Apparatus for sanitizing bottles and dispensing purified water into the bottles

Abstract

A stand for dispensing purified water into a supply bottle has both a dispensing nozzle on the stand with a customer actuated switch supply of the water through the spout and a sanitizing system in the stand for pre-sanitizing the bottle prior to filling at the point. The sanitizing system includes a nozzle for injecting liquid into the bottle projecting through a drain opening with at least one customer actuated switch for supply of liquid to said at least one nozzle. The nozzle is located underneath the base surface of the filling station such that the bottle is inverted and its neck inserted through a hole into the base onto a switch at the drain to ensure the bottle is in place before the injection nozzle is operated.

1 . Apparatus for dispensing purified water for filling a supply bottle comprising: 
 a stand arranged for presentation to a customer having a supply bottle;    a supply of purified water;    a dispensing nozzle on the stand attached to the supply of the purified water;    a support member for supporting and locating the bottle in a filling position such that when supported and located an open month of the bottle is arranged beneath the dispensing nozzle for filling of the bottle;    the support member including a base surface for supporting a base of the bottle;    an actuator switch operable by the customer for causing supply of the purified water through the dispensing nozzle;    and a sanitizing system in the stand for pre-sanitizing the bottle prior to filling at the point, the sanitizing system comprising:    at least one nozzle for injecting liquid into the bottle;    a supply of sanitizing fluid for injection through the at least one nozzle;    a supply of rinsing fluid for injection through the at least one nozzle;    a drain for release of the sanitizing fluid and rinsing fluid from the bottle prior to filling; and    at least one actuator switch operable by the customer for actuating the supply of liquid to said at least one nozzle.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the sanitizing system is located at the base surface so as to operate on the bottle when in an inverted position.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the support member includes locating elements for engaging a peripheral wall of the bottle and wherein the locating elements are arranged to engage the bottle both in the filling position and in the inverted position.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the base surface has a hole therein through which a neck of the bottle passes for accessing the sanitizing system.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one nozzle projects upwardly for engaging into the bottle when inverted.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein the drain surrounds the at least one nozzle.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein there is provided a detection sensor for detecting presence of the bottle in the inverted position so as to allow injection of fluid from the at least one nozzle only when the bottle is in the inverted position.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the detection sensor comprises a switch with an element arranged to engage the mouth of the bottle when in the inverted position.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein there is provided a receptacle for the mouth of the bottle when in the inverted position with the at least one nozzle extending upwardly from the receptacle and the drain forming an annular opening surrounding the nozzle at the base of the receptacle and wherein the switch is located in the receptacle.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9  wherein the switch includes a lever with an end of the lever in the receptacle so as to be engaged and depressed by the mouth of the bottle.