US-12623898-B1 - Introduction of an additive to water

US12623898B1US 12623898 B1US12623898 B1US 12623898B1US-12623898-B1

Abstract

A removable additive assembly includes a vessel and a pump module or nozzle housing. The vessel defines an interior volume configured to hold an additive, such as a flavoring and/or nutritional (e.g., vitamin) additive. The pump includes an actuator that is configured to attach to a reciprocating coupler that can drive the pump to create cyclical intake and discharge strokes to pump the additive through the nozzle. The removable additive assembly may be a portion or component of an additive assembly that includes actuating components and one or more reciprocating couplers configured to drive one or more pumps of one or more removable additive assemblies.

Inventors

Madeline A. Donovan
Russell E. Bell
Federico Macoretta
Gavin SHEN
Piercy Yau
Simeon JUPP

Assignees

BRITA LP

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230419

Claims (18)

1 . A water dispensing apparatus, comprising: a housing defining a first receiving area, a second receiving area, an inlet in fluid communication with the first receiving area, and an outlet in fluid communication with the second receiving area; a filter in fluid communication with the first receiving area and the second receiving area, water in the first receiving area flows through the filter to the second receiving area; and an additive delivery system disposable proximate to the housing, the additive delivery system including: a source of an additive; a nozzle coupled to the source; a pump that operates to cause the additive to flow from the source to the nozzle; a sensor that detects when water is present at the outlet, the sensor causing the pump to operate when water is detected, thereby causing the additive to be added to the water at the outlet; a controller; a motor; and a gear arrangement engaged with the pump, the gear arrangement includes a driver gear that moves the pump, a planetary gear selectively engageable with the driver gear, and a planetary gear carrier to which the planetary gear is mounted, wherein the controller receives a first signal from the sensor when the sensor detects water, the controller sends a second signal to the motor in response to the first signal, the motor drives the gear arrangement to operate in response to the second signal, and the planetary gear carrier being movable so that the planetary gear moves between a first position in which it is engaged with the driver gear and a second position in which it is spaced apart from the driver gear.
2 . The water dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the additive delivery system includes a user selectable portion that contains at least one button, the at least one button being activatable by a user to select the option of the additive delivery system supplying an additive to the water at the outlet.
3 . The water dispensing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one button can be pressed by a user multiple times to select a concentration level of the additive to be added.
4 . The water dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gear arrangement is engaged with the pump, and operation of the gear arrangement causes the pump to provide an additive from the source to the nozzle.
5 . The water dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a third receiving area proximate to the outlet, the nozzle being located in the third receiving area, and the sensor being located in the third receiving area.
6 . The water dispensing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the additive delivery system being operable only when the sensor detects the presence of water in the third receiving area and when a user has selected that the additive delivery system is to be operable.
7 . The water dispensing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the additive delivery system includes a selector button associated with the source, and a user can actuate the selector button to provide input regarding the source.
8 . The water dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a lid removably coupled to the housing, the lid having a body defining a first upper portion and a second upper portion, the first upper portion including a receptacle in which the source may be placed and a first repositionable cover that covers the receptacle, the second upper portion including an opening therethrough and a second repositionable cover that covers the opening, wherein the second repositionable cover can be opened to allow access to the first receiving area, and the first repositionable cover can be opened to allow access to the receptacle for the source.
9 . The water dispensing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the lid includes an electronic section located between the first upper portion and the second upper portion, the electronic section including at least one button selectable by a user to indicate that additive from the source is desired.
10 . A water dispensing apparatus, comprising: a housing defining a first internal area, a second internal area, an inlet, and an outlet; a filter located between and in communication with the first internal area and the second internal area; and a lid removably coupleable to the housing, the lid including a fill opening through which water can pass into the first internal area, the lid also including an additive delivery system coupled thereto, the additive delivery system including: a vessel containing an additive; a pump and nozzle assembly coupled to the vessel, the pump and nozzle assembly drawing the additive out of the vessel; a gear arrangement mounted to the lid, the gear arrangement operably coupleable to and engaged with the pump and nozzle assembly, the gear arrangement includes a driver gear that moves the pump of the pump and nozzle assembly, a planetary gear selectively engageable with the driver gear, and a planetary gear carrier to which the planetary gear is mounted, the planetary gear carrier being movable so that the planetary gear moves between a first position in which it is engaged with the driver gear and a second position in which it is spaced apart from the driver gear; and a sensor that detects the presence of water at the outlet, the sensor causing the pump and nozzle assembly to operate when water is detected, thereby causing the additive to be added to the water at the outlet.
11 . The water dispensing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the lid includes a receptacle in which the vessel and the pump and nozzle assembly are located, and the pump and nozzle assembly includes an eccentrically mounted pin that is moved by the gear arrangement.
12 . The water dispensing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the additive delivery system includes a button that is activatable by a user to select the additive to be added to the water, and the pump and nozzle assembly operate only after the button has been activated by the user and the sensor detects water.
13 . The water dispensing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the housing includes a third receiving area proximate to the outlet, the nozzle of the pump and nozzle assembly being located in the third receiving area, the sensor being located in the third receiving area, the additive delivery system being operable only when the sensor detects the presence of water in the third receiving area and when a user has selected that the additive delivery system is to be operable.
14 . The water dispensing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the vessel is a first vessel, the additive is a first additive, the pump and nozzle assembly is a first pump and nozzle assembly, and the additive delivery system further comprises: a second vessel containing a second additive; and a second pump and nozzle assembly coupled to the second vessel, the second pump and nozzle assembly drawing the second additive out of the second vessel, wherein the gear arrangement is operably coupleable to the second pump and nozzle assembly, and the gear arrangement only allows one of the first pump and nozzle assembly or the second pump and nozzle assembly to operate at once.
