초록 ▼

A filter use device is adapted for use with various types of containers, such as, liquid containers for water coolers in which the device includes a cap to be threaded onto an open end of the container, a filter cartridge in the cap which retains a conventional filter and a resilient pawl which is e

A filter use device is adapted for use with various types of containers, such as, liquid containers for water coolers in which the device includes a cap to be threaded onto an open end of the container, a filter cartridge in the cap which retains a conventional filter and a resilient pawl which is engageable with a disk having an indicator aligned with a slot in the cap and engageable with ratchet teeth to incrementally advance the indicator each time that the cap is threaded onto the end of the container; and when the indicator reaches the end of the slot is shifted to prevent any further advancement of the disk or passage of water through the filter or device and thereby signify the end of the life of the filter and the need for replacement of the filter. The number of rachet teeth may be varied in accordance with the number of containers with which the filter is to be used. In an alternate form, a resetting wrench is provided to return the pawl to its starting point for reuse with a replacement filter without discarding the entire cap.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A filter use limitation device for monitoring use of said device based on the number of times it is threaded onto one or more containers adapted to be inverted during filter use and wherein each container is provided with a normally open threaded end, said device comprising:a cap e

[ We claim:] [1.] A filter use limitation device for monitoring use of said device based on the number of times it is threaded onto one or more containers adapted to be inverted during filter use and wherein each container is provided with a normally open threaded end, said device comprising:a cap engageable with said threaded end of each said container;a filter cartridge associated with said cap having a filter in a hollow portion of said cartridge and a pawl at one end thereof; anda disk interposed between said cartridge and an end wall of said cap including an indicator aligned with a slot in said cap, and at least one row of ratchet teeth engageable by said pawl in succession to rotate said disk with respect to said cap a distance proportional to the distance between each pair of adjacent of said ratchet teeth each time that said cap is rotated onto said threaded end of each said container, and limit means between said disk and cap wherein liquid is normally free to flow from said liquid container through said filter cartridge, disk and cap until said disk has been rotated a selected number of times by said pawl and said disk is then movable into closed relation to said cap thereby interrupting the flow of liquid therethrough.