Water purification system employing modular flat filter assembly
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B01D-015/00
B01D-027/02
출원번호
US-0971532
(1992-11-03)
발명자
/ 주소
Clack, Robert A.
Clack, Richard E.
출원인 / 주소
Clack Corporation
대리인 / 주소
Nilles & Nilles
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
34인용 특허 :
17
초록▼
A drinking water purification system includes a flat filter assembly which may be installed in relatively narrow spaces which would otherwise be wasted such as the space beside a kitchen cabinet and the basin of a kitchen sink, inside a freezer door or on a countertop. The filter assembly includes a
A drinking water purification system includes a flat filter assembly which may be installed in relatively narrow spaces which would otherwise be wasted such as the space beside a kitchen cabinet and the basin of a kitchen sink, inside a freezer door or on a countertop. The filter assembly includes a housing, preferably U-shaped, having a plurality of transversely extending ribs, formed in the opposed side walls of the housing, which reinforce the housing and which cause a generally serpentine flow of water through the housing during operation of the filter. Protrusions preferably are formed in the housing in addition to the ribs to strengthen further the housing and to aid in preventing the formation of channels through the granulated filter medium contained within the housing. Internal or external quick connect couplers preferably connect the filter assembly to a source of untreated water and to a dispenser. An especially preferred external coupler includes an integral support element and devices for preventing water leakage when the filter assembly is disconnected from the coupler.
대표청구항▼
1. A drinking water purification system comprising: (A) a support; (B) a source of untreated water; (C) a dispenser for purified water; and (D) a filter assembly which is mounted on said support and which has an inlet port connected to said source of untreated water and an outlet port connecte
1. A drinking water purification system comprising: (A) a support; (B) a source of untreated water; (C) a dispenser for purified water; and (D) a filter assembly which is mounted on said support and which has an inlet port connected to said source of untreated water and an outlet port connected to said dispenser, said filter assembly including a relatively flat molded filter housing which is charged with a granulated filtration medium, which has said inlet and outlet ports provided thereon, and which has devices formed in opposed side surfaces thereof which define means for reinforcing said filter housing while preventing the formation of channels in said filtration medium, said devices including a plurality of transversely extending ribs each formed from an indention in said housing and extending into said housing by a distance of less than 1/4 the diameter of said housing. 2. A system according to claim 1, wherein each of said ribs has a generally rectangular cross-section and is rounded at the corners. 3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a coupler including quick connect couplings which are provided in said inlet and outlet ports and which admit untreated water into said filter assembly and discharge purified water from said filter assembly, respectively, and a mounting flange provided on said filter housing for securing said filter housing to said support. 4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said support comprises a door panel of a freezer, and wherein said dispenser is provided in said door panel. 5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said support comprises an inner surface of a counter disposed adjacent an outer surface of a sink basin, said filter assembly is positioned between said counter and said basin, and wherein said dispenser comprises a faucet. 6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said filter housing is generally U-shaped and has a base and first and second legs each extending from said base and terminating in a free end, a plurality of transversely said ribs are formed on the opposed side surfaces of each leg and are staggered with respect to one another such that each of at least some of the ribs on one of said side surfaces is disposed between adjacent ribs on the other of said side surface, and wherein an end cap is attached to and seals said free ends of said legs, said end cap having said inlet and outlet ports provided therein, said inlet and outlet ports cooperating with said first and second legs, respectively. 