A unit for dispensing at least one liquid food product has a hydraulic circuit (8) connecting at least one outlet (5) to a tank (11) containing the product; and a pneumatic circuit (16) for feeding ambient air into the tank (11); a sterilizing device (22) being provided to sterilize the air drawn in by an air intake (19) of the pneumatic circuit (16).
The present invention relates to a unit for dispensing liquid food products.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a unit for dispensing drinking water, to which the following description refers purely by way of example.
For dispensing drinking water, a dispensing unit is used comprising at least one outlet; a water tank; a hydraulic circuit connecting the outlet to the tank; and a pneumatic circuit for feeding ambient air into the tank to permit outflow of the water from the tank when the outlet is opened by the user.
A major drawback of known units of the above type lies in the pneumatic circuit comprising an air intake which, being located to communicate with the outside, is easily contaminated by microorganisms such as bacteria, mold, ferments and/or protozoa present in the air, and which may therefore contaminate the water dispensed.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a unit for dispensing liquid food products, designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks.
According to the present invention, there is provided a unit for dispensing at least one liquid food product, the unit comprising at least one outlet; a tank containing said product; a hydraulic circuit connecting said outlet to said tank; and a pneumatic circuit for feeding ambient air into said tank; the pneumatic circuit having an air intake communicating with the outside; and the unit being characterized by also comprising sterilizing means for sterilizing a space enclosing said air intake and the air drawn in by the air intake itself.
A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Number 1 in Figures 1 and 2 indicates as a whole a unit for dispensing liquid food products - in the example shown, drinking water - and comprising a substantially tubular outer casing 2, which has a substantially vertical longitudinal axis 3, and is defined at the front by a front surface 4.
Unit 1 has at least one water outlet 5, which is fitted to surface 4 of casing 2, has a longitudinal axis 6 substantially parallel to axis 3, dispenses, in the example shown, cold water, and has a known control lever 7 for opening or closing outlet 5.
Outlet 5 is connected by a hydraulic circuit 8 to a drinking water source 9 defined, in the example shown, by a substantially cup-shaped vessel 10 fitted in known manner to the top portion of casing 2 in an upside down position so that the water flows down into circuit 8. In a variation not shown, vessel 10 may be eliminated, and circuit 8 may be connected directly to the water mains which thus defines source 9.
Circuit 8 comprises a tank 11 which communicates hydraulically with vessel 10, has a substantially annular sealing member 12 extending inside tank 11 and about a neck 13 of vessel 10 to define a bottom chamber 14 containing water, and has a known cooling device (not shown) for cooling the water in chamber 14. Circuit 8 also comprises a conduit 15 hydraulically connecting tank 11 to outlet 5.
Unit 1 also comprises a known pneumatic circuit 16 for feeding ambient air into chamber 14 and over the free surface of tank 11 to permit water supply to conduit 15, and therefore to outlet 5, when the user operates lever 7 to open outlet 5. Circuit 16 comprises a conduit 17 extending through tank 11 and communicating pneumatically with chamber 14 via a safety valve 18, and with the outside via an air intake 19, which is housed in a cavity 20 formed in casing 2, and has a known filter 21.
Unit 1 also comprises a sterilizing device 22 in turn comprising an ultraviolet lamp 23, which is housed inside cavity 20, extends substantially parallel to axis 3, and irradiates intake 19 to sterilize the air drawn in by intake 19. More specifically, lamp 23 emits ultraviolet radiation of a wavelength substantially below 320 nanometers, and preferably ranging between 240 and 320 nanometers, to destroy microorganisms such as bacteria, mold, ferments and/or protozoa on intake 19 and in the air surrounding intake 19.
In a variation not shown, intake 19 opens outwards at surface 4 and close to outlet 5, so that one lamp 23 is able to sterilize outlet 5, intake 19, and a space enclosing outlet 5 and intake 19.
Operation of unit 1 is easily deducible from the foregoing description, with no further explanation required.