Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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The present invention relates to water processors,
and particularly to the type of water processor utilized in
homes, restaurants and the like.
Water processor devices for use in homes, restaurants
and the like are known. See, for exarnple, U. S. Patents
3,836,458 of September 17, 1974, 3,974,070 of August 10, 1976,
~,025,705 of May 24, 1977, and 4,059,522 of November 22, 1977
Such devices ordinarily include an adsorption element such as
activated charcoal and one or more mechanical filters to
remove suspended solids and/or a submicron filter to trap
bacteria, cysts and spores. However, such known water pro-
cessors can become a health hazard after a period of use,
since the adsorption element may introduce contaminants under
certain conditions. For example, potentially harmful contam-
inants, such as pesticides and haloforms, which are normally
removed by the adsorption element, will end up being discharged
from the unit when the adsorption element has become saturated.
Similarly, mechanical filtration membranes may rupture, intro-
ducing additional contaminants at hazardous levels.
Certain features of the present invention provide
positive means of identifying the end of functional life for
two types of water processor means, i.e., (1) mechanical
filters and (2) adsorptive or ion exchange materials. Various
combinations of those means are also encompassed within the
scope of this invention.
Mechanical filters reach the end of functional life
when they have become clogged enough to either seriously
reduce the flow of water or to stop the flow. The amount of
flow reduction that is permissible is a function of the basic
design of the water treatment device or system, for example,
in cases where the device has been designed to operate effec-
tively only within a specific range of Elow rates, or under
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conditions prone to de~elop excessive back pressures which
may result in the rupture of filter membranes. In all cases,
the interposition of a mechanical filter in a flowing stream
causes a measurable pressure drop across the filter membrane.
The measured water pressure on the inlet side of the filter
is always higher than the measured water pressure on the
outlet side of the filter. As the filter accumulates filtered
material on its inlet face or surfaces, the available passages
become blocked or otherwise occluded, and the pressure differ-
ential across the filter increases.
In accordance with one aspect of the present inven-
tion, improvements have been designed which measure pressure
differentials, and when a filter is at or near depletion, the
water processor incorporating a depleted filter is automati-
cally shut off.
A further indication of the depletion of the filter
may be achieved by adding external indicator means to said
shut-off unit which will inform a person by any suitable
visual or audible sound means of the condition of the filter
associated therewith.
Adsorptive and ion exchange materials in such water
treatment systems becorne exhausted, i.e., depleted by
exhaustion (which may xesult from chemical reaction), since
only specific amounts of materials, or combinations of
materials, are capable of being adsorbed or exchanged. In
the case of sorptive materials, there are no known relativel~
simple and economical indicators of exhaustion, those known
being ~lite costly and requiring complex methods of effluent
analysis. Exhaustion of ion exchange materials may be
identified in some areas by color changes in pH sensitive
dyes, or by taking advantage of the expansion characteristics
of certain resins. However, neither ~f the two techniques is
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352
applicable to all resins, nor to all water conditions. The
present invention provides a means of identifying imminent
exhaustion of the sorptive or exchange capability of such
materials by indicating a predetermined number of gallons
which are known to be the maximum safe quantity. The water
meter device for this purpose can be designed to function
for a large number of gallons, with the ability to preset it
for any lesser quantity of ~allons, at which time the water
processor is shut off until the absorptive or exchange
materials are replaced.
The water processor of the present invention includes
a housing having inlet and outlet means for connection to a
water distribution system so that water flowing through the
system flows through the processor~ The housing contains an
adsorption filter means normally in fluid communication with
the inlet and outlet means. The housing a~so contains a water
metering means in fluid communication with the inlet means and
the adso~ption means to cumulatively total the quantity of
water that has ~lowed through and to the adsorption means,
regardless of the duration of the flow. A shut-off valve is
operatively connected to the water metering means to close
the flow of water to the adsorption means after a predetermined
quantity of water, generally equal to the volume of water that
can be safely treated by the adsorption means, has passed
through the metering means.
