Water server

Abstract

To provide a water server capable of adjusting a flow rate of water flowing into a water storage part, even in a structure for storing water in a tank in the water storage part after purifying the water by passing through a water purifying part.SOLUTION: The water server 1 includes a water intake part 3 that holds a tank 15 containing water and a water purification part 17 that purifies the water in the tank 15 and takes in the water in the tank 15 via the water purification part 17, a water storage part 5 that stores the water taken in by the water intake part 3, a supply part 7 that supplies the water in the water storage part 5 to the outside, and a pressure reduction part 11 that reduces the pressure in the water storage part 5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water server. [Background technology]

[0002] A water server is configured to take water from a tank, store it in a water storage unit, and then supply the water from the water storage unit to the outside using a faucet, etc. On the other hand, some water servers are configured to pass the water in the tank through a water purification unit such as a water purification cartridge, where it is purified by sterilization or other means before storing it in the water storage unit (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-102044 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the structure of Patent Document 1, the flow path of water passing through the water purification cartridge is narrowed by components inside the cartridge and frictional resistance is encountered from the components, so the flow rate of water flowing into the water storage section is reduced compared to when water purification is not performed. As a result, there is a problem that it takes longer to store water taken from the tank when purified water is required, especially during disasters or when used outdoors, compared to when water purification is not performed.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and its purpose is to provide a water server that can adjust the flow rate of water flowing into the water storage section, even if the water in the tank is purified by passing it through the water purification section before being stored. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The water server of the present invention is a water server that holds a tank filled with water and a water purification unit that purifies the water in the tank, and is equipped with a water intake unit that takes in water from the tank through the water purification unit, a water storage unit that stores the water taken in by the water intake unit, and a supply unit that supplies the water in the water storage unit to the outside, and is equipped with a pressure reduction unit that reduces the pressure inside the water storage unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, a water server can be provided that can adjust the flow rate of water flowing into the water storage section, even if the water in the tank is purified by passing it through a water purification section before being stored. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing a water server according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which a part of a water intake section and a water storage section are shown in vertical cross section. [Figure 2] 2 is an enlarged view of the pressure reducing section of FIG. 1, showing a longitudinal cross section of the cylindrical section. [Figure 3] 3(a) is a diagram showing a state in which the side surface of the cylindrical portion of FIG. 2 is pressed, and FIG. 3(b) is a diagram showing a state in which the pressure is released from the state of FIG. 3(a). [Figure 4] 3 is a diagram showing a case where water flows into a cylindrical portion in the pressure reducing portion of FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 5] 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a modified example of the position where the pressure reducing section in FIG. 1 is provided. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view showing a pressure reducing section of a water server according to a second embodiment, showing a cylinder in vertical cross section. [Figure 7] 7(a) is a diagram showing a state in which the piston in FIG. 6 has been lowered, and FIG. 7(b) is a diagram showing a state in which the piston has been further lowered from the state in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 7(b) is a diagram showing a state in which the piston is raised from the state in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention will be described below in accordance with preferred embodiments. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown below and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In addition, in the embodiments shown below, some components are omitted from illustration and description, but it goes without saying that publicly known or well-known technologies are applied as appropriate to the details of the omitted technologies within the scope of the content described below.

[0010] First, the schematic configuration of the water server according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a front view showing the water server according to the first embodiment of the present invention, with part of the water intake section and the water storage section shown in vertical cross section.

