Liquid delivery system

Abstract

A liquid delivery system comprising a base unit ( 2 ) comprising a liquid inlet in an upwardly facing surface, a liquid duct leading from the inlet to a liquid outlet above the liquid inlet; a pump for pumping the liquid from the inlet to the outlet; a motor to drive the pump; and a shroud extending upwardly in a manner which surrounds the inlet, the system further comprising a vessel ( 1 ) received within the shroud in an inverted configuration with its outlet lowermost and in communication with the fluid inlet, the vessel ( 1 ) having a refill opening ( 20 ) towards the end opposite to the outlet.

1 . A liquid delivery system comprising:
 a base unit comprising:   a liquid inlet in an upwardly facing surface;   a liquid duct leading from the inlet to a liquid outlet above the liquid inlet;   a pump for pumping the liquid from the inlet to the outlet;   a motor to drive the pump; and   a shroud extending upwardly in a manner which surrounds the inlet; and   
       a vessel received within the shroud in an inverted configuration with its outlet lowermost and in communication with the fluid inlet, the vessel having a refill opening towards the end opposite to the outlet. 
     
     
         2 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein there is no valve at the outlet from the vessel. 
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the refill is selectively closable by a closure element. 
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the base unit further comprises a sensor to sense the presence of an object in the vicinity of the outlet to trigger a dispensing operation. 
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the base unit is a free standing unit. 
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the base unit contains batteries to power the motor. 
     
     
         7 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the vessel has a bottle-like configuration. 
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the vessel has a cup-like configuration.