초록 ▼

A water filter connects into a waterline which feeds a faucet separate from the filter. A filter cartridge is seated within a canister and has an inlet and an outlet. The canister is removably attached to a cap in which is disposed an entrance port to communicate with the outlet and an exit port to

A water filter connects into a waterline which feeds a faucet separate from the filter. A filter cartridge is seated within a canister and has an inlet and an outlet. The canister is removably attached to a cap in which is disposed an entrance port to communicate with the outlet and an exit port to communicate with the inlet. Also in the cap are an input port for receiving water from the line, an output port for delivering water into the line to feed the faucet, a passage which communicates between the input port and the exit port, a passageway which communicates between the input port and the output port and a channel which communicates between the entrance port and the output port. A diverter in the cap responds to a rate of water flow from the faucet of less than a predetermined amount for opening the passage and the channel and closing the passageway, while being responsive to a rate of flow greater than such amount for closing the passage and the channel but opening the passageway. A selector at the faucet is manually adjustable to determine which rate of flow occurs, that selection making the determination of whether the water delivered to the faucet has been filtered or has bypassed the filter. Alternative coupling arrangements permit the water filter to be readily connected into an existing water line of essentially any orientation by cutting that line at only one point.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A water filter unit for connection into a water line which feeds a valve-controlled faucet separate from said filter unit, said unit comprising: a canister; a filter cartridge seated within said canister with said cartridge having means defining an inlet and outlet; a cap to which said canist

1. A water filter unit for connection into a water line which feeds a valve-controlled faucet separate from said filter unit, said unit comprising: a canister; a filter cartridge seated within said canister with said cartridge having means defining an inlet and outlet; a cap to which said canister is removably attached; means defining an input entrance port in said cap disposed to communicate with said outlet; means defining an exit in said cap disposed to communicate with said inlet; means defining an input port in said cap for receiving water from said line; means defining an output in said cap for delivering water into said line to feed said faucet; means defining a passage in said cap communicating between said input port and said exit port; means defining a passageway communicating between said input port and said output port; means defining in said cap communicating between said entrance port and said output port; and a diverter in said cap responsive in a first condition to a rate of water flow from said faucet of less than a predetermined amount for opening said passage and said channel and closing said passageway and responsive in a second condition to a rate of water flow from said faucet of more than said predetermined amount for closing said passage and said channel and opening said passageway. 2. A filter unit as defined in claim 1 in which a portion of said channel and a portion of said passageway are in common, and which further includes a check valve in said channel to block water flow backwardly from said common portion through said entrance port. 3. A filter unit as defined in claim 1 wherein, with said diverter in said second condition, a predetermined volume of water may remain in the upper portion of said canister beneath said cap, in which a flange depends downwardly from said cap for engagement with said canister, and in which a lip on the upper end of said canister projects upwardly a distance sufficient to insure containment within said canister of said predetermined volume when said canister is removed downwardly from said cap. 4. A filter unit as defined in claim 1 in which said input port and said output port face in opposite directions and are sufficiently in alignment laterally with the respect to said directions to enable a single cut of said water line to permit coupling of said input and output ports into said water line. 5. A filter unit as defined in claim 1 in which said input port and said output port each have a predetermined interior diameter and each includes a nut for sealingly engaging the port to a respective water pipe and which further includes a pair of adapter sleeves individually inserted in respective ones of said input and output ports and having interior diameters less than said predetermined diameter and being locked in place upon engagement of the said respective nut. 6. A filter unit as defined in claim 1 in which said input and output ports are mounted upon one end portion of a conduit assembly the other end portion of which is sealingly engaged removably with said cap. 7. A filter unit as defined in claim 6 in which said conduit assembly includes a first conduit leading from said input port and constituting a portion of each of said passage and said passageway and a second conduit leading to said output port and constituting a portion of each of said channel and said passageway. 8. A filter unit as defined in claim 7 in which said second conduit partially encircles said first conduit. 9. A filter unit as defined in claim 6 in which said cap defines a cavity within which said other end portion of said conduit assembly is received and means for removably locking said assembly in said conduit. 10. A filter unit as defined in claim 9 in which, with said assembly locked into said cavity, said cap and canister are free to swing about the longitudinal axis of said assembly while maintaining a seal between said cap and said assembly. 