In a preferred embodiment, such water meter device
comprises a unitary mechanical turbine wheel arrangement which
automatically measures the water flow and activates, when the
maximum safe guantity has been reached, a shut-off valve which
functions both to terminate water flow and to turn off the
processor. Alternatively, a chemical or other form of water
meter device can be utilized. For exarnple, a material with a
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known capability for erosion or ablation is exposed to fluid
flow so as to measure total amount of such flow. In the
specific instance of measuring the quantity of water flowing
past a point, the material may be polyethylene oxide in -the
form of a solid rod or other configuration. E`or controlling
a suitable valve to shut off the water flow, the rod may be
spring biased, such that as the material thereof becomes
eroded by continual flow, a valve member coupled to the rod
is correspondingly biased to the closed position.
Since the sorptive or e~change material may be pro-
viding water to a device that could ~e damaged by interruption
in the flow of the water, an automatic bypass may be incor-
porated in the system, so that when the shut-off valve is
activated, the influent waters automatically b-ypass the
sorptive or exchan~e material and flow directly to the device's
effluent means. Alternatel-y, the readout device may be used
to trip an electric or electronic switch to operate visible
or audible signals either when the unit is in shut-off or
bypass mode. This bypass device should be located somewhere
in the influent means of the water treatrnent system concerned
and preceding the influent to the sorptive or exchange
materials.
In some installations, the quantity of particulates
in the water to be treated is so large that it may be desir-
able to use a prefilter in the initial portion of the influent
section to avoid premature clogging in the second sorptive or
carbon cartridge. In such case, a pressure differential shut-
off unit may be connected to the prefilter to advantage so
that the user can identi~y when the prefilter should be
changed. This system may provide both mechanical filtration
and sorptive treatment. In ano-ther systern, it may be desirable
to incorporate two filters and one sorptive material cartrid~e
with each filter having its own pressure differential appreci-
able flow rate reducing or shut-off device, so th~t when
clogging occurs, the user can identify which filter needs
replacement. At the same time, a flow quantity shut-off
device may be installed to control the number of gallons to
be treated by the sorptive material. Accordingly, such flow
control devices may be incorporated in any water treatment
systern that includes filter medium alone, or sor;ptive or
exchange material alone, or any combination of the various
versions of those treatment means.
A general object of the present invention is to pro-
vide easily installed and readily serviced equipment for
water processing apparatus which renders such apparatus "fail
safe".
Other objects of the invention will in part be
obvious and will in part appear from reference to the following
detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings, wherein like numerals identify similar parts
throughout, and in which:
Fig. 1 is a diagramrnatic view of a water supply line
to which a typical form of such a water pro-
cessor system is connected and diagrammatical-
ly showing in block diagram fashion a layout
of units thereof which rnay be desirable as
they are successively connected together,
Fig. ~ is a perspective view of a housing in which,
by way of example. a reduction to practice
of the water treatment system of Fig~ 1 is or
rnay be housed,
Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section of a reduction
to practice of this invention tak~n substan-
tia~ly or~ line 3-3 oE ~ig~ 2, wit~ internal
5 ~
parts of some of the housed units being broken
away and sectioned,
Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of
a pressure drop indicator and flow interrup-
tor unit shown in Fig~ 1, and
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a water
meter unit shown in Fig. 1, with some parts
indicated diagrammatically while some details
are omitted as being obvious, and illustrating
this meter as being internally equipped for
positive shut-off of water flow therethrough.
