Water supply system and method of producing carbonated water

Abstract

To provide a water supply system capable of supplying carbonated water containing mineral components.SOLUTION: A water supply system 1 has: a reverse osmosis membrane 7 that separates raw water into permeate water and concentrated water; a carbonated water unit 3 that mixes permeate water and carbon dioxide gas to produce first carbonated water; and a first water supply box 6 that can supply second carbonated water produced by mixing the first carbonated water and mineral components to a first container r1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water supply system and a method for producing carbonated water. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, water supply devices installed in supermarkets and the like have been known. The water supply device is configured so that after a user sets a container such as a bottle in the water supply device, the user operates a touch panel, for example, to supply water to the set container. For example, the water supply device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured so that carbonated water is generated by mixing carbon dioxide gas with permeated water generated by filtering raw water through a reverse osmosis membrane, and then the carbonated water is supplied to the container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-81132 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] By the way, carbonated water dispensed from a water dispenser may be mixed with alcoholic beverages such as whiskey and consumed. Carbonated water that contains mineral components is sometimes preferred for mixing with alcoholic beverages.

[0005] However, in a water supply device such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1, when producing permeate water from raw water, the mineral components contained in the raw water are removed by the reverse osmosis membrane, which means that it is not possible to supply carbonated water containing these mineral components.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned points, and its object is to provide a water supply system capable of supplying carbonated water containing mineral components, and a method for producing carbonated water. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the present invention is a water supply system comprising a reverse osmosis membrane that separates raw water into permeate and concentrated water, a carbonated water generation unit that mixes the permeate with carbon dioxide gas to generate first carbonated water, and a first water supply unit capable of supplying second carbonated water generated by mixing the first carbonated water with mineral components to a container. According to the present invention configured in this way, when permeated water is obtained from raw water, mineral components contained in the raw water are removed by the reverse osmosis membrane, but by mixing the first carbonated water produced by mixing the permeated water with carbon dioxide gas and the mineral components, a second carbonated water containing mineral components is produced. The second carbonated water can be supplied to a container such as a bottle of a user by the first water supply unit.

[0008] In the present invention, preferably, the carbonated water production section has a cooling section which produces cold water by cooling the permeated water, and the first water supply section is capable of supplying the cold water to the container. According to the present invention configured as described above, cold water can be supplied to the container from the first water supply section, thereby satisfying the needs of users who require cold water.

[0009] In the present invention, the first water supply section is preferably capable of supplying cold mineral water generated by mixing the cold water with the mineral components to the container. According to the present invention configured as described above, it is possible to supply cold mineral water from the first water supply unit to the container, thereby satisfying the needs of users who desire cold mineral water.

[0010] In the present invention, preferably, the apparatus further comprises a second water supply section capable of supplying the permeated water at room temperature to another container. According to the present invention configured as described above, it is possible to supply the permeated water at room temperature from the second water supply section to the container, thereby satisfying the needs of users who require permeated water at room temperature.

[0011] In the present invention, preferably, the water supply system further comprises a mineral liquid storage section for storing mineral liquid, a first flow path section connecting the reverse osmosis membrane and the carbonated water production section, a second flow path section connecting the carbonated water production section and the first water supply section, and a third flow path section through which the mineral liquid leaving the mineral liquid storage section flows, and the third flow path section is connected to the second flow path section. According to the present invention configured in this manner, the mineral liquid stored in the mineral liquid storage section can be mixed with the first carbonated water flowing through the second flow path section via the third flow path section, thereby producing a second carbonated water containing mineral components.

[0012] In the present invention, the third flow path portion is preferably provided with an adjustment portion for adjusting the amount of the mineral liquid to be mixed with the first carbonated water. According to the present invention configured in this manner, the hardness of the second carbonated water can be changed by adjusting the amount of mineral liquid mixed into the first carbonated water with the adjusting unit. This allows the water supply system to supply the second carbonated water with a hardness that matches the user's preference from the first water supply unit, for example.

[0013] In the present invention, preferably, the container further comprises a second water supply section capable of supplying the permeated water to another container, a fourth flow path section connecting the reverse osmosis membrane and the second water supply section, and a fifth flow path section through which the mineral liquid leaving the mineral liquid storage section flows, and the fifth flow path section is connected to the fourth flow path section. According to the present invention configured as described above, it is possible to supply permeate water containing mineral components from the second water supply section, which satisfies the needs of users who want both carbonated water containing mineral components and permeate water containing mineral components.

[0014] In the present invention, it is preferable that the device further comprises a device main body, and the first water supply section is attached to the outer surface of the device main body. According to the present invention configured as described above, the first water supply section is attached to the outer surface of the device body, which increases the degree of freedom in designing the attachment position of the first water supply section.

[0015] In the present invention, it is preferable that the device further includes a main body, the first water supply unit having a first water supply box attached to the outer surface of the main body, and the second water supply unit having a second water supply box configured to be able to accommodate the other container within the main body. According to the present invention configured in this way, the first water supply box capable of supplying carbonated water containing mineral components is attached to the outer surface of the device body. This eliminates the need to install a separate device for supplying carbonated water in addition to the device for supplying permeate water, thereby preventing the water supply system from becoming large.

[0016] In the present invention, the first water supply box is preferably detachably attached to the device body. According to the present invention configured in this way, for example, by attaching the first water supply box to an apparatus that supplies permeated water and is provided with only the second water supply box, it is possible to make the apparatus capable of supplying permeated water and carbonated water. This makes it unnecessary to install a separate water supply device that supplies carbonated water in addition to the water supply device that supplies permeated water, thereby suppressing the enlargement of the water supply system.

[0017] In the present invention, preferably, the device main body has a front surface, a right side surface and a left side surface, the first water supply box is attached to at least one of the right side surface and the left side surface, and an openable and closable water supply door is provided on the front surface of each of the first water supply box and the second water supply box. According to the present invention configured in this manner, a user can open and close each water supply door from the front side of the device body to set containers in each water supply box and remove containers from each water supply box.

[0018] In the present invention, the first water supply box is preferably smaller in width than the second water supply box. According to the present invention configured in this manner, the first water supply box, which has a relatively small width dimension, is attached to the side of the device main body, thereby reducing the amount of lateral protrusion of the device main body compared to when the second water supply box, which has a relatively large width dimension, is attached to the side of the device main body.

[0019] In the present invention, preferably, the first water supply box is attached to the middle part in the vertical direction of at least one of the right side portion and the left side portion, and the carbonated water generation unit is arranged below the first water supply box and so as to overlap the first water supply box in a plan view. According to the present invention configured as described above, by disposing the carbonated water generating unit below the first water supply box, the dead space below the first water supply box can be effectively utilized as an installation space for the carbonated water generating unit, thereby making it possible to make the water supply system compact.

[0020] In the present invention, preferably, the upper end of the carbonated water producing section is set at a position lower than the lower end of the first water supply box. According to the present invention configured as described above, since the upper end of the carbon dioxide generating unit is set at a position lower than the lower end of the first water supply box, it is easy to arrange the carbonated water generating unit in the dead space below the first water supply box, which allows the water supply system to be made compact.

