Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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FILTERWELL CARTRIDGE HOLDER
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority from provisional application SN 62/919,541
filed March
15,2019 and US patent application SN 16/059,977 filed August 9,2018, which
claims
priority from provisional application 62/544,173 filed August 11, 2017 and
provisional
application 62/564,620 filed September 28, 2007.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR
DEVELOPMENT
None
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
None
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
While the prior art reveals multiple types of dispensing cartridges and
cartridge holders
useable in various bodies of water one of the more challenging locations for a
dispensing
cartridge and a dispensing cartridge holder is in the open top filterwell of a
hot tub or spa
where water flows from a main tub area, where persons sit, into a separate
smaller water
compartment containing a water filter, with the smaller water compartment
referred
herein as a filterwell. During hot tub or spa operation the water flows
through a water
cartridge filter in the filterwell, which removes debris from the water,
before returning
the water to the main tub area. The location of a dispensing cartridge in the
filterwell has
the advantage of keeping the dispensing cartridge out of the main tub area of
the hot tub
or spa and in a region where water flows therethrough; however, the dispensing
cartridge
needs to be able to reliably deliver disperant into the water as the water
flows through the
filterwell. To do so the dispensing cartridge preferably should be mounted on
a filterwell
cartridge holder that is locatable in the filterwell with both the filterwell
cartridge holder
and the dispensing cartridge thereon having minimal or no interference with
the water
filtering action within the filterwell.
In addition the flow of water through the filterwell, which is a small
compartment where
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water flow patterns change as a result of change of activity level in the hot
tub, can cause
a free floating dispensing cartridge or to be tossed about within the
filterwell. Such
tossing action can affect the delivery rate of the dispensing cartridge as
well as cause
damage to the water cartridge filter in the filterwell and the dispensing
cartridge. To
avoid such difficulties both the filterwell cartridge holder and the
dispensing cartridge
thereon should be stably supported within the filterwell.
In addition, since the consumer needs to periodically replace the dispensing
cartridge it is
desirable to have convenient access to the filterwell cartridge holder and the
dispensing
cartridges thereon. That is, the filterwell cartridge holder should support
the dispensing
cartridges thereon so as to prevent a dispensing cartridge from hitting the
walls of the
filterwell due to the changing or swirling water flow patterns within the
filterwell since
either or both the dispensing cartridge or the walls of the filterwell could
be damaged. In
addition the violent action of the dispensing cartridge being tossed about in
the filterwell
can generate unwanted noises and improper dispensing rates.
US patent 5,779,913 describes the mounting of a dispensing cartridge on the
end of a
stick, which is then placed within the core of a water filter cartridge.
Unfortunately, the
stick dispenser, which comprises an elongated dispenser with a severable stick
on one
end, does not prevent the stick dispenser from being buffeted about by water
currents
within the water cartridge filter. In addition, access to the stick dispensing
cartridge,
which is located within the water filter core, is inconvenient since the water
filter needs
be detached to replace the dispensing cartridge. Still other dispensing
systems show the
attachment of a dispenser cartridge directly to a weir gate or a skimmer
basket, which are
located outside the filterwell.
While access and stable positioning of the dispensing cartridge and the
filterwell
cartridge holder within the filterwell is important it is also important that
the filterwell
cartridge holder can be easily mounted in the filterwell without disruption of
the
filterwell structure and with minimal interference with the water flow
patterns through
the filterwell. In addition, the dispensing cartridges supported on the
filterwell cartridge
holder need to be periodically removed from the filterwell cartridge holder
and then
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replaced with fresh dispensing cartridges.
The filterwell cartridge holder should allow a dispensing cartridge thereon to
be easily
removed and replaced since the dispensing cartridge may have to be removed
from the
filterwell cartridge holder to change the dispensing cartridge delivery rate
or in some case
to replace the dispensing cartridge. Preferably the filterwell cartridge
holder should be
conveniently positionable and securable within the filterwell and preferably
removable or
securable therein without the aid of any tools.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A filterwell cartridge holder mountable within a hot tub filterwell with the
filterwell
cartridge holder having a handhold on one end and a feed pipe connector on an
opposite
end with the feed pipe connector having resilient extensions that are
attachable to or
removable from an exterior surface of a filterwell feed pipe through hand
force on the
handhold. The filterwell cartridge holder including resilient lateral
extensions thereon for
lockingly engaging and supporting dispensing cartridges thereon to maintain
the
dispensing cartridges in a dispensing mode within the filterwell.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a filterwell cartridge holder;
Figure 1A is an isolated view of lateral extensions on the filterwell
cartridge holder of
Figure 1;
Figure 1B is a partial sectional view showing a flared base of a dispensing
cartridge in
engagement with lateral extensions on the filterwell cartridge holder of
Figure 1;
Figure 1C is an isolated top view of the lateral extensions on the filterwell
cartridge
holder positioned with respect to a dispensing cartridge;
Figure 2 is front elevation view of the filterwell cartridge holder of Figure
1;
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Figure 3 is a back elevation view showing the filterwell cartridge holder of
Figure 1
about to be forcibly engaged with a feed pipe;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the filterwell cartridge holder of Figure 1
mounted on
.. the end of a feed pipe that extends into a water filter cartridge located
in a filterwell;
Figure 5 is a side view of the filterwell cartridge holder of Figure 1;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the filterwell cartridge holder of Figure 1
with a pair of
dispensing cartridges removable mounted proximate an end of a horizontally
extending
water filter cartridge:
Figure 6A is an isolated view of the filterwell cartridge holder having a rib
extending
between adjacent radial pleats in a water filter cartridge.