The water treating system that is illustrated
diagrammatically at 10 in Fig. 1 is connected in any suitable
manner to cold water supply pipe 11. A convenient self-
tapping saddle type of inlet valve 12 may be installed on the
water supply line 11, to supply the water to -the treating
system 10 through branch pipe 13 to inlet pipe or tube 15 of
the treatment system. Water inlet pipe 15 is connected to
the interior of the first treatment unit of the system, a
particulate pre-filter 16. For convenience in certain
systems installations, such supply pipe connect:ion may be
located at a point near the bottom of such casing 116. Con-
veniently, the outlet of cartridge 16 may then be a delivery
tube 17 connected to the interior of the casing of this
cartridge in the vicinity of the top thereof. As will be
more readily understood later by reference to Fig. 4, the
pressurized water inlet pipe 15 of the pre-filter 16 is
suitably connected by a tube 115 to one end of a pressure
drop indicator and flow interruptor 18 for interrupting the
flow of water in the influent section when a predetermined
differential in pressure between the inle-t and outlet sides
of the pre-filter 16 occurs, as wlll be more fully explained
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wi-th reference to Fig. 4.
The interruptor unit 18 may be of a type which is
shun-ted across the inlet and outlet passages leading -to and
from the pre-filter, with the outlet including conduit or
pipe 19 feeding water to a succeeding unit of the system of
Fig. 1.
Preferably, feed pipe lg supplies water from which
quantities of suspended solids have been filtered ou-t by the
pre-filter 16 to a suitable water meter 20 which may be of
a recording type and, if desired, have an automatic flow shut-
off associated therewith, as will be more fully understood
by reference later to Fig. 5. It is to be understood that the
water meter 20 may, if desired, precede the particulate pre-
filter 16, or the latter may be omitted from the water treat-
ing system when the quantity of suspended solids in the
available water source is below -that considered to be possibly
troublesome. In any event, the metered water is delivered
from the influent section or the meter unit 20 thereof by
means of pipe 21 to a following effluent section~
The effluent section may embody a variety of types
of water treating units, such as, for example, one or more
submicron filters and/or one or more adsorptive material units.
For example, and as is illustrated in Fig. 1, the effluent
section may include a submicron filter 22 in a second cart-
ridge 122 to which the delivery pipe 21 is connected, and
also having connected thereto an outlet pipe 23. The inlet
and outle-t pipes 21 and 23 preferably have shunted there-
across by branch tube 121 and the outlet pipe 23 another
pressure drop indicator and flow interrup-tor unit 118 for a
purpose relative to submicron filter 22 similar to tha-t
served by the pressure drop~responsive un:it 18 wi-th respec-t
to the pre-filter unit 1~ Pipe 2~ ls connected -to the
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52
interruptor unit 118 as delivery conduit connected to an
inlet of an adsorptive material cartridge 25 with the outlet
of the latter connected to a delivery tube or pipe 26 leading
to a faucet or other water use equipmentO
There is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 a water
processor 30 in the form of a closed tank structure defining
therein a chamber area which may house a series of units of
a t~pical water processing system, such as that illustrated
in Fig. 1 or the variant thereof proposed above. The water
processor housing 30 includes a pair of deep cavity pans or
tubs 31 and 32 clamped together by any suitable means. Such
clamping means may embody a lateral rim 33 surrounding the
open side of the top pan 31, and so apertured as to receive
therethrough suitable fastening clips 34 carried by the
bottom pan 32, as may be seen in Figs. 2 and 3. Cavity pans
31 and 32 may be anchored together by a variety of types of
suitable means which may include a lock requiring the use of
special keys for opening up the processor 30. Specialized
locking means may also be employed to prevent removal of caps
35 from the plurality of access holes.
As will be best understood from Fig. 3, each of the
large access holes 37 is equipped with a depending skirt 38
provided with an internal annular shoulder 39 for support of
an external annular shoulder 40 defined on the exterior of
the mouth of a plurality of tubular and closed-bottom
receptacles 116, 122 and 125. These receptacles have inter-
nally threaded openings for threaded engagement of the
respective cap plugs 35 with the latter closing off in fluid-
tight or leak-proof manner the interior chambers of these
receptacles 116, 122 and 125.
