JP2024127213A - Water purifiers and filter units - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a water purifier capable of switching filtration treatment of raw water and backwashing with a simple operation, and a filter unit used for the water purifier.SOLUTION: A water purifier 1 includes a container 10 for storing raw water and a filter unit 30 that can be attached to and detached from the container 10 via a discharge cock 14. The filter unit 30 has a pre-filter unit 31 and a post-filter unit 32 located downstream of the pre-filter unit 31. The post filter unit 32 has a discharge cock mounting part 81 that can be detachably attached to the discharge cock 14 and a pre-filter unit mounting part 80 that can be detachably attached to the pre-filter unit 31. The post filter unit 32 is configured to be able to attach the discharge cock 14 to the pre-filter unit mounting part 80.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a water purifier and a filter unit.

In emergencies such as typhoons and earthquakes, the daily lives of victims can be significantly affected by the interruption of lifelines such as water, electricity, and gas. It is particularly important to secure drinking water and water for daily use that are necessary for daily life. As a means of responding to disasters, it is important to prepare water purifiers on hand on a regular basis to generate drinking water and water for daily use from raw water other than tap water, such as rivers, reservoirs, and rainwater stored in water tanks. Some water purifiers use a filter to filter raw water. However, if the water purifier is used for a long time, impurities will adhere to the filter, causing the filtering function to deteriorate, making it necessary to replace or clean the filter.

One type of water purifier that allows for easy filter replacement is one that has a prefilter, a filter material such as an activated carbon filter, and a hollow fiber filter arranged in that order from the opening side where the raw water is drawn in. The prefilter is made up of multiple filter units. In this type of water purifier, when the prefilter units become clogged with foreign matter contained in the raw water, the clogged filter units are removed one by one from the upstream side of the raw water, and the remaining filter units are used as new prefilters (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

There is also a portable water purifier that has a pump that sucks raw water, a filtration unit connected to the rear of the pump, and an activated carbon filter unit connected to the rear of the filtration unit, with the pump and the filtration unit connected by a first water pipe, and the filtration unit and the activated carbon filter unit connected by a second water pipe. In this water purifier, the first water pipe and the second water pipe are detachable. When filtering raw water, the pump, the first water pipe, the filtration unit, the second water pipe, the activated carbon filter unit, the water supply pipe, and the plastic tank for storing purified water are connected in this order. Then, when backwashing (also called backwashing), the plastic tank for storing purified water, the water intake pipe, the pump, the second water pipe, and the filtration unit are connected in this order, and the purified water is circulated in the opposite direction to that during filtration, and the backwash water is discharged from the backwash drain below the filtration unit (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2011-36758 A JP 2019-195746 A

The water purifier in Patent Document 1 above claims that the prefilter function can be easily restored by removing the multiple filter units one by one. However, while it is possible to restore the prefilter, it is insufficient for backwashing the water purifier, since it is not possible to clean the filtration material and hollow fiber filter located downstream of the prefilter. Furthermore, even in the prefilter, it cannot be denied that there are cases of clogging, even though the second and subsequent filter units are less numerous than the first filter unit.

The water purifier in Patent Document 2 performs backwashing by passing purified water (treated water) through a route opposite to the route used to filter raw water. However, the connections of the first water pipe, second water pipe, water supply pipe, and water intake pipe must be switched, which is troublesome and cumbersome, and there is also the problem that mistakes may be made. Furthermore, this backwashing method is configured in such a way that it is not possible to backwash the activated carbon filter unit.

The present invention has been made to solve at least one of these problems, and aims to provide a water purifier and a filter unit for use in this water purifier that can easily switch between filtering raw water and backwashing in the water purifier and filter unit, and that can effectively regenerate the filter unit through backwashing.

[1] The water purifier of the present invention comprises a container for storing the raw water, a pressure accumulator pump for pressurizing the inside of the container, and a filter unit disposed inside the container and detachable to the container via a discharge cock, the filter unit comprises a pre-filter unit disposed upstream of the raw water, and a post-filter unit disposed downstream of the pre-filter unit, the post-filter unit comprises a discharge cock mounting portion that can be detachably attached to the discharge cock, and a pre-filter unit mounting portion to which the pre-filter unit can be detachably attached, the discharge cock mounting portion and the pre-filter unit mounting portion have the same configuration, and the post-filter unit is configured so that the discharge cock can be attached to the pre-filter unit mounting portion.

[2] In the water purifier of the present invention, it is preferable that each of the discharge cock mounting portion and the pre-filter unit mounting portion is configured so that it can be fitted to the post-filter unit or the pre-filter unit via an elastic packing.

[3] In the water purifier of the present invention, it is preferable that the discharge cock can be attached to the pre-filter unit mounting portion from which the pre-filter unit has been removed, and that, with the post-filter unit mounted inside the container via the discharge cock, backwashing can be performed by circulating purified water stored in the container through the post-filter unit and discharging it from the discharge cock.

[4] The filter unit of the present invention has a pre-filter unit and a post-filter unit connected in this order from the side where raw water is sucked in, and the post-filter unit has a discharge cock mounting part that can be detachably attached to the discharge cock, and a pre-filter unit mounting part to which the pre-filter unit can be detachably attached, the discharge cock mounting part and the pre-filter unit mounting part have the same configuration, and the discharge cock is configured so that it can be attached to the pre-filter unit mounting part.