Figure 7 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of a filterwell
cartridge
holder;
Figure 7A is a front perspective view of the a filterwell cartridge holder of
Figure 7 with
a dispensing cartridge therein;
Figure 7B is a rear perspective view of the a filterwell cartridge holder of
Figure 7;
Figure 7C is a rear view of the cartridge holder of Figure 7A with a
dispensing cartridge
secured therein;
Figure 7D is a rear view of the cartridge holder of Figure 7;
Figure 7E is a top view of the cartridge holder of Figure 7D;
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Figure 8 is an isolated view of a stop on the filterwell cartridge holder
extending between
the pleats of a water filter cartridge;
Figure 8A is a cutaway view of stop of Figure 8 extending between the pleats
of the
water filter cartridge; and
Figure 9 is a side view of the filterwell cartridge holder of Figure 7.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a frictionally mountable filterwell
cartridge holder 10
that can hold two dispensing cartridges as the two dispensing cartridges
deliver
dispersants into a body of water, which is located in a filterwell of a hot
tub, spa or the
like.
Figure 2 is a frontal view of the frictionally mountable, filterwell cartridge
holder of
Figure 1. The filterwell cartridge holder 10 is mountable on the feed pipe of
a water filter
cartridge, which is located in a filterwell of a hot tub or spa. The
filterwell cartridge
holder 10 comprises a housing 11 that includes a handhold 20 on one end and a
feed pipe
connector 21 on the opposite end with a first arcuate end extension 12a and a
second
arcuate end extension 12b each resiliently yieldable to allow the feed pipe
connector
arcuate end extensions 12a and 12b to be slidingly forced into or out of
engagement with
the filterwell feed pipe 24.
In this example each of arcuate end extension 12a and arcuate end extension
12b have an
arcuate face 12 with at least one of the extensions having sufficient
resiliency and
stiffness so that the arcuate end extension 12a and 12b can be frictionally
mated to the
feed pipe of a water filter cartridge feed pipe that typically extends in a
horizontal
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direction within a filterwell, such as found in a spa or hot tub. The arcuate
end extension
12a and arcuate end extension 12b, which resiliently clamp around feed pipe
24, maintain
the filterwell cartridge holder 10 in a stable position proximate the water
filter cartridge
as water flows through the filterwell and the water filter cartridge yet allow
the filterwell
.. cartridge holder to be readily attached or detached from the feed pipe
within the
filterwell.
On an opposite end of filterwell cartridge holder 10 is a handhold 20 where a
person can
grasp with his or her hand to bring the feed pipe connector 21 into locking
engagement
.. with a feed pipe of a water filter cartridge or alternately to pull the
filterwell cartridge
holder 10 out of engagement with the feed pipe of the water filter cartridge,
which is
located in a filterwell of a hot tub, spa or the like. In this example
handhold 20 protrudes
laterally from the housing, however, other shapes that permit grasping may be
used
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
The filterwell cartridge holder 10 as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 includes
a first
compartment 17 for a first dispensing cartridge and a second compartment 18
for a
second dispensing cartridge. The first compartment 17 formed by a first
arcuate resilient
extension 13 and a second arcuate resilient extension 14 that cantileverly
extend laterally
outward from housing 11 to form a set of lateral extensions to engage, support
and
maintain a dispensing cartridge in a dispensing position proximate a water
filter cartridge
as water swirls and flows through the filterwell in a hot tub or spa.
The filterwell cartridge holder 10 includes a second compartment 18 formed by
a first
arcuate resilient extension 15 and a second arcuate resilient extension 16
that cantileverly
extend laterally outward from housing 11 to form a second set of lateral
extensions to
engage, support and maintain a further dispensing cartridge in a dispensing
position
proximate a water filter cartridge as water swirls and flows through the
filterwell in a hot
tub or spa.
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=
In this example, arcuate resilient extension 13 (Figure 1A) contains a flat
base face 13a
for vertically supporting a portion of a bottom face of a dispensing cartridge
and an
arcuate side extension 13b, which is located at an acute angle to the flat
base face 13a to
form angular mating engagement with a side face of a dispensing cartridge
located
therein where the dispensing cartridge has a side face located at an acute
angle to a
bottom base face of the dispensing cartridge.
Similarly, arcuate resilient extension 14 (Figure 1A) contains a flat base
face 14a for
vertically supporting a portion of a bottom face of a dispensing cartridge and
an arcuate
side extension 14b, which is located at an acute angle to the flat base face
14a to form
angular mating engagement with a side face or flared base of a dispensing
cartridge
located therein where opposite sides of the dispensing cartridge have a side
face located
at an acute angle to a bottom base face of the dispensing cartridge.
A feature of the invention is that the acutely angled faces of arcuate side
extension 13b
and arcuate side extension 14b can laterally engage the adjacent faces of a
dispensing
cartridge located therein with the arcuate side extension 13b and arcuate side
extension
14b spreadable to slidingly insert a dispensing cartridge therebetween and
resiliently
retractable to sandwichingly support the dispensing cartridge therebetween.
Housing 10
incudes a back wall lid engageable with a backside of the dispensing cartridge
as the
arcuate resilient extensions 13 and 14 support a dispensing cartridge in a
stable
dispensing condition as shown in Figure 1B.
The acutely angled surfaces of arcuate side extension 15b and flat base face
15a and
arcuate side extension 16b and flat base face 16a can also laterally engage
the adjacent
faces of a further dispensing cartridge located therein with the arcuate
resilient extension
15 and arcuate resilient extension 16 spreadable to slidingly insert the
further dispensing
cartridge therebetween and resiliently retractable to sandwichingly support
the further
dispensing cartridge in a dispensing condition therebetween with a backside of
the
further dispensing cartridge also engageable with the back wall lie of housing
11.