7. A system according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of said ribs are formed in the opposed side surfaces of said base, the ribs on the opposed side surfaces of said base being staggered with respect to one another such that each of at least some of the ribs on one of said side surfaces of said base is disposed between adjacent ribs on the other of said side surfaces of said base. 8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said legs are symmetric about a bisecting line which bisects said base, one of the ribs on one of said opposed side surfaces of said base extends generally collinear to said bisecting line, other ribs on said one side surface of said base extend at angles of approximately 30°, 60°, and 90° from said bisecting line, and wherein ribs on said other side surface of said base extend at angles of about 15°, 45°, and 75° from said bisecting line. 9. A system according to claim 6, further comprising first and second porous filters, each of which is disposed in the free end of a respective one of said legs proximate said end cap, and first and second retaining clips, each of which abuts an interior shoulder of the free end of the respective leg and supports a respective one of said porous filters. 10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said first porous filter communicates with said inlet port and said second porous filter communicates with said outlet port, and wherein said first porous filter is coarser than said second porous filter. 11. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a coupler for connecting said filter assembly to said support. 12. A system according to claim 11, wherein said coupler comprises an L-shaped bracket having a first leg secured to said support, and having a second leg extending generally orthogonally from said first leg, said coupler further comprising a pair of quick connect couplings, each of which is provided on said second leg of said bracket and is selectively connectable to one of said inlet and outlet ports of said filter assembly. 13. A system according to claim 12, wherein each of said inlet and outlet ports comprises a nipple which extends from an end of said filter assembly and which has a shoulder formed thereon proximate said end and a reduced diameter portion extending axially away from said shoulder, said second leg of said bracket has a pair of receptacles formed therein, each of which comprises a hole having overlapping larger and smaller diameter portions, and each of said quick connect couplings comprises a housing having (i) an internal chamber capable of receiving the reduced diameter portion of one of said nipples and (ii) a boss capable of engaging the shoulder of said one nipple, the housing of each of said quick connect couplings being slidably connected to said second leg of said bracket so as to be movable from a position in which said reduced diameter portion and said shoulder of the respective nipple are freely insertable through said larger diameter portion of the respective receptacle to a position in which said reduced diameter portion is inserted through said smaller diameter portion of the respective receptacle and said shoulder is positioned between said second leg of said bracket and said boss. 14. A system according to claim 13, wherein each of said quick connect couplings further comprises a valve provided in the respective housing and openable upon the insertion of the respective nipple into the respective housing to permit the flow of water therethrough. 15. A system comprising: (A) a refrigeration device having an insulated panel; (B) a cold water dispenser extending out of said insulated panel; and (C) a filter assembly provided inside said insulated panel, said filter assembly including a housing charged with a granulated filtration medium and having an inlet port connected to a source of untreated water and an outlet port connected to said cold water dispenser, wherein said housing has devices formed in opposed side surfaces thereof which define means for reinforcing said filter housing while preventing the formation of channels in said filtration medium, said devices including a plurality of transversely extending ribs each formed from an indention in said housing and extending into said housing by a distance of less than 1/4 the diameter of said housing. 16. A system according to claim 15, wherein said refrigeration device comprises a freezer and said panel comprises a door of said freezer. 17. A system according to claim 15, wherein said filter housing is generally U-shaped and has a base and first and second legs each extending from said base and terminating in a free end, and wherein a plurality of said ribs are formed on the opposed side surfaces of each leg and are staggered with respect to one another such that each of at least some of the ribs on one of said side surfaces is disposed between adjacent ribs on the other of said side surfaces. 18. A system according to claim 15, wherein each of said ribs has a generally rectangular cross-section and is rounded at the corners. 19. A drinking water purification system comprising: (A) a support; (B) a source of untreated water; (C) a dispenser for purified water; and (D) a filter assembly which is mounted on said support and which has an inlet port connected to said source of untreated water and an outlet port connected to said dispenser, said filter assembly including a relatively flat filter housing which is charged with a granulated filtration medium, which has said inlet and outlet ports provided thereon, and which has devices formed in opposed side surfaces thereof which define means for reinforcing said filter housing while preventing the formation of channels in said filtration medium, wherein said reinforcing devices include a plurality of transversely extending ribs and a plurality of generally cylindrical protrusions, formed in the opposed side surfaces of said housing, which extend into said filter housing, and wherein each of the protrusions on one of said opposed side surfaces of said filter housing is generally aligned with a protrusion on the other of said opposed side surfaces and extends approximately half way through said filter housing. 