Water dispenser

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a water dispenser for use in holy day that provides hot and cold water dispensing in workday and holy day modes without violating the requirements of holy religious on using power and water heating in holy day.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to water dispensers, and more particularly to water dispensers used during Jewish holy-days. background

[0003] The Jewish religion imposes various restrictions on electrical appliances that may be used during holy days, usually during the Sabbath. Water dispensers that provide cooling and / or heating functions are one such appliance.

[0004] Typically, the use of electric water dispensers during the Sabbath is limited, primarily due to concerns about the on-demand cooling or heating of water in the electric water dispenser, and / or the use of electric valves for dispensing water. In addition, there are special restrictions on heating water during the Sabbath. In order to provide hot drinking water during the Sabbath, special appliances are used that provide a constant heating device, in which water is pre-filled and heated before the Sabbath. Such appliances are usually stand-alone appliances (i.e., separate from the integral hot and cold water dispenser), which need to be prepared before the Sabbath and take up a large amount of kitchen counter space. In addition, typically such appliances do not include a water filtration function and therefore cannot provide filtered or purified water for drinking.

[0005] General Description

[0006] The present disclosure relates to a water dispenser adapted for operation during the weekday and during the Sabbath while maintaining Jewish Halacha requirements, which enables a user to dispense hot or cold purified water on demand during both the weekday and the holy day.

[0007] Halakha refers to the body of Jewish law, which supplements the biblical laws that make up the legal section of the Talmud.

[0008] In the dispenser of the present disclosure, the dispensing of cold and hot water complies with Jewish halakhic custom, allowing the dispenser to operate during both weekdays and holy days without requiring the dispenser to be disconnected from the water source during holy days.

[0009] According to aspects of the present disclosure, there is provided a water dispenser having a weekday operation mode and a holyday operation mode, the dispenser comprising: a pressurized water inlet, which can be connected to a pressurized water feed line through a water pressure regulator; a water treatment unit, which is selectively liquid-connected to the pressurized water feed line through a first electromechanical valve installed in the pressurized water feed line, the water treatment unit being configured to remove one or more contaminants from water to obtain treated water; a main water supply line, which is liquid-connected to the water treatment unit to receive the treated water; a cold water reservoir; a hot water reservoir configured to receive treated water from a second supply line, the second supply line being selectively liquid-connected to the main supply line through a check valve installed between the main supply line and the second supply line; and a hot water dispensing nozzle, which is liquid-connected to the hot water reservoir, and is configured to dispense hot water on demand through a third electromechanical valve; in weekday mode During operation: (i) the first electromechanical valve, the second electromechanical valve and the third electromechanical valve are electrically operated according to the demand for cold water or hot water, and (ii) the water pressure in the main supply line is above a predefined threshold to allow water to flow from the main supply line through the second supply line to the hot water reservoir; and during operation in holy day mode: (i) the first electromechanical valve, the second electromechanical valve and the third electromechanical valve are mechanically operated, (ii) the first electromechanical valve and the second electromechanical valve are mechanically coupled to each other so that mechanical opening of the first electromechanical valve occurs after a delay in mechanical opening of the second electromechanical valve, and (iii) the water pressure regulator is configured to reduce the water pressure in the main supply line to below a predetermined pressure so that the check valve remains closed to prevent water from flowing into the second supply line.

[0010] In other words, the dispenser of the present disclosure includes an arrangement of valves that are configured to operate both electrically and mechanically. In weekday mode, the electromechanical valves operate electrically to supply water to the cold water reservoir and the hot water reservoir and to provide cold water and hot water from the reservoirs as needed. When switching to holy day mode, the electrical operation of the valves is disabled and the valves are configured for timed mechanical operation (i.e., electrical operation without violating the halakhah requirement) to allow continued on-demand dispensing of cold water; in addition, the water pressure in the main supply line drops below a predetermined threshold pressure so that the mechanical check valve cannot open when in holy day mode, thereby preventing refilling of the hot water reservoir in order to prevent boiling of cold water in order to maintain the halakhah requirement.

[0011] The term holy day refers to a day on which operation of electrically powered equipment is not permitted according to Halakha requirements. According to some embodiments, the holy day is the Sabbath, Yom Kippur, or other Jewish holiday on which there are restrictions on the use of electricity and / or heating of water. The term weekday refers to any other day in the Jewish calendar that is not a holy day as defined herein.

[0012] For some embodiments, the holy day is the Sabbath.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first electromechanical valve and the second electromechanical valve are mechanically connected to provide a delay of at least 0.01 seconds (e.g., between about 0.0.1 seconds and about 0.5 seconds) between mechanical opening of the second electromechanical valve and mechanical opening of the first electromechanical valve during holy day mode. In other words, since dispensing water by electrical induction is prohibited on holy days, mechanical operation of the dispense button during holy day mode when cold water is required results in mechanical opening of the second electromechanical valve to allow residual water to flow through the supply line, and mechanical opening of the first electromechanical valve to allow water to flow through the main supply line after a predefined time delay allowed by the mechanical connection of the valves. Thus, during holy day mode, water is gradually supplied to the cold water reservoir.

[0014] This gradual supply reduces the risk of an uncontrolled water pressure surge in the main supply line, thereby reducing the risk of exceeding a predefined pressure threshold which could undesirably feed water through the non-return valve into the second supply line. Thus, the delay between the mechanical opening of the first electromechanical valve and the mechanical opening of the second electromechanical valve is used as a mechanism to prevent undesired operation of the non-return valve in holy day mode to reduce the risk of feeding water into the second supply line, thereby maintaining the halakhic restrictions on fresh water heating during holy days, as will also be explained below.