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In this example arcuate resilient extension 15 contains a flat base facel5a
for vertically
supporting a portion of a dispensing cartridge therein and a first arcuate
side extension
15b, which is located at an acute angle to the flat base face 15a to form
angular mating
engagement with an opposite side of a dispensing cartridge that has a sidewall
located at
an acute angle to a bottom base face of a dispensing cartridge with the mating
therebetween restricting lateral as well as both upward and downward vertical
displacement of the dispensing cartridge located therein.
Similarly, arcuate resilient extension16 contains a flat base face16a for
vertically
supporting a portion of a dispensing cartridge therein and a first arcuate
side extension
16b, which is located at an acute angle to the flat base face 16a to form
angular mating
engagement with an opposite side of a dispensing cartridge that also has a
sidewall
located at an acute angle to a bottom base face of the dispensing cartridge
with the mating
therebetween restricting lateral as well as both upward and downward vertical
displacement of the dispensing cartridge located therein.
A feature of the invention is that the adjoining faces of flat base face 15a
and arcuate
side extension 15b of arcuate resilient extension 15, which are at an acute
angle to one
another, can support one side of a dispensing cartridge therebetween and the
adjoining
faces of flat base face 16a and arcuate side extension16b of arcuate resilient
extension 16,
which are at an acute angel to one another, can support an opposite side of
dispensing
cartridge located there between.
In this example the lateral arcuate side extensions 13b and 14b engage the
opposite
sides of a dispensing cartridge located therein as they resiliently contract
to
sandwichingly support the dispensing cartridge, which is located therebetween.
Similarly, the lateral arcuate side extensions 15b and 16b engage the opposite
sides of a
further dispensing cartridge located therein as they resiliently contract to
sandwichingly
support the further dispensing cartridge, which is located therebetween,
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Figure 6 is a perspective view of a first dispensing cartridge 70 and a second
dispensing
cartridge 71 supported on filterwell cartridge holder 10 that is mounted on a
feed pipe 24
on a pleated water filter cartridge 50. A further feature of the embodiment
shown herein
is that lateral arcuate resilient extensions 13 and 14 on the filterwell
cartridge holder 10
can flex independent of arcuate resilient extension 15 and 16 to allow one to
slide a
dispensing cartridge into or out of engagement with the arcuate resilient
extensions 13
and 14 on the filterwell cartridge holder while another dispensing cartridge,
which is
supported by arcuate resilient extension 15 and 16, remains on the filterwell
cartridge
holder 10 thus allowing one to replace or adjust one dispensing cartridge
without having
to remove or replace the other dispensing cartridge thereon.
Figure 1A is a partial top sectional view of the filterwell cartridge holder
10 revealing an
arcuate resilient extension 13 and an arcuate resilient extension 14 that
extend laterally
from housing 11 to form compartment 17 and an arcuate resilient extension 15
and an
arcuate resilient extension 16 that extend laterally outward from housing 11
to form a
further compartment 18 with arcuate resilient extensions 13,14,15 and 16
cantileverly
and resiliently supported by housing 11.
In this example, arcuate resilient extension 13 and arcuate resilient
extension 14 are
separable through insertion of a dispensing cartridge therebetween with a
subsequent
resilient retraction around the dispensing cartridge causing arcuate resilient
extension 13
and arcuate resilient extension 14 to sandwichingly support the dispensing
cartridge
therebetween.
Similarly, arcuate resilient extension 15 and arcuate resilient extension 16
are separable
through insertion of a further dispensing cartridge therebetween and
subsequent resilient
retraction around the further dispensing cartridge causing arcuate resilient
extension 15
and arcuate resilient extension 16 to sandwichingly support the further
dispensing
cartridge therebetween.
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Figure lA illustrates the outward flexing of arcuate resilient extension 14
through a set of
radial lines having a top separation distance "b" and the outward flexing of
arcuate
resilient extension 13 by a second set of radial lines having a top separation
"a. The
lateral flexing of arcuate resilient extension 13 with a similar lateral
flexing of arcuate
resilient extension14 permitting the lateral insertion of a dispensing
cartridge into the
compartment 17 to secure the dispensing cartridge therein through the
cooperation of
arcuate resilient extensions 13 and 14. Similarly, a further dispensing
cartridge can be
inserted between arcuate resilient extensions 15 and 16 through lateral
flexing of arcuate
resilient extension 15 and arcuate resilient extension 16 to thereby support
side-by-side
dispensing cartridges on the filterwell cartridge holder 10 as shown in Figure
6. While
each of arcuate resilient extensions 15 and 16 shown herein are resilient if
desired one of
each pair of arcuate resilient extensions 15 and 16 may be non-resilient while
still being
capable of removably supporting a dispensing cartridge therebetween.
Similarly, one of
each pair of arcuate resilient extensions 13 and 14 may be non-resilient while
still being
capable of removably supporting the further dispensing cartridge therebetween.
That is,
while two arcuate resilient extensions 13 and 14 are shown as being resilient
in other
examples only one of two lateral extensions i.e. arcuate resilient extensions
13 or 14 may
be resilient while still permitting one to removably mount and support a
dispensing
cartridge therebetween without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
Figure lA also shows a back ledge 28 on housing 11 that supports a portion of
a bottom
face of a dispensing cartridge therein with flat base face 13a and flat base
face 14a
providing additional bottom support for the dispensing cartridge located
thereon.
Similarly, a back ledge 29 on housing 11 supports a portion of a bottom face
of the
further dispensing cartridge therein with flat base face 15a and flat base
face side 16a
providing additional bottom support for the further dispensing cartridge
located thereon.