[5] In the filter unit of the present invention, it is preferable that the pre-filter unit mounting portion and the discharge cock mounting portion have a ridge portion protruding in the outer circumferential direction and a packing that is fitted into a packing groove provided in the ridge portion, and the post-filter unit is configured to be detachably attached to the discharge cock or the pre-filter unit via the packing.

[6] In the filter unit of the present invention, it is preferable that the pre-filter unit comprises a pre-filter case having an intake opening for intake of the raw water on one side and an attachment opening for fitting into the post-filter unit on the other side, and that a wire mesh, a sponge sheet, and a nonwoven fabric sheet are arranged in this order from the intake opening side inside the pre-filter case.

[7] In the filter unit of the present invention, it is preferable that the post-filter unit has an activated carbon filter unit and an MF hollow fiber filter unit that are connected in series in this order from the pre-filter unit side, and that the activated carbon filter unit has a pre-filter unit mounting part formed on the pre-filter unit side, and that the MF hollow fiber filter unit has a discharge cock mounting part formed on the discharge cock side.

[8] In the filter unit of the present invention, it is preferable that an intermediate filter is disposed between the activated carbon filter unit and the MF hollow fiber filter unit.

[9] In the filter unit of the present invention, it is preferable that an inlet opening for introducing raw water is provided at the end of the activated carbon filter case that is inserted into the pre-filter unit, and a nonwoven fabric sheet is interposed between the inner end face of the end and the activated carbon filter.

A water purifier is composed of a container that stores raw water, a pre-filter unit that adsorbs and removes relatively large debris, a post-filter unit that filters the raw water into drinking water or water for daily use, and a discharge cock that discharges the filtered purified water (also called treated water) outside the container. A water purifier can obtain purified water by filtering raw water through the pre-filter unit and then the post-filter unit. On the other hand, the post-filter unit can be cleaned by passing purified water through the post-filter unit in the opposite direction to the filtration process. Cleaning the post-filter unit by passing purified water in the opposite direction to the filtration process is called backwashing or backwashing.

The water purifier has a discharge cock mounting section to which a discharge cock can be detachably attached to the post-filter unit, and a pre-filter unit mounting section to which a pre-filter unit can be detachably attached. The pre-filter unit mounting section is configured so that a discharge cock can be attached in place of the pre-filter unit. Therefore, the discharge cock is attached to the post-filter unit in place of the pre-filter unit, and is attached to a container. Then, by circulating purified water (treated water) through the post-filter unit in the opposite direction to the filtration process, it becomes possible to backwash the post-filter unit. The water purifier can be used repeatedly for a long time without replacing the filter unit with a new one.

The filter unit is composed of a pre-filter unit and a post-filter unit, and can filter raw water into drinking water or water for daily use. The post-filter unit has a pre-filter unit mounting section and a drain cock mounting section, and a discharge cock can be attached to the pre-filter unit mounting section. Therefore, by mounting a drain cock on the post-filter unit in place of the pre-filter unit, purified water (treated water) can be circulated through the post-filter unit in the opposite direction to that during filtration, making it possible to backwash the post-filter unit.

As a result of the above, the water purifier and filter unit can easily switch between filtering the raw water and backwashing, and the filter unit can be effectively regenerated by backwashing.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an outline of a water purifier 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a filter unit 11. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a filter unit 30. FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing a pre-filter unit mounting portion 80 and a discharge cock mounting portion 81. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the configuration of the filter unit 11 when filtering raw water. 2 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing a mounting structure of the filter unit 11 to the container 10 when filtering raw water. FIG. FIG. 4 is an assembly and disassembly diagram showing the configuration of the filter unit 11 during backwashing. 4 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing the mounting structure of the filter unit 11 to the container 10 during backwashing. FIG.

The water purifier 1 and filter unit 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 8.

(Configuration of water purifier 1)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of a water purifier 1. The water purifier 1 includes a container 10 for storing raw water, a filter unit 11 connected to a position close to the bottom of the container 10, an accumulator pump 12 disposed at the top of the container 10, and a safety valve 13 for controlling the pressure rise in the container 10. The raw water is water that contains substances to be removed and cannot be used as drinking water or daily life water as it is. The daily life water is water that is not suitable for drinking but can be used to wash hands and faces or do laundry. In the following description, drinking water and daily life water obtained by filtering raw water are collectively referred to as purified water or treated water.

The container 10 is a lightweight container, commonly known as a polyethylene tank, that allows even one person to carry raw water. The water purifier 1 can be attached to a larger tank or a fixed storage tank, not limited to a polyethylene tank, and the filter unit 11 can be attached to the container 10. However, it is more preferable that the container 10 is a portable type that can be carried by even one person in an emergency such as a disaster. The water purifier 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 has the filter unit 11 connected to a position close to the bottom of the container 10, so that drinking water or water for daily use can be discharged while the device is placed on the floor or ground. The filter unit 11 has a discharge cock 14 attached to the outside of the container 10, and a filter unit 30 (see FIG. 2) that filters the raw water is inserted into the container 10. The pressure-storing pump 12 can be one with a commonly used structure, so a description thereof will be omitted. The pressure-storing pump 12 can be attached and detached using a pump fixing cap 15.