[0021] In the present invention, preferably, the first water supply box and the second water supply box are arranged side by side in the width direction of the device main body, and the second water supply box is arranged offset from the first water supply box in the device main body in the direction away from the width direction. According to the present invention configured in this manner, the first water supply box and the second water supply box are spaced apart in the width direction of the device body in the parallel arrangement direction, making it easier to set containers in each water supply box and remove containers from each water supply box than if the two boxes were close to each other.

[0022] In the present invention, the front portion is preferably provided with a front door that can be opened and closed via a hinge, and the first water supply box is attached to the opposite side to the hinge in the width direction of the device body. According to the present invention configured in this manner, it is possible to prevent interference between the front door and the first water supply box when the front door is opened.

[0023] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is a water supply system comprising a reverse osmosis membrane that separates raw water into permeate and concentrated water, and a water supply section capable of supplying carbonated water generated by mixing the permeate with carbon dioxide gas and mineral components to a container. According to the present invention configured as described above, when permeated water is obtained from raw water, the mineral components contained in the raw water are removed by the reverse osmosis membrane, but by mixing the permeated water, carbon dioxide gas, and the mineral components, carbonated water containing the mineral components is produced. The carbonated water can be supplied to a container such as a bottle of a user by the water supply unit.

[0024] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the present invention provides a method for producing carbonated water that can be used to supply water to a container set in a water supply section, comprising the steps of: separating raw water into permeate and concentrated water using a reverse osmosis membrane; mixing the permeate with carbon dioxide gas to produce first carbonated water; and mixing the first carbonated water with mineral components to produce second carbonated water. According to the present invention configured as described above, when permeated water is obtained from raw water, mineral components contained in the raw water are removed by the reverse osmosis membrane, and the first carbonated water produced by mixing the permeated water with carbon dioxide gas is mixed with the mineral components to produce a second carbonated water containing mineral components. This makes it possible to produce a second carbonated water containing mineral components that can be used to supply water to a container such as a bottle of a user that is set in the water supply unit.

[0025] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the present invention provides a method for producing carbonated water that can be used to supply water to a container set in a water supply section, comprising a step of separating raw water into permeate and concentrated water using a reverse osmosis membrane, and a step of producing carbonated water by mixing the permeate with carbon dioxide gas and mineral components. According to the present invention configured in this way, when permeated water is obtained from raw water, the mineral components contained in the raw water are removed by the reverse osmosis membrane, but carbonated water containing mineral components is produced by mixing the permeated water, carbon dioxide gas, and the mineral components. This makes it possible to use the device to supply water to a container such as a bottle set in the water supply unit, for example, and to produce carbonated water containing mineral components. Effect of the Invention

[0026] As described above, according to the present invention, a water supply system capable of supplying carbonated water containing mineral components and a method for producing carbonated water can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic overall view showing the configuration of a water supply system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a front view showing a water supply system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing the water supply system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a side view showing a water supply system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of control executed by the water supply system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of control executed by the water supply system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a schematic overall view showing the configuration of a water supply system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: It should be noted that the following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature.

[0029] 1 shows a water supply system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The water supply system 1 includes a water supply device 2, a carbonated water unit 3, and a gas cylinder 4. The water supply system 1 is configured to produce carbonated water and permeated water from raw water (tap water), and to supply the produced carbonated water and permeated water to a user's container (e.g., a plastic bottle). In this embodiment, the water supply device 2 (water supply system 1) is, for example, a water vending machine installed in a supermarket or the like.

[0030] The water supply device 2 includes a device main body 5 and a first water supply box 6.

[0031] The device main body 5 is equipped with a reverse osmosis membrane (RO membrane) 7. The reverse osmosis membrane 7 is configured to remove components dissolved in water, such as E. coli, fungi, viruses, organic chlorine compounds such as trihalomethanes, asbestos, arsenic, nitrate nitrogen, fluorine, lead, aluminum, minerals, etc., contained in the raw water, and extract permeated water (RO water). A first flow path 8, a second flow path 9, and a third flow path 10 are connected to the reverse osmosis membrane 7.

[0032] The first flow path 8 is a flow path for supplying raw water to the reverse osmosis membrane 7. An upstream end of the first flow path 8 is connected to a water pipe 11, and raw water is supplied from the water pipe 11 to the first flow path 8. In this embodiment, the raw water includes tap water supplied from the water pipe 11 and water obtained by filtering the tap water with a sediment filter 24 and a carbon filter 25 described below.

[0033] In addition, in the first flow path 8, a check valve 21, a first electromagnetic valve 22, a first flow meter 23, a sediment filter 24, a carbon filter 25, a second electromagnetic valve 27, and a high-pressure pump 28 are provided in this order in the flow direction of the raw water.

[0034] The check valve 21 includes a check valve (not shown) for preventing backflow of raw water. The check valve 21 is a valve capable of adjusting the amount of raw water flowing through the first flow path 8.

[0035] The first electromagnetic valve 22 is a valve that can be switched between a state in which the first flow path 8 is blocked and a state in which it is not blocked (an open state).

[0036] The first flow meter 23 is a flow meter that measures the flow rate of the raw water flowing through the first flow path 8.

[0037] The sediment filter 24 is a filter that removes minute impurities such as rust, sand, and dust, as well as turbidity, contained in the raw water.

[0038] The carbon filter 25 is a filter that removes free residual chlorine and odors contained in the raw water by utilizing the adsorption effect of activated carbon (not shown).

[0039] The second electromagnetic valve 27 is a valve that can be switched between a state in which the first flow path 8 is blocked and a state in which it is not blocked (an open state).

[0040] The high-pressure pump 28 is an electric pump for pressure-feeding the raw water to the reverse osmosis membrane 7. When the raw water is supplied to the reverse osmosis membrane 7 under a predetermined pressure applied by the high-pressure pump 28, the raw water is separated into permeated water and concentrated water at the reverse osmosis membrane 7. The concentrated water is water that contains impurities of the raw water (including mineral components contained in the raw water), and the permeated water is water from which the impurities have been removed.

[0041] The concentrated water coming out of the reverse osmosis membrane 7 flows through a second flow path 9. A first check valve 31 and a drainage adjustment valve 32 are provided in this second flow path 9 in the flow direction of the concentrated water.

[0042] The first check valve 31 is a check valve for preventing the concentrated water from flowing back through the second flow path 9 from the drain adjustment valve 32 side to the reverse osmosis membrane 7 side. In other words, the first check valve 31 is configured to allow the concentrated water to flow through the second flow path 9 from the reverse osmosis membrane 7 side to the drain adjustment valve 32 side, and to prevent the concentrated water from flowing through the second flow path 9 from the drain adjustment valve 32 side to the reverse osmosis membrane 7 side.

[0043] The drainage adjustment valve 32 is a valve for adjusting the amount of concentrated water flowing through the second flow path 9, that is, the drainage amount.

[0044] Further, a fourth flow path 33 branches off from the second flow path 9 at a position upstream (on the reverse osmosis membrane 7 side) of the first check valve 31. The fourth flow path 33 is provided with a circulation adjustment valve 34 and a second check valve 35.

[0045] The circulation adjustment valve 34 is a valve that adjusts the amount of concentrated water circulated to the first flow path 8 via the second flow path 9 and the fourth flow path 33.