11. A water filter system for connection into a water line which feeds a valve-controlled faucet located remotely from a water filter and comprising: a housing; means defining an input port in said housing for receiving water from said line; means defining an output port in said housing for delivering water into said line to feed said faucet; a filter element disposed within said housing; means defining a passageway for delivering water directly from said input port to said output port in bypass of said filter element; means defining a pathway for delivering water from said input port through said filter element to said output port; valving means located within said housing responsive to a rate of water flow less than a predetermined amount for delivering water along said pathway and responsive to a rate of water flow or more than said predetermined amount for delivering water along said passageway; and a selector mounted to receive water from said faucet and adjustable between a first position that establishes a rate of water flow less than said predetermined amount and a second position that establishes a rate of water flow above said predetermined amount. 12. A filter unit as defined in claim 1 in which said cap defines a bore closed at one end and within which said diverter is disposed and in which said diverter includes: a seal washer disposed across the other end of said bore, a portion of each of said passage and passageway including a hole in said seal washer; a hollow piston slidable within said bore into and out of engagement with said seal washer, means defining an aperture in the head of said piston constituting a portion of said passage; means defining a first opening in the wall of said bore constituting a portion of said passageway and means defining and a second opening in the wall of said bore constituting a portion of said passage, said piston opening said first opening and closing said second opening when moved to a first position out of engagement with said seal washer and closing said first opening and opening said second opening when moved to a second position and into engagement with said seal washer; and a compression spring disposed within said piston and having a strength to engage said piston with said seal washer when said rate is less than said predetermined amount and to allow said piston to move out of engagement with said seal washer when said rate is more than said predetermined amount. 13. A filter unit as defined in claim 12 which includes a post seated in said bore and projecting within said spring and said piston in alignment with said aperture, the tip of said post being spaced beyond said head from said seal washer when said piston is in a first position engaged therewith but said tip entering said aperture upon initial disengagement of said piston from said seal washer and therby substantially reducing flow through said aperture to enable increased forces on said piston to cause rapid movement of said piston from said second position to said first position. 14. A filter unit as defined in claim 12 which includes flow regulating means for substantially reducing flow through said aperture to enable rapid movement of said piston from said second position to said first position when said rate exceeds said predetermined amount. 15. A filter unit as defined in claim 14 in which said regulating means includes a resilient collar affixed to said piston between said head and said seal washer and through which flows water in said passage, said collar being shaped to reduce its interior diameter by an amount proportional to an increase in force of water received through said seal washer and impinging against the face of said collar, said collar when constricted reaching a limit that effects movement of said piston to said first postion. 16. A filter unit as defined in claim 15 in which said collar reduces its interior diameter to thereby decrease flow through said aperture and enable increased force of incoming flow to cause rapid movement of said piston from said second position to said first position when said rate exceeds said predetermined amount. 17. A filter unit as defined in claim 1 which further includes a selector mounted to receive water directly from said faucet and adjustable between a first position wherein said rate is less than said predetermined amount and a second position in which said rate is above said predetermined amount. 18. A filter unit as defined in claim 17 in which said selector further includes a resilient collar through which all water delivered flows when said selector is in said first position, said collar being shaped to reduce its interior diameter by an amount proportional to an increase in force of water received from said faucet and to maintain constant flow therethrough when said selector is in said first position. 19. A filter unit as defined in claim 18 in which said collar is formed to include means facilitating its seating within said selector in only one orientation. 20. A filter unit as defined in claim 17 in which adjustment of said selector to said first postion establishes a rate of flow significantly differentiated from the rate of flow when said diverter is in said second condition. 21. A filter unit as defined in claim 17 in which said selector includes a plurality of parts and in which said parts individually include keying means for enabling assembly of said parts together in only a preselected orientation. 22. A filter unit as defined in claim 17 in which said selector includes a part movable to adjust said selector between said first and second positions, and in which said part includes an indicia movable with said part between first and second locations corresponding to said first and second positions to indicate the one of said positions selected. 23. A filter unit as defined in claim 17 in which said selector includes: a carrier coupled to said faucet and having at least means defining a first passage and a second passage therethrough; a body mounted to move between first and second positions corresponding to said first and second conditions, respectively, and having at least means defining a first channel and a second channel therethrough; a selector seal sandwiched between said carrier and said body with said selector seal having at least means defining first and second ports therethrough; said first passage, said first channel and said first port together being in alignment to constitute a first flow path through said selector in both said first and second positions of said body; and said second passage, said second channel and said second channel together being alignable to constitute a second flow path through said selector in said second postion of said body but, with said body being in said first postion, being out of alignment to block said second flow path. 24. A filter unit as defined in claim 23 which further includes a control ring surrounding and to which said body is fixed with said control ring including a window, and an indicia fixed in position with respect to said carrier and visible through said window when said body is in said first position but not visible through said window when said body is in said second position. 