TITLE Domestic Water Filtration Cartridge Adapter and a Filtration Apparatus

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to water filtration cartridge adaptor and a filtration apparatus which is particularly suited for domestic water purifier to improve the purity and potability of water.

It is known that all water purifiers use some form of filtration and/or disinfection methodology to reduce or to eliminate the risk of microbial contamination in drinking water. It is also known that all conventional methodologies have their own unique advantages and limitations. Contemporary water purification products are engineered around these methodologies to deliver potable water. However, most of these products or devices are severely limited by their own design and construction.

With the increase of population particularly in the rural areas, it becomes more and more difficult to provide sufficient water of satisfactory purity limit and potability for domestic use. Further the purity and quality of drinking water, even from municipal water systems, is increasingly poor, and often very unsatisfactory. Furthermore, due to industrial and domestic pollution related to high population densities, drinking water in many locations has both a "disagreeable" odor and taste because of materials dissolved in the water which while not necessarily harmful, reduce the potability of the water.

Contaminants which affect the taste of water are unacceptable to people who are not regular residents of the area where the water is supplied. Also, contaminants which affect the taste of water are particularly undesirable when the water is used for particular purposes such as brewing tea or coffee, where the taste of the end product is drastically affected by the contamination. At times the contamination of ground water may proceed to become so bad in some areas that it will be absolutely necessary for each household to take precautionary measures to purify and/or improve the potability of the water before using such water either as drinking water or for cooking.

Because of these factors, a number of filtration systems have been proposed in the pert for the purpose of improving the quality of drinking water. However, these prior devices have generally been quite ineffective because of deficiencies in functioning and inadequacies of design. Most commonly, such filters have employed only one filtration medium, generally charcoal, and have thus been limited in effectiveness to removal of only those contaminants for which that medium is effective. These contaminants are generally organic materials and odoriferous materials dissolved halogens which may combine readily with the carbon in the charcoal. However, there are many more serious contaminants, such as disease and illness-causing bacteria, which are not effectively removed by charcoal. It has been generally thought to be necessary, in order to remove bacteria, to boil or distill drinking water for domestic use.

All water purifiers use some form of filtration and/or disinfection methodology to reduce, and possibly, eliminate the risk of microbial contamination in drinking water. All methodologies have their own unique advantages and limitations. Contemporary water purification products are engineered around these methodologies to deliver potable water. However, most of these products or devices are severely limited by their own construction and do not allow the flexibility of the other component as shown below, called Plug-in adaptor can be used to by-pass.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide one component of the kit, as shown here, that can slide seamlessly and lock into already available slots i.e. without replacement of the total unit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide one component of the kit as shown herein can slide seamlessly and lock into already available slots in some commonly available purifiers. The cartridge can be fixed atop some of the known purifier.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a component called Plug-in adaptor which can be used to bypass and effectively eliminate exploitative locking mechanisms that force consumers to regularly buy replacement.

A still further object of this invention is to provide two components of this kit to replace seamlessly and lock into already available slots in some other commonly used ceramic candle type water filters. The cartridge can be fixed atop this.

One more object of the present invention is to provide an improved water filtration device which is sufficiently economical in cost and easy to operate to be suitable for domestic use.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a water filtration device which is of greatly improved effectiveness, and which will substantially reduce the bacterial count of drinking water.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved water filtration device having a plurality of different active filter media which are effective in removing majority of the different types of major water contaminants.

Another problem in the production and use of an effective water filter is that it is often difficult to determine when the filtration medium is depleted or exhausted and no longer capable of effective filtering action. Accordingly, it is another object of the present invention to provide an improved filtration apparatus in which a definite and positive indication is available to the user, to show when replacement of the filtration medium is required.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved water filtration apparatus in which the effectiveness of the filter media remains substantially completely unimpaired in terms of the purity and potability of the water which is supplied from the apparatus no matter what the stage of depletion or exhaustion of the filter media may be.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a water filtration apparatus in which the filter media is very easily and simply replaced or recharged.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved water filtration apparatus in which different combinations of filtration media may be supplied for different water contamination conditions, and in which the filter media may be quickly and easily selected to cope with the specific contamination conditions encountered.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved filter device for use as a component in a water filtration apparatus.

In carrying out the invention there is provided an apparatus for improving the purity of
water comprising a portable housing defining a container for water to be treated, said
container including an outlet opening in the bottom portion thereof, and also defining
an outlet passage connected to and communicating with the lower portion of the
equipment. The apparatus includes a water filter device positioned between said
containers and including a filter side in the upper container and an outlet in the
lower container.

The invention provides a domestic water filter apparatus for improving the purity of water comprising a water filter and a purifier located in a portable housing defining at least two containers located one above the other, the upper container being adapted for holding impure water to be treated, said container including an outlet passage located at the bottom portion thereof connected to and in communication with the lower portion of the apparatus, said apparatus further includes a water filtration cartridge device positioned between said containers and the filter side in the upper container and an outlet in the lower container.

The said filtration cartridge essentially consists of two concentric pleated cartridges with suitable filter media positioned appropriately and sealed wherever necessary, wherein the opening of the water flow paths are designed optimally for least resistance and maximum media exposure. The cavities of said filtration cartridge are optimally sized for most effective disinfection and cleansing of flowing.

The invention further relates to a self-contained replaceable water filter cartridge assembly having inlet and outlet sides which are interconnected, said cartridge is provided with non woven media designed to be disposable and can be easily replaced.

The water filter cartridge is cylindrical in shape and having a generally spherical end and generally flat base adapted with a molded inlet and outlet ports for fluid communication within the pressure vessel.