[0015] It should be noted that the predetermined pressure threshold refers to the water pressure developed in the second supply line. In other words, the predetermined pressure threshold is the pressure developed in the second supply line after any pressure drop due to any water treatment functions that may be present in the main supply line (e.g., one or more water filters, such as those described below).

[0016] According to some embodiments, the cold water dispensing nozzle and the hot water dispensing nozzle each include at least one electrically operated button for dispensing cold water and hot water, respectively, on demand in the weekday mode, and the cold water dispensing nozzle and the hot water dispensing nozzle each include a mechanical button for dispensing cold water and hot water, respectively, on demand in the holy day mode. When in the holy day mode, the operation of the electrically operated button is prohibited, so that when cold water or hot water needs to be dispensed, water can be dispensed by manually operating the mechanically operated button.

[0017] As described above, the dispenser includes a mechanical connection mechanism to connect between the first electromechanical valve and the second electromechanical valve. According to some embodiments, the mechanical connection mechanism includes a movement conversion member, the movement conversion member is mechanically connected to one or more cold water dispensing mechanical operation buttons; the first actuating element is integral with the movement conversion member and is configured to engage with the first electromechanical valve; and the second actuating element is integral with the movement conversion member and is configured to engage with the second electromechanical valve; the second actuating element and the first actuating element are configured to engage with the second electromechanical valve and the first electromechanical valve, respectively, with a time difference of at least about 0.01 seconds.

[0018] According to these embodiments, a first electromechanical valve has a first plunger, the first plunger is configured to reciprocate along a first stroke between a pressurized water flow blocking position and a pressurized water flow allowing position, and a first actuating element is configured to displace the first plunger along the first stroke; a second electromechanical valve has a second plunger, the second plunger is configured to reciprocate along a second stroke between a treated water flow blocking position and a treated water flow allowing position, and the second actuating element is configured to displace the second plunger along the second stroke; wherein, when pressure is applied to one or more cold water dispensing mechanical operation buttons, the moving conversion member is configured to simultaneously displace the first actuating element and the second actuating element to simultaneously engage with the corresponding first and second plungers, and wherein the first stroke is longer than the second stroke, so that the first plunger reaches the treated water flow allowing position at least approximately 0.01 seconds after the second plunger reaches its pressurized water flow allowing position.

[0019] In other words, the first and second electromechanical valves have plungers with different strokes, so that the second and first actuating elements engage the respective second and first plungers simultaneously, causing a delay between the opening actions of the valves.

[0020] As described above, boiling cold water is prohibited during the Sabbath according to halachic requirements. Therefore, in the appliance of the present disclosure, when the appliance is switched to the holy day mode, the water level in the hot water reservoir is not allowed to be refilled or filled. In the appliance of the present disclosure, water is prevented from being supplied to the hot water reservoir in the holy day mode by the check valve, which is located between the main supply line and the second supply line, and the hot water reservoir is opened to allow treated water to flow through the second supply line only when the pressure in the main line exceeds a predetermined pressure. According to some embodiments, the predetermined pressure is at least about 0.2 bar. That is, the water pressure regulator is configured to reduce the water pressure in the main supply line to below the predetermined pressure, so that the check valve remains closed to prevent water from flowing through the second supply line and into the hot water reservoir during the holy day mode, while allowing treated water to flow through the second supply line in the weekday mode. As described above, the delay between the mechanical opening of the first electromechanical valve and the mechanical opening of the second electromechanical valve in Holy Day mode is another mechanism for controlling the water pressure in the main supply line, thereby preventing undesirable pressure surges that could cause an undesirable breakthrough of the threshold pressure of the check valve when the dispenser is operated in Holy Day mode.

[0021] According to some embodiments, the predetermined pressure is between about 0.2 bar and about 1.5 bar, such as between about 0.4 bar and about 1 bar.

[0022] Thus, to provide hot water during the holy day mode, the hot water tank is pre-filled with treated water via the second supply line and heated before the start of the holy day (e.g. before the start of the Sabbath); after the start of the holy day, the water pressure regulator reduces the pressure in the main supply line to below a predefined threshold value, so that the check valve remains closed and does not allow the water in the hot water reservoir to be refilled or topped up. This provides access to a predefined, limited volume of hot water for consumption during the holy day, which volume is maintained at a predefined temperature by the hot water reservoir throughout the holy day, as will be explained below.

[0023] According to some embodiments, the hot water reservoir has a volume between about 4 liters and about 9 liters.

[0024] According to some embodiments, the hot water reservoir includes a first heating element and a second heating element, the first heating element operating at low capacity to maintain a constant average temperature, and the second heating element operating intermittently at high capacity. The first heating element maintains a constant temperature of the water in the hot water reservoir at low heating capacity, while the second heating element operates intermittently at a higher capacity to heat the water on demand.

[0025] Preferably, the first and second heating elements operate simultaneously in both weekday mode and holyday mode. In such an embodiment, the second heating element provides intermittent heating pulses (in parallel with the base temperature maintained by the first heating element) according to a predefined timing during holyday mode.

[0026] According to some embodiments, the first heating element can be a heating element having a rated power between about 40 W and about 400 W and operated at about 10%-25% of the rated power. According to other embodiments, the first heating element can be operated at an average power consumption between about 10 W / 10 seconds and about 100 W / 10 seconds.

[0027] According to other embodiments, the hot water reservoir comprises a separate heating element with a variable heating power. In such embodiments, the heating power of the heating element is variable to provide a first heating power during the weekday mode and a second heating power during the holyday mode, the second heating power being lower than the first heating power (assuming that the second heating power is above zero).