[0011] First, the configuration of the components attached to the water dispenser to supply water will be described with reference to FIG. 1. In the following description, these components will be collectively referred to as supply container 13. As shown in FIG. 1, supply container 13 includes tank 15, water purification unit 17, and holder 19. Tank 15 is a cylindrical container with a bottom that stores water, and has a hole (not shown) at its bottom for discharging water. Water purification unit 17 purifies the water in tank 15 and is connected to the bottom of tank 15. Water purification unit 17 is a cylindrical container that contains, for example, a filter material that filters impurities contained in the water. Water purification unit 17 has openings at the top and bottom of the cylinder, purifying water that flows in through the hole at the top and discharging it through the hole at the bottom. The top of water purification unit 17 is connected to the bottom of tank 15, and a hole at the bottom of tank 15 communicates with a hole at the top of water purification unit 17. Holder 19 is a container that houses water purification unit 17 and temporarily stores water that flows out of water purification unit 17, and is provided so as to surround the sides and bottom of water purification unit 17. Lower portion 19a of holder 19 is cylindrical with a bottom, and a water outlet hole 17b that is closed by a valve (not shown) is provided at the bottom end. In addition, an annular gasket 17a is provided at the bottom end of the outer periphery of water purification unit 17, and the outer periphery of water purification unit 17 and the inner periphery of lower portion 19a of holder 19 are tightly fitted together via gasket 17a. As a result, the upper surface of holder 19 is blocked by the underside of water purification unit 17, so that water that flows out from the hole at the bottom end of water purification unit 17 flows only into lower portion 19a. This completes the description of the configuration of supply container 13.

[0012] Next, the schematic configuration of the water server will be described with reference to FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the water server 1 includes a water intake section 3, a water storage section 5, a supply section 7, and a pressure reduction section 11. The water server 1 also includes a flow path 9a and an open valve 9b. The water intake section 3 holds the tank 15, the water purification section 17, and the holder 19 and draws water from the tank 15 through the water purification section 17. The water intake section 3 includes a storage section 3a and a pin 4. The storage section 3a holds the tank 15, the water purification section 17, and the holder 19 by storing the holder 19 therein. The storage section 3a is a bottomed, funnel-shaped component whose diameter expands from bottom to top. The pin 4 is inserted into the water outlet hole 17b of the holder 19 and is a columnar component protruding upward from the bottom of the storage section 3a. The storage section 3a has an inlet hole 3b on its side. Furthermore, an internal hole 3c is provided inside the pin 4, extending vertically and penetrating the bottom surface of the storage section 3a, and the internal hole 3c is in communication with the inlet hole 3b. In this configuration, when the storage section 3a stores the holder 19, the pin 4 is inserted into the water outlet hole 17b of the holder 19, opening an internal valve (not shown) of the water outlet hole 17b, causing water from the water purification section 17 to flow into the inlet hole 3b and the internal hole 3c through the lower part 19a of the holder 19. This allows the water intake section 3 to take in water from the tank 15.

[0013] The water storage section 5 is a container that stores the water taken in by the water intake section 3, and has a cylindrical outer shape with a circular opening on a portion of its top surface. The opening on the top surface is blocked by the water intake section 3, and the inside of the water storage section 5 is in communication with the internal hole 3c. The supply section 7 is a component that supplies the water in the water storage section 5 to the outside, and FIG. 1 illustrates a faucet connected to the lower end of the side of the water storage section 5. The pressure reducing section 11 is a device that reduces the pressure inside the water storage section 5. Here, when the holder 19 is stored in the storage section 3a, the holder 19 and the water storage section 5 are in communication with each other via the introduction hole 3b and the internal hole 3c, and the outer periphery of the water purification section 17 and the inner periphery of the lower section 19a of the holder 19 are in tight contact with each other via the packing 17a. Therefore, the water storage section 5 and the water purification section 17 are in communication with each other via the holder 19. On the other hand, when the supply unit 7 is closed, the water storage unit 5 is in a nearly sealed state, with only upward ventilation through an extremely narrow passage, namely the space provided in the filter material of the water purification unit 17. Therefore, when the pressure reduction unit 11 reduces the pressure inside the water storage unit 5, water is drawn into the water storage unit 5 from the tank 15 via the water purification unit 17 at a flow rate corresponding to the magnitude of the negative pressure generated in the water storage unit 5 due to the pressure difference between the water intake unit 3 and the water storage unit 5, forcing filtration and storage. Therefore, the lower the pressure inside the water storage unit 5, the greater the flow rate of water passing through the water purification unit 17 and flowing into the water storage unit 5, and the higher the pressure, the smaller the flow rate of water passing through the water purification unit 17 and flowing into the water storage unit 5. Therefore, even in a structure in which water in the tank 15 is purified by passing it through the water purification unit 17 before being stored in the water storage unit 5, the flow rate of water flowing into the water storage unit 5 can be adjusted. In particular, in the water server 1 of FIG. 1, simply pouring water into tank 15 to store water in water storage unit 5 requires that the driving force for sending the water in tank 15 to water purification unit 17 and promoting filtration be solely the water pressure due to the weight of the water in tank 15. Therefore, the lower the amount of water in tank 15, the lower the water pressure generated by the water in the tank, and it may take time for the water in tank 15 to pass through water purification unit 17 and flow into water storage unit 5. Furthermore, if the resistance the water encounters from the filter material in water purification unit 17 as it passes through it is large, or if the head of water in tank 15 is insufficient, it may also take time for the water in tank 15 to pass through water purification unit 17 and flow into water storage unit 5.Even in such a case, the pressure reduction section 11 reduces the pressure inside the water storage section 5, thereby increasing the flow rate of water passing through the water purification section 17 and flowing into the water storage section 5, and shortening the time required to store water in the water storage section 5 compared to when the pressure inside the water storage section 5 is not reduced.