(Configuration of Filter Unit 11)
2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the filter unit 11. The filter unit 11 is composed of a drain cock 14, which is a drain part for purified water, and a filter unit 30. The drain cock 14 is composed of a filter connection cap 17 having a connection pipe part 16 that connects the filter unit 30 to the drain cock 14, a cap connection pipe 18 connected to the connection pipe part 16, a drain pipe 19 connected perpendicularly to the cap connection pipe 18, and a handle part 20. The filter connection cap 17 is rotatable with respect to the cap connection pipe 18, and is configured so that the filter unit 11 can be attached to an attachment protrusion part 27 (see FIG. 6) provided on the container 10. The attachment structure of the filter unit 11 to the container 10 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6.

The filter unit 30 is composed of a pre-filter unit 31 and a post-filter unit 32. The post-filter unit 32 is composed of an activated carbon filter unit 33 and an MF hollow fiber filter unit 34. The example shown in FIG. 2 shows the configuration when raw water is filtered (also called purification). In the case of filtration, raw water is sucked in through the intake opening 35 of the pre-filter unit 31, filtered by the post-filter unit 32, and the filtered purified water is discharged from the discharge cock 14 (discharge pipe 19). Most of the filter unit 30 is disposed inside the container 10, except for the part that fits into the filter connection cap 17. Next, the configuration of the filter unit 30 will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

(Configuration of Filter Unit 30)
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the filter unit 30. The filter unit 30 is composed of a pre-filter unit 31 and a post-filter unit 32 connected downstream of the pre-filter unit 31. The post-filter unit 32 is composed of an activated carbon filter unit 33 and an MF hollow fiber filter unit 34 connected in series to the activated carbon filter unit 33. Fig. 3 shows an example in which raw water is filtered by the filter unit 30 and then discharged.

First, the configuration of the pre-filter unit 31 will be described. The pre-filter unit 31 is composed of a cylindrical pre-filter case 42 having an intake opening 35 for drawing in raw water at one end 36, a fitting opening 41 for fitting the post-filter unit 32, i.e., the activated carbon filter unit 33, on the opposite side of the intake opening 40, and a pre-filter 43 arranged inside the pre-filter case 42. The pre-filter 43 is composed of a wire mesh 44, a sponge sheet 45, and a non-woven fabric sheet 46 arranged in layers in this order from the intake opening 40 side. The sponge sheet 45 and the non-woven fabric sheet 46 adsorb relatively large sand and organic garbage contained in the raw water, and suppress clogging of the activated carbon filter unit 33 in the subsequent stage. The wire mesh 44 is arranged to suppress deformation of the sponge sheet 45. For example, the wire mesh 44 has a mesh of 20, which makes it possible to suppress deformation of the sponge sheet 45 without affecting the raw water supply speed. Note that a mesh of 20 means that there are 20 meshes in a range of 1 inch in length.

Next, the configuration of the activated carbon filter unit 33 will be described. The activated carbon filter unit 33 has a cylindrical activated carbon filter case 53 having an inlet opening 51 for introducing raw water that has passed through the prefilter unit 31 at the end 50 connected to the prefilter unit 31, and an attachment opening 52 for fitting the MF hollow fiber filter unit 34 on the opposite side of the inlet opening 51. An activated carbon filter 54 is housed inside the activated carbon filter case 53. The activated carbon filter 54 is an aggregate of granular (particulate) activated carbon, and has a two-layer structure of a first activated carbon filter 55 and a second activated carbon filter 56 with different particle sizes in order from the inlet opening 51 side. The average particle size of the first activated carbon filter 55 arranged on the prefilter unit 31 side is larger than the average particle size of the second activated carbon filter 56.

In this example, for example, the particle size of the first activated carbon filter 55 is 0.5 mm to 1.7 mm, and the particle size of the second activated carbon filter 56 is 0.35 mm to 0.85 mm. In other words, the average particle size of the first activated carbon filter 55 is about twice the average particle size of the second activated carbon filter 56. The use of the first activated carbon filter 55 and the second activated carbon filter 56 is the same concept as that of the conventionally used sedimentation type filtration device. The main role of the activated carbon filter 54 is to adsorb odors from the raw water, but the first activated carbon filter 55, which has a large particle size, adsorbs relatively large objects to be removed that have passed through the prefilter 43, and the second activated carbon filter 56, which has a small particle size, adsorbs and removes objects to be removed that have passed through the first activated carbon filter 55. The volume (weight) ratio of the first activated carbon filter 55 and the second activated carbon filter 56 can be appropriately set according to the quality of the raw water.

A partition filter 57 is disposed between the first activated carbon filter 55 and the second activated carbon filter 56. For example, a nonwoven fabric sheet 46 or an activated carbon sheet 61 can be used as the partition filter 57. The partition filter 57 prevents the first activated carbon filter 55 and the second activated carbon filter 56 from mixing with each other. However, if the first activated carbon filter 55 and the second activated carbon filter 56 have the same particle size, a similar particle size, or can be mixed, or if it can be confirmed that they are configured to be difficult to mix, the partition filter 57 can be omitted.

The end 50 of the activated carbon filter case 53 on the pre-filter unit 31 side serves as a pressing surface for the pre-filter 43, and when the activated carbon filter unit 33 is fitted to the pre-filter unit 31, the pre-filter 43 is sandwiched between the end 36 of the pre-filter case 42. Inside the activated carbon filter case 53, a non-woven fabric sheet 47 is interposed between the inner end surface 50a and the first activated carbon filter 55. The non-woven fabric sheet 47 is provided to prevent the granular first activated carbon filter 55 from spilling out when the activated carbon filter unit 33 is alone or when the pre-filter unit 31 is removed from the post-filter unit 32. Therefore, anything other than the non-woven fabric sheet 47 can be used as long as it can hold the first activated carbon filter 55 without impeding the flow of raw water.