[0046] The second check valve 35 is a check valve for preventing the concentrated water or raw water from flowing back from the first flow path 8 to the second flow path 9 in the fourth flow path 33. In other words, the second check valve 35 is configured to allow the concentrated water, etc. to flow from the second flow path 9 to the first flow path 8 in the fourth flow path 33, and to prevent the concentrated water, etc. from flowing from the first flow path 8 to the second flow path 9 in the fourth flow path 33.

[0047] The permeated water leaving the reverse osmosis membrane 7 flows through the third flow path 10. The downstream of the third flow path 10 is connected to the carbonated water unit 3. In other words, the reverse osmosis membrane 7 and the carbonated water unit 3 are connected via the third flow path 10. As a result, the permeated water leaving the reverse osmosis membrane 7 flows through the third flow path 10 and is supplied to the carbonated water unit 3. In addition, in the third flow path 10, a third solenoid valve 42 and a first hollow fiber membrane 43 are provided in this order in the flow direction of the permeated water.

[0048] The third electromagnetic valve 42 is a valve that is switchable between a state in which the third flow path 10 is blocked and a state in which it is not blocked (an open state).

[0049] The first hollow fiber membrane 43 is a filter that sterilizes the permeate flowing through the third flow path 10.

[0050] The carbonated water unit 3 includes a first production tank 3a and a first cooling section 3b, and is connected to a gas cylinder 4 that stores carbon dioxide gas. The first production tank 3a is configured to mix the carbon dioxide gas supplied from the gas cylinder 4 with the permeated water supplied from the reverse osmosis membrane 7 via the third flow path 10 to produce the first carbonated water. The first cooling section 3b is configured to cool the permeated water at room temperature (e.g., 15°C to 30°C) supplied to the first production tank 3a via the third flow path 10 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 10°C or less). This makes it possible to efficiently inject carbon dioxide gas into the permeated water, that is, to efficiently dissolve carbon dioxide gas in the permeated water. The produced first carbonated water is stored in the first production tank 3a in the carbonated water unit 3. The first carbonated water stored in the first production tank 3a is maintained at a predetermined temperature (e.g., 10°C or less) by the first cooling section 3b.

[0051] The first carbonated water coming out of the first production tank 3a of the carbonated water unit 3 flows through the fifth flow path 45. The downstream of the fifth flow path 45 is connected to the first water supply box 6. In other words, the first production tank 3a of the carbonated water unit 3 and the first water supply box 6 are connected via the fifth flow path 45. This makes it possible to supply the first carbonated water at a predetermined temperature (for example, 10°C or lower) from the first production tank 3a of the carbonated water unit 3 to the first water supply box 6.

[0052] The device body 5 is also provided with a tank 52 connected to the fifth flow path 45 via a sixth flow path 51. The tank 52 is, for example, configured of a replaceable liquid transport container, and stores therein a mineral liquid (for example, a mineral concentrate containing magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium, etc.).

[0053] The mineral liquid coming out of the tank 52 flows through the sixth flow path 51, and then flows into the fifth flow path 45, and is mixed with the first carbonated water flowing through the fifth flow path 45. The first carbonated water and the mineral liquid are mixed to generate the second carbonated water. The generated second carbonated water having a predetermined temperature (for example, 10° C. or lower) is supplied to the first water supply box 6.

[0054] The sixth flow path 51 is provided with a first tube pump 53 .

[0055] The first tube pump 53 includes a rotating part having a tube (not shown) and a roller, and is configured to be able to adjust the amount of mineral liquid flowing through the sixth flow path 51, that is, the amount of mineral liquid flowing from the tank 52 through the sixth flow path 51 into the fifth flow path 45, by changing the rotation speed of the rotating part. Therefore, the hardness of the second carbonated water can be changed by controlling the rotation speed of the first tube pump 53. For example, the higher the rotation speed of the first tube pump 53, the greater the amount of mineral liquid mixed into the first carbonated water, so that the second carbonated water with a higher hardness is generated. It is also possible to stop the first tube pump 53 from mixing the mineral liquid into the first carbonated water.

[0056] In this embodiment, the second carbonated water is generated by adding (mixing) the mineral liquid in the tank 52 to the first carbonated water. That is, the tank 52 and the sixth flow path 51 in this embodiment are configured to function as an adding section that adds the mineral liquid to the first carbonated water (a mixing section that mixes mineral components into the first carbonated water). Also, the first tube pump 53 in this embodiment is configured to function as an adjusting section that adjusts the amount of mineral liquid added to the first carbonated water (a changing section that changes the amount of mineral components mixed into the first carbonated water).

[0057] The device body 5 is also provided with a second water supply box 60. The second water supply box 60 is connected downstream of a seventh flow path 61. The upstream of the seventh flow path 61 is connected to a third flow path 10. As a result, the second water supply box 60 is connected to the reverse osmosis membrane 7 via the seventh flow path 61 and the third flow path 10. Therefore, the permeated water at room temperature (for example, 15°C to 30°C) exiting the reverse osmosis membrane 7 can flow through the third flow path 10 and the seventh flow path 61 and be supplied to the second water supply box 60.

[0058] In addition, in the seventh flow path 61, a fourth electromagnetic valve 62, a second flow meter 63, and a second hollow fiber membrane 64 are provided in this order in the flow direction of the permeated water.

[0059] The fourth electromagnetic valve 62 is a valve that can be switched between a state in which the seventh flow path 61 is blocked and a state in which it is not blocked (an open state).

[0060] The second flow meter 63 is a flow meter that measures the flow rate of the permeated water flowing through the seventh flow path 61.

[0061] The second hollow fiber membrane 64 is a filter that sterilizes the permeate flowing through the seventh flow path 61.

[0062] In addition, the seventh flow path 61 is connected to the tank 52 via the eighth flow path 71. That is, the mineral liquid coming out of the tank 52 flows through the eighth flow path 71 and can be mixed with the room temperature permeated water flowing through the seventh flow path 61.

[0063] In addition, a second tube pump 72 is provided in the eighth flow path 71.

[0064] The second tube pump 72 includes a rotating part having a tube and a roller (not shown), and is configured to be able to adjust the amount of mineral liquid flowing through the eighth flow path 71, that is, the amount of mineral liquid flowing from the tank 52 through the eighth flow path 71 into the seventh flow path 61, by changing the rotation speed of the rotating part. Therefore, the hardness of the permeated water can be changed by controlling the rotation speed of the second tube pump 72. It is also possible to prevent the mineral liquid from being mixed into the permeated water by stopping the second tube pump 72. In this embodiment, for convenience, the room temperature permeated water not mixed with the mineral liquid is referred to as the first permeated water, and the room temperature permeated water mixed with the mineral liquid is referred to as the second permeated water.

[0065] In this embodiment, the second permeated water is generated by adding (mixing) the mineral liquid in the tank 52 to the permeated water (first permeated water). That is, the tank 52 and the eighth flow path 71 in this embodiment are configured to function as an adding section (a mixing section that mixes mineral components into the permeated water) that adds the mineral liquid to the permeated water (first permeated water). Also, the second tube pump 72 in this embodiment is configured to function as an adjusting section (a changing section that changes the amount of mineral components mixed into the permeated water) that adjusts the amount of mineral liquid added to the permeated water.

