Water server with air purification function

Abstract

The present invention provides a water server with an air purification function. The water server comprises: a water-retaining container into which ordinary water can be poured from the outside; a water purification apparatus which has a water purification filter device which causes the ordinary water in the water-retaining container to pass therethrough to convert the same into purified water, and a purified water flow path through which the ordinary water in the water-retaining container is pumped up by a built-in pump unit and is passed through the water purification filter device and into which the purified water flows again; and a server apparatus which is provided downstream of the water purification apparatus and causes the purified water in the purified water flow path to flow thereinto to retain the same in an internal tank, and which comprises a highly functional water generation device which is placed at the bottom of the tank for converting the purified water retained in the tank into highly functional water, and a discharge unit which is capable of discharging the highly functional water in the tank to the outside.

Description

Water dispenser with air purification function

[0001] The present invention relates to a small water dispenser with an air purification function that purifies tap water and other ordinary water (hereinafter referred to as "ordinary water"), provides cold and hot water, and purifies the air in the installation space and inside the device. The present invention relates to a portable multi-functional home appliance that is particularly suitable for small living spaces such as ordinary homes, hotel rooms, and personal offices.

[0002] Traditionally, water dispensers have tended to be used mainly in places where large numbers of people reside, such as offices and hospitals. However, in recent years, due to growing concern about water safety and health, water dispensers are becoming more widespread in places where individuals or small numbers of people reside, such as ordinary homes and hotel rooms. A water dispenser typically comprises a housing, a cold water tank and / or a hot water tank housed inside the housing, a cooling device for cooling the drinking water in the cold water tank, a heating device for heating the drinking water in the cooling tank or hot water tank, a cold water tap and a hot water tap located on the front side of the housing, a cold water dispensing passage connecting the cold water tank to the cold water tap, and a hot water dispensing passage connecting the cooling tank or hot water tank to the hot water tap. Installing a water dispenser in a room such as a living room or dining room is extremely convenient because delicious drinking water can be used at any time, either cold or hot (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] However, while installing a water dispenser indoors offers the convenience of having drinking water available at any time, it also has the drawback of occupying a significant portion of the indoor space. This creates wasted dead space when the water dispenser is not being used. In particular, as mentioned above, when installing a water dispenser in small spaces where individuals or small groups reside, such as in private homes or hotel rooms, the creation of dead space directly impacts livability and the freedom of spatial design, hindering the widespread adoption of water dispensers.

[0004] To address this problem, Patent Document 2 provides a water server with an air purification function that can purify the indoor air using the space occupied by the water server even when drinking water is not being used. This not only makes delicious drinking water available at any time, but also reduces the creation of dead space by allowing the water server itself to purify the indoor air without the need to install a separate air purifier, thereby creating a comfortable indoor environment in a limited living space.

[0005] However, while the water server described in Patent Document 2 can reduce the space required for a separate air purifier, it does not reduce the space required for the water server's casing itself. Furthermore, daily cleaning around the casing is difficult, making it unsuitable for installation in small spaces where individuals or small groups of people reside, such as in ordinary homes or hotel rooms. In recent years, there has been a demand for small, integrated home appliances for personal spaces, but conventional technology has not adequately addressed the balance between installation space, ventilation design, and hygiene.

[0006] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-046446, Japanese Patent Publication No. 5809742

[0007] In light of these circumstances, the present invention was created with the aim of providing a compact water dispenser with an air purification function that provides purified cold and hot water, while being suitable for installation in small indoor spaces. The present invention also aims to achieve simultaneous control of heat generation from the cooling device, hygiene maintenance within the enclosure, and indoor air purification within a single enclosure.