Figure 1B is a partial view of a bottom end of a dispensing cartridge 70 and a
sectional
view of arcuate resilient extension 13 and arcuate resilient extension 14 of
filterwell
cartridge holder 10 in engagement with a dispensing cartridge 70. In this
example,
arcuate side face 13c on filterwell cartridge holder arcuate side extension
13b is in face-
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to-face engagement with face 70a on one side of dispensing cartridge 70 and an
arcuate
side face 14c on arcuate side extension 14b is in face to face engagement with
face 70a
located on the opposite side of the dispensing cartridge 70. The flat base 70b
of
dispensing cartridge being in face-to- face engagement with flat base face 13a
on
extension 13 and flat base face 14a on extension 14. In this example side face
70a and the
flat base face 70b of dispensing cartridge 70 mate with the flat base face 13a
and arcuate
side face13c of extension 13,which are at an acute angle 0 to each other.
Similarly, face
70a and flat base face 70b of dispensing cartridge 70 mate with flat base face
14a and
face 14c of arcuate side extension 14b of extension 14, which are also located
at an acute
angle 0 to each other, with the mating therebetween coacting to vertically
restrain
dispensing cartridge 70, which is sandwiched between arcuate resilient
extension 13 and
arcuate resilient extension 14.
A feature of invention is that a user can quickly mount or unmount a
dispensing cartridge
from a filterwell cartridge holder, which is located below the water line in
the filterwell
of a hot tub or the like, through engagement of surface features or faces on
the
dispensing cartridge and surface features or faces on the filterwell cartridge
holder. In
the example shown in Figure 1B and Figure 1C there at least two arcuate
resilient
extensions 13 and 14 with arcuate resilient extension 13 having an arcuate
side face 13c
and flat base face 13a for angularly engaging an adjacent face 70a and bottom
face 70b of
a dispensing cartridge 70 and arcuate resilient extension 14 having a flat
base face 14a
and an arcuate side face 14c for also angularly engaging face 70a and adjacent
bottom
face 70b of dispensing cartridge 70 for securement of the dispensing cartridge
70
therebetween.
To appreciate the surface features on filterwell dispensing cartridge 70 that
enable a
person to quickly remove or replace a dispensing cartridge that is located in
a filterwell
reference should be made to Figure 1B and Figure 1C. Figure 1C shows a
sectional view
of dispenser 70 showing a dispenser rim face 70a in relation to portions of
arcuate
resilient extension 13 and arcuate resilient extension 14. In this example
arcuate resilient
extension 13 having an arcuate side extension 13b and a flat base face13a
forming a first
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cartridge holder socket 13d and arcuate extension 14 having an arcuate side
extension
14b and flat base face 14a forming a second cartridge holder socket head 14d
to support a
dispensing cartridge therebetween.
Figure 1C shows the geometric center of the convex frontal region of dispenser
70, which
is identified by reference numeral 37. To illustrate the facial engagement
regions between
filterwell cartridge holder 10 and dispensing cartridge 70 references should
be made to a
first diametrical line 29 and a second diametrical line 29c that extend across
rim 70a of
cartridge 70. In this example the circumferential region area identified
between the right
side of the diameter line 29 and diameter line 29a is identified by Cz can
interface with
filterwell cartridge holder arcuate resilient extension 14, which forms a
socket head 144
thereon. Similarly, the circumferential region CI identified between the left
side of the
diameter line 29 and diameter line 29c identifies a length C1 can interface
with cartridge
holder arcuate resilient extension 13, which forms a socket 13d thereon.
Figure 1B shows the dispensing cartridge 70 cantileverly engaged in a face-to-
face
condition with a socket 13d in extension 13 and a socket 144 in extension 14.
The
cantilever engagement supports the dispensing cartridge 70 in a stable
dispensing
condition within the swirling waters of a filterwell as well as prevents
orthogonal
displacement i.e. 3 axis lateral displacement of the dispensing cartridge 70
with respect to
the cartridge holder arcuate resilient extension 13 and cartridge holder
arcuate resilient
extension 14.
Figure 2 shows the filterwell cartridge holder 10 with the feed pipe engaging
arcuate
face 12 extending over 180 degrees with a first terminal end 12a and a second
terminal
end 12b separated a distance x from each other that is less than diameter 2R
where R is
the radius of arcuate face 12. Consequently, the terminal end 12a, which has a
canted end
face 12e, and terminal end 12b, which has a canted end face 12f, can engage a
cylindrical
feed pipe in a water filter cartridge and flex outward in response a downward
force on
filterwell cartridge holder 10 to attach filterwell cartridge holder 10 to a
cylindrical feed
pipe 24 of diameter 2R. Figure 3 illustrates that in this example, the
resiliency of
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filterwell cartridge holder 10 combined with the canted end face 12f and
canted end face
12e allows one to force filterwell cartridge holder 10 arcuate face 12 into
face-to-face
engagement with horizontally cylindrical feed pipe 24, which connects to a
water filter
cartridge located in a filterwell of a hot tub or spa. That is, pushing down
on handhold 20
forces the terminal end 12a and terminal end 12b to slide over and around the
feed pipe
24 of a water filter cartridge located in the filterwell of a hot tub or spa.
Similarly, one
can remove the filterwell cartridge holder 10 from the feed pipe 24 by lifting
upward on
handhold 20, which causes the terminal end 12a and terminal end 12b to spread
apart thus
disengaging the filterwell cartridge holder 10 from in this example a
horizontally
extending cylindrical feed pipe 24 of a water filter cartridge. Thus, a
feature of the
invention is that the filterwell cartridge holder 10 can be quickly attached
to or removed
from the feed pipe 24 of the water filter cartridge 50 without the aid of any
tools.
