Method and device for sanitizing bottled water dispensers

Abstract

A method of sanitizing a bottled water dispenser may include transporting a portable boiler to a location of a bottled water dispenser. The method also may include generating steam in the portable boiler at the location of the bottled water dispenser, and flowing steam through an outlet of the portable boiler. The method may further include flow coupling the outlet of the portable boiler with an opening of the bottled water dispenser, wherein the opening leads to a fluid flow path of the bottled water dispenser. The method may additionally include flowing steam into the fluid flow path through the opening of the bottled water dispenser, and maintaining steam flow through at least a portion of the fluid flow path for a time period sufficient to sanitize the portion of the fluid flow path. The invention may also include a device for sanitizing a bottled water dispenser with steam.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of sanitizing a bottled water dispenser, the method comprising: 
 transporting a portable boiler to a location of a bottled water dispenser;    generating steam in the portable boiler at the location of the bottled water dispenser;    flow coupling an outlet of the portable boiler with an opening of the bottled water dispenser, the opening leading to a fluid flow path of the bottled water dispenser;    flowing steam through the outlet of the portable boiler;    flowing steam into the fluid flow path through the opening of the bottled water dispenser; and    maintaining steam flow through at least a portion of the fluid flow path for a time period sufficient to sanitize said portion of the fluid flow path.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow path includes a reservoir for containing water, and wherein steam flow is maintained in the reservoir for a time period sufficient to sanitize the reservoir.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid flow path further includes an inlet conduit configured to enable flow of water and air between the reservoir and an inverted water bottle on the bottled water dispenser, and wherein steam flow is maintained in the inlet conduit for a time period sufficient to sanitize the inlet conduit.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the fluid flow path further includes an outlet conduit configured to enable dispensing of water from the reservoir, and wherein steam flow is maintained in the outlet conduit for a time period sufficient to sanitize the outlet conduit.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the fluid flow path further includes an air conduit configured to enable flow of air into the reservoir from outside of the water dispenser, and wherein steam is maintained in the air conduit for a time period sufficient to sanitize the air conduit.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the inlet conduit includes a feed probe having at least one opening, and wherein the flow coupling includes flow coupling the outlet of the portable boiler with the at least one opening of the feed probe so that steam flows into the at least one opening of the feed probe.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the flow coupling includes flow coupling the outlet of the portable boiler with the outlet conduit so that steam flows into the fluid flow path through an opening in the outlet conduit.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising opening a dispensing valve on the outlet conduit, and wherein the flow coupling includes flow coupling the outlet of the portable boiler with the dispensing valve so that steam flows into the fluid flow path through the dispensing valve.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the flow coupling includes flow coupling the outlet of the portable boiler with the air conduit so that steam flows into the fluid flow path through an opening in the air conduit.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising removing an air filter on an end of the air conduit.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a minimum time for maintaining steam flow is about three minutes.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the flow coupling includes 
 flow coupling the outlet of the portable boiler with a nozzle,    flow coupling a reservoir of the bottled water dispenser with an adapter configured to removably seal with an opening of the reservoir, the adapter having an inlet configured to flow couple with the nozzle, and    flow coupling the nozzle with the inlet connector of the adapter.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises transporting the portable boiler from the location of the bottled water dispenser to a location of a different bottled water dispenser for sanitizing at least a portion of a fluid flow path of said different bottled water dispenser.  
     
