HK1164828B - Potable water container - Google Patents

Description

Drinking water container

The application is as follows: 8/28/2007 with the application number: 200780039622.3(PCT/IL2007/001066), and the invention patent application entitled "gravity filter and liquid purification device".

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method, a device and a system for purifying a liquid, in particular water.

Background

Filtering devices and methods for filtering liquids, in particular for filtering water to obtain potable water, are known. Exemplified by us patent nos. 789,968 and 1,090,283. Such filtration devices typically contain a reactant-bearing filtration medium that is capable of removing harmful or other undesirable substances from the filtered water.

WO 2004/071961 discloses a water treatment device and a method for treating water. The apparatus comprises a water collection chamber and a filtration chamber comprising a set of reactants comprising polycations, polyanions and optionally other components. The filter includes an upwardly extending circular wall and a downwardly extending circular wall interposed in a space therebetween. The water flows through the filter by gravity. WO 2005/092798 discloses another water filtration device and method.

Disclosure of Invention

In accordance with the present invention, a novel purification system is provided for filtering liquids that flow under the force of gravity, sometimes referred to herein as a "liquid filter" or "filter". According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the liquid is water.

The present invention provides a liquid purification system for filtering liquid from a source or reservoir into a purified liquid receptacle. According to a preferred, but not exclusive, application, the system of the invention is suitable for filtering and purifying liquid from a source or reservoir located above the filter into a purified liquid receptacle located below the filter by gravity. The filter includes a housing having a top and a bottom, the housing containing a generally horizontally oriented filtration space containing a liquid treatment medium.

It should be noted that the terms "top," "bottom," "horizontal," or "horizontally oriented" are merely a frame of reference provided for convenience in describing the relative position and orientation of the various components of the filter. According to one of the embodiments of the filter, during the filtration of liquid by gravity filtration, the "top" faces upwards and the "bottom" faces downwards. However, in other modes of use and/or other embodiments, the orientation may be different, for example, where a filter according to the teachings herein is at the bottom of a portable potable water container, the filter orients the "top" upward during filtration and the "bottom" upward during use.

The housing of the filter is provided with one or more liquid inlets at the top of the filter and one or more liquid outlets at the bottom of the filter. The one or more liquid inlets and the one or more liquid outlets are configured such that liquid flows through the liquid treatment medium in a generally lateral direction, e.g., in a generally radial direction from the one or more inlets at a top peripheral portion of the housing to a bottom outlet at a bottom center around the housing, or from the inlet at a central top of the housing to the one or more peripheral outlets at a bottom peripheral portion of the housing. The term "substantially transverse direction" means the fact that the flow, which as will be described below has a curved flow path, as it is flowing by gravity, and therefore also generally has a substantially downward course (trend)), has a substantially horizontal course which is more pronounced than a vertical course. One or more first walls extend from the bottom wall of the filtering space upwards into the filtering space and one or more second walls extend from the top wall of the filtering space downwards into the filtering space. Each of the walls defines a closed path, the first and second walls being configured to collectively cause fluid flowing in a generally lateral direction from the one or more inlets to the one or more outlets to flow to assume a generally curvilinear flow path. The one or more first or second walls act as barriers so that water cannot flow along a diametric path but only along a curvilinear path. In some embodiments of the invention, the walls are configured such that at least one of the first walls or at least one of the second walls extends into a space formed between two adjacent opposing second walls or first walls, respectively. According to one embodiment of the teachings herein, the apex of the first wall is such that: each vertex further along the liquid flow path is located at a lower level than the vertex of the first wall closer along the liquid flow path.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the liquid inlet is located at the periphery of the filter and the outlet is located in the central portion of the bottom wall of the filter. According to this embodiment, the liquid flows from the periphery to the central outlet of the filter along a generally radial, generally descending, curvilinear flow path. According to another embodiment of the invention, the water inlet is formed at a central portion of the upper wall and the outlet is defined at a peripheral portion of the bottom of the filter. According to this embodiment, the liquid flows from the central water inlet into the peripheral outlet along a substantially radial, overall descending flow path.

