in various embodiments of the present invention, including processors having greater processing capability (e.g. Intel Core) 
         [0036]    In various embodiments, memory  520  may include different types of memory (including memory controllers), such as flash memory (e.g. NOR, NAND), pseudo SRAM, DDR SDRAM, or the like. Memory  520  may be fixed within device  500  or removable (e.g. SD, SDHC, MMC, MINI SD, MICRO SD, CF, and SIM). The above are examples of computer readable tangible media that may be used to store embodiments of the present invention, such as computer-executable software code (e.g. firmware, application programs), application data, operating system data or the like. It is contemplated that other existing and/or later-developed memory and memory technology may be used in various embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0037]    In various embodiments, display  530  may be provided based upon a variety of current or later display technology including displays having touch-response, (e.g. resistive displays, capacitive displays, optical sensor displays, electromagnetic resonance, or the like). Any later-developed or conventional output display technology may be used for the output display, such as TFT-LCD, OLED, Plasma, trans-reflective (Pixel Qi), electronic ink (e.g. electrophoretic, electrowetting, interferometric modulating). In various embodiments, the resolution of such displays and the resolution of such touch sensors may be set based upon engineering or non-engineering factors (e.g. sales, marketing). In some embodiments of the present invention, a display output port, such as an HDMI-based port or DVI-based port may also be included. In various embodiments, display  530  may include status lights and informational displays regarding the status of device  500 . 
         [0038]    In some embodiments of the present invention, water analysis module  550  may be provided and include multiple UV-LED light sources, each having unique UV light output frequencies, and one or more optical sensors. In various embodiment, UV-LED light sources have a relative narrow output peak (e.g. on the order of 10 nm to 20 nm, or 20 nm to 30 nm), and are embodied as UV-LEDs currently being developed by the current assignee of the present application. The narrow output peaks allows embodiments of the present invention to differentiate between different types of contaminants and impurities. For example 210 nm to 250 nm range can detect Nitrites (NO2) and Nitrates (NO3), 250 nm to 380 nm can detect Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), 
         [0039]    Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Color (Hazen), Assimilable Organic Carbon (AOC, 240 nm and 300 nm range can detect Ozone, 360 to 395 nm can detect Benzene, Toluene and Xylene (BTX) and Turbidity (NTU) and the like. In some embodiments, a single water analysis module  550  may only analyze purified water, or may analyze incoming and purified water. In other embodiments, two water analysis modules  550  are provided, one for incoming water, and one for purified (treated) water. 
         [0040]    In various embodiments, mechanical/chemical purification module  560  may be provided and include one or more porous membranes to filter-out contaminants particles suspended in the water. Additionally, module  560  may include any number of chemicals to reduce chemical contaminants in the water. In some examples, module  560  may include an activated charcoal filter to reduce chlorine and TOC (total organic carbon), DOC (dissolved organic carbon), COD (chemical oxygen demand), TOC, DOC and COD and the like. In various embodiments, incoming water is treated with module  560  prior to treatment with UV module  570 . 
         [0041]    In various embodiments, UV module  570  includes UV-A LEDs  170  and UV-B and/or C LEDs  210  to expose water  140  and walls of water storage  530  to different ranges of UV light to destroy different types of pathogens. In some examples, multiple frequencies of light are used to treat water  140 . For example, UV light in the 214 nm range is used to destroy MS2 coliphage, UV light in the 265 nm range is used to destroy  B. subtilis  and the like. In some embodiments, UV module  570  may also include embodiments of UV-LEDs under development by the current assignee. Such embodiments may directly target the pathogens determined in water analysis module  550  on the incoming water. For example, if only  B. subtilis  is detected in module  550 , only UV-LEDs having an output range of about 260 nm to about 270 nm can be activated, to attack the  B. subtilis . In other embodiments, a broad-band UV light source, e.g. medium pressure UV bulb may also be used, to purify the water, regardless of whether any pathogens are detected. 
         [0042]    In some embodiments, a photo detector, such as a photodiode, or a PMT (photomultiplier), or a spectrometer, can be used in the system to monitor optical signal generated by the UV-LED when transmitted through the water. 
         [0043]    In some embodiments, GPS receiving capability may also be included in various embodiments of the present invention, however is not required. The GPS functionality may provide the remote server with the geographic location of device  500 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 3  is representative of one device  500  capable of embodying the present invention. It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many other hardware and software configurations are suitable for use with the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention may include at least some but need not include all of the functional blocks illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Further, it should be understood that multiple functional blocks may be embodied into a single physical package or device, and various functional blocks may be divided and be performed among separate physical packages or devices. 
         [0045]    Further embodiments can be envisioned to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this disclosure. For example, device  500  may be powered by any number of sources  600  including: AC from a wall outlet, solar-derived power, battery, manual crank or the like. 
         [0046]    In other embodiments, combinations or sub-combinations of the above disclosed invention can be advantageously made. For example, in  FIG. 1 , one or more UV wave guides may extend from the bottom surface. Such embodiments could increase the diffusion of UV light. In another embodiment, the filter in the filtration process may include TiO2 material inside, where upon water will flow through the filter and be exposed to the surface of the TiO2 material (TiO2 nano particle, thin film, micro sphere, powder, etc.) UV light may be optionally delivered to the TiO2 material located inside the filter via light guiding technology, such as optical fiber or optical light guide blades. Such embodiments will increase the surface area of the TiO2 material exposed to the liquid, thus the oxidation capability will increase. In some embodiments, the UV illumination in the central water tank may be UV-A, UV-B, and/or UV-C light. In various embodiments, an existing water cooler, or the like may be retrofitted with the above-described capability. For example, in some embodiments, a UV-reactive material may be added into a central water tank in an existing water dispenser may and UV sources may be provided to illuminate the UV-reactive liner material. In some embodiments, the UV-reactive material may be disposed upon a substrate, e.g. plastic. In other embodiments, a UV-B and/or C water output treatment portion (e.g.  150 ) may be installed on an existing water cooler. The block diagrams of the architecture and flow charts are grouped for ease of understanding. However it should be understood that combinations of blocks, additions of new blocks, re-arrangement of blocks, and the like are contemplated in alternative embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0047]    The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.