     
         14 . A method of sanitizing a bottled water dispenser having a feed probe of known outer diameter, the method comprising: 
 generating steam in a boiler at a location of the bottled water dispenser;    flowing steam from the boiler through a nozzle having an internal diameter greater than the known outer diameter of the feed probe, so that when the nozzle is placed over the feed probe a gap exists between the outer diameter of the feed probe and the inner diameter of the nozzle opening;    flow coupling the nozzle with the feed probe by placing the feed probe at least partially inside the nozzle;    flowing steam into an opening in the feed probe to sanitize at least an inner portion of the feed probe; and    flowing steam into the gap between the nozzle and the feed probe to sanitize an exterior portion of the feed probe while at least the inner portion of the feed probe is being sanitized.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said flowing of steam into the gap increases a pressure in the gap sufficient to force steam from the gap into the at least one opening in the feed probe.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising preventing injury to the hand of an operator by blocking flow of steam from the gap to a gripping portion by providing a steam guard between the nozzle opening and the gripping portion.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the boiler is portable, and wherein the method further comprises transporting the portable boiler to the location of the bottled water dispenser  
     
     
         18 . A device for steam sanitizing a bottled water dispenser having a feed probe, said feed probe including at least one opening enabling air and water to flow between a reservoir of the bottled water dispenser and an inverted water bottle on the bottled water dispenser, the device comprising: 
 a nozzle having an opening in an end thereof, said opening being sized to fit over an end of the feed probe, said nozzle having an inner wall with a diameter greater than a diameter of an outer wall of the feed probe, said inner and outer walls defining a gap when the feed probe is placed at least partially inside said nozzle; and    a guard configured to couple with the nozzle for shielding a hand of an operator of the device from steam flowing from the gap.    
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , further comprising a portable boiler for generating steam, said portable boiler including an outlet configured to be flow coupled with said nozzle, and wherein said nozzle is adapted to substantially simultaneously direct steam flowing from said outlet of said portable boiler into said gap and into the at least one opening of the feed probe when the feed probe is placed at least partially inside said nozzle, said device thereby steam sanitizing an exterior and an interior of said feed probe.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein said nozzle is adapted so that steam flowing from said nozzle provides a pressure in the gap sufficient to force steam from the gap into the at least one opening in the feed probe when the feed probe is placed at least partially inside said nozzle.  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein said guard and said nozzle are configured so that an air barrier is formed between an interior of said guard and an exterior of said nozzle when said guard and said nozzle are coupled together, said air barrier providing a layer of thermal insulation between said guard and said nozzle.  
     
     
         22 . A device for sanitizing a bottled water dispenser with steam, the device comprising: 
 a housing;    a heating element configured to generate steam in said housing;    an outlet of said housing, said outlet being configured to dispense steam from said housing; and    a nozzle adapted to engage an opening of a bottled water dispenser leading to a fluid flow path, said nozzle being designed to flow couple the outlet of the housing with the opening of the bottled water dispenser to thereby cause a sanitizing steam environment within the fluid flow path of the bottled water dispenser.    
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22 , further comprising a steam tube coupling said outlet of said housing with said nozzle.  
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 22 , further comprising a guard configured to couple with the nozzle for shielding a hand of an operator from steam flowing from the nozzle.  
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein said guard and said nozzle are configured so that an air barrier is formed between an interior of said guard and an exterior of said nozzle when said guard and said nozzle are coupled together, said air barrier providing a layer of thermal insulation between said guard and said nozzle.  
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 22 , further comprising an adapter configured to removably seal with an opening of a reservoir of the bottled water dispenser, said adapter having an inlet configured to flow couple with the nozzle.  
     
     
         27 . A method of sanitizing a potable liquid dispenser, the method comprising: 
 transporting a portable boiler to a location of a potable liquid dispenser;    generating steam in the portable boiler at the location of the potable liquid dispenser;    flow coupling an outlet of the portable boiler with an opening of the potable liquid dispenser, the opening leading to a fluid flow path of the potable liquid dispenser;    flowing steam through the outlet of the portable boiler;    flowing steam into the fluid flow path through the opening of the potable liquid dispenser; and    maintaining steam flow through at least a portion of the fluid flow path for a time period sufficient to sanitize said portion of the fluid flow path.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the potable liquid dispenser is a dispenser for dispensing water, and wherein the transporting includes transporting the portable boiler to the location of the water dispenser.