According to some preferred embodiments of the invention, the liquid inlet and outlet are arranged such that the liquid flows substantially uniformly through the entire inner filtering space of the filter, such that the entire filter medium participates in the filtering process. For example, in case the water inlet is located at the upper periphery of the filter, the one or more water inlets are arranged with a substantially uniform circumferential distribution along the periphery of the filter. Similarly, in case the water outlet is located at a peripheral portion of the bottom of the filter, such one or more outlets are arranged to have a substantially uniform circumferential distribution at said periphery. For example, the water inlet may comprise a plurality of holes equally distributed along the top periphery of the filter; a number (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 8) of elongated arcuate openings along the top periphery of the filter may also be included.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the first and second walls are concentric, generally coaxial and substantially parallel to the vertical axis of the filter. According to one embodiment of the invention, each of the first and second walls is a circular wall.

The invention also provides a liquid filter having a housing of the type defined above, the filter including one or more vents formed in the top of the housing. In the case of a filter of the type having an inner wall as described above, the vent is typically a port that opens into a space surrounding the outermost peripheral second wall. Such ports expel air which, if not released, may be trapped in the filtering space, which may impair the continuous filtering process. These vents are typically formed at a height greater than the height of the liquid inlet. According to one embodiment of the invention, the liquid inlet and the venting opening are connected by an inclined wall portion rising from the inlet to the aperture.

The system for the purpose of purifying water of the invention is in particular a device for producing drinking water. In this case, the device may comprise a filter medium with reactants known per se, such as those described in WO 2004/071961 and WO 2005/092798.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the liquid treatment medium may comprise means for releasing a beneficial substance into the drinking water. Such substances may have a nutritional or health value, or may have a disinfecting effect on water. A specific example of such a substance is iodine.

By one embodiment of the invention, the purification device comprises a porous substrate arranged generally above the inlet of the filter, which porous substrate releases the beneficial substance to the water. For example, such a porous substrate may be in the form of a mesh, a porous material, a fibrous material, or the like. Whereby water contacts the substrate before entering the filter space through the inlet. According to one embodiment, an adsorption substrate is further provided for adsorbing substances that may be released from the porous substrate into the source water reservoir. Such an adsorption substrate is generally arranged above a porous substrate releasing the substance, and in the case of iodine, the adsorption substrate may be activated carbon, a porous material, a fibrous material or the like.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the filter space has a flow delay chamber arranged in the flow path between the liquid inlet and the filter space. The flow delay chamber may include a flow barrier in the form of one or more meshes, porous materials, fibrous materials, or the like, or any combination thereof, within the chamber or at one or both ends.

The invention also provides a purification system for filtering and purifying water into potable water, said purification system having a housing of the above type and comprising a polymeric substrate incorporating iodine and capable of releasing said iodine into the source water. Polymers that bind iodine and are capable of releasing the iodine into the surrounding aqueous medium are generally known. Examples are polyamides such as nylon 6, nylon 11 and natural proteins, polyurethanes made from diisocyanates and diols (e.g. segmented polymers made from toluene diisocyanate and short-chain polyethylene glycols, polytetramethylene glycols, polycaprolactone), polyureas, polyvinylpyrrolidones, polyethyleneimines, polyvinylamines, chitosan, polyvinylpyridines and other polymers and copolymers with amide and amine and urethane groups. Iodine may be included in such polymers, the iodine being neutral iodine (I)₂) Or iodide anion (I)₃ ^-) In the form of electrostatic and coordination complexes with amide, amine or urethane linkages, wherein such complexes may amount to 50% w/w of the weight of the support. Iodine is gradually released into water by dissolution depending on the contact time, temperature and coordination process in the carrier.

Typically, the purification system comprising the iodine releasing polymer also comprises means for subsequent absorption of iodine from the water. Such components are typically contained within the filter media within the filtration space.