[0014] Flow path 9a is a part that opens water storage section 5 to the atmosphere, with one end connected to water storage section 5 and the other end open to the atmosphere. Specifically, flow path 9a is a pipe that extends upward through the top surface of water storage section 5 and communicates with water storage section 5. Release valve 9b is a valve that opens and closes flow path 9a, and is provided in flow path 9a. In the closed state, release valve 9b closes flow path 9a. On the other hand, in the open state, release valve 9b opens flow path 9a, opening the inside of water storage section 5 to the atmosphere via flow path 9a. In this configuration, when release valve 9b is opened while the pressure inside water storage section 5 is reduced, outside air flows into water storage section 5 from flow path 9a, reducing the pressure difference between the inside of water storage section 5 and the outside. When the pressure inside the water storage section 5 is reduced, even if you try to open the supply section 7 and supply water to the outside, the negative pressure inside the water storage section 5 acts to keep the water inside the supply section 7, making it difficult for the water to escape to the outside, but by opening the water storage section 5 to the atmosphere, the negative pressure disappears and the flow rate of water coming out of the supply section 7 can be increased. This concludes the explanation of the general configuration of the water server 1.

[0015] Next, the details of the structure of the pressure reducing section 11 will be described with reference to Figs. 2 to 5. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the pressure reducing section 11 of Fig. 1, showing the cylindrical section in a vertical cross section. Fig. 3(a) is a view showing a state in which the side surface of the cylindrical section of Fig. 2 is pressed, and Fig. 3(b) is a view showing a state in which the pressure is released from the state of Fig. 3(a). Fig. 4 is a view showing a state in which water has flowed into the cylindrical section of the pressure reducing section 11 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view showing a modified example of the position at which the pressure reducing section 11 of Fig. 1 is provided.

[0016] The pressure reducing unit 11 shown in FIG. 2 is a manual pump that manually exhausts air from the water storage unit 5. In this configuration, the flow rate of filtered water is adjusted by exhausting the air from the water storage unit 5 with the manual pump. Therefore, a power source to drive the pressure reducing unit 11 is not required, and the pressure reducing unit 11 can be driven even when it is difficult to secure a power source, such as when the water server 1 is used outdoors or during a disaster. Furthermore, when the pressure reducing unit 11 is a manual pump, a power source to drive the pressure reducing unit 11 and an electric motor driven by a power source to reduce the pressure are not required, allowing the water server 1 to have a small and simple structure. Therefore, the water server 1 can also be used as a water filling attachment that is attached to the supply container 13 and quickly supplies (fills) water from the tank 15 to the outside via the water purification unit 17.

[0017] The pressure reducing section 11 shown in FIG. 2 includes a tubular section 21, a first valve 27, a second valve 29, and a float valve 31. The tubular section 21 is a member into which air from the water storage section 5 (see FIG. 1) flows when the air from the water storage section 5 is exhausted, and is a tubular member with a closed lower end 21a (one end) and an closed upper end 21b (the other end). The tubular section 21 has a bellows-shaped vertical cross section of a side surface 21c, so that the bellows-shaped portion can expand and contract like a spring. Therefore, the tubular section 21 has elasticity such that it can be manually reduced in diameter by pinching the side surface 21c with fingers as shown by the white arrow C1 in FIG. 3(a), and can be expanded in diameter to its original size before pressing as shown by the white arrow C2 in FIG. 3(b) by releasing the pressure. In addition, the tubular portion 21 has a first communication hole 23 at its lower end 21a that communicates with the water storage portion 5 and passes through the lower end 21a, and a second communication hole 25 at its upper end 21b that is open to the atmosphere and passes through the upper end 21b.