It will be noted from Fig. 3 below the pre-fil-ter
receptacle 116 in space ~1, a water meter unit 20 is
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supported by elevating means 42 provided within the tank
chamber. The water meter unit 20 includes a watertight
casing 43 on one wall of which is a dial and pointer counter
44 that may be viewed through a window 45 (Fig~ 2) in a side
wall 46 of the bottom pan 32 so as to be readable from the
exterior of the closed tank unit 30. An example of suitable
metering mechanism which may be used to advantage in water
meter casing 43 is hereinafter illustrated in Fig. 5 and
described in connection therewith.
Pre-filter water supply tube 15 feeds water into
the tubular receptacle 116 and annular space 47 to a porous
pre-filter body 48~ This water flows laterally through body
48 into open core 49 for collection in receptacle section 50
and then flows downward by way of tube 17 for ultimate flow
through tube 19 within the housing chamber 130 -to a pressure
drop flow interruptor 18 (Fig. 4) with its indicator 51 (Figs.
3, 4) associated therewith (the interruptor 18 is out of view
in Fig. 3)~ This interruptor unit 18 is very important for
terminating the flow of water when a predetermined,
undesirably high differential in pressure between the inlet
and outlet sides of the pre-filter 48 in receptacle 116
occurs. The indicator or dial 51 is exposed to view in a
window 52 that is provided in side wall 53 of housing member
31 (Figs. 3 and 4).
As will be understood from Figs. 3 and 4, the
pressures of the inlet 15 and outlet 17 waters leading to
and away from the pre-filter 48 in receptacle 116 are trans-
mitted by tubes 115 and 117 ~respectively connected to pre-
filter supply and discharge tubes 15 and 17) to opposite
sides of a piston means 54 housed in a cylindrical casing 55
for axial movement therein. Tube 115, connected at inlet 215,
applies the pressure of the inlet water in tube 15 -to the one
g ~
end of piston 54 to be opposed by the force of helical com-
pression spring 56 applied to -the other end of this piston.
When the water pressure applied to the piston 5~ becomes
greater than the spring force applied to the other end, the
piston moves forward (-to the left in Fig. 4) so that the
annular end 57 of its front skirt, acting as a valve, abuts
an annular inner valve seat 58 circumscribed about outlet
119. This valve may be designed in various forms to either
terminate flow, restrict, or intermittently interrupt the
flow of water through the system when a predetermined pressure
differential is exceeded. The visual indicator 51 will
inform the user that pre-filter 48 requires replacement. A
diaphragm type of pressure differential indicator may be used
in substitution for the piston type illustrated, by way of
example, in Fig. 4O
The visual indicator 51 may be conveniently operated
by forming the piston 54 of paramagnetic material and the
indicator manipulator 51a as a guided magnet to move with the
piston longitudinally along the non-magnetic casing 55 for
translation of the pointer 51b relative to the fixed dial 51c.
The water meter unit 20 which is housed in casing 43
(Fig. 3) has an internal mechanism assembly 120 (Fig. 5)
suitably supported therein and, as will be seen from Fig. 5,
this assembly includes an inlet passage 219 (which is connec-
ted to the water inlet pipe 19) and an outlet passage 221.
This outlet passage is connected either to the inlet tube 15
of the pre-filter 16 when the latter precedes the water meter
20 or to the inlet tube 21 of the submicron filter unit 22
when the water meter intervenes the pre-filter unit 16 and
the submicron filter unit 22, as is indicated in Fig. 1.