The invention also provides a filter for filtering water into potable water, having a housing of the above-mentioned type and comprising a ceramic filter device, usually fitted at the water outlet, for contact with the filtered water to absorb heavy metals from the water.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the purification system is configured for use in association with a portable drinking water container. Such containers generally comprise: a potable water reservoir having a sealable dispensing outlet; a purification system as disclosed herein fitted to the base of a container such that the outlet leads from the filter into the reservoir; and a water reservoir for receiving source water and supplying it into the liquid inlet. The container has a filtering position in which the container is inverted with its base oriented outwardly for filtering the source water into potable water that is accumulated in the reservoir.

According to one embodiment of the portable water container of the invention, the water receptacle is fitted on the top side of the filter and has a collapsed state in which the water receptacle is pressed adjacent to the top side and an extended state. To filter the source water, the receptacle is opened to the expanded state. Typically, the potable water container according to this embodiment comprises a filter cover for fitting over the water receptacle when the water receptacle is in a collapsed state. The cover thus also serves as a base for the container. The filter cap assembly may be a screw-type fitting or any other convenient fitting mechanism.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the filter comprises an integrated vent for venting the potable water reservoir. The vent has at least one first opening which opens into the drinking water reservoir and at least one second opening which opens to the outside. In an embodiment of the invention, wherein the filter is integrated with the portable drinking water container, the at least one second outlet may typically be sealed, e.g. by an O-ring, which is compressed by the filter cover.

According to another aspect, the present invention also provides a method for filtering and purifying a source liquid, the method comprising directing the liquid to flow through a filter medium in a generally transverse, generally descending curvilinear flow path.

Drawings

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a filter according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a filter according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the filter of FIG. 1 assembled over a portable potable water container and a source water receptacle in a retracted and covered filter cover state;

FIG. 4 shows the potable water container of FIG. 3 with the source water reservoir in an extended state;

FIG. 5 illustrates a filter incorporated in a counter top water filtration device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 6A and 6B are a cut-away perspective view and a cross-sectional view, respectively, of a filter according to another embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 7A and 7B show cut-away perspective views through a filter according to another embodiment of the invention, showing an integrated vent for venting a potable water reservoir, wherein fig. 7A shows the vent in a sealed state and fig. 7B shows the vent in an open, vented state;

fig. 7C and 7D show the circled portions of fig. 7A and 7B, respectively, at twice magnification.

Detailed Description

In the following description, a specific embodiment of the present invention for filtering and purifying source water into drinking water will be described. It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this embodiment and that the filter of the invention may be used to filter and purify any other liquid.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, there is shown a filter arrangement generally designated 100 comprising a housing 102, in this particular embodiment the housing 102 is formed of an upper filter component 104 and a lower filter component 106, the upper and lower filter components 104, 106 being fitted together in a snap-fit arrangement by means of peripheral snap-locks and corresponding slots 108. The two filter components together define a filter space 110. In use, the filter space 110 is filled with a filter medium, which may comprise per se known components such as resins, activated carbon, etc., for removing nauseous or other undesired substances through the medium. The composition of the filter media may depend on the source water quality, desired potable water quality, and may generally be designed to meet acceptable or regulatory standards. The factors to be taken into account in designing a suitable filter component are known per se.

The filter is designed for filtering water from a source above the filter into a potable water receptacle, which may be placed below the filter. The filter includes a plurality (two in this particular embodiment) of first set of walls 112 and second set of walls 116, the first set of walls 112 extending upwardly from the bottom wall 114 and the second set of walls 116 extending downwardly from an upper wall 118 of the filter. All walls in this particular embodiment define a circular path, all of which are parallel and coaxial. One or more water inlets 122 are formed in the upper portion of the periphery and are generally arranged to allow a relatively uniform water inlet throughout the entire periphery of the filter. This may be achieved by a plurality of openings equally spaced in a circular array; or alternatively may be realized by one or several annular openings in the top part.

The filter has a water outlet 124 at its central bottom.