[0018] The first valve 27 is a valve that opens and closes the first communication hole 23. The first valve 27 is provided in the cylindrical portion 21 so as to cover the first communication hole 23 from the inside of the cylindrical portion 21, and is rotatable in the directions A1 and A2, which are the communication directions of the first communication hole 23. The first valve 27 opens the first communication hole 23 by rotating in the direction A1, and closes the first communication hole 23 by rotating in the direction A2. More specifically, the first valve 27 is a plate-shaped member made of an elastic material such as rubber, and has a fixed portion 23a fixed to the cylindrical portion 21 and a movable portion 23b connected to a side end of the fixed portion 23a and separated from the cylindrical portion 21 in a shape corresponding to the first communication hole 23. In this structure, the movable portion 23b is rotatable in the directions A1 and A2, with the connection portion with the fixed portion 23a as a fulcrum. The second valve 29 is a valve that opens and closes the second communication hole 25, and is provided on the cylindrical portion 21 so as to cover the second communication hole 25 from the outside of the cylindrical portion 21, and is rotatable in the directions A3 and A4, which are the communication directions of the second communication hole 25. The second valve 29 opens the second communication hole 25 by rotating in the direction A3, and closes the second communication hole 25 by rotating in the direction A4. The specific structure of the second valve 29 is the same as that of the first valve 27.

[0019] When the cylindrical portion 21 is pressed with fingers or the like so as to pinch the side surface 21c, as indicated by the white arrow C1 in FIG. 3(a), the diameter of the cylindrical portion 21 is reduced, thereby reducing the internal volume. This causes the air inside the cylindrical portion 21 to be pressurized, pressing the first valve 27 and the second valve 29 from the inside to the outside of the cylindrical portion 21. The pressed first valve 27 rotates in the direction indicated by A2, closing the first communication hole 23. Meanwhile, the pressed second valve 29 rotates in the direction indicated by A3, opening the second communication hole 25. Therefore, as indicated by the arrow E1, some of the pressurized air flows out of the cylindrical portion 21 through the second communication hole 25. Furthermore, when the pressure on the cylindrical portion 21 is released while the diameter of the cylindrical portion 21 is reduced, the cylindrical portion 21 elastically deforms and expands in diameter due to a restoring force against the pressure, as indicated by the white arrow C2 in FIG. 3(b), until the cylindrical portion 21 returns to its original size before the pressure was applied. As a result, the internal volume of the cylindrical portion 21 becomes larger than when it was pressed. As a result, the pressure inside tubular portion 21 is reduced, and the negative pressure generates a force from the outside to the inside of tubular portion 21. This force causes second valve 29 to rotate in the direction of A4, closing second communication hole 25. Meanwhile, this force causes first valve 27 to rotate in the direction of A1, opening first communication hole 23. As a result, air inside water storage portion 5 is sucked into tubular portion 21, as shown by arrow E2, and the pressure inside water storage portion 5 is reduced.

[0020] In this way, when the cylindrical portion 21 of the pressure reducing unit 11 is pressed, the first communication hole 23 closes and the second communication hole 25 opens, and the air inside the cylindrical portion 21 is discharged to the outside. Furthermore, when the pressure on the cylindrical portion 21 is released, the first communication hole 23 opens and the second communication hole 25 closes, and the air inside the water storage portion 5 is sucked into the cylindrical portion 21, reducing the pressure inside the water storage portion 5. Therefore, the pressure inside the water storage portion 5 can be manually reduced by simply repeatedly pressing the cylindrical portion 21.

