Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to portable gravity operated
filters for filtering potable water wherein the filter in one
embodiment can be disassembled to be stored away for future use.
BACKGROUN3 QF THE INVENTION
The term potable water for the purposes of this
disclosure is any water whether taken from a municipal supply or a
lake or stream which has been treated prior to consumption so as
to render the water "safe" to drink. For example tablets may be
used to clean the water prior to drinking.
With the abundance of impurities in municipal water it
is desirable to filter the chlorine or related by-products from
the water supply. Most installations to do so are permanently
attached to the supply system. However the consumer is still at
risk in situations where he/she is travelling, camping, or
generally away from home.
It is therefore a primary object of this invention to
provide a portable gravity operated filter for potable water.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a
portable filter in kit form.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such
a kit which is easy to assemble and disassemble.
Further and other objects of the invention will become
apparent to a man skilled in the art when considering the
following summary of the invention and the more detailed
description of the preferred embodiments illustrated herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention there is
provided a portable gravity operated filter for fillering
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impurities from potable water, the filter comprising a housing
having two ends, the housing having disposed proximate one end
therewith in use means to receive the potable water to be
filtered, the housing having disposed proximate the other end in
use means to receive the filtered water, the housing having
disposed therein filter media to remove the impurities from the
potable water as it passes through the filter media; the means to
receive the filtered water or the means to receive the potable
water to be filtered having disposed therewith vent means to vent
any air trapped, between the housing and the means to receive
filtered water, or above the water level of the means to receive
the potable water to be filtered in use; when the means to receive
filtered water has disposed therewith the vent means, then the
means to receive the potable water to be filtered has disposed
therewith means to provide a pressure above the level of potable
water to improve the rate of filtration of water through the
filter, when the means to receive the potable water to be filtered
has disposed therewith the vent means, then the means to receive
filtered water has disposed therewith means to provide suction
therein to improve the rate of filtration of water through the
filter.
In one embodiment of the invention the filter further
comprises a transformable kit of components, the kit of components
being transformable from a first interrelationship of components
wherein the filter is disassembled and the components are
telescoped within one another, to a second interrelationship of
components wherein the filter is assembled and the components are
interconnected to form the portable gravity operated f~lter for
filtering impurities from potable water. Preferably the portable
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gravity operated filter includes filter media being a bed of KDF
which preferably also includes a bed of GAC.Preferably any filter
media is disposed in a replaceable cartridge.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there
is provided a transformable kit of components for a portable
gravity operated filter for filtering impurities from potable
wa-ter, the filter when assembled comprising a housing having two
ends, the housing having disposed proximate one end therewith in
use a receptacle to receive the potable water to be filtered, the
housing having disposed proximate the other end in use a container
(preferably having a spout) to receive the filtered water, the
housing having disposed therein filter media to remove the
impurities from the potable water as it passes through the filter
media; the kit of components being transformable from a first
interrelationship of components wherein the filter is disassembled
and the receptacle and housing are telescoped within the
container, to a second interrelationship of components wherein the
filter is assembled and the components are interconnected to form
the portable gravity operated filter for filtering impurities
from potable water. Preferably the container or the receptacle has
disposed therewith vent means to vent any air trapped, between the
housing and the container, or above the water level of the
receptacle in use; when the container has disposed therewith the
vent means, then the receptacle has disposed therewith means to
provide a pressure above the level of potable water to improve the
rate of filtration of water through the filter, when the
receptacle has disposed therewith the vent means, then the
container has disposed therewith means to provide suction therein
to improve the rate of filtration of water through the filter.In
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one embodiment the filter media further comprises a bed of KDF and
preferably includes a bed of GAC. In another embodiment the
filter media is disposed in a replaceable cartridge.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the portable
filter kit illustrated in a preferred embodimen~ of the invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the filter of
figure 1 when assembled illustrated in a preferred embodiment of
the invention.
Figure 3 is a side elevation view of the filter of
figure 1 when disassembled illustrated in a preferred embodiment
of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRF.F~RRED ~MBODIMENT~S
The use of KDF (Kinetic Degradation Flux, 50% Zinc Alloy
and 50~ Copper Alloy) as taught in United States Patent 4,642,192
for water filtration is known. The instant invention includes with
the use of a bed of 30% KDF in the media bed as well as 60% GAC
(Granulated Activated Carbon), and 10% SIC (Silver Impregnated
Carbon). Of course any equivalent media could be used to reduce or
minimize the impurities in filtered water. The benefits of such a
combination as KDF, GAC, and SIC in the media bed is to reduce the
impurities in the filtered water relating to chlorine, lead and
other heavy metals, hydrogen sulphide, pesticides, herbicides, and
organic impurities. The instant invention provides a portable
gravity operated filter which includes such a media bed or the
like. Other media beds of equal performance will work equally well
with filter.
