FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to a device for enhancing drinking water with vortex flow and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to a dedicated tank of the device in which the drinking water is swirled with vortex flow.

There are various household products available for enhancing drinking water. Some products are known to enhance drinking water by purifying the water with carbon filters, reverse osmosis or ion exchange filters. Some known products mineralize water after purification to reinstate minerals removed during a purification process and to improve taste. It is also known to enhance drinking water by promoting vortex circulation.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/070991 entitled “Apparatus for recirculating vortex water fountain” describes an apparatus for treating water through a magnetic field. The apparatus comprises an ampul capable of holding water, the ampul having an upper wide body and a lower narrow neck. The ampul has the surface structure and configuration to promote the water flow in a vortex. A water inlet located inside the ampul at its upper wide body portion is used to introduce water into the ampul. The water inlet is capable of dispensing water delivered to the ampul along the sides of the vortexing ampul thereby facilitating the flow of water in a vortex pattern.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,492 entitled “Method and apparatus for the preparation of beverages,” describes an automatic machine, also for household use, which is adapted to the automatic preparation of imitation mineral waters. The machine essentially comprises a desalting device, a mineralizing unit which introduces in the desalted (also distilled) water a dosage unit of selected mineral salts, a carbonation device for saturating the remineralized water with carbon dioxide and a programming unit for selecting both the quantity and the quality of mineral water.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0300868 entitled “Device for producing drinking water,” describes a device for producing drinking water. The device includes a supply means that provides a quantity of inlet water; a distillation system that distills the quantity of inlet water, a salt supply system in the form of a concentrated aqueous solution that supplies salts necessary for obtaining water which may be defined as drinking water and a mixing system that receives at least a part of the salt reserve and mixes it in a controlled manner with the quantity of distilled water, at the same time aerating the latter, so as to provide drinking water and a dispensing tap able to dispense this quantity of drinking water.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a device for storing and circulating stored drinking water with vortex flow. According to embodiments of the present invention, the device includes a dedicated tank that is shaped and sized to continuously move substantially all the water stored in the device during vortex circulation without any substantial areas of stagnation.

In some example embodiments, the dedicated tank is an egg shaped or otherwise rounded vessel mounted on a casing including an impeller. Rotation of the impellor produces the vortex flow in the tank. The tank may be glass or other material through which a user may observe the vortex. The present inventors have found that the rounded structure of the egg shaped vessel or spherically shaped vessel may facilitate swirling substantially the entire volume of water within the vessel based on the impeller rotation and may leave little to no areas of stagnation in the vessel. In some example embodiments, inlet and outlet channels are formed in the casing at a position relative to the impeller so that water may be pumped in and out of the casing with impeller motion and without disturbing the vortex flow pattern in the tank. The water received through the inlet may be water purified with a water purification system.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a system for automatic preparation of synthetic or man-made mineral waters from purified water accumulated in the device while being continuously swirled with vortex flow. Optionally, the system provides for preparing different types of man-made mineral water from an assortment of minerals, nutritional ingredients and medicinal ingredients based on user selection. In some example embodiments, the system additionally provides for re-hardening the water with a re-hardening filtration unit, selectively carbonizing the water, as well as selectively heating and cooling the water.

According to an aspect of some example embodiments, there is provided a device for circulating stored drinking water with vortex flow comprising: a base including: at least one port through which the drinking water is received and dispensed; a tank mounted on the base with a sealed engagement and configured to store the drinking water, wherein the tank is spherical or egg shaped and includes an air inlet on an upper portion of the tank through which air can flow in and out of the tank; and an actuator housed in the base and configured to circulate the drinking water stored in the tank with vortex flow.

Optionally, the device includes a sensor configured to monitor a volume or a level of the drinking water in the tank or to monitor a change in the volume or a change in the level of the drinking water in the tank.

Optionally, the device includes a valve configured to control flow of the drinking water through the at least one port; and a controller configured to control the valve based on input from the sensor.