Although not shown in the figure, it is also possible to provide a wire mesh 44 in addition to the nonwoven fabric sheet 47. Alternatively, if the shape of the inlet opening 51 is not simply circular, but is shaped so as not to impede the flow of raw water and to be able to hold the first activated carbon filter 55, it is also possible to omit the nonwoven fabric sheet 47.

On the other hand, an intermediate filter 60 is arranged on the MF hollow fiber filter unit 34 side of the activated carbon filter unit 33. The intermediate filter 60 is arranged in layers inside the activated carbon filter case 53, in the order of activated carbon sheet 61, nonwoven fabric sheet 62, and sponge sheet 63 from the second activated carbon filter 56 side. The intermediate filter 60 is sandwiched between the second activated carbon filter 56 and the MF hollow fiber filter case 70 by fitting the MF hollow fiber filter case 70 into the activated carbon filter case 53. The intermediate filter 60 is provided to adsorb the objects to be removed, such as fine sand and organic waste that have passed through the activated carbon filter 54, to prevent clogging of the MF hollow fiber filter 71, and to prevent the fine powdered activated carbon generated from the first activated carbon filter 55 and the second activated carbon filter 56 from clogging the MF hollow fiber filter 71.

The MF hollow fiber filter unit 34 is composed of an MF hollow fiber filter case 70 and an MF hollow fiber filter 71 housed inside the MF hollow fiber filter case 70. The MF hollow fiber filter 71 filters raw water by forming a membrane with many tiny holes into a hollow fiber shape and passing the raw water through the ultra-fine holes between the continuous structure of the membrane, separating suspended solids, colloidal particles, bacteria, etc. from the raw water and purifying it into drinking water.

The pore size of the membrane of the MF hollow fiber filter 71 is 20 nm to 100 nm, which is suitable for generating drinking water. The raw water that can be generated into drinking water by the water purifier 1 includes, for example, bath water, expired bottled water, pool water, water from a water tank, and spring water from a stream. The MF hollow fiber filter 71 shown in Figure 3 uses a bundle of many hollow fibers, and the activated carbon filter unit 33 side, that is, the side where the raw water is introduced, is a gentle fold 72. On the opening 37 side of the MF hollow fiber filter case 70, many MF hollow fiber filters 71 are bundled and fixed. Each of the MF hollow fiber filters 71 has a flow hole (not shown) exposed to an opening 37, and the permeated water that passes through the tiny holes in the membrane is discharged from the opening 37 to the discharge cock 14 (see Figure 2) as purified water (treated water), and can be discharged from the discharge pipe 19 (see Figure 2).

The MF hollow fiber filter 71 is free from the inner peripheral surface 70a of the MF hollow fiber filter case 70, and the outer periphery of the bundle of MF hollow fiber filters 71 is solidified by filling it with resin or the like at the opening 37. This filling range is represented by the resin filling area A shown in FIG. 3. The MF hollow fiber filter case 70 is fitted into the fitting opening 52 of the activated carbon filter case 53 so that there is no leakage of raw water passing through it and it can be easily attached and detached. The end surface 73 on the activated carbon filter unit 33 side has a flow opening 74 with an area necessary to support the intermediate filter 60 and an area large enough for raw water to flow easily. Therefore, the shape, size and arrangement of the flow opening 74 can be set appropriately.

To circulate raw water through the filter unit 30, it is preferable to pressurize the inside of the container 10 to 300 kPa or more using the pressure accumulator pump 12. Therefore, the container 10 has a sufficient pressure resistance, and by providing a safety valve 13, it can be made into a so-called plastic tank, which can be made lighter.

The MF hollow fiber filter unit 34 is detachably connected to the activated carbon filter unit 33. Specifically, the MF hollow fiber filter unit 34 is connected by inserting the MF hollow fiber filter case 70 into the fitting opening 52 of the activated carbon filter case 53. In this case, the inner diameter of the fitting opening 52 of the activated carbon filter case 53 is formed by fitting the actual size based on the outer diameter of the MF hollow fiber filter case 70, making it easy to attach and detach and also preventing raw water leakage at the connection part.

The post-filter unit 32 also has a pre-filter unit mounting part 80 for attaching the pre-filter unit 31 detachably via a packing 75, and a discharge cock mounting part 81 for attaching the discharge cock 14 detachably via a packing 75. Specifically, the pre-filter unit mounting part 80 is provided on the activated carbon filter case 53, and the discharge cock mounting part 81 is provided on the MF hollow fiber filter case 70. Next, the configurations of the pre-filter unit mounting part 80 and the discharge cock mounting part 81 will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the pre-filter unit mounting part 80 and the discharge cock mounting part 81. First, the pre-filter unit mounting part 80 will be described. As shown on the left side of the figure, the activated carbon filter case 53 is formed with a convex rib part 58 that protrudes in the outer circumferential direction, and the convex rib part 58 is formed with two concave packing grooves 59. Elastic packing 75 is fitted into the two packing grooves 59. The outermost shape of the packing 75 protrudes beyond the convex rib part 58 and is larger than the inner diameter of the fitting opening 41 of the pre-filter case 42. The two packings 75 are pushed into the pre-filter case 42 to a position where they engage with the pre-filter case 42. At this time, the pre-filter 43 is sandwiched between the inner end surface 36a of the pre-filter case 42 and the end 50 of the activated carbon filter case 53.