[0021] The float valve 31 is a valve that prevents water from flowing out of the water storage section 5 through the second communication hole 25 when the water flows into the tubular section 21. The float valve 31 is provided below the second communication hole 25 within the tubular section 21 as needed, and is movable in the directions B1 and B2 in FIG. 2 (up and down). The float valve 31 is made of a material with enough buoyancy to float on water, and has a shape and dimensions that allow it to close the second communication hole 25. For example, if the second communication hole 25 is circular, the float valve 31 is spherical, with a diameter D1 of the sphere being larger than a diameter D2 of the second communication hole 25. More precisely, the maximum diameter of the portion of the float valve 31 exposed above the water surface when floating on water is larger than the diameter D2 of the second communication hole 25.

[0022] For example, when the first communication hole 23 is opened and air in the water storage section 5 is sucked into the tubular section 21 as shown in FIG. 3(b), water in the water storage section 5 may also be sucked in as shown in FIG. 4. In this case, the float valve 31 floats on the water, so the portion of the float valve 31 exposed above the water surface of the sucked water is located higher than the water level WL of the water storage section 5. As the water level WL rises, the float valve 31 rises in the direction B1 due to buoyancy. When the float valve 31 rises to the same height as the second communication hole 25, it closes the second communication hole 25, preventing water from flowing out of the tubular section 21 through the second communication hole 25. When the water level WL drops from the state shown in FIG. 4, the float valve 31 also descends in the direction B2 in FIG. 2 and moves away from the second communication hole 25.

[0023] In this way, when water in the water storage section 5 flows into the tubular section 21 during the decompression of the water storage section 5, the float valve 31 closes the second communication hole 25 before the water level WL reaches the height at which the second communication hole 25 is provided. Therefore, even if water in the water storage section 5 flows into the tubular section 21, it is possible to prevent the water from flowing out through the second communication hole 25. Note that the range of movement of the float valve 31 may be restricted by a rail or the like (not shown) so that it does not move left and right within the tubular section 21 to a position where it is difficult to block the first communication hole 23, or so that it does not ride up on the first valve 27 and hinder its rotation when water has not yet flowed into the tubular section 21.

[0024] As a structure for preventing water from leaking to the outside through the second communication hole 25, there is also a structure in which the pressure reducing unit 11 is located higher than the upper end of the water storage unit 5, as shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 illustrates a structure in which the first communication hole 23 of the pressure reducing unit 11 is connected to the inside of the water storage unit 5 by a connecting pipe 61, and the pressure reducing unit 11 is located higher than the position shown in FIG. 1 by the height of the connecting pipe 61. FIG. 5 also illustrates a structure in which a suction cup 63 is provided on the side surface 21c of the tubular portion 21 and attached to the side surface of the tank 15 to prevent the pressure reducing unit 11 from swinging around the base of the connecting pipe 61. In this way, the pressure reducing unit 11 may be located higher than the upper end of the water storage unit 5. In this structure, even if water in the water storage unit 5 flows into the pressure reducing unit 11, water will not flow into the pressure reducing unit 11 unless the water level WL reaches a position higher than the upper end of the connecting pipe 61. 1, water is less likely to flow out through second communication holes 25 than when pressure reducing section 11 is provided on the top surface of water storage section 5. This completes the detailed description of the structure of pressure reducing section 11.

[0025] As described above, the water server 1 of the first embodiment includes a water intake unit 3 that holds the tank 15 and the water purification unit 17 and draws water from the tank 15, a water storage unit 5 that stores the drawn water, a supply unit 7 that supplies the water from the water storage unit 5, and a pressure reduction unit 11 that reduces the pressure inside the water storage unit 5. In this configuration, water is drawn from the water purification unit 17 into the water storage unit 5 at a flow rate that corresponds to the magnitude of the negative pressure generated in the water storage unit 5 due to the pressure difference between the water intake unit 3 and the water storage unit 5. Therefore, even if the water in the tank 15 is purified by passing it through the water purification unit 17 before being stored, the flow rate of water flowing into the water storage unit 5 can be adjusted.