Further the said filter cartridge is a welded assembly of components as illustrated in the drawings accompanying the provisional specification. The water filtration cartridge adapter used in a domestic water purifier to improve and portability of water comprises one component plug-in adapter which can bypass and effectively eliminate exploitative locking mechanisms. The said adapter comprises ceramic candle type water filter and is fixed atop said filter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to drawings the accompanying the provisional specification, wherein-Figures la to Id show an exploded view, partly in section, of a water filtration cartridge assembly in accordance with the present invention later on captured as Figures 7 and 8 - representing the inner core of the cartridge-Figures 2a to 2e show another exploded view of a water filtration cartridge assembly of the present invention later on captured as Figures 5 and 8 - representing the outer shell of the cartridge;

Figures 3a to 3e show the initial assembly of the filtration cartridge of a filter device constructed in accordance with the present invention for the core and the shell later on captured as Figure 9.

Referring more particularly to Figure 4, there is shown completely disassembled view of a water filtration cartridge in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 6 shows the Air vent of the system which when assembled with the components shown in Figure 9 make the complete Cartridge as shown in Fig 10 and Figure 11.

The set of Figure 12A, 12B and 12C include components of the kits that can slide seamlessly and lock into available slots in some commonly purifiers. The cartridge can be fixed atop this.

These other component can also be called Plug-in adaptor that can be used to bypass and effectively eliminate exploitative locking mechanisms that force consumers to regularly buy replacement.

The components of these respective kits replace seamlessly and lock into already available slots in some other commonly used ceramic candle type water filters and purifiers. The cartridge can be fixed atop this as One-on-one replacement.

This design of the PiP cartridge basically consists of two concentric pleated cartridges with suitable filter media places appropriately and sealed wherever necessary. The opening for Water flow paths have been designed optimally for least resistance, maximum media exposure and taking care of all manufacturability. The cavities for filling filter media have been optimally sized for most effective disinfection and cleansing of flowing.

While this invention has been shown and described in connection with particular preferred embodiments, various alterations and modification will occur to those skilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to water filters used to filter chemicals and water-laden particulates from potable water. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a self-contained replaceable water filter cartridge assembly having its own nonwoven media based water filter cartridge and inlet and outlet sides which are interconnected. The water filter cartridge of the present invention is designed to be disposable and easily replaced by the user.

Domestic water filter systems periodically require maintenance, particularly for the purpose of replacing the filter element. In order for the consumer to access the filter element for replacement, the consumer must first shut off the water supply and disconnect the pressure vessel from its inlet and outlet port plumbing fitments. Removal and replacement of the filter often requires an assortment of tools, both for the plumbing fitments from the inlet and outlet ports of the pressure vessel and to open the pressure vessel for access to the filter. Other systems provide easier access to the water filter by utilizing quick-release fitments and by adapting the pressure vessel to be opened by hand. In any case, if the filter had been in use prior to disassembly of the pressure vessel, both filtered and non-filtered water will remain inside the filter and pressure vessel during maintenance. Once the inlet and outlet port plumbing fitments are disconnected from the pressure vessel, filtered water will spill out of the pressure vessel outlet.

While this is messy, and even dangerous, particularly when any electronic elements are incorporated into the water treatment system, even more critical is the fact that unfiltered water will spill from the pressure vessel inlet port thereby risking contamination of components of the water treatment system designed to only handle filtered water.

According to the present invention these and other problems in the related art are solved by provision of a self-contained water filter cartridge featuring a pressure vessel being generally cylindrical in shape and having a generally spherical end and a generally flat base adapted with a molded inlet and outlet port in fluid communication with the interior of the pressure vessel. The water filter cartridge of the present invention is of a welded construction featuring the following assembled components.

The above description is that of a preferred embodiment of the invention. Various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as set forth in the appended claims which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents.

We claim:-

1. A domestic water filter apparatus for improving the purity of water comprising a water filter and a purifier located in a portable housing defining at least two containers located one above the other, the upper container being adapted for holding impure water to be treated, said container including an outlet passage located at the bottom portion thereof connected to and in communication with the lower portion of the apparatus, said apparatus further includes a water filtration cartridge device positioned between said containers and the filter side in the upper container and an outlet in the lower container.

2. A water filter apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said filtration cartridge essentially consist of two concentric pleated cartridges with suitable filter media positioned appropriately and sealed wherever necessary.

3. A water filter apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the opening of the water flow paths are designed optimally for least resistance and maximum media exposure.

4. A water filter apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein cavities of said filtration cartridge are optimally sized for most effective disinfection and cleansing of flowing.

5. A self-contained replaceable water filter cartridge assembly having inlet and outlet sides which are interconnected, said cartridge is provided with non woven media designed to be disposable and can be easily replaced.

6. A self-contained replaceable water filter cartridge assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein cartridge is cylindrical in shape and having a generally spherical end and generally flat base adapted with a molded inlet and outlet ports for fluid communication within the pressure vessel.

7. A self-contained replaceable water filter cartridge assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein said filter cartridge is a welded assembly of components as illustrated in the drawings accompanying the provisional specification.

8. A water filtration cartridge adapter used in a domestic water purifier to improve and portability of water which filtration cartridge adapter comprises one component plug-in adapter which can bypass and effectively eliminate exploitative locking mechanisms.

9. A water filtration cartridge adapter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said adapter comprises ceramic candle type water filter and is fixed atop said filter.

10. A water filtration cartridge adapter substantially as herein described and as illustrated in the drawings accompanying the provisional specification.