IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0624204
(2009-11-23)
|
등록번호 |
US-8226831
(2012-07-24)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
4 인용 특허 :
14 |
초록
▼
A wearable or portable intermittently operable hydration system (10) includes a purification module (22, 50) that contains one or more solid state UV devices that are positioned in the path of hydrating fluid, or water, flow through the hydration system to a mouthpiece (18). The UV LEDs are instant
A wearable or portable intermittently operable hydration system (10) includes a purification module (22, 50) that contains one or more solid state UV devices that are positioned in the path of hydrating fluid, or water, flow through the hydration system to a mouthpiece (18). The UV LEDs are instant on devices with essentially no ramp-up required, and a sensor (20) or the opening of a push-pull valve (53) controls the turning on of the UV LEDs. The fluid flow path may run from a bladder (12) in a backpack (19) worn by the user, a sports bottle (54) worn by or carried by the user or may be through a water filtration system that a user operates via a pump. The power for the purification module may come from batteries, solar cells, fuel cells, power converted from pumping or winding action or any combination thereof.
대표청구항
▼
1. A method for using a wearable portable hydrating fluid purification module, the method comprising: detecting opening of a user-activated mouthpiece downstream from the purification module, the mouthpiece being opened by the user by mouth;in response, turning on one or more solid state ultraviolet
1. A method for using a wearable portable hydrating fluid purification module, the method comprising: detecting opening of a user-activated mouthpiece downstream from the purification module, the mouthpiece being opened by the user by mouth;in response, turning on one or more solid state ultraviolet (UV) devices within the purification module to provide UV radiation in a germicidal range to a flow path within the purification module;irradiating the flowing hydrating fluid within the purification module, the UV devices arranged within the flow path such that hydrating fluid that flows past the UV devices at an unimpeded drinkable rate is purified by the UV radiation; andturning off the UV devices in response to detecting closing of the user-activated mouthpiece. 2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the user-activated mouthpiece includes a bite valve that is opened and closed by the user by mouth. 3. A portable hydrating fluid purification module, comprising: an ingress configured to receive hydrating fluid from a fluid source;an egress configured to direct hydrating fluid directly to a user-activated mouthpiece, the user-activated mouthpiece including a bite valve;a flow path from the ingress to the egress, the flow path arranged to allow the hydrating fluid to flow at a drinkable rate;one or more solid state ultraviolet (UV) devices to provide UV radiation in a germicidal range, the UV devices arranged within the flow path such that hydrating fluid that flows past the UV devices at the drinkable rate is purified by the UV radiation;means for turning on the UV devices in response to opening of the bite valve by the user by mouth user; andmeans for turning off the UV devices in response to closing of the bite valve by the user by mouth. 4. The module as in claim 3, wherein the flow path is defined by a flow path wall and the UV devices are embedded within the flow path wall. 5. The module as in claim 4, wherein the UV devices are surrounded by the flow path wall, the flow path wall being UV permeable between the UV devices and the flow path. 6. The module as in claim 4, wherein the UV devices are embedded within a protruding portion of the flow path wall. 7. The module as in claim 6, wherein the protruding portion is centered within the flow path. 8. The module as in claim 4, wherein the purification module is widened where the UV devices are embedded within the flow path wall to maintain the drinkable rate unimpeded through the module. 9. The module as in claim 3, wherein the egress is the mouthpiece. 10. The module as in claim 3, further comprising: a power supply to supply power to the UV devices. 11. The module as in claim 10, wherein the power supply is selected from a group consisting of: batteries, fuel cells, capacitors, solar cells, and windup or crank-type dynamos. 12. The module as in claim 3, wherein the module is embodied as a cap to a fluid container. 13. The module as in claim 3, wherein the fluid source is a wearable bladder. 14. The module as in claim 3, wherein the module is part of wearable hydration system. 15. The module as in claim 3, wherein the fluid source is a bottle. 16. The module as in claim 3, wherein the hydrating fluid is water. 17. The module as in claim 3, wherein the flow path and UV devices are arranged to provide UV radiation of at least 25 mJ/cm2 to all of the hydrating fluid flowing past the UV devices. 18. A portable hydrating fluid purification module, comprising: an ingress configured to receive hydrating fluid from a fluid source;an egress configured to direct hydrating fluid directly to a user-activated mouthpiece;a flow path from the ingress to the egress, the flow path arranged to allow the hydrating fluid to flow at a drinkable rate;one or more solid state ultraviolet (UV) devices to provide UV radiation in a germicidal range, the UV devices arranged within the flow path such that hydrating fluid that flows past the UV devices at the drinkable rate is purified by the UV radiation;means for turning on the UV devices in response to opening of the user activated mouthpiece; andmeans for turning off the UV devices in response to closing of the user-activated mouthpiece;the flow path being defined by a flow path wall and the UV devices being embedded within a protruding portion of the flow path wall, andthe protruding portion divides the flow path into at least two partial flow channels for the hydrating fluid to flow past the UV devices. 