초록 ▼

Apparatus for transferring water to a bottled water dispenser preferably comprises a wand assembly, a cover assembly and a water bottle transport assembly. The wand assembly engages a neck of a non-inverted water bottle and includes a bent, rigid first conduit and a second conduit which preferably s

Apparatus for transferring water to a bottled water dispenser preferably comprises a wand assembly, a cover assembly and a water bottle transport assembly. The wand assembly engages a neck of a non-inverted water bottle and includes a bent, rigid first conduit and a second conduit which preferably surrounds the first conduit. A flow of water from the water bottle passes along the first conduit in response to the introduction of pressurized air via the second conduit from a pressurized air source in the cover assembly. The water bottle transport assembly preferably supports the water bottle at a suitable, non-inverted angle, and includes a rigid frame supporting at least one wheel and a rotatable cradle. The cradle comprises first and second support arms configured to contactingly support the bottle, and rotates with respect to the frame during movement of the transport assembly to place the bottle at the desired non-inverted angle.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus comprising a water bottle transport assembly adapted to transport a water bottle in a substantially non-inverted orientation, the transport assembly comprising a rigid frame comprising a user handle, the rigid frame coupled to at least one wheel, and a cradle sup

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus comprising a water bottle transport assembly adapted to transport a water bottle in a substantially non-inverted orientation, the transport assembly comprising a rigid frame comprising a user handle, the rigid frame coupled to at least one wheel, and a cradle supported by and rotatable with respect to the frame, the cradle comprising first and second support arms configured to contactingly support opposing first and second exterior sides of the bottle, wherein the first and second support arms are further configured to pass adjacent to the respective first and second exterior sides of the bottle to engage said sides without lifting or tilting said bottle, wherein motion of the cradle is restrained with a pin affixed to the first and second support arms that each communicates with a slotted bracket connected to the frame on opposing sides of the cradle, and further wherein the slotted brackets set the cradle either in an orientation that matches the frame or an angled position relative to the frame and further comprising a wand assembly configured to engage a neck of the water bottle while the water bottle is supported by the cradle of the transport assembly at said angled position relative to the frame, the wand assembly comprising: a housing with respective inlet and outlet ports; a bent, rigid first conduit coupled to the outlet port and extending from the housing into an interior of the water bottle, the first conduit comprising a first segment extending in a first direction and a second segment extending from the first segment in a second direction non-parallel to the first direction; and a second conduit coupled to the inlet port and extending from the housing into the interior of the water bottle, wherein a flow of pressurized water from the water bottle passes along the first conduit and to the outlet port in response to a flow of pressurized air from a pressurized air source through the inlet port and the second conduit; wherein the angled position of the water bottle relative to the frame extends along a first selected angle, and wherein the second segment of the first conduit extends at a second selected angle complementary to the first selected angle so that a distal end of the first conduit extends into a lowest elevation of a circumferentially extending, axially symmetric sump region along an interior bottom surface of the bottle. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cradle is further configured to support the water bottle at an inclined orientation while the frame is in a substantially upright orientation, and wherein the first selected angle is selected such that upon insertion of the first conduit into the interior of the water bottle, the distal end of the first conduit extends substantially vertically to a position adjacent a lowest point within the interior of the bottle. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cover assembly configured to sealingly cover an inlet aperture of a water dispenser unit with the aperture being nominally configured to receive the water bottle in an inverted orientation to pass water from the bottle to an underlying reservoir, the cover assembly comprising an air pump coupled to a flexible third conduit to pass said flow of pressurized air to the inlet port, and wherein a flexible fourth conduit passes from the outlet port and through the cover assembly so that upon operation of the air pump, said flow of pressurized air is directed along the third conduit and a return flow of said pressurized water is directed along the fourth conduit and into the reservoir. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cradle is further rotatable with respect to the user handle. 5. An apparatus comprising: a housing with respective inlet and outlet ports; a bent, rigid first conduit coupled to the outlet port and extending from the housing into an interior of the water bottle, the first conduit comprising a first segment extending in a first direction and a second segment extending from the first segment in a second direction non-parallel to the first direction; a second conduit coupled to the inlet port and extending from the housing into the interior of the water bottle, wherein a flow of pressurized water from the water bottle passes along the first conduit and to the outlet port in response to a flow of pressurized air from a pressurized air source through the inlet port and the second conduit, wherein the second segment is positioned in a first angle relative to the frame before water is drawn from a water bottle with a annularly symmetric reservoir and in only a substantially vertical position while water is drawn therefrom; and a water bottle transport assembly adapted to transport a water bottle in a substantially non-inverted orientation, the transport assembly comprising a rigid frame and comprising a user handle, the rigid frame coupled to at least one wheel, and a cradle supported by and rotatable with respect to the user handle, the cradle comprising first and second support arms configured to contactingly support opposing first and second exterior sides of the bottle, wherein the first and second support arms are further configured to pass adjacent to and engage the respective first and second exterior sides of the bottle wherein motion of the cradle is restrained with a pin affixed to the first and second support arms that each communicates with a slotted bracket connected to the frame on opposing sides of the cradle, and further wherein the slotted brackets set the cradle either in an orientation that matches the frame or an angled position relative to the frame, in which the angled position comprises the cradle rotated to a predetermined angle that is complementary to the first angle of the second segment. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first and second conduits are aligned so that the second conduit surrounds the first segment of the first conduit. 7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a valve disposed adjacent to a distal end of the first conduit. 8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein distal end of the first conduit comprises a tip assembly which is configured to capture and displace a removeable plug of the water bottle when the first conduit is inserted into the water bottle, retain the removeable plug on the tip assembly as the tip assembly is submerged into said water, and which replaces the removable plug as the first conduit is retracted from the water bottle. 9. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a water transfer conduit configured to transfer water from a water bottle, the water transfer conduit comprising a tip assembly at a distal end thereof configured to contactingly displace a removeable sealing plug of the water bottle during insertion of the water transfer conduit into the water bottle, and to retain the sealing plug onto the tip assembly during said transfer of water from the water bottle so that the distal end and the sealing plug are submerged within said water in the water bottle. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the tip assembly is further configured to replace the sealing plug to reseal the water bottle during subsequent retraction of the water transfer conduit from the water bottle. 11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a pressurization conduit configured to pressurize a vapor space of the water bottle so that the water transferred along the water transfer conduit is pressurized in response to said pressurization of the vapor space of the water bottle. 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the tip assembly further comprises a check valve. 13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the tip assembly comprises an annular recess which captures a flange of the removeable sealing plug thereby retaining said plug on the tip assembly. 14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the tip assembly engagement member is configured to be removably attachable to a body portion of the tip assembly by a user. 15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sealing plug forms a portion of a stopper assembly coupled to the water bottle, and wherein the sealing plug is reinserted into the stopper assembly by the tip assembly as the water transfer conduit is retracted from the water bottle.