Next, the discharge cock attachment part 81 will be described. As shown on the right side of the figure, the MF hollow fiber filter case 70 is formed with a radially protruding ridge part 76, and the ridge part 76 is formed with two concave packing grooves 77. Packings 75 are fitted into the two packing grooves 77. The outermost shape of the packing 75 protrudes beyond the ridge part 76 and is larger than the inner diameter of the filter unit insertion part 82 of the filter connection cap 17 (see FIG. 2). The filter unit 30 (MF hollow fiber filter case 70) is pushed into the filter connection cap 17 until the two packings 75 engage with the filter unit insertion part 82. The MF hollow fiber filter case 70 can be pushed in until the tip surface 78 hits the abutment surface 21 of the filter connection cap 17. The filter connection cap 17 is connected to the discharge cock 14 by the connection pipe part 16 (see FIG. 2).

As explained above, the pre-filter unit mounting portion 80 and the discharge cock mounting portion 81 have the same configuration. In other words, the outer diameter D1 of the convex rib portion 58 on the pre-filter unit 31 side of the filter unit 30 and the convex rib portion 76 on the filter connection cap 17 side are the same as the length L from each end 50 or tip surface 78. Therefore, the discharge cock mounting portion 81 is capable of mounting the pre-filter unit 31, and the pre-filter unit mounting portion 80 is configured to be capable of mounting the discharge cock 14.

When raw water is filtered for a long time or repeatedly using the water purifier 1 described above, the substances to be removed are adsorbed and accumulated on the surfaces and inside of the prefilter 43 and the activated carbon filter 54. In addition, the substances to be removed cause clogging of the tiny holes in the MF hollow fiber filter 71. In this situation, the amount of raw water flowing through the filter unit 30 decreases. In other words, the amount of purified water discharged decreases. Therefore, when the amount of purified water discharged decreases, backwash water (purified water, tap water, etc.) is circulated through the filter unit 30 in the opposite direction to when the raw water is filtered to remove the accumulated dirt. This is called backwashing or backwashing, and the filtration of raw water and backwashing using the water purifier 1 will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 8.

Figure 5 is an assembly exploded view showing the configuration of the filter unit 11 when filtering raw water. As described above, the filter unit 11 is composed of the discharge cock 14 and the filter unit 30. The discharge cock 14 is composed of the filter connection cap 17, the handle portion 20, and the discharge pipe 19. The cap connection pipe 18 protrudes from the discharge pipe 19 and is perpendicular to the axial direction of the discharge pipe 19. The cap connection pipe 18 is press-fitted into the connection pipe portion 16 of the filter connection cap 17 via an O-ring 22.

The discharge cock 14 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the handle 20, and has an opening/closing member 23 that connects and closes the discharge pipe 19 and the cap connection pipe 18. The filter connection cap 17 can be rotated relative to the cap connection pipe 18, making it possible to freely change the orientation of the discharge pipe 19 relative to the filter connection cap 17.

Next, the installation of the filter unit 30 to the discharge cock 14 will be described. The filter unit 30 is composed of a pre-filter unit 31 and a post-filter unit 32 consisting of an activated carbon filter unit 33 and an MF hollow fiber filter unit 34. When filtering raw water, the filter unit 30 is connected to the discharge cock 14 by orienting the discharge cock mounting portion 81 of the MF hollow fiber filter unit 34 toward the discharge cock 14 and pushing the filter unit 30 toward the filter connection cap 17.

Specifically, the MF hollow fiber filter case 70 is pushed in until the tip surface 78 (see Figure 4) abuts against the abutment surface 21 in the filter unit mounting portion 24 of the filter connection cap 17. In this way, the filter unit 30 can be attached to the discharge cock 14. Conversely, the filter unit 30 can be removed by pulling it out of the discharge cock 14. This action is indicated by the thick arrow. At this time, the packing 75 has a tightening margin between the filter unit mounting portion 24 of the filter connection cap 17 so that water leakage does not occur, and also has a tightening margin so that it does not easily come off while the water purifier 1 is in use.

Now, the operation of the discharge cock 14 will be explained. When the handle portion 20 is rotated left, the opening/closing member 23 is pulled upward while rotating, creating a gap in the water stop portion 26 between the discharge pipe 19 and the opening/closing member 23, and purified water filtered by the filter unit 30 is discharged from the discharge pipe 19. When the handle portion 20 is rotated right, the opening/closing member 23 is pushed down while rotating, closing the water stop portion 26 and stopping the discharge of purified water.