The first walls 112 and the second walls 116 are staggered in a wedge-like engagement such that one or more second walls fit into a space between two adjacent first walls and vice versa. Thus, a generally transverse, generally descending curvilinear flow path is defined between the water inlet 122 and the water outlet 124.

The first wall 112 has an apex such that: each apex further along the flow path is at a lower elevation than the apex of the first wall closer along the flow path. This is an important characteristic to ensure a high yield of water filtration under gravity. The water flows through the filter along a curved flow path indicated by wavy arrows 130. The water flows in a substantially radial direction from the water inlet 122 to the water outlet 124, the water flow through the filter space 110 (at least through a major part thereof) having a substantially transverse orientation and having a slightly downward course, as indicated by the arrow 132.

The filter also includes one or more vents 134 for releasing air that may be trapped within the filter, as indicated by dashed arrows 136. The vents are typically in the form of an elongated circumferential opening or a plurality of outlets equally spaced in a circular array.

Fig. 2 shows another embodiment of a filter 200. Elements in fig. 2 that function similarly to those in fig. 1 are given the same reference numeral increased by 100 in the hundreds. The filter 200 includes a central water inlet 208 formed in the upper wall 218 and has one or more peripheral water outlets 224 in a peripheral portion of the bottom wall 214. In this embodiment, the water inlet 208 and the water outlet 224 define a generally transverse, generally descending, curvilinear flow path therebetween. Arrow 232 represents this generally transverse, slightly downwardly-directed path. The apex of the first wall 212 is configured to be located at progressively decreasing heights along the flow path, which in this embodiment is defined from the center to the periphery.

Referring now to fig. 3, there is shown a filter 100 similar to the filter shown in fig. 1, the filter 100 being incorporated into a portable drinking water container 300. Filter 100 forms part of a filter assembly 302, which filter assembly 302, in addition to filter 100, includes a water reservoir 304, shown in a collapsed state, and a filter cap 306 that fits over the collapsed water reservoir 304, typically in threaded engagement. The filter cover 306 has a flat bottom 308, which flat bottom 308 can serve as a support base for the container 300 in the state shown in fig. 3. At the opposite end, the drinking water container 300 has a dispensing outlet 310 sealed by a closure 312, the dispensing outlet 310 having a spacer 314 fitted over a neck 316 of the dispensing opening 310, the spacer 314 being adapted to engage and seal the opening, typically in a screw-type manner. The closure 312 has a side 318, the side 318 surrounding an upper portion 320 of the bottle. The closure 312 is configured to support the bottle when inverted for filtering water as described below.

Referring now to fig. 4, which shows the bottom of the container 300 in an inverted fashion with the filter 100 in the upper portion, the source water reservoir 304 is expanded to a fully open condition, thereby defining an inner reservoir space 322, which inner reservoir space 322 can receive source water to be filtered and purified by the filter 100, and from this view it can be seen that the source water reservoir 304 has a corrugated-type configuration. As can be seen, the water inlet 122 is in fluid communication with the reservoir space, whereby water introduced into the reservoir space may pass through the filter, as shown by arrow 130, into the potable water container 300. After such filtration, the receptacle 304 may collapse and the filter cover 308 may be properly placed in the state shown in fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows a filter of the type of filter 100 shown in fig. 1, which is incorporated in a counter top water filtration device 500. The device 500 is divided by a partition 502 into a source water reservoir 504 and a potable water reservoir 506 having a dispensing valve outlet 508. The device 500 is equipped with legs 509. The vent 510 extends into the potable water reservoir 506 along the sidewall of the device 500 and allows air to be released while water is filtered into the reservoir 506.

The source water reservoir 504 is covered by a cover 512 and when the cover 512 is lifted, the source water can be filled into the reservoir 504 whereupon the water can be filtered through the filter 100 into the reservoir 506 for subsequent use in the manner shown and described above.

Referring now to fig. 6A and 6B, there is shown a filter arrangement 600 having a housing 602, the housing 602 being formed in a similar manner to the filter of fig. 1 from two filter components, including an upper filter component 604 and a lower filter component 606, which are typically welded together and together define a filter space 610. The filtering space 610 is filled with a filtering medium in use for filtering and removing toxic or harmful or unwanted substances from the water.