19. A wearable hydrating fluid purification system, consisting essentially of: a wearable fluid source configured to store hydrating fluid;a user-activated mouthpiece to receive the hydrating fluid from the fluid source;flexible tubing between the fluid source and the mouthpiece arranged to provide hydrating fluid at a drinkable rate;a hydrating fluid purification module stationed along the tubing, the purification module having a pathway such that fluid flowing within the tubing flows into the pathway, through and out of the module to continue through the tubing at the drinkable rate, the module having embedded within walls of the pathway one or more solid state ultraviolet (UV) devices to provide UV radiation in a germicidal range, the UV devices arranged within the pathway such that hydrating fluid that flows past the UV devices at the drinkable rate is purified by the UV radiation;means for turning on the UV devices in response to opening of the user-activated mouthpiece and turning off the UV devices in response to closing of the user-activated mouthpiece; anda portable power supply to power the UV devices. 20. The system as in claim 19, wherein the power supply is selected from a group consisting of: batteries, fuel cells, capacitors, solar cells, and windup or crank-type dynamos. 21. The system as in claim 19, further comprising: one or more filters to remove sediment from the hydrating fluid. 22. The system as in claim 19, wherein the wearable fluid source is made of photovoltaic material, which supplies power to the UV devices as the portable power supply. 23. A purifying drinking straw, consisting of: an inlet tube configured to be placed in hydrating fluid from a fluid source;an outlet tube configured as a mouthpiece;a power supply;a purification module located between the inlet tube and outlet tube, the purification module having: i) a flow path from the inlet tube to the outlet tube, the flow path arranged to allow the hydrating fluid to flow at a drinkable rate through the drinking straw; and ii) one or more solid state ultraviolet (UV) devices to provide UV radiation in a germicidal range through received power from the power supply, the UV devices arranged within the flow path such that hydrating fluid that flows past the UV devices at the drinkable rate through the drinking straw is purified by the UV radiation;means for turning on the UV devices in response to hydrating fluid flow through the purification module to the mouthpiece, the UV devices substantially immediately reaching a state of UV output in the germicidal range when turned on to purify the hydrating fluid as it flows past the UV devices at the drinkable rate such that no unpurified hydrating fluid reaches the mouthpiece; andmeans for turning off the UV devices in response to the hydrating fluid no longer flowing to the mouthpiece. 24. The purifying drinking straw as in claim 23, wherein the UV devices turn off substantially immediately in response to the hydrating fluid no longer flowing to the mouthpiece. 25. The purifying drinking straw as in claim 23, wherein the inlet and outlet tubes are inflexible. 26. The purifying drinking straw as in claim 23, wherein the outlet tube is bent. 27. The purifying drinking straw as in claim 23, wherein the means for turning the UV devices on and off is a fluid sensor. 28. The purifying drinking straw as in claim 23, wherein the means for turning the UV devices on and off is a user input. 29. The purifying drinking straw as in claim 28, wherein the user input is opening and closing of a user-activated mouthpiece. 30. The purifying drinking straw as in claim 23, wherein the means for turning the UV devices on and off is a flow sensor. 31. A portable hydrating fluid purification system, consisting of: a portable fluid source configured to store hydrating fluid;a portable power supply;a user-activated mouthpiece operatively located in the mouth of a user, wherein opening of the user-activated mouthpiece allows hydrating fluid to flow from the portable fluid source to the user and closing of the user-activated mouthpiece prevents hydrating fluid from flowing from the portable fluid source to the user;tubing interconnecting the portable fluid source and the user-activated mouthpiece, the tubing arranged to allow hydrating fluid to flow at a drinkable rate from the portable fluid source to the user-activated mouthpiece;a hydrating fluid purification module stationed along the tubing between the portable fluid source and the user-activated mouthpiece, the hydrating fluid purification module having a pathway such that hydrating fluid flowing within the tubing flows into the pathway, through and out of the module to continue through the tubing at the drinkable rate, the hydrating fluid purification module having one or more solid state ultraviolet (UV) devices to provide UV radiation in a germicidal range when powered by the portable power supply, the solid state UV devices arranged within the pathway such that hydrating fluid that flows past the solid state UV devices at the drinkable rate is purified by the UV radiation in the germicidal range; anda fluid flow sensor configured to detect when hydrating fluid is flowing within the tubing from the portable fluid source to the user-activated mouthpiece in an open position; andcontrol circuitry interconnected to the fluid flow sensor, the portable power supply, and the solid state UV devices of the hydrating fluid purification module, the control circuitry configured to supply power from the power supply to the solid state UV devices in response to hydrating fluid flowing within the tubing as detected by the fluid flow sensor, the supplied power turning on the solid state UV devices to the germicidal range to purify the hydrating fluid as it flows through the pathway of the hydrating fluid purification module prior to reaching the open user-activated mouthpiece, the control circuitry further configured to not supply power from the power supply to the solid state UV devices to turn off the solid state UV devices in response to the fluid flow sensor no longer detecting hydrating fluid flow within the tubing.
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