Referring now to figure 1 and 2 there is illustrated in
exploded perspective in figure 1 and in side elevation in figure 2
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the portable filter 20 which includes a housing 1, a container 8,
a filter bed 5, and a cup 11. The container 8 includes a pouring
spout 9 and a vent hole 10 the use of which will be described
hereinafter. The cup 11 includes an opening 12 located on its
closed end within which a check ball 13 is carried. The ball 13 is
retained in position by an annular retaining portion 14 which
carries the ball therein and has an opening 15 therein to allow
the passage of air through the opening when the cup is used as a
plunger as best seen in figure 2 in motion from D1 to D2 to gently
pressurize the filter, but prevents the passage of water when the
cup is inverted and used to drink from.
The housing 1 includes an extension portion l(a~ which
receives about .5 litres of water to be filtered. The outside
diameter of the cylindrical extension l(a) is slightly smaller
than the inside diameter of the cup 11 which fits over the
receptacle in use. At the end of the housing 1 opposite the
extension l(a) is disposed a filter support 3 within which the
filter media 5 in cartridge form is disposed. The cartridge 5
includes a mechanical filter 7 including openings of about 15-90
microns. Below the filter 7 is a prefilter 6(a) for fine sediment.
Below the prefilter 6(a) are two holders 7(a) and 7(b) within
which ~he bed 6 of KDF is carried. Below the holder 7(b) is a bed
6(b) of GAC retained in position by holder 7(c). Below holder 7(c)
is a bed 6(c) of SIC retained in position by holder 7(d). Below
holder 7~d) is a microfilter 6(d) made from fibrous material
retained in position by holder 7(e). The entire cartridge 5 is
therefore placed inside the opening bounded by extension l(a)
until the bottom 3 of housing 1 is adjacent holder 7(e) of the
cartridge 5 and retained in position by support 3(a), best seen in
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figure 2, to retain the cartridge in position. The bottom 3 of the
housing 1 includes an opening 2 for the passage of filtered water
into container 8. Each of the holders are secured in position in
channels or the like not shown to prevent there displacement
whether inverted or right side up.
The bottom of housing 1 includes a laterally extendinq
annular rim portion 4 and a substantially vertically extending
annular rim 4(a) which has an outside diameter slightly smaller
than the inside diameter of container 8 to ensure a good fit on
the container in use. Alternatively when the housing 1 is disposed
as in figure 3 in an inverted position contained within container
8 then the cap 16 is provided to cover the end 3 of the housing 1
which includes a plug portion 16' to cork the opening 2 at that
end 3 of the housing 1.
When filtering the potable water the assembly 20 is put
together as in figure 2 and with the cartridge S contained within
the housing 1. The end of housing 1 is secured to the container 8
on the rim thereof by annular rims 4 and 4(a). Above the
mechanical filter is contained about .5 litres of water which will
take about 5 to 7 minutes to filter. To speed up this filtering
time the cup 11 may be used as a plunger in moving from Dl to D2
to provide a gentle pressure on the water to pass through the
filter. It is important that the cup 11 include the ability to
breath as the cup is moved up and down. Therefore the check ball
13 moves in opening 12 and plugs the opening when the cup 11 is
pushed down towards the housing 1. When the cup is moved away
from the housing 1 the ball 13 due to gravity falls to the bottom
of opening 12 and allows the introduction or breathing process so
that air can enter the internal space in cup 11. It is also
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important that the container 8 include a vent such as the spout 9
to allow any air to vent when the cup 11 is used as a plunger. The
cup 11 may be used as a plunger as well to purge the water from
the filter 20 prior to storage, or to start up the filter when
initially purchased or stored for p-olonged periods and to purge
the filter media from any carbon dust under higher pressures of
purging than the recommended gentle pressure under normal use.
Referring now to figure 3 there is illustrated the
filter 20 disassembled and stored within container 8. The housing
1 has been inverted so that the bottom in use 3 becomes the top in
storage covered by the cap 16. The cup 11 is first placed at the
bottom of the container as shown. The outer diameter of the cup
must therefore be slightly less than the inside diameter of the
container. The extension l~a) of housing 1 is then placed in the
cup 11 as was the case in the assembled position. In doing so the
filter media 5 contained in housing 1 is also contained in the
container 8 until the rim 4 is disposed at the top of the
container 8. The cap 16 then is placed over the annular rim 4(a)
with the plug 16' corking the opening 2. The unit 20 is now ready
for storage.
As many changes can be made to the preferred embodiment
of the invention without departing from the scope thereof; all
matter contained herein is to be considered illustrative of the
invention and not in a limiting sense.
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