The filter arrangement comprises a pre-treatment device 639, the pre-treatment device 639 comprising a cover 640 and a water treatment chamber 641, the water treatment chamber 641 being defined between the cover 640 and the upper wall 618 and accommodating a porous substrate 642. The porous substrate 642 is adapted to release iodine into the water. The porous substrate 642 may, for example, be in the form of a sponge made of polyurethane. The porous substrate typically has iodine adsorbed therein and may be covered, for example, by an ethylene-vinyl acetate coating which serves to provide partial control of the release parameters and to improve storage stability by inhibiting iodine release during storage. The coating may be formed, for example, by spraying. The disinfection function of iodine is that it is capable of removing microorganisms from water. Typically, the iodine will then be absorbed by the filter media within the filter space 610. As can be seen, the cover 640 has a plurality of water ingress and egress openings 644 which are typically covered by a fine mesh which, on the one hand, allows water ingress and egress and, on the other hand, serves a number of functions including filtering out particulate matter and maintaining the integrity of the porous substrate 642 retained thereunder. The filter arrangement 600 also includes a filter condition measuring device 650 of the type described in co-pending patent application serial nos. 60/828,643 and 60/872,489, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The filter arrangement 600 comprises water inlets 622 in the form of annular openings, the water inlets 622 being distributed over the entire periphery of the upper wall 618 so that water can flow in substantially uniformly over the entire periphery of the filter. The annular opening 622 is also typically covered by a fine mesh. The filter device 600 also includes a vent 634 for releasing air bubbles that may come in with the water. The air vents 634 are formed at a height greater than the height of the water inlet 622 and are connected by a wall 635, the wall 635 being inclined and rising from the water inlet 622 to the air vents 634.

The water inlet 622 opens into a flow delay chamber 660, the bottom of which is defined by a wall 662, the wall 662 including a circumferential opening 664 which is generally covered by a mesh element. In some embodiments of the invention, the chamber 660 may be filled with a flow-retarding substrate (which may be a porous substrate, a fibrous substrate, a sponge, etc.). In other embodiments, the flow delaying function is implemented in a mesh covering the opening 664. The flow delaying chamber 660 serves to delay the flow of water to allow time for the sterilization action of the iodine releasing member 642.

Included within the filtering space 610 is a first set of walls 612A and 612B that are circular and concentric with the more peripheral wall 612A, the more peripheral wall 612A having an apex that is higher than the height of the apex of the wall 612B, the wall 612B surrounding the outlet 624. The filtration space also includes a downwardly extending second wall 616, the first and second walls together allowing the water to take a generally transverse but curvilinear flow path through the filter media.

The cap 672 is fitted over a circular wall 670, the circular wall 670 extending downwardly from the bottom of the filter assembly 600 about the opening 624, the cap 672 retaining a ceramic filter 674, which ceramic filter 674 is designed to filter and remove metals (e.g., arsenic, etc.) from water in accordance with a particular embodiment of the invention. The filter 674 is porous to allow water to flow therethrough. The bottom of cap 672 has a large opening, typically covered by a mesh, to allow water to flow therethrough. As can be seen, filter member 674 is pressed by cap 672 against O-ring 676, which is received in groove 678, and which provides a water-tight seal, thereby ensuring that water flows completely through filter member 674. The opening 624 is also typically covered by a mesh 680.