[0026] Furthermore, water server 1 of the first embodiment includes flow path 9a, one end of which is connected to water storage unit 5 and the other end of which is open to the atmosphere, and release valve 9b, which is provided in flow path 9a and opens and closes flow path 9a. In this configuration, when release valve 9b is opened while the pressure inside water storage unit 5 is reduced, outside air flows into water storage unit 5 from flow path 9a, reducing the pressure difference between the inside of water storage unit 5 and the outside. In this configuration, opening release valve 9b to open the inside of water storage unit 5 to the atmosphere eliminates the negative pressure inside water storage unit 5, allowing the flow rate of water output from supply unit 7 to be increased.

[0027] Furthermore, pressure reducing unit 11 of water server 1 of the first embodiment is a manual pump that manually exhausts air from within water storage unit 5. In this configuration, the flow rate of water passing through water purification unit 17 and flowing into water storage unit 5 is adjusted by exhausting air from within water storage unit 5 using the manual pump. Therefore, a power source to drive pressure reducing unit 11 is not required, and pressure reducing unit 11 can be driven even when power is difficult to secure, such as when water server 1 is used outdoors or during a disaster. Furthermore, when pressure reducing unit 11 is a manual pump, a power source to drive pressure reducing unit 11 and an electric motor driven by a power source to reduce pressure are not required, allowing water server 1 to have a small and simple structure. Therefore, water server 1 can also be used as a water filling attachment that is attached to supply container 13 and quickly supplies (fills) water from tank 15 to the outside via water purification unit 17.

[0028] Furthermore, pressure reducing unit 11 of water server 1 of the first embodiment includes tubular portion 21 having first communication hole 23 and second communication hole 25, first valve 27 covering first communication hole 23 from the inside of tubular portion 21, and second valve 29 covering second communication hole 25 from the outside of tubular portion 21. In this configuration, when tubular portion 21 is pressed, first communication hole 23 closes and second communication hole 25 opens, allowing air inside tubular portion 21 to be discharged to the outside. Furthermore, when pressure on tubular portion 21 is released, tubular portion 21 expands in diameter, reducing the pressure inside. As a result, first communication hole 23 opens and second communication hole 25 closes, allowing air inside water storage portion 5 to be drawn into tubular portion 21, reducing the pressure inside water storage portion 5. Therefore, the pressure inside water storage portion 5 can be reduced simply by repeatedly manually pressing tubular portion 21.

[0029] Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 8. In the second embodiment, a structure including a piston and a cylinder is used as the manual pump, which is the pressure reducing unit, in the first embodiment. Note that the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except for the structure of the pressure reducing unit, so only the structure of the pressure reducing unit will be described.

[0030] Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the pressure reducing section of the water server 1 according to the second embodiment, showing the cylinder in a longitudinal cross section. Fig. 7(a) shows the piston in Fig. 6 in a lowered state, and Fig. 7(b) shows the piston further lowered from the state in Fig. 7(a). Fig. 8 shows the piston raised from the state in Fig. 7(b).

[0031] As shown in FIG. 6 , the manual pump constituting the pressure reducing unit 11a according to the second embodiment includes a cylinder 41, a piston 43, a first valve body 45, a second valve body 47, and a spring 54. The cylinder 41 is a rigid body into which air flows when the air in the water storage unit 5 is exhausted, and has a cylindrical shape with a closed top surface 55 and a closed bottom surface 51. The cylinder 41 has a first through-hole 41a in the bottom surface 51 that penetrates the bottom surface 51 and communicates with the water storage unit 5. The cylinder 41 has a second through-hole 41b in the side surface 53 that penetrates the side surface 53 and is open to the atmosphere. The piston 43 is a rigid body that pressurizes or depressurizes the interior of the cylinder 41, and is provided in the cylinder 41 so as to divide the interior of the cylinder 41 into two upper and lower regions, here an upper region R1 and a lower region R2, and prevents air from moving between the upper region R1 and the lower region R2. Piston 43 is a member that can be manually moved up and down in the directions of G1 and G2. In Fig. 6, a columnar push button 43a is connected to the top surface of piston 43. The top end of push button 43a penetrates top surface 55 of piston 43, and piston 43 can be lowered by pressing push button 43a in the direction of G2.