[0008] The present invention, created to solve the above problems, is a portable water server with an air purification function that purifies the air in a room and the air inside the casing while providing chilled and hot water purified from ordinary water within the casing, comprising: a water supply container into which ordinary water can be injected from the outside (for example, a water supply container 14 in the embodiment (also referred to as a tap water injection tank 14)); a water storage container (for example, a water storage container 16 in the embodiment (also referred to as a chilled water tank 16)) that communicates with the water supply container and is disposed below the water supply container; a water purification device (for example, a water purification device 18 in the embodiment (also referred to as a water purification filter 18)) (water purification filter) provided in a flow path that connects the water supply container to the water storage container and purifies the ordinary water in the flow path to make it purified water; and a cooling device (for example, a cooling device 20 in the embodiment (also referred to as a compressor 20)) disposed below the water storage container and cooling the purified water in the water storage container. The device comprises: a heater (for example, heater 22 in the embodiment) that diverts and heats the purified water in the water storage container; a cooling fan (for example, cooling fan 24 in the embodiment) that takes in air from the outside through a vent located at the bottom of the housing to cool the cooling device and releases it to the outside from the bottom of the housing; an air purification device (for example, air purification device 28 in the embodiment) that takes in air from the outside, filters it, and releases it upward; a sterilization unit (for example, sterilization unit 30 in the embodiment) that sterilizes the air released upward from the air purification device using ion cluster sterilization; and a sterilization means (for example, sterilization means 34 in the embodiment) that has a gap or communication opening (gap) that communicates with the inside of the housing on which the sterilization unit is mounted, and has an air purification opening that releases the air that has passed through the sterilization unit from the top of the housing. Note that the sterilization unit is not limited to the ion cluster method, but may be the ion cluster method, plasma method, ozone method, ultraviolet irradiation method, or a combination thereof.

[0009] The flow rate of the air discharged to the outside from the above-mentioned vent via the cooling device is greater than the flow rate of the air discharged from the outside via the air purification device and the sterilization unit through the air purification opening, and the air purification opening of the sterilization means is larger than the gap or opening that communicates with the inside of the housing. This flow rate difference creates a negative pressure state inside the housing, and a portion of the clean air discharged from the air purification opening is intentionally introduced into the housing.

[0010] The water server with air purification function of the present invention, described above, provides a configuration that simultaneously offers the function of purifying tap water or other ordinary water and providing cold and hot water, as well as the function of purifying indoor air, all within a portable, compact enclosure. Specifically, in this water server with air purification function, first, for the cold water provided to the user upon request, a water purification device (water purification filter) is installed in the flow path from the water supply container (tap water cooling tank) into which ordinary water such as tap water is poured to the water storage container (cold water tank), so that the water is purified at the time it is poured into the water storage container. When the user uses the water, they are allowed to drink only the purified water stored therein. Furthermore, the entire amount of purified water stored in the water storage container is constantly cooled by a cooling device (compressor) located below, and cooling, which would take time in a small device, is performed even when the water is not being drunk, thus ensuring a reliable supply of cooled water to the user.

[0011] Furthermore, regarding the hot water provided to users, since small amounts of water can be heated quickly with minimal power, only the amount of water desired by the user for drinking is diverted from the cooled purified water in the storage container and heated by a heater before being provided. This allows for the heater to be made smaller and more energy-efficient, as only the small amount of power required for heating is needed, resulting in a smaller and more space-saving overall water server.

[0012] Furthermore, since the cooling device (compressor) is operated for a long time to cool the purified water in the water storage container (water tank), the temperature of the cooling device and its surroundings rises during operation. Therefore, in this compact water server with air purification function, which has a limited internal space, it is necessary to cool the air inside the cooling device and the casing that has become hotter. For this reason, a vent for taking in air from the outside and a cooling fan are provided at the bottom of the casing. The cooling fan cools the cooling device (compressor) with the air taken in through the vent and releases it to the outside. The airflow at the bottom of the casing caused by this cooling fan not only cools the cooling device (compressor), but the airflow generated by the negative pressure of this airflow also cools the heater.

[0013] Furthermore, this water dispenser with air purification function is equipped with an air purification device that takes in air from outside and filters it, removing dust and other particles from the indoor air. In addition, this water dispenser with air purification function sterilizes the air, which has had dust and other particles removed from it, by ion cluster sterilization in a sterilization unit to kill bacteria and viruses, and then releases it back into the room from above. Therefore, this water dispenser with air purification function has the function of providing users with cold and hot water purified from ordinary water, as described above, while also having the function of purifying and sterilizing the indoor air.