Optionally, the controller is configured to maintain a pre-defined level of the drinking water in the tank based on controlling the valve.

Optionally, the sensor is configured to monitor a weight of the tank.

Optionally, the device includes a faucet configured to control dispensing of the drinking water through the at least one port.

Optionally, the actuator is an impeller.

Optionally, the at least one port includes an inlet port and an outlet port and the base includes the inlet port above or at a level of the impeller and the outlet port at a height of the impeller or below.

Optionally, the base includes a ring shaped partition that partitions an upper portion of the base including the inlet port from a lower portion of the base including the outlet port and wherein the ring shaped partition enables fluid communication between the upper portion and the lower portion.

Optionally, the device includes a stator configured to actuate rotation of the impeller, wherein the stator is positioned external to the base and wherein the impeller includes an impeller blade and a compartment including one or more permanent magnets.

Optionally, the stator includes at least two sets of electromagnets and a circuit configured to control activation of the at least two sets of electromagnets.

Optionally, the base includes an elevated portion that forms a ring shaped cavity under thereunder and wherein the stator is fitted in the cavity.

Optionally, a bottom portion of the tank is formed with lip defining an opening, wherein the lip is configured to form a sealed connection with the base.

Optionally, the air inlet is covered with an air filter.

According to an aspect of some example embodiments, there is provided a system for automatic preparation of man-made mineral waters, comprising: a device described herein; and a pump configured to dispense a defined volume of water from the device.

Optionally, the system includes a mineralization unit configured to selectively mineralize the defined volume of water, the mineralization unit comprising: a static mixing chamber configured to receive the define volume of water; a plurality of mineral ampoules configured to selectively dose minerals in the static mixing chamber as the volume of water flows through the static mixing chamber; and a controller configured to control selective dosing with the plurality of mineral ampoules based on user input.

Optionally, the system comprises at least one total dissolved ionized solids (TDS) sensor, wherein the controller is configured to adapt the dosing based on output from the TDS sensor.

Optionally, the system comprises a re-hardening filtration unit, configured to re-harden water stored in the device.

Optionally, the re-hardening filtration unit comprises a re-hardening filter and a carbon dioxide (CO2) source, wherein the CO2source is configured to dose CO2in the water passing through the re-hardening filter.

Optionally, the re-hardening filtration unit includes in an exchange tank that is in fluid communication with the device.

Optionally, the impeller is configured to actuate exchange flow between the device and the exchange tank.

Optionally, the system comprises a temperature control unit configured to selectively heat or cool the volume of water.

Optionally, a CO2source configured to carbonate the water based on selection by a user. Optionally, an ultraviolet lamp or LED is configured to radiate the volume of water in the static mixing chamber.

Optionally, the pump is a diaphragm pump.

Optionally, the system is a purification system configured to purifying the water provided to the device.

Optionally, the purification system is based on reverse osmosis system or evaporation and condensation.

According to an aspect of some example embodiments, there is provided a method for automatic preparation of man-made mineral waters, the method comprising: circulating drinking water with vortex flow in a device described herein; receiving input for a user selecting one of a plurality of different mineral waters; channeling a defined volume of water from the device through a mineralization unit on demand; selectively dosing from a plurality of mineral ampoules into the defined volume of water based on the user input; and dispensing the volume of water that was dosed in the mineralization unit to the user.

Optionally, the method includes sensing a TDS level and adapting the dosing based on the TDS level.

Optionally, re-hardening the water stored in the device based on exchange flow between a re-hardening filtration unit and the device.

Optionally, the exchange flow is actuated based operation of the impeller.

Optionally, the method includes selectively heating or cooling the volume of water prior to mineralization of the water with the mineralization unit.

Optionally, the method includes radiating the volume of water with UV radiation.

Optionally, the method includes purifying the water supplied to the device with a purification unit.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and/or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the invention, exemplary methods and/or materials are described below. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and are not intended to be necessarily limiting.