[0066] Next, the configuration of the water supply system 1 will be described with reference to Figures 2, 3, and 4. In this embodiment, for convenience, in Figures 2, 3, and 4, the front side (front) of the device main body 5 will be referred to as the front side (front), the rear side (rear) of the device main body 5 will be referred to as the rear side (rear), the left side (left side) of the device main body 5 will be referred to as the left side (left side), the right side (right side) of the device main body 5 will be referred to as the right side (right side), the upper side (upper side) of the device main body 5 will be referred to as the upper side (upper side), and the lower side (lower side) of the device main body 5 will be referred to as the lower side (lower side). Note that, for convenience, in Figures 2, 3, and 4, the carbonated water unit 3 and piping connecting the gas cylinder 4 and the device main body 5 (water supply device 2) are omitted from the illustration.

[0067] As shown in Figure 2, the water supply system 1 has a carbonated water unit 3 arranged approximately in the center in the left-right direction (width direction), a gas cylinder 4 arranged to the left of the carbonated water unit 3, and an approximately rectangular prism-shaped device main body 5 arranged to the right of the carbonated water unit 3.

[0068] A first water supply box 6 having a substantially rectangular prism shape is attached to the left side of the device body 5 in the vertical midway position, as shown in Fig. 2. In this embodiment, the first water supply box 6 is attached to a position offset to the front side of the left side of the device body 5 (see Fig. 3). The first water supply box 6 is also offset to an upper position on the left side of the device body 5 so as to provide a predetermined vertical gap between its lower end and the upper end of the carbonated water unit 3 (see Fig. 2).

[0069] The front end of the carbonated water unit 3 is disposed at a position rearward of the front ends of the device main body 5 and the first water supply box 6 (see FIG. 3). The upper end of the carbonated water unit 3 is set at a position lower than the upper end of the first water supply box 6 (see FIG. 2). This allows a part (right front part) of the carbonated water unit 3 and a part (left rear part) of the first water supply box 6 to be disposed so as to overlap in a plan view. This eliminates the need to displace the carbonated water unit 3 and the first water supply box 6 in the left-right or front-back direction, making it possible to make the water supply system 1 compact in the horizontal direction.

[0070] The gas cylinder 4 is generally cylindrical. In this embodiment, the water supply system 1 includes two gas cylinders 4 (see FIG. 3). The two gas cylinders 4 are arranged in the front-to-rear direction. The upper end position of the gas cylinder 4 is set at a position higher than the upper end position of the carbonated water unit 3 and the lower end position of the first water supply box 6. Furthermore, the gas cylinder 4 is disposed at a position on the opposite side of the device main body 5 in the left-right direction (width direction) in the carbonated water unit 3.

[0071] A partition member 75 (e.g., a removable partition) having a substantially L-shape in plan view is provided in the front region of the carbonated water unit 3 and the front and left regions of the gas cylinder 4 (see FIG. 3). In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the device main body 5 is disposed in the right region of the carbonated water unit 3 and the gas cylinder 4, and the rear region of the carbonated water unit 3 and the gas cylinder 4 is a wall W. By providing the partition member 75, it becomes difficult for the user to see the carbonated water unit 3 and the gas cylinder 4, so that the appearance of the water supply system 1 can be improved. In addition, the partition member 75 makes it possible to prevent the user, etc. from touching the gas cylinder 4, etc., so that the safety of the water supply system 1 can be improved.

[0072] Next, the detailed structures of the device body 5 and the first water supply box 6 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0073] The device body 5 is substantially rectangular prism-shaped and has a front surface 5a, a right side surface 5b, a left side surface 5c, a rear surface 5d, a top surface 5e, and a bottom surface 5f. In this embodiment, a pair of left and right legs 5g are provided so as to protrude downward from the bottom surface 5f. A water supply port 5h is provided between the two legs 5g. The water supply port 5h is connected to a water pipe 11 via a piping member 5i. Thus, raw water is introduced from the water pipe 11 to the device body 5 via the piping member 5i and the water supply port 5h.

[0074] The front part 5a is provided with a front door 5j for opening and closing a front opening (not shown) of the device body 5. A hinge 5k extending in the front-rear direction is provided at the right end of the front opening of the device body 5. The front door 5j is attached to the device body 5 via the hinge 5k. As a result, the front door 5j can open and close the front opening (not shown) of the device body 5 via the hinge 5k. In this embodiment, the first water supply box 6 is provided on the opposite side to the hinge 5k in the left-right direction (width direction of the device body 5). That is, the hinge 5k is provided at the right front end of the device body 5, and the first water supply box 6 is provided at the left front end of the device body 5. This makes it possible to prevent the front door 5j from interfering with the first water supply box 6 when the front door 5j is opened.

[0075] Further, the front surface 5a is provided with an operation panel 5l, an authentication section 5m, and an input port 5n.

[0076] The operation panel 5l is, for example, a touch panel, and allows the user to select the type of water (permeated water or carbonated water) and hardness (the amount of mineral liquid to be mixed into the permeated water or the first carbonated water) by touch operation.

[0077] The authentication unit 5m is a reader capable of reading magnetic cards, bar codes, and the like.

[0078] The insertion slot 5n is configured to accept coins, etc. For example, a user can purchase carbonated water by inserting an amount equivalent to the price of the carbonated water into the insertion slot 5n.

[0079] The first water supply box 6 includes a first storage section 6a capable of storing the first container r1 therein. In this embodiment, the first storage section 6a is capable of storing a plurality of types of containers (for example, a 1 L or 0.5 L plastic bottle having a cap that can close the opening provided at the top) as the first container r1.

[0080] A first water supply pipe (not shown) connected downstream of the fifth flow path 45 (see FIG. 1) is provided at the top of the first storage unit 6a. This makes it possible to supply carbonated water (the first carbonated water or the second carbonated water selected by the user) from the first water supply pipe to the first container r1 when the first container r1 is stored (set) in the first storage unit 6a.

[0081] The front opening of the first storage section 6a is provided with a first water supply door 6b that can be opened and closed. In this embodiment, the first water supply door 6b opens to the left. By opening the first water supply door 6b, the user can set the first container r1 in the first storage section 6a and remove the first container r1 set in the first storage section 6a.

[0082] Furthermore, a first drainage tray 6c that protrudes forward is provided at the lower portion of the first water supply box 6 (see Figs. 2 and 3). The first drainage tray 6c is configured to receive, for example, carbonated water or the like that overflows from the first container r1. The carbonated water or the like received in the first drainage tray 6c is drained using a predetermined drainage channel shown in Fig. 1.

[0083] 2, the device body 5 is provided with a second water supply box 60 that is substantially rectangular prism-shaped and has a larger dimension in the width direction (left-right direction) than the first water supply box 6. In this embodiment, the second water supply box 60 is attached to the front door 5j.

[0084] The second water supply box 60 is arranged to be aligned in the left-right direction (width direction) with the first water supply box 6. In other words, when viewed from one side in the left-right direction, at least a part of the first water supply box 6 and at least a part of the second water supply box 60 overlap with each other.