Figure 6 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing the mounting structure of the filter unit 11 to the container 10 when filtering raw water. The filter unit 30 is attached to the discharge cock 14 at the tip side of the MF hollow fiber filter unit 34. The container 10 has a mounting protrusion 27 that protrudes toward the outside of the container for mounting the filter unit 11, and the mounting protrusion 27 has a filter unit insertion hole 28. In advance, the filter unit 30 has the discharge cock mounting part 81 inserted into the filter unit mounting part 24 of the filter connection cap 17, and is attached to the discharge cock 14 using the elastic force of the packing 75 to form the filter unit 11. Then, the filter unit 30 is inserted into the filter unit insertion hole 28 from the outside of the container 10, and the male thread 29A formed on the mounting protrusion 27 is screwed into the female thread 29B formed on the filter connection cap 17. The filter unit 30 moves to a position where the tip surface 78 of the MF hollow fiber filter case 70 abuts against the abutment surface 21 of the filter connection cap 17, and then stops. In this way, the filter unit 11 with the filter unit 30 attached can be attached to the container 10.

A gasket 38 is placed on the inside of the filter connection cap 17. The tip surface 27a of the mounting projection 27 presses against the gasket 38, thereby preventing water leakage from the connection between the container 10 and the filter connection cap 17. In addition, a packing 75 maintains liquid-tightness between the filter unit 30 and the filter connection cap 17.

Next, the configuration of the filter unit 11 in the case of backwashing will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Note that the configuration of the container 10 and the discharge cock 14 is the same as in the case of filtration, so the description will be omitted and the same reference numerals as in Figures 5 and 6 will be used.

Figure 7 is an assembly exploded view showing the configuration of the filter unit 11 during backwashing. As described above, the filter unit 11 is composed of the discharge cock 14 and the post-filter unit 32. During backwashing, first, the pre-filter unit 31 (see Figure 5) is removed from the post-filter unit 32. Then, the activated carbon filter unit 33 is faced toward the discharge cock 14, and the post-filter unit 32 is attached to the discharge cock 14. In other words, the pre-filter unit mounting part 80 is faced toward the discharge cock 14 and inserted into the discharge cock 14. The pre-filter unit mounting part 80 has the same dimensions and configuration as the discharge cock mounting part 81, so it can be inserted into the discharge cock 14.

Specifically, the end 50 of the activated carbon filter case 53 is pushed into the abutment surface 21 in the filter unit mounting portion 24 of the filter connection cap 17 until it butts. In this way, the post filter unit 32 can be attached to the discharge cock 14. Conversely, the post filter unit 32 can be removed by pulling it out of the discharge cock 14. This action is indicated by the thick arrow. At this time, the packing 75 has a tightening margin between the activated carbon filter case 53 and the filter unit mounting portion 24 of the filter connection cap 17 so that water leakage does not occur, and also has a tightening margin so that it does not easily come off while the water purifier 1 is in use.

Figure 8 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing the mounting structure of the filter unit 11 to the container 10 during backwashing. Explanation will be made with reference to Figure 7 as well. The post-filter unit 32 from which the pre-filter unit 31 has been removed is attached to the discharge cock 14 via the pre-filter unit mounting portion 80 of the activated carbon filter unit 33. The post-filter unit 32 is previously attached to the discharge cock 14 by inserting the pre-filter unit mounting portion 80 into the filter unit mounting portion 24 of the filter connection cap 17, and the filter unit 11 is constructed by attaching it to the discharge cock 14 using the elastic force of the packing 75.

The post-filter unit 32 is then inserted into the filter unit insertion hole 28 from the outside of the container 10, and the male thread 29A formed on the mounting protrusion 27 is screwed into the female thread 29B formed on the filter connection cap 17. The post-filter unit 32 moves to a position where the end 50 of the activated carbon filter case 53 abuts against the abutment surface 21 of the filter connection cap 17, and then stops. In this manner, the filter unit 11 with the post-filter unit 32 attached can be attached to the container 10.

In the case of backwashing, filtered purified water (treated water or tap water) is stored in the vessel 10. Then, by operating the accumulator pump 12 (see FIG. 1) and pressurizing the inside of the vessel 10, the purified water in the vessel 10 is circulated in the direction opposite to filtration through the MF hollow fiber filter unit 34 and the activated carbon filter unit 33, and the backwash water is discharged from the discharge cock 14. In this way, the objects to be removed that have adhered to the MF hollow fiber filter unit 34 and the activated carbon filter unit 33 are removed, and the post-filter unit 32 is regenerated, making it possible to use the post-filter unit 32 for a long period of time or repeatedly.

When backwashing, the pre-filter unit 31 is removed from the post-filter unit 32. The pre-filter unit 31 can easily have the pre-filter 43 attached to and detached from the pre-filter case 42, so it can be disassembled and cleaned when dirt becomes noticeable. For this reason, it is preferable to paint the sponge sheet 45 a color that makes dirt more noticeable. In addition, since the pre-filter unit 31 has relatively large debris attached thereto and the opening area of the fitting opening 41 of the pre-filter case 42 is large, it is also possible to backwash it by circulating purified water (treated water) through the fitting opening 41.

The water purifier 1 is composed of a container 10 that stores raw water, a pre-filter unit 31 that adsorbs and removes relatively large debris, a post-filter unit 32 that filters the raw water into drinking water or water for daily use, and a discharge cock 14 that discharges the filtered purified water (also called treated water) to the outside of the container 10. The water purifier 1 can obtain purified water by filtering raw water by circulating the raw water through the pre-filter unit 31 and then the post-filter unit 32. On the other hand, the post-filter unit 32 can be cleaned by circulating the purified water in the opposite direction to the filtration process.