[0032] The first valve body 45 is a valve that opens and closes the first through-hole 41a. It is provided on the inner bottom surface 51a of the cylinder 41 so as to cover the first through-hole 41a and is rotatable in directions F1 and F2, which are the penetration direction of the first through-hole 41a. The first valve body 45 opens the first through-hole 41a by rotating in the direction F1 and closes the first through-hole 41a by rotating in the direction F2. The second valve body 47 is a valve that opens and closes the second through-hole 41b. It is provided on the side surface 53, which is the outer periphery of the cylinder 41, so as to cover the second through-hole 41b and is rotatable in directions F3 and F4, which are the penetration direction of the second through-hole 41b. The second valve body 47 opens the second through-hole 41b by rotating in the direction F3 and closes the second through-hole 41b by rotating in the direction F4. The specific structures of the first valve body 45 and the second valve body 47 are the same as those of the first valve 27. The spring 54 is a coil-shaped pressing member that presses the piston 43 upward, and is provided as needed between the inner bottom surface 51a of the cylinder 41 and the piston 43. The spring 54 has a length and elasticity that allows the piston 43 to be positioned higher than the second through-hole 41b when the piston 43 is not pressed by the push button 43a, as shown in FIG.

[0033] When the push button 43a is pressed in the direction G2 from the state shown in FIG. 6, the piston 43 descends in the direction G2 while compressing the spring 54, as shown in FIG. 7(a). As a result, the volume of the lower region R2 in the cylinder 41 decreases, pressurizing the air therein, and the volume of the upper region R1 increases, depressurizing the air therein. The pressurized air in the lower region R2 presses the first valve body 45 and the second valve body 47 from the inside to the outside of the tubular portion 21. The pressed first valve body 45 rotates in the direction F2, closing the first through-hole 41a. Meanwhile, the pressed second valve body 47 rotates in the direction F3, opening the second through-hole 41b. Therefore, as shown by arrow H1, some of the pressurized air flows out of the cylinder 41 through the second through-hole 41b.

[0034] When the piston 43 further descends in the direction of G2 from the state of FIG. 7(a) and the height of the piston 43 becomes lower than the height of the second through-hole 41b as shown in FIG. 7(b), the second through-hole 41b contacts the upper region R1. Since the inside of the upper region R1 is depressurized, a force acting from the outside to the inside of the upper region R1 is generated by the negative pressure. By this force, the second valve body 47 rotates in the direction of F4 to close the second through-hole 41b.

[0035] When the pressing of the push button 43a is released in the state shown in FIG. 7(b), the piston 43 is pressed upward in the direction of G1 by the restoring force of the spring 54 as shown in FIG. 8. When the spring 54 is not provided, the piston 43 can be raised in the direction of G1 by pulling the push button 43a in the direction of G1. When the piston 43 rises in the direction of G1, the volume of the lower region R2 increases and the inside thereof is depressurized. When the inside of the lower region R2 is depressurized, a force acting from the outside to the inside of the lower region R2 is generated by the negative pressure. By this force, the first valve body 45 rotates in the direction of F1 to open the second through-hole 41b. As a result, as shown by the arrow H2, the air in the water storage portion 5 is sucked into the lower region R2 of the cylinder 41 and the inside of the water storage portion 5 is depressurized.

[0036] As described above, when the piston 43 is lowered, the first through-hole 41a closes, the second through-hole 41b opens, and the air in the cylinder 41 is discharged to the outside. When the piston 43 is further lowered, the second through-hole 41b closes. When the piston 43 is raised from this state, the first through-hole 41a opens, the air in the water storage portion 5 is sucked into the cylinder 41, and the inside of the water storage portion 5 is depressurized. Therefore, the inside of the water storage portion 5 can be manually depressurized only by moving the piston 43 up and down.