It will be noted that FigO 5 that the mechanism 120
o~ the water meter embodies in a through passage 319 be-tween
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inlet 219 and outlet 221, within which a spring-biased shut-
off valve 157 cooperative with a valve seat 158 oE a duct
15'1
section of the through passage. Valve ~ is held in open
position relative to seat 158 by stem or pin 159 which rides
on the circumference of a rotary cam 60 while this valve is
"open". The ~low passage 319 includes, for example, a tur-
bine chamber 61 in which is rotatably supported a turbine
wheel 6~ that drives an output shaft 162 for imposing the
desired rotary motion to a gear -train 63 embodying suitable
worm and spur gears which will effectively reduce the input
motion from, for example, one rpm per 0.03 gallons of
through-flowing water to one rpm per 3,000 gallons. The
output of the gear train 63 includes a driven spur gear 64
fixed to rotary cam 60 for rotation thereof. The periphery
of the rotary cam 60 is interrupted by a notch 65 that will
receive valve stem 159 due to movement by a helical compres-
sion spring 70 to close the valve 157-158 upon completion of
rotation of cam disk 60. Closure of valve 157-158 terminates
the flow of water through this meter flow passage as well as
turning the processor 10 off. Such water meter may be
associated with a read-out device 44 operated either by direct
drive or a magnetic link, which may indicate what portion of
a revolution has been made and also may indicate at what
point the unit will shut off flow of water therethrough. A
flow-restricting orifice designed to permit only minimal flow
may be substituted for such a positive shut-off valve. Read-
out 44 will provide positive indication of exhaustion of the
adsorbent material housed in the receptacle 125 of Fig. 3
and its need of replacement.
Submicron filter 67 is designed to trap bacteria,
cys-ts and spores that are no-t trapped by -the pre-filter 48,
as well as particula-te ma-tter between about 0.25 ~ pore size
-- 11 --
, .
and a few which may be relatively much larger (e.g., 3-5 ,u).
Filter 67 is housed in tubular receptacle 22 supported by
base means 68 and internal support 69. As will be seen from
FigD 1, if the water meter 20 follows the pre-filter 16
(housed in receptacle 116), the outlet 17 fxom this pre-
filter via the pressure drop indicator and flow interruptor
18, and then tube 19, consti-tutes the inlet to the water
rneter 20 with the outlet thereof provided by tube 21 supply-
ing the water from the meter into the tubular receptacle 122
which houses the submicron filter 67 (Fig. 3).
It is desirable that there may be associated with
the housed submicron filter 67 another pressure drop indicator
and flow lnterruptor 118 which may be similar to that indi-
cated at 18 in E`igs. 1 and 4. This pressure drop indica-tor
151 is to advise the user that filter 67 needs to be replaced.
It will be understood from Fig. 3 that while the
submicron filter 67 is surrounded on the sides within the
tubular receptacle 22 by pressurized water for flow through
such body to the axial core passage 72 thereof for flow out
of the top into the delivery tube 23, the final component of
the systern is a mass of adsorbent material 71 supported by
an impervious tubular casing 73. The bottom end of casing
tube 73 is fitted with transverse screen 74 through which the
pressurized water 75 that flows down about the sides of this
casing tube into the bottom of the tubular receptacle 125
will be forced upwardly through this mass for ultimate flow
through a top filter 76, which may be a cloth layer or other
filtering sheet to filter out fine particles of the activated
carbon. This upward flowing water flows through the filter
76 into the head space 77 for delivery out through outlet or
delivery tube or pipe 26.
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Referring to Figs. 1 and 5, the reference numeral
400 illustrates a safety feature or bypass arrangement when
the water treatment/processor is supplying water to a coffee-
maker or similar apparatus that could be damaged when the
processor is shut down automatically and before the replace-
ment of functional units is made, i.e., the filter 122 or the
adsorptive bed 125. The bypass 400, as shown in Fig. 5,
automatically passes raw water to the effluent pipe 26 of
the processor when the valve 157 seats on 158 and valve 401
is unseated, thereby allowing raw or untreated water to
bypass the processor.
It will be seen that the objects set forth above,
among those made apparent from the preceding description, are
efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made
in the above constructions without departing from the scope
of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained
in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings
shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting
sense.
It is also to be understood that the following
claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific
features of the invention herein described and all statements
of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language,
might be said to fall therebetween.
Having described our invention, what we claim as
new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is defined in the
following claims.
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