In this example the resiliency of the material of filterwell cartridge holder
10 allows the
two terminal ends 12a and 12b to spread apart and pass around the feed pipe 24
and then
collapse to frictionally support the filterwell cartridge holder 10 on feed
pipe 24. This
type of filterwell cartridge holder attachment is well suitable when the feed
pipe 24
extends from a central opening in a horizontal extending water filter 50 and
preferably
the radius of curvature of feed pipe 24 and the radius of curvature R of the
arcuate face
12 an provide interference fit i.e. clamping engagement with feed pipe 24.
Thus, in the example shown the arcuate face 12 is greater than 180 degrees and
can be
forcibly brought into face to face engagement with a feed pipe 24 through
resilient
separation of the arcuate resilient extensions 12a and 12b and then brought
into clamping
.. engagement through the resilience of extensions 12a and 12b as the holder
10 is forced
downward until arcuate face12 mates with the exterior surface of feed pipe 24.
Figure 2 and Figure 3 show a filter engaging stop or extension 25a that can
extend
between adjacent pleats of a filter cartridge to hold the filterwell cartridge
holder 10 in
the proper dispensing position, which in this case is in a vertical condtion
on one end of
the filter cartridge as shown in Figure 4, which is an isolated view of holder
10 mounted
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on the end of the feed pipe 24 that extends into the water filter cartridge 50
as the arcuate
sections 12a and 12b are clamped around feed pipe 24 to frictionally support
dispenser
holder 10 thereon.
Figure 5 is a side view of the filterwell cartridge holder 10 without a
dispensing cartridge
therein revealing the cantilevered arm 13 i.e. arcuate resilient extension 13
extending
orthogonally outward from the housing 11 and a stop or extension 25a, which is
insertable between adjacent pleats on water filter cartridge 50. Figure 6 is a
perspective
view showing the filterwell cartridge holder 10 with a first dispensing
cartridge 70 and a
second dispensing cartridge 71 therein.
Figure 6A is an isolated view showing filter-engaging stop or extension 25a
extending
between adjacent pleats 50a of a water filter cartridge 50 to hold the
filterwell dispenser
holder 10 proximate the water cartridge filter 50. Figure 6 shows a first
dispensing
cartridge 70 supported on one side of filterwell dispenser holder 10 and a
second
dispensing cartridge 71 supported on the opposite side of filterwell dispenser
holder 10
with the dispensing cartridge 70 and dispensing cartridge 71 symmetrically
positioned
with respect to the filterwell dispenser holder 10.
Figure 6 shows the filterwell dispenser holder 10 positioned on the end of an
elongated
water filter cartridge 50 with the dispensing cartridges 70 and 71 positioned
to dispense
dispersants such as minerals and a halogen into the water located proximate
the water
filter cartridge 50 that is located in the filterwell of a hot tub.
A feature of the invention shown herein, which is illustrated in Figure 3, is
the ease in
mounting filterwell cartridge holder 10 in the filterwell of a hot tub or spa
without the use
of tools. In the method described herein one mounts the dispensing cartridge
70 (Figure
6) thereon through frictional engagement of the dispensing cartridge 70 with
the arcuate
resilient extensions 13 and 14 as illustrated in Figure 1B. Similarly, one can
mount the
dispensing cartridge 71 (Figure 6) thereon through frictional engagement of
the
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dispensing cartridge 71 with arcuate resilient extension 15 and arcuate
resilient extension
16 on housing 11.
With the method described herein one can on-the-go secure a filterwell
dispenser holder
10 and dispensing cartridges in a hot tub filterwell through yieldable
attachment of one
end of filterwell cartridge holder 10 to a feed pipe 24, which is located in a
hot tub
filterwell, by merely grasping handhold 20 and pushing downward thereon to
bring
arcuate face 12 on the opposite end of the holder 10 into face to face
engagement with the
cylindrical feed pipe 24. Once the holder 10 is mounted on feed pipe 24 one
can yieldable
attach a dispensing cartridge 70 to holder 10 through engagement of dispensing
cartridge
exterior side face 70a and exterior bottom face 70b, i.e. with socket 13d in
arcuate
extension 13 and socket 14d in arcuate extension 14. In this method one brings
exterior
face 70a of the dispensing cartridge 70 into face-to-face engagement with
mating faces
arcuate resilient extension 13 that form socket 13d and opposing mating faces
on arcuate
extension 14 that form socket 14d.
=
Thus, a feature of the invention is that a first dispensing cartridge 70 can
be grasped and
laterally inserted or removed between a set of arcuate resilient extensions 13
and 14 that
are cantilevered and laterally extending outward from the housing 11 and a
second
dispensing cartridge 71 that can also be grasped and laterally inserted or
removed
between a further set of arcuate resilient extensions 15 and 16 that are also
cantilevered
and laterally extending outward from the housing 11. Thus, the two dispensing
cartridges
70 and 71 are independently attachable or releasable from housing 11 through
hand
engagement. In this example the dispersants from dispensers 71 and 70 are
released
directly into the filterwell in the hot tub since the dispensing cartridges 70
and 71 are
maintained below the water line within the filterwell of a hot tub or the
like.
To assist in maintaining the orientation of dispenser holder 10 proximate the
water filter
50 one may extend a stop or extension 25a on housing 11 between a set of
pleats 50a on a
.. water filter cartridge 50, which is located in the filterwell of a hot tub
or the like as shown
in Figure 6A. The extension 25a assists in maintaining a fixed orientation of
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dispenser holder 10 with respect to the water filter cartridge 50 during
operation of the
water filter cartridge 50. The extension 25a extends between pleats 50a and in
one
embodiment extend sufficiently far between the adjacent pleats 50a so as to
prevent
rotation of the water filter cartridge 50 with respect to the dispenser holder
10 and in
another embodiment the extension 25a does not extend so far as to prevent
rotation of the
water filter cartridge in the event an operator wants to rotate the water
filter cartridge 50
with respect to the dispenser holder 10.