[0014] In addition, in this water server with air purification function, the airflow that cools the cooling device (compressor) generated at the bottom of the enclosure by the aforementioned cooling fan forms the largest mainstream of the airflow generated throughout the entire device, and its flow rate is designed to be greater than the flow rate of the airflow released upward from the air purification device that cleans and sterilizes the indoor air via the sterilization unit. This flow rate design is a design condition that was intentionally set to achieve both cooling efficiency and sterilization inside the enclosure simultaneously. Furthermore, the air purification opening that releases the cleaned and sterilized air is designed to be larger than the gaps and communication openings that communicate with the inside of the enclosure of the sterilization means. As a result, the cleaned and sterilized air is released into the room as the mainstream airflow, and most of it is released into the room, ensuring that the indoor air is cleaned and sterilized. On the other hand, some of the cleaned and sterilized air flows into the enclosure through the gaps and communication openings due to the negative pressure inside the enclosure caused by the large airflow at the bottom of the enclosure that cools the aforementioned cooling device, so that each component inside the enclosure can be sterilized, preventing the growth of bacteria and the attachment of viruses inside the enclosure. This water dispenser with air purification function is beneficial because, despite its small size, the arrangement and configuration of each device, as well as the design that links airflow, allows for the rapid and energy-efficient provision of purified cold and hot water, while simultaneously purifying and sterilizing the air in the room and within the dispenser itself.

[0015] Preferably, the water purification device has a filter inside for filtering out impurities, is arranged in parallel in the vertical direction from the water filling container to the water storage container, and communicates with the inside of the water storage container below the water storage container; the heater communicates with the water storage container and is arranged in parallel with the water purification device to heat the water as it passes through the inside; and the cooling device is arranged below the heater in the water storage container.

[0016] The above-mentioned water purification filter requires a certain length of flow path, resulting in a long, narrow shape extending vertically. Therefore, the heater is placed in the parallel space of the filter, utilizing the space available for the water purification device at the rear of the water storage container, thus enabling a smaller enclosure. Furthermore, in conjunction with this design, the cooling device (compressor) located in the space below the water storage container to cool the purified water inside is used to cool the heater. By placing the cooling device below the heater side (rear side) of the water storage container, the heat from the heater is not transferred to other components within the enclosure, allowing each component to be placed in close proximity. As a result, the enclosure is made smaller.

[0017] Furthermore, the water supply container is detachably disposed from above the housing in front of the air purification opening of the sterilization means, the water storage container has a capacity of 1 liter or less, and it is preferable that an ultraviolet light LED with a wavelength of 265 to 280 nm and an output of 50 to 100 mW is installed inside the water storage container.

[0018] In this configuration, the water container (tap water injection tank) is removable from the casing, and convenience is improved by separately injecting regular water from an indoor or outdoor water tap and then placing it inside the casing from above. However, there is a problem in that regular water and other debris and dust can easily enter, especially near the water container, and bacteria, viruses, and impurities tend to accumulate inside the casing. To solve this problem, this water server with an air purification function is designed so that the air purification opening for sterilization is located near the rear of the water container (tap water injection tank), and the air released to the outside from the aforementioned air purification opening and the air created by negative pressure inside the casing are utilized to focus ion cluster sterilization on the area around the water container (tap water injection tank).

[0019] Furthermore, since the water storage container (cold water tank) stores purified water that is prone to spoilage, this suitable water server with air purification function is equipped with an ultraviolet LED inside to sterilize the stored purified water with ultraviolet light. Specifically, the capacity of the water storage container is set to 1 liter or less, and an ultraviolet LED with a wavelength of 265-280 nm and an output of 50-100 mW is installed inside. Considering the capacity of typical bottled mineral water, a water storage container of 1 liter or less is sufficient, and an ultraviolet LED with a wavelength of 265-280 nm and an output of 50-100 mW can sterilize a flow rate of about 2 L / min, so these factors were taken into consideration.

[0020] Furthermore, it is preferable that the water storage container is equipped with a temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of the purified water stored inside, and that a control means is provided to control the operation of the cooling device and cooling fan so as not to release chilled water when the temperature measured by the temperature measuring means is above a predetermined threshold, and to stop the operation of the cooling device and cooling fan when it falls below the predetermined threshold. The control means can be implemented by a microcomputer, a dedicated circuit, or software.