15 . A water dispensing apparatus, comprising: a housing defining a first internal area, a second internal area, an inlet, and an outlet; a filter located between and in communication with the first internal area and the second internal area; and a lid removably coupleable to the housing, the lid including a fill opening through which water can pass into the first internal area, the lid also including an additive delivery system coupled thereto, the additive delivery system including: a first vessel containing a first additive; a first pump and nozzle assembly coupled to the first vessel, the first pump and nozzle assembly drawing the first additive out of the first vessel; a second vessel containing a second additive; a second pump and nozzle assembly coupled to the second vessel, the second pump and nozzle assembly drawing the second additive out of the second vessel; a gear arrangement mounted to the lid, the gear arrangement operably coupleable to the first pump and nozzle assembly and to the second pump and nozzle assembly, the gear arrangement only allows one of the first pump and nozzle assembly or the second pump and nozzle assembly to operate at once; and a sensor that detects the presence of water at the outlet, the sensor causing one of the first pump and nozzle assembly or the second pump and nozzle assembly to operate when water is detected, thereby causing one of the first additive or the second additive to be added to the water at the outlet.
16 . The water dispensing apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the lid includes a receptacle in which the first vessel and the first pump and nozzle assembly are located, and the first pump and nozzle assembly includes an eccentrically mounted pin that is moved by the gear arrangement.
17 . The water dispensing apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the additive delivery system includes a button that is activatable by a user to select an additive to be added to the water, and either the first pump and nozzle assembly or the second pump and nozzle assembly operates only after the button has been activated by the user and the sensor detects water.
18 . The water dispensing apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the housing includes a third receiving area proximate to the outlet, the nozzle of the first pump and nozzle assembly being located in the third receiving area, the sensor being located in the third receiving area, the additive delivery system being operable only when the sensor detects the presence of water in the third receiving area and when a user has selected that the additive delivery system is to be operable.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 63/333,250, filed Apr. 21, 2022, entitled “Introduction of an Additive to Water,” the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present application relates to devices and techniques that can introduce an additive to water as the water is dispensed (e.g., poured). More specifically, the present application relates to devices and techniques that can introduce an additive to water as the water is dispensed (e.g., poured) from water filtration devices, such as those used in residential and/or commercial applications. BACKGROUND Water filtration apparatuses often include a removable and replaceable filter assembly. For example, some water filtration pitchers or countertop containers are configured to position a filter assembly between a first reservoir and a second reservoir. Water is filtered as it passes from the first reservoir to the second reservoir through the filter assembly. Alternatively, a pitcher or countertop container may filter water as water is poured or dispensed therefrom. As another example, water filtration apparatuses may be configured to attach to a faucet or another such water source and may position a filter assembly to filter water as the water is dispensed from the faucet or water source. In any of these instances, a user may want to add an additive, such as a flavoring or nutritional additive (e.g., vitamins), to the filtered water. Thus, solutions that can introduce an additive to filtered water have been introduced. However, these solutions often create contamination issues when introducing an additive and/or do not adequately mix an additive into filtered water. SUMMARY Techniques and devices for introducing an additive to filtered water as the filtered water is dispensed (e.g., poured) are disclosed. These techniques and devices may be embodied as one or more apparatuses, one or more methods, and/or one or more systems. For example, in accordance with at least one embodiment, the present application is directed to a removable additive assembly that includes a vessel, such as a tank or bottle or pouch, and a pump module. The vessel defines an interior volume configured to hold an additive, such as a flavoring and/or nutritional (e.g., vitamin) additive. The pump module includes a pump and a nozzle. In one embodiment, the pump module utilizes a gear arrangement that drives the pump to supply additive through the nozzle. In another embodiment, the pump includes an actuator that is configured to attach to a reciprocating coupler that can drive the pump to create cyclical intake and discharge strokes to pump the additive through the nozzle. In at least some embodiments, the removable additive assembly is provided as a single unit that is entirely replaced, e.g., when the additive is depleted. In fact, in some instances, the removable additive assembly may provide an additive delivery path that completely separates the additive from filtered water to which it will be added unless and until the removable additive assembly is actuated. This prevents the additive from contaminating filtered water, e.g., when filtered water is stored in a filtered water reservoir. In some instances, an additive is introduced to a stream of filtered water as the filter water is being poured from a spout of a water filtration apparatus. In other instances, an additive is introduced to a stream of water exteriorly of a spout of a water filtration apparatus in which the removably additive assembly is installed. That is, in some instances, the additive delivery path is separate from the filtered water until the filtered water is poured out of the pitcher and, thus, the additive delivery path may be described as being “outside of the pitcher,” which helps avoid creating contamination. This will further protect the water filtration apparatus (e.g., the pitcher), water stored therein, and the removably additive assembly from bacteria/contaminant buildup while also encouraging optimal mixing. Additionally or alternatively, the removable additive assembly may be a subassembly of an additive assembly that includes an additive assembly housing. The additive assembly housing can include a top configured to removably secure one or more removable additive subassemblies and an interior cavity configured to receive actuating components. The top may also include one or more reciprocating members configured to drive each of the one more removable additive subassemblies secured to the additive assembly housing (e.g., when the one or more reciprocating members are driven by the actuating components). The additive assembly housing may seal the interior cavity and, thus, may protect any actuating components over a long life span while the removable additive subassemblies may be replaced after a predetermined number of “doses.” This may ensure that any components exposed to additive and/or water