As can be seen in Figure 1B one engages adjacent faces on a dispensing
cartridge 70 with
adjacent faces on arcuate resilient extensions 13 and 14 on housing 11 where
the adjacent
faces 70a and 70b on the dispensing cartridge and the adjacent faces on
arcuate resilient
extension 13 and arcuate resilient extension 14 are located at an acute angle
to each other.
A further feature is that one can abut a back face of a dispensing cartridge
70 against a
face lid of housing 11, as shown in Figure 6, to provide back side support for
the
dispensing cartridge 70. Similarly back face lie provides backside support for
cartridge
71.
Figure 3 illustrates how one can yieldably attach one end of housing 11 with
arcuate
extension 12b and 12a to a feed pipe 24 through engaging a canted end face 12e
on an
arcuate extension 12a and a canted end face 12f on arcuate extension 12b to an
exterior
surface 24a of the feed pipe 24 in order to flex extension 12a and extension
12b outward
to thereby forcible mount housing 11 onto feed pipe 24 through a hand lowering
of the
housing 11 onto feed pipe 24. Thus, the method includes yieldable attaching a
one end of
a housing 11 to a feed pipe 24 in a hot tub filterwell while holding onto an
opposite end
of the housing.
The method can further include yieldable attaching a first dispensing
cartridge 70 to the
housing 11 through engaging exterior faces 70a and 70b of the dispensing
cartridge with
the arcuate resilient extensions 13 and 14 of housing 11 of the dispensing
cartridge
holder 10. The method can further include yieldable attaching a second or
further
dispensing cartridge 71 to the housing 11 through engaging exterior faces of
the second
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or further dispensing cartridge 71 with the arcuate resilient extensions 15
and 16 of the
dispensing cartridge holder 10.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of frictionally
mountable
filterwell cartridge holder 60 that can hold two dispensing cartridges as the
two
dispensing cartridges deliver dispersants into a body of water, which is
located in a
filterwell of a hot tub, spa or the like and Figure 7A is a perspective view
of the
frictionally mountable, filterwell cartridge holder of Figure 7 showing a
dispensing
cartridge 71 mounted thereon.
=
The filterwell cartridge holder 60 is also mountable on the feed pipe of a
water filter
cartridge, which is located in a filterwell of a hot tub or spa. The
filterwell cartridge
holder 60 comprises a housing 61 that includes a handhold 80 on one end and a
feed pipe
connector 62 comprising a split flange where the split flange includes a first
flat arcuate
end extension 72a and a second flat arcuate end extension 72b with at least
one arcuate
end extension resiliently yieldable in a radial direction to allow the feed
pipe connector
arcuate end extensions 72a and 72b to be slidingly forced into or out of
engagement with
a portion of cylindrical exterior surface of a filterwell feed pipe 24, which
is located
between the end of a water filter cartridge and a wall of the filterwell (see
Figure 4 and
Figure 6).
In this example the split flange 62 includes an arcuate end extension 72a and
arcuate end
extension 72b that have at least one of the end extensions having sufficient
resiliency and
stiffness so that the arcuate end extension 72a and 72b can be frictionally
mated to the
outside of face of a water filter cartridge feed pipe, which typically extends
in a
horizontal direction within a filterwell such as found in a spa or hot tub.
That is, by
applying a downward force on holder 60 when the flat end extensions 72a and
72b are in
perpendicular contact with an exterior surface of a feed pipe located in a
filterwell of a
hot tub or the like, brings the flat end extensions 72a and 72b into
frictional gripping
engagement with the feed pipe in a filterwell. In this example the flat
arcuate end
extension 72a and flat arcuate end extension 72b, which resiliently clamp
around feed
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pipe 24 have a narrow flat profile as referenced by T in figure 9 but have
sufficient
stiffness to remain in engagement with the feed pipe 24 when inserted into the
water flow
within a filterwell to support the holder 60 therein. The flat extensions 72a
and 72b allow
the filterwell cartridge holder 60 to be mounted in conditions where there is
limited space
at the end of the water filter cartridge since the narrow width T of the feed
pipe connector
62 permits fitting the extensions into limited end space that is found between
end of some
water filters and a wall of the filterwell. Thus, both the filterwell
cartridge holder 10 and
filterwell cartridge holder 60 can be mounted in a stable position proximate
the end of
water filter cartridge without affecting how water flows through the
filterwell as well as
allowing the filterwell cartridge holder to be readily attached or detached
from a feed
pipe within the filterwell. The thickness T is typically on the order of an
1/8 inch or less
for a typical polymer plastic, however, if the dispenser holder is one piece
the
characteristics of material selected for the dispenser holder may determine
the minimum
thickness T for the feed pipe connector 62.
On an opposite end of filterwell cartridge holder 60 is a handhold 80 where a
person can
grasp with his or her hand to bring the feed pipe connector 62 into frictional
locking
engagement with a feed pipe of a water filter cartridge or alternately to pull
the filterwell
cartridge holder 60 out of frictional locking engagement with the feed pipe of
the water
filter cartridge, which is located in a filterwell of a hot tub, spa or the
like. In this
example handhold 80 protrudes laterally from the housing, however, a handhold
may be
omitted as a top portion of the filterwell cartridge holder housing 61 is hand
graspable so
that a person can attach or remove the filterwell cartridge holder 60 merely
by grasping a
top end of housing 61, which is opposite the flanged end of the housing 61,
and pushing
down on housing 61 to attach or pulling up on housing 61 to remove.