[0021] According to the above-mentioned suitable water dispenser with air purification function, the temperature of the purified water in the water storage container is measured, and if the purified water is not cold enough, the dispenser will not provide cooling water (hot water will be provided). This ensures that users can drink reliably cold and delicious water without having to check the temperature of the purified water. Furthermore, if the purified water in the water storage container is cooled more than necessary, the water provided as drinking water may be too cold, potentially reducing its taste and harming health. It can also lead to unnecessary power consumption for cooling and a decrease in the durability of the cooling device (compressor) due to overuse. Therefore, a lower threshold temperature for the purified water in the water storage container is set and controlled to ensure these points are met.

[0022] The water dispenser with air purification function of the present invention provides purified cold and hot water obtained from ordinary tap water, is suitable for installation in small indoor spaces, and can simultaneously purify the air in the room and the inside of the casing.

[0023] Figure 1 is a perspective view from the front and slightly above showing the external appearance of a water server 10 with an air purification function according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the water server 10 with an air purification function in a skeletal manner. Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views from the rear and slightly above showing the external appearance of the water server 10 with an air purification function. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the water server 10 with an air purification function in a skeletal manner. (a) is a top view of the water server 10 with an air purification function in Figures 1 and 3, and (b) is an enlarged view of the operation panel 13 located below (a). Figures 1 to 5 show a perspective view from the front and slightly below showing the external appearance of the water server 10 with an air purification function. Figures 1 to 5 are flow diagrams showing the cold water control configuration in the water server with an air purification function. Figures 1 to 5 are flow diagrams showing the hot water control configuration in the water server with an air purification function. Figures 1 to 5 are flow diagrams showing the air purification cold water control configuration in the water server with an air purification function.

[0024] The following describes examples of embodiments of the water server 10 with air purification function of the present invention. Figure 1 is a perspective view from the front and slightly above showing the external appearance of the water server 10 with air purification function according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the water server 10 with air purification function shown in Figure 1 in a skeletal manner. Figure 3 is a perspective view from the rear and slightly above showing the external appearance of the water server 10 with air purification function shown in Figures 1 and 2, and Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the water server 10 with air purification function shown in Figure 3 in a skeletal manner. Figure 5(a) is a top view of the water server 10 with air purification function shown in Figures 1 and 3, and Figure 5(b) is an enlarged view of the operation panel 13 located at the bottom of (a) (front of the top surface of the water server 10 with air purification function). Figure 6 is a perspective view from the front and slightly below showing the external appearance of the water server 10 with air purification function shown in Figures 1 to 5. Furthermore, Figures 7 to 9 show flowcharts illustrating the chilled water control, hot water control, and air-purified chilled water control configurations in the embodiment of the water server 10 with air purification function shown in Figures 1 to 5, respectively.

[0025] 《About the Enclosure and Components》 The water server with air purification function 10 has an external enclosure 12 made of a thin resin plate, and various components having "water purification, water supply, and hot water supply functions" and "air purification and sterilization functions" are built into the enclosure 12. The enclosure 12 is vertically shaped and thin in the width direction so that it can be carried by the user and installed in spare space in a room such as the gap between shelves or desks. It has an operation panel 13 installed on the front of the top surface that displays the user's desired operations such as water supply and air purification, as well as various statuses (described later), and a stand member 52 on which the user can place a cup or the like when requesting cold or hot water.

[0026] Furthermore, one side of the housing 12 (the right side in the illustrated example) is provided with a ventilation opening 56 for taking in outside air into the housing 12, the lower rear of the housing 12 is provided with a ventilation opening 26 for releasing air from the cooling fan 24 (described later) to the outside, and the middle of the rear ends of both sides of the housing 12 is provided with ventilation openings 28a for taking in outside air to the air purification device 28. Note that the ventilation openings 56, 26, and 28a shown in Figures 2 and 4 are separate components, while the ventilation openings 56, 26, and 28a shown in Figures 1, 3, and 6 are integrated and have different shapes. This is because Figures 2 and 4 are skeleton diagrams showing the shapes of the ventilation openings 56, 26, and 28a on the inside, while Figures 1, 3, and 6 are external views showing the integrated shape of the ventilation openings 56, 26, and 28a as seen from the outside.