The water purifier 1 has a discharge cock attachment part 81 to which the discharge cock 14 can be detachably attached to the post-filter unit 32, and a pre-filter unit attachment part 80 to which the pre-filter unit 31 can be detachably attached. The pre-filter unit attachment part 80 is configured so that the discharge cock 14 can be attached in place of the pre-filter unit 31. Therefore, the discharge cock 14 is attached to the post-filter unit 32 in place of the pre-filter unit 31, and is attached to the container 10. Then, by circulating purified water (treated water) in the opposite direction to the filtration process, that is, from the pre-filter unit attachment part 80 side to the post-filter unit 32, it is possible to backwash the post-filter unit 32. The water purifier 1 can be used repeatedly for a long time without replacing the filter unit 30 with a new one.

The discharge cock mounting portion 81 and the pre-filter unit mounting portion 80 are each configured to be able to be fitted to the post-filter unit 32 or the pre-filter unit 31 via an elastic gasket 75. This allows the discharge cock 14 and the pre-filter unit 31 to be easily attached to and detached from the post-filter unit 32. Although each mounting portion may have a single gasket 75, using two gaskets makes it possible to prevent water leakage and maintain stable retention of the post-filter unit 32.

In addition, a discharge cock 14 can be attached to the pre-filter unit mounting portion 80 from which the pre-filter unit 31 has been removed, and with the post-filter unit 32 attached inside the container 10 via the discharge cock 14, purified water stored in the container 10 can be circulated to the post-filter unit 32 and backwash water can be discharged from the discharge cock 14. With this configuration, purified water (treated water) can be circulated through the post-filter unit 32 in the opposite direction to the filtration process, making it easy to backwash the post-filter unit 32.

The filter unit 30 also has a pre-filter unit 31 and a post-filter unit 32, which are connected in that order from the side that draws in raw water. The post-filter unit 32 has a discharge cock mounting part 81 that can be detachably attached to the discharge cock 14, and a pre-filter unit mounting part 80 to which the pre-filter unit 31 can be detachably attached. The discharge cock mounting part 81 and the pre-filter unit mounting part 80 have the same configuration, and the discharge cock 14 is configured so that it can be attached to the pre-filter unit mounting part 80.

According to this configuration, the discharge cock 14 is attached to the post-filter unit 32 instead of the pre-filter unit 31. The post-filter unit 32 is then attached to the inside of the container 10 in which purified water is stored via the discharge cock 14, and the purified water (treated water) is circulated through the post-filter unit 32 in the opposite direction to that during the filtration process, thereby enabling backwashing of the post-filter unit 32. In addition, the post-filter unit 32 has a discharge cock attachment part 81 and a pre-filter unit attachment part 80, which have the same configuration, allowing the discharge cock 14 and the pre-filter unit 31 to be easily attached and detached.

In the post-filter unit 32, the pre-filter unit mounting portion 80 and the discharge cock mounting portion 81 have ridges 58, 76 that protrude in the outer circumferential direction, and a packing 75 that is fitted into the packing grooves 59, 77 provided in the ridges 58, 76, and the post-filter unit 32 is configured to be detachably attached to the discharge cock 14 or the pre-filter unit 31 via the packing 75. By fitting the packing 75 into the packing grooves 59, 77, the packing 75 does not shift or deform when the pre-filter unit 31 or the discharge cock 14 is attached to the post-filter unit 32. This makes it possible to prevent water leakage and maintain stable retention of the post-filter unit 32 at each mounting portion.

The pre-filter unit 31 also has a pre-filter case 42 having an intake opening 40 for drawing in raw water on one side and an attachment opening 41 for fitting into the post-filter unit 32 on the other side. Inside the pre-filter case 42, a wire mesh 44, a sponge sheet 45, and a non-woven fabric sheet 46 are arranged in this order from the intake opening 40 side.

The pre-filter unit 31 is provided to prevent clogging of the post-filter unit 32 on the downstream side. The sponge sheet 45 and nonwoven fabric sheet 46 adsorb relatively large sand and organic debris contained in the raw water. A wire mesh 44 is arranged on the upstream side. The wire mesh 44 prevents the sponge sheet 45 from deforming or being damaged, thereby suppressing deterioration of the adsorption function of the pre-filter unit 31.

The post-filter unit 32 has an activated carbon filter unit 33 and an MF hollow fiber filter unit 34, which are connected in series starting from the pre-filter unit 31. The activated carbon filter unit 33 has a pre-filter unit attachment part 80 on the pre-filter unit 31 side. The MF hollow fiber filter unit 34 has a discharge cock attachment part 81 on the discharge cock 14 side.

The activated carbon filter unit 33 is responsible for adsorbing and removing relatively large objects to be removed that have passed through the pre-filter unit 31, and for adsorbing odors in the raw water. The MF hollow fiber filter unit 34 filters the raw water that has passed through the activated carbon filter unit 33 through ultra-fine holes between the continuous membrane structure, separating suspended solids, colloidal particles, bacteria, etc. from the raw water, and purifying it into drinking water or water for daily use. By connecting the activated carbon filter unit 33 and the MF hollow fiber filter unit 34 in series, it is possible to efficiently filter the raw water. In addition, the activated carbon filter unit 33 has a pre-filter unit mounting part 80, and by attaching a discharge cock 14 to the pre-filter unit mounting part 80, backwashing is possible. During backwashing, the backwash water, which is purified water (treated water), is circulated in the order of the MF hollow fiber filter unit 34 and the activated carbon filter unit 33. By flowing backwash water through the MF hollow fiber filter unit 34 (MF hollow fiber filter 71) which has ultra-fine pores, it is possible to effectively backwash the MF hollow fiber filter 71.

