Treated water dispensing system

Abstract

A water treatment tank for use with water purification apparatus including an ultra-violet lamp within an encapsulating sleeve onto which incoming water is directed to provide a thin laminar flow about the bulb. The lower compartment has cooling coils about the walls for cooling the water therein relative to the water in the upper compartment. A surrounding sleeve may be located intermediate the encapsulating sleeve and an outer vessel in the tank. A leak detector is located in the encapsulating sleeve. The leak detector and outer vessel are believed to provide safety to users in the event of internal breakage in the tank. A reflective surface is also utilized to direct UV light into portions of the faucets formerly obscured from UV treatment. The faucets preferably provide self-sanitizing capability and an information center selectively displays time until next service, cost savings over bottled water and information related to the dispenser.

1 . A water dispenser comprising a housing having a water tank and information center having a display receiving input related to a volume of water passing through the water tank, and said information center at least selectively providing a time until next service on the display.  
     
     
         2 . The water dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the information center further displays at least selectively information relating to the dispenser on the display.  
     
     
         3 . The water dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the dispenser further comprises a water inlet selectively feeding water to an upper section of said tank, cooling coils acting to chill water in a lower section of said tank, a ultra-violet lamp disposed in both the upper and lower sections of the tank for transmitting ultra-violet light raised to water in both upper and lower sections to eliminate bacterial growth in both upper and lower sections, and the information center displays at least selectively an amount of cost savings on the display related to a cost savings of using the dispenser over the cost of buying bottled water.  
     
     
         4 . The water dispenser of  claim 1  further comprising a controller connected to a solenoid valve at a water inlet to the water tank, said controller evaluating an open time of the solenoid valve relative to an expected fill time and if the open time exceeds the expected fill time, performing at least one of closing the solenoid valve and providing an alarm at the information center activating an alarm.  
     
     
         5 . A water dispenser comprising a housing having a water tank, and a first faucet communicating with water in the water tank, said first faucet having a tube connected to a heater wherein the heater exposes the tube to at least a predetermined temperature above ambient for a predetermined time sufficient to eliminate bacterial growth in the tube, and a controller connected to the heater for turning the heater on and off.  
     
     
         6 . The water dispenser of  claim 5  further comprising an information center having a a display, said display coupled to a sensor configured to evaluate an amount of water dispensed from the dispenser, and said information center at least selectively providing an amount of time until next service to the display.  
     
     
         7 . The dispenser of  claim 6  further comprising a reflector in an upper section of the tank directing ultraviolet light into the at least a portion of the first faucet.  
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of  claim 7  wherein the water tank further comprises a water inlet selectively feeding water into the upper section of said tank, cooling cold chilled water in the lower section of the tank and ultra-violet lamp disposed above both the upper and lower sections, and an encapsulating sleeve disposed about the ultra-violet lamp thereby providing a water free area about the lamp.