[0027] Furthermore, the top of the housing 12 is equipped with an operation panel 13 on the front side that displays buttons for various operations and control status, a hinged lid member 14a in the center behind it, and an air purification opening 32 at the rear end that releases sterilized clean air from a sterilization means 34 (described later). The lid member 14a is located on top of the water supply container 14 (hereinafter also referred to as the "tap water tank"), and when the lid member 14a is opened, a receiving part 14b is provided at the bottom inside that opens upward, and a container body 14c that can be removed and into which tap water can be poured can be inserted and installed. When the container body 14c, which stores tap water or other normal water inside, is inserted into the receiving section 14b, the bottom of the receiving section 14c is connected to the water purification device 18 below (hereinafter also referred to as the "water purification filter 16") via an umbrella valve or the like (not shown), and the normal water in the container body 14c flows into the water purification device 18 from above.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the water purification device 18 has a filter material (not shown) inside a cylindrical body that removes impurities and produces purified water when ordinary water such as tap water passes through it. The filter material is formed by combining, for example, a so-called "ultrafilter" which has fine pores and removes residual chlorine, dissolved lead, trihalomethanes, viruses, emulsions, and other minute substances contained in tap water, and a so-called "carbon filter" which is formed by molding activated carbon into a cylindrical shape and using the porous structure of activated carbon to remove chemical substances and impurities (chlorine, pigments, bromine, etc.) from ordinary water such as tap water. Therefore, ordinary water such as tap water from the water supply container 14 is purified water from which toxic chemical substances and impurities have been removed as it passes through the water purification device 18 and is released from below.

[0029] The lower part of the water purification device 18 (the lower side in the illustrated example) is fluidly connected to the lower part of the water storage container 16 (hereinafter also referred to as the "cold water tank 16"). Therefore, purified water discharged from the lower part of the water purification device 18 flows into the cold water tank 16 from below and is stored inside. This cold water tank 16 is arranged in parallel in the vertical direction, adjacent to the water purification device 18, below the water filling container 14. Although not shown, an ultraviolet light LED is installed inside the cold water tank 16, and this ultraviolet light LED constantly irradiates ultraviolet light to sterilize the stored purified water. Specifically, the cold water tank 16 has a storage capacity of 1 liter or less (0.5 liters in the illustrated example), and an ultraviolet light LED with a wavelength of 265 to 280 nm and an output of 50 to 100 mW is installed inside it. Considering the capacity of typical hand-held mineral water bottles, a storage capacity of less than 1 liter is sufficient. If an ultraviolet light LED with a wavelength of 265-280 nm and an output of 50-100 mW is installed, the emitted ultraviolet light can sterilize the water at a flow rate of approximately 2 liters per minute.

[0030] The purified water stored in the chilled water tank 16 is cooled by a cooling device 20 (hereinafter also referred to as "compressor 20"). The compressor 20 uses a refrigerant gas such as R134a with a power consumption of approximately 80-100W, and is located at the bottom of the housing 12, below the chilled water tank 16, to cool the purified water in the chilled water tank 16 when in operation. A temperature sensor (not shown) is also installed in the cooling tank 16, and the temperature of the purified water in the chilled water tank 16 is measured by a control means described later and maintained below a predetermined temperature. The cooling tank 16 is fluidly connected to the water inlet 50, and when requested by the user, the cooled purified water in the cooling tank 16 is released from the water inlet 50. The operation control of the compressor 20 will be described later.

[0031] Furthermore, a cylindrical heater 22 extending vertically is installed on the side of the chilled water tank 16, below the water supply container 14 inside the housing 12, parallel to the water purification device 18. The heater 22 is a so-called instantaneous heater that is fluidly connected to the bottom of the cooling tank 16. When hot water is supplied, it pumps up the purified water from the cooling tank 16, heats it to a predetermined temperature as it rises inside, and releases it as hot water from the top. This heater 22 operates on, for example, a household power supply of 100V / power consumption of about 1,450W, and the temperature can be set to multiple levels such as room temperature, 45°C, 65°C, 85°C, and 100°C. When the user requests it and the predetermined conditions described later are met, the heater 22 instantly heats the cooled purified water in the cooling tank 16 to the set temperature and releases it from the water inlet 50. The heating control and hot water supply by the heater 22 will be described later.