The filterwell cartridge holder 60, which is shown in various views in Figure
7, Figure
7A, Figure 7B, Figure 7D and Figure 7E, includes a first dispensing cartridge
compartment for releasably holding a first dispensing cartridge therein and a
second
dispensing compartment for releasably holding a second dispensing cartridge
therein.
The first dispensing cartridge compartment formed by a first arcuate resilient
extension
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73 and a second arcuate resilient extension 74 that cantileverly extend
laterally outward
from housing 60 to form a first set of lateral extensions to engage, support
and maintain a
dispensing cartridge in a dispensing position proximate a water filter
cartridge as water
swirls and flows through the filterwell in a hot tub or spa. Similarly, the
filterwell
cartridge holder 60 includes a second dispensing cartridge compartment formed
by a first
arcuate resilient extension 75 and a second arcuate resilient extension 76
that cantileverly
extend laterally outward from housing 60 to form a second set of lateral
extensions to
engage, support and maintain a second dispensing cartridge in a dispensing
position
proximate a water filter cartridge as water swirls and flows through the
filterwell in a hot
tub or spa.
In this example shown in Figure 7 arcuate resilient extension 73 contains a
flat base face
73a for vertically supporting a portion of a bottom face of a first dispensing
cartridge and
an arcuate side extension 73b located at an acute angle to the flat base face
73a to form
angular mating engagement with a portion of a portion of a side face of a
dispensing
cartridge when the dispensing cartridge has a side face located at a mating
angle to a
bottom base face of the dispensing cartridge. The face mating relationship
between a
dispensing cartridge and a dispensing cartridge holder is illustrated in
Figure 1B and
Figure 1C.
Similarly, arcuate resilient extension 74 contains a flat base face for
vertically supporting
a portion of the opposite end of a second dispensing cartridge and an arcuate
side
extension 74b, which is located at an acute angle to the flat base face
attached thereto to
form angular mating engagement with a further portion of a side face or flared
base of a
dispensing cartridge located therein where the opposite sides of the
dispensing cartridge
supported therein have a side face located at an acute angle to a bottom base
face of the
dispensing cartridge to provide face mating engagement support through
engagement
with the side and flat base of the dispensing cartridge located therein.
In the examples shown herein, both the filterwell cartridge holder 60 and
filterwell
cartridge holder 10 have angled faces and extensions thereon with at least one
resilient
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arcuate side extension that can laterally engage a portion of a face on one
side of a
dispensing cartridge and a second resilient arcuate side extension that can
engage a
further portion of a face of the dispensing cartridge that is located
therebetween with the
arcuate side extensions spreadable to slidingly insert the dispensing
cartridge
therebetween and retractable to sandwichingly support the dispensing cartridge
therebetween. Figure 7A shows filterwell cartridge holder 60 with a releasably
securable
dispensing cartridge 71 supported in a dispensing position by lateral
extension 75 and 76.
Dispensing cartridge holder 60 is shown in a perspective view in Figure 7B, a
back view
in Figure 7D and a top view in Figure 7E. Figure 7B and Figure 7D reveal that
filterwell
cartridge holder housing 61 includes a first limited flow water port 88 and a
second
limited flow water port 86 that extend through the dispensing cartridge holder
housing 61
while Figure 7D reveals a water port 95 on one side of dispensing cartridge
holder
housing 61and a further water port 94 on the opposite side of dispensing
cartridge holder
housing 61.
Figure 7E is a top view of dispensing cartridge holder 60 revealing a first
water settling
compartment 98, which is located underwater, partially formed by a lower flow
ramp 87
and an arcuate sidewall 91 having a top edge 91a with a top of the water
settling
compartment 98 formable by a bottom end of a dispensing cartridge that is
mateable to
the top edge 91a of cartridge holder 60. A water port 94 (Figure 7D) in
housing 61 allows
water to flow into and out of the bottom of water settling compartment 98
while the
sidewall 91 and a dispensing cartridge located thereon inhibit or prevent fast
flowing
water or turbulent water from directly contacting a dispensing end of the
dispensing
cartridge that is engagement with top edge 91a to thereby inhibit or prevent
an unwanted
changing of the cartridge dispensing rate due to variable flow past the
dispensing end of a
dispensing cartridge located thereon.
Similarly, dispensing cartridge holder 60 includes a second water settling
compartment
99, which is located underwater, partially formed by a lower flow ramp 89 and
an
arcuate sidewall 90 having a top edge 90a with a top of the water settling
compartment
99 formable by a bottom end of a further dispensing cartridge that is mateable
to the top
edge 90a of cartridge holder 60. A water port 95 (Figure 7D) in housing 61
allows water
to flow into and out of the bottom of compartment 99 while the sidewall 90 and
the
dispensing cartridge located therein inhibit or prevent fast flowing or
turbulent water
from directly contacting a dispensing end of the dispensing cartridge engaged
with the
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top edge 90a of the water settling compartment 99 to thereby inhibit or
prevent changing
of the cartridge dispensing rate.
Figure 7A shows a dispensing cartridge 71 positioned on top of sidewall 90 to
form a top
to the water settling compartment 99 (Figure 7E) to thereby isolate a
dispensing end of
dispensing cartridge 71 from the effect of turbulent flow as well as direct
flow past the
dispensing end of the dispensing cartridge 71 that delvers the dispersant
through variable
openings in a bottom end of the dispensing cartridge. For example, turbulent
flow or
changes in the flow of water proximate a dispensing end of a dispensing
cartridge may
alter the dispensing rate of the dispensing cartridge. In this example the
first water
settling compartment 98 comprise a bottom flow ramp 87 and an arcuate sidewall
91
having a top edge 91a for mating to a bottom end of a dispensing cartridge.