[0028] As described above, hot water can be dispensed from the hot water reservoir by a third electromechanical valve, which operates electrically in weekday mode and mechanically in holyday mode. According to some embodiments, the third electromechanical valve is arranged along a hot water dispensing line extending between a hot water outlet of the hot water reservoir and a hot water dispensing nozzle.

[0029] With some embodiments, the hot water outlet is located at a bottom portion of the hot water reservoir, such that dispensing of hot water from the hot water reservoir is by means of gravity.

[0030] According to some embodiments, the first and second heating elements are arranged at a bottom portion of the hot water reservoir, and the hot water outlet is arranged at the bottom portion, above the first and second heating elements. This arrangement can ensure that, once the water level drops below the hot water outlet, hot water can no longer be dispensed from the hot water reservoir during the holy day mode, however, sufficient water is left in the hot water reservoir to keep the first and second heating elements substantially submerged, thereby preventing overheating or damage to the heating elements (because the hot water reservoir cannot be refilled during the holy day mode).

[0031] The first electromechanical valve, the second electromechanical valve and / or the third electromechanical valve can be any suitable electromechanical valve known in the art. The first electromechanical valve, the second electromechanical valve and / or the third electromechanical valve can be, for example, an electromechanical valve described in co-pending PCT application No. PCT / IL2024 / 050500, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0032] According to some embodiments, the dispenser comprises a cooling facility associated with the cold water reservoir and configured to cool water in the cold water reservoir.

[0033] By some embodiments, when in holy day mode, the cooling facility is configured to run intermittently at defined time intervals. That is, when in holy day mode, the cooling facility is configured to run automatically at predefined time intervals without regard to the actual water temperature in the cold water reservoir.

[0034] According to some embodiments, when in weekday mode, the cooling facility operates intermittently according to the measured water temperature of the water in the cold water reservoir. According to some other embodiments, when in weekday mode, the cooling facility operates continuously.

[0035] In order to prevent unwanted water accumulation in the hot water dispensing nozzle, in some embodiments, the hot water dispensing nozzle may include a hot water outlet pipe and a joint housing, which houses a hollow joint. The hollow joint has a bottom opening leading to the hot water outlet pipe, so that ambient air is sucked into the hot water outlet pipe through the hollow joint and the bottom opening, thereby pushing residual water that may accumulate in the hot water dispensing pipe towards the hot water outlet of the hot water dispensing nozzle. In this way, unwanted accumulation of residual water in the hot water dispensing nozzle is reduced to a minimum and even prevented.

[0036] As described above, the dispenser includes a water treatment unit for treating the introduced water. The water treatment unit includes one or more water treatment media, which play a role in removing one or more pollutants (e.g., particulate matter, microorganisms, heavy metals, etc.) from the water. According to some embodiments, the one or more treatment media are configured to supplement or add one or more nutrients, such as minerals, vitamins, etc., to the water. The one or more treatment media can be solid, liquid or gel.

[0037] According to some embodiments, the one or more treatment media may be one or more filter media.

[0038] According to some embodiments, a water treatment unit includes at least one first treatment medium (e.g., filter paper or fabric) generally configured to mechanically remove particulate contaminants from water, and at least one second treatment medium (e.g., a porous filter block) configured to remove at least heavy metals, microorganisms, and / or additional particulate contaminants from the water.

[0039] According to some embodiments, the dispenser further comprises a descaling cartridge, which is mounted in the second supply line between the check valve and the hot water reservoir. The descaling cartridge generally comprises one or more descaling media, i.e. materials or components that act to remove scaling substances (e.g. calcium carbonate) from the water before being supplied to the hot water reservoir.

[0040] To provide further treatment of the water, typically for eliminating microorganisms in the water, the dispenser according to some embodiments also includes at least one ultraviolet (UV) radiation water treatment unit configured to treat the water by exposure to UV radiation. For example, the UV radiation water treatment unit is one or more UV lamps or one or more UV light emitting diode (UV-LED) lamps.

[0041] According to some embodiments, the UV radiation water treatment unit is located in the main supply line. According to other embodiments, the UV radiation water treatment unit is located in the first supply line.

[0042] By some preferred embodiments, the UV radiation water treatment unit is located in the cold water reservoir. For example, the cold water reservoir may include a UV transparent inner shell located in the reservoir, and the inner shell is configured to accommodate the UV radiation water treatment unit, thereby allowing radiation of suitable UV wavelengths to be transferred to the water retained in the cold water reservoir to eliminate microbial contamination.

[0043] According to some embodiments, the UV radiation water treatment unit is configured to operate continuously or intermittently during a workday mode.

[0044] According to other embodiments, the UV radiation water treatment unit is configured to operate continuously or intermittently during the holy day mode. By some embodiments, the UV radiation water treatment unit is configured to operate intermittently during the holy day mode according to a predefined operating sequence. By some other embodiments, the UV radiation water treatment unit is configured not to operate during the holy day mode.

[0045] By some embodiments, the dispenser further comprises an ambient treated water dispensing nozzle for selectively dispensing treated water at ambient temperature.The ambient treated water dispensing nozzle may be supplied with treated water directly from a main supply line.

[0046] According to some embodiments, the dispenser comprises a control unit configured to control the operation of the dispenser.

[0047] By some embodiments, the control unit is configured to switch the dispenser between the weekday mode and the holy day mode, and vice versa. In some embodiments, the control unit is configured to automatically perform the switching, i.e., the control unit is configured to automatically switch the dispenser from the weekday mode to the holy day mode before the start of the holy day, and automatically switch the dispenser back to the weekday mode at the end of the holy day. In some other embodiments, the control unit is configured to receive a command from a user to switch the dispenser between the weekday mode and the holy day mode.