[0032] 《Airflow inside the enclosure》 Next, we will explain the airflow inside the enclosure 12. First, a cooling fan 24 for cooling the compressor 20 is installed at the lower rear of the enclosure 12. When the compressor 20 is operating to cool the purified water in the chilled water tank 16, it itself becomes hot, so it needs to be cooled in order to maintain performance and prevent the inside of the enclosure from becoming hot. On the other hand, as mentioned above, this water server with air purifier 10 needs to be made small in size, so it is not possible to provide extra space around the compressor 20 inside the enclosure 12. Therefore, in this water server with air purifier 10, a cooling fan 24 is installed at the lower rear of the enclosure 12. This cooling fan 24 has the role of blowing air onto the compressor 20 located at the bottom of the enclosure 12 and releasing the warmed air into the outside air.

[0033] The cooling fan 24 has a thin, rectangular shape with rotating fins (not shown) that create airflow, with the intake side facing inward from the housing 12 and the exhaust side facing outward from the rear of the housing 12. A ventilation opening 56 is provided on the lower side of the housing 12, and when the cooling fins 24 are operating, a large negative pressure is generated on the intake side, causing outside air to flow in through the ventilation opening 56 (see arrow A in Figure 4). The incoming outside air flows down inside the housing 12, forming an airflow (hereinafter also referred to as the "cooling airflow") that is released to the outside from the cooling fins 24 (see arrow B in Figure 4). The compressor 20 is positioned where it is directly hit by this cooling airflow and is cooled.

[0034] Furthermore, an air purification device 28 is positioned above the cooling fan 24 in the middle rear section of the housing 12. The air purification device 28 has a thin rectangular shape that creates airflow with rotating fins 28b that face outward as the intake side and upward as the exhaust side. Ventilation openings 28a (see Figures 3-4) are provided on the sides and rear of the housing 12, and when the rotating fins 28b are in operation, outside air that flows in through the ventilation openings 28b is discharged from above through a purification filter (not shown) inside the air purification device 28 (see arrow C in Figure 4).

[0035] In the example shown, the purification filter used in this air purification device 28 is composed of a HEPA filter (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter) and an activated carbon filter. The HEPA filter uses an ULPA filter (Ultra Low Penetration Air Filter) which is particularly capable of removing fine particles as small as 0.12 microns to remove PM2.5, pollen, dust, viruses, etc., while the activated carbon filter purifies the air by adsorbing harmful substances and odors with its porous activated carbon.

[0036] Furthermore, a sterilization means 34 is positioned above the air purification device 28. The sterilization means 34 has an air purification opening 32 that opens upward, and a sterilization unit 30 is positioned at its inner bottom. The sterilization unit 30 has the function of generating ion clusters by electrically charging molecules (such as oxygen and water) in the air within the sterilization means 34, thereby forming negative and positive ions. The positive and negative ions combine to attract airborne particles (PM2.5, dust, pollen, smoke, etc.) and harmful substances, forming large clumps that become heavier and fall, thereby reducing impurities in the air. The sterilization unit 30 in the example figure has a power supply specification of DC 12V ± 5% and an output power consumption of 150mA. Therefore, the purified air released from above the air purification device 28 is further purified by the sterilization unit 30 as it passes through the sterilization means 34, and the purified air is released upward to the outside through the air purification opening 32 (see arrow D in Figure 4). As a result, when the water server 10 with air purification function is operated, the air in the installation space is purified. In this embodiment, an ion cluster method is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0037] Furthermore, some of the purified air released from the air purification opening 32 also enters the housing 12 (see arrow E in Figure 4). At this time, the flow rate of the air released from the air purification opening 32 via the air purification device 28 and sterilization unit 30 from the outside air (see arrows C to D in Figure 4) is greater than the flow rate of the air released from the vent 26 via the compressor 20 through the vent 56 to the outside (see arrows A to B in Figure 4), resulting in negative pressure acting inside the housing 12. Therefore, even if the gap or opening communicating with the inside of the housing 12 is small, some of the ion-clustered airflow released from the air purification opening 32 of the sterilization means 34 will split off and enter the housing 12 (see arrow E in Figure 4), attracting fine particles (PM2.5, dust, pollen, smoke, etc.) and harmful substances in the air inside the housing 12, causing them to fall downwards in clumps, and are then released into the outside air on the large cooling airflow of the compressor 20 (see arrows A to B in Figure 4), thereby purifying the inside of the housing 12.

