Patent ID: 7175760

Claim:
A apparatus for treating and dispensing potable water, comprising: a housing ( 12 ) having a housing base ( 13 ); a potable water reservoir ( 14 ) disposed within said housing ( 12 ) and having a reservoir base ( 20 ) positioned at an elevation above said housing base ( 13 ); a reservoir inlet ( 36 ) adapted to receive water from a source external to said housing ( 12 ) with means ( 40 , 38 ) for defining a maximum water level within said reservoir ( 14 ); a closed recirculation line ( 16 ) external to the reservoir ( 14 ) having a recirculation line inlet ( 18 ) connected to the reservoir ( 14 ) disposed at said housing base ( 13 ) and a recirculation line outlet ( 22 ) connected to the reservoir above an elevation of said maximum water level, whereby water is urged to flow under influence of gravity from said reservoir ( 14 ) and through said recirculation line ( 16 ) to an elevation in said recirculation line ( 16 ) in common with an elevation of water within said reservoir ( 14 ); a water treatment mechanism ( 26 ) in the recirculation line ( 16 ) between the recirculation line inlet ( 18 ) and the recirculation line outlet ( 22 ), the treatment mechanism ( 26 ) comprising an ultraviolet lamp ( 28 ), said water treatment apparatus ( 26 ) adapted for treating water flowing through said recirculation line ( 16 ), said water treatment apparatus ( 26 ) having a treatment passageway ( 32 ) disposed at an elevation above said housing base ( 13 ) and with at least a portion of said treatment passageway ( 32 ) disposed beneath said maximum water level; a pump ( 24 ) connected to the recirculation line ( 16 ) for pumping potable water through the recirculation line ( 16 ), said pump ( 24 ) disposed at said reservoir base ( 20 ), said pump ( 24 ) adapted to permit water to pass through said pump ( 24 ) in response to gravity force on water within said reservoir ( 14 ); a first potable water dispensing outlet ( 42 ), separate from the recirculation line ( 16 ) connected to the reservoir ( 14 ) at said reservoir base ( 13 ) for gravity flow of water from said reservoir ( 14 ) and out of said first potable water outlet ( 42 ); and a second potable water dispensing outlet ( 44 ), separate from the recirculation line ( 16 ), connected to the reservoir ( 14 ) at said reservoir base ( 13 ) for gravity flow of water from said reservoir ( 14 ) and out of said second potable water outlet ( 44 ).