[0048] According to some embodiments, in order to obtain a directly observable difference between the hot water nozzle and the cold water nozzle, the hot water dispensing nozzle and the cold water dispensing nozzle are vertically spaced apart from each other along a vertical direction extending orthogonal to the base of the dispenser. In other words, the hot water dispensing nozzle and the cold water dispensing nozzle are located at different vertical positions along the vertical direction of the dispenser. According to some embodiments, the hot water dispensing nozzle is higher than the cold water dispensing nozzle. According to some embodiments, the cold water dispensing nozzle is higher than the hot water dispensing nozzle.

[0049] According to some embodiments, the hot water dispensing nozzle and the cold water dispensing nozzle have substantially the same vertical distance from the base of the dispenser.

[0050] The dispenser may include at least one drip-tray located below the cold water dispensing nozzle and / or the hot water dispensing nozzle to collect water drips or spills. According to some embodiments, the at least one drip-tray includes a first drip-tray located below the cold water dispensing nozzle and a second drip-tray located below the hot water dispensing nozzle.

[0051] According to some embodiments, at least one of the drip trays is foldable.

[0052] According to other embodiments, at least one water tray may be detachably attachable to the water distributor.

[0053] As used herein, the singular form "a," "an," and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0054] As used herein, the term "about" is meant to encompass deviations of ±10% of the value of the specifically mentioned parameter (eg, temperature, pressure, power, etc.).

[0055] Whenever a numerical range is indicated herein, it is meant to include any cited numeral (fractional or integer) within the indicated range. The phrases "range / value range between a first indicated number and a second indicated number" and "range / value range from a first indicated number to a second indicated number" are used interchangeably herein and are meant to include the first indicated number and the second indicated number and all fractions and integers therebetween.

[0056] Unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated integers or steps or groups of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any integer or step or group of integers and steps.

[0057] In general, it should be noted that the term "at least one of..." applied to any component of a dispenser according to the present disclosure should be understood to cover different occurrences of said component in one, two, three, four or even more dispensers of the present disclosure.

[0058] It should be understood that, for the sake of clarity, certain features of the present disclosure described in the context of separate embodiments may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, for the sake of brevity, various features of the present disclosure described in the context of a single embodiment may also be provided individually, or in any suitable sub-combination, or as appropriate in any other described embodiment of the present disclosure. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments should not be considered essential features of those embodiments, unless the embodiment is inoperative without these elements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0060] In order to better understand the subject matter disclosed herein and to illustrate how it may be implemented in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0061] Figure 1A-1B is a perspective view of a water dispenser according to the present disclosure, wherein the water receiving tray is in a closed position and an open position, respectively.

[0062] Figure 2 yes Figure 1A A perspective view of a dispenser with a portion of the top cover removed to allow viewing of some of the internal components of the dispenser.

[0063] Figure 3 is a schematic hydraulic flow diagram of the dispenser of the present disclosure.

[0064] Figure 4A-4B The water flow in weekday mode and holy day mode are shown separately.

[0065] Figure 5A-5E An exemplary mechanical connection arrangement of a first electromechanical valve and a second electromechanical valve at different operating positions for operation in a holy day mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, wherein:

[0066] Figure 5A is a perspective view of the valve in the closed position;

[0067] Figure 5B It is along Figure 5A A longitudinal cross-sectional view of line AA in FIG.

[0068] Figure 5C is a perspective view of the cold water dispensing button being pressed;

[0069] Figure 5D is along Figure 5C A longitudinal cross-sectional view of line BB in which the second valve is in an open position and the first valve is in a closed position; and

[0070] Figure 5E is along Figure 5C A longitudinal cross-sectional view along line BB in FIG. 1 , wherein both the first valve and the second valve are in an open position.

[0071] Fig. 6A is an exploded view of a hot water dispensing nozzle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0072] Figure 6B It passes through CC along the line Fig. 6A Cross section of a hot water dispensing nozzle with a connector mounted in a connector housing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0073] The dispenser of the present disclosure is designed to meet the Jewish halakhic requirements of operating during weekdays and during the Sabbath to allow cold and hot water to be dispensed on demand. Thus, the dispenser has two modes of operation, a weekday mode and a holy day mode, so that in both modes, cold and hot water are allowed to be dispensed according to halakhic requirements, as will be explained below.

[0074] First go to Figure 1A-1B , shows an exemplary water dispenser according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The dispenser 100 includes a housing 102 having a base 104, a front face 106, and a top cover 108. A cold water dispensing nozzle 110 and a hot water dispensing nozzle 112 protrude from the front face 106 and dispense cold water and hot water, respectively, as needed from corresponding cold water reservoirs and hot water reservoirs, as will be further explained below.

[0075] As can be seen from this exemplary dispenser, the cold water dispensing nozzle 110 and the hot water dispensing nozzle 112 have different vertical distances from the base 104, thereby providing a direct and clear distinction between the cold water dispensing nozzle 110 and the hot water dispensing nozzle 112. The user can easily distinguish between the hot nozzle and the cold nozzle, thereby reducing the risk of confusion between the two. In this specific example, the cold water dispensing nozzle 110 is vertically higher than the hot water dispensing nozzle 112 in a direction orthogonal to the base 104; however, other arrangements are also possible, for example, the cold water dispensing nozzle 110 is vertically lower than the hot water dispensing nozzle 112, or the vertical distances of the two nozzles from the base 104 are substantially the same.