[0038] "Control Configuration of the Water Server with Air Purification Function" Next, the control configuration in the water server 10 with air purification function will be described while referring to the display of the operation panel 13 shown in FIG. 5 and the flowcharts of FIGS. 7 to 9.

[0039] The water server 10 with air purification function switches the power on and off by unplugging and plugging in a power plug (not shown) without providing a main power supply. When the power plug is inserted and the power is turned on (STEP 1), power is constantly supplied to the ultraviolet LED in the cold water tank 16, and the purified water stored in the cold water tank is irradiated with ultraviolet light to perform so-called UV sterilization (STEP 2), and the UV sterilization indicator light 13a in the operation panel 13 lights up. Next, cold water control (see FIG. 7), hot water control (see FIG. 8), and air purification control (see FIG. 9) are performed. First, the cold water control will be described while referring to FIG. 7.

[0040] When the user desires cold water supply and presses the cold water selection button 13g in the operation panel 13, the cold water control starts and the cold water selection button 13g lights up. Also, when the water supply button 13i is pressed, the water supply button 13i lights up, and water supply is performed through the following steps.

[0041] First, when supplying cold water, the cold water temperature t is set to a desired temperature tc in advance (STEP 3), the temperature of the purified water stored in the cold water tank 16 is measured by a temperature sensor (not shown) installed in the cold water tank 16, and it is determined whether the measured cold water temperature t is [[ID=​​​​​​​​

[0043] When it is confirmed that the water storage is above the water volume Lc and the above-described cold water selection button 13g is pressed (STEP 9), and when it is confirmed that the water supply button 13i is pressed (STEP 10), cold water is guided to the water supply port 50 and discharged to the outside (STEP 10). Then, when the water supply button 13g is no longer pressed, the cold water discharge is stopped (STEP 11 to STEP 12).

[0044] Next, the hot water control will be described while referring to FIG. 8. First, in the case of hot water control for ensuring safety, the water supply is locked even when the power is ON (STEP 1 to circle 1 in FIG. 7 to STEP 20 in FIG. 8). The temperature t of the supplied hot water starts the hot water control by pressing the hot water temperature setting button 13e in the operation panel 13, and the hot water selection is made, and the hot water temperature setting button 13e lights up. Then, by pressing the hot water temperature setting button 13e several times, the hot water temperature is set to, for example, five set temperatures t of normal temperature, 45 ° C, 65 ° C, 85 ° C, and 95 ° C ｗ (STEP 21). Next, when the hot water lock release button 13i is pressed in the state where hot water is selected by the hot water temperature setting button 13e (STEP 22), the water supply lock is released (STEP 23).

[0045] When the water supply button 13i is pressed in the state where the water supply lock is released (STEP 24), the heater 22 operates (STEP 25), and the purified water (cold water) stored in the cold water tank 16 is pumped up to the heater 22 and heated in the heater 22. While passing through the heater 22, the hot water temperature t is raised to the set temperature t ｗ until the temperature rises, and the hot water is guided from the heater 22 and discharged to the outside from the discharge port 50 (STEP 26). Then, when the water supply button 13g is no longer pressed (STEP 27), the hot water discharge is stopped (STEP 28). Also, after the hot water discharge stops, after a predetermined time t ０ has elapsed (STEP 29), the water supply is set to the locked state again (STEP 30).

[0046] Next, the air purification control will be described while referring to FIG. 9. First, in the air purification control, when the power is turned on, the air purifying device 28 is activated as a default at all times. However, by pressing the air purification and timer setting button 13j, the operation time t １ of the air purifying device 28 can be set (timer setting time t １ setting) (STEP 40). For example, each time the air purification and timer setting button 13j is pressed, settings such as repeating in five steps of always operating, operating for 30 minutes, operating for 60 minutes, operating for 120 minutes, stopping operation, and always operating can be made possible. And when the air purifying device 28 is operating, the sterilization unit 30 also operates together with the operation of the air purifying device 28 (STEP 41 to STEP 42), generating the airflows of arrows C, D, and E shown in FIG. 4.