25. A filter unit as defined in claim 23 in which a resilient collar is seated in said carrier in alignment with said first flow path, said collar being shaped to reduce its interior diameter by an amount proportional to an increase in force of water in said first flow path and to maintain constant flow therethrough when said selector is in said first position. 26. A filter unit as defined in claim 23 which further includes a nut engageable with said faucet and in which said carrier is interlocked with said nut. 27. A filter unit as defined in claim 1 which further includes a coupling assembly having an entrance fitting, an outlet fitting, an inlet fitting and an exit fitting; in which means defining a first channelway within said assembly communicates between said entrance fitting and said outlet fitting; in which means defining a second channelway within said assembly communicates between said inlet fittig and said exit fitting; in which an upstream end of said water line is coupled to said entrance fitting and a downstream end of said water line is coupled to said exit fitting; and which further includes a first pipe coupled between said outlet fitting and said input port and a second pipe coupled between said output port and said inlet fitting. 28. A filter unit as defined in claim 27 which includes means for rigidly interconnecting said first and second channelways. 29. A filter unit as defined in claim 1 which further includes a selector mounted to receive water directly from said faucet; means defining first and second flow paths through said selector; and means rotatable to a first position to select only said first flow path in correspondence with said first condition and rotatable to a second position to select both of said first and said flow paths in correspondence with said second condition. 30. A filter unit as defined in claim 1 which further includes a coupling assembly connectable into said water line and having an outlet fitting and an inlet fitting; a first pipe coupled between said outlet fitting and said output port and a second pipe coupled between said output and said inlet fitting; means defining a first channelway in said coupling assembly between an upstream portion of said water line and said outlet fitting; means defining a second channelway in said coupling assembly between a downstream portion of said water line and said inlet fitting; said downstream portion being effectively separated from said upstream portion by said coupling assembly to prevent direct flow therebetween. 31. For us in connecting a water filter into a water line, a coupling assembly comprising: an entrance pipe fitting, an outlet pipe fitting, an inlet pipe fitting and an exit pipe fitting; means definig a first channelway within said assembly communicating only between said entrance fitting and said outlet fitting; means defining a second channelway within said assembly communicating only between said inlet fitting and said exit fitting; and means for rigidly interconnecting said first and second channelways. 32. A water flow selector comprising: a carrier fixedly coupled to a source of water and having at least means defining a first passage and a second passage therethrough; a body mounted to move between first and second positions and having at least a first channel and a second channel therethrough; a selector seal sandwiched between said carrier and said body with said selector seal having at least means defining first and second ports therethrough; said first passage, said first channel and said first port together being in alignment to constitute a first flow path through said selector in both said first and second positions of said body; and said second passage, said second channel and said second port together being alignable to constitute a second flow path through said selector in said second position of said body but, with said body being in said first position, being out of alignment to block said second flow path. 33. A selector as defined in claim 32 which further includes a control ring surrounding and to which said body is fixed with said control ring including a window, and an indicia fixed in position with respect to said carrier and visible through said window when said body is in said first position but not visible through said window when said body is in said second position. 34. A selector as defined in claim 32 in which a resilient collar is seated in said carrier in alignment with said first flow path, said collar being shaped to reduce its interior diameter by an amount proportional to an increase in pressure of water in said first flow path and limiting the rate of flow when above a predetermined amount. 35. A selector as defined in claim 32 which further includes a nut engagable with said source and in which said carrier is interlocked with said nut. 36. A water conveying system comprising: a water flow device having means defining an input and an output port; a water line for delivering water from a source of water to a water receiving location, said water line having an upstream portion and a downstream portion; a coupling system having an entrance fitting, an outlet fitting an inlet fitting and an exit fitting; means defining a first channelway within said assembly communicating only between said entrance fitting and said outlet fitting; means defining a second channelway within said assembly communicating only between said inlet fitting and said exit fitting; an upstream end of said water line being coupled to said entrance fitting and a downstream end of said water line being coupled to said exit fitting; and a first pipe coupled between said outlet fitting and said input port and a second pipe coupled between said output port and said inlet fitting. 37. A water conveying system as defined in claim 36 in which said input and output ports face in opposite directions and in which said input and output ports are sufficiently in alignment laterally with respect to said directions to enable a single cut of said water line to permit coupling of said input and output ports into said water line.