[0085] Moreover, the second water supply box 60 is larger than the first water supply box 6 (for example, the width and depth dimensions are larger).

[0086] The second water supply box 60 is offset in the width direction (left-right direction) from the first water supply box 6 in the device body 5. In this embodiment, the second water supply box 60 is offset to the right in the left-right direction. This makes it possible to provide an authentication unit 5m and an input port 5n in the area between the first water supply box 6 and the second water supply box 60.

[0087] The second water supply box 60 is provided with a second storage section 60a capable of storing the second container r2 therein. The second storage section 60a is provided inside the device main body 5. More specifically, the second storage section 60a of the second water supply box 60 is configured to be capable of storing the second container r2 inside the device main body 5. In this embodiment, the second storage section 60a is capable of storing multiple types of containers (for example, plastic bottles with a capacity of 8 L, 5 L, 2 L, 0.5 L, or 0.3 L having a cap that can close the opening provided at the top) as the second container r2. In other words, the second storage section 60a is sized to be capable of storing a container with a larger capacity than the first storage section 6a.

[0088] A second water supply pipe (not shown) connected to the downstream of the seventh flow path 61 (see FIG. 1) is provided at the top of the second storage section 60a. This makes it possible to supply permeated water from the second water supply pipe to the second container r2 when the second container r2 is stored (set) in the second storage section 60a.

[0089] The front opening of the second storage section 60a is provided with a second water supply door 60b that can be opened and closed. In this embodiment, the second water supply door 60b opens to the left. By opening the second water supply door 60b, the user can set the second container r2 in the second storage section 60a and remove the second container r2 set in the second storage section 60a.

[0090] Furthermore, a second drainage tray 60c protruding forward is provided at the lower portion of the second water supply box 60 (see Figs. 2 and 3). The second drainage tray 60c is configured to receive, for example, permeated water overflowing from the second container r2. The permeated water received in the second drainage tray 60c is drained using a predetermined drainage channel shown in Fig. 1.

[0091] Next, an example of control executed by a control unit (not shown) of the water supply system 1 will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Note that Figure 5 shows a method for producing the first permeated water and the first carbonated water that the water supply system 1 executes regardless of the selection operation of the user. Also, Figure 6 shows a method (production method) for the water supply system 1 to produce the second carbonated water and the second permeated water containing mineral components in response to the selection operation of the user, and a method (water supply method) for supplying the water selected by the user to the user's container.

[0092] In step S1 of Fig. 5, the water supply system 1 separates raw water into permeated water and concentrated water using the reverse osmosis membrane 7, and then proceeds to step S2. More specifically, the high-pressure pump 28 is driven to pump the raw water to the reverse osmosis membrane 7. The reverse osmosis membrane 7 separates the pumped raw water into permeated water and concentrated water, and causes the permeated water to flow into the third flow path 10 and the concentrated water to flow into the second flow path 9. The permeated water in the third flow path 10 also flows into the seventh flow path 61 connected to the third flow path 10. In other words, step S1 is a step of producing permeated water (first permeated water) from raw water.

[0093] In step S2 of Fig. 6, the water supply system 1 mixes the permeated water and carbon dioxide gas in the first production tank 3a of the carbonated water unit 3 to produce first carbonated water. More specifically, in step S2, the permeated water exiting the reverse osmosis membrane 7 is supplied to the first production tank 3a via the third flow path 10, and carbon dioxide gas is supplied to the first production tank 3a from the gas cylinder 4. Then, in the first production tank 3a of the carbonated water unit 3, the permeated water cooled to a predetermined temperature (for example, 10°C or less) using the first cooling section 3b is mixed with carbon dioxide gas adjusted to a predetermined carbon dioxide pressure to produce the first carbonated water. The produced first carbonated water is stored in the carbonated water unit 3.

[0094] Next, an example of the control shown in FIG. 6 that is executed in response to a selection operation by the user will be described.

[0095] In step S11, the water supply system 1 receives the type of water (carbonated water or permeated water) and the hardness of water selected by the user operating the operation panel 5l, and then proceeds to step S12. In this embodiment, the water hardness can be selected from five types of hardness, namely, hardness 0 to 5, hardness 6 to 99, hardness 100 to 299, hardness 300 to 599, and hardness 600 or more. In this embodiment, when the hardness is 0 to 5, the mineral liquid (mineral components) is not mixed. The reason why the hardness is 0 to 5 is that there is a possibility that mineral components of the raw water remain. In addition, before step S11, the user sets the containers (first container r1, second container r2) in the storage sections (first storage section 6a, second storage section 60a) of the water supply boxes (first water supply box 6, second water supply box 60).

[0096] In step S12, the water supply system 1 determines whether or not carbonated water (first carbonated water, second carbonated water) has been selected by the user in step S1. If the determination in step S12 is Yes, the process proceeds to step S13. On the other hand, if the determination in step S12 is No, the process proceeds to step S17.

[0097] In step S13, the water supply system 1 determines whether or not the user selected carbonated water with a hardness of 6 or more in step S11, in other words, whether or not it is necessary to mix mineral liquid into the first carbonated water. If the determination in step S13 is Yes, the process proceeds to step S14. On the other hand, if the determination in step S13 is No, the process proceeds to step S16.

[0098] In step S14, the water supply system 1 mixes the first carbonated water with the mineral liquid to generate the second carbonated water. More specifically, the first tube pump 53 is driven to cause the mineral liquid in the tank 52 to flow into the fifth flow path 45 via the sixth flow path 51. This causes the first carbonated water flowing through the fifth flow path 45 supplied from the first generation tank 3a of the carbonated water unit 3 to be mixed with the mineral liquid to generate the second carbonated water. The generated second carbonated water is supplied to the first water supply box 6 through the fifth flow path 45. After step S14, the process proceeds to step S15.

[0099] In step S15, the water supply system 1 supplies the second carbonated water at a predetermined temperature (for example, 10° C. or lower) to the first container r1 set in the first storage portion 6a of the first water supply box 6. Then, the process proceeds to END.

[0100] In step S16, which is executed when the determination in step S13 is No, the water supply system 1 supplies the first carbonated water of a predetermined temperature (for example, 10°C or less) to the first container r1 set in the first storage section 6a of the first water supply box 6, without mixing with the mineral liquid in the tank 52. More specifically, in step S16, the driving of the first tube pump 53 is stopped. As a result, the mineral liquid in the tank 52 is not mixed with the first carbonated water flowing through the fifth flow path 45. Therefore, the first carbonated water is supplied to the first water supply box 6, and the first carbonated water is supplied to the first container r1. After step S16, proceed to END.

[0101] In S17, which is executed if the determination in step S12 is No, the water supply system 1 determines whether or not the user selected permeated water with a hardness of 6 or more in step S11, in other words, whether or not it is necessary to mix a mineral liquid into the permeated water. If the determination in step S17 is Yes, the process proceeds to step S18. On the other hand, if the determination in step S17 is No, the process proceeds to step S20.

