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  Mineral water generatorUSPTO Application #: 20060191785Title: Mineral water generator Abstract: A mineral-water producing apparatus that includes: an electrolytic bath to which raw water, such as city water, is supplied; a mineral eluting material(s) arranged in the electrolytic bath; and electrodes for applying DC voltage with which the water in the electrolytic bath is electrolyzed so that a mineral element(s) is eluted from the mineral eluting material (s), where the mineral water produced in the electrolytic bath is delivered to the outside thereof, characterized in that the apparatus further includes: a pH sensor which detects the pH of the raw water; and a controller which controls the conducting time duration for the electrodes based on the detection signal from the pH sensor. Thus, mineral water having a desired mineral concentration is produced. (end of abstract) Agent: Banner & Witcoff - Washington, DC, US Inventors: Miwako Ito, Kazushige Watanabe, Motoharu Sato USPTO Applicaton #: 20060191785 - Class: 204228600 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Chemistry: Electrical And Wave Energy, Apparatus, Electrolytic, With Current, Voltage, Or Power Control Means Responsive To Sensed Condition, Electrolyte Property Sensing Means (e.g., Temperature, Concentration, Ph, Conductivity, Etc.) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060191785. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] This invention relates to a mineral-water producing apparatus which produces mineral-water by adding mineral elements to raw water. BACKGROUND ART [0002] As the above-described type of mineral-water producing apparatus, one has been known which is described in Japanese Patent Publication 9-164390. [0003] This mineral-water producing apparatus includes: an electrolytic bath; a pair of electrodes, cathode and anode, arranged in the electrolytic bath; and a mineral eluting material(s) (coral sand, healstone (bakuhanseki), mineral stone, etc.) contained in the electrolytic bath. According to this apparatus, the application of a DC current to the electrodes causes electrolysis of city water accumulated in the electrolytic bath and produces acid water on the anode side, and the acid water reacts with and dissolves the mineral eluting material (e.g. calcium carbonate) to allow a mineral element to be eluted from the mineral eluting material. [0004] In such an electrolytic type of mineral-water producing apparatus, the concentration of the mineral in the mineral-water produced vary depending on the hydrogen-ion exponent (hereinafter referred to as pH), the temperature, and the mineral concentration of the city water supplied to the electrolytic bath. The reason is that the solubility of mineral eluting materials decreases with the increase in pH or temperature of the city water supplied to the electrolytic bath, and besides, it is largely affected by the mineral concentration of the city water itself. [0005] On the other hand, the pH, the temperature and the mineral concentration of city water differ depending on the area or the season, and moreover, even if the area or the season is the same, they greatly change with time of a day. [0006] Thus, with the conventional mineral-water producing apparatus, in which the power control of electrodes is fixed, it is impossible to adjust the mineral concentration of the mineral water produced to a desired value. As a result, when the mineral water has a low mineral concentration, the taste and the effects of the mineral cannot be obtained. Conversely, when the mineral water has too high a mineral concentration, the eluted mineral can sometimes precipitate and contaminate drinks. Accordingly, the conventional mineral producing apparatus might produce mineral water unsuitable for drinking. [0007] In light of the above described problems with the conventional mineral-water producing apparatus, the object of this invention is to provide a mineral-water producing apparatus which controls conducting time duration or power output for energizing electrodes based on the quality, the temperature, etc. of water, and besides, includes setting switches which can arbitrarily set conducting time duration or power output for energizing electrodes, and thereby providing mineral water having a desired mineral concentration. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [0008] A first aspect of this invention is a mineral-water producing apparatus, which includes: an electrolytic bath to which raw water, such as city water, is supplied; a mineral eluting material (s) arranged in the electrolytic bath; and electrodes for applying DC voltage with which water in the electrolytic bath is electrolyzed so that a mineral element(s) is eluted from the mineral eluting material(s), where the mineral water produced in the electrolytic bath is delivered to the outside thereof, characterized in that the apparatus further includes: water-quality etc. detecting means for detecting the water quality, the water temperature, etc. of at least either the raw water or the mineral water; and controlling means for controlling at least either the conducting time duration or the power output for the electrodes based on the detection signals from the water quality etc. detecting means. [0009] According to the first aspect of this invention, the conducting time duration or the power output for energizing electrodes is controlled based on the water quality or the water temperature of raw water, which is the cause of change in the amount of the minerals eluted, whereby the mineral concentration of the mineral water produced is kept constant. [0010] A second aspect of this invention is a mineral-water producing apparatus, which includes: an electrolytic bath to which raw water, such as city water, is supplied; a mineral eluting material(s) arranged in the electrolytic bath; and electrodes for applying DC voltage with which water in the electrolytic bath is electrolyzed so that a mineral element(s) is eluted from the mineral eluting material (s), where mineral water is produced at least either in a flowing water electrolysis mode, in which a DC voltage is applied across the electrodes while delivering the water from the electrolytic bath, or in a standing water electrolysis mode, in which a DC voltage is applied across the electrodes while stopping the water from the electrolytic bath, characterized in that the apparatus further includes a setting switch which sets at least either conducting time duration or power output for the electrodes in each of the electrolysis modes. [0011] According to the second aspect of this invention, the conducting time duration or the power output for energizing electrodes can be arbitrarily set through the setting switch, and the amount of minerals eluted can be controlled depending on the mineral concentration or the water quality of raw water. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] FIG. 1 is a sectional front elevation of a mineral-water producing apparatus in accordance with the first embodiment of this invention; [0013] FIG. 2 is a sectional side elevation of a mineral-water producing apparatus in accordance with the first embodiment of this invention; [0014] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the electrode power control circuit of a mineral-water producing apparatus in accordance with the first embodiment of this invention; [0015] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the power control of a mineral-water producing apparatus in accordance with the first embodiment of this invention; [0016] FIG. 5 is a schematic front elevation of a mineral-water producing apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment of this invention; [0017] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the electrode power control circuit of a mineral-water producing apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment of this invention; [0018] FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating the power control of a mineral-water producing apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment of this invention; [0019] FIG. 8 is a schematic front elevation of a mineral-water producing apparatus in accordance with the third embodiment of this invention; [0020] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating the electrode power control circuit of a mineral-water producing apparatus in accordance with the third embodiment of this invention; Continue reading... Full patent description for Mineral water generator Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Mineral water generator patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Mineral water generator or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Methods and systems for electroplating wafers Next Patent Application: Electroplating apparatus Industry Class: Chemistry: electrical and wave energy ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Mineral water generator patent info. 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