[0037] Whether to adopt the pressure reducing unit 11 of the first embodiment or the pressure reducing unit 11a of the second embodiment as a means for reducing the pressure in the water storage unit 5 can be selected appropriately, taking into account the advantages of each. For example, the pressure reducing unit 11 of the first embodiment requires only three components: the cylindrical portion 21, the first valve 27, and the second valve 29. Therefore, the number of components is fewer and the structure is simpler than that of the pressure reducing unit 11a of the second embodiment. Furthermore, the cylindrical portion 21 of the first embodiment only needs to have elasticity that allows it to contract when pressed, and therefore does not require high strength or dimensional accuracy compared to the cylinder 41 and piston 43 of the second embodiment. Therefore, the pressure reducing unit 11 of the first embodiment is more advantageous than the pressure reducing unit 11a of the second embodiment in terms of cost and productivity. On the other hand, the cylinder 41 and piston 43 of the second embodiment are rigid bodies, whereas the cylindrical portion 21 of the first embodiment is elastic. Therefore, the pressure reducing unit 11a of the second embodiment is more resistant to pressure fluctuations during pressure reduction than the pressure reducing unit 11 of the first embodiment. Therefore, pressure reducing section 11a of the second embodiment is advantageous in that it can reduce the pressure in water storage section 5 to a lower level than pressure reducing section 11 of the first embodiment. This concludes the description of the second embodiment.

[0038] Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and other techniques may be appropriately combined to the extent possible. Furthermore, publicly known or well-known techniques may be combined to the extent possible.

[0039] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the water purification unit 17 is fixed to the tank 15, but the water purification unit 17 may be fixed to the water server 1.

[0040] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, pressure reducing units 11 and 11a are manual pumps, but they may be pumps that automatically reduce the pressure in water storage unit 5, such as electric pumps. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1: Water server 3: Water intake section 5: Water storage section 7: Supply section 9a: Flow path 9b: Release valve 11, 11a: Pressure reducing section (manual pump) 15: Tank 17: Water Purification Department 21:Cylinder part 21a: Bottom end (one end) 21b: Upper end (other end) 21c: Side 23: 1st communication hole 25: 2nd communication hole 27: First valve 29: Second valve 31: Float valve 41: Cylinder 41a: 1st through hole 41b: 2nd through hole 43: Piston 45: First valve body 47: Second valve body 51: Bottom 51a: Inner bottom surface 53: Side 55:Top surface R1: Upper area (area) R2: Lower area (area)

Claims

1. A water server comprising: a water intake section that holds a tank containing water and a water purification section that purifies the water in the tank and takes in the water in the tank through the water purification section; a water storage section that stores the water taken in by the water intake section; and a supply section that supplies the water in the water storage section to an outside source; A pressure reducing section is provided to reduce the pressure inside the water storage section. A water server that features:

2. a flow path having one end connected to the water reservoir and the other end open to the atmosphere; an open valve provided in the flow path to open and close the flow path, the open valve blocking the flow path in a closed state and opening the water storage section to the atmosphere via the flow path in an open state; Equipped with The water server according to claim 1.

3. The pressure reducing unit is a manual pump that manually exhausts air from the water storage unit. The water server according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The manual pump is a cylindrical member having a first communication hole at one end that communicates with the water storage section and a second communication hole at the other end that is open to the atmosphere, the cylindrical member having elasticity such that the diameter can be manually reduced by pressing the sides of the cylindrical member and can be expanded to the same size as before pressing by releasing the pressure; a first valve provided in the cylindrical portion so as to cover the first communication hole from the inside of the cylindrical portion and rotatable in a communication direction of the first communication hole; a second valve that is provided in the cylindrical portion so as to cover the second communication hole from the outside of the cylindrical portion and is rotatable in the communication direction of the second communication hole. The water server according to claim 3.

5. The manual pump is a float valve provided in the cylindrical portion and having a shape and dimensions capable of closing the first communication hole; The water server according to claim 4.

6. The manual pump is a cylinder having a cylindrical shape with a closed top and bottom, a first through-hole communicating with the water storage section provided in the bottom surface, and a second through-hole open to the atmosphere provided in a side surface; a piston that is provided in the cylinder so as to divide the interior of the cylinder into two upper and lower regions and that is manually movable up and down; a first valve body provided on an inner bottom surface of the cylinder so as to cover the first through hole and rotatable in a direction through the first through hole; a second valve body provided on an outer periphery of the cylinder so as to cover the second through hole and rotatable in a direction through the second through hole; Equipped with The water server according to claim 3.

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