20. A drinking water purification system comprising: (A) a support; (B) a source of untreated water; (C) a dispenser for purified water; and (D) a filter assembly having an inlet connected to said source of untreated water and an outlet connected to said dispenser, said filter assembly including a housing charged with a filtration medium and having an end cap having inlet and outlet ports provided thereon, each of said inlet and outlet ports including a nipple which extends from said end cap and which has a shoulder formed thereon proximate said end cap and a reduced diameter portion extending axially outwardly from said shoulder; and (E) a coupler for connecting said filter housing to said support, said coupler including (1) a bracket secured to said support, said bracket having a pair of receptacles formed therein, each of which comprises a hole having overlapping larger and smaller diameter portions, and (2) a pair of quick connect couplings, each of which is mounted provided on said bracket and selectively connectable to one of said nipples of said filter assembly, each of said quick connect couplings including a housing having (i) an internal chamber capable of receiving the reduced diameter portion of the respective one of said nipples and (ii) a boss capable of engaging the shoulder of said one nipple means for slidably mounting the housing of each of said quick connect couplings on said bracket, said means for slidably mounting defining means for moving the housing of each of said quick connect couplings from a position in which said reduced diameter portion and said shoulder of the respective nipple are freely insertable through the larger diameter portion of the respective receptacle to a position in which said reduced diameter portion is inserted through the smaller diameter portion of the receptacle and said shoulder is held between said bracket and said boss. 21. A drinking water purification system comprising: (A) a support; (B) a source of untreated water; (C) a dispenser for purified water; and (D) a filter assembly which is mounted on said support and which has an inlet port connected to said source of untreated water and an outlet port connected to said dispenser, said filter assembly including a relatively flat filter housing which is charged with a granulated filtration medium, which has said inlet and outlet ports provided thereon, and which has a plurality of generally cylindrical protrusions, formed in the opposed side surfaces of said housing, which extend into said filter housing and which define means for reinforcing said housing, each of the protrusions of one of said opposed side surfaces of said filter housing being generally aligned with a protrusion on the other of said opposed side surfaces and extending approximately half way through said filter housing.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (17)
Lehmann Hans-Dieter (Hechingen DEX), Column for the treatment of a liquid by means of a particulate material.
Clack Robert A. (Madison WI) Clack Richard E. (Windsor WI) Hemp Melvin R. (Lodi WI), Fluid flow control device for R.O. filtration purification systems.
Michael Pluta ; Steven A. Griffin ; Howard Meinert ; Michael S. Marszalec ; Edward Donselman, Automatic shutoff device for filtered bottled water dispenser.
Olson, Judd Dylan; Emmons, David James; Boros, John Paul; Bretl, Donald Stephen; Mitchell, Alan Joseph; Rose, Todd L, Fluidic cartridges and end pieces thereof.
Kuennen Roy W. ; Dykhouse Robin M. ; Kool Dennis J. ; Markham Ronald C. ; Pippel Bradley J. ; Kidd Dennis E. ; Tiede Merlin G., Home water purification system.
Kuennen Roy W. (Kentwood MI) Dykhouse Robin M. (Grand Rapids MI) Kool Dennis J. (Kentwood MI) Markham Ronald C. (Kentwood MI) Pippel Bradley J. (Grandville MI) Kidd Dennis E. (Rockford MI) Tiede Merl, Home water purification system with filter end of life monitor.
Campbell,Jeffrey M.; Niermeyer,J. Karl, Method and system for purging a dispensed fluid within a fluid dispensing system including a filter-free connector apparatus.
Campbell,Jeffrey M.; Niermeyer,J. Karl, Method and system for purging a dispensed fluid within a fluid dispensing system including a filter-free connector apparatus.
Patera, Ginger; Bretl, Donald; Emmons, Dave; Tanner, John; Alvarez, Juan José Ramos; Aparicio, Mario Togawa; Cano, Daniel Esparza, Water filter and dispenser system.
Cur, Nihat O.; Murphy, Timothy T.; Kahwaji, Michael A.; Allard, Paul B.; Wu, Guolian; Amaral, Claiton E.; Heinzle, Marcos, Water filter for refrigerator water dispenser.
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