[0047] And in the case where the compressor 20 is operating in the chilled water control shown in FIG. 7 (STEP 5), the cooling fan 24 also operates (STEP 44), generating large airflows of arrows A and B shown in FIG. 4. Also, when the compressor 20 is not operating (STEP 6), the cooling fan 24 also stops operating (STEP 45), and the airflows of arrows A and B shown in FIG. 4 are not generated, and only the airflows of the above arrows C, D, and E are generated.

[0048] Further, when the time t during which the air purifying device 28 and the sterilization unit 30 are operating (STEP 41 to STEP 42) has elapsed beyond the timer setting time t １ set in STEP 41, the air purifying device 28 and the sterilization unit 30 stop operating (STEP 46 to STEP 47).

[0049] As described above, the embodiments of the water server with an air purification function of the present invention have been illustrated and described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and those skilled in the art will understand that other modifications and improvements can be obtained without departing from the spirit and teachings of the claims and the description in the specification and the like. For example, a high-functional water generator that is placed at the bottom of the tank and converts the purified water stored in the tank into high-functional water may be provided.

[0050] 10 Water dispenser with air purification function 12 Casing 13 Operation panel 13a UV sterilization indicator light 13b Cold water tank low water indicator light 13c Air purification filter replacement indicator light 13d Water purification filter replacement indicator light 13e Hot water temperature setting button 13f Water temperature display 13g Cold water selection button 13h Hot water lock release button 13i Water supply button 14 Water filling container (tap water filling tank) 14a Lid member 14b Receiving part 14c Container body 16 Water storage container (cold water tank) 18 Water purification device (water purification filter) 20 Cooling device (compressor) 22 Heater 24 Cooling fan 26 Vent 28 Air purification device 28a Vent 28b 34 Sterilization means 30 Sterilization unit 32 Air purification opening 50 Water inlet 52 Base component 56 Ventilation opening

Claims

1. A portable water server with an air purification function that provides chilled and hot water purified from normal water within the casing while purifying the air in the room and the air inside the casing, comprising: a water container into which normal water can be poured from the outside into the casing; a water storage container communicating with the water container and disposed below the water container; a water purification device provided in a flow path connecting the water container and the water storage container to purify the normal water in the flow path into purified water; a cooling device disposed below the water storage container to cool the purified water in the water storage container; a heater that diverts and heats the purified water in the water storage container; a cooling fan that takes in air from the outside through a vent disposed below the casing to cool the cooling device and releases it to the outside from the bottom of the casing; an air purification device that takes in air from the outside, filters it, and releases it upward; and a sterilization unit that sterilizes the air released upward from the air purification device with ion cluster sterilization. A water server with an air purification function, comprising: a sterilization means having a gap or opening that communicates with the inside of the housing on which the sterilization unit is mounted, and an air purification opening that releases air that has passed through the sterilization unit from the top of the housing, wherein the flow rate of the airflow released to the outside from the ventilation opening via the cooling device is greater than the flow rate of the airflow released from the outside via the air purification device and the sterilization unit through the air purification opening, and the air purification opening of the sterilization means is larger than the gap or opening that communicates with the inside of the housing.

2. The water purification device is provided with a filter for filtering out impurities, is arranged in parallel in the vertical direction from the water supply container to the water storage container, and communicates with the inside of the water storage container below the water storage container; the heater is arranged in parallel with the water purification device and communicates with the water storage container, heating as it passes through the inside; and the cooling device is arranged below the heater in the water storage container, as described in claim 1.

3. The water dispenser with air purification function according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the water dispenser is detachably disposed from above the housing in front of the air purification opening of the sterilization means, the water storage container has a capacity of 1 liter or less, and the water storage container has an ultraviolet light LED with a wavelength of 265 to 280 nm and an output of 50 to 100 mW installed inside.

4. The water server with air purification function according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of the purified water stored inside is provided in the water storage container, and a control means for controlling the operation of the cooling device and cooling fan when the temperature measured by the temperature measuring means is above a predetermined threshold, and when it falls below the predetermined threshold, the water server with air purification function is provided.

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