Referring now to fig. 7A-7D, a filter arrangement 700 according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The filter 700 has a filter body 702 that incorporates an integral aeration device 704 for aerating a potable water reservoir (not shown) fitted to the top surface 706 of the filter 700 (the top surface 706 being the top surface in the condition shown herein; becoming the bottom surface of the filter when inverted during filtration). The filter includes a filter cover 708, the filter cover 708 functioning similarly to that shown in fig. 3 and 4, and having a bottom surface 709 that enables a bottle (not shown in fig. 7A and 7B) to stand on the bottom surface 709 when in a normal use mode (i.e., except for filtering water). The filter cover 708 has internal threads 710, the internal threads 710 engaging with external threads on the main body 702 so that by rotation it is possible to switch between a fully engaged or closed state as shown in fig. 7A, in which an upper edge 714 of the cover 708 is a tight fit against a shoulder 716, and a partially open state as shown in fig. 7C, and a fully open state (not shown) for filtering water. The filter cover 708 may house a collapsible water reservoir (not shown in fig. 7A and 7B) in a manner similar to that in the embodiment shown in fig. 3 and 4.

A filtering space 716 is defined in the filter body 702, the filter body 702 including a water inlet 718, a vent 720, a flow delay chamber 722, and a water outlet 724 fitted with a cap 726, the cap 726 may hold a ceramic filter that functions similarly to the filter 674 in fig. 6A and 6B. The preprocessing unit 730 is configured to have a function similar to the preprocessing unit 639 in fig. 6A and 6B.

The vent 707 has a main vent passage 734, the main vent passage 734 having a first opening 736 leading to a potable water reservoir (not shown) and a second opening 738 which may lead to the outside, as best seen in fig. 7C and 7D. The O-ring 740 has a dual function, on the one hand, in the closed state it serves to ensure a fluid tight seal between the cover 708 and the body 702. On the other hand, it acts as a valve for the second opening 738. In the closed state, O-ring 740 is compressed to seal opening 738, as can be seen in fig. 7C. When the cover is opened, the O-ring 740 is released to form a circular cross-sectional shape that allows air to flow out, as indicated by arrow 750 in fig. 7D, resulting in filling the water container with filtered drinking water.

Claims (9)

1. A drinking water container, comprising:

a potable water reservoir having a sealable dispensing outlet;

a filter, the filter comprising:

a housing having a top and a bottom, the housing containing a generally horizontal filtration space containing a liquid treatment medium, the filter having one or more liquid inlets at the top and one or more liquid outlets at the bottom, the liquid inlets and outlets being configured such that liquid flows through the liquid treatment medium in a generally lateral direction; and

two or more first walls extending upwardly into the filtration space from a bottom wall of the filtration space and terminating at an apex; and one or more second walls extending downwardly into the filtration space from a top wall thereof, each of the walls defining a closed path, the first and second walls together causing the liquid to flow along a curved flow path from the inlet to the outlet, the apex of the first wall being such that: each apex further along the liquid flow path is at a lower level than the apex of the first wall closer along the flow path,

the filter being fitted at the base of the container such that the liquid outlet opens into the reservoir;

a water reservoir for introducing source water and supplying it to the liquid inlet; and

a reservoir vent for venting the reservoir while filtering,

the container has a water filtering position in which the container is inverted with its bottom oriented upwards for filtering the source water into drinking water accumulated in the reservoir.

2. A potable water container according to claim 1, wherein the vent is integrally formed within the filter.

3. A drinking water container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the water receptacle is fitted to the top side of the filter and has a collapsed state in which the water receptacle is compacted adjacent the top side and an extended state in which the receptacle can be opened into the extended state for introduction of source water.

4. A potable water container according to claim 3, comprising a filter cover for fitting over the receptacle when the receptacle is in the collapsed state, said cover also serving as a base for the container.

5. A potable water container according to claim 4, wherein the fit of the filter cover is a screw-type fit.

6. A potable water container according to claim 4 or 5, comprising a circumferential seal for ensuring a liquid-tight seal between the filter cover and the filter.

7. A drinking water container according to claim 6, wherein the reservoir vent is integrally formed within the filter, the vent having one or more outside openings at an outside wall of the filter, such that the openings are sealed by the seal when the filter cover is fitted to the filter and are opened when the cover is opened.

8. A potable water container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first walls or at least one of the second walls extends into a space formed between two adjacent opposing walls.

9. The potable water container of claim 8, wherein the first wall is concentrically arranged with the second wall.