[0102] In step S18, the water supply system 1 mixes the permeated water and the mineral liquid to generate the second permeated water. More specifically, the second tube pump 72 is driven to cause the mineral liquid in the tank 52 to flow into the seventh flow path 61 via the eighth flow path 71. This causes the permeated water flowing through the seventh flow path 61 to be mixed with the mineral liquid to generate the second permeated water. The generated second permeated water is supplied to the second water supply box 60 through the seventh flow path 61. After step S18, the process proceeds to step S19.

[0103] In step S19, the water supply system 1 supplies the second permeated water at room temperature to the second container r2 set in the second storage portion 60a of the second water supply box 60. Then, the process proceeds to END.

[0104] In step S20, which is executed when the determination in step S17 is No, the water supply system 1 supplies the first permeated water (permeated water) at room temperature not mixed with the mineral liquid in the tank 52 to the second container r2 set in the second storage section 60a of the second water supply box 60. More specifically, in step S20, the second tube pump 72 is stopped from being driven. As a result, the mineral liquid in the tank 52 is not mixed with the first permeated water flowing through the seventh flow path 61. Therefore, the first permeated water is supplied to the second water supply box 60, and the first permeated water is supplied to the second container r2. After step S20, the process proceeds to the end.

[0105] Once the supply of water to the containers (first container r1, second container r2) is completed, the user of the water supply system 1 opens each water supply door (first water supply door 6b, second water supply door 60b), removes the containers (first container r1, second container r2) and takes them home.

[0106] As described above, according to this embodiment, when permeated water is obtained from raw water, mineral components contained in the raw water are removed by the reverse osmosis membrane 7, but by mixing the first carbonated water produced by mixing the permeated water with carbon dioxide gas and the mineral components, a second carbonated water containing mineral components is produced. The second carbonated water can be supplied to a container such as a user's bottle by the first water supply box 6.

[0107] In addition, by mixing the mineral liquid stored in tank 52 with the first carbonated water flowing through fifth flow path 45 via sixth flow path 51, second carbonated water containing mineral components can be produced.

[0108] In addition, the hardness of the second carbonated water can be changed by adjusting the amount of mineral liquid mixed into the first carbonated water by the first tube pump 53. This allows the water supply system 1 to supply, for example, the second carbonated water from the first water supply box 6, whose hardness matches the user's preference.

[0109] Also, permeated water containing mineral components can be supplied from the second water supply box 60. This makes it possible to satisfy the needs of users who want both carbonated water containing mineral components and permeated water containing mineral components, for example.

[0110] Moreover, the first water supply box 6 is attached to the outer surface of the device body 5. This allows for greater freedom in designing the attachment position of the first water supply box 6.

[0111] In addition, a first water supply box 6 capable of supplying carbonated water containing mineral components is attached to the outer surface of the device body 5. This eliminates the need to install a separate device for supplying carbonated water in addition to the device for supplying permeated water, thereby preventing the water supply system 1 from becoming large.

[0112] Also, for example, by attaching the first water supply box 6 to an apparatus that supplies permeated water and is provided with only the second water supply box 60, the apparatus can be made capable of supplying permeated water and carbonated water. This eliminates the need to install a separate water supply apparatus that supplies carbonated water in addition to the water supply apparatus that supplies permeated water, thereby preventing the water supply system 1 from becoming large.

[0113] In addition, the user can open and close each water supply door (first water supply door 6b, second water supply door 60b) from the front side of the device main body 5 to set containers (first container r1, second container r2) in each water supply box (first water supply box 6, second water supply box 60) and remove containers (first container r1, second container r2) from each water supply box (first water supply box 6, second water supply box 60).

[0114] Furthermore, since the first water supply box 6, which has a relatively small width dimension, is attached to the side of the device main body 5, the amount of lateral protrusion of the device main body 5 can be reduced compared to when the second water supply box 60, which has a relatively large width dimension, is attached to the side of the device main body 5.

[0115] In addition, by disposing the carbonated water unit 3 below the first water supply box 6, the dead space below (for example, directly below) the first water supply box 6 can be effectively utilized as installation space for the carbonated water unit 3. This allows the water supply system 1 to be made compact.

[0116] In addition, since the upper end of the carbonated water unit 3 is set at a position lower than the lower end of the first water supply box 6, it is easy to arrange the carbonated water unit 3 in the dead space below the first water supply box 6. This allows the water supply system 1 to be made compact.

[0117] In addition, since the first water supply box 6 and the second water supply box 60 are spaced apart in the width direction (left and right direction) of the device main body 5 in the side-by-side arrangement direction (left and right direction), it is easier to set the containers (first container r1, second container r2) in each water supply box (first water supply box 6 and second water supply box 60) and to remove the containers (first container r1, second container r2) from each water supply box (first water supply box 6 and second water supply box 60) than when both boxes (first water supply box 6 and second water supply box 60) are close to each other.

[0118] In addition, interference between the front door 5j and the first water supply box 6 can be suppressed when the front door 5j is opened.

[0119] Furthermore, when permeated water is obtained from raw water, mineral components contained in the raw water are removed by the reverse osmosis membrane 7, but by mixing the permeated water, carbon dioxide gas, and mineral components, second carbonated water containing mineral components is generated. The second carbonated water can be supplied from the first water supply box 6 to a first container r1 such as a user's bottle, for example.

[0120] Furthermore, when permeated water is obtained from raw water, minerals contained in the raw water are removed by the reverse osmosis membrane 7, but the first carbonated water produced by mixing the permeated water with carbon dioxide gas is mixed with the mineral components to produce second carbonated water containing mineral components. This makes it possible to produce second carbonated water containing mineral components, which can be used to supply water to a first container r1 such as a user's bottle set in the first water supply box 6, for example.

[0121] Furthermore, when permeated water is obtained from raw water, mineral components contained in the raw water are removed by the reverse osmosis membrane 7, but by mixing the permeated water, carbon dioxide gas, and mineral components, carbonated water containing mineral components (for example, second carbonated water in this embodiment) is produced. This makes it possible to produce carbonated water containing mineral components that can be used to supply water to the first container r1, such as a user's bottle, set in the first water supply box 6, for example.

[0122] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the water supply system 1 is applied to a water vending machine installed in a supermarket or the like, but the water supply system 1 may be applied to purposes other than water vending machines.

[0123] In addition, in this embodiment, an example has been described in which tap water is used as the raw water, but water other than tap water (e.g., well water) may also be used as the raw water, or water stored in a water storage means (not shown) such as a water tank may be used as the raw water.

[0124] In addition, in this embodiment, the water supply system 1 is configured to supply permeate water and carbonated water from a single water supply device 2, but it may also be provided with a first water supply device (not shown) that supplies permeate water and a second water supply device (not shown) that supplies carbonated water, with the first water supply device and the second water supply device being arranged adjacent to each other.

[0125] Although not mentioned in this embodiment, the water supplying apparatus 2 may be configured to simultaneously supply carbonated water from the first water supply box 6 and supply permeated water from the second water supply box 60. In this manner, for example, when one of two users purchases carbonated water from the water supplying apparatus 2, the other user can receive a supply of permeated water from the same water supplying apparatus 2.

[0126] In addition, in this embodiment, an example has been described in which the device main body 5, the first water supply box 6 and the second water supply box 60 are approximately rectangular prism-shaped, but they may also have a shape other than approximately rectangular prism (for example, approximately triangular prism, approximately cylindrical).