In addition, in the filter unit 30, an intermediate filter 60 is disposed between the activated carbon filter unit 33 and the MF hollow fiber filter unit 34. The intermediate filter 60 adsorbs the objects to be removed, such as fine sand and organic waste, that have passed through the activated carbon filter 54, and prevents clogging of the ultra-fine pores of the MF hollow fiber filter 71. Furthermore, by providing the intermediate filter 60, it becomes possible to prevent clogging of the MF hollow fiber filter 71 with fine powdered activated carbon generated from the activated carbon filter 54.

The end 50 of the activated carbon filter case 53 that is attached to the pre-filter unit 31 is provided with an inlet opening 51 for introducing raw water, and a nonwoven fabric sheet 47 is interposed between the inner end surface 50a of the end 50 and the activated carbon filter 54 (first activated carbon filter 55). By providing the nonwoven fabric sheet 47, the granular first activated carbon filter 55 is prevented from spilling out when the activated carbon filter unit 33 is alone (when the pre-filter unit 31 is not attached) or when the pre-filter unit 31 is removed from the post-filter unit 32.

1...water purifier, 10...container, 12...accumulator pump, 14...discharge cock, 30...filter unit, 31...prefilter unit, 32...postfilter unit, 33...activated carbon filter unit, 34...MF hollow fiber filter unit, 35, 40...intake opening, 36...end, 37...opening, 41, 52...fitting opening, 42...prefilter case, 43...prefilter, 44...wire mesh, 45, 63...sponge sheet, 46, 62...nonwoven fabric sheet , 47...nonwoven fabric sheet, 50...end, 50a...inner end surface, 51...inlet opening, 53...activated carbon filter case, 54...activated carbon filter, 55...first activated carbon filter, 56...second activated carbon filter, 57...partition filter, 58, 76...convex portion, 59, 77...packing groove, 60...intermediate filter, 61...activated carbon sheet, 71...MF hollow fiber filter, 75...packing, 80...prefilter unit mounting portion, 81...discharge cock mounting portion

Claims (9)

A container for storing raw water;
an accumulator pump for pressurizing the inside of the container;
a filter unit disposed inside the container and detachable from the container via a discharge cock;
The filter unit includes a pre-filter unit disposed upstream of the raw water and a post-filter unit disposed downstream of the pre-filter unit,
the post-filter unit has a discharge cock mounting portion that can be detachably attached to the discharge cock, and a pre-filter unit mounting portion that can be detachably attached to the pre-filter unit,
The discharge cock mounting portion and the pre-filter unit mounting portion have the same configuration,
The post-filter unit is configured so that the discharge cock can be attached to the pre-filter unit attachment portion.
A water purifier characterized by the above. The water purifier according to claim 1,
Each of the discharge cock mounting portion and the pre-filter unit mounting portion is configured to be fitted to the post-filter unit or the pre-filter unit via an elastic packing.
A water purifier characterized by the above. The water purifier according to claim 1,
The discharge cock can be attached to the pre-filter unit attachment portion from which the pre-filter unit has been removed,
With the post-filter unit attached to the inside of the container via the discharge cock, the purified water stored in the container is circulated through the post-filter unit and discharged from the discharge cock, thereby enabling backwashing.
A water purifier characterized by the above. The filter has a pre-filter unit and a post-filter unit connected in this order from the side where the raw water is sucked in.
the post-filter unit has a discharge cock mounting portion that can be detachably attached to a discharge cock, and a pre-filter unit mounting portion that can be detachably attached to the pre-filter unit,
The discharge cock mounting portion and the pre-filter unit mounting portion have the same configuration,
The discharge cock is configured to be attachable to the pre-filter unit mounting portion.
A filter unit characterized by: The filter unit according to claim 4,
The pre-filter unit mounting portion and the discharge cock mounting portion each have a convex portion protruding in an outer circumferential direction and a packing fitted into a packing groove provided in the convex portion,
The post-filter unit is configured to be detachably attached to the discharge cock or the pre-filter unit via the packing.
A filter unit characterized by: The filter unit according to claim 4,
The pre-filter unit has a pre-filter case having an intake opening for taking in the raw water at one end and an attachment opening for fitting to the post-filter unit at the other end,
A wire mesh, a sponge sheet, and a nonwoven fabric sheet are arranged in this order from the intake opening side inside the pre-filter case.
A filter unit characterized by: The filter unit according to claim 4,
The post-filter unit has an activated carbon filter unit and an MF hollow fiber filter unit connected in series in this order from the pre-filter unit side,
The activated carbon filter unit has a pre-filter unit attachment portion formed on the pre-filter unit side,
The MF hollow fiber filter unit is provided with a discharge cock attachment portion on the discharge cock side.
A filter unit characterized by: The filter unit according to claim 7,
An intermediate filter is disposed between the activated carbon filter unit and the MF hollow fiber filter unit.
A filter unit characterized by: The filter unit according to claim 7,
An inlet opening for introducing the raw water is provided at an end of the activated carbon filter case on the side where the pre-filter unit is inserted, and a nonwoven fabric sheet is interposed between the inner end surface of the end and the activated carbon filter.
A filter unit characterized by:

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