[0076] exist Figure 1A-1B Also seen are water receiving trays 122 and 124, which are located below the cold water dispensing nozzle 110 and the hot water dispensing nozzle 112, respectively. Figure 1A In the embodiment, the water tray is in a closed folded position in which the water tray is substantially flush with the front face 106 of the dispenser, thereby allowing a large container or bottle to be placed directly under the nozzle for water collection. Figure 1B , the drip trays 122 and 124 are shown in a non-folded position, in which the drip trays extend from the front face 106 and are substantially parallel to the base 104. In the non-folded position, the drip trays serve to collect drips and / or overflow water that may drip from the nozzles. The drip trays also serve to support a cup or glass that is placed under the nozzle by the user for dispensing water into the cup or glass. The drip trays 122 and 124 may also be removably attached to the dispenser so that the user can remove the drip trays for emptying / cleaning and then reattach them.

[0077] Although two drip trays are shown in the particular example dispenser, one for each dispensing nozzle, it is also contemplated that a single common drip tray (not shown) may be used.

[0078] like Figure 3-4B As shown, the dispenser includes a pressurized water inlet 130 that supplies water to a pressurized water supply line 134 through a water pressure regulator 132. The water pressure regulator is used to regulate the pressure of the water supplied to the dispenser and also serves to reduce the water pressure during holy day mode to meet halachic requirements, as will be further explained.

[0079] The first electromechanical valve 136 is assembled in the pressurized water supply line 134 to control the supply of pressurized water to the water treatment unit 126. In the water treatment unit 126, the pressurized water is treated mainly to remove various pollutants, for example, by passing it through one or more treatment media. Examples of suitable water treatment units may include at least one first treatment medium (e.g., filter paper or fabric) that is generally configured to mechanically remove particulate contaminants from water, and at least one second treatment medium (e.g., porous filter block) that is configured to remove at least heavy metals, microorganisms and / or additional particulate contaminants from water. The treatment medium can also be configured to supplement or add one or more nutrients, such as minerals, vitamins, etc., to the water.

[0080] Treated water leaves the water treatment unit 126 and enters the main supply line 139. Depending on the operating mode of the dispenser, treated water can be supplied from the main supply line 139 to the cold water reservoir 140 and / or the hot water reservoir 148, as will now be explained. In the illustrated dispenser, there is also an ambient water line 160 supplied with water from the main supply line 139 so that ambient water can be dispensed when a valve 162 is operated.

[0081] First, if Figure 4A As shown, the operation in the weekday mode will be described in detail. During the weekday, treated water is supplied to the cold water reservoir from the main supply line 139 through the first supply line 138 in a selective manner through the second electromechanical valve 142. In the weekday mode, when a demand for cold water distribution is received through one or more electrically operated buttons 114, both the first electromechanical valve 136 and the second electromechanical valve 142 are electrically operated by the control unit of the dispenser concurrently. However, it is also envisaged that in the weekday mode, the second electromechanical valve 142 is usually open and control of the supply of water is obtained only through the first electromechanical valve 136.

[0082] In the cold water reservoir 140 , a cooling facility (not shown) cools water to a desired temperature, which can be controlled by a control unit, and dispenses water through the cold water dispensing nozzle 110 according to user's needs.

[0083] To further eliminate microorganisms in the water, the dispenser may include at least one ultraviolet (UV) radiation water treatment unit for treating the water by exposure to UV radiation. In the illustrated dispenser, the UV radiation unit is in the form of a UV lamp 128 and is located within the cold water reservoir 140 (e.g., in a UV transparent inner housing). However, it is also contemplated that the UV radiation water treatment unit is located in the main supply line or the first supply line.

[0084] The UV radiation water treatment unit 128 is configured to operate continuously or intermittently during the workday mode. Typically, the UV radiation treatment unit operates continuously in the workday mode.

[0085] exist Figure 2 As can be seen in FIG. 1 , both the water treatment unit 126 and the UV radiation treatment unit 128 are accessible to a user, such as by removing the top cover 108 of the dispenser, so that a user can periodically replace the water treatment unit and / or the UV radiation treatment unit.

[0086] Treated water is supplied from the main supply line 139 through the second supply line 144 to the hot water reservoir 148. A check valve 146 is located between the main supply line 139 and the second supply line 144, with a predefined water operating pressure. In the weekday mode, the water pressure regulator 132 ensures that the water pressure supplied to the dispenser remains above the predefined pressure, for example above about 0.6 bar, so that water is allowed to pass through the check valve 146 during the weekday mode to maintain a defined water level in the hot water reservoir 148.

[0087] In the hot water reservoir 148, two heating elements are operated: a first heating element 156, which is constantly operated at low power to maintain a constant average temperature; and a second heating element 158, which is configured to intermittently operate at high power in parallel (i.e., simultaneously) with the first heating element 156. For example, the first heating element can be a heating element with a rated power between about 40W and 400W, and the heating element is operated at about 10%-25% of the rated power, for example, at an average energy consumption between about 10W / 10 seconds and about 100W / 10 seconds.

[0088] Based on user demand (by pressing one or more electrically operated buttons 116 ), hot water is distributed from the hot water reservoir 148 through the hot water outlet 152 into the hot water distribution line 150 and the hot water distribution nozzle 112 .

[0089] When in weekday mode, the water pressure in the main line is kept above a predefined pressure in order to allow the hot water reservoir to be filled.

[0090] Also included in the second supply line 144 is a descaling box 160, which typically includes one or more descaling media, i.e., materials or components that function to remove scaling substances (e.g., calcium carbonate) from water before it is supplied to the hot water reservoir. Such a box minimizes scaling in the hot water reservoir, thereby reducing the need for frequent cleaning of scale deposits in the reservoir.