[0127] In addition, in this embodiment, the first water supply box 6 is attached to the left side surface 5c of the device main body 5, but it may also be attached to an outer surface of the device main body 5 other than the left side surface 5c (for example, the front surface 5a, the right side surface 5b, or the back surface 5d).

[0128] In this embodiment, one first water supply box 6 is provided, but two or more may be provided. When two or more first water supply boxes 6 are provided, for example, the first water supply boxes 6 may be provided on each of the right side surface portion 5b and the left side surface portion 5c of the device main body 5.

[0129] In this embodiment, the first water supply box 6 is attached to the outer surface of the device body 5, but it may be provided to house a container (first container r1) inside the device body 5, like the second water supply box 60. In this case, the second water supply box 60 may be attached to the outer surface of the device body 5 instead of the first water supply box 6.

[0130] In the present embodiment, one reverse osmosis membrane 7 is provided, but a plurality of reverse osmosis membranes 7 may be provided. When a plurality of reverse osmosis membranes 7 are provided, the raw water may be filtered using the reverse osmosis membranes 7 arranged in parallel, or the raw water may be filtered using the reverse osmosis membranes 7 arranged in series.

[0131] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example of check valves (first check valve 31 and second check valve 35) has been described, but as long as it is possible to prevent backflow of liquid, means other than check valves may be used.

[0132] In addition, in this embodiment, the sixth flow path 51 and the eighth flow path 71 are each independently connected to the tank 52, but the upstream portion of the sixth flow path 51 and the upstream portion of the eighth flow path 71 may be merged and then connected to the tank 52.

[0133] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the mineral liquid in tank 52 is mixed with the first carbonated water flowing through the sixth flow path to the fifth flow path 45, but the mineral liquid in tank 52 may be supplied directly to the first water supply box 6, and the first carbonated water and the mineral liquid may be mixed in the first water supply box 6 to produce the second carbonated water, or a second carbonated water generating section (not shown) may be provided separately, and the first carbonated water and the mineral liquid may be mixed in the second carbonated water generating section to produce the second carbonated water.

[0134] In addition, in this embodiment, an example of a mineral liquid stored in tank 52 has been described as the mineral component to be mixed with the first carbonated water or the permeated water (first permeated water), but solid (e.g., powdered) mineral components may be mixed with the first carbonated water or the permeated water, or the first carbonated water or the permeated water may be mixed with the mineral components by passing the first carbonated water or the permeated water through a filter or the like equipped with ore containing the mineral components.

[0135] In addition, in this embodiment, an example in which the second water supply box 60 is provided has been described, but the second water supply box 60 may be omitted.

[0136] In addition, in this embodiment, the seventh flow path 61 is connected to the reverse osmosis membrane 7 via the third flow path 10. However, the seventh flow path 61 may be connected directly to the reverse osmosis membrane 7.

[0137] In addition, in this embodiment, an example has been described in which the first carbonated water is produced by mixing the permeated water extracted in the reverse osmosis membrane 7 with carbon dioxide gas, and the first carbonated water is produced by mixing the first carbonated water with mineral components. However, it is also possible to produce a third permeated water by mixing the permeated water extracted in the reverse osmosis membrane 7 with mineral components, and to produce the third carbonated water by mixing the third permeated water with carbon dioxide gas, or to produce a fourth carbonated water by mixing the permeated water extracted in the reverse osmosis membrane 7 with carbon dioxide gas and mineral components.

[0138] In addition, in this embodiment, an example in which the first cooling section 3b is provided has been described, but if the permeated water can be cooled using another cooling section provided in the device body 5, the first cooling section 3b does not have to be provided.

[0139] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 7. In the second embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0140] 7, the carbonated water unit 3 includes a first generation tank 3a, a first cooling section 3b, a second generation tank 3c, and a second cooling section 3d. In the second embodiment, the first generation tank 3a and the first cooling section 3b have the same configuration as in the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0141] To the second production tank 3c, permeated water is supplied from the reverse osmosis membrane 7 via the third flow path 10. In this embodiment, the third flow path 10 is bifurcated at the downstream portion of the first hollow fiber membrane 43, one of which is connected to the first production tank 3a and the other of which is connected to the second production tank 3c. The second production tank 3c is not connected to the gas cylinder 4. In other words, the second production tank 3c is configured not to receive carbon dioxide gas from the gas cylinder 4.

[0142] The second cooling section 3d is configured to generate cold water by cooling the permeated water at room temperature (e.g., 15°C to 30°C) supplied to the second refinery tank 3c via the third flow path 10 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 10°C or less). The generated cold water is stored in the second refinery tank 3c. The cold water stored in the second refinery tank 3c is maintained at a predetermined temperature (e.g., 10°C or less) by the second cooling section 3d. In this embodiment, cold water refers to permeated water at a predetermined temperature or less (e.g., 10°C or less) in which carbon dioxide gas is not dissolved.

[0143] The cold water coming out of the second production tank 3c of the carbonated water unit 3 flows through the ninth flow path 73. The downstream of the ninth flow path 73 is connected to the first water supply box 6. In other words, the carbonated water unit 3 and the first water supply box 6 are connected via the ninth flow path 73. This makes it possible to supply cold water of a predetermined temperature (for example, 10°C or less) from the second production tank 3c of the carbonated water unit 3 to the first water supply box 6.

[0144] Further, the ninth flow path 73 is connected via a tenth flow path 74 to the tank 52 in which the mineral liquid is stored.

[0145] The mineral liquid coming out of the tank 52 flows through the tenth flow path 74, and then flows into the ninth flow path 73, where it is mixed with the cold water flowing through the ninth flow path 73. The cold water and the mineral liquid are mixed together to generate cold mineral water. The generated cold mineral water at a predetermined temperature (for example, 10°C or lower) is supplied to the first water supply box 6.

[0146] Further, the tenth flow path 74 is provided with a third tube pump 76. The third tube pump 76 is provided with a rotating part having a tube and a roller, not shown, and is configured to be able to adjust the amount of mineral liquid flowing through the tenth flow path 74, that is, the amount of mineral liquid flowing from the tank 52 through the tenth flow path 74 into the ninth flow path 73, by changing the rotation speed of the rotating part. Therefore, by controlling the rotation speed of the third tube pump 76, the hardness of the mineral cold water can be changed. For example, the higher the rotation speed of the third tube pump 76, the more the amount of mineral liquid mixed into the cold water, so that the mineral cold water with higher hardness is generated. It is also possible to stop the third tube pump 76 from mixing the mineral liquid into the cold water.

[0147] The cold water and mineral cold water supplied to the first water supply box 6 can be supplied to the first container r1 set in the first water supply box. As a result, in the second embodiment, the water supply system 1 can generate the first permeated water (room temperature water), the second permeated water (room temperature water), the first carbonated water, the second carbonated water, and cold water. The first carbonated water, the second carbonated water, and cold water can be supplied to the first container r1 set in the first water supply box 6 according to the user's selection, and the first permeated water and the second permeated water can be supplied to the second container r2 set in the second water supply box 60 according to the user's selection.

[0148] As described above, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to supply cold water to the first container r1 from the first water supply box 6. This makes it possible to satisfy the needs of users who want cold water.

[0149] Moreover, according to the second embodiment, it becomes possible to supply cold mineral water to the first container r1 from the first water supply box 6. This makes it possible to satisfy the needs of users who desire cold mineral water.

[0150] Moreover, according to the second embodiment, the first permeated water or the second permeated water at room temperature can be supplied to the second container r2 from the second water supply box 60. This satisfies the needs of users who require the first permeated water or the second permeated water at room temperature.

[0151] In this embodiment, the carbonated water unit 3 has been described using an example in which cold water is produced by cooling the permeated water by the second cooling unit 3d in the second production tank 3c not connected to the gas cylinder 4, but cold water may be produced by cooling the permeated water supplied to the first production tank 3a by the first cooling unit 3b in a state in which the first production tank 3a is not supplied with carbon dioxide gas from the gas cylinder 4, in other words, in a state in which the carbon dioxide gas and the permeated water are not mixed in the first production tank 3a. In this case, the carbonated water unit 3 can produce the first carbonated water and cold water in the first production tank 3a, so it does not need to be equipped with the second production tank 3c and the second cooling unit 3d.

[0152] In addition, in this embodiment, the second cooling section 3d has been described as generating cold water by cooling the permeated water supplied to the second purification tank 3c as an example, but the second cooling section 3d may have a pipe (not shown) or a tank (not shown) connected to the third flow path 10 and the ninth flow path 73, and may generate cold water from the permeated water by cooling the permeated water as it passes through the pipe (not shown) or by cooling the permeated water stored in the tank (not shown).

[0153] In addition, in this embodiment, an example of a mineral liquid stored in tank 52 has been described as the mineral component to be mixed with cold water, but solid (e.g., powdered) mineral components may also be mixed with cold water, or the cold water may be mixed with the mineral components by passing the cold water through a filter or the like equipped with ore containing the mineral components. [Industrial Applicability]

[0154] The present invention is suitable for a water supply system and a method for producing carbonated water. [Explanation of symbols]

[0155] 1. Water Supply System 3 Carbonated water unit (carbonated water generating section) 3d 2nd cooling section (cooling section) 4 Gas cylinder (carbon dioxide storage section) 5. Device body 5a Front part 5b Right side part 5c Left side part 5d back part 5e Top part 5f Bottom part 5j Front door 5k hinge 6 First water supply box (first water supply section, water supply section) 6b First water supply door (water supply door) 7 Reverse osmosis membrane 10 third flow path (first flow path section, fourth flow path section) 45 Fifth flow path (second flow path section) 51 6th flow path (3rd flow path section) 52 Tank (mineral liquid storage section) 53 First tube pump (adjustment part) 60 Second water supply box (second water supply section) 60b Second water supply door (water supply door) 61 Seventh flow path (fourth flow path section) 71 8th flow path (5th flow path section) r1 First container (container) r2 Second container (other container)

Claims

1. 1. A water supply system comprising: A reverse osmosis membrane that separates raw water into permeate and concentrated water; A carbonated water generating unit that mixes the permeated water with carbon dioxide gas to generate a first carbonated water; A water supply system having a first water supply unit capable of supplying second carbonated water produced by mixing the first carbonated water with mineral components to a container.

2. The water supply system according to claim 1, The carbonated water production unit has a cooling unit that produces cold water by cooling the permeated water, The first water supply unit is a water supply system capable of supplying the cold water to the container.

3. The water supply system according to claim 2, The water supply system is capable of supplying the container with mineral cold water generated by mixing the cold water with the mineral component, wherein the first water supply unit is configured to supply the container with mineral cold water.

4. The water supply system according to claim 2, The water supply system further comprises a second water supply section capable of supplying the permeated water at room temperature to another container.

5. The water supply system according to claim 1, a mineral liquid storage section for storing mineral liquid; A first flow path portion connecting the reverse osmosis membrane and the carbonated water production portion; A second flow path portion connecting the carbonated water generating portion and the first water supply portion; and a third flow path portion through which the mineral liquid exiting the mineral liquid storage portion flows, The third flow path portion is connected to the second flow path portion.

6. The water supply system according to claim 5, A water supply system in which the third flow path section is provided with an adjustment section that adjusts the amount of the mineral liquid to be mixed with the first carbonated water.

7. The water supply system according to claim 5, A second water supply unit capable of supplying the permeated water to another container; A fourth flow path portion connecting the reverse osmosis membrane and the second water supply portion; and a fifth flow path portion through which the mineral liquid flowing out of the mineral liquid storage portion flows, The fifth flow path portion is connected to the fourth flow path portion.

8. In the water supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The device further includes a main body. The first water supply unit is a water supply system attached to the outer surface of the device body.

9. In the water supply system according to claim 4 or 7, The device further includes a main body. The first water supply unit has a first water supply box attached to an outer surface of the device body, A water supply system, wherein the second water supply section has a second water supply box configured to be able to accommodate the other container within the device body.

10. The water supply system according to claim 9, The first water supply box is a water supply system that is detachably attached to the device body.

11. The water supply system according to claim 9, The device body has a front surface, a right side surface, and a left side surface, The first water supply box is attached to at least one of the right side surface portion and the left side surface portion, A water supply system in which an openable and closable water supply door is provided on the front surface of each of the first water supply box and the second water supply box.

12. The water supply system according to claim 11, A water supply system, wherein the first water supply box has a smaller width dimension than the second water supply box.

13. The water supply system according to claim 11, The first water supply box is attached to a vertical midway portion of at least one of the right side surface portion and the left side surface portion, A water supply system in which the carbonated water generation unit is arranged below the first water supply box and overlaps with the first water supply box in a plan view.

14. The water supply system according to claim 13, A water supply system in which the carbonated water generating unit has an upper end set at a position lower than the lower end of the first water supply box.

15. The water supply system according to claim 11, The first water supply box and the second water supply box are arranged side by side in a width direction of the device body, A water supply system in which the second water supply box is provided in the device body so as to be offset in a direction away from the first water supply box in the width direction.

16. The water supply system according to claim 11, The front part is provided with a front door that can be opened and closed via a hinge, The first water supply box is attached to the opposite side of the device body from the hinge in the width direction of the device body.

17. 1. A water supply system comprising: A reverse osmosis membrane that separates raw water into permeate and concentrated water; The water supply system has a water supply unit capable of supplying carbonated water generated by mixing the permeated water, carbon dioxide gas, and mineral components to a container.

18. A method for producing carbonated water that can be used to supply water to a container set in a water supply unit, comprising: Separating the raw water into a permeate and a concentrate using a reverse osmosis membrane; Mixing the permeated water with carbon dioxide gas to produce a first carbonated water; A method for producing carbonated water, comprising a step of mixing the first carbonated water with a mineral component to produce a second carbonated water.

19. A method for producing carbonated water that can be used to supply water to a container set in a water supply unit, comprising: Separating the raw water into a permeate and a concentrate using a reverse osmosis membrane; and mixing the permeated water with carbon dioxide gas and mineral components to produce carbonated water.

Images