Similarly, the
second water settling compartment 99 includes a bottom flow ramp 89 and an
arcuate
sidewall 90 having a top edge 90a for mating to a bottom end of a dispensing
cartridge
mating surface as illustrated in Figure 71.
In this example Figure 7 and Figure 7a show the angled surfaces of arcuate
side
extensions and flat base face on the left side of housing 60 and the arcuate
side extension
and flat base face on the right side of the dispensing cartridge holder 60 to
laterally
engage the adjacent faces of two dispensing cartridges located therein with
each of the
side extensions spreadable to slidingly insert a dispensing cartridge
therebetween and
resiliently retractable to sandwichingly support the dispensing cartridge in a
dispensing
condition therebetween with a backside of the dispensing cartridge also
engageable with
a back wall of housing 61 to maintain the dispensing cartridge in position as
water flows
through the filterwell. While the cartridge holder 60 includes resilient
extensions with
angular surfaces that can mate to a dispenser cartridge other methods of
removably
securing a dispensing cartridge to the filterwell cartridge holder including
mechanical
means such as threads or the like may be used without departing from the
spirit and the
scope of the invention.
In this example the resiliency of the material of filterwell cartridge holder
10 or filterwell
cartridge holder 60 allows the filterwell cartridge holder to be attached to a
feed pipe on
the go. For example, in filterwell cartridge holder 60 the two flat terminal
ends 72a and
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72b spread apart and pass around the outside face of feed pipe 24 and then
collapse
radially to frictionally support the filterwell cartridge holder 60 on feed
pipe 24. The type
of filterwell cartridge holder attachment is well suitable when the feed pipe
24 extends
from a central opening in a horizontal extending water filter 50 and
preferably the radius
of curvature of feed pipe 24 is approximately the same or the same as the
radius of
curvature R of the arcuate face 12 to thereby provide an interference fit i.e.
clamping
engagement with feed pipe 24. Examples of suitable materials for a filterwell
cartridge
holder are polymer plastics although other materials may be used.
In the example shown both filterwell cartridge holder 10 and filterwell
cartridge holder
60 are one-piece holders that have extensions and integral structural features
for
supporting at least two dispensing cartridges therein while also having end
extensions for
engaging and supporting the filterwell cartridge holder on a feed pipe located
in a
filterwell.
Figure 7C shows a partial view of the filterwell dispenser holder 60, which is
positioned
on a feed pipe at the end of an elongated water filter cartridge (not shown),
with a
dispensing cartridge 71 supported on filterwell dispenser holder 60 to enable
dispensing
of dispersants, such as minerals and a halogen, into a water port 86 through a
flow ramp
89, which is located below the end dispensing cartridge 71 that contains
bottom or end
ports for ingress and egress of water and dispersants therethrough. In this
embodiment a
rib 25a and a rib 25b extend outward from the dispensing cartridge 71. Rib 25a
has a top
surface 25g to abut lip 52b on housing to assist in maintaining dispensing
cartridge 70 in
a fixed position in the filterwell dispenser holder 60. Similarly, a rib 25b
extends outward
from the dispensing cartridge 71 with a top surface 25f abutting a second lip
52a on
filterwell dispenser holder 60 to further assist in maintaining dispensing
cartridge 71 in a
fixed condition in the filterwell dispenser holder 60.
Figure 8 shows a filter engaging stop or extension 85 of filterwell cartridge
holder 60 that
extends between adjacent pleats 50a of a filter cartridge 50 to hold the
filterwell cartridge
holder 60 in the proper dispensing position, which in this case is in a
vertical condtion on
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one end of a water filter cartridge 50. Figure 8A is a sectional view showing
the
extension 85 located radially inward between pleats 50a of water filter
cartridge 50.
Figure 9 is a side view of the filterwell cartridge holder 60 without
dispensing cartridges
therein revealing the cantilevered arm 76 extending orthogonally outward from
the
housing 61 and split flange 62 having a thickness T for insertion between a
space at the
end of a water filter cartridge.
In a method described herein one can on-the-go secure a filterwell dispenser
holder and
dispensing cartridges in a hot tub filterwell through yieldable attachment of
one end of
filterwell cartridge holder to a feed pipe 24, which is located in a hot tub
filterwell, by
merely grasping the filterwell dispenser holder 60 and pushing downward
thereon to
bring a flat arcuate extension 72a and a flat arcuate extension 72b on the
opposite end of
the filterwell cartridge holder into face to face fiictional engagement around
the exterior
surface of a cylindrical feed pipe 24.
Thus, a feature of the invention is that a first dispensing cartridge can be
grasped and
laterally inserted or removed between a set of arcuate resilient extensions
that are
cantilevered and laterally extending outward from the housing and a second
dispensing
.. cartridge that can also be grasped and laterally inserted or removed
between a further set
of arcuate resilient extensions and that are also cantilevered and laterally
extending
outward from the housing. In this example, two dispensing cartridges are
independently
attachable or releasable from the housing through hand engagement with the
dispersants
from dispensers released directly into the water in filterwell since at least
the dispensing
end of the dispensing cartridges are maintained below the water line within
the filterwell
of a hot tub or the like.
A further feature of the invention is that the housing on a dispenser
cartridge holder can
interact with a bottom face of dispensing cartridge to form a water settling
compartment
.. there below that can isolate water proximate a dispensing end of a
dispensing cartridge to
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thereby inhibit or prevent unwanted changes in a cartridge dispensing rate do
to flow
changes within the filterwell of hot tub or spa.
24