[0091] As discussed above, electrical induction for dispensing water is not permitted during Holy Days. Furthermore, boiling cold water is prohibited during Holy Days. Therefore, the dispenser is configured to operate on Holy Days in a manner that does not violate the Halakha requirements for Holy Days, while allowing for the dispensing of cold and hot water on demand during Holy Days. To this end, the dispenser is configured to switch between a weekday mode and a Holy Day mode.

[0092] exist Figure 4B In the illustrated holy day mode of operation, the water pressure regulator 132 reduces the water pressure to below a predetermined pressure threshold for operating the check valve 146. Thus, when in holy day mode, water flow through the second supply line 144 into the hot water reservoir 148 is mechanically inhibited.

[0093] Thus, to provide hot water during the holy day mode, treated water is pre-filled into the hot water tank 148 through the second supply line 144 and heated before the start of the holy day (e.g., before the start of the Sabbath). At the start of the holy day (or shortly before), the dispenser is switched to the holy day mode, in which the water pressure in the main supply line 139 is reduced by the water pressure regulator 132 to below a predefined threshold value, so that the check valve 146 remains closed and water is not allowed to refill or top up the hot water reservoir 148. This obtains a predefined volume of hot water for consumption during the holy day (e.g., between about 4 liters and about 9 liters, generally suitable for the average consumption of an ordinary household during the holy day), which volume is maintained at a predefined temperature by the hot water reservoir throughout the holy day by the operation of the heating elements 156 and 158.

[0094] The first heating element 156 and the second heating element 158 ​​operate simultaneously in the holy day mode, wherein the first heating element 156 remains in constant operation to maintain a defined average temperature, while the second heating element 158 ​​provides intermittent heating pulses according to a predefined timing during the holy day mode (in parallel with the constant temperature maintained by the first heating element).

[0095] As described above, hot water can be dispensed from the hot water reservoir via the third electromechanical valve 154, which is mechanically operated during the holy day mode. The electromechanical valve 154 is mechanically connected to the hot water dispensing mechanical button 120, and thus pressing the button 120 will cause the third valve 154 to mechanically open to dispense hot water from the hot water reservoir as needed.

[0096] It should also be noted that the hot water dispensing mechanical button 120 includes a safety lock 123 that is configured to be lockable by a user to prevent undesired mechanical operation of the button 120, such as to function as a child safety measure.

[0097] It can be seen that in this example, the hot water outlet 152 is located at the bottom portion of the hot water reservoir, thereby allowing gravity-assisted dispensing of the hot water reservoir 148. In addition, the first heating element 156 and the second heating element 158 ​​can be arranged at the bottom portion of the hot water reservoir, with the hot water outlet 152 located above the heating elements. This arrangement can ensure that once the water level drops below the hot water outlet, hot water can no longer be dispensed from the hot water reservoir during the holy day mode, but sufficient water is left in the hot water reservoir to keep the first heating element and the second heating element substantially submerged, thereby preventing overheating or damage to the heating elements (because the hot water reservoir cannot be refilled during the holy day mode).

[0098] Furthermore, in order to prevent stagnant water from accumulating in the hot water nozzle 112, in some arrangements, the hot water nozzle may have a water flow acceleration mechanism, such as Figure 6A-6B . In this example, the hot water nozzle 112 includes an outlet pipe 115 connected between a hot water distribution line 150 and a distribution outlet 117. It should be noted that the outlet pipe 115 has an overall downward inclination to facilitate the discharge of water toward the distribution outlet 117. The distribution nozzle 112 is configured with a joint housing 119, which is oriented generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the outlet pipe. The joint housing 119 houses a hollow joint 121 having a bottom opening 123 leading to the outlet pipe 115. During the dispensing of hot water, the hot water flows from the hot water distribution line 150 through the outlet pipe 115 to the outlet 117, as indicated by arrow 125. The hollow joint 119 is designed so that when the water flow in the outlet pipe 115 stops, the ambient air is sucked into the outlet pipe 115 (as indicated by arrow 127) because of the instantaneous low pressure formed in the outlet pipe 115 due to the cessation of the water flow, so that an air pulse is sucked into the outlet pipe 115 through the bottom opening 123 to push the residual water that may temporarily accumulate in the pipe 115 toward the outlet 117. In this way, the accumulation of unwanted water in the hot water dispensing outlet 112 is reduced to a minimum and even prevented.

[0099] By switching the first electromechanical valve 136 and the second electromechanical valve 142 to mechanical operation, the distribution of cold water in the holy day mode is also completely mechanical. The first electromechanical valve 136 and the second electromechanical valve 142 are connected by a connecting mechanism 137 (e.g. Figure 5A-5EThe mechanism shown in FIG. 1 , which will be further described below, is mechanically connected to provide a delay of at least 0.01 seconds between the mechanical opening of the first electromechanical valve 136 and the mechanical opening of the second electromechanical valve 142 during the holy day mode. In other words, since the electrical induction of the dispensing of water is prohibited during the holy day period, when cold water is required during the holy day mode, the mechanical operation of the cold water dispensing button 118 causes the mechanical opening of the second electromechanical valve 142 to allow residual water to pass through the first supply line 138, and after a predefined time delay allowed by the mechanical coupling of the valves 136 and 142, the mechanical opening of the first electromechanical valve 136 occurs, which allows water to flow through the main supply line 139 and into the first supply line 138. Therefore, during the holy day mode, there is no direct supply of water between the main supply line and the first supply line to meet the halakhah requirement. Additionally, the delay between the mechanical opening of the first electromechanical valve 136 and the mechanical opening of the second electromechanical valve 142 in holy day mode is another mechanism for controlling the water pressure in the main supply line 139 , thereby preventing undesirable pressure surges that could result in an undesirable breakthrough of the pressure threshold of the check valve 146 .

[0100] During the holy day mode, the UV radiation water treatment unit 128 can be configured to operate continuously or intermittently during the holy day mode. Typically, the UV radiation water treatment unit 128 is configured to operate intermittently during the holy day mode according to a predefined operating sequence. In some cases, the UV radiation water treatment unit may not operate during the holy day mode.

[0101] Thus, operation of the dispenser in the holy day mode differs from operation of the dispenser in the weekday mode. In the weekday mode, (i) each of the first electromechanical valve 136, the second electromechanical valve 142, and the third electromechanical valve 154 is electrically operated according to the demand for cold water or hot water, respectively, and (ii) the water pressure in the main supply line 139 is above a predefined threshold to allow water to flow from the main supply line 139 through the second supply line 144 to the hot water reservoir 148. In the holy day mode, (i) each of the first electromechanical valve 136, the second electromechanical valve 142 and the third electromechanical valve 154 is mechanically operated respectively, (ii) the first electromechanical valve 136 and the second electromechanical valve 142 are mechanically coupled to each other via the mechanical connection device 137 so that the mechanical opening of the first electromechanical valve 136 occurs after a delay in the mechanical opening of the second electromechanical valve 142, and (iii) the water pressure regulator 132 is configured to reduce the water pressure in the main supply line 139 to below a predetermined pressure so that the check valve 146 remains closed to prevent water from flowing into the second supply line 144.

[0102] The control unit (not shown) is configured to switch the dispenser between the weekday mode and the holy day mode and vice versa. The control unit may be configured to perform such switching automatically, i.e. the control unit is configured to automatically switch the dispenser from the weekday mode to the holy day mode before the start of the holy day and to switch the dispenser back to the weekday mode at the end of the holy day. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit is configured to receive a command from a user to switch the dispenser between the weekday mode and the holy day mode.

[0103] Now go to Figure 5A-5E , shows an exemplary mechanical connection mechanism between the first electromechanical valve and the second electromechanical valve, which allows the mechanical operation of the delayed coupling of the valves in the holy day mode. The mechanical connection mechanism 137 includes a movement conversion member 164, which is selectively mechanically connected to the cold water dispensing mechanical operating button 118, in this case by connecting legs 166, 168, which are integrally formed with the movement conversion member 164. The movement conversion member 164 is also integral with the first actuating element 170 and the second actuating member 172.

[0104] The first actuation member 170 engages the first electromechanical valve 136 , and the second actuation member 172 engages the second electromechanical valve 142 .

[0105] Figure 5A-Figure 5B 1 shows the mechanical connection mechanism in its closed position, when the operating button 118 is not pressed by the user and the flow of water through the first electromechanical valve and the second electromechanical valve is blocked ( Figure 5A Perspective drawing and Figure 5B (a longitudinal cross-section along line AA in FIG. 1 ). Figure 5B As can be seen in FIG. 1 , the first electromechanical valve 136 has a first plunger 174. Figure 5B 1 is shown in its pressurized water flow blocking position, and the second electromechanical valve 142 has a second plunger 176, which is shown in its treated water flow blocking position.

[0106] When the user is in Figure 5C When the cold water dispensing mechanical operating button 118 is pressed during the illustrated holy day mode, for example, in the direction of arrow 178, the movement conversion member 164 transfers mechanical movement to the first actuating element 170 and the second actuating element 172 via the integral coupling legs 166, 168, resulting in the first actuating element 170 and the second actuating element 172 being simultaneously displaced vertically upward in the direction of arrow 180. This movement displaces the respective first and second plungers 174, 176 when the first and second actuating elements 170, 172 engage with the plungers 174, 176 of the first and second electromechanical valves 136, 142, respectively.

[0107] Since the stroke of the first plunger 174 is greater than the stroke of the second plunger 176, vertical movement in the direction of arrow 180 causes the second plunger 176 to be first displaced to its pressurized water flow allowing position, such as Figure 5D As shown, and only thereafter does vertical movement cause the first plunger 174 to be displaced to its treated water flow-permitting position, as Figure 5E The difference between the plunger strokes is configured such that the first electromechanical valve opens to allow water flow at least approximately 0.01 seconds after the second plunger reaches the pressurized water flow allowing position. Thus, this mechanism allows a time interval between the opening of the first electromechanical valve and the opening of the second electromechanical valve by a single mechanical operation of the user without violating the halakhic holy day requirements.

Claims

1. A water dispenser having a weekday operation mode and a holyday operation mode, the dispenser comprising: a pressurized water inlet capable of being connected to a pressurized water supply line via a water pressure regulator; a water treatment unit in selective fluid communication with the pressurized water supply line via a first electromechanical valve mounted in the pressurized water supply line, the water treatment unit being configured to remove one or more contaminants from the water to obtain treated water; a main water supply line in fluid communication with the water treatment unit to receive the treated water; a cold water reservoir configured to receive treated water from the main supply line through a first supply line, the cold water reservoir being in selective fluid communication with the first supply line through a second electromechanical valve mounted in the first supply line; a cold water dispensing nozzle in fluid communication with the cold water reservoir, the cold water dispensing nozzle being configured to dispense cold water on demand; a hot water reservoir configured to receive treated water from a second supply line in selective fluid communication with the main supply line via a check valve mounted between the main supply line and the second supply line; and a hot water dispensing nozzle in fluid communication with the hot water reservoir, the hot water dispensing nozzle being configured for dispensing hot water on demand via a third electromechanical valve; During operation in the weekday mode: (i) the first electromechanical valve, the second electromechanical valve and the third electromechanical valve are electrically operated according to the demand for cold water or hot water, and (ii) the water pressure in the main supply line is above a predefined threshold to allow water to flow from the main supply line through the second supply line to the hot water reservoir; and During operation in the holy day mode: (i) the first electromechanical valve, the second electromechanical valve and the third electromechanical valve are mechanically operated, (ii) the first electromechanical valve and the second electromechanical valve are mechanically coupled to each other such that mechanical opening of the first electromechanical valve occurs after a delay in mechanical opening of the second electromechanical valve, and (iii) the water pressure regulator is configured to reduce the water pressure in the main supply line to below a predetermined pressure such that the check valve remains closed to prevent water from flowing into the second supply line.

2. The water dispenser of claim 1 , wherein in the holy day mode, the first and second electromechanical valves are mechanically connected to provide a delay of at least 0.01 seconds between mechanical opening of the second electromechanical valve and mechanical opening of the first electromechanical valve.

3. The water dispenser of claim 2, wherein the delay is between about 0.01 seconds and about 0.5 seconds.

4. The water dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the cold water dispensing nozzle and the hot water dispensing nozzle each include an electrically operated button for dispensing cold water and hot water, respectively, on demand in a weekday mode, and the cold water dispensing nozzle and the hot water dispensing nozzle each include a mechanical button for dispensing cold water and hot water, respectively, on demand in a holyday mode.

5. The water dispenser of claim 1, wherein the first electromechanical valve and the second electromechanical valve are connected by a mechanical connection mechanism.

6. The water dispenser of claim 5, wherein the mechanical connection mechanism comprises: a mobile switching member mechanically connected to one or more cold water dispensing mechanical operating buttons; a first actuating element integral with the movement conversion member and configured for engagement with the first electromechanical valve; as well as a second actuation element integral with the movement conversion member and configured for engagement with the second electromechanical valve; The second actuation element and the first actuation element are configured to engage the second electromechanical valve and the first electromechanical valve, respectively, with a time difference of at least about 0.01 seconds.

7. The water dispenser according to claim 6, wherein: The first electromechanical valve has a first plunger configured to reciprocate along a first stroke between a pressurized water flow blocking position and a pressurized water flow allowing position, and the first actuating element is configured to displace the first plunger along the first stroke; the second electromechanical valve having a second plunger configured to reciprocate along a second stroke between a treated water flow blocking position and a treated water flow allowing position, the second actuating element configured to displace the second plunger along the second stroke; wherein, when pressure is applied to the one or more cold water dispensing mechanical operating buttons, the movement conversion member is configured to simultaneously displace the first actuating element and the second actuating element into simultaneous engagement with the corresponding first plunger and second plunger, And wherein the first stroke is longer than the second stroke such that the first plunger reaches the treated water flow enabling position at least about 0.01 seconds after the second plunger reaches the pressurized water flow enabling position.

8. The water dispenser of claim 1, wherein the predetermined pressure is at least about 0.2 bar.

9. The water dispenser of claim 1, comprising a cooling facility for cooling the cold water reservoir.

10. The water dispenser according to claim 9, wherein: When in holy day mode, the cooling facility is configured to operate intermittently at defined time intervals, regardless of the measured water temperature in the cold water reservoir.

11. The water dispenser of claim 1, wherein the hot water reservoir comprises a first heating element and a second heating element, the first heating element operating at low power to maintain a constant average temperature, the second heating element operating intermittently at high power.

12. The water dispenser of claim 11, wherein the first heating element and the second heating element operate simultaneously in both a weekday mode and a holyday mode.

13. The water dispenser of claim 1, wherein the water treatment unit comprises at least one filter media.

14. The water dispenser according to claim 1, comprising a descaling box fitted in the second supply line between the non-return valve and the hot water reservoir.

15. The water dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the hot water dispensing nozzle comprises a hot water outlet pipe, a joint housing, and a hollow joint accommodated in the joint housing, the hollow joint having a bottom opening leading to the hot water outlet pipe, the hollow joint allowing ambient air to be sucked into the hot water outlet pipe through the bottom opening to push residual water accumulated in the hot water dispensing pipe toward the hot water outlet of the hot water dispensing nozzle.

16. The water dispenser of claim 1, comprising at least one ultraviolet (UV) radiation water treatment unit configured to treat water by exposure to UV radiation.

17. The water dispenser of claim 16, wherein the UV radiation water treatment unit is located within the cold water reservoir.

18. A water dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 17, comprising an ambient treated water dispensing nozzle for selectively dispensing treated water at ambient temperature.

19. The water dispenser of claim 1, wherein the hot water dispensing nozzle and the cold water dispensing nozzle are vertically spaced apart from each other along a vertical direction extending orthogonal to a base of the dispenser.

20. The water dispenser of claim 1, comprising at least one drip tray located below the cold water dispensing nozzle and the hot water dispensing nozzle.

21. The water dispenser of claim 20, wherein the at least one water tray comprises a first water tray located below the cold water dispensing nozzle and a second water tray located below the hot water dispensing nozzle.

22. The water dispenser of claim 20, wherein the at least one drip tray is foldable.

23. The water dispenser of claim 20, wherein the at least one water tray is detachably attachable to the water dispenser.

24. The water dispenser of claim 1, comprising a control unit configured to control operation of the dispenser.

25. The water dispenser of claim 24, wherein the control unit is configured to switch the dispenser between the weekday mode and the holyday mode and vice versa.

26. The water dispenser of claim 25, wherein the control unit is configured to automatically perform the switching.

27. The water dispenser of claim 25, wherein the control unit is configured to receive commands from a user to cause the dispenser to switch between the weekday mode and the holyday mode and vice versa.

28. The water dispenser of claim 1, wherein when the dispenser is in holy day mode, dispensing of hot